Many people consider Mozart’s music like a mosaic that consists of a series of influences that he encountered in his life. Abert’s book on, “Mozart’s Personality showcases the life of Mozart, its social relevance, commerce, and industry. (Abert). More than any other kind of artist, Mozart had a special place in the history of musical prodigies. He was born in Salzburg, on January 27, 1756, as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgang Theophilus although he just wanted to be known as Wolfgang Amade. His father, Leopold Mozart mastered the violin and played for the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. Leopold (Sacheverell, 1932). Leopold composed musical compositions yet his son beat him well.
Mozart’s mother was Anna Maria Pertl, or Bertlin, daughter of another official of the Archbishop’s Court. His mother nearly died when he was born. Mozart had a light spirit with him and he began to love music as he watched his elder sister who also had a good musical ability. He was able to compose music at the same time that he learned how to play them. It was not long after that when he learned how to play with precision and in exact time. For instance, a music book in the Mozarteum at Salzburg had minuets and air with twelve variations with a note in Leopold’s handwriting to the effect that Wolfgangerl learned these pieces in his fourth year. Soon after he learned in the same music book with the minuet and the trio in just half an hour before his fifth year. (Sacheverell, 1932). His father also began to teach him in fun although this time he knew his son was indeed talented. Another subject area where he was most talented was in the area of Mathematics. He loved the subject so much that chairs and tables would be full of chalk markings as he wrote tables and stools and even the floor was chalked over with his markings and computations. His father made him go on tours with him so he can perform before an audience. (Sacheverell, 1932). During their tours, they met Count Franz von Walsegg of Ruppach who had a penchant for commissioning works from composers who were not so well-known. He made them perform in his own house and he bragged this to his friends saying that this was his own craft. It was also during the years 1763-1766 when he toured Europe with his father and sister as they were commissioned to play for Louis XV at Versailles and George III in London (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – 1756-1791). Leopold had a strangely unique attitude with his son. His letters were filled with all nationalities so that he could control his son’s mind. The discussions and debates centered more often on money. It seemed that he was not a good steward of money (Krantz). Mozart was passionate about a lot of things including making relationships and friendships. He gave his all to everything and this was an area where father and son often argued about. (Krantz).
Studies tried to trace intelligence to various sources. Heredity, environment, sex, culture, social conditions, race, and geographical location have offered a factual basis for such intellectual differences. The normal Curve which is a mathematical concept marking the limits of distribution has signified information regarding the distribution of traits along a continuum. The extremes which are apparently few, are represented by the mentally retarded (moron, imbecile, idiots) and the mentally superior at the other end. (Understanding Psychology). Yet Mozart was an extreme on the intelligent side. He started playing the clavier and even at the tender age of six, he was already on tour with his father. He was also a genius at using the keyboard and everyone looked at this child as a musical prodigy to reckon with. He had a great time enjoying what he was doing and even playing before George III and his Queen. He played his own compositions to the Queen. His ability was tested as people gave him pieces to play and from there he was able to extemporize his own compositions. (The Life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), Thus, at fourteen, he was already playing before Italians. He was so gifted that even the ring on his finger was seen as his magic charm. No one believed he could do it and he astonished everyone. So, when people asked him to remove the ring, he played even better as he showed them that was they heard was pure talent. He was most inspired when challenged although this is not so much the case with his father whom he did not yearn to see after he wrote him for the last time in April 1787 (Chronology: 1786-1791).
His father, Leopold Mozart, was quite successful as the vice-kapellmeister at Salzburg. He knew his son was gifted and so he exposed him to as many piano exhibitions as he could. However, his relationship with his father was most of the time a love-hate relationship. His father was overbearing and Mozart was denied the normal kind of childhood that any child ought to have. Thus, because of this early tumultuous relationship with his father, he had a difficult time establishing an adult relationship with other people as he grew. (Krantz).
Understandably, Mozart’s relationship with his father was ambivalent. His father was always in control of his tours and schedules, much to the chagrin of young Mozart. He wanted his own way and thus he never knew how to relate with his father. (Brown) His father monitored his moves during tours by having spies relate his whereabouts. His father did not approve of his womanizing ways at times and this spurred more rift between the two. Add to this was his spending habits which made him very vulnerable to have no money left at all. (Brown). What triggered the ultimate gap between the two was the death of Mozart’s mother. Leopold blamed his son for this and they slowly parted ways (Brown).
Gifted students like Mozart are no longer that queer, unadjusted, emotionally unstable, and are physical weaklings. Like the normal population, they have their share of failures, in the sense that they have not fully realized their potentialities – although their IQs have remained high. Like the normal population, they have their share of failures, in the sense that they have not fully realized their potentialities – although their IQs have remained high. Mozart, for instance, was not a weakling when it comes to aggressiveness. This passion for his craft was the result of the realized potentials as seen first by his father and the environment he was born to at that time. (Keys, 1980).
Intelligence is one area where Mozart excelled at a very young age. The different factors in his childhood made him most suitable to be inclined to music. Mozart set expectations for himself. He eventually married and more than ever, he became very serious with his craft as a composer. He had to work overtime and make his home in Vienna. He tried other jobs in the creative industry but this did not pay off well. He worked well and it was during these years that he made his best compositions such as the operas of “Don Giovanni,” “Figaro,” and “The Magic Flute,” a noble trio. ( Halliwell, 1998).
Works Cited
Abert, Hermann. Mozart’s Personality. Yale University Press.
Brown, A. Peter. Amadeus and Mozart: Setting the Record Straight. 2008. Web.
Chronology: 1786-1791. 2008. Web.
Krantz, Allen. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 2008. Web.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – 1756-1791. 2008. Web.
Halliwell, Ruth. The Mozart Family: Four Lives in a Social Context. Clarendon Press. Oxford. 1998.
Keys, Ivor. Mozart: His Music in His Life. Holmes & Meier Publishers. New York. 1980.