Classical Genius, Classical Madness

The man was a genius, but like all geniuses there is a madness to it all. Wolfgang was the earliest bohemian in my opinion, he had a talent before his time but his appetites often overshadowed his brilliance. He had a tumultuous relationship with his dad and by all accounts Leopold (Mozart the Elder) while loving was overbearing.

I was watching a documentary on Wolfgang’s life called “Mozart Miracle of Nature”. It presented Mozart as indeed a child prodigy whose talent was matched only by his passion for life. His dad nurtured the younger Mozart and in doing so brought a genius out of obscurity, yet in the end the Elder and younger Mozart became estranged.

It is this authors humble opinion that it was passion and tragedy that drove Wolfgang’s genius. His mothers death inspired some of his most reknown compositions. Wolfgang’s own definition of the driving force behind his music can be seen here

“Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.”

He also seemed indifferent to fame or infamy of any sort he just played what he felt driven to play.

“I pay no attention whatever to anybody’s praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings”

Some even in his day considered him elaborately infatuated with the ‘fine things’ in life as an adult.       Perhaps because he had to work so hard during childhood that it wore thin on him. I think he was just born a free spirit and somewhat high strung.

Who can fault him for it?