The Palace and Park by Phillips, Forbes, Latham, Owen, Scharf, and Shenton

[Born at Salzburg in Austria, 1756. Died at Vienna, 1791. Aged 35.] The most renowned of German musical composers. His father was a musician, and he himself the greatest musical prodigy that ever lived. It is alleged upon authority that at four years old, he could already play and even compose. It is certain, that before he was eight a harvest was in reaping by his family, who travelled over Germany to exhibit his astounding performances. In 1764, he was in England playing before the King and Court. In 1769, he produced an opera, being then 13 years of age. At 15, he was in Italy, creating wonder by works which rivalled those of the great Italian masters. Medals were struck in honour of young Orpheus in the land of art and song. He was not 17 years old when he could count as his productions four operas, an oratorio, two masses, and many other compositions. Mozart grew in years, and did not suffer the ordinary penalty of precocity. In him “the child was father to the man.” The blossom became ripe fruit. In 1781, he produced his opera of “Idomeneo.” Then followed the “Marriage of Figaro,” and in 1787, his masterpiece “Don Giovanni”--a work composed in an incredibly short space of time. Now came sickness--and the threatening of a complaint allied too frequently to unnatural intellectual development. Symptoms of consumption gave rise to melancholy--melancholy to inordinate labour--inordinate labour to speedy death. Mozart had the grave already in sight when he composed his exquisite “Requiem.” This illustrious man was the founder of the school in which Beethoven was a faithful disciple. His fertility of creation, the rich luxurious beauty of his music, his purity and melody, can hardly be excelled. In all the relations of life Mozart was blameless. He had a generous soul, and we are pained to think so rare and so richly endowed a genius should at any period of his career have suffered anguish from poverty and distress.