Even in the 'Finta Filosofa' the orchestra was said to have drowned the voices.[1] Whether this was justified—even from an Italian point of view—I cannot say, not knowing the work, but there is some ground for it in the 'Vestale,' which also fell short in many other points.[2] Fétis attended the rehearsals, and is an unimpeachable witness on this point. Spontini's thoughts were throughout fresh and significant, but, not having before attempted lyric tragedy, he did not in all cases succeed in giving them a satisfactory form. Then began an interminable altering and remodelling on his part; the most trying experiences at rehearsals did not discourage him from again and again re-casting passage after passage, until he had hit on the best possible form. This indefatigable polishing and experimenting became henceforth one of his characteristics, and instead of diminishing, as he acquired command of his means, as might have been expected, each new work seemed to strengthen the habit. People are still living in Berlin who have seen him at work in this way. He would alter a passage four and five times, each time pasting-on the new version, so that at last the score became quite bulky, and not unfrequently, after all this experimenting, he would revert to the original form.
The rehearsals were at length brought to a close after endless trouble, when, at the last moment, the performance was all but postponed, by a command from the Emperor that Lesueur's 'La Mort d'Adain,' which had long been accepted, should be given before it. When however the copyist was about to set to work, by some accident Lesueur's score could not be found, and thus Spontini secured precedence for the 'Vestale.' Its success was the most brilliant imaginable, and it long remained a favourite with the Parisians, having been performed 200 times as early as the year 1824. The caste on the first night was as follows: Licinius, Nourrit; Cinna, Lais; the High-Priest, Dérivis; the Chief-Augur, Bonel; A Consul, Martin; Julia, Mme. Branchu; the Chief Vestal, Mme. Arinand. Both composer and poet received permission to dedicate the work to the Empress. A higher distinction than this however awaited Spontini. Napoleon had founded a prize to be given every ten years to the new opera which should have made the greatest success within that period. The time of the award drew near, Méhul, Gossec, and Grétry were the judges, and their bestowal of the prize on the 'Vestale,' instead of on Lesueur's 'Bardes' was a tacit acknowledgement that the organised opposition to the foreigner was at an end. The opera soon became known beyond France. The first performance at San Carlo in Naples (to an Italian translation by Giovanni Schmidt) took place Sept. 8, 1811,[3] with Isabella Colbran as Julia. It made a great sensation, and Spontini might perhaps have found a worthy successor among his own countrymen in Nicola Antonio Manfroce, had this talented young man not been carried off by an early death. On the title-page of the 'Vestale' Spontini styles himself Chamber-composer to the Empress, and Maestro di capella to the Conservatorio of Naples. Whether this title was a new honour, or whether he brought it with him to Paris I know not. Vigano adapted the 'Vestale' as a ballet, and in this form also it was universally popular in Italy.—In Berlin the first performance took place Jan. 18, 1811, to a translation by Herklots. It was given at Munich on Jan. 14, and Würzburg Jan. 10, 1812.
Jouy drew the material of his poem, the action of which takes place in the year of Rome 269, from Winckelmann's 'Monumenti antichi inediti.' It still ranks as one of the best librettos of the present century, and justly so. As for the music it is so entirely new, and so utterly unlike the Neapolitan style, that it is not to be wondered at if the malicious story that Spontini was not the composer of it, has occasionally been believed. Not that this could have happened if 'Milton' had been better known, for in that little opera the metamorphosis of his style is already complete. His new style Spontini did not evolve entirely from his own resources. Of the influence of Mozart we have already spoken, but that of Gluck, with whose works he became acquainted in Paris, was more important still. 'Iphigénie in Aulis' is said to have been the opera the first hearing of which showed him his future path. Not that Gluck was in his eyes a greater master than Mozart. Some years later, at a banquet given in Spontini's honour at Berlin, some one said in his praise that as a composer he had fulfilled all the requirements of a master of the musico-dramatic art, when he exclaimed hastily, 'No, it is only Mozart who has done that.'[4] But still it is obvious that Gluck was nearer of kin to him than Mozart. With Gluck he shares that touch of grandeur, the refined melancholy of which is often so peculiarly attractive, though as a rule the depth of Gluck's sentiment is beyond the reach of the Italian master. As with Gluck too the dramatic gift preponderates in Spontini over the purely musical. He is in this respect remarkable among Italian composers, who though all endowed with a certain instinct for stage-effect, yet prefer to set their operas to concert-music. The moment that personal vindictiveness against Spontini ceased it could not but be acknowledged that 'La Vestale' was full of beauties, and that it seized the audience by its grand melodies and fiery outbursts, its depth of passion and truth of expression, its genuinely tragic style, and the singularly happy
- ↑ 'Allg. Musik. Zeitung' for 1804, p. 382.
- ↑ The 'Vestale' was a marvel of noise for its day. and a good story was current about it in Paris at the time. A well-known physician had advised a friend to go and hear it as a remedy for his deafness, and accompanied him to the theatre. After one of the loudest bursts, 'Doctor,' cried the friend in ecstacy, 'Doctor, I can hear!' but alas, the doctor made no response, the same noise which had cured his friend had deafened him.
- ↑ See Florimo, 'Scuola Musicale di Napoli,' iv. 268. In his earlier work, 'Cenno storico sulla Scuola musicale di Napoli' (Naples. 1869) p. 631, he says the first performance took place in 1809.
- ↑ Dora's 'Aus meinem Leben.' pt. 3. p. 9; Berlin, Behr, 1870.
