Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(Who is Mozart?)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most influential, popular and prolific composers of the classical period. Well known as a child prodigy, he mastered the keyboard and the violin at a very young age. He composed over 700 works, including operas, symphonies, concertos, and solo pieces for the piano. In a short span of 35 years, he became the most celebrated musician in the world. Not only did he contribute immensely to music during the classical era, but also had a profound influence on the subsequent Western art music.
Special Relationship with other composers:
- Johann Christian Bach (the eighteenth child of Johann Sebastian Bach) spent five months teaching Mozart in composition and influenced the concerto styles of Mozart
- Joseph Haydn, another famous composer of the Classical period was his teacher and friend. He wrote, “posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years.”
- The music of Mozart very much influenced the early Ludwig Van Beethoven