WeGA, Rezeptionsdokumente, Digitale Edition
author: Anonymus
source date: 17. Juni 1826
language: en
availability: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Anecdotes, &c. of Weber.

Slight anecdotes are frequently very characteristic; and the two or three which we have noted below are eminently so of the great musician whose death amongst us has existed so much sympathy.

Weber was invited to dine with Mr. L–[^1], the music-seller, whose residence and establishment are of a very handsome drawing-room, the quiet German opened his eyes, and, looking round, said softly, as if to himself, I see it is better to sell music than to write it.

[^1: Vermutlich Christopher Londsdale, übernahm das Verlagsgeschäft von Robert Birchall nach dessen Tod 1819 (zusammen mit Birchalls Tochter Mary und Richard Mills) in der New Bond Street 140; 1821 heiratete er Mary Ann Mills, die Schwester seines Geschäftspartners Richard Mills; ab 1834 führte er ein selbständiges Geschäft in der 26 Old Bond Street.]

Weber got, perhaps, about £ 1,000 by his visit to England: £ 500 for his Oberon, and other sums for superintending rehearsals, leading the orchestra, concerts, and private parties such as the Marquis of Hertford's, Mrs. Coutts, &c., for which thirty guineas was the fee. Mrs. Weber was of opinion, as her letters from Germany express, that her husband was not sufficiently recompensed: certainly if we compared his reward with the immense sums levied by less gifted foreigners, we also should think so. The thruth is, that amusing talent is always paid, out of all proportion, much higher than great abilities or genius.

One of Weber's distinguishing excellencies was his suiting the sound in his compositions to the sence of the words: his music was twin sister to the poetry – a rare and exquisite quality. In one of the pieces of Oberon, Miss Paton, with all her fine powers and beautiful execution, failed to produce the effect aimed at by the composer. I know not how it is, said she, I never can do this as it should be. The reason is, replied Weber, because you do not know the word.

A grander example of his feeling and judgement in this respect occured when performing a hymn to the Deity. Some of the voices were in a high key. Hush, hush! exclaimed the genuine master, hush! – if you were in the presence of God, would you speak loud?

We have heard that the Saxon (his own) ambassador has shewn so strange a jealously of Weber's being in England, as even to neglect his remains: on the contrary, the Prussian ambassador has shewn every mark of attention. In other quarters there have been some very paltry and selfish caballing; upon which (for the sake of liberality and good feeling, where the fine arts and science are concerned,) we may be tempted to deliver our sentiments.

A lithographic print of this distinguished composer, printed by Hullmandel, from a design by J. Hayter, has been produced very speedily and opportunely.* Published by J. Dickinson. It represents him in three different points of view as leading the opera of Der Freischütz at Covent Garden Theatre, and, though slight, conveys to the spectator a perfect general impression of his countenance, look, and appearance. The central figure is the most striking resemblance; though that on the left is also very good. Were we to speak critically of a publication which accompliches as much as could be desired in any thing of its class, we would say that makes Weber too tall, and that the white support of the music-desk (seeming to divide him into two parts) has a bad effect. But the great essential of such a work is to be found here – it is like, and affords a perfect of the original, living as he led.