Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? »

Born in Austria in 1756, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 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 fascinating biography charts the musician's extraordinary career and personal life while painting a vivid cultural history of eighteenth-century Europe. Black-and-white illustrations on every spread explore such topics as the history of opera and the evolution of musical instruments. There is also a timeline and a bibliography.

Illustrated by Carrie Robbins.
Cover illustration by Nancy Harrison.

Children's Literature

Welcome to the world of Mozart. Young readers ushered into the boyhood world of this musical genius meet a fascinating subject. Mozart's father was a musician. He gave Mozart and his older sister music lessons. It was clear that both children were talented, but Papa Mozart soon realized that his son was a prodigy. The boy composed music before he learned to write words. The family lived in Salzburg, but traveled around Europe to perform for royalty when Mozart was seven years old. The excellent text gives children insight into the intriguing life of Mozart, focusing on his close knit family, music, mentors, and marriage. The black-and-white illustrations go hand-in-hand with the text, giving readers additional perspective. Interspersed throughout the text are helpful diagrams and descriptions of, for example, the parts of a violin, keyboard instruments in the 18th century, penmanship in the 18th century, and more. In addition, there is a time line of Mozart's life and a bibliography at the back of the book. This biography, which is a title in the publisher's "Who Was" series, is first rate in every way except for the unflattering illustration of Mozart on the book's cover. The caricature of Mozart with oversized head and hands over a keyboard is a bit off-putting. 2003, Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin Putnam, <%ISBN%>0448431041