This post is based on the course: Great Masters: Mozart
Chapter 1: Introduction
Much of modern Mozart scholarship focuses on debunking the many myths that have surrounded his life and work. Some people have perceived Mozart as an almost divine being with inexplicable talents, while others have considered him an idiot savant. One reason for the proliferation of myths about Mozart is the lack of reliable contemporary accounts of his life and personality. Many of these accounts were written long after his death, contributing to the legend rather than the reality. His extraordinary talent also led people to view him as some kind of anomaly. Central to the mythology of Mozart is the ethereal quality of his music, which, combined with his middle name, Amadeus, meaning "loved of God," further reinforced his god-like image. These lectures aim to present Mozart as a real person: a highly talented, hardworking, and ambitious individual who had his share of friends, enemies, and critics.
Mozart lived a remarkably intense and productive life, writing an astounding amount of great music, enduring numerous illnesses, traveling extensively, and experiencing psychological stress that could fill several lifetimes, all within his short thirty-five years. This raises the question: who was Mozart really? Was he a symbol of musical perfection, a naive genius, a clever and sometimes arrogant man as suggested by his letters, or a figure who navigated the fine line between tradition and rebellion? His early success came with his first operatic hit, Mithridate, King of Pontus, which premiered in Milan in 1770 when he was just fourteen years old.
Modern scholarship strives to strip away the layers of myth surrounding Mozart’s life. One reason for the myths is the lack of reliable contemporary accounts, as most descriptions of Mozart were penned long after his death. These accounts, often inaccurate and sometimes self-serving, formed the foundation of Mozart scholarship well into the 20th century. Another reason for the myths is his prodigious talent, which seemed almost supernatural. He composed his first symphony at eight, could sight-read complex music, remember intricate compositions after a single hearing, improvise brilliantly, and compose entire works in his head before writing them down.
The allure of Mozart’s music lies in its otherworldly beauty. His compositions range from vigorous and lyrical to dreamlike in their slow movements. They combine pure lyricism with dramatic timing, deep expression, and technical mastery, creating a unique body of work. Even his most dramatic and tragic pieces offer an idealized reality filled with hope and expectation, a kind of musical Eden before the chaos of the revolutionary age.
Another aspect of the Mozart mythology is his name. "Amadeus" came from his third name, Theophilus or Gottlieb, meaning "loved of God." This name implied a divine connection, enhancing his mystical persona. Mozart himself preferred the French version, "Amadé," but "Amadeus" became widely adopted after his death, adding to the legend.
The goal is to portray Mozart as a real person, devoid of myth. His music often provides solace in times of distress, its lyricism and elegance evoking a better world. However, his compositions were not the popular music of his era; they were often seen as too rich in ideas, too complex, and filled with unusual harmonies. Empress Maria Luisa of Bohemia famously dismissed his opera The Mercy of Titus as "German swinishness." Mozart’s music and personality attracted both admiration and criticism. His works were the product of a highly intelligent, diligent, and talented man. In his opera The Magic Flute, a priest refers to the hero Tamino as "a prince," to which the high priest Sarastro replies, "Still more, he is a man!" This underscores Mozart’s humanity, reminding us that he was a remarkable person, not just a mythic figure.
Chapter 2: Leopold and the Grand Tour
Leopold Mozart had a profound influence on his son Wolfgang from the very beginning. Leopold's own musical career had not reached the heights he had hoped for, and when he recognized the extraordinary musical talents of his children, Marianne and Wolfgang, he decided to cultivate and showcase their abilities to gain wealth and fame. The grand European tour of 1763–66, undertaken by the Mozart family, transformed them into a sensation across Europe and established young Wolfgang as a prodigy by which all others would be measured. Despite his small, fragile stature and desperate need to please, Wolfgang became the main breadwinner for the family.
Leopold Mozart played multiple roles in his son's life—creator, teacher, booking agent, publicist, business manager, valet, and ultimately, his tormentor. While Mozart's mother, Anna Maria, remained a less visible figure, Leopold was the dominant force in the household. Born in 1719 into a family of artisans in Augsburg, southern Germany, Leopold moved to Salzburg, Austria, at eighteen to work as a chamberlain and musician at a nobleman's court. His family disapproved of his marriage to Anna Maria Pertl in 1747, leading his mother to withhold his inheritance, which deeply affected Leopold's relationship with his son, Wolfgang. Eventually, Leopold became estranged from his mother.
Leopold's career progressed slowly due to his contempt for authority and his limited success as a composer and violinist. Nonetheless, his taste in music had a lasting impact on Wolfgang. Leopold's compositions, like the Hunting Symphony and the Symphony in B Flat Major, displayed his musical competence but did not bring him the recognition he sought. Frustrated with his own career, he viewed his children's talents, particularly Wolfgang's, as a means to achieve the success and wealth he desired.
Mozart and his sister, Maria Anna (nicknamed Nannerl), were the only surviving children of the seven born to Leopold and Anna Maria. Marianne was born on July 30 or 31, 1751, and Wolfgang on January 27, 1756. Both began music lessons very early, with Wolfgang starting at just three years old. By five, he had already composed his first pieces, and by six, he could play the violin in trios and quartets. Early works like the Minuet in G, written at age five, showcased his burgeoning talent. Leopold took over Wolfgang's entire education, and in January 1761, the family embarked on a three-week concert tour to Munich, followed by a three-month visit to Vienna, where Wolfgang's fame began to rise.
On June 9, 1763, the Mozart family set out from Salzburg on a grand tour of Europe, which lasted over three years and included stops in eighty-eight cities. The children performed for thousands of people, gaining acclaim from the middle class to royalty, before returning to Salzburg on November 30, 1766. During this time, they were showered with expensive gifts, and the tiny, blond, and charming Wolfgang became a favorite of royalty. The family received the warmest reception in London, where they spent over fifteen months.
Mozart's prodigious talents continued to blossom into something even more astonishing in adulthood. He was never content with the simple compositional formulas he mastered as a child, which led to criticisms of his music as being overly complex. After the grand tour, the small, sensitive, and eager-to-please Mozart became the primary financial support for his family.
Physically, Mozart was a small and fragile child with a malformed left ear, about which he was very self-conscious. He grew into an unusually small adult, standing about five feet, four inches tall in shoes. His small stature added to the amazement of his performances as a prodigy. He was devoted to his parents, particularly his father, and was almost desperate to please him. Outwardly, he appeared to be a happy child who thrived on attention and adulation, but he was deeply affected by the absence or loss of friends and constantly sought affection and approval from those around him.
Chapter 3: Mozart the Composer - Early Music
Leopold Mozart likely played a significant role in the creation of Wolfgang’s earliest pieces, but Mozart also honed his craft by learning from the leading composers of his time during his European tours. One such influential figure was Johann Christian Bach, whom Mozart met during his tour in London in 1764–65. Bach’s distinctive blend of Italian melodic style and German harmonic sophistication, along with his approach to symphony and concerto, had a profound impact on young Mozart. Additionally, Mozart modeled his early works on those of established Viennese symphonists and absorbed the Italian style during his tours of Italy between 1769 and 1773. By his second visit to Paris in 1777, Mozart's unique compositional voice had begun to fully emerge.
It is difficult to ascertain the extent of Leopold’s involvement in Mozart’s early compositions. It was certainly in Leopold’s interest for Wolfgang’s early works to be as polished as possible, reflecting the family's ambitions. For instance, Mozart’s Symphony No. 4 in D Major, K. 19 (1764), displays a level of sophistication that may have been influenced by Leopold. Interestingly, Symphony No. 2, K. 17, is now attributed to Leopold, and Symphony No. 3, K. 18, to Carl Friedrich Abel, indicating that while Wolfgang was undoubtedly talented, his father’s guidance and possibly even direct contributions played a significant role in his early works.
Mozart’s musical education was a blend of his father’s instruction and the influences he absorbed from the European musical scene. Composers like Johann Christian Bach, whom Mozart met in London, served as unwitting mentors. Johann Christian Bach, the eleventh son of Johann Sebastian Bach, was a talented musician who honed his skills in Italy. His unique blend of Italian melody and Germanic harmony left a lasting impression on Mozart. This influence is evident in early works such as Mozart’s Symphony No. 1 in E Flat Major, K. 16 (1764), which mirrors Bach’s style.
Leopold ensured that Wolfgang's early compositions were modeled on works popular in the cities they visited. For example, Mozart’s Symphony No. 8, K. 48, written during a stay in Vienna in 1768, reflects the stylistic and structural elements of Viennese symphonists like Vanhal, Dittersdorf, Gassman, and Haydn. This symphony, composed when Mozart was only twelve, was likely performed at private aristocratic concerts. However, by the time of their visit to Vienna in 1767–68, public fascination with Mozart’s talent had begun to wane, leading to skepticism and disinterest, which Leopold attributed to rival conspiracies.
Between 1769 and 1773, Mozart and his father toured Italy three times. On their first trip, Mozart composed his second opera, Mithridate, King of Pontus. These tours marked Mozart’s transition from a virtuoso child prodigy to a serious composer, producing an impressive array of works, including operas, concert arias, serenades, divertimenti, sacred pieces, string quartets, and symphonies. These Italian tours were significant, showcasing Mozart’s ability to impress even the discerning Italian audiences, regarded as the epicenter of European music. One notable incident from these tours involved Mozart transcribing Allegri’s Miserere from memory after hearing it at the Sistine Chapel, demonstrating his extraordinary musical prowess.
Mozart and his father returned to Salzburg in March 1773, with their tours largely subsidized by the Salzburg court, their primary patron. However, the succession of Count Hieronymous von Colloredo as Archbishop of Salzburg in 1771 brought changes. Colloredo’s lack of interest in music and fiscal conservatism made Salzburg less supportive of the Mozarts. In 1777, the archbishop denied Leopold’s request to take Wolfgang to Paris, marking the end of Leopold’s career as an impresario and prompting Wolfgang to quit his job at the archbishop’s court and set out for Paris with his mother.
By 1777, Mozart’s mature compositional style had begun to crystallize. While living in Paris in 1778, he composed his Piano Sonata in A Minor, K. 310, a piece notable for its minor key—a rarity for Mozart. This composition alarmed his father, who criticized its unusual harmonic progressions and technical difficulty, reflecting Leopold’s more conservative musical tastes. Despite his father’s concerns, Mozart had evolved from being a master imitator to an original composer, showcasing his growth and the development of his unique compositional voice in the years leading up to his Paris trip of 1777.
Chapter 4 - Paris
In confronting the myths about when Mozart’s musical style blossomed into full maturity, it becomes clear that he was not merely a divinely inspired, effortless composer. Instead, he worked diligently to perfect his craft. Mozart was no more born a composer than Babe Ruth was born a baseball player; both had a genetic predisposition to their respective talents but had to work hard to refine their skills. Mozart’s apprenticeship lasted about thirteen years, beginning at a very young age. By twenty, Mozart had developed his own compositional voice, creating works that were uniquely his own. Between 1773 and 1774, he produced pieces such as the String Quintet in B Flat, K. 174; the Piano Concerto in D, K. 175; the Symphony in A Major, K. 201/186a; and the Little G Minor Symphony, K. 183, all of which demonstrate a distinctive style and musical maturity far beyond his years.
Among Mozart’s most important compositions of this period are his serenades. Typically scored for six to twelve instruments, these pieces were intended as background music for social functions. Mozart adapted the serenade style for movements in larger works, such as concerti, symphonies, and operas. The melodic clarity, intimacy, and delicacy of his serenade style are evident in the operatic trio from Così fan tutte, written ten years later. Works like the Serenade in D Major, K. 320, showcase his ability to blend elegance with emotional depth, a hallmark of his mature style.
In October 1777, Mozart and his mother left Salzburg for Paris as Mozart sought a new position. Having been refused a position in Mannheim, where he stayed for several months earning a living as a freelance composer and music teacher, Mozart fell in love with Aloysia Weber, a relationship his father Leopold vehemently opposed. Leopold's opposition stemmed from his desire to keep Wolfgang under his influence and to secure his son's future income. Obeying his father, Mozart left Mannheim for Paris with his mother on March 23, 1778.
Mozart’s productivity declined during his visit to Paris, yet he still produced masterworks like the Piano Sonata in A Minor, K. 310/300d. This powerful and darkly colored piece reflects his unhappiness in Paris, where he faced numerous personal and professional challenges. He even turned down a position as court organist at Versailles, signaling his dissatisfaction with the opportunities available to him.
On July 3, 1778, Mozart’s mother died, deeply traumatizing him. He tried to prepare his father and sister for the tragic news before revealing the full extent of the loss. Leopold reacted by blaming Wolfgang for his mother's death, despite having insisted that Anna Maria accompany Wolfgang to Paris. This emotional blackmail led Mozart to return to Salzburg, where Leopold had secured a position for him as court organist. Reluctantly, Mozart made his way back to Salzburg, stopping in Mannheim to visit Aloysia Weber, only to find that she was no longer interested in him.
Mozart had a penchant for toilet humor and sexual innuendo, a trait evident in his letters to his cousin Maria Anna Thekla Mozart. These letters are famous for their raunchiness and obscenities, revealing a side of Mozart that contrasts sharply with his refined musical genius. This aspect of his personality shows that he was not just a divine vessel for music but a complex, multifaceted individual.
Chapter 5: The Flight from Salzburg and Arrival in Vienna
Mozart returned to Salzburg on January 15, 1779. His time in Paris had been a failure, with his mother's death, no job prospects, no money, and a rejected marriage proposal from Aloysia Weber. By returning to Salzburg, Mozart's career development slowed. Leopold Mozart, burdened by debts he blamed on Wolfgang, insisted his son return to help repay them. He also opposed Wolfgang’s relationships with Aloysia Weber and his cousin Maria Anna Thekla. Despite these challenges, Mozart’s creativity flourished during his time in Salzburg. From 1779–80, he served as concertmaster, court organist, and keyboard teacher while composing significant works such as three symphonies, the Posthorn Serenade, the Concerto for Two Pianos, the Coronation Mass, various divertimenti, church sonatas, and the Sinfonia Concertante in E Flat for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra, K. 364/320d.
The Sinfonia Concertante reflects the influence of music Mozart heard in Mannheim. Unlike a typical sinfonia concertante, Mozart’s version featured virtuosic solo parts. His mature style is evident in his use of woodwinds and horns as important instrumental voices. The piece begins with the solo violin and viola developing thematic material introduced by the orchestra. The second movement is a lush, dark-toned andante, and the third movement is lively, with the soloists engaging in a dynamic interplay. This work likely aimed to impress Elector Karl Theodor of Munich.
In 1780, Mozart secured a commission for the opera Idomeneo, King of Crete from the Elector and the city of Munich. Granted a six-week leave from Salzburg, he left for Munich on November 5, 1780. Idomeneo, a serious opera, premiered successfully. In spring, Mozart was summoned to Vienna by Archbishop Colloredo, who wanted to showcase his musicians to the Viennese nobility. However, the archbishop forbade Mozart from performing independently, leading to a conflict that ended with Mozart being dismissed from service. At twenty-five, Mozart was free.
In May 1781, Mozart moved into the Weber residence in Vienna. The Webers had relocated from Mannheim, and despite Aloysia’s marriage, her sisters Josepha, Constanze, and Sophie were still unmarried. Mozart fell in love with Constanze, prompting another outburst from Leopold. Ignoring his father’s objections, Mozart married Constanze on August 4, 1782, further straining his relationship with Leopold until his death five years later.
During his early years in Vienna, Mozart focused primarily on composing piano concertos. As composer, performer, and impresario, he produced and promoted his own subscription concerts. In a letter to his father, he described the successful performance of his Quintet for Piano and Winds, K. 452, a chamber work known for its subtlety and delicacy. The final movement of the quintet, with its elements of dance, highlights the lyricism and delicacy that characterize Mozart's mature compositional voice.
Chapter 6 - Life in Vienna
Between 1782 and 1786, Mozart reached the peak of his career as a pianist and composer in Vienna. Mozart’s piano concerti were his primary source of income from 1782 to 1786, during which he composed fourteen masterful concerti. These works overshadowed every other genre of composition during this period, except for the string quartet. Written between 1782 and 1785, Mozart’s string quartets were inspired by and dedicated to Haydn, the one living composer he truly admired. The two participated in several chamber music sessions with other musicians. Mozart’s letter to Haydn, accompanying copies of his newly published quartets, reveals his deep respect and admiration for Haydn. The so-called Dissonant Quartet (K. 465) features a brilliant and upbeat first movement, a lyrical second movement, a stately minuet in the third movement, and a frisky and playful fourth movement. This quartet gets its nickname from its extraordinarily dissonant introduction, which even Haydn found deeply disturbing. Despite their inspiration from Haydn, Mozart’s quartets exhibit an expressive range and intensity of feeling that go beyond their models.
During this period, Mozart reached the height of his popularity in Vienna, earning and spending a significant amount of money. At twenty-seven years old, he was finally free from the financial and emotional control of his father and Salzburg. His letters to his father and sister during these years reveal a hard-working man who would rise early, compose for hours, give lessons until the afternoon, and then return to work in the evening, often working late into the night. His legendary speed in composing is well known; he claimed that what others called composing, he called “copying out.” Mozart preferred to work out his musical ideas in his head and then write them down rapidly, prompting speculation about his unique cognitive abilities.
Mozart also led a rich and busy social life. He had a large circle of friends, including aristocrats, bureaucrats, professional musicians, actors, playwrights, and impresarios. He was an avid opera and theatergoer, and he and Constanze were part of the Viennese beau monde. Mozart was also a diligent correspondent and, after 1784, a Freemason. He kept pets, including a canary, a horse, and a starling. Mozart was particularly fond of the starling, which had learned to sing the theme from the last movement of his Piano Concerto in G Major, K. 453.
Mozart had little respect for rank or position and was skeptical of all authority. Unlike Beethoven, who was initially fooled by Napoleon, Mozart was not deceived by enlightened despots, likely because he knew these men personally. By channeling his radical impulses into his humor and sublime music, Mozart navigated the emotional tensions imposed by his life experiences.
On February 11, 1785, Leopold Mozart came to Vienna to visit his son and his son’s family for two and a half months. The antagonism between father and son had not diminished. During this period, Mozart gave nearly a dozen concerts, including a performance of his Piano Concerto in B Flat Major, K. 456, which reportedly impressed the audience and the emperor. Leopold attended many social events and was made a member of Mozart’s Masonic Lodge. The high point of Leopold’s visit was a reading of three of Mozart’s so-called Haydn string quartets, attended by the legendary Haydn himself, who told Leopold that his son was the greatest composer he knew.
Despite his son’s triumphs, Leopold became increasingly depressed. He returned to Salzburg in late April 1785, and the correspondence between father and son dwindled. Leopold’s health began to fail in the fall of 1786, and he died on May 28, 1787. There is little documentary evidence about Mozart’s reaction to his father’s death, but when his pet starling died three days later, Mozart was grief-stricken and wrote a eulogy for the bird. After his father’s death, Mozart discovered that he had been almost entirely disinherited, with nearly everything going to his sister Marianne, including Mozart’s own scores left with his father for safekeeping. The first piece Mozart composed after his father’s death was Ein Musikalischer Spass (A Musical Joke), a parody that mocks all the rules of good composition Leopold would have taught him. This work contains examples of compositional amateurism and bad taste, culminating in a disastrous conclusion of the fourth movement, showcasing Mozart's complex relationship with his father and his irreverent sense of humor.
Chapter 7: Operas in Vienna
In 1780, Empress Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary, died and was succeeded by her son Joseph. Unlike his mother, who had little use for artists and censored the cultural community, Joseph II was more enlightened and implemented many reforms that created a supportive cultural environment. Under his reign, Vienna became a vibrant center for artists. It was in this atmosphere that Mozart met Lorenzo Da Ponte, an educated man of letters, a converted Jew, a failed priest, and a protégé of Antonio Salieri. Da Ponte wrote the libretti for three of Mozart’s greatest operas.
Mozart and Da Ponte collaborated on The Marriage of Figaro, considered one of Mozart’s masterworks. In his memoirs, Da Ponte recalled that Mozart had asked if he could create a libretto from the comedy The Marriage of Figaro by the French playwright Beaumarchais. Despite the emperor's recent ban on the play due to its political overtones, Da Ponte and Mozart proceeded with the opera. Fortunately, the Viennese opera house needed a new score. Da Ponte and Mozart completed the libretto and most of the music in six weeks. Da Ponte convinced the emperor that enough cuts had been made to render the opera inoffensive, while also praising Mozart’s music. The emperor was pleased and ordered the restoration of cuts demanded by the Italian opera house administrators, much to Mozart's relief.
The premiere of The Marriage of Figaro was recognized by all involved as an original and inspired work, unlike any other opera they had heard. Mozart’s friend, singer Michael Kelly, recalled Mozart’s hands-on approach during rehearsals. Francesco Benucci’s performance of "Non piu andrai" had an electrifying effect on the audience.
Despite this, the Viennese premiere of The Marriage of Figaro was not an unqualified success and faced criticism. By 1786, the popularity of Mozart’s subscription concerts had nearly faded. The opera’s critical portrayal of the ruling class offended many members of the Viennese aristocracy, leading to Mozart’s decline in Vienna.
In contrast, Mozart was idolized in Prague. The Marriage of Figaro was enthusiastically received, and during Mozart's visit in January 1787, he witnessed a “Figaro craze.” By early February, he had a contract to write a new opera. Back in Vienna, Mozart composed several new works, including the Rondo in A Minor for Piano, K. 511, the String Quintet in C Major, K. 515, and Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525. However, the major project for 1787 was the new opera Don Giovanni, commissioned for Prague.
Mozart and Constanze returned to Prague in October 1787, with Don Giovanni still incomplete. Legend has it that Mozart composed the overture the night before the final dress rehearsal. The overture begins with a tragic dirge foreshadowing Don Giovanni’s violent end and transitions into a light and brilliant section that sets the stage for the opera's comic elements. Don Giovanni was an even greater success in Prague than The Marriage of Figaro. Despite this, Mozart had no desire to make Prague his permanent home and returned to Vienna, where he was appointed chamber composer to Emperor Joseph II. However, his music was increasingly undervalued in Vienna, where critics found Don Giovanni “artificial” and preferred the lighter, formulaic operas of Italian composers.
The years 1788 to 1789 were difficult for the Mozart family. Austria was engaged in a costly and unpopular war with the Ottoman Turks, leading to austerity measures that curtailed concerts and opera performances. Mozart and Constanze, who had lived extravagantly, went into debt, and Mozart had to beg for loans from friends, including his Masonic brother Michael Puchberg. In the summer of 1788, both Mozart and Constanze were ill, and their infant daughter Theresa died in June. Despite these hardships, Mozart composed his last three symphonies—K. 543, 550, and 551—over six weeks in the summer of 1788. The music from this period conveys a range of emotions, from the dark and stormy G Minor Symphony to the joyful Symphony in C Major (“Jupiter”).
The strain of financial and personal issues also affected Mozart’s marriage. There is little doubt that Mozart engaged in extramarital affairs, which, combined with financial strain, took a toll on Constanze. In the spring and summer of 1789, she became ill and traveled to the spa at Baden on her physician’s advice. Mozart wrote to her expressing concern that she might retaliate by taking a lover. Against this backdrop of real and perceived infidelity, Mozart wrote his opera about the infidelity of women, Così fan tutte.
Chapter 8: The Last Days
In 1789, Mozart and Da Ponte created Così fan tutte, a witty opera about two women who are deceived by their lovers into being unfaithful. The idea for the opera came from Emperor Joseph II. While later generations deemed the opera morally dubious, Beethoven reportedly disliked it despite borrowing elements for his opera Fidelio. Così fan tutte is a brilliant work, though it was largely ignored in Vienna when it premiered on January 26, 1790. One notable aspect of the opera is the role of Fiordiligi, created for Adriana Ferraresi, Da Ponte’s mistress, who was rumored to be unattractive and arrogant. Mozart, disliking her, wrote the challenging aria "Come scoglio" with difficult vocal leaps, possibly to make her appear foolish on stage.
By late 1790, Mozart was deeply depressed, with his health deteriorating and financial problems mounting. Apart from the String Quartets, K. 589 and 590, he composed little of note that year. However, he experienced a creative resurgence in January 1791. The major project of the first half of that year was the opera The Magic Flute, commissioned by Johann Josef Emanuele Schikaneder, a well-known actor, singer, and theater director. Unlike his previous compositions for aristocratic audiences, The Magic Flute was written for a public theater catering to the middle and working classes, who favored the singspiel, a German musical comedy with spoken dialogue. Schikaneder, who had become friends with Mozart in 1780 and later joined the Masonic Lodge, wrote the libretto, which was infused with Masonic rituals and symbolism. Schikaneder himself sang the role of Papageno, while the Queen of the Night’s aria "Der Hölle Rache" showcased exceptional vocal fireworks. Premiered on September 30, 1791, The Magic Flute was an immediate success, elevating the singspiel genre to the level of Italian opera.
By the fall of 1791, Mozart was in high spirits. Contrary to popular myths, his letters to Constanze show no signs of him obsessing over his impending death. Despite frequent illnesses, his creative energy seldom waned. In the last four months of his life, Mozart composed The Magic Flute, The Mercy of Titus, the Clarinet Concerto, much of the Requiem, a Masonic cantata, and other pieces.
Speculation about the cause of Mozart’s death is abundant. In the summer of 1791, he was anonymously commissioned to write a Requiem Mass, a fact that contributed to the myth of his murder. According to researchers Vincent and Mary Novello, Constanze claimed near the end of her life that Mozart believed he was being poisoned with aqua toffana (a mixture of arsenic and lead) and that the Requiem was intended for himself. Reports of Mozart’s body swelling after death, alongside conspiracy theories involving Salieri and the Masons, have fueled these myths. Salieri himself, in his later years, claimed to have poisoned Mozart. However, the most likely cause of Mozart’s death is rheumatic fever, exacerbated by heavy bloodletting, a common medical practice at the time, which likely caused a fatal drop in blood pressure.
The Requiem was commissioned by Count Franz Walsegg, a wealthy musical amateur who often passed off commissioned works as his own. In need of money, Mozart accepted the commission, but the Requiem remained unfinished at his death. Mozart died on December 5, 1791, and was buried in a common grave, the exact location of which was lost. The process of his deification began immediately after his death, with Constanze benefiting financially from his legacy. The great Italian composer Gioachino Rossini praised Mozart for blending the charm of Italian melody with the depth of German harmony, calling him “the only composer who had as much knowledge as genius and as much genius as knowledge.”
List of Major Compositions
Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra in C Major, K. 299/297c
Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat Major, K. 364
Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio), K. 384
A trio for piano, clarinet and viola (Kegelstatt Trio), K. 498
Concerto for Two Pianos (Piano Concerto No. 10), K. 365/316a