Die Rose, op. 73—was made in [1]1834, and appeared in Paris the same year. It was followed in 1838 by the Ständchen, Post, and Lob der Thränen, and in 1839 by the Erl King and by 12 Lieder. These again by 6 Lieder; 4 Geistliche Lieder; 6 of the Müllerlieder; the Schwanengesang, and the Winterreise. Liszt has also transcribed the Divertissement à la hongroise, 3 Marches and 9 'Valses-caprices,' or 'Soirées de Vienne,' after Schubert's op. 67. All the above are for PF. solo. He has also scored the accompaniment to the Junge Nonne, Gretchen am Spinnrade, So lasst mich scheinen, and the Erl King, for a small orchestra; has adapted the Allmacht for tenor solo, male chorus, and orchestra, and has converted the Fantasie in C (op. 15) into a Concerto for PF. and orchestra. Some will think these changes indefensible, but there is no doubt that they are done in a masterly manner, and that many of them have become very popular.—Heller's arrangements are confined to 6 favourite songs.
England made an appearance in the field with 2 songs, 'The Letter of flowers' and 'The Secret,' which were published by Mr. Ayrton in 1836 in the Musical Library, to Oxenford's translation. Mr. Wessel (Ashdown & Parry) had begun his 'Series of German Songs' earlier than this, and by 1840, out of a total of 197, the list included 38 of Schubert's, remarkably well chosen, and including several of the finest though less known ones, e.g. Ganymed, An den Tod, Sei mir gegrüsst, Die Rose, etc., etc. Ewer's 'Gems of German Song,' containing many of Schubert's, were begun in 1836. Schubert's music took a long time before it obtained any public footing in this country. The first time it appears in the Philharmonic programmes—then so ready to welcome novelties—is on May 20, 1839, when Ivanoff sang the Serenade in the Schwanengesang to Italian words, 'Quando avvolto.' Staudigl gave the Wanderer, May 8, 1843. On June 10, 1844, the Overture to Fierabras was played under Mendelssohn's direction, and on June 17 the Junge Nonne was sung to French words by M. de Revial, Mendelssohn playing the magnificent accompaniment. We blush to say, however, that neither piece met with approval. The leading critic says that 'the overture is literally beneath criticism: perhaps a more overrated man never existed than this same Schubert.' His dictum on the song is even more unfortunate. He tells us that 'it is a very good exemplification of much ado about nothing—as unmeaningly mysterious as could be desired by the most devoted lover of bombast.' Mendelssohn conducted the last five Philharmonic concerts of that season (1844); and amongst other orchestral music new to England had brought with him Schubert's Symphony in C, and his own overture to Ruy Bias. At the rehearsal however the behaviour of the band towards the symphony—excited, it is said, by the continual triplets in the Finale—was so insulting that he refused either to go on with it or to allow his own overture to be tried.[2] But the misbehaviour of our leading orchestra did not produce the effect which it had done in Paris; others were found to take up the treasures thus rudely rejected, and Schubert has had an ample revenge. The centres for his music in England have been—for the orchestral and choral works, the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, and Mr. Charles Halle's Concerts, Manchester; and for the chamber music, the Monday and Saturday Popular Concerts and Mr. Halle's Recitals. At the Crystal Palace the Symphony in C (No. 10) has been in the repertoire of the Saturday Concerts since April 5, 1856; the two movements of the B minor Symphony were first played April 6, 1867, and have been constantly repeated. The 6 other MS. Symphonies were obtained from Dr. Schneider in 1867 and since, and have been played at various dates, a performance of the whole eight in chronological order forming a feature in the series of 1880–81. The Rosamunde music was first played Nov. 10, 1866, and has been frequently repeated since. Joachim's orchestration of the Grand Duo (op. 140) was given March 4, 1876. The overtures to Alfonso and Estrella, Fierabras, Freunde von Salaraanka, Teufels Lustschloss, and that 'in the Italian style' are continually heard. Miriam's song was first given Nov. 14, 1868 (and three times since); the Conspirators, March 2, 1872; the 23rd Psalm, Feb. 21, 1874; the E♭ Mass, March 29, 1879. At the Popular Concerts a beginning was made May 16, 1859, with the A minor Quartet, the D major Sonata, and the Rondeau brillant. Since then the D minor and G major Quartets, many sonatas and other PF. pieces have been added, and the Octet, the Quintet in C, and the two Trios are repeated season by season, and enthusiastically received. The Quartet in B♭, a MS. trio in the same key, the Sonata for PF. and Arpeggione, etc. have been brought to a hearing. A large number of songs are familiar to the subscribers to these concerts through the fine interpretation of Stockhausen, Mad. Joachim, Miss,Regan, Miss Sophie Lowe, Mr. Santley, Mr. Henschel, and other singers. At Mr. Halle's admirable recitals at St. James's Hall, since their commencement in 1863 all the published Sonatas have been repeatedly played; not only the popular ones, but of those less known none have been given less than twice; the Fantasia in C, op. 15, three times; the PF. Quintet, the Fantasia for PF. and Violin, the Impromptus and Momens musicals, the '5 pieces,' the '3 pieces,' the Adagio and Rondo, the Valses nobles, and other numbers of this fascinating music have been heard again and again.
The other principal publications in England are the vocal scores of the six Masses, the PF.
- ↑ These particulars are taken partly from Miss Bamann's Life of Liszt, and partly from Liszt's Thematic Catalogue. The third No. of the 'Apparitions' is founded on a Waltz melody of Schubert's.
- ↑ Even 15 years later, when played at the Musical Society of London, the same periodical that we have already quoted says of it, 'The ideas throughout it are all of a minute character, and the instrumentation is of a piece with the ideas. There is no breadth, there is no grandeur, there is no dignity in either; clearness, and contrast, and beautiful finish are always apparent, but the orchestra, though loud, is never massive and sonorous, and the music, though always correct, is never serious or imposing.' Is it possible for criticism to be more hopelessly wrong?
