Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Perhaps the greatest genius of European music's classical era, Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756. He astonished his elders with his musical ability when he was still a very young child. Young Mozart developed under the guidance of his father, who was an accomplished violinist. They traveled throughout Europe, where the boy was recognized as a prodigy. He spent much of his life as a musician in the Hapsburg Court in Vienna, and was a friend of the elder master of classical style, Franz Josef Haydn, Mozart was only 35 years old when he died in 1791, but by that time he'd filled the world with symphonies, concertos, operas, and other musical masterpieces.
Mozart and Classical Music
This book explores the musical world of Mozart in words and full-color illustrations. A two-page spread explains the structure of sonata form, which is the method of music composition perfected by Haydn and Mozart. Sonata form became the structural basis for their sonatas, concertos, symphonies, and chamber music. Readers are also introduced to Viennese life in the late eighteenth century, and to the orchestras and instruments familiar to Mozart. Concluding this volume are sketches of musicians who have been influenced by Mozart, including Beethoven, Mahler, Stravinsky—and even the Beatles.
Did you find this review helpful?