Most important works - an overview of the works of Salzburg’s most famous son…

Generations of musicians and interested laypersons have already sat in judgment of the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

At one time his music was misjudged as being simply cheerful and playful. After the war years some thought to recognize demonic traits within its notes. The true fascination probably lies in the connection of both, the sum of his work, his true genius, and the ability to expertly bring it to all musical sections.

A whole 626 Mozart compositions were carefully gathered at the Köchel listing and published in 1862. His greatest service Mozart performed in his role as an opera composer. He brought the opera forms of his time to their full completion.

Already at the tender age of 10 he composed the musical comedy “Bastien and Bastienne”. In 1775 the “Shepherd King” debuted in Salzburg. It is the last of six operas, which young Mozart wrote in six years. He found his own opera language with “The Kidnapping from the Serail” or “Figaro’s Wedding.”

His final works prove once more the versatility of the composer. “Don Giovanni” tells the mystic story of love and death, and it creates a perfect a connection between serious and cheerful elements. In the “Magic Flute” Mozart -- with Tamino’s dialogue -- brings for the first time recitative elements onto the opera stage. “Cosi fan tutte”, erotic and playful, celebrated its premiere in 1790 at the Viennese Burgtheater.

His work was also shaped by piano concerts. Mozart composed more than 20 piano concerts between his 12th and 35th years of life and also brought this kind of music to perfection. Outstanding are the serious and dramatic piano concert in D-minor, the piano concert in C-major -- which belongs to his most cheerful works -- or the fantasy in D-minor that remained unfinished and only after his death achieved publication.

His “Requiem” became legendary in that he still on his death bed zealously worked on its. A mysterious unknown stranger is thought to have ordered it from Mozart, much like a messenger of death.

The order was actually a secret and Mozart was sworn to absolute silence by Count Walsegg-Stuppach. The count wanted to pass the requiem mass for his dead wife as his own work. The “Requiem” was completed by Mozart’s pupil Süssmayr and on January 2nd, 1793 it was premiered in Vienna as a benefit concert for the widow Constanze and their children.