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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Submitted by Steve Grant

When his father received his second degree in his own lodge, Wolfgang wrote Fellow Craft's Journey (Op. K468) to honor the occasion. As a child prodigy, he toured with his father and sister, composing his first published works at the age of seven.

He was brought to London at the age of eight, playing before the royal family. In 1768, at the age of 12, he received an imperial commission to compose and conduct an opera, and was made concertmaster to the archbishop of Salzburg in 1769. That same year he was made a chevalier of the Golden Spur by the pope.

Returning to Salzburg, he broke with the new archbishop, Hieronymus, who had attempted to hold him in ecclesiastical bondage. In 1782 he settled in Vienna as a teacher and composer. In spite of his position as royal chamber composer to Emperor Joseph 11, q.v., he lived in poverty. On Dec. 5, 1784 he was proposed for membership in the lodge Zur Wohltntigkeit and was initiated on Dec. 14, becoming No. 20 on the lodge register. Ten days later he attended lodge Zur wahren Eintracht and on Jan. 7, 1785, he received the second degree in the latter lodge at the request of his mother lodge. On Dec. 1, 1785 his own lodge, Zur Wohltatigkeit united with the lodges Zu den drei Feuern and Zum heiligen Joseph, to form a new lodge-Zur neugekroentin. Hoffnung (new crowned hope).

This was by decree of Emperor Joseph 11. For the occasion Mozart wrote Opening Ode (Op.K483) and Closing Ode (Op. K484). The text includes: "Oh sing today beloved brothers/ Your song of jubilation,/ For Joseph's benevolence/ Has crowned anew our hope/ For in our hearts a threefold flame now gleams." Much of his greatest music was composed after his initiation; an impressing amount had Masonic connections. His greatest work is perhaps The Magic Flute, his last opera. It was first produced in Vienna in Sept., 1791, shortly before his death. Mozart felt that Freemasonry was being persecuted and this opera was intended to vindicate the aims of the institution.

The overture contains three chords, played thrice to the rhythm of the three raps in the third degree (it belonged in the first degree at this time). The second act is laid in the temple of Isis and Osiris and the Masonic allusion is very striking. It was thought that the Craft was of Egyptian origin at that time. Here the high priest puts three questions: "Is he virtuous?, Is he charitable?, Can he be silent?", and the three chords are heard once again. In 1785 he wrote: Die Gessellenreise (Journey of theFellowcrafts), a Masonic song (Opus468). On April 20, 1785 he wrote Maurerfreude (Opus 471), a short cantata which was performed on April 24 in a special lodge held that day to celebrate Von Born's discovery of the method of working ores by amalgamation. His last Masonic work was written for the dedication of a Masonic temple in Vienna on Nov. 15, 1791. The words were by Schikaneder, a member of the lodge, who also wrote the libretto for The Magic Flute. It is his Opus 623, written for two tenors and a bass with orchestral accompaniment. It was the last fin-. ished composition of which Mozart conducted the performance. It contains an appendix and a hymn for closing of the lodge, which was probably Mozart's farewell to the Craft. The words of the hymn, in part, are: "Today we consecrate this habitation for our temple, for the first time we gather within this new seat of knowledge and of virtue, and look, the consecration is completed. Oh! that the work were finished also that consecrates our hearts." Mozart was present when his good friend and fellow composer Franz Joseph Hayden, q.v., was initiated in Lodge Zur Wahren Eintracht of Vienna on Feb. 4,1785. It is a matter of speculation why Hayden was not taken into Mozart's own lodge, now consolidated as Zur Neugekronten Hoffnung (New Crowned Hope) with its auspicious membership that included a ruling prince, 36 counts, one marquis, 14 barons, 42 nobles, and other prominent men of Vienna. His death came under unusual circumstances while on a trip to Berlin, and it is thought he was poisoned by a man named Salieri. He was buried in an unknown grave.

A lodge of mourning was held for him and the oration delivered there was published in 1792, and sold for the benefit of his family: "It has pleased the everlasting Master Builder to tear our beloved Brother from the chain of our brotherhood. Who did not know him? Who did not value him? Who did not love him, our worthy Brother, Mozart? Only a few weeks ago he stood in our midst, and with the magic tones added such beauty to the dedication of our Masonic Temple. Mozart's death brings irreparable loss to his art; his talents which were apparent in his earliest youth have made him even then the greatest marvel of his time. Half Europe valued him. The great called him their favorite, Liebling, and we called him Brother. But while we must of necessity recall his powers in Art we must not forget the praise due to his great heart. He was a most enthusiastic follower of our Order.

Love for his Brethren, sociability, enthusiasm for the good cause, charity, the true and deep feeling of pleasure when he was able by means of his talents to help one of his Brethren, these were the chief features of his character. He was husband, father, friend to his friends. Brother to his Brethren, these were the chief features of his character. Only the wherewithal was wanted to hinder him from making hundreds happy, as his heart bade him."