[cartoonish painting of Mozart in bed sick, narrator speaking:] When Mozart was 28 years old his health began to fail. Yet, in spite of his failing health he continued to compose more and more music. [music, painting of Mozart writing music]  the music he wrote became more wonderful. Mozart did not use a piano when he composed, the complete work would be created in mind, then he would write it on paper, during that one year he wrote over 50 compositions, including 3 operas, and his 3 greatest symphonies, among them the symphony number 41, called the Jupiter.

[painting of Mozart at door] One day a few years later when Mozart was 35 he had a visit from a mysterious stranger. This visitor said his master, a wealthy nobleman, wanted Mozart to write a requiem for him. A requiem is a religious musical work that is sung in memory of a person who has died. [painting of Mozart writing music in bed] Mozart was very ill, but since he needed money so desperately he accepted the assignment. He felt in his heart that this would be his last composition. When the requiem was little more than half completed, Mozart died, and a pupil completed the work for him, reusing certain portions of music that appeared earlier in the requiem.

[painting of Mozart with music score] During his short lifetime, Mozart gave the world more than 600 great musical works. His music was truly a language of his time. A language he learned from meeting hundreds of wonderful people in the many cities, and countries he visited during the years when he did so much traveling. Almost all of his music is happy and tuneful, reflecting the natural happy spirit of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.