This story tells only of the youth of Mozart, who already at fifteen was considered a genius and protegy. The emphasis is on his early experiences and character formation rather than his short but brilliant career. Show All     Download:     PDF       EPUB

STANDING BY THE PEDALS, HE TROD THEM AND STRUCK KEYS AS CORRECTLY AS IF HE HAD PRACTIED FOR MONTHS.

Translator's Preface

The life-story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart contained in this volume closes with his admission to membership in the Accademia Filarmonica at Bologna, Italy. Mozart was then in his fifteenth year. Up to that time his life had been a happy one, free from care, untouched by adversity, and crowned with continuous successes. He was admired by the people, considered a prodigy by the greatest composers, and was received with extraordinary honors at the Courts of Austria, France, Holland, and England. His twenty remaining years, embittered by enmities and saddened by privations and misfortunes, find no place in this life-story. They were occupied almost exclusively with artistic tours, during which he brought out many of his greatest works, among them, "Mitridate," "Idomeneo," "Marriage of Figaro," "Don Giovanni," and "The Magic Flute." The last-named opera made its appearance in 1789, and the same year he began the immortal "Requiem," the composition of which was so significant in its relation to his rapidly approaching end.

He died two years later. He was then in impoverished circumstances. His funeral was of the kind common among the poorest class. No note of music was heard. No friend accompanied the solitary hearse to the cemetery where this great genius was left in a pauper's grave. His life-story in this volume leaves him crowned with honors, the idol of his time, a marvel to the greatest musicians, flushed with success and exultant in the pride of genius, standing on the threshold of youthful manhood, the brightest, most beautiful, most attractive, most lovable figure in the world of music. It is one of the attractions of this little volume that it takes leave of him there, before the sunshine of his life was obscured by a single cloud.

G. P. U.

CHICAGO, June, 1904.

Appendix

The following is a chronological statement of the principal events in the life of Mozart:

1756	Born at Salzburg, Austria, Jan. 27.
1762	Concert tour with his sister. Received at the Austrian Court.
1763	Received at the Court of France.
1764	Received at the Court of England.
1765	Received at the Court of Holland.
1768	Appointed Concert-meister to Archbishop of Salzburg.
1769	Visited Italy and elected member of the Accademia Filarmonica at Bologna.
1769	"Mitridate" produced at Milan.
1771	Second visit to Italy.
1778	Visited Paris.
1781	Composed "Idomeneo."
1782	Married Constanze Weber, third daughter of Fridolin Weber, a prompter and copyist.
1786	Composed "Marriage of Figaro."
1787	Composed "Don Giovanni."
1787	Appointed Chamber composer to the Emperor.
1787	Composed his last three symphonies.
1789	Concert tour through Germany.
1791	Composed "The Magic Flute "and "The Requiem."
1791	Died in Vienna, Dec. 5.
1859	Monument erected on the probable site of his grave by the city of Vienna.