I'm always fascinated by the relationship between music and literature, and this charming delve into Mozart's life and works bridges that gap with lyric prose and a pure, simple joy for the subject matter.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advanced copy of this look at a composer, his life, his problems, and of course the music.

Most of my knowledge about the composer Mozart probably comes from the Academy Award winning film Amadeus, which I saw as a child on HBO. I know to many the movie Amadeus is like learning about Franz Liszt from the Ken Russell movie Lisztomania, but it was probably my first introduction to composers and their lives. My father was more Jazz, my mom AM radio, so classical music was more familiar to me from movies or watching firework displays on television. Sadly my lack of classical music knowledge has continued, even after working in music stores as well as bookstores. Italian Prog Rock I can discuss for hours, waltzes, not so much. After reading this book, I feel I not only know more, but I can find the proper mindset to understand what makes this music so moving, powerful, and well classical. Mozart in Motion: His Work and His World in Pieces by the poet Patrick Mackie is a look at Mozart's life through his music, a look at how actions effected his creations, and vice versa.

The book is written in essay form with each essay being titled after a particular composition, and the essay focusing on what was happening with Mozart at the time he was creating. Details like what the cities were like are explored and sometimes the chaos, or even the indifference of the people is used as fuel for Mozart's creativity. Paris considered one of the great cities, seems like a miserable mess, one that Mozart would probably agree with. The streets were filthy, dangerous, and even the best hall for performing sound like places even the Ramones would have said no thank you. A chapter about his father details the many problems they had, along with their lack of communication near the end. While the life is of course important, the study of the music is what really makes this book for me. Mackie's descriptions really convey the beauty of the pieces, and to read how they were created was very interesting.

Music and poetry go quite well together, something that seems apparant in rock, but not in classical. Mackie has a keen eye for detail, finding things that don't seem that major or important, and showing this here is what created this, or this situation made this possible, and here is why. Mackie also uses his skill as a poet to set the scenes, in Paris, in small apartments and tenements. The lack of interest in crowds, and the sudden feeling that this song will be remembered. Mackie reminds the reader why these songs are still remembered, conveying the power and majesty, but also their beauty, and why they will continue to go on.

Familiarity with the music will be helpful, which is why I suggest listening the essay titles while reading. The music really is the perfect soundtrack. Recommended for classical music fans, music fans in general, and for people who enjoy interesting biographies, especially well written ones.