Antonio Salleri Program Notes and Sheet Music

The Maestro of Vienna: More Than a Myth

A dying old man, lost in the fog of dementia, confesses to a terrible crime: poisoning his brilliant, god-like rival thirty years earlier out of pure jealousy. This is the story—a fiction—that has come to define Antonio Salieri. Thanks to Peter Shaffer’s play Amadeus and its Oscar-winning film adaptation, Salieri is remembered as the patron saint of mediocrity, a plotting, vindictive man forever eclipsed by the genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But the historical reality is far more compelling. The real Antonio Salieri was no villain. He was a prodigiously talented and hardworking musician who rose from humble origins to become the most powerful and respected composer in Imperial Vienna. He was a celebrated opera composer, a conductor, and, most importantly, one of the most influential music teachers of all time, generously instructing—often for free—a roster of pupils that included Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and Franz Liszt. The story of the real Salieri is not a tragedy of envy, but a triumph of talent, dedication, and influence.

From Orphan to Protégé

Antonio Salieri was born in 1750 in Legnago, a small town in the Republic of Venice. His family was prosperous, and his older brother, a former student of the virtuoso Giuseppe Tartini, gave him his first lessons on the violin and harpsichord. His talent was undeniable, but his comfortable childhood was shattered by a series of tragedies. By the time he was fifteen, both of his parents had died, leaving him an orphan. He was taken in by family friends in Venice, where he continued his musical studies. It was there, in 1766, that his life changed forever. Florian Leopold Gassmann, a leading Viennese court composer, was visiting the city and happened to hear the young Salieri sing. Impressed by the boy’s talent and moved by his plight, Gassmann offered to take him back to Vienna to oversee his education. He brought Salieri directly into the musical heart of the Habsburg Empire, introduced him to the emperor, and personally taught him composition based on the rigorous counterpoint text by Johann Joseph Fux. Salieri, ever grateful, would later refer to Gassmann as his "benefactor, father, and friend."

The Imperial Court and Operatic Triumph

Under Gassmann’s guidance, Salieri flourished. He was introduced to the leading figures of Viennese musical life, including the great opera reformer Christoph Willibald Gluck. Vienna was the operatic capital of Europe, and Salieri quickly made his mark. His first opera, Le donne letterate, premiered in 1770 to great success. When Gassmann died in 1774, Salieri succeeded him as the court chamber composer and director of the Italian opera. He became a close associate and artistic heir to Gluck, who championed his work. In the 1780s, Gluck, too old to fulfill a commission from Paris, passed the opportunity to Salieri. The resulting opera, Les Danaïdes (1784), was a colossal international triumph. It was initially presented as a collaboration between Gluck and Salieri, but after its wild success, Gluck publicly declared that Salieri was its sole author. This success, along with others like the comedy La grotta di Trofonio, solidified Salieri’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading opera composers.

His power reached its zenith in 1788 when Emperor Joseph II appointed him Imperial Royal Kapellmeister. This was the highest and most influential musical post in the Habsburg court, a position Salieri would hold for an astonishing 36 years. As Kapellmeister, he was responsible for all music at court, from sacred services to operatic productions and chamber concerts. He was, in effect, the musical dictator of Vienna. It was in this capacity that he crossed paths with Mozart.

The Mozart "Rivalry"

The idea of a bitter, life-and-death struggle between Salieri and Mozart is a dramatic invention. The reality was a professional rivalry, common between artists competing for commissions and prestige in a crowded musical city. Both men were masters of their craft, and they certainly vied for the Emperor’s favor. Mozart, in his letters, occasionally complained that the "Italian cabal" led by Salieri was blocking his opportunities. However, there is no evidence of any malicious action on Salieri's part. In fact, there is evidence of mutual respect and even collaboration. In 1785, they contributed to a joint composition, a cantata for a favored singer. In 1791, the final year of Mozart’s life, Salieri attended a performance of The Magic Flute and was, by Mozart's own account, overwhelmingly enthusiastic. After Mozart's death, Salieri championed his music, conducting performances of his works and even taking on Mozart’s son, Franz Xaver, as a music student, free of charge. The poisoning rumor was a piece of gossip that only gained traction decades later, stoked by romantic nationalism that sought to pit German genius (Mozart) against Italian craft (Salieri).

The Legendary Teacher

While Salieri’s compositional fame began to fade in the early 19th century as musical tastes shifted, his influence entered a new and arguably more important phase: his role as a teacher. He was a pillar of the Viennese musical establishment and saw it as his duty to nurture the next generation of talent. His list of pupils is staggering. A young Ludwig van Beethoven came to him in the 1790s to perfect his skills in Italian vocal composition, and their relationship was one of mutual respect; Beethoven dedicated his three Op. 12 violin sonatas to his teacher. A poor but prodigiously gifted young man named Franz Schubert was sent to him by the Imperial Court chapel and studied with him for several years. The young piano virtuoso Franz Liszt was another of his pupils. Dozens of other notable musicians, including the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer and the pianist Ignaz Moscheles, also benefited from his instruction. He rarely accepted payment from his students, believing his service to music was a reward in itself. This legacy alone secures his place as a monumental figure in music history.

Final Years and Legacy

Salieri composed his last opera in 1804 and largely retired from the stage, focusing on his court duties and teaching. In his final years, his health failed, and he suffered from dementia, spending his last years in a hospital. It was during this period of mental decline that the old, baseless rumors about him poisoning Mozart resurfaced, with some claiming he had confessed in his delirium. He died in 1825 and was buried with high honors. A Requiem he had composed for his own death thirty years prior was performed at his funeral.

For over a century, Salieri was largely forgotten, a footnote in the biographies of his more famous pupils and rival. But historical scholarship has resurrected his true legacy. He was not a jealous mediocrity, but a highly skilled, successful, and generous musician who stood at the absolute center of one of the most vibrant musical periods in history. He wrote over 40 operas, numerous symphonies, and a vast quantity of sacred and chamber music. And through his teaching, his artistic DNA was passed down to the titans of the next generation, shaping the course of Romantic music. The real Salieri needs no one’s pity; he earned his place in history.

Section 4: References and Further Reading

• Braunbehrens, Volkmar. Maligned Master: The Real Story of Antonio Salieri. Translated by Eveline L. Kanes, Fromm International, 1992.

• Grout, Donald Jay, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. W. W. Norton & Company, 2010.

• Rice, John A. Antonio Salieri and Viennese Opera. University of Chicago Press, 1998.

• Thayer, Alexander Wheelock. Salieri: Rival of Mozart. Edited by Theodore Albrecht, Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City, 1989.

• Walpole, K. "Antonio Salieri." Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press, 2001.