his literary powers; his nature was too restless, and his life too unsettled. It is a pity that his musical novel, 'Tonkünstler's Leben,' remained unfinished, for as he himself was the musician whose 'life' he described, we should have gained an artistically drawn autobiography of inestimable value. What a storehouse of details we should have had on the state of music in Germany at the beginning of the century, on the sort of concerts then given, on the doings of amateurs, the social position of musicians, etc.! Who better fitted to give us a correct picture of all this than the versatile, keenly observant Weber? What remains of the novel is interesting, and tantalizing, on account of its many acute and profound observations on art. Not that Weber could philosophise and systematise like Wagner; he touches lightly on subjects, sometimes indeed superficially, but in every word you see the man of intellectual cultivation capable of forming his own judgment. His literary affinity is closer to Schumann than to Wagner. The imagination, the humour, the kindness and cordiality towards his juniors, the absence of jealousy towards equals, are as characteristic of Weber as of Schumann. He helped materially to launch Meyerbeer and Marschner, exerted himself heartily to extend the knowledge of Spohr's music (a service Spohr did not return in kind), and though as a youth he passed a hasty judgment on Beethoven, he amply repaired the oversight in maturer years. When 'Fidelio' was being performed in Dresden, he wrote to Beethoven (Jan. 28, 1823), 'Each representation will be a festival to me, giving me the opportunity of offering to your noble spirit a homage springing from my inmost heart, which is filled with mingled admiration and affection for you.' And Weber was no man to pay empty compliments. Like as he was to Schumann in many respects, they were very different in others. Besides the sense of humour characteristic of both, Weber had a strong satirical vein, a caustic wit, and a love of fun, which he shared with Mozart. He was, also, more mercurial and brilliant than Schumann, who by his side seems almost slow. He took wider views of life, was more a man of the world, often with a kind of chivalrous gallantry; but far more fickle than his younger comrade in art. He wrote on all sorts of subjects, critical, polemical, historical, theoretical; most often perhaps to introduce new works, and prepare the public mind for their reception. The mechanical construction of instruments was always an interesting subject to him, and he wrote newspaper articles on Capeller's improved flutes, on Kaufmann's[1] trumpets, chiming-clocks, and Harmonichord, and on Buschmann's 'Terpodion.' He even went so far as to compose a Concertstück (Adagio and Allegretto in F) for Kaufmann's harmonichord, a piece which shows very clearly his wonderful feeling for beauty of sound.
Summary of Weber's Compositions.
I. OPERAS.
- Das Waldmädchen; 3 fragments only remaining: Unprinted. 1800.
- Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn. Unprinted. 1801.
- Rübezahl; only 3 numbers in existence, the last a Quintet published by Schlesinger. 1804, 1805.
- Silvana; PF. score. Schlesinger. 1810.
- Abu Hassan; PF. score. Simrock, Bonn. 1811.
- Der Freischütz. 1820.
- Die drei Pintos. Sketch only, unfinished. 1821. [App. p.815 "add that it has recently been completed by the composer's grandson, C. von Weber, and August Mahler, of Leipzig, and was produced at Leipzig, Jan. 20, 1888.]
- Euryanthe. 1823.
- Oberon. 1826.
II. OTHER DRAMATIC WOKKS.
- Music to Schiller's Turandot; overture and 6 short instrumental pieces. 1809.
- Music to Müliner's 'König Yngurd'; 10 instrumental and 1 vocal piece. 1817.
- Music to Gehe's 'Heinrich IV, König von Frankreich'; 8 Instrumental pieces. 1818.
- Music to Rubiack's play 'Lieb' um Liebe'; 4 vocal pieces, 1 march, and 1 melodrama. 1818.
- Music to Houwald's tragedy 'Der Leuchtthurm'; 2 melodramas and 2 interludes for harp, all short. 1820.
- Music to Wolff's 'Preciosa'; overture, 4 choruses, 1 song, 3 melodramas, and dances. 1820.
- Music to a Festspiel by Ludwig Robert; instrumental movement, and 5 choruses. 1822.
- Rondo alla Polacca for tenor voice, for Haydn's opera 'Freibrief. 1809.
- 4 Lieder for single voice and guitar, Ueber die Berge mit Ungestüm; Rase, Sturmwind, blase; Lass mich schlummern, Herzlein, schweige; Umringt vom mutherfüllten Heere: from Kotzebue's 'Der arme Minnesinger.' 1811.
- 2 Lieder, Mein Weib ist capores, and Frau Liesere guhe; from Anton Fischer's 'Travestirte Aeneas.' 1815.
- 2 Lieder, Wer stets hinte' Ofen kroch, and Wie wir voll Glut uns hier zusammenfinden; from Gubitz's 'Lieb und Versöhnen.' 1815.
- Ballad for single voice and harp, Was stürmt die Haide herauf? from Reinback's tragedy 'Gordon und Montrose.' 1815.
- Arietta to Huber's 'Sternenmädchen im Maidlinger Walde." 1816.
- Romance for single voice and guitar, Ein König einst gefangen sass; from Castelli's 'Diana von Poitiers.' 1816.
- Lied, Hold ist der Cyanenkranz; from Kind's 'Weinberg an der Elbe.' 1817.
- Chorus with wind Instruments, Heil dir Sappho; from Grillparzer's tragedy 'Sappho.' 1818.
- Lied for single voice and guitar, Ein Mädchen ging die Wies' entlang; from Kind's 'Der Abend am Waldbrunnen.' 1818.
- Chorus with wind instruments, Agnus Dei; from Graf von Blankensee's tragedy 'Carlo.' 1820.
- Lied for 3 women's voices and guitar, Sagt woher stammt Liebesluste (Tell me where is fancy bred); from Shakspere's 'Merchant of Venice.' 1821.
- Music and recitative, Doch welche Töne steigen jetzt hernieder; for Spontini's 'Olympia.' 1825,
- Recitative and Rondo for soprano and orchestra, Il momento s'avvicina. 1810.
- Scena ed aria for soprano and orchestra, Misera me; from 'Atalia.' 1811.
- Scena ed aria for tenor, men's chorus, and orchestra, Qual altro attendi. 1811.
- Scena ed aria, for tenor, 2 choruses, and orchestra, Signor sa padre sei; from 'Ines de Castro.' 1812.
- Scena ed aria for soprano and orchestra, Ah, se Edmondo fosse l'uccisor; for Méhul's 'Helène.' 1815.
- Scena ed aria for soprano and orchestra, Non paventar, mia vita; for 'Ines de Castro.' 1815.
- Scena ed aria for soprano and orchestra, Was sag' ich? Schaudern macht mich der Gedanke! for Cherubini's 'Lodoiska.' 1818.
- Three duets for 2 soprani and PF., Se il mio ben; Mille volte mio tesoro; Va, ti consola. 1811.
III. CANTATAS.
- Der erste Ton: by Rochlitz: orchestral music for declamation and final chorus. 1808.
- Hymn, In seiner Ordnung schafft der Herr; by Rochlitz: soli. chorus, and orchestra. 1812.
- Kampf und Sieg; by Wohlbrück, in commemoration of June 18 1815: soli, chorus, and orchestra. 1815.
- L'Accoglianza; for the wedding of the Hereditary Grand-Duke Leopold of Tuscany, and Princess Maria Anna Carolina of Saxony, words by Celani: 6 solo-voices, chorus and orchestra. Oct. 29, 1817.
- Natur und Liebe; by Kind; for the name-day of King Friedrich August of Saxony: 2 sopranos, 2 tenors, 2 basses, and PF. 1818.
- Jubel-Cantata, Erhebt den Lobgesang: by Kind; for the 50th anniversary of King Friedrich August's accession: soli, chorus, and orchestra. 1818.
- Du, bekränzend unsre Laren; by Kind, for Duchess Amalia von Zwelbrücken's birthday: solo and chorus, with PF. and flute. 1821.
- Wo nehm' ich Blumen her; by Hell, for Princess Therese of Saxony's birthday: 3 solo-voices and PF. 1823.
- ↑ Father and son of Dresden.
