The Forgotten Mozart Maria Anna Mozart

The Forgotten Mozart

By: LorrayyaWilliams

Maria Anna Walburga Ignacia Mozart a prodigy, but not remembered. Why was she overshadowed by her brother?  Who was she? Maria Anna was the first prodigy in her family. “My little girl plays the most difficult works which we have … with incredible precision and so excellently,” her father, Leopold, wrote in a letter in 1764. “What it all amounts to is this, that my little girl, although she is only 12 years old, is one of the most skillful players in Europe.”  He father encouraged her talent, but wanted her to be a wife and mother in her older years. Growing up her family was well immersed in music.  She loved it and was very skilled. She even played a role in her brother’s musical interest. But why aren’t her compositions famous like Mozart?  These question and others will be soon answered.

     Maria Anna Mozart was born July 30, 1751 in Salzburg. Lovingly she was nicknamed Nannerl. She grew up in a loving Christian household.  The Mozart family loved music. She was the eldest child to survive out of infancy. Her brother the more renowned Wolfgang Mozart was five years her junior. Her father taught her to play the piano. She was 8. She was taken on concert tours, but when she began to get older she was left in Wolfgang’s shadow. Lepold Mozart did not believe that women could become composers or great musicians this was the cultural thoughts at the time. As her father he wanted her to become a wife a mother in her older years and not traveling and adeptly playing music.

     Maria was the First Prodigy in her family, but she is not as well remembered. In her child hood she traversed on wonderful tours. But as she began to mature, she slowly began to fade into the background. She was in the shadow of her prodigy brother, whom she helped teach. She kindly assisted him in composing his first symphony. Although Maria Mozart was thought to be one of the finest pianist in Europe, she was not enable to compose music because she was a woman. Sadly, she was reduced from composing Amazing works of art to teaching music lessons. She was forced to stay home while people were awestruck by her brother’s talent. Maria Anna was not even able to pocket any of the money it always spent on her brother and his tours. Even though she was the first prodigy of the Mozart family being a girl held her back from her full potential as a composer and musician.

     Later in Life Maria Anna Mozart was married to Johann Sonneburg in 1783. Her father refused to let her marry her true love, Franz d'Ippold.  Franz was a captain and tutor. She respected his wishes and married Johann. Johann had five children from a previous marriage. They had three more children together. Presently she began writing a biography about her brother Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. She collaborated with his wife others who loved him. She died October 29, 1829 St Peters cemetery.

Maria Anna Walburga Ignacia Mozart was a greatly adept prodigy, but she was forgotten due to being a woman. If she had been allowed to soar who knows maybe she would the Mozart we know and love.   She was enchanted with music. Although she did not reach her full potential, she should be remember as a wonderful pianist although she was the forgotten Mozart.

Bibliography

"History and Women." History and Women. N.p., 20 Aug. 2010. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.

"PediaView.com." PediaView.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.

Rusch, Elizabeth. "Maria Anna Mozart: The Family's First Prodigy." Smithsonian. Smithsonian, 28 Mar. 2011. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.

Tel. "Maria Ann Mozart." Mozart and Classical Music. N.p., 1 Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Mar. 2014.
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