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Scan 138
Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1928
14 lines. Read by computer on 12 September 2026. Printed page 98. See the scan on archive.org.
1In 1809 he made another tour through the north of Germany, and at Hamburg received a commission for an opera, 'Der Zweikampf mit der Geliebten'—or 'The Lovers' Duel'—which was produced with great success the year after. At this time he had already written six of his violin-concertos, and as a player had hardly a rival in Germany. The year 1809 is memorable for the First Music Festival in Germany, which was celebrated under Spohr's direction at Frankenhausen, a small town in Thuringia. It was followed by another, in 1811, for which Spohr composed his first symphony, in E♭. In 1812 he wrote his first oratorio, 'Das jüngste Gericht' (not to be confounded with 'Die letzten Dinge,' or 'The Last Judgment'), on the invitation of the French Governor of Erfurt, for the 'Fête Napoléon' on Aug. 15. He naively relates¹ that in the composition of this work he soon felt his want of practice in counterpoint and fugue-writing; he therefore obtained Marpurg's treatise on the subject, studied it assiduously, wrote half-a-dozen fugues after the models given therein, and then appears to have been quite satisfied with his proficiency!
3VIENNA.—The oratorio was fairly successful, but after two more performances of it at Vienna in the following year, the composer became dissatisfied, and laid it aside for ever. In autumn 1812 he made his first appearance at Vienna, and achieved as performer a brilliant, as composer an honourable, success. The post of leader of the band at the newly established Theatre 'an der Wien' being offered to him under brilliant conditions, he gave up his appointment at Gotha and settled at Vienna. During the next summer he composed his opera 'Faust,' one of his best works, and soon afterwards, in celebration of the battle of Leipzig, a great patriotic cantata. But neither of these works was performed until after he had left Vienna. During his stay there Spohr naturally came into contact with Beethoven; but in spite of his admiration for the master's earlier compositions, especially for the quartets, op. 18, which he was one of the first to perform at a time when they were hardly known outside Vienna (indeed, he was the very first to play them at Leipzig and Berlin)—yet he was quite unable to understand and appreciate the great composer's character and works, as they appeared even in his second period. His criticism of the C minor and Choral Symphonies has gained for Spohr, as a critic, an unenviable reputation.²
5Although his stay at Vienna was on the whole very successful, and did much to raise his reputation, he left it in 1815, after having quitted his appointment on account of disagreements with the manager of the theatre. He passed the summer at the country-seat of Prince Carolath in Bohemia, and then went to conduct another festival at Frankenhausen, where he brought out his cantata 'Das befreite Deutschland,' after which he set out on a tour through the west and south of Germany, Alsace, Switzerland and Italy. On his road, with the special view of pleasing the Italian public, he wrote the eighth concerto—the well-known 'Scena cantante.' He visited all the principal towns of the Peninsula, played the concerto in Rome and Milan, and made acquaintance with Rossini and his music—without approving much of the latter, as will be readily believed.
7Returned to Germany, in 1817 he visited Holland, and then accepted the post of conductor of the opera at Frankfort-on-the-Main. Here, in 1818, his opera 'Faust' was first produced. It was quickly succeeded by 'Zemire und Azor,' which, though hardly equal to 'Faust,' gained at the time even greater popularity. Owing again to differences with the manager he left Frankfort, after a stay of scarcely two years.
9LONDON AND PARIS.—In 1820 he accepted an invitation from the Philharmonic Society in London, and paid his first visit to England. He appeared at the opening concert of the season (Mar. 6),³ and played with great success his concerto No. 8, 'Nello stilo drammatico.' At the second Philharmonic concert he led his solo quartet in E. At the next he would naturally have been at the head of the violins to lead the band, while Ries, according to the then prevailing fashion, presided at the piano. But, after having overcome the opposition of some of the directors, Spohr succeeded in introducing the conductor's stick for the first time into a Philharmonic concert. It was on this occasion (Apr. 10) that he conducted his MS. symphony in D minor, a fine work, composed during his stay in London. At the last concert of the season another symphony of his was played for the first time in England, as well as his nonetto for strings and wind (op. 31). Spohr was delighted with the excellent performance of the Philharmonic orchestra, especially the stringed instruments. Altogether his sojourn in London was both artistically and financially a great success. At his farewell concert his wife made her last appearance as a harp-player, and was warmly applauded. Soon after she was obliged, on account of ill-health, to give up the harp for the piano, on which she would occasionally play in concerts with her husband, who wrote a number of pianoforte and violin duets especially for her.
11On his journey home Spohr visited Paris for the first time. Here he made the personal acquaintance of Kreutzer, Viotti, Habeneck, Cherubini and other eminent musicians, and was received by them with great cordiality and esteem. His success at a concert which he gave
13¹ Selbsbiogr. i. 169. ² Ibid. i. 202, etc. ³ At a miscellaneous concert on Mar. 22 Spohr was described on the programme as making his first appearance in England.
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