About the Composer |
Historical Context |
Concert Details |
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) was an influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music.
Mozart composed from the age of five. Moving to Vienna in 1781, he achieved fame but not fortune — and composed many of his best-known works.
Mozart learned voraciously from others, developing a brilliance and maturity of style that was light and graceful as well as dark and passionate. Source: Wikipedia |
The Classical period, from about 1750 to 1820, established many of the norms of composition, presentation, and style. The piano became the predominant keyboard instrument. The orchestra became somewhat standardized. Chamber music ensembles grew to include as many as 8-10 performers. Opera continued to develop with regional styles. The symphony came into its own as a musical form, and the concerto was developed as a vehicle for displays of virtuoso playing skill. Orchestras no longer required a harpsichord and were often led by the lead violinist. Wind instruments became more refined in the Classical period, when Mozart expanded the role of the clarinet family of single reeds in orchestral, chamber, and concerto settings. Source: Wikipedia |
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