The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-03 00:00:00

SUN.

W E B E It.

The extraordinary impression which the music
of the translated Opera, entitled FRIESCHUTZ,
has made Upon the Public at the English Opera
House, induces us to believe that an account
of. the Composer will be gratifying to our
Readers. We, therefore, insert the following
biographical Sketch of this celebrated Musician,
for Width we are indebted to the Bth number of
a weekly Miscellany, entitled 46 Tin: News OF
LITERATURE AND FAFIIION, or Journal of Man-
ners and Society, the Drama, the Fine Arts, Li-
terature, Science, Nc. 6r. c. ," which, as far as it has
proceeded, appears to deserve public encourage-
ment :

CARL MARIA von WEBER., Chapel-master to his Majesty
the King of SAXONY', and musical director to the (-lemma
Opera of Dresden, was horn on the 18th December, 1786, at
Eutin, in Holstein, and enjoyed the advantages of a very care-
ful education. Painting and music were the chief pursuits of
his awakening genius. In the former, he was far from being
unsuccessful, but music, almost against his inclination, soon
drove away the sister art. His father's desire for travelling
was of material detriment to the progress of the son, as he was
thereby necessitated frequently to change his masters at the
thepe rcei
moreved
solicitoust he
very time when he began to understand their mode of instruc- '
tion, and thus insure to himself a rapid progress far the future.
The foundation for an effective, clear, and characteristic me-
thod of playing. the harpsichord, he acquired under the tuition
laceßdulttihme
of Heuschkel in Hilburgliausen (1796.) The more the father
raduiat de
evelopment nfloern tof
theirgreat t
m p
rot talents
ni nt, hisan son,d sa
fworassaftinlyeettittoone
crificed every object for their future cultivation. For this pur-
yuontdmegr Michaelto
iteab
ralszebitliergp.y atto
comprehend the precepts of his master. In 1798, the father,
to encourage him, published six pieces of his composition ;
these were the first works which appeared. They were kindly
mentioned in the Musical Gazette. Towards the end of 1798,
Weber came to Munich, and was there instructed in singing by
Valesi, and in composition by the present organist Italcher.
To the careful, clear, and gradually progressive instruction of
the latter, he is particularly indebted for the mastery and the
proper use of the means of art, and particularly with regard to
compositions in four parts. Under this master, Weber devoted
himself with the most unremitting diligence to his studies.—
About this time his genius for dramatic composition began to
appear, in an Opera, which he composed under the immediate
inspection of his master—" Die Macht der Liebe und des
Wein'," (The power of love and wine); besides anr and
several other musical pieces, which afterwards became the prey
of the flames. Soon after this, his aspiring and youthful spirit
seized the idea of improving the art of printing on stone, in
which lie considered lie had much improved the machinery.
To carry on this undertaking more extensively, he went with
his father to Freiberg in Saxony, the materials for this pur-
pose being there more abundant : but the prolixity and the me-
chanical and spiritless portions of the business, made him very
soon desist, and to resume with redoubled pleasure, the study
of composition. At the age of fourteen, he set an opera, Dos
Wuldntodchcn, (The Forest Maid), written by the Baron of
Steinsberg, which was performed in November, 1800, and
spread with great applause to Vienna, Prague, Petersburg, and
other cities, not entirely to the satisfaction of the composer,
who considered it a very immature performance, though not
without invention. An article in the " Mnsilcalische Zcitun,"
led him to the idea of composing in an original manner, ant-to
introduce the ancient and long neglected instruments. Ile ac-
cordingly set an opera, when he was travelling on a family af-
fair
at Salzbarg, " Peter Schnioll ~nd seine Nachbarn ;" (Peter
Schmoll and his neighbours,) which was perform ed at :lugs.
burg, but with very little success. The overture to this piece
he afterwards altered. In 180, he made a journey to
Leipsig, Hamburg, and Holstein, where, with the great.
est zeal, he collected and studied the beat theoretical
works on music. But induced by many doubts to investigate
lititiffebtleth, gfebottgiony, he built a musical system for him.
flea the excellent mica of the ancient
masters with his own observations.

" Soon after this he hail a strong desire to see the musical
productions of Vienna, and he, for the first time, set out thither
alone. There he became acquainted, among other great men,
with the celebrated Haydn, and the original Abbd 'ogler, who
kindly assisted the pursuits of this youthful candidate to musical
fame, by opening to him the treasures of his knowledge. By the
advice of Vogler he gave up, with much reluctance, the com-
position of greater musical pieces, and devoted himself for
nearly two years to the most diligent and unremitting study
of the different kinds of works of the great masters, with re-
gard to their construction, their manner of expressing ideas,
and to their use of the established means of art ; these he ana-
lysed, together with his master, and endeavoured to make his
own by study. He ptibliihed about this time a few trifling va-
riations, and an arrangement for the harpsichord, of the opera,
by Vogler, of Samori. The offer of the directorship of the
music at Breslau, opened a new field for his talents. Here he
formed a new choir and orchestra. About this time he revised
many of his former productions, and composed,
for the greater
part, the opera written by Rhode, entitled " Rabezahl." But
the office of director tended greatly to hinder his studies in com-
position. In 1800, the Duke Eugene of Wurtembergpeevailed
upon him to remove to Carlsruhe, in Silesia, where he composed
two symphonies, several concertos, and other pieces of har-
mony ; but when war destroyed this theatre and the choir, he
began to travel professionally: But he soon returned, and took
up his residence once more with the Duke of Wurtemberg.—
Here he composed his opera Sylvana, after the subjects of the
Forest Maid, by Theimer, a cantana, and several overtures,
symphonies, anti pieces for the harpsichord. In 1810 he again
travelled professionally,'aix operas were performed in Frankfort,
Munich, and Berlin, and his concerts much frequented.
" Soon after this he again resumed his studies, and profited
by the profound experience of Abbot Vogler, who had at that
time two other young artists, Meyerbeer and tiansbacher, under
his tuition. • Under him he composed the Opera Abu Hassan,
at Damstadt. in 1010.
" irom 1813 to 1816 the Opera of Prague was under his di-
rection, and became considerably improved thereby. It was
during this period that he produced his celebrated cantata
" Kampf and Sieg," (combat and victory,) and an abridgement
for the harpsichord, which is as remarkable for the strength
and variety of its ideas as for the splendour of its execution.
" It was likewisd about this time that he produced the melo-
drama of Preciosa, a work which though in its magnitude and
originality of composition is by no means equal to the celebrated
Freischutz, is nevertheless possessed of an extraordinary degree
of merit, and would have raised the fame of many other corn-
Defter&
" The principal object which Weber seems continually to
have had before him has been the improvement of the art to
which he had devoted himself; and, therefore, as soon as he
saw the Opera of Prague in a fair way of going on respectably
without his assistance, he immediately resigned his situation,
and again set out on a tour. Many and advantageous
were the offers which were now made him, but he re.
fused them all until called to Dresden, for the purpose
of establishing a German Opera in that City. This was
an offer that the love which he felt for his art, would
not allow him to resist, and it is in this city that he has ever
since exerted the whole of his activity with general satis-
faction ; a circumstance which would not have failed to result
from the endeavours of a man who combines, in his own per-
son, such a variety of talent, anti with so much splendour of
accomplishment. 'There are, indeed, very few composers more
adapted to fill this situation with credit, far there are but few
who possess so much originality, and at the same time beauty
in composition ; very kw who excel him as a brilliant and ef-
fective pianoforte player, or as an intelligent and spirited di-
rector, and perhaps no composer living can be said to be his
superior in the knowledge of the theory of the grammatical, as
well as the more refined parts of his att.
" Here be produced, besides many musical pieces, several
cantatas,'e. g. a cantata for the jubilee-overture, sever° Ind,
tatas for the celebration of the nuptials, a grand mass,. a
a.
Ofrertorium, composed for the King's anniversary, Den
followed by another. His next work was his Opera
Freischutz," which was written by Kind. It wits performed for
the first time at Berlin, on the 31st of Juno, 11x21, anti i !its since
of
mounded through all Germany. The unusual success

The brother of the more celebratta compolier of the same

PRICE SEVENPANGt.'

this Opera; which is to be accounted for by its popular meld.
dies on the one hand, and by the imposing stage effect of Nye
casting of the bullet/lin the wolf's-den, on the other, 'was the
cause that instigated him to compose another Opera for Vi-
enna. For this purpose he agreed with Madam Chezy to dra-
matize, after an ancient French story, the Opera Euryanthe.
From 1822 till the autumn 1823, this work has partictilarly
engaged hini, anti in September of last year he went to Vienna
to conduct. it. hiaself. Euryanthe Was performed for the first
time at Vienna, October 25' ,1823; and was very much applaud-
ed. (hi the excellency and characteristic nature of this work
we cannot yet Judge. The Out number of his compositions,
which have partly been printed, contain many musical pieces,
cians. Concerts, concertinos, potpouriea, and
calculated particularly to be performed in concerts, but.for very
experienced musi
ideas of harmony for the piano-forte, clarinet, -bassoon, horn,
violoncello sonata variations, Polish and other dances, w quin-
(pet for clarinets, and some symphonies: the several abovc-
mentioned Operas, of which Sylvana, A ba-llassan, particularly
Peeciosa, and the Freischutz, are the. Most eminent; ,various
cantatas, different concert antes, vocal pieces, in four parts; with
an accompaniment for the piana-forte ; especially the much-
admired collection of songs " Leis r and &Arced, in every
note of which the poetical and declamatory composition of
Weber may be recognized. Very interesting are his fragments,
published in the Aluse, by Kind, in which dais ingenious'man
communicates to us sonic of his ideas and experience, in a work
under the title of Kurtslerleben (the artist's life.) The remarks
which we have given here have been taken from his own Coin-
-1 munications."