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On a cold winter day in late January, at eight o'clock p.m., a genius was born. He is now known as one of the greatest musicians in history. For much of his adult life, this brilliant underappreciated composer and musician was very poor. He died penniless at the early age of 35. Mozart was born January 27, 1756 and baptized the next day. Even his early childhood was centered around music. His father, Leopold Mozart, was an accomplished musician himself and capably took charge of his son's education, both musical and general. Leopold was quite conscious of his son's extraordinary ability and did everything he could to help nurture and develop Wolfgang's talent. He devoted much of his life to Wolfgang and his sister, Maria Anna's, education. Leopold was confident that under his guidance his children should develop their natural musical gifts and gain technical perfection. Wolfgang's family, especially his father, were very important to him throughout his life. Leopold was born in Augsburg, Germany, but later moved to Salzburg, Austria as a teenager studying law and philosophy. He abandoned these after a short time and became a successful violinist and composer whose published method of violin teaching was the standard used by many violin instructors. He made his living as a musician at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg where he composed for various church services and instructed young choirboys in playing the violin. When he was twenty-eight he married Anna Maria Bertlin, daughter of a court official. Even as a baby, Mozart was already displaying signs of musical precocity. He would place his fingers on the keys of the piano and play thirds, which were harmonious and pleasing to him. He did not like dissonant notes or chord and they caused him to cry. When Wolfgang was four, his father came home one day to find him sitting on the floor absorbed in composing a piano concerto so difficult Leopold thought no one would be able to play it.
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