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Health & Fitness

PHIL H: Mozart/Salieri, friendly rivals, 11/16-17. Robby Robinson gets the historical scoop

Ready, set, and go! to Philharmonia Healdsburg’s first season’s performance, Mozart and Salieri – Friendly Rivals. Ha – seriously, were they, indeed, “friendly” rivals?  Or did Salieri sabotage Mozart’s career, use his influence to deny Mozart his rightful professional standing – and – if all of that wasn’t quite enough – did he murder the world’s greatest musical genius?  The gossip around this story led to a riveting stage play and a fascinating movie.  Our conductor loved Amadeus, the movie, so much that he chose these works to open the series.

What is the true back story between these two gifted composers?  Actually, the facts are quite civilized.  Mozart and Salieri had great professional respect for one another and often crossed paths in Viennese music circles.  Yes, Salieri bowed to Mozart’s genius and must have felt jealousy for his stunning creative ease.  However, Salieri held the most prestigious musical posts in Vienna, including a high position working for Emperor Joseph II, president of this, director of that, and the list goes on.  Mozart’s best efforts never landed him such extraordinary positions.  Bummer.  The lesser composer was chosen for the better positions.  Salieri lived to be a wealthy 75 year old and Mozart departed at 36, broke.

Salieri’s “Symphony Veneziana” will lead off the evening’s performance.  The piece is based on three different opera overtures.  Makes sense – Salieri was primarily an opera composer.  The following piece of ear candy will be Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” for Violin and Viola.  This composition is considered Mozart’s coming of age, as he wrote this after the loss of a fiancé and a mother – he was 23.  He wrote the viola portion for himself, giving it equal time to the violin.  It’s said to be his last performance on the viola and then he poured himself into his greatest love, the piano.  The last piece of the evening will be Mozart’s “Symphony No.29 in A” – written when he was 18! We hear this several times in “Amadeus”. Mozart would then go on to write more than 41 symphonies.  Amazing.

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Saturday, November 16 – 8:00 pm

Sunday, November 17 – 2:00 pm

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By Robby Robinson





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