While Haydn’s genius was shining steadily as a fixed star, Mozart
flashed across the musical heaven, meteorlike, throwing a flood of
light over the music world. The knowledge which others spent years in
acquiring seemed his by birthright; and thus, although the years of his
life were few, the period of his artistic activity was proportionately
long.
=Mozart’s Early Musical Training=.—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born at
Salzburg, January 27, 1756. His father, himself of some reputation as
a composer and as the author of the first German violin method, was
quick to perceive the child’s sensitiveness toward music; and began
instruction in clavier playing when Wolfgang was but four years old,
teaching also his daughter, Maria Anna, five years older. Wolfgang was
an exceedingly delicate and receptive child; and at the age of six he
had not only acquired remarkable proficiency on the instrument, but had
composed a number of little pieces, and a clavier sonata.
=First Concert Tours=.—Realizing the remarkable talent of his children,
Mozart, the father, in 1762, ventured on a concert trip with them to
Munich, and later to Vienna, where their playing became the sensation
of the hour, and where they were received by the Emperor, Franz Josef
I, at his palace. Having been presented with a small violin, Mozart
acquired facility in its technic with extraordinary quickness, as also
was the case when he attempted the use of organ pedals. The brilliant
French court was then the Mecca of artists; and in 1763, the children
were taken to Paris, where their successes were redoubled, and where
they gave two brilliant concerts, after having played before the
royal family at Versailles. At Paris, moreover, the opus 1 and opus 2
of the little Mozart were published, each comprising two sonatas for
harpsichord, with accompaniment of violin or flute.
=England=.—Proceeding now to England, the children won fresh laurels,
remaining there fifteen months; during which time Wolfgang excited the
admiration of the king, George III, by his sight-reading of works by
Handel, Bach and others. He also wrote other sonatas, and his first
symphonies. Returning to Salzburg, after a three years’ absence, Mozart
applied himself to serious study, composing his first oratorio and
opera, which latter was not performed in public, and also appearing as
conductor at a concert in which his “Solemn Mass” was performed.
=Honors in Italy=.—Renewed triumphs awaited him in Italy, where
his father took him in 1769, and where his genius was immediately
recognized in the leading cities. At Rome he was honored by the Order
of the Golden Spur, conferred by the Pope; and in Bologna was admitted
to membership in the exclusive Philharmonic Academy, passing with ease
an examination which would have appalled many mature musicians; in
Milan his opera “Mitridate” was received enthusiastically, and given
twenty consecutive performances, under his own direction.
=Journey to Paris=.—Returning to Salzburg, Mozart took up the post
previously given him of music director to the Archbishop; but his
emolument, at first wholly wanting, was insignificant, and the
Archbishop, having little appreciation of his abilities, proved a
thankless taskmaster. During this time he made several journeys
to Milan, producing new dramatic works there; and in 1777, as his
Salzburg position had become intolerable, he resolved to give it up,
and to repair to Paris. Starting on this journey with his mother, he
stopped at Munich, and then at Augsburg, where he became interested
in the Stein pianofortes, henceforth adopting them for his concert
work. At Mannheim he heard the famous orchestra, of which Stamitz
was the founder, whose command of instrumental brilliancy and color
made so powerful an impression upon him that he transmitted it to his
succeeding orchestral compositions.
[Illustration: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART.]
=“Idomeneo” and “Il Seraglio.”=—At Paris, he found society divided
into two warring operatic factions, led by Gluck and Piccini, and
averse to anything else in music. Saddened also by the death of his
mother, he returned to Salzburg, and resumed his former post with the
Archbishop. Receiving an order to write an opera for the Carnival at
Munich, he produced his “Idomeneo” there in 1781. Shortly after, he was
compelled, through ill-treatment, to break finally with the Archbishop,
and he resolved to settle in Vienna. In the same year, 1782, in which
he produced there his opera, “Entführung aus dem Serail,” composed by
command of the Emperor, he married Constance Weber.
=Financial Troubles=.—His life from this time was a constant struggle
against poverty; for notwithstanding his wonderful genius, he received
only scant recognition from his patron, the Emperor, although loyal
to him to the end. His existence was eked out chiefly by the sale of
his compositions, which publishers purchased at a low price, by giving
lessons and by playing at concerts; while the jealousy of rivals
furnished a constant source of annoyance.
=“Figaro,” “Don Giovanni” and Symphonies=.—His comic opera, “The
Marriage of Figaro,” produced in Vienna in 1786, came near failing
through these enemies, but was an unqualified success in Prague, where,
in the following year, his masterpiece, “Don Giovanni,” was produced.
On a concert tour in 1786 he was offered an excellent post in the
service of King Frederic Wilhelm II, of Prussia, which he refused,
through loyalty to his Emperor—a devotion which received no reward save
an order to write another opera. In the same year, 1789, his three most
important symphonies were completed—the “Jupiter,” in C, and those in G
minor and E-flat major.
=Other Operas=—=Death=.—His succeeding operas were “Così fan Tutte,”
performed at Vienna in 1790; “The Clemency of Titus,” given at Prague
in 1791, for the coronation festivities of King Leopold II of Bohemia,
and “The Magic Flute,” produced at Vienna in 1791, which, through its
German subject and style, was a signal success, especially in his own
country. Discouragements and hard work now told upon him; and in the
midst of his labors upon a grand Requiem, he was stricken down, and
died December 5, 1791.
=Relations with Haydn=.—No one admired Mozart’s genius more than Haydn;
and a proof of the latter’s freedom from the petty jealousies of lesser
men is found in the fact that, while he was at first Mozart’s teacher,
he was afterward glad to adopt many of the innovations which were
the result of Mozart’s genius. The labors of the two men admirably
supplemented each other; for Mozart assimilated and blended what Haydn
had definitely stated, adorning the rugged outlines with the graceful
draperies which his skill as a performer and his artistic nature
dictated.
=Italian Influences=.—Thus, while Mozart adopted the form of the
Sonata practically as enunciated by Haydn, he was able to impart new
elements to it, drawn from his own experience and individuality. His
Italian journeys, for instance, had brought him into close touch with
the highly-adorned Italian opera style, then everywhere popular; and
this he introduced into his instrumental _themes_, making them at once
_singing_ and _graceful_ in tone. In the Sonata Form, he made the
_second theme_ more definite, _contrasting_ it with the _first_, and
frequently casting it in the form of an Italian style of melody, in
distinction from a more terse and thematic principal subject.
=Mozart as Piano Virtuoso=.—As a virtuoso, Mozart immensely developed
the resources of the piano. After the Bachs, J. S. and his son C.
P. E., had established a rational scale fingering, and it was found
possible to introduce passages at once quickly running and smooth
upon the clavier, such scale passages became very frequent in the
compositions of the time, and they were, moreover, well adapted to the
light Viennese action found in the Stein pianos, which Mozart used.
Hence we find _scale-runs_ as the _cornerstone of his virtuosity_,
constantly employed in florid and transitional passages.
=Classic Finish=.—But Mozart’s compositions were not simply an advance
in brilliancy, since his slow movements and themes are full of much
genuine sentiment, and give opportunity for that expressive song-style
which he emphasized so strongly. Moreover, his feeling for artistic
finish caused him, by rounding off every detail, to avoid abruptness,
replacing them by little delicate turns of musical expression and
graceful embellishments, which give an atmosphere of _classic repose_
and finish to the whole.
=Variations=.—Embellishments of this kind are introduced invariably
with such naturalness and fitness as to make them seem perfectly
adapted to the subject in hand, and growing unconsciously out of it.
So Mozart throws a network of _embroidery about his themes_ at their
recurrence which shows their beauties to ever greater advantage. The
ability to do this makes him a specially felicitous composer in the
Variation form, in which some of his most attractive movements and
salon pieces are written.
=Piano with Other Instruments=.—His sense of fitness is shown also in
the vivid _contrasts_ which occur, especially in his Fantasias, in
which brilliant passages are relieved by bits of exquisite melody,
in artistic proportion. All these qualities are manifested in his
pianoforte concertos, which, while replete with flights of virtuosity,
yet always subordinate, cause him to bring this into equal prominence
with the piano, so that the one ably seconds the other in the attempt
to produce a well-rounded and thoroughly genuine musical effect. The
same qualities are exhibited in his sonatas for violin and piano, and
in his piano trios.
=Especial Characteristics=.—Mozart considered three elements necessary
for the true interpretation of piano music, namely, an _expressive
legato touch_, _moderation_ in the rate of _speed_ of performance, and
_strictness_ in adhering to the _time_ adopted. With an unfeeling touch
or a breakneck velocity he had no patience, and so had no sympathy with
many noted pianists of his day, and notably Clementi. It has been said
that Mozart, almost from his infancy, thought in music as others do in
words; and this thought in music was regulated by a sense of artistic
combination and proportion which permeated all his works. As samples of
virtuosity his piano works have long been surpassed by the astonishing
developments since his time, and particularly by the added resources
of the instrument itself; but as samples of pure and unaffected music
their worth can never be diminished.