"Germanic",
"four-square", even "stodgy" or downright "dull". These are all criticisms
levelled by some at Carl Maria von Weber, composer of symphonies, concertos,
piano, chamber, church and choral music, in addition to music for the theatre
and seven operas. It is perhaps entirely the fault of performing tradition,
because there's certainly nothing dull about his tunes. If his music
is afforded the same lightness of touch as that of his famous operatic
contemporary, Rossini, the same effervescence emerges. His ingenuity of
orchestration (using only a "standard" orchestra) is confirmed by figures
such as Berlioz, Liszt, Mahler, and even Debussy, who all expressed admiration.
Weber was also an operatic original, earning himself the tag "Father of
German (Romantic) Opera". His breaking with the almost universal Italian
style, mainly through adopting the contours of German folk tunes, set a
path which was to be followed by Marschner and Lortzing, and would lead
ultimately to Wagner.
Oberon,
to a libretto by Planch‚ (after Wieland), compounded Shakespeare and medieval
legend. It was his last opera, first performed at Covent Garden. A few
weeks later, while still in London, he died, aged only 40 (though, I hasten
to add, this was nothing to do with the première).
The memorable
tunes, warm colours, and vibrant rhythms might (just about) bring Rossini
to mind, but there any resemblance ends. Weber, far from content with dashing
off a pot-pourri à la rondo, weaves seven or eight themes
into a thoroughly satisfying sonata structure. The slow introduction, a
mysterious forest of horns and strings with skipping woodwind as felicitous
as Mendelssohn's fairies, yields to a sprightly brass theme which must
have impressed Suppé! The "first subject" proper, thrusting, powerfully
rhythmic, and classical, is magically linked to the lyrical themes
of the "second subject" by a brief recall of the introduction. After an
action-packed "development", the "recapitulation" turns out to be no mere
literal repeat, instead spinning seamlessly into a buoyant coda. Stodgy?
Oh, aye - about as stodgy as a soufflé!
The Peabody Institute, a conservatory and preparatory school, was founded in 1857. It has a preeminent faculty, a collaborative learning environment, and the academic resources of one of the nation's leading universities, Johns Hopkins.
Classical Music | Orchestral Music
Carl Maria von Weber
Oberon Overture Play
Recorded on 08/15/2010, uploaded on 08/15/2010
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Overture to the opera Oberon Carl Maria von Weber
"Germanic", "four-square", even "stodgy" or downright "dull". These are all criticisms levelled by some at Carl Maria von Weber, composer of symphonies, concertos, piano, chamber, church and choral music, in addition to music for the theatre and seven operas. It is perhaps entirely the fault of performing tradition, because there's certainly nothing dull about his tunes. If his music is afforded the same lightness of touch as that of his famous operatic contemporary, Rossini, the same effervescence emerges. His ingenuity of orchestration (using only a "standard" orchestra) is confirmed by figures such as Berlioz, Liszt, Mahler, and even Debussy, who all expressed admiration. Weber was also an operatic original, earning himself the tag "Father of German (Romantic) Opera". His breaking with the almost universal Italian style, mainly through adopting the contours of German folk tunes, set a path which was to be followed by Marschner and Lortzing, and would lead ultimately to Wagner.
Oberon, to a libretto by Planch‚ (after Wieland), compounded Shakespeare and medieval legend. It was his last opera, first performed at Covent Garden. A few weeks later, while still in London, he died, aged only 40 (though, I hasten to add, this was nothing to do with the première).
The memorable tunes, warm colours, and vibrant rhythms might (just about) bring Rossini to mind, but there any resemblance ends. Weber, far from content with dashing off a pot-pourri à la rondo, weaves seven or eight themes into a thoroughly satisfying sonata structure. The slow introduction, a mysterious forest of horns and strings with skipping woodwind as felicitous as Mendelssohn's fairies, yields to a sprightly brass theme which must have impressed Suppé! The "first subject" proper, thrusting, powerfully rhythmic, and classical, is magically linked to the lyrical themes of the "second subject" by a brief recall of the introduction. After an action-packed "development", the "recapitulation" turns out to be no mere literal repeat, instead spinning seamlessly into a buoyant coda. Stodgy? Oh, aye - about as stodgy as a soufflé!
© Paul Serotsky
More music by Carl Maria von Weber
Invitation to the Dance
Trio, Op. 63
Invitation to the Dance
Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48
Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48
Konzertstück
Sonata op. 10 no. 1 - Romanze. Larghetto
Weber Clarinet Quintet
Weber Clarinet Quintet op.34 Rondo Allegro Giocoso
Performances by same musician(s)
Daphnis and Chloé, Suite No. 2
Symphony no. 6
Scheherazade
Symphony No. 4
Symphony no. 6, 1st movement
Symphony no. 6, 3rd movement
Symphony No. 5 in c minor, Op.67
La Mer
Symphony no. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
Symphony No. 5
Classical Music for the Internet Era™
The Peabody Institute, a conservatory and preparatory school, was founded in 1857. It has a preeminent faculty, a collaborative learning environment, and the academic resources of one of the nation's leading universities, Johns Hopkins.