The human psyche craves life, love, light and comedy. It desires happiness and the incandescent glow contentment brings to the soul. However, it also craves death, sin, darkness and horror. Humanity sometimes quietly looks upon tragedy with unfathomable longing for an inferno fuelled by chaos. 

Amadeus mainly explores the second half of this dichotomy. As a refresher/primer, Amadeus covers Salieri’s account of Mozart’s life through his eyes, starting from Mozart’s arrival in Vienna and ending at his untimely death under suspicious circumstances at age 35. It focuses on Salieri’s all-consuming envy towards Mozart’s talent, the rivalry between them (one-sided though, Mozart was a huge admirer of Salieri’s work) and the contrast between Mozart’s unparalleled musical genius and his absurd sense of humour. The soundtracks used for the film are all Mozart’s original works with some of Salieri’s sprinkled in, aptly placed to highlight related sequences in the movie. 

It was after a rewatch that I noticed a pattern the placement of music formed. When I looked at it for a little longer, I wondered if this pattern was a second narration of Mozart’s life aside from what the screenplay wanted the viewers to see. It was almost perfect too, considering his works were placed chronologically and gradually descended from comedy to tragedy. It was after the second rewatch and a series of wild 2 am goose chases (Italian opera translations are kind of hard to find) that I realised something else - while the placement of the director’s selection of Mozart’s works in the movie was in fact chronological and conveniently shaped around his life, it wasn’t actually Mozart’s downfall that was being narrated through the music; it was Salieri’s.

More than 41 pieces of music were used throughout the movie. Still, there are five that flesh out the trajectory of Salieri’s descent from the content, revered court composer of the Habsburg Empire to a devious, desperate, irreverent husk of a man who was willing to burn the world to feel the warmth of approval by those he deemed worthy. (There were only two beings he thought worthy: Mozart, a dead man, and God, whom Salieri himself had declared dead.)

Non più andrai

This is an aria for bass from The Marriage Of Figaro, a comedy opera by Mozart that recounts the union of Figaro and Susanne. In Amadeus, the base for this was written by Salieri for welcoming Mozart to Vienna. Mozart, ever the perfectionist, thanks Salieri and revamps the march on the spot, drawing praise from the emperor along with Salieri’s ire. “Non più Andrai” reads “You shall go no more” in Italian and signifies Salieri’s pause in mindset. His curiosity towards Mozart slowly begins to turn into discontent as the stark contrast in talent between them is shoved unceremoniously into Salieri’s face. 

Ecco la marcia andiamo

Another aria from The Marriage of Figaro, this takes place further in act III when the Count in the story hatches a revenge plot to destroy Figaro, the man who had taken the heart of the woman he desired. This is played during Mozart’s live performance of the same, right after Salieri uses his connections to ensure Figaro does not play for long in theatres. Ecco la marcia marks the progression of Salieri’s destruction. No longer caring about honouring God or having enough ability to serve him through music (something Salieri valued immensely earlier), he swerves onto a path of flames to spite both Mozart and the God who gave an “uncouth manchild” (Mozart was also known for random butt jokes, nobility despised his carefree manner) like Mozart enough prodigal talent to sway all of Vienna’s hearts. Salieri now shuns God and his ways, and wants to ensure he maintains his place above Mozart by either hook or crook.

Axur, re d’Ormus (Finale)

The finale plays as the bittersweet ending to Axur, the tragicomedy written by Salieri and considered to be one of his greatest works. In Amadeus, Axur is shown to be released right after Mozart’s Figaro had finished its meagre 9-show stroll through theatres (you can thank Salieri’s merciless string pulling for that). The finale depicts Axur, the king of Ormus, taking his own life after being dethroned by his people due to committing various crimes throughout the opera. This is a direct consequence of him realising he no longer lives in the people’s hearts. Salieri, even after having technically performed better than Mozart with his opera and being praised heartily by the emperor for his work, is unable to accept the reverence bestowed upon him. During a prayer, he asks God why he was given the insatiable desire to play music for him when he was bound to be rendered “mute”. The finale for Axur, in my opinion, marks Salieri’s death as an artist, not by the quality of his work, but by the destruction of the self. (He did it himself too, just like Axur.)

Commendatore scene, Don Giovanni

Undeniably, this is one of the most haunting scenes of opera. Don Giovanni, a proud, brash and narcissistic noble is haunted by the ghost of the Commander whose grave he had mocked to come have dinner at his quarters. Giovanni does this right after murdering the man for his daughter’s hand in marriage. “I’ve come, where is the dinner?” wails the ghost before asking him to repent one final time before taking his life. Don Giovanni refuses haughtily, and his death follows. Mozart, riddled with debts, excessive alcoholism and work, begins to deteriorate physically. Salieri plots to have Mozart write a Mass of the Dead (Requiem) for his own death before killing him. This is around the time Salieri has one of his last audiences with God, attempting to pray but unable to actually do so. Salieri being drawn to God exactly mirrors the Commodore giving Don Giovanni one last chance at clarity and repentance before utter destruction befalling him. But Salieri, consumed by envy and wrath, refuses.

Requiem, Lacrimosa

Mozart dies before Salieri can take his life. What he left behind was an unfinished Requiem unlike any other that was composed before. Never had a piece of music sounded as certain, resolute and merciful as death before this one. Lacrimosa (the seventh movement) runs on the motif of mercy and closure as indicated by the line “Grant them eternal rest, my lord.” There is nothing left for Salieri to pursue as God had taken away his protege without letting Salieri sully his honour any further. Salieri must now come to terms with himself on the ugly truth of his nature and how he ended the man he most verily admired for his talent despite everything. 

(Reminder that Amadeus is a semi-fictional account, and consists of parts that were heavily embellished for creative storytelling, which is brilliant when used properly but also comes with a certain responsibility to learn about what actually happened. Go visit wiki if you want to know more.)