06jan4

Nicholas' News
January, 2006 - p. 4

Playing is the Allegro from Serenade in G "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" K525

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January Issue

Newsletter-p.1
Future Fun Stuff
Cool Links
Gabrielle's Grab Bag

Page 2
Book Review
Poetry Corner
Math Challenge

Page 3
History-Anct. Civilizations

Page 4
Happy Birthday, Mozart

    This year, people around the world will celebrate the 250th birthday of the great composer, Mozart. He was born in Salzburg, Austria on January 27, 1756. By age four, he was writing his own compositions! At age 6, his dad brought him to many castles and palaces where he played violin and piano for the amazed nobels. By age 8, he had composed an entire symphony! He could hear the sound of the different instruments in his head and write down the notes. He could also listen to music by other composers, remember the music, and copy it down note for note later!
     When Mozart got older, he had a harder time getting people to be interested in his music because he wasn't a "little boy genius" any more! He worked for the Archbishop of Salzburg, but quit because there were always problems between the two of them. During the days, Mozart taught music, performed and went to other musicians' concerts. At night, he stayed up very late to compose music.
     Mozart loved jokes and plays on words. He loved to play games, especially music games. He could be very silly! He also enjoyed luxury. He spent almost all the money he made on himself and his wife. Because of that, he was very poor when he died at the young age of 35. In his short lifetime, Mozart had written over 600 operas, piano pieces, symphonies, ballets, string and flute quartets and other compositions. If you tried to play all of Mozart's pieces in a row, it would take more than 200 hours!
     I've been studying Mozart in my Music Theory class. I have only played a few selections of Mozart's on the piano. One was an adaptation from The Magic Flute, which was an opera that Mozart composed. I have listed to The Magic Flute in both English and German, and seen an opera performance on television. I really enjoy the opera. I think it is exciting, especially when Tamino has to go through the trials at Sarastro's temple in order to find love with the princess, Pamina. I like how each character in the opera has their own musical theme. I also like many of Mozart's flute quartets and I hope that someday I can play them on my flute.
     Overall, Mozart was an amazingly gifted musician who influenced many great composers after him.

If you'd like to read more about Mozart and hear some of the songs he composed, check out this website (by clicking on the picture) which tells the story of Mozart in a fairy tale style. It's fun, easy to read and very interesting! The site is offered by "Strings in the Mountains" an annual outdoor music festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

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