Interesting Facts about Mozart #1:
His father Leopold was a music teacher and violinist. He published a successful violin textbook the year young Wolfgang was born.
Interesting Facts about Mozart #2:
He and his young sister Nanneri toured around Europe as child prodigies. Some of these tours lasted for 3 to 4 years.
They often had to put up with poor conditions while travelling and sometimes came down with serious illnesses.
Interesting Facts about Mozart #3:
When he was 8 years old he wrote his first symphony, and composed his first piece of music at age 10!
To read about another great child prodigy, read my post on the Career of Pablo Picasso
Interesting Facts about Mozart #4:
In his early 20’s he spent several years travelling Europe looking for work. At one point he fell into debt and had to pawn his valuables.
Interesting Facts about Mozart #5:
Mozart fell in love with a woman called Aloysia Weber, but she spurned his advances and married another man.
Upon this rejection, he turned his attention to her sister Constanze. He married her and had 6 children with her; only two of whom lived.
Interesting Facts about Mozart #6:
In his late 20’s his concerts began to get extremely popular which meant he could afford a luxurious lifestyle, living in big houses with many servants
Interesting Facts about Mozart #7:
In 1787, Ludwig Van Beethoven spent several weeks in Vienna hoping to study Mozart, but no-one knows whether the two greats ever met!
Interesting Facts about Mozart #8:
In his early 30’s the popularity of his concerts decreased and he began to get into financial difficulties. He began borrowing money from friends, suffering from depression and composing less.
Another great who grew up in a family with debts so great his father was put in prison, read my post about the Career of Charles Dickens
Interesting Facts about Mozart #9:
He died in 1791 at the age of 35. The exact cause of his death is uncertain. The official cause was ‘severe military fever’, but there have been 100’s of different theories offered up as to why he died. An autopsy was never performed.
His main rival in the composing world, Antonio Salieri claimed to have poisoned Mozart, but this was never verified.
Interesting Facts about Mozart #10:
He was buried in a common grave with several others. This was common at the time for regular citizens. After 7 years, the graves would be dug up, the remains dispersed and the graves re-used.
Interesting Facts about Mozart #11:
He was a child star, one of the greatest pianists of his generation, and the most well known composer in Europe by the age of 20. However, even with all this, he spent most of his life searching for a job!
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