Probably the most famous composer of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy and wrote over 700 works! Although you may not know them by name, you’ve definitely heard the opera The Magic Flute, the serenade A Little Night Music, or the movement Rondo Alla Turca from one of his piano sonatas. But what about some lesser-known fun facts about the man behind the music? Let’s meet this joyful character!
1. His real name isn’t Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!
He was actually baptised Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. A mouthful, right? No wonder he shortened his name! As for Amadeus, it was actually quite common at the time to translate your name depending on the country you were in. So when he was in Italy, he was Wolfgango Amadeo, in Germany he was Wolfgang Gottlieb.
He seemed to prefer «Wolfgang Amadé» as can be seen on his marriage contract with Constanze Weber. The Latin form apparently originates from his facetious tendency to sign letters in mock Latin, «Wolfgangus Amadeus Mozartus».
2. He was a talented billiard player
Around a billiard table was the place to be in 18th-century Vienna! No wonder that you could find Mozart there, amongst aristocrats and other artists. More than the social interaction, the game also appealed to his very playful nature. He reportedly bought a billiard table for himself in the middle of the 1780s. Allegedly, some of his melodies came to him playing the billiard. Perhaps one of his Divertimentos, with their equally playful nature?
3. His BFF was Joseph Haydn
The two composers met in Vienna in the early 1780s as they were both already quite renowned. Despite the age difference (Haydn being 24 years Mozart’s senior), they had great respect for one another, which quickly grew into a close friendship. Mozart dedicated six string quartets to his mentor, and Haydn admitted that his friend was able to express emotions like no other composer – even himself.
Aside from Haydn, Mozart was quite the «popular kid» in town and surrounded himself with many friends (and patrons) for whom he liked to compose: a concerto for clarinettist Anton Stadler, the «Prussian Quartets» for King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, horn concertos for Joseph Leutgeb… Mozart brought gift-giving to another level!
4. The circumstances of his death are quite mysterious
Was he poisoned? Did he have an infectious disease? Did he overwork and overstress himself? Numerous theories exist, but as to which one is correct, no one knows… What is sure is that the prolific genius composer died young, at 35 years old, on 05.12.1791.
The poisoning theory was popularised in the 19th century by Alexander Pushkin’s Play Mozart and Salieri, later adapted into an opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. In the 20th century, another play came to life, Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, adapted into the Oscar-winning biopic of the same name shortly after. They all portray the Italian composer Antonio Salieri as an envious and tormented rival, who ends up poisoning his competition.
This was all reinforced by the fact that Mozart himself talked in letters about his suspicions of being poisoned… but he later disregarded his own concerns. Maybe he was just a drama queen! Today, the medical and historical consensus is that he likely died of natural causes like rheumatic fever or kidney disease, as there is no substantial evidence to the poisoning theory.
5. Happy birthday, Wolferl!
Enough talk about death, we’re celebrating! Mozart’s life may have been short, but it was so rich and productive! He composed his first work at 5, his first symphony at 8. He wrote over 700 pieces, including 41 symphonies, 27 piano concertos, 15 masses, 23 operas, 36 violin sonatas, 23 string quartets… and more!
Besides being a terrific composer, he was also a multi-instrumentalist! He played the piano, the harpsichord, the organ, the violin and the viola. A man of many talents…
