Looking for Wolfgang by Campbell Jefferys

He uttered his first cries here, stumbled his first steps, tinkled his first ivories and plucked his first strings; Salzburg can truly claim to be the home of Mozart.

In 300 years from now, what music will stand the test of time? Which of our post-war pop icons will generations far down the line cling to and revere? Will people gather in ornate halls to hear renditions of The Beatles, or to see another performance of The Who’s ‘Tommy’? And surely no one will put on their fancy duds centuries from now and troop off to hear the music of Robbie Williams. So why is it that Mozart has survived the ordeal of time so well? Why is he alone thought of at any mention of classical music?

The collective consciousness associates opera with Mozart; Beethoven, Bach, Hadyn and others are in the carriage behind. It’s Mozart we know, his compositions so light, uplifting and graceful, so often used in film scores and as background music for dinner parties. Mozart’s concert sonatas are a perennial Christmas gift and are always well received. Any cultural education begins with an appreciation of Mozart, but the best way to learn about the man is to go to where it all began, to the delightful and charming city of Salzburg.

The Salzach River slices the city down the middle, with the Kapuziner and Moenchs mountains flanking the city providing natural seclusion, like the walls of a giant theatre. Looming over it all is the mighty Hohensalzburg Fortress, built in 1077 and the largest preserved citadel in Central Europe. From here, one can look down on the city that gave birth to a genius, and which inspired him throughout his life. And who wouldn’t be inspired? With the towering turrets of churches, the flat-topped houses, Italian architecture, winding streets and sprawling squares, Mozart’s melodies resound within these historic walls. The numerous staircases patter with feet like rising and falling crescendos, the leaves flutter with rhythmic grace, and the small alleyways and courtyards hold secret duets and dramatic denouements.

The overture begins at Mozart’s Birthplace on Getreidegasse. The tourists gather here in great numbers to photograph the building, but surprisingly few venture inside. They miss out on learning fascinating details about a remarkable man, less of all his relationship with his father. Mozart was perhaps the first child star, a prodigy who at age three could pick out tunes on the piano and was composing with six. But like many young talents, he fell victim to an overbearing and ambitious parent, intent on living through his son.

The house, modest, comfortable, and in the heart of the old town, befitted the means of a moderately successful Vice-Kapellmeister, namely Leopold Mozart. Single-minded and with a modicum of success to proclaim judgement over his son’s gifts, Leopold set out from the beginning to take young Wolfgang to the top; that is, by travelling to all of the courts of Europe and exhibiting his virtuoso son. The museum, which has original instruments, compositions and portraits, also details young Mozart’s life on the road: the nature of travelling at the time, the long hours spent in carriages, and the impact of being denied any kind of normal childhood. Mozart would, like so many child stars to follow, struggle in adulthood and always remain a child.

Standing at Mozart’s first piano, one can imagine the long hours of practice young Wolfgang put in, with his father staunchly behind him, waiting for mistakes, pushy and anxious, while outside children frolicked by the river, playing games in the sun or throwing snowballs in winter. As a child, Mozart was extravagantly praised but never able to get the respect or admiration from the one he sought the most, his bitter relationship with his father was in stark contrast to the style of music he produced. Perhaps he sought resolution and happiness in the make-believe world of opera, where relationships came crashing down with a thump of drums, and declarations of love were met with light strings and a flutter of high keys.

Across the river on Makart Square, near the wonderful Mirabell Gardens, is Mozart’s Residence, where he lived from 1773-1780. The first floor museum focuses on the life of the Mozarts at this time, including the death of his mother in 1778. Walking distance from the house is the beautiful St. Sebastian Cemetery, where Leopold and Constanze Mozart, Wolfgang’s wife, are buried.

In as much as Salzburg was Mozart’s inspiration, it was also his undoing. The city never had a ruling royal family, and was governed by the Archbishops as a Roman principality. This meant there were no patrons who could offer Mozart high-paying court jobs. As a disgruntled organist in Salzburg, he was soon dismissed, and was forced to Prague, Paris, and Vienna in search of such the position which was certainly his due.

His legacy remains in Salzburg, however, with a Mozart connection at every turn. There is the Mozart Statue on Mozartplatz in front of the Tourist Office, and this is a good place to finish a walking tour of the old town; to sit down, drink a coffee, and look into the stone eyes of the great man who remains today the benchmark of all music, both classical and modern. He died in 1791 of kidney failure, aged 35. Always bad with money and somewhat destitute at his time of death, he was given the cheapest funeral possible and buried in an unmarked grave that has never been found.

But how Mozart conducted his life means little to the music that remains, for it is the music that is remembered and constantly replayed; the man has been lost in the annals of history. Salzburg offers many different avenues to enjoy the music of Mozart. Most interesting is the Marionette Theatre, which performs ‘The Magic Flute’ and other Mozart operas with puppets to recordings of the world’s leading orchestras and vocalists.

Concerts are also played in the Marble Hall of the Mirabell Palace, in the magnificent state rooms of the Hohensalzburg Fortress, and in the music hall of the Salzburg Palace. The Mozart Chamber Orchestra performs popular concerts in the exclusive setting of the Salzburg Residenz. The concert season culminates in summer with the Salzburg Festspiele, from late July to September, and in winter with the Mozart Festival held at the end of January.

It is also worthwhile to participate in a Mozart City Tour. This not only takes you around the important landmarks of Salzburg, but offers insight into the city and the life of Mozart. The tour also includes visits to the nearby Castles Hellbrun and Leopoldskron. One wonders whether in 300 years tourists will be strolling the streets of Liverpool, marvelling at the birthplaces and residences of John, Paul, George and Ringo, and then donning their finery for a concert of their music performed by the Beatles Orchestra. Somehow, I think their music will not have such longevity, because it lacks the natural grace, emotional intensity and the suppleness and subtlety of Mozart; his music remains timeless.