The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-10 00:00:00

AUBER.

Daniel Francais Esprit Auber was born on the 29th
of January, 1784, at Caen in Normandy, during a tem-
porary visit which his parents made to that place. My
readers, who will take the trouble to make a facile
mental calculation will not need to be told that this
favourite Child of Music is r.t preset; t in his sixty. sixth
year. His father was a print- seller of Paris, in very
good circumstances. Evincing in very early youth a
decided taste for music, le jeune Auber was allowed to
study it, but merely as an object of relaxation and
pleasure. Under the tuition of Ladurner, he soon over-
came the manual difficulties of pianoforte-playing, and,
as an amateur, was much admired and courted by his
own private circle. But his lather did not wish him to
cultivate the art as a professor, accordingly he was
sent to London to pursue the vocation of a merchant.
The dry detail of business, and the unceasing toiling
fur the universal goals of all eff.)rts—the California of
all desires—the accumulation of pounds, shillings, and
pence—(there is a kind of chinking, ringing tone in the
very words)— were tar from being agreeable or palatable
to the taste of young Auber. To his fresh, upsoaring
ideas—to his unworldly, unselfish heart, and to his high-
spirited, imaginative feelings, it seemed that the sole
object of trading nas self-advancement and gain by the
tall and loss of others; and, possessing such an opinion,
it is scarcely a marvel that he was soon wearied and
disgusted with a situation in life for which, he used to
exclaim, he felt he was not destined and wherein he ex-
pected to find integrity and honour. He soon, therefore,
retraced his way to Paris, where, watching the favouring
moment, he by his well-timed entreaties prevailed on his
father to allow him to make a trial, if only for a twelve.
month, of music ; so that, if successful, or with a fair
prospect of success before him, he might eventually
adopt it as his profession. Once embarked and fairly
launched on the ocean of his desires, the young aspirant
mentally determined never to return to business again.
He obtained an excellent and tolerably profitable en-
gagement in the orchestra of the °par& Comique as
ripieuo violino, and in that situation he remained for
some time without attracting more than ordinary atten-
tion, for the simple reason that
"Those who dare nought achieve nought."

But at last he began to make friends with the music
publishers—very politic entre nous, dear reader, and
hrottght out time trifling compositiocs, such as the then
fashionable chansons, romances, &c. He also published
a trio for pianoforte, violin, and violoncello, which
proved that he was not unacquainted with instrumental
composition. This trio was thoroughly in the French
style, for the masters of that nation allow pupils to
compose in their own fashion, and are therefore diame-
trically opposed to our professors, who ruin our young
musicians by rendering them abject slsves to the German
School, and condemn mercilessly every work that is not
founded on such models. What is the necessary conse-
quence of this? A young artist is not allowed to fol-
low up his own thought—he is compelled to write in a
conventional manner, totally at variance with his ideas
and imagination—he is bewildered—he strives vainly—
he is powerless to create effect, and he therefore never
rises in the profession, but dies—as hundreds before him
—a disappointed man.

But Auber at length began to bring out some works
of a higher standard than ho had before attempted,
which soon attracted public notice and commendation.
Proceeding in this cautious method, slowly yet surely—
tor the character of Auber was never distinguished for
impatience—he became acquainted with Lemare, the
famous violoncellist, whose singular style of playing
will long be remembered by his countrymen. M. Le-
mare desired most anxiously to propagate his mode cl
performance on the instrument, so that it might become
generally adopted, and for this purpose he wished to
write some music to support his views, but, strange to
say (amid it is a circumstance it would be difficult to ex-
plai❑ or comprehend), he who, on his instrument, could
perform the most miraculous difficulties, when he took a
pen in his hand could not summon up a single mmdcal
idea which he could employ in a piece suitable for his
purpose. He, on this account, requested Auber to exert
his talents on his behalf. The issue of this was that all
the concerti for the vielencello which have appeared with
the name of Lemare, besides many others which remain
in manuscript, claim Daniel Francois Esprit Auber as
their originator! Thus is the world humbugged! The
public believed—and indeed well they might—that all
these were the composition of Lemare, but many artists
in the profession were well aware that the merit of them
was due to the talent of our composer. The peculiarity
and original style of the music produced a great sensa-
tion in public, and all his brothers in the art from that
time predicted that Auber would win
" Unfading laurels and a deathless name."

About this time he wrote a concerto for the violin,
which was performed at the Conservatoire do Mu-
ganspailrinsguccaeisms.
ofßuAtubther
the
e
the consummation of which he had been long and dili-
gently grewqa su to apbnry- ob tuilco. en 'Ma
nt lose; es afw*ai. tt
haonndse of the theatres, towards
studying orchestral scoring, but he possessed not
sufficient interest, as yet, to get one brought out. He,
however, composed the music to the libretto of an old
opera called Julie, the accompaniments of which con-
sisted of two violins, two violas, violoncello, and con-
tra basso—what a miserable and unsatisfactory effect thi4
must have produced. Julie, which was represented
at a private theatre by a party of amateurs, contains
many pleasing airs, exhibiting the piquant style for which
Auber is now famous. Soon afterwards he wss engaged
to compose for the small theatre of M. de Caraman, the
Prince de Chimay, an opera for complete orchestra,
and from this he has selected many pieces which, by
their introduction in future works, have become popular.
It was during this progress in public estimation
that Auber became fully sensible that he was very
deficient in theatrical acquirements, that his musical
education was incomplete, for he could scarcely fail to
discover that, in attempting greater thine, his know-
ledge of the principles of th science faileShim. To re-
medy this evil he devoted himself assiduously to study
under the directions of Cherubini, the greatest and most
is arned musician France—for she can almost be said to
claim him entirely—can boast. These labours being
finished, Auber wrote a mass for four voices, from which he
afterwards extracted the beautiful prayer in La Muette.
His first debut in public as an operatic composer was an
operetta in one act, called Le S6our Militaire, which
he managed to get performed at the Theatre Feydeau,
in 1813. This work, however, possessed none of the vi•
vacity and originality of ideas and phrasing which cha-
racterised his former efforts, and it therefore met with
a reception far from encouraging. A repose of
many years followed this check, and the composer
appeared to have become suddenly sick at heart, and to
have renounced a career in which the most brilliant suc-
cess awaited him, till the death of his father and the
derangement of his affairs compelled him to resort once
again to the resources of the art for his support, which,
until then, had been of secondary importance. We hear
no more of him till the year 1819, when he produced, at
the Opera Comique, Le Testament et les Billet. Doux, an
operetta in one act. This was destined to be infinitely
less fortunate than the first public attempt of the com-
poser; so that the honours and eulogiums that had been
lavished upon him were now considered as the prejudices
of a coterie or the partiality of friends. But Auber soon
recovered his vantage by producing Le Bergere
Chatelaine, an opera in three acts, at the same
theatre, in the beginning of the year 1820. He stepped
now, without hesitation or objection, on to the
pedestal of fame—a sort of musa pedestris which
all musicians covet—the original thoughts, the novel
motifs of melody, the elegant instrumentation, and the
dramatic effect which distinguished this work, rendered
it entirely successful. And to this opera Auber may be
considered to owe much of the reputation he has gained.
The favourable opinion thus commence d was completely
and firmly established on the appearance, in 1821, of
Emma ; ou la promesse imprudente—and from that period
the fame of Monsieur Auber has never been darkened
by a shadow or a cloud.

operas, La Muette di Pori (his finest beyond all
comparison, and better known in England as the match-
less Musaniello,) Lestocq, Le Domino Noir, Fra Diavolo,
La Fiancee, L'Ambassadrice, Gustave, La Bayaderc, Lu
Port du Diable, La Sirene, Les Diarnans de la Couronne,
Le Due d'Olonne, and lastly, Haidee; ou Le Secret,
are all too well and favourably known to
need particular menticn. Have not all of them
delighted the ears and held the hearts of thousands
of us willing captives! Auber's orchestral writing is
perhaps the most refined and elegant of any composer's
of the present day—the beauty of colouring—the variety
and grace of the ideas—the tone and elegance of style,
and, more than all, the originality in conception, render
his scores perfect pictures. All is so veautifully, SO
artistically blended, every instrumental point brought in
with the tact and experience of a master, that the com-
bination forms a delightful whole,
appealing to the general ear as is a well executed pic-
ture to the general eye, which dwells on each beauty and
appreciates it. as comprehensive and

In May, 1825, M. Auber, was created a Knight of the
Legion of Honour, has obt-ine,l ninny (11-1. r discine-
dons, and is a member of the French Institute. thus
is genius rewarded in—France!

(A memoir of Verdi in my next.)

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

We have received files of papers from the Cape to
the 7th of February inclusive. There is nothing
particular stirring in the colony.
We extract the following from the Eastern
Herald :

" Bloem 'Fontein, Jan. 12, 1349.

"Rumours are rife here that Pretorius has entrusted
to the Reverends Paure and Robertson a memorial to his
Excerency, praying forgiveness for his past conduct, end
producing evidence that he was induced to take the field
entirely from the representations of the boers rear the
Oaande River, and especially those near the river, who
promised them their assistance, and assured him of the
general feeling of discontent that pervaded the whole
colony, and that he would be supplied with all the
necessary funds and supplies in his struggle to
shake off the British yoke which Sir Harry had so un-
ceremoniously placed round their necks. It would
appear Pretorious has made this representation in conse-
quence of the boers having given out that he had misled
them, whereas he asss_rts that they have misled hire.
There seems to be but one feeling as to the necessity of
Sir Harry Smith getting rid of Mr. Montagu, whom the
emigrants look upon as the primary cause of all their
late misfortunes, having made himself so conspicuous in
getting all _the oppressive laws passed. They say Sir
Harry is afraid there is something stirring. A number
of boers are now offering their farms in this and Caledon
river district for sale, and intend trekking to Vaal
River, where Potgieter resides. This trekking system
quite unsettles this district, and it is difficult to guess
where and when it will end.

" The French missionary from Moshesh arrived here
escorted by a number of his mounted warriors. It
appears another battle has been fought by the contend-
ing chiefs, Sinkonyelia and Moshesh, when fourteen
were lt.ft dead on the field. Major Warden has left for
that disturbed part, hoping to effect a reconeiliation."—
E. P. Herald, Jan. 27.