The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-09 00:00:00

VON WEBER.

At the Royal Academic Concert at the Hanover-square
Rooms, on Monday evening, the first tribute of respect
was paid to the memory of Weber. Among the perform-
ances advertised for the occasion was the Overture to Fury-
anthe, at the conclusion of which the worthy Director,
Dr. Crotch, struck a solemn chord on the organ, and the
orchestra played the Dead March in Saul. The effect pro-
duc(d was most powerful, not only on the audience but on
the orchestra, for many were the tears that were visible
among those who had so lately shared in the labours and
applause of him who is now alike unconscious of censure
or of praise.
The urbanity of Von Weber may he gathered from the
following letters, addressed by him to M. Castel-Blaze, the
adapter of some of Rossini's Operas to French words,
who, ■t the close of' last year, brought out the Frcischut::
at the Odeon Theatre, in Paris:—

Dresden, Dee. 15, 11125.
Sta—There was a time when I regarded as one of the principal
enjoyments of my future residence at Paris, the making a personal
acquaintance with the author of the Opera in France, a work for
which I shall never cease to manifest all the admiration to which it
is so justly entitled. I was persuaded that I could not help profit.
ing from the conversation of a writer so distinguished by the moat
just and purest views, and I already congratulated myself on it by
anticipation. Judge, Sir, after this (I may well say it) of my
profound grief, to see those delightful hopes destroyed by the line
of conduct width you have pursued with respect to Inc.
You yourself first proposed to arrange my opera, the Freistlintz,
for the French stage. Nothing in the world could be more calcu-
lated to flatter me rind to call forth my sincerest gratitude : but you
did not think it necessary to speak 'o the composer. nor to commu.
ideate to him your ideas on the changes, perhaps inevitable, fire
your public. lou yrotture an adaption from a source altogether
illegitimate (could it appear legitimate to you ?) for my work being
neither engraved nor published, no theatre or music-seller had a
right to dispose of it. The opera was at length brought on the
stage, anti you overlook me even so far as to claim the rights of
composer for yourself. •
witnessed all this, and edepected one day or other to be honour-
ed with a letter from you, Sir. It appeared to he impossible that a
man of your merit, with your views of the art, could forget entirely
what an artist and a man of your honour owes to another. I. how.
ever, have this moment heard that you have just published the
Attrition of the P'reirlaitz. An, Sir ! what will become of all that
is sacred among us? and without having acquired it by legitimate
means.
Sir, I address myself but to you, and to your honourable fed.
ings—to all those noble sentiments which you have expre•sed so
many times in speaking on the art, and on that which is due to it.
Allow sue to hope that it was only negligence. too natural to artists,
that has been able le make you forget altogether that the composer
of the Freirchnta was in existence; and be assured that I will pre-
serve as much as possible the sentiments of true esteem due to
your talents, with which I have the honour to be.
C.lll. Voae WEBER.
Dresden, January 4, MR.
SIR,—It has appeared to you superfluous to honour me with an
answer to my letter of the 15th of December, and in spite of my-
self I find it necessary to address you a secorrd time. It has been
communicated to me that a piece is about to to produced at the
Odeon, in which there are extracts from the Euryanthe. It Is my
intention to bring this Opera out at Pads myself. I have not sold
my interest in it, and nobody has it in France. It is perhaps from
an engraved adaption for the piano that you have copied those
parts of it which you wish to appropriate. You have no right to
mutilate my music, by introducing into it passages, the accompa-
niments of which are of yoar own composition. It was quite
enough to put into the Frriachritc a duet from Earyanthe, the ac.
companiment of which is not mine. You compel me, Sir, to ad-
dress myself to the public, and to make it known, through the
French papers, that it is a robbery which has been committed on
me, not only on my music, by taking that which belongs to no one
but myself, but also on my reputation, by bringing forth, under
my name, mutilated specimens. To avoid all public quarrels,
which are never more advantageous for the art than they are for the
professors of it, I pray you, Sir, forthwith, to withdraw from the
piece which you hare arranged, all the passages which belong to
me. I would wish to forget the wrong which has been done me. I
will say no more about Freiscliniz, but stop here, Sir, and permit
me to indulge the hope of being able to meet you one day with
sentiments worthy of your talents and your mind.
Accept, &c.
C. M. Vox WEBra.
_ _ _

It will be seen from these letters that the Baron contem-
p!ated at that period a visit to Paris, which we appr:ltind
he had not an opportunity of putting in practice.
Notwithstanding the great and well-deserved popularity
of this celebrated composer, during the short period of his
sojourn in this country, it is supposed that the profits which
he has received from his professional 'idioms fall very far
short of that which the public might be led to expect. The
only remuneration which he has ever received for his Der
Freischatx was a valuable gold snuff box, valued at fifty
guineas, presented to him by a celebrated musical amateur,
some few months since. As the .core of this justly-cele-
brated Opera was imported from Germany, he could make
no claim for the use which was made of it here; but still
we think that somethings beyond the applause which it
nightly received from British audiences, was due to its
meritorious composer.