Mozart: 250 years in memoriam
MUSIC: Two hundred and fifty years ago Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on 27 January, l756 in Salzburg. He died in Vienna on 5 December l79l. Mozart was a profuse scorer and his music spread over to opera, symphnoy, concert, chamber, choral, vocal, piano as well as for ballet. Saint-Saens was performing as a pianist in Beethovan's violin Sonatas when he was four years old but Mozart at six years could compose, play the violin and the piano when his little fingers could not even span a full octave. Mozart and his gifted sister Anna Marie were the only two to survive among a brood of seven siblings. Father, Leopold whose music virtuosity was naturally passed down to his son and daughter. From the time Mozart was four, it was music all his life and he rose to be the most revered German who placed the map of music around the world in a manner that no one could have come even within a striking distance. Mozart set off on his first tour with his father and sister and played at various courts in Europe, and next visiting Munich and Vienna where the two children played for the Empress Maria Theresa and the seven year old Marie Antonoitte. From then onwards, he went from glory to glory each of his scores surpassing the other. They were brilliant, spectacular and immortal beyond description. But one cannot say so of his looks. He was tactless, arrogant, impulsive, may be the features that make people great. Phyiscally nothing to look at; with a head too big for his body, protruding, large eyes, yellowish complextion with a pitted small pox. When he accompanied his mother to Paris, he met and fell in love with Aloysia, daughter of the music copyist, Fridon Weber but his mother's death in Paris made him lose all the affection for her when he returned to Salsburb. Subsequently, he married Aloysia's flighty sister. After his wedding, very many scores appeared along with Haydn who became his close friend thereafter. He composed the popular The Marriage of Figaro during this time. "There is no feeling; human or cosmic, no depth, no height, that human spirit can reach that is not contained in Mozart"s music", wrote pianist Lili Kraus. Therefore, it is true to say that of all great composers, none are revered and loved as much as Mozart. As the world gets ready to pay homage to his spirit, his music, let the vibrance of his scores thunder across land and seas and awaken us to their magic. The German Cultural Centre will have an evening of his music at Goethe Hall, Colombo7 on June 8. |
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