Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, regarded by many as the greatest musical genius of all time, was born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27, 1756, the son of violinist and composer Leopold Mozart. The young Mozart began composing minuets at age 5 and, with his older sister Marianne, gave concerts in Munich and Vienna from age 6. At 13, Mozart became director of concerts for the archbishop of Salzburg and in 1782 he married Constanze Weber against her father’s wishes. Although Mozart gave piano concerts throughout Europe and composed more than 600 works, including 40 symphonies, he and his wife were plagued by debt. When Mozart died in 1791, probably of heart disease, he was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave. It was not until his works were published, in many cases near the end of the 19th century, that Mozart’s genius became widely recognized.

Image: Library of Congress

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