Fast Facts about Mozart

1. Mozart lived to be 35 years old, making his lifespan about 13,100 days. Of those, he spent 3,720 of them traveling Europe and performing. His cumulative travel time adds up to over ten years, nearly a third of his life.


2. Although Mozart was born with five names, neither "Wolfgang" nor "Amadeus" were included. His birth name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Later, his father shortened Wolfgangus to Wolfgang, and he adopted the Latin version of Theophilus, Amadeus. Read more.


3. Studies show that people may exhibit improved spatial reasoning after listening to Mozart. Has his music tapped into some intelligence-building cerebral code? Nope. Other studies proved that audio stimulation of nearly any kind can keep people more alert and improve spatial reasoning. So next time you've got a little thinking to do, just flip a coin -- heads, Mozart; tails, Alvin and the Chipmunks' Christmas album.


4. Locating Mozart’s remains has proved tricky. Originally buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave, Mozart’s final resting place is unknown. Earlier this year, forensic specialists tested a skull speculated to be Mozart’s, but admitted the tests were inconclusive.


5. Mozart is a musical ambassador for our planet. NASA launched the twin Voyager spacecrafts toward deep space Aug. 20 and Sept. 5, 1977. Both contained a golden record containing sounds and photos from Earth and basic instructions on how it should be played. Among the samples of music is a selection from Mozart’s famous opera, ‘The Magic Flute.’


Sources Used

Politoske, Daniel T. "Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus." World Book Online Reference Center. 2006. World Book, Inc. 26 Jan. 2006.

"Mission Overview: Voyager 1 and Voyager 2." NASA-JPL Voyager. 2004. NASA. 26 Jan. 2006 http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/missions/voyager.html