Antonio Salieri
18 August 1750, Legagno, Italy – 7 May 1825, Vienna, Austria
Antonio Salieri was an Italian composer, conductor and teacher especially known for his opera's. During his career he wrote works for opera houses in Venice, Rome, and Paris. His works were widely performed in Europe during his lifetime, but were rarely heard after the 2nd half of the 19th century. His music enjoyed a revival in the late 20th century due to the motion picture Amadeus.
As a child he was taught music by his older brother and the organist of the cathedral in his native town of Legnago, Verona. He displayed an early passion for music, running away from home to see his brother play violin concertos, and making critical comments on a local priest's organ playing.
Shortly after the death of both of his parents in 1763-64, Salieri became the ward of Venetian nobleman Giovanni Mocenigo. Salieri continued his musical studies in Venice, and came to the attention of Florian Leopold Gassmann who, impressed by Salieri's musical abilities, took him to Vienna where he directed and paid for his future musical education.
At the age of 16, Gassman introduced Salieri to Emperor Joseph II, and the daily evening chamber music performances held during his evening meal. Salieri impressed the emperor, and was appointed court composer upon the death of Gassman in 1774, and also the director of the Italian opera. In this same year he met his wife Therese von Helfersdorfer, and they went on to have eight children together.
During this period Salieri met Metastasio and Gluck, who tutored and advised him over the next few years. It was during this extended period of study that in 1770 Salieri composed his first full opera: Le donne letterate. The success of this opera led to his 34 year career as an opera composer. The years following 1770 are when Salieri composed the majority of his instrumental works, although they are few in number overall and are said to lack the inspiration found in his works for stage.
In 1778 composed the inaugural opera for La Scala in Milan upon the suggestion and approval of Emperor Joseph II and Gluck. At this time he partook in a two year tour of Italy. Salieri returned to Vienna, but this was short lived as he travelled to Paris on commision, writing several operas, again under the patronage of Gluck.
In 1788 Salieri returned to Vienna and remained there for the rest of his life. In the same year he became Kappellmeister of the Imperial Chapel, conducting the music and managing the musical school connected with the chapel. He continued this role until only a year before his death in 1824.
By 1790 Salieri's fame abroad had peaked, and with the death of Emperor Joseph II his influence in Vienna was weakened and deprived him of his greatest patron. As his political position became very insecure, he was retired as director of the Italian opera in 1792. By 1804 Salieri recognised that musical styles had changed, and he no longer had the creative capacity to adapt nor the desire to continue and he withdraw from operatic composition.
Salieri's role as Kappellmeister continued, and his final years in composition were dedicated almost exclusively to religious works. He also continued to conduct during this time, including several premieres of Beethoven works. Salieri also continued to teach budding young musicians, usually in vocal composition, and all but the wealthiest students were taught for free; a homage to the kindness shown to him as a poor orphan by Gassman. Notable students include Beethoven, Liszt and Schubert.
Salieri suffered dementia for the last year and a half of his life, and he died in Vienna in 1825. He was buried at Matzleinsdorfer Friedhof cemetery, with his remains later being transferred to Zentralfriedhof cemetery.
Salieri's Key Works
Salieri wrote 43 operas in total, the most famous being Les Danaïdes in 1784, which was originally commissioned for Gluck, who, unable to proceed due to ill health, passed the job to Salieri. He also composed Tarare in 1787. Both of these operas were composed during his Parisian tour of 1780-88.
Salieri also composed instrumental music, including concertos for oboe, violin and cello, flute and oboe and flute and strings.
Salieri's Links to the Composers of the First Viennese School
Salieri was a teacher of Beethoven between 1800-1802, teaching him singing and vocal composition, especially for the opera. He was said to be a friend of Haydn, and in 1808 a performance of Haydn's The Creation was organised in Haydn's honour which Salieri led, and at which Haydn and Beethoven were both present.
An account of the situation between Salieri and Mozart abounds in the public imagination due to the 1984 motion picture Amadeus in which Salieri, bitter rival of Mozart, poisons and kills him. Today, this theory has been pretty soundly debunked, and although the exact cause of Mozart's death is not known, it is most commonly thought to have been chronic kidney disease.
It is true that Salieri and Mozart were professional rivals. Salieris music's popularity was fading while Mozarts was gaining popularity even after his death. Italian opera in Vienna was Salieri's domain, and Mozart's forays into the genre was stepping on Salieri's toes. It was said that Salieri used his connections to keep Mozart as the underdog. There is nothing to suggest however that the rivalry developed beyond the professional boundaries.
Even during Salieris lifetime, rumours of Salieri assassinating Mozart abounded, usually spread by people who had not known Salieri, and refuted by those that did. Salieri allegedly made a deathbed confession, but no proof of this exists, and two 24/7 caregivers in the last two years of Salieris life heard no such confession.
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