"Mozart: The Early Years, 1756-1781 is the first comprehensive look - in more than half a century - at the life and works of the composer's formative period. Renowned music historian Stanley Sadie takes us on a fascinating trip from Mozart's earliest days as a musical prodigy through his years of endless travel displaying his talents and finally to his escape from Salzburg, the provincial town of his youth." "In Mozart: The Early Years we gain a twenty-first-century perspective on the composer, whose life was extraordinarily colorful and whose works are arguably the most listened-to classical compositions today. Written for both professional musicians and music lovers, the book places the events in Mozart's life in the social economic, cultural, and musical environments in which the composer worked and performed." "Here we read not only where, when, and how Mozart composed each piece, but also how it sounds, why it took the form it did, and how it relates to his other works. We learn about the latest research on Mozart and his compositions, most of it gleaned in new ways from his letters and those of his family, his sketched music, his autograph manuscripts, and even the various papers on which all of these are written. Sadie illuminates the composer's world and his relationship with employers, colleagues, friends, and family."--BOOK JACKET.