Salzburg and the grand tour : 1756-1769 -- Works by an 'almost supernatural talent' -- Italy and Salzburg : 1769-1773 -- Opera seria : 'fitting the clothes to the figure' -- Salzburg : 1773-1777 -- Sacred music : 'I have thoroughly acquainted myself with that style since my youth' -- Mannheim and Paris : 1777-1779 -- The 'classical style' : Mozart and the keyboard -- Salzburg and Munich : 1779-1781 -- Orchestral music : 'the glorious effect of a symphony with flutes, oboes, and clarinets' -- Vienna : 1781-1785 -- Singspiel : 'music must never offend the ear' -- 'Land of the clavier' : piano concertos and piano chamber music -- Vienna and Prague : 1785-1788 -- Chamber music : 'the greatest composer I know' -- Opera buffa : 'most important is that it must be really comic' -- The last years : 1788-1791 -- The last works : 'a rich possession, but even fairer hopes' -- Aftermath : '-- de morte transire ad vitam'.