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Amadeus
The Enlightenment in Austria
Vienna
• During the 18th century
Vienna was the European
capital of music.
• Vienna was the capital of
the Hapsburg Empire, the
Austrian Empire
• It was an old, wealthy,
cultured city.
Vienna
• The Hapsburg royal family
encouraged art, theater ,
music and opera.
• Emperor Joseph II who
reigned from 1764 to 1790
was a great patron of the
arts and supported the
work of many famous
musicians of the day.
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756. He was a musical genius,
learning to play piano and violin well before he was five. He started composing music and
playing for royalty at that time as well. He was nine when he began writing symphonies.
Mozart
• By the time he was 19 he was
the Konzertmeister in the
Prince Archbishop’s court in
Salzburg.
• In the 1780s he moved to
Vienna and began working as
a teacher, a composer and in
the court of Emperor Joseph
II. He stayed there for the
rest of his life, dying in 1791.
• He wrote at least 20 operas,
30-40 concertos, 50-60
symphonies, and 20 sonatas.
Mozart
• While Mozart was working
for the Emperor, Antonio
Salieri was the director of
Operas in the court.
• He was also known as
Kapellmeister, which means
“head of music”.
• Mozart was the
Kammercompositeur under
him.