Mozart, the Illustrious Composer

Mozart, the illustrious composer

Impossible to follow the Salzburg audio-guided tour without evoking its most famous symbol: not a monument, but a person, the incomparable Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the greatest composers of all time.

A genius born in Salzburg

Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756, into a family of musicians: his father, Leopold, was a renowned violinist and composer. His full baptismal name was Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Endowed with perfect pitch and a prodigious memory, he began music at the age of three and composed his first works at six. Very early, he travelled Europe with his father, playing notably before King Louis XV. At fourteen, in Italy, he managed to transcribe from memory a score heard only once.

What there is to see

Having died at only thirty-five, Mozart left behind more than eight hundred works, concertos, symphonies, sonatas and operas, a large part of which is considered close to perfection. His presence permeates the whole city of Salzburg, where his effigy and his memory are found at every street corner. To follow in his footsteps, from his birthplace to the squares that bear his name, is one of the great pleasures of a visit to the city.

Practical information

The places linked to Mozart can be discovered all along the old town of Salzburg: birthplace, Mozart square and its statue, concert halls. The museums and houses devoted to him can generally be visited all year round, according to hours that may vary depending on the season. It is advisable to check the conditions of access and the prices.

Where and when was Mozart born?

In Salzburg, in 1756, into a family of musicians; his father Leopold was a renowned violinist and composer.

How many works did Mozart compose?

More than eight hundred: concertos, symphonies, sonatas and operas, despite a life that ended at only thirty-five.