Born: Jan 27, 1756; Austria
Died: Dec 5, 1791; Austria
Period: Classical
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was not only one of the greatest composers of the Classical period, but one of the greatest of all time. Surprisingly, he is not identified with radical formal or harmonic innovations, or with the profound kind of symbolism heard in some of Bach's works. Mozart's best music has a natural flow and irresistible charm, and can express humor, joy or sorrow with both conviction and mastery. His operas, especially his laterRead more efforts, are brilliant examples of high art, as are many of his piano concertos and later symphonies. Even his lesser compositions and juvenile works feature much attractive and often masterful music.
Mozart was the last of seven children, of whom five did not survive early childhood. By the age of three he was playing the clavichord, and at four he began writing short compositions. Young Wolfgang gave his first public performance at the age of five at Salzburg University, and in January, 1762, he performed on harpsichord for the Elector of Bavaria. There are many astonishing accounts of the young Mozart's precocity and genius. At the age of seven, for instance, he picked up a violin at a musical gathering and sight-read the second part of a work with complete accuracy, despite his never having had a violin lesson.
In the years 1763 - 1766, Mozart, along with his father Leopold, a composer and musician, and sister Nannerl, also a musically talented child, toured London, Paris, and other parts of Europe, giving many successful concerts and performing before royalty. The Mozart family returned to Salzburg in November 1766. The following year young Wolfgang composed his first opera, Apollo et Hyacinthus. Keyboard concertos and other major works were also coming from his pen now.
In 1769, Mozart was appointed Konzertmeister at the Salzburg Court by the Archbishop. Beginning that same year, the Mozarts made three tours of Italy, where the young composer studied Italian opera and produced two successful efforts, Mitridate and Lucio Silla. In 1773, Mozart was back in Austria, where he spent most of the next few years composing. He wrote all his violin concertos between 1774 and 1777, as well as Masses, symphonies, and chamber works.
In 1780, Mozart wrote his opera Idomeneo, which became a sensation in Munich. After a conflict with the Archbishop, Mozart left his Konzertmeister post and settled in Vienna. He received a number of commissions now and took on a well-paying but unimportant Court post. In 1782 Mozart married Constanze Weber and took her to Salzburg the following year to introduce her to his family. 1782 was also the year that saw his opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail staged with great success.
In 1784, Mozart joined the Freemasons, apparently embracing the teachings of that group. He would later write music for certain Masonic lodges. In the early- and mid-1780s, Mozart composed many sonatas and quartets, and often appeared as soloist in the fifteen piano concertos he wrote during this period. Many of his commissions were for operas now, and Mozart met them with a string of masterpieces. Le nozze di Figaro came 1786, Don Giovanni in 1787, Così fan tutte in 1790 and Die Zauberflöte in 1791. Mozart made a number of trips in his last years, and while his health had been fragile in previous times, he displayed no serious condition or illness until he developed a fever of unknown origin near the end of 1791. Read less
Label: Ondine
Catalog: 1078
Release Date: 06/27/2006
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Elina Garanca,
Jorma Hynninen,
Kari Kriikku,
Soile Isokoski
...
Conductor:
Alexander Vilumanis,
Eri Klas,
John Storgårds,
Peter Schreier
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra,
Estonian State Symphony Orchestra,
Tapiola Sinfonietta
...
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalog: 000657612
Release Date: 05/09/2006
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Jean-Philippe Rameau,
Johann Christoph Bach,
Johann Sebastian Bach,
Josef Myslivecek
...
Performer:
Magdalena Kozená,
Barbara Maria Willi,
Claire Delgado-Boge,
Edwige Parat
...
Conductor:
Marc Minkowski,
Reinhard Goebel,
Paul McCreesh,
Michel Swierczewski
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Les Musiciens du Louvre,
Musica Antiqua Cologne,
Gabrieli Players
...
Recommendation
Label: Erato
Catalog: 51793
Release Date: 05/02/2006
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Bernhard Flies
Performer:
Dagmar Schellenberger,
Semeon Skigin,
Andreas Schmidt,
Catherine Pierard
...
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner,
Franz Welser-Möst,
Roger Norrington,
Jean-Bernard Pommier
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,
Stockholm Chamber Orchestra,
London Classical Players
...
Label: Vai Audio
Catalog: 1245
Release Date: 03/28/2006
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Sergei Rachmaninov,
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky,
Gabriel Fauré,
Reynaldo Hahn
...
Performer:
Evelyn Lear,
Rudolf Jansen,
Martin Katz,
Thomas Stewart
...
Conductor:
Richard Kraus,
Dean Dixon,
Winfried Zillig,
Carlos Kleiber
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,
Hessian Radio Orchestra Frankfurt,
Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra
...
Label: Analekta
Catalog: 298502
Release Date: 03/21/2006
Number of Discs: 3
Composer:
Johann Sebastian Bach,
George Frideric Handel,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Ludwig van Beethoven
...
Performer:
Louis Noël Belaubre,
Alain Marion,
Jean Barthe,
Angèle Dubeau
...
Conductor:
Karl Ristenpart,
Raymond Guiot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Sarre Chamber Orchestra,
Orchestre Symphonique
Label: Sony
Catalog: 75944
Release Date: 02/07/2006
Number of Discs: 3
Composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Lin Cho-Liang,
Jaime Laredo,
Alicia de Larrocha,
James Galway
...
Conductor:
Raymond Leppard,
Sir Colin Davis,
Eduardo Mata,
Erich Leinsdorf
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra,
London Symphony Orchestra,
New Philharmonia Orchestra
...
Recommendation
Label: Opera Rara
Catalog: 232
Release Date: 01/10/2006
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Johann Christian Bach,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Elizabeth Futral,
Majella Cullagh,
Diana Montague,
Rachel Brown
...
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Hanover Band
Label: Pentatone
Catalog: 5186158
Release Date: 08/16/2005
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Gioachino Rossini,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Frederica Von Stade
Conductor:
Edo de Waart
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
Recommendation
Label: Decca
Catalog: 000491402
Release Date: 08/09/2005
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Gioachino Rossini,
Charles Gounod,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Giacomo Puccini
...
Performer:
Cecilia Bartoli,
Leo Nucci,
Michael Kraus,
Mirella Freni
...
Conductor:
Giuseppe Patané,
Richard Bonynge,
Sir Georg Solti,
Herbert von Karajan
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bologna Teatro Comunale Orchestra,
Ambrosian Opera Chorus,
London Symphony Orchestra
...
Label: Emi Classics
Catalog: 862112
Release Date: 02/15/2005
Number of Discs: 6
Composer:
Carl Maria von Weber,
Gioachino Rossini,
Richard Wagner,
Georges Bizet
...
Performer:
Gary Lakes,
Maria Callas,
Tito Gobbi,
Nicolai Gedda
...
Conductor:
James Conlon,
Alceo Galliera,
Lamberto Gardelli,
James Levine
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra,
Philharmonia Orchestra,
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
...
Label: Pentatone
Catalog: 5186133
Release Date: 08/17/2004
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Franz Schubert
Performer:
Elly Ameling,
Dalton Baldwin
Conductor:
Edo de Waart
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra,
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
Label: Analekta
Catalog: 29762
Release Date: 05/18/2004
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Johann Sebastian Bach,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
George Frideric Handel,
Ludwig van Beethoven
...
Performer:
Suzie LeBlanc,
Lyne Fortin,
Luc Beauséjour,
Marie-Nicole Lemieux
...
Conductor:
Jeanne Lamon,
Joseph Rescigno
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra,
L'Orchestre Metropolitan,
Montreal Opera Orchestra
Label: Decca
Catalog: 000233502
Release Date: 05/11/2004
Number of Discs: 2
Composer:
Jesus Guridi,
Gioachino Rossini,
Jesús y Gárate Arámbarri,
Manuel de Falla
...
Performer:
Teresa Berganza,
Felix Lavilla Munarriz,
Roger Hager,
Geoffrey Parsons
Conductor:
London Symphony Orchestra,
Sir Alexander Gibson,
Gerardo Gombau,
Benito Lauret
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Sir Alexander Gibson,
London Symphony Orchestra,
Orchestra
...
Label: Vai Audio
Catalog: 1224
Release Date: 03/16/2004
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
George Frideric Handel,
Richard Strauss,
Giuseppe Verdi
...
Performer:
Evelyn Lear
Conductor:
Karl Böhm,
Lorin Maazel,
Mathias Kunsche,
Carlos Kleiber
...
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Deutsche Oper Orchestra,
Salzburg Festival Orchestra,
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
...
Label: Bis
Catalog: 5020
Release Date: 10/01/2003
Number of Discs: 1
Composer:
Bo Nilsson,
Nils Lindberg,
Edward "Duke" Ellington,
Franz Schubert
...
Performer:
Magnus Lindgren,
Malena Ernman,
Mats Bergström,
Hans Backenroth