Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived between 1756 and 1791. He is one of the most famous composers ever to live. You can hear his music almost everywhere today – in TV commercials, movies, mobile phone ringtones, and of course concert halls.  He composed over 600 works ranging from symphonies, piano concertos, operas and choral music. Many musicians and music experts say he was a musical genius.

Mozart was born into a musical family in Salzburg, Austria. His father worked for the local orchestra, taught the violin and was a composer. Mozart started learning the keyboard when he was three and composed his first pieces of music aged five. His father soon became unable to keep up with his son’s outstanding talents.

Between the ages of six and seventeen, Mozart went on tours of Europe with his family. He performed in front of royalty and met many great musicians. He also studied the works of the great composers, including Johan Bach, who he met in London in 1764 and 1765. By his mid-teens, Mozart had established himself throughout Europe as an up-and-coming composer.

Mozart moved to Vienna and started composing some of his finest works, including the opera “The Marriage of Figaro”. He married, had two children and lived quite a lavish lifestyle. He worked non-stop producing music that is studied by students all over the world today. He continues to be one of the greatest influences on classical music.

237 words

 

 

 

SYNONYM MATCH

Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. 

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	almost	a.	specialists
2	composed	b.	superb
3.	experts	c.	piano
4.	local	d.	virtually
5.	keyboard	e.	neighbourhood
6.	outstanding	f.	wrote
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	tours	g.	best
8.	established	h.	rising
9.	up-and-coming	i.	trips
10.	finest	j.	luxurious
11	lavish	k	inspirations
12	influences	l	well known

 

PHRASE MATCH 

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived	a.	studied by students
2	music experts say	b.	of music aged five
3.	Mozart was born	c.	lavish lifestyle
4.	composed his first pieces	d.	coming composer
5.	His father soon became unable	e.	he was a musical genius
6.	He also studied the works	f.	on classical music
7.	an up-and-	g.	into a musical family
8.	producing music that is	h.	between 1756 and 1791
9.	lived quite a	i.	to keep up
10.	one of the greatest influences	j.	of the great composers

 

LISTENING GAP FILL

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart _______________ 1756 and 1791. He is one of the most famous composers ______________. You can hear his music almost everywhere today – in TV commercials, movies, mobile phone ringtones, and of course concert halls.  He composed over 600 _______________ from symphonies, piano concertos, operas and choral music. Many musicians and _______________ he was a musical genius.

Mozart _______________ a musical family in Salzburg, Austria. His father _______________ local orchestra, taught the violin and was a composer. Mozart started learning the keyboard when he was three and composed his first _______________ aged five. His father soon became unable _______________ his son’s outstanding talents.

Between the ages of six and seventeen, Mozart _______________ of Europe with his family. He performed _______________ and met many great musicians. He also studied the __________________ composers, including Johan Bach, who he met in London in 1764 and 1765. _________________, Mozart had established himself throughout Europe as an up-and-coming composer.

Mozart moved to Vienna and started composing _________________ works, including the opera “The Marriage of Figaro”. He married, had two children and lived _______________ lifestyle. He worked non-stop producing music _______________ by students all over the world today. He continues _______________ greatest influences on classical music.

 

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived between / around 1756 and 1791. He is one of the most famous composers even / ever to live. You can hear his music almost everywhere today – in TV commercials, movies, mobile phone ringtones, and of course concert halls.  He composed over 600 work / works ranging from symphonies, piano concertos, operas and choral / coral music. Many musicians and music experts say he was a musical genius.

Mozart was born onto / into a musical family in Salzburg, Austria. His father worked for / by the local orchestra, taught the violin and was a composer. Mozart started learning the keyboard when he was three and composed his first pieces of music aged / agefive. His father soon became unable to keep down / up with his son’s outstanding talents.

Between the ages of six and seventeen, Mozart went / been on tours of Europe with his family. He performed in front of royalty / royal and met many great musicians. He also studied the works of the greet / great composers, including Johan Bach, who he met in London in 1764 and 1765. By his mid-teens, Mozart had established himself throughout Europe as an up-and-coming / down-and-out composer.

Mozart moved to Vienna and started composed / composing some of his finest works, including / included the opera “The Marriage of Figaro”. He married, had two children and lived quite / quiet a lavish lifestyle. He worked non-stop producing music that is studied by students all over the world today. He continues to be one of the greatest influence / influences on classical music.

SPELLING 

The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	Mozart lived tneebwe 1756 and 1791
2.	mobile phone oniersntg
3.	He composed over 600 rwkso
4.	he was a musical ugnise
Paragraph 2
5.	Mozart was born into a sailumc family
6.	His father worked for the local etscorrha
7.	albenu to keep up
8.	his son’s outstanding tantsle
Paragraph 3
9.	He performed in front of rtalyyo
10.	the works of the agtre composers
11.	Mozart had hdiselatebs himself
12.	an up-and-nimgoc composer
Paragraph 4
13.	some of his tfesni works
14.	lived quite a lavish eyflstiel
15.	He worked nno-tops
16.	one of the greatest leisnnecuf on classical music

 

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )	Between the ages of six and seventeen, Mozart went on tours of Europe with his family. He performed in front of
(    )	music. Many musicians and music experts say he was a musical genius.
(    )	aged five. His father soon became unable to keep up with and develop his son’s outstanding talents.
(    )	Mozart moved to Vienna and started composing some of his finest
(    )	be one of the greatest influences on classical music.
(    )	lifestyle. He worked non-stop producing music that is studied by students all over the world today. He continues to
(    )	violin and was a composer. Mozart started learning the keyboard when he was three and composed his first pieces of music
(    )	hear his music almost everywhere today – in TV commercials, movies, mobile phone ringtones, and of course concert
(    )	works, including the opera “The Marriage of Figaro”. He married, had two children and lived quite a lavish
(    )	composers, including Johan Bach, who he met in London in 1764 and 1765. By his mid-teens, Mozart had
(    )	halls.  He composed over 600 works ranging from symphonies, piano concertos, operas and choral
(    )	royalty and met many great musicians. He also studied the works of the great
(    )	established himself throughout Europe as an up-and-coming composer.
(    )	Mozart was born into a musical family in Salzburg, Austria. His father worked for the local orchestra, taught the
( 1 )	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived between 1756 and 1791. He is one of the most famous composers ever to live. You can

 

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

Put the words back into the correct order.

1.	Mozart   1791   and   1756   between   lived
2.	music   genius   musical   a   was   he   say   experts
3.	into   musical   Mozart   born   a   family   was
4.	three   keyboard   Mozart   when   started   he   learning   was   the
5.	develop   keep   his   up   son’s   with   outstanding   and   talents
6.	Mozart   Europe   of   tours   on   went
7.	royalty   of   front   in   performed   He
8.	finest   started   some   his   works   composing   of
9.	quite   lifestyle   a   lived   lavish
10.	by   students   all   over   the   world   today   music   that   is   studied

 

 

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	almost	a.	virtually
2	composed	b.	wrote
3.	experts	c.	specialists
4.	local	d.	neighbourhood
5.	keyboard	e.	piano
6.	outstanding	f.	superb
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	tours	g.	trips
8.	established	h.	well known
9.	up-and-coming	i.	rising
10.	finest	j.	best
11	lavish	k	luxurious
12	influences	l	inspirations

 

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived	a.	between 1756 and 1791
2	music experts say	b.	he was a musical genius
3.	Mozart was born	c.	into a musical family
4.	composed his first pieces	d.	of music aged five
5.	His father soon became unable	e.	to keep up
6.	He also studied the works	f.	of the great composers
7.	an up-and-	g.	coming composer
8.	producing music that is	h.	studied by students
9.	lived quite a	i.	lavish lifestyle
10.	one of the greatest influences	j.	on classical music