I was born in Augsburg, Bavaria, on 14 November, 1719, the son of a bookbinder. Desiring to escape my mother's desire that I enter the priesthood, I left my home and relocated in Salzburg, where I studied theology at the university and did quite well until my expulsion in 1739. I then grew more interested in music, becoming a violinist and valet to one of the university's canons, Count Thurn und Taxis in 1740.
In 1747 I married Anna Maria Pertl, who bore me seven children, although only two of them survived: Maria Anna Wallburga Ignatia (called Nannerl) and Wolfgang Amadeus. In 1756, the same year as Wolfgang's birth, I wrote and published my "Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule", a comprehensive treatise on violin technique. Today, it is one of the most well-read sources on performance practice in the 18th century, along with Johann Joachim Quantz's "Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversière zu spielen" (on flute playing) and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's "Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen" (on keyboard playing). I devoted much of my life to developing and supporting the talents of my two gifted children, at the expense of my own work.
My music has inevitably been overshadowed by the work of my son, but my Cassation in G for Orchestra and Toys (Toy Symphony), once attributed to Joseph Haydn, remains popular, and a number of symphonies, a trumpet concerto, and other works also survive. I am much concerned with a naturalistic feel to my compositions, my "Jagdsinfonie" (or Sinfonia da Caccia for 4 horns and Strings) calls for dogs and shotguns and my "Bauernhochzeit" (Peasant Wedding) includes bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, dulcimer, whoops and whistles, and pistol shots.
Most educated connoisseurs of music would agree that I reached a high point of creativity around 1760. After that, the amount of time I put into composing, as well as teaching violin, gradually decreased until 1771 when I wrote my last composition. I did, however still concentrate on my job as Kappellmeister, as well as many of my and Wolfgang's concerts all around Europe.
My oeuvre is extensive, but historians find it hard to establish either the scope or the quality of it; much is lost and it is not known how representative the surviving works are of my overall output. Some of my work was erroneously attributed to Wolfgang, and some pieces attributed to me were subsequently shown to be his. Much of what survives is light music, but some more significant work survives, including my "Sacrament Litany in D" (1762) and three piano sonatas, all published during my lifetime.
Although I am undoubtedly a very skilled musician, I sometimes have problems working with other people. I am often called an unpleasant person to be around by others working with me, particularly those in the Residenz of the Archbishop of Salzburg, where I was Kappellmeister for many years. My relations with my wife and my two children have been criticized, particularly with Wolfgang. It is said that I exploited my son, as well as profited from and commercializing his incredible musical talents. Nothing could be further from the truth, and you may ask Wolfgang if you do not believe me.
I believe that my son is a miracle of God and that I was given the duty by God to educate him and show his talents to the whole world. Once, I described my son as "The miracle which God let be born in Salzburg". After numerous arguments, there was a split between us. Later, our relations improved as we started to regard ourselves as fellow musicians rather than father and son.
My good wife and I still live in Salzburg, where we own a vineyard, "Elysium Fields". I enjoy wines and fine dining, reading, painting, and composition.
