Amadeus-Accuracy Of The Film Essay, Research Paper

Amadeus

The Accuracy of the Film

The majority of the film Amadeus isn t focused on Amadeus at all. It is actually centered on the mediocracy of the lesser known composer Antonio Salieri. Even so, the film is full of inaccurate details, which fill the general public s knowledge of Mozart with inaccurate details, and numerous missed points. While confined to an insane asylum, Salieri tells his story. Because of his being sick , the audience subconsciously recognizes that not every detail is going to be exact, which allows the producers flexiblity in the accuracy of the events.

In the film, Salieri makes a deal with God asking Him to make him a great composer. His whole life he is satisfied with his musical abilities, until Mozart comes into the picture. As Mozart becomes more and more present in Vienna, (Salieri s dwelling) he becomes more and more frustrated with Amadeus God-given talents. This overwhelming jealousy eventually forces Salieri to the point of insanity. Although the film Amadeus, was convincingly well written, it supplies the viewer with inaccurate facts about Mozart and his life.

In the film, Mozart is depicted as an insufficient carrier of God s grace. He is shown exhibiting vulgarity, boorishness, and childishness in public, which he never would have done. He was particularly fond of toilet humor , but only showed this side to his close family and friends, never to the aristocracy and certainly none of his musical rivals. (Amadeus-Biography) This quote justifies the fact that Mozart did have his playful sides, but never would have shown them in public. It must not be forgotten that Mozart as a child had toured Europe, visiting and performing for some of the highest established rulers. All through his childhood he was pressed about his manners. It is unreasonable to think that all of his nurturing would suddenly be forgotten, and he would be transformed into a rude, inconsiderate, and primitive man. This was not even close to the real characteristics of the man.

One of Mozart s traits in Amadeus is that Mozart was unfaithful to Constanze. There isn t any proof to support this account. Mozart was very devoted and faithful to his wife, and he even nursed her back to health during the period when she had an illness that almost brought her to her death. The film made it appear that he neglected Constanze and cared only for his music, which is far from the truth. ( Amadeus-Biography)

Salieri is shown helping Mozart finish Mozart s Requiem before he died. However, it was actually Mozart s pupil Sussmayr who helped him finish, and who finally completed the score. (Amadeus- Fact and Fiction, 2) In fact, nowhere in the movie is Sussmayr even mentioned; most likely because of the intense focus on Antonio Salieri.

Another myth about Mozart is his death. There are many stories circulating about his death. However, because of this movie s emphasis on the idea that Salieri murdered him, it seems to be the most well known. There are several reasons why this false idea has lasted for so long:

1. Mozart s sudden and unexpected death

2. That at the time of his death, no one knew what actually caused it

3. Mozart s belief that someone was poisoning him

4. The mysterious appearance of an anonymous man in grey commissioning Mozart for a Mass for the Dead

5. Salieri confessing to murdering Mozart

It may seem clear that this is undoubtedly true if someone has confessed to it. However, when Salieri confessed to having killed Mozart, he was suffering from Altzeimer s Disease, and was also completely insane. (Amadeus, page 2) The chances that Salieri killed Mozart are incredibly slim, because they were hardly even acquaintances, so it would be very difficult for Salieri to poison him.

Although the film Amadeus by Peter Shaffer and Milos Forman was convincingly well written, it is full of inaccuracies. A great improvement on the film would have been to notify the audience at the beginning that it isn t meant to be a documentary, and that it should only be viewed for pure entertainment, and perhaps insight into the heavenly musical works of the precious man.

The miracle which God let be born in Salzburg was born on January 27, 1756. (The Dictionary of Composers) Amadeus father, Johann Georg Leopold Mozart, played a major role in his life. His father was a graduate of Benedictine University in Salzburg, where he studied philosophy and law. He then turned to music and become the violinist in the Kapelle of the prince-archishop of Salzburg, later becoming court composer, and eventually Kapellmeister. (The Dictionary of Composers) However, he focused more on the development of his genius in order to produce the prodigy who would eventually change the world.

There is much evidence showing Mozart s composition beginning at the early age of five. Although they are brief, and based on some basic etudes of the time, they were still considered his first compositions. They are only found today in his father s transcript, so it isn t determined how young he actually was when they were written.

Mozart s first appearance was at Salzburg University in 1761, at the age of five. His father saw nothing wrong with exhibiting his son s musical talent. In 1762, they traveled to Munich, where they played for the Elector of Bavaria. However, no information still exists for that performance. Later in that year, the family went to Vienna. While passing Passau and Linz, the children gave concerts and performed for local noblemen. They remained in Vienna until the end of the year. The children performed for various noblemen and for Maria Theresia at Schxnbrunn. The family posed for a series of paintings in Salzburg, which are now some of the most famous. Leopold remarked on Mozart, saying he plays marvellously, he is a child of spirit, lively and charming . (The Dictionary of Composers) The family returned to Salzburg in January of the next year. Mozart was said to play in an adult manner, improvise in various styles, accompany on sight, play with a cloth covering the keyboard, add a bass to a given theme, and name any note that was sounded. This was not close to the number of stories told about the young boy, most of them from his sister after his death. A story from a family friend J.A. Schrachtner, says that he remembers Mozart saying that his [Schrachtner] violin was tuned an eighth of a tone lower than his own. Schrachtner also recalls Mozart taking a second violin part at sight and playing it perfectly, without any violin lessons. That was in 1763, at the age of seven! Schrachtner also tells of Mozart s obiedience, and tender personality. He was, as a young boy, afraid of the trumpet. He was high-spirited, eager to learn anything, but was wrapped up in music. He was only willing to play for people who took music seriously.

Mozart s father wanted to take him to Paris and London, because they were two of the most desirable cities for musicians to visit. On their way to Paris and London, they stopped in many well known musical cities such as, Augsburg, Ludwigsburg, Schwetzingen, Mainz, and Frankfurt. In November they reached Paris, and stayed there for five months, except for two weeks in Versailles, where they played for Louis XV. The family spent 15 months in England, where the children played numerous concerts, and met some composers; of these, the most famous is J.S. Bach. Though it is often said that he gave Mozart lessons, there is no proof of this. However, they did play on the harpsicord together. (The Dictionary of Composers) While they were in London, Mozart s father became sick, and they moved to Chelsea, a suburb of the city. It is here that Mozart is thought to have composed his first symphonies, and some of them were performed at some of the famliy s next concerts. The family traveled on, performing in various cities to spread their name around. Eventually, they found themselves back in Salzburg with many gold watches, rings and snuffboxes.

This continued on for years, the Mozart family performing in cities all over Europe. All during this time, Amadeus had been experimenting with composing. Eventually, when he was old enough