Wolfgang in 'time'.

I am studying the rudiments of music composition. If you live long enough and stay interested you realize just how little you know.

“What composer?” teacher ask

“Bach”, I venture

Teacher, “How about Mozart ”

“Scarlatti”, I suggest

“No, I think you are ready for Mozart ”

“Something more modern”, my last ditch effort

“Definitely Mozart ”, that sounds final

“MOZART, where is the beef?” -

“Well”, he answered, “he composed 21 piano sonatas, 27 piano concertos, 41 symphonies, 18 masses, 13 operas, 9 oratorios and cantata, 2 ballets, 40 plus concertos for various instruments, string quartets, trios and quintets, violin and piano duets, piano quartets, and songs. This astounding output includes hardly one work less than a masterpiece. You think we have enough material to keep us engaged for the next few months?

You know that in his lifetime, his music was considered too modern, too complicated, not sufficiently tuneful, excessively intellectual, and full of abstruse modulations and over-elaborate textures. Contained too many notes, and was too tough for the teeth of the Viennese. Enchanted the ears, offended reason, outraged modesty and virtue, and trampled on sensibilities by promoting vice? It was said that, an unpracticed ear could not follow his works; even more experienced ones needed to hear them several times over. Mozart’s genius, however, can withstand the works of fiction that it has stimulated, from Alexander Pushkin’s (the first to exploit the Salieri slander) to Mr. Shafer’s. His world is a large one, a comprehensive one, open to anyone with ears and a soul; and these next few month surely will be a time when you can drink your fill and still never be satiated.”

Wolfie, here's looking at you, wunderkid.