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the genius of mozart
mozart's impact on society
mozart's impact on society
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As a composer, and a performer, there can be no question of Mozart's genius, however, what is genius defined as? The main definition is that genius is a very great and rare innate ability or skill- it is a creative power. It is therefore clear that Mozart was in fact a genius in his music; it does no state anywhere, however, that a genius also has to have a divine personality and behaviour and this is clear as Mozart is shown in Amadeus as a silly, scatological, childish and "infantile" man. To be a genius in one aspect of the mind, such as music, could mean that other parts of the mind are inhibited, such as social skills. An evident and major theme in Amadeus is exploring how a genius functions in a society and how society hinders and suppresses the genius mind.
Salieri, was extremely competent but with no talent at all to contrast with a genius lacking social graces, namely Mozart. As Maurice Baring states, "In Mozart and Salieri we see the contrast between the genius which does what it must and the talent which does what it can." Mozart, though a genius musically was unable to further himself in the Court due to his personality and behaviour, Andreas Scachtner, a friend of the Mozart family said in a letter that ."..for as soon as he had become devoted to music, all his senses were as if dead to all else." Shaffer introduces Mozart as playing a game with his girlfriend, Constanze, "I'm going to bite you with my fangs-wangs! My little Stanzerl-wanzerl-banzerl!" which is then directly contrasted with Mozart's ability to create such powerful music, ."..high above it, sounded a single note on the oboe...till breath could hold it no longer." The two personalities shown seem incongruous, how could an "obscene child" create "the v...
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...e always stays in one place." Mozart, being aware of his genius and not being acknowledged by society, inevitably craved appreciation and was frustrated; therefore to say that a genius can survive in his society seems unlikely. Mozart is caught in the middle of what his society requires of him and what his genius demands of him and so he will only be appreciated by future societies as his thinking and creativity is too advanced and radical for the society he lives in. This frustration and the active hindrance of Salieri eventually lead to the breakdown of the genius who's most "profoundest voice in the world is reduced to a nursery tune." To conclude, Mozart metaphorically being the butterfly, "Non piu andrai farfallone amoroso/ Notte e giorno d'intorno girando", "You cannot fly beloved butterfly/ Night and day go around," and so society is victorious over the genius.
Sadie, Stanley. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Essays on his Life and his Music. United States: Oxford University Press. 1996, Print.
The result of Mozart's discovered genius was not only the praise of hundreds across Europe during his childhood tour, but also the ever-watchful eye of Leopold Mozart, his ambitious and needy father. Because of Leopold's need to protect and constantly supervise his prized instrument, Mozart, Leopold grew dependent on his son and never ceased to remind Mozart of it. Eventually, like most child prodigies, the greater the parent's anxiety and the greater the pressure he puts on the child, the more internally resentful and conflicted the child becomes, stunting his transition into a grown man. In Leopold's letter to his wife and Mozart on September 25, 1777 from Salzburg, Leopold reminds Mozart to "ask for letters of recommendation and especially for a letter from the Bishop of Chiemsee." Leopold knows exactly how to reap profits and network through Mozart and doesn't fail to capitalize on that fact, even when Leopold is in Salzburg while Mozart is miles away on tour in Europe. After the tragic death of Maria Anna, Leopold Mozart's letter to his son on August 3, 1778 in Salzburg puts a large weight on Mozart, and even goes as far as to blame his son for Maria Anna's death. Realizing Mozart is no longer under strict scrutiny of a family member in close proximity, Leopold goes on to say, "rest assured, my dearest son, that if you stay away, I shall die much sooner." The situation Leopold presents his son is a complex one. Mozart is a young man seeking independence and fame now that his family is not following his every footstep, but his father has grown more dependent on Mozart than ever. Mozart is more internally conflicted between his ambitions and family obligations as ever, as he writes to his friend Abbe Bullinger on August 7, 1778: "You say that I should now think only of my father and that I should disclose all my thoughts to him with entire frankness and put my trust in him.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is perhaps the most well-known composer of all time. Countless accounts of his life have been created through the years, and all of them approach the topic of his life with a slightly different perspective. Amadeus provides a humorous and insightful look into the life of Mozart through the flashbacks of an elderly Italian man named Salieri. In his old age, Salieri confesses to a priest that he felt God taunting him throughout life because he always had a profound appreciation for Mozart’s music, but yet could never produce anything like it. Therefore, he turned bitter and spent his life trying to ruin Mozart and his career. Through Salieri’s lense, the audience learns about Mozart’s unique personality. Mozart is shown in the movie as a musical prodigy with an impeccable ability to play and compose. However, Mozart also has a childish, socially awkward side that causes him to be misunderstood by many adults. He lacks practicality and appreciation for social graces, instead preferring to make inappropriate jokes and attend wild parties. Our class’s textbook, The Enjoyment of Music, also
Also in the movie it shows that Mozart was more experienced at music than Salieri and proved that he could have a spot to work for Salieri’s boss Emperor Joseph 11. Once Salieri heard that the Emperor
Almost as soon as the cold cloths had been wrapped around his head, Mozart lost consciousness. He left no great last words; his final utterance was an attempt to express a drum passage in the Requiem, a sound that would haunt Sophie Haibel for the rest of her life. Perhaps, in his last semi-conscious moments, the sounds of the completed Requiem were sounding inside Mozart's head, the perfect performance of his final masterpiece and swan-song that would never be heard.
At the age of three, Wolfgang showed signs of remarkable musical talent. He learned to play the harpsichord, a keyboard instrument related to the piano, at the age of four. Wolfgang began composing minuets at the age of five. When he was only six years old, he and his older sister, Anna Maria, embarked on a series of concert tours to Europe’s courts and major cities. They played for the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa at her court in Vienna in 1762. Both children played the keyboard, but Wolfgang became a violin virtuoso as well. Before he was fourteen, Mozart had composed many works called sonatas for the harpsichord, piano, or the violin as well as orchestral and other works. His father recognized Wolfgang’s amazing talent and devoted a lot of his time to his son’s general and musical education.
When discussing the great works and composers of the classical period, one cannot get too far without the name Mozart entering the conversation. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is arguably one of the most talented composers of the Classical period. He proved himself to be a true musical prodigy through his unique style and lasting compositions of many genres. His operas are renown as some of the most important works for the opera genre, and none more so than his opera buffa The Marriage of Figaro. Known as one of the most acclaimed and performed operas of all time, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro helped change the face of opera in the classical period.
Mozart will forever be known as one of the top five composers of all time. His influence stretches across the world and even into today’s music. The story of his life is one of fascination and mystery, but his greatness is undoubted. His story will live on through time and perhaps, inspire future musicians to be great.
Through out Salieri's childhood his father had forbid him to become a composer because in so many words it was a waste of time for him. Normally a father dying would be something bad but being the man Salieri would turn out to be it is understandable that he would take it as gaining his freedom. He would become Gods instrument because he vowed to heath the word of God in his music. He eventually worked his way to be the court composer for Emperor Joseph II. The real jealousy came to him when his dreams were put on hold because Emperor Joseph II asked specifically for Mozart to compose a national opera for Viennese.
...n do now is to die. And so he does. Although Mozart does suffer loss, the loss of his life and career, and is somewhat responsible for his downfall, he does not evoke sympathy or recognition. However, it is Salieri who contains all four elements of a tragic hero. Salieri loses practically everything he has faith in before Mozart appears. He suffers from the loss of dignity, esteem, and honor. Salieri also recognizes something he has never felt before, that is the “pain as I had never know it,'; (1,5), the pain from the beauty and delight of Mozart’s music. Thus, recognizing the limitations of his own talent, the mediocrity of his talent compared to the genius works of Mozart. He grows an awareness of disharmony in the universe that he has never encountered. Salieri clearly is culpable of his own tragedy. He is the Court Composer, his works are respected throughout Europe, and because he is not stupid, he does not say he is the better composer. Instead, he is the minority who actually appreciates Mozart’s music. There is definitely sympathy for Salieri, in that all human beings can work as hard as they want to at something and can still fail miserably.
He was a great young composer that transformed into a genius that was able to write music in the short periods of time he had during the day and was able to rewrite the musical rules. After being very successful in his early years, Mozart grew little older and started looking at things in a bigger picture. He tried to fit in on many different things including languages of others. The “Magic Flute” that was written at the end of his short life is known as the ultimate expression of Mozart’s ambition to connect with the human life and the human emotion through music as well as theater. At 25 years old, Mozart is no longer a prodigy but has not proved to be an amateur composer. In Provincial Salzburg is where Mozart is still living with his father and sister. Mozart is going to Munich because they have commissioned him to write an Italian opera in a serious style. Mozart’s father said he gave Wolfgang the advice to never neglect the popular style for the unmusical public as the musical ones. Leopold agreed to be Mozart’s middle man between the poets but he didn’t know that this would be his last detailed involvement in one of Mozart’s projects. Mozart’s father said they worked every day on the poems but Mozart was determined about something totally different than his father. He had problems with everything his father done. Whether it was too long or not dramatic enough, it would never suit his needs. His
In the play, the devout Salieri bargains with God for the ability to compose great music, in return for pious behavior. He feels betrayed by God when the foul-mouthed, libertine Mozart outdoes him with little apparent effort.
Salieri was a noble, decent and a mature person. After his father died, God gave him what he needed and made him a court composer for the Emperor. He was simply a model of virtue for other people. “I kept my hands off woman”. This was said by Salieri and this quote also proves that he was respectful and an honored person. “Teaching students, many of them for free, sitting on endless committees to help poor musicians”. This quote was also said by the court composer Salieri. This quote tells all of us that he was a really nice person and didn’t want anything in return because God gave him what he needed the most. “Let me celebrate your glory through music”. This shows us that he was very dedicated to his religion and to God. “I was the most successful musician in Vienna”. Salieri was really happy when he knew he was the greatest composer of Vienna but when ever there is a good time for a person, there is also a bad. Salieri’s evil side took over part of his good side and this all happened when he arrived. The most famous composer named Mozart.
As an adult Mozart his career was not as successful as when he was younger. But he kept on composing anyway hoping one people would appreciate his work. He lived in poverty for the great majority of his life. In 1769 he became a concertmaster to the archbishop of Salzburg, which was another one of his jobs that afforded him little financial security. In 1777, he left on another concert tour. But, the courts of Europe ignored Mozart ‘s search for a more beneficial assignment. In 1782 he earned a living by selling compositions, giving public performances, and giving music lessons, which once again was a low paying job. The composer never did find a well paying job. The bizarre thing was is that even that he had ton of trouble finding jobs, he was still considered one of the leading composers of the late 1700s.
The 1984 film Amadeus, directed by Miloš Forman, told the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart story in such a way that an individual watching more than likely would have never imagined such a brilliant musician’s life having been the way it was portrayed in the film. When many people think of Mozart today, the thought of his skill to compose musical masterpieces is probably the first of many things to come to mind – his work speaks for itself; Mozart’s operas and symphonies are beautiful, so comparing it to the eighteenth century Classical era, Mozart’s work had to have been much loved and appreciated, right? Well, according to Amadeus, this was not necessarily the case.