If you had to guess which musical artist had the top-selling CD of the year, you might guess someone like Adele, Drake, or Beyonce. But in fact, in terms of the number of CDs sold, the top artist of 2016 was another musician often known by just one name: Mozart, as in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the prolific and influential Austrian composer of the Classical era of the mid- to late-1700s. Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition has sold 1.25 million copies so far, although that number may be slightly misleading as it individually counts every CD in the collection, which consists of a whopping 200 compact discs and includes every single work by the classical music giant. Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition features 600 world-class soloists and 60 orchestras and offers 240 hours of enjoyment.
Growing up gifted in the 1700s:
- Born in Salzburg, Mozart demonstrated a prodigious musical ability from an early age. He composed his first piece at the age of 5 and performed on keyboard and violin for European royalty.
- Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was 8 years old. It is believed that his father transcribed most of it for him.
- Strangely enough, Mozart had a particular fondness for scatalogical humor. Examples can be found in his letters, particularly those written to his cousin, Maria Anna Thekla Mozart, around 1777.