Mozart Music

From the sublime to the stupendous; from musical jokes to the Mass in C minor; from the early writings of a child prodigy to the truly innovative piano concertos; Mozart managed them all within his short life of only 35 years.



In a poll of over a million classical music listeners in the UK held every year, in 2006 Mozart�s music was still top of the charts as the composer whose people want to listen to. He was top in 2005 too. He has sold more records worldwide than anyone else.



Mozart was able to put his musical genius to very good use. He was also a prodigious composer with the ability to write not only for solo instruments but also new ones like the piano and clarinet, just being developed. He was just as at home with a symphony or a sonata, a requiem or a recitative, a violin or a variation.



His incredible knowledge of music and music forms, composition and exposition, led him to be able to write in all forms available at the time, and he could also write �good tunes�. Maybe that is why so many people today still enjoy his music.



The son of one of Europe�s best music teachers he was taken abroad at a very early age and in his short life met many composers and studied in detail many others. Many of these composers had a profound influence on Mozart�s music whilst at the same time he was able to use his own techniques to counterbalance this influence and create the music he wanted. Indeed his music was popular as well.



Most other composers and musicians at the time recognised this talent and were happy to go along with the innovative but quite perfect (in musical theory) transformations that were happening in music at the time. The transition from Baroque, via Hayden and through Mozart led to the big symphonies of Beethoven and later composers. Beethoven wanted to be a pupil of Mozart but went to Hayden instead because of Mozart�s early death.



Mozart was not only able to write sonatas, accompanied by the piano, for many orchestral instruments, but whole concertos. Violin concertos, clarinet concertos, piano concertos, horn concertos and many, many more still feature highly in the repertoire of modern orchestras and soloists. Often these were written by Mozart for a commission, or sometimes for friends who he would organise concerts for with himself as conductor, director and piano soloist in the next half of the programme.



Mozart�s operas were truly a result of his appreciation of the European scene at the time, and made possible by his extensive travels, particularly when younger. He is able to employ both suitable gravity and humour into the stagecraft by using music as his tool. We can still appreciate it to this day. You don�t need to know the words of a Mozart opera. The music will explain all.



Mozart was one of the first composers to be able to experiment with the new forte-piano, and subsequently with the pianoforte. These were being made in Vienna at the time and the composers would have been able to make their own adjustments to the instruments and suggestions as to their development, particularly for concerts.



Mozart�s music for solo piano shows his early mastery of the piano, as opposed to the clavier or harpsichord. The new sound that this instrument made must have been truly wonderful to the people of the time. Mozart made best use of it, both as a brilliant pianist and composer. His 27 piano concertos show his love of the new pianoforte.



Mozart�s music, diverse as it is, will retain a special place in many people�s heart. Whether it�s the happy bits or the sad, the complicated or the simple, this Great composer�s music will be with us for future generations and be equally loved and appreciated by them.