Mozart, Leopold

1719-1787

His chief claim for interest is that he was the father of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose education he superintended with reverent care. His own musical education was obtained mainly as a chorister in Augsburg, his native town, and later in Salzburg, whither he went to study law. He was an excellent violinist and in 1743 he entered the Prince Bishop's Orchestra. He was appointed Court composer and vice-Kapellmeister in 1762. On discovering the decided talent for music possessed by his daughter, Maria Anna, and his son, Wolfgang, he devoted his life to their training, traveling with them and carefully superintending their studies both at home and abroad. He died at Salzburg. He was a composer of pronounced ability and wrote much sacred music, twelve oratorios; symphonies; concertos; six trio sonatas for two violins with basso continue; Offertorium de Sacramento for four voices; and many other pieces secular and sacred. Perhaps the most important is his Versuch einer grundlischen Violinschule, long the only violin method, and a work of decided merit.