Music is the language of the soul. It is an old saying that people have always believed in. Music lives through all times, the past, the present, and the future. You can travel back in time and listen to songs and symphonies that are pretty old, but they still live to this day. That’s the thing with Mozart and his music. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the world’s most influential composers that lived through the Classical period. He was born in 1756 in Salzburg City, Austria. Although a lot of people believe he was German, he was actually Austrian. He was among the most famous musicians of his time, and his music still lives to this very day. 

Mozart was immensely talented despite facing a lot of challenges. Just like his popular peer Beethoven, he suffered an illness too; however, he wasn’t dear nor blind. In fact, Mozart had a neurological disorder that we will discuss shortly in more detail, along with other interesting facts that you would love to know about the brilliant musician. 

1. Mozart is Only His Last Name

The world knows Mozart for his unique music and exceptional symphonies that stick with you every time you hear one. However, little do people know that Mozart is only his last name, while his actual name is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His full name goes as Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is hard and long to say it every time, so people just stick to his last name. Also, he was of Austrian origin, with German being his first language. Thus, German names can be pretty challenging to pronounce. 

2. The Jupiter Symphony is His Most Famous Song

Most of Mozart’s musical compositions are notable classics in the world of music. However, his last symphony is the most famous, for musicians rank it as one of the most complex. It is also quite long, varying between simple and complex melodies. Known as the Jupiter symphony, it is the 41st symphony for Mozart and the last. 

3. He Suffered from Tourette Syndrome

Mozart was one of the geniuses that the world has witnessed. However, people with peculiarly high IQ levels seem to suffer from some neurobehavioral disorders. In Mozart’s case, Tourette Syndrome was the diagnosis of his unusual movements and unexpected behaviour. TS is a nervous system disorder that makes people produce sudden sounds or twitches without control over them. 

4. He Is Not German

While German is his first language, Mozart is not from Germany as many people tend to believe. He is Austrian, which means he also speaks German, and that may be the part where the confusion happens. Another reason is that Mozart is often associated with other legendary musicians like Beethoven and Bach, who were Germans. 

5. Wrote Over 600 Music Pieces

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart started his music journey at a young age. Over the years, he managed to write over 600 music pieces. He took 240 hours worth of music, deemed a lot more than his musical peer, Bach, who wrote 175 hours. Those 600 pieces include his most famous symphonies, around 50 symphonies, chamber music, violin sonatas, and many concertos.

6. His Musical Talents Started at the Age of 5

Born in Salzburg, Mozart grew up in a musical family. This has made him realise his great passion for music starting as young as five years old. His father was a great pianist who taught him how to compose complex music pieces. Besides, it is also said his IQ level was somewhat between 150 and 155, which is deemed a very genius level. His high intelligence helped in making him a natural talent when it came to learning music.

7. He Was the Last Child of His Parents

One of the weirdest facts about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s life is that his parents’ children always died before birth. His parents had seven children together, among which Mozart was the youngest. All five of the children died either in infancy or before birth. However, only Maria Anna, his elder sister, survived. When he married, he and his wife had six children, but only two lived. The same case was with his parents’ children. 

8. Mozart Had A Great Love Life

During his lifetime, Mozart had a loving relationship with his wife, Maria Constanze. They had healthy children together. Maria was an Austrian singer. Mozart was her first love and first husband. However, she remarried after his death. The beautiful couple had their wedding in a renowned Cathedral in Vienna, St. Stephen. 

9. Emperor Joseph II Supported Him

Joseph II was a Holy Roman Emperor. He supported arts very much and had a great passion for music composition. Thus, he decided to support Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart after listening to his magical musical pieces. He also endorsed Antonio Salieri, an Italian composer deemed Mozart’s music rival.

10. His Death Is A Mystery

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s death was a shock to the whole world. The world lost a genius that offered amazing music pieces that entertained artists. He died at a young age in 1791, when he was only 35 years old. Mozart died due to mercury poisoning that resulted in kidney failure and rheumatic fever. No one ever knew who was behind Mozart’s death, yet Salieri remained the primary suspect throughout the years. 

11. Mozart’s Burial Wasn’t Prestigious

Mozart was born and died in his hometown Vienna in, Austria. He died on 5 December 1791 and was buried in a mass grave. Most public figures get a prestigious funeral and are buried among the elites. That wasn’t Mozart’s case, as he was buried in a mass grave and didn’t die rich. However, his funeral was crammed with many people from his friends and family members, and only a church service was held.

12. Became More Famous After Death

Undoubtedly, thanks to his exceptional musical work, Mozart gained great fame and popularity during his lifetime. Yet, people recognised him even more after he died. His music became more popular around the whole world. There was no longer a region in the world that hadn’t heard about who Mozart was. Even today, hundreds of years later, people still admire his work.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart may have lived a short life, but he made a name for himself. If classical music is your thing, then you will find great pleasure in the music that Mozart made. 

Why not subscribe to our LearningMole Library for as little as £1.99 per month to access over 1400 fun educational videos.

The post 12 Exciting Facts About Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for Kids first appeared on Learning Mole.