This work examines the social, political, and economic realities of 18th-century Vienna to determine how these environmental factors shaped the life and career of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Volkmar Braunbehrens, a noted musicologist, utilizes archival records, contemporary correspondence, and historical documentation to reconstruct the daily existence of the composer. The text argues that Mozart's professional struggles were not merely a result of personal temperament, but were deeply embedded in the rigid class structures and shifting patronage systems of the Habsburg Empire.

Scholars and historians frequently cite this text for its meticulous attention to the socio-economic conditions of the period. Readers often note that the prose provides a grounded, realistic look at the composer's life, stripping away romanticized myths in favor of historical accuracy.