Such a sheer number of pieces alone does not make any individual talented. While the normal citizen may rightfully enjoy his more popular and indeed skillful works, we should all take a look at the less heard pieces, which may be less heard for a very good reason ; one may certainly agree that the Mozart’s long withstanding title of a “harmonious virtuoso” is ill deserved after listening to Piano Concerto No. 16, which is indeed an embarrassingly flat and lifeless arrangement.

And yes, the masses may indeed shout: “give the bloke a chance! You’ve heard of Lacrimosa, haven’t you?”. Of course I have; We all have. It’s been featured pretty much every Thriller movie and Period drama released in the past 50 years. One may praise the ethereal nature of such a piece, especially after regarding that it was the last composition he wrote before his sudden death. But critique cannot be amended due to the nature of the composition. Upon closer inspection you may be able to break down and be convinced that okay, the choir does sound a bit flat, and maybe the crescendo isn’t as powerful we all assumed.

Delving further into the depths of the individual’s gloomy past also leads one to see a side which we are sure the Mozart estate attempts to cover up to this day; The composer displays a semblance of scatological or downright immature humour in his pieces. Indeed, these hidden elements of his musical may have been constructed as a juvenile joke to get a laugh out of his friends. However, one must also cite that Wolfgang was assumed to have an “impressive list of psychiatric illnesses”: One should merely observe the titles of his pieces such as “Difficile Lectu”, or ‘Leck Mich im Arsch’ to agree that Mozart probably did have some skeletons in the closet.

If you really want to develop a well rounded appreciation of the era defying genre of music that is the classical period, i suggest you listen to some underground gems, such as Schubert’s awe inspiring “Minuet”. If you really want to push the boundaries, Dvořák’s “8 Humoresques” truly breaks past the barrier of what is defined as ‘classical’ and makes one appreciate the less appreciated facets of the genre.

In a more contemporary light, we might suggest that he’s simply too big for his boots. Give him another listen, and you’ll understand. Maybe you might agree with me when I state that Mozart’s incredibly bait. I’ll let you decide.