Heinrich Marschner Author(s): J. S. Shedlock Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 25, No. 500 (Oct. 1, 1884), pp. 573- 575 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3357569 . Accessed: 01/01/2015 13:22

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This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Thu, 1 Jan 2015 13:22:33 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-OCTOBER I, 1884. 573 much trouble." Watching his opportunity,Gluck chance that Schumannfound the greatSymphony in whisperedin Piccinni's ear: " You are wrongto say C in 1838; and it was aftermuch trouble and research that,my dear friend." Of course Berton's supper that other treasureswere discovered about thirty did not end the war. It broughttogether men who yearslater by Sir GeorgeGrove. And there is still had no quarrelthemselves, and were onlya cause of another name we would mention,that of Hector strifeto others. The otherswere not there. Berlioz. The revival of his music is, however,an be event of such recent occurrencethat we need not (To continued.) enter into detail about it. When one hears how masterpieceshave thuslain formany a longyear un- HEINRICH MARSCHNER. noticedand unknown,one is disposedto imaginethat S. SHEDLOCK, B.A. perhaps hostile time has subdued other geniuses BY J. whoseworks be discovered some other ON the wondrousrock of ice on which the may yet by lay wandereramongst the tombs, or bysome enthusiastic Temple of Fame the poet viewed inscriptionsof searcherafter hidden treasures. It is not difficult variousnames: to how Bach, Schubertand Berlioz came to The explain greaterpart by hostiletime subdued. sufferneglect. Their aim in writingwas not merely Sixty-sixyears ago a young composer sent the to gratifythe tastes and fancies of their contem- score of an opera to Weber, then Capellmeisterat poraries; and so, whenthey died, they were mourned Dresden. The workso pleased himthat he decided by the few who appreciatedthem, and forgottenor to produceit, and, afterlong delay, Marschner(for ignoredby the manywho failedto understandthem. this was the name of the young musician)received The performanceof the " Passion " music by a com- in 1820 a letterfrom Weber informinghim that his parativelysmall choral society,and the accidental opera "Heinrich IV und d'Aubign6" had been visit of Schumannto Ferdinand Schubertwere of successfullygiven at Dresden,and accompanyingthe coursethe immediate causes ofthe Bach and Schubert letterwas an honorariumof io ducats. Three years revivals-and forthis the names of Mendelssohnand laterwe findMarschner appointed joint Capellmeister Schumann must ever be heldin honour-yetwe believe withWeber and Morlacchiof the German and Italian thatwith the spread of musical knowledgeand the opera at Dresden. On Weber's death in 1826 he increased interestin the lives and labours of the resignedhis post and wentto Leipzig. Here in 1828 greatmusicians resulting therefrom, the losttreasures he producedthe "Vampyr." Greatwas the success would anyhowhave been recoveredand the com- of the work: it went the round of the principal posers have had fit,though tardy honourspaid to German theatres,was performedat the Lyceum them. Theatre,London, in 1829,and but forsome hitchin But whatabout authorsand theirworks being for- the arrangements,would have been givenat Paris in gottenfor ever? To say of any writerwho once the followingyear. Then we have the productionof acquired fame-for of such onlyare we speaking- "Hans Heiling" at Berlin and at Leipzig, a work thathis reputationhas vanishednever more to return generallyregarded as his best. But " hostiletime " is, no doubt,a seriousmatter; but surelyworks which has subdued that name which once was so full of have no depthof thought cannot take root; theygrow promise: seldom is it to be foundon any Concert quicklyinto favour,but as quicklyfade and wither programme. At Hanover, for so many years the away. We could point to operas, oratorios,sym- scene of his labours(he was appointedCourt Capell- phonies,and sonatas writtenwithin the last twenty meisterthere in 1831 and retainedthis post till his yearswhich flourished for a timeand yet,to all appear- death, December14, i861), three of his operas, the ances,are dead forevermore; but it willbe moredis- " Vampyr,"the "Templer," and " Hans Heiling,"are creet,and, at thesame time,more profitable, to speak still given,and also in otherparts of Germany; but of eventswhich happened, as theysay in storybooks, in England and France his name is all but ignored. " a longtime ago." Look at thepopularity of Hasse's At one of the RichterConcerts last season the over- operas in the I8th century,and at the brilliantrecep- ture to "Hans Heiling" was performed,and then tion of his "Artaserse" in London. Look at the surprisewas expressedby Mr. C. A. Barry in the successes of Dittersdorfand Salieri at Vienna,and analytical programme-bookthat so little should be thinkof Gluck, who leftthe city in disgustat the knownor heard of a composerwho had writtenso receptiongiven to his "Orf6o" and "Alceste," and much and whose reputationat one time was so of Mozart,who foundin the author of "Tarare " a considerable. We do not knowthe exact numberof formidablerival. These men owed success to the his publishedworks, but a set of six songsbears the fact that they wroteon a level with the epoch in Opus number191. Some of his part-songsfor male whichthey lived; theirobject was to please andamuse. voices (and ofthese he wrotea greatquantity) are to Their operas certainlyshowed talent, tact, and taste, be heardoccasionally in Germany, but his instrumental but possessed no lastingmerit; and theyhave passed music may be describedas completelyoverlooked. away like the men and womenwho listenedto, and There are two ways in which a writerand his applauded them. Does anyone believe in theirre- worksmay be forgotten:for a timeor forever. For vival? The verysuccess whichthey obtained speaks manyyears most of Bach's manuscriptslay untouched against them. As theirauthors sowed, so did they and unheeded; more especially was this the case reap; they wrotefor their day and generation,and with the vocal ones. When Mendelssohnrevived posteritytakes no noticeof works not addressed to it. the Passion musicin 1829,it had not been heardfor Marschnerappears to us a composerwhose aims well-nigha century.The " WohltemperirteClavier," and aspirationswere not of the highest. F6tis tells now as much known and, in its way, admired as us thatthe successes of Rossinimade himresolve to Beethoven'ssonatas, was not published till half a give a freecourse to melody,and to attachless value centuryafter the composer'sdeath. We are soon to harmonicand contrapuntalcomplications. And about to celebratethe 2oothanniversary of the birth again, thatin his opera entitled" Der Holzdieb" he of the mightymaster, and yetof the treasureswhich aimed " at a styleof music less severe than that of he bequeathedto posterity many are stillunpublished. the dramas of the Germanstage thenin vogue,but Then passingon to the nineteenthcentury we call to more vigorousthan that of simple oFerettas." If mind the great contemporaryof Beethoven-viz., those statementsbe true-and we mustconfess that Franz Schubert. For yearssome of his finestworks a studyof his best knownworks leads us to believe were hidden away in a cupboard. It was quite by them-then, perhaps, we shall not be wrong in

This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Thu, 1 Jan 2015 13:22:33 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 574 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-OcToBER I, 1884.

classing Marschner among the composers whose in his projects of vengeance. A terrible catastrophe reputation will not increase as years advance. But however is averted by the queen of the earth spirits let us at once say that, as he is one of the moderns, persuading her son, Hans Heiling, to cease from we must form no hasty judgment; and, indeed, we strife,and return quietly to his kingdom. The story think that if Mr. Carl Rosa or Herr Richter were is a sensational one, and the opera, as a spectacle,if to produce "Hans Heiling," musicians would be well put upon the stage, might very probably prove grateful for the opportunityof hearing a work which, a draw. But not one of the characters in the piece at any rate, formsa prominentfeature in the period really attracts our interest or excites our sympathy; between the death of Weber and the commencement and we can well understand that Mendelssohn, to use of Wagner's public career at Dresden. Devrient's words, " could not warm to the subject." Not having heard Marschner's operas, and knowing The king is neither substance nor shadow, while only the principal ones from vocal scores, we are, of the other dramatis Jersonceare very ordinary folk: course, unable to say what effectthey produce when they make love, they dance, they sing hymns, and given on the stage, and equally difficultwould it be for play at blind man's buff. The music is far more us to say what impression they would now make upon interesting than that of the " Templer "; of its kind, the public. But thoughorchestration, acting and scenic indeed, it is very successful. Great we cannot call it, effectsare wanting, we may perhaps venture one or but its cleverness, charm, and general effectiveness, two words about the librettiof the "Templer" and must be acknowledged. Thus franklydo we record the " Hans Heiling," about the music with respect to impressions made upon us bya studyof the vocal scores form and character, and about the position which of the "Templer" and "Hans Heiling." Though, as Marschner seems to occupy as an opera writer. we have said, it is not possible to judge of the exact Afterthe " Vampyr " had been successfully produced effectwhich they would have in performance,yet the and construction that at the Lyceum Theatre in i829, where it ran for music is so simple in character sixty nights, the composer received an invitation to one can gain a fair idea of the composer's musical write an opera for Covent Garden. His attention powers. If " Hans Heiling" had not the high- therefore was turned to English literature, and sounding title of " Romantic Opera "; if we could Walter Scott's " Ivanhoe," then in the zenith of its forgetthe lavish praise which has been bestowed on it fame, was fixedupon as the ground-workof a libretto. in certain quarters, then perhaps we should speak of it " The "Templer und Jiidin was quickly composed, in differentterms and think more highly of it. It was but the burning of Covent Garden Theatre put an Marschner's misfortuneto come between two great end to the London scheme. Apart from any merits men, Weber and Wagner. He possessed neither the which the music possessed, the popularity of the originalityor soul of the formernor the independence novel would most probably have ensured, at any rate or intellectual power of the latter; and if musicians for a time, the success of Marschner's opera. With expect to findin him the connecting link between the respect to this music, its Weberish character has two, they will, we think, be disappointed. For what often been the subject of comment. How far would a "connecting link" in this case mean ? Why, Marschner has imitated the composer of "Der something more than a copy of the former,and some Freischiitz " in his orchestration, we cannot say; foreshadowing,however faint,of the latter. Marsch- but play almost any page of the opera, and you ner, it is true, makes use of Leitmotiv,but Weber had will trace the influence of the great romanticist. already done as much. The fact cannot surprise anyone who remembers In reading the "Templer" and " Hans Heiling'" how Marschner for many years worked with Weber, one fact particularly strikes us, and that is the nay lived, we might almost say, under the same roof. intimate acquaintance Wagner had with these operas. The " Templer " was not an early work, and, there- Take, for example, the Finale of the second act of fore, after granting the composer absolution for his the "Templer." Compare it with the first act of close copy of Weber, we naturally look for some sign " Lohengrin," and some passages in the latter will or manifestation of individuality,yet of that we can (though only vaguely) recall some of the former. In find but little trace. There is a certain charm and the same way passages in " Hans Heiling" remind, freshness about most of his melodies, and his har- one of parts of the " Nibelungen." However faint monies are at times interesting, but we meet with these reminiscences may be, they show that Wagner nothing which strikes us, nothing which makes us had not overlooked the works of a musician who at feel we are in presence of a master mind. And then one time seemed destined to be Weber's successor. frequently occurring and monotonous iteration of One of Marschner's contemporaries has recorded sections of a phrase, the squareness of formof the the impressions which his music made upon him. various pieces, and the thin style of accompaniment, Among the articles contributed by Schumann to the show that the composer was at times obliged to eke out Neue ZeitschriftfiirMusik we find several relating to scanty material; that with him form determined the Marschner's instrumental compositions, and thus get matter and not matterthe form; and that he troubled an interestingglimpse of works well-nigh forgotten. himself little about the higher function and capa- Schumann writes about the second grand pianoforte bilities of the orchestra. If the " Templer " were now Trio in G minor-Marschner composed seven, all given in London it would be sure to interest musi- "grand" except the fourth in D (Op. 135)-and in cians who have been taught to think of Marschner reading his critique one thoroughlyunderstands why as the connecting link between Weber and Wagner, that Trio and its companions are no longer heard of. and the simplicity and grace of the music would be The Trio contains themes of a certain charm and likely to appeal to a certain section of the public; but freshness, but they are treated in a weak and at the curiosity of the formerwould, we imagine, soon times careless fashion; works of this kind stand no be satisfied, and the latter would transferits affec- chance by the side of Mendelssohn's chamber com- tions to the first novelty,whether of equal or even positions with their elegant and finished workman- less merit. ship, and Schumann's, with their earnest thoughts "Hans Heiling" is generally spoken of as Marsch- and interesting developments. The account of an- ner's masterpiece. The Bohemian legend of the king other work,the " Kliinge aus Osten ' is also valuable. of the earth spirits is a curious one. For the love of These " Kliinge," consisting of an overture, solos, a fair maiden he renounced his kingdom and power, and choruses, and illustrating an Eastern love story, but, finding the young lady as fickle as she was fair, were set in a " new form'" which met with Schu- he appeals to his subjects, asking them to assist him mann's approval, and seem to have suggested the

This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Thu, 1 Jan 2015 13:22:33 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-OCTOBER x, 1884. 575 " Paradise and the Peri." But in his "Theater- of transition,when men are crying " lo! here " and biichlein," in which he wrote down the impressions " lo I there," and show them a more excellent way. By made on him by certain operas, we find a few lines common consent we have reached a period of doubt about Marschner's "Templer und Jiidin" which he and uncertainty in regard to opera, and the question heard in 1847. Only a few lines, so we give a trans- has been asked in all seriousness whether the lyric lation of them:- drama is not an exhausted form of art. More than " Thoroughly enjoyed the work. The composition a decade since an eminent writer"*declared that the here and there restless, not quite clearly scored; a popular opera of the day suggested to him " the last lot of sprightly melodies. Great dramatic talent; ghastly grin of a galvanised corpse "; and about the some reminiscences of Weber. A jewel which can- same time it was said that " opera is dead and M. not quite disentangle itself from its rough envelope. Offenbachis dancing the cancan on its remains." But Treatment of the voice-parts at times thankless, and these were the words of special pleaders zealous covered by the orchestra. Excessive use of trom- chieflyfor the furtheranceof Wagnerian theories and bones. the cause of the " new art." The new art has now " The choruses went disgracefully; some of them been before the world a sufficienttime to permit us must produce greater effect. To sum up: after to estimate in some degree the power it is likely to Weber it is the most important opera of modern exercise forgood or evil. So far,the most potent result times." of the popularisation of Wagner's works has been to And then Mendelssohn had something to say about paralyse production. Only in France is there any- Marschner. The libretto of " Hans Heiling" had thing like a continuance of activity, simply because originally been offeredto him by E. Devrient. But in that country the precepts and practice of the he rejected it. In 1831 he wrote to his friend as Bayreuth reformerhave scarcely as yet commenced follows: "I am uncommonly glad that Marschner to exercise much influence over composers and the is composing 'Heiling.'... The fault you justly public. For the purpose of the present argument charge him with-of dependence on Weber-is one France may thereforebe excluded fromconsideration, to which your poem, in its very nature, tends; but if though it may be remarked in passing that the most this circumstance should rouse him to avoid the talented Gallic musicians of the day are not producing temptation of being quite so Weberish as heretofore, works of permanent value. The operas of M. Saint- the opera will have a more natural flow, and become Sains and M. Massenet are eclectic rather than his best." original, and it is difficultto imagine that they will be In the following year we read of Mendelssohn, often heard beyond their own generation. Taubert, and Devrient and his wife looking over the In Germany matters have come to a deadlock. score of " Heiling." Devrient, in his " Recollec- Though conservative critics may be loth to fullyadmit tions," gives us more of his own remarks than those the fact,the influenceof Wagner is complete and crush- of Mendelssohn; we gather, however, from one ing. In every lyric theatre his works take an enormous observation which fell fromthe latter's lips that the lead in the repertory and we look in vain for the music impressed him favourably. appearance of a composer capable of challenging the We should like to have concluded with some supremacy of the master. At home things are some- criticism of Berlioz, but the following extract from what differentbecause the decay of Italian opera and a letter to Mr. G. A. Osborne is the only notice of the enterprise of a foreignintmpresario-whose labours Marschner we have found in his writings. It says among us demand the sincerest gratitude-have given but little, yet perhaps as much as Berlioz cared to encouragement to our most talented young musicians say: " I was unable to get to know much about the to turn their attention to operatic composition. Let Capellmeister Marschner, for the difficultyhe has in it not be supposed that we undervalue the successes expressing himself in French rendered any conversa- they have already achieved. Compared with the tion with him rather troublesome; he is, besides, poverty of the past, the improvement in this direc- very busy. At the present moment he is actually tion of musical labour is remarkable, and, from one of the firstcomposers of Germany. You appre- the public standpoint, the outcome must be wholly ciate, as we all do, the eminent merit of his scores of beneficial. The art feeling which has been already the ' Vampyr' and the ' Templer.'" sufficientlypowerful to counteract the natural ten- dency to propitiate the bugbear known as popular taste must also be with THE FUTURE OF OPERA recognised hearty approval. But if we are to believe our advisers, little or no BY FROST. H. F. progress has as yet been made towards the formation IN certain religious circles a time is occasionally of a national school of opera; in other words, young set apart for retirement from the world and indul- musical England has eagerly assimilated some por- gence in pure and uninterrupted meditation. This tions of the revolutionary creed without engrafting practice is known to devoteesas a retreat, and it is thereon any features giving distinctiveness to its usual to fix it at a period of the year when it will not own work. If this accusation be true each success interferewith the due observance of the fasts and achieved can be but evanescent. Already there have feasts prescribed in the calendar. We appear to have been painful and surprising instances of enthusiasm arrived at a stage in our musical progress when it rapidly giving place to indifference; of apparent will be possible, if not profitable, to observe, meta- triumph turning to unmistakable failure. The phorically, " a retreat." Two or three years ago we question now presents itself,whether more tangible were apparently advancing by leaps and bounds; but results are likely to be gained by completely ignoring the effortwas too exhausting to last, and some of Wagnerian methods, or by adopting them with un- those who were most eager to lead the way stumbled questioning acquiescence. The earnest and willing therein, and are now sadder if not wiser men. It is composer can derive no comfort fromthe utterances not intended in the present article to review the whole of critics on this all important point. If he avails situation, but to glance brieflyat a difficultproblem himself of modern doctrines he is told that he is in as interesting to art-lovers in other countries as to the wrong path, and that he would be better advised ourselves. Nor will any attempt be made to solve to formhis style entirely fromolder models. Should the problem; that can only be done in a practical he adopt this course, he is informedin contemptuous way by the appearance of another of those " epoch- " of making possessors genius who arise during times * Dannreuther, " Richard Wagner," 1873.

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