Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Biography

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, baptized Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), was an influential Austrian composer of the Classical era. Born in Salzburg, he demonstrated exceptional musical talent from a young age, composing at five and performing for royalty. By 17, he was employed at the Salzburg court but sought broader opportunities, ultimately settling in Vienna in 1781. Despite achieving fame, he struggled with financial instability, producing over 800 works, including symphonies, operas, and concertos, many of which remain central to the classical repertoire. His final compositions included parts of the Requiem, left unfinished at his death. Married to Constanze Weber, he had six children, of whom only two, Karl Thomas and Franz Xaver Wolfgang, survived infancy. Mozart's legacy endures, profoundly influencing Western music, with contemporaries like Beethoven acknowledging his exceptional talent.