At the period of musical history in which the gifted boy lived, a musician’s education was not complete unless he went to Italy, for this country stood first as the home of music.  Leopold Mozart had made a couple of trips to Vienna with his children, the account of which need not detain us here.  He had decided that Wolfgang must go to Italy, and breathe in the atmosphere of that land of song.  And so in December, 1769, father and son set out for the sunny south, with high hopes for success.

Mozart’s happy nature was jubilant over the journey.  He watched eagerly the peasants as they danced on the vine-clad terraces, overlooking the deep blue lakes,—­or listened as they sang at their work in the sunny fields.  He gazed at the wonderful processions of priests through narrow streets of the towns, but above all there was the grand music in the cathedrals.

The young musician had plenty of work to do, more than most boys of thirteen.  For, besides the concerts he had to give, he was set difficult problems by the various professors who wished to test his powers.  The fame of his playing constantly spread, so the further he traveled into Italy there were more demands to hear him.  At Roveredo, where it was announced he would play the organ in St. Thomas’s Church, the crowd was so great he could scarcely get to the organ-loft.  The vast audience listened spellbound, and then refused to disperse till they had caught a glimpse of the boy player.  At Verona he had another triumph; one of his symphonies was performed, and his portrait was ordered to be painted.

When they reached Milan the Chief musician of the city subjected the boy to severe tests, all of which he accomplished to the astonishment and delight of everybody.  It was at Bologna however, where he met the most flattering reception.  Here was the home of the famous Padre Martini, the aged composer of church music.  Father Martini was almost worshiped by the Italians; he was a most lovable man and looked up to as a great composer.  He had long ago given up attending concerts, so that every one was astonished when he was present in the brilliant audience gathered at Count Pallavicini’s mansion to listen to the boy’s playing.  Wolfgang did his best, for he realized the importance of the event.  Father Martini took the boy to his heart at once, invited him to visit him as often as possible during his stay, and gave him several fugue subjects to work out.  These the boy accomplished with ease, and the Padre declared he was perfectly satisfied with his knowledge of composition.

The journey to Rome was now continued, and for Wolfgang it was a succession of triumphs.  At Florence he played before the Court of the Archduke Leopold, and solved every problem put to him by the Court music director as easily as though he were eating a bit of bread.