Great Masters: Mozart - His Life and Music

By: Robert Greenberg, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Robert Greenberg

Even from the perspective of time, it is nearly impossible to grasp the full contribution made to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in his brief and glorious life. He composed his first symphony at the age of 8 and reached full artistic maturity by the time he was only 20. And when he died at the age of 35, he left a legacy of more than 600 works of brilliance - symphonies, chamber music, operas, and more - most composed during an incredibly productive 20-year period.

But even though it can well take a lifetime to fully grasp the achievement of the man described by Rossini as "the only composer who had as much knowledge as genius and as much genius as knowledge", every step of that journey toward understanding will be a joy - one you can begin with this fascinating eight-lecture series, which can serve as both a stand-alone introduction to this extraordinary composer or as the gateway to a lifetime of appreciation and pleasure.

Beginning with an examination of the many myths that surround Mozart to this day, Professor Greenberg offers not only an understanding of his music, but also a realistic view of Mozart the boy and man, from his emergence as youthful prodigy to his posthumous deification.You'll learn about his difficult and ultimately doomed relationship with his father, his troubled marriage, his relationships with luminaries like Haydn, Emperor Joseph II, and his operatic librettist, Lorenzo da Ponte, and the triumphs and disappointments that marked his career - including the astonishing and inexplicable creative recovery that enabled him to create his great Masonic opera, The Magic Flute, only months before his death.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2000 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2000 The Great Courses

Rich

Great Masters: Mozart - His Life and Music was entertaining and enlightening. I loved hearing the musical pieces interwoven with the biography and with the author's personal interpretations. Enjoyed every minute of it.

Informative and entertaining

A very nice audiobook, well referenced and told with plenty of humor. A very easy and educational listening.

A truly great Music story

Lecturer with an enthusiasm that captures your attention throughout. Very informative, as you become fascinated by the life.

Perfect

Perfect combination of lecture and music. Kept my attention and interest throughout. Makes me want to learn more.

Simply genius

Robert Greenberg's Great Masters are the BEST "Great Courses" lectures that I have heard until now. I loved Beethoven's courses and I loved Tchaikovsky's as well. Mozart's biography is great also. Greenberg's style is unique: he speaks full of passion, the characters are well painted, the music is properly inserted. He retells with music the history of Mozart's life, his torments, and greatness.
Robert Greenberg's lectures are as entertaining as educational. Listen to them. You won't regret!

Loved the detail and dramatic presentation. Prof Greenberg organized the life of Mozart into eight well defined stages. I recomm

Loved the detail and dramatic presentation. The organization into eight stages of Mozart’s life is perfect.

He did it again

I want to stop spending my hard-earned Audible's credit on prof. Greenberg courses but I just can't. They are too good. I am left with a single obsession: which one of his recordings to pick next? My obsession pales in comparison to my anxiety of one day running out of new material though. So many complex feelings, so much joy learning about great music and great composers, so much more to say about why I enjoyed these lectures... But I must go now, I must find my next course!

Greenberg is a genius

What would we do without Professor Greenberg? My life is enriched because of this amazing translator. He takes this mysterious language we call music and the more mysterious composers of that music and brings comprehension via the language, English. I was in the dark and now I see light. The experience is almost mystical.

Fantastic summary of this amazing composer.

What did you love best about Great Masters: Mozart - His Life and Music?

Unedited, unsugar coated, and as it was summary of his life. Very eye opening and it makes me appreciate his music so much more.

Wonderful!

Dr Greenberg is excellent, as usual. I never tire of listening to him. This has to be the ultimate Mozart biography.