This course is a biographical and musical study of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who composed more than 600 works of beauty and brilliance in just over 20 years.
Mozart combined the pure lyricism of song with dramatic timing, depth of expression, and a technical mastery of the complexities of phrase structure and harmony to create a body of work unique in the repertoire.
His personal life has generated nearly as much interest. Was Mozart the horse-laughing idiot of theater and cinema? Was he borderline autistic or musical freak? And how did he really die?
You learn about his triumphs and disappointments in Vienna and his relationships with figures including Haydn, Emperor Joseph II, Salieri, and Lorenzo da Ponte.