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    Mozart

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    Key people in Mozart's music and life

    Meet the cast of characters in Mozart's life - his family, his friends, his rivals and his loves.

    1. key people in mozart's life

      1. Leopold Mozart - the father

      A small-time composer in his own right, Leopold was 37 years old when his Mozart was born. He quickly realizes his son’s potential — not just as a composer, but also as a pension. Just to be safe in his old age, his daughter also has a huge musical talent that he puts to good use as well.

    2. Mozart images for gallery

      2. Nannerl Mozart - the sister

      Four and a half years older than Mozart, Nannerl was a very good piano player and used to tour with her younger brother as part of the Amazing Mozart Roadshow, often playing in the same concerts. Mozart wrote her countless letters, many of which still survive today. Nannerl was actually her nickname — her real name was Maria Anna. (DPA DEUTSCHE PRESS-AGENTUR/DPA/Press Association Images)

    3. key people in mozart's life

      3. Constanze Weber - the wife

      Mozart married Constanze when he was 26, having, some years previously been smitten by her sister, Aloysia. Constanze's family was not particularly well-off and Leopold did his best to put Mozart off the idea. They seemed to make a very good couple.

    4. key people in mozart's life

      4. Salieri: a rival composer

      We're calling him 'a rival' not 'the rival' because Salieri is not quite the baddie that popular mythology has made him out to be. Yes, he was in competition with Mozart on a number of occasions but no, he almost certainly didn’t bump him off. Despite history telling a different story, during their lifetimes, Salieri was often more popular than Mozart.

    5. joseph haydn

      5. Joseph Haydn - the composer

      A nice little cameo role for the composer Haydn. A big friend of Mozart, he was already 24 when our hero was born and yet lived a full 18 years after Mozart died.

    6. key people in mozart's life

      6. Franz Xavier Süssmayr

      The man who finished Mozart’s last masterpiece, the Requiem, following the composer's death. It was probably a thankless task, when you think about it: do it well and you go down in history as “the man who finished Mozart's last masterpiece." Do it badly and it’s worse — “the man who ruined Mozart's last masterpiece." You can see him transcribing here, on Mozart's deathbed.

    7. key people in mozart's life

      7. Franz Mesmer

      The man who gave his name to the verb to 'mesmerise', he was a doctor of medicine and friend to Mozart.

    8. key people in mozart's life

      8. Prince Archbishop Schrattenbach - the boss

      Schrattenbach was Leopold’s boss in Salzburg. He was eventually succeeded by Colloredo.

    9. key people in mozart's life

      9. Count Colloredo - the boss

      Full kennel name: The Archbishop Hieronymus, Count Colloredo of Salzburg. (You can see why we’re calling him just 'Colloredo'.) Both a prince and an archbishop, he became the Mozarts' boss when the boy was just 16.

    10. key people in mozart's life

      10. Lorenzo Da Ponte - the lyricist

      Lorenzo Da Ponte wrote the words for Mozart’s three biggest opera hits, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte. He was quite a character in his time and scandal of one sort or another was never far away from him. He was much sought after as a lyricist by other composers too.

    11. key people in mozart's life

      11. Rauzzini

      A countertenor for whom Mozart wrote his Exsultate, jubilate.

    12. key people in mozart's life

      12. Johann Hagenauer

      Leopold’s landlord in Salzburg and recipient of many letters.

    13. beethoven's piano

      13. Ludwig van Beethoven

      They met only fleetingly, if indeed at all, and Beethoven was only 21 when Mozart died. So only a walk-on part for Beethoven.

    14. Johann Christian Bach

      14. Johann Christian Bach

      Johann Christian was Johann Sebastian’s son. He became friendly with Mozart when they both spent time in London.

    Mozart News

    See more Mozart News

    An Australian professor has spent over a decade forensically analysing Mozart scores.

    Mozart claimed credit for his sister’s compositions, says former conductor turned professor

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    Student finger-snaps along to Mozart's Rondo alla Turca in record-breaking video

    Beethoven is more popular than Mozart

    Beethoven beats Mozart to the top spot as the most popular Classic FM composer of 2019

    Mozart Music

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    Mozart's best works

    Mozart’s best music: 15 of his greatest works

    Mozart's The Magic Flute in video game form

    Mozart's famous opera The Magic Flute is about to be transformed into a video game

    New releases: Morricone, Radulovic

    New releases: 60 years of iconic Morricone music and Nemanja Radulovic plays Bach

    Discover Music

    Mozart Pictures

    See more Mozart Pictures

    Mozart

    Mozart: 15 facts about the great composer

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    Mozart Album Reviews

    See more Mozart Album Reviews

    New releases 12th March 2018

    New Releases: Mozart's Violin Concertos performed by Nikolaj Znaider and Brahms' Piano Concertos played by Adam Laloum

    New releases 18th September

    New Releases: The debut album from The Ayoub Sisters and Noa Wildschut plays Mozart

    New Releases 4th September

    New Releases: 'Pavarotti: The People's Tenor' and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet plays Mozart

    Mozart Guides

    See more Mozart Guides

    Mozart and Allegri

    Did Mozart REALLY transcribe Allegri’s Miserere aged 14?

    Mozart

    6 of the best Mozart concertos to add to your playlist

    Did Salieri poison Mozart

    Was Mozart actually poisoned by Salieri? Here’s the truth

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