The life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the immortal names in music,
contradicts the rule that extraordinary youthful talent is apt to be
followed by a sluggish and commonplace maturity. His father entered the
room one day with a friend, and found the child bending over a music
score. The little Mozart, not yet five years old, told his father he was
writing a concerto for the piano. The latter examined it, and tears of
joy and astonishment rolled down his face on perceiving its accuracy.
"It is good, but too difficult for general use," said the friend.
"Oh," said Wolfgang, "it must be practised till it is learned. This is
the way it goes." So saying, he played it with perfect correctness.
About the same time he offered to take the violin at a performance of
some chamber music. His father refused, saying, "How can you? You have
never learned the violin."
"One needs not study for that," said this musical prodigy; and taking
the instrument, he played second violin with ease and accuracy. Such
precocity seems almost incredible, and only in the history of music does
it find any parallel.
Born in Salzburg, January 27, 1756, he was carefully trained by his
father, who resigned his place as court musician to devote himself
more exclusively to his family. From the earliest age he showed an
extraordinary passion for music and mathematics, scrawling notes and
diagrams in every place accessible to his insatiate pencil.
Taken to Vienna, the six-year-old virtuoso astonished the court by his
brilliant talents. The future Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, was
particularly delighted with him, and the little Mozart naively said he
would like to marry her, for she was so good to him. His father devoted
several years to an artistic tour, with him and his little less talented
sister, through the German cities, and it was also extended to Paris and
London. Everywhere the greatest enthusiasm was evinced in this charming
bud of promise. The father writes home: "We have swords, laces,
mantillas, snuff-boxes, gold cases, sufficient to furnish a shop; but as
for money, it is a scarce article, and I am positively poor."
At Paris they were warmly received at the court, and the boy is said
to have expressed his surprise when Mme. Pompadour refused to kiss him,
saying: "Who is she, that she will not kiss me? Have I not been kissed
by the queen?" In London his improvisations and piano sonatas excited
the greatest admiration. Here he also published his third work. These
journeys were an uninterrupted chain of triumphs for the child-virtuoso
on the piano, organ, violin, and in singing. He was made honorary member
of the Academies of Bologna and Verona, decorated with orders,
and received at the age of thirteen an order to write the opera of
"Mithridates," which was successfully produced at Milan in 1770. Several
other fine minor compositions were also written to order at this time
for his Italian admirers. At Rome Mozart attended the Sistine Chapel
and wrote the score of Allegri's great mass, forbidden by the pope to be
copied, from the memory of a single performance.
The record of Mozart's youthful triumphs might be extended at great
length; but aside from the proof they furnish of his extraordinary
precocity, they have lent little vital significance in the great problem
of his career, except so far as they stimulated the marvelous boy to lay
a deep foundation for his greater future, which, short as it was, was
fruitful in undying results.