Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart is my favorite classical composer, probably because my parents also love him and thus I heard him a lot while growing up.  I also played several of his horn concerti in High School for contests, so I fell in love with the complexity and beauty of his music.

There is a Mozartplatz (or Mozart square) in both Salzburg and Vienna

Mozartplatz Salzburg

Mozartplatz - Vienna

In Salzburg we saw both his birthplace and the house he lived in as a boy.  This house is also where his father died.  In the house, we were able to see an organ he performed his first Organ Concerto on at the age of 8 and the piano he learned to play on.  We also learned of the challenging dynamic between he and his father.  Often his father thought he could do more or be better.  However, later in his life, his father showed more pride for his son.

Where Mozart was born - Salzburg, Austria

Mozart house - where the family lived when Mozart was a boy.  His father, Leopold, died here.

Salzburg - this house is where Mozart practiced and performed piano concerts.  He wrote an organ concerto when he was 8 on the
organ on display in the house.

Window above door to Mozart house

In Vienna, one of the highlights for me was seeing the Vienna Mozart Orchestra perform in the Musikverein, one of the top classical performance halls in the word.  This small and ornately designed hall was the perfect spot to see the period costume-clad musicians perform some of Mozart's most famous pieces.

Musikverein

Musikverein

Grand Saal - Musikverein

Grand Saal - Musikverein

Grand Saal - Musikverein

Grand Saal - Musikverein

Ready for the concert with my friend Steph.  Little did we know when we took this picture that our lovely neighbors
(see those happy people behind us), would be SO loud.  Oh well...Mozart drowned them out - mostly.

Vienna Mozart Orchestra

Vienna Mozart Orchestra

Vienna Mozart Orchestra

Several videos of pieces performed during the concert:

We also visited his home in Vienna where he lived with his family and composed many of his famous works.  We spent about an hour there just wandering through and listening to the detailed audio guide about Mozart's music and life.  We spent a good hour wandering through the area where Mozart and his family lived learning about his life the music he composed.

Mozart and his family lived on the 2nd floor 

The view up looking at the entrance to Mozart's flat on the 2nd floor

I had no idea that Mozart was so eloquent.  He expressed himself so beautifully through music, and I
was surprised and sincerely enjoyed the many quotes shared throughout the museum.

Skyline of Vienna from the late 1700s

Mozart's snuffbox - perhaps a gift or payment for one of his pieces

Mozart wore this lovely red jacket

Original score

Original score - with note to his student - top right - written in English!

The view out of the Mozart flat living room.  It really hasn't changed much at all since he lived there.
Though I'm sure those umbrellas weren't there.

Mozart's living room

Mozart's office where most of his composing took place.  Unbelievable to think of all the gorgeous
pieces composed in this space!

We ended our visit in Vienna with a visit to Cafe Frauenhuber, the oldest cafe in Vienna, just a few blocks from where Mozart lived, where Mozart performed many times, including his last public performance.

Apple Strudel and Viennese Coffee (black coffee topped with real whipped cream)