Literary Analysis: Mozart's Ingenuity Was A Fallacy

My stand is that Mozart’s ingenuity was a fallacy.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the most renowned composers of the classical period, who has, over the course of his lifetime, composed hundreds of popular works including sonatas, symphonies, masses, chamber music, concertos and operas.

A large part of Mozart’s fame can be attributed to his ingenuity, which encompasses his compositional style as well as his image as a child genius. Ingenuity refers to the quality of being clever, original, and inventive. Mozart was widely known for being a child music prodigy who began composing works at the age of five. His works are appreciated by many even today. However, Mozart may not have been as original, or as much of a genius, as many believe.

Although it is unclear to what extent Leopold Mozart had helped his son, Wolfgang’s earliest known works were found to be written in a notebook that his father had used in tutoring him and his sister in music, and were also written in his father’s handwriting. It does not make sense that Wolfgang, being a “genius”, could not write down his compositions on his own.

The older Mozart, being a music teacher, composer, conductor and violinist, was very likely to have written these compositions because of his musical background. In addition, he stopped writing music when his son began composing. If his “genius” son could compose by himself, he would not need to stop writing music, which he loved so deeply. It is only logical that he did continue fueling his passion for writing music, but instead, writing under his son’s name.

It is important to note that Leopold Mozart did also have a logical reason for composing on behalf of his son: money. By billing Wolfgang Mozart as a child prodigy and sending him to perform around Europe, he earned a good amount of money from these