Scan 149
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians ed. by J. A. Fuller Maitland, 1907
18 lines. Read by computer on 5 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Library at Berlin, and has probably the faults of almost all such compositions. Even Beethoven failed when he had to write to order. Fate, however, had a second task of the same kind in store for Felix, with some curious variations. This time the cantata was for a meeting (or, as we should now call it, a 'congress') of physicians and investigators of natural science, to whom a festival was given by A. von Humboldt as president. Rellstab wrote the words, and Felix was invited to compose the music. It contains seven numbers for solo and chorus. Owing to a whim of Humboldt's the chorus was confined to men's voices, and the orchestra to clarinets, horns, trumpets violoncellos, and basses. The thing came off in September; but no ladies—not even Fanny—were admitted, no report is given in the musical paper; and as there is no mention of it in the MS. Catalogue the autograph has probably vanished. Chopin was present at the sitting of the congress, and saw Mendelssohn with Spontini and Zelter; but his modesty kept him from introducing himself, and their acquaintance was put off to a later date.1
3Felix had, however, during the summer been occupied in a more congenial task than such pièces d'occasion as these, viz. in the composition of the Overture to Goethe's 'Calm sea and prosperous voyage,' on which we find him employed in June (1828). Fanny gives us the interesting information that he especially avoided the form of an Overture with Introduction, and wished his work to stand as two companion pictures.2 She mentions also his having written pianoforte pieces at this time, including some 'Lieder ohne Worte' (a title not destined to come before the world for some years) and a great Antiphona and Responsorium for four choirs, 'Hora est,' etc., which still remains in MS.
5For Christmas he wrote a second Kindersymphonie, which delighted every one so much that it had to be repeated on the spot.3 He also re-scored Handel's 'Acis and Galatea,' and the 'Dettingen Te Deum,' at Zelter's desire, for the use of the Singakademie.4 They have since been published, but are not satisfactory specimens of such work. He also wrote the Variations in D for pf. and violoncello (op. 17), dated 'Jan. 30, 1829,' and dedicated to his brother Paul, who was more than a fair violoncello player. The 'Calm sea and prosperous voyage' was finished, or finished as nearly as any score of Mendelssohn's can be said to have been finished, before it was publicly performed and had received those innumerable corrections and alterations and afterthoughts, which he always gave his works, and which in some instances caused the delay of their appearance for years—which in fact prevented the appearance of the Italian Symphony till his removal made any further revision impossible. We have already seen that the basis of the work was furnished by the visit to Dobberan. A MS. letter from that place to Fanny (July 27, 1824) gives her an account of the sea in the two conditions in which it is depicted in the overture.5
7Felix's little choir had steadily continued their practice of the Passion, and the better they knew the mighty work the more urgent became their desire for a public performance by the Singakademie (300 to 400 voices) under Felix's own care. Apart from the difficulties of the music, with its double choruses and double orchestra, two main obstacles appeared to lie in the way—the opposition of Zelter as head of the Akademie, and the apathy of the public. Felix, for one, 'utterly disbelieved' in the possibility of overcoming either,6 and with him were his parents and Marx, whose influence in the house was great. Against him, in this opinion, were Devrient, Schubring, Bauer, and one or two other enthusiasts. At length Devrient and Felix determined to go and beard Zelter in his den. They encountered a few rough words, but their enthusiasm gained the day. Zelter yielded, and allowed Felix to conduct the rehearsals of the Singakademie.7 The principal solo singers of the Opera at once gave in their adhesion; the rehearsals began; Felix's tact, skill, and intimate knowledge of the music carried everything before them, and the public flocked to the rehearsals. On Wednesday, March 11, 1829, the first performance of the Passion took place since the death of Bach; every ticket was taken, and a thousand people were turned away from the doors. Thus in Felix's own words (for once and once only alluding to his descent) 'it was an actor and a Jew who restored this great Christian work to the people.'8 There was a second performance under Felix on Bach's birthday, March 21. It is probable that these successes did not add to Felix's popularity with the musicians of Berlin. Whether it was his age, his manner, his birth, the position held by his family, or whatever else, certain it is that he was at this time in some way under a cloud. He had so far quarrelled with the Royal Orchestra that they refused to be conducted by him, and concerts at which his works were given were badly attended.9
9Paganini made his first appearance in Berlin this month (March), gave four concerts, and bewitched the Berliners as he did every one else.10 He very soon found his way to the Leipziger Strasse.11 It would be interesting to know if he heard the Passion, and if, like
111 Karasowski's Life of Chopin, chap. iv. 2 F. M. i. 184.
123 Ibid. p. 190. 4 Ibid., compared with Devrient, p. 161.
135 'Sometimes it lies as smooth as a mirror, without waves, breakers, or noise … sometimes it is so wild and furious that I dare not go in.'
146 Dev. p. 46.
157 They began about the end of January 1829. F. M. i. 204.
168 Dev. p. 57. 9 See his letter to Leopold Ganz, in G. & M. p. 196.
1710 A.M.Z. 1829, p. 256. 11 Marx, Errin. ii. 75.
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