Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 and died in 1791 at
the age of only 35. During his short life he composed a huge number of musical
works, many of which are still performed today. However, he also found time for
recreation and two of his chief delights were billiards and bowls. Both these
games are played today by many people, although the game of billiards is less
common than snooker. In Mozart’s day, he would have played by propelling the
balls with a pusher rod rather than the modern snooker cue.
There is little doubt that he pursued these games not just
their own sake but because he found in the movement and control of a rolling
ball congenial accompaniment to the movement within his own copious and
productive mind.
There are recorded instances of him stopping in the middle
of a game of billiards to make notes, or of him humming, as he played, a theme
which was later found in one of his works. It is known that he was particularly
fond of playing billiards alone while keeping his notebook handy – although the
notes he made were always only the briefest indication of an idea, for he did
his actual composing in his head.
The ever-flowing rhythms in his mind induced him incessantly
to tap away at the table, a chair-back, or anything to hand, and there is no
doubt that he spent some of his most fruitful hours alone at the billiard table.
© John Welford
