Maria Anna Mozart was the elder sister of the better known Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In her childhood she was tutored by her father as a musician, much the same way that Wolfgang was. In fact, in her youth she was a proficient harpsichordist and on tours with her brother she sometimes received top billing.
But why then do we never hear of Maria as a musician? I hear you asking. Well, due to the social conventions of the time, when girls reached a marriageable age they were to focus on the marrying thing, rather than showcase their incredible talent and become famous.
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There is some evidence (in letters from her brother) that she was a composer (although no manuscripts have survived) and that she maintained a close relationship with her brother throughout their adults lives (although some historians beg to differ). What historians don't differ on is that Wolfgang and Maria where extremely close as children, even creating their own language and imagining a kingdom which they ruled together (it's a sibling thing).
Maria ended up marrying a fellow by the name of Johann Baptist Franz von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg (say that three times fast, I dare you), who already had something like five kids from previous marriages. Maria bore him three of her own, although one of them (the eldest, a kid named Leopold after her father) was actually raised by her father. We have no idea why Leopold Jr was raised by Leopold Sr, some theories are to do with the child's health, Maria's submissiveness to her father and that it was possible that Maria was just too busy caring for so many other children that she couldn't look after a new born herself. Whatever the reason, Leopold Jr was raised by Grandad until Grandad died.
So sing a little ditty and wish a very happy birthday to the slightly lesser known of the Mozarts.
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