Mozart was a child prodigy.  Born on 27 January, 1756, he could pick out tunes on the harpsichord at three, play the violin at four and was composing his own music by the time he gave his first public performance at five and a half..  By the time Wolfgang was 12 he had written three operas, six symphonies and hundreds of other works.  Mozart's father. Leopold, was an accomplished violinist employed by the archbishop of Salzburg.  He saw the potential earning power of Wolfgang's extraordinary talents, and set about arranging tours of Europe to show off this unique musical gift and to secure an independent future for his son.  Mozart spent the next eleven years on tour and  returned to Salzburg in 1773.  Mozart found the restrictions intolerable and resigned.  The archbishop of Salzburg was furious because he had lost such a prestigious employee, he had Mozart physically thrown out of his palace.  After all his problems with the Archbishop and his father he went to Vienna and took lodgings with Constanza's mother.  Despite Leopold's objections, Wolfgang and Constanza got married in 1782 and were relatively happy.  Mozart returned to the freelance life, accepting whatever commissions came along.  During the last four years of his life, in extreme poverty and debt, Mozart created some of his finest works, including Don Giovanni and the Magic Flute.  By autumn 1791, Mozart was very ill and he was confined to his bed by 20 November.  On 1 December he was appointed musical director of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, which would have solved his financial problems, but he died four days later.
 
 

  
Mozart in his early thirties.  The
ravages of constant illness had taken their toll
and he looked 20 years older.
 
 
1756 Born January 27 in Salzburg, Austria
1762  Embarks on the first of many tours of Europe. 
1764 First hears Handel's Messiah; has works (two sonatas) published for the first time, in Paris
1770 Completes his first string quartet while on tour in Italy.
1773 Returns to Salzburg.
1780 First commission of serious opera -Idomeneo-
1782 Marries Constanza Weber
1786 First performance of the Marriage of Figaro on May 1 in Vienna
1787 Appointed court musician to Emperor Joseph II of Austria
1791 Composes his last opera, the Magic Flute.
1791 Dies December 5 in Vienna while writing his Requiem; buried 7 December according to local custom in an unmarked grave
  •Mozart produced over 600 works, including over 40 symphonies, 20 operas and operettas and 27 piano concertos
  •Most composers' works are referred to by opus numbers.  Mozart's are preceded by a 'K' number, after Baron Köchel, the   19th century writer who catalogued all Mozart's work.

Symphonies

-Symphony No. 27 (mov. 1)
-Symphony No. 40 (mov. 1)
-Symphony No. 41 (mov. 1)

Divertimenti

-Divertimento in F (K. 138, 1772)
    -allegro
    -andante
 
-Divertimento in B flat (K. 240)

-Divertimento No. 14 in B flat, -IV. Presto (K.270)
 

Serenades

Serenade No. 13 in G (Eine Kleine Natchmusik)

-movement 1 (allegro)
-movement 2 (romance)
-movement 3 (minuetto)
-movement 4 (rondo)

Concerto for flute, harp and orchestra in C (K. 299, 1778)
-1st movement "Allegro"
-2nd movement "Andantino"
-3rd movement "Rondo-Allegro"

Horn Concertos

-No. 4 in E flat (K. 495, 1786)
    -3rd movement "Rondo"

Piano concerto No. 21 in C (K. 467, 1785)
    -1st movement "Allegro maestoso"
    -2nd movement "Andante"
    -3rd movement "Allegro vivace assai"

Piano Sonatas

-No. 11 in A minor "Alla Turca"
    -1st movement "Andante grazioso with 6 variations"
    -2nd movement "Minuetto and Trio"
    -3rd movement "Alla Turca: Allegretto"

Violin Concertos

-No. 2 in D major (K. 211, 1775)
    -1st movement "Moderato assai"
    -2nd movement "Andante"
    -3rd movement "Rondo allegro vivo"


 

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