Amadeus, Class 2 Handout Dr. Michael Hammer Composers In

Amadeus, class 2 handout Dr. Michael Hammer Composers in Vienna, 1780s These are just a few of the composers working in Vienna during the time of Mozart’s residence: Leopold Kozeluh – arrived in Vienna in 1778; became famous as a composer for piano; his concerti were considered on a level with Mozart’s. After 1800 his music was no longer performed; like Salieri says of himself in the movie, Kozeluh lived to witness his music disappear. Anton Eberl – studied with Mozart, was highly praised as a symphonist, being placed along with Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven by critics. A close friend of Beethoven. Domenico Cimarosa – in 1787 Cimarosa’s brief visit to Vienna impressed the Emperor. In 1792, under another emperor, Cimarosa wrote his masterpiece, The Secret Marriage, one of around 80 operas that this Italian composer would write. Born in Naples, his travels took him all over Italy and to Russia to serve the court of Catherine the Great. Muzio Clementi – while Amadeus the movie pits Mozart against Salieri, one composer he had a musical duel with in real life was Clementi. On one of his many European tours, the London-based Clementi visited Vienna, and participated in a musical contest on December 24, 1781 against Mozart with the Emperor Joseph II in attendance. Eye-witnesses called it a tie; Mozart was not generous about Clementi’s abilities, perhaps from jealousy. While Clementi’s music, once considered second only to that of Haydn, has long fallen out of favor, his digital prowess must have been enough to get Mozart hot under the collar. He cried foul and claimed the Emperor had given him a piano with a sticking note! Clementi for his part was more sanguine but later said that Mozart had stolen the theme for his overture to the opera The Magic Flute from him. It does bear a suspicious resemblance to Clementi’s piano sonata in Bb, though Mozart does far better with it! Leopold Hofmann – in 1772 he become Kapellmeister of music at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Falling ill in May 1791, Mozart applied for the unpaid position of his assistant, anticipating that Hofmann would die and he would be promoted to Kapellmeister. Hofmann recovered, and Mozart predeceased him. Vicente Martin y Soler – born in Valencia, educated in Madrid, spent time in Italy. Moved to Vienna in 1785, producing operas, three of which were with the librettist Lorenzo da Ponte (Mozart also wrote three with da Ponte). It was probably the phenomenal success of his La Cosa Rara (The Rare Thing) in 1786 that is responsible for knocking Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro off the boards temporarily, rather than Salieri’s scheming. In 1788 went to Russia and the court of Catherine the Great; by 1795 he was in London. Johann Baptist Wanhal – born in Bohemia, he came to Vienna around 1770. In the 1780s he mostly composed for the keyboard, and made a decent living without patronage by getting some 270 works published by Viennese publishers. He was still respected as a composer in 1813, the year of his death. Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf – though he spent little time in Vienna (he was mainly in the service of German courts), he was born there, and in 1785 or so was known to have played in a string quartet with Haydn, Mozart, and Wanhal, his pupil. He was a student of Guiseppi Bonno. Giovanni Paisello – a composer of over 80 operas. Though his stay in Vienna was brief, in 1783 he composed The Barber of Seville, setting to music the first of three plays by the Frenchman Beaumarchais, the second of which, The Marriage of Figaro, was made into an opera by Mozart three years later. An Italian, he also worked in Russia, before going to Vienna, and then to Naples. Guiseppi Bonno—an Italian who was born in Vienna but went to Naples for his training before returning to Vienna and becoming Court Composer, and in 1774, Hofkapellmeister, basically the Top Musical Guy at Court. His death in 1788 led to Salieri’s appointment. He wrote mostly vocal music, both operas and masses. .

Load more