Carl Maria von Weber (d. 1826) belonged to an extensive family in which musical ability was ubiquitous. His father and the father of Mozart’s wife were brothers, so that he and Mozart were cousins by marriage, though the latter died while Weber was but a child
In addition to his famous Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra, his opera Der Freischütz has emerged as an important example of his work.
His father (d. 1812) was something of a soldier, a respectable viola and doublebass player, and able to turn his hand to other things. Twice married, he had many children, the most musical of whom were Fritz and Edmund in the first set, both pupils of Haydn, and Carl, the eldest of the second set. The latter was born in 1786 at Eutin (near Lubeck), where since 1779 the father had been choirmaster or band-leader.
The elder Weber was versatile and restless. His second wife was a good stage-soprano and all the children showed musical talent. So the family moved from place to place, giving concerts and plays in a quasi gypsy fashion. During his first 25 years the young Carl was never in one place more than three years, and often for only a few months. The range of his travels was from Lubeck and Hamburg on the north to Munich and Salzburg on the south, and from Breslau on the east to Stuttgart and Mannheim on the west. Thus he saw a good deal of Europe, especially on the theatrical side.
His early formal teaching in music began in 1796 with J. P. Heuschkel (d.1853), court-oboist and organist at Hildburghausen, who gave him sound training in piano technique. In 1798 at Salzburg he had careful lessons in composition from Michael Haydn. In 1799, lessons continued at Munich under J. N. Kalcher (d.1826), the court-organist. Here he began concert-playing and wrote several extended works (later burnt). Here too, he and his father became absorbed over the new process of lithography, and the family moved to Freiberg (Saxony), intending to adopt it as a business. But, encountering a good dramatic company, Weber undertook his first real opera, Das Waldmachen (1800), which later had some success at Vienna and Prague. In 1801-2 at Salzburg he wrote Peter Schmoll (1803 ? Augsburg). From 1802 he began independent studies, which in 1803 were stimulated by close relations at Vienna with Vogler. Here, too, he met Haydn and Beethoven and was close with Hummel and other players.
On Vogler’s nomination in 1804, Weber became conductor at the theatre at Breslau. Here was exhibited his latent ability as leader and manager. Among his admirers were Berner and Klingohr, from whom he derived much on the pianistic side. In 1806, accidentally swallowing some acid, he ruined his voice for singing. In this year he left his post, friction having developed with the previous concertmaster, Schnabel. After an interval at a Silesian castle and some concert-giving, in 1807 he became secretary to Duke Ludwig of Wurttemberg at Stuttgart—a place of moral risk, as the Duke was a spendthrift and court life corrupt. Weber fell into dissipation and pecuniary difficulties, but also did considerable serious reading, especially of philosophy, and was led by Danzi, the theatrical choirmaster, to write the opera Silvana (1808-10) and some other works. In 1810 he incurred the king’s disfavor was arrested for an alleged sale of preferments and though cleared of guilt, was banished. He went to Mannheim where Ritter and Gottfried Weber welcomed him, and thence to Darmstadt to visit Vogler, who set him at the quixotic task of revising some of J. S. Bach’s chorales. His mind was beginning to teem with ideas, literary as well as musical and with G. Weber, Meyerbeer and others, he formed a circle for the advancement of musical criticism. In 1810 Silvana was given at Frankfort, Caroline Brandt, his future wife, in the title role. Soon after, he completed Abu Hassan (1811). These two years brought much self-examination, resulting in a giving up of wild habits and a new artistic consecration.
The years 1811-12 were occupied by short sojourns in cities such as Munich, Prague, Leipzig, Gotha, Weimar, and Berlin. His oeuvre of compositions for piano and for orchestra steadily increased, his playing and conducting aroused enthusiasm with audiences, and his original and fascinating personality attracted hosts of friends. In 1813 he accepted the directorship of the Prague theatre where the idea of genuine German opera had long been accepted, though perhaps feebly illustrated. Weber’s zeal and skill in the oversight of details soon produced performances of unexampled excellence. In 1814 he made a brilliant visit to Berlin where his facility, especially in writing patriotic music, fell in happily with the jubilations over Napoleon’s downfall. As it became evident that Prague did not offer field for full realization of his ideals, he resigned in 1816.
Soon he was called to the similar post at Dresden which he held for ten years. Here for the first time German opera was given the same official honor as Italian—a fact that roused some hostility from some circles. But Weber set himself to creating interest by explanatory newspaper articles, by a careful selection of works (not confined to those in German), by unheard-of pains in rehearsal, and by steady improvements in soloists, chorus and orchestra -- all tending toward extreme perfection in the total effect. He gradually became the sole active court-musician, particularly with Morlacchi generally absent and in Italy. In 1817, using a libretto by Kind, he began Der Freischutz (completed 1820), and, though he often digressed into fine piano composition, his passion for dramatic work attained its climax. But his health became uncertain giving signs of a final breakdown.
In 1820 he visited Leipzig, Halle, Gottingen, many North German cities and Copenhagen, everywhere greeted with amazing enthusiasm. In 1821 at Berlin came his greatest triumph, the production of Der Freischutz, which was the turning-point in the contest between the German and Italian schools. Similar warmth was shown later at other capitals, notably at Vienna, whither Weber was urged to remove. For Vienna he soon set to work upon Euryanthe, whose first productions in 1823, however, were not well received. This disappointment and the precariousness of his health led to much depression, from which he was roused by an opportune commission from England. Though sinking into consumption, he began Oberon early in 1825, and in 1826, by way of Paris, crossed to England and conducted the first performances at London. Unable to return, he died there.
Weber’s personality had a singular charm. He had social polish and versatility, a fund of humor and gayety, and a magnetic instinct. The very irregularity of his early life gave him social and mental experience, including mastery of dramatic technique and knowledge of the spirit of the German people. Intellectually he was alert in several fields, with a bent toward literary production. He dabbled in novel-writing, besides planning various works about music, such as a dictionary, a history, a periodical and some critical essays. He was sensitive to the rising spirit of Teutonic nationalism, which he fed by stirring patriotic songs. He was the first musical spokesman for the fanciful and romantic strain in German imagination—the taste for the magical and miraculous, for gnomes, fairies and goblins.
Though undoubtedly reckless in his youth, his later years were full of earnestness, and he won the respect of a wide circle. His one important pupil was Benedict (d. 1885), later active in England.
Weber’s works include (a) 7 operas (1800-26), with sketches for two others, incidental numbers for several more and many detached dramatic pieces, besides several cantatas (notably Kampf and Sieg, 1815); (b) 4 piano-sonatas (1812-22), 8 sets of variations, many polonaises, rondos and dances, with lesser pieces for four hands; (c) 2 piano-concertos (1810-l2), the famous Concertstuck (1821), violin sonatas, concertos and concertinos for clarinet, bassoon and horn, and several other concerted works; (d) 2 symphonies (1806-7), 3 detached overtures (besides about l0 with dramas), and a few other orchestral works; (e) over l00 songs of various degree and about 20 noted part-songs for male voices: (f ) 2 masses (1818-l9).
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