Life and career Early life (1750–1770) Antonio Salieri was born on August 18, 1750, to Antonio Salieri and his wife, Anna Maria. Salieri started his musical studies in his native town of Legnago; he was first taught at home by his older brother Francesco Salieri (a former student of the violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini), and he received further lessons from the organist of the Legnago Cathedral, Giuseppe Simoni, a pupil of Padre Giovanni Battista Martini. Salieri remembered little from his childhood in later years except for passions for sugar, reading, and music. He twice ran away from home without permission to hear his elder brother play violin concertos in neighboring churches on festival days and he recounted being chastised by his father after failing to greet a local priest with proper respect. Salieri responded to the reprimand by saying the priest's organ playing displeased him because it was in an inappropriately theatrical style. Sometime between 1763 and 1764, both of Salieri's parents died, and he was briefly taken in by an anonymous brother, a monk in Padua, and then for unknown reasons in 1765 or 1766, he became the ward of a Venetian nobleman named Giovanni Mocenigo (which Giovanni is at this time unknown), a member of the powerful and well connected Mocenigo family. It is possible that Salieri's father and Mocenigo were friends or business associates, but this is obscure. While living in Venice, Salieri continued his musical studies with the organist and opera composer Giovanni Battista Pescetti, then following Pescetti's sudden death he studied with the opera singer Ferdinando Pacini (or Pasini). It was through Pacini that Salieri gained the attention of the composer Florian Leopold Gassmann, who, impressed with his protege's talents and concerned for the boy's future, took the young orphan to Vienna, where he personally directed and paid for the remainder of Salieri's musical education.
life and career early life (1750–1770) antonio salieri was born on august 18 1750 to antonio salieri and his wife anna maria salieri started his musical studies in his native town of legnago; he was first taught at home by his older brother francesco salieri (a former student of the violinist and composer giuseppe tartini) and he received further lessons from the organist of the legnago cathedral giuseppe simoni a pupil of padre giovanni battista martini salieri remembered little from his childhood in later years except for passions for sugar reading and music he twice ran away from home without permission to hear his elder brother play violin concertos in neighboring churches on festival days and he recounted being chastised by his father after failing to greet a local priest with proper respect salieri responded to the reprimand by saying the priest's organ playing displeased him because it was in an inappropriately theatrical style sometime between 1763 and 1764 both of salieri's parents died and he was briefly taken in by an anonymous brother a monk in padua and then for unknown reasons in 1765 or 1766 he became the ward of a venetian nobleman named giovanni mocenigo (which giovanni is at this time unknown) a member of the powerful and well connected mocenigo family it is possible that salieri's father and mocenigo were friends or business associates but this is obscure while living in venice salieri continued his musical studies with the organist and opera composer giovanni battista pescetti then following pescetti's sudden death he studied with the opera singer ferdinando pacini (or pasini) it was through pacini that salieri gained the attention of the composer florian leopold gassmann who impressed with his protege's talents and concerned for the boy's future took the young orphan to vienna where he personally directed and paid for the remainder of salieri's musical education