| Mozart in Salzburg |
Salzburg's favorite son changed the world of music forever. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1756-1791,
born Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Gottlieb Mozart and baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus
Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was the 7th child of Leopold Mozart, would produced over 600
compositions in a wide range of musical forms, and some of the most beautiful music the world has
ever heard. In 1782, he embarked on the composition of piano concertos, so that he could appear
both as composer and soloist. He wrote fifteen before the end of 1786.
born Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Gottlieb Mozart and baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus
Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was the 7th child of Leopold Mozart, would produced over 600
compositions in a wide range of musical forms, and some of the most beautiful music the world has
ever heard. In 1782, he embarked on the composition of piano concertos, so that he could appear
both as composer and soloist. He wrote fifteen before the end of 1786.
His father, musician Leopold Mozart, 1719-1787, served under five
Archbishops in his 44 years in the Salzburg court orchestra. Leopold
entered the service of Count Thurn-Valsassina und Taxis and remained
in his service for three years until 1743 when he was appointed fourth
violinist to the court orchestra under Archbishop Firmian. The two
Archbishops most important to he and his son would be Count
Sigismund Christoph Schrattenbach, a music lover who appointed
Leopold vice Kapell meister in 1763, with the freedom to promote his
son's career, and domineering Count Hieronymus Colloredo, elected
archbishop in 1772, who liked music but dictated where and how the
music would be used and treated court musicians poorly.
Left: Recently discovered portrait of Mozart done a year before his death
Archbishops in his 44 years in the Salzburg court orchestra. Leopold
entered the service of Count Thurn-Valsassina und Taxis and remained
in his service for three years until 1743 when he was appointed fourth
violinist to the court orchestra under Archbishop Firmian. The two
Archbishops most important to he and his son would be Count
Sigismund Christoph Schrattenbach, a music lover who appointed
Leopold vice Kapell meister in 1763, with the freedom to promote his
son's career, and domineering Count Hieronymus Colloredo, elected
archbishop in 1772, who liked music but dictated where and how the
music would be used and treated court musicians poorly.
Left: Recently discovered portrait of Mozart done a year before his death
In 1770, Mozart also received employment in the court of Salzburg and spent ten unhappy years in
what must have seemed a janitorial position, forced to live by the strict rules of the royal household,
required to dine with the servants and endure their indignities. Notoriously cheap, Colloredo ordered
his court composers to never write a mass longer than twenty minutes, yet used public funds to build
extravagant palaces and gardens to please a very close lady friend.
what must have seemed a janitorial position, forced to live by the strict rules of the royal household,
required to dine with the servants and endure their indignities. Notoriously cheap, Colloredo ordered
his court composers to never write a mass longer than twenty minutes, yet used public funds to build
extravagant palaces and gardens to please a very close lady friend.
In a letter to his father in 1778, the twenty two year-old Wolfgang
wrote, "the Archbishop can never pay me enough to compensate for the
slavery of Salzburg." A later letter charged that Colloredo "glorifies
himself through his dependants, robs them of the service and pays them
nothing for it!" Finally, after several trying events, young Mozart asked
to be released from the position.
wrote, "the Archbishop can never pay me enough to compensate for the
slavery of Salzburg." A later letter charged that Colloredo "glorifies
himself through his dependants, robs them of the service and pays them
nothing for it!" Finally, after several trying events, young Mozart asked
to be released from the position.
Mozart married his first love's sister, Konstanze Weber. After a few
travels, they made their home in Vienna for the remainder of his short
life. Their rambunctious and apparently happy marriage produced six
children, of whom only two survived. After Mozart's death, Constanze
married Danish diplomat Georg Nikolaus von Nissen. Left top: Mozart's
father and mother.Bottom:His wife and children
travels, they made their home in Vienna for the remainder of his short
life. Their rambunctious and apparently happy marriage produced six
children, of whom only two survived. After Mozart's death, Constanze
married Danish diplomat Georg Nikolaus von Nissen. Left top: Mozart's
father and mother.Bottom:His wife and children
At the age of 34, a penniless Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart expired and was laid to rest in a nameless
pauper's grave.
pauper's grave.
| Did he leave a little something behind? |
Then there is the controversy over Mozart's death mask. According to legend, Count Joseph Deym
von Stritetz made a plaster cast of Mozart's face upon his death and subsequently exhibited the death
mask in his gallery/museum, placed on a wax figure dressed in fancy clothing. When the Count died
in 1804, the mask went to his widow and upon her death in 1821 it vanished. Then, in 1947, a death
mask turned up in an antique shop in Austria and ended up in the ownership of a sculptor named
Willy Kauer who, thinking it looked like Mozart, tried to get the Austrian Ministry of Education to
commission an inquiry in 1948 as to its authenticity. Although the mask had several features in
common with Mozart, including pox marks, they released their findings as inconclusive in 1949.
There was another investigation in 1950 and this time they decided that the mask was unlikely to be
that of Mozart and it was returned to Kauer. By 1956, the Mozarteum sponsored yet another
examination of this mask and studied two initials inside it seemingly from a bronze caster in Vienna
who worked during Mozart's life named Thaddaus Ribola. He had a studio next to Count Deym's
gallery during the 1790's. Still, not enough evidence to be conclusive. You decide.
von Stritetz made a plaster cast of Mozart's face upon his death and subsequently exhibited the death
mask in his gallery/museum, placed on a wax figure dressed in fancy clothing. When the Count died
in 1804, the mask went to his widow and upon her death in 1821 it vanished. Then, in 1947, a death
mask turned up in an antique shop in Austria and ended up in the ownership of a sculptor named
Willy Kauer who, thinking it looked like Mozart, tried to get the Austrian Ministry of Education to
commission an inquiry in 1948 as to its authenticity. Although the mask had several features in
common with Mozart, including pox marks, they released their findings as inconclusive in 1949.
There was another investigation in 1950 and this time they decided that the mask was unlikely to be
that of Mozart and it was returned to Kauer. By 1956, the Mozarteum sponsored yet another
examination of this mask and studied two initials inside it seemingly from a bronze caster in Vienna
who worked during Mozart's life named Thaddaus Ribola. He had a studio next to Count Deym's
gallery during the 1790's. Still, not enough evidence to be conclusive. You decide.
