Ludwig Van Beethoven and Mozart

Nicole Caillaux April 7, 2011 Music Appreciation Prof. Caballero One of the most musically talented, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began at a very young age and passed at a young age. Mozart was incredibly talented; his music is still heard and played around the world today. Amadeus a movie portrayed on Mozart’s life through the eyes of a jealous rival Antonio Salieri has some facts as well as fiction to it. Amadeus was a very commendable movie portraying Mozart’s life. Though it had many facts there are some fiction moments in the movie.

Amadeus depicted the relationship between Mozart and Salieri as a jealous rivalry, when actually they were quite friendly and both appreciated the others work. In the movie Salieri is much older than Mozart when actually Mozart was older than Salieri. The movie begins with Salieri accusing himself of murdering Mozart and is taken to a mental institution. The actual cause of Mozart’s death was an illness not that he was poisoned by Salieri. Mozart had six children, but only two made it into adulthood.

In the movie Amadeus Mozart only had one child. When Mozart passed away his wife Constanze was not present at his funeral because she too was ill, although in the movie she was present with their son. Peter Shaffer the writer of Amadeus did an excellent job in illustrating Mozart’s life; the movie was full of drama and envy. Mozart was an extraordinary musician who will never be forgotten. Mozart wrote many admirable pieces, I have chosen Symphony No. 25 and Piano Concerto No. 21. Symphony No. 5 the first movement has a light tempo, while still at times sounding dark. The piece as a whole gives off a very stormy and full feeling. The dynamics range throughout from loud to soft and back to loud. Overall the piece is allegro with only the second movement being andante. As for the Piano Concerto No. 21 it begins quietly with a march then the tempo begins to brighten and a lyrical melody commences after, the soloist begins to play briefly, at that moment the orchestra joins again.

The piece as a whole is allegro, with the second movement being andante like symphony No. 25. Symphony No. 25 and Piano Concerto No. 21 are very different, while one sounds dark and stormy the other is brighter and cheery. Although both are very famous pieces, Symphony No. 25 was featured in the opening of Amadeus; both pieces show Mozart’s talent and flamboyant attitude. He is a true genius.