# Maligned Master: The Glory of Salieri (Radio Drama)



## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

​I just became aware of this radio drama featuring F. Murray Abraham, reprising his Academy Award winning role of Antonio Salieri. I don't know if it's 100% accurate, but many facts presented in this work I have been able to back up with research. It's entertaining, informative, and features uninterrupted pieces by the composer as well as commentary discussing said works.

He also speaks at length of his relationship with Mozart, the courts of Vienna and Paris, and of his own life.

It's basically as if Antonio Salieri had seen Amadeus and wants to set the record straight.

The entire drama can be heard for free here:
https://beta.prx.org/stories/183750
_Courtesy of Hawaii Public Radio_

I listened to the entirety last night and intend to listen again. I didn't see that anyone had posted about this, doing a search. I hope I'm not stepping on toes of someone who has brought this to the board's attention.

If you notice any inaccuracies in this drama, feel free to comment!


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Bravo. Well worth hearing. I thought it entirely fair and accurate historically with regard to Salieri, including the mention of his own operatic successes in Europe that deservedly made him a rich man. The presentation is an opportunity to hear what Salieri’s appeal was to his audiences, and his relationship with Mozart is discussed and Salieri’s opinion is presented on why Mozart had trouble getting a court position. I have an entirely different view of him as a person and can hear for myself why his music was so successful at the time: he may not have been a genius but he wasn’t a bad composer. He learned how to write simply in the way that had immediate appeal for his audiences of the day. Well done.


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## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

sounds interesting - will certainly check this out.


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

Larkenfield said:


> Bravo. Well worth hearing. I thought it entirely fair and accurate historically with regard to Salieri, including the mention of his own operatic successes in Europe that deservedly made him a rich man. The presentation is an opportunity to hear what Salieri's appeal was to his audiences, and his relationship with Mozart is discussed and Salieri's opinion is presented on why Mozart had trouble getting a court position. I have an entirely different view of him as a person and can hear for myself why his music was so successful at the time: he may not have been a genius but he wasn't a bad composer. He learned how to write simply in the way that had immediate appeal for his audiences of the day. Well done.


The more I listen to Salieri, the more of his genius is revealed. I think Salieri was a different kind of genius than Mozart. Mozart would talk about music just flowing out of him, where Salieri was probably more like Beethoven, in that he could chisel away at a piece and eventually turn it into something great. I still think talent is a terrible word made by people who only notice the result, and not the work. Mozart worked as hard as any of the great composers, and he no doubt made drafts and corrections like any mortal. Though like many composers, it's easier to do good work when you do it often. You see periods in both Saleri's and Beethoven's careers where it's almost like they were releasing works at lightning speed, and times where the output wasn't as heavy. Salieri also was a man of opera. There's not a lot of virtuosic works in Salieri's catalogue. Beethoven and Mozart juggled being virtuosos and great composers. I think they were a bit better at showing off and staying musical than someone like Liszt, who at times sacrificed musicality in his pieces. I hope that won't be considered a bash at Liszt, it's not. I digress...

There were moments in some of Salieri's works where I got lost in it, and forgot I was listening to Salieri. I thought maybe someone had slipped Mozart or Haydn in my player. It's amazing just how similar they could sound at times.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

stomanek said:


> sounds interesting - will certainly check this out.


Let us know what you think.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Fantastic! Thanks for posting this! I just listened to the 1983 BBC radio play, with Paul Scofield and Simon Callow. Excellent cast, but the play is historically wrong, and does both men a misservice. (Was Moziewozie - which looks Polish - a giggling cretin? Was Salieri mediocre, murderous, and malevolent?) The little Salieri I've heard, too, I've enjoyed; Les Danaides is powerful, and admired by Berlioz! I'll listen to the Salieri play tonight.


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