Podcast Episode Details

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: From Child Prodigy to Classical Master

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Episode 1230

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In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a prolific composer who created over 800 works and defined the Classical period despite living only to age 35. We trace his journey from his birth in Salzburg, where he displayed prodigious talent on the keyboard and violin by age five, to his extensive tours of European courts under the tutelage of his father, Leopold.

Key topics covered in this episode:

• The Salzburg Conflict: Mozart’s growing dissatisfaction with court employment, culminating in his dramatic dismissal "with a kick in the arse" by the Archbishop’s steward, which pushed him toward a freelance career.
• The Vienna Years: His move to Vienna, his marriage to Constanze Weber, and the composition of his greatest operas like The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni.
• Triumphs and Struggles: The financial decline caused by the Austro-Turkish War, his "Dissonance" quartet dedicated to his friend Joseph Haydn, and his final year of intense productivity that birthed The Magic Flute and the unfinished Requiem.
• Death and Myth: The reality of his "common grave" burial and the enduring legacy of his music, which deeply influenced successors like Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.

Tune in to discover the man behind the music, from his love of billiards and elegant clothing to the "melodic beauty" and "formal elegance" that solidified his place in history.

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Published on 2 days, 13 hours ago