Mozart or Beethoven?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, in the Holy Roman Empire (modern Austria), and died on December 5, 1791 in Vienna at only 35 years old. A child prodigy, he composed his first piece at age 5 and toured European royal courts with his father Leopold from the age of 6. During his short life, Mozart produced more than 600 works including 41 symphonies, 27 piano concertos, 23 string quartets, and timeless operas such as The Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), and The Magic Flute (1791). His unfinished Requiem in D minor, commissioned anonymously, was completed by his student Sussmayr. Mozart was a master of the Classical style, blending Italian opera lyricism with Germanic structure, and his music continues to be performed daily worldwide.

Ludwig van Beethoven was baptized on December 17, 1770 in Bonn, Germany, and died on March 26, 1827 in Vienna. Bridging the Classical and Romantic eras, he revolutionized Western music by expanding the symphony, sonata, and string quartet into deeply emotional, large-scale works. Beethoven began losing his hearing in his late 20s and was profoundly deaf by his 40s, yet composed his greatest works, including the Ninth Symphony with its famous choral finale Ode to Joy, in near-total silence. The Ninth premiered in 1824, and Ode to Joy is now the official anthem of the European Union. Beethoven composed nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, and one opera (Fidelio). His Heiligenstadt Testament from 1802 reveals his despair over deafness but also his fierce dedication to art.