ng possibilities of musical expression. It is
a perfectly fair distinction to consider Haydn an able, even brilliant
prose-writer, and Mozart a poet. Haydn we can account for, but Mozart
is the genius "born, not made"--defying classification--and his
inspired works seem to fall straight from the blue of Heaven. Whereas
Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert were all of very lowly parentage[121]
(their mothers being cooks--a blessing on their heads!), Mozart's
father and mother were people of considerable general cultivation, and
in particular the father, Leopold Mozart, was an educated man and
somewhat of a composer himself, who since 1743 had been in the service
of the Archbishop of Salzburg, as director of his private orchestra.
An excellent violinist, he had written and published a treatise on
violin playing, which for many years was the standard work on the
subject. Both parents were noted for their good looks, were, moreover,
of strong character and highly respectable in every way. Among their
several children two early exhibited unusual precocity--Maria Anna,
born in 1751, and Wolfgang, still more highly gifted. The stories of
the boy's skill and general delicacy of perception may be exaggerated,
but we have sufficient valid evidence to convince us that he was a
phenomenon absolutely "sui generis." Thus, he began to improvise
between three and four, actually to compose little pieces (which we
have), when he was five, and to perform in public when he was six! In
that very year and continuing for nineteen years (until Mozart had
reached the age of twenty-five) began the memorable series of concert
tours--eleven in all--comprising Vienna, all the chief cities of Italy
and Germany, even Paris and London. These tours the father planned and
carried through with the utmost solicitude and self-sacrifice--not to
exploit the talented children, but to give them a comprehensive
education and artistic experience, and eventually to secure for his
son some distinguished post worthy his abilities. It is quite
impossible to rehearse all the details of these trips. For one who
wishes to investigate for himself they truly make fascinating reading.
A single incident, however, will show how clearly defined were the two
personalities which made up the complete Mozart; and of which one or
the other was in the ascendant throughout his life. As a man, Mozart
was light-hearted, witty--even volatile--fond of society, dancing, and
a good time generall