Publisher Provided Annotation The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), with that of his friend & elder contemporary, Franz Joseph Haydn, stands at the pinnacle of what today we call European music's classical era. Together, these composers created the style & forged the music for the symphony orchestra as we recognize it in our own time. Here in words & pictures is an absorbing look into the life, the works, the influences & the times of Mozart & his contemporaries. Explored in detail are Mozart's operas, symphonies & concertos, as well as his & his contemporaries' chamber music, often written for string quartet. A two-page spread explains the structure of SONATA FORM - the method of music composition perfected by Haydn & Mozart that served as the structure for their sonatas, concertos, symphonies & string quartets. This handsome volume closes with short sketches of musicians who have been influenced by Mozart, including Beethoven, Mahler, Stravinsky - & even the Beatles.