"I declare to you upon my honor that I consider your son the greatest composer that I know." These words were spoken by Joseph Haydn to Mozart's father while visiting Vienna. Mozart was recognized as a child prodigy from the time he began taking music lessons from his father at age 4. By 5 he was composing. When Mozart was 7, he began to tour Europe with his family playing in most of the major cities before he was 25.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born at Salzburg, Austria in 1756. Mozart was appointed concert director to the Archbishop of Salzburg in 1769. Resigning this position in 1781, he moved to Vienna. There he married the singer Constanze Weber in 1782. Mozart had a happy yet busy life in Vienna. Music students, concerts, chamber music evenings, and soirees at the home of Baron van Sieten left early mornings and late nights for composing. Mozart kept this rigorous schedule through poor health and financial difficulties. He died while working on "The Requiem" (a funeral mass which was never completed. He was buried in a pauper's grave in Vienna at the age of 35.

Mozart's musical accomplishments include 3 great operas Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, and TheMarriage of Figaro, 27 piano concertos, 35 sonatas for violin and piano, 41 symphonies including the famous "Jupiter" Symphony, several chamber works and serenades including Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music).

Bye, L. Dean. Student's Guide to the Great Composers. Pacific, Montana: Mel Bay Publications, Inc., 1988.

Wechsberg, Joseph. The Pantheon Story of Music for Young People. New York: Random House, Inc., 1968.