Salieri

Salieri 1750-1825

As the emperor’s kapellmeister, Antonio Salieri was very influential in the development of the eighteenth century opera, and during his lifetime, his work was performed and celebrated throughout Europe. He was also an important teacher. Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert, and Ludwig von Beethoven were among his students. Almost certainly there was tension between Mozart and Salieri. In letters exchanged with his father, Leopold, Mozart discussed how a group of Italians, led by Salieri, was putting up obstacles to his finding work. In one missive, Wolfgang complains, “The only one that counts in [the emperor’s] eyes is Salieri.” Part of this can be ascribed to the ongoing rivalry between the Italian and German schools of music. Ironically, however, Salieri had worked in Austria for a long time, and his work there was more characteristically German than Italian. Contrary to the legend, however, Mozart and the Italian often collaborated, with Salieri conducting or reviving works by the younger composer. In a letter to Constanze, Mozart wrote of how enthusiastically Salieri reacted at the premiere of The Magic Flute. They even co-wrote the cantata Per la recuperate salute di Ophelia. After Mozart’s death, Salieri had a hand in the education of his younger son.

Music by Salieri

Piano Concerto in B Flat Adagio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv9ooDrxTm8

Famed mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli talks about Salieri: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsNomFF55Kk

For Amadeus, Peter Shaffer commissioned a march for Salieri to play as a welcome for Mozart, who creates a now-famous variation on it “Non piu andrai” Here’s a quick comparison of the two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGCcVnbzv8U