Born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is probably best known as a quintessential child prodigy. He composed his first piece at the age of five, and during his short 35-year life, he produced over 800 works. But he wasn’t just quick off the mark and impressively productive, he was also a hugely innovative, progressive, and bold composer, making him one of the most influential figures in classical music history.

He’s also become well known today for his boisterous personality, thanks in large part to the 1984 film Amadeus and the unforgettable laugh of Tom Hulce. While the film does take many historical liberties, as most do, it nevertheless presents a delightful and surprisingly truthful portrayal of Mozart the man. Exuberant, playful, and at times even childish, he was by all accounts a joyous, deeply feeling person, brimming with humor, mischief, and vitality. He loved a good laugh, as well as a well-timed practical joke.

All of this shines through in his music. The range of emotions he conjures and speed at which he sometimes bounds from playful levity to tender love, to dramatic angst (and back again) is truly captivating. Perhaps this is why instrumentalists, when learning Mozart in school, are so often reminded by their teachers: “Remember, Mozart was an opera composer.” Of course, that’s not all he was. He wrote some 41 symphonies, 27 piano concertos, and countless other solo and chamber works. But we think of him first and foremost as a composer of opera precisely because he wore his heart on his sleeve—and in his manuscripts. He wrote for every instrument as if it were a singing voice, and there is always a sense that this is the lens through which he approached all his music.