Film as Musicology: "Amadeus"

Author(s): Robert L. Marshall

Source: The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 81, No. 2 (Summer, 1997), pp. 173-179
Published by: Oxford University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/742458
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FilmasMusicology:
Amadeus
L. Marshall
Robert

I have cometopraiseAmadeus,
filmbuffs,
fellowmusicologists:
Friends,
notto buryit! ButbeforeI getto thatletmesaythatI feltprivileged
whenI wasaskedto takepart,duringthe 1996annualmeetingofthe
AmericanMusicologicalSociety,in thefirst-ever
paneldevotedto establishinga newdisciplinewithinourdiscipline,
namelyFilmas Musicology
as FilmCriticism).It wascertainly
abouttimeforsuch
(ossia:Musicology
howmanytimesI have beenasked-and I am sure
a panel,considering
justaboutall ofus have beenasked:"WasMozartreallylikethat?"or
"Weretherereallysuchcreatures
as castrati-andweretheyreallylike
That?"In short:Hollywoodhas discovered
theromanceofmusichistory
withit (ifnotnecessarily
and has becomeinfatuated
withus). Butbefore
truelovecan takeholdwiththisnewobjectofdesire,Tinseltown
eviis necessary-minor
ormajor
dentlyis convincedthatcosmeticsurgery
(no punintended)as thecase maybe. Butsince,fortheloveobject,the
thegreater
moreradicalthesurgery,
theriskofdisfigurement,
perhaps
to
if
it
would
seem
fall
to
to
to
be
on
so,
us,
anyone,
fatally
guard-prebutnotto assumethatwe aredestinedto
paredto do battle,ifnecessary,
hostileantagonist.
be up againstan inevitably
In short,beforeanyofus aretemptedto seekthethrilling
rushofthe
senseofintellectual
and moralsuperiority
bybashingHollywoodforfalsithefactsofmusichistory,
and in theprocessperhapsrisking
no little
fying
we had betterpausefora momentand consider:what
embarrassment,
wouldwe thinkof,say,anyhistorians
ofancienthistory
whowouldrake
or
over
the
coals
for
what
Shakespeare, Handel,
theyhad doneto thehistoricalJuliusCaesar?Iftheirbeefweresolelywiththeundisputed
circumstancethathardfactshad beendisregarded,
disrearranged,
deliberately
orevencompletely
madeup,an indignation
torted,
propelledfurthermore
themanifestly
different
bya reluctanceto acknowledge
purposesofhistoand ofdramaturgy,
and byan unwillingness
to acknowledge
that
riography
creativeartists,
afterall,carrypoeticlicenses-thatis,licensesto killfactualtruthwhenitstandsin thewayofpoeticordramatic
truth-well,I
thinkwe mightbe inclinedto dismisssuchcriticism,
be iteverso earnest,
as smug,narrow-minded,
and (themostdreadedofpejoratives
hurledour
as altogether
missway)pedanticquibbles-to dismissit, to putit mildly,

173
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174 TheMusical
Quarterly

thatpoeticlicenseto kill,
ingthepoint-the artistic
pointthatauthorizes
orat leastmaim,theliteraltruth.
The aesthetic,and indeedthemoral,point,fromourperspective,
whenconsidering
thegenre(or,ifone prefers,
the ilk) ofthemusicfilmobviously
historical
has to be thesameas thatinforming
ourattitude
towarditscounterpart
and antecedent:
thevenerable-ifalwayssuspecthistorical
novel.And it is thesameattitude,
thathas to steerour
really,
ofShakespeare
orHandeloranylessermortalwhochoosesto
judgment
"do a number"
on Julius
Caesar-or on thekingsoftheHouseofLancaster
orYork.Namely:if,armedwiththeshieldoftheirpoeticlicenses,theyare
casta baleful
and,alongthewayperhaps,
goingto trashthefactsofhistory
ofgreatandfamousmen,thentheyhad betterbe
lighton thereputations
to redeemthehistoriographical
insultwitha sufficient
portionof
prepared
form
ofadequatecompenjustice,orsomeothercompelling
poetictruth,
sation.
I willreadilyconcedethatHollywoodis notHandel.And while,by
theauthoroftheplay,and thefilmscript,
thesametoken,PeterShaffer,
I thinkwe mayall agreethathe is
ofAmadeus,maynotbe Shakespeare,
notchoppedlivereither-thatis,he is certainly
nota mereopportunistic
of
tabloid
titillation
but
a
dramatist
who
clearly thoughtful
purveyor
demandsto be takenseriously.
ofa disadvantage
at theAMS Filmas MusicolNow,I wasat something
for
one
reason:
unlike
the
otherworksunderreview,
obvious
ogypanel
itprecipitated,
andhand-wringing
were,by
Amadeus,and thecontroversy
and,really,
1996,overlyfamiliar
verystale.The playhad beenaroundfor
morethanfifteen
years.It openedin Londonin 1979and in New Yorka
in bookformin 1981,and appearedas a movie
was
later,
published
year
directedbyMilosFormanin 1984.The filmworld'scollectiveverdicton
in thefactthatitwoneightAcademyAwardsin
themoviereverberates
BestPicture.
1984,including
Our colleagueshave oftenhad moretroublewithit,owing,ofcourse,
In
"liberties."
to all thosepeskyhistorical
"mistakes"
or,ifone prefers,
in thatrespect,
theOctober
responseto thechallengethefilmpresented
1984 issueofthejournalEighteenth-Century
Lifepublisheda setofthree
of
shortessaysundertherubric"FilmForum:Amadeus,"
consisting
"Amadeus
and Authenticity,"
(FloridaStateUniverbyJanePerry-Camp
sity),"Amadeus:FromPlayto Film,"byMarkRinger(UCLA), and
"Amadeus
and theWorldofMilosForman,"
byJ.L. L. Johnson(College
as
"Amadeus
andAuthenticity,"
ofCharleston).lPerry-Camp's
published,
I say,in 1984,wasable to reporton the"listsuponlists"offactualerrors
and
thathad alreadybeendrawnbythen,recitedmanyofthoseerrors,

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FilmasMusicology:
Amadeus175

addedquitea fewmore,suggesting
that"Amadeus'
historical
mistakes
and
semi-mistakes
arelegion."2The interested
readercan consultthelistsin
herarticle.3
is largely
ThoughPerry-Camp
negativein herevaluationof
thefilmand evenworried
aboutitsultimateculturalimpact-concerned
thatMozarthere"isonce againthevictimofcommercial
interests"4-she
doesmakean important
concession(or confession)
whensheremarks
that"thereis one overwhelming
salvagingforcein Amadeus:Mozart's
music."5
As withSalieri,Amadeusindeedmaymakeconfessors
ofus all. So letme
nowconfessthatI thoroughly
admirealmosteverything
aboutboththe
film.I findtheplay,withitsemphasison what
playand thequitedifferent
MarkRingerdescribedas the"theomachia
betweenSalieriand theBig
brilliant
andpresenting
theater,
effective,
GuyUpstairs,"6
dramatically
twoofthemorememorable
dramaticcharacters
ofrecentdecades.As for
thefilm,as Shaffer
once explainedin an interview,
themainprotagonist
therewasno longerSalieri;itwas,rather,
Mozart'smusic.7
One ofhiscentralobjectivesin factwasto saturatethefilmwithit.
Amadeusis ofcoursea workoftheimaginaNow,in eitherversion,
to fusethefacts
tion,and theauthorhas feltfreeto shiftthechronology,
intonewconfigurations,
and to augmentthemfordramaticeffect.
And I
findnothingwrongwiththis,simplybecause,in thisinstance,itworksso
well. And I do thinkit is carpingand pedantic to accuse Shafferof disthefacts;it wouldsurelybe absurdto accusehimofnotknowing
torting
them.Shaffer
clearlyknowsthefactsand exactlywhathe is doingwith
them.As a theatergoer,
I couldonlysay"hatsoff";in fact,as someone
whohas dippedintoMozart'sbiography,
I applaudShaffer's
extensive
withtheeventsofMozart'slifeand,evenmore,hiseloquent
familiarity
and perceptive
homageto Mozart'smusic.
As to themusic:havewe notall been impressed
bySalieri'simpassionedand vividdescription
oftheslowmovement
oftheSerenadefor
ThirteenWindInstruments,
K. 361 (withitsmemorable
squeezebox
Shaffer's
themyth
image)?As to thecomposer-specifically,
perpetuating
ofMozart'seffortless
in thatfamousscenewhereConstanze
composition
showshimherhusband'smanuscripts
and Salieriswoonswhilecontemscenein the
platingtheirimpeccablenotation-probably
myfavorite
in ourgleeat havingunearthed
in
movie-well,letus notoverreact
recentyearsnumerous
sketchesand drafts
in Mozart'shandandproceed
all toohastilyto debunkthemythofeffortless
all too catecomposition
The factremainsthatMozart'smanuscripts
areall too oftenall
gorically.
too cleanforcomfort.
I remember
in amazement
on
studying
bordering
and a senseoftheeerie,theautograph
ofthePianoConcertoin
disbelief,

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176 TheMusical
Quarterly

K. 482, andrealizing
E-flat,
that,withrespectto thecompositional
Indeed,therewerealmostno
process,itcontainednothingofinterest.
ofanykind,notevenminorones.
corrections
I lovethatscenebecauseitforces
us all to confront
theunsettling
the
order.Indeed,
conundrum
ofartistic
of
highestimaginable
creativity
itseemsto me,is as muchas anything
elsea symptom
ofourneed
Amadeus,
ofthegreat-toexplainandcomprehend
to accountfortheachievements
so extraordinary.
whatmadethese,ourfellowcreatures,
Perhapsthisneedis
nowthaneverbefore,
sincein a secularageourgreatfigures
evengreater
havein a realsensebecomeourgods.AndwhentherearegodsandmysterIt is a symptherewillbe myths.
ies,thatis,majorunanswered
questions,
ofourworship
ofthegreatthatthemythology
concerntomofthevitality
butisquite
ingthemisnota static,closedone,an "ancient"mythology,
Shaffer's
Mozartisalmostthe
aliveand,accordingly,
constantly
changing.
oftheMozartfamiliar
to theromantic
alterego,theJungian
"shadow,"
period.
newgospelaccordingto PeterShaffer
The "newmythology"-the
notofromantic
whichsawthe
idealization,
(and others)-is a reflection
andperhapsas a tragichero,butratheroftheage of
artistas a flawless
on theportrait
and iconoclasm.We nowsee theblemishes
psychoanalysis
Mozartthemanwasbyno meansa porcelain
withmicroscopic
clarity.
he wasnotnecessarily
particuangel.Accordingto thenewmythology,
lives
on
Mozart
of
romantic
all.
the
at
admirable
myth
Ironically,
larly
notonlyin Amadeusbutin ourmostsophisticated
nonetheless,
biographito castMozartin thestoryofhislifeas a largely
cal studies.We stillprefer
ofhisrivalSalieri,
ofSalzburg,
innocentvictim,be it oftheArchbishop
orofhisfather
Leopold.
tobe a dramaorfilmcritictorealizethatShaffer's
It isnotnecessary
play,
andthemovie,too,areaboutSalieri,andthatin themMozartisSalieri's
orFarinelli
unlikeImmortal
obsession.
Beloved,
Impromptu,
Consequently,
Amadeus
or
historical
of
aesthetic
taste
from
all
(and apart
truth),
questions
sentimental
genreofthe
belongsonlyto a limitedextentto thetraditional,
It is a fable-a fableaboutGod'scaprimusician's
biography.
Hollywood
his incomoftalentamonghiscreatures:
ciousapportionment
specifically,
In
fable
Shaffer's
of
the
most
decidedlyundeserving.
favoring
prehensible
nor
the
even
Mozart
historical
we do notsee the
through
objectively,
theeyesofSalieri-as Shaffer
author's
imagines
eyes,butonlythrough
And accordingto Shaffer's
Salierito be forhisowndramatic
purposes.
bratwithan
Salieri,Mozartwasan infantile
envious,and resentful
bitter,
obnoxiouslaughwhodidnotknowhowto behaveordressandwho
seemedto findinfinite
scatologicalwords.
pleasurein uttering

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Filmas Musicology:
Amadeus177

and fascinated
audiences-and
Thisdepictiondismayed,
confused,
and quiteproperly,
Peopleunderstandably,
capturedtheirimagination.
wereskepticaland wantedto knowiftherewasanytruthto thisportrayal.
It washardforthegeneralpublicto imaginethatMozartusedsuchfoul
oneshave alwaysknown)
language-thelanguage(as we enlightened
written
thateruptsin theBasleletters
byMozartto hiscousinMaria
Not thatwehave
ofLeopoldMozart'sbrother.
Anna Thekla,thedaughter
withthoselettersand thesideofMozart'spersonalfeltverycomfortable
itythattheyreveal.Whatis one to makeofthem?How has ourprofessioncometo termswiththem?Let me counttheways(or at leastsomeof
them)as theplayerin Hamletmighthavedescribedthem(ifhisprecoin genreshad beendirectedto modernintellectual
fashions
ciousinterest
thepsyratherthanElizabethan
dramatic
forms):thecharacterological,
thesociological,thecultural-linguistical,
theclinicalchoanalytical,
pathological.
Forwhatit maybe worth,I findthesociological(or perhapsit is the
In theeighteenth
cultural-linguistical)
explanationthemostsatisfying.
the
middle
and
functions
werecalledby
class,bodyparts
among
century,
It wouldseemthat
theirvernacular
names,nottheirLatineuphemisms.
functions
at thetime(at leastin theGermantalkingabouttheexcretory
ofan obsession-a bitliketalkingabout
speakingworld)wassomething
one'sdiettoday,perhaps,oraboutone'sanalysis.
As to thatinfuriating
(scholarsand layadmirlaugh:forMozartians
evenmorerepellent
ersalike),it is,ifanything,
thanthefoulmouthof
Mozart.To beginwith,in contrast
to thescatological
Shaffer's/Salieri's
there
is
no
historical
for
thisidiosyncrasy.
evidence
absolutely
language,
We simplyhaveno contemporary
at
all
as
to
howMozart
testimony
soundedwhenhe laughed.Butwhileit lacksanydocumentary
substantiarationaleforthispersistent,
tion,one can finda plausibledramatic
gratattribute
attachedto theplay'santihero(not inappropriinglyirritating
A moment's
atelyfora musician,a soundingattribute-aleitmotiv).
reflection
revealsthatitmustbe meantto represent-itmustbe meantto
ofthegods:laughter
be-the mockinglaughter
directedtowardall us
commonmortals
whohave beenspitefully,
deniedthefireof
maliciously
creativegenius.Indeed,Salierihimself
informs
hisconfessor
(and us)uponrecallingtheincidentat thecarnival,whenMozart,afterhaving
comicimitation
ofthe
delighted
everyone
presentwithhisgrotesquely
courtcomposerat thekeyboard
sourpuss
(concludingthewoodencompositionwitha resounding
authenticfart),bursts
perfect
yetagainintohystericallaughter-that"ThatwasnotMozartlaughingat me,Father.That
wasGod. That wasGod laughingat me through
thatobscenegiggle.Go
on, Signore,laugh,laugh."

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178 TheMusical
Quarterly

Forthepurposes
ofthispanel,at all events,the"correct"
of
understanding
Mozart'sfoullanguageorhowhe laughedis ofno import.
Whatis imporforus,as members
ofourprofession,
to
tant-at leastwhatis important
and acknowledge-isthatthefilmstimulated
and
recognize
widespread
in twoMozartphenomena:themanandhis
intensegeneralinterest
music.Almostat once Mozartbecamethemostpopular,mostwelland,I do believe,themosttruly
known,mostpurchased
enjoyedofthe
and anyclassicalcomposers,
readilydisplacingBeethoven,
Tchaikovsky,
one elsewho,before1980,mighthavedisputedhisclaimto thatposition.
nowcomesthereallygoodpart-sincepeople
Furthermore-and
werebaffled
and couldnotgetenoughofthemovie,orMozart,orhis
ofthisprofession
foranswersandguidmusic,theyturnedto themembers
ance. In 1984or 1985 (thatis,justa yearortwoafterthemoviehad
givinga talkaboutitand itsrelationto "thefacts."
opened),I remember
ofher
a
woman
cameto me and madea confession
Afterwardsyoung
thatshehad bythenalreadyseenthefilmsomethirty-five
own,namely,
her.Indeed,she indicatedthatit
timesand thatit wasconsuming
orforty
no musical
had givenherlifenewmeaning.Althoughshehad absolutely
she
find
outas
now
knew
that
wanted-needed-to
she
background,
I
could.As sheputit-quite spookily,
muchaboutMozartas shepossibly
have to say-she wantedto devoteherlifeto him.I amsureyouhave
she
guessedwhatshewasdrivingat: yes,shewantedto knowwhether
shouldbecomea musicologist.
(I verymuchhopeshehas gottenoverit in
themeantime.)Moresignificantly,
byfar:in thewakeofAmadeus,enrollmentsin collegemusiccoursesnationwide,
especiallycoursesaboutWAM
increases.
sawunprecedented
himself,
increasedevenmore.At
By 1991theMozartmaniahad,ifanything,
a conference
bythemajorMozarteventofthatyear,thebiceninspired
wheresomeone
in a paneldiscussion
tennial,I remember
participating
all thisattention,
fromtheaudienceaskedwhyMozartwasreceiving
especiallyfromthepopularmedia.One ofthepanelistsconcededthathe
ofa puzzle.I pipedup andsubmitreallycouldnotsay:it wassomething
ted:"It'sthatmovie,ofcourse-still."
That movie,then,had becomeourmostpotentally.I wouldsubmitthat
of
itbecamethemostpotentallyofeveryone
engagedin theenterprise
and
classicalmusic-performers,
andpromulgating
scholars,
cultivating
teachers.So: twothumbsup hereforAmadeus!

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Filmas Musicology:
Amadeus179
Notes
1. "FilmForum:Amadeus,"
Eighteenth-Century
Life9 (Oct. 1984): 116-22.
2. JanePerry-Camp,
"Amadeus
and Authenticity,"
Eighteenth-Century
Life9 (Oct. 1984):
117.
3. Some examplesofthehistorical
inaccuracies
Salieriand
registered
byPerry-Camp:
Mozartdidnotusemodernconducting
at thecourts
techniques;Mozartnevermisbehaved
ofColloredoorJosephII; Leopolddidnotmeethisdaughter-in-law
forthefirst
timein
Vienna(theyfirst
metin Salzburg);Salierididnotcommission
theRequiemfromMozart,
norwashe presentat Mozart'sdeath;Mozartdidnotdrinkhimself
to death,norwasthere
a rainstorm
on thedayofhisfuneral;
etc.
119.
4. Perry-Camp,
118.
5. Perry-Camp,
6. MarkRinger,
"Amadeus:FromPlayto Film,"Eighteenth-Century
Life9 (Oct. 1984):
120.
fromPlayto Film,"NewYork
7. MichikoKakutani,"How 'Amadeus'Was Translated
as follows:
The movie"hasbecomemuchmore
Times,16 Sept. 1984,quotesPeterShaffer
a celebration
ofthemusic.. . In thefilm... musicalmostbecomesa character,
themost
In a Timesarticleofhisown,"PayingHomageto Mozart"(NewYork
character."
important
wrote:"In thepicture,
themusicnaturally
becamemore
Times,2 Sept. 1984),Shaffer
thanin theplay...,. thecinemapositively
musicin floods-and,of
welcomes
prominent
is verymuchthefateofdrowning
Salieri.Music,sublime
course,acousticalinundation
and unstaunchable,
pouringin a streamovera gaspingman'shead,is ofcoursethecentral
subjectofthefilm"(emphasisin original).

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