Amadeus Quotes
Salieri: He was my idol. Mozart, I can't think of a time when I didn't know his name.
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri: Through my influence, I saw to it that Don Giovanni was played only five times in Vienna. But in secret, I went to every one of those five. Worshipping sounds I alone seemed to hear.
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri: This was no composition by a performing monkey. This was a music I had never heard. Filled with such longing, such unfulfillable longing. It seemed to me I was hearing the voice of God.
Movie: Amadeus
[Reflecting upon a Mozart score]
Salieri: I was staring through the cage of those meticulous ink strokes - at an absolute beauty.
Salieri: I was staring through the cage of those meticulous ink strokes - at an absolute beauty.
Movie: Amadeus
[to a priest]
Salieri: I will speak for you, Father. I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint.
Salieri: I will speak for you, Father. I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint.
Movie: Amadeus
[ Reflecting upon a Mozart score ]
Salieri : I was staring through the cage of those meticulous ink strokes - at an absolute beauty.
Salieri : I was staring through the cage of those meticulous ink strokes - at an absolute beauty.
Movie: Amadeus
Katerina Cavalieri : I heard you met Herr Mozart.
Salieri : News travels fast in Vienna.
Katerina Cavalieri : And he's been commissioned to write an opera. Is it true?
Salieri : Yes.
Katerina Cavalieri : Is there a part in it for me?
Salieri : No.
Katerina Cavalieri : How do you know?
Salieri : Do you know where it's set, my dear?
Katerina Cavalieri : No.
Salieri : In a harem.
Katerina Cavalieri : What's that?
Salieri : A brothel!
Katerina Cavalieri : Oh-h-h-h.
Salieri : Come. Let's begin.
Katerina Cavalieri : What does he look like?
Salieri : Mozart? You might be disappointed.
Katerina Cavalieri : Why?
Salieri : Looks and talent don't always go together, Katerina
Katerina Cavalieri : Looks don't concern me, maestro. Only talent interests a woman of taste.
Salieri : News travels fast in Vienna.
Katerina Cavalieri : And he's been commissioned to write an opera. Is it true?
Salieri : Yes.
Katerina Cavalieri : Is there a part in it for me?
Salieri : No.
Katerina Cavalieri : How do you know?
Salieri : Do you know where it's set, my dear?
Katerina Cavalieri : No.
Salieri : In a harem.
Katerina Cavalieri : What's that?
Salieri : A brothel!
Katerina Cavalieri : Oh-h-h-h.
Salieri : Come. Let's begin.
Katerina Cavalieri : What does he look like?
Salieri : Mozart? You might be disappointed.
Katerina Cavalieri : Why?
Salieri : Looks and talent don't always go together, Katerina
Katerina Cavalieri : Looks don't concern me, maestro. Only talent interests a woman of taste.
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri : My plan was so simple. It terrified me. First I must get the death mass and then, I must achieve his death.
Father Vogler : What?
Salieri : His funeral! Imagine it, the cathedral, all Vienna sitting there, his coffin, Mozart's little coffin in the middle, and then, in that silence, music! A divine music bursts out over them all. A great mass of death! Requiem mass for Wolfgang Mozart, composed by his devoted friend, Antonio Salieri! Oh what sublimity, what depth, what passion in the music! Salieri has been touched by God at last. And God is forced to listen! Powerless, powerless to stop it! I, for once in the end, laughing at him! [ beat ]
Salieri : The only thing that worried me was the actual killing. How does one do that? Hmmm? How does one kill a man? It's one thing to dream about it; very different when, when you, when you have to do it with your own hands.
Father Vogler : What?
Salieri : His funeral! Imagine it, the cathedral, all Vienna sitting there, his coffin, Mozart's little coffin in the middle, and then, in that silence, music! A divine music bursts out over them all. A great mass of death! Requiem mass for Wolfgang Mozart, composed by his devoted friend, Antonio Salieri! Oh what sublimity, what depth, what passion in the music! Salieri has been touched by God at last. And God is forced to listen! Powerless, powerless to stop it! I, for once in the end, laughing at him! [ beat ]
Salieri : The only thing that worried me was the actual killing. How does one do that? Hmmm? How does one kill a man? It's one thing to dream about it; very different when, when you, when you have to do it with your own hands.
Movie: Amadeus
Emanuel Schikaneder : Look, I asked you if we could start rehearsals next week and you said yes.
Mozart : Well, we can.
Emanuel Schikaneder : So let me see it. Where is it?
Mozart : Here. It's all right here in my noodle. The rest is just scribbling. Scribbling and bibbling, bibbling and scribbling.
Mozart : Well, we can.
Emanuel Schikaneder : So let me see it. Where is it?
Mozart : Here. It's all right here in my noodle. The rest is just scribbling. Scribbling and bibbling, bibbling and scribbling.
Movie: Amadeus
Mozart : I actually threw the score on the fire, he made me so angry.
Salieri : You burned the score?
Mozart : No, no. My wife took it out in time.
Salieri : You burned the score?
Mozart : No, no. My wife took it out in time.
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri : Are you sure you can't leave these and, and come back again?
Constanze Mozart : It's very tempting sir, but it's impossible, I'm afraid. Wolfgang would be frantic if he found those were missing, you see they're all originals.
Salieri : Originals?
Constanze Mozart : Yes, sir, he doesn't make copies.
Salieri : These, are originals?
Constanze Mozart : It's very tempting sir, but it's impossible, I'm afraid. Wolfgang would be frantic if he found those were missing, you see they're all originals.
Salieri : Originals?
Constanze Mozart : Yes, sir, he doesn't make copies.
Salieri : These, are originals?
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri : But they showed no corrections of any kind. Not one. He had simply written down music already finished in his head. Page after page of it as if he were just taking dictation. And music, finished as no music is ever finished. Displace one note and there would be diminishment. Displace one phrase and the structure would fall.
Movie: Amadeus
Emperor Joseph II : My dear young man, don't take it too hard. Your work is ingenious. It's quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect.
Mozart : Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?
Mozart : Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri : Mozart, it was good of you to come!
Mozart : How could I not?
Salieri : How... Did my work please you?
Mozart : [ hesitantly ] I never knew that music like that was possible!
Salieri : [ uncertainly ] You flatter me.
Mozart : No, no! One hears such sounds, and what can one say but... "Salieri."
Mozart : How could I not?
Salieri : How... Did my work please you?
Mozart : [ hesitantly ] I never knew that music like that was possible!
Salieri : [ uncertainly ] You flatter me.
Mozart : No, no! One hears such sounds, and what can one say but... "Salieri."
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri : I heard the music of true forgiveness filling the theater, conferring on all who sat there, perfect absolution. God was singing through this little man to all the world, unstoppable, making my defeat more bitter with every passing bar.
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri : He was my idol. Mozart, I can't think of a time when I didn't know his name.
Movie: Amadeus
Emperor Joseph II : Your work is ingenious. It's quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect.
Mozart : Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?
Mozart : Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?
Movie: Amadeus
Mozart : "Confutatis maledictis" - when the wicked are confounded. "Flammis Acribus Adictis." How would you translate that?
Salieri : Consigned to flames of woe.
Mozart : Do you believe in it?
Salieri : What?
Mozart : A fire which never dies, burning you forever?
Salieri : Oh yes.
Salieri : Consigned to flames of woe.
Mozart : Do you believe in it?
Salieri : What?
Mozart : A fire which never dies, burning you forever?
Salieri : Oh yes.
Movie: Amadeus
[ addressing a crucifix ]
Salieri : From now on we are enemies, You and I. Because You choose for Your instrument a boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy and give me for reward only the ability to recognize the incarnation. Because You are unjust, unfair, unkind, I will block You, I swear it. I will hinder and harm Your creature on earth as far as I am able.
Salieri : From now on we are enemies, You and I. Because You choose for Your instrument a boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy and give me for reward only the ability to recognize the incarnation. Because You are unjust, unfair, unkind, I will block You, I swear it. I will hinder and harm Your creature on earth as far as I am able.
Movie: Amadeus
[ after playing several selections of his music for Father Vogler, who is unfamiliar with any of them, Salieri smiles knowingly and plays the opening measure of "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik." Vogler instantly begins to hum along in surprised recognition ]
Father Vogler : [ smiling ] Yes, I know that! Oh, that's charming! I'm sorry, I didn't know you wrote that.
Salieri : I didn't. That was Mozart. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Father Vogler : [ smile fades ] The man you accuse yourself of killing.
Father Vogler : [ smiling ] Yes, I know that! Oh, that's charming! I'm sorry, I didn't know you wrote that.
Salieri : I didn't. That was Mozart. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Father Vogler : [ smile fades ] The man you accuse yourself of killing.
Movie: Amadeus
[ addressing the complaints about the "improper" libretto for "Figaro" ]
Mozart : Come on now, be honest! Which one of you wouldn't rather listen to his hairdresser than Hercules? Or Horatius, or Orpheus... people so lofty they sound as if they shit marble!
Mozart : Come on now, be honest! Which one of you wouldn't rather listen to his hairdresser than Hercules? Or Horatius, or Orpheus... people so lofty they sound as if they shit marble!
Movie: Amadeus
Salieri : Your... merciful God. He destroyed His own beloved, rather than let a mediocrity share in the smallest part of His glory.
Movie: Amadeus
[ about Emperor Joseph II's musical tastes ]
Salieri : Actually, the man had no ear at all. But what did it matter? He adored my music.
Salieri : Actually, the man had no ear at all. But what did it matter? He adored my music.
Movie: Amadeus
[ to a priest ]
Salieri : I will speak for you, Father. I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint.
Salieri : I will speak for you, Father. I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint.
Movie: Amadeus