The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-07 00:00:00

THE BARON VON WEBER,

We yesterday noticed the circumstance of the death of
this great Composer. On a late occasion, when he took a
Concert at the Argyll Rooms, we expressed, somewhat
strongly, our apprehetisions as to the precarious state et
health in which he then appeared to he; anti our v-7rst
fears have been confirmed, in the result which it has bee.'
our lot, in common with others, to announce to the public.
On his arrival in England he betrayed melancholy symp-
toms of approaching consumption, and which, by rapid
strides, has subdued the vital spark of one who, but a few
days since, received the highest reward merit could receive
—the congratulations, not only of the public at large, but
of his contemporaries. It is impossible to conceive that
anything can be more grateful to a man of genius than the
congratulations of his fellow-labourers, in whatever de-
partment their abilities may be exerted ; their congratula-
tions, whether in the zenith of his fame and glory, or in
the decline of his life or. fortunes, is the highest honour
they can bestow or he can receive.
Weber, like Mozart, betrayed an extraordinary preco-
city of talent, and, like the wonderful master-spirit, Wolf-
gang, has alike terminated his existence at little more
than half the period allotted to man as his sojourn here.
Like Mozart, however, he has, in that short apace cf titre,
and at a period when most men begin to labour for reputa-
tion, earned a name which will be remembered as long as
music shall lighten the heavier calamities which human na-
' titre is destined to endure. The present is only one of the
many instances on record of the premature expansion of
the flower, and of its falling into premature decay ; not
that we wish to admit that as a general principle, or else it
would go to embitter the brightest hopes of which human
nature is susceptible.
Weber received his earlier education from Ileushkel and
Lauska, names well known in Germany, and somewhat in
England. The talents of Lauska were great, particularly
as a pianoforte performer, upon which instrument Weber
excelled; and his Fantasias are known upon the Continent
as master-pieces of their kind. Under such auspices, and
afterwards of Vogler and other most eminent masters in
the several departments of vocal and instrumental music,
harmony, and composition, Weber made rapid advance-
ment in his profession, and so early as the age of twelve
his first work was performed in a public orchestra. From
that period up to the hour of his death he laboured with
unceasing anxiety in cultivating and maturing the ability
with which he was so highly gifted ; with what success
his operas and other works bear sufficient demonstration.
His general compositions bear the nearest resemblance to
the works of Beethoven, though totally devoid of servile
imitation—the object of both being a never-ceasing anxiety
that the effect produced should be in perfect unison with
their subject; while his Overtures are s:contLa'one, if se-
cond they be, to Mozart and Cherubini.
Thamusic of Weber was not much known in this coin-
try until the year 1,423. At that period, his Der Frei-
.telrattz made its appearance in the north of Germany, and ;
which, by the ability it displayed, at once pointed him out
to the intellectual connoisseurs of that portion of the Em-
pire as the worthy successor of their prest and estimable
favourite, Winter. Since that period, his fame has spread
all over Europe; and had he done nothingelse than "The
Freischutz," it would have been sufficient to have stamped
him with musical immortality. His Operas of Earymthe
and Preciara, the former of which lie called a musical
essay, display great beauties, though they both failed on
being transplanted, the one to Vienna, the other to Lon-
don ; but certainly not from any defect in their musical
composition. The merits of his Sikrao and Able 'hymn
are also well known. His visit to this country was prin-
cipally for the purpose of bringing out Oberon at Covent
Garden : with wltat success he accomplished his task
is so sensibly felt and ackHowledgid at this moment,
that it were wholly unnecessary to dwell upon it, further
than to restate our opinion that it is equal to Der Frei-
sehutz, always keeping in view the difference of character in
the subject treated. This opera, we apprehend, closed his
labours here, with some trifling exceptions, which we shall
notice presently, in referring to his Concert a few days
since. %Veber's works have received so much notice of
late, that it cannot be necessary to refer to them mo-e par-
ticularly here: certain it is that he alcne has been able to
compete with the "Fortunate Italian," as Rossini has been
not unaptly called ; and most ably has he accomplished his,
task. Weber's Mrs,—we allude to those, of course, which
are his own, and fipt the harmonized German alelodies,—arc
not so striking as those of Rossini; but they have much

tnere depth, and possess more science. They are not the
mere outward display of the art, but portray thatite.
lectual feeling, upon which alone a composer call hope his
name to survive beyond the age in which he himself lam
Weber's last appearance, with Ihe exception of, for t,
minutes. on the night of Miss Paton's benefit, seas at then
Argyll Rooms, on Friday week, on which occasion he took
a concert,—we will not say a benefit, for the state of the
room would belie that assertion,—when there Koss
performed, for the first time in this country, a new
manuscript Cantata, entitled the
11-,p'es,,ititiofbPuterzele, site
poetry written for the occasion by Hampden Napier. we
confer that, when we Btw Weber directing this piece, we
had a melancholy foreboding that it would be the Int
he would conduct in those rooms!, and so strongly did the
such thata
he had been unable
feeling operate upon us, that we could not but recal the
recollection of Mozart's mysterious_ visitor. It will I,
remembered that at the time Mozart's health ;:s
gradually declining, an unknown person called met
requested him to compose a Requiem, which Mozart
promised to finish by a certain day ; the malign.
gang'sealletl indispositionpun etuall y aht a
dt Iblnt
si
to complete it ; further time was granted, and a further
donation placed upon the table, as a reward for the in.
created labour, and the stranger hastened away. Mraartdi.
reeled his servant to foilow,to ascertain who the stranger was;
but the servant returned, saying he had avoided his parent.
Mozart felt a sudden persuasion that hie visitor was so
earthly being, and that the requiem he was compoathe was
actually for himself ; and the day it was completed he
wan
no more. This composition was performed on the ocesthao
of his funeral, and is known as one of his most celebrated
Hpleees. Such was our feeling of the " Festival of ham.
We considered that %Veber was raiaing for himself a tho.
fitment, upon which others would shortly record his name,
and therefore we may be eiccused a short notice of it here.
The opening chorus was very fine, and the solos were
beautifully adapted to the following words:—
Smke, strike the trembling
Let the strong swelling chair
His.; on high
Sing notes of joy amen
Till from the deep-arching sky
Again rebound
Loudly the grateful sound.
To thee, 0 Lord ! to thee the thank-enlivened chorus,
In warmest gratitude we sing ;
To thee, that watchest o'er us,
This incense of the heart we bring.
To thee the debt of praise we owe
For all that we enjoy below.
The harmonies in this chorus were beautiful ; ard the
line " To thee, 0, Lord," displayed all that depth of fe-!-
ing so powerfully portrayed in the works of Handel. Ha
chorus was followed by a beautiful recitative aid air--
Oh, happy land ! thou seenest as singled
Forth for Nature's sweetest smile,
Since upon thy soil are mingled
All her bleasaiga, sea-born
O'er the land.enclosping waters,
Far and wide thy empire runs
• Thine earth's loveliest, fairest daughters,
Thine, her noblest, bravest sons.
Courage holds his shield before thee,
Freedom all thy Councils guides,
Peace and Plenty hover o'er thee,
Justice in thy hall presides.
The various expressions of feeling in these lines were
most ably brought out, and the counterpoint adtniralAy
done. There was a chorus also to the following words,
which was awfully sublime :
Horror ! horror ! from the mountains
Fiercely down the tempest rushee ;
Lo ! &sweeping deluge gushes
From the black clouds' bursting fountains.
Wild the forest winds are howling,
Lightnings quivering, thunders growling,
While the thick and pattering hail
Rattles down the craggy Me.
The effect of this chorus was equal to his very best pro-
duction. The return of order and happiness was finely
ex.cuted to the following solo, in which the utmost tender-
ness and delicacy were observable:--
Lord of power and mildness!
Bid thy ivatice deep awhile;
Wake thy lint-L-11.min, smile;
Dry the tears of sorrow's wildness; '
Grant that these our woes may cease !
Thou, that prayer with pleasure honest,
Send us those we cherish dearest
Home agsin, with joy and peace.
The chef dam ere of the evening, however, was the con-
cluding recitative and chorus:—
Long may he live to bear us slog,
In unison sincere, " 0, (lost preserve our Kiri !"
King of Kings, above who reignest
O'er the wide domain of space,
God of Gods, who kindly deignest
Send to mortal man thy grace,
Hear our prayer sincere and fervent,
Oh, protect thy chosen vervain.
England's just and virtuous King,
'reach the shadow of thy wing !
Oh Lord, regard our King ! Amen 1
Our admiration of the Coronation Anthem is unbounded,
and next to that, in our imagination, stands the concha :the;
chorus of this cantata. We know that it is difficult to ex-
press height or depth by music, and that a high or a low
note would be improperly used for that purpose. This Or
servatiod will not hold as to space, for the staccato pronute
ciation of the word space, anti the rest that followed it, had
the power of bringing the supposed effect of it strongly on
the mind. We do not know at what period this piece was
composed, but certainly, whenever it might have been, it
will add considerably to the character of this accomplished
man. It will be sews[, from the qnotations we have made,
there'vas fine scope for religious feeling ; anti in the music he
has nobly availed himself of it, which, es connected with
his declining state, rendered it so much more applicable
on the occasion en which it was brought forward.
Weber was in his both year, and in his manners moat
unpresuming anti retiring, which was rwerfully erincal
on every occasion on which he appeared before the euldic.
We believe none will be more ready to pay him this just
tribute, than those with whom he waLeLseciatid, both in
the orchestra and on the stage, during his residence ia
England. Everything that could be done, was dote by
Sir George Smart and his kind friends, to soothe and com-
fort him in his rapid dee:a, ; and it will he a great consolation
to his friends and countrymen to know that such was the
case, and that he died sensible that everything had been
done for him which kindness, attention, and humanity
could suggest.
The scene having thus closed on the earthly labours of
this gifted man, we. trust his friends, at as early a perish
as decency will permit, will propose some testimony of ac-
knowledgment to his memory, us order to *hew to the rest
of Europe, that while England is always ready to foster
talent, from whatever quarter it may come, she is also sen-
siLle of the tors she sustains, when such men as Weber arc
bcrne herreo in the zenith of their fame, while on her hos-
pitable shores.

- -
THE BARON VON WEs ii.—The body of the late Baron
Von Weber has, we understand, undergone s medical in-
spection by his Germah physician, assisted by tbreesmong
the most eminent of the faculty in London. ltta death
appears to have been unequivocally the result of consump-
tion ; and, from the manner in which he was disourcretle he
seems to have expired without a s:ru,,,gle.
COEENT-GARDEN THNATRE.— As we anticirated, t} at
very popular actor, Jones, hail an overflow at this house
last night, and the good things that he had prepared for
the entertainment of his numerous friends appeared to be
highly relished. This is as it should be—a great and de-
served favourite receiving his annual reward fmm that
public, to whose amusement lie contribitts so largely in the
course of the season.

ADELPIII TIIEATRE.—In consequence of tl•e overflew
on Saturday last, Yates Rives his ReminiTcnires tc-night
and to-morrow, Thursday, when he concludes a season,
which, • •

the receipts of wht. , we unilenitelid, give bin ample en-
couragement for future exertions.

A new gaming cone-ni is just on the eve of being com-
menced, in Watt rloo-place, Pall Mall. The rerks are only
waiting to catch half-a-doses pigeon.. with 300/. each, 10
make a bank of 3,000/., when plundering the young awl
unwary will become the "order of the day." it is to be
conducted in the style of FiaAmong,ers' Hull, in St.
James's-street. A Mr. Fleming is, at present, the princip.ll
manager of this additional trlagrace to the Court end of the
town. We trust that this timely hint will act as a caution
to those " young sprigs of property," for whom tbe bait
has Lem so enticingly set,

a-. J