Leopold Mozart was?
court composer and vice kappel meister at Salzburg. wrote treatise on the fundamental principles of violin playing. one of the great treatises
mozarts sister
nannerl, five years older
early examples of talent
• Wolfgang began playing harpischord at age 3, mostly self-taught
? could play by ear what his sister used sheet music for
? able to improvise, play fugues
• Taught himself violin, purportedly by watching his father
• Began composing at age 4
? Earliest surviving composition from age 6 (late 1761) – Minuet in G, K1
? Second earliest (January 1762) – Minuet in F, K2
Trips taken? when, where
• First trip – 3 weeks in Munich early 1762
• Second trip – 3 months in Vienna (with stops along the way) late 1762
? Played for Joseph II and Maria Theresa in Schonbrunn Palace
? Wagenseil turned his pages
Describe some aspects of the Grand Tour of 3 ? years (1763-66). Where did Mozart and family travel? What were their (three) longest stops—where they lingered for several months? Before whom did they perform? Whom did they impress? Were there “commercial” aspects to all of this
paris 1763 8 yrs old. played at versailles for louis XV, chatted up queen
played twice at buckingham for george III. could imitate any stage emotion on keyboard
meets jc bach and abel. heard symphonies, began imitating style
when where symphony no. 1
9 yrs old, 1764
when where pub. opus 1
paris, 1763
netherlands problem
nannerl and mozart become deathly ill
In italy.
learned and wrote opera, sacred comp.
met sammartini, commisioned to write opera in milan
invited by vatican to holy week in 1770, pope presides. allegri miserere secret story.
Who was (Prince-)Archbishop Colloredo? Why was he important in the lives of Leopold and Wolfgang?
• Colloredo was Leopold and Wolfgang’s boss. Constrained Wolfgang’s growing success back in Salzburg until Wolfgang broke with him in 1781
what does mozart begin composing in earnest, mid 1770s
string quartets, piano sonatas, concertos
which instruments concertos how many
piano 27, violin 5, flute, oboe, bassoonn
earliest surviging complete concerto
basoon 1774
Type 5 sonata. What is it, and how is it a hybrid between older baroque ritornello-concerto format and more “modern” or galant procedures of sonata form?
• The Baroque approach conceives it as orchestral ritornellos, interspersed with solo episodes.
• The Classical approach conceives it as a solo exposition, development and recapitulation, with an orchestral prelude, two intermediate sections and a postlude.

• Because the first ritornello doesn’t modulate, it is not truly an exposition.

• What is a “display episode”? Where will you find it?
A “display episode” involves a display of virtuosity on the part of the soloists. In the bassoon concerto, there is a “display episode” at the end of the solo exposition.
• Where is the solo cadenza invariably placed in these concertos?
• The solo cadenza is placed in the middle of ritornello 4, giving final weight to the last cadence, and giving the soloist one last opportunity to shine in the concerto.
Events during mozart’s 1777 trip to manheim / paris
went there looking for better work than coloredo. mother died. wrote paris symphony no. 31
Crucial importance of year 1781 for mozart and haydn?
the beginning of viennese high classicism
mozart comes to vienna after break with colloredo
haydn publishes string quartets op. 33 ( incl. bird)
mozart writes idomeno and ent.
mozart meets haydn, dedicates 6 string quartets
Who was Baron Gottfried van Swieten, and why were his aesthetics and patronage/sponsorship important to Mozart (and other composers) at the time? With which other composer of the time was van Swieten particularly allied?
? Baron van Swieten’s manuscripts introduce Mozart to the works of Handel and JS Bach.
? Van Swieten also patron of Haydn after Esterhazy.