Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria and died in 1791 in Vienna, Austria. At that time, Austria was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Mozart was baptised Johannes Chrystostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Mozart preferred to use variations of the name Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart spoke many languages and would change his name to suit the language he was speaking.

Mozart is one of the best-known composers of the Classical Period and began composing pieces for the clavier before he was five years of age. During his short lifetime Mozart composed more than 600 works.

Mozart wrote three symphonies in 1788 and Symphony No. 40 is widely considered to be the most original and unconventional. According to aesthetic principles at that time, the key of G minor was associated with “lamentation” and “suffering”. Allegro molto is the first of four movements. There are no opening chords, which is unusual for a Classical symphony, and the movement features a repeated motif in the violins based on a semitone or half-step.