The great composer known under the name of Meyerbeer, and who occupied one of the most important places in the history of musi

Famous Composers and Their Works

1901 illustrated edition, Boston, J.P. Millet Company

Edited by

Theodore Thomas (1835-1905), John Knowles Paine (1839-1906)

and Karl Klausner (1823-1905)

GIACOMO MEYERBEER

Part I

(added March 19, 2003)

The great composer known under the name of Meyerbeer, and who occupied one of the most important places in the history of musical art in the nineteenth century, was in reality christened Jacob Liebmann Beer, his Christian name being afterward Italianized into Giacomo. He was born at Berlin, according to some authorities on Sept. 5th, according to others on Sept. 23, 1791. His father, who was a Hebrew, and one of the richest bankers of Prussia, had three other sons, William, Michael and Henry, all of whom were distinguished men, although their notoriety has been eclipsed by the glory of him who is known to the world as Meyerbeer. William Beer, indeed, who succeeded his father as banker, was at the same time a remarkable astronomer. He became the collaborator of Maedler for his scientific works, and published a chart of the moon which won for him an important prize from the Berlin Academy of Sciences; he died March 27, 1850. Michael Beer, who was born in 1800 and died when only thirty-three, acquired considerable renown as a dramatic poet by his various works, Clytemnestra, les Fiances d’Aragon, le Paria, and especially Struensee, his masterpiece, which afterwards received a new lustre in being set to music by his brother the composer. To return to the latter, while he was still quite a child, one of his uncles, named Meyer, who had always had a great affection for him, died, leaving him his whole fortune on condition that he should add to his name that of Meyer, whence resulted the name Meyerbeer, under which the composer has always been known.

From his earliest years, Meyerbeer showed an exceptional bent for music. His father, far from opposing this tendency, rather encouraged him in it, and gave him an excellent piano teacher, Ignace Lauska, who had been a pupil of Clementi. The child made such rapid progress that he was able appear at a public concert in Berlin, October 14, 1800, at which he made a great success, lie appeared again in 1803 and 1804 with the same success, and it was then that the Abbe Vogler, whose disciple he became later on, hearing him improvise with a rare facility, predicted that he would one day be a great musician. Two or three years later, Meyerbeer had occasion to play before Clementi, who was staying for some time in Berlin, on his way back from Saint Petersburg, and the master was so charmed with the lad's talent that he consented to give him lessons during his sojourn in that city.

At this period, and without having given any attention to theoretic study, Meyerbeer already occupied himself with composition. Guided alone by his instinct and his natural taste, he wrote numerous songs and piano pieces, so that his father resolved to give him a master in composition, and fixed his choice on Bernard Anselme Weber, then leader of the orchestra at the Berlin Opera. But this artist, very distinguished in his way, and who could give excellent advice on dramatic style, instrumentation, etc., was not himself sufficiently versed in the science of counterpoint and fugue to be able to guide a pupil in this difficult study. Moreover he showed himself too easily satisfied with Meyerbeer's efforts. One day when the latter brought him a fugue, he could not conceal his admiration, and, regarding it as a masterpiece, though he would send it to the celebrated Abbe Vogler, who had been his own teacher, hoping thereby to prove to him that he, Weber, 'was able to form good pupils. For several weeks they anxiously awaited the Abbe's response, which arrived at length in the form of a bulky package. On opening it, they found that the contents were divided into three parts. The first constituted a sort of practical treatise on the fugue, written by Vogler's own hand, and in which all the rules for this kind of composition were set forth in a precise and succinct manner. The second part which was called The Scholar’s Fugue, reproduced that of Meyerbeer, analyzed step by step. throughout its development, with remarks .which proved superabundantly that it was far from being good. The third part, entitled The Master’s Fugue, was that which Vogler had constructed on Meyerbeer's theme, analyzed in all its details and in its ensemble, with an explanation of the reasons which justified its general form and all the incidents.

Meyerbeer was greatly impressed by the theories set forth by Vogler. He immediately put himself to work again and wrote a new fugue of eight parts, according to this master's principles, which he sent directly to Vogler at Darmstadt, his place of residence. The latter replied at once, expressing his satisfaction, and the confidence which this new work gave him in his future as an artist, and inviting him to come to Darmstadt; “I will receive you like a son," said he, "and you shall slake your thirst at the very sources of musical knowledge." Meyerbeer, delighted at this kind invitation, easily obtained from his father the necessary permission, and was soon on his way to Darmstadt.

The school of the Abbe Vogler was celebrated at that time throughout Germany, and this master, who had studied in Italy with Vallotti and Martini, was considered one of the first theoreticians of his time. One thing is certain, and that is, that he turned out excellent pupils, of whom some won great renown, and others became more or less famous. Among these were Knecht and Ritter, who themselves became remarkable theoreticians; the composers who were formed by the lessons and Counsels of Vogler were Winter, Gansbacher and the two immortal artists Carl Maria von Weber and Meyerbeer. It was at Vogler's house that these last two met for the first time, and formed a friendship which was broken only by the death of Weber. In after years Weber deplored the Italian tendencies of Meyerbeer, who, in the first days of his career, threw his whole being into the imitation of Rossini's style, but in spite of this divergence of artistic views the affection which these two friends felt for one another was never altered nor disturbed for a single instant.

Indeed, all the pupils who lived at the Abbe Vogler's house entertained pleasant and affectionate relations toward each other, and a touching respect and profound tenderness for their excellent master. One proof of this, among many others, is the fact that after Weber's death a cantata was found among his papers, bearing the following inscription: "Cantata written by Weber for Vogler's birthday, and set to music by Meyerbeer and Gansbacher." In fact, Weber, who 'was a very ready verse-maker, had written the words of this cantata, while Meyer-beer had composed the music of the choruses and a trio, and Gansbacher had been charged with that of the soli. It is probable also that the cantata was sung by the pupils of the school.

This house of Vogler's was patriarchal; the life there was very austere, very much occupied, and the time of the pupils was exclusively devoted to severe stud), and practice of the art. In the morning, after the regular exercises, the master gave his class an oral lesson in counterpoint. Then, giving. them for treatment any musical subject, sacred or profane, a psalm, motet, ode, dramatic scene, he demanded of them a severe composition. In the evening, all being assembled in the presence of the master, the compositions were performed, after which each work was analyzed theoretically, commented on, criticized, estimated, not only by the professor, but again by all the pupils, so that each of them, after having been judged, became in his turn the judge of his own attempts and those of his rivals. It cannot be denied that this was an excellent system of education, and one calculated to foster in the minds of the pupils reflection and the sentiment of criticism. On a Sunday the whole household went to the cathedral, which contained two organs; Vogler played one of them, while each of his pupils, in turn, took his place at the other, after the fashion of a kind of academic tourney, in which each endeavored to develop in a happy and artistic manner the subject improvised and set forth by the master.

It was during his residence at the Abbe Vogler's house that Meyerbeer wrote, for the purpose of forming his hand, a great number of pieces of sacred music, which he always refused to make known to the public. It was at this period also that he composed an oratorio, Gott und die Natur which was his first piece publicly performed, lie had been two years at Darmstadt, when Vogler, wishing to give his pupils a rest, and to fortify their minds by the contemplation of the beauties of nature, closed his school and undertook with them an excursion through Germany. It was just before his departure on this expedition that Meyerbeer had obtained a performance of his oratorio, which resulted in the grand duke of Hesse conferring on him the title of composer to the court. This oratorio was brought out at Berlin a short time after, May 8, 1811, in a concert given by Weber at the Royal Theatre, where the solos were sung by Eunike, Grell and Frl. Schmalz.

This was the starting point of Meyerbeer's active career. We shall soon see him make his appearance as composer and virtuoso at the same time (for Meyerbeer was an exceptional pianist), then promptly abandon his success as a performer in order to give himself up without reserve to composition, with the theatre for his objective point. He was eager for glory and aimed at a great reputation, feeling himself equal to any effort for reaching his end; it is this which explains the hesitations and evasions of his youth. Desirous of meeting success, withal patient, persevering and gifted with an energy which nothing could baffle, he sought it in all possible ways, but, whatever his critics may say, without ever sacrificing his convictions, and while always preserving for his art, as well as for the public, the most complete, the most absolute respect. His first works performed in Germany, written in a somewhat scholastic form, perhaps a little pedantic, did not succeed according to his desire, because Germany at that time, like Italy herself, was under the spell of Rossini's music. He accordingly betook himself to Italy, and there wrote several operas in which he forced himself to adopt the style and methods of that master. It was this that brought down upon him the reproaches of Weber, irritated to see him, a German, deny the national genius, and submit, like so many others, to the influence of the author of the The Barber of Seville. But in spite of the criticisms of his friend, Meyerbeer, who had seen his works received with favor in Italy, continued his career in that country, where he trained his hand and prepared the evolution which was to free his genius and direct him to France, there to write his incomparable masterpieces. For Meyerbeer, like Gluck before him, gave to France alone the full measure of his worth; like Gluck, it is to France that he owes his greatest triumphs and the best part of his glory; like Gluck, he lived to see his Italian operas laid aside and well-nigh forgotten, whereas his French operas made the tour of civilized lands, and are still played on all the stages of the world.

It was after his trip with Vogler and his fellow-students that Meyerbeer decidedly entered his career, though not without some fumbling. In 1813 we find him at Munich, where he gave an unsuccessful performance of Jephtha’s Daughter, an opera in three acts, which had much the flavor and style of an oratorio. Disheartened by the result, he left very soon for Vienna, resolved to make known there his exceptional talent as pianist. In this capacity he achieved triumph after triumph in the capital of Austria; his execution was solid and brilliant, and at the same time full of poetry and charm. He played at these concerts a great number of his own compositions, which have never been published.. At the same time he came twice before the Vienna public as dramatic composer, first with a monodrama for soprano, clarinet obligato and chorus (the clarinetist figured as a personage of the drama) entitled The Loves of Tevelind , then with a comic opera in two acts, entitled Abimelek, or The Two Caliphs, performed at the court theatre. This latter, written in the somewhat heavy style of Jephtha’s Daughter, found no favor with a public which, at that period, was under the complete influence of Italian music. Meyerbeer was very much affected by this failure, and took his troubles to Salieri, who was then imperial capellmeister at Vienna. Salieri, who had taken a great fancy to him, and who had confidence in his future, consoled him as best he could, lavished encouragement upon him, and counselled him to make a trip into Italy. "There," said he, "you will learn to ripen your talent, to train your hand, and particularly to make a better disposition of the voices in your compositions and to write for them in a more rational and less fatiguing manner.”

At that time Rossini was the king of musical Italy, and the enthusiasm produced by his works was beginning to take from the renown of such richly inspired artists as Cimarosa, Guglielmo, Sarti, Paisiello, his immediate predecessors. Everybody knows the influence which was exerted all over musical Europe for half a century, by the exuberant and sensual, though charming and seductive, genius of the author of the Barber and Cenerentola. All the artists, not only of Italy, but of France as well and some even of Germany, came under this influence to a greater or less extent. Meyerbeer escaped it no more than the rest; one might even say that he had no desire to escape it. He went straight from Vienna to Venice, where he arrived just at the height of Tancredi’s immense success in that city; this opera, by the way, was one of the most personal, most vivacious and most savory works from Rossini's pen. He could not resist the charm of this chivalresque and enchanting music, and he was so captivated by the éclat of the Rossinian forms that he began to assimilate them as rapidly as possible.

It is probable, however, that he reflected longer than people have hitherto given him credit for, on the transformation which he allowed to operate in his talent, for it was not until he had spent several years in Italy, that is to say in 1818, that he appeared to the public of that country for the first time. With his calm and meditative mind, with his studious and persevering nature, we may suppose that he employed his time in working silently, in solitude, to modify his style, to acquire the assurance which he lacked, to give elegance and facility to the forms of his melody, without compromising thereby the sentiment of a rich and abundant harmony, the beauties of an original and vigorous instrumentation. It was not, then, until after this complete remodeling of his early education, this training of his faculties, that he decided to brave the stage anew, and to solicit the approbation of a public to whom he was quite unknown. If this Italian career of Meyerbeer, of which I am about to give a brief review, offers only a secondary interest from the standpoint of the value of his works, it offers a very great one as a transitional stage, covering as it does the period of the development of his genius, and the evolution by which he was preparing himself for the great masterpieces with which he was to endow the French lyric stage, those masterpieces which were to seal his glory and render his fame universal.

END OF PART I