Europe in the early and mid 18th century was marking time, trying to catch its breath after the bloody excesses of the previous century. Religious conflicts had almost wiped out the population of Germany and had split it politically. While larger nation-states were forming elsewhere, the middle of the continent was still a collection of independent kingdoms, dukedoms, principalities and cities that were organized into what they called the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nations.
             It was during this time that a young man by the name of Leopold Mozart was starting to forge his role as a chamber musician in the city of Salzburg. Able to earn a nice sized steady income from his position, he at age 28 married Anna Maria Pertl on November 21, 1747. Despite being a popular and happily married couple, they did not live without peril. They had five of their children die during infancy, which was not uncommon during that period.
             The Mozart's first child to survive infancy, Maria Anna "Nannerl" Mozart, was a musical child prodigy. Born in Salzburg on July 31, 1751, she was quickly considered one of the best pianists in the area. She would go on to become famous throughout the continent as one of the most gifted child musicians to ever live. She would play for the highest-ranking royals in the land only to be outshined by the youngest Mozart.
             Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756. Not much is known about young Wolfgang's first couple of years, but we know that he could be found behind the clavier picking out thirds while his father was teaching the art of music to his older sister. At the age of four, his father began to teach him the elements of the harpsichord and the basic rules of composition. It only took thirty minutes for young Wolfgang to master his first musical composition. It was a scherzo by George Christoph Wagenseil that he learned thr...