History Extra podcast Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: life of the week
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Dec 16, 2025 Hannah Templeton, a musicologist and cultural historian passionate about Mozart, dives deep into the life of the legendary composer. She discusses his remarkable beginnings as a prodigy touring Europe, the influence of his father Leopold, and the challenges he faced, including personal tragedies. Templeton also explores Mozart's revolutionary contributions to opera and symphonies, his financial struggles, and myths surrounding his mysterious death. Ultimately, she reveals the reasons behind Mozart's enduring legacy and unrivaled fame.
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Early Training Fueled Prodigy
- Leopold Mozart oversaw Wolfgang's entire early musical education and even corrected many early compositions.
- Wolfgang composed from age four and performed publicly by five, showing prodigy development under intense parental tutoring.
Grand Tour Of Musical Education
- The Mozarts toured Western Europe from 1763–1766, spending 15 months in London where Leopold recorded architecture, politics and music in letters.
- Leopold treated the journey like an enlightenment Grand Tour combining musical education with broad cultural observation.
Court Limits Shaped Career Moves
- Salzburg court politics and changing archbishops constrained Mozart's church music output and career prospects.
- Leopold resented preferences for Italian musicians and sought positions elsewhere to gain artistic freedom.