Mozart and Salieri:

Professional Jealousy or Murder?

 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart                                                     Antonio Salieri

Many of us at one time or another have heard the beautiful music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  We know he was a child prodigy who composed his first concerto at age 4 and his first symphony at 7.

But how many of us have heard of Antonio Salieri? Who was this man? And what was his relationship to Mozart?

INTRODUCTION

Ever since the death of Mozart, it has been rumored that Antonio Salieri poisoned him. Salieri was a musician who taught many famous composers. But he lacked one thing:  the genius that was Mozart's.  In fact, it is said that Salieri even stole music from Mozart and passed it off as his own. Salieri was so jealous of the young gifted composer that he would do anything to get rid of him, even commit murder.

TASK

The government of Austria has put together an investigative team that will find out once and for all if Antonio Salieri did poison Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The team has three members: a musicologist (an expert in the history of music), a historian, and a movie critic.  Together, you will decide if the murder theory holds up, and you will report back to the Government of Austria as the country prepares a grand concert for the Anniversary of Mozart's birth.  Your report will be a PowerPoint presentation prepared by the team members.  

THE PROCESS

·        General Instructions:

1. You and your team must decide who will play what role in this WebQuest.  

2. Once this is decided, you will click on the links below that correspond to your particular role. 

3. You will visit each site. Answer the questions pertaining to your role.

4. Take careful notes, and during the last 10 minutes of each class period, report back to your team what you have found in the form of journal entries for each site visited. 

5. After you have finished your research, the team must come up with the answer to one question: Did Antonio Salieri poison Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? 

6. Prepare a PowerPoint Presentation for the Government of Austria.

The team must have a total of 15 slides in its presentation. Each team member will prepare 4 slides containing information gathered from the visited links according to each role.  You are to have no more than 6 lines on a page and no more than 6 words on a line. You must also include a title page and a bibliography page. You can add pictures and music if you like. You are also to have one slide that presents your conclusion.  

·        Roles:

 

Musicologist: 

Questions to be answered:

1. Who was Mozart? 

2. What kind of music did he compose? 

3. Briefly describe what you feel as you listen to his music. Be aware of how it is put together.

4. Who was Salieri?

5. What was his relationship to Mozart?

6. Briefly describe what you feel as you listen to Salieri's music. Be aware of how it is put together.

7. Does their music sound the same or different? Explain. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Biography and general Information on Mozart and his compositions.

Antonio Salieri - Biography and general Information on Salieri and his compositions. 

Listen to Mozart Music - Click on the Classical Midi Archives. Listen to various selections. 

Listen To Salieri Music - Scroll down the page to find the Salieri link. Click on the links to listen. 

 

 Historian: 

Questions to be answered:

1. Write a short biography of Mozart.

2. Write a short biography of Salieri.

3. When do you think that Mozart and Salieri met?

4. What kind of relationship did they have?

5. What was the importance of composing music for the Emperor? 

6. What kind of music did they both write? 

7. Was there any jealousy between the two men? Explain.

The Mozart Page - Information on who Mozart was and what he thought during his last days. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Biography and general Information on Mozart and his compositions.

Antonio Salieri - Biography and general Information on Salieri and his compositions. 

Discussion about Salieri's Involvement in Mozart's Death

Brief Information about Salieri and Mozart

 

  Movie Critic:

Questions to be answered:

1. According to the critics, is the movie faithful to what really happened? 

2. How does the movie portray Mozart?

3. How does the movie portray Salieri?

4. Are the characters believable? Explain.

5. From your readings, does the movie answer any questions about Mozart's death?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Biography and general Information on Mozart and his compositions.

Antonio Salieri - Biography and general Information on Salieri and his compositions.

Discussion about Salieri's Involvement in Mozart's Death

Brief Information about Salieri and Mozart

The Movie "Amadeus" - Click on the links to read about the movie.

Read a Review of the Movie - Click on the link, then click on Selected Essays. Click on the first link, "Amadeus" and Mozart.

**** If you have the time, try to see the movie. This is not required.

Evaluation 

Each team member will evaluate his journal, and as a team, you will evaluate the presentation. The teacher will use your evaluations for your grade.  Click on each link to see the evaluations that will be used. Your teacher will give you copies of each evaluation for you to fill out and hand in.

Self - Evaluation Form

Presentation Evaluation

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully finished your WebQuest. In the process, I hope that you have learned how to work together with other students and how to research with a particular goal in mind.  You have had the chance to listen to some of the greatest music ever written. Perhaps we will never know if Salieri did poison Mozart or not. It really is a matter of opinion! I hope that you have become interested in WebQuests, as they are a fun way to learn about new and exciting things.