Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart :: essays research papers

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a remarkable musician and composer. Mozart was born in Salzburg Austria in 1756. By the age of four it was evident that he possessed tremendous musical talent and music memory. His father Leopold who was a master violinist and composer decided to enroll young Wolfgang in harpsichord lessons. At age five Mozart was composing music and by age six he had mastered the keyboard. By his early teens, he had mastered the piano, violin, and harpsichord and was writing symphonies and operas. Amadeus is a drama of the 18th century in Vienna Austria, starring Tom Hulce as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Murray Abraham as Salieri, Elizabeth Berridge as Constanze Mozart, and Jeffery Jones as Emperor Joseph II. It is a biographical film that is as much about Salieri as it is about Mozart. Amadeus is a portrait of Salieri and the overwhelming jealousy he had for Mozart. From the time Salieri was a little boy he was consumed by music. He wanted nothing more but to be a legend in the music world, but Mozart is portrayed as a college preppy who is rude, arrogant and extremely talented. Although he is extremely talented it is also obvious he wants to be a common man in society. After attempting to commit suicide Antonio Salieri finds himself in a mental institution. He once was a court composer for Emperor Joseph II. He had written forty operas of his own and Mozart was his living idol. Unlike Mozart’s’ father, Salieri’s father did not like music and did not support his efforts. While a patient in the institution the story of Amadeus is related by Salieri to a priest. He tells him of his jealousy for Mozart and his distrust of God, because God gave Mozart all the talent and did not pass that talent to him. Salieri’s downfall occurred when Mozart was invited to the royal manner of Emperor Joseph II and simply astounded everyone. Salieri is immediately overwhelmed with jealousy. Mozart seems to lead a rebellious life but his operatic works simply overwhelmed the royalty and higher ups. At age twenty-six Mozart married Constanze against his fathers will. After his marriage, finances were extremely tight, due to the fact he was a poor businessman he eventually led a life of poverty. Due to the fact his wife Constanze was subjected to a plot of sabotage by selling Mozart’s music to Salieri. When she became pregnant the lady that stayed with them and cared for the family was also involved in an attempt to pass his music on to Salieri. Both attempts were quite risky since Mozart never made additional copies of his works. Prior to the birth of their first child Mozart’s father moved in