Current mood:	cheerful
Current music:	"Rock Me, Amadeus!" - Falco

Doctor Zeyus, Doctor Zeyus, Oh, Doctor Zeyus!
So apparently January 27th shall be the 250th anniversary of the birth of the late and undeniably great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer of such amazing creations as the "Magic Flute", "The Marriage of Figaro", "Requiem", and many, many symphonies, quartets and sonatas, some of which were composed when he was but a spry lad of 14. So, in recognition of this wonderful composer and his great contribution to music as we know it, I shall include herein:

Well Known and Not So Well Known 411 on W.A.Mo!

Mozart was born in the city of Salzburg, Austria, and was christened Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus (Gottlieb) Mozart. Perhaps his freakishly long name led to beatings on the playground, but whatever the reason, Wolfgangus (as he preferred to be called) he turned out to be a quiet kid, fairly introspective, but exhibiting rare musical talent at as early as three years of age. Since his dad, Leopold, was already a celebrated musician, he was taught many instruments and while he was still in single digits, old Mozzy had learned to play clavier, violin, and organ as well as any concert musician.

His later travels all over Italy, Austria, Germany, and Europe in general, and his ridiculously prolific music writing garnered him a reputation with European nobility. Perhaps because of this, Mozart was a born spender and disposed of quite as much as he earned, though the rumors of him passing out of this world penniless and alone were quite wrong, since he had a good position in court and a nice fat paycheck at the time.

He did die early though, and despite further rumors of foul play on the part of individuals like rival composer Antonio Salieri who was probably not fond of him, but was highly unlikely and unable to slip him the mickey, they have been widely discredited; though over-work, rheumatic fever, and mercury poisoning have all been thrown out as possible causes. Whatever the case, he lies now (we believe) in a large, state-sanctioned mass grave in Vienna.

In his life, he had hundreds of compositions attributed to him, as well as mistresses (most debunked...dude loved his wife, we think) and debts. He is renowned as one of the fathers of classical music as we know it today and despite his (apparent) narcissism and his early and questionable death (or perhaps because of it) his work has survived the test of time and affects us even to this day.

So to you, Mr. Mozart, happy birthday! I hope the wigs in the afterlife are well-powdered and your music lives on for another two and a half centuries to come.

Huzzah!