What happened 1764 AD

A momentous event for classical music occurred in Paris in 1764. In five movements, a violin sonata was published: the first was fast; the second was slow; two minuets followed, followed by a final fast movement. An eight-year-old Mozart had switched from actor to composer. His first recorded music was this, his Opus 1.

Mozart, the boy wondered, enchanted anyone who was everyone from noblemen to royalty. Leopold revealed his attention and was also no doubt grateful for the hard cash produced by his offspring. The King presented him with music from Wagenseil, Bach, Abel and Handel and at first sight he played them all. He played the King's own organ so well, that people said that playing his organ was better than playing his piano. He then accompanied the Queen in a poem, and the flute player in a piece of flute and piano.

In aid of a newly established maternity hospital, Mozart performed his compositions on the harpsichord and organ at a benefit concert. The entry fee was 5 shillings.

Bach met Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1764, who was eight years old at the time and his father had taken him to London. Bach then began to teach Mozart in composition for five months. For keyboard concertos Mozart set three sonatas from Bach's Op. 5.

Leopold moved his family to recover from a chill and sore throat caught at an open-air concert at the house of the Earl of Thanet in Grosvenor Square, here on 5 August 1764. A blue plaque commemorates their stay. Mozart wrote his first two symphonies, K16 and K19, to keep himself busy.

The British general, Robert Craufurd, was born in Newark Castle in 1764.

John Abernethy was born in London, England in the late 18th century.

The founder of the Royal Geographical Society, John Barrow, was born in Ulverston, England.

The American architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe was born in England in 1764.

Madame de Pompadour, King Louis XV of France's mistress, passed away at the age of 42.

The Czech composer, Gottfried Rieger, was born in the Czech Republic in 1764.

The youngest sister of king Louis XIV, Élisabeth, was born in France.

The composer, Franz xaver Gerl, was born in Austria in the 19th century.

Friedrich Heine was born in Leipzig in 1764.

Paolo Francesco Parenti was born in Naples, Italy in 1764.

Francesco Algarotti, an Italian art collector, died at the age of 53.