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Beethoven and Mozart: A Background about Their Masterpieces

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Beethoven and Mozart: A Background about Their Masterpieces
Introduction Music is considered as the “mirror of the soul”. Ever since the dawn of time, music has been a part of human life in terms of motivation, thinking, relieving emotional stress and the like. Classical music, the use of different instruments such as the works of the mentors - Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky are some of the greatest composers that man has ever known. In this paper, Beethoven and Mozart will be given more preference. In studying and reading about their lives, their environment during those times, the relationship toward their relatives and their trials as musicians will give us a background about their masterpieces. Just like in the art of painting, Van Gogh and Picasso were artistic genius of their times, so also were Mozart and Beethoven masters of their trade. Music is all around us and is prevalent in every bit of nature, from the whirling of the wind, the sound of a tide, the flow of a river or even something as simple as drops of rain. Music is the best medicine for our body and soul.

Mozart’s childhood days
On January 27th, 1756 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the town of Salzburg, Austria. He was the son of the author and violinist Leopold Mozart. He was born the youngest of seven children to Leopold and Anna Maria but only he and one other child survived. His father was employed at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg as Vice-Kapellmeister (leading composer). Being a musician himself, his father taught his son and daughter to be musicians at an early age. As far as it is known, his father was entirely responsible for educating his children. His studies were not just in music, but also included reading, writing, literature, mathematics and dancing. Moral and religious training were part of his studies as well. (Oxford Music Online) His father trained his children to perform together, which they did, performing for nobles and ambassadors. Once his sister became too old to be considered a prodigy,



Cited: Oxford Music Online. Mozart: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Oxford University Press, 2010. Web. Greene, Aaron, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, www.classicalmusic.about.com, 2010, Web. Beethoven 's Life. 10 November, 2010. www.all-about-beethoven.com. 2010. Web. Langlois, Jeffrey. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. Similarities & Differences. www.musicanthology.org. 2009. Web. Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Biography. 10 November, 2010. www.lvbeethoven.com. 2010. Web Mozart and Beethoven compared, 10 November 2010. http://bayes.wustl.edu/etj/music/m7h.pdf. 2010. Web. Symphony No 9 in D Minor Op 125. "The Choral". 10 November 2010. http://www.bhso.org.uk. 2010. Web. A Brief History of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 10 November 2010. http://mozartguide.com. 2010.Web.

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