WEBER, Carl Maria Von, was born at Eutin, in Holstein, on the 18th^[1. According to Weber’s own account, he was born on the 18th; according to another account, on the 16th of December. ] of December 1786. His father, a lover of music and a skilful violinist, not only had him carefully educated, but encouraged his musical pursuits, as well as his fondness for painting, in which last art it appears that he made considerable progress. The retired habits of his family threw him early upon his own resources for amusement, and his passion for music speedily became predominant, and exclusive of all other occupations. As his father often changed his place of residence, Weber’s music-teachers were likewise often changed; and with this disadvantage, that as they did not agree in their methods and opinions, what one of them had taught, his successor untaught. This forced Weber to reflect, and to become his own instructor. In 1796-7 he received valuable lessons in pianoforte playing from Hauschkel of Hildburghausen. He was next placed under the care of Michael Haydn at Salzburg for composition, but made little progress under that master, who was then very old. In 1798 his first work of six Fughetti was published at Salzburg, and was well received. Weber then proceeded to Munich, where Valesi became his master in singing, and Kalcher in composition. From Kalcher he acquired much knowledge of the art of counter-point, which laid a solid foundation for his future studies. While under Kalcher’s tuition, he composed his first opera, Die Macht der Liebe und des Weins (the Power of Love and Wine); besides a mass, sonatas, and variations for the pianoforte, violin trios, songs, &c. all of which he afterwards destroyed. His next opera, Das Waldmadchen (the Wood GirD, was performed in November 1800, and met with more success at Vienna and St Petersburg than he himself was pleased with afterwards, when his judgment had become more matured. In 1801 he composed at Salzburg his opera, Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn (Peter Schmoll and his Neighbours), which was performed at Augsburg, but with indifferent success. In 1802 he went on a musical tour with his father to Leipzig, Hamburg, and Holstein, and during this time studied a number of theoretical works, from which, it seems, he derived little benefit. Dissatisfied with these, he endeavoured to form a system of his own, and to apply it to an analysis of the works of the old composers. In this he succeeded to his own satisfaction. The next important step in his career was his visit to Vienna, where he became acquainted with several eminent musicians, among others Haydn and Vogler, under the latter of whom he studied hard for about two years, enriching his mind and developing his powers by a close examination of various masterpieces of composition. Meyerbeer, Gansbacher, and G. Weber, were at this time his fellow-pupils under Vogler. During these studies he only published some variations and a pianoforte arrangement of Vogler’s opera of Samori. Being called to Breslau as music-director, he availed himself of his new position to obtain a knowledge of choral and orchestral effects. At Breslau he composed the greater part of the opera of Rübezahl (Number Nip). In 1806 he was invited[7:21:833] by Prince Eugene of Würtemberg to his court at Carlsruhe in Silesia, and there composed two symphonies, some concertos, and other pieces. War having driven him from this asylum, he resolved to abandon his public career till more favoured by circumstances; and he resided for some time in private tranquillity in the house of Duke Louis of Würtemberg. There he composed his opera of Silvana, on the basis of his Die Waldmadchen, and also wrote a piece named Der erste Ton (the First Tone), besides some overtures, choral pieces, and pianoforte works. In 1810 he again set out on a professional tour through Germany, and from this time devoted himself entirely to his art. At Frankfort, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, &c. he and his works were most favourably received. His opera of Abu Hassan was composed at Darmstadt in the same year. Between 1813 and 1816, he was opera-director at Prague; but giving up that post in 1816, he ceased from his musical occupations for a time, contenting himself with visiting various places, and quietly waiting till he should be called to new and greater exertions. At Prague he produced his celebrated cantata, Kampf und Sieg (Battle and Victory). He declined various liberal offers that were made to him, until he was induced to accept an invitation to form a German opera at Dresden. There he composed his opera, Der Freyschütz, which was first performed at Berlin in 1822, with extraordinary applause. At Dresden he produced in 1822 a drama called Preciosa, which was most favourably received. His opera of Euryanthe was also composed at Dresden, but first brought out under his direction at Vienna in 1823, where, as he himself says, “it was received with indescribable enthusiasm.” At Berlin his Euryanthe was rather coldly received, and was there nicknamed by some musical critics L'Ennuyante. It has been said that the Libretto of this opera was so confused and ill-constructed, as to overpower the beauty of the music. A three-act comic opera, Die drei Pinto (the Three Pintos), which Weber had begun at Dresden, remained unfinished, and was bequeathed by its author to his friend Meyerbeer, with a request that he would complete it. In 1822 Weber suffered from pulmonary illness, and still more severely in 1825. He appears, from some expressions in his letters, to have anticipated a premature death; and, unhappily, his prognostics were too speedily verified. In 1824 he began his opera of Oberon for London, which he appears to have finished about the end of 1825 or the beginning of 1826. At the end of February 1826 he set out for London, where he made his first appearance on the 8th of March at Covent Garden, as conductor of a selection from Der Frey schütz, and was received in the most enthusiastic manner. At this time his countenance betrayed the deep impress of mortal disease. On the 12th of April 1826 his opera of Oberon, or the Elf-king’s Oath, was performed at Covent Garden Theatre, and conducted by Weber himself, who was again greeted with the strongest testimonies of public favour. We now approach the melancholy close of this eminent artist’s career. On the 26th May his benefit concert took place in the Argyll Rooms, but was very thinly attended. On this occasion, bodily illness and mental vexation so affected him that he was Barely able to go through his duties as conductor. After the performance he sunk upon a sofa in an alarming state of exhaustion. Ten days afterwards, at seven o’clock in the morning of the 5th of June, he was found dead in his bed at Sir George Smart’s house, where he had resided from the time of his arrival in London. On opening the body the same afternoon, the three physicians and the surgeon in attendance found the larynx and the lungs so diseased as sufficiently to indicate the cause of his death. Weber left a widow and two children. Unhappily he had no relative near him to close his eyes. His remains were interred in the vaults of the Catholic chapel, Moorfields.

While writing this article, we observe that the Oldenburg government has ordered a bronze statue of Weber to be erected in Eutin; and also, that his works shall be engraved on copper, and the plates preserved in the ducal library. Impressions are to be sent as presents only to the different sovereigns of Europe. The artists of the King’s Chapel at Dresden have, it is said, raised a subscription for removing Weber’s body from London, to a tomb which they propose to erect for it in the public cemetery of that city.

Weber was an excellent pianist, but does not seem to have pushed himself forward in that capacity. He expressed himself most vehemently against all those who composed music by the aid of any instrument. He is described as a man of small stature, very thin, with an intelligent countenance; sensible, well informed, and very unobtrusive. His temper seems to have been amiable, and we do not find any traces of its being seriously ruffled, except on the occasion of Castil Blaze’s piracy of the Freyschiitz for the Odéon at Paris. Then indeed he wrote two very sharp letters to Blaze, dated 15th December 1825, and 4th January 1826, but without obtaining answer or redress. A number of interesting particulars regarding him is to be found in some his own letters and other papers, published under the title of Hinterlassene Schriften von Carl Maria von Weber (Posthumous Writings of C. Μ. von Weber), in 2 vols. 8vo, 1828. Among these are, his Autobiography, and “The Life of a Composer.”

We have already mentioned his principal works, and their very favourable reception. It has been said that, in his Freyschütz and other operas, he borrowed largely from old popular German airs, and that he has no great claims to originality. If he adopted much from others, the children of his adoption were at least splendidly clothed and richly entertained. Still there is much of originality and beauty in Weber’s works, though it may be granted that he more frequently depends upon bold effects of harmony and modulation than upon melodic invention and expression. The example of Mozart, extended by Beethoven, Rossini, and Weber, led to that system of unlimited modulation which has now become more familiarized to the musical public, though not yet relished except by the initiated. The whole history of music shows that the public ear is only gradually trained to innovations in harmony and modulation; and even at this day, some of the most elaborate works of Sebastian Bach, and his son Emanuel, are caviare to the multitude, from their extreme abstruseness.

Beethoven’s magnificent opera of Fidelio, produced in 1805, gave a new impulse and direction to the German opera. The powerful influence of this great work is very perceptible in the operas of Weber and other German composers within the last thirty-five years. So is the influence of Beethoven’s pianoforte music upon that of Weber and others. Although Weber cannot be compared with Beethoven for original and powerful genius, fertility and sublimity of invention, still he must be considered as a great master, possessed of much dramatic talent, great knowledge of his art and of orchestral effect, and a high degree of brilliancy and gracefulness in composition. His faults are, occasional dry and harsh construction, want of unity in melody and of determinate rhythm, and the occurrence of what are technically termed strangled modulations. Indeed, violent contrasts in harmony and modulation; fragmentary snatches of melody, often hard and dry, without leading and sustained subjects; the abuse of chromatic passages; vague and disjointed rhythm; are the faulty characteristics of too many composers of the modem German school when carrying license to extremes. This style may be called the transcendental dithyrambic of music; wild, disorderly, heterogeneous, anti-rhythmical[7:21:834]. Weber however redeems his occasional faults by a profusion of beauties. His printed works are numerous. Besides the operas mentioned above, they consist of concertos, concertinos, pots-pourris, for the pianoforte, the clarinet, the oboe, the bassoon, and the violoncello; sonatas, variations, polonaises, &c.; symphonies and overtures, among which last the overture Der Beherrscher der Geister (the Ruler of the Spirits) is remarkably characteristic of Weber’s peculiar style. Many of his songs published in collections are trifling; but his four-part songs, with pianoforte accompaniment, named Leger und Schwerdt (Lyre and Sword), words by Körner, are excellent. A posthumous work of Weber’s, a Stabat Mater for two soprano voices and one alto, was in 1826 intrusted by his widow to the music-director Rungenhagen of Berlin for publication. In his autobiography, he says that the following words may with justice be inscribed upon his tombstone: “Here lies one who meant honestly, and wished to act uprightly, both towards his art and towards his fellow-men.” (g. f. g.)