Maria Anna Mozart

Hello, my name is Maria Anna Mozart, but from the time I was a little girl, everyone called me 'Nannerl.' I was born on July 30th, 1751, in the lovely city of Salzburg, a place filled with music and art. My father, Leopold, was a well-respected musician and a wonderful teacher. He recognized my interest in music early on and began teaching me to play the harpsichord when I was just seven years old. From the very first time my fingers touched the keys, I knew I had found my passion. It felt so natural, and I learned very quickly. A few years after I was born, my brilliant younger brother, Wolfgang, arrived, and our home was soon filled with even more music.

My performing career began when I was still a child. In 1762, my father decided that the world needed to hear the music our family was creating. He took Wolfgang and me on a grand tour across Europe. It was an incredible adventure. We traveled by carriage for many long days, watching the landscapes change as we visited grand cities like Paris and The Hague. I had the honor of playing for some of the most important people in the world. In Vienna, we performed for Empress Maria Theresa, and in 1764, we played for King George III in London. During these early years of our travels, I was often the main attraction. I was celebrated for my skill and my ability to play very difficult and complex pieces on both the harpsichord and the newer fortepiano.

As the years passed, the music of our tours began to change. My brother Wolfgang was growing up, and his astonishing talent for both composing and performing became the center of attention. He was truly a genius, and I was so proud of him. However, in the 1700s, the world had very different ideas about what was proper for a young woman. Society did not encourage women to have public careers as traveling performers. So, around the year 1769, when I turned eighteen, my father decided my touring days were over. It was a difficult time for me. I felt immense pride watching my brother succeed, but I was also sad to leave the stage behind. I continued to pour my heart into music, and I even began composing my own pieces. In his letters, Wolfgang would praise my work, but sadly, none of my compositions have survived to this day.

My life entered a new chapter on August 23rd, 1784, when I married a kind man named Johann Baptist von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg. I moved with him to the nearby town of St. Gilgen, where I became a mother to his children from a previous marriage and had three children of my own. Though my life was now focused on my family and running a household, my passion for music never faded. I found a new way to share my gift. I began teaching the fortepiano to students in my new community. It brought me great joy to pass on the knowledge and love for music that my father had given me so many years before.

After my husband passed away in 1801, I returned to my beloved hometown of Salzburg. There, I continued my work and became a highly respected music teacher. It also became very important to me to preserve my family's story. I carefully saved our letters and shared my memories with people who wanted to write about my brother's incredible life and music. By doing so, I helped the world understand the real person behind the magnificent compositions. I lived a long and full life, to the age of 78 years old. Today, I am remembered not just as the sister of a genius, but as a brilliant musician in my own right, whose talent shone brightly across Europe and who passed on her love for music to future generations.