HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Antonio Salieri

Born on 18 August 1750 in the Republic of Venice, Antonio Salieri (sal-i-er-i) was a major classical composer in the same league as his contemporary, Mozart, who has slipped through the cracks since his time. Albeit Italian, he was considered German, spending most of his career in Vienna. His main claim to fame was Italian opera for three languages and a nova-like culmination of Classical opera before the Romantic to come. Salieri staged thirty-seven operas amidst his greater oeuvre.

Salieri was orphaned in 1763/64, upon which he was taken in by a monk in Padua, then in Venice by one Giovanni Mocenigo, a connected nobleman. Receiving instruction from Giovanni Pescetti, then a lesser-known opera singer, he was taken to Vienna for tutoring in 1766 by composer, Florian Leopold Gassmann. Among his concluding studies with Gassmann was his unpublished opera, 'La Vestale', of 1768 with libretto by an unknown. As Gassman was in the employ of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, Salieri became associated with Christoph Willibald Gluck and Metastasio at that court. From the latter he received instruction such that in 1770 he produced his first opera, a buffa titled 'Le Donne Letterate' with libretto by Boccherini after Molière's 'Les Femmes Savantes'. In latter 1776 Salieri premiered his oratorio, 'La Passione di Gesù Cristo', with a libretto authored by Metastasio back in 1730.

'La Passione di Gesù Cristo' Oratorio by Antonio Salieri

Completed per 2 movements 1776 Libretto by Metastasio 1730

Cologne Musicus Choir / Das Neue Orchester / Christoph Spering

IMSLP Wikipedia Français

In 1778 Salieri left Austria for Italy, writing his 'Picciola Serenata' ('Little Serenade') in B-flat major about that time. He scored that in four movements for two oboes, two horns and bassoon. Salieri later opened the new Teatro La Scala in Milan with 'Europa Riconosciuta' ('Europa Recognized') on 3 August of 1778. It was not performed again until 2004 at the same venue.

'Presto' of 'Picciola Serenata' Movement 4 of 4 in B-flat major Serenade by Antonio Salieri

Completed sometime 1778

Il Gruppo di Roma

IMSLP ScorSer

'Europa Riconosciuta' Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiere at the new Teatro La Scala on 3 August 1778 Libretto by Mattia Verazi

Il Gruppo di Roma

IMSLP Opera Ramblings

Salieri staged other operas in Venice and Rome before returning to Vienna to premiere the comic 'Der Rauchfangkehrer' ('The Chimney Sweep') at the Burgtheatre on 30 April of1781. The libretto for that was supplied by Leopold Auenbrugger. Salieri then rattled his wheels to Munich where he staged his only opera with a libretto by Metastasio, 'Semiramide Riconosciuta' ('Semirande Recognized'), on 14 January of 1782. The character, Semiramide, is the wife of Assyrian king, Nimrod. Composed 53 years earlier, that had been set to music numerous times beginning with Leonardo Vinci back on 6 February 1729. A short while after Salieri's production Metastasio died in April of 1782 in Vienna.

Overture to 'Der Rauchfangkehrer' Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiere at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 30 April 1781 Libretto by Leopold Auenbrugger

Mannheim Mozart Orchestra / Thomas Fey

Wikipedia Deutsch

In 1783/84 Salieri went to Paris to work with Christoph Gluck, resulting in the performance of 'Les Danaïdes' on 26 April 1784 by the Paris Opera (founded 1669). Gluck had largely begun 'Les Danaïdes' before suffering a stroke, thereat hiring Salieri to finish it, crediting Salieri with the whole thing. The libretto was begun for Gluck by Ranieri de' Calzabigi and finished by François-Louis Gand Le Bland Du Roullet with Louis-Théodore de Tschudi. The Danaides are the fifty daughters of Danaus, king of Libya (son of the king of Egypt), forty-nine of which kill their husbands as instructed on their common wedding nights. The exception is Hypermnestra whose husband, Lynceus, leaves her a virgin on their wedding night. Thus is said to have begun the Danaid Dynasty of the kings of Argos preceding democratic Greece. Versions of this myth have Lynceus avenging the death of his forty-nine brothers by killing Danaus. The Danaïdes are said to have been punished by having to carry jugs of water to a bath which leaks thus never fills.

'Les Danaïdes' Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiere at the Académie Royale de Musique in Paris 26 April 1784

Danaus: Tassis Christoyannis Lyncee: Philippe Talbot Hypermnestre: Judith Van Wanroij

Direction: Christophe Rousset

Art Music Lounge IMSLP MPH UNT This album

Back in Vienna for a few more operas, sometime in 1785 Salieri collaborated with Mozart and an unknown Cornetti toward 'Per la Ricuperata Salute di Ofelia', a cantata with libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. This piece was composed in honor of operatic soprano, Nancy Storace, upon her recovery from a nervous breakdown. That same year his 'La Grotta di Trofonio' premiered in Vienna in October [IMSLP]. Trofonio is a magician with a cave who changes the personalities of a pair of loving couples invited therein. The libretto for this was prepared by Giovanni Battista Casti. While yet in Vienna Salieri completed his 'Prima la musica e poi le parole' ('First the music and then the words'), the story of a poet having trouble writing a libretto for an opera commissioned by one Count Opizio. That premiered in February of 1786 at the Habsburg Schönbrunn Palace.

'Per la Ricuperata Salute di Ofelia' Cantata by Antonio Salieri / Mozart / Cornetti

KV 477a in Mozart

Scored for solo voice w fortepiano sometime 1785 w libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte

Clavier: Christine Rahn Sopran: Hiltrud Kuhlmann

IMSLP Erin Blakemore

'La Grotta di Trofonio' Part 1 Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiere in 2 acts at the Burgtheater in Vienna 12 Oct 1785

Choeur de l'Opéra de Lausanne / Les Talens Lyriques / Christophe Rousset

'La Grotta di Trofonio' Part 2 Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiere in 2 acts at the Burgtheater in Vienna 12 Oct 1785

Choeur de l'Opéra de Lausanne / Les Talens Lyriques / Christophe Rousset

'Prima la musica e poi le parole' Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiering in 1 act at the Schönbrunn Palace at Vienna on 7 Feb 1786

Libretto by Giovanni Battista Casti

Orchestra Teatro La Fenice / Federico Maria Sardelli 20 Oct 2020

Wikipedia Italiano

Salieri headed back to France to premiere 'Les Horaces' ('The Horatii') at either Fontainebleau on 2 November 1786, Versailles on 2 December 1786 or the Paris Opera on 7 December 1786. Albeit that performance by the Paris Opera flopped, 'Les Horaces' is considered to be one of Salieri's more impressive works. Said to have been unsuccessful due to its libretto by Nicolas-François Guillard in combination with a poor performance by the cast, 'Les Horaces' was based on Pierre Corneille's 'Horace' of 1640 in which war breaks out between the Horatii of Rome and the Curiatti of Alba Longa.

'Les Horaces' Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiering in France in 3 acts Nov or Dec 1786

Les Chantres du Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles

Les Talens Lyriques / Christophe Rousset 15 Oct 2015

Lynn René Bayley IMSLP Opera Scribe This album

Come 'Tarara' performed by the Paris Opera on 8 June of 1787, that a huge success due to the French libretto by Pierre Beaumarchais in tune with the zeitgeist of the period just prior to the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 with monarchs and priests losing popularity contests. Salieri revised this work for a libretto in Italian by Lorenzo Da Ponte which premiered as 'Axur, Re d'Ormus' in January of 1788. Returning to Vienna in 1788, Salieri's protector, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, died in 1790. His position to the court as director of Italian opera was then retired in 1792, though he continued to work on commission.

'Tarare' Opera by Antonio Salieri

Premiered by the Paris Opera at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin on 8 June 1787

Orquestra Ars Musicae de Mallorca / Deutsche Handel Solisten / Jean-Claude Malgoire

'Mass No.1 in D major' Mass by Antonio Salieri

Aka 'Emperor Mass' / 'Hofkapellmeistermesse' / 'Kaisermesse'

Scored sometime 1788 for solo voice / SATB / orchestra

St. Florianer Sängerknaben / Leondinger Symphonieorchester / Uwe Christian Harrer

IMSLP ScorSer Wiener Hofmusikkapelle

As the calendar flipped into the 19th century Salieri's career declined. His 'Annibale in Capua' of 1801 with Hannibal performed by a castrato was a failure [libretto]. His last opera was a flop as well, a singspiel titled 'Die Neger' ('The Negroes') performed in 1804 with libretto written by Georg Treitschke as a drama set in Virginia (U.S.). Salieri thereafter withdrew from theatrical composing to teach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt and Franz Schubert among his pupils. By that time theatrical music was shifting toward the Romantic, a transition Salieri resisted. The master had reached his limit with theatre, then pulled out before overmuch damage by recent failures. Changing his approach to cantatas, oratorios and songs, he completed his final work in 1815: '26 Variations on 'La follia di Spagna'' for harp, violin and orchestra. More properly titled 'Ventisei Variazioni sull’aria detta La Follia di Spagna', Salieri later removed the 21st variation toward 'Venticinque Variazioni sull’aria detta La Follia di Spagna' in 1818. This work is based on the historically famous melody or chord progression most commonly rendered in Spanish as 'La Folia' ('Follies' or 'Folies d'Espagne' in French). Some might consider that the 'La Folia' theme has in a manner been replaced in modern times by the 5-4-1 blues progression as basic to derivatives to come in such as country western and rock.

Overture to 'Die Neger' Opera by Antonio Salieri

Completed sometime 1802 toward premiere at the Theater an der Wien on 10 Nov 1804

Mannheim Mozart Orchestra / Thomas Fey

Hermione Lai

'Requiem in C minor' Requiem by Antonio Salieri

Completed Aug 1804

Coro Gulbenkian / Orquestra Gulbenkian / Lawrence Foster

IMSLP ScorSer

'26 Variations on La Folia di Spagna' 'La Folia' by Antonio Salieri

Premiered by the Tonkünstler-Societät on 22/23 Dec 1815

London Mozart Players

IMSLP ScorSer

Salieri's last years had been something more depressing than they should have been, the rumor afire that he had poisoned Mozart to death in 1791. Albeit Mozart and Salieri had definitely been professional rivals, personal enmity between them, if actually any, seems likely to have been exaggerated by storytelling, perhaps national prejudices (Austrian v Italian) playing a part as well. Of what Mozart died at so early an age remains among the more gaping mysteries in classical music, but it was more likely of disease or the similar than malicious intent. Salieri nevertheless bore such the burden until a fall in 1823 left him with dementia prior to his death on 7 May 1825. Yet even in death did the rumor of Salieri murdering Mozart persist, their enmity assumed by Alexander Pushkin in the 1830 play, 'Mozart and Salieri', set to music in 1897 by Rimsky-Korsakov. (Salieri had supposedly confessed before his death, but he had also stated his innocence. His head, anyway, was playing games with him during his last couple years.) Ill will between Mozart and Salieri was reimagined yet again in Peter Shaffer's 1979 play, 'Amadeus', made into a silly film in 1984. Even now, two centuries after his burial, Salieri gets no RIP from accusation of having poisoned Mozart. To quote Norman Gilliland, "In the long run it was not Mozart, but Antonio Salieri who had been poisoned."

Sources & References for Antonio Salieri:

Zea Frana (Beyond Amadeus / 2016)

New World Encyclopedia

VF History (notes)

Wikipedia English

Wikipedia Français

Wikipedia Luxembourgish

Associates Musical: Mozart (relationship)

Audio of Antonio Salieri:

Classical Archives Hyperion Naxos Presto

Audio of Antonio Salieri: Operas:

Europa Riconosciuta (libretto by Mattia Verazi / 1778)