Musical Genius
...posed in three acts. Emperor Joseph II had asked Mozart if he would like to compose an opera and conduct it himself and Mozart said yes which delighted his father Leopold. But many of the crew for which Mozart’s opera was intended for did not agree to it, one was Affligio who “would not commit himself to a performance of an opera written by a twelve year old. And some of the singers -- who at first were delighted with the music -- began to have second thoughts about being directed by a child. "... envy has broken forth on every side," Leopold wrote” (Boerner). La Finta Semplice did not reach the fame Leopold and Mozart had anticipated but did not become a famous opera in its time but until recent centuries. I think that many did not accept Mozart’s opera since they did not believe that at a such young age a child was able to compose and direct and opera. But that did not stop Mozart from composing more operas but we can see that he would not give up but was looking for success. From 1770 to 1773 he completed two more operas, Mitridate and Lucio Silla. The period from 1774 to mid-177 Mozart spent it in Salzburg where he worked “as a Konzermeister at the Prince Archbishop’s court; his works of these years included masses, symphonies, all his violin concertos, six piano sonatas, several serenades and divertimentos and his first great piano concerto K271” (Sadie). His father Leopold had always wanted a good post for his son and being a Konzermeister at the Prince Archbishop’s court was the closest he got to. Mozart later continued his journey to Paris where he composed the Paris Symphony. His Symphony No. 31 in D Major, K. 297/300a which was one more of Mozart’s success. The audience seemed to love it and would applaud when they would hear a piece they liked. Mozart had been very anxious and nervous before performing his symphony since Europe was not an easy market but he hoped to win it. “I prayed God it might go well, dedicating all to His greater honor and glory, and ecce! the symphony began! and in the midst of the first allegro came a passage I had known would please. The audience was quite carried away -- there was a great outburst of applause. But, since I knew when I wrote it that it would make a sensation, I had brought it in again in the last -- and then it came again, da capo!” (Sandow ). We can clearly see that Mozart was now more sure of his ability and was truly seeking success. Unfortunately it was there in Paris where his mother Ann fell ill and soon after the symphony’s premiere she died. After his mothers death Mozart returned to Salzburg and was given the post of court organist as well as Konzertmeister. He produced numerous works during his stay including his famous Coronation Mass. He later, against his father’s wishes married Constanze Weber with whom he had six children of which only two survived. In that same year in 1782 he completed the opera Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, which was an immediate success. This opera “went far beyond the usual limits of the tradition with its long, elaborately written songs (hence Emperor Joseph II’s famous observation ‘Too many notes, my dear Mozart’). The work was successful and was taken into the repertories of may provincial companies (for which Mozart was not however paid)” (Boynick). Mozart was reaching the fame he and his father had always wanted and his name was becoming well know for his great works. Even another great composer of that time Haydn said “the greatest composer known to me in person or by name; he has taste and, what is more, the greatest knowledge of composition” (Boynick). Mozart was appointed emperor Joseph II’s chamber composer, and was very productive. It was during that time that Mozart composed two other of his greatest works ever, The Marriage of Figaro (1786) and Don Giovanni (17787). It was said by a criti...