Court composer in Vienna from 1739, organist at Empress Elizabeth Christine`s private chapel (1741-1750) and court keyboard instructor (from 1749). Wagenseil was a renowned composer of operatic, vocal, orchestral and chamber works and his prowess on the keyboard was widely praised; C. F. D. Schubart described his `extraordinary expressive power`. A Wagenseil scherzo was among the first pieces learned by Mozart (24 January 1761, as reported by Leopold in Nannerl Mozart`s music book) and Wolfgang performed a Wagenseil concerto for Maria Theresia during his first trip to Vienna in 1762; at that time, the family also purchased numerous works by the composer. On a later trip to Vienna, Leopold explained to his wife (30 January-3 February 1768): `I was told that all the clavier-players and composers in Vienna were opposed to our advancement, with the sole exception of Wagenseil, who, however, as he was ill at home, could not help us or contribute anything to our advantage`. Lit.: Scholz-Michelitsch, Georg Christoph Wagenseil, Hofkomponist und Hofklaviermeister der Kaiserin Maria Theresia; Heartz, Haydn, Mozart and the Viennese School, 1740-1780