failed to garner him the fame he deserved while alive Regardless of public opinion he knew he was doing important work I pay no attention whatever to any body's praise or blame he said I simply follow my own feelings Those feelings would lead him to create music that was uniquely Mozart music that would last forever n January 27 1756 in Salz burg Austria which was then a part of Germany Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born To his family young Wolf gang was known simply as Wolferl and he was the 10
last of seven children born to Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart He was only the second to survive past infancy however arriving five years after his older sister Maria Anna or Nannerl The year Wolfgang was born Leopold was serving as a court composer and violinist in the orchestra of the local archbishop the head of both the Catholic Church and the government in Salzburg That year Leopold published his Essay on a Fundamental Violin Method which became the most widely read manual on violin playing in the last half of the 18th century Due to his position within the community and special status as a respected musician Leopold was able to adequately pro vide for his family and associate with the upper classes but the Mozarts were not wealthy Leopold was also able to spend much of his time at home in a loving highly WOLFGANG AMADE US MOZART
disciplined and instructive environment in which he schooled his children in music and academics Wolfgang not only looked like a Mozart exhibiting the broad forehead large blue gray eyes and fine blond hair characteristic of the family but he also had the interests and talents of one Even as a toddler Wolfgang was attracted to the sound of a violin and the touch of a clavier's keyboard When Leopold began teaching Nannerl how to play the clavier the three year old Wolfgang quietly observed her lessons putting aside his toys and checking his rambunctious behavior He was fascinated by the instrument and wanted to learn everything about it He was so intent on doing just that that his father began teaching the persistent boy how to play the following year Leopold quickly discovered that Wolfgang was a natural musician Wolfgang learned to 12
play each note with ease and never complained about having to practice Nannerl was likewise impressed by her younger brother s rapid advancement and noted that he could master whatever piece their father assigned faultlessly with utmost neatness and in exact time She encouraged him and the two were soon playing duets at the clavier sitting side by side as equals y the time he was five Wolfgang realized that there was more to making music than simply playing the notes that were written on the page by someone else WOLFGANG AMADE US MOZART
