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Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's name is today synonymous with genius, but his life was a whirlwind of controversy, jealousy, and clashing egos. In this highly readable short biography, Alexander Kennedy brings Mozart and his times vividly to life.
Here we see the sweeping grandeur of the courts Mozart visited as a child prodigy, and the grasping desperation of his scheming father. We follow the composer through the flush of his first love up through his marriage to Constanze Weber, and from his first, half-plagiarized concertos to masterpieces like The Magic Flute. We watch Mozart clash with family and friends, with archbishops and emperors, and we feel again the tragedy of his mysterious early death. And above all, we hear his eternal music: music that captivated a continent, defined a genre, and changed the world.
"I pay no attention whatever to anybody's praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Buy Now to Discover:
A layperson's explanation of the devices that made Mozart's music unique.
The complicated relationship between Mozart and his demanding father.
Mozart's love affair with his cousin Maria Anna Thekla.
The surprising story behind the premiere of La nozze di Figaro.
Mozart's friendship with fellow master Joseph Haydn.
The most likely cause of Mozart's young death.
Mozart's influence on Rossini, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and more.
Buy Now and Read The True Story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
Thank you in advance for buying our book. We know you'll love it!
Here we see the sweeping grandeur of the courts Mozart visited as a child prodigy, and the grasping desperation of his scheming father. We follow the composer through the flush of his first love up through his marriage to Constanze Weber, and from his first, half-plagiarized concertos to masterpieces like The Magic Flute. We watch Mozart clash with family and friends, with archbishops and emperors, and we feel again the tragedy of his mysterious early death. And above all, we hear his eternal music: music that captivated a continent, defined a genre, and changed the world.
"I pay no attention whatever to anybody's praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Buy Now to Discover:
A layperson's explanation of the devices that made Mozart's music unique.
The complicated relationship between Mozart and his demanding father.
Mozart's love affair with his cousin Maria Anna Thekla.
The surprising story behind the premiere of La nozze di Figaro.
Mozart's friendship with fellow master Joseph Haydn.
The most likely cause of Mozart's young death.
Mozart's influence on Rossini, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and more.
Buy Now and Read The True Story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
Thank you in advance for buying our book. We know you'll love it!
- GenresMusic
195 pages, Paperback
Published July 19, 2016
About the author
Alexander Kennedy
63 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 28, 2018
This is fine.
October 6, 2017
The cover speaks the portrait of a life, seeing how the cover features a painting of Mozart.
I do not have a lot to say about this short biography of Mozart by Alexander Kennedy. It was a bare bones biography, touching on what could be called the highlights of Mozart’s life. For most of his life he was under the influence of his father, sometimes intensely so. Without his father there may never have been the music most of know and love from Mozart. Certainly he was born with immense musical talent, but his father drove him to constant musical production, both performance and composition. For those that might not know Mozart died in his mid-thirties, which for us is a tragedy. However, he left us with over 600 musical compositions.
I could recommend this book for the person curious about the life and work of Mozart. Let it be understood that the book is not an exhaustive examination of Mozart’s life and works, so the reader would have to look elsewhere if that would be his or her reading intentions.
I do not have a lot to say about this short biography of Mozart by Alexander Kennedy. It was a bare bones biography, touching on what could be called the highlights of Mozart’s life. For most of his life he was under the influence of his father, sometimes intensely so. Without his father there may never have been the music most of know and love from Mozart. Certainly he was born with immense musical talent, but his father drove him to constant musical production, both performance and composition. For those that might not know Mozart died in his mid-thirties, which for us is a tragedy. However, he left us with over 600 musical compositions.
I could recommend this book for the person curious about the life and work of Mozart. Let it be understood that the book is not an exhaustive examination of Mozart’s life and works, so the reader would have to look elsewhere if that would be his or her reading intentions.
October 8, 2018
Brief and succinct account of a famous life.
January 27, 2018
Excellent!!very interesting mozart was a genius!!
Terrific!bravo. Such a unique life from a young age where would music be without this genius!!! Kennedy descriptive weigh makez u fee u are there in the17th century!!
Terrific!bravo. Such a unique life from a young age where would music be without this genius!!! Kennedy descriptive weigh makez u fee u are there in the17th century!!
August 1, 2016
Many things are said about Mozart. Some people say he was a genius while others say he lived an eccentric life. The way I see it he was a great man. Regardless of the man’s life, his music has and will endure throughout the centuries.
Born in Austria in 1756, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was said to have composed his first piece of music, a minuet, when he was just five years old! Soon after, he was performing for kings and emperors. Although he died at the young age of thirty-five, Mozart left a legacy of more than 600 works.
This interesting biography charts the musician's extraordinary career and personal life while painting a vibrant cultural history of eighteenth-century Europe. It’s a nice compact read of a hundred pages that’s well written and very informative.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the man Mozart as well as his music. It gives a realistic insight into the way he processed things and constructed his music. More important though is that it tells us more about the events and feelings of his life while bringing a deeper insight into his works.
Definitely a good read for those who love classical music and history lovers that care for more than just the events but the people too. Five stars from me.
Born in Austria in 1756, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was said to have composed his first piece of music, a minuet, when he was just five years old! Soon after, he was performing for kings and emperors. Although he died at the young age of thirty-five, Mozart left a legacy of more than 600 works.
This interesting biography charts the musician's extraordinary career and personal life while painting a vibrant cultural history of eighteenth-century Europe. It’s a nice compact read of a hundred pages that’s well written and very informative.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the man Mozart as well as his music. It gives a realistic insight into the way he processed things and constructed his music. More important though is that it tells us more about the events and feelings of his life while bringing a deeper insight into his works.
Definitely a good read for those who love classical music and history lovers that care for more than just the events but the people too. Five stars from me.
July 7, 2023
Book: A Life Mozart
Author: Paul Johnson
Author's story: Paul Johnson is just an average author but has something extraordinary other authors don't have. Like the ability of word choice, or that he was just a talented and educated writer who looked deep within Mozart. Why was Paul Johnsen inspired to write Mozart? Well, this is why - Paul Johnsen felt Mozart was not widely known; I guess I could use the term "underrated"; that's what Johnson believed. In fact, Johnson would not write about someone if he did not believe they worked towards it and deserved it. While reading the book, I could see Paul focusing more on his career's arias and musical technicalities (Which Mozart was most famous for), adding unusual rhythm to his music. So overall, Paul Johnsen is a great writer that I recommend to anyone.
Why Mozart is life changing: It is simply unorthodox and unheard of if you have not heard of the name "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart," as most of us have heard of the name. But the thing is, Mozart completely changed opera along with chamber music and lifted it to new heights that most of us could never achieve in a lifetime. But the thing is, he changed the music world in just 30 years of his life. That's what is so inspiring to me; how did he have the inspiration and motivation to do something so astonishing? My only theory would be that he had a great love for music. He is someone who I strive to become as a person and musician.
Plot: Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria; on January 27, 1756, the 28th. He was baptized as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, otherwise known as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But instead of "Theophilus" in Italian (Which is the name he received from his godfather) he preferred it in Latin, "Amadeus". He started learning music at the age of 3 and, at 5, wrote an entire opera by himself. He was a musical prodigy. His father "Leoplold" saw it upon himself to make Mozart his life's work, and began to replace his dreams with whatever Mozart needed(musically, that is).
When people heard ear of this musical prodigy in Salzburg, they moved to Vienna and played before the Austrian court. Leopold saw his duty to God and thought the entire world should hear this miracle and did not mind profiting from it. Mozart had a sister, but much is not known about her. Leopold left his position as deputy Kapellmeister at Salzburg's prince archbishop's court, and Mozart's family went on a very long tour.
They traveled all through Europe and finally stayed in Vienna, Austria, which(unknown at the time) was Mozart's and Leopold's final resting place. Because Mozart traveled all through Europe, he fluently knew over ten different languages and wrote over 600 musical remedies. Mozart played for kings and queens and completely rewrote the rules of music and opera. Even though he died at the shortage of 35(and buried in the most disrespectful ways, "a mass grave" at the end of his life. He was bankrupt, and the most likely cause of his death was kidney failure), he is recognized as one of the most influential musicians in the world and will still be remembered today.
"We live in this world in order always to learn industriously and to enlighten each other by means of discussion and to strive vigorously to promote the progress of science and the fine arts." - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Author: Paul Johnson
Author's story: Paul Johnson is just an average author but has something extraordinary other authors don't have. Like the ability of word choice, or that he was just a talented and educated writer who looked deep within Mozart. Why was Paul Johnsen inspired to write Mozart? Well, this is why - Paul Johnsen felt Mozart was not widely known; I guess I could use the term "underrated"; that's what Johnson believed. In fact, Johnson would not write about someone if he did not believe they worked towards it and deserved it. While reading the book, I could see Paul focusing more on his career's arias and musical technicalities (Which Mozart was most famous for), adding unusual rhythm to his music. So overall, Paul Johnsen is a great writer that I recommend to anyone.
Why Mozart is life changing: It is simply unorthodox and unheard of if you have not heard of the name "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart," as most of us have heard of the name. But the thing is, Mozart completely changed opera along with chamber music and lifted it to new heights that most of us could never achieve in a lifetime. But the thing is, he changed the music world in just 30 years of his life. That's what is so inspiring to me; how did he have the inspiration and motivation to do something so astonishing? My only theory would be that he had a great love for music. He is someone who I strive to become as a person and musician.
Plot: Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria; on January 27, 1756, the 28th. He was baptized as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, otherwise known as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But instead of "Theophilus" in Italian (Which is the name he received from his godfather) he preferred it in Latin, "Amadeus". He started learning music at the age of 3 and, at 5, wrote an entire opera by himself. He was a musical prodigy. His father "Leoplold" saw it upon himself to make Mozart his life's work, and began to replace his dreams with whatever Mozart needed(musically, that is).
When people heard ear of this musical prodigy in Salzburg, they moved to Vienna and played before the Austrian court. Leopold saw his duty to God and thought the entire world should hear this miracle and did not mind profiting from it. Mozart had a sister, but much is not known about her. Leopold left his position as deputy Kapellmeister at Salzburg's prince archbishop's court, and Mozart's family went on a very long tour.
They traveled all through Europe and finally stayed in Vienna, Austria, which(unknown at the time) was Mozart's and Leopold's final resting place. Because Mozart traveled all through Europe, he fluently knew over ten different languages and wrote over 600 musical remedies. Mozart played for kings and queens and completely rewrote the rules of music and opera. Even though he died at the shortage of 35(and buried in the most disrespectful ways, "a mass grave" at the end of his life. He was bankrupt, and the most likely cause of his death was kidney failure), he is recognized as one of the most influential musicians in the world and will still be remembered today.
"We live in this world in order always to learn industriously and to enlighten each other by means of discussion and to strive vigorously to promote the progress of science and the fine arts." - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2018
This a is more like reading a thumbnail sketch of one of the most complex, talented and interesting people in all of the Arts. I enjoyed the biography because of being a lover of his music. However, I would have liked more discussion of his composing and his insane life. I recommend this book for someone who wants to know "something" about Mozart. This is really the appetizer. Where is the main course.
March 19, 2019
Good (if not great)
This book provides for a quick, well-paced biography of Mozart. A little bit scarce on the music and more on the happennings of the composer’s life. Although that’s what a biography is supposed to be, I believe that a little more depth on the music itself would make it better.
This book provides for a quick, well-paced biography of Mozart. A little bit scarce on the music and more on the happennings of the composer’s life. Although that’s what a biography is supposed to be, I believe that a little more depth on the music itself would make it better.
December 4, 2018
This short but surprisingly thorough account of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is slightly more readable than an extended encyclopedia article.
This is not a bad thing.
If you are looking for a fast read covering nothing but the facts about Mozart’s short life, this is the perfect choice.
This is not a bad thing.
If you are looking for a fast read covering nothing but the facts about Mozart’s short life, this is the perfect choice.
May 24, 2021
I have loved music ever since I was a little boy....Of course, I was interested in mozart after seeing the movie 'Amadeus'...I have read books about him as well...This book was very enchanting! I was lucky to have read it!!!
February 17, 2018
Excellent
This was one of those " I can't put this book down " books. I breezed through this book and wished it were much longer.
This was one of those " I can't put this book down " books. I breezed through this book and wished it were much longer.
July 20, 2018
Great story
I am a fan of classical music. This book is inspiring. Mozart is one of my favorites. His life story is very interesting.
I am a fan of classical music. This book is inspiring. Mozart is one of my favorites. His life story is very interesting.
April 18, 2019
This is a simple and brief overview of Mozart's life which fit my needs in preparation of my trip to Vienna.
April 30, 2022
Boring book
October 13, 2024
A nice overview of Mozart's life. It is a nice beginning look at his history without having to dive into a thick volume of information.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews