Antonio Salieri (1750-1825) is the Italian composer who was a bitter rival of Mozart and is even rumored to have poisoned him. This rumor was made the basis of Nicolas Rimsky-Korsakov's "Mozart and Salieri," but it is probably untrue. Although the animosity, which forms the basis of the rumor, is accurate.
Salieri was on friendly terms with Haydn. He gave lessons in composition to Cherubini and to Beethoven. In fact, Beethoven dedicated his three sonatas for pianoforte and violin, op. 12, to Salieri. Salieri died in Vienna on May 7, 1825.
