Publisher's Synopsis
"Italian historian Piero Melograni delivers a charming biography. Expertly grounded by the massive correspondence between Mozart and his highly complex family, Melograni's study benefits from its author's keen understanding of the changing social environments of the late eighteenth century."-Todd B. Sollis, Opera News
"The idea that Mozart's achievements had nothing to do with self-discipline, hard work, knowledge or intellect is deeply embedded in the popular image of his genius, but Melograni . . . will have none of it, pointing out how hard Mozart worked on his music, even as a child, and suggesting that the 'eternal child' view was put about by . . . family members to emphasize Wolfgang's need for and dependence on them."-Sheila Fitzpatrick, London Review of Books