His last work, the "Requiem", gendered another legend, sustained by French novelist Stendhal: disguised in black garments, death itself had ordered the work. The fact is that his "Requiem" was financed by an untalented hack, Duke Franz von Walsegg who tried to pass it off as his own work. Mozart died at 1:00 in the morning of December 5th 1791. The funeral arrangements were made by his friend and patron Baron Gottfried van Swieten. The Grove Dictionary describes his funeral: "Mozart was buried in a common grave, in accordance with contemporary Viennese custom, at the St. Marx Cemetery outside the city on December 7th . If, as later reports say, no mourners attended, that is consistent with Viennese burial customs at the time. Salieri, Süssmayr, van Swieten and two other musicians were present. The tale of a storm and snow is false; the day was calm and mild." In memory of Mozart’s tomb a statue has been placed at St.Marx cemetery.
A legend goes that he was poisoned by his rival, Antonio Salieri (who had created social security for musicians and offered free lessons to future giants like Schubert and Liszt). This legend is untrue. It was probably enforced by Salieri's words when he was informed of Mozart's death: "What a loss! But good news for professional musicians. Had he lived much longer, he would have driven all of us out of business." The legend fascinated Russian writer Alexander Pushkin who wrote about it, inspiring Rimsky-Korsakoff to compose a rather mediocre opera, "Mozart and Salieri". Later on, British author Peter Shaffer wrote a magnificent play on the subject that led to the making of a remarkable film, "Amadeus", by Milos Forman.
In 1787, a seventeen-year-old Beethoven played for Mozart who said: "Watch out for this young man. We will soon astonish the world." Exhausted by cold weather and bad heating (sometimes even none), overworking and always living in the anguish of disease and poverty, he died alone and miserable, probably from a a strep epidemic. The sole success of his "Magic Flute" would have been quite sufficient to sustain him more than decently, but his co-author, Schikaneder held all the rights, as owner of the theatre.
Mozart was twenty-eight years of age when, in the autumn of 1784, he joined a Masonic Lodge. His opera “The Magic Flute”, composed in 1791, makes no mention of Freemasonry as such, but it has always been accepted as a Masonic opera. Musicians assert that even the music has much Craft significance, beginning in the overture with its three solemn chords meaning “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.”
Wolfgang fell in love with a young actress, Aloysa Weber, who rejected him. He settled, out of spite, for her sister Constance. The couple had two surviving sons, Karl Thomas (21 September 1784 – 31 October 1858) and Franz Xaver (26 July 1791 – 29 July 1844), also known as Wolfgang Amadeus jr.
Austria’s Emperor Joseph II, who was intellectually negligible, found that the Italian composer Antonio Salieri’s talents were superior to his. But the greatest Austrian composer of the time, Joseph Haydn, immediately recognised him as the master of masters: “Wherever Mozart performs, Haydn must not appear.”
Famous all over Europe when eight years old, he did not tolerate for long his rank of footman to the Archbishop Coloredo of Salzburg, a conceited and ill-mannered cur. He therefore chose to live as a free citizen in Vienna from concerts and lessons and rapidly made quite a bit of money, for the Viennese people loved his music. Alas, far from thrifty, he never managed to really make ends meet.
Born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27th 1756, in a family of professional musicians, prodigy amongst prodigies, little Wolfgang composed orchestral works when aged four. Exhibited like a circus freak all over Europe by his father, Leopold, with his sister Maria-Anna nicknamed "Nännerl" who was, like her brother, a remarkable keyboard player, he never was given the time to enjoy childhood. Incessant, weary and dangerous trips increased his precarious health.
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