Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), one of the greatest musical talents of all times, was only a child when he first acquired fame throughout Europe for his virtuosity at the piano and his compositions of sonatas and symphonies. His parents and sister accompanied him on a tour of European courts and concert venues in the 1760’s. In 1765, at the age of only nine, they arrived in the Netherlands. Their Dutch “divertimento”, as explained in this programme, ended up lasting longer than the planned one-month stay. One of the high points of young Mozart’s sojourn was when he was allowed to play for one hour at the colossal organ of the great St. Bavo Church of Haarlem, one of the biggest and most imposing instruments of its kind in the world.
Producer: Chris Chambers
Broadcast November 1, 2006