Here's one with a hint of provenance (See: 'Court Violinist'.)
http://answers.yahoo...0306232916AAR42S9
The Beethoven anecdote--if that Has provenance--surely describes a Reputation, earned or gossip (?) in-the-day.
KDFC (now world-wide via web, too) has filled the SF-area vacuum of Classical over n-years: a Shame which the SF Movers/Shakes shall, deservedly
--remain twitted-on indefinitely (if not Tweeted? maybe that too.)
And concur re some recent auditions of Salieri's work, several to date on KDFC.
A disturbing aspect of the movie is: particularly in the rollicking ruckus where M. plays the piano--while lying on his back! making fart jokes about Salieri
--is the savagely excessive non-humour of this really 'bully-boy' grade skit.
While I am ignorant of much of Mozart's bio(s), I prefer to believe that his evocation of such aetherial beauty could Not co-exist with such arrant viciousness.
[Is there extant any bio which could establish to a near-certainty--whether indeed, M. possessed (was-possessed-of) such a Mean-streak -??- along with the unarguable-Talent?
(That's the trouble with fiction and its writers--you can go beyond the pale because: Schadenfreude.
Which may be more addictive than Heroin?)
Sells books a lot, too. Is Salieri's obloquy Earned? (whatever opinions of his musical abilities) or a huge exaggeration of hearsay/local loaded-gossip.
Ed: PS--since the polarization re the real-Salieri is now a meme, I mistrust It All until.. something resembling a chain-of-evidence surfaces.
WIll try for neutrality while waiting. The mettle of his composing is, of course Another matter.