9781422287095

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MUSIC & MUSICIANS

Mozart’s musical genius was evident from the time he was a young boy. He would grow up to be something of a rebel, and despite his talent, he often offended people by refusing to follow the rules of his day.

a court musician. As they traveled, Mozart’s father showed off his son’s talents, while the young Mozart had the opportunity to learn from many different kinds of music. When he got older, he too got jobs at court, where he composed music in every genre of his day. Although he was a brilliant musician, he didn’t know how to manage money. He had a reputation for acting silly in the middle of very formal affairs, and he offended many impor- tant people. One of his last works, The Magic Flute , was so successful, though, that he and his family could finally become financially comfort- able—but he died soon after, at the age of thirty-six, from kidney dis- ease. His work has continued to influence the music world ever since, and he is still considered one of the greatest musical geniuses to have ever lived.