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Internet Supplements for
"Before God and as an honest man, I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name."
Note to Parent:These supplements can be used before, during and after you read Mozart, the Wonder Boy by Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher. 1. Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. What a long name for such a little boy! What did little boys look like when Mozart was one? Let's look at some pictures of boys from the past...did you know Mozart probably wore a dress for the first few years of his life? 2. Here is a picture of the house Wolfgang was born in. It is located in the city of Salzburg, Austria. 3. Wolfgang and Nannerl, his sister, had a very happy childhood. They had some of the same things you probably have: pets, parents plus a great cook! Here are some recipes you can try with the help of your Mom, the great cook in your house. 4. Wolfgang's father was a composer, violinist,and conductor for the court of nobility in Salzburg. As a conductor, Leopold was responsible for selecting music, musicians, rehearsals of the music, and organizing performances for the court patron. There have been many famous conductors in musical history. Today, the board of directors of a symphony are responsible for selecting the conductor. He or she must be talented musically, and get along well with people. A conductor must be able to look at a score, and guide all of the instrumentalists at the same time! The score is the large book of music which has every instrumental part written on it. It's a very difficult job making sure several hundred musicians all play the right notes at the right time. That's why the conductor is always waving his arms so furiously throughout the performance! 5. Wasn't it funny how Father counted for Wolfgang while he beat the piano with his little fists? Keeping the proper time is very important in music. Let's learn about the role of time in music and then how about learning to count in different languages - won't that be fun? 6. When Nannerl turned 7, Father began her musical training. Her first lessons were on the clavier, a common instrument of that timeperiod. Actually the term clavier meant keyboard and sometimes small pianos and the harpsichord were called clavier. The clavier was a small keyboard instrument, and oftentimes it could be folded up for travel. When Wolfgang grew up, he would write musical compositions for the clavier. 7. Everyone loves to play games, I'll bet you do too! Little Wolfgang was just the same, but his favorite games all had music. One of the most popular musical games of all times is KidzSing Garden of Songs for some fun songs and fingerplays. 8. When Wolfgang turned 4, Father began teaching him to play the clavier. Whe he was 5, he began to write his own musical compositions! Here it is, the Minuet and Trio in G. 9. Many people feel that Wolfgang's life was shortened because of all of the hard musical work he did, practicing and composing. And, as Leopold was Wolfgang's parent and teacher, it has been felt that he could have prevented this from happening. Before we judge Leopold too harshly, let's look at a biography of him in which he states that the birth of Wolfgang was "a miracle." Go to The Mozart Experience. Choose "Biography," then click on "Mozart's Father: Leopold." 10. Have you ever taken a long trip? When you go away with your Mom and Dad, you probably call the trip a vacation, but the trip Wolfgang and Nannerl were going on was not going to be a vacation; they would be performing wherever anyone would listen. They were so excited the morning they set off and, hopefully, they would find a wealthy patron. Off they went! To Munich, a beautiful city in Germany. 11. Have you ever watched the movie, Chitty, Chitty, Bang Bang? Do you remember the large castle the children were trapped in? That is a real castle, built by a real man. His name was Ludwig, and he was born in Munich in 1845. The eldest son of King Maximillian II and Queen Marie, King Ludwig II was the patron of Richard Wagner, another important composer. 12. The citizens of Munich loved Wolfgang and Nannerl. They were also amazed and delighted with their musical talents. Many of the wealthier citizens gave the children fine jewells and jewelry as gifts. The jewelry of the 18th century was very lavish; many pieces featured very large stones or perhaps hundreds of smaller stones. Many of the ladies wore diamonds in their hair; some even dusted their hair with real gold! The men loved jewelry, too. 13. Day after day, Wolfgang surprises Mother and Father with his musical abilities. Here is a recording of the Minuet in F, written when he was 6.
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