Aulicus Classics Club Episode Three: The Son Also Rises: The Music of Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart

Aulicius Classics Club is a video series created by esteemed Italian music publisher Romano Di Bari and composer/arranger/conductor Stefano Torossi, with a sole purpose of putting a spotlight on the lives of legendary composers and their works. 

In this third episode, Romano and Stefano talk about Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart and the homonymous album performed by Olga Zdorenko, the Collegium Musicum Chamber Orchestra and conducted by Ivan Ostapovych for Aulicus Classics. 

Watch the episode now. 

Listen to the full Aulicus Classics catalog 

About Romano Di Bari 

Italian producer and CEO at label Aulicus Classics 
Romano Di Bari founded Flipper Srl Edizioni Musicali in 1972 after having developed his expertise with RCA and later with Ariston during the 60s. 

About Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart 

• Parentage: Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart was born on July 26, 1791, in Vienna, Austria, as the youngest surviving son of the legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his wife Constanze. 
• Sibling and Family Connections: Franz Xaver had an older brother named Karl Thomas Mozart, who unfortunately passed away in infancy. He also had four half-siblings from his father's previous marriage: Raimund Leopold Mozart, Karl Thomas Mozart, Johann Thomas Leopold Mozart, and Theresia Constanzia Adelheid Friederike Maria Anna Mozart. 
• Musical Education: Following in his father's footsteps, Franz Xaver received extensive musical education from an early age. He was initially taught by his father and later received formal training from renowned musicians like Johann Nepomuk Hummel and Antonio Salieri. 
• Piano Virtuoso: Franz Xaver Mozart was a highly accomplished pianist and gained recognition for his exceptional skills on the instrument. He toured Europe, showing his talents and performing his father's compositions. 
• Composition Style: Although Franz Xaver Mozart's compositional output was not as significant as his father's, he composed a substantial body of work. His compositions were influenced by the classical style of his time, often drawing inspiration from his father's music. He wrote symphonies, chamber music, piano pieces, operas, and sacred music. 
• Relationship with his Father's Legacy: Franz Xaver Mozart played a significant role in preserving and promoting his father's music. He often performed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's works in his concerts and dedicated himself to preserving the family legacy through his own musical career. 
• Marriage and Family: Franz Xaver Mozart married a singer named Sophie Lössl in 1808, and they had six children together. However, only two of their children survived to adulthood. 
• Career as a Teacher: In addition to his performing and composing career, Franz Xaver Mozart worked as a music teacher. He taught at various institutions, including the Conservatory of Prague and the Vienna Conservatory, where he held the position of professor of piano. 
• Relationship with Ludwig van Beethoven: Franz Xaver Mozart had a unique connection with the renowned composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven admired Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music and developed a close friendship with Franz Xaver, often engaging in musical discussions and collaborations. 
• Legacy: Although Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart's compositions are not as widely recognized as his father's, he made valuable contributions to the musical world of his time. His dedication to preserving his father's music and his own achievements as a pianist and composer have secured him a place in the history of classical music.