On Mozart, Amadeus (1984), Murray Abraham and leaving long lasting social memory

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Any admirer of Mozart loves his Great Mass (Grosse Messe) in C minor. It’s a little too allegro for a Mass that one expects to be grave and solemn, but it has one minute on the second movement that almost makes me believe in god.

If you never listen to it, make yourself a favor and go listen. If you don’t want to “waste” one hour of your life listening to a musical genius, jump to minute 4 and listen for 90 seconds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez0kqVShFEs

This tiny part of the Mass was made famous from being picked by Neville Marriner to be the main song of the key scene on the movie Amadeus (1984). A poignant scene that gave an Oscar to Murray Abraham, for his role as Antonio Salieri.

In the movie, Salieri has a mix of envy/hate and profound admiration for Mozart. In this memorable scene, he realizes the true genius of Mozart. You can watch it here (not a good quality)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvRGAlbiv5g

As someone wrote, most of us live hoping to become a memory…

I wonder if when Murray Abraham was playing this scene he realized it was his real chance in life to reach out for a long last memory? If he apprehended how grandiose Mozart is and how his music would help him leave his mark.

The play writer (also author of the 1979 play that inspired the movie), Peter Shaffer, did not do justice to Mozart, retracting him as a ridiculous person. But he wrote memorable lines to this scene. He had to love his music.

Neville Marriner (unfortunately, died on 2016), music supervisor of the movie, gave the right place to some of Mozart’s masterpieces, including the omnipresent Lacrimosa from Requiem (https://vimeo.com/28432412).

But he forgot many, including the tiny, 70 seconds, always forgotten, sublime aria from Idomeneo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4CW6dxkqEw
Jump to minute 128. It’s about 70 seconds of your life.

[Trading]

Another selection of masterpieces from Mozart: https://youtu.be/uEP4EWbQnLw

Listen to:
Kyrie en Mi bémol Majeur / in E KV 322 (00:00)

Davidde Penitente - Oratorio KV 469
Aria « A te, a tanti affani » for tenor (04:08)

Messe Ut Majeur / in C KV 337
1 - Kyrie (22:34)
4 - Credo (35:53)
7 - Agnus Dei (just 3 minutes: 52m-55m)

[Poker Player]

In the movie, Salieri has a mix of envy/hate and profound admiration for Mozart. In this memorable scene, he realizes the true genius of Mozart. You can watch it here (not a good quality)

I quite liked that movie. Salieri is the academic, the one who composes following all the steps, while Mozart is the creative one, who is able to compose a symphony in a moment, after coming from a party.

The play writer (also author of the 1979 play that inspired the movie), Peter Shaffer, did not do justice to Mozart, retracting him as a ridiculous person.

I don't see it that way.

As someone wrote, most of us live hoping to become a memory…

In a couple of million years, which is also not that long in universal time, practically no one will be a memory. Some will be remembered until a few generations later, but the more time passes, the less they will be remembered.

[Trading]

The fact that many hope to become a memory doesn't mean they will achieve the goal.

In reality, I don't think is determinant to become a memory. You just need to leave a mark. To change things for the better, at least on a relevant aspect, not necessarily very important.

There are many relevant things no one knows who invented them.

Who created writing or even the concept of symbols of sounds (alphabet)?

It wasn't the Phoenicians. They developed the idea that seems to have been created on Arabia. We have no memory about the inventor, but he had a very meaningful life.

[TwitchySeal]

Classical music was my main focus for most of my life.  If you have the patience, listen to the entire Jupiter Symphony.  The first three movements may not grab you the first time, but listen and pay attention to each theme anyway.  The way he wraps them together into a fugue for the last movement still amazes me.  

There have been many great composers since Mozart, few have written a single melody that was on the same level as what Mozart was allegedly improvising when he was a child. Crazy stuff.

Not a big fan of the movie though.

[Trading]

Indeed, Mozart's 41th symphony is exceptional. worthy to listen countless times.

The way to start loving some new complex music is always to listen to it on a row several times.

Getting all Mozart symphonies and listen to all of them for weeks until finding the best ones is the way to go.

Each new time one ears it one discovers some new sound and more and more harmony.

Someone listening for the first time to an Opera will hardly love it, unless is something very popular and easy to assimilate, like Verdi.

But listen to it several times and some parts will start to sound lovely, at least if the composer is good.

On the movie, I was moved by the part I called attention to. It's the sublime music that does the most part.

But the lines and the good interpretation too.

I disliked the unfair portrait of Mozart, scratching his leg, moving like a fool beyond the servant, ridiculous laugh and more.

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I'm not expecting this post to be popular. Anyway, if only one of you started liking Mozart is would be worthy.

Don't just give up after listening one time to the recommend musics. Complex tastes are hard to acquire.

Life would be worthy to live only to listen to some of those musics.

When you start liking Mozart, or music of this kind (call it classical, choral or any other name), you won't ever forget that.

More than this, you will teach your kids to love it. And they will teach theirs.

[Trading]

On Mozart's Symphonies, I'm recommending the 8th, both Allegro: the first one and the last (this one is the best).

You can download it here: https://archive.org/details/lp_complete-symphonies-vol-ii-nos-6-7-8-9_wolfgang-amadeus-mozart-erich-leinsdorf-th

Not the best quality, but it´s a legitimate free download. At least, it's on a legitimate site.

And selected music from a genius is almost always good to listen to.