Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Child Prodigy and Freemason

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Divertimento in F, K138
January 1756 – December 1791

While Wolfgang was young, his family made several European journeys in which he and his older sister Nannerl, a violinist, performed as child prodigies. This was followed by a 3½ year concert tour around Europe. He composed his first symphony when he was eight years old. With all of his travels, Italy had a wonderful effect on Wolfgang. He was introduced to new musical styles and exposed to new ideas—and, in the manner of a prodigy destined to fulfill his youthful promise, he absorbed them and made them his own. By the time Mozart arrived back in Salzburg in December 1771, after his second Italian adventure, he had already begun to make his mark in the fields of opera, oratorio, symphony, and sonata–and he was just fifteen years old!

Divertimento in F, also known as the Salzburg Symphony No. 3, was the last of a series of three and was composed in 1772. A typically Italian grace and charm fill the entire piece, suggesting that the ideas for this music came to Mozart—if they weren’t in fact written down—while he was still in Milan.

Fun Fact: In 1784, at age 28, Mozart became a Freemason. Freemasonry played an important role in the remainder of Mozart’s life: he attended meetings, a number of his friends were Masons, and on various occasions he composed Masonic music.