This discussion of the film, "Amadeus" has been interesting.  I think,
however, that what one may discern in this play/film is Oscar Wilde's
influence on Peter Shaffer.  "The Picture of Dorian Gray" has a similar
premise . . .  a young man has his portrait done, but he makes a "deal,"
asking for eternal life in exchange for his soul.  The portrait ages while
he remains young, but the portrait reveals the corrupt aspect of his soul.

In "Amadeus", Salieri makes a "deal" as well, similar in that he desires
fame and notoriety, but his prayer demonstrates his desire to share in
God's glory.  He gets his wish, but when he is old his music is forgotten
while Mozart's lives on even after an early death.

I don't believe Shaffer was attempting to write history.  He is a
playwright using his right to artistic license.  As a musician, I certainly
desire my students know the difference between fact and fiction.  This, in
itself, becomes a wonderful game we can have our pupils play.  They
investigate Mozart's life and find what one may find of truth and fiction
in the play.

I teach a course entitled "Mozart and the Voice of God." In this course
we use "Amadeus" as a springboard for the texts and discussions to follow.
The students know from the start that this play/film is not biography.
It is their job to determine what separates fact from fiction.  We then
set out to study what Karl Barth, Soren Kierkegaard, Hans Kung, and others,
have to say about Mozart as a voice of "God." The students receive both
an arts credit and a religion credit for the course.  They read John
Rossetti's "Life of W.A.  Mozart," Karl Barth's "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,"
Hans Kung's "Mozart - Traces of Transcendence," as well as the play version
of "Amadeus." The question Salieri raises in the play is the premise of the
course.  While we will never know whether that question was truly asked by
Salieri, we address it in connection with the creative process in general
as well as Mozart specifically.

My composition teacher, Vincent Persichetti, always used to say that Mozart
was:"from out there somewhere. . .he's way above the rest of us." Mozart's
gifts are certainly unusual when compared with any other contributor to art
music.  I think it fascinating that a 20th century playwright can weave a
tale offering his audience the opportunity to wrestle with artistic and
theological issues.  In stark contrast to this, I also offer a course,
"Bach and Luther," where the connections may find proof with more viable
historical means.

I urge anyone who is basing their opinion of Shaffer on the film only to
consider viewing or reading the play.  It is clearer what the author is
up to, and one's impression of Hulce as WAM need not get in the way.

Paul Wesley Hofreiter, Chair
The Lawrenceville School Music Department
Lawrenceville, NJ