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Growing up, like any typical Asian child, I learned how to play a musical instrument.
Me aged 8 rocking the polka dot dress and sneakers. Go 90s!
At age 5 I started the violin and then picked up the piano at 11. Music has always been a part of who I was and while I don’t play as much as I would like to now, all that knowledge and love for it is still within me.
My parents surrounded our house with famous musical works. Growing up, you would be more likely to hear Mozart or Bach blasting from our speakers rather than the latest pop hits. This at home immersion complemented the musical education I was receiving and it wasn’t before long that I started studying music history. It is a requirement in order to receive certain exam certifications.
You wouldn’t believe the lives of some of these composers. They all had such wild and interesting lies. Scandal after scandal, struggles with poverty despite their celebrity status, and the occasional mental illness. They definitely were a lot more interesting to learn about than what was happening in my Canadian history lessons at school!
Europe as a continent is fantastic for a classical music lover. You can follow in the footsteps of famous composers, see what they saw and understand how it may have inspired their work. After previously learning about the lives of all these composers, it’s so cool to finally see and experience these places in real life.
While in Austria, I made it a point to go to Salzburg. Why? So that I could visit the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He isn’t my favourite composer, that honour goes to composers from the Romantic era like Chopin and Debussy, but he was one of classical music’s most influential and important composers. A child prodigy, he began his prolific composing career before the age of 5 and performed for Empress Maria Theresa at aged 6 at Schonbrunn Palace.
While I disklike some of his works (listening to the first movement of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on repeat would be my idea of torture), other pieces I adore and cannot get enough of.
The Childhood Years
Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. His address? 9 Getreidegasse. The Mozart family lived on the third floor from 1747 to 1773. Today the building is owned by the Mozart foundation who has turned the building into a museum.
I love the shockingly bright yellow of the building. I didn’t visit the inside of this museum, though. I was planning on visiting the Mozarthaus in Vienna and didn’t want to be overwhelmed by all things Mozart.
From 1773 to 1781, the Mozart family moved to another location in Salzburg which offered the family a larger living space. With 6 other siblings, that is a lot of people in a tiny space! This building is also open for touring.
Mozart was employed as a court musician by the ruler of Salzburg, Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. In his honour, there is a square named after him: Mozartplatz where you can see a monument in his name. Despite his many successes, Mozart grew increasingly unhappy with the limitations of Salzburg and tried to find a position elsewhere.
For another overview of Salzburg and Mozart, check out this post from The World is a Book.
Mozart’s birthplace
A-5020 Salzburg, Getreidegasse 9
Admission € 10
9 am – 5.30 pm (last entry 5 pm); July / August: until 8 pm (last entry 7.30 pm)
Mozart Residence
A-5020 Salzburg, Makartplatz 8
The Vienna Years
Mozart moved to Vienna in 1781. His apartment at Domgasse 5 near St. Stephen’s Cathedral, is the only standing apartment that remains during Mozart’s time in Vienna.
He lived in this location from 1784 to 1787 in which he did the majority of his composing within these walls. This period was the height of his fame and popularity with works such as his opera, the Marriage of Figaro being composed here.
Photography is not allowed inside. While walking around the apartment you can gain an appreciation for the time period, but the museum lacked anything that actually belonged to Mozart. While I wouldn’t recommend going here on its own, there is a combined ticket (“Wiener Museumsmelange” ) offered with the Haus der Musik. In hindsight, I should have gone into the museum in Salzburg instead.
Mozarthaus
Domgasse 5, 1010 Wien, Austria
Admission: € 10
Hours: daily from 10 am to 7 pm (last admission 6.30 pm)
To commemorate Mozart’s time in Vienna, there is a statue with a monument dedicated to Mozart in Stadtpark.
The Later Years
While in Vienna, Mozart’s situation worsen because of the economy and general level of prosperity. The aristocracy wasn’t as interested in spending money on music. To compensate, Mozart did a great deal of traveling in hopes of increasing his income. He grew ill while in Prague and became confined to his bed shortly after while in the midst of composing his final work, the Requiem.
Mozart became obsessed with the idea that this Mass for the Dead was intended for himself and that he would not live to see it completed. He passed away on 5 December 1791 at aged 35 of unknown causes.
Mozart was buried in a common grave. 
Unfortunately, the grave was unmarked within St. Marx’s cemetery and its exact location has not been located. Instead, there is a monument erected in his honour in the cemetery. In his short life time, Mozart composed over 600 works
Officially his record says he died of “severe miliary fever”, referring to a rash that looks like millet seeds, but in modern medicine that means little. This has lead to a lot of speculation from poisoning to malpractice from the doctor. As for his requiem? His premonition had come true and the work was completed by a pupil of his, Franz Xavier Süssmayr.
I wasn’t able to visit St. Marx’s Cemetery, but went to the nearby Zentralfriedhof where many other notable composers were buried. There is a cenotaph erected in Mozart’s honour among the other composers as well.
St. Marx’s Cemetery
Leberstraße 6-8, 1030 Wien, Austria
Zentralfriedhof [German]
Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, 1110 Wien, Austria
Further Experiences
To complement your musical tour a visit to the Haus der Musik in Vienna is really worth it. It is one of the best music museums that I’ve been to. Everything is interactive and you really have a lot of fun playing around with music and exploring the exhibits.
Once your Mozart tour is over, you can take home a piece of Mozart with the Mozartkugel aka the Mozart ball.
I really have no idea why this is attributed to him, but they’re everywhere in Salzburg and Vienna (you even see them in Budapest even though Mozart never went there). The original ones are wrapped in blue foil, but you’re likely to see another kind wrapped in red foil. The chocolates are a green pistachio marzipan covered in a layer of nougat which is then dipped in chocolate.
Whether or not you’re a Mozart lover or even a classical music lover, the two cities of Vienna and Salzburg are full of interesting nods to musical history.
Do you enjoy classical music? Who is your favourite? Have you followed in the footsteps of famous people before?
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What a classy house you’ve grown up in, Adelina! We’ve been totally untalented for music in our house, but my aunt took it on herself to introduce us to the classical music. I do love Mozartkugel! 🙂
Haha, an appreciation for classical music is a good thing. Tough to do, I think, in this day and age.
I have been to Salzburg many times, but I didn’t know his entire history, so thank you! I do love Mozart chocolates as well! 🙂
Thanks Emma! I adore Salzburg and would love to go back. I didn’t spend enough time there.
I love Mozartkugels….always have them when in Vienna!
Yum! Such a great little treat.
I had no idea Mozartkugels existed! A really interesting tour – I love some of Mozart’s music, but didn’t know that much about his life (kind of ashamed to admit that, really – I studied music until I left school!). Definitely something to do if I ever make it to Salzburg 🙂
I sort of glaze over when it comes to history of composers, but whenever I read up about them, they’re so fascinating.
I’ve followed Mozart’s life in bits and pieces…he did travel a lot himself. His father found “gigs” for his sister and him throughout the courts of Europe. Fascinating!
It’s pretty amazing how much travel the whole family did and all in the 1700s! My mother has a book that talks about the places in Mozart’s life around Europe. It’s over 2 inches thick. Crazy.
What an awesome piece – you’ve really got so much great info in here. And… that dress and shoe combo. Giggle, damn the 90’s.
Thanks SJ! Haha, I had too many awkward 90s photos to choose from. This one was the least… shocking let’s say.
Such an interesting piece. I’ve been to Mozart’s birth house in Salzburg and look forward to finding out more in Vienna next month (oh and eating a few of those Mozart balls!!)
Awesome! They definitely love their composers in Vienna. Plenty of things related to them all around the city.
Haha – I played violin for like 7 years and never got any better. #asianfail
Haha, I got outshadowed by my younger brother and then sort of gave up to my parent’s disdain.
I’m not a big fan of classical music bit I love the sound of those Mozart balls!
They’re delish if you like marzipan which I don’t, but everyone that does, loves them.
Love that picture of you as a kid 🙂
Wow, that is some interest in Mozart, tho’ I’m surprised you still like the music- a lot of my friends who learnt instruments, particularly the violin really don’t like classical music anymore. It’s great that it’s kept your interest all this time 🙂
Haha I had so many embarrassing ones to pick from. I’m pretty indifferent to the violin now, I haven’t played in years, but I still sit down at the piano from time to time.
This is so interesting to me because I studied music, too! I played piano from age 4. You are from Canada…did you by chance study with the Royal Conservatory of Music? I did all of the practical piano exams (grades 1-10) and studied the theory portions as well….harmony and history lessons! Just wondering if we studied the same music history courses. I found the history portion to be the most interesting! I loved learning about the lives of the composers, the struggles they faced, and what life was like in those time periods. It was all so fascinating! I would love to visit Austria and travel in Mozart’s footsteps!
Yes! I did the RCM program too – all the exams and theory. Ugh hated harmony. History was a lot better but after awhile it was so overwhelming. Too much to memorize for the exams.
I’m not the biggest fan of Salzburg but I adore Vienna, in part due to the musical connections. I love that the Austrians still hold their classical musicians in such high regard, it’s so refreshing 🙂
Yes! That is something that struck me as well in the city. There are so many musical connections around the city.
I’m not musically inclined at all but I love classical music AND I really want to go to Vienna! 🙂
Oh, you’ll love Vienna then! There is SO much classical music influence everywhere. It’s the biggest reason why I fell in love with the city.
What a great post! We followed Mozart’s footsteps in Salzburg and visited his birthplace museum. It wasn’t very extensive and it got pretty crowded in there with narrow spaces and hallways. We loved seeing Mozart references everywhere. My kids, like other Asian kids ;-), are taking piano so at least they knew who he was. Most of all, we couldn’t get enough of the Mozartkugels. So addicting! We found them in Munich too. Thanks for the Vienna preview.
Thanks Mary! I read your post too and it filled in a lot of the aspects of things that I didn’t get a chance to do. I hope exploring Salzburg has inspired your kids to double their efforts in music learning 🙂
I love that you are writing so often about Austria. I love mozartkugels too! The Mozart ice cream at Laxemburg is the best. We are headed out there for a picnic in a few minutes! I am enjoying your blog! Glad to have connected with you!
Thanks Tamika! That is so lovely of you to say. 🙂 I have a couple more post on Vienna before I move on to elsewhere in Europe so be prepared. I’ve never heard of Laxemburg so I’ll have to keep that in mind the next time I’m in Vienna.
I also had the Asian kid upbringing of learning piano, but my mom is procrastinator, so I didn’t start lessons until I was 11 years old (2 years after she bought the piano). I remember my mom bugging me to practice and reminding me of how great Mozart was when he was only 5 years old. Frankly, I think holding up Mozart as the goal to attain is perhaps a little too lofty to expect of any non-prodigy. I’d love to travel in Mozart’s footsteps one day, though, as you did. This looks like a great way to guide your visit to Austria. And I’d definitely enjoy a few Mozartkugel along the way.
Agreed, no one can compare to Mozart. It’s almost disheartening to be compared to him! Hopefully you’ll get a chance to follow in Mozart’s footsteps with your kids!
I loved the presence of Mozart spirit in Salzburg and Vienna when I went last year and as someone who has had a liking for music from a young age, I imagine that must have been really special for you. I think some locals feel that that is all Salzburg ever gets known for but he is such a huge part of the history there that I actually hope that doesn’t change!
I agree that there is definitely more to Salzburg than Mozart. I wish I had more time to explore the city other than its musical aspects. It’s so picturesque!