entire piece of music from beginning to end. Then, all that was required was for him to write it down. Others said that Mozart was so gifted that he never had Mozart’s Amazing to revise or correct his compositions once they were committed to paper. Musical Achievement However, Phil Grabsky, director of the film In Search of Mozart, thinks there Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is consid- was more to Mozart than musical su- ered one of the greatest composers. perpowers. Born in 1756 in Salzburg, in what is now “What the characters we sometimes the country of Austria, Mozart was only call geniuses have in common is drive 35 years old when he died. However, the and determination, often good parent- music he wrote in his short life contin- ing, and the fact that they are products ues to inspire people today. One of the of the social conditions of their time,” most notable facts about Mozart’s mu- Grabsky explains. “All of this was true sic is its diversity. While most compos- for Mozart. His talent wasn’t simply a ers specialize in one particular musical gift from God, it was the result of tre- form, such as symphony or opera, Mo- mendously hard work.” zart mastered all of the forms of his day. “Mozart saw himself as a practical The opera The Magic Flute, the “Jupiter” worker,” says Nicholas Kenyon, the au- Symphony, and the chamber composi- thor of A Pocket Guide to Mozart. It was tion Eine kleine Nachtmusik (“A Little later composers who “perpetuated this Night Music”) are each still considered idea that he composed thoughtlessly, masterworks of their form. when all the evidence is that he wrote Writing so many masterpieces in such and rewrote his work.” a short period is very unusual. As a re- Stories aside, Mozart was unusual in sult, not long after his death, some mu- that he seemed to be good at perform- sicians began to develop a mythology ing at the piano from a very young age. about Mozart’s abilities, or stories that In fact, Mozart is often given as an ex- would account for his seemingly super- ample of a child prodigy. A prodigy is human feat. Some people claimed that someone who is able to reach adult lev- Mozart could imagine in his head an els of performance while very young.

The Mozart Family’s Tour of Europe 1763-1766 DENMARK North Sea Initial route Return route GREAT NETHERLANDS N HANOVER BRTAN Haarlem Amsterdam BRANDENBURG London The Hague Utrecht HOLY POLAND Dover Antwerp Calais Ghent Brussels Cologne SAONY glish Channel En Lille Liège ROMAN Mainz Frankfürt BOHEMA Mannheim Paris EMPRE FRANCE BAVARA Munich AUSTRA Dijon Salzburg From 1763 to 1766, while still Zurich children, Wolfgang and 100 mi Maria Anna Mozart toured SWTZERLAND 100 km Europe performing in many Geneva major cities. Here are some Lyon of the places they visited. VENCE HUNGARY GENOA Geography News Network 080318 2018 continued > – 1 – from previous page >

Prodigies are usually found in areas that interpreted for Wolfgang and reinforced do not require writing or speaking skills for Wolfgang what Leopold was trying such as art, chess, mathematics, and to teach. She showed him that music is music. not only fun, but a way to communicate Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart showed without words.” an interest in music very early. Wolfgang Leopold was extremely proud of his and his sister, Maria Anna, nicknamed children’s achievements. He decided to Nannerl, were the only two surviving take them on a tour of Europe so they children of seven born to Leopold and could perform in important music cen- Anna Maria Mozart. Leopold, a respect- ters. In 1762, Wolfgang and Nannerl ed musician and music teacher, started played for the court of Elector Maximil- teaching Wolfgang’s sister Nannerl to ian III in Munich. “The little child from play the harpsichord when she was eight Salzburg and his sister played the harp- years old. During her lessons, her three- sichord,” Count Karl von Zinzendorf, one year-old little brother was usually by her of the members of Maximillian’s court side. Under her father’s guidance, Nan- wrote in his diary. “The poor little fel- nerl progressed quickly. “My little girl low plays marvelously. He is a child of plays the most difficult works which we spirit, lively, charming. His sister’s play- have . . . with incredible precision and ing is masterly, and he applauded her.” so excellently,” Leopold Mozart proud- Maria and Wolfgang toured together ly wrote in a letter in 1764. “What it all for more than three years. After several amounts to is this, that my little girl, al- thousands of miles of difficult travel by though she is only 12 years old, is one of horse-drawn carriage, they had per- the most skillful players in Europe.” formed for thousands of people. After watching his sister’s lessons, Stevan Jackson, a musical sociologist young Wolfgang tried to play by ear and anthropologist at Radford Universi- some of the music she practiced on the ty, thinks that having to share the stage keyboard. His son’s talent for music took with his talented older sister may have Leopold by surprise. “This minuet and made Wolfgang want to work harder. trio were learned by Wolfgang in half an “Whether Wolfgang wanted to please his hour, at half-past nine at night on the older sister or outshine her, her musical 26th of January 1761, one day before his accomplishments may have driven him fifth birthday,” his father excitedly pen- harder than perhaps he would have on ciled into Nannerl’s music book. his own,” he says. Since Wolfgang demonstrated such in- terest and skill, Leopold decided to start Nannerl also played an important early his son’s musical education at five in- role in her brother’s development as a stead of age eight as Nannerl had done. composer. One time when Leopold took Today, some psychologists say that ill, their mother Anna Maria told the sib- starting music three years earlier than lings that they must be absolutely quiet his sister could have given the young mu- so their rather could rest—they were not sician an advantage. Gottfried Schlaug, even allowed to play their beloved in- director of the Music and Neuroimaging struments! During this quiet time, Nan- Laboratory at Harvard Medical School, nerl gathered some music paper and a explains that teaching children about pen. She then helped her younger broth- music early “seems to rewire the brain er write down his first symphony. Later, more dramatically.” she remembered her younger brother Young Wolfgang may also have ben- saying, “Remind me to give something efitted because he had two teachers. good to the horns!” While his father remained his chief in- So, did Nannerl only take dictation for structor, his older sister’s teaching likely this first symphony, or did she actually had a large impact on his development. collaborate on this piece with her broth- “Nannerl was of an age where she un- er? It is hard to know for certain. Noel derstood and was more aware of what Zahler, director of the School of Music at her father was doing,” says Noel Zahler, Carnegie Mellon University, thinks that director of the School of Music at Carne- if anything, the older Nannerl helped gie Mellon University. “Nannerl probably Wolfgang better formulate his musical

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ideas. “They probably had lots of discus- However, the work that makes Wolfgang sion about what he was doing,” Zahler Amadeus Mozart famous today was still says. “I’ll bet she not only reminded ahead of him. Mozart himself knew that him about the horns but also suggested he was capable of much more. “They some things for the horns and for other probably think because I am so small parts of the composition as well.” and young, nothing of greatness and Unfortunately, Nannerl Mozart’s ca- class can come out of me,” Wolfgang reer as a musician was soon to end. Once wrote to his father in 1777. “But they she turned 18 in 1769, Leopold stopped shall soon find out.” taking her on tour with her brother. In Eventually, Mozart settled in Vienna, a her day, young women were expected city with a reputation as a great music to focus on getting married and rais- center. While in Vienna, he taught piano ing children. Needless to say, being a lessons, wrote music, and performed in professional musician was not an op- concerts. Between the time he was 25 tion. Although she stopped performing, until his death at 35, Mozart composed Nannerl would not marry for another a tremendous amount of music in a va- 15 years. During that time, she stayed riety of genres and styles. All told, he at home, writing music of her own. Her wrote 20 operas, 18 masses, 27 piano younger brother remained her biggest concertos, 23 string quartets, 35 sona- fan. “My dear sister! I am in awe that you tas for piano and violin, and 41 sympho- can compose so well,” Wolfgang wrote in nies. 1770 while on tour. “In a word, the song Even today, musicians continue to try you wrote is beautiful.” Sadly, no one to understand Mozart’s achievements. knows what any of her music sounded Some maintain that Mozart had an al- like. None of it was saved. most supernatural talent for composing. Wolfgang Mozart now spent the re- “When you look at his scores, such as the mainder of his childhood touring Europe original manuscript of The Magic Flute, without his sister. Audiences remained it is amazing how perfectly it is written fascinated by the cute little boy at the down, as if he was dictating it from an- big piano who played better than most other place,” believes singer Barbara adults. According to Mozart biographer Bonney. “It seems inconceivable that Maynard Solomon, “He was received, anybody could be so talented. It is so feted, and honored by the royal fami- perfect, and that is how the music feels lies of Europe, by the King and Queen of in your throat or under the fingers. It has France, the Empress of Austria and her a physical feeling of perfection to it.” son the Emperor Joseph, the King and Yet others think that while very talent- Queen of England, and Pope Clement ed, Mozart had good musical instruction himself. He and his family were show- and worked very, very hard. “Mozart had ered with money and expensive gifts. He talent, yes, by the bucketful, but oh my, was kissed by empresses and petted by he did work hard,” Greenberg explains. Marie Antoinette.’’ “And let’s not make it easy on ourselves As Wolfgang grew older, audiences by thinking of Mozart as a freak, an eter- started losing interest in him. Now a nal child, an idiot touched by the hand of grown man, audiences could no lon- God. Unfair and untrue.’’ ger marvel at the musically gifted child.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS PRACTICE

ACTIVITIES AND QUESTIONS Defining: What is a prodigy? What facts about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s life seem to indicate that he was himself a prodigy?

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ACTIVITIES AND QUESTIONS (CONTINUED) Explaining: In what ways do some scholars think Maria Anna Mozart influenced her younger brother’s musical development? Why did Maria Anna eventually stop performing music professionally? Contrasting: How Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart managed to write so much great music within such a short period has puzzled musicians for over 200 years. Using the material presented in the text, contrast the view that Mozart’s music was the result of supernatural gifts with the view that his music was the result of lots of hard work. Which position do you find more convincing and why? Interpreting: Muting the volume, show students an excerpt of musicians play- ing a Mozart composition. You can use this link to Violin Concert No. 5 for example. Based on the musicians’ facial expressions and bodily movements, what emotions do the students think the performers are trying to express? Then have the stu- dents re-watch the video at full volume. Were the musicians’ faces and bodies good predictors of what the music actually sounds like? Did the musicians’ expres- sions and movements help or hinder their enjoyment of the piece?

Brought to you by Geography News Network. August 3, 2018. #297 .

SOURCES https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/maria-anna-mozart-the-familys- first-prodigy-1259016/ https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/the-mind-of-the-prodigy/ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-mozart-outsold-be- yonce-2016-180961442/ https://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/mozart-the-greatest-composer-of-all https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jan/01/arts.music http://www.newspaperalum.com/2013/11/shattering-the-myths-of-wolfgang-ama- deus-mozart.html

CLASSROOM RESOURCES http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/famouspeople/wolfgang_amadeus_ mozart/ https://www.wqxr.org/story/219695-saturday-morning-cartoons-art-mozart/ http://blogs.bl.uk/music/2014/04/mozartmanuscriptsonline.html https://education.maps.com/2017/11/singer-sets-record-highest-note/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-genius/2016/10/21/ ffecc73c-96e0-11e6-9b7c-57290af48a49_story.html?utm_term=.906db0b604ac

Larry Marotta: Larry Marotta is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience in the K-12 educational publishing industry. He has extensive experience preparing educational materials for students with disabilities. He is also an active musician, composing and performing regularly. He enjoys reading, traveling, and drawing. 2018 – 4 –