Portrait characteristics of Mozart and Salieri.

Miscellaneous It cannot be said that the plot is based on Pushkin’s fiction. But also real historical fact poisoning one composer by another is not either. This plot is based on gossip magazines. Knowing how this gossip is formed, it can be assumed that a certain magazine publication in Austria, wanting to gain popularity, wrote that Salieri poisoned Mozart. Other journalists picked up and inflated this “sensation” to incredible proportions. It is only known that the unfortunate Salieri throughout for long years

I couldn’t wash myself away from the label of envious and poisoner. The original source of this gossip is unknown. But it took root, and after Salieri’s death it was reported that Salieri had confessed to the murder on his deathbed.

Some writers accuse Pushkin of slandering the famous Italian composer. We will not blame our poet for this, who created a tragedy so remarkable in its psychologism. Moreover, this legend was not an invention on his part. It is not his fault that he relied on magazine rumors, thanks to which, it should be noted, from the pen of the great poet two wonderful literary heroes were born - the images of Salieri and Mozart. In the tragedy "Mozart and Salieri" the main characters are opposed to each other. The conversation will be about the comparative characteristics of Mozart and Salieri - the prototypes of the great composers of the same name. In this review it will be a little difficult to separate literary heroes from them real prototypes

, since Pushkin sought to recreate the images of living people.

One of them - Salieri personifies the genius of evil, who is strangled by envy. He realizes that he has to work hard to succeed. The Italian is overly self-critical of himself and others, tense. And this tension breaks through his music.

Salieri only sees that the violinist is shamelessly distorting a brilliant work. And there is no doubt that if a violinist were to play an aria from some opera by Salieri, he would strangle the musician for such a performance. But Salieri’s music, written according to the canons of harmony and musical literacy, did not leave the theater stage, and street violinists did not perform it.
Mozart is 35 years old, full of strength, at the peak of his capabilities and talent. He enjoys life and treats everything with humor.

Salieri carried poison with him for 18 years. The monologue admits that at some point he also envied Hayden's lightness and musicality (Franz Joseph Haydn, (1732-1809) - Austrian composer, contemporary of the heroes of the tragedy). But then he managed to drown out the temptation with the dream that a Master might appear, stronger than Gaiden. There were moments when Salieri wanted to kill himself, which is also a sin before God. But he was stopped from taking this step by the hope of experiencing more moments of delight and inspiration. In Mozart, Salieri found his worst enemy. During lunch in a tavern, he poured poison into Mozart's glass.

The killer always finds an excuse for his crime. The justification for Salieri is an imaginary salvation.

I was chosen to
Stop it - otherwise we will all die,
We are all priests, ministers of music,
I’m not alone with my dull glory….
What good is it if Mozart lives?
Will it still reach new heights?
Will he elevate art? No;
It will fall again as he disappears:

The image of Mozart personifies genius. To say that this is a genius for good would be too simplistic. Mozart is a Divine Genius, to whom talent and ease in music are given from God. He is a very easy-going and cheerful person in life. He loves life and strives to enjoy it. And this trait of the young composer also irritates Salieri. He cannot understand how it is possible, having such talent, such abilities, to be wasted on trifles. “You, Mozart, are unworthy of yourself,” says Salieri.

But last days Mozart is overshadowed. It seems to him that he is being pursued by the “man in black” who ordered the Requiem. It is known that after starting work on the Requiem, the real (not literary) Mozart fell ill. The work was intense and took away his strength. Mozart felt that the Requiem was killing him. Obviously, the information, presented in a mystical sauce, was leaked to the press, and Pushkin knew about it. The black man in the tragedy is an image of death hovering over the brilliant composer.

Salieri did not live to be 75 years old. He is known as the greatest mentor who trained great composers. Among them are L. Beethoven, F. Liszt, F. Schubert. He wrote more than 40 operas and minor works. But Salieri’s works are too serious for “average minds” and are mostly known to specialists. Mozart's operas are staged in theaters. His music is heard at concerts. People enjoy listening to Mozart in recordings, and sometimes, without thinking about the authorship, they set beautiful melodies from Mozart as ringtones on their phones.

Geniuses and villainy -

Two things are incompatible.

A. Pushkin. Mozart and Salieri

Pushkin’s “little tragedy” about Mozart and Salieri is based on the famous legend about the death of the famous composer at the hands of a musician friend who was jealous of his fame and talent.

Before us are two people whose lives are closely connected with music, but the goals and motives of creativity are different. Salieri became interested in music from childhood and set himself the goal of understanding the secret of the wonderful sounds that make people cry and laugh. But, studying hard, trying to give his fingers “obedient, dry fluency and fidelity to the ear,” he chose the path of craft:

Having killed the sounds, I tore apart the music like a corpse. I believed harmony with algebra.

Only having achieved the intended results, the musician “dared... to indulge in the bliss of a creative dream.” Having endured many hardships and hardships during his studies, Salieri regards writing works as hard, painstaking work, the well-deserved reward for which is success and fame.

With strong, intense constancy I finally reached a high degree in boundless art. Glory smiled at me...

That is why he does not accept Mozart’s “frivolous” attitude towards his great talent. But for Mozart, music is always the joy of creativity, inner freedom. He is independent of the opinions of others. Magic art is given to him easily, without coercion, causing Salieri to envy and irritate:

Where is rightness when a sacred gift, When an immortal genius is not sent as a reward of burning love, selflessness, labor, diligence, prayers - but illuminates the head of a madman, idle revelers?..

It is incomprehensible to the self-loving and proud Salieri that a composer endowed with a divine gift can stop to listen to the artless playing of a blind street musician and still find pleasure in it. Salieri is discouraged and annoyed by Mozart’s offer to share his joy:

I don’t find it funny when a worthless painter stains Raphael’s Madonna for me, I don’t find it funny when a despicable buffoon dishonors Alighieri with a parody.

Pushkin contrasts Salieri’s moral limitations with his direct and cheerful perception of Mozart’s life, which leads him to the idea of ​​poisoning the great composer. Salieri justifies his envy and jealousy with false concern about the fate of art, which, having been raised by Mozart to unattainable heights, will be doomed to fall down again after his death: Material from the site

I was chosen to Stop him - otherwise we all perished, We are all priests, ministers of music, I’m not the only one with my dull glory...

Salieri's position is contrasted with Mozart's conviction that “genius and villainy are two incompatible things.” Mozart is alien to narcissism and pride; he does not exalt, but equates himself with everyone who knows how to feel the “power of harmony”:

We are a few chosen ones, happy idle ones, Neglecting the despicable benefits, One beautiful priests.

I think that it is true talent and inner freedom that put Mozart above Salieri, who will forever remain a loser after the death of his wonderful friend, because with a guilty conscience he will never touch the secrets of the superhuman...

(Illustration by I. F. Rerberg)

Mozart and Salieri is the second work by A. S. Pushkin from the cycle of small tragedies. In total, the author planned to create nine episodes, but did not have time to implement his plan. Mozart and Salieri is written based on one of the existing versions of the death of the composer from Austria - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The poet had the idea of ​​writing a tragedy long before the appearance of the work itself. He nurtured it for several years, collected material and thought about the idea itself. For many, Pushkin continued the line of Mozart in art. He wrote easily, simply, with inspiration. That is why the theme of envy was close to the poet, as well as the composer. Destructive human soul the feeling could not help but make him think about the reasons for its appearance.

Mozart and Salieri are a work that reveals the lowest human traits, bares the soul and shows the reader the true nature of man. The idea of ​​the work is to reveal to the reader one of the seven deadly human sins - envy. Salieri envied Mozart and, driven by this feeling, set out on the path of a murderer.

History of the creation of the work

The tragedy was conceived and preliminary sketched in the village of Mikhailovskoye in 1826. It is the second in a collection of small tragedies. For a long time, the poet’s sketches collected dust on his desk, and only in 1830 the tragedy was completely written. In 1831, it was first published in one of the almanacs.

When writing the tragedy, Pushkin relied on newspaper clippings, gossip and stories of ordinary people. That is why the work “Mozart and Salieri” cannot be considered historically correct from the point of view of truthfulness.

Description of the play

The play is written in two acts. The first action takes place in Salieri's room. He talks about whether there is true truth on earth, about his love for art. Mozart then joins his conversation. In the first act, Mozart tells his friend that he has composed a new melody. He evokes envy and a feeling of genuine anger in Salieri.

In the second act, events unfold more rapidly. Salieri has already made his decision and brings the poisoned wine to his friend. He believes that Mozart will no longer be able to bring anything to music; after him there will be no one who can also write. That is why, according to Salieri, the sooner he dies, the better. And at the last moment he changes his mind, hesitates, but it’s too late. Mozart drinks the poison and goes to his room.

(M. A. Vrubel "Salieri pours poison into Mozart's glass", 1884)

The main characters of the play

There are only three active characters in the play:

• Old man with violin

Each character has its own character. Critics noted that the heroes have nothing in common with their prototypes, which is why we can safely say that everything characters fictional tragedies.

The secondary character is based on the former composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His role in the work reveals the essence of Salieri. In the work he appears cheerful, cheerful person with perfect pitch and a real gift for music. Despite the fact that his life is difficult, he does not lose his love for this world. There is also an opinion that Mozart was friends with Salieri for many years and it is possible that he could also be jealous of him.

The complete opposite of Mozart. Gloomy, gloomy, dissatisfied. He sincerely admires the composer's works, but the envy that creeps into his soul haunts him.

"....when a sacred gift,

When immortal genius is not a reward

Burning love, selflessness

Works, zeal, prayers are sent, -

And it illuminates the head of a madman,

Idle revelers!.. Oh Mozart, Mozart! ..."

Envy and the composer's words about the true servants of music give rise to Salieri's desire to kill Mozart. However, what he did does not bring him pleasure, because genius and villainy are incompatible things. The hero is a close friend of the composer; he is always nearby and communicates closely with his family. Salieri is cruel, mad, overcome with a feeling of envy. But despite everything negative traits, in the last act something bright awakens in him and, in attempts to stop the composer, he demonstrates this to the reader. Salieri is far from society, he is lonely and gloomy. He writes music to become famous.

Old man with violin

(M. A. Vrubel "Mozart and Salieri listen to the playing of a blind violinist", 1884)

Old man with violin- the hero personifies true love to music. He is blind, plays with mistakes, this fact angers Salieri. The old man with the violin is talented, he does not see the notes and the audience, but continues to play. Despite all the difficulties, the old man does not give up his passion, thereby showing that art is accessible to everyone.

Analysis of the work

(Illustrations by I. F. Rerberg)

The play consists of two scenes. All monologues and dialogues are written in blank verse. The first scene takes place in Salieri's room. It can be called an exposition of tragedy.

The main idea of ​​the work is that true art cannot be immoral. The play is addressed to eternal questions life and death, friendship, human relationships.

Conclusions of the play Mozart and Salieri

Mozart and Salieri - famous work A. S. Pushkin, which brought together real life, philosophical reflections, autobiographical impressions. The poet believed that genius and villainy are incompatible things. One cannot exist with the other. In his tragedy, the poet clearly shows this fact. Despite its brevity, the work touches on important themes that, when combined with dramatic conflict, create a unique storyline.

Write something valuable interesting essay, keeping within the limits specific topic, - is as difficult as digging a deep but narrow hole. The proposed essay topics were quite narrow for me: they constrained my thought, did not allow it to develop freely, and therefore I chose a free one. I would call it this way: “The Theme of Freedom in Pushkin’s Mozart and Salieri.”

The theme of freedom in Pushkin's "Mozart and Salieri"

This topic is interesting to me because it raises questions to which the answers are ambiguous.

For Pushkin, a man who can be called extremely free, this topic is very important and is raised in many of his works.

“Mozart and Salieri” is a work in which two personalities, two worldviews, and, accordingly, two different attitudes to freedom collide. Let's consider what it means to be free for Salieri. It is no coincidence that this hero appears first in the work, and the first thing we hear is a conversation about himself:

To me it's as clear as a simple scale

I was born with a love of art

I listened and listened - tears

Involuntary and sweet flowed

overcame

I'm early adversity, craft

I placed it at the foot of art,

I became a craftsman

One could argue that this is typical for drama, where the hero must introduce himself, tell about himself. Mozart also often says "I". But in Salieri this personal pronoun sounds like a spell, rushing out of all the cracks, especially in the line:

I know I am!

It is also important that in the first lines of the play Salieri is not only concentrated on his own self, but also immediately contrasts it with “everyone,” the opinion of the crowd:

Everyone says: there is no truth on earth,

But for me

It is also important that Salieri’s personal opinion opposes not only human opinion, but also higher powers: “but there is no truth higher.”

It turns out that Salieri sets himself up as a judge over the whole world: both human and divine. In his remarks, he unconsciously emphasizes that his beliefs are not just an opinion, but knowledge that does not allow doubt. Examples include lines like:

But there is no higher truth

The first step is difficult

And the first way is boring

Salieri understands freedom as complete independence from everyone and everything. Moreover, as independence, not allowing for a different point of view. Salieri has already decided everything, and judges everyone with confidence, even aiming at higher powers:

Where is the rightness

The question arises: what does he base his worldview on? Salieri himself talks about this in the play:

I put it at the foot of art

Gave obedient, dry fluency

I tore apart the music like a corpse. Believed

I algebra harmony….

From these lines it is clear that Salieri, in relation to music, acts as an owner. Just as a master masters an instrument, Salieri wants to master the element of music. He figured out its structure and mastered the technique. He had the feeling that he completely mastered the element of music, he could take, transmit, develop music, like a thing made by a master. He believes that there is nothing in the element of music that is beyond his control. And in this Salieri sees and asserts his freedom.

It is interesting that, considering himself to have mastered music, Salieri strives to subjugate life itself, the destinies of people, and direct the development of art. Pushkin sees a connection here, transitions from one idea to another. Having placed himself above the world, above the elements of music, Salieri also places himself above human life. Having made the truth relative (there is no truth on earth...), he begins to actively assert his truth. Salieri's freedom denies freedom to Mozart.

In Mozart we can observe a completely different freedom. We meet Mozart in a wide variety of connections with the world, in relation to which he feels himself a part of it, although this does not prevent him from feeling lonely.

Mozart's speech is very different from Salieri's. One immediately gets the feeling that it is not Mozart who owns the music, but the music who owns him. It is no coincidence that Pushkin chooses the following expressions for Mozart:

The other night

Insomnia tormented me...

two or three thoughts came into my head

I wanted

I need to hear your opinion...

So, we hear continuous passive constructions in Mozart’s speech. And even:

My requiem worries me.

Music owns Mozart, and it decides his fate, because even the Requiem came for him...

We can say to this: where is the freedom here?

A. S. Pushkin contributed his favorite words and themes to Mozart:

There are few of us who are happy and idle,

Neglecting despised benefits,

One beautiful priest...

The word "idle" in in a certain sense– a synonym for “free”. “Idle” is empty, freed from something. What is Mozart free from, unlike Salieri? From everything that controls Salieri: from the narrowness of the lonely, limited Self, from the power of reason, logic, “algebra” that controls Salieri. From the desire to be the best (“like you and me”). Mozart is connected with the whole world; it is no coincidence that his wife, the boy, and the blind old man were featured in the short play. Mozart constantly refers to Salieri's point of view, he is in dialogue with him and with the whole world. Such connections in themselves can keep a person from any “villainy.”

To summarize, I will say the following: freedom can be directed towards oneself and from oneself towards the world. The first one enslaves a person to himself, and does not make a person whole. And it easily turns into a crime. The second freedom is not so noticeable from the outside. Dialogue with the world, openness to another person, consciousness, point of view - fills a person with vitality, love, and evokes a desire to do good.

Art is not created by one person. A person who is closed in on himself will never create a great work. It’s like “shavings wrapped around its own emptiness.” It is no coincidence that Salieri achieved fame, but nowhere in Pushkin is it said about the impact his art had on people. Mozart's music brings tears. It was created by a person free from himself and therefore this music itself can change a person, free him, captivate him. There is a hint of this at the end of the play, where Salieri, listening to the Requiem, does more than just cry. For the first time, under the influence of this music, he began to doubt himself, that he was right. For the first time he turns to himself with the question of his own rightness.

In Pushkin’s short play “Mozart and Salieri,” the poet combines the historical myth of the rivalry between two great Austrian composers with a philosophical understanding of burning passions that push to betrayal and murder.

In contact with

Historical figures in the tragedy

Poetic tragedy Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin wrote in 1830 during the romantic period of Boldinskaya autumn. At this time, the great Russian poet composed four literary works cycle “Little Tragedies”, one of which was the play “Mozart and Salieri” with the original a telling name"Envy".

The classic Shakespearean drama, in which tragic human passions rage, is very short, laconic, and consists of two short acts. The heroes of this dramatic work are real historical figures - these are two famous and successful Austrian composers and musicians - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri.

History of creation The poetic work is as follows: the legendary myth about the treacherous elimination of an opponent through poisoning was adopted by Pushkin as the basis of a dramatic plot.

The main character, the Austrian and Italian composer Salieri, recites:

“And now - I’ll say it myself - I’m now

Envious. I envy; deep,

I'm painfully jealous..."

The experienced and active composer considers the young, talented and frivolous Mozart a darling of fate, unworthy of his own genius.

Attention! Salieri justifies his sinful act by saying that the genius Wolfgang Amadeus is useless.

Antonio considers the daily composing work of a creative musician to be painstaking and calculating, subject to the laws of harmony: “I have made craft the foundation of art.”

Brief biography of Salieri

Italian and Austrian composer, conductor and teacher, Antonio Salieri was one of the most successful and recognized musical authors of their time. He was born in 1750 in the vicinity of Verona in the family of a wealthy merchant. The gifted young man studied music for some time in Venice, then in 1766 Anton Salieri (the German version of the sound of the name) moved to Vienna, the capital of Austria.

After the publication of the opera “Armida” I became quite famous composer, author of many vocal and instrumental works. During his creative period he wrote more than forty operas and had great success not only in Austria, but also in France.

From 1774, the musician was appointed court composer, and from 1778 to 1824 he served as royal conductor, possessing excellent diplomatic qualities and musical talent.

Professional career The composer's career was extremely successful - he occupied the highest European position in the professional community. The composer survived three emperors, invariably participating in all significant events in the social and musical sphere of Europe. He was a wealthy man.

Pedagogical activity

The students of the great teacher-composer were:

• Ludwig van Beethoven;
• Franz Peter Schubert;
• Franz Liszt;
• Carl Czerny;
• Jan Nepomuk Hummel;
• Luigi Cherubini.

Important! The musician died in 1825 in Vienna, having made an excellent career not only as a composer and conductor, but also as a teacher and public figure. The maestro was fully realized in his profession and was successful in art.

Divine gift and traditions

Summary The play also includes Salieri’s arrogant attitude towards “non-elite” musicians. Disdaining the common people, the court bandmaster considers art and musical talent to be the lot of selected professionals who create their masterpieces according to the strict rules of the mathematical tradition.

Among his own kind, the musician feels confident and arrogant, since he considers this thorny path the only possible one in art.

With the appearance of young Mozart in the professional composing community, Antonio Salieri admires his genius and the “divine spark” hidden in his light and free music.

An inevitable tragedy

The plot of the play is based on the conflict of worship and envy of the talent of a young friend. Salieri exclaims: “You, Mozart, are unworthy of yourself.” This exclamation simultaneously expresses admiration and admiration for the genius, carefreeness and love of life of a colleague, but envious feelings push the maestro to commit a crime. A cruel tragedy unfolds before the reader's eyes. The emotional monologue of the indignant Antonio, who justifies himself as the savior of the composers' elite, is replete with colors and emotional experiences. The brief speech of Pushkin's Mozart in the text of the play is uncertain and limited - he speaks in fragments of phrases. The hero is confused and depressed.

Controversial characters

The play is quite short and consists of two scenes. The main characters taking part in the theatrical action are:

• Mozart;
• Salieri;
• The old man is a violinist (street musician).

The legendary image of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is described by Pushkin as a bright genius, “composing music like birds sing.” The young talent seems to be a gifted and serene genius, not knowing the pains of creativity. Salieri sarcastically calls this gentle image “an idle reveler” who is not aware of his divine gift and calls his own musical ideas a trifle.

Talent conflict

The problem of negative relationships is enhanced by the “omnivorousness” of Mozart, who is satisfied with the performance of his original melody by an incompetent street musician. He is amused by the amateurish sound, more like a creak than cheerful music.

Antonio is outraged and dissatisfied that the blind violinist is playing Mozart’s melody, and not his original composition. From this ridiculous scene and a tragic outcome develops plays - the maestro decides to save the composer's workshop by getting rid of the careless “shepherd”.

Justice and black envy

In accordance with artistic design Pushkin's plays, Maestro Antonio embodies a rebellious spirit protesting against injustice on earth and in heaven. He is tormented by doubts and black envy that it is not he, a humble hard worker, who is awarded genius, but an “idle reveler” - an unworthy one.

Outwardly, the relationship between the cheerful and simple-minded Wolfgang and the two-faced Antonio looks like friendship. According to Pushkin’s idea, Mozart is trusting, simple-minded and, due to his inexperience, does not suspect the danger, confirming the genre of the play.

The maestro achieved his professional, social heights and recognition through long dedicated work and personal discipline. Coming into conflict with a musician of supernatural talent, Salieri descends into tragic intrigue.

The poisoning scene is accompanied by a dialogue between the main characters, where Salieri tells Wolfgang Amadeus that who — he was poisoned by his friend Beaumarchais. And at this moment the brilliant Mozart utters a phrase that has become a “catch phrase”: “Genius and villainy are two incompatible things.”

Experienced, sophisticated composer, accustomed to reaching heights musical art creative diligence, he imagined that the young, life-loving Mozart was like a heavenly cherub. The angelic musician illuminated the sinful world with the gentle sounds of his divine works. Therefore, the insidious hero decides to “return” this little angel to his wondrous paradise world.

Based on the plot of a poetic work by Alexander Pushkin Salieri poisoned Mozart inviting him to dine at the Golden Lion tavern.

Calculating musician pours poison kept by him for eighteen years, into the cup of friendship, bringing the tragic end closer.

Fatal prediction and tribute to art

In a philosophical understanding, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin examines deep-seated universal human problems:

• responsibility;
• morality of a person of art;
• service to art.

What is more moral – talent or art? The idea of ​​universal justice turns into personal envy and black villainy.

Crime in the Golden Lion

In the second and last scene of the play, the action takes place in a separate room of the Golden Lion inn, where Salieri and Mozart are. The young composer plays selected passages from his new work on the piano. Constantly in need of cash composer, accepted an order to compose a requiem (large piece of music for choir and orchestra at the funeral service). The young genius is depressed and confused.

Requiem ordered Unknown person in black, who paid the composer well for this complex mournful work. Mozart began to perform, but over the past three weeks he has been haunted by the thought that the “black man” is haunting him. The musician drinks the wine poisoned by his friend and leaves, sensing the approach of death.

Important! It seems that the figure of the unknown genius Pushkin, dressed in black, serves as the embodiment of a hostile world. This terrifying association inevitably occurs throughout the final scene of this legendary tragic play.

Drama A.S. Pushkin “Mozart and Salieri”: brief analysis, the content of the tragedy

Retelling of Pushkin A. S. “Mozart and Salieri”

Conclusion

Composing a requiem for the funeral service for the deceased, Wolfgang Amadeus comes to terms with his tragic fate and submits to divine fate. The sad conclusion of the poetic work is accompanied by Antonio’s insidious tears - tears of duty fulfilled and liberation.