compositions, giving public performances, and giving music lessons. None of theseactivities produced enough income to support his family. He even traveled to Germanyfor the coronation of a new emperor, but his concerts there did not attract as muchattention as he had hoped. He died in poverty on December 5 , 1791. He was given acheap funeral at Saint Stephens Cathedral and buried in an unmarked grave at thecemetery of Saint Marx.Mozart excelled in almost every kind of musical composition. Several of histwenty-two operas gained worldwide recognition soon after his death, and they stillplease audiences all over the world. The Marriage of Figaro (1786) and Don Giovanni(1787) are operas he composed with words in Italian. The Magic Flute (1791) hasGerman words. Each of these contains arias (beautiful melodies for singers), recitative(Rapidly sung dialogue), ensembles in which several people sing at the same time, andchoruses. The orchestra provides an ever-changing expressive accompaniment. Thedrama ranges from comedy to tragedy.Mozart wrote over forty symphonies, many of which are performed today.Some originally were overtures (orchestral introductions) for operas, and last only afew minutes. His later symphonies, which are the most popular, are full-lengthorchestral compositions that last twenty to thirty minutes. Most of them consist of foursections. Mozarts last and most famous symphony, Number 41 (1788), is nicknamedthe Jupiter. Mozart composed a great amount of church music, most of it for performance atthe Salzburg Cathedral. He wrote Masses and shorter pieces called motets; and he setpsalms to music, especially for the afternoon or evening service. The music is beautifuland varied. It includes choral and solo parts, usually with accompaniment by organ andorchestra. Mozarts best-known sacred work is the Requiem (Mass for the Dead). Hebegan it in the last year of his life and while writing it is said to have considered hisown death. P...
