Leopold Mozart

Leopold Mozart was the father of Wolfgang Amadeus (Johann Chrysostom) and an accomplished musician who served in prominent positions. One of his earliest appointments was as a musician to the Count of Thurn and Taxis in Salzburg (1739) later joining the court orchestra of the prince-archbishop. By 1763 he was the deputy to the Kapellmeister in Salzburg and was renowned for pedagogical violin technique. Internationally Mozart was known for his "Versuch einer grundlichen Violinschule." The primary foci of this work were theory and technique. It was one of the pimary works of the its kind during the eighteenth century. Compositions scored by Leopold included a plethora of symphonies, diverse orchestral works, chamber music, keyboard pieces, oratorios, masses and many sacred works. Elements that informed Leopold's compositions included popular and programmatic aspects. When Maria and Mozart were born, his own career became secondary to the education of his children. ~ Keith Johnson