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Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart was born in Saltzburg, Austria in 1756. One of the greatest composers the world has ever seen. By the
age of four, he had such extraordinary powers of musical memory and appreciation, that his
father Leopold, a highly esteemed violinist and composer in his own right, enrolled
Wolfgang into Harpsichord lessons. His reputation as a musical prodigy quickly
spread. At the age of five, he was composing music, and by the age of six, he
was a keyboard master. In 1762, his father, took the young Wolfgang and his
sister Maria Anna to tour Munich and Vienna.
From that moment, Mozart was a
constant performer and writer of music. He was the toast of Austria, and gave
many concerts and performances in the Palaces and Houses of Noble families.
Wherever he appeared, people were in awe of his musical prowess. He also
performed for the Empress Maria Theresa at the Schonbrunn Palace. By his Teenage
years, he was a master of Piano, Violin and Harpsichord, and was writing not only
Oratorios, but Symphonies and Operas. His first major Opera to be performed
was "Mitridate,Re di Ponto" and was presented in Milan in 1770. He was still only
fourteen, but it was such a success that critics even compared him to Handel.
Mozart at fifteen years of age, was
installed as the Concertmaster in the orchestra of the Prince-Archbishop Siegismund, Count
of Schrafttenbach of Saltzburg. His relationship with the succeeding
Archbishop, Hieronymus Count Colloredo, although, very successful in the early years,
deteriorated to the point where, in 1777 he resigned from his position and proceeded to
Vienna quite against his father's wishes.
Before joining Freemasonry, Mozart
wrote Masonic music and his first work was named "Ode
to a Solemn St. John's Lodge" and was
written in Saltzburgh in 1772. The second was "Thamos, King in Egypt" which he wrote in 1773. Little is known about the Masonic life of
Mozart, except that he was Initiated an Apprentice on December 7th 1785, in the Lodge
"Zur wahren Eintracht." He then became a member of Lodge "Zur
Neugekronte Hoffhnung."
He was a poor businessman, and
finances were always tight, especially after his marriage to Constanze Weber.
His was a very extravagant and debt ridden existence. Political infighting at
the Vienna Court kept him from the important patronage that composers of the period so
relied upon and, he descended to a life of genteel poverty. His musical
compositions, however, continued at a prolific rate, but his popularity waned, and he
eventually fell back on his teaching work and to the charity of his friends to make ends
meet. In 1788, he stopped performing in public, preferring to compose, but his
fortunes never did return to that of earlier years. When he died in 1791 at
the age of thirty-five, he was buried in a pauper's grave.
During his eventful but very short
life, he composed over six hundred works, including fifty Symphonies, and some Twenty-One
stage pieces and Operas. To say that he was a composer of unequalled genius,
is scarcely scratching the surface of this remarkable man's remarkable gifts.
He wrote music, complete and perfect, down to the last accent and inflection.
He, in fact, would put pen to paper as fast as he would think. The peerless
craft with which each piece of music was created continues to amaze, even
today. He was a master of counterpoint and, the other traditional
compositional devices of his day. More than this, he was perhaps the greatest
melody writer the world has ever known. His Operas range from the comic to
tragic masterpieces. His "Requiem"
composed not long before his own death, stands
with Bach's "St. Matthews Passion" as the supreme example of vocal music. His last Opera
"Die Zauberflote" "The Magic
Flute" became very successful, even in his
days. Today this Opera is still awe inspiring and a favoured piece in the eyes
of Freemasonry.
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