Why did Beethoven meet Mozart? What did Beethoven say about Mozart?

Beethoven met Mozart in Vienna in 1787 when Beethoven was 16 or 17 years old and Mozart was 30. Beethoven had a letter of introduction from Max Franz, whom Mozart knew, and gained entry into Mozart’s home and music room.

Beethoven’s visit was cut short by his mother’s illness and death, and he did not return to Vienna until 1792, after Mozart’s death. Beethoven admired Mozart and held him in high regard.

Some of Beethoven’s music is reflective of Mozart’s, and he produced various variations on Mozart’s themes and patterned a number of his pieces on Mozart’s.

Beethoven grew up listening to Mozart’s music and was concerned that he had plagiarized him in one of his early works. Beethoven regarded Mozart as one of the greatest musicians of all time and frequently requested copies of his instrumental and vocal works from publishers.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s composition resulted in more than 800 works of virtually every genre of his time. From 1782 to 1785 Mozart mounted concerts with himself as a soloist, presenting three or four new piano concertos in each season.