Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg on the 27th January 1756 and was baptized the next day at St. Ruperts Cathedral with the names Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. The name Theophilus means 'beloved of God' and it was only later that Mozart used the latin form Amadeus.

His father, Leopold Mozart, was born in Augsburg, Bavaria, where the Mozart family can be traced back to the 14th Century. He was an accomplished musician, a violinist and a composer in the service of the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg and the young infant Wolfgang was the last of seven children.

Leopold's ambition was to become Kapellmeister, or the leading musician in the Archbishop's Court but it was an ambition he was never to realise as the birth of Wolfgang brought about huge changes. Wolfgang and his elder sister by three and a half years, Maria Anna, were incidentally the only survivors of the seven children and by the time that the young Wolfgang was eight years old, Leopold had reached the position of Vice-Kapellmeister, a position he was to hold for the rest of his life. Any further advancement was beside the point as from a very early age, Wolfgang had displayed an amazing talent which far outshone the earlier ambitions of his father. At the age of three, he liked to sit at the side of the keyboard while his father was giving lessons to his seven year old sister, picking out thirds and obviously delighting in the harmonies it produced. By the time he was four he could learn a complete piece within an hour or less and then play the piece or pieces back to his father with complete accuracy. By the time he was five, he had already started to compose little pieces which were written down by his father and which are still being played today.

Leopold determined that his uniquely gifted and precocious son should receive a thorough education under his own tutelage and it seems quite clear that he pushed his son in this respect although it is fair to say that young Wolfgang was a willing participant, soaking up knowledge like a sponge. His entire education in humanities and music were received from his father, and as the trumpeter and violinist Johann Schachter was later to recall, "it was of small matter to him what he was given to learn, he simply wanted to learn and he left the choice of this to his dearly loved father as to what field he was to work in." Another of Schachter's stories is of Wolfgang the violinist at the age of six. His father Leopold, Schachter and another colleague, Wenzl, were playing a number of trios and the little Wolfgang with his scaled down violin, pestered to be allowed to play the second violin. There was much discussion as the little boy had never had instruction with the violin and his father did not think it possible. Schachter recalled, "I asked them to let him play with me. His father said, “play with Herr Schachter but so softly that we can't hear you or you will have to go.” And it was settled and Wolfgang played with me. I soon noticed with astonishent that I was quite superfluous, I quietly put my violin down ... "

Leopold Mozart decided that it was time to display his children to the world. Apart from the money that it would earn them, there was a real sense of pride in exposing his talented children to the cream of Europe's society so on the 12th of January 1762, they set off on the first of such musical journeys which would take up so much of Wolfgang's time over the next ten years. They were sensationally succesful and without recounting their many triumphs, there was another reason for these journeys. They were at a time when the surest way of obtaining a reputation and ultimately a prestigious position as a professional musician and composer was to tour the Courts of Europe and hopefully land a distinguished appointment with the Church or a noble Court as a virtuoso performer, a concertmaster or even a composer. The prospect of being able to earn a good living as a free-lance composer and performing musician without such sponsorship was almost unheard of.

For Leopold Mozart, the prospect of having two highly gifted young children who could perform at a high level on both clavier and violin either individually or in unison with himself to lead them as an accomplished keyboard player and violinist in his own right must have been a dream come true. Of course, such musical concert tours were exhausting and there has been speculation in retrospect that had young Wolfgang not repeatedly travelled backward and forward across Europe where in the process he was exposed to a myriad of illnesses and diseases, then he may have lived longer than his thirty five years but it was an exciting childhood and we know from his letters that the young Mozart enjoyed their hectic lifestyle and the fame of meeting the crowned heads and aristocracy in the numerous states and kingdoms.

Mozart was a precocious child who seemed to compose with ridiculous ease and amazing attention to detail, no matter what material he was given to work with. Despite all his traveling and virtuoso performances, he had composed his first three operas before he was twelve years old and they were all works of substance. In 1770, at the age of fourteen, he composed 'Mitridate, Re di Ponto' while he was in Italy. It was a work of monumental proportions which brought him great success both artistically and financially and he followed this up by writing three more operas for Milan before losing interest in the Italian style. Then in 1775, he accepted a commision from the Archbishop Colloredo of Salzburg as full konzertmeister. The following years were a period of security and prosperity for the Mozart family but the relationship between Colloredo and Mozart was always a rocky one.

The Archbishop regarded the relationship as one of employer and servant, which did not suit his wayward composer. While Mozart composed prolifically Archbishop Colloredo wanted value for money and he was not prepared to allow the Mozarts to travel throughout Europe while he footed the bill for absentee musicians. In 1777 after much acrimonious bickering, Mozart was released by Colloredo although his father had to remain in Salzburg while Mozart set out on tour with his mother. In Bavaria he failed to make a good impression – he was no longer a child prodigy and he was soon to discover that his differences with Archbishop Colloredo together with his own procociousness made him seem to be 'difficult.' He found out that prestigious court positions did not grow on trees and were just not available. By and large, provided that they did a good job, Court musicians tended to have a job for life with a handsome remuneration and a pension on retirement. Mozart and his mother moved on to Munich and then to Mannheim where his mother wrote to Leopold in Salzburg, pleading with him to bring their son to his senses from his over-confident attitudes which included an interest in the oppsite sex. As well as being uniquely gifted, he was no different to any other young man of twenty two in displaying an interest in female company! Leopold wrote to his son in the following manner; "[...] it now depends solely on your good sense and your way of life whether you die as an ordinary musician, utterly forgotten by the world, or as a famous Kapellmeister ... off with you to Paris! ... find your place among great people."

Paris did not turn out well for Mozart. The French Court had little or no interest in him and in turn, Mozart could not get on with French music or the French Court. On the 3rd July, 1778, his mother died of a sudden illness and the twenty two year old Mozart was left to find his own way back to Salzburg where on arrival he secured employment as Court organist due to his father's influence but his renewed alliance with Archbishop Colloredo was not destinned to last. After a few uneasy years things came to a head in Vienna where Colloredo and his retinue which included Mozart were visiting. Mozart was dismissed from the Archbishop's service and at the age of twenty six, he found himself alone in Vienna trying to make a living as a free-lance musician. He was not long in finding out that Vienna suited him very well – he had more time to compose and he also became engaged to Constanze Weber. They were married in August 1782 and a few days later, 'Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail' was premiered with great success. The next ten years up to his death was his most fruitful period and was to prove his worth as a great composer. Almost all of his greatest works including operas, concertos, symphonies etc., came from his pen during this period. In 1791, three months before his death, he completed two more operas, 'La Clemenza di Tito' and 'Die Zauberflote'. In spite of all his success, Mozart was never careful with money. Its value meant little to him and he made no effort to secure his future financially. After a period of illness he died in penurious circumstances on the 5th December 1791, aged thirty five. The following quotation is attributed to the Viennese Social historian Ilsa Barea: Mozart died in a mean two roomed flat in the Rauhenstrasse on the 5th December 1791 and was taken to St Marx cemetary in a third class funeral against the blast of wind and sleet that made the few mourners turn back at the city gate and leave the light coffin on the hearse to hired men, to a priest at the graveside who had no duty to mark the spot if no one else did.

That Mozart died almost penniless is true enough but the rest is not strictly accurate. Prior to his death, he had been ill for quite some time. During a walk in the Prater with Constanze, he tearfully confided that he did not have long to live and that he suspected that he had been poisoned. He managed to conduct his Masonic Cantata but two days later he was bedridden. His hands and feet had become swollen and he was repeatedly vomiting. On the 28th November, his Doctor, Dr. Thomas Closset consulted with Dr. Matthias von Sallaba, chief physician of the Vienna General Hospital but there was very little that they could do. He was in great pain and his condition deteriorated until he died shortly before 1.00 a.m. On the 5th December, 1791. The official cause of death was 'severe miliary fever' but current thinking leans towards a uraemic coma following a lengthy kidney disease.

At 3.00 pm on the 6th December, 1791, Mozart's funeral procession left St. Stephens Cathedral for the St. Marx Cemetary where he was buried in a common grave. It was not a paupers funeral but simply the cheapest available. His wife Constanze was too ill to attend and the fact that the mourners did not go to the graveside could well be explained by a decree of the Late Emperor Joseph II that the dead should not be buried in coffins but should be sewn into sacks and covered with quicklime before being interred and that ostentatious funerals should be avoided. To add to this, there had been a cholera epidemic in Vienna and police regulations ruled against large and lengthy funeral processions. Certainly, Mozart was buried in common grave the approximate locality of which is known but there is no marker to indicate the exact spot. It has also been believed for a long time that the weather was dreadful and that a snowstorm caused everyone to leave without actually witnessing the burial but the diary of Count Zindendorf actually records that for 5th December, 1791, 'mild weather, mist three or four times a day for some time' and the evening of the 6th December ' mild weather and frequent mist.' This is supported by the records of the Viennese observatory which shows that there were 'light Easterly winds', so perhaps the picture of Mozart, abandoned in death, awaiting a paupers grave in the middle of a blizzard is a form of journalistic licence in keeping with the theme of a child prodigy who developed into a composer and musician without compare.

Another such story revolves around the supposition that he was in fact poisoned and who would do such a thing. A few days after his death, one of the Viennese journals commented that 'the swelling of his body after his death led to the suspicion of his having been poisoned' and the finger of suspicion was pointed towards his rival Antonio Salieri. The rumour circulated over the years and unfortunately Mozart's widow Constanze had a tendency to keep it alive without a shred of evidence. Salieri was Court musician to the Imperial Court for many years. His position was a prestigious one and he deserves full credit for being an accomplished composer and performer in his own right. For the best part of ten years his career ran in parallel to that of the free-lance Mozart and while they were never the closest of friends, they were certainly not enemies. Salieri's position was always secure and he had nothing to fear from Mozart even though comparison's were inevitably made and Mozart's star repeatedly shone the brightest. They may have had their differences but they were colleagues with a respect for the abilities of each other and Salieri attended Mozart's funeral service at St. Stephen's cathedral. The relationship between the two was one of healthy professionalism and Salieri is known to have loaned Mozart scores from the Court library, hardly the actions of a jealous rival. Indeed, Alselm Huttenbrenner reported that Salieri always spoke of Mozart “with exceptional respect' and the two composers were on friendly enough terms. Thirty two years after Mozart's death, Salieri became deranged and in his senility, allegedly confessed to poisoning Mozart although this was strongly refuted by his two servants who made it clear that they had never heard such words from their master but the rumours continued to circulate and in many quarters they were believed.

Another legend puts the blame for Mozart's death on the Viennese Masons in revenge for him allegedly having betrayed some of their secrets in 'Die Zauberflote' but again there is no substance for such rumours.

The fact that such an exceptionally talented musician, composer and virtuoso performer died comparatively suddenly at the early age of 35 in circumstances which have never been satisfactorily explained, has become part of the Legend of Mozart who was the greatest composer of his Century if not of all time and one cannot think of a single composer since, who has not been influenced at one time or another by his genius.

Die Zauberflöte

In 1780, Mozart first met a theatrical manager by the name of Emanuel Schikaneder upon his arrival with his company in Salzburg. Schikaneder soon became friends with the Mozart family although their paths parted when Wolfgang Mozart left for Munich but in 1789, Schikaneder settled in Vienna to run the Theater auf der Wieden and their friendship was renewed. They also became brother Freemasons as Mozart had joined the Freeemasons in 1784 and Schikaneder was also a member of the same lodge. Some reports have it that they were in different lodges which were close to each other, but it is of no real significance. Schikaneder is credited with writing the libretto of 'Die Zauberflote' and it seems almost inevitable that he should wish to have the services of Mozart to collaborate with him on producing a play with music. That is the original idea behind 'Die Zauberflote' – a play with music. These days, the opera is much shorter in production than originally and while Mozart's music remains, Schikaneder's dialogue has been drastically cut. When 'Die Zauberflote' was first produced in Schikaneder's theatre in the autumn of 1791, it was more of a play, or a pantomime with occasional music rather than an opera with dialogue. When Mozart first agreed to write the music, both he and Schikaneder were perilously close to financial disaster and Mozart made it clear to Schikaneder that success was far from guaranteed as he had not previously written a 'Zauberoper' (or 'magic' opera). However, the project went ahead and Mozart completed the first of the two acts before July, 1791 and on the 29th September, he noted in his own private papers that the work had been completed. Mozart in his music, and Schikaneder is his dialogue certainly made use of the principles of Freemasonry with references to good and evil, darkness and light and the trials by fire and water and the opera is a strange mixture of comedy and solemnity – a'curious masterpiece.'

Schikaneder himself sang the role of Papageno and while Mozart shaped his music in a simple style and within a limited range, he made the music of the Queen of the Night into quite the opposite with a degree of difficulty which took in range and vocal agility. The work was a huge success from the very beginning, audiences were entranced with it and Count Zindendorf who attended the perfornace of the 6th November noted: “ The music and the stage designs are pretty; the rest an incredible farce; a huge audience.”

I leave readers to unravel the plot for themselves notwithstanding its riddles of freemasonry and merely present Tamino's aria; "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön:"

Nicolai Gedda: Please refer to AM's of November 2007 & April 2007

Born: September 26, 1930 - Palatine town of Kusel, Germany
Died: September 17, 1966 - Heidelberg, Germany

The esteemed German tenor, Fritz Wunderlich, who was born to a violinist mother and choir director father, was no doubt enveloped in music at an early age. Urged to pursue classical voice training by theater people who heard him singing as they passed the bakery where he worked, the young Wunderlich was granted a scholarship to the Freiburg Music Academy in Breisgau by the town fathers. He studied there from 1950 to 1955, also studying the classical horn which explains his almost supernatural breath control.

After playing Tamino in a 1955 student production of Die Zauberflöte, Fritz Wunderlich was engaged by the Wurttemberg State Opera in Stuttgart. His first professional role was as Ulrich Eislinger in Die Meistersinger. When he was called to play Tamino for an ailing Josef Traxel, Stuttgart had a new star and Fritz Wunderlich's short but amazing career had begun.

During the remaining decade of his life Fritz Wunderlich gained the highest respect as a Mozart singer, lending lyrical brilliance to Bach, Schubert and Mahler and melodic tenderness to Bel Canto and light opera roles. Following such greats as Tauber and Schmidt, Wunderlich also devoted a good part of his time to the beautiful songs of such compsers as Strauss, Lehár, Kálmán and Fall. Singing with the Bavarian State Opera and the Vienna State Opera, he also sang every year at the famed Salzburg Festival. After a a highly successful concert tour of the United States in 1964 and engagements at Covent Garden and Edinburgh in 1965, Wunderlich planned his Metropolitan debut as Don Ottavio on October 8, 1966. However, it was not to be. He died September 17, 1966, a week before his 36th birthday in an accidental fall down a stone stairway at a freind's castle in Heidelberg.

Although he never realized his due as a truly international star in his lifetime, Fritz Wunderlich has since become a favorite of opera lovers the world over. One has only to listen to his stunning voice to become a devotee for life. His vocal quality and strength combined with effortless expression and touching lyrical beauty make him one of the truly great tenors of the 20th century and probably of all time.

Koloman von Pataky:  Please refer to Grandi-Tenori Tenors library.