Mozart's first composition. 19th-century artwork of a five-year-old Mozart creating his first composition. Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was a musical prodigy. Initially taught by his father (Leopold Mozart), he later came to be regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music, particularly Viennese classicism. His prolific output covered many musical genres with over 600 compositions, including orchestral symphonies, instrumental concertos, chamber music, and operas. This wood engraving dates from circa 1888.