Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

When it comes to musicians, the label "genius" is overused, but it barely gives Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart justice.

The Austrian is largely regarded as the greatest composer of the Classical period, as well as one of the finest composers of Western music.

He was one of the few composers in history to write works in every genre of his time, as well as one of the top two most-performed composers of all time, and he composed 626 pieces of music in his short life.

He composed his first composition, a Minuet, and Trio in G Major when he was just five years old. He could copy Italian composer Gregorio Allegri's Miserere, a 15-minute composition, from memory at the age of 14.

These early indications of promise foreshadowed what was to come. Mozart went on to conquer the globe, writing masterpieces such as:

• The Marriage Of Figaro, one of his greatest operas
• Symphony No. 41, one of his most famous symphonies
• Piano Concerto No. 24, widely considered his best piano concerto
• His Clarinet Concerto in A Major, his last instrumental work

While Mozart's life was marked by achievement, for the most part, it ended under questionable circumstances. He died at the age of 35, and the cause of his death is still a mystery. Some say he was poisoned by his colleague Antonio Salieri, while others claim he died of rheumatic illness.

Unfortunately, much of Mozart's music remained unreleased at the time of his death, yet it has proven to be timeless. Mozart has recently outsold Beyonce, Adele, and Drake. And that's not all: one of his early manuscripts was sold at auction for a whopping £318,400. This encapsulates everything you need to know about his legacy.

Nationality: Holy Roman Empire