Chapter XXI: Part 21

On the third day we were met three miles from Düsseldorf by the festival committee and the family of the State-Councillor _von Sybel_, at whose house I and the members of my family were to stop; and scarcely had we arrived at Düsseldorf, than we were welcomed by the choral-society with a serenade. At the first general rehearsal, which was held on the following morning, I had the satisfaction of finding that my oratorio had been carefully and correctly studied by the different societies, and was sung with an enthusiastic feeling for the work. I could not feel so content with the orchestra, which had been gathered together from different places, and in which dilettanti assisted, and among others, my friend _Thomae_ from Cleves, among the wind instruments. It was therefore a difficult matter to bring all the instruments to the same pitch, and it could only be effected by great patience and frequent repetitions. In the afternoon of the same day, the rehearsal of the performances for the second day was held, which _Ries_ conducted. At it were given a new symphony by _Ries_ (manuscript _D_ major), a Sanctus and a Credo from a mass by _Frederick Schneider_, the jubilee overture of _Carl Maria von Weber_, and lastly, a selection of the finest “numbers” from _Handel’s_ “Messiah.” As Miss _Reinigen_ of Crefeld, the solo singer, was taken suddenly ill, my daughter _Emilia_ was obliged to take the soprano part also in the vocal performances. But so diligently did she study it, that already at the very first rehearsal she went through the business right well, and by her aid all derangement of the festival was obviated. But so much the greater was _Ries’s_ difficulty with the wind instruments in his symphony. He nevertheless displayed in the matter great patience, and dealt very leniently with the awkwardness of the dilettanti. On the following day were held two more rehearsals of the performances for the first and second day of Whitsuntide (the 14th and 15th May), which then, after such careful rehearsals passed off without a fault. My oratorio was received with such enthusiasm by those who played and by the auditory, that on the evening of the very first day, the prolongation of the festival was mooted in order to repeat once more “Die letzten Dinge” for the benefit of the Greeks. This was publicly announced on the second day of the performances, and the majority of the strangers present stopped in order to be present at its repetition. Thus my work had the honour conferred upon it of a second performance, of which I might well be proud, as since then so far as I know of, such a thing has never happened to any work given at the Rhenish musical festivals. In the musical journals, also, there appeared several very favourable notices of my oratorio, and I therefore hastened to publish selections from it for the pianoforte. But the edition I issued was soon sold off, and a second was therefore published afterwards by _Simrock_ of Bonn, who also brought out the song parts with it, by which the performances of the work in almost all the towns of Germany, Holland and Switzerland was very much facilitated. I could therefore be very content with the reception of this oratorio, and frequently as it was performed and spoken of, no voice was ever heard raised in condemnation of it.

In the course of this year I wrote besides a second quintet (_B_ flat minor, Op. 69, published by _Peters_) and three quartets (Op. 74, also by _Peters_). But I now longed to begin a greater work, and particularly an opera, although the “Berg-Geist” acquired no extensive popularity, since, after the representations in Cassel and Leipzic, it was only given at Prague, where it met several times with a brilliant reception. As _Curschmann_ at the same time entertained a similar desire, he had requested his fellow-traveller and friend, _Charles Pfeiffer_, who at that time had begun to make himself a name as a poet, to work up a novel of _Tieck’s_, “Pietro von Abano” as an opera text. He may however have felt himself not yet quite sufficiently advanced in his musical culture, and therefore when _Pfeiffer_ had completed the first act of the libretto, he abandoned his project of attempting so soon a grand opera. He now offered me the composition of Pietro, and as the novel, as well as the manner in which it had been worked up, pleased me greatly, I soon came to an arrangement with both gentlemen respecting it, and in February 1827, set to work very assiduously upon it, and completed it in August of the same year. The opera occasioned me anxiety at first, on account of the immediate succession of two scenes--a funeral, and the pranks of a band of merry students--so strikingly dissimilar and incongruous as to render their proximity unpleasant: neither did I at all like the speaking part of the bishop, without any singing. But as this part was taken by _Seydelmann_, who was then engaged at our theatre from pure interest he took in the work, and was performed in a very dignified manner, I became more satisfied with it, and had the gratification of finding that it made a deep impression upon the performers, the orchestra, and my musical friends who were permitted to assist at the rehearsals. On its first representation, on the 13th October 1827, it was also received by the public with a similar enthusiasm to “Jessonda,” and I had therefore reason to hope that like it also, it would soon obtain popularity beyond Cassel. But when at the request of the directors of some other theatres I forwarded the book to them, I soon found that not only did the catholic towns disapprove of the introduction of the bishop and the ecclesiastical forms on the stage, but the intendants of theatres in protestant towns, also, and among others, Count _Brühl_ in Berlin, who rejected the opera, because they had some scruples about the contents. At that time it is true, many of the later operas and plays, which since then have hardened the public against all objectionable matter, had not become the fashion of the day. But _Meyerbeer_, who now wanted to hear the opera with all these circumstances of form, expressed himself in regard to it in the following manner in a letter of the 4. March 1828: “I cannot conclude my letter without thanking you for the pleasure that the perusal of the score of your master-piece “Pietro von Abano,” which Mr. _Schlesinger_ lent to me, has afforded me, and I am happy to be able to say, that in particular the first act, the first finale (although only furnished by the poet with two personages), the scene between Antonio and the half-lifeless Cecilia in the second act, and the ingenious manner in which the stringed instruments, half _con sordini_, half _senza sordini_, shadow forth the dialogue between the living Antonio and the spirit-like Cecilia; the imposing finale of the second act; and besides these, numerous other features of splendid dramatic intention, excellent declamation, novel, picturesque instrumentation and harmony, have truly charmed me, and excited in me the most ardent desire to be present at a performance of your master-piece.”

In the year 1828, I wrote my second double-quartet, and endeavoured to bring it nearer to my first idea of the double choral style, than the first: in this I succeeded to my own satisfaction. I played it for the first time publicly in one of our winter-concerts of December, with great applause, and it soon found the same appreciation and publicity in other places as the previous one. Shortly afterwards I received an invitation to conduct my oratorio “Die letzten Dinge” at a musical festival that was to take place at Halberstadt on the 4th June 1828, and I set out this time accompanied only by my wife and my youngest daughter _Theresa_, as shortly before, my daughter _Emilia_ had married a manufacturer of the name of _Zahn_, and could leave her domestic concerns as little as _Ida_.

My oratorio was excellently performed by the different choral-societies that had been invited for that purpose, as they were all enthusiastic admirers of it, and gave it the preference over all other works then performed.

At the second concert I played my new concertino in _A_ major (Op. 79, published by _Schlesinger_), and I think that, upon the same occasion, also, my just finished third symphony in _C_ minor (Op. 78, also published by _Schlesinger_) was then performed for the first time. One circumstance, the remembrance of which is still impressed upon my memory, and which relates to my daughter _Theresa_, then nine years old, I must yet relate. I took the child with me to all the rehearsals, as she would always attend those at Düsseldorf, and I augured from that, a great love for music. In Halberstadt _Theresa_ expressed especial pleasure in the concluding “number” of the oratorio, and as that was a fugue on the words: “His is the kingdom, the power, and glory,” I furthermore concluded that she had not only a strong sentiment for music generally, but also for its graver forms, and I even imparted to _Dorette_ the pleasure I felt at the happy disposition of our child. But when I questioned _Theresa_ more closely respecting her preference for the fugue, I was informed to my great surprise and to my shame, “that she only liked the piece of music in question better than all the rest, because she knew, that, as at Dusseldorf, the rehearsal would soon be over, and that then we should _go home to dinner_!”--Shortly afterwards I received from the parties who got up this musical festival a permanent, and more gratifying cause to remember the same; for they sent me, as a mark of their gratitude, a costly table-clock, ornamented with appropriate emblems, and bearing on the pedestale an inscription, with the date.

In the course of the year I wrote three more violin-quartets, which were published by _Schlesinger_ as Op. 82, after which, as I was not very successful with my operas upon other stages, I turned once more to church music, and in the spring of 1829, wrote my “Lord’s prayer,” on the text of _Mahlmann_. The effect which this work produced at its first performance, although only with pianoforte accompaniment, on the festival of St. Cecilia the same year, was greatly increased, when a few months afterwards it was given at one of our winter-concerts with full orchestral accompaniment. It was not only received here in Cassel upon every repetition up to more recent times, with great approbation, but it soon found much approval in other places also.

On the 4th June 1829, another musical festival took place at Nordhausen, to which I was also invited. Of the first day’s performance I have nevertheless, now no clear recollection; but on the second day I played with _Müller_ of Brunswick, with _Wiele_ of this place, and with _Maurer_ of Hannover, a concertante for four violins, of the composition of the latter. For myself, I chose to play the fourth, on the occasion, as my Stradivari-violin had a particularly good tone on the _G_ string, and as we had practised together that celebrated piece of music very assiduously, the applause was quite extraordinary. My new clarinet-concerto in _E flat_, which I had written for _Hermstedt_ for this musical festival, met with no less approbation, but it is no longer in my possession, neither do I now know whether it is still in existence. During our stay in Nordhausen, we lived in the house of a Mr. _Fleck_, a merchant, whose wife was a very amiable hostess. One day at dinner, _Edward Grund_ my former pupil, was prompted to propose a toast to her, in doing which he introduced the observation that she “was anything but a Fleck[29] in human society, but much rather to be called a gleam of light.” I also remember still with pleasure the beautiful weather that favoured the dinner which the people of Nordhausen gave to their guests upon a neighbouring hill which commanded a view of the town. The collation was spread upon the greensward, and as good wine was by no means wanting, the company soon became very merry, and returned to town in the best possible humour.

[29] Fleck, in the German language, signifies, a spot, stain, or blemish.

In August 1829, I wrote a solo-quartet in _E major_ (Op. 83, published by _Schlesinger_). But my desire to try my fortune once more with an opera gave me no rest, and I therefore persuaded my friend _Charles Pfeiffer_ to work up for me the subject of a Spanish novel by _Washington Irving_, that seemed to me very attractive, and in every respect adapted for an opera. But as _Pfeiffer’s_ name could not be mentioned in the playbills, as in the electorate of Hesse it is not considered becoming for a servant of the state to occupy himself with poetical works together with his official duties, the indetectable name of _Schmidt_ was chosen instead of his; just as when “Pietro” was brought out the author’s name was not mentioned, as _Feige_, then the director of the theatre, did not like to be responsible to the Elector and the public for permitting a fictitious name proposed by me to be placed upon the playbill.--In October 1829, I, therefore, with my usual zeal, with every new work, set about the composition of the opera of the “Alchymist,” completed it in April of the following year, and immediately distributed the parts, in order to perform it on the 28th July, the birthday of the Elector. It pleased here in Cassel quite as much as my previous operas, but out of Hesse was represented at Prague only, though with great approbation;[30] while the selections made from it for the pianoforte, arranged by my brother _Ferdinand_, found a more widespread publicity.

[30] In the Vienna “Musicalischer Anzeiger” of the 23rd January 1834 is the following notice respecting it: “All who have had the opportunity of hearing and judging for themselves, know and feel that the esteemed maestro, in all his dramatic compositions, with the exception of the single, purely genial “Faust,” introduces his hearers less into the wondrous realm of fancy, than he leads them like a true friend, by pleasant meandering paths through the charming and balmy groves of harmony. This work also, breathes the same calm, reflective spirit that speaks to the heart, the same pure taste, the same style, as noble as it is elegant, the same constancy, unity and well-sustained interior connection, that so particularly characterizes all the works of this perhaps most substantial of all living composers, and which distinguish also no less this musical creation.”

In June 1830 _Paganini_ came to Cassel and gave two concerts in the theatre, which I heard with great interest. His left hand, and his constantly pure intonation were to me astonishing. But in his compositions, and his execution I found a strange mixture of the highly genial and childishly tasteless, by which one felt alternately charmed and disappointed, so that the impression left as a whole was, after frequent hearing, by no means satisfactory to me. As his visit took place just on Whitsunday, I took him the next day to Wilhelmshöhe, where he dined with me, and was very lively, indeed somewhat extravagantly so.

A few months afterwards the revolution of July broke out in France, and as a general excitement had extended itself to Germany also, symptoms of discontent with the public authorities showed themselves also here in Cassel. Just previously, the Elector had gone to Vienna, accompanied by the Countess _Reichenbach_, with the object, as it was believed, of effecting at the Austrian court the elevation of that personage to the dignity of a princess. He had afterwards repaired to Carlsbad, and from there came all manner of strange reports about his serious illness, resulting from some personal conflicts with the Countess _Reichenbach_, on account of which, his physician Mr. _Heräus_, proceeded to Carlsbad, but not having been admitted to an audience, returned to Cassel. A deputation from the members of the privy council was hereupon sent to Carlsbad; was received several times by the elector, and brought back intelligence that he would shortly return to his capital. Before this took place however, on the evening of the 6th September, disturbances broke out. I was at the moment with my wife at the theatre, where _Raupach’s_ comedy “Der Zeitgeist” was being performed, and I remarked on a sudden, that messengers had been sent to the officers who were present, informing them that “the alarm” had been sounded in the town, and upon this they all immediately left. This created so much sensation in the house, that the rest of the audience thought that nothing less than a great fire had broken out in the town, and they also left the house in the midst of the performance. Fearing for the safety of our own and our children’s dwellings, we went out with the rest, and were at length informed that the excited people had riotously attacked several bakers’ shops, and committed depredation in the houses of the owners, because, notwithstanding the fall that had taken place in the price of corn, they had raised the price of bread. In order to prevent further excesses on the part of the populace, a number of the citizens had, with the consent of the ministry, taken up arms, and the military occupied not only the electoral palace, but the Königstrasse and the Friederichsplatz, so that the people leaving the theatre could not pass through the closed streets. We were therefore compelled to make a circuit to reach our house and when arrived there, dared not retire to rest at the usual hour, as the commotion that prevailed in the town was still very great. The Elector did not return till the 12th September, but at first unaccompanied by the Countess _Reichenbach_, and with the greatest privacy. He immediately proceeded to Wilhelmshöhe, whither, a few days after, the magistracy with chief-burgomaster _Schomburg_ at their head, followed him, to express their pleasure at his convalescence and return; as also to petition him to assemble the estates, which had not been done since 1815, and to advise with them upon the alleviation of many existing grievances. The magistracy was nevertheless not admitted to an audience till the following morning in the electoral palace at Cassel, during which, half the town had collected on the Friedrichsplatz, in order to ascertain immediately whether the result of the deputation was successful, and if such should be the case the master-cooper _Herbold_, had agreed to make it known to the people by waving a white handkerchief from the window of the chamber of audience. When therefore the deputation in solemn procession from the Ober-Neustädter town-hall, approached the palace, and had crossed its threshold, all eyes were directed to the windows of the audience-chamber, and the decision was anxiously awaited.

The Elector, to whose ears doubtless many disquieting reports had come, and who could place no dependance on his troops (many of whom, as at a latter period was shown, desired a constitution) for the protection of his palace and the successful suppression of the revolution, gave, to the universal joy of the people a satisfactory reply. Scarcely had the waving of the white handkerchief announced this to the populace, than the assembled thousands upon the Friedrichsplatz rent the air with deafening cheers of Long live the Elector! upon which he shewed himself for a moment at one of the windows, and acknowledged them with several bows. In the evening the town was spontaneously illuminated, and at the theatre, instead of the previously announced piece of the “Ahnfrau” the “Barber of Seville” was chosen, and the public in their delight at the appearance of the Elector and his son before the beginning of the opera, greeted him with tumultuous cheers, and struck up the “Hail to the elector Wilhelm.” This was followed on the 19th of September by the promised summoning of the ancient estates of Hesse, consisting of deputies from the nobles, the towns, the universities and the peasantry, who assembled on the 16th October, and immediately promulgated a satisfactory report to the people. On the following day the opening of the assembly of the states was celebrated by the performance of divine service in the great church, and by command of the government by a solemn choral hymn sung by the society of St. Cecilia accompanied by the court orchestra. For this occasion I selected the last “number” of my cantata composed in Vienna, “Die Befreiung Deutschlands” (The emancipation of Germany), with its solo-quartet, and the concluding fugue: “Lasset uns den Dankgesang erheben” (Let us raise the song of thanks), a four-voice choral piece which was alternately sung, with the congregation, and the Halleluja from _Händel’s_ Messiah.

The propositions brought forward by the estates, after several weeks’ discussion between the electoral commissaries and the deputies, were with various additions and modifications, admitted as basis of the new constitution of the state as well as for the propositions made by the Elector respecting a fixed amount for a civil list, and division of the whole of the state revenues, which besides had been chiefly accumulated from the sale of the men taken into the pay of the English to fight against the revolted North-American colonies during the time of the Elector Friedrich II. The 9th January 1831 was the day fixed for the promulgation of the new constitution, and on the evening of the day before, the Electress came back with her daughter _Caroline_ from Fulda, where she had been residing for some time past, in order to be present at this joyful event. The elector received her upon his arrival at her residence in the Belle-vue palace, and I received order from the officer of the lord marshal of the court, to give the reconciled couple a serenade with the court orchestra. After I had held the rehearsal in the course of the afternoon for that purpose, I proceeded with the orchestra in exceedingly cold weather to the Belle-vue palace, and having ascertained the apartment in which the court was assembled we drew up outside and played as well as the extremely unfavourable weather would permit. Towards the end of the music the princely pair shewed themselves, the Elector embraced his wife at the window, and the inhabitants of Cassel, who in spite of the cold had collected in crowds, broke out into a loud cheer of joy. The next morning the public announcement of the new constitution was made, and the oaths were taken with due solemnity on the part of the civic-guard publicly upon the Königsplatz, on that of the military on the Friedrichsplatz, and by all the authorities, the court officials and the orchestra in their proper localities. In the evening the town was illuminated, and at the theatre, brilliantly lighted up, “Jessonda” was given as festive opera for the occasion, preceded by a play written for the occasion by counsellor _Niemeyer_. In the latter was introduced at the same time a hymn composed for it by me, “Hesse’s song of joy on the establishment of its constitution;” and at the conclusion, the well-known and previously mentioned melody, which, with appropriate words, was sung also by the audience, after which the latter greeted the electoral family assembled in the state box with a storm of cheers. Everybody now looked forward to a happy future; but unfortunately the Countess _Reichenbach_, with her brother Mr. _Ortlepp_, returned the day after to Wilhelmshöhe. This had no sooner become known in Cassel, as also that the elector had visited her there, than the disturbances immediately broke out afresh. Citizens and peasantry gathered in crowds before the palace at Wilhelmshöhe, and threatened aloud to drive the countess out by force, until it was at length ascertained that she had left for Hanau, and a public announcement was placarded in Cassel: “that the _cause_ for the disturbance had been removed.” But a few weeks afterwards the Elector followed her, as it was thought to take up his residence altogether at Hanau.

Meanwhile at my house the construction of an additional building which had been begun the previous summer from a plan drawn by my son-in-law _Wolff_ was completed. By this, in addition to somewhat more house-room, I obtained more particularly a music room such as we had long felt the want of for our quartet parties, which although closely adjoining the house itself, had nevertheless a higher roof, in order to give it the desired height. In its decoration also, the chief endeavour was to obtain a favourable acoustic arrangement, so as to dispense with all drapery over the windows and doors, which is so obstructive of sound. On the 2nd February 1831, we consecrated the newly-acquired space with the celebration of our “Silver Wedding”; at which my parents from Gandersheim were come to assist, and had brought with them as a present a porcelain vase richly ornamented with silver, upon which, besides the names of the donors, was engraved the inscription: “May the silver of to-day be one day gold!” This fete, properly speaking was got up by my children, in conjunction with our musical friends, and was opened by the torch-light dance from my “Faustus” executed by the guests, with appropriate words to the choral parts. This was followed by a succession of “Tableaux vivants,” in which the chief incidents of my life were ingeniously represented. Among many other poems both of comic and serious import, which were recited at table, my friend _Pfeiffer_ had also contributed a composition with the view, that all the persons present should appear in the costume of the characters in my operas, and that _K. Pfeiffer_ himself should recite the poem. This poem gave me great pleasure at the time, and its recital, with all its allusions, excited general merriment, and no one would have dreamed that its youthful author would be snatched in a few months by death from our circle. Early in the morning of the 31st July, while bathing in the river Fulda, he was struck with apoplexy, and his beautiful and diversified labours in literature were suddenly arrested for ever. For his obsequies I composed a solemn dirge for several voices, and subsequently, when the civil guard of this place had a monumental memorial erected over his early grave, upon its consecration the chorus from “The last things,” “Selig sind die Todten,” was sung by the St. Cecilia society with the assistance also of its female members, a circumstance which upon no previous occasion of the kind had ever taken place in Cassel. Dr. _B. W. Pfeiffer_, the father of the deceased, who previously had been known to me only in his official capacity as chief advocate of the court of appeal, visited me upon the occasion to thank me for my attention, and in this manner I first became personally intimate with him, to whom I was at a later period to be more nearly allied as son-in-law.

Unhappily that was the last family rejoicing which my brother _Ferdinand_ lived to see. He shortly after fell so seriously ill that the physicians immediately pronounced him irrecoverable, and I was present a few days afterwards when he breathed his last. As his widow, in spite of all her solicitations, received no pension from the bureau of intendance, and was therefore reduced to the small income paid to her from the relief-fund which I had instituted a few years before, I set aside for her subsistence a yearly allowance, with the aid of which she was enabled to give a good education to both her children and to allow her son _Ludwig_, my godson, to prepare himself for his collegiate studies. After some years of diligent study, with a view of going to the university of Marburg, the young fellow returned to his earlier expressed desire to devote himself entirely to music. Upon a closer examination, however, this did not seem to me advisable, as it was now too late for him to acquire the necessary thorough musical education, and by my advice he adhered to his chosen profession of the law, passed a brilliant examination in 1847, and entered into the official service of the electorate of Hesse.

In the month of April in pursuance of the new constitution, the first assembly of the estates upon the basis of the new election law was summoned, and held its sittings in a saloon of the Belle-vue palace. _Schomburg_, the burgomaster of the capital, was unanimously chosen as its president, and the government did not dare oppose his nomination. As the sittings were public, this awakened immediately an active political vitality in the town, and the debates were followed up to the conclusion of the session with great interest by all classes. Professor _Sylvester Jordan_, the deputy from the Marburg university, soon distinguished himself by his eloquence, and he almost always succeeded in carrying through his liberal motions in the assembly.

In order to extend these liberal sentiments among the inhabitants of Cassel, some men well known for their liberal opinions considered it requisite to form a political club, under the name of the “reading museum,” and I willingly joined my exertions to theirs. At this place every afternoon during the session, the various subjects which had been discussed in the chamber were made known. The sittings of the deputies were often very stormy ones, though the chairman reprimanded the non-members every time they applauded a speaker, and threatened to have all disturbers turned out by the civic guard, yet the daily visitors at the sitting did not much care about it and still endeavoured to influence the voting. But the administration of public affairs suffered considerable detriment from the circumstance that the Elector had quitted his palace at Cassel since March, and taken up his residence permanently, at Hanau. As the assembled estates had failed in all their repeated efforts to persuade him to return to Cassel, they resolved towards the end of August, in conjunction with the town council of Cassel, to send a deputation to Hanau, with the proposition that the Elector should either return without delay to the capital or adopt means for the undisturbed administration of affairs. The deputy from Rinteln, _Wiederhold_, president of the high court of judicature, was one of the deputation, and he succeeded in inducing the Elector to take his son as co-regent with him in the government, and to transfer the administration of affairs to him exclusively so long as he himself remained away from Cassel. Thus the young Prince, after a long residence at Fulda, returned to Cassel as co-regent, together with the Countess _Schaumburg_, with whose morganatic marriage with his son the Elector now expressed himself reconciled. The Prince delivered to the estates a deed of agreement concerning the solemn maintenance of the constitutional laws, and was at first received at Cassel with satisfaction, particularly as he nominated the mediator, _Wiederhold_, minister of justice. But as it was soon observed that the Electress, on account of her refusal to acknowledge the Countess _Schaumburg_ as her daughter-in-law, experienced many annoyances and affronts, considerable disapprobation was displayed in the town, and all classes generally sided with the amiable Electress, who by her kind sentiments and mild manners had for long years acquired the love and respect of the people of Hesse. As for me, I had, however, to congratulate myself on being in favour with the Prince at that time; and he requested me to make arrangements for giving him some court concerts at the palace of Wilhelmshöhe. Upon his returning shortly to the town he even requested me in a very courteous letter, to afford him and the Countess the pleasure of hearing some of my quartets, and to arrange for that purpose a quartet party at the palace. It would seem, however, to have been a somewhat tedious affair for them, for I never received a second invitation.

In the autumn 1831 I finished my “Violin-Schule” (course of instruction for the violin) a work which I had undertaken at the solicitation of many persons, and on which I was engaged for more than a twelvemonth, having always begun between-whiles some other compositions which had more attraction for me.[31]

[31] It was published by _Haslinger_, in Vienna, and the “Wiener Theater-Zeitung,” conducted by _Ad. Bäuerle_, speaks of it in the following manner: “A fit companion to _Hummel’s_ ‘Clavier-Schule’ (pianoforte school); for in the same way that that opens a new department of education in pianoforte play, this embraces the whole art and science of violin play, and lays down clear principles for an art which hitherto has been taught more by oral precepts, or, at the utmost, by small fragmentary pamphlets. It required the penetrating, searching mind of a _Spohr_, who surpasses in complete scientific culture the authors of every existing school, to condense in systematic order so important a branch of art, which has been two centuries in acquiring shape; so that the _violin_, so prominent in all music, may be cultivated upon sure and proper principles, and its study carried out with certain success. How well the great maestro _Spohr_ goes to work to effect this we shall shew in a subsequent clearer exposition of the contents; for he has not only copiously treated the scientific musical culture of the pupil by the clear outspoken method of the instruction in the explanatory text, assisted by the excellent and appropriate pieces which he supplies for practice, but also, in the mechanical part of the instruction, in which the mechanism of the human body is so beautifully and appositely shewn in all its bearings on the mechanical structure of the instrument. The excellent preface to the work presents rules of conduct both for the instructors and parents of pupils for the obviation of a host of evils which have hitherto arisen from false and erroneous modes of proceeding, from the circumstance that few lovers of music, and few teachers of music even, are sufficiently acquainted with these arcana of the art. Well and clearly does he enumerate the means of encouragement by which the industry of the pupil may be incited. How generous is the invitation of the _famed master to the students of the violin_, that they should impart to him their experience in the progress of their studies of his code of instruction for violin-play, for the further extension of his own knowledge! In this the _great earnestness_ of the true artist for the attainment of the one great object is made conspicuously evident.”... The notice concludes with the following words: “The world-famed master, _Spohr_, has by this _excellent work alone_ ensured an undying celebrity, and thereby added but a new and beautiful leaf to the laurel wreathe that encircles his brows.”

I afterwards wrote three quartets, which were published as Op. 84, by _André_ of Offenbach, and later for the St. Cecilia society three psalms of _Moses Mendelsohn’s_ translation for two four-voice chorals and four solo-voices, which were published by _Simrock_ of Bonn [Op. 85], and had an extensive circulation.

In the summer of 1832 I was ordered by my physician to proceed to the well-known warm sulphur baths of Nenndorf, to cure a stiffness in one of my knees, and which I had contracted the preceeding winter from a cold caught while skating. My wife, who accompanied me, had taken with her among other books, a volume of the poems of my friend _Pfeiffer_, which were not published till after his decease; and as I had long wished to set something from it to music in memory of him, I chose one of them: “Die Weihe der Töne,” which pleased me very much, and appeared to me particularly well suited for the composition of a cantata. But when I was about to begin the work, I found that the text of this style of poem did not lend itself altogether well to it; and I felt much more disposed to represent the subject matter of the poem in an instrumental-composition; in this manner originated my fourth symphony, under the title: “Die Weihe der Töne.” [In a letter to _Speyer_ of the 9th October 1832, this is adverted to in the following words: “Although I have now no duties to perform at the theatre,[32] and have had leisure sufficient for composition, I have nevertheless been but little disposed latterly, to set to work. From the great interest which I took and still constantly take in the political regeneration of Germany, the recent retrograde steps have too much annoyed me to permit of my giving myself calmly to any work of deep study. Nevertheless I have again lately completed a grand instrumental composition, and that is a fourth symphony, but which differs greatly in form from the previous ones. It is a musical composition inspired by a poem of _Karl Pfeiffer’s_: “Die Weihe der Töne,” which must be printed, and distributed in the music room, or recited aloud before it is performed. In the very first part, I had for task, the construction of a harmonious whole from the sounds of nature. This, as indeed the whole work, was a difficult, but a highly attractive problem,” &c.]

[32] The court theatre was closed at this time.

My musical friends in Hannover, and friend _Hausmann_ at the head of them, had no sooner become informed of my presence in Nenndorf, than they apprised me of their intention to pay me a visit, and to bring their instruments with them, so that I had an opportunity of giving the lovers of music then in Nenndorf a music-party, at which I played my recently written quartet. Meanwhile my cure was successfully completed, and I was relieved of my lameness of the knee, chiefly by a powerful but very painful douche upon the suffering part. Returned to Cassel, I first of all finished my new symphony, and let my friends hear it at a rehearsal, and subsequently at a subscription concert. I still recollect with pleasure the great effect it produced upon all who heard it. It was afterwards given with great applause at the Gewandhaus concert in Leipzic, and _Rochlitz_ wrote a very animated notice of the work in his Musical Journal. None of my symphonies can boast of having achieved so wide a circulation in almost all the towns of Germany; it is still a favorite work, and in most permanent concerts is played at least once every year.

In April 1832, by order of the Prince, the court theatre was closed “for an indefinite period,” all the singers and comedians, with the exception of those who had contracts of engagement for a longer period, having previously received due notice of dismissal. Two singers only, messieurs _Föppel_ and _Rosner_ (whose wife was the _prima donna_) could not be comprised in this decision. Together with the orchestra, I was also summoned to attend; all who had no rescript from the elector received notice of dismissal, and we others were asked whether we were disposed to resign our places for an indemnification to be agreed upon with each individual separately. I, who had first to give my answer to this proposal on the part of the administration, immediately declared that I was not disposed to agree to it, but would abide by my engagement, and, should it become necessary, would maintain my right before the proper tribunal. The other musicians also at once pronounced their adhesion to my declaration, and we thus lost one hautboy player only, whom I had at an early period engaged at Prague by the authority of the elector, to make up the complement of the orchestra, and who upon his joining, had unfortunately neglected to have his rescript made out. The first bassoonist, who was in a similar predicament, succeeded nevertheless in maintaining his place, being enabled to produce a letter from me in which I had engaged him in the name and by the authority of the elector, that the letter would guarantee his engagement until the rescript was prepared; by this circumstance he was saved to the orchestra. We others were then not called forward any more, and all remained upon the old footing.

In the autumn of 1832, my brother _William_ wrote to me from Brunswick to apprize me that in the ensuing November would be the “goldene Hochzeit” (the golden wedding) of our parents; and he proposed to me that all their children should meet in Gandersheim, to congratulate our parents, and present them with a musical-clock. That it would be a source of still greater pleasure to my parents, if I combined a musical entertainment with the festival, I could readily imagine, and I therefore urged _William Wolff_, the brother of my son-in-law, to write a poem for me, to set to music, at the performance of which my wife and I with the piano and violin should represent the orchestra, my three daughters take the solo parts, and my brothers with their wives, and my sons-in-law sing the chorus. So soon as I had received the words in the form which I had suggested, I immediately went to work, wrote a cheerful polonaise (in the execution of which I gave my wife and self the opportunity of shewing our skill as virtuosi on our respective instruments); this I followed up with a general chorus, after which I brought in the three soli of my daughters, who at the conclusion sang a trio; and then lastly I added a general chorus finale. While I was practising this festal cantata with my wife and children, I sent to my brothers their chorus parts also, for the same purpose, and we all met at Gandersheim a few days before the fête-day, which was on the 26th November. As our parents could not accommodate all of us with bed-rooms, I hired for myself and my numerous company, the whole accommodation of an inn, and then consulted with my brothers and sons-in-law as to the best and most effective manner of celebrating the day. _Wolff_ suggested above all things to hire the handsomest and largest room in the whole town; to decorate it with festoons of evergreens and artificial flowers; to display there our presents, and give our cantata before our parents and the families of our friends. We were not long in finding a room, for there was but _one_ at all suitable in the whole place, and that moreover scarcely large enough to hold all the invited guests. From the neighbouring wood we procured in abundance the necessary branches and evergreen for the decorations, and were then all employed for several days together in making the festoons and in preparing garlands of paper-flowers, as also with drawing and painting transparencies. When we would get tired of all this work, I began the rehearsals of the cantata, and could not but admire the industry of the fair sex among us, who had practised their husbands so well in the tenor and bass parts of the chorus, although they were almost utterly unmusical (though gifted with good voices), that their performances were creditable enough to hear. In this manner the time passed very quickly till the festival, and we then had the gratification of seeing our parents deeply moved by our entertainment, and our presents greatly admired by our Gandersheim friends. Besides a musical-clock, which in particular was an object of great attraction, the presents consisted of a very handsome and convenient foot-stool embroidered for my father by his Brunswick daughter-in-law, and in numerous specimens of work executed for my mother by the Cassel ladies. The banquet, which was in part brought from my parents’ house and part furnished from a restaurant, was a very profuse one, at which the wines and liquors brought by us brothers met no less with great approval, so that the festival of the _Spohr_ family went off very satisfactorily, and was long a topic of conversation in Gandersheim. The general interest exhibited on the occasion by the townspeople and those of the neighbourhood was very gratifying, and this among other things was exhibited by the contributions sent to my mother to entertain the numerous guests, for she received a complete houseful of provisions, in the shape of game, pies, pastry, flour, eggs, fruit &c. This gave the whole affair a complete patriarchal character; and every body did his or her utmost to evince their friendship for the worthy and venerable pair, and their respect for the man, who for so many years had stood by them as the faithful physician with help and with advice, and who, wherever he could, had always relieved the necessities of the poor.

After my return I received the command of the Prince to give a succession of concerts during the winter, in place of the theatrical performances, which had been suspended since the spring. These concerts were to take place every Sunday for the benefit of the treasury of the theatre, and the singers who remained with us were to be employed therein. The public, however, greatly displeased at this, and that the receipts from the concerts were thus to be diverted from the relief fund for the widows of the members of the orchestra, came to the determination not to subscribe to them, and thus the receipts were almost null. Few of the concerts only, and that in which the “Weihe der Töne” was first given, were well attended, but in the others the house looked very dreary and empty. Meanwhile it would seem that the Prince and the Countess _Schaumburg_, had found the winter tediously long with a closed theatre; for towards the spring I received orders to proceed to Meiningen to engage for the months of March, April, and May, a company of travelling performers who were there at that time, under the direction of _Bethmann_ from Berlin. As I expressed the wish to take my wife with me, the Prince ordered his master of the horse, _von der Malsburg_, to furnish me with a convenient court carriage from the electoral stables, and we proceeded to Meiningen with post horses. But there were other obstacles to be overcome on this mission, besides the negotiations with _Bethmann_. The latter, for instance, had accepted an engagement for the whole summer from the court of Meiningen, and it was necessary to prevail upon the duke to part with the services of the company earlier than he had intended. To this, however, the duchess notwithstanding her differences with her brother, on account of his quarrel with the mother, rendered me her assistance. Shortly after my return, _Bethmann_ and his company arrived, and for the re-opening of the new theatre gave the “Freischütz,” with much applause. Miss _Meisselbach_ pleased especially by her performance of Agatha. The former director of the theatre, _Feige_, and I were then appointed in superintendance over Mr. _Bethmann_, with instructions to place at his disposal, the three singers whose engagements were yet unexpired, the orchestra, and the whole of the company of the scene-painters and workmen of the theatre, the extensive wardrobe, decorations, &c. We now worked out together the order of the repertory, _Feige_ and _Bethmann_ for the plays and I for the operas, and were soon enabled to represent once more all the operas that were previously performed on our stage. At this time I wrote my third double quartet [_E minor_] and another concertante for two violins, which were soon after published by _Simrock_ in Bonn as Op. 87 and 88.

In June of the same year another grand musical festival took place at Halberstadt, which was undertaken by the minister _Augustin_ and his son, as the sixth musical festival of the Elbe, to direct which concert-master _Frederick Schneider_ of Dessau and myself were invited. It differed chiefly from the previous ones in the erection of an enormous tent, or rather of a large booth constructed of planks, upon the square in front of the cathedral, for the refreshment and social entertainment of the visitors, as well as of the auditory and assistant artists, and in which all strangers could assemble at any hour of the day. The musical performances took place on three successive days, and began with _Händel’s_ oratorio of “Samson” under _Schneider’s_ direction. The next morning the objects most worthy of notice in Halberstadt were visited, particularly the collections of paintings belonging to the Canon _von Spiegel_ and Dr. _Lucanus_. It was intended to have given a concert at the theatre, but as it was not sufficiently spacious to hold the numerous auditory, a second concert was given simultaneously in the large room of the “Golden Angel,” and the non-resident virtuosi and singers were divided equally to perform at both places. The tickets which were distributed admitted to the rehearsals also, so that each person could hear one of the concerts at the morning rehearsal, and the other at the evening performance; and one single piece of music only was given at _both_ concerts, which was the favorite duet from “Jessonda” between Amazili and Nadori, sung by Mrs. _Schmidt_ and Mr. _Mantius_, because neither party would permit this piece to be taken from it by the other.--I conducted at the concert given in the room at the “Golden Angel,” and played my new concertante in _H minor_ with concert-master _Müller_ from Brunswick. On the third day the last concert took place in the forenoon, and under my direction, upon which occasion I found upon my conductor’s desk a present of a red velvet coverlet bearing an inscription embroidered in silver. At this concert were performed _Mozart’s_ symphony in _C major_, and that of _Beethoven_ in _C minor_; my Lord’s prayer and a _Te Deum_ by _Schneider_, and I had the satisfaction of observing that at this musical festival my three compositions met with the most general applause. At noon a grand banquet in the large tent terminated the festival, at which the proceeding were of a very noisy character.

We were obliged to devote the remainder of the vacation to a journey to Marienbad in Bohemia, where it was hoped my wife, who constantly suffered from nervous debility, would regain some strength from bathing and drinking the waters, as well as from the enjoyment of the fresh air from the mountains. Among the visitors at the baths we met _Raupach_ of Berlin, with whom I took frequent long walks, during which he related to me many things relating to his approaching theatrical labours. He was at that time full of a new drama which he was going to write immediately upon his return home, in which he intended to lash the ill-natured and hypocrites, and the scene of which he had laid in China. But he probably never completed it, or perhaps the ill-natured ones of Berlin found means to prevent its representation, for so far as I know, no piece of the kind from the pen of _Raupach_ was ever made public. The society of music at Marienbad, whose director was a linen manufacturer in the neighbourhood, had much pleased and surprised me with a very successful performance of _Cherubini’s_ overture to “Medea,” with which, by way of serenade, he had greeted my arrival, and for which I the more readily complied with his wish to write a walz for them _à la Strauss_, to which also my inclination to try every sort of composition, had long predisposed me. At first, when I had practised their orchestra in it, the walz pleased me very well; but afterwards I found it wanting in that freshness and originality which distinguish most of the walzes of _Strauss_ and _Lanner_. Nevertheless, by the desire of my publisher _Haslinger_ of Vienna, he brought it out as Op. 89, not only in the original form as an instrumental piece, but also arranged for two and four hands.

On my return to Cassel I next wrote six four-voice songs for men’s voices, which _Schuberth_ of Hamburgh published as Op. 90, and began my fourth quintet in _A minor_, finished in February of the following year, and which _Simrock_ of Bonn published as Op. 91.

On the 5th April 1834, my children and friends took me by surprise with an unusually grand fete in celebration of my fiftieth birthday. For that very evening I had announced an opera and could not at all understand, why the intendance had suddenly countermanded it, but this had been solicited by my folks unknown to me. My wife and I now availed ourselves of the evening thus left at our disposal to accept an invitation to my son-in-law _Zahn’s_ and we were both not a little surprised to find the apartments brilliantly lighted up with candelabra, and ornamented with ingenious transparencies and flowers, with my bust crowned with a wreath, and a brilliant company assembled to celebrate the day with music (a cantata composed by _Hauptmann_) and with speeches.