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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Born in Salzburg in 1756, the composer started receiving music lessons from his father at the age of four. At age five, he wrote his first competition, which immediately premiered in Salzburg and earned him the status of "child prodigy".

At the age of six, Wolferl, as he was known, made a lasting impression on Empress Maria Theresia and her family at Schoenbrunn Palace with his piano performance. During his concerts tours of the following years, he performed in Germany, France, the UK and Italy.

 

As concert master of the archbishop’s court orchestra, he had a falling out with the archbishop and moved to Vienna, where, in the course of a decade, he composed half of his works. In spite of his artistic success as a royal chamber musician, his debt continued to grow.

Completely impoverished, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart passed away on December 5, 1791 in Vienna.