Famous Composers and Their Music
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iiii! J^ / Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Brigham Young University http://www.archive.org/details/famouscomposerst05thom HAROLD BLEBLffiR^^ PROVO. UTAH DANIEL FRANCOIS ESPRIT AUBER From an engraving by C. Deblois, 7867. 41 .'^4/ rii'iiMia-"- '^'', Itamous COMPOSERS AND THEIR MUSIC EXTRA ILLUSTPATED EDITION o/' 1901 Edited by Theodore Thomas John Knowlej Paine (^ Karl Klauser ^^ n .em^fssfi BOSTON M'^ J B MILLET COMPANY m V'f l'o w i-s -< & Copyright, 1891 — 1894— 1901, By J. B. Millet Company. DANIEL FRANCOIS ESPRIT AUBER LIFE aiore peaceful, happy and making for himself a reputation in the fashionable regular, nay, even monotonous, or world. He was looked upon as an agreeable pianist one more devoid of incident than and a graceful composer, with sparkling and original Auber's, has never fallen to the ideas. He pleased the ladies by his irreproachable lot of any musician. Uniformly gallantry and the sterner sex by his wit and vivacity. harmonious, with but an occasional musical dis- During this early period of his life Auber produced sonance, the symphony of his life led up to its a number of lietier, serenade duets, and pieces of dramatic climax when the dying composer lay sur- drawing-room music, including a trio for the piano, rounded by the turmoil and carnage of the Paris violin and violoncello, which was considered charm- Commune. Such is the picture we draw of the ing by the indulgent and easy-going audience who existence of this French composer, in whose garden heard it. Encouraged by this success, he wrote a of life there grew only roses without thorns ; whose more imp^i/rtant work, a concerto for violins with long and glorious career as a composer ended only orchestra, which was executed by the celebrated with his life ; who felt that he had not lived long Mazas at one of the Conservatoire concerts. He enough, and who clung tenaciously to life, ener- also composed, for his friend Lamare, concertos getically refusing to drop this mantle of mortality, which were applauded by the general public. This postponing the final moment by the mere strength Lamare was a violoncellist of great talent and eru- of his powerful determination to live. dition, but so barren of musical creative power that Auber, the most Parisian of Parisians, who could he could not originate the simplest melody nor com- never tear himself away from his dear native city, pose a note for his own instrument. Auber adapted even for a short excursion in the summer, was born, his music so cleverly to the playing of the eminent " — as it happened — at Caen, towards the end of instrumentalist that Lamare said to him : Nobody the month of January, 1782. I say, "as it hap- would think, my dear Auber, that I was not the pened," because the composer's parents were not composer of these concertos, so strongly are they settled in that town and were only staying there impressed with my personality." To which Auber " " temporarily when the future author of La Muette replied : Since that is so, my dear Lamare, the de Portici " made his entrance upon the stage of concertos shall be published in your name." And life. His father was a print-seller in Paris. Being as a matter of fact they were so published, succes- a thorough business man he wished his son to be- sively, under the name of the violoncellist. The come a business man also. To this end, when his public thought he was the author of them, but child had received a somewhat summary education, musicians were aware of the truth, which has been and had almost reached man's estate, he sent him an open secret for a considerable time. to London to begin his career in a house of business. It is evident that although Auber made his dt^but Even at this early period the young Auber was as a dramatic composer at a late period, he early considered a distinguished amateur musician. He practised this art as an amateur, producing his com- played the piano well, and had made successful at- positions in the Paris drawing-rooms. These draw- tempts at minor composition, such as ballads, small ing-rooms were his academy of music up to the morceaux for the piano, etc. Realizing that he was time when, convinced that he had still much to not fitted for a business life, but for that of a musician, learn in the practice of counterpoint, he sought as- Auber returned to Paris, where he was not long ir sistance from the illustrious Cherubini, whom he was 6.S.S 654 FAMOUS COMPOSERS destined one day to succeed as director of the Paris is so well-bred, so witty, and so good an accompan- (Conservatoire. ist? I am convinced that he will earn himself a The first work that Auber submitted to pubhc name among our composers. It is a pity that he judgment was a comic opera in one act, entitled should compose operatic airs without words because " Le Sejour Militaire," which was produced at the he has none to work on." Theatre Feydeau in 1813. Auber was then tliirty- Women always gain the day, whenever they plead two years old. This piece was not his first attempt in favor of the unknown and the lowly, and Auber in theatrical work, however ; for he had previously was then both unknown and lowly. Madame Pla- written a comic opera for the Prince de Chimay, nard pleaded so well in this particular instance that and before this, still another work for a small her protege obtained from Planard two pieces in- orchestra, which was represented in an amateur stead of one to set to music. The first was a piece theatre. He had also composed a Mass, with in one act, entitled " Le Testament et le Billet orchestra, in which occurred the admirable chant Doux," which unfortunately met with a much less which he used at a later date in the famous prayer favorable reception from the public than " Le Se- in his masterpiece, " La Muette de Portici." " Le jour Militaire," and that had been a failure. The Sejour Militaire " may be regarded merely as mark- next venture was " La Bergere Chatelaine," in three ing a date in the biography of the French composer. acts, and it made ample amends for all previous This piece, of somewhat doubtful buffoonery, passed mortifications. Its success was unanimous and unnoticed by the general public. Indeed the musi- brilliant. None too soon indeed. Had the author cian himself was very slightly impressed with it, lost this opportunity his future as a composer would being but imperfectly inspired when he wrote it. have been irretrievably ruined, for no poet would Nevertheless a writer then celebrated, M. Martin- have entrusted him with a libretto. ville, discovered in this score several pretty motifs At the time when Auber produced " La Bergere and a great deal of wit. Chatelaine," the turning-point in his artistic career, From 1813 to 1819 Auber remained silent, and he was thirty-eight years of age, just a year younger it might have been thought that he had ceased to than Rossini when he closed his with that immortal exist. What became of him during this long masterpiece " Guillaume Tell." period? He still continued to appear in society Planard, having witnessed the failure of " Le and, when in the humor, to write as an amateur Testament," would have liked to take back the fugitive pieces of music set to subjects of the same libretto of " La Bergere Chatelaine " which he had character. He asked dramatic poets to write pieces handed over to Auber some time before. But now for him, but they were not very anxious to do so he was very happy to have another of his pieces, in after the failure of " Le Sejour Militaire." three acts, entitled " Emma," set to music by the About this time the composer's father died, leav- composer. This work was represented at the ing a widow and two sons without fortune. During Theatre Feydeau in 182 1, and was an extraordinary this period, when the eminent musician that was to success. The high road to fortune was now open, be was still pursuing his studies, he found himself and for more than forty years the composer's career face to face with pecuniary difficulties ; but he sup- was one long series of triumphs, which continued ported them bravely, never complaining. to the last day of his life. One might have thought, Planard, the most fashionable librettist of that after the complete success of the two last comic day, was accustom.ed to gather around him in his operas upon which Auber and Planard collaborated, little house at Passy — which was not then consid- that they would have continued to work together ered one of the districts of Paris — a company of for a long time ; but it was not so. Scribe had amateurs and artists. There was music, and Auber, just then attained his brilliant position as a writer one of the most assiduous habitues of the house, of vaudevilles. Fate had decided that there should accompanied on the piano. In this way it came be a partnership between him and Auber, a partner- to pass that Madame Planard took a great interest ship which of all the combinations that ever existed in Auber and espoused his cause. between word-writer and musician was the happiest " My dear," she said to her husband, "can you and most lasting.