Antonio Salieri (1750-1825) - Stich von Adam Sandor Ehrenreich nach einem Gemälde von Natale Schiavoni, erschienen bei Steiner, Wien, um 1810

Since 1774 Italian composer Antonio Salieri worked as chamber music composer and bandmaster of the Italian opera in Vienna. Between 1788 and 1790 he also worked there as court bandmaster and until 1824 as director of the court singers. Salieri composed operas, oratorios, cantatas, choir pieces and instrumental works. In his compositions he used elements of the Neapolitan school and the works of Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787). He had many students, among them Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert and Ludwig van Beethoven.

In January 1799 Beethoven composed ten variations of a duet from Salieri"s opera "Falstaff" (WoO 73). He also dedicated his three sonatas for piano and violin, op. 12, to the older composer. Between around 1800 and 1802, Salieri taught Beethoven Italian vocal and opera style. Afterwards their contact loosened and Salieri later rejected Beethoven"s music. (S.B.)