Do We Really Know How Mozart Died?
Debunking the Myth that Antonio Salieri Murdered Mozart
Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart murdered by his contemporary, Antonio Salieri? This myth is one that has been perpetuated for over 200 years. These are the facts.
Conspiracy theories are nothing new to history. The Kennedy Assassination, the Apollo moon landing, and many others come to mind immediately. A much earlier conspiracy theory shook the world of music hundreds of years ago and pervades even today. Do we really know how Mozart died? Was the prolific musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart a victim of a common illness or was he in fact murdered by a jealous colleague, Antonio Salieri?
An Examination of the Biography of Mozart
On December 5, 1791, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died from what is now called Rheumatic Fever. At the time, Mozart was deeply in debt and as a result, he was laid to rest in an unmarked grave, his burial attended only by the gravedigger himself. For many years after Mozart's passing, there seemed to be no controversy. It was only after the death of Mozart's colleague, Antonio Salieri, that rumors began to be published stating that Salieri had confessed on his deathbed to poisoning Mozart. These rumors set in motion a myth that has been perpetuated through to present day, having been reiterated in many different ways over the centuries.
The Facts about Mozart and Salieri
Through analysis of communications and personal accounts from many different sources it would appear that Mozart and Salieri were actually quite friendly to each other. While there were times when the 2 clashed, such as when Salieri summoned Lorenzo da Ponte (Mozart's lyricist for Don Giovanni) back to Vienna.
On the other side of the argument is the more prevalent evidence that Mozart and Salieri were actually fairly good at working with each other. Salieri made it a point to have several of Mozart's works performed, and the 2 even worked together on a piece for piano and voice. It appears through all of the accounts that in many ways the 2 both admired and envied each other. Salieri may have envied Mozart's genius in music composition, but Mozart may also have envied Salieri's status as Kappellmeister, a position that Mozart had lobbied for in Salzburg but had failed to achieve.
The Myth Continues Even Today
As mentioned previously, the academic community believes the myth that Antonio Salieri poisoned Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to be false. Beginning with authors such as Alexander Pushkin and continuing with famous composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov, the myth of Salieri's guilt was retold again and again in different settings. The controversy was revived once again in the late 1900's with the release of a play and later a very popular movie titled simply, Amadeus. Although all of these re-tellings are fictional accounts, they each rekindled the myth in the popular media of their day. Unlike the men themselves, the myth of Mozart being killed by Antonio Salieri simply will not die.
