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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of My Life, Volume I, by Richard Wagner
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
-almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
-re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
-with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
-
-
-Title: My Life, Volume I
-
-Author: Richard Wagner
-
-Posting Date: September 20, 2012 [EBook #5197]
-Release Date: February, 2004
-First Posted: June 2, 2002
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: ASCII
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY LIFE, VOLUME I ***
-
-
-
-
-Produced by John Mamoun <mamounjo@umdnj.edu> with help
-from Charles Franks and the Online distributed proofreading
-website
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-My Life, Volume 1
-
-By Richard Wagner
-
-
-
-TABLE OF CONTENTS
-
-
-    PREFACE
-    CONTENTS
-    MY LIFE
-
-        PART I. 1813-1842
-        PART II. 1842-1850 (Dresden)
-
-
-
-
-PREFACE
-
-
-
-The contents of these volumes have been written down directly from my
-dictation, over a period of several years, by my friend and wife, who
-wished me to tell her the story of my life. It was the desire of both
-of us that these details of my life should be accessible to our family
-and to our sincere and trusted friends; and we decided therefore, in
-order to provide against a possible destruction of the one manuscript,
-to have a small number of copies printed at our own expense. As the
-value of this autobiography consists in its unadorned veracity, which,
-under the circumstances, is its only justification, therefore my
-statements had to be accompanied by precise names and dates; hence
-there could be no question of their publication until some time after
-my death, should interest in them still survive in our descendants, and
-on that point I intend leaving directions in my will.
-
-If, on the other hand, we do not refuse certain intimate friends a
-sight of these papers now, it is that, relying on their genuine
-interest in the contents, we are confident that they will not pass on
-their knowledge to any who do not share their feelings in the matter.
-
-Richard Wagner
-
-
-
-CONTENTS
-
-
-
-    Part I. 1813-1842
-
-       Childhood and Schooldays
-       Musical Studies
-       Travels in Germany (First Marriage)
-       Paris: 1839-42
-
-    Part II. 1842-1850 (Dresden)
-
-       'Rienzi'
-       'The Flying Dutchman'
-       Liszt, Spontini, Marschner, etc.
-       'Tannhauser'
-       Franck, Schumann, Semper, Gutzkow, Auerbach
-       'Lohengrin' (Libretto)
-       Ninth Symphony
-       Spohr, Gluck, Hiller, Devrient
-       Official Position.
-       Studies in Historical Literature
-       'Rienzi' at Berlin
-       Relations with the Management, Mother's Death, etc.
-       Growing Sympathy with Political Events, Bakunin
-       The May Insurrection
-       Flight: Weimar, Zurich, Paris, Bordeaux, Geneva, Zurich
-
-ILLUSTRATIONS [not shown in e-text]
-
-    FRONTISPIECE FOR VOLUME I
-
-       Richard Wagner in 1842, from the Portrait by E. Kietz.
-
-FRONTISPIECE FOR VOLUME II
-
-       Richard Wagner about 1872 by Lenbach.
-
-Original in the possession of Frau Cosima Wagner These frontispieces
-are used by the courtesy of Mr. F. Bruckmann.
-
-
-
-MY LIFE
-
-
-
-PART I
-
-1813-1842
-
-
-
-I was born at Leipzig on the 22nd of May 1813, in a room on the second
-floor of the 'Red and White Lion,' and two days later was baptized at
-St. Thomas's Church, and christened Wilhelm Richard.
-
-My father, Friedrich Wagner, was at the time of my birth a clerk in the
-police service at Leipzig, and hoped to get the post of Chief Constable
-in that town, but he died in the October of that same year. His death
-was partly due to the great exertions imposed upon him by the stress of
-police work during the war troubles and the battle of Leipzig, and
-partly to the fact that he fell a victim to the nervous fever which was
-raging at that time. As regards his father's position in life, I learnt
-later that he had held a small civil appointment as toll collector at
-the Ranstadt Gate, but had distinguished himself from those in the same
-station by giving his two sons a superior education, my father,
-Friedrich, studying law, and the younger son, Adolph, theology.
-
-My uncle subsequently exercised no small influence on my development;
-we shall meet him again at a critical turning-point in the story of my
-youth.
-
-My father, whom I had lost so early, was, as I discovered afterwards, a
-great lover of poetry and literature in general, and possessed in
-particular an almost passionate affection for the drama, which was at
-that time much in vogue among the educated classes. My mother told me,
-among other things, that he took her to Lauchstadt for the first
-performance of the Braut von Messina, and that on the promenade he
-pointed out Schiller and Goethe to her, and reproved her warmly for
-never having heard of these great men. He is said to have been not
-altogether free from a gallant interest in actresses. My mother used to
-complain jokingly that she often had to keep lunch waiting for him
-while he was paying court to a certain famous actress of the day
-[FOOTNOTE: Madame Hartwig]. When she scolded him, he vowed that he had
-been delayed by papers that had to be attended to, and as a proof of
-his assertion pointed to his fingers, which were supposed to be stained
-with ink, but on closer inspection were found to be quite clean. His
-great fondness for the theatre was further shown by his choice of the
-actor, Ludwig Geyer, as one of his intimate friends. Although his
-choice of this friend was no doubt mainly due to his love for the
-theatre, he at the same time introduced into his family the noblest of
-benefactors; for this modest artist, prompted by a warm interest in the
-lot of his friend's large family, so unexpectedly left destitute,
-devoted the remainder of his life to making strenuous efforts to
-maintain and educate the orphans. Even when the police official was
-spending his evenings at the theatre, the worthy actor generally filled
-his place in the family circle, and it seems had frequently to appease
-my mother, who, rightly or wrongly, complained of the frivolity of her
-husband.
-
-How deeply the homeless artist, hard pressed by life and tossed to and
-fro, longed to feel himself at home in a sympathetic family circle, was
-proved by the fact that a year after his friend's death he married his
-widow, and from that time forward became a most loving father to the
-seven children that had been left behind.
-
-In this onerous undertaking he was favoured by an unexpected
-improvement in his position, for he obtained a remunerative,
-respectable, and permanent engagement, as a character actor, at the
-newly established Court Theatre in Dresden. His talent for painting,
-which had already helped him to earn a livelihood when forced by
-extreme poverty to break off his university studies, again stood him in
-good stead in his position at Dresden. True, he complained even more
-than his critics that he had been kept from a regular and systematic
-study of this art, yet his extraordinary aptitude, for portrait
-painting in particular, secured him such important commissions that he
-unfortunately exhausted his strength prematurely by his twofold
-exertions as painter and actor. Once, when he was invited to Munich to
-fulfil a temporary engagement at the Court Theatre, he received,
-through the distinguished recommendation of the Saxon Court, such
-pressing commissions from the Bavarian Court for portraits of the royal
-family that he thought it wise to cancel his contract altogether. He
-also had a turn for poetry. Besides fragments--often in very dainty
-verse--he wrote several comedies, one of which, Der Bethlehemitische
-Kindermord, in rhymed Alexandrines, was often performed; it was
-published and received the warmest praise from Goethe.
-
-This excellent man, under whose care our family moved to Dresden when I
-was two years old, and by whom my mother had another daughter, Cecilia,
-now also took my education in hand with the greatest care and
-affection. He wished to adopt me altogether, and accordingly, when I
-was sent to my first school, he gave me his own name, so that till the
-age of fourteen I was known to my Dresden schoolfellows as Richard
-Geyer; and it was not until some years after my stepfather's death, and
-on my family's return to Leipzig, the home of my own kith and kin, that
-I resumed the name of Wagner.
-
-The earliest recollections of my childhood are associated with my
-stepfather, and passed from him to the theatre. I well remember that he
-would have liked to see me develop a talent for painting; and his
-studio, with the easel and the pictures upon it, did not fail to
-impress me. I remember in particular that I tried, with a childish love
-of imitation, to copy a portrait of King Frederick Augustus of Saxony;
-but when this simple daubing had to give place to a serious study of
-drawing, I could not stand it, possibly because I was discouraged by
-the pedantic technique of my teacher, a cousin of mine, who was rather
-a bore. At one time during my early boyhood I became so weak after some
-childish ailment that my mother told me later she used almost to wish
-me dead, for it seemed as though I should never get well. However, my
-subsequent good health apparently astonished my parents. I afterwards
-learnt the noble part played by my excellent stepfather on this
-occasion also; he never gave way to despair, in spite of the cares and
-troubles of so large a family, but remained patient throughout, and
-never lost the hope of pulling me through safely.
-
-My imagination at this time was deeply impressed by my acquaintance
-with the theatre, with which I was brought into contact, not only as a
-childish spectator from the mysterious stagebox, with its access to the
-stage, and by visits to the wardrobe with its fantastic costumes, wigs
-and other disguises, but also by taking a part in the performances
-myself. After I had been filled with fear by seeing my father play the
-villain's part in such tragedies as Die Waise und der Morder, Die
-beiden Galeerensklaven, I occasionally took part in comedy. I remember
-that I appeared in Der Weinberg an der Elbe, a piece specially written
-to welcome the King of Saxony on his return from captivity, with music
-by the conductor, C. M. von Weber. In this I figured in a tableau
-vivant as an angel, sewn up in tights with wings on my back, in a
-graceful pose which I had laboriously practised. I also remember on
-this occasion being given a big iced cake, which I was assured the King
-had intended for me personally. Lastly, I can recall taking a child's
-part in which I had a few words to speak in Kotzebue's Menschenhass und
-Reue [Footnote: 'Misanthropy and Remorse.'], which furnished me with an
-excuse at school for not having learnt my lessons. I said I had too
-much to do, as I had to learn by heart an important part in Den
-Menschen ausser der Reihe. [Footnote: 'The Man out of the Rank or Row.'
-In the German this is a simple phonetic corruption of Kotzebue's title,
-which might easily occur to a child who had only heard, and not read,
-that title.--EDITOR.]
-
-On the other hand, to show how seriously my father regarded my
-education, when I was six years old he took me to a clergyman in the
-country at Possendorf, near Dresden, where I was to be given a sound
-and healthy training with other boys of my own class. In the evening,
-the vicar, whose name was Wetzel, used to tell us the story of Robinson
-Crusoe, and discuss it with us in a highly instructive manner. I was,
-moreover, much impressed by a biography of Mozart which was read aloud;
-and the newspaper accounts and monthly reports of the events of the
-Greek War of Independence stirred my imagination deeply. My love for
-Greece, which afterwards made me turn with enthusiasm to the mythology
-and history of ancient Hellas, was thus the natural outcome of the
-intense and painful interest I took in the events of this period. In
-after years the story of the struggle of the Greeks against the
-Persians always revived my impressions of this modern revolt of Greece
-against the Turks.
-
-One day, when I had been in this country home scarcely a year, a
-messenger came from town to ask the vicar to take me to my parents'
-house in Dresden, as my father was dying.
-
-We did the three hours' journey on foot; and as I was very exhausted
-when I arrived, I scarcely understood why my mother was crying. The
-next day I was taken to my father's bedside; the extreme weakness with
-which he spoke to me, combined with all the precautions taken in the
-last desperate treatment of his complaint--acute hydrothorax--made the
-whole scene appear like a dream to me, and I think I was too frightened
-and surprised to cry.
-
-In the next room my mother asked me to show her what I could play on
-the piano, wisely hoping to divert my father's thoughts by the sound. I
-played Ueb' immer Treu und Redlichkeit, and my father said to her, 'Is
-it possible he has musical talent?'
-
-In the early hours of the next morning my mother came into the great
-night nursery, and, standing by the bedside of each of us in turn, told
-us, with sobs, that our father was dead, and gave us each a message
-with his blessing. To me she said, 'He hoped to make something of you.'
-
-In the afternoon my schoolmaster, Wetzel, came to take me back to the
-country. We walked the whole way to Possendorf, arriving at nightfall.
-On the way I asked him many questions about the stars, of which he gave
-me my first intelligent idea.
-
-A week later my stepfather's brother arrived from Eisleben for the
-funeral. He promised, as far as he was able, to support the family,
-which was now once more destitute, and undertook to provide for my
-future education.
-
-I took leave of my companions and of the kind-hearted clergyman, and it
-was for his funeral that I paid my next visit to Possendorf a few years
-later. I did not go to the place again till long afterwards, when I
-visited it on an excursion such as I often made, far into the country,
-at the time when I was conducting the orchestra in Dresden. I was much
-grieved not to find the old parsonage still there, but in its place a
-more pretentious modern structure, which so turned me against the
-locality, that thenceforward my excursions were always made in another
-direction.
-
-This time my uncle brought me back to Dresden in the carriage. I found
-my mother and sister in the deepest mourning, and remember being
-received for the first time with a tenderness not usual in our family;
-and I noticed that the same tenderness marked our leave-taking, when, a
-few days later, my uncle took me with him to Eisleben.
-
-This uncle, who was a younger brother of my stepfather, had settled
-there as a goldsmith, and Julius, one of my elder brothers, had already
-been apprenticed to him. Our old grandmother also lived with this
-bachelor son, and as it was evident that she could not live long, she
-was not informed of the death of her eldest son, which I, too, was
-bidden to keep to myself. The servant carefully removed the crape from
-my coat, telling me she would keep it until my grandmother died, which
-was likely to be soon.
-
-I was now often called upon to tell her about my father, and it was no
-great difficulty for me to keep the secret of his death, as I had
-scarcely realised it myself. She lived in a dark back room looking out
-upon a narrow courtyard, and took a great delight in watching the
-robins that fluttered freely about her, and for which she always kept
-fresh green boughs by the stove. When some of these robins were killed
-by the cat, I managed to catch others for her in the neighbourhood,
-which pleased her very much, and, in return, she kept me tidy and
-clean. Her death, as had been expected, took place before long, and the
-crape that had been put away was now openly worn in Eisleben.
-
-The back room, with its robins and green branches, now knew me no more,
-but I soon made myself at home with a soap-boiler's family, to whom the
-house belonged, and became popular with them on account of the stories
-I told them.
-
-I was sent to a private school kept by a man called Weiss, who left an
-impression of gravity and dignity upon my mind.
-
-Towards the end of the fifties I was greatly moved at reading in a
-musical paper the account of a concert at Eisleben, consisting of parts
-of Tannhauser, at which my former master, who had not forgotten his
-young pupil, had been present.
-
-The little old town with Luther's house, and the numberless memorials
-it contained of his stay there, has often, in later days, come back to
-me in dreams. I have always wished to revisit it and verify the
-clearness of my recollections, but, strange to say, it has never been
-my fate to do so. We lived in the market-place, where I was often
-entertained by strange sights, such, for instance, as performances by a
-troupe of acrobats, in which a man walked a rope stretched from tower
-to tower across the square, an achievement which long inspired me with
-a passion for such feats of daring. Indeed, I got so far as to walk a
-rope fairly easily myself with the help of a balancing-pole. I had made
-the rope out of cords twisted together and stretched across the
-courtyard, and even now I still feel a desire to gratify my acrobatic
-instincts. The thing that attracted me most, however, was the brass
-band of a Hussar regiment quartered at Eisleben. It often played a
-certain piece which had just come out, and which was making a great
-sensation, I mean the 'Huntsmen's Chorus' out of the Freischutz, that
-had been recently performed at the Opera in Berlin. My uncle and
-brother asked me eagerly about its composer, Weber, whom I must have
-seen at my parents' house in Dresden, when he was conductor of the
-orchestra there.
-
-About the same time the Jungfernkranz was zealously played and sung by
-some friends who lived near us. These two pieces cured me of my
-weakness for the 'Ypsilanti' Waltz, which till that time I had regarded
-as the most wonderful of compositions.
-
-I have recollections of frequent tussles with the town boys, who were
-constantly mocking at me for my 'square' cap; and I remember, too, that
-I was very fond of rambles of adventure among the rocky banks of the
-Unstrut.
-
-My uncle's marriage late in life, and the starting of his new home,
-brought about a marked alteration in his relations to my family.
-
-After a lapse of a year I was taken by him to Leipzig, and handed over
-for some days to the Wagners, my own father's relatives, consisting of
-my uncle Adolph and his sister Friederike Wagner. This extraordinarily
-interesting man, whose influence afterwards became ever more
-stimulating to me, now for the first time brought himself and his
-singular environment into my life.
-
-He and my aunt were very close friends of Jeannette Thome, a queer old
-maid who shared with them a large house in the market-place, in which,
-if I am not mistaken, the Electoral family of Saxony had, ever since
-the days of Augustus the Strong, hired and furnished the two principal
-storeys for their own use whenever they were in Leipzig.
-
-So far as I know, Jeannette Thome really owned the second storey, of
-which she inhabited only a modest apartment looking out on the
-courtyard. As, however, the King merely occupied the hired rooms for a
-few days in the year, Jeannette and her circle generally made use of
-his splendid apartments, and one of these staterooms was made into a
-bedroom for me.
-
-The decorations and fittings of these rooms also dated from the days of
-Augustus the Strong. They were luxurious with heavy silk and rich
-rococo furniture, all of which were much soiled with age. As a matter
-of fact, I was delighted by these large strange rooms, looking out upon
-the bustling Leipzig market-place, where I loved above all to watch the
-students in the crowd making their way along in their old-fashioned
-'Club' attire, and filling up the whole width of the street.
-
-There was only one portion of the decorations of the rooms that I
-thoroughly disliked, and this consisted of the various portraits, but
-particularly those of high-born dames in hooped petticoats, with
-youthful faces and powdered hair. These appeared to me exactly like
-ghosts, who, when I was alone in the room, seemed to come back to life,
-and filled me with the most abject fear. To sleep alone in this distant
-chamber, in that old-fashioned bed of state, beneath those unearthly
-pictures, was a constant terror to me. It is true I tried to hide my
-fear from my aunt when she lighted me to bed in the evening with her
-candle, but never a night passed in which I was not a prey to the most
-horrible ghostly visions, my dread of which would leave me in a bath of
-perspiration.
-
-The personality of the three chief occupants of this storey was
-admirably adapted to materialise the ghostly impressions of the house
-into a reality that resembled some strange fairy-tale.
-
-Jeannette Thome was very small and stout; she wore a fair Titus wig,
-and seemed to hug to herself the consciousness of vanished beauty. My
-aunt, her faithful friend and guardian, who was also an old maid, was
-remarkable for the height and extreme leanness of her person. The
-oddity of her otherwise very pleasant face was increased by an
-exceedingly pointed chin.
-
-My uncle Adolph had chosen as his permanent study a dark room in the
-courtyard. There it was that I saw him for the first time, surrounded
-by a great wilderness of books, and attired in an unpretentious indoor
-costume, the most striking feature of which was a tall, pointed felt
-cap, such as I had seen worn by the clown who belonged to the troupe of
-rope-dancers at Eisleben. A great love of independence had driven him
-to this strange retreat. He had been originally destined for the
-Church, but he soon gave that up, in order to devote himself entirely
-to philological studies. But as he had the greatest dislike of acting
-as a professor and teacher in a regular post, he soon tried to make a
-meagre livelihood by literary work. He had certain social gifts, and
-especially a fine tenor voice, and appears in his youth to have been
-welcome as a man of letters among a fairly wide circle of friends at
-Leipzig.
-
-On a trip to Jena, during which he and a companion seem to have found
-their way into various musical and oratorical associations, he paid a
-visit to Schiller. With this object in view, he had come armed with a
-request from the management of the Leipzig Theatre, who wanted to
-secure the rights of Wallenstein, which was just finished. He told me
-later of the magic impression made upon him by Schiller, with his tall
-slight figure and irresistibly attractive blue eyes. His only complaint
-was that, owing to a well-meant trick played on him by his friend, he
-had been placed in a most trying position; for the latter had managed
-to send Schiller a small volume of Adolph Wagner's poems in advance.
-
-The young poet was much embarrassed to hear Schiller address him in
-flattering terms on the subject of his poetry, but was convinced that
-the great man was merely encouraging him out of kindness. Afterwards he
-devoted himself entirely to philological studios--one of his best-known
-publications in that department being his Parnasso Italiano, which he
-dedicated to Goethe in an Italian poem. True, I have heard experts say
-that the latter was written in unusually pompous Italian; but Goethe
-sent him a letter full of praise, as well as a silver cup from his own
-household plate. The impression that I, as a boy of eight, conceived of
-Adolph Wagner, amid the surroundings of his own home, was that he was a
-peculiarly puzzling character.
-
-I soon had to leave the influence of this environment and was brought
-back to my people at Dresden. Meanwhile my family, under the guidance
-of my bereaved mother, had been obliged to settle down as well as they
-could under the circumstances. My eldest brother Albert, who originally
-intended to study medicine, had, upon the advice of Weber, who had much
-admired his beautiful tenor voice, started his theatrical career in
-Breslau. My second sister Louisa soon followed his example, and became
-an actress. My eldest sister Rosalie had obtained an excellent
-engagement at the Dresden Court Theatre, and the younger members of the
-family all looked up to her; for she was now the main support of our
-poor sorrowing mother. My family still occupied the same comfortable
-home which my father had made for them. Some of the spare rooms were
-occasionally let to strangers, and Spohr was among those who at one
-time lodged with us. Thanks to her great energy, and to help received
-from various sources (among which the continued generosity of the
-Court, out of respect to the memory of my late stepfather, must not be
-forgotten), my mother managed so well in making both ends meet, that
-even my education did not suffer.
-
-After it had been decided that my sister Clara, owing to her
-exceedingly beautiful voice, should also go on the stage, my mother
-took the greatest care to prevent me from developing any taste whatever
-for the theatre. She never ceased to reproach herself for having
-consented to the theatrical career of my eldest brother, and as my
-second brother showed no greater talents than those which were useful
-to him as a goldsmith, it was now her chief desire to see some progress
-made towards the fulfilment of the hopes and wishes of my step-father,
-'who hoped to make something of me.' On the completion of my eighth
-year I was sent to the Kreuz Grammar School in Dresden, where it was
-hoped I would study! There I was placed at the bottom of the lowest
-class, and started my education under the most unassuming auspices.
-
-My mother noted with much interest the slightest signs I might show of
-a growing love and ability for my work. She herself, though not highly
-educated, always created a lasting impression on all who really learnt
-to know her, and displayed a peculiar combination of practical domestic
-efficiency and keen intellectual animation. She never gave one of her
-children any definite information concerning her antecedents. She came
-from Weissenfels, and admitted that her parents had been bakers
-[FOOTNOTE: According to more recent information--mill owners] there.
-Even in regard to her maiden name she always spoke with some
-embarrassment, and intimated that it was 'Perthes,' though, as we
-afterwards ascertained, it was in reality 'Bertz.' Strange to say, she
-had been placed in a high-class boarding-school in Leipzig, where she
-had enjoyed the advantage of the care and interest of one of 'her
-father's influential friends,' to whom she afterwards referred as being
-a Weimar prince who had been very kind to her family in Weissenfels.
-Her education in that establishment seems to have been interrupted on
-account of the sudden death of this 'friend.' She became acquainted
-with my father at a very early age, and married him in the first bloom
-of her youth, he also being very young, though he already held an
-appointment. Her chief characteristics seem to have been a keen sense
-of humour and an amiable temper, so we need not suppose that it was
-merely a sense of duty towards the family of a departed comrade that
-afterwards induced the admirable Ludwig Geyer to enter into matrimony
-with her when she was no longer youthful, but rather that he was
-impelled to that step by a sincere and warm regard for the widow of his
-friend. A portrait of her, painted by Geyer during the lifetime of my
-father, gives one a very favourable impression of what she must have
-been. Even from the time when my recollection of her is quite distinct,
-she always had to wear a cap owing to some slight affection of the
-head, so that I have no recollection of her as a young and pretty
-mother. Her trying position at the head of a numerous family (of which
-I was the seventh surviving member), the difficulty of obtaining the
-wherewithal to rear them, and of keeping up appearances on very limited
-resources, did not conduce to evolve that tender sweetness and
-solicitude which are usually associated with motherhood. I hardly ever
-recollect her having fondled me. Indeed, demonstrations of affection
-were not common in our family, although a certain impetuous, almost
-passionate and boisterous manner always characterised our dealings.
-This being so, it naturally seemed to me quite a great event when one
-night I, fretful with sleepiness, looked up at her with tearful eyes as
-she was taking me to bed, and saw her gaze back at me proudly and
-fondly, and speak of me to a visitor then present with a certain amount
-of tenderness.
-
-What struck me more particularly about her was the strange enthusiasm
-and almost pathetic manner with which she spoke of the great and of the
-beautiful in Art. Under this heading, however, she would never have let
-me suppose that she included dramatic art, but only Poetry, Music, and
-Painting. Consequently, she often even threatened me with her curse
-should I ever express a desire to go on the stage. Moreover, she was
-very religiously inclined. With intense fervour she would often give us
-long sermons about God and the divine quality in man, during which, now
-and again, suddenly lowering her voice in a rather funny way, she would
-interrupt herself in order to rebuke one of us. After the death of our
-stepfather she used to assemble us all round her bed every morning,
-when one of us would read out a hymn or a part of the Church service
-from the prayer-book before she took her coffee. Sometimes the choice
-of the part to be read was hardly appropriate, as, for instance, when
-my sister Clara on one occasion thoughtlessly read the 'Prayer to be
-said in time of War,' and delivered it with so much expression that my
-mother interrupted her, saying: 'Oh, stop! Good gracious me! Things are
-not quite so bad as that. There's no war on at present!'
-
-In spite of our limited means we had lively and--as they appeared to my
-boyish imagination--even brilliant evening parties sometimes. After the
-death of my stepfather, who, thanks to his success as a portrait
-painter, in the later years of his life had raised his income to what
-for those days was a really decent total, many agreeable acquaintances
-of very good social position whom he had made during this flourishing
-period still remained on friendly terms with us, and would occasionally
-join us at our evening gatherings. Amongst those who came were the
-members of the Court Theatre, who at that time gave very charming and
-highly entertaining parties of their own, which, on my return to
-Dresden later on, I found had been altogether given up.
-
-Very delightful, too, were the picnics arranged between us and our
-friends at some of the beautiful spots around Dresden, for these
-excursions were always brightened by a certain artistic spirit and
-general good cheer. I remember one such outing we arranged to
-Loschwitz, where we made a kind of gypsy camp, in which Carl Maria von
-Weber played his part in the character of cook. At home we also had
-some music. My sister Rosalie played the piano, and Clara was beginning
-to sing. Of the various theatrical performances we organised in those
-early days, often after elaborate preparation, with the view of amusing
-ourselves on the birthdays of our elders, I can hardly remember one,
-save a parody on the romantic play of Sappho, by Grillparzer, in which
-I took part as one of the singers in the crowd that preceded Phaon's
-triumphal car. I endeavoured to revive these memories by means of a
-fine puppet show, which I found among the effects of my late
-stepfather, and for which he himself had painted some beautiful
-scenery. It was my intention to surprise my people by means of a
-brilliant performance on this little stage. After I had very clumsily
-made several puppets, and had provided them with a scanty wardrobe made
-from cuttings of material purloined from my sisters, I started to
-compose a chivalric drama, in which I proposed to rehearse my puppets.
-When I had drafted the first scene, my sisters happened to discover the
-MS. and literally laughed it to scorn, and, to my great annoyance, for
-a long time afterwards they chaffed me by repeating one particular
-sentence which I had put into the mouth of the heroine, and which
-was--Ich hore schon den Ritter trapsen ('I hear his knightly footsteps
-falling'). I now returned with renewed ardour to the theatre, with
-which, even at this time, my family was in close touch. Den Freischutz
-in particular appealed very strongly to my imagination, mainly on
-account of its ghostly theme. The emotions of terror and the dread of
-ghosts formed quite an important factor in the development of my mind.
-From my earliest childhood certain mysterious and uncanny things
-exercised an enormous influence over me. If I were left alone in a room
-for long, I remember that, when gazing at lifeless objects such as
-pieces of furniture, and concentrating my attention upon them, I would
-suddenly shriek out with fright, because they seemed to me alive. Even
-during the latest years of my boyhood, not a night passed without my
-waking out of some ghostly dream and uttering the most frightful
-shrieks, which subsided only at the sound of some human voice. The most
-severe rebuke or even chastisement seemed to me at those times no more
-than a blessed release. None of my brothers or sisters would sleep
-anywhere near me. They put me to sleep as far as possible away from the
-others, without thinking that my cries for help would only be louder
-and longer; but in the end they got used even to this nightly
-disturbance.
-
-In connection with this childish terror, what attracted me so strongly
-to the theatre--by which I mean also the stage, the rooms behind the
-scenes, and the dressing-rooms--was not so much the desire for
-entertainment and amusement such as that which impels the present-day
-theatre-goers, but the fascinating pleasure of finding myself in an
-entirely different atmosphere, in a world that was purely fantastic and
-often gruesomely attractive. Thus to me a scene, even a wing,
-representing a bush, or some costume or characteristic part of it,
-seemed to come from another world, to be in some way as attractive as
-an apparition, and I felt that contact with it might serve as a lever
-to lift me from the dull reality of daily routine to that delightful
-region of spirits. Everything connected with a theatrical performance
-had for me the charm of mystery, it both bewitched and fascinated me,
-and while I was trying, with the help of a few playmates, to imitate
-the performance of Der Freischutz, and to devote myself energetically
-to reproducing the needful costumes and masks in my grotesque style of
-painting, the more elegant contents of my sisters' wardrobes, in the
-beautifying of which I had often seen the family occupied, exercised a
-subtle charm over my imagination; nay, my heart would beat madly at the
-very touch of one of their dresses.
-
-In spite of the fact that, as I already mentioned, our family was not
-given to outward manifestations of affection, yet the fact that I was
-brought up entirely among feminine surroundings must necessarily have
-influenced the development of the sensitive side of my nature. Perhaps
-it was precisely because my immediate circle was generally rough and
-impetuous, that the opposite characteristics of womanhood, especially
-such as were connected with the imaginary world of the theatre, created
-a feeling of such tender longing in me.
-
-Luckily these fantastic humours, merging from the gruesome into the
-mawkish, were counteracted and balanced by more serious influences
-undergone at school at the hands of my teachers and schoolfellows. Even
-there, it was chiefly the weird that aroused my keenest interest. I can
-hardly judge whether I had what would be called a good head for study.
-I think that, in general, what I really liked I was soon able to grasp
-without much effort, whereas I hardly exerted myself at all in the
-study of subjects that were uncongenial. This characteristic was most
-marked in regard to arithmetic and, later on, mathematics. In neither
-of these subjects did I ever succeed in bringing my mind seriously to
-bear upon the tasks that were set me. In the matter of the Classics,
-too, I paid only just as much attention as was absolutely necessary to
-enable me to get a grasp of them; for I was stimulated by the desire to
-reproduce them to myself dramatically. In this way Greek particularly
-attracted me, because the stories from Greek mythology so seized upon
-my fancy that I tried to imagine their heroes as speaking to me in
-their native tongue, so as to satisfy my longing for complete
-familiarity with them. In these circumstances it will be readily
-understood that the grammar of the language seemed to me merely a
-tiresome obstacle, and by no means in itself an interesting branch of
-knowledge.
-
-The fact that my study of languages was never very thorough, perhaps
-best explains the fact that I was afterwards so ready to cease
-troubling about them altogether. Not until much later did this study
-really begin to interest me again, and that was only when I learnt to
-understand its physiological and philosophical side, as it was revealed
-to our modern Germanists by the pioneer work of Jakob Grimm. Then, when
-it was too late to apply myself thoroughly to a study which at last I
-had learned to appreciate, I regretted that this newer conception of
-the study of languages had not yet found acceptance in our colleges
-when I was younger.
-
-Nevertheless, by my successes in philological work I managed to attract
-the attention of a young teacher at the Kreuz Grammar School, a Master
-of Arts named Sillig, who proved very helpful to me. He often permitted
-me to visit him and show him my work, consisting of metric translations
-and a few original poems, and he always seemed very pleased with my
-efforts in recitation. What he thought of me may best be judged perhaps
-from the fact that he made me, as a boy of about twelve, recite not
-only 'Hector's Farewell' from the Iliad, but even Hamlet's celebrated
-monologue. On one occasion, when I was in the fourth form of the
-school, one of my schoolfellows, a boy named Starke, suddenly fell
-dead, and the tragic event aroused so much sympathy, that not only did
-the whole school attend the funeral, but the headmaster also ordered
-that a poem should be written in commemoration of the ceremony, and
-that this poem should be published. Of the various poems submitted,
-among which there was one by myself, prepared very hurriedly, none
-seemed to the master worthy of the honour which he had promised, and he
-therefore announced his intention of substituting one of his own
-speeches in the place of our rejected attempts. Much distressed by this
-decision, I quickly sought out Professor Sillig, with the view of
-urging him to intervene on behalf of my poem. We thereupon went through
-it together. Its well-constructed and well-rhymed verses, written in
-stanzas of eight lines, determined him to revise the whole of it
-carefully. Much of its imagery was bombastic, and far beyond the
-conception of a boy of my age. I recollect that in one part I had drawn
-extensively from the monologue in Addison's Cato, spoken by Cato just
-before his suicide. I had met with this passage in an English grammar,
-and it had made a deep impression upon me. The words: 'The stars shall
-fade away, the sun himself grow dim with age, and nature sink in
-years,' which, at all events, were a direct plagiarism, made Sillig
-laugh--a thing at which I was a little offended. However, I felt very
-grateful to him, for, thanks to the care and rapidity with which he
-cleared my poem of these extravagances, it was eventually accepted by
-the headmaster, printed, and widely circulated.
-
-The effect of this success was extraordinary, both on my schoolfellows
-and on my own family. My mother devoutly folded her hands in
-thankfulness, and in my own mind my vocation seemed quite a settled
-thing. It was clear, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that I was
-destined to be a poet. Professor Sillig wished me to compose a grand
-epic, and suggested as a subject 'The Battle of Parnassus,' as
-described by Pausanias. His reasons for this choice were based upon the
-legend related by Pausanias, viz., that in the second century B.C. the
-Muses from Parnassus aided the combined Greek armies against the
-destructive invasion of the Gauls by provoking a panic among the
-latter. I actually began my heroic poem in hexameter verse, but could
-not get through the first canto.
-
-Not being far enough advanced in the language to understand the Greek
-tragedies thoroughly in the original, my own attempts to construct a
-tragedy in the Greek form were greatly influenced by the fact that
-quite by accident I came across August Apel's clever imitation of this
-style in his striking poems 'Polyidos' and 'Aitolier.' For my theme I
-selected the death of Ulysses, from a fable of Hyginus, according to
-which the aged hero is killed by his son, the offspring of his union
-with Calypso. But I did not get very far with this work either, before
-I gave it up.
-
-My mind became so bent upon this sort of thing, that duller studies
-naturally ceased to interest me. The mythology, legends, and, at last,
-the history of Greece alone attracted me.
-
-I was fond of life, merry with my companions, and always ready for a
-joke or an adventure. Moreover, I was constantly forming friendships,
-almost passionate in their ardour, with one or the other of my
-comrades, and in choosing my associates I was mainly influenced by the
-extent to which my new acquaintance appealed to my eccentric
-imagination. At one time it would be poetising and versifying that
-decided my choice of a friend; at another, theatrical enterprises,
-while now and then it would be a longing for rambling and mischief.
-
-Furthermore, when I reached my thirteenth year, a great change came
-over our family affairs. My sister Rosalie, who had become the chief
-support of our household, obtained an advantageous engagement at the
-theatre in Prague, whither mother and children removed in 1820, thus
-giving up the Dresden home altogether. I was left behind in Dresden, so
-that I might continue to attend the Kreuz Grammar School until I was
-ready to go up to the university. I was therefore sent to board and
-lodge with a family named Bohme, whose sons I had known at school, and
-in whose house I already felt quite at home. With my residence in this
-somewhat rough, poor, and not particularly well-conducted family, my
-years of dissipation began. I no longer enjoyed the quiet retirement
-necessary for work, nor the gentle, spiritual influence of my sisters'
-companionship. On the contrary, I was plunged into a busy, restless
-life, full of rough horseplay and of quarrels. Nevertheless, it was
-there that I began to experience the influence of the gentler sex in a
-manner hitherto unknown to me, as the grown-up daughters of the family
-and their friends often filled the scanty and narrow rooms of the
-house. Indeed, my first recollections of boyish love date from this
-period. I remember a very beautiful young girl, whose name, if I am not
-mistaken, was Amalie Hoffmann, coming to call at the house one Sunday.
-She was charmingly dressed, and her appearance as she came into the
-room literally struck me dumb with amazement. On other occasions I
-recollect pretending to be too helplessly sleepy to move, so that I
-might be carried up to bed by the girls, that being, as they thought,
-the only remedy for my condition. And I repeated this, because I found,
-to my surprise, that their attention under these circumstances brought
-me into closer and more gratifying proximity with them.
-
-The most important event during this year of separation from my family
-was, however, a short visit I paid to them in Prague. In the middle of
-the winter my mother came to Dresden, and took me hack with her to
-Prague for a week. Her way of travelling was quite unique. To the end
-of her days she preferred the more dangerous mode of travelling in a
-hackney carriage to the quicker journey by mail-coach, so that we spent
-three whole days in the bitter cold on the road from Dresden to Prague.
-The journey over the Bohemian mountains often seemed to be beset with
-the greatest dangers, but happily we survived our thrilling adventures
-and at last arrived in Prague, where I was suddenly plunged into
-entirely new surroundings.
-
-For a long time the thought of leaving Saxony on another visit to
-Bohemia, and especially Prague, had had quite a romantic attraction for
-me. The foreign nationality, the broken German of the people, the
-peculiar headgear of the women, the native wines, the harp-girls and
-musicians, and finally, the ever present signs of Catholicism, its
-numerous chapels and shrines, all produced on me a strangely
-exhilarating impression. This was probably due to my craze for
-everything theatrical and spectacular, as distinguished from simple
-bourgeois customs. Above all, the antique splendour and beauty of the
-incomparable city of Prague became indelibly stamped on my fancy. Even
-in my own family surroundings I found attractions to which I had
-hitherto been a stranger. For instance, my sister Ottilie, only two
-years older than myself, had won the devoted friendship of a noble
-family, that of Count Pachta, two of whose daughters, Jenny and
-Auguste, who had long been famed as the leading beauties of Prague, had
-become fondly attached to her. To me, such people and such a connection
-were something quite novel and enchanting. Besides these, certain beaux
-esprits of Prague, among them W. Marsano, a strikingly handsome and
-charming man, were frequent visitors at our house. They often earnestly
-discussed the tales of Hoffmann, which at that date were comparatively
-new, and had created some sensation. It was now that I made my first
-though rather superficial acquaintance with this romantic visionary,
-and so received a stimulus which influenced me for many years even to
-the point of infatuation, and gave me very peculiar ideas of the world.
-
-In the following spring, 1827, I repeated this journey from Dresden to
-Prague, but this time on foot, and accompanied by my friend Rudolf
-Bohme. Our tour was full of adventure. We got to within an hour of
-Teplitz the first night, and next day we had to get a lift in a wagon,
-as we had walked our feet sore; yet this only took us as far as
-Lowositz, as our funds had quite run out. Under a scorching sun, hungry
-and half-fainting, we wandered along bypaths through absolutely unknown
-country, until at sundown we happened to reach the main road just as an
-elegant travelling coach came in sight. I humbled my pride so far as to
-pretend I was a travelling journeyman, and begged the distinguished
-travellers for alms, while my friend timidly hid himself in the ditch
-by the roadside. Luckily we decided to seek shelter for the night in an
-inn, where we took counsel whether we should spend the alms just
-received on a supper or a bed. We decided for the supper, proposing to
-spend the night under the open sky. While we were refreshing ourselves,
-a strange-looking wayfarer entered. He wore a black velvet skull-cap,
-to which a metal lyre was attached like a cockade, and on his back he
-bore a harp. Very cheerfully he set down his instrument, made himself
-comfortable, and called for a good meal. He intended to stay the night,
-and to continue his way next day to Prague, where he lived, and whither
-he was returning from Hanover.
-
-My good spirits and courage were stimulated by the jovial manners of
-this merry fellow, who constantly repeated his favourite motto, 'non
-plus ultra.' We soon struck up an acquaintance, and in return for my
-confidence, the strolling player's attitude to me was one of almost
-touching sympathy. It was agreed that we should continue our journey
-together next day on foot. He lent me two twenty-kreutzer pieces (about
-ninepence), and allowed me to write my Prague address in his
-pocket-book. I was highly delighted at this personal success. My
-harpist grew extravagantly merry; a good deal of Czernosek wine was
-drunk; he sang and played on his harp like a madman, continually
-reiterating his 'non plus ultra' till at last, overcome with wine, he
-fell down on the straw, which had been spread out on the floor for our
-common bed. When the sun once more peeped in, we could not rouse him,
-and we had to make up our minds to set off in the freshness of the
-early morning without him, feeling convinced that the sturdy fellow
-would overtake us during the day. But it was in vain that we looked out
-for him on the road and during our subsequent stay in Prague. Indeed,
-it was not until several weeks later that the extraordinary fellow
-turned up at my mother's, not so much to collect payment of his loan,
-as to inquire about the welfare of the young friend to whom that loan
-had been made.
-
-The remainder of our journey was very fatiguing, and the joy I felt
-when I at last beheld Prague from the summit of a hill, at about an
-hour's distance, simply beggars description. Approaching the suburbs,
-we were for the second time met by a splendid carriage, from which my
-sister Ottilie's two lovely friends called out to me in astonishment.
-They had recognised me immediately, in spite of my terribly sunburnt
-face, blue linen blouse, and bright red cotton cap. Overwhelmed with
-shame, and with my heart beating like mad, I could hardly utter a word,
-and hurried away to my mother's to attend at once to the restoration of
-my sunburnt complexion. To this task I devoted two whole days, during
-which I swathed my face in parsley poultices; and not till then did I
-seek the pleasures of society. When, on the return journey, I looked
-back once more on Prague from the same hilltop, I burst into tears,
-flung myself on the earth, and for a long time could not be induced by
-my astonished companion to pursue the journey. I was downcast for the
-rest of the way, and we arrived home in Dresden without any further
-adventures.
-
-During the same year I again gratified my fancy for long excursions on
-foot by joining a numerous company of grammar school boys, consisting
-of pupils of several classes and of various ages, who had decided to
-spend their summer holidays in a tour to Leipzig. This journey also
-stands out among the memories of my youth, by reason of the strong
-impressions it left behind. The characteristic feature of our party was
-that we all aped the student, by behaving and dressing extravagantly in
-the most approved student fashion. After going as far as Meissen on the
-market-boat, our path lay off the main road, through villages with
-which I was as yet unfamiliar. We spent the night in the vast barn of a
-village inn, and our adventures were of the wildest description. There
-we saw a large marionette show, with almost life-sized figures. Our
-entire party settled themselves in the auditorium, where their presence
-was a source of some anxiety to the managers, who had only reckoned on
-an audience of peasants. Genovefa was the play given. The ceaseless
-silly jests, and constant interpolations and jeering interruptions, in
-which our corps of embryo-students indulged, finally aroused the anger
-even of the peasants, who had come prepared to weep. I believe I was
-the only one of our party who was pained by these impertinences, and in
-spite of involuntary laughter at some of my comrades' jokes, I not only
-defended the play itself, but also its original, simple-minded
-audience. A popular catch-phrase which occurred in the piece has ever
-since remained stamped on my memory. 'Golo' instructs the inevitable
-Kaspar that, when the Count Palatine returns home, he must 'tickle him
-behind, so that he should feel it in front' (hinten zu kitzeln, dass er
-es vorne fuhle). Kaspar conveys Golo's order verbatim to the Count, and
-the latter reproaches the unmasked rogue in the following terms,
-uttered with the greatest pathos: 'O Golo, Golo! thou hast told Kaspar
-to tickle me behind, so that I shall feel it in front!'
-
-From Grimma our party rode into Leipzig in open carriages, but not
-until we had first carefully removed all the outward emblems of the
-undergraduate, lest the local students we were likely to meet might
-make us rue our presumption.
-
-Since my first visit, when I was eight years old, I had only once
-returned to Leipzig, and then for a very brief stay, and under
-circumstances very similar to those of the earlier visit. I now renewed
-my fantastic impressions of the Thome house, but this time, owing to my
-more advanced education, I looked forward to more intelligent
-intercourse with my uncle Adolph. An opening for this was soon provided
-by my joyous astonishment on learning that a bookcase in the large
-anteroom, containing a goodly collection of books, was my property,
-having been left me by my father. I went through the books with my
-uncle, selected at once a number of Latin authors in the handsome
-Zweibruck edition, along with sundry attractive looking works of poetry
-and belles-lettres, and arranged for them to be sent to Dresden. During
-this visit I was very much interested in the life of the students. In
-addition to my impressions of the theatre and of Prague, now came those
-of the so-called swaggering undergraduate. A great change had taken
-place in this class. When, as a lad of eight, I had my first glimpse of
-students, their long hair, their old German costume with the black
-velvet skull-cap and the shirt collar turned back from the bare neck,
-had quite taken my fancy. But since that time the old student
-'associations' which affected this fashion had disappeared in the face
-of police prosecutions. On the other hand, the national student clubs,
-no less peculiar to Germans, had become conspicuous. These clubs
-adopted, more or less, the fashion of the day, but with some little
-exaggeration. Albeit, their dress was clearly distinguishable from that
-of other classes, owing to its picturesqueness, and especially its
-display of the various club-colours. The 'Comment,' that compendium of
-pedantic rules of conduct for the preservation of a defiant and
-exclusive esprit de corps, as opposed to the bourgeois classes, had its
-fantastic side, just as the most philistine peculiarities of the
-Germans have, if you probe them deeply enough. To me it represented the
-idea of emancipation from the yoke of school and family. The longing to
-become a student coincided unfortunately with my growing dislike for
-drier studies and with my ever-increasing fondness for cultivating
-romantic poetry. The results of this soon showed themselves in my
-resolute attempts to make a change.
-
-At the time of my confirmation, at Easter, 1827, I had considerable
-doubt about this ceremony, and I already felt a serious falling off of
-my reverence for religious observances. The boy who, not many years
-before, had gazed with agonised sympathy on the altarpiece in the Kreuz
-Kirche (Church of the Holy Cross), and had yearned with ecstatic
-fervour to hang upon the Cross in place of the Saviour, had now so far
-lost his veneration for the clergyman, whose preparatory confirmation
-classes he attended, as to be quite ready to make fun of him, and even
-to join with his comrades in withholding part of his class fees, and
-spending the money in sweets. How matters stood with me spiritually was
-revealed to me, almost to my horror, at the Communion service, when I
-walked in procession with my fellow-communicants to the altar to the
-sound of organ and choir. The shudder with which I received the Bread
-and Wine was so ineffaceably stamped on my memory, that I never again
-partook of the Communion, lest I should do so with levity. To avoid
-this was all the easier for me, seeing that among Protestants such
-participation is not compulsory.
-
-I soon, however, seized, or rather created, an opportunity of forcing a
-breach with the Kreuz Grammar School, and thus compelled my family to
-let me go to Leipzig. In self-defence against what I considered an
-unjust punishment with which I was threatened by the assistant
-headmaster, Baumgarten-Crusius, for whom I otherwise had great respect,
-I asked to be discharged immediately from the school on the ground of
-sudden summons to join my family in Leipzig. I had already left the
-Bohme household three months before, and now lived alone in a small
-garret, where I was waited on by the widow of a court plate-washer, who
-at every meal served up the familiar thin Saxon coffee as almost my
-sole nourishment. In this attic I did little else but write verses.
-Here, too, I formed the first outlines of that stupendous tragedy which
-afterwards filled my family with such consternation. The irregular
-habits I acquired through this premature domestic independence induced
-my anxious mother to consent very readily to my removal to Leipzig, the
-more so as a part of our scattered family had already migrated there.
-
-My longing for Leipzig, originally aroused by the fantastic impressions
-I had gained there, and later by my enthusiasm for a student's life,
-had recently been still further stimulated. I had seen scarcely
-anything of my sister Louisa, at that time a girl of about twenty-two,
-as she had gone to the theatre of Breslau shortly after our
-stepfather's death. Quite recently she had been in Dresden for a few
-days on her way to Leipzig, having accepted an engagement at the
-theatre there. This meeting with my almost unknown sister, her hearty
-manifestations of joy at seeing me again, as well as her sprightly,
-merry disposition, quite won my heart. To live with her seemed an
-alluring prospect, especially as my mother and Ottilie had joined her
-for a while. For the first time a sister had treated me with some
-tenderness. When at last I reached Leipzig at Christmas in the same
-year (1827), and there found my mother with Ottilie and Cecilia (my
-half-sister), I fancied myself in heaven. Great changes, however, had
-already taken place. Louisa was betrothed to a respected and well-to-do
-bookseller, Friedrich Brockhaus. This gathering together of the
-relatives of the penniless bride-elect did not seem to trouble her
-remarkably kind-hearted fiance. But my sister may have become uneasy on
-the subject, for she soon gave me to understand that she was not taking
-it quite in good part. Her desire to secure an entree into the higher
-social circles of bourgeois life naturally produced a marked change in
-her manner, at one time so full of fun, and of this I gradually became
-so keenly sensible that finally we were estranged for a time. Moreover,
-I unfortunately gave her good cause to reprove my conduct. After I got
-to Leipzig I quite gave up my studies and all regular school work,
-probably owing to the arbitrary and pedantic system in vogue at the
-school there.
-
-In Leipzig there were two higher-class schools, one called St. Thomas's
-School, and the other, and the more modern, St. Nicholas's School. The
-latter at that time enjoyed a better reputation than the former; so
-there I had to go. But the council of teachers before whom I appeared
-for my entrance examination at the New Year (1828) thought fit to
-maintain the dignity of their school by placing me for a time in the
-upper third form, whereas at the Kreuz Grammar School in Dresden I had
-been in the second form. My disgust at having to lay aside my
-Homer--from which I had already made written translations of twelve
-songs--and take up the lighter Greek prose writers was indescribable.
-It hurt my feelings so deeply, and so influenced my behaviour, that I
-never made a friend of any teacher in the school. The unsympathetic
-treatment I met with made me all the more obstinate, and various other
-circumstances in my position only added to this feeling. While student
-life, as I saw it day by day, inspired me ever more and more with its
-rebellious spirit, I unexpectedly met with another cause for despising
-the dry monotony of school regime. I refer to the influence of my
-uncle, Adolph Wagner, which, though he was long unconscious of it, went
-a long way towards moulding the growing stripling that I then was.
-
-The fact that my romantic tastes were not based solely on a tendency to
-superficial amusement was shown by my ardent attachment to this learned
-relative. In his manner and conversation he was certainly very
-attractive; the many-sidedness of his knowledge, which embraced not
-only philology but also philosophy and general poetic literature,
-rendered intercourse with him a most entertaining pastime, as all those
-who knew him used to admit. On the other hand, the fact that he was
-denied the gift of writing with equal charm, or clearness, was a
-singular defect which seriously lessened his influence upon the
-literary world, and, in fact, often made him appear ridiculous, as in a
-written argument he would perpetrate the most pompous and involved
-sentences. This weakness could not have alarmed me, because in the hazy
-period of my youth the more incomprehensible any literary extravagance
-was, the more I admired it; besides which, I had more experience of his
-conversation than of his writings. He also seemed to find pleasure in
-associating with the lad who could listen with so much heart and soul.
-Yet unfortunately, possibly in the fervour of his discourses, of which
-he was not a little proud, he forgot that their substance, as well as
-their form, was far above my youthful powers of comprehension. I called
-daily to accompany him on his constitutional walk beyond the city
-gates, and I shrewdly suspect that we often provoked the smiles of
-those passers-by who overheard the profound and often earnest
-discussions between us. The subjects generally ranged over everything
-serious or sublime throughout the whole realm of knowledge. I took the
-most enthusiastic interest in his copious library, and tasted eagerly
-of almost all branches of literature, without really grounding myself
-in any one of them.
-
-My uncle was delighted to find in me a very willing listener to his
-recital of classic tragedies. He had made a translation of Oedipus,
-and, according to his intimate friend Tieck, justly flattered himself
-on being an excellent reader.
-
-I remember once, when he was sitting at his desk reading out a Greek
-tragedy to me, it did not annoy him when I fell fast asleep, and he
-afterwards pretended he had not noticed it. I was also induced to spend
-my evenings with him, owing to the friendly and genial hospitality his
-wife showed me. A very great change had come over my uncle's life since
-my first acquaintance with him at Jeannette Thome's. The home which he,
-together with his sister Friederike, had found in his friend's house
-seemed, as time went on, to have brought in its train duties that were
-irksome. As his literary work assured him a modest income, he
-eventually deemed it more in accordance with his dignity to make a home
-of his own. A friend of his, of the same age as himself, the sister of
-the aesthete Wendt of Leipzig, who afterwards became famous, was chosen
-by him to keep house for him. Without saying a word to Jeannette,
-instead of going for his usual afternoon walk he went to the church
-with his chosen bride, and got through the marriage ceremonies as
-quickly as possible; and it was only on his return that he informed us
-he was leaving, and would have his things removed that very day. He
-managed to meet the consternation, perhaps also the reproaches, of his
-elderly friend with quiet composure; and to the end of his life he
-continued his regular daily visits to 'Mam'selle Thome,' who at times
-would coyly pretend to sulk. It was only poor Friederike who seemed
-obliged at times to atone for her brother's sudden unfaithfulness.
-
-What attracted me in my uncle most strongly was his blunt contempt of
-the modern pedantry in State, Church, and School, to which he gave vent
-with some humour. Despite the great moderation of his usual views on
-life, he yet produced on me the effect of a thorough free-thinker. I
-was highly delighted by his contempt for the pedantry of the schools.
-Once, when I had come into serious conflict with all the teachers of
-the Nicolai School, and the rector of the school had approached my
-uncle, as the only male representative of my family, with a serious
-complaint about my behaviour, my uncle asked me during a stroll round
-the town, with a calm smile as though he were speaking to one of his
-own age, what I had been up to with the people at school. I explained
-the whole affair to him, and described the punishment to which I had
-been subjected, and which seemed to me unjust. He pacified me, and
-exhorted me to be patient, telling me to comfort myself with the
-Spanish proverb, un rey no puede morir, which he explained as meaning
-that the ruler of a school must of necessity always be in the right.
-
-He could not, of course, help noticing, to his alarm, the effect upon
-me of this kind of conversation, which I was far too young to
-appreciate. Although it annoyed me one day, when I wanted to begin
-reading Goethe's Faust, to hear him say quietly that I was too young to
-understand it, yet, according to my thinking, his other conversations
-about our own great poets, and even about Shakespeare and Dante, had
-made me so familiar with these sublime figures that I had now for some
-time been secretly busy working out the great tragedy I had already
-conceived in Dresden. Since my trouble at school I had devoted all my
-energies, which ought by rights to have been exclusively directed to my
-school duties, to the accomplishment of this task. In this secret work
-I had only one confidante, my sister Ottilie, who now lived with me at
-my mother's. I can remember the misgivings and alarm which the first
-confidential communication of my great poetic enterprise aroused in my
-good sister; yet she affectionately suffered the tortures I sometimes
-inflicted on her by reciting to her in secret, but not without emotion,
-portions of my work as it progressed. Once, when I was reciting to her
-one of the most gruesome scenes, a heavy thunderstorm came on. When the
-lightning flashed quite close to us, and the thunder rolled, my sister
-felt bound to implore me to stop; but she soon found it was hopeless,
-and continued to endure it with touching devotion.
-
-But a more significant storm was brewing on the horizon of my life. My
-neglect of school reached such a point that it could not but lead to a
-rupture. Whilst my dear mother had no presentiment of this, I awaited
-the catastrophe with longing rather than with fear.
-
-In order to meet this crisis with dignity I at length decided to
-surprise my family by disclosing to them the secret of my tragedy,
-which was now completed. They were to be informed of this great event
-by my uncle. I thought I could rely upon his hearty recognition of my
-vocation as a great poet on account of the deep harmony between us on
-all other questions of life, science, and art. I therefore sent him my
-voluminous manuscript, with a long letter which I thought would please
-him immensely. In this I communicated to him first my ideas with regard
-to the St. Nicholas's School, and then my firm determination from that
-time forward not to allow any mere school pedantry to check my free
-development. But the event turned out very different from what I had
-expected. It was a great shock to them. My uncle, quite conscious that
-he had been indiscreet, paid a visit to my mother and brother-in-law,
-in order to report the misfortune that had befallen the family,
-reproaching himself for the fact that his influence over me had not
-always, perhaps, been for my good. To me he wrote a serious letter of
-discouragement; and to this day I cannot understand why he showed so
-small a sense of humour in understanding my bad behaviour. To my
-surprise he merely said that he reproached himself for having corrupted
-me by conversations unsuited to my years, but he made no attempt to
-explain to me good-naturedly the error of my ways.
-
-The crime this boy of fifteen had committed was, as I said before, to
-have written a great tragedy, entitled Leubald und Adelaide.
-
-The manuscript of this drama has unfortunately been lost, but I can
-still see it clearly in my mind's eye. The handwriting was most
-affected, and the backward-sloping tall letters with which I had aimed
-at giving it an air of distinction had already been compared by one of
-my teachers to Persian hieroglyphics. In this composition I had
-constructed a drama in which I had drawn largely upon Shakespeare's
-Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, and Goethe's Gotz van Berlichingen. The
-plot was really based on a modification of Hamlet, the difference
-consisting in the fact that my hero is so completely carried away by
-the appearance of the ghost of his father, who has been murdered under
-similar circumstances, and demands vengeance, that he is driven to
-fearful deeds of violence; and, with a series of murders on his
-conscience, he eventually goes mad. Leubald, whose character is a
-mixture of Hamlet and Harry Hotspur, had promised his father's ghost to
-wipe from the face of the earth the whole race of Roderick, as the
-ruthless murderer of the best of fathers was named. After having slain
-Roderick himself in mortal combat, and subsequently all his sons and
-other relations who supported him, there was only one obstacle that
-prevented Leubald from fulfilling the dearest wish of his heart, which
-was to be united in death with the shade of his father: a child of
-Roderick's was still alive. During the storming of his castle the
-murderer's daughter had been carried away into safety by a faithful
-suitor, whom she, however, detested. I had an irresistible impulse to
-call this maiden 'Adelaide.' As even at that early age I was a great
-enthusiast for everything really German, I can only account for the
-obviously un-German name of my heroine by my infatuation for
-Beethoven's Adelaide, whose tender refrain seemed to me the symbol of
-all loving appeals. The course of my drama was now characterised by the
-strange delays which took place in the accomplishment of this last
-murder of vengeance, the chief obstacle to which lay in the sudden
-passionate love which arose between Leubald and Adelaide. I succeeded
-in representing the birth and avowal of this love by means of
-extraordinary adventures. Adelaide was once more stolen away by a
-robber-knight from the lover who had been sheltering her. After Leubald
-had thereupon sacrificed the lover and all his relations, he hastened
-to the robber's castle, driven thither less by a thirst for blood than
-by a longing for death. For this reason he regrets his inability to
-storm the robber's castle forthwith, because it is well defended, and,
-moreover, night is fast falling; he is therefore obliged to pitch his
-tent. After raving for a while he sinks down for the first time
-exhausted, but being urged, like his prototype Hamlet, by the spirit of
-his father to complete his vow of vengeance, he himself suddenly falls
-into the power of the enemy during a night assault. In the subterranean
-dungeons of the castle he meets Roderick's daughter for the first time.
-She is a prisoner like himself, and is craftily devising flight. Under
-circumstances in which she produces on him the impression of a heavenly
-vision, she makes her appearance before him. They fall in love, and fly
-together into the wilderness, where they realise that they are deadly
-enemies. The incipient insanity which was already noticeable in Leubald
-breaks out more violently after this discovery, and everything that can
-be done to intensify it is contributed by the ghost of his father,
-which continually comes between the advances of the lovers. But this
-ghost is not the only disturber of the conciliating love of Leubald and
-Adelaide. The ghost of Roderick also appears, and according to the
-method followed by Shakespeare in Richard III., he is joined by the
-ghosts of all the other members of Adelaide's family whom Leubald has
-slain. From the incessant importunities of these ghosts Leubald seeks
-to free himself by means of sorcery, and calls to his aid a rascal
-named Flamming. One of Macbeth's witches is summoned to lay the ghosts;
-as she is unable to do this efficiently, the furious Leubald sends her
-also to the devil; but with her dying breath she despatches the whole
-crowd of spirits who serve her to join the ghosts of those already
-pursuing him. Leubald, tormented beyond endurance, and now at last
-raving mad, turns against his beloved, who is the apparent cause of all
-his misery. He stabs her in his fury; then finding himself suddenly at
-peace, he sinks his head into her lap, and accepts her last caresses as
-her life-blood streams over his own dying body.
-
-I had not omitted the smallest detail that could give this plot its
-proper colouring, and had drawn on all my knowledge of the tales of the
-old knights, and my acquaintance with Lear and Macbeth, to furnish my
-drama with the most vivid situations. But one of the chief
-characteristics of its poetical form I took from the pathetic,
-humorous, and powerful language of Shakespeare. The boldness of my
-grandiloquent and bombastic expressions roused my uncle Adolph's alarm
-and astonishment. He was unable to understand how I could have selected
-and used with inconceivable exaggeration precisely the most extravagant
-forms of speech to be found in Lear and Gotz von Berlichingen.
-Nevertheless, even after everybody had deafened me with their laments
-over my lost time and perverted talents, I was still conscious of a
-wonderful secret solace in the face of the calamity that had befallen
-me. I knew, a fact that no one else could know, namely, that my work
-could only be rightly judged when set to the music which I had resolved
-to write for it, and which I intended to start composing immediately.
-
-I must now explain my position with respect to music hitherto. For this
-purpose I must go back to my earliest attempts in the art. In my family
-two of my sisters were musical; the elder one, Rosalie, played the
-piano, without, however, displaying any marked talent. Clara was more
-gifted; in addition to a great deal of musical feeling, and a fine rich
-touch on the piano, she possessed a particularly sympathetic voice, the
-development of which was so premature and remarkable that, under the
-tuition of Mieksch, her singing master, who was famous at that time,
-she was apparently ready for the role of a prima donna as early as her
-sixteenth year, and made her debut at Dresden in Italian opera as
-'Cenerentola' in Rossini's opera of that name. Incidentally I may
-remark that this premature development proved injurious to Clara's
-voice, and was detrimental to her whole career. As I have said, music
-was represented in our family by these two sisters. It was chiefly
-owing to Clara's career that the musical conductor C. M. von Weber
-often came to our house. His visits were varied by those of the great
-male-soprano Sassaroli; and in addition to these two representatives of
-German and Italian music, we also had the company of Mieksch, her
-singing master. It was on these occasions that I as a child first heard
-German and Italian music discussed, and learnt that any one who wished
-to ingratiate himself with the Court must show a preference for Italian
-music, a fact which led to very practical results in our family
-council. Clara's talent, while her voice was still sound, was the
-object of competition between the representatives of Italian and German
-opera. I can remember quite distinctly that from the very beginning I
-declared myself in favour of German opera; my choice was determined by
-the tremendous impression made on me by the two figures of Sassaroli
-and Weber. The Italian male-soprano, a huge pot-bellied giant,
-horrified me with his high effeminate voice, his astonishing
-volubility, and his incessant screeching laughter. In spite of his
-boundless good-nature and amiability, particularly to my family, I took
-an uncanny dislike to him. On account of this dreadful person, the
-sound of Italian, either spoken or sung, seemed to my ears almost
-diabolical; and when, in consequence of my poor sister's misfortune, I
-heard them often talking about Italian intrigues and cabals, I
-conceived so strong a dislike for everything connected with this nation
-that even in much later years I used to feel myself carried away by an
-impulse of utter detestation and abhorrence.
-
-The less frequent visits of Weber, on the other hand, seemed to have
-produced upon me those first sympathetic impressions which I have never
-since lost. In contrast to Sassaroli's repulsive figure, Weber's really
-refined, delicate, and intellectual appearance excited my ecstatic
-admiration. His narrow face and finely-cut features, his vivacious
-though often half-closed eyes, captivated and thrilled me; whilst even
-the bad limp with which he walked, and which I often noticed from our
-windows when the master was making his way home past our house from the
-fatiguing rehearsals, stamped the great musician in my imagination as
-an exceptional and almost superhuman being. When, as a boy of nine, my
-mother introduced me to him, and he asked me what I was going to be,
-whether I wanted perhaps to be a musician, my mother told him that,
-though I was indeed quite mad on Freischutz, yet she had as yet seen
-nothing in me which indicated any musical talent.
-
-This showed correct observation on my mother's part; nothing had made
-so great an impression on me as the music of Freischutz, and I tried in
-every possible way to procure a repetition of the impressions I had
-received from it, but, strange to say, least of all by the study of
-music itself. Instead of this, I contented myself with hearing bits
-from Freischutz played by my sisters. Yet my passion for it gradually
-grew so strong that I can remember taking a particular fancy for a
-young man called Spiess, chiefly because he could play the overture to
-Freischutz, which I used to ask him to do whenever I met him. It was
-chiefly the introduction to this overture which at last led me to
-attempt, without ever having received any instruction on the piano, to
-play this piece in my own peculiar way, for, oddly enough, I was the
-only child in our family who had not been given music lessons. This was
-probably due to my mother's anxiety to keep me away from any artistic
-interests of this kind in case they might arouse in me a longing for
-the theatre.
-
-When I was about twelve years old, however, my mother engaged a tutor
-for me named Humann, from whom I received regular music lessons, though
-only of a very mediocre description. As soon as I had acquired a very
-imperfect knowledge of fingering I begged to be allowed to play
-overtures in the form of duets, always keeping Weber as the goal of my
-ambition. When at length I had got so far as to be able to play the
-overture to Freischutz myself, though in a very faulty manner, I felt
-the object of my study had been attained, and I had no inclination to
-devote any further attention to perfecting my technique.
-
-Yet I had attained this much: I was no longer dependent for music on
-the playing of others; from this time forth I used to try and play,
-albeit very imperfectly, everything I wanted to know. I also tried
-Mozart's Don Juan, but was unable to get any pleasure out of it, mainly
-because the Italian text in the arrangement for the piano placed the
-music in a frivolous light in my eyes, and much in it seemed to me
-trivial and unmanly. (I can remember that when my sister used to sing
-Zerlinen's ariette, Batti, batti, ben Masetto, the music repelled me,
-as it seemed so mawkish and effeminate.)
-
-On the other hand, my bent for music grew stronger and stronger, and I
-now tried to possess myself of my favourite pieces by making my own
-copies. I can remember the hesitation with which my mother for the
-first time gave me the money to buy the scored paper on which I copied
-out Weber's Lutzow's Jagd, which was the first piece of music I
-transcribed.
-
-Music was still a secondary occupation with me when the news of Weber's
-death and the longing to learn his music to Oberon fanned my enthusiasm
-into flame again. This received fresh impetus from the afternoon
-concerts in the Grosser Garten at Dresden, where I often heard my
-favourite music played by Zillmann's Town Band, as I thought,
-exceedingly well. The mysterious joy I felt in hearing an orchestra
-play quite close to me still remains one of my most pleasant memories.
-The mere tuning up of the instruments put me in a state of mystic
-excitement; even the striking of fifths on the violin seemed to me like
-a greeting from the spirit world--which, I may mention incidentally,
-had a very real meaning for me. When I was still almost a baby, the
-sound of these fifths, which has always excited me, was closely
-associated in my mind with ghosts and spirits. I remember that even
-much later in life I could never pass the small palace of Prince
-Anthony, at the end of the Ostra Allee in Dresden, without a shudder;
-for it was there I had first heard the sound of a violin, a very common
-experience to me afterwards. It was close by me, and seemed to my ears
-to come from the stone figures with which this palace is adorned, some
-of which are provided with musical instruments. When I took up my post
-as musical conductor at Dresden, and had to pay my official visit to
-Morgenroth, the President of the Concert Committee, an elderly
-gentleman who lived for many years opposite that princely palace, it
-seemed odd to find that the player of fifths who had so strongly
-impressed my musical fancy as a boy was anything but a supernatural
-spectre. And when I saw the well-known picture in which a skeleton
-plays on his violin to an old man on his deathbed, the ghostly
-character of those very notes impressed itself with particular force
-upon my childish imagination. When at last, as a young man, I used to
-listen to the Zillmann Orchestra in the Grosser Garten almost every
-afternoon, one may imagine the rapturous thrill with which I drew in
-all the chaotic variety of sound that I heard as the orchestra tuned
-up: the long drawn A of the oboe, which seemed like a call from the
-dead to rouse the other instruments, never failed to raise all my
-nerves to a feverish pitch of tension, and when the swelling C in the
-overture to Freischutz told me that I had stepped, as it were with both
-feet, right into the magic realm of awe. Any one who had been watching
-me at that moment could hardly have failed to see the state I was in,
-and this in spite of the fact that I was such a bad performer on the
-piano.
-
-Another work also exercised a great fascination over me, namely, the
-overture to Fidelio in E major, the introduction to which affected me
-deeply. I asked my sisters about Beethoven, and learned that the news
-of his death had just arrived. Obsessed as I still was by the terrible
-grief caused by Weber's death, this fresh loss, due to the decease of
-this great master of melody, who had only just entered my life, filled
-me with strange anguish, a feeling nearly akin to my childish dread of
-the ghostly fifths on the violin. It was now Beethoven's music that I
-longed to know more thoroughly; I came to Leipzig, and found his music
-to Egmont on the piano at my sister Louisa's. After that I tried to get
-hold of his sonatas. At last, at a concert at the Gewandthaus, I heard
-one of the master's symphonies for the first time; it was the Symphony
-in A major. The effect on me was indescribable. To this must be added
-the impression produced on me by Beethoven's features, which I saw in
-the lithographs that were circulated everywhere at that time, and by
-the fact that he was deaf, and lived a quiet secluded life. I soon
-conceived an image of him in my mind as a sublime and unique
-supernatural being, with whom none could compare. This image was
-associated in my brain with that of Shakespeare; in ecstatic dreams I
-met both of them, saw and spoke to them, and on awakening found myself
-bathed in tears.
-
-It was at this time that I came across Mozart's Requiem, which formed
-the starting-point of my enthusiastic absorption in the works of that
-master. His second finale to Don Juan inspired me to include him in my
-spirit world.
-
-I was now filled with a desire to compose, as I had before been to
-write verse. I had, however, in this case to master the technique of an
-entirely separate and complicated subject. This presented greater
-difficulties than I had met with in writing verse, which came to me
-fairly easily. It was these difficulties that drove me to adopt a
-career which bore some resemblance to that of a professional musician,
-whose future distinction would be to win the titles of Conductor and
-Writer of Opera.
-
-I now wanted to set Leubald und Adelaide to music, similar to that
-which Beethoven wrote to Goethe's Egmont; the various ghosts from the
-spirit world, who were each to display different characteristics, were
-to borrow their own distinctive colouring from appropriate musical
-accompaniment. In order to acquire the necessary technique of
-composition quickly I studied Logier's Methode des Generalbasses, a
-work which was specially recommended to me at a musical lending library
-as a suitable text-book from which this art might be easily mastered. I
-have distinct recollections that the financial difficulties with which
-I was continually harassed throughout my life began at this time. I
-borrowed Logier's book on the weekly payment system, in the fond hope
-of having to pay for it only during a few weeks out of the savings of
-my weekly pocket-money. But the weeks ran on into months, and I was
-still unable to compose as well as I wished. Mr. Frederick Wieck, whose
-daughter afterwards married Robert Schumann, was at that time the
-proprietor of that lending library. He kept sending me troublesome
-reminders of the debt I owed him; and when my bill had almost reached
-the price of Logier's book I had to make a clean breast of the matter
-to my family, who thus not only learnt of my financial difficulties in
-general, but also of my latest transgression into the domain of music,
-from which, of course, at the very most, they expected nothing better
-than a repetition of Leubald und Adelaide.
-
-There was great consternation at home; my mother, sister, and
-brother-in-law, with anxious faces, discussed how my studies should be
-superintended in future, to prevent my having any further opportunity
-for transgressing in this way. No one, however, yet knew the real state
-of affairs at school, and they hoped I would soon see the error of my
-ways in this case as I had in my former craze for poetry.
-
-But other domestic changes were taking place which necessitated my
-being for some little time alone in our house at Leipzig during the
-summer of 1829, when I was left entirely to my own devices. It was
-during this period that my passion for music rose to an extraordinary
-degree. I had secretly been taking lessons in harmony from G. Muller,
-afterwards organist at Altenburg, an excellent musician belonging to
-the Leipzig orchestra. Although the payment of these lessons was also
-destined to get me into hot water at home later on, I could not even
-make up to my teacher for the delay in the payment of his fees by
-giving him the pleasure of watching me improve in my studies. His
-teaching and exercises soon filled me with the greatest disgust, as to
-my mind it all seemed so dry. For me music was a spirit, a noble and
-mystic monster, and any attempt to regulate it seemed to lower it in my
-eyes. I gathered much more congenial instruction about it from
-Hoffmann's Phantasiestucken than from my Leipzig orchestra player; and
-now came the time when I really lived and breathed in Hoffmann's
-artistic atmosphere of ghosts and spirits. With my head quite full of
-Kreissler, Krespel, and other musical spectres from my favourite
-author, I imagined that I had at last found in real life a creature who
-resembled them: this ideal musician in whom for a time I fancied I had
-discovered a second Kreissler was a man called Flachs. He was a tall,
-exceedingly thin man, with a very narrow head and an extraordinary way
-of walking, moving, and speaking, whom I had seen at all those open-air
-concerts which formed my principal source of musical education. He was
-always with the members of the orchestra, speaking exceedingly quickly,
-first to one and then the other; for they all knew him, and seemed to
-like him. The fact that they were making fun of him I only learned, to
-my great confusion, much later. I remember having noticed this strange
-figure from my earliest days in Dresden, and I gathered from the
-conversations which I overheard that he was indeed well known to all
-Dresden musicians. This circumstance alone was sufficient to make me
-take a great interest in him; but the point about him which attracted
-me more than anything was the manner in which he listened to the
-various items in the programme: he used to give peculiar, convulsive
-nods of his head, and blow out his cheeks as though with sighs. All
-this I regarded as a sign of spiritual ecstasy. I noticed, moreover,
-that he was quite alone, that he belonged to no party, and paid no
-attention to anything in the garden save the music; whereupon my
-identification of this curious being with the conductor Kreissler
-seemed quite natural. I was determined to make his acquaintance, and I
-succeeded in doing so. Who shall describe my delight when, on going to
-call on him at his rooms for the first time, I found innumerable
-bundles of scores! I had as yet never seen a score. It is true I
-discovered, to my regret, that he possessed nothing either by
-Beethoven, Mozart, or Weber; in fact, nothing but immense quantities of
-works, masses, and cantatas by composers such as Staerkel, Stamitz,
-Steibelt, etc., all of whom were entirely unknown to me. Yet Flachs was
-able to tell me so much that was good about them that the respect which
-I felt for scores in general helped me to overcome my regret at not
-finding anything by my beloved masters. It is true I learnt later that
-poor Flachs had only come into the possession of these particular
-scores through unscrupulous dealers, who had traded on his weakness of
-intellect and palmed off this worthless music on him for large sums of
-money. At all events, they were scores, and that was quite enough for
-me. Flachs and I became most intimate; we were always seen going about
-together--I, a lanky boy of sixteen, and this weird, shaky flaxpole.
-The doors of my deserted home were often opened for this strange guest,
-who made me play my compositions to him while he ate bread and cheese.
-In return, he once arranged one of my airs for wind instruments, and,
-to my astonishment, it was actually accepted and played by the band in
-Kintschy's Swiss Chalet. That this man had not the smallest capacity to
-teach me anything never once occurred to me; I was so firmly convinced
-of his originality that there was no need for him to prove it further
-than by listening patiently to my enthusiastic outpourings. But as, in
-course of time, several of his own friends joined us, I could not help
-noticing that the worthy Flachs was regarded by them all as a
-half-witted fool. At first this merely pained me, but a strange
-incident unexpectedly occurred which converted me to the general
-opinion about him. Flachs was a man of some means, and had fallen into
-the toils of a young lady of dubious character who he believed was
-deeply in love with him. One day, without warning, I found his house
-closed to me, and discovered, to my astonishment, that jealousy was the
-cause. The unexpected discovery of this liaison, which was my first
-experience of such a case, filled me with a strange horror. My friend
-suddenly appeared to me even more mad than he really was. I felt so
-ashamed of my persistent blindness that for some time to come I never
-went to any of the garden concerts for fear I should meet my sham
-Kreissler.
-
-By this time I had composed my first Sonata in D minor. I had also
-begun a pastoral play, and had worked it out in what I felt sure must
-be an entirely unprecedented way.
-
-I chose Goethe's Laune der Verliebten as a model for the form and plot
-of my work. I scarcely even drafted out the libretto, however, but
-worked it out at the same time as the music and orchestration, so that,
-while I was writing out one page of the score, I had not even thought
-out the words for the next page. I remember distinctly that following
-this extraordinary method, although I had not acquired the slightest
-knowledge about writing for instruments, I actually worked out a fairly
-long passage which finally resolved itself into a scene for three
-female voices followed by the air for the tenor. My bent for writing
-for the orchestra was so strong that I procured a score of Don Juan,
-and set to work on what I then considered a very careful orchestration
-of a fairly long air for soprano. I also wrote a quartette in D major
-after I had myself sufficiently mastered the alto for the viola, my
-ignorance of which had caused me great difficulty only a short time
-before, when I was studying a quartette by Haydn.
-
-Armed with these works, I set out in the summer on my first journey as
-a musician. My sister Clara, who was married to the singer Wolfram, had
-an engagement at the theatre at Magdeburg, whither, in characteristic
-fashion, I set forth upon my adventure on foot.
-
-My short stay with my relations provided me with many experiences of
-musical life. It was there that I met a new freak, whose influence upon
-me I have never been able to forget. He was a musical conductor of the
-name of Kuhnlein, a most extraordinary person. Already advanced in
-years, delicate and, unfortunately, given to drink, this man
-nevertheless impressed one by something striking and vigorous in his
-expression. His chief characteristics were an enthusiastic worship of
-Mozart and a passionate depreciation of Weber. He had read only one
-book--Goethe's Faust--and in this work there was not a page in which he
-had not underlined some passage, and made some remark in praise of
-Mozart or in disparagement of Weber. It was to this man that my
-brother-in-law confided the compositions which I had brought with me in
-order to learn his opinion of my abilities. One evening, as we were
-sitting comfortably in an inn, old Kuhnlein came in, and approached us
-with a friendly, though serious manner.
-
-I thought I read good news in his features, but when my brother-in-law
-asked him what he thought of my work, he answered quietly and calmly,
-'There is not a single good note in it!' My brother-in-law, who was
-accustomed to Kuhnlein's eccentricity, gave a loud laugh which
-reassured me somewhat. It was impossible to get any advice or coherent
-reasons for his opinion out of Kuhnlein; he merely renewed his abuse of
-Weber and made some references to Mozart which, nevertheless, made a
-deep impression upon me, as Kuhnlein's language was always very heated
-and emphatic.
-
-On the other hand, this visit brought me a great treasure, which was
-responsible for leading me in a very different direction from that
-advised by Kuhnlein. This was the score of Beethoven's great Quartette
-in E flat major, which had only been fairly recently published, and of
-which my brother-in-law had a copy made for me. Richer in experience,
-and in the possession of this treasure, I returned to Leipzig to the
-nursery of my queer musical studies. But my family had now returned
-with my sister Rosalie, and I could no longer keep secret from them the
-fact that my connection with the school had been entirely suspended,
-for a notice was found saying that I had not attended the school for
-the last six months. As a complaint addressed by the rector to my uncle
-about me had not received adequate attention, the school authorities
-had apparently made no further attempts to exercise any supervision
-over me, which I had indeed rendered quite impossible by absenting
-myself altogether.
-
-A fresh council of war was held in the family to discuss what was to be
-done with me. As I laid particular stress on my bent for music, my
-relations thought that I ought, at any rate, to learn one instrument
-thoroughly. My brother-in-law, Brockhaus, proposed to send me to
-Hummel, at Weimar, to be trained as a pianist, but as I loudly
-protested that by 'music' I meant 'composing,' and not 'playing an
-instrument,' they gave way, and decided to let me have regular lessons
-in harmony from Muller, the very musician from whom I had had
-instruction on the sly some little while before, and who had not yet
-been paid. In return for this I promised faithfully to go back to work
-conscientiously at St. Nicholas's School. I soon grew tired of both. I
-could brook no control, and this unfortunately applied to my musical
-instruction as well. The dry study of harmony disgusted me more and
-more, though I continued to conceive fantasias, sonatas, and overtures,
-and work them out by myself. On the other hand, I was spurred on by
-ambition to show what I could do at school if I liked. When the Upper
-School boys were set the task of writing a poem, I composed a chorus in
-Greek, on the recent War of Liberation. I can well imagine that this
-Greek poem had about as much resemblance to a real Greek oration and
-poetry, as the sonatas and overtures I used to compose at that time had
-to thoroughly professional music. My attempt was scornfully rejected as
-a piece of impudence. After that I have no further recollections of my
-school. My continued attendance was a pure sacrifice on my side, made
-out of consideration for my family: I did not pay the slightest
-attention to what was taught in the lessons, but secretly occupied
-myself all the while with reading any book that happened to attract me.
-
-As my musical instruction also did me no good, I continued in my wilful
-process of self-education by copying out the scores of my beloved
-masters, and in so doing acquired a neat handwriting, which in later
-years has often been admired. I believe my copies of the C minor
-Symphony and the Ninth Symphony by Beethoven are still preserved as
-souvenirs.
-
-Beethoven's Ninth Symphony became the mystical goal of all my strange
-thoughts and desires about music. I was first attracted to it by the
-opinion prevalent among musicians, not only in Leipzig but elsewhere,
-that this work had been written by Beethoven when he was already half
-mad. It was considered the 'non plus ultra' of all that was fantastic
-and incomprehensible, and this was quite enough to rouse in me a
-passionate desire to study this mysterious work. At the very first
-glance at the score, of which I obtained possession with such
-difficulty, I felt irresistibly attracted by the long-sustained pure
-fifths with which the first phrase opens: these chords, which, as I
-related above, had played such a supernatural part in my childish
-impressions of music, seemed in this case to form the spiritual keynote
-of my own life. This, I thought, must surely contain the secret of all
-secrets, and accordingly the first thing to be done was to make the
-score my own by a process of laborious copying. I well remember that on
-one occasion the sudden appearance of the dawn made such an uncanny
-impression on my excited nerves that I jumped into bed with a scream as
-though I had seen a ghost. The symphony at that time had not yet been
-arranged for the piano; it had found so little favour that the
-publisher did not feel inclined to run the risk of producing it. I set
-to work at it, and actually composed a complete piano solo, which I
-tried to play to myself. I sent my work to Schott, the publisher of the
-score, at Mainz. I received in reply a letter saying 'that the
-publishers had not yet decided to issue the Ninth Symphony for the
-piano, but that they would gladly keep my laborious work,' and offered
-me remuneration in the shape of the score of the great Missa Solemnis
-in D, which I accepted with great pleasure.
-
-In addition to this work I practised the violin for some time, as my
-harmony master very rightly considered that some knowledge of the
-practical working of this instrument was indispensable for any one who
-had the intention of composing for the orchestra. My mother, indeed,
-paid the violinist Sipp (who was still playing in the Leipzig orchestra
-in 1865) eight thalers for a violin (I do not know what became of it),
-with which for quite three months I must have inflicted unutterable
-torture upon my mother and sister by practising in my tiny little room.
-I got so far as to play certain Variations in F sharp by Mayseder, but
-only reached the second or third. After that I have no further
-recollections of this practising, in which my family fortunately had
-very good reasons of their own for not encouraging me.
-
-But the time now arrived when my interest in the theatre again took a
-passionate hold upon me. A new company had been formed in my birthplace
-under very good auspices. The Board of Management of the Court Theatre
-at Dresden had taken over the management of the Leipzig theatre for
-three years. My sister Rosalie was a member of the company, and through
-her I could always gain admittance to the performances; and that which
-in my childhood had been merely the interest aroused by a strange
-spirit of curiosity now became a more deep-seated and conscious passion.
-
-Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet, the plays of Schiller, and to crown
-all, Goethe's Faust, excited and stirred me deeply. The Opera was
-giving the first performances of Marschner's Vampir and Templer und
-Judin. The Italian company arrived from Dresden, and fascinated the
-Leipzig audience by their consummate mastery of their art. Even I was
-almost carried away by the enthusiasm with which the town was
-over-whelmed, into forgetting the boyish impressions which Signor
-Sassaroli had stamped upon my mind, when another miracle--which also
-came to us from Dresden--suddenly gave a new direction to my artistic
-feelings and exercised a decisive influence over my whole life. This
-consisted of a special performance given by Wilhelmine
-Schroder-Devrient, who at that time was at the zenith of her artistic
-career, young, beautiful, and ardent, and whose like I have never again
-seen on the stage. She made her appearance in Fidelio.
-
-If I look back on my life as a whole, I can find no event that produced
-so profound an impression upon me. Any one who can remember that
-wonderful woman at this period of her life must to some extent have
-experienced the almost Satanic ardour which the intensely human art of
-this incomparable actress poured into his veins. After the performance
-I rushed to a friend's house and wrote a short note to the singer, in
-which I briefly told her that from that moment my life had acquired its
-true significance, and that if in days to come she should ever hear my
-name praised in the world of Art, she must remember that she had that
-evening made me what I then swore it was my destiny to become. This
-note I left at her hotel, and ran out into the night as if I were mad.
-In the year 1842, when I went to Dresden to make my debut with Rienzi,
-I paid several visits to the kind-hearted singer, who startled me on
-one occasion by repeating this letter word for word. It seemed to have
-made an impression on her too, as she had actually kept it.
-
-At this point I feel myself obliged to acknowledge that the great
-confusion which now began to prevail in my life, and particularly in my
-studies, was due to the inordinate effect this artistic interpretation
-had upon me. I did not know where to turn, or how to set about
-producing something myself which might place me in direct contact with
-the impression I had received, while everything that could not be
-brought into touch with it seemed to me so shallow and meaningless that
-I could not possibly trouble myself with it. I should have liked to
-compose a work worthy of a Schroder-Devrient; but as this was quite
-beyond my power, in my head-long despair I let all artistic endeavour
-slide, and as my work was also utterly insufficient to absorb me, I
-flung myself recklessly into the life of the moment in the company of
-strangely chosen associates, and indulged in all kinds of youthful
-excesses.
-
-I now entered into all the dissipations of raw manhood, the outward
-ugliness and inward emptiness of which make me marvel to this day. My
-intercourse with those of my own age had always been the result of pure
-chance. I cannot remember that any special inclination or attraction
-determined me in the choice of my young friends. While I can honestly
-say that I was never in a position to stand aloof out of envy from any
-one who was specially gifted, I can only explain my indifference in the
-choice of my associates by the fact that through inexperience regarding
-the sort of companionship that would be of advantage to me, I cared
-only to have some one who would accompany me in my excursions, and to
-whom I could pour out my feelings to my heart's content without caring
-what effect it might have upon him. The result of this was that after a
-stream of confidences to which my own excitement was the only response,
-I at length reached the point when I turned and looked at my friend; to
-my astonishment I generally found that there was no question of
-response at all, and as soon as I set my heart on drawing something
-from him in return, and urged him to confide in me, when he really had
-nothing to tell, the connection usually came to an end and left no
-trace on my life. In a certain sense my strange relationship with
-Flachs was typical of the great majority of my ties in after-life.
-Consequently, as no lasting personal bond of friendship ever found its
-way into my life, it is easy to understand how delight in the
-dissipations of student life could become a passion of some duration,
-because in it individual intercourse is entirely replaced by a common
-circle of acquaintances. In the midst of rowdyism and ragging of the
-most foolish description, I remained quite alone, and it is quite
-possible that these frivolities formed a protecting hedge round my
-inmost soul, which needed time to grow to its natural strength and not
-be weakened by reaching maturity too soon.
-
-My life seemed to break up in all directions; I had to leave St.
-Nicholas's School at Easter 1830, as I was too deeply in disgrace with
-the staff of masters ever to hope for any promotion in the University
-from that quarter. It was now determined that I should study privately
-for six months and then go to St. Thomas's School, where I should be in
-fresh surroundings and be able to work up and qualify in a short time
-for the University. My uncle Adolph, with whom I was constantly
-renewing my friendship, and who also encouraged me about my music and
-exercised a good influence over me in that respect, in spite of the
-utter degradation of my life at that time, kept arousing in me an ever
-fresh desire for scientific studies. I took private lessons in Greek
-from a scholar, and read Sophocles with him. For a time I hoped this
-noble poet would again inspire me to get a real hold on the language,
-but the hope was vain. I had not chosen the right teacher, and,
-moreover, his sitting-room in which we pursued our studies looked out
-on a tanyard, the repulsive odour of which affected my nerves so
-strongly that I became thoroughly disgusted both with Sophocles and
-Greek. My brother-in-law, Brockhaus, who wanted to put me in the way of
-earning some pocket-money, gave me the correcting of the proof-sheets
-of a new edition he was bringing out of Becker's Universal History,
-revised by Lobell. This gave me a reason for improving by private study
-the superficial general instruction on every subject which is given at
-school, and I thus acquired the valuable knowledge which I was destined
-to have in later life of most of the branches of learning so
-uninterestingly taught in class. I must not forget to mention that, to
-a certain extent, the attraction exercised over me by this first closer
-study of history was due to the fact that it brought me in eightpence a
-sheet, and I thus found myself in one of the rarest positions in my
-life, actually earning money; yet I should be doing myself an injustice
-if I did not bear in mind the vivid impressions I now for the first
-time received upon turning my serious attention to those periods of
-history with which I had hitherto had a very superficial acquaintance.
-All I recollect about my school days in this connection is that I was
-attracted by the classical period of Greek history; Marathon, Salamis,
-and Thermopylae composed the canon of all that interested me in the
-subject. Now for the first time I made an intimate acquaintance with
-the Middle Ages and the French Revolution, as my work in correcting
-dealt precisely with the two volumes which contained these two periods.
-I remember in particular that the description of the Revolution filled
-me with sincere hatred for its heroes; unfamiliar as I was with the
-previous history of France, my human sympathy was horrified by the
-cruelty of the men of that day, and this purely human impulse remained
-so strong in me that I remember how even quite recently it cost me a
-real struggle to give any weight to the true political significance of
-those acts of violence.
-
-How great, then, was my astonishment when one day the current political
-events of the time enabled me, as it were, to gain a personal
-experience of the sort of national upheavals with which I had come into
-distant contact in the course of my proof-correcting. The special
-editions of the Leipzig Gazette brought us the news of the July
-Revolution in Paris. The King of France had been driven from his
-throne; Lafayette, who a moment before had seemed a myth to me, was
-again riding through a cheering crowd in the streets of Paris; the
-Swiss Guards had once more been butchered in the Tuileries, and a new
-King knew no better way of commending himself to the populace than by
-declaring himself the embodiment of the Republic. Suddenly to become
-conscious of living at a time in which such things took place could not
-fail to have a startling effect on a boy of seventeen. The world as a
-historic phenomenon began from that day in my eyes, and naturally my
-sympathies were wholly on the side of the Revolution, which I regarded
-in the light of a heroic popular struggle crowned with victory, and
-free from the blemish of the terrible excesses that stained the first
-French Revolution. As the whole of Europe, including some of the German
-states, was soon plunged more or less violently into rebellion, I
-remained for some time in a feverish state of suspense, and now first
-turned my attention to the causes of these upheavals, which I regarded
-as struggles of the young and hopeful against the old and effete
-portion of mankind. Saxony also did not remain unscathed; in Dresden it
-came to actual fighting in the streets, which immediately produced a
-political change in the shape of the proclamation of the regency of the
-future King Frederick, and the granting of a constitution. This event
-filled me with such enthusiasm that I composed a political overture,
-the prelude of which depicted dark oppression in the midst of which a
-strain was at last heard under which, to make my meaning clearer, I
-wrote the words Friedrich und Freiheil; this strain was intended to
-develop gradually and majestically into the fullest triumph, which I
-hoped shortly to see successfully performed at one of the Leipzig
-Garden Concerts.
-
-However, before I was able to develop my politico-musical conceptions
-further, disorders broke out in Leipzig itself which summoned me from
-the precincts of Art to take a direct share in national life. National
-life in Leipzig at this time meant nothing more than antagonism between
-the students and the police, the latter being the arch-enemy upon whom
-the youthful love of liberty vented itself. Some students had been
-arrested in a street broil who were now to be rescued. The
-under-graduates, who had been restless for some days, assembled one
-evening in the Market Place and the Clubs, mustered together, and made
-a ring round their leaders. The whole proceeding was marked by a
-certain measured solemnity, which impressed me deeply. They sang
-Gaudeamus igitur, formed up into column, and picking up from the crowd
-any young men who sympathised with them, marched gravely and resolutely
-from the Market Place to the University buildings, to open the cells
-and set free the students who had been arrested. My heart beat fast as
-I marched with them to this 'Taking of the Bastille,' but things did
-not turn out as we expected, for in the courtyard of the Paulinum the
-solemn procession was stopped by Rector Krug, who had come down to meet
-it with his grey head bared; his assurance that the captives had
-already been released at his request was greeted with a thundering
-cheer, and the matter seemed at an end.
-
-But the tense expectation of a revolution had grown too great not to
-demand some sacrifice. A summons was suddenly spread calling us to a
-notorious alley in order to exercise popular justice upon a hated
-magistrate who, it was rumoured, had unlawfully taken under his
-protection a certain house of ill-fame in that quarter. When I reached
-the spot with the tail-end of the crowd, I found the house had been
-broken into and all sorts of violence had been committed. I recall with
-horror the intoxicating effect this unreasoning fury had upon me, and
-cannot deny that without the slightest personal provocation I shared,
-like one possessed, in the frantic onslaught of the undergraduates, who
-madly shattered furniture and crockery to bits. I do not believe that
-the ostensible motive for this outrage, which, it is true, was to be
-found in a fact that was a grave menace to public morality, had any
-weight with me whatever; on the contrary, it was the purely devilish
-fury of these popular outbursts that drew me, too, like a madman into
-their vortex.
-
-The fact that such fits of fury are not quick to abate, but, in
-accordance with certain natural laws, reach their proper conclusion
-only after they have degenerated into frenzy, I was to learn in my own
-person. Scarcely did the summons ring out for us to march to another
-resort of the same kind than I too found myself in the tide which set
-towards the opposite end of the town. There the same exploits were
-repeated, and the most ludicrous outrages perpetrated. I cannot
-remember that the enjoyment of alcoholic drinks contributed to the
-intoxication of myself and my immediate fellows. I only know that I
-finally got into the state that usually succeeds a debauch, and upon
-waking next morning, as if from a hideous nightmare, had to convince
-myself that I had really taken part in the events of the previous night
-by a trophy I possessed in the shape of a tattered red curtain, which I
-had brought home as a token of my prowess. The thought that people
-generally, and my own family in particular, were wont to put a lenient
-construction upon youthful escapades was a great comfort to me;
-outbursts of this kind on the part of the young were regarded as
-righteous indignation against really serious scandals, and there was no
-need for me to be afraid of owning up to having taken part in such
-excesses.
-
-The dangerous example, however, which had been set by the
-undergraduates incited the lower classes and the mob to similar
-excesses on the following nights, against employers and any who were
-obnoxious to them. The matter at once assumed a more serious
-complexion; property was threatened, and a conflict between rich and
-poor stood grinning at our doors. As there were no soldiers in the
-town, and the police were thoroughly disorganised, the students were
-called in as a protection against the lower orders. An undergraduate's
-hour of glory now began, such as I could only have thirsted for in my
-schoolboy dreams. The student became the tutelar deity of Leipzig,
-called on by the authorities to arm and band together in defence of
-property, and the same young men who two days before had yielded to a
-rage for destruction, now mustered in the University courtyard. The
-proscribed names of the students' clubs and unions were shouted by the
-mouths of town councillors and chief constables in order to summon
-curiously equipped undergraduates, who thereupon, in simple mediaeval
-array of war, scattered throughout the town, occupied the guard-rooms
-at the gates, provided sentinels for the grounds of various wealthy
-merchants, and, as occasion demanded, took places which seemed
-threatened, more especially inns, under their permanent protection.
-
-Though, unluckily, I was not yet a member of their body, I anticipated
-the delights of academic citizenship by half-impudent, half-obsequious
-solicitation of the leaders of the students whom I honoured most. I had
-the good fortune to recommend myself particularly to these 'cocks of
-the walk,' as they were styled, on account of my relationship to
-Brockhaus, in whose grounds the main body of these champions were
-encamped for some time. My brother-in-law was among those who had been
-seriously threatened, and it was only owing to really great presence of
-mind and assurance that he succeeded in saving his printing works, and
-especially his steam presses, which were the chief object of attack,
-from destruction. To protect his property against further assault,
-detachments of students were told off to his grounds as well; the
-excellent entertainment which the generous master of the house offered
-his jovial guardians in his pleasant summer-house enticed the pick of
-the students to him. My brother-in-law was for several weeks guarded
-day and night against possible attacks by the populace, and on this
-occasion, as the mediator of a flowing hospitality, I celebrated among
-the most famous 'bloods' of the University the true saturnalia of my
-scholarly ambition.
-
-For a still longer period the guarding of the gates was entrusted to
-the students; the unheard-of splendour which accordingly became
-associated with this post drew fresh aspirants to the spot from far and
-near. Every day huge chartered vehicles discharged at the Halle Gate
-whole bands of the boldest sons of learning from Halle, Jena,
-Gottingen, and the remotest regions. They got down close to the guards
-at the gate, and for several weeks never set foot in an inn or any
-other dwelling; they lived at the expense of the Council, drew vouchers
-on the police for food and drink, and knew but one care, that the
-possibility of a general quieting of men's minds would make their
-opportune guardianship superfluous. I never missed a day on guard or a
-night either, alas! trying to impress on my family the urgent need for
-my personal endurance. Of course, the quieter and really studious
-spirits among us soon resigned these duties, and only the flower of the
-flock of undergraduates remained so staunch that it became difficult
-for the authorities to relieve them of their task. I held out to the
-very last, and succeeded in making most astonishing friends for my age.
-Many of the most audacious remained in Leipzig even when there was no
-guard duty to fulfil, and peopled the place for some time with
-champions of an extraordinarily desperate and dissipated type, who had
-been repeatedly sent down from various universities for rowdyism or
-debt, and who now, thanks to the exceptional circumstances of the day,
-found a refuge in Leipzig, where at first they had been received with
-open arms by the general enthusiasm of their comrades.
-
-In the presence of all these phenomena I felt as if I were surrounded
-by the results of an earthquake which had upset the usual order of
-things. My brother-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus, who could justly taunt
-the former authorities of the place with their inability to maintain
-peace and order, was carried away by the current of a formidable
-movement of opposition. He made a daring speech at the Guildhall before
-their worships the Town Council, which brought him popularity, and he
-was appointed second-in-command of the newly constituted Leipzig
-Municipal Guard. This body at length ousted my adored students from the
-guard-rooms of the town gates, and we no longer had the right of
-stopping travellers and inspecting their passes. On the other hand, I
-flattered myself that I might regard my new position as a boy citizen
-as equivalent to that of the French National Guard, and my
-brother-in-law, Brockhaus, as a Saxon Lafayette, which, at all events,
-succeeded in furnishing my soaring excitement with a healthy stimulant.
-I now began to read the papers and cultivate politics enthusiastically;
-however, the social intercourse of the civic world did not attract me
-sufficiently to make me false to my beloved academic associates. I
-followed them faithfully from the guard-rooms to the ordinary bars,
-where their splendour as men of the literary world now sought
-retirement.
-
-My chief ambition was to become one of them as soon as possible. This,
-however, could only be accomplished by being again entered at a grammar
-school. St. Thomas's, whose headmaster was a feeble old man, was the
-place where my wishes could be most speedily attained.
-
-I joined the school in the autumn of 1830 simply with the intention of
-qualifying myself for the Leaving Examination by merely nominal
-attendance there. The chief thing in connection with it was that I and
-friends of the same bent succeeded in establishing a sham students'
-association called the Freshman's Club. It was formed with all possible
-pedantry, the institution of the 'Comment' was introduced,
-fencing-practice and sword-bouts were held, and an inaugural meeting to
-which several prominent students were invited, and at which I presided
-as 'Vice' in white buckskin trousers and great jack-boots, gave me a
-foretaste of the delights awaiting me as a full-blown son of the Muses.
-
-The masters of St. Thomas's, however, were not quite so ready to fall
-in with my aspirations to studentship; at the end of the half-year they
-were of the opinion that I had not given a thought to their
-institution, and nothing could persuade them that I had earned a title
-to academic citizenship by any acquisition of knowledge. Some sort of
-decision was necessary, so I accordingly informed my family that I had
-made up my mind not to study for a profession at the University, but to
-become a musician. There was nothing to prevent me matriculating as
-'Studiosus Musicae,' and, without therefore troubling myself about the
-pedantries of the authorities at St. Thomas's, I defiantly quitted that
-seat of learning from which I had derived small profit, and presented
-myself forthwith to the rector of the University, whose acquaintance I
-had made on the evening of the riot, to be enrolled as a student of
-music. This was accordingly done without further ado, on the payment of
-the usual fees.
-
-I was in a great hurry about it, for in a week the Easter vacation
-would begin, and the 'men' would go down from Leipzig, when it would be
-impossible to be elected member of a club until the vacation was over,
-and to stay all those weeks at home in Leipzig without having the right
-to wear the coveted colours seemed to me unendurable torture. Straight
-from the rector's presence I ran like a wounded animal to the fencing
-school, to present myself for admission to the Saxon Club, showing my
-card of matriculation. I attained my object, I could wear the colours
-of the Saxonia, which was in the fashion at that time, and in great
-request because it numbered so many delightful members in its ranks.
-
-The strangest fate was to befall me in this Easter vacation, during
-which I was really the only remaining representative of the Saxon Club
-in Leipzig. In the beginning this club consisted chiefly of men of good
-family as well as the better class elements of the student world; all
-of them were members of highly placed and well-to-do families in Saxony
-in general, and in particular from the capital, Dresden, and spent
-their vacation at their respective homes. There remained in Leipzig
-during the vacations only those wandering students who had no homes,
-and for whom in reality it was always or never holiday time. Among
-those a separate club had arisen of daring and desperate young
-reprobates who had found a last refuge, as I said, at Leipzig in the
-glorious period I have recorded. I had already made the personal
-acquaintance of these swashbucklers, who pleased my fancy greatly, when
-they were guarding the Brockhaus grounds. Although the regular duration
-of a university course did not exceed three years, most of these men
-had never left their universities for six or seven years.
-
-I was particularly fascinated by a man called Gebhardt, who was endowed
-with extraordinary physical beauty and strength, and whose slim heroic
-figure towered head and shoulders above all his companions. When he
-walked down the street arm-in-arm with two of the strongest of his
-comrades, he used suddenly to take it into his head, by an easy
-movement of his arm, to lift his friends high in the air and flutter
-along in this way as though he had a pair of human wings. When a cab
-was going along the streets at a sharp trot, he would seize a spoke of
-the wheel with one hand and force it to pull up. Nobody ever told him
-that he was stupid because they were afraid of his strength, hence his
-limitations were scarcely noticed. His redoubtable strength, combined
-with a temperate disposition, lent him a majestic dignity which placed
-him above the level of an ordinary mortal. He had come to Leipzig from
-Mecklenburg in the company of a certain Degelow, who was as powerful
-and adroit, though by no means of such gigantic proportions, as his
-friend, and whose chief attraction lay in his great vivacity and
-animated features, he had led a wild and dissipated life in which play,
-drink, passionate love affairs, and constant and prompt duelling had
-rung the changes. Ceremonious politeness, an ironic and pedantic
-coldness, which testified to bold self-confidence, combined with a very
-hot temper, formed the chief characteristics of this personage and
-natures akin to his. Degelow's wildness and passion were lent a curious
-diabolical charm by the possession of a malicious humour which he often
-turned against himself, whereas towards others he exercised a certain
-chivalrous tenderness.
-
-These two extraordinary men were joined by others who possessed all the
-qualities essential to a reckless life, together with real and
-headstrong valour. One of them, named Stelzer, a regular Berserker out
-of the Nibelungenlied, who was nick-named Lope, was in his twentieth
-term. While these men openly and consciously belonged to a world doomed
-to destruction, and all their actions and escapades could only be
-explained by the hypothesis that they all believed that inevitable ruin
-was imminent, I made in their company the acquaintance of a certain
-Schroter, who particularly attracted me by his cordial disposition,
-pleasant Hanoverian accent, and refined wit. He was not one of the
-regular young dare-devils, towards whom he adopted a calm observant
-attitude, while they were all fond of him and glad to see him. I made a
-real friend of this Schroter, although he was much older than I was.
-Through him I became acquainted with the works and poems of H. Heine,
-and from him I acquired a certain neat and saucy wit, and I was quite
-ready to surrender myself to his agreeable influence in the hope of
-improving my outward bearing. It was his company in particular that I
-sought every day; in the afternoon I generally met him in the Rosenthal
-or Kintschy's Chalet, though always in the presence of those wonderful
-Goths who excited at once my alarm and admiration.
-
-They all belonged to university clubs which were on hostile terms with
-the one of which I was a member. What this hostility between the
-various clubs meant only those can judge who are familiar with the tone
-prevalent among them in those days. The mere sight of hostile colours
-sufficed to infuriate these men, who otherwise were kind and gentle,
-provided they had taken the slightest drop too much. At all events, as
-long as the old stagers were sober they would look with good-natured
-complacency at a slight young fellow like me in the hostile colours
-moving among them so amicably. Those colours I wore in my own peculiar
-fashion. I had made use of the brief week during which my club was
-still in Leipzig to become the possessor of a splendid 'Saxon' cap,
-richly embroidered with silver, and worn by a man called Muller, who
-was afterwards a prominent constable at Dresden. I had been seized with
-such a violent craving for this cap that I managed to buy it from him,
-as he wanted money to go home. In spite of this remarkable cap I was,
-as I have said, welcome in the den of this band of rowdies: my friend
-Schroter saw to that. It was only when the grog, which was the
-principal beverage of these wild spirits, began to work that I used to
-notice curious glances and overhear doubtful speeches, the significance
-of which was for some time hidden from me by the dizziness in which my
-own senses were plunged by this baneful drink.
-
-As I was inevitably bound on this account to be mixed up in quarrels
-for some time to come, it afforded me a great satisfaction that my
-first fight, as a matter of fact, arose from an incident more
-creditable to me than those provocations which I had left half
-unnoticed. One day Degelow came up to Schroter and me in a wine-bar
-that we often frequented, and in quite a friendly manner confessed to
-us confidentially his liking for a young and very pretty actress whose
-talent Schroter disputed. Degelow rejoined that this was as it might
-be, but that, for his part, he regarded the young lady as the most
-respectable woman in the theatre. I at once asked him if he considered
-my sister's reputation was not as good. According to students' notions
-it was impossible for Degelow, who doubtless had not the remotest
-intention of being insulting, to give me any assurance further than to
-say that he certainly did not think my sister had an inferior
-reputation, but that, nevertheless, he meant to abide by his assertion
-concerning the young lady he had mentioned. Hereupon followed without
-delay the usual challenge, opening with the words, 'You're an ass,'
-which sounded almost ridiculous to my own ears when I said them to this
-seasoned swashbuckler.
-
-I remember that Degelow too gasped with astonishment, and lightning
-seemed to flash from his eyes; but he controlled himself in the
-presence of my friend, and proceeded to observe the usual formalities
-of a challenge, and chose broadswords (krumme Sabel) as the weapons for
-the fight. The event made a great stir among our companions, but I saw
-less reason than before to abstain from my usual intercourse with them.
-Only I became more strict about the behaviour of the swashbucklers, and
-for several days no evening passed without producing a challenge
-between me and some formidable bully, until at last Count Solms, the
-only member of my club who had returned to Leipzig as yet, visited me
-as though he were an intimate friend and inquired into what had
-occurred. He applauded my conduct, but advised me not to wear my
-colours until the return of our comrades from the vacation, and to keep
-away from the bad company into which I had ventured. Fortunately I had
-not long to wait; university life soon began again, and the fencing
-ground was filled. The unenviable position, in which, in student
-phrase, I was suspended with a half-dozen of the most terrible
-swordsmen, earned me a glorious reputation among the 'freshmen' and
-'juniors,' and even among the older 'champions' of the Saxonia.
-
-My seconds were duly arranged, the dates for the various duels on hand
-settled, and by the care of my seniors the needful time was secured for
-me to acquire some sort of skill in fencing. The light heart with which
-I awaited the fate which threatened me in at least one of the impending
-encounters I myself could not understand at the time; on the other
-hand, the way in which that fate preserved me from the consequences of
-my rashness seems truly miraculous in my eyes to this day, and, worthy
-of further description.
-
-The preparations for a duel included obtaining some experience of these
-encounters by being present at several of them. We freshmen attained
-this object by what is called 'carrying duty,' that is to say, we were
-entrusted with the rapiers of the corps (precious weapons of honour
-belonging to the association), and had to take them first to the
-grinder and thence to the scene of encounter, a proceeding which was
-attended with some danger, as it had to be done surreptitiously, since
-duelling was forbidden by law; in return we acquired the right of
-assisting as spectators at the impending engagements.
-
-When I had earned this honour, the meeting-place chosen for the duel I
-was to watch was the billiard-room of an inn in the Burgstrasse; the
-table had been moved to one side, and on it the authorised spectators
-took their places. Among them I stood up with a beating heart to watch
-the dangerous encounters between those doughty champions. I was told on
-this occasion of the story of one of my friends (a Jew named Levy, but
-known as Lippert), who on this very floor had given so much ground
-before his antagonist that the door had to be opened for him, and he
-fell back through it down the steps into the street, still believing he
-was engaged in the duel. When several bouts had been finished, two men
-came on to the 'pitch,' Tempel, the president of the Markomanen, and a
-certain Wohlfart, an old stager, already in his fourteenth half-year of
-study, with whom I also was booked for an encounter later on. When this
-was the case, a man was not allowed to watch, in order that the weak
-points of the duellist might not be betrayed to his future opponent.
-Wohlfart was accordingly asked by my chiefs whether he wanted me
-removed; whereupon he replied with calm contempt, 'Let them leave the
-little freshman there, in God's name!' Thus I became an eye-witness of
-the disablement of a swordsman who nevertheless showed himself so
-experienced and skilful on the occasion that I might well have become
-alarmed for the issue of my future encounter with him. His gigantic
-opponent cut the artery of his right arm, which at once ended the
-fight; the surgeon declared that Wohlfart would not be able to hold a
-sword again for years, under which circumstances my proposed meeting
-with him was at once cancelled. I do not deny that this incident
-cheered my soul.
-
-Shortly afterwards the first general reunion of our club was held at
-the Green Tap. These gatherings are regular hot-beds for the production
-of duels. Here I brought upon myself a new encounter with one Tischer,
-but learned at the same time that I had been relieved of two of my most
-formidable previous engagements of the kind by the disappearance of my
-opponents, both of whom had escaped on account of debt and left no
-trace behind them. The only one of whom I could hear anything was the
-terrible Stelzer, surnamed Lope. This fellow had taken advantage of the
-passing of Polish refugees, who had at that time already been driven
-over the frontier and were making their way through Germany to France,
-to disguise himself as an ill-starred champion of freedom, and he
-subsequently found his way to the Foreign Legion in Algeria. On the way
-home from the gathering, Degelow, whom I was to meet in a few weeks,
-proposed a 'truce.' This was a device which, if it was accepted, as it
-was in this case, enabled the future combatants to entertain and talk
-to one another, which was otherwise most strictly forbidden. We
-wandered back to the town arm-in-arm; with chivalrous tenderness my
-interesting and formidable opponent declared that he was delighted at
-the prospect of crossing swords with me in a few weeks' time; that he
-regarded it as an honour and a pleasure, as he was fond of me and
-respected me for my valorous conduct. Seldom has any personal success
-flattered me more. We embraced, and amid protestations which, owing to
-a certain dignity about them, acquired a significance I can never
-forget, we parted. He informed me that he must first pay a visit to
-Jena, where he had an appointment to fight a duel. A week later the
-news of his death reached Leipzig; he had been mortally wounded in the
-duel at Jena.
-
-I felt as if I were living in a dream, out of which I was aroused by
-the announcement of my encounter with Tischer. Though he was a
-first-rate and vigorous fighter, he had been chosen by our chiefs for
-my first passage of arms because he was fairly short. In spite of being
-unable to feel any great confidence in my hastily acquired and little
-practised skill in fencing, I looked forward to this my first duel with
-a light heart. Although it was against the rules, I never dreamed of
-telling the authorities that I was suffering from a slight rash which I
-had caught at that time, and which I was informed made wounds so
-dangerous that if it were reported it would postpone the meeting, in
-spite of the fact that I was modest enough to be prepared for wounds. I
-was sent for at ten in the morning, and left home smiling to think what
-my mother and sisters would say if in a few hours I were brought back
-in the alarming state I anticipated. My chief, Herr v. Schonfeld, was a
-pleasant, quiet sort of man, who lived on the marsh. When I reached his
-house, he leant out of the window with his pipe in his mouth, and
-greeted me with the words: 'You can go home, my lad, it is all off;
-Tischer is in hospital.' When I got upstairs I found several 'leading
-men' assembled, from whom I learned that Tischer had got very drunk the
-night before, and had in consequence laid himself open to the most
-outrageous treatment by the inhabitants of a house of ill-fame. He was
-terribly hurt, and had been taken by the police in the first instance
-to the hospital. This inevitably meant rustication, and, above all,
-expulsion from the academic association to which he belonged.
-
-I cannot clearly recall the incidents that removed from Leipzig the few
-remaining fire-eaters to whom I had pledged myself since that fatal
-vacation-time; I only know that this aide of my fame as a student
-yielded to another. We celebrated the 'freshmen's gathering,' to which
-all those who could manage it drove a four-in-hand in a long procession
-through the town. After the president of the club had profoundly moved
-me with his sudden and yet prolonged solemnity, I conceived the desire
-to be among the very last to return home from the outing. Accordingly I
-stayed away three days and three nights, and spent the time chiefly in
-gambling, a pastime which from the first night of our festivity cast
-its devilish snares around me. Some half-dozen of the smartest club
-members chanced to be together at early dawn in the Jolly Peasant, and
-forthwith formed the nucleus of a gambling club, which was reinforced
-during the day by recruits coming back from the town. Members came to
-see whether we were still at it, members also went away, but I with the
-original six held out for days and nights without faltering.
-
-The desire that first prompted me to take part in the play was the wish
-to win enough for my score (two thalers): this I succeeded in doing,
-and thereupon I was inspired with the hope of being able to settle all
-the debts I had made at that time by my winnings at play. Just as I had
-hoped to learn composition most quickly by Logier's method, but had
-found myself hampered in my object for a long period by unexpected
-difficulties, so my plan for speedily improving my financial position
-was likewise doomed to disappointment. To win was not such an easy
-matter, and for some three months I was such a victim to the rage for
-gambling that no other passion was able to exercise the slightest
-influence over my mind.
-
-Neither the Fechtboden (where the students' fights were practised), nor
-the beer-house, nor the actual scene of the fights, ever saw my face
-again. In my lamentable position I racked my brains all day to devise
-ways and means of getting the money wherewith to gamble at night. In
-vain did my poor mother try everything in her power to induce me not to
-come home so late at night, although she had no idea of the real nature
-of my debauches: after I had left the house in the afternoon I never
-returned till dawn the next day, and I reached my room (which was at
-some distance from the others) by climbing over the gate, for my mother
-had refused to give me a latch-key.
-
-In despair over my ill-luck, my passion for gambling grew into a
-veritable mania, and I no longer felt any inclination for those things
-which at one time had lured me to student life. I became absolutely
-indifferent to the opinion of my former companions and avoided them
-entirely; I now lost myself in the smaller gambling dens of Leipzig,
-where only the very scum of the students congregated. Insensible to any
-feeling of self-respect, I bore even the contempt of my sister Rosalie;
-both she and my mother hardly ever deigning to cast a glance at the
-young libertine whom they only saw at rare intervals, looking deadly
-pale and worn out: my ever-growing despair made me at last resort to
-foolhardiness as the only means of forcing hostile fate to my side. It
-suddenly struck me that only by dint of big stakes could I make big
-profits. To this end I decided to make use of my mother's pension, of
-which I was trustee of a fairly large sum. That night I lost everything
-I had with me except one thaler: the excitement with which I staked
-that last coin on a card was an experience hitherto quite strange to my
-young life. As I had had nothing to eat, I was obliged repeatedly to
-leave the gambling table owing to sickness. With this last thaler I
-staked my life, for my return to my home was, of course, out of the
-question. Already I saw myself in the grey dawn, a prodigal son,
-fleeing from all I held dear, through forest and field towards the
-unknown. My mood of despair had gained so strong a hold upon me that,
-when my card won, I immediately placed all the money on a fresh stake,
-and repeated this experiment until I had won quite a considerable
-amount. From that moment my luck grew continuously. I gained such
-confidence that I risked the most hazardous stakes: for suddenly it
-dawned upon me that this was destined to be my last day with the cards.
-My good fortune now became so obvious that the bank thought it wise to
-close. Not only had I won back all the money I had lost, but I had won
-enough to pay off all my debts as well. My sensations during the whole
-of this process were of the most sacred nature: I felt as if God and
-His angels were standing by my side and were whispering words of
-warning and of consolation into my ears.
-
-Once more I climbed over the gate of my home in the early hours of the
-morning, this time to sleep peacefully and soundly and to awake very
-late, strengthened and as though born again.
-
-No sense of shame deterred me from telling my mother, to whom I
-presented her money, the whole truth about this decisive night. I
-voluntarily confessed my sin in having utilised her pension, sparing no
-detail. She folded her hands and thanked God for His mercy, and
-forthwith regarded me as saved, believing it impossible for me ever to
-commit such a crime again.
-
-And, truth to tell, gambling had lost all fascination for me from that
-moment. The world, in which I had moved like one demented, suddenly
-seemed stripped of all interest or attraction. My rage for gambling had
-already made me quite indifferent to the usual student's vanities, and
-when I was freed from this passion also, I suddenly found myself face
-to face with an entirely new world.
-
-To this world I belonged henceforth: it was the world of real and
-serious musical study, to which I now devoted myself heart and soul.
-
-Even during this wild period of my life, my musical development had not
-been entirely at a standstill; on the contrary, it daily became plainer
-that music was the only direction towards which my mental tendencies
-had a marked bent. Only I had got quite out of the habit of musical
-study. Even now it seems incredible that I managed to find time in
-those days to finish quite a substantial amount of composition. I have
-but the faintest recollection of an Overture in C major (6/8 time), and
-of a Sonata in B flat major arranged as a duet; the latter pleased my
-sister Ottilie, who played it with me, so much that I arranged it for
-orchestra. But another work of this period, an Overture in B flat
-major, left an indelible impression on my mind on account of an
-incident connected with it. This composition, in fact, was the outcome
-of my study of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in about the same degree as
-Leubald und Adelaide was the result of my study of Shakespeare. I had
-made a special point of bringing out the mystic meaning in the
-orchestra, which I divided into three distinctly different and opposite
-elements. I wanted to make the characteristic nature of these elements
-clear to the score reader the moment he looked at it by a striking
-display of colour, and only the fact that I could not get any green ink
-made this picturesque idea impossible. I employed black ink for the
-brass instruments alone, the strings were to have red and the wind
-green ink. This extraordinary score I gave for perusal to Heinrich
-Dorn, who was at that time musical director of the Leipzig theatre. He
-was very young, and impressed me as being a very clever musician and a
-witty man of the world, whom the Leipzig public made much of.
-
-Nevertheless, I have never been able to understand how he could have
-granted my request to produce this overture.
-
-Some time afterwards I was rather inclined to believe with others, who
-knew how much he enjoyed a good joke, that he intended to treat himself
-to a little fun. At the time, however, he vowed that he thought the
-work interesting, and maintained that if it were only brought out as a
-hitherto unknown work by Beethoven, the public would receive it with
-respect, though without understanding.
-
-It was the Christmas of the fateful year 1830; as usual, there would be
-no performance at the theatre on Christmas Eve, but instead a concert
-for the poor had been organised, which received but scant support. The
-first item on the programme was called by the exciting title 'New
-Overture'--nothing more! I had surreptitiously listened to the
-rehearsal with some misgiving. I was very much impressed by the
-coolness with which Dorn fenced with the apparent confusion which the
-members of the orchestra showed with regard to this mysterious
-composition. The principal theme of the Allegro was contained in four
-bars; after every fourth bar, however, a fifth bar had been inserted,
-which had nothing to do with the melody, and which was announced by a
-loud bang on the kettle-drum on the second beat. As this drum-beat
-stood out alone, the drummer, who continually thought he was making a
-mistake, got confused, and did not give the right sharpness to the
-accent as prescribed by the score. Listening from my hidden corner, and
-frightened at my original intention, this accidentally different
-rendering did not displease me. To my genuine annoyance, however, Dorn
-called the drummer to the front and insisted on his playing the accents
-with the prescribed sharpness. When, after the rehearsal, I told the
-musical director of my misgivings about this important fact, I could
-not get him to promise a milder interpretation of the fatal drum-beat;
-he stuck to it that the thing would sound very well as it was. In spite
-of this assurance my restlessness grew, and I had not the courage to
-introduce myself to my friends in advance as the author of the 'New
-Overture.'
-
-My sister Ottilie, who had already been forced to survive the secret
-readings of Leubald und Adelaide, was the only person willing to come
-with me to hear my work. It was Christmas Eve, and there was to be the
-usual Christmas tree, presents, etc., at my brother-in-law's, Friedrich
-Brockhaus, and both of us naturally wanted to be there. My sister, in
-particular, who lived there, had a good deal to do with the
-arrangements, and could only get away for a short while, and that with
-great difficulty; our amiable relation accordingly had the carriage
-ready for her so that she might get back more quickly. I made use of
-this opportunity to inaugurate, as it were, my entree into the musical
-world in a festive manner. The carriage drew up in front of the
-theatre. Ottilie went into my brother-in-law's box, which forced me to
-try and find a seat in the pit. I had forgotten to buy a ticket, and
-was refused admission by the man at the door. Suddenly the tuning up of
-the orchestra grew louder and louder, and I thought I should have to
-miss the beginning of my work. In my anxiety I revealed myself to the
-man at the door as the composer of the 'New Overture,' and in this way
-succeeded in passing without a ticket. I pushed my way through to one
-of the first rows of the pit, and sat down in terrible anxiety.
-
-The Overture began: after the theme of the 'black' brass instruments
-had made itself heard with great emphasis, the 'red' Allegro theme
-started, in which, as I have already mentioned, every fifth bar was
-interrupted by the drum-beat from the 'black' world. What kind of
-effect the 'green' theme of the wind instruments, which joined in
-afterwards, produced upon the listeners, and what they must have
-thought when 'black,' 'red,' and 'green' themes became intermingled,
-has always remained a mystery to me, for the fatal drum-beat, brutally
-hammered out, entirely deprived me of my senses, especially as this
-prolonged and continually recurring effect now began to rouse, not only
-the attention, but the merriment of the audience. I heard my neighbours
-calculating the return of this effect; knowing the absolute correctness
-of their calculation, I suffered ten thousand torments, and became
-almost unconscious. At last I awoke from my nightmare when the
-Overture, to which I had disdained to give what I considered a trite
-ending, came to a standstill most unexpectedly.
-
-No phantoms like those in Hoffmann's Tales could have succeeded in
-producing the extraordinary state in which I came to my senses on
-noticing the astonishment of the audience at the end of the
-performance. I heard no exclamations of disapproval, no hissing, no
-remarks, not even laughter; all I saw was intense astonishment at such
-a strange occurrence, which impressed them, as it did me, like a
-horrible nightmare. The worst moment, however, came when I had to leave
-the pit and take my sister home. To get up and pass through the people
-in the pit was horrible indeed. Nothing, however, equalled the pain of
-coming face to face with the man at the door; the strange look he gave
-me haunted me ever afterwards, and for a considerable time I avoided
-the pit of the Leipzig theatre.
-
-My next step was to find my sister, who had gone through the whole sad
-experience with infinite pity; in silence we drove home to be present
-at a brilliant family festivity, which contrasted with grim irony with
-the gloom of my bewilderment.
-
-In spite of it all I tried to believe in myself, and thought I could
-find comfort in my overture to the Braut von Messina, which I believed
-to be a better work than the fatal one I had just heard. A
-reinstatement, however, was out of the question, for the directors of
-the Leipzig theatre regarded me for a long time as a very doubtful
-person, in spite of Dorn's friendship. It is true that I still tried my
-hand at sketching out compositions to Goethe's Faust, some of which
-have been preserved to this day: but soon my wild student's life
-resumed its sway and drowned the last remnant of serious musical study
-in me.
-
-I now began to imagine that because I had become a student I ought to
-attend the University lectures. From Traugott Krug, who was well known
-to me on account of his having suppressed the student's revolt, I tried
-to learn the first principles of philosophy; a single lesson sufficed
-to make me give this up. Two or three times, however, I attended the
-lectures on aesthetics given by one of the younger professors, a man
-called Weiss. This perseverance was due to the interest which Weiss
-immediately aroused in me. When I made his acquaintance at my uncle
-Adolph's house, Weiss had just translated the metaphysics of Aristotle,
-and, if I am not mistaken, dedicated them in a controversial spirit to
-Hegel.
-
-On this occasion I had listened to the conversation of these two men on
-philosophy and philosophers, which made a tremendous impression on me.
-I remember that Weiss was an absent-minded man, with a hasty and abrupt
-manner of speaking; he had an interesting and pensive expression which
-impressed me immensely. I recollect how, on being accused of a want of
-clearness in his writing and style, he justified himself by saying that
-the deep problems of the human mind could not in any case be solved by
-the mob. This maxim, which struck me as being very plausible, I at once
-accepted as the principle for all my future writing. I remember that my
-eldest brother Albert, to whom I once had to write for my mother, grew
-so disgusted with my letter and style that he said he thought I must be
-going mad.
-
-In spite of my hopes that Weiss's lectures would do me much good, I was
-not capable of continuing to attend them, as my desires in those days
-drove me to anything but the study of aesthetics. Nevertheless, my
-mother's anxiety at this time on my behalf made me try to take up music
-again. As Muller, the teacher under whom I had studied till that time,
-had not been able to inspire me with a permanent love of study, it was
-necessary to discover whether another teacher might not be better able
-to induce me to do serious work.
-
-Theodor Weinlich, who was choirmaster and musical director at St.
-Thomas's Church, held at that time this important and ancient post
-which was afterwards occupied by Schicht, and before him by no less a
-person than Sebastian Bach. By education he belonged to the old Italian
-school of music, and had studied in Bologna under Pater Martini. He had
-made a name for himself in this art by his vocal compositions, in which
-his fine manner of treating the parts was much praised. He himself told
-me one day that a Leipzig publisher had offered him a very substantial
-fee if he would write for his firm another book of vocal exercises
-similar to the one which had proved so profitable to his first
-publisher. Weinlich told him that he had not got any exercises of the
-kind ready at the moment, but offered him instead a new Mass, which the
-publisher refused with the words: 'Let him who got the meat gnaw the
-bones.' The modesty with which Weinlich told me this little story
-showed how excellent a man he was. As he was in a very bad and weak
-state of health when my mother introduced me to him, he at first
-refused to take me as a pupil. But, after having resisted all
-persuasions, he at last took pity on my musical education, which, as he
-soon discovered from a fugue which I had brought with me, was
-exceedingly faulty. He accordingly promised to teach me, on condition
-that I should give up all attempts at composing for six months, and
-follow his instructions implicitly. To the first part of my promise I
-remained faithful, thanks to the vast vortex of dissipation into which
-my life as a student had drawn me.
-
-When, however, I had to occupy myself for any length of time with
-nothing but four-part harmony exercises in strictly rigorous style, it
-was not only the student in me, but also the composer of so many
-overtures and sonatas, that was thoroughly disgusted. Weinlich, too,
-had his grievances against me, and decided to give me up.
-
-During this period I came to the crisis of my life, which led to the
-catastrophe of that terrible evening at the gambling den. But an even
-greater blow than this fearful experience awaited me when Weinlich
-decided not to have anything more to do with me. Deeply humiliated and
-miserable, I besought the gentle old man, whom I loved dearly, to
-forgive me, and I promised him from that moment to work with unflagging
-energy. One morning at seven o'clock Weinlich sent for me to begin the
-rough sketch for a fugue; he devoted the whole morning to me, following
-my work bar by bar with the greatest attention, and giving me his
-valuable advice. At twelve o'clock he dismissed me with the instruction
-to perfect and finish the sketch by filling in the remaining parts at
-home.
-
-When I brought him the fugue finished, he handed me his own treatment
-of the same theme for comparison. This common task of fugue writing
-established between me and my good-natured teacher the tenderest of
-ties, for, from that moment, we both enjoyed the lessons. I was
-astonished how quickly the time flew. In eight weeks I had not only
-gone through a number of the most intricate fugues, but had also waded
-through all kinds of difficult evolutions in counterpoint, when one
-day, on bringing him an extremely elaborate double fugue, he took my
-breath away by telling me that after this there was nothing left for
-him to teach me.
-
-As I was not aware of any great effort on my part, I often wondered
-whether I had really become a well-equipped musician. Weinlich himself
-did not seem to attach much importance to what he had taught me: he
-said, 'Probably you will never write fugues or canons; but what you
-have mastered is Independence: you can now stand alone and rely upon
-having a fine technique at your fingers' ends if you should want it.'
-
-The principal result of his influence over me was certainly the growing
-love of clearness and fluency to which he had trained me. I had already
-had to write the above-mentioned fugue for ordinary voices; my feeling
-for the melodious and vocal had in this way been awakened. In order to
-keep me strictly under his calming and friendly influence, he had at
-the same time given me a sonata to write which, as a proof of my
-friendship for him, I had to build up on strictly harmonic and thematic
-lines, for which he recommended me a very early and childlike sonata by
-Pleyel as a model.
-
-Those who had only recently heard my Overture must, indeed, have
-wondered how I ever wrote this sonata, which has been published through
-the indiscretion of Messrs. Breitkopf and Hartel (to reward me for my
-abstemiousness, Weinlich induced them to publish this poor
-composition). From that moment he gave me a free hand. To begin with I
-was allowed to compose a Fantasia for the pianoforte (in F sharp minor)
-which I wrote in a quite informal style by treating the melody in
-recitative form; this gave me intense satisfaction because it won me
-praise from Weinlich.
-
-Soon afterwards I wrote three overtures which all met with his entire
-approval. In the following winter (1831-1832) I succeeded in getting
-the first of them, in D minor, performed at one of the Gewandhaus
-concerts.
-
-At that time a very simple and homely tone reigned supreme in this
-institution. The instrumental works were not conducted by what we call
-'a conductor of the orchestra,' but were simply played to the audience
-by the leader of the orchestra. As soon as the singing began, Pohlenz
-took his place at the conductor's desk; he belonged to the type of fat
-and pleasant musical directors, and was a great favourite with the
-Leipzig public. He used to come on the platform with a very
-important-looking blue baton in his hand.
-
-One of the strangest events which occurred at that time was the yearly
-production of the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven; after the first three
-movements had been played straight through like a Haydn symphony, as
-well as the orchestra could manage it, Pohlenz, instead of having to
-conduct a vocal quartette, a cantata, or an Italian aria, took his
-place at the desk to undertake this highly complicated instrumental
-work, with its particularly enigmatical and incoherent opening, one of
-the most difficult tasks that could possibly be found for a musical
-conductor. I shall never forget the impression produced upon me at the
-first rehearsal by the anxiously and carefully played 3/4 time, and the
-way in which the wild shrieks of the trumpet (with which this movement
-begins) resulted in the most extraordinary confusion of sound.
-
-He had evidently chosen this tempo in order, in some way, to manage the
-recitative of the double basses; but it was utterly hopeless. Pohlenz
-was in a bath of perspiration, the recitative did not come off, and I
-really began to think that Beethoven must have written nonsense; the
-double bass player, Temmler, a faithful veteran of the orchestra,
-prevailed upon Pohlenz at last, in rather coarse and energetic
-language, to put down the baton, and in this way the recitative really
-proceeded properly. All the same, I felt at this time that I had come
-to the humble conclusion, in a way I can hardly explain, that this
-extraordinary work was still beyond my comprehension. For a long time I
-gave up brooding over this composition, and I turned my thoughts with
-simple longing towards a clearer and calmer musical form.
-
-My study of counterpoint had taught me to appreciate, above all,
-Mozart's light and flowing treatment of the most difficult technical
-problems, and the last movement of his great Symphony in C major in
-particular served me as example for my own work. My D minor Overture,
-which clearly showed the influence of Beethoven's Coriolanus Overture,
-had been favourably received by the public; my mother began to have
-faith in me again, and I started at once on a second overture (in C
-major), which really ended with a 'Fugato' that did more credit to my
-new model than I had ever hoped to accomplish.
-
-This overture, also, was soon afterwards performed at a recital given
-by the favourite singer, Mlle. Palazzesi (of the Dresden Italian
-Opera). Before this I had already introduced it at a concert given by a
-private musical society called 'Euterpe', when I had conducted it
-myself.
-
-I remember the strange impression I received from a remark that my
-mother made on that occasion; as a matter of fact this work, which was
-written in a counterpoint style, without any real passion or emotion,
-had produced a strange effect upon her. She gave vent to her
-astonishment by warmly praising the Egmont Overture, which was played
-at the same concert, maintaining that 'this kind of music was after all
-more fascinating than any stupid fugue.'
-
-At this time I also wrote (as my third opus) an overture to Raupach's
-drama, Konig Enzio, in which again Beethoven's influence made itself
-even more strongly felt. My sister Rosalie succeeded in getting it
-performed at the theatre before the play; for the sake of prudence they
-did not announce it on the programme the first time. Dorn conducted it,
-and as the performance went off all right, and the public showed no
-dissatisfaction, my overture was played with my full name on the
-programme several times during the run of the above-mentioned drama.
-
-After this I tried my hand at a big Symphony (in C major); in this work
-I showed what I had learnt by using the influence of my study of
-Beethoven and Mozart towards the achievement of a really pleasant and
-intelligible work, in which the fugue was again present at the end,
-while the themes of the various movements were so constructed that they
-could be played consecutively.
-
-Nevertheless, the passionate and bold element of the Sinfonia Eroica
-was distinctly discernible, especially in the first movement. The slow
-movement, on the contrary, contained reminiscences of my former musical
-mysticism. A kind of repeated interrogative exclamation of the minor
-third merging into the fifth connected in my mind this work (which I
-had finished with the utmost effort at clearness) with my very earliest
-period of boyish sentimentality.
-
-When, in the following year, I called on Friedrich Rochlitz, at that
-time the 'Nestor' of the musical aesthetes in Leipzig, and president of
-the Gewandhaus, I prevailed upon him to promise me a performance of my
-work. As he had been given my score for perusal before seeing me, he
-was quite astonished to find that I was a very young man, for the
-character of my music had prepared him to see a much older and more
-experienced musician. Before this performance took place many things
-happened which I must first mention, as they were of great importance
-to my life.
-
-My short and stormy career as a student had drowned in me not only all
-longing for further development, but also all interest in intellectual
-and spiritual pursuits. Although, as I have pointed out, I had never
-alienated myself entirely from music, my revived interest in politics
-aroused my first real disgust for my senseless student's life, which
-soon left no deeper traces on my mind than the remembrance of a
-terrible nightmare.
-
-The Polish War of Independence against Russian supremacy filled me with
-growing enthusiasm. The victories which the Poles obtained for a short
-period during May, 1831, aroused my enthusiastic admiration: it seemed
-to me as though the world had, by some miracle, been created anew. As a
-contrast to this, the news of the battle of Ostrolenka made it appear
-as if the end of the world had come. To my astonishment, my boon
-companions scoffed at me when I commented upon some of these events;
-the terrible lack of all fellow-feeling and comradeship amongst the
-students struck me very forcibly. Any kind of enthusiasm had to be
-smothered or turned into pedantic bravado, which showed itself in the
-form of affectation and indifference. To get drunk with deliberate
-cold-bloodedness, without even a glimpse of humour, was reckoned almost
-as brave a feat as duelling. Not until much later did I understand the
-far nobler spirit which animated the lower classes in Germany in
-comparison with the sadly degenerate state of the University students.
-In those days I felt terribly indignant at the insulting remarks which
-I brought upon myself when I deplored the battle of Ostrolenka.
-
-To my honour be it said, that these and similar impressions helped to
-make me give up my low associates. During my studies with Weinlich the
-only little dissipation I allowed myself was my daily evening visit to
-Kintschy, the confectioner in the Klostergasse, where I passionately
-devoured the latest newspapers. Here I found many men who held the same
-political views as myself, and I specially loved to listen to the eager
-political discussions of some of the old men who frequented the place.
-The literary journals, too, began to interest me; I read a great deal,
-but was not very particular in my choice. Nevertheless, I now began to
-appreciate intelligence and wit, whereas before only the grotesque and
-the fantastic had had any attraction for me.
-
-My interest in the issue of the Polish war, however, remained
-paramount. I felt the siege and capture of Warsaw as a personal
-calamity. My excitement when the remains of the Polish army began to
-pass through Leipzig on their way to France was indescribable, and I
-shall never forget the impression produced upon me by the first batch
-of these unfortunate soldiers on the occasion of their being quartered
-at the Green Shield, a public-house in the Meat Market. Much as this
-depressed me, I was soon roused to a high pitch of enthusiasm, for in
-the lounge of the Leipzig Gewandhaus, where that night Beethoven's C
-minor Symphony was being played, a group of heroic figures, the
-principal leaders of the Polish revolution, excited my admiration. I
-felt more particularly attracted by Count Vincenz Tyszkiewitcz, a man
-of exceptionally powerful physique and noble appearance, who impressed
-me by his dignified and aristocratic manner and his quiet
-self-reliance--qualities with which I had not met before. When I saw a
-man of such kingly bearing in a tight-fitting coat and red velvet cap,
-I at once realised my foolishness in ever having worshipped the
-ludicrously dressed up little heroes of our students' world. I was
-delighted to meet this gentleman again at the house of my
-brother-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus, where I saw him frequently.
-
-My brother-in-law had the greatest pity and sympathy for the Polish
-rebels, and was the president of a committee whose task it was to look
-after their interests, and for a long time he made many personal
-sacrifices for their cause.
-
-The Brockhaus establishment now became tremendously attractive to me.
-Around Count Vincenz Tyszkiewitcz, who remained the lodestar of this
-small Polish world, gathered a great many other wealthy exiles, amongst
-whom I chiefly remember a cavalry captain of the name of Bansemer, a
-man of unlimited kindness, but of a rather frivolous nature; he
-possessed a marvellous team of four horses which he drove at such
-breakneck speed as to cause great annoyance to the people of Leipzig.
-Another man of importance with whom I remember dining was General Bem,
-whose artillery had made such a gallant stand at Ostrolenka.
-
-Many other exiles passed through this hospitable house, some of whom
-impressed us by their melancholy, warlike bearing, others by their
-refined behaviour. Vincenz Tyszkiewitcz, however, remained my ideal of
-a true man, and I loved him with a profound adoration. He, too, began
-to be interested in me; I used to call upon him nearly every day, and
-was sometimes present at a sort of martial feast, from which he often
-withdrew in order to be able to open his heart to me about the
-anxieties which oppressed him. He had, in fact, received absolutely no
-news of the whereabouts of his wife and little son since they separated
-at Volhynien. Besides this, he was under the shadow of a great sorrow
-which drew all sympathetic natures to him. To my sister Louise he had
-confided the terrible calamity that had once befallen him. He had been
-married before, and while staying with his wife in one of his lonely
-castles, in the dead of night he had seen a ghostly apparition at the
-window of his bedroom. Hearing his name called several times, he had
-taken up a revolver to protect himself from possible danger, and had
-shot his own wife, who had had the eccentric idea of teasing him by
-pretending to be a ghost. I had the pleasure of sharing his joy on
-hearing that his family was safe. His wife joined him in Leipzig with
-their beautiful boy, Janusz. I felt sorry not to be able to feel the
-same sympathy for this lady as I did for her husband; perhaps one of
-the reasons of my antipathy was the obvious and conspicuous way in
-which she made herself up, by means of which the poor woman probably
-tried to hide how much her beauty had suffered through the terrible
-strain of the past events. She soon went back to Galicia to try and
-save what she could of their property, and also to provide her husband
-with a pass from the Austrian Government, by means of which he could
-follow her.
-
-Then came the third of May. Eighteen of the Poles who were still in
-Leipzig met together at a festive dinner in a hotel outside the town;
-on this day was to be celebrated the first anniversary of the third of
-May, so dear to the memory of the Poles. Only the chiefs of the Leipzig
-Polish Committee received invitations, and as a special favour I also
-was asked. I shall never forget that occasion. The dinner became an
-orgy; throughout the evening a brass band from the town played Polish
-folksongs, and these were sung by the whole company, led by a
-Lithuanian called Zan, in a manner now triumphant and now mournful. The
-beautiful 'Third of May' song more particularly drew forth a positive
-uproar of enthusiasm. Tears and shouts of joy grew into a terrible
-tumult; the excited men grouped themselves on the grass swearing
-eternal friendship in the most extravagant terms, for which the word
-'Oiczisna' (Fatherland) provided the principal theme, until at last
-night threw her veil over this wild debauch.
-
-That evening afterwards served me as the theme for an orchestral
-composition (in the form of an overture) named Polonia; I shall recount
-the fate of this work later on. My friend Tyszkiewitcz's passport now
-arrived, and he made up his mind to go back to Galicia via Brunn,
-although his friends considered it was very rash of him to do so. I
-very much wanted to see something of the world, and Tyszkiewitcz's
-offer to take me with him, induced my mother to consent to my going to
-Vienna, a place that I had long wished to visit. I took with me the
-scores of my three overtures which had already been performed, and also
-that of my great symphony as yet unproduced, and had a grand time with
-my Polish patron, who took me in his luxurious travelling-coach as far
-as the capital of Moravia. During a short stop at Dresden the exiles of
-all classes gave our beloved Count a friendly farewell dinner in Pirna,
-at which the champagne flowed freely, while the health was drunk of the
-future 'Dictator of Poland.'
-
-At last we separated at Brunn, from which place I continued my journey
-to Vienna by coach. During the afternoon and night, which I was obliged
-to spend in Brunn by myself, I went through terrible agonies from fear
-of the cholera which, as I unexpectedly heard, had broken out in this
-place. There I was all alone in a strange place, my faithful friend
-just departed, and on hearing of the epidemic I felt as if a malicious
-demon had caught me in his snare in order to annihilate me. I did not
-betray my terror to the people in the hotel, but when I was shown into
-a very lonely wing of the house and left by myself in this wilderness,
-I hid myself in bed with my clothes on, and lived once again through
-all the horrors of ghost stories as I had done in my boyhood. The
-cholera stood before me like a living thing; I could see and touch it;
-it lay in my bed and embraced me. My limbs turned to ice, I felt frozen
-to the very marrow. Whether I was awake or asleep I never knew; I only
-remember how astonished I was when, on awakening, I felt thoroughly
-well and healthy.
-
-At last I arrived in Vienna, where I escaped the epidemic which had
-penetrated as far as that town. It was midsummer of the year 1832.
-Owing to the introductions I had with me, I found myself very much at
-home in this lively city, in which I made a pleasant stay of six weeks.
-As my sojourn, however, had no really practical purpose, my mother
-looked upon the cost of this holiday, short as it seemed, as an
-unnecessary extravagance on my part. I visited the theatres, heard
-Strauss, made excursions, and altogether had a very good time. I am
-afraid I contracted a few debts as well, which I paid off later on when
-I was conductor of the Dresden orchestra. I had received very pleasant
-impressions of musical and theatrical life, and for a long time Vienna
-lived in my memory as the acme of that extraordinarily productive
-spirit peculiar to its people. I enjoyed most of all the performances
-at the Theater an der Wien, at which they were acting a grotesque fairy
-play called Die Abenteuer Fortunat's zu Wasser und zu Land, in which a
-cab was called on the shores of the Black Sea and which made a
-tremendous impression on me. About the music I was more doubtful. A
-young friend of mine took me with immense pride to a performance of
-Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris, which was made doubly attractive by a
-first-rate cast including Wild, Staudigl and Binder: I must confess
-that on the whole I was bored by this work, but I did not dare say so.
-My ideas of Gluck had attained gigantic proportions from my reading of
-Hoffmann's well-known Phantasies; my anticipation of this work
-therefore, which I had not studied yet, had led me to expect a
-treatment full of overpowering dramatic force. It is possible that
-Schroder-Devrient's acting in Fidelio had taught me to judge everything
-by her exalted standard.
-
-With the greatest trouble I worked myself up to some kind of enthusiasm
-for the great scene between Orestes and the Furies. I hoped against
-hope that I should be able to admire the remainder of the opera. I
-began to understand the Viennese taste, however, when I saw how great a
-favourite the opera Zampa became with the public, both at the Karnthner
-Thor and at the Josephstadt. Both theatres competed vigorously in the
-production of this popular work, and although the public had seemed mad
-about Iphigenia, nothing equalled their enthusiasm for Zampa. No sooner
-had they left the Josephstadt Theatre in the greatest ecstasies about
-Zampa than they proceeded to the public-house called the Strausslein.
-Here they were immediately greeted by the strains of selections from
-Zampa which drove the audience to feverish excitement. I shall never
-forget the extraordinary playing of Johann Strauss, who put equal
-enthusiasm into everything he played, and very often made the audience
-almost frantic with delight.
-
-At the beginning of a new waltz this demon of the Viennese musical
-spirit shook like a Pythian priestess on the tripod, and veritable
-groans of ecstasy (which, without doubt, were more due to his music
-than to the drinks in which the audience had indulged) raised their
-worship for the magic violinist to almost bewildering heights of frenzy.
-
-The hot summer air of Vienna was absolutely impregnated with Zampa and
-Strauss. A very poor students' rehearsal at the Conservatoire, at which
-they performed a Mass by Cherubini, seemed to me like an alms paid
-begrudgingly to the study of classical music. At the same rehearsal one
-of the professors, to whom I was introduced, tried to make the students
-play my Overture in D minor (the one already performed in Leipzig). I
-do not know what his opinion was, nor that of the students, with regard
-to this attempt; I only know they soon gave it up.
-
-On the whole I had wandered into doubtful musical bypaths; and I now
-withdrew from this first educational visit to a great European art
-centre in order to start on a cheap, but long and monotonous return
-journey to Bohemia, by stage-coach. My next move was a visit to the
-house of Count Pachta, of whom I had pleasant recollections from my
-boyhood days. His estate, Pravonin, was about eight miles from Prague.
-Received in the kindest possible way by the old gentleman and his
-beautiful daughters, I enjoyed his delightful hospitality until late
-into the autumn. A youth of nineteen, as I then was, with a
-fast-growing beard (for which my sisters had already prepared the young
-ladies by letter), the continual and close intimacy with such kind and
-pretty girls could hardly fail to make a strong impression on my
-imagination. Jenny, the elder of the two, was slim, with black hair,
-blue eyes, and wonderfully noble features; the younger one, Auguste,
-was a little smaller, and stouter, with a magnificent complexion, fair
-hair, and brown eyes. The natural and sisterly manner with which both
-girls treated me and conversed with me did not blind me to the fact
-that I was expected to fall in love with one or the other of them. It
-amused them to see how embarrassed I got in my efforts to choose
-between them, and consequently they teased me tremendously.
-
-Unfortunately, I did not act judiciously with regard to the daughters
-of my host: in spite of their homely education, they belonged to a very
-aristocratic house, and consequently hesitated between the hope of
-marrying men of eminent position in their own sphere, and the necessity
-of choosing husbands amongst the higher middle classes, who could
-afford to keep them in comfort. The shockingly poor, almost mediaeval,
-education of the Austrian so-called cavalier, made me rather despise
-the latter; the girls, too, had suffered from the same lack of proper
-training. I soon noticed with disgust how little they knew about things
-artistic, and how much value they attached to superficial things.
-However much I might try to interest them in those higher pursuits
-which had become necessary to me, they were incapable of appreciating
-them. I advocated a complete change from the bad library novels, which
-represented their only reading, from the Italian operatic arias, sung
-by Auguste, and, last but not least, from the horsy, insipid cavaliers,
-who paid their court to both Jenny and her sister in the most coarse
-and offensive manner. My zeal in this latter respect soon gave rise to
-great unpleasantness. I became hard and insulting, harangued them about
-the French Revolution, and begged them with fatherly admonitions 'for
-the love of heaven' to be content with well-educated middle-class men,
-and give up those impertinent suitors who could only harm their
-reputation. The indignation provoked by my friendly advice I often had
-to ward off with the harshest retorts. I never apologised, but tried by
-dint of real or feigned jealousy to get our friendship back on the old
-footing. In this way, undecided, half in love and half angry, one cold
-November day I said good-bye to these pretty children. I soon met the
-whole family again at Prague, where I made a long sojourn, without,
-however, staying at the Count's residence.
-
-My stay at Prague was to be of great musical importance to me. I knew
-the director of the Conservatoire, Dionys Weber, who promised to bring
-my symphony before the public; I also spent much of my time with an
-actor called Moritz, to whom, as an old friend of our family, I had
-been recommended, and there I made the acquaintance of the young
-musician Kittl.
-
-Moritz, who noticed that not a day passed but what I went to the
-much-feared chief of the Conservatoire upon some pressing musical
-business, once despatched me with an improvised parody on Schiller's
-Burgschaft:--
-
-     Zu Dionys dem Direktor schlich
-     Wagner, die Partitur im Gewande;
-     Ihn schlugen die Schuler im Bande:
-     'Was wolltest du mit den Noten sprich?'
-     Entgegnet ihm finster der Wutherich:
-     'Die Stadt vom schlechten Geschmacke befreien!
-     Das sollst du in den Rezensionen bereuen.'
-
-     [Footnote: To Dionys, the Director,
-     crept Wagner, the score in his pocket;
-     The students arrested him forthwith:
-     'What do'st thou with that music, say?'
-     Thus asked him the angry tyrant:
-     'To free the town from taste too vile!
-     For this the critics will make thee suffer.' ]
-
-Truly I had to deal with a kind of 'Dionysius the Tyrant.' A man who
-did not acknowledge Beethoven's genius beyond his Second Symphony, a
-man who looked upon the Eroica as the acme of bad taste on the master's
-part; who praised Mozart alone, and next to him tolerated only
-Lindpaintner: such a man was not easy to approach, and I had to learn
-the art of making use of tyrants for one's own purposes. I
-dissimulated; I pretended to be struck by the novelty of his ideas,
-never contradicted him, and, to point out the similarity of our
-standpoints, I referred him to the end fugue in my Overture and in my
-Symphony (both in C major), which I had only succeeded in making what
-they were through having studied Mozart. My reward soon followed:
-Dionys set to work to study my orchestral creations with almost
-youthful energy.
-
-
-
-
-
-The students of the Conservatoire were compelled to practise with the
-greatest exactitude my new symphony under his dry and terribly noisy
-baton. In the presence of several of my friends, amongst whom was also
-the dear old Count Pachta in his capacity of President of the
-Conservatoire Committee, we actually held a first performance of the
-greatest work that I had written up to that date.
-
-During these musical successes I went on with my love-making in the
-attractive house of Count Pachta, under the most curious circumstances.
-A confectioner of the name of Hascha was my rival. He was a tall, lanky
-young man who, like most Bohemians, had taken up music as a hobby; he
-played the accompaniments to Auguste's songs, and naturally fell in
-love with her. Like myself, he hated the frequent visits of the
-cavaliers, which seemed to be quite the custom in this city; but while
-my displeasure expressed itself in humour, his showed itself in gloomy
-melancholy. This mood made him behave boorishly in public: for
-instance, one evening, when the chandelier was to be lighted for the
-reception of one of these gentlemen, he ran his head purposely against
-this ornament and broke it. The festive illumination was thus rendered
-impossible; the Countess was furious, and Hascha had to leave the house
-never to return.
-
-I well remember that the first time I was conscious of any feelings of
-love, these manifested themselves as pangs of jealousy, which had,
-however, nothing to do with real love: this happened one evening when I
-called at the house. The Countess kept me by her side in an ante-room,
-while the girls, beautifully dressed and gay, flirted in the
-reception-room with those hateful young noblemen. All I had ever read
-in Hoffmann's Tales of certain demoniacal intrigues, which until that
-moment had been obscure to me, now became really tangible facts, and I
-left Prague with an obviously unjust and exaggerated opinion of those
-things and those people, through whom I had suddenly been dragged into
-an unknown world of elementary passions.
-
-On the other hand I had gained by my stay at Pravonin: I had written
-poetry as well as musical compositions. My musical work was a setting
-of Glockentone, a poem by the friend of my youth, Theodor Apel. I had
-already written an aria for soprano which had been performed the winter
-before at one of the theatre concerts. But my new work was decidedly
-the first vocal piece I had written with real inspiration; generally
-speaking, I suppose it owed its' characteristics to the influence of
-Beethoven's Liederkreis: all the same, the impression that it has left
-on my mind is that it was absolutely part of myself, and pervaded by a
-delicate sentimentality which was brought into relief by the dreaminess
-of the accompaniment. My poetical efforts lay in the direction of a
-sketch of a tragi-operatic subject, which I finished in its entirety in
-Prague under the title of Die Hochzeit ('The Wedding'). I wrote it
-without anybody's knowledge, and this was no easy matter, seeing that I
-could not write in my chilly little hotel-room, and had therefore to go
-to the house of Moritz, where I generally spent my mornings. I remember
-how I used quickly to hide my manuscript behind the sofa as soon as I
-heard my host's footsteps.
-
-An extraordinary episode was connected with the plot of this work.
-
-Already years ago I had come across a tragic story, whilst perusing
-Busching's book on chivalry, the like of which I have never since read.
-A lady of noble birth had been assaulted one night by a man who
-secretly cherished a passionate love for her, and in the struggle to
-defend her honour superhuman strength was given her to fling him into
-the courtyard below. The mystery of his death remained unexplained
-until the day of his solemn obsequies, when the lady herself, who
-attended them and was kneeling in solemn prayer, suddenly fell forward
-and expired. The mysterious strength of this profound and passionate
-story made an indelible impression upon my mind. Fascinated, moreover,
-by the peculiar treatment of similar phenomena in Hoffmann's Tales, I
-sketched a novel in which musical mysticism, which I still loved so
-deeply, played an important part. The action was supposed to take place
-on the estate of a rich patron of the fine arts: a young couple was
-going to be married, and had invited the friend of the bride-groom, an
-interesting but melancholy and mysterious young man, to their wedding.
-Intimately connected with the whole affair was a strange old organist.
-The mystic relations which gradually developed between the old
-musician, the melancholy young man and the bride, were to grow out of
-the unravelment of certain intricate events, in a somewhat similar
-manner to that of the mediaeval story above related. Here was the same
-idea: the young man mysteriously killed, the equally strange sudden
-death of his friend's bride, and the old organist found dead on his
-bench after the playing of an impressive requiem, the last chord of
-which was inordinately prolonged as if it never would end.
-
-I never finished this novel: but as I wanted to write the libretto for
-an opera, I took up the theme again in its original shape, and built on
-this (as far as the principal features went) the following dramatic
-plot:--
-
-Two great houses had lived in enmity, and had at last decided to end
-the family feud. The aged head of one of these houses invited the son
-of his former enemy to the wedding of his daughter with one of his
-faithful partisans. The wedding feast is thus used as an opportunity
-for reconciling the two families. Whilst the guests are full of the
-suspicion and fear of treachery, their young leader falls violently in
-love with the bride of his newly found ally. His tragic glance deeply
-affects her; the festive escort accompanies her to the bridal chamber,
-where she is to await her beloved; leaning against her tower-window she
-sees the same passionate eyes fixed on her, and realises that she is
-face to face with a tragedy.
-
-When he penetrates into her chamber, and embraces her with frantic
-passion, she pushes him backwards towards the balcony, and throws him
-over the parapet into the abyss, from whence his mutilated remains are
-dragged by his companions. They at once arm themselves against the
-presumed treachery, and call for vengeance; tumult and confusion fill
-the courtyard: the interrupted wedding feast threatens to end in a
-night of slaughter. The venerable head of the house at last succeeds in
-averting the catastrophe. Messengers are sent to bear the tidings of
-the mysterious calamity to the relatives of the victim: the corpse
-itself shall be the medium of reconciliation, for, in the presence of
-the different generations of the suspected family, Providence itself
-shall decide which of its members has been guilty of treason. During
-the preparations for the obsequies the bride shows signs of approaching
-madness; she flies from her bridegroom, refuses to be united to him,
-and locks herself up in her tower-chamber. Only when, at night, the
-gloomy though gorgeous ceremony commences, does she appear at the head
-of her women to be present at the burial service, the gruesome
-solemnity of which is interrupted by the news of the approach of
-hostile forces and then by the armed attack of the kinsmen of the
-murdered man. When the avengers of the presumed treachery penetrate
-into the chapel and call upon the murderer to declare himself, the
-horrified lord of the manor points towards his daughter who, turning
-away from her bridegroom, falls lifeless by the coffin of her victim.
-This nocturnal drama, through which ran reminiscences of Leubald und
-Adelaide (the work of my far-off boyhood), I wrote in the darkest vein,
-but in a more polished and more noble style, disdaining all
-light-effects, and especially all operatic embellishments. Tender
-passages occurred here and there all the same, and Weinlich, to whom I
-had already shown the beginning of my work on my return to Leipzig,
-praised me for the clearness and good vocal quality of the introduction
-I had composed to the first act; this was an Adagio for a vocal
-septette, in which I had tried to express the reconciliation of the
-hostile families, together with the emotions of the wedded couple and
-the sinister passion of the secret lover. My principal object was, all
-the same, to win my sister Rosalie's approval. My poem, however, did
-not find favour in her eyes: she missed all that which I had purposely
-avoided, insisted on the ornamentation and development of the simple
-situation, and desired more brightness generally. I made up my mind in
-an instant: I took the manuscript, and without a suggestion of
-ill-temper, destroyed it there and then. This action had nothing
-whatever to do with wounded vanity. It was prompted merely by my desire
-honestly to prove to my sister how little I thought of my own work and
-how much I cared for her opinion. She was held in great and loving
-esteem by my mother and by the rest of our family, for she was their
-principal breadwinner: the important salary she earned as an actress
-constituted nearly the whole income out of which my mother had to
-defray the household expenses. For the sake of her profession she
-enjoyed many advantages at home. Her part of the house had been
-specially arranged so that she should have all the necessary comfort
-and peace for her studies; on marketing days, when the others had to
-put up with the simplest fare, she had to have the same dainty food as
-usual. But more than any of these things did her charming gravity and
-her refined way of speaking place her above the younger children. She
-was thoughtful and gentle and never joined us in our rather loud
-conversation. Of course, I had been the one member of the family who
-had caused the greatest anxieties both to my mother and to my motherly
-sister, and during my life as a student the strained relations between
-us had made a terrible impression on me. When therefore they tried to
-believe in me again, and once more showed some interest in my work, I
-was full of gratitude and happiness. The thought of getting this sister
-to look kindly upon my aspirations, and even to expect great things of
-me, had become a special stimulus to my ambition. Under these
-circumstances a tender and almost sentimental relationship grew up
-between Rosalie and myself, which in its purity and sincerity could vie
-with the noblest form of friendship between man and woman. This was
-principally due to her exceptional individuality. She had not any real
-talent, at least not for acting, which had often been considered stagey
-and unnatural. Nevertheless she was much appreciated owing to her
-charming appearance as well as to her pure and dignified womanliness,
-and I remember many tokens of esteem which she received in those days.
-All the same, none of these advances ever seemed to lead to the
-prospect of a marriage, and year by year went by without bringing her
-hopes of a suitable match--a fact which to me appeared quite
-unaccountable. From time to time I thought I noticed that Rosalie
-suffered from this state of affairs. I remember one evening when,
-believing herself to be alone, I heard her sobbing and moaning; I stole
-away unnoticed, but her grief made such an impression upon me that from
-that moment I vowed to bring some joy into her life, principally by
-making a name for myself. Not without reason had our stepfather Geyer
-given my gentle sister the nickname of 'Geistchen' (little spirit), for
-if her talent as an actress was not great, her imagination and her love
-of art and of all high and noble things were perhaps, on that account
-alone, all the greater. From her lips I had first heard expressions of
-admiration and delight concerning those subjects which became dear to
-me later on, and she moved amongst a circle of serious and interesting
-people who loved the higher things of life without this attitude ever
-degenerating into affectation.
-
-On my return from my long journey I was introduced to Heinrich Laube,
-whom my sister had added to her list of intimate friends. It was at the
-time when the after-effects of the July revolution were beginning to
-make themselves felt amongst the younger men of intellect in Germany,
-and of these Laube was one of the most conspicuous. As a young man he
-came from Silesia to Leipzig, his principal object being to try and
-form connections in this publishing centre which might be of use to him
-in Paris, whither he was going, and from which place Borne also made a
-sensation amongst us by his letters. On this occasion Laube was present
-at a representation of a play by Ludwig Robert, Die Macht der
-Verhallnisse ('The Power of Circumstances'). This induced him to write
-a criticism for the Leipzig Tageblatt, which made such a sensation
-through its terse and lively style that he was at once offered, in
-addition to other literary work, the post of editor of Die elegante
-Welt. In our house he was looked upon as a genius; his curt and often
-biting manner of speaking, which seemed to exclude all attempt at
-poetic expression, made him appear both original and daring: his sense
-of justice, his sincerity and fearless bluntness made one respect his
-character, hardened as it had been in youth by great adversity. On me
-he had a very inspiring effect, and I was very much astonished to find
-that he thought so much of me as to write a flattering notice about my
-talent in his paper after hearing the first performance of my symphony.
-
-This performance took place in the beginning of the year 1833 at the
-Leipzig Schneider-Herberge. It was, by the bye, in this dignified old
-hall that the society 'Euterpe' held its concerts! The place was dirty,
-narrow, and poorly lighted, and it was here that my work was introduced
-to the Leipzig public for the first time, and by means of an orchestra
-that interpreted it simply disgracefully. I can only think of that
-evening as a gruesome nightmare; and my astonishment was therefore all
-the greater at seeing the important notice which Laube wrote about the
-performance. Full of hope, I therefore looked forward to a performance
-of the same work at the Gewandhaus concert, which followed soon after,
-and which came off brilliantly in every way. It was well received and
-well spoken of in all the papers; of real malice there was not a
-trace--on the contrary, several notices wore encouraging, and Laube,
-who had quickly become celebrated, confided to me that he was going to
-offer me a libretto for an opera, which he had first written for
-Meyerbeer. This staggered me somewhat, for I was not in the least
-prepared to pose as a poet, and my only idea was to write a real plot
-for an opera. As to the precise manner, however, in which such a book
-had to be written, I already had a very definite and instinctive
-notion, and I was strengthened in the certainty of my own feelings in
-the matter when Laube now explained the nature of his plot to me. He
-told me that he wanted to arrange nothing less than Kosziusko into a
-libretto for grand opera! Once again I had qualms, for I felt at once
-that Laube had a mistaken idea about the character of a dramatic
-subject. When I inquired into the real action of the play, Laube was
-astonished that I should expect more than the story of the Polish hero,
-whose life was crowded with incident; in any case, he thought there was
-quite sufficient action in it to describe the unhappy fate of a whole
-nation. Of course the usual heroine was not missing; she was a Polish
-girl who had a love affair with a Russian; and in this way some
-sentimental situations were also to be found in the plot. Without a
-moment's delay I assured my sister Rosalie that I would not set this
-story to music: she agreed with me, and begged me only to postpone my
-answer to Laube. My journey to Wurzburg was of great help to me in this
-respect, for it was easier to write my decision to Laube than to
-announce it to him personally. He accepted the slight rebuff with good
-grace, but he never forgave me, either then or afterwards, for writing
-my own words!
-
-When he heard what subject I had preferred to his brilliant political
-poem, he made no effort to conceal his contempt for my choice. I had
-borrowed the plot from a dramatic fairy tale by Gozzi, La Donna
-Serpente, and called it Die Feen ('The Fairies'). The names of my
-heroes I chose from different Ossian and similar poems: my prince was
-called Arindal; he was loved by a fairy called Ada, who held him under
-her spell and kept him in fairyland, away from his realm, until his
-faithful friends at last found him and induced him to return, for his
-country was going to rack and ruin, and even its capital had fallen
-into the enemy's hands. The loving fairy herself sends the prince back
-to his country; for the oracle has decreed that she shall lay upon her
-lover the severest of tasks. Only by performing this task triumphantly
-can he make it possible for her to leave the immortal world of fairies
-in order to share the fate of her earthly lover, as his wife. In a
-moment of deepest despair about the state of his country, the fairy
-queen appears to him and purposely destroys his faith in her by deeds
-of the most cruel and inexplicable nature. Driven mad by a thousand
-fears, Arindal begins to imagine that all the time he has been dealing
-with a wicked sorceress, and tries to escape the fatal spell by
-pronouncing a curse upon Ada. Wild with sorrow, the unhappy fairy sinks
-down, and reveals their mutual fate to the lover, now lost to her for
-ever, and tells him that, as a punishment for having disobeyed the
-decree of Fate, she is doomed to be turned into stone (in Gozzi's
-version she becomes a serpent). Immediately afterwards it appears that
-all the catastrophes which the fairy had prophesied were but
-deceptions: victory over the enemy as well as the growing prosperity
-and welfare of the kingdom now follow in quick succession: Ada is taken
-away by the Fates, and Arindal, a raving madman, remains behind alone.
-The terrible sufferings of his madness do not, however, satisfy the
-Fates: to bring about his utter ruin they appear before the repentant
-man and invite him to follow them to the nether world, on the pretext
-of enabling him to free Ada from the spell. Through the treacherous
-promises of the wicked fairies Arindal's madness grows into sublime
-exaltation; and one of his household magicians, a faithful friend,
-having in the meantime equipped him with magic weapons and charms, he
-now follows the traitresses. The latter cannot get over their
-astonishment when they see how Arindal overcomes one after the other of
-the monsters of the infernal regions: only when they arrive at the
-vault in which they show him the stone in human shape do they recover
-their hope of vanquishing the valiant prince, for, unless he can break
-the charm which binds Ada, he must share her fate and be doomed to
-remain a stone for ever. Arindal, who until then has been using the
-dagger and the shield given him by the friendly magician, now makes use
-of an instrument--a lyre--which he has brought with him, and the
-meaning of which he had not yet understood. To the sounds of this
-instrument he now expresses his plaintive moans, his remorse, and his
-overpowering longing for his enchanted queen. The stone is moved by the
-magic of his love: the beloved one is released. Fairyland with all its
-marvels opens its portals, and the mortal learns that, owing to his
-former inconstancy, Ada has lost the right to become his wife on earth,
-but that her beloved, through his great and magic power, has earned the
-right to live for ever by her side in fairyland.
-
-Although I had written Die Hochzeit in the darkest vein, without
-operatic embellishments, I painted this subject with the utmost colour
-and variety. In contrast to the lovers out of fairyland I depicted a
-more ordinary couple, and I even introduced a third pair that belonged
-to the coarser and more comical servant world. I purposely went to no
-pains in the matter of the poetic diction and the verse. My idea was
-not to encourage my former hopes of making a name as a poet; I was now
-really a 'musician' and a 'composer,' and wished to write a decent
-opera libretto simply because I was sure that nobody else could write
-one for me; the reason being that such a book is something quite unique
-and cannot be written either by a poet or by a mere man of letters.
-With the intention of setting this libretto to music, I left Leipzig in
-January, 1833, to stay in Wurzburg with my eldest brother Albert, who
-at the time held an appointment at the theatre. It now seemed necessary
-for me to begin to apply my musical knowledge to a practical purpose,
-and to this end my brother had promised to help me in getting some kind
-of post at the small Wurzburg theatre. I travelled by post to Bamberg
-via Hof, and in Bamberg I stayed a few days in the company of a young
-man called Schunke, who from a player on the horn had become an actor.
-With the greatest interest I learned the story of Caspar Hauser, who at
-that time was very well known, and who (if I am not mistaken) was
-pointed out to me. In addition to this, I admired the peculiar costumes
-of the market-women, thought with much interest of Hoffmann's stay at
-this place, and of how it had led to the writing of his Tales, and
-resumed my journey (to Wurzburg) with a man called Hauderer, and
-suffered miserably from the cold all the way.
-
-My brother Albert, who was almost a new acquaintance to me, did his
-best to make me feel at home in his not over luxurious establishment.
-He was pleased to find me less mad than he had expected me to be from a
-certain letter with which I had succeeded in frightening him some time
-previously, and he really managed to procure me an exceptional
-occupation as choir-master at the theatre, for which I received the
-monthly fee of ten guilders. The remainder of the winter was devoted to
-the serious study of the duties required of a musical director: in a
-very short time I had to tackle two new grand operas, namely,
-Marschner's Vampir and Meyerbeer's Robert der Teufel, in both of which
-the chorus played a considerable part. At first I felt absolutely like
-a beginner, and had to start on Camilla von Paer, the score of which
-was utterly unknown to me. I still remember that I felt I was doing a
-thing which I had no right to undertake: I felt quite an amateur at the
-work. Soon, however, Marschner's score interested me sufficiently to
-make the labour seem worth my while. The score of Robert was a great
-disappointment to me: from the newspapers I had expected plenty of
-originality and novelty; I could find no trace of either in this
-transparent work, and an opera with a finale like that of the second
-act could not be named in the same breath with any of my favourite
-works. The only thing that impressed me was the unearthly keyed trumpet
-which, in the last act, represented the voice of the mother's ghost.
-
-It was remarkable to observe the aesthetic demoralisation into which I
-now fell through having daily to deal with such a work. I gradually
-lost my dislike for this shallow and exceedingly uninteresting
-composition (a dislike I shared with many German musicians) in the
-growing interest which I was compelled to take in its interpretation;
-and thus it happened that the insipidness and affectation of the
-commonplace melodies ceased to concern me save from the standpoint of
-their capability of eliciting applause or the reverse. As, moreover, my
-future career as musical conductor was at stake, my brother, who was
-very anxious on my behalf, looked favourably on this lack of classical
-obstinacy on my part, and thus the ground was gradually prepared for
-that decline in my classical taste which was destined to last some
-considerable time.
-
-All the same, this did not occur before I had given some proof of my
-great inexperience in the lighter style of writing. My brother wanted
-to introduce a 'Cavatine' from the Piraten, by Bellini, into the same
-composer's opera, Straniera; the score was not to be had, and he
-entrusted me with the instrumentation of this work. From the piano
-score alone I could not possibly detect the heavy and noisy
-instrumentation of the ritornelles and intermezzi which, musically,
-were so very thin; the composer of a great C major Symphony with an end
-fugue could only help himself out of the difficulty by the use of a few
-flutes and clarinets playing in thirds. At the rehearsal the 'Cavatine'
-sounded so frightfully thin and shallow that my brother made me serious
-reproaches about the waste of copying expenses. But I had my revenge:
-to the tenor aria of 'Aubry' in Marschner's Vampir I added an Allegro,
-for which I also wrote the words.
-
-My work succeeded splendidly, and earned the praise of both the public
-and my brother. In a similar German style I wrote the music to my Feen
-in the course of the year 1833. My brother and his wife left Wurzburg
-after Easter in order to avail themselves of several invitations at
-friends' houses; I stayed behind with the children--three little girls
-of tender years--which placed me in the extraordinary position of a
-responsible guardian, a post for which I was not in the least suited at
-that time of my life. My time was divided between my work and pleasure,
-and in consequence I neglected my charges. Amongst the friends I made
-there, Alexander Muller had much influence over me; he was a good
-musician and pianist, and I used to listen for hours to his
-improvisations on given themes--an accomplishment in which he so
-greatly excelled, that I could not fail to be impressed. With him and
-some other friends, amongst whom was also Valentin Hamm, I often made
-excursions in the neighbourhood, on which occasions the Bavarian beer
-and the Frankish wine were wont to fly. Valentin Hamm was a grotesque
-individual, who entertained us often with his excellent violin playing;
-he had an enormous stretch on the piano, for he could reach an interval
-of a twelfth. Der Letzte Hieb, a public beer-garden situated on a
-pleasant height, was a daily witness of my fits of wild and often
-enthusiastic boisterousness; never once during those mild summer nights
-did I return to my charges without having waxed enthusiastic over art
-and the world in general. I also remember a wicked trick which has
-always remained a blot in my memory. Amongst my friends was a fair and
-very enthusiastic Swabian called Frohlich, with whom I had exchanged my
-score of the C minor Symphony for his, which he had copied out with his
-own hand. This very gentle, but rather irritable young man had taken
-such a violent dislike to one Andre, whose malicious face I also
-detested, that he declared that this person spoilt his evenings for
-him, merely by being in the same room with him. The unfortunate object
-of his hatred tried all the same to meet us whenever he could: friction
-ensued, but Andre would insist upon aggravating us. One evening
-Frohlich lost patience. After some insulting retort, he tried to chase
-him from our table by striking him with a stick: the result was a fight
-in which Frolich's friends felt they must take part, though they all
-seemed to do so with some reluctance. A mad longing to join the fray
-also took possession of me. With the others I helped in knocking our
-poor victim about, and I even heard the sound of one terrible blow
-which I struck Andre on the head, whilst he fixed his eyes on me in
-bewilderment.
-
-I relate this incident to atone for a sin which has weighed very
-heavily on my conscience ever since. I can compare this sad experience
-only with one out of my earliest boyhood days, namely the drowning of
-some puppies in a shallow pool behind my uncle's house in Eisleben.
-Even to this day I cannot think of the slow death of these poor little
-creatures without horror. I have never quite forgotten some of my
-thoughtless and reckless actions; for the sorrows of others, and in
-particular those of animals, have always affected me deeply to the
-extent of filling me with a disgust of life.
-
-My first love affair stands out in strong contrast against these
-recollections. It was only natural that one of the young chorus ladies
-with whom I had to practise daily should know how to attract my
-attentions. Therese Ringelmann, the daughter of a grave-digger, thanks
-to her beautiful soprano voice, led me to believe that I could make a
-great singer of her. After I told her of this ambitious scheme, she
-paid much attention to her appearance, and dressed elegantly for the
-rehearsals, and a row of white pearls which she wound through her hair
-specially fascinated me. During the summer holidays I gave Therese
-regular lessons in singing, according to a method which has always
-remained a mystery to me ever since. I also called on her very often at
-her house, where, fortunately, I never met her unpleasant father, but
-always her mother and her sisters. We also met in the public gardens,
-but false vanity always kept me from telling my friends of our
-relations. I do not know whether the fault lay with her lowly birth,
-her lack of education, or my own doubt about the sincerity of my
-affections; but in any case when, in addition to the fact that I had my
-reasons for being jealous, they also tried to urge me to a formal
-engagement, this love affair came quietly to an end.
-
-An infinitely more genuine affair was my love for Friederike Galvani,
-the daughter of a mechanic, who was undoubtedly of Italian origin. She
-was very musical, and had a lovely voice; my brother had patronised her
-and helped her to a debut at his theatre, which test she stood
-brilliantly. She was rather small, but had large dark eyes and a sweet
-disposition. The first oboist of the orchestra, a good fellow as well
-as a clever musician, was thoroughly devoted to her. He was looked upon
-as her fiance, but, owing to some incident in his past, he was not
-allowed to visit at her parents' house, and the marriage was not to
-take place for a long time yet. When the autumn of my year in Wurzburg
-drew near, I received an invitation from friends to be present at a
-country wedding at a little distance from Wurzburg; the oboist and his
-fiancee had also been invited. It was a jolly, though primitive affair;
-we drank and danced, and I even tried my hand at violin playing, but I
-must have forgotten it badly, for even with the second violin I could
-not manage to satisfy the other musicians. But my success with
-Friederike was all the greater; we danced like mad through the many
-couples of peasants until at one moment we got so excited that, losing
-all self-control, we embraced each other while her real lover was
-playing the dance music. For the first time in my life I began to feel
-a flattering sensation of self-respect when Friederike's fiance, on
-seeing how we two flirted, accepted the situation with good grace, if
-not without some sadness. I had never had the chance of thinking that I
-could make a favourable impression on any young girl. I never imagined
-myself good-looking, neither had I ever thought it possible that I
-could attract the attention of pretty girls.
-
-On the other hand, I had gradually acquired a certain self-reliance in
-mixing with men of my own age. Owing to the exceptional vivacity and
-innate susceptibility of my nature--qualities which were brought home
-to me in my relations with members of my circle--I gradually became
-conscious of a certain power of transporting or bewildering my more
-indolent companions.
-
-From my poor oboist's silent self-control on becoming aware of the
-ardent advances of his betrothed towards me, I acquired, as I have
-said, the first suggestion of the fact that I might count for
-something, not only among men, but also among women. The Frankish wine
-helped to bring about a state of ever greater confusion, and under the
-cover of its influence I at length declared myself, quite openly, to be
-Friederike's lover. Ever so far into the night, in fact, when day was
-already breaking, we set off home together to Wurzburg in an open
-wagon. This was the crowning triumph of my delightful adventure; for
-while all the others, including, in the end, the jealous oboist, slept
-off their debauch in the face of the dawning day, I, with my cheek
-against Friederike's, and listening to the warbling of the larks,
-watched the coming of the rising sun.
-
-On the following day we had scarcely any idea of what had happened. A
-certain sense of shame, which was not unbecoming, held us aloof from
-one another: and yet I easily won access to Friederike's family, and
-from that time forward was daily a welcome guest, when for some hours I
-would linger in unconcealed intimate intercourse with the same domestic
-circle from which the unhappy betrothed remained excluded. No word was
-ever mentioned of this last connection; never once did it even dawn
-upon Friederike to effect any change in the state of affairs, and it
-seemed to strike no one that I ought, so to speak, to take the fiance's
-place. The confiding manner in which I was received by all, and
-especially by the girl herself, was exactly similar to one of Nature's
-great processes, as, for instance, when spring steps in and winter
-passes silently away. Not one of them ever considered the material
-consequences of the change, and this is precisely the most charming and
-flattering feature of this first youthful love affair, which was never
-to degenerate into an attitude which might give rise to suspicion or
-concern. These relations ended only with my departure from Wurzburg,
-which was marked by the most touching and most tearful leavetaking.
-
-For some time, although I kept up no correspondence, the memory of this
-episode remained firmly imprinted on my mind. Two years later, while
-making a rapid journey through the old district, I once more visited
-Friederike: the poor child approached me utterly shamefaced. Her oboist
-was still her lover, and though his position rendered marriage
-impossible, the unfortunate young woman had become a mother. I have
-heard nothing more of her since.
-
-Amid all this traffic of love I worked hard at my opera, and, thanks to
-the loving sympathy of my sister Rosalie, I was able to find the
-necessary good spirits for the task. When at the commencement of the
-summer my earnings as a conductor came to an end, this same sister
-again made it her business loyally to provide me with ample
-pocket-money, so that I might devote myself solely to the completion of
-my work, without troubling about anything or being a burden to any one.
-At a much later date I came across a letter of mine written to Rosalie
-in those days, which were full of a tender, almost adoring love for
-that noble creature.
-
-When the winter was at hand my brother returned, and the theatre
-reopened. Truth to tell, I did not again become connected with it, but
-acquired a position, which was even more prominent, in the concerts of
-the Musical Society in which I produced my great overture in C major,
-my symphony, and eventually portions of my new opera as well. An
-amateur with a splendid voice, Mademoiselle Friedel, sang the great
-aria from Ada. In addition to this, a trio was given which, in one of
-its passages, had such a moving effect upon my brother, who took part
-in it, that, to his astonishment, as he himself admitted, he completely
-lost his cue on account of it.
-
-By Christmas my work had come to an end, my score was written out
-complete with the most laudable neatness, and now I was to return to
-Leipzig for the New Year, in order to get my opera accepted by the
-theatre there. On the way home I visited Nuremberg, where I stayed a
-week with my sister Clara and with her husband, who were engaged at the
-theatre there. I well remember how happy and comfortable I felt during
-this pleasant visit to the very same relatives who a few years
-previously, when I had stayed with them at Magdeburg, had been upset by
-my resolve to adopt music as a calling. Now I had become a real
-musician, had written a grand opera, and had already brought out many
-things without coming to grief. The sense of all this was a great joy
-to me, while it was no less flattering to my relatives, who could not
-fail to see that the supposed misfortune had in the end proved to my
-advantage. I was in a jolly mood and quite unrestrained--a state of
-mind which was very largely the result not only of my brother-in-law's
-cheerful and sociable household, but also of the pleasant tavern life
-of the place. In a much more confident and elated spirit I returned to
-Leipzig, where I was able to lay the three huge volumes of my score
-before my highly delighted mother and sister.
-
-Just then my family was the richer for the return of my brother Julius
-from his long wanderings. He had worked a good while in Paris as a
-goldsmith, and had now set up for himself in that capacity in Leipzig.
-He too, like the rest, was eager to hear something out of my opera,
-which, to be sure, was not so easy, as I entirely lacked the gift of
-playing anything of the sort in an easy and intelligible way. Only when
-I was able to work myself into a state of absolute ecstasy was it
-possible for me to render something with any effect. Rosalie knew that
-I meant it to draw a sort of declaration of love from her; but I have
-never felt certain whether the embrace and the sisterly kiss which were
-awarded me after I had sung my great aria from Ada, were bestowed on me
-from real emotion or rather out of affectionate regard. On the other
-hand, the zeal with which she urged my opera on the director of the
-theatre, Ringelhardt, the conductor and the manager was unmistakable,
-and she did it so effectually that she obtained their consent for its
-performance, and that very speedily. I was particularly interested to
-learn that the management immediately showed themselves eager to try to
-settle the matter of the costumes for my drama: but I was astonished to
-hear that the choice was in favour of oriental attire, whereas I had
-intended, by the names I had selected, to suggest a northern character
-for the setting. But it was precisely these names which they found
-unsuitable, as fairy personages are not seen in the North, but only in
-the East; while apart from this, the original by Gozzi, which formed
-the basis of the work, undoubtedly bore an oriental character. It was
-with the utmost indignation that I opposed the insufferable turban and
-caftan style of dress, and vehemently advocated the knightly garb worn
-in the early years of the Middle Ages. I then had to come to a thorough
-understanding with the conductor, Stegmayer, on the subject of my
-score. He was a remarkable, short, fat man, with fair curly hair, and
-an exceptionally jovial disposition; he was, however, very hard to
-bring to a point. When over our wine we always arrived at an
-understanding very quickly, but as soon as we sat at the piano, I had
-to listen to the most extraordinary objections concerning the trend of
-which I was for some time extremely puzzled. As the matter was much
-delayed by this vacillation, I put myself into closer communication
-with the stage manager of the opera, Hauser, who at that time was much
-appreciated as a singer and patron of art by the people of Leipzig.
-
-With this man, too, I had the strangest experiences: he who had
-captivated the audiences of Leipzig, more especially with his
-impersonation of the barber and the Englishman in Fra Diavolo, suddenly
-revealed himself in his own house as the most fanatical adherent of the
-most old-fashioned music. I listened with astonishment to the scarcely
-veiled contempt with which he treated even Mozart, and the only thing
-he seemed to regret was that we had no operas by Sebastian Bach. After
-he had explained to me that dramatic music had not actually been
-written yet, and that properly speaking Gluck alone had shown any
-ability for it, he proceeded to what seemed an exhaustive examination
-of my own opera, concerning which all I had wished to hear from him was
-whether it was fit to be performed. Instead of this, however, his
-object seemed to be to point out the failure of my purpose in every
-number. I sweated blood under the unparalleled torture of going through
-my work with this man; and I told my mother and sister of my grave
-depression. All these delays had already succeeded in making it
-impossible to perform my opera at the date originally fixed, and now it
-was postponed until August of the current year (1834).
-
-An incident which I shall never forget inspired me with fresh courage.
-Old Bierey, an experienced and excellent musician, and in his day a
-successful composer, who, thanks more particularly to his long practice
-as a conductor at the Breslau theatre, had acquired a perfectly
-practical knowledge of such things, was then living at Leipzig, and was
-a good friend of my people. My mother and sister begged him to give his
-opinion about the fitness of my opera for the stage, and I duly
-submitted the score to him. I cannot say how deeply affected and
-impressed I was to see this old gentleman appear one day among my
-relatives, and to hear him declare with genuine enthusiasm that he
-simply could not understand how so young a man could have composed such
-a score. His remarks concerning the greatness which he had recognised
-in my talent were really irresistible, and positively amazed me. When
-asked whether he considered the work presentable and calculated to
-produce an effect, he declared his only regret was that he was no
-longer at the head of a theatre, because, had he been, he would have
-thought himself extremely lucky to secure such a man as myself
-permanently for his enterprise. At this announcement my family was
-overcome with joy, and their feelings were all the more justified
-seeing that, as they all knew, Bierey was by no means an amiable
-romancer, but a practical musician well seasoned by a life full of
-experience.
-
-The delay was now borne with better spirits, and for a long time I was
-able to wait hopefully for what the future might bring. Among other
-things, I now began to enjoy the company of a new friend in the person
-of Laube, who at that time, although I had not set his Kosziusko to
-music, was at the zenith of his fame. The first portion of his novel,
-Young Europe, the form of which was epistolary, had appeared, and had a
-most stimulating effect on me, more particularly in conjunction with
-all the youthful hopefulness which at that time pulsated in my veins.
-Though his teaching was essentially only a repetition of that in
-Heinse's Ardinghello, the forces that then surged in young breasts were
-given full and eloquent expression. The guiding spirit of this tendency
-was followed in literary criticism, which was aimed mainly at the
-supposed or actual incapacity of the semi-classical occupants of our
-various literary thrones. Without the slightest mercy the pedants,
-[Footnote: Zopfe in the German text.--TRANSLATOR.] among whom Tieck for
-one was numbered, were treated as sheer encumbrances and hindrances to
-the rise of a new literature. That which led to a remarkable revulsion
-of my feelings with regard to those German composers who hitherto had
-been admired and respected, was partly the influence of these critical
-skirmishes, and the luring sprightliness of their tone; but mainly the
-impression made by a fresh visit of Schroder-Devrient to Leipzig, when
-her rendering of Borneo in Bellini's Romeo and Juliet carried every one
-by storm. The effect of it was not to be compared with anything that
-had been witnessed theretofore. To see the daring, romantic figure of
-the youthful lover against a background of such obviously shallow and
-empty music prompted one, at all events, to meditate doubtfully upon
-the cause of the great lack of effect in solid German music as it had
-been applied hitherto to the drama. Without for the moment plunging too
-deeply into this meditation, I allowed myself to be borne along with
-the current of my youthful feelings, then roused to ardour, and turned
-involuntarily to the task of working off all that brooding seriousness
-which in my earlier years had driven me to such pathetic mysticism.
-
-What Pohlenz had not done by his conducting of the Ninth Symphony, what
-the Vienna Conservatoire, Dionys Weber, and many other clumsy
-performances (which had led me to regard classical music as absolutely
-colourless) had not fully accomplished, was achieved by the
-inconceivable charm of the most unclassical Italian music, thanks to
-the wonderful, thrilling, and entrancing impersonation of Romeo by
-Schroder-Devrient. What effect such powerful, and as regards their
-causes, incomprehensible, effects had upon my opinion was shown in the
-frivolous way in which I was able to contrive a short criticism of
-Weber's Euryanthe for the Elegante Zeitung. This opera had been
-performed by the Leipzig company shortly before the appearance of
-Schroder-Devrient: cold and colourless performers, among whom the
-singer in the title-role, appearing in the wilderness with the full
-sleeves which were then the pink of fashion, is still a disagreeable
-memory. Very laboriously, and without verve, but simply with the object
-of satisfying the demands of classical rules, this company did its
-utmost to dispel even the enthusiastic impressions of Weber's music
-which I had formed in my youth. I did not know what answer to make to a
-brother critic of Laube's, when he pointed out to me the laboured
-character of this operatic performance, as soon as he was able to
-contrast it with the entrancing effect of that Romeo evening. Here I
-found myself confronted with a problem, the solving of which I was just
-at that time disposed to take as easily as possible, and displayed my
-courage by discarding all prejudice, and that daringly, in the short
-criticism just mentioned in which I simply scoffed at Euryanthe. Just
-as I had had my season of wild oat sowing as a student, so now I boldly
-rushed into the same courses in the development of my artistic taste.
-
-It was May, and beautiful spring weather, and a pleasure trip that I
-now undertook with a friend into the promised land of my youthful
-romance, Bohemia, was destined to bring the unrestrained
-'Young-European' mood in me to full maturity. This friend was Theodor
-Apel. I had known him a long while, and had always felt particularly
-flattered by the fact that I had won his hearty affection; for, as the
-son of the gifted master of metre and imitator of Greek forms of
-poetry, August Apel, I felt that admiring deference for him which I had
-never yet been able to bestow upon the descendant of a famous man.
-Being well-to-do and of a good family, his friendship gave me such
-opportunities of coming into touch with the easy circumstances of the
-upper classes as were not of frequent occurrence in my station of life.
-While my mother, for instance, regarded my association with this highly
-respectable family with great satisfaction, I for my part was extremely
-gratified at the thought of the cordiality with which I was received in
-such circles.
-
-Apel's earnest wish was to become a poet, and I took it for granted
-that he had all that was needed for such a calling; above all, what
-seemed to me so important, the complete freedom that his considerable
-fortune assured him by liberating him from all need of earning his
-living or of adopting a profession for a livelihood. Strange to say,
-his mother, who on the death of his distinguished father had married a
-Leipzig lawyer, was very anxious about the vocation he should choose,
-and wished her son to make a fine career in the law, as she was not at
-all disposed to favour his poetical gifts. And it was to her attempts
-to convert me to her view, in order that by my influence I might avert
-the calamity of a second poet in the family, in the person of the son,
-that I owed the specially friendly relations that obtained between
-herself and me. All her suggestions succeeded in doing, however, was to
-stimulate me, even more than my own favourable opinion of his talent
-could, to confirm my friend in his desire to be a poet, and thus to
-support him in his rebellious attitude towards his family.
-
-He was not displeased at this. As he was also studying music and
-composed quite nicely, I succeeded in being on terms of the greatest
-intimacy with him. The fact that he had spent the very year in which I
-had sunk into the lowest depths of undergraduate madness, studying at
-Heidelberg and not at Leipzig, had kept him unsullied by any share in
-my strange excesses, and when we now met again at Leipzig, in the
-spring of 1834, the only thing that we still had in common was the
-aesthetic aspiration of our lives, which we now strove by way of
-experiment to divert into the direction of the enjoyment of life.
-Gladly would we have flung ourselves into lively adventures if only the
-conditions of our environment and of the whole middle-class world in
-which we lived had in any way admitted of such things. Despite all the
-promptings of our instincts, however, we got no further than planning
-this excursion to Bohemia. At all events, it was something that we made
-the journey not by the post, but in our own carriage, and our genuine
-pleasure continued to lie in the fact that at Teplitz, for instance, we
-daily took long drives in a fine carriage. When in the evening we had
-supped off trout at the Wilhelmsburg, drunk good Czernosek wine with
-Bilin water, and duly excited ourselves over Hoffmann, Beethoven,
-Shakespeare, Heinse's Ardinghello, and other matters, and then, with
-our limbs comfortably outstretched in our elegant carriage, drove back
-in the summer twilight to the 'King of Prussia,' where we occupied the
-large balcony-room on the first floor, we felt that we had spent the
-day like young gods, and for sheer exuberance could think of nothing
-better to do than to indulge in the most frightful quarrels which,
-especially when the windows were open, would collect numbers of alarmed
-listeners in the square before the inn.
-
-One fine morning I stole away from my friend in order to take my
-breakfast alone at the 'Schlackenburg,' and also to seize an
-opportunity of jotting down the plan of a new operatic composition in
-my note-book. With this end in view, I had mastered the subject of
-Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, which, in accordance with my present
-mood, I soon transformed pretty freely into a libretto entitled
-Liebesverbot. Young Europe and Ardinghello, and the strange frame of
-mind into which I had fallen with regard to classical operatic music,
-furnished me with the keynote of my conception, which was directed more
-particularly against puritanical hypocrisy, and which thus tended
-boldly to exalt 'unrestrained sensuality.' I took care to understand
-the grave Shakespearean theme only in this sense. I could see only the
-gloomy strait-laced viceroy, his heart aflame with the most passionate
-love for the beautiful novice, who, while she beseeches him to pardon
-her brother condemned to death for illicit love, at the same time
-kindles the most dangerous fire in the stubborn Puritan's breast by
-infecting him with the lovely warmth of her human emotion.
-
-The fact that these powerful features are so richly developed in
-Shakespeare's creation only in order that, in the end, they may be
-weighed all the more gravely in the scales of justice, was no concern
-of mine: all I cared about was to expose the sinfulness of hypocrisy
-and the unnaturalness of such cruel moral censure. Thus I completely
-dropped Measure for Measure, and made the hypocrite be brought to
-justice only by the avenging power of love. I transferred the theme
-from the fabulous city of Vienna to the capital of sunny Sicily, in
-which a German viceroy, indignant at the inconceivably loose morals of
-the people, attempts to introduce a puritanical reform, and comes
-miserably to grief over it. Die Stumme von Portici probably contributed
-to some extent to this theme, as did also certain memories of Die
-Sizilianische Vesper. When I remember that at last even the gentle
-Sicilian Bellini constituted a factor in this composition, I cannot, to
-be sure, help smiling at the strange medley in which the most
-extraordinary misunderstandings here took shape.
-
-This remained for the present a mere draft. Studies from life destined
-for my work were first to be carried out on this delightful excursion
-to Bohemia. I led my friend in triumph to Prague, in the hope of
-securing the same impressions for him which had stirred me so
-profoundly when I was there. We met my fair friends in the city itself;
-for, owing to the death of old Count Pachta, material changes had taken
-place in the family, and the surviving daughters no longer went to
-Pravonin. My behaviour was full of arrogance, and by means of it I
-doubtless wished to vent a certain capricious lust of revenge for the
-feelings of bitterness with which I had taken leave of this circle some
-years previously. My friend was well received. The changed family
-circumstances forced the charming girls ever more and more imperatively
-to come to some decision as to their future, and a wealthy bourgeois,
-though not exactly in trade himself, but in possession of ample means,
-seemed to the anxious mother, at all events, a good adviser. Without
-either showing or feeling any malice in the matter, I expressed my
-pleasure at the sight of the strange confusion caused by Theodor's
-introduction into the family by the merriest and wildest jests: for my
-only intercourse with the ladies consisted purely of jokes and friendly
-chaff. They could not understand how it was that I had altered so
-strangely. There was no longer any of that love of wrangling, that rage
-for instructing, and that zeal in converting in me which formerly they
-had found so irritating. But at the same time not a sensible word could
-I be made to utter, and they who were now wanting to talk over many
-things seriously could get nothing out of me save the wildest
-tomfoolery. As on this occasion, in my character of an uncaged bird, I
-boldly allowed myself many a liberty against which they felt themselves
-powerless, my exuberant spirits were excited all the more when my
-friend, who was led away by my example, tried to imitate me--a thing
-they took in very bad part from him.
-
-Only once was there any attempt at seriousness between us: I was
-sitting at the piano, and was listening to my companion, who was
-telling the ladies that in a conversation at the hotel I had found
-occasion to express myself most warmly to some one who appeared to be
-surprised on hearing of the domestic and industrious qualities of my
-lady friends. I was deeply moved when, as the outcome of my companion's
-remarks, I gathered what unpleasant experiences the poor things had
-already been through: for what seemed to me a very natural action on my
-part, appeared to fill them with unexpected pleasure. Jenny, for
-instance, came up to me and hugged me with great warmth. By general
-consent I was now granted the right of behaving with almost studied
-rudeness, and I replied even to Jenny's warm outburst only with my
-usual banter.
-
-In our hotel, the 'Black Horse,' which was so famous in those days, I
-found the playground in which I was able to carry the mischievous
-spirit not exhausted at the Pachta's house to the point of
-recklessness. Out of the most accidental material in table and
-travelling guests we succeeded in gathering a company around us which
-allowed us, until far into the night, to lead it into the most
-inconceivable follies. To all this I was incited more particularly by
-the personality of a very timid and undersized business man from
-Frankfort on the Oder, who longed to seem of a daring disposition; and
-his presence stimulated me, if only owing to the remarkable chance it
-gave me of coming into contact with some one who was at home in
-Frankfort 'on the Oder.' Any one who knows how things then stood in
-Austria can form some idea of my recklessness when I say that I once
-went so far as to cause our symposium in the public room to bellow the
-Marseillaise out loud into the night. Therefore, when after this heroic
-exploit was over, and while I was undressing, I clambered on the outer
-ledges of the windows from one room to the other on the second floor, I
-naturally horrified those who did not know of the love of acrobatic
-feats which I had cultivated in my earliest boyhood.
-
-Even if I had exposed myself without fear to such dangers, I was soon
-sobered down next morning by a summons from the police. When, in
-addition to this, I recalled the singing of the Marseillaise, I was
-filled with the gravest fears. After having been detained at the
-station a long time, owing to a strange misunderstanding, the upshot of
-it was that the inspector who was told off to examine me found that
-there was not sufficient time left for a serious hearing, and, to my
-great relief, I was allowed to go after replying to a few harmless
-questions concerning the intended length of my stay. Nevertheless, we
-thought it advisable not to yield to the temptation of playing any more
-pranks beneath the spread wings of the double eagle.
-
-By means of a circuitous route into which we were led by our insatiable
-longing for adventures--adventures which, as a matter of fact, occurred
-only in our imagination, and which to all intents and purposes were but
-modest diversions on the road--we at length got back to Leipzig. And
-with this return home the really cheerful period of my life as a youth
-definitely closed. If, up to that time, I had not been free from
-serious errors and moments of passion, it was only now that care cast
-its first shadow across my path.
-
-My family had anxiously awaited my return in order to inform me that
-the post of conductor had been offered to me by the Magdeburg Theatre
-Company. This company during the current summer month was performing at
-a watering place called Lauchstadt. The manager could not get on with
-an incompetent conductor that had been sent to him, and in his
-extremity had applied to Leipzig in the hope of getting a substitute
-forthwith. Stegmayer, the conductor, who had no inclination to practise
-my score Feen during the hot summer weather, as he had promised to do,
-promptly recommended me for the post, and in that way really managed to
-shake off a very troublesome tormentor. For although, on the one hand,
-I really desired to be able to abandon myself freely and without
-restraint to the torrent of adventures that constitute the artist's
-life, yet a longing for independence, which could be won only by my
-earning my own living, had been greatly strengthened in me by the state
-of my affairs. Albeit, I had the feeling that a solid basis for the
-gratification of this desire was not to be laid in Lauchstadt; nor did
-I find it easy to assist the plot concocted against the production of
-my Feen. I therefore determined to make a preliminary visit to the
-place just to see how things stood.
-
-This little watering-place had, in the days of Goethe and Schiller,
-acquired a very wide reputation, its wooden theatre had been built
-according to the design of the former, and the first performance of the
-Braut von Messina had been given there. But although I repeated all
-this to myself, the place made me feel rather doubtful. I asked for the
-house of the director of the theatre. He proved to be out, but a small
-dirty boy, his son, was told to take me to the theatre to find 'Papa.'
-Papa, however, met us on the way. He was an elderly man; he wore a
-dressing-gown, and on his head a cap. His delight at greeting me was
-interrupted by complaints about a serious indisposition, for which his
-son was to fetch him a cordial from a shop close by. Before despatching
-the boy on this errand he pressed a real silver penny into his hand
-with a certain ostentation which was obviously for my benefit. This
-person was Heinrich Bethmann, surviving husband of the famous actress
-of that name, who, having lived in the heyday of the German stage, had
-won the favour of the King of Prussia; and won it so lastingly, that
-long after her death it had continued to be extended to her spouse. He
-always drew a nice pension from the Prussian court, and permanently
-enjoyed its support without ever being able to forfeit its protection
-by his irregular and dissipated ways.
-
-At the time of which I am speaking he had sunk to his lowest, owing to
-continued theatre management. His speech and manners revealed the
-sugary refinement of a bygone day, while all that he did and everything
-about him testified to the most shameful neglect. He took me back to
-his house, where he presented me to his second wife, who, crippled in
-one foot, lay on an extraordinary couch while an elderly bass,
-concerning whose excessive devotion Bethmann had already complained to
-me quite openly, smoked his pipe beside her. From there the director
-took me to his stage manager, who lived in the same house.
-
-With the latter, who was just engaged in a consultation about the
-repertory with the theatre attendant, a toothless old skeleton, he left
-me to settle the necessary arrangements. As soon as Bethmann had gone,
-Schmale, the stage manager, shrugged his shoulders and smiled, assuring
-me that that was just the way of the director, to put everything on his
-back and trouble himself about nothing. There he had been sitting for
-over an hour, discussing with Kroge what should be put on next Sunday:
-it was all very well his starting Don Juan, but how could he get a
-rehearsal carried out, when the Merseburg town bandsmen, who formed the
-orchestra, would not come over on Saturday to rehearse?
-
-All the time Schmale kept reaching out through the open window to a
-cherry tree from which he picked and persistently ate the fruit,
-ejecting the stones with a disagreeable noise. Now it was this last
-circumstance in particular which decided me; for, strange to say, I
-have an innate aversion from fruit. I informed the stage manager that
-he need not trouble at all about Don Juan for Sunday, since for my
-part, if they had reckoned on my making my first appearance at this
-performance, I must anyhow disappoint the director, as I had no choice
-but to return at once to Leipzig, where I had to put my affairs in
-order. This polite manner of tendering my absolute refusal to accept
-the appointment--a conclusion I had quickly arrived at in my own
-mind--forced me to practise some dissimulation, and made it necessary
-for me to appear as if I really had some other purpose in coming to
-Lauchstadt. This pretence in itself was quite unnecessary, seeing that
-I was quite determined never to return there again.
-
-People offered to help me in finding a lodging, and a young actor whom
-I had chanced to know at Wurzburg undertook to be my guide in the
-matter. While he was taking me to the best lodging he knew, he told me
-that presently he would do me the kindness of making me the housemate
-of the prettiest and nicest girl to be found in the place at the time.
-She was the junior lead of the company, Mademoiselle Minna Planer, of
-whom doubtless I had already heard.
-
-As luck would have it, the promised damsel met us at the door of the
-house in question. Her appearance and bearing formed the most striking
-contrast possible to all the unpleasant impressions of the theatre
-which it had been my lot to receive on this fateful morning. Looking
-very charming and fresh, the young actress's general manner and
-movements were full of a certain majesty and grave assurance which lent
-an agreeable and captivating air of dignity to her otherwise pleasant
-expression. Her scrupulously clean and tidy dress completed the
-startling effect of the unexpected encounter. After I had been
-introduced to her in the hall as the new conductor, and after she had
-done regarding with astonishment the stranger who seemed so young for
-such a title, she recommended me kindly to the landlady of the house,
-and begged that I might be well looked after; whereupon she walked
-proudly and serenely across the street to her rehearsal.
-
-I engaged a room on the spot, agreed to Don Juan for Sunday, regretted
-greatly that I had not brought my luggage with me from Leipzig, and
-hastened to return thither as quickly as possible in order to get back
-to Lauchstadt all the sooner. The die was cast. The serious side of
-life at once confronted me in the form of significant experiences. At
-Leipzig I had to take a furtive leave of Laube. At the instance of
-Prussia he had been warned off Saxon soil, and he half guessed at the
-meaning which was to be attached to this move. The time of undisguised
-reaction against the Liberal movement of the early 'thirties had set
-in: the fact that Laube was concerned in no sort of political work, but
-had devoted himself merely to literary activity, always aiming simply
-at aesthetic objects, made the action of the police quite
-incomprehensible to us for the time being. The disgusting ambiguity
-with which the Leipzig authorities answered all his questions as to the
-cause of his expulsion soon gave him the strongest suspicions as to
-what their intentions towards him actually were.
-
-Leipzig, as the scene of his literary labours, being inestimably
-precious, it mattered greatly to him to keep within reach of it. My
-friend Apel owned a fine estate on Prussian soil, within but a few
-hours' distance of Leipzig, and we conceived the wish of seeing Laube
-hospitably harboured there. My friend, who without infringing the legal
-stipulations was in a position to give the persecuted man a place of
-refuge, immediately assented, and with great readiness, to our desire,
-but confessed to us next day, after having communicated with his
-family, that he thought he might incur some unpleasantnesses if he
-entertained Laube. At this the latter smiled, and in a manner I shall
-never forget, though I have noticed in the course of my life that the
-expression which I then saw in his face was one which has often flitted
-over my own features. He took his leave, and in a short time we heard
-that he had been arrested, owing to having undertaken fresh proceedings
-against former members of the Burschenschaft (Students' League), and
-had been lodged in the municipal prison at Berlin. I had thus had two
-experiences which weighed me down like lead, so I packed my scanty
-portmanteau, took leave of my mother and sister, and, with a stout
-heart, started on my career as a conductor.
-
-In order to be able to look upon the little room under Minna's lodging
-as my new home, I was forced also to make the best of Bethmann's
-theatrical enterprise. As a matter of fact, a performance of Don Juan
-was given at once, for the director, who prided himself on being a
-connoisseur of things artistic, suggested that opera to me as one with
-which it would be wise for an aspiring young artist, of a good family,
-to make his debut. Despite the fact that, apart from some of my own
-instrumental compositions, I had never yet conducted, and least of all
-in opera, the rehearsal and the performance went off fairly well. Only
-once or twice did discrepancies appear in the recitative of Donna Anna;
-yet this did not involve me in any kind of hostility, and when I took
-my place unabashed and calm for the production of Lumpaci Vagabundus,
-which I had practised very thoroughly, the people generally seemed to
-have gained full confidence in the theatre's new acquisition.
-
-The fact that I submitted without bitterness and even with some
-cheerfulness to this unworthy use of my musical talent, was due less to
-my taste being at this period, as I called it, in its salad days, than
-to my intercourse with Minna Planer, who was employed in that magic
-trifle as the Amorous Fairy. Indeed, in the midst of this dust-cloud of
-frivolity and vulgarity, she always seemed very much like a fairy, the
-reasons of whose descent into this giddy whirl, which of a truth seemed
-neither to carry her away nor even to affect her, remained an absolute
-mystery. For while I could discover nothing in the opera singers save
-the familiar stage caricatures and grimaces, this fair actress differed
-wholly from those about her in her unaffected soberness and dainty
-modesty, as also in the absence of all theatrical pretence and
-stiltedness. There was only one young man whom I could place beside
-Minna on the ground of qualities like those I recognised in her. This
-fellow was Friedrich Schmitt, who had only just adopted the stage as a
-career in the hope of making a 'hit' in opera, to which, as the
-possessor of an excellent tenor voice, he felt himself called. He too
-differed from the rest of the company, especially in the earnestness
-which he brought to bear upon his studies and his work in general: the
-soulful manly pitch of his chest voice, his clear, noble enunciation
-and intelligent rendering of his words, have always remained as
-standards in my memory. Owing to the fact that he was wholly devoid of
-theatrical talent, and acted clumsily and awkwardly, a check was soon
-put to his progress, but he always remained dear to me as a clever and
-original man of trustworthy and upright character--my only associate.
-
-But my dealings with my kind housemate soon became a cherished habit,
-while she returned the ingenuously impetuous advances of the conductor
-of one-and-twenty with a certain tolerant astonishment which, remote as
-it was from all coquetry and ulterior motives, soon made familiar and
-friendly intercourse possible with her. When, one evening, I returned
-late to my ground-floor room, by climbing through the window, for I had
-no latch-key, the noise of my entry brought Minna to her window just
-over mine. Standing on my window ledge I begged her to allow me to bid
-her good-night once more. She had not the slightest objection to this,
-but declared it must be done from the window, as she always had her
-door locked by the people of the house, and nobody could get in that
-way. She kindly facilitated the handshake by leaning far out of her
-window, so that I could take her hand as I stood on my ledge. When
-later on I had an attack of erysipelas, from which I often suffered,
-and with my face all swollen and frightfully distorted concealed myself
-from the world in my gloomy room, Minna visited me repeatedly, nursed
-me, and assured me that my distorted features did not matter in the
-least. On recovering, I paid her a visit and complained of a rash that
-had remained round my mouth, and which seemed so unpleasant that I
-apologised for showing it to her. This also she made light of. Then I
-inferred she would not give me a kiss, whereupon she at once gave me
-practical proof that she did not shrink from that either.
-
-This was all done with a friendly serenity and composure that had
-something almost motherly about it, and it was free from all suggestion
-of frivolity or of heartlessness. In a few weeks the company had to
-leave Lauchstadt to proceed to Rudolstadt and fulfil a special
-engagement there. I was particularly anxious to make this journey,
-which in those days was an arduous undertaking, in Minna's company, and
-if only I had succeeded in getting my well-earned salary duly paid by
-Bethmann, nothing would have hindered the fulfilment of my wish. But in
-this matter I encountered exceptional difficulties, which in the course
-of eventful years grew in chronic fashion into the strangest of
-ailments. Even at Lauchstadt I had discovered that there was only one
-man who drew his salary in full, namely the bass Kneisel, whom I had
-seen smoking his pipe beside the couch of the director's lame wife. I
-was assured that if I cared greatly about getting some of my wages from
-time to time, I could obtain this favour only by paying court to Mme.
-Bethmann. This time I preferred once more to appeal to my family for
-help, and therefore travelled to Rudolstadt through Leipzig, where, to
-the sad astonishment of my mother, I had to replenish my coffer with
-the necessary supplies. On the way to Leipzig I had travelled with Apel
-through his estate, he having fetched me from Lauchstadt for the
-purpose. His arrival was fixed in my memory by a noisy banquet which my
-wealthy friend gave at the hotel in my honour. It was on this occasion
-that I and one of the other guests succeeded in completely destroying a
-huge, massively built Dutch-tile stove, such as we had in our room at
-the inn. Next morning none of us could understand how it had happened.
-
-It was on this journey to Rudolstadt that I first passed through
-Weimar, where on a rainy day I strolled with curiosity, but without
-emotion, towards Goethe's house. I had pictured something rather
-different, and thought I should experience livelier impressions from
-the active theatre life of Rudolstadt, to which I felt strongly
-attracted. In spite of the fact that I was not to be conductor myself,
-this post having been entrusted to the leader of the royal orchestra,
-who had been specially engaged for our performances, yet I was so fully
-occupied with rehearsals for the many operas and musical comedies
-required to regale the frivolous public of the principality that I
-found no leisure for excursions into the charming regions of this
-little land. In addition to these severe and ill-paid labours, two
-passions held me chained during the six weeks of my stay in Rudolstadt.
-These were, first, a longing to write the libretto of Liebesverbot; and
-secondly, my growing attachment to Minna. It is true, I sketched out a
-musical composition about this time, a symphony in E major, whose first
-movement (3/4 time) I completed as a separate piece. As regards style
-and design, this work was suggested by Beethoven's Seventh and Eighth
-Symphonies, and, so far as I can remember, I should have had no need to
-be ashamed of it, had I been able to complete it, or keep the part I
-had actually finished. But I had already begun at this time to form the
-opinion that, to produce anything fresh and truly noteworthy in the
-realm of symphony, and according to Beethoven's methods, was an
-impossibility. Whereas opera, to which I felt inwardly drawn, though I
-had no real example I wished to copy, presented itself to my mind in
-varied and alluring shapes as a most fascinating form of art. Thus,
-amid manifold and passionate agitations, and in the few leisure hours
-which were left to me, I completed the greater part of my operatic
-poem, taking infinitely more pains, both as regards words and
-versification, than with the text of my earlier Feen. Moreover, I found
-myself possessed of incomparably greater assurance in the arrangement
-and partial invention of situations than when writing that earlier work.
-
-On the other hand, I now began for the first time to experience the
-cares and worries of a lover's jealousy. A change, to me inexplicable,
-manifested itself in Minna's hitherto unaffected and gentle manner
-towards me. It appears that my artless solicitations for her favour, by
-which at that time I meant nothing serious, and in which a man of the
-world would merely have seen the exuberance of a youthful and easily
-satisfied infatuation, had given rise to certain remarks and comments
-upon the popular actress. I was astonished to learn, first from her
-reserved manner, and later from her own lips, that she felt compelled
-to inquire into the seriousness of my intentions, and to consider their
-consequences. She was at that time, as I had already discovered, on
-very intimate terms with a young nobleman, whose acquaintance I first
-made in Lauchstadt, where he used to visit her. I had already realised
-on that occasion that he was unfeignedly and cordially attached to her;
-in fact, in the circle of her friends she was regarded as engaged to
-Herr von O., although it was obvious that marriage was out of the
-question, as the young lover was quite without means, and owing to the
-high standing of his family it was essential that he should sacrifice
-himself to a marriage of convenience, both on account of his social
-position and of the career which he would have to adopt. During this
-stay at Rudolstadt Minna appears to have gathered certain information
-on this point which troubled and depressed her, thus rendering her more
-inclined to treat my impetuous attempts at courtship with cool reserve.
-
-After mature deliberation I recognised that, in any case, Young Europe,
-Ardinghello, and Liebesverbot could not be produced at Rudolstadt; but
-it was a very different matter for the Fee Amorosa, with its merry
-theatrical mood, and an Ehrlicher Burger Kind to seek a decent
-livelihood. Therefore, greatly discouraged, I proceeded to accentuate
-the more extravagant situations of my Liebesverbot by rioting with a
-few comrades in the sausage-scented atmosphere of the Rudolstadt
-Vogelwiese. At this time my troubles again brought me more or less into
-contact with the vice of gambling, although on this occasion it only
-cast temporary fetters about me in the very harmless form of the dice
-and roulette-tables out on the open market-place.
-
-We were looking forward to the time when we should leave Rudolstadt for
-the half-yearly winter season at the capital, Magdeburg, mainly because
-I should there resume my place at the head of the orchestra, and might
-in any case count on a better reward for my musical efforts. But before
-returning to Magdeburg I had to endure a trying interval at Bernburg,
-where Bethmann, the director, in addition to his other undertakings,
-had also promised sundry theatrical performances. During our brief stay
-in the town I had to arrange for the presentation, with a mere fraction
-of the company, of several operas, which were again to be conducted by
-the royal conductor of the place. But in addition to these professional
-labours, I had to endure such a meagre, ill-provided and grievously
-farcical existence as was enough to disgust me, if not for ever, at any
-rate for the time being, with the wretched profession of a theatrical
-conductor. Yet I survived even this, and Magdeburg was destined to lead
-me eventually to the real glory of my adopted profession.
-
-The sensation of sitting in command at the very conductor's desk from
-which, not many years before, the great master Kuhnlein had so moved
-the perplexed young enthusiast by the weighty wisdom of his musical
-directorship, was not without its charm for me, and, indeed, I very
-quickly succeeded in obtaining perfect confidence in conducting an
-orchestra. I was soon a persona grata with the excellent musicians of
-the orchestra. Their splendid combination in spirited overtures, which,
-especially towards the finale, I generally took at an unheard-of speed,
-often earned for us all the intoxicating applause of the public. The
-achievements of my fiery and often exuberant zeal won me recognition
-from the singers, and were greeted by the audience with rapturous
-appreciation. As in Magdeburg, at least in those days, the art of
-theatrical criticism was but slightly developed, this universal
-satisfaction was a great encouragement, and at the end of the first
-three months of my Magdeburg conductorship I felt sustained by the
-flattering and comforting assurance that I was one of the bigwigs of
-opera. Under these circumstances, Schmale, the stage manager, who has
-been my good friend ever since, proposed a special gala performance for
-New Year's Day, which he felt sure would be a triumph. I was to compose
-the necessary music. This was very speedily done; a rousing overture,
-several melodramas and choruses were all greeted with enthusiasm, and
-brought us such ample applause that we repeated the performance with
-great success, although such repetitions after the actual gala day were
-quite contrary to usage.
-
-With the new year (1835) there came a decisive turning-point in my
-life. After the rupture between Minna and myself at Rudolstadt, we had
-been to some extent lost to one another; but our friendship was resumed
-on our meeting again in Magdeburg; this time, however, it remained cool
-and purposely indifferent. When she first appeared in the town, a year
-before, her beauty had attracted considerable notice, and I now learned
-that she was the object of great attention from several young noblemen,
-and had shown herself not unmoved by the compliment implied by their
-visits. Although her reputation, thanks to her absolute discretion and
-self-respect, remained beyond reproach, my objection to her receiving
-such attentions grew very strong, owing possibly, in some degree, to
-the memory of the sorrows I had endured in Pachta's house in Prague.
-Although Minna assured me that the conduct of these gentlemen was much
-more discreet and decent than that of theatre-goers of the bourgeois
-class, and especially than that of certain young musical conductors,
-she never succeeded in soothing the bitterness and insistence with
-which I protested against her acceptance of such attentions. So we
-spent three unhappy months in ever-increasing estrangement, and at the
-same time, in half-frantic despair, I pretended to be fond of the most
-undesirable associates, and acted in every way with such blatant levity
-that Minna, as she told me afterwards, was filled with the deepest
-anxiety and solicitude concerning me. Moreover, as the ladies of the
-opera company were not slow to pay court to their youthful conductor,
-and especially as one young woman, whose reputation was not spotless,
-openly set her cap at me, this anxiety of Minna's seems at last to have
-culminated in a definite decision. I hit upon the idea of treating the
-elite of our opera company to oysters and punch in my own room on New
-Year's Eve. The married couples were invited, and then came the
-question whether Fraulein Planer would consent to take part in such a
-festivity. She accepted quite ingenuously, and presented herself, as
-neatly and becomingly dressed as ever, in my bachelor apartments, where
-things soon grew pretty lively. I had already warned my landlord that
-we were not likely to be very quiet, and reassured him as to any
-possible damage to his furniture. What the champagne failed to
-accomplish, the punch eventually succeeded in doing; all the restraints
-of petty conventionality, which the company usually endeavoured to
-observe, were cast aside, giving place to an unreserved demeanour all
-round, to which no one objected. And then it was that Minna's queenly
-dignity distinguished her from all her companions. She never lost her
-self-respect; and whilst no one ventured to take the slightest liberty
-with her, every one very clearly recognised the simple candour with
-which she responded to my kindly and solicitous attentions. They could
-not fail to see that the link existing between us was not to be
-compared to any ordinary liaison, and we had the satisfaction of seeing
-the flighty young lady who had so openly angled for me fall into a fit
-over the discovery.
-
-From that time onward I remained permanently on the best of terms with
-Minna. I do not believe that she ever felt any sort of passion or
-genuine love for me, or, indeed, that she was capable of such a thing,
-and I can therefore only describe her feeling for me as one of
-heartfelt goodwill, and the sincerest desire for my success and
-prosperity, inspired as she was with the kindest sympathy, and genuine
-delight at, and admiration for, my talents. All this at last became
-part of her nature. She obviously had a very favourable opinion of my
-abilities, though she was surprised at the rapidity of my success. My
-eccentric nature, which she knew so well how to humour pleasantly by
-her gentleness, stimulated her to the continual exercise of the power,
-so flattering to her own vanity, and without ever betraying any desire
-or ardour herself, she never met my impetuous advances with coldness.
-
-At the Magdeburg theatre I had already made the acquaintance of a very
-interesting woman called Mme. Haas. She was an actress, no longer in
-her first youth, and played so-called 'chaperone's parts.' This lady
-won my sympathy by telling me she had been friendly ever since her
-youth with Laube, in whose destiny she continued to take a heartfelt
-and cordial interest. She was clever, but far from happy, and an
-unprepossessing exterior, which with the lapse of years grew more
-uninviting, did not tend to make her any happier. She lived in meagre
-circumstances, with one child, and appeared to remember her better days
-with a bitter grief. My first visit to her was paid merely to inquire
-after Laube's fate, but I soon became a frequent and familiar caller.
-As she and Minna speedily became fast friends, we three often spent
-pleasant evenings talking together. But when, later on, a certain
-jealousy manifested itself on the part of the elder woman towards the
-younger, our confidential relations were more or less disturbed, for it
-particularly grieved me to hear Minna's talents and mental gifts
-criticised by the other. One evening I had promised Minna to have tea
-with her and Mme. Haas, but I had thoughtlessly promised to go to a
-whist party first. This engagement I purposely prolonged, much as it
-wearied me, in the deliberate hope that her companion--who had already
-grown irksome to me--might have left before my arrival. The only way in
-which I could do this was by drinking hard, so that I had the very
-unusual experience of rising from a sober whist party in a completely
-fuddled condition, into which I had imperceptibly fallen, and in which
-I refused to believe. This incredulity deluded me into keeping my
-engagement for tea, although it was so late. To my intense disgust the
-elder woman was still there when I arrived, and her presence at once
-had the effect of rousing my tipsiness to a violent outbreak; for she
-seemed astonished at my rowdy and unseemly behaviour, and made several
-remarks upon it intended for jokes, whereupon I scoffed at her in the
-coarsest manner, so that she immediately left the house in high
-dudgeon. I had still sense enough to be conscious of Minna's astonished
-laughter at my outrageous conduct. As soon as she realised, however,
-that my condition was such as to render my removal impossible without
-great commotion, she rapidly formed a resolution which must indeed have
-cost her an effort, though it was carried out with the utmost calmness
-and good-humour. She did all she could for me, and procured me the
-necessary relief, and when I sank into a heavy slumber, unhesitatingly
-resigned her own bed to my use. There I slept until awakened by the
-wonderful grey of dawn. On recognising where I was, I at once realised
-and grew ever more convinced of the fact that this morning's sunrise
-marked the starting-point of an infinitely momentous period of my life.
-The demon of care had at last entered into my existence.
-
-Without any light-hearted jests, without gaiety or joking of any
-description, we breakfasted quietly and decorously together, and at an
-hour when, in view of the compromising circumstances of the previous
-evening, we could set out without attracting undue notice, I set off
-with Minna for a long walk beyond the city gates. Then we parted, and
-from that day forward freely and openly gratified our desires as an
-acknowledged pair of lovers.
-
-The peculiar direction which my musical activities had gradually taken
-continued to receive ever fresh impetus, not only from the successes,
-but also from the disasters which about this time befell my efforts. I
-produced the overture to my Feen with very satisfactory results at a
-concert given by the Logengesellschaft, and thereby earned considerable
-applause. On the other hand, news came from Leipzig confirming the
-shabby action of the directors of the theatre in that place with regard
-to the promised presentation of this opera. But, happily for me, I had
-begun the music for my Liebesverbot, an occupation which so absorbed my
-thoughts that I lost all interest in the earlier work, and abstained
-with proud indifference from all further effort to secure its
-performance in Leipzig. The success of its overture alone amply repaid
-me for the composition of my first opera.
-
-Meanwhile, in spite of numerous other distractions, I found time,
-during the brief six months of this theatrical season in Magdeburg, to
-complete a large portion of my new opera, besides doing other work. I
-ventured to introduce two duets from it at a concert given in the
-theatre, and their reception encouraged me to proceed hopefully with
-the rest of the opera.
-
-During the second half of this season my friend Apel came to sun
-himself enthusiastically in the splendour of my musical directorship.
-He had written a drama, Columbus, which I recommended to our management
-for production. This was a peculiarly easy favour to win, as Apel
-volunteered to have a new scene, representing the Alhambra, painted at
-his own expense. Besides this, he proposed to effect many welcome
-improvements in the condition of the actors taking part in his play;
-for, owing to the continued preference displayed by the directress for
-Kneisel, the bass, they had all suffered very much from uncertainty
-about their wages. The piece itself appeared to me to contain much that
-was good. It described the difficulties and struggles of the great
-navigator before he set sail on his first voyage of discovery. The
-drama ended with the momentous departure of his ships from the harbour
-of Palos, an episode whose results are known to all the world. At my
-desire Apel submitted his play to my uncle Adolph, and even in his
-critical opinion it was remarkable for its lively and characteristic
-popular scenes. On the other hand, a love romance, which he had woven
-into the plot, struck me as unnecessary and dull. In addition to a
-brief chorus for some Moors who were expelled from Granada, to be sung
-on their departure from the familiar home country, and a short
-orchestral piece by way of conclusion, I also dashed off an overture
-for my friend's play. I sketched out the complete draft of this one
-evening at Minna's house, while Apel was left free to talk to her as
-much and as loudly as he liked. The effect this composition was
-calculated to produce rested on a fundamental idea which was quite
-simple, yet startling in its development. Unfortunately I worked it out
-rather hurriedly. In not very carefully chosen phrasing the orchestra
-was to represent the ocean, and, as far as might be, the ship upon it.
-A forcible, pathetically yearning and aspiring theme was the only
-comprehensible idea amid the swirl of enveloping sound. When the whole
-had been repeated, there was a sudden jump to a different theme in
-extreme pianissimo, accompanied by the swelling vibrations of the first
-violins, which was intended to represent a Fata Morgana. I had secured
-three pairs of trumpets in different keys, in order to produce this
-exquisite, gradually dawning and seductive theme with the utmost
-niceties of shade and variety of modulation. This was intended to
-represent the land of desire towards which the hero's eyes are turned,
-and whose shores seem continually to rise before him only to sink
-elusively beneath the waves, until at last they soar in very deed above
-the western horizon, the crown of all his toil and search, and stand
-clearly and unmistakably revealed to all the sailors, a vast continent
-of the future. My six trumpets were now to combine in one key, in order
-that the theme assigned to them might re-echo in glorious jubilation.
-Familiar as I was with the excellence of the Prussian regimental
-trumpeters, I could rely upon a startling effect, especially in this
-concluding passage. My overture astonished every one, and was
-tumultuously applauded. The play itself, however, was acted without
-dignity. A conceited comedian, named Ludwig Meyer, completely ruined
-the title part, for which he excused himself on the ground that, having
-to act as stage manager also, he had been unable to commit his lines to
-memory. Nevertheless, he managed to enrich his wardrobe with several
-splendid costumes at Apel's expense, wearing them, as Columbus, one
-after the other. At all events, Apel had lived to see a play of his own
-actually performed, and although this was never repeated, yet it
-afforded me an opportunity of increasing my personal popularity with
-the people of Magdeburg, as the overture was several times repeated at
-concerts by special request.
-
-But the chief event of this theatrical season occurred towards its
-close. I induced Mme. Schroder-Devrient, who was staying in Leipzig, to
-come to us for a few special performances, when, on two occasions, I
-had the great satisfaction and stimulating experience of myself
-conducting the operas in which she sang, and thus entering into
-immediate artistic collaboration with her. She appeared as Desdemona
-and Romeo. In the latter role particularly she surpassed herself, and
-kindled a fresh flame in my breast. This visit brought us also into
-closer personal contact. So kindly disposed and sympathetic did she
-show herself towards me, that she even volunteered to lend me her
-services at a concert which I proposed to give for my own benefit,
-although this would necessitate her returning after a brief absence.
-Under circumstances so auspicious I could only expect the best possible
-results from my concert, and in my situation at that time its proceeds
-were a matter of vital importance to me. My scanty salary from the
-Magdeburg opera company had become altogether illusory, being paid only
-in small and irregular instalments, so that I could see but one way of
-meeting my daily expenses. These included frequent entertainment of a
-large circle of friends, consisting of singers and players, and the
-situation had become unpleasantly accentuated by no small number of
-debts. True, I did not know their exact amount; but reckoned that I
-could at least form an advantageous, if indefinite, estimate of the sum
-to be realized by my concert, whereby the two unknown quantities might
-balance each other. I therefore consoled my creditors with the tale of
-these fabulous receipts, which were to pay them all in full the day
-after the concert. I even went so far as to invite them to come and be
-paid at the hotel to which I had moved at the close of the season.
-
-And, indeed, there was nothing unreasonable in my counting on the
-highest imaginable receipts, when supported by so great and popular a
-singer, who, moreover, was returning to Magdeburg on purpose for the
-event. I consequently acted with reckless prodigality as regards cost,
-launching out into all manner of musical extravagance, such as engaging
-an excellent and much larger orchestra, and arranging many rehearsals.
-Unfortunately for me, however, nobody would believe that such a famous
-actress, whose time was so precious, would really return again to
-please a little Magdeburg conductor. My pompous announcement of her
-appearance was almost universally regarded as a deceitful manoeuvre,
-and people took offence at the high prices charged for seats. The
-result was that the hall was only very scantily filled, a fact which
-particularly grieved me on account of my generous patroness. Her
-promise I had never doubted. Punctually on the day appointed she
-reappeared to support me, and now had the painful and unaccustomed
-experience of performing before a small audience. Fortunately, she
-treated the matter with great good-humour (which, I learned later, was
-prompted by other motives, not personally concerning me). Among several
-pieces she sang Beethoven's Adelaide most exquisitely, wherein, to my
-own astonishment, I accompanied her on the piano. But, alas! another
-and more unexpected mishap befell my concert, through our unfortunate
-selection of pieces. Owing to the excessive reverberation of the saloon
-in the Hotel 'The City of London,' the noise was unbearable. My
-Columbus Overture, with its six trumpets, had early in the evening
-filled the audience with terror; and now, at the end, came Beethoven's
-Schlacht bei Vittoria, for which, in enthusiastic expectation of
-limitless receipts, I had provided every imaginable orchestral luxury.
-The firing of cannon and musketry was organised with the utmost
-elaboration, on both the French and English sides, by means of
-specially constructed and costly apparatus; while trumpets and bugles
-had been doubled and trebled. Then began a battle, such as has seldom
-been more cruelly fought in a concert-room. The orchestra flung itself,
-so to speak, upon the scanty audience with such an overwhelming
-superiority of numbers that the latter speedily gave up all thought of
-resistance and literally took to flight. Mme. Schroder-Devrient had
-kindly taken a front seat, that she might hear the concert to an end.
-Much as she may have been inured to terrors of this kind, this was more
-than she could stand, even out of friendship for me. When, therefore,
-the English made a fresh desperate assault upon the French position,
-she took to flight, almost wringing her hands. Her action became the
-signal for a panic-stricken stampede. Every one rushed out; and
-Wellington's victory was finally celebrated in a confidential outburst
-between myself and the orchestra alone. Thus ended this wonderful
-musical festival. Schroder-Devrient at once departed, deeply regretting
-the ill-success of her well-meant effort, and kindly left me to my
-fate. After seeking comfort in the arms of my sorrowing sweetheart, and
-attempting to nerve myself for the morrow's battle, which did not seem
-likely to end in a victorious symphony, I returned next morning to the
-hotel. I found I could only reach my rooms by running the gauntlet
-between long rows of men and women in double file, who had all been
-specially invited thither for the settlement of their respective
-affairs. Reserving the right to select individuals from among my
-visitors for separate interview, I first of all led in the second
-trumpeter of the orchestra, whose duty it had been to look after the
-cash and the music. From his account I learned that, owing to the high
-fees which, in my generous enthusiasm, I had promised to the orchestra,
-a few more shillings and sixpences would still have to come out of my
-own pocket to meet these charges alone. When this was settled, the
-position of affairs was plain. The next person I invited to come in was
-Mme. Gottschalk, a trustworthy Jewess, with whom I wanted to come to
-some arrangement respecting the present crisis. She perceived at once
-that more than ordinary help was required in this case, but did not
-doubt that I should be able to obtain it from my opulent connections in
-Leipzig. She undertook, therefore, to appease the other creditors with
-tranquillising assurances, and railed, or pretended to rail, against
-their indecent conduct with great vigour. Thus at last we succeeded,
-though not without some difficulty, in making the corridor outside my
-door once more passable.
-
-The theatrical season was now over, our company on the point of
-dissolution, and I myself free from my appointment. But meanwhile the
-unhappy director of our theatre had passed from a state of chronic to
-one of acute bankruptcy. He paid with paper money, that is to say, with
-whole sheets of box-tickets for performances which he guaranteed should
-take place. By dint of great craft Minna managed to extract some profit
-even from these singular treasury-bonds. She was living at this time
-most frugally and economically. Moreover, as the dramatic company still
-continued its efforts on behalf of its members--only the opera troupe
-having been dissolved--she remained at the theatre. Thus, when I
-started out on my compulsory return to Leipzig, she saw me off with
-hearty good-wishes for our speedy reunion, promising to spend the next
-holidays in visiting her parents in Dresden, on which occasion she
-hoped also to look me up in Leipzig.
-
-Thus it came about that early in May I once more went home to my own
-folk, in order that after this abortive first attempt at civic
-independence, I might finally lift the load of debt with which my
-efforts in Magdeburg had burdened me. An intelligent brown poodle
-faithfully accompanied me, and was entrusted to my family for food and
-entertainment as the only visible property I had acquired.
-Nevertheless, my mother and Rosalie succeeded in founding good hopes
-for my future career upon the bare fact of my being able to conduct an
-orchestra. To me, on the other hand, the thought of returning once more
-to my former life with my family was very discomfiting. My relation to
-Minna in particular spurred me on to resume my interrupted career as
-speedily as possible. The great change which had come over me in this
-respect was more apparent than ever when Minna spent a few days with me
-in Leipzig on her way home. Her familiar and genial presence proclaimed
-that my days of parental dependence were past and gone. We discussed
-the renewal of my Magdeburg engagement, and I promised her an early
-visit in Dresden. I obtained permission from my mother and sister to
-invite her one evening to tea, and in this way I introduced her to my
-family. Rosalie saw at once how matters stood with me, but made no
-further use of the discovery than to tease me about being in love. To
-her the affair did not appear dangerous; but to me things wore a very
-different aspect, for this love-lorn attachment was entirely in keeping
-with my independent spirit, and my ambition to win myself a place in
-the world of art.
-
-My distaste for Leipzig itself was furthermore strengthened by a change
-which occurred there at this time in the realm of music. At the very
-time that I, in Magdeburg, was attempting to make my reputation as a
-musical conductor by thoughtless submission to the frivolous taste of
-the day, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was conducting the Gewandhaus concerts,
-and inaugurating a momentous epoch for himself and the musical taste of
-Leipzig. His influence had put an end to the simple ingenuousness with
-which the Leipzig public had hitherto judged the productions of its
-sociable subscription concerts. Through the influence of my good old
-friend Pohlenz, who was not yet altogether laid on the shelf, I managed
-to produce my Columbus Overture at a benefit concert given by the
-favourite young singer, Livia Gerhart. But, to my amazement, I found
-that the taste of the musical public in Leipzig had been given a
-different bent, which not even my rapturously applauded overture, with
-its brilliant combination of six trumpets, could influence. This
-experience deepened my dislike of everything approaching a classical
-tone, in which sentiment I found myself in complete accord with honest
-Pohlenz, who sighed good-naturedly over the downfall of the good old
-times.
-
-Arrangements for a musical festival at Dessau, under Friedrich
-Schneider's conductorship, offered me a welcome chance of quitting
-Leipzig. For this journey, which could be performed on foot in seven
-hours, I had to procure a passport for eight days. This document was
-destined to play an important part in my life for many years to come;
-for on several occasions and in various European countries it was the
-only paper I possessed to prove my identity. In fact, owing to my
-evasion of military duty in Saxony, I never again succeeded in
-obtaining a regular pass until I was appointed musical conductor in
-Dresden. I derived very little artistic pleasure or benefit of any kind
-from this occasion; on the contrary, it gave a fresh impetus to my
-hatred of the classical. I heard Beethoven's Symphony in C minor
-conducted by a man whose physiognomy, resembling that of a drunken
-satyr, filled me with unconquerable disgust. In spite of an
-interminable row of contrabassi, with which a conductor usually
-coquettes at musical festivals, his performance was so expressionless
-and inane that I turned away in disgust as from an alarming and
-repulsive problem, and desisted from all attempts to explain the
-impassable gulf which, as I again perceived, yawned between my own
-vivid and imaginative conception of this work and the only living
-presentations of it which I had ever heard. But for the present my
-tormented spirits were cheered and calmed by hearing the classical
-Schneider's oratorio Absalom rendered as an absolute burlesque.
-
-It was in Dessau that Minna had made her first debut on the stage, and
-while there I heard her spoken of by frivolous young men in the tone
-usual in such circles when discussing young and beautiful actresses. My
-eagerness in contradicting this chatter and confounding the
-scandalmongers revealed to me more clearly than ever the strength of
-the passion which drew me to her.
-
-I therefore returned to Leipzig without calling on my relatives, and
-there procured means for an immediate journey to Dresden. On the way
-(the journey was still performed by express coach) I met Minna,
-accompanied by one of her sisters, already on the way back to
-Magdeburg. Promptly procuring a posting ticket for the return journey
-to Leipzig, I actually set off thither with my dear girl; but by the
-time we reached the next station I had succeeded in persuading her to
-turn back with me to Dresden. By this time the mail-coach was far ahead
-of us, and we had to travel by special post-chaise. This lively
-bustling to and fro seemed to astonish the two girls, and put them into
-high spirits. The extravagance of my conduct had evidently roused them
-to the expectation of adventures, and it now behoved me to fulfil this
-expectation. Procuring from a Dresden acquaintance the necessary cash,
-I conducted my two lady friends through the Saxon Alps, where we spent
-several right merry days of innocent and youthful gaiety. Only once was
-this disturbed by a passing fit of jealousy on my part, for which,
-indeed, there was no occasion, but which fed itself in my heart on a
-nervous apprehension of the future, and upon the experience I had
-already gained of womenkind. Yet, despite this blot, our excursion
-still lingers in my memory as the sweetest and almost sole remembrance
-of unalloyed happiness in the whole of my life as a young man. One
-evening in particular stands out in bright relief, during which we sat
-together almost all night at the watering-place of Schandau in glorious
-summer weather. Indeed, my subsequent long and anxious connection with
-Minna, interwoven as it was with the most painful and bitter
-vicissitudes, has often appeared to me as a persistently prolonged
-expiation of the brief and harmless enjoyment of those few days.
-
-After accompanying Minna to Leipzig, whence she continued her journey
-to Magdeburg, I presented myself to my family, but told them nothing of
-my Dresden excursion. I now braced my energies, as though under the
-stern compulsion of a strange and deep sense of duty, to the task of
-making such arrangements as would speedily restore me to my dear one's
-side. To this end a fresh engagement had to be negotiated with Director
-Bethmann for the coming winter season. Unable to await the conclusion
-of our contract in Leipzig, I availed myself of Laube's presence at the
-baths in Kosen, near Naumburg, to pay him a visit. Laube had only
-recently been discharged from the Berlin municipal gaol, after a
-tormenting inquisition of nearly a year's duration. On giving his
-parole not to leave the country until the verdict had been given, he
-had been permitted to retire to Kosen, from which place he, one
-evening, paid us a secret visit in Leipzig. I can still call his
-woebegone appearance to mind. He seemed hopelessly resigned, though he
-spoke cheerfully with regard to all his earlier dreams of better
-things; and owing to my own worries at that time about the critical
-state of my affairs, this impression still remains one of my saddest
-and most painful recollections. While at Kosen I showed him a good many
-of the verses for my Liebesverbot, and although he spoke coldly of my
-presumption in wishing to write my own libretto, I was slightly
-encouraged by his appreciation of my work.
-
-Meanwhile I impatiently awaited letters from Magdeburg. Not that I had
-any doubt as to the renewal of my engagement; on the contrary, I had
-every reason to regard myself as a good acquisition for Bethmann; but I
-felt as though nothing which tended to bring me nearer to Minna could
-move fast enough. As soon as I received the necessary tidings, I
-hurried away to make all needful arrangements on the spot for ensuring
-a magnificent success in the coming Magdeburg operatic season.
-
-Through the tireless munificence of the King of Prussia fresh and final
-assistance had been granted to our perennially bankrupt theatrical
-director. His Majesty had assigned a not inconsiderable sum to a
-committee consisting of substantial Magdeburg citizens, as a subsidy to
-be expended on the theatre under Bethmann's management. What this
-meant, and the respect with which I thereupon regarded the artistic
-conditions of Magdeburg, may be best imagined if one remembers the
-neglected and forlorn surroundings amid which such provincial theatres
-usually drag out their lives. I offered at once to undertake a long
-journey in search of good operatic singers. I said I would find the
-means for this at my own risk, and the only guarantee I demanded from
-the management for eventual reimbursement was that they should assign
-me the proceeds of a future benefit performance. This offer was gladly
-accepted, and in pompous tones the director furnished me with the
-necessary powers, and moreover gave me his parting blessing. During
-this brief interval I lived once more in intimate communion with
-Minna--who now had her mother with her--and then took fresh leave of
-her for my venturesome enterprise.
-
-But when I got to Leipzig I found it by no means easy to procure the
-funds, so confidently counted on when in Magdeburg, for the expenses of
-my projected journey. The glamour of the royal protection of Prussia
-for our theatrical undertaking, which I portrayed in the liveliest
-colours to my good brother-in-law Brockhaus, quite failed to dazzle
-him, and it was at the cost of great pains and humiliation that I
-finally got my ship of discovery under weigh.
-
-I was naturally drawn first of all to my old wonderland of Bohemia.
-There I merely touched at Prague and, without visiting my lovely lady
-friends, I hurried forward so that I might first sample the opera
-company then playing for the season at Karlsbad. Impatient to discover
-as many talents as I could as soon as possible, so as not to exhaust my
-funds to no purpose, I attended a performance of La Dame Blanche,
-sincerely hoping to find the whole performance first class. But not
-until much later did I fully realise how wretched was the quality of
-all these singers. I selected one of them, a bass named Graf, who was
-singing Gaveston. When in due course he made his debut at Magdeburg, he
-provoked so much well-founded dissatisfaction, that I could not find a
-word to say in reply to the mockery which this acquisition brought upon
-me.
-
-But the small success with which the real object of my tour was
-attended was counterbalanced by the pleasantness of the journey itself.
-The trip through Eger, over the Fichtel mountains, and the entry into
-Bayreuth, gloriously illuminated by the setting sun, have remained
-happy memories to this day.
-
-My next goal was Nuremberg, where my sister Clara and her husband were
-acting, and from whom I might reckon on sound information as to the
-object of my search. It was particularly nice to be hospitably received
-in my sister's house, where I hoped to revive my somewhat exhausted
-means of travel. In this hope I reckoned chiefly upon the sale of a
-snuff-box presented to me by a friend, which I had secret reasons to
-suppose was made of platinum. To this I could add a gold signet-ring,
-given me by my friend Apel for composing the overture to his Columbus.
-The value of the snuff-box unfortunately proved to be entirely
-imaginary; but by pawning these two jewels, the only ones I had left, I
-hoped to provide myself with the bare necessaries for continuing my
-journey to Frankfort. It was to this place and the Rhine district that
-the information I had gathered led me to direct my steps. Before
-leaving I persuaded my sister and brother-in-law to accept engagements
-in Magdeburg; but I still lacked a first tenor and a soprano, whom
-hitherto I had altogether failed to discover.
-
-My stay in Nuremberg was most agreeably prolonged through a renewed
-meeting with Schroder-Devrient, who just at that time was fulfilling a
-short engagement in that town. Meeting her again was like seeing the
-clouds disperse, which, since our last meeting, had darkened my
-artistic horizon.
-
-The Nuremberg operatic company had a very limited repertoire. Besides
-Fidelio they could produce nothing save Die Schweizerfamilie, a fact
-about which this great singer complained, as this was one of her first
-parts sung in early youth, for which she was hardly any longer suited,
-and which, in addition, she had played ad nauseam. I also looked
-forward to the performance of Die Schweizerfamilie with misgivings, and
-even with anxiety, for I feared lest this tame opera and the
-old-fashioned sentimental part of Emmeline would weaken the great
-impression the public, as well as myself, had formed up to that moment
-of the work of this sublime artist. Imagine, therefore, how deeply
-moved and astonished I was, on the evening of the performance, to find
-that it was in this very part that I first realised the truly
-transcendental genius of this extraordinary woman. That anything so
-great as her interpretation of the character of the Swiss maiden could
-not be handed down to posterity as a monument for all time can only be
-looked upon as one of the most sublime sacrifices demanded by dramatic
-art, and as one of its highest manifestations. When, therefore, such
-phenomena appear, we cannot hold them in too great reverence, nor look
-upon them as too sacred.
-
-Apart from all these new experiences which were to become of so much
-value to my whole life and to my artistic development, the impressions
-I received at Nuremberg, though they were apparently trivial in their
-origin, left such indelible traces on my mind, that they revived within
-me later on, though in quite a different and novel form.
-
-My brother-in-law, Wolfram, was a great favourite with the Nuremberg
-theatrical world; he was witty and sociable, and as such made himself
-much liked in theatrical circles. On this occasion I received
-singularly delightful proofs of the spirit of extravagant gaiety
-manifested on these evenings at the inn, in which I also took part. A
-master carpenter, named Lauermann, a little thick-set man, no longer
-young, of comical appearance and gifted only with the roughest dialect,
-was pointed out to me in one of the inns visited by our friends as one
-of those oddities who involuntarily contributed most to the amusement
-of the local wags. Lauermann, it seems, imagined himself an excellent
-singer, and as a result of this presumption, evinced interest only in
-those in whom he thought he recognised a like talent. In spite of the
-fact that, owing to this singular peculiarity, he became the butt of
-constant jest and scornful mockery, he never failed to appear every
-evening among his laughter-loving persecutors. So often had he been
-laughed at and hurt by their scorn, that it became very difficult to
-persuade him to give a display of his artistic skill, and this at last
-could only be effected by artfully devised traps, so laid as to appeal
-to his vanity. My arrival as an unknown stranger was utilised for a
-manoeuvre of this kind. How poor was the opinion they held of the
-unfortunate mastersinger's judgment was revealed when, to my great
-amazement, my brother-in-law introduced me to him as the great Italian
-singer, Lablache. To his credit I must confess that Lauermann surveyed
-me for a long time with incredulous distrust, and commented with
-cautious suspicion on my juvenile appearance, but especially on the
-evidently tenor character of my voice. But the whole art of these
-tavern associates and their principal enjoyment consisted in leading
-this poor enthusiast to believe the incredible, a task on which they
-spared neither time nor pains.
-
-My brother-in-law succeeded in making the carpenter believe that I,
-while receiving fabulous sums for my performances, wished by a singular
-act of dissimulation, and by visiting public inns, to withdraw from the
-general public; and that, moreover, when it came to a meeting between
-'Lauermann' and 'Lablache,' the only real interest could be to hear
-Lauermann and not Lablache, seeing that the former had nothing to learn
-from the latter, but only Lablache from him. So singular was the
-conflict between incredulity, on the one hand, and keenly excited
-vanity on the other, that finally the poor carpenter became really
-attractive to me. I began to play the role assigned me with all the
-skill I could command, and after a couple of hours, which were relieved
-by the strangest antics, we at last gained our end. The wondrous
-mortal, whose flashing eyes had long been fixed on me in the greatest
-excitement, worked his muscles in the peculiarly fantastic fashion
-which we are accustomed to associate with a music-making automaton, the
-mechanism of which has been duly wound up: his lips quivered, his teeth
-gnashed, his eyes rolled convulsively, until finally there broke forth,
-in a hoarse oily voice, an uncommonly trivial street-ballad. Its
-delivery, accompanied by a regular movement of his outstretched thumbs
-behind the ears, and during which his fat face glowed the brightest
-red, was unhappily greeted with a wild burst of laughter from all
-present, which excited the unlucky master to the most furious wrath.
-With studied cruelty this wrath was greeted by those, who until then
-had shamelessly flattered him, with the most extravagant mockery, until
-the poor wretch at last absolutely foamed with rage.
-
-As he was leaving the inn amid a hail of curses from his infamous
-friends, an impulse of genuine pity prompted me to follow him, that I
-might beg his forgiveness and seek in some way to pacify him, a task
-all the more difficult since he was especially bitter against me as the
-latest of his enemies, and the one who had so deeply deceived his eager
-hope of hearing the genuine Lablache. Nevertheless, I succeeded in
-stopping him on the threshold; and now the riotous company silently
-entered into an extraordinary conspiracy to induce Lauermann to sing
-again that very evening. How they managed this I can as little remember
-as I can call to mind the effect of the spirituous liquors I imbibed.
-In any case, I suspect that drink must eventually have been the means
-of subduing Lauermann, just as it also rendered my own recollections of
-the wonderful events of that prolonged evening at the inn extremely
-vague. After Lauermann had for the second time suffered the same
-mockery, the whole company felt itself bound to accompany the unhappy
-man to his home. They carried him thither in a wheelbarrow, which they
-found outside the house, and in this he arrived, in triumph, at his own
-door, in one of those marvellous narrow alleys peculiar to the old
-city. Frau Lauermann, who was aroused from slumber to receive her
-husband, enabled us, by her torrent of curses, to form some idea of the
-nature of their marital and domestic relations. Mockery of her
-husband's vocal talents was with her also a familiar theme; but to this
-she now added the most dreadful reproaches for the worthless scamps
-who, by encouraging him in this delusion, kept him from profitably
-following his trade, and even led him to such scenes as the present
-one. Thereupon the pride of the suffering mastersinger reasserted
-itself; for while his wife painfully assisted him to mount the stairs,
-he harshly denied her right to sit in judgment upon his vocal gifts,
-and sternly ordered her to be silent. But even now this wonderful
-night-adventure was by no means over. The entire swarm moved once more
-in the direction of the inn. Before the house, however, we found a
-number of fellows congregated, among them several workmen, against
-whom, owing to police regulations as to closing hours, the doors were
-shut. But the regular guests of the house, who were of our party, and
-who were on terms of old friendship with the host, thought that it was
-nevertheless permissible and possible to demand entrance. The host was
-troubled at having to bar his door against friends, whose voices he
-recognised; yet it was necessary to prevent the new arrivals from
-forcing a way in with them. Out of this situation a mighty confusion
-arose, which, what with shouting and clamour and an inexplicable growth
-in the number of the disputants, soon assumed a truly demoniacal
-character. It seemed to me as though in a few moments the whole town
-would break into a tumult, and I thought I should once more have to
-witness a revolution, the real origin of which no man could comprehend.
-Then suddenly I heard some one fall, and, as though by magic, the whole
-mass scattered in every direction. One of the regular guests, who was
-familiar with an ancient Nuremberg boxing trick, desiring to put an end
-to the interminable riot and to cut his way home through the crowd,
-gave one of the noisiest shouters a blow with his fist between the
-eyes, laying him senseless on the ground, though without seriously
-injuring him. And this it was that so speedily broke up the whole
-throng. Within little more than a minute of the most violent uproar of
-hundreds of human voices, my brother-in-law and I were able to stroll
-arm-in-arm through the moonlit streets, quietly jesting and laughing,
-on our way home; and then it was that, to my amazement and relief, he
-informed me that he was accustomed to this sort of life every evening.
-
-At last, however, it became necessary seriously to attend to the
-purpose of my journey. Only in passing did I touch at Wurzburg for a
-day. I remember nothing of the meeting with my relations and
-acquaintance beyond the melancholy visit to Friederike Galvani already
-mentioned. On reaching Frankfort I was obliged to seek at once the
-shelter of a decent hotel, in order to await there the result of my
-solicitations for subsidies from the directorate of the Magdeburg
-theatre. My hopes of securing the real stars of our operatic
-undertaking were formed with a view to a season at Wiesbaden, where, I
-was told, a good operatic company was on the point of dissolution. I
-found it extremely difficult to arrange the short journey thither; yet
-I managed to be present at a rehearsal of Robert der Teufel, in which
-the tenor Freimuller distinguished himself. I interviewed him at once,
-and found him willing to entertain my proposals for Magdeburg. We
-concluded the necessary agreement, and I then returned with all speed
-to my headquarters, the Weidenbusch Hotel in Frankfort. There I had to
-spend another anxious week, during which I waited in vain for the
-necessary travelling expenses to arrive from Magdeburg. To kill time I
-had recourse, among other things, to a large red pocket-book which I
-carried about with me in my portmanteau, and in which I entered, with
-exact details of dates, etc., notes for my future biography--the
-selfsame book which now lies before me to freshen my memory, and which
-I have ever since added to at various periods of my life, without
-leaving any gaps. Through the neglect of the Magdeburg managers my
-situation, which was already serious, became literally desperate, when
-I made an acquisition in Frankfort which gave me almost more pleasure
-than I was able to bear. I had been present at a production of the
-Zauberflote under the direction of Guhr, then wonderfully renowned as
-'a conductor of genius,' and was agreeably surprised at the truly
-excellent quality of the company. It was, of course, useless to think
-of luring one of the leading stars into my net; on the other hand, I
-saw clearly enough that the youthful Fraulein Limbach, who sang the
-'first boy's' part, possessed a desirable talent. She accepted my offer
-of an engagement, and, indeed, seemed so anxious to be rid of her
-Frankfort engagement that she resolved to escape from it
-surreptitiously. She revealed her plans to me, and begged me to assist
-her in carrying them out; for, inasmuch as the directors might get wind
-of the affair, there was no time to lose. At all events, the young lady
-assumed that I had abundant credit, supplied for my official business
-journey by the Magdeburg theatre committee, whose praises I had so
-diligently sung. But already I had been compelled to pledge my scanty
-travelling gear in order to provide for my own departure. To this point
-I had persuaded the host, but now found him by no means inclined to
-advance me the additional funds needed for carrying off a young singer.
-To cloak the bad behaviour of my directors I was compelled to invent
-some tale of misfortune, and to leave the astonished and indignant
-young lady behind. Heartily ashamed of this adventure, I travelled
-through rain and storm via Leipzig, where I picked up my brown poodle,
-and reaching Magdeburg, there resumed my work as musical director on
-the 1st of September.
-
-The result of my business labours gave me but little joy. The director,
-it is true, proved triumphantly that he had sent five whole golden
-louis to my address in Frankfort, and that my tenor and the youthful
-lady-singer had also been provided with proper contracts, but not with
-the fares and advances demanded. Neither of them came; only the basso
-Graf arrived with pedantic punctuality from Karlsbad, and immediately
-provoked the chaff of our theatrical wags. He sang at a rehearsal of
-the Schweizerfamilie with such a schoolmasterly drone that I completely
-lost my composure. The arrival of my excellent brother-in-law Wolfram
-with my sister Clara was of more advantage for musical comedy than for
-grand opera, and caused me considerable trouble into the bargain; for,
-being honest folk and used to decent living, they speedily perceived
-that, in spite of royal protection, the condition of the theatre was
-but very insecure, as was natural under so unscrupulous a management as
-that of Bethmann, and recognised with alarm that they had seriously
-compromised their family position. My courage had already begun to sink
-when a happy chance brought us a young woman, Mme. Pollert (nee
-Zeibig), who was passing through Magdeburg with her husband, an actor,
-in order to fulfil a special engagement in that town; she was gifted
-with a beautiful voice, was a talented singer, and well suited for the
-chief roles. Necessity had at last driven the directors to action, and
-at the eleventh hour they sent for the tenor Freimuller. But I was
-particularly gratified when the love which had arisen between him and
-young Limbach in Frankfort enabled the enterprising tenor to carry away
-this singer, to whom I had behaved so miserably. Both arrived radiant
-with joy. Along with them we engaged Mme. Pollert, who, in spite of her
-pretentiousness, met with favour from the public. A well-trained and
-musically competent baritone, Herr Krug, afterwards the conductor of a
-choir in Karlsruhe, had also been discovered, so that all at once I
-stood at the head of a really good operatic company, among which the
-basso Graf could be fitted in only with great difficulty, by being kept
-as much as possible in the background. We succeeded quickly with a
-series of operatic performances which were by no means ordinary, and
-our repertory included everything of this nature that had ever been
-written for the theatre. I was particularly pleased with the
-presentation of Spohr's Jessonda, which was truly not without
-sublimity, and raised us high in the esteem of all cultured lovers of
-music. I was untiring in my endeavours to discover some means of
-elevating our performances above the usual level of excellence
-compatible with the meagre resources of provincial theatres. I
-persistently fell foul of the director Bethmann by strengthening my
-orchestra, which he had to pay; but, on the other hand, I won his
-complete goodwill by strengthening the chorus and the theatre music,
-which cost him nothing, and which lent such splendour to our
-presentations that subscriptions and audiences increased enormously.
-For instance, I secured the regimental band, and also the military
-singers, who in the Prussian army are admirably organised, and who
-assisted in our performances in return for free passes to the gallery
-granted to their relatives. Thus I managed to furnish with the utmost
-completeness the specially strong orchestral accompaniment demanded by
-the score of Bellini's Norma, and was able to dispose of a body of male
-voices for the impressive unison portion of the male chorus in the
-introduction of that work such as even the greatest theatres could
-rarely command. In later years I was able to assure Auber, whom I often
-met over an ice in Tortoni's cafe in Paris, that in his Lestocq I had
-been able to render the part of the mutinous soldiery, when seduced
-into conspiracy, with an absolutely full number of voices, a fact for
-which he thanked me with astonishment and delight.
-
-Amid such circumstances of encouragement the composition of my
-Liebesverbot made rapid strides towards completion. I intended the
-presentation of this piece for the benefit performance which had been
-promised me as a means of defraying my expenses, and I worked hard in
-the hope of improving my reputation, and at the same time of
-accomplishing something by no means less desirable, and that was the
-betterment of my financial position. Even the few hours which I could
-snatch from business to spend at Minna's side were devoted with
-unexampled zeal to the completion of my score. My diligence moved even
-Minna's mother, who looked with some uneasiness upon our love affair.
-She had remained over the summer on a visit to her daughter, and
-managed the house for her. Owing to her interference a new and urgent
-anxiety had entered into our relations, which pressed for serious
-settlement. It was natural that we should begin to think of what it was
-all going to lead to. I must confess that the idea of marriage,
-especially in view of my youth, filled me with dismay, and without
-indeed reflecting on the matter, or seriously weighing its pros and
-cons, a naive and instinctive feeling prevented me even from
-considering the possibility of a step which would have such serious
-consequences upon my whole life. Moreover, our modest circumstances
-were in so alarming and uncertain a state that even Minna declared that
-she was more anxious to see these improved than to get me to marry her.
-But she was also driven to think of herself, and that promptly, for
-trouble arose with regard to her own position in the Magdeburg theatre.
-There she had met with a rival in her own speciality, and as this
-woman's husband became chief stage manager, and consequently had
-supreme power, she grew to be a source of great danger. Seeing,
-therefore, that at this very moment Minna received advantageous offers
-from the managers of the Konigstadt theatre in Berlin, then doing a
-splendid business, she seized the opportunity to break off her
-connection with the Magdeburg theatre, and thus plunged me, whom she
-did not appear to consider in the matter, into the depths of despair. I
-could not hinder Minna from going to Berlin to fulfil a special
-engagement there, although this was not in accordance with her
-agreement, and so she departed, leaving me behind, overcome with grief
-and doubt as to the meaning of her conduct. At last, mad with passion,
-I wrote to her urging her to return, and the better to move her and not
-to separate her fate from my own, I proposed to her in a strictly
-formal manner, and hinted at the hope of early marriage. About the same
-time my brother-in-law, Wolfram, having quarrelled with the director
-Bethmann and cancelled his contract with him, also went to the
-Konigstadt theatre to fulfil a special engagement. My good sister
-Clara, who had remained behind for a while amid the somewhat unpleasant
-conditions of Magdeburg, soon perceived the anxious and troubled temper
-in which her otherwise cheerful brother was rapidly consuming himself.
-One day she thought it advisable to show me a letter from her husband,
-with news from Berlin, and especially concerning Minna, in which he
-earnestly deplored my passion for this girl, who was acting quite
-unworthily of me. As she lodged at his hotel, he was able to observe
-that not only the company she kept, but also her own conduct, were
-perfectly scandalous. The extraordinary impression which this dreadful
-communication made upon me decided me to abandon the reserve I had
-hitherto shown towards my relatives with regard to my love affairs. I
-wrote to my brother-in-law in Berlin, telling him how matters stood
-with me, and that my plans greatly depended on Minna, and further, how
-extremely important it was for me to learn from him the indubitable
-truth concerning her of whom he had sent so evil an account. From my
-brother-in-law, usually so dry and given to joking, I received a reply
-which filled my heart to overflowing again. He confessed that he had
-accused Minna too hastily, and regretted that he had allowed idle
-chatter to influence him in founding a charge, which, on investigation,
-had proved to be altogether groundless and unjust; he declared,
-moreover, that on nearer acquaintance and conversation with her he had
-been so fully convinced of the genuineness and uprightness of her
-character, that he hoped with all his heart that I might see my way to
-marry her. And now a storm raged in my heart. I implored Minna to
-return at once, and was glad to learn that, for her part, she was not
-inclined to renew her engagement at the Berlin theatre, as she had now
-acquired a more intimate knowledge of the life there, and found it too
-frivolous. All that remained, then, was for me to facilitate the
-resumption of her Magdeburg engagement. To this end, therefore, at a
-meeting of the theatre committee, I attacked the director and his
-detested stage manager with such energy, and defended Minna against the
-wrong done her by them both with such passion and fervour, that the
-other members, astonished at the frank confession of my affection,
-yielded to my wishes without any further ado. And now I set off by
-extra post in the depth of night and in dreadful winter weather to meet
-my returning sweetheart. I greeted her with tears of deepest joy, and
-led her back in triumph to her cosy Magdeburg home, already become so
-dear to me.
-
-Meanwhile, as our two lives, thus severed for a while, were being drawn
-more and more closely together, I finished the score of my Liebesverbot
-about New Year 1836. For the development of my future plans I depended
-not a little upon the success of this work; and Minna herself seemed
-not disinclined to yield to my hopes in this respect. We had reason to
-be concerned as to how matters would pan out for us at the beginning of
-the spring, for this season is always a bad one in which to start such
-precarious theatrical enterprises. In spite of royal support and the
-participation of the theatre committee in the general management of the
-theatre, our worthy director's state of perennial bankruptcy suffered
-no alteration, and it seemed as if his theatrical undertaking could not
-possibly last much longer in any form. Nevertheless, with the help of
-the really first-rate company of singers at my disposal, the production
-of my opera was to mark a complete change in my unsatisfactory
-circumstances. With the view of recovering the travelling expenses I
-had incurred during the previous summer, I was entitled to a benefit
-performance. I naturally fixed this for the presentation of my own
-work, and did my utmost so that this favour granted me by the directors
-should prove as inexpensive to them as possible. As they would
-nevertheless be compelled to incur some expense in the production of
-the new opera, I agreed that the proceeds of the first presentation
-should be left to them, while I should claim only those of the second.
-I did not consider it altogether unsatisfactory that the time for the
-rehearsals was postponed until the very end of the season, for it was
-reasonable to suppose that our company, which was often greeted with
-unusual applause, would receive special attention and favour from the
-public during its concluding performances. Unfortunately, however,
-contrary to our expectations, we never reached the proper close of this
-season, which had been fixed for the end of April; for already in
-March, owing to irregularity in the payment of salaries, the most
-popular members of the company, having found better employment
-elsewhere, tendered their resignations to the management, and the
-director, who was unable to raise the necessary cash, was compelled to
-bow to the inevitable. Now, indeed, my spirits sank, for it seemed more
-than doubtful whether my Liebesverbot would ever be produced at all. I
-owed it entirely to the warm affection felt for me personally by all
-members of the opera company, that the singers consented not only to
-remain until the end of March, but also to undertake the toil of
-studying and rehearsing my opera, a task which, considering the very
-limited time, promised to be extremely arduous. In the event of our
-having to give two representations, the time at our disposal was so
-very short that, for all the rehearsals, we had but ten days before us.
-And since we were concerned not with a light comedy or farce, but with
-a grand opera, and one which, in spite of the trifling character of its
-music, contained numerous and powerful concerted passages, the
-undertaking might have been regarded almost as foolhardy. Nevertheless,
-I built my hopes upon the extraordinary exertions which the singers so
-willingly made in order to please me; for they studied continuously,
-morning, noon, and night. But seeing that, in spite of all this, it was
-quite impossible to attain to perfection, especially in the matter of
-words, in the case of every one of these harassed performers, I
-reckoned further on my own acquired skill as conductor to achieve the
-final miracle of success. The peculiar ability I possessed of helping
-the singers and of making them, in spite of much uncertainty, seem to
-flow smoothly onwards, was clearly demonstrated in our orchestral
-rehearsals, in which, by dint of constant prompting, loud singing with
-the performers and vigorous directions as to necessary action, I got
-the whole thing to run so easily that it seemed quite possible that the
-performance might be a reasonable success after all. Unfortunately, we
-did not consider that in front of the public all these drastic methods
-of moving the dramatic and musical machinery would be restricted to the
-movements of my baton and to my facial expression. As a matter of fact
-the singers, and especially the men, were so extraordinarily uncertain
-that from beginning to end their embarrassment crippled the
-effectiveness of every one of their parts. Freimuller, the tenor, whose
-memory was most defective, sought to patch up the lively and emotional
-character of his badly learned rule of the madcap Luzio by means of
-routine work learned in Fra Diavolo and Zampa, and especially by the
-aid of an enormously thick, brightly coloured and fluttering plume of
-feathers. Consequently, as the directors failed to have the book of
-words printed in time, it was impossible to blame the public for being
-in doubt as to the main outlines of the story, seeing that they had
-only the sung words to guide them. With the exception of a few portions
-played by the lady singers, which were favourably received, the whole
-performance, which I had made to depend largely upon bold, energetic
-action and speech, remained but a musical shadow-play, to which the
-orchestra contributed its own inexplicable effusions, sometimes with
-exaggerated noise. As characteristic of the treatment of my
-tone-colour, I may mention that the band-master of a Prussian military
-band, who, by the bye, had been well pleased with the performance, felt
-it incumbent upon him to give me some well-meant hints for my future
-guidance, as to the manipulation of the Turkish drum. Before I relate
-the further history of this wonderful work of my youth, I will pause a
-moment briefly to describe its character, and especially its poetical
-elements.
-
-Shakespeare's play, which I kept throughout in mind as the foundation
-of my story, was worked out in the following manner:--
-
-An unnamed king of Sicily leaves his country, as I suggest, for a
-journey to Naples, and hands over to the Regent appointed--whom I
-simply call Friedrich, with the view of making him appear as German as
-possible--full authority to exercise all the royal power in order to
-effect a complete reform in the social habits of his capital, which had
-provoked the indignation of the Council. At the opening of the play we
-see the servants of the public authority busily employed either in
-shutting up or in pulling down the houses of popular amusement in a
-suburb of Palermo, and in carrying off the inmates, including hosts and
-servants, as prisoners. The populace oppose this first step, and much
-scuffling ensues. In the thickest of the throng the chief of the
-sbirri, Brighella (basso-buffo), after a preliminary roll of drums for
-silence, reads out the Regent's proclamation, according to which the
-acts just performed are declared to be directed towards establishing a
-higher moral tone in the manners and customs of the people. A general
-outburst of scorn and a mocking chorus meets this announcement. Luzio,
-a young nobleman and juvenile scape-grace (tenor), seems inclined to
-thrust himself forward as leader of the mob, and at once finds an
-occasion for playing a more active part in the cause of the oppressed
-people on discovering his friend Claudio (also a tenor) being led away
-to prison. From him he learns that, in pursuance of some musty old law
-unearthed by Friedrich, he is to suffer the penalty of death for a
-certain love escapade in which he is involved. His sweetheart, union
-with whom had been prevented by the enmity of their parents, has borne
-him a child. Friedrich's puritanical zeal joins cause with the parents'
-hatred; he fears the worst, and sees no way of escape save through
-mercy, provided his sister Isabella may be able, by her entreaties, to
-melt the Regent's hard heart. Claudio implores his friend at once to
-seek out Isabella in the convent of the Sisters of St. Elizabeth, which
-she has recently entered as novice. There, between the quiet walls of
-the convent, we first meet this sister, in confidential intercourse
-with her friend Marianne, also a novice. Marianne reveals to her
-friend, from whom she has long been parted, the unhappy fate which has
-brought her to the place. Under vows of eternal fidelity she had been
-persuaded to a secret liaison with a man of high rank. But finally,
-when in extreme need she found herself not only forsaken, but
-threatened by her betrayer, she discovered him to be the mightiest man
-in the state, none other than the King's Regent himself. Isabella's
-indignation finds vent in impassioned words, and is only pacified by
-her determination to forsake a world in which so vile a crime can go
-unpunished.--When now Luzio brings her tidings of her own brother's
-fate, her disgust at her brother's misconduct is turned at once to
-scorn for the villainy of the hypocritical Regent, who presumes so
-cruelly to punish the comparatively venial offence of her brother,
-which, at least, was not stained by treachery. Her violent outburst
-imprudently reveals her to Luzio in a seductive aspect; smitten with
-sudden love, he urges her to quit the convent for ever and to accept
-his hand. She contrives to check his boldness, but resolves at once to
-avail herself of his escort to the Regent's court of justice.--Here the
-trial scene is prepared, and I introduce it by a burlesque hearing of
-several persons charged by the sbirro captain with offences against
-morality. The earnestness of the situation becomes more marked when the
-gloomy form of Friedrich strides through the inrushing and unruly
-crowd, commanding silence, and he himself undertakes the hearing of
-Claudio's case in the sternest manner possible. The implacable judge is
-already on the point of pronouncing sentence when Isabella enters, and
-requests, before them all, a private interview with the Regent. In this
-interview she behaves with noble moderation towards the dreaded, yet
-despised man before her, and appeals at first only to his mildness and
-mercy. His interruptions merely serve to stimulate her ardour: she
-speaks of her brother's offence in melting accents, and implores
-forgiveness for so human and by no means unpardonable a crime. Seeing
-the effect of her moving appeal, she continues with increasing ardour
-to plead with the judge's hard and unresponsive heart, which can
-certainly not have remained untouched by sentiments such as those which
-had actuated her brother, and she calls upon his memory of these to
-support her desperate plea for pity. At last the ice of his heart is
-broken. Friedrich, deeply stirred by Isabella's beauty, can no longer
-contain himself, and promises to grant her petition at the price of her
-own love. Scarcely has she become aware of the unexpected effect of her
-words when, filled with indignation at such incredible villainy, she
-cries to the people through doors and windows to come in, that she may
-unmask the hypocrite before the world. The crowd is already rushing
-tumultuously into the hall of judgment, when, by a few significant
-hints, Friedrich, with frantic energy, succeeds in making Isabella
-realise the impossibility of her plan. He would simply deny her charge,
-boldly pretend that his offer was merely made to test her, and would
-doubtless be readily believed so soon as it became only a question of
-rebutting a charge of lightly making love to her. Isabella, ashamed and
-confounded, recognises the madness of her first step, and gnashes her
-teeth in silent despair. While then Friedrich once more announces his
-stern resolve to the people, and pronounces sentence on the prisoner,
-it suddenly occurs to Isabella, spurred by the painful recollection of
-Marianne's fate, that what she has failed to procure by open means she
-might possibly obtain by craft. This thought suffices to dispel her
-sorrow, and to fill her with utmost gaiety. Turning to her sorrowing
-brother, her agitated friends, and the perplexed crowd, she assures
-them all that she is ready to provide them with the most amusing of
-adventures. She declares that the carnival festivities, which the
-Regent has just strictly forbidden, are to be celebrated this year with
-unusual licence; for this dreaded ruler only pretends to be so cruel,
-in order the more pleasantly to astonish them by himself taking a merry
-part in all that he has just forbidden. They all believe that she has
-gone mad, and Friedrich in particular reproves her incomprehensible
-folly with passionate severity. But a few words on her part suffice to
-transport the Regent himself with ecstasy; for in a whisper she
-promises to grant his desire, and that on the following night she will
-send him such a message as shall ensure his happiness.--And so ends the
-first act in a whirl of excitement.
-
-We learn the nature of the heroine's hastily formed plan at the
-beginning of the second act, in which she visits her brother in his
-cell, with the object of discovering whether he is worthy of rescue.
-She reveals Friedrich's shameful proposal to him, and asks if he would
-wish to save his life at the price of his sister's dishonour. Then
-follow Claudio's fury and fervent declaration of his readiness to die;
-whereupon, bidding farewell to his sister, at least for this life, he
-makes her the bearer of the most tender messages to the dear girl whom
-he leaves behind. After this, sinking into a softer mood, the unhappy
-man declines from a state of melancholy to one of weakness. Isabella,
-who had already determined to inform him of his rescue, hesitates in
-dismay when she sees him fall in this way from the heights of noble
-enthusiasm to a muttered confession of a love of life still as strong
-as ever, and even to a stammering query as to whether the suggested
-price of his salvation is altogether impossible. Disgusted, she springs
-to her feet, thrusts the unworthy man from her, and declares that to
-the shame of his death he has further added her most hearty contempt.
-After having handed him over again to his gaoler, her mood once more
-changes swiftly to one of wanton gaiety. True, she resolves to punish
-the waverer by leaving him for a time in uncertainty as to his fate;
-but stands firm by her resolve to rid the world of the abominable
-seducer who dared to dictate laws to his fellow-men. She tells Marianne
-that she must take her place at the nocturnal rendezvous, at which
-Friedrich so treacherously expected to meet her (Isabella), and sends
-Friedrich an invitation to this meeting. In order to entangle the
-latter even more deeply in ruin, she stipulates that he must come
-disguised and masked, and fixes the rendezvous in one of those pleasure
-resorts which he has just suppressed. To the madcap Luzio, whom she
-also desires to punish for his saucy suggestion to a novice, she
-relates the story of Friedrich's proposal, and her pretended intention
-of complying, from sheer necessity, with his desires. This she does in
-a fashion so incomprehensively light-hearted that the otherwise
-frivolous man, first dumb with amazement, ultimately yields to a fit of
-desperate rage. He swears that, even if the noble maiden herself can
-endure such shame, he will himself strive by every means in his power
-to avert it, and would prefer to set all Palermo on fire and in tumult
-rather than allow such a thing to happen. And, indeed, he arranges
-things in such a manner that on the appointed evening all his friends
-and acquaintances assemble at the end of the Corso, as though for the
-opening of the prohibited carnival procession. At nightfall, as things
-are beginning to grow wild and merry, Luzio appears, and sings an
-extravagant carnival song, with the refrain:
-
-    Who joins us not in frolic jest
-    Shall have a dagger in his breast;
-
-by which means he seeks to stir the crowd to bloody revolt. When a band
-of sbirri approaches, under Brighella's leadership, to scatter the gay
-throng, the mutinous project seems on the point of being accomplished.
-But for the present Luzio prefers to yield, and to scatter about the
-neighbourhood, as he must first of all win the real leader of their
-enterprise: for here was the spot which Isabella had mischievously
-revealed to him as the place of her pretended meeting with the Regent.
-For the latter Luzio therefore lies in wait. Recognising him in an
-elaborate disguise, he blocks his way, and as Friedrich violently
-breaks loose, is on the point of following him with shouts and drawn
-sword, when, on a sign from Isabella, who is hidden among some bushes,
-he is himself stopped and led away. Isabella then advances, rejoicing
-in the thought of having restored the betrayed Marianne to her
-faithless spouse. Believing that she holds in her hand the promised
-pardon for her brother, she is just on the point of abandoning all
-thought of further vengeance when, breaking the seal, to her intense
-horror she recognises by the light of a torch that the paper contains
-but a still more severe order of execution, which, owing to her desire
-not to disclose to her brother the fact of his pardon, a mere chance
-had now delivered into her hand, through the agency of the bribed
-gaoler. After a hard fight with the tempestuous passion of love, and
-recognising his helplessness against this enemy of his peace, Friedrich
-has in fact already resolved to face his ruin, even though as a
-criminal, yet still as a man of honour. An hour on Isabella's breast,
-and then--his own death by the same law whose implacable severity shall
-also claim Claudio's life. Isabella, perceiving in this conduct only a
-further proof of the hypocrite's villainy, breaks out once more into a
-tempest of agonised despair. Upon her cry for immediate revolt against
-the scoundrelly tyrant, the people collect together and form a motley
-and passionate crowd. Luzio, who also returns, counsels the people with
-stinging bitterness to pay no heed to the woman's fury; he points out
-that she is only tricking them, as she has already tricked him--for he
-still believes in her shameless infidelity. Fresh confusion; increased
-despair of Isabella; suddenly from the background comes the burlesque
-cry of Brighella for help, who, himself suffering from the pangs of
-jealousy, has by mistake arrested the masked Regent, and thus led to
-the latter's discovery. Friedrich is recognised, and Marianne,
-trembling on his breast, is also unmasked. Amazement, indignation!
-Cries of joy burst forth all round; the needful explanations are
-quickly given, and Friedrich sullenly demands to be set before the
-judgment-seat of the returning King. Claudio, released from prison by
-the jubilant populace, informs him that the sentence of death for
-crimes of love is not intended for all times; messengers arrive to
-announce the unexpected arrival in harbour of the King; it is resolved
-to march in full masked procession to meet the beloved Prince, and
-joyously to pay him homage, all being convinced that he will heartily
-rejoice to see how ill the gloomy puritanism of Germany is suited to
-his hot-blooded Sicily. Of him it is said:
-
-Your merry festals please him more Than gloomy laws or legal lore.
-
-Friedrich, with his freshly affianced wife, Marianne, must lead the
-procession, followed by Luzio and the novice, who is for ever lost to
-the convent.
-
-These spirited and, in many respects, boldly devised scenes I had
-clothed in suitable language and carefully written verse, which had
-already been noticed by Laube. The police at first took exception to
-the title of the work, which, had I not changed it, would have led to
-the complete failure of my plans for its presentation. It was the week
-before Easter, and the theatre was consequently forbidden to produce
-jolly, or at least frivolous, plays during this period. Luckily the
-magistrate, with whom I had to treat concerning the matter, did not
-show any inclination to examine the libretto himself; and when I
-assured him that it was modelled upon a very serious play of
-Shakespeare's, the authorities contented themselves merely with
-changing the somewhat startling title. Die Novize van Palermo, which
-was the new title, had nothing suspicious about it, and was therefore
-approved as correct without further scruple. I fared quite otherwise in
-Leipzig, where I attempted to introduce this work in the place of my
-Feen, when the latter was withdrawn. The director, Ringelhardt, whom I
-sought to win over to my cause by assigning the part of Marianne to his
-daughter, then making her debut in opera, chose to reject my work on
-the apparently very reasonable grounds that the tendency of the theme
-displeased him. He assured me that, even if the Leipzig magistrates had
-consented to its production--a fact concerning which his high esteem
-for that body led him to have serious doubts--he himself, as a
-conscientious father, could certainly not permit his daughter to take
-part in it.
-
-Strange to say, I suffered nothing from the suspicious nature of the
-libretto of my opera on the occasion of its production in Magdeburg;
-for, as I have said, thanks to the unintelligible manner in which it
-was produced, the story remained a complete mystery to the public. This
-circumstance, and the fact that no opposition had been raised on the
-ground of its TENDENCY, made a second performance possible, and as
-nobody seemed to care one way or the other, no objections were raised.
-Feeling sure that my opera had made no impression, and had left the
-public completely undecided about its merits, I reckoned that, in view
-of this being the farewell performance of our opera company, we should
-have good, not to say large, takings. Consequently I did not hesitate
-to charge 'full' prices for admittance. I cannot rightly judge whether,
-up to the commencement of the overture, any people had taken their
-places in the auditorium; but about a quarter of an hour before the
-time fixed for beginning, I saw only Mme. Gottschalk and her husband,
-and, curiously enough, a Polish Jew in full dress, seated in the
-stalls. Despite this, I was still hoping for an increase in the
-audience, when suddenly the most incredible commotion occurred behind
-the scenes. Herr Pollert, the husband of my prima donna (who was acting
-Isabella), was assaulting Schreiber, the second tenor, a very young and
-handsome man taking the part of Claudio, and against whom the injured
-husband had for some time been nursing a secret rancour born of
-jealousy. It appeared that the singer's husband, who had surveyed the
-theatre from behind the drop-scene with me, had satisfied himself as to
-the style of the audience, and decided that the longed-for hour was at
-hand when, without injuring the operatic enterprise, he could wreak
-vengeance on his wife's lover. Claudio was so severely used by him that
-the unfortunate fellow had to seek refuge in the dressing-room, his
-face covered with blood. Isabella was told of this, and rushed
-despairingly to her raging spouse, only to be so soundly cuffed by him
-that she went into convulsions. The confusion that ensued amongst the
-company soon knew no bounds: they took sides in the quarrel, and little
-was wanting for it to turn into a general fight, as everybody seemed to
-regard this unhappy evening as particularly favourable for the paying
-off of any old scores and supposed insults. This much was clear, that
-the couple suffering from the effects of Herr Pollert's conjugal
-resentment were unfit to appear that evening. The manager was sent
-before the drop-scene to inform the small and strangely assorted
-audience gathered in the theatre that, owing to unforeseen
-circumstances, the representation would not take place.
-
-This was the end of my career as director and composer in Magdeburg,
-which in the beginning had seemed so full of promise and had been
-started at the cost of considerable sacrifice. The serenity of art now
-gave way completely before the stern realities of life. My position
-gave food for meditation, and the outlook was not a cheerful one. All
-the hopes that I and Minna had founded upon the success of my work had
-been utterly destroyed. My creditors, who had been appeased by the
-anticipation of the expected harvest, lost faith in my talents, and now
-counted solely on obtaining bodily possession of me, which they
-endeavoured to do by speedily instituting legal proceedings. Now that
-every time I came home I found a summons nailed to my door, my little
-dwelling in the Breiter Weg became unbearable; I avoided going there,
-especially since my brown poodle, who had hitherto enlivened this
-retreat, had vanished, leaving no trace. This I looked upon as a bad
-sign, indicating my complete downfall.
-
-At this time Minna, with her truly comforting assurance and firmness of
-bearing, was a tower of strength to me and the one thing I had left to
-fall back upon. Always full of resource, she had first of all provided
-for her own future, and was on the point of signing a not unfavourable
-contract with the directors of the theatre at Konigsberg in Prussia. It
-was now a question of finding me an appointment in the same place as
-musical conductor; this post was already filled. The Konigsberg
-director, however, gathering from our correspondence that Minna's
-acceptance of the engagement depended upon the possibility of my being
-taken on at the same theatre, held out the prospect of an approaching
-vacancy, and expressed his willingness to allow it to be filled by me.
-On the strength of this assurance it was decided that Minna should go
-on to Konigsberg and pave the way for my arrival there.
-
-Ere these plans could be carried out, we had still to spend a time of
-dreadful and acute anxiety, which I shall never forget, within the
-walls of Magdeburg. It is true I made one more personal attempt in
-Leipzig to improve my position, on which occasion I entered into the
-transactions mentioned above with the director of the theatre regarding
-my new opera. But I soon realised that it was out of the question for
-me to remain in my native town, and in the disquieting proximity of my
-family, from which I was restlessly anxious to get away. My
-excitability and depression were noticed by my relations. My mother
-entreated me, whatever else I might decide to do, on no account to be
-drawn into marriage while still so young. To this I made no reply. When
-I took my leave, Rosalie accompanied me to the head of the stairs. I
-spoke of returning as soon as I had attended to certain important
-business matters, and wanted to wish her a hurried good-bye: she
-grasped my hand, and gazing into my face, exclaimed, "God alone knows
-when I shall see you again!" This cut me to the heart, and I felt
-conscience-stricken. The fact that she was expressing the presentiment
-she felt of her early death I only realised when, barely two years
-later, without having seen her again, I received the news that she had
-died very suddenly.
-
-I spent a few more weeks with Minna in the strictest retirement in
-Magdeburg: she endeavoured to the best of her ability to relieve the
-embarrassment of my position. In view of our approaching separation,
-and the length of time we might be parted, I hardly left her side, our
-only relaxation being the walks we took together round the outskirts of
-the town. Anxious forebodings weighed upon us; the May sun which lit
-the sad streets of Magdeburg, as if in mockery of our forlorn
-condition, was one day more clouded over than I have ever seen it
-since, and filled me with a positive dread. On our way home from one of
-these walks, as we were approaching the bridge crossing the Elbe, we
-caught sight of a man flinging himself from it into the water beneath.
-We ran to the bank, called for help, and persuaded a miller, whose mill
-was situated on the river, to hold out a rake to the drowning man, who
-was being swept in his direction by the current. With indescribable
-anxiety we waited for the decisive moment--saw the sinking man stretch
-out his hands towards the rake, but he failed to grasp it, and at the
-same moment disappeared under the mill, never to be seen again. On the
-morning that I accompanied Minna to the stage-coach to bid her a most
-sorrowful farewell, the whole population was pouring from one of the
-gateways of the town towards a big field, to witness the execution of a
-man condemned to be put to death on the wheel 'from below.'
-
-[Footnote: Durch das Rod van unten. The punishment of the wheel was
-usually inflicted upon murderers, incendiaries, highwaymen and church
-robbers. There were two methods of inflicting this: (1) 'from above
-downwards' (von oben nach unten), in which the condemned man was
-despatched instantly owing to his neck getting broken from the start;
-and (2) 'from below upwards' (von unten nach oben), which is the method
-referred to above, and in which all the limbs of the victim were broken
-previous to his body being actually twisted through the spokes of the
-wheel.--Editor ]
-
-The culprit was a soldier who had murdered his sweetheart in a fit of
-jealousy. When, later in the day, I sat down to my last dinner at the
-inn, I heard the dreadful details of the Prussian mode of execution
-being discussed on all sides. A young magistrate, who was a great lover
-of music, told us about a conversation he had had with the executioner,
-who had been procured from Halle, and with whom he had discussed the
-most humane method of hastening the death of the victim; in telling us
-about him, he recalled the elegant dress and manners of this ill-omened
-person with a shudder.
-
-These were the last impressions I carried away from the scene of my
-first artistic efforts and of my attempts at earning an independent
-livelihood. Often since then on my departure from places where I had
-expected to find prosperity, and to which I knew I should never return,
-those impressions have recurred to my mind with singular persistence. I
-have always had much the same feelings upon leaving any place where I
-had stayed in the hope of improving my position.
-
-Thus I arrived in Berlin for the first time on the 18th May, 1836, and
-made acquaintance with the peculiar features of that pretentious royal
-capital. While my position was an uncertain one, I sought a modest
-shelter at the Crown Prince in the Konigstrasse, where Minna had stayed
-a few months before. I found a friend on whom I could rely when I came
-across Laube again, who, while awaiting his verdict, was busying
-himself with private and literary work in Berlin. He was much
-interested in the fate of my work Liebesverbot, and advised me to turn
-my present situation to account for the purpose of obtaining the
-production of this opera at the Konigstadt theatre. This theatre was
-under the direction of one of the most curious creatures in Berlin: he
-was called 'Cerf,' and the title of Commissionsrath had been conferred
-upon him by the King of Prussia. To account for the favours bestowed
-upon him by royalty, many reasons of a not very edifying nature were
-circulated. Through this royal patronage he had succeeded in extending
-considerably the privileges already enjoyed by the suburban theatre.
-The decline of grand opera at the Theatre Royal had brought light
-opera, which was performed with great success at the Konigstadt
-theatre, into public favour. The director, puffed up by success, openly
-laboured under the delusion that he was the right man in the right
-place, and expressed his entire agreement with those who declared that
-one could only expect a theatre to be successfully managed by common
-and uneducated men, and continued to cling to his blissful and
-boundless state of ignorance in the most amusing manner. Relying
-absolutely upon his own insight, he had assumed an entirely dictatorial
-attitude towards the officially appointed artists of his theatre, and
-allowed himself to deal with them according to his likes and dislikes.
-I seemed destined to be favoured by this mode of procedure: at my very
-first visit Cerf expressed his satisfaction with me, but wished to make
-use of me as a 'tenor.' He offered no objection whatever to my request
-for the production of my opera, but, on the contrary, promised to have
-it staged immediately. He seemed particularly anxious to appoint me
-conductor of the orchestra. As he was on the point of changing his
-operatic company, he foresaw that his present conductor, Glaser, the
-composer of Adlershorst, would hinder his plans by taking the part of
-the older singers: he was therefore anxious to have me associated with
-his theatre, that he might have some one to support him who was
-favourably disposed towards the new singers.
-
-All this sounded so plausible, that I could scarcely be blamed for
-believing that the wheel of fortune had taken a favourable
- turn for me, and for feeling a sense of lightheartedness at the
-thought of such rosy prospects. I had scarcely allowed myself the few
-modifications in my manner of living which these improved circumstances
-seemed to justify, ere it was made clear to me that my hopes were built
-upon sand. I was filled with positive dread when I soon fully realised
-how nearly Cerf had come to defrauding me, merely it would seem for his
-own amusement. After the manner of despots, he had given his favours
-personally and autocratically; the withdrawal and annulment of his
-promises, however, he made known to me through his servants and
-secretaries, thus placing his strange conduct towards me in the light
-of the inevitable result of his dependence upon officialdom.
-
-As Cerf wished to rid himself of me without even offering me
-compensation, I was obliged to try to come to some understanding
-regarding all that had been definitely arranged between us, and this
-with the very people against whom he had previously warned me and had
-wanted me to side with him. The conductor, stage manager, secretary,
-etc., had to make it clear to me that my wishes could not be satisfied,
-and that the director owed me no compensation whatever for the time he
-had made me waste while awaiting the fulfilment of his promises. This
-unpleasant experience has been a source of pain to me ever since.
-
-Owing to all this my position was very much worse than it had been
-before. Minna wrote to me frequently from Konigsberg, but she had
-nothing encouraging to tell me with regard to my hopes in that
-direction. The director of the theatre there seemed unable to come to
-any clear understanding with his conductor, a circumstance which I was
-afterwards able to understand, but which at the time appeared to me
-inexplicable, and made my chance of obtaining the coveted appointment
-seem exceedingly remote. It seemed certain, however, that the post
-would be vacant in the autumn, and as I was drifting about aimlessly in
-Berlin and refused for a moment to entertain the thought of returning
-to Leipzig, I snatched at this faint hope, and in imagination soared
-above the Berlin quicksands to the safety of the harbour on the Baltic.
-
-I only succeeded in doing so, however, after I had struggled
- through difficult and serious inward conflicts to which my
-relations with Minna gave rise. An incomprehensible feature in the
-character of this otherwise apparently simple-minded woman had thrown
-my young heart into a turmoil. A good-natured, well-to-do tradesman of
-Jewish extraction, named Schwabe, who till that time had been
-established in Magdeburg, made friendly advances to me in Berlin, and I
-soon discovered that his sympathy was chiefly due to the passionate
-interest which he had conceived for Minna. It afterwards became clear
-to me that an intimacy had existed between this man and Minna, which in
-itself could hardly be considered as a breach of faith towards me,
-since it had ended in a decided repulse of my rival's courtship in my
-favour. But the fact of this episode having been kept so secret that I
-had not had the faintest idea of it before, and also the suspicion I
-could not avoid harbouring that Minna's comfortable circumstances were
-in part due to this man's friendship, filled me with gloomy misgivings.
-But as I have said, although I could find no real cause to complain of
-infidelity, I was distracted and alarmed, and was at last driven to the
-half-desperate resolve of regaining my balance in this respect by
-obtaining complete possession of Minna. It seemed to me as though my
-stability as a citizen as well as my professional success would be
-assured by a recognised union with Minna. The two years spent in the
-theatrical world had, in fact, kept me in a constant state of
-distraction, of which in my heart of hearts I was most painfully
-conscious. I realised vaguely that I was on the wrong path; I longed
-for peace and quiet, and hoped to find these most effectually by
-getting married, and so putting an end to the state of things that had
-become the source of so much anxiety to me.
-
-It was not surprising that Laube noticed by my untidy, passionate, and
-wasted appearance that something unusual was amiss with me. It was only
-in his company, which I always found comforting, that I gained the only
-impressions of Berlin which compensated me in any way for my
-misfortunes. The most important artistic experience I had, came to me
-through the performance of Ferdinand Cortez, conducted by Spontini
-himself, the spirit of which astonished me more than anything I had
-ever heard before. Though the actual production, especially as regards
-the chief characters, who as a whole could not be regarded as belonging
-to the flower of Berlin opera, left me unmoved, and though the effect
-never reached a point that could be even distantly compared to that
-produced upon me by Schroder-Devrient, yet the exceptional precision,
-fire, and richly organised rendering of the whole was new to me. I
-gained a fresh insight into the peculiar dignity of big theatrical
-representations, which in their several parts could, by
-well-accentuated rhythm, be made to attain the highest pinnacle of art.
-This extraordinarily distinct impression took a drastic hold of me, and
-above all served to guide me in my conception of Rienzi, so that,
-speaking from an artistic point of view, Berlin may be said to have
-left its traces on my development.
-
-For the present, however, my chief concern was to extricate myself from
-my extremely helpless position. I was determined to turn my steps to
-Konigsberg, and communicated my decision, and the hopes founded upon
-it, to Laube. This excellent friend, without further inquiry, made a
-point of exerting his energies to free me from my present state of
-despair, and to help me to reach my next destination, an object which,
-through the assistance of several of his friends, he succeeded in
-accomplishing. When he said good-bye to me, Laube with sympathetic
-foresight warned me, should I succeed in my desired career of musical
-conductor, not to allow myself to be entangled in the shallowness of
-stage life, and advised me, after fatiguing rehearsals, instead of
-going to my sweetheart, to take a serious book in hand, in order that
-my greater gifts might not go uncultivated. I did not tell him that by
-taking an early and decisive step in this direction I intended to
-protect myself effectually against the dangers of theatrical intrigues.
-On the 7th of July, therefore, I started on what was at that time an
-extremely troublesome and fatiguing journey to the distant town of
-Konigsberg.
-
-It seemed to me as though I were leaving the world, as I travelled on
-day after day through the desert marches. Then followed a sad and
-humiliating impression of Konigsberg, where, in one of the
-poorest-looking suburbs, Tragheim, near the theatre, and in a lane such
-as one would expect to find in a
- village, I found the ugly house in which Minna lodged. The
-friendly and quiet kindness of manner, however, which was peculiar to
-her, soon made me feel at home. She was popular at the theatre, and was
-respected by the managers and actors, a fact which seemed to augur well
-for her betrothed, the part I was now openly to assume.
-
-Though as yet there seemed no distinct prospect of my getting the
-appointment I had come for, yet we agreed that I could hold out a
-little longer, and that the matter would certainly be arranged in the
-end. This was also the opinion of the eccentric Abraham Moller, a
-worthy citizen of Konigsberg, who was devoted to the theatre, and who
-took a very friendly interest in Minna, and finally also in me. This
-man, who was already well advanced in life, belonged to the type of
-theatre lovers now probably completely extinct in Germany, but of whom
-so much is recorded in the history of actors of earlier times. One
-could not spend an hour in the company of this man, who at one time had
-gone in for the most reckless speculations, without having to listen to
-his account of the glory of the stage in former times, described in
-most lively terms. As a man of means he had at one time made the
-acquaintance of nearly all the great actors and actresses of his day,
-and had even known how to win their friendship. Through too great a
-liberality he unfortunately found himself in reduced circumstances, and
-was now obliged to procure the means to satisfy his craving for the
-theatre and his desire to protect those belonging to it by entering
-into all kinds of strange business transactions, in which, without
-running any real risk, he felt there was something to be gained. He was
-accordingly only able to afford the theatre a very meagre support, but
-one which was quite in keeping with its decrepit condition.
-
-This strange man, of whom the theatre director, Anton Hubsch, stood to
-a certain extent in awe, undertook to procure me my appointment. The
-only circumstance against me was the fact that Louis Schubert, the
-famous musician whom I had known from very early times as the first
-violoncellist of the Magdeburg orchestra, had come to Konigsberg from
-Riga, where the theatre had been closed for a time, and where he had
-left his wife, in order to fill the post of musical conductor here
-until the new theatre in Riga was opened, and he could return. The
-reopening of the Riga theatre, which had already been fixed for the
-Easter of this year, had been postponed, and he was now anxious not to
-leave Konigsberg. Since Schubert was a thorough master in his art, and
-since his choosing to remain or go depended entirely on circumstances
-over which he had no control, the theatre director found himself in the
-embarrassing position of having to secure some one who would be willing
-to wait to enter upon his appointment till Schubert's business called
-him away. Consequently a young musical conductor who was anxious to
-remain in Konigsberg at any price could but be heartily welcomed as a
-reserve and substitute in case of emergency. Indeed, the director
-declared himself willing to give me a small retaining fee till the time
-should arrive for my definite entrance upon my duties.
-
-Schubert, on the contrary, was furious at my arrival; there was no
-longer any necessity for his speedy return to Riga, since the reopening
-of the theatre there had been postponed indefinitely. Moreover, he had
-a special interest in remaining in Konigsberg, as he had conceived a
-passion for the prima donna there, which considerably lessened his
-desire to return to his wife. So at the last moment he clung to his
-Konigsberg post with great eagerness, regarded me as his deadly enemy,
-and, spurred on by his instinct of self-preservation, used every means
-in his power to make my stay in Konigsberg, and the already painful
-position I occupied while awaiting his departure, a veritable hell to
-me.
-
-While in Magdeburg I had been on the friendliest footing with both
-musicians and singers, and had been shown the greatest consideration by
-the public, I here found I had to defend myself on all sides against
-the most mortifying ill-will. This hostility towards me, which soon
-made itself apparent, contributed in no small degree to make me feel as
-though in coming to Konigsberg I had gone into exile. In spite of my
-eagerness, I realised that under the circumstances my marriage with
-Minna would prove a hazardous undertaking. At the beginning of August
-the company went to Memel for a time, to open the summer season there,
-and I followed Minna a few days later. We went most of the way by sea,
-and crossed the Kurische Haff in a sailing vessel in bad weather with
-the wind against us--one of the most melancholy crossings I have ever
-experienced. As we passed the thin strip of sand that divides this bay
-from the Baltic Sea, the castle of Runsitten, where Hoffmann laid the
-scene of one of his most gruesome tales (Das Majorat), was pointed out
-to me. The fact that in this desolate neighbourhood, of all places in
-the world, I should after so long a lapse of time be once more brought
-in contact with the fantastic impressions of my youth, had a singular
-and depressing effect on my mind. The unhappy sojourn in Memel, the
-lamentable role I played there, everything in short, contributed to
-make me find my only consolation in Minna, who, after all, was the
-cause of my having placed myself in this unpleasant position. Our
-friend Abraham followed us from Konigsberg and did all kinds of queer
-things to promote my interests, and was obviously anxious to put the
-director and conductor at variance with each other. One day Schubert,
-in consequence of a dispute with Hubsch on the previous night, actually
-declared himself too unwell to attend a rehearsal of Euryanthe, in
-order to force the manager to summon me suddenly to take his place. In
-doing this my rival maliciously hoped that as I was totally unprepared
-to conduct this difficult opera, which was seldom played, I would
-expose my incapacity in a manner most welcome to his hostile
-intentions. Although I had never really had a score of Euryanthe before
-me, his wish was so little gratified, that he elected to get well for
-the representation in order to conduct it himself, which he would not
-have done if it had been found necessary to cancel the performance on
-account of my incompetence. In this wretched position, vexed in mind,
-exposed to the severe climate, which even on summer evenings struck me
-as horribly cold, and occupied merely in warding off the most painful
-troubles of life, my time, as far as any professional advancement was
-concerned, was completely lost. At last, on our return to Konigsberg,
-and particularly under the guardianship of Moller, the question as to
-what was to be done was more earnestly considered. Finally, Minna and I
-were offered a fairly good engagement in Danzig, through the influence
-of my brother-in-law Wolfram and his wife, who had gone there.
-
-Moller seized this opportunity to induce the director Hubsch, who was
-anxious not to lose Minna, to sign a contract including us both, and by
-which it was understood that under any circumstances I should be
-officially appointed as conductor at his theatre from the following
-Easter. Moreover, for our wedding, a benefit performance was promised,
-for which we chose Die Stumme von Portici, to be conducted by me in
-person. For, as Moller remarked, it was absolutely necessary for us to
-get married, and to have a due celebration of the event; there was no
-getting out of it. Minna made no objection, and all my past endeavours
-and resolutions seemed to prove that my one desire was to take anchor
-in the haven of matrimony. In spite of this, however, a strange
-conflict was going on within me at this time. I had become sufficiently
-intimate with Minna's life and character to realise the wide difference
-between our two natures as fully as the important step I was about to
-take necessitated; but my powers of judgment were not yet sufficiently
-matured.
-
-My future wife was the child of poor parents, natives of Oederan in the
-Erzgebirge in Saxony. Her father was no ordinary man; he possessed
-enormous vitality, but in his old age showed traces of some feebleness
-of mind. In his young days he had been a trumpeter in Saxony, and in
-this capacity had taken part in a campaign against the French, and had
-also been present at the battle of Wagram. He afterwards became a
-mechanic, and took up the trade of manufacturing cards for carding
-wool, and as he invented an improvement in the process of their
-production, he is said to have made a very good business of it for some
-time. A rich manufacturer of Chemnitz once gave him a large order to be
-delivered at the end of the year: the children, whose pliable fingers
-had already proved serviceable in this respect, had to work hard day
-and night, and in return the father promised them an exceptionally
-happy Christmas, as he expected to get a large sum of money. When the
-longed-for time arrived, however, he received the announcement of his
-client's bankruptcy. The goods that had already been delivered were
-lost, and the material that remained on his hands there was no prospect
-of selling. The family never succeeded in recovering from the state of
-confusion into which this misfortune had thrown them; they went to
-Dresden, where the father hoped to find remunerative employment as a
-skilled mechanic, especially in the manufacture of pianos, of which he
-supplied separate parts. He also brought away with him a large quantity
-of the fine wire which had been destined for the manufacture of the
-cards, and which he hoped to be able to sell at a profit. The
-ten-year-old Minna was commissioned to sell separate lots of it to the
-milliners for making flowers. She would set out with a heavy basketful
-of wire, and had such a gift for persuading people to buy that she soon
-disposed of the whole supply to the best advantage. From this time the
-desire was awakened in her to be of active use to her impoverished
-family, and to earn her own living as soon as possible, in order not to
-be a burden on her parents. As she grew up and developed into a
-strikingly beautiful woman, she attracted the attention of men at a
-very early age. A certain Herr von Einsiedel fell passionately in love
-with her, and took advantage of the inexperienced young girl when she
-was off her guard. Her family was thrown into the utmost consternation,
-and only her mother and elder sister could be told of the terrible
-position in which Minna found herself. Her father, from whose anger the
-worst consequences were to be feared, was never informed that his
-barely seventeen-year-old daughter had become a mother, and under
-conditions that had threatened her life, had given birth to a girl.
-Minna, who could obtain no redress from her seducer, now felt doubly
-called upon to earn her own livelihood and leave her father's house.
-Through the influence of friends, she had been brought into contact
-with an amateur theatrical society: while acting in a performance given
-there, she attracted the notice of members of the Royal Court Theatre,
-and in particular drew the attention of the director of the Dessau
-Court Theatre, who was present, and who immediately offered her an
-engagement. She gladly caught at this way of escape from her trying
-position, as it opened up the possibility of a brilliant stage career,
-and of some day being able to provide amply for her family. She had not
-the slightest passion for the stage, and utterly devoid as she was of
-any levity or coquetry, she merely saw in a theatrical career the means
-of earning a quick, and possibly even a rich, livelihood. Without any
-artistic training, the theatre merely meant for her the company of
-actors and actresses. Whether she pleased or not seemed of importance
-in her eyes only in so far as it affected her realisation of a
-comfortable independence. To use all the means at her disposal to
-assure this end seemed to her as necessary as it is for a tradesman to
-expose his goods to the best advantage.
-
-The friendship of the director, manager, and favourite members of the
-theatre she regarded as indispensable, whilst those frequenters of the
-theatre who, through their criticism or taste, influenced the public,
-and thus also had weight with the management, she recognised as beings
-upon whom the attainment of her most fervent desires depended. Never to
-make enemies of them appeared so natural and so necessary that, in
-order to maintain her popularity, she was prepared to sacrifice even
-her self-respect. She had in this way created for herself a certain
-peculiar code of behaviour, that on the one hand prompted her to avoid
-scandals, but on the other hand found excuses even for making herself
-conspicuous as long as she herself knew that she was doing nothing
-wrong. Hence arose a mixture of inconsistencies, the questionable sense
-of which she was incapable of grasping. It was clearly impossible for
-her not to lose all real sense of delicacy; she showed, however, a
-sense of the fitness of things, which made her have regard to what was
-considered proper, though she could not understand that mere
-appearances were a mockery when they only served to cloak the absence
-of a real sense of delicacy. As she was without idealism, she had no
-artistic feeling; neither did she possess any talent for acting, and
-her power of pleasing was due entirely to her charming appearance.
-Whether in time routine would have made her become a good actress it is
-impossible for me to say. The strange power she exercised over me from
-the very first was in no wise due to the fact that I regarded her in
-any way as the embodiment of my ideal; on the contrary, she attracted
-me by the soberness and seriousness of her character, which
-supplemented what I felt to be wanting in my own, and afforded me the
-support that in my wanderings after the ideal I knew to be necessary
-for me.
-
-I had soon accustomed myself never to betray my craving after the ideal
-before Minna: unable to account for this even to myself, I always made
-a point of avoiding the subject by passing it over with a laugh and a
-joke; but, on this account, it was all the more natural for me to feel
-qualms when fears arose in my mind as to her really possessing the
-qualities to which I had attributed her superiority over me. Her
-strange tolerance with regard to certain familiarities and even
-importunities on the part of patrons of the theatre, directed even
-against her person, hurt me considerably; and on my reproaching her for
-this, I was driven to despair by her assuming an injured expression as
-though I had insulted her. It was quite by chance that I came across
-Schwabe's letters, and thus gained an astonishing insight into her
-intimacy with that man, of which she had left me in ignorance, and
-allowed me to gain my first knowledge during my stay in Berlin. All my
-latent jealousy, all my inmost doubts concerning Minna's character,
-found vent in my sudden determination to leave the girl at once. There
-was a violent scene between us, which was typical of all our subsequent
-altercations. I had obviously gone too far in treating a woman who was
-not passionately in love with me, as if I had a real right over her;
-for, after all, she had merely yielded to my importunity, and in no way
-belonged to me. To add to my perplexity, Minna only needed to remind me
-that from a worldly point of view she had refused very good offers in
-order to give way to the impetuosity of a penniless young man, whose
-talent had not yet been put to any real test, and to whom she had
-nevertheless shown sympathy and kindness.
-
-What she could least forgive in me was the raging vehemence with which
-I spoke, and by which she felt so insulted, that upon realising to what
-excesses I had gone, there was nothing I could do but try and pacify
-her by owning myself in the wrong, and begging her forgiveness. Such
-was the end of this and all subsequent scenes, outwardly; at least,
-always to her advantage. But peace was undermined for ever, and by the
-frequent recurrence of such quarrels, Minna's character underwent a
-considerable change. Just as in later times she became perplexed by
-what she considered my incomprehensible conception of art and its
-proportions, which upset her ideas about everything connected with it,
-so now she grew more and more confused by my greater delicacy in regard
-to morality, which was very different from hers, especially as in many
-other respects I displayed a freedom of opinion which the could neither
-comprehend nor approve.
-
-A feeling of passionate resentment was accordingly roused in her
-otherwise tranquil disposition. It was not surprising that this
-resentment increased as the years went on, and manifested itself in a
-manner characteristic of a girl sprung from the lower middle class, in
-whom mere superficial polish had taken the place of any true culture.
-The real torment of our subsequent life together lay in the fact that,
-owing to her violence, I had lost the last support I had hitherto found
-in her exceptionally sweet disposition. At that time I was filled only
-with a dim foreboding of the fateful step I was taking in marrying her.
-Her agreeable and soothing qualities still had such a beneficial effect
-upon me, that with the frivolity natural to me, as well as the
-obstinacy with which I met all opposition, I silenced the inner voice
-that darkly foreboded disaster.
-
-Since my journey to Konigsberg I had broken off all communication with
-my family, that is to say, with my mother and Rosalie, and I told no
-one of the step I had decided to take. Under my old friend Moller's
-audacious guidance I overcame all the legal difficulties that stood in
-the way of our union. According to Prussian law, a man who has reached
-his majority no longer requires his parents' consent to his marriage:
-but since, according to this same provision, I was not yet of age, I
-had recourse to the law of Saxony, to which country I belonged by
-birth, and by whose regulations I had already attained my majority at
-the age of twenty-one. Our banns had to be published at the place where
-we had been living during the past year, and this formality was carried
-out in Magdeburg without any further objections being raised. As
-Minna's parents had given their consent, the only thing that still
-remained to be done to make everything quite in order was for us to go
-together to the clergyman of the parish of Tragheim. This proved a
-strange enough visit. It took place the morning preceding the
-performance to be given for our benefit, in which Minna had chosen, the
-pantomimic role of Fenella; her costume was not ready yet, and there
-was still a great deal to be done. The rainy cold November weather made
-us feel out of humour, when, to add to our vexation, we were kept
-standing in the hall of the vicarage for an unreasonable time. Then an
-altercation arose between us which speedily led to such bitter
-vituperation that we were just on the point of separating and going
-each our own way, when the clergyman opened the door. Not a little
-embarrassed at having surprised us in the act of quarrelling, he
-invited us in. We were obliged to put a good face on the matter,
-however; and the absurdity of the situation so tickled our sense of
-humour that we laughed; the parson was appeased, and the wedding fixed
-for eleven o'clock the next morning.
-
-Another fruitful source of irritation, which often led to the outbreak
-of violent quarrelling between us, was the arrangement of our future
-home, in the interior comfort and beauty of which I hoped to find a
-guarantee of happiness. The economical ideas of my bride filled me with
-impatience. I was determined that the inauguration of a series of
-prosperous years which I saw before me must be celebrated by a
-correspondingly comfortable home. Furniture, household utensils, and
-all necessaries were obtained on credit, to be paid for by instalment.
-There was, of course, no question of a dowry, a wedding outfit, or any
-of the things that are generally considered indispensable to a
-well-founded establishment. Our witnesses and guests were drawn from
-the company of actors accidentally brought together by their engagement
-at the Konigsberg theatre. My friend Moller made us a present of a
-silver sugar-basin, which was supplemented by a silver cake-basket from
-another stage friend, a peculiar and, as far as I can remember, rather
-interesting young man named Ernst Castell. The benefit performance of
-the Die Stumme von Portici, which I conducted with great enthusiasm,
-went off well, and brought us in as large a sum as we had counted upon.
-After spending the rest of the day before our wedding very quietly, as
-we were tired out after our return from the theatre, I took up my abode
-for the first time in our new home. Not wishing to use the bridal bed,
-decorated for the occasion, I lay down on a hard sofa, without even
-sufficient covering on me, and froze valiantly while awaiting the
-happiness of the following day. I was pleasantly excited the next
-morning by the arrival of Minna's belongings, packed in boxes and
-baskets. The weather, too, had quite cleared up, and the sun was
-shining brightly; only our sitting-room refused to get properly warm,
-which for some time drew down Minna's reproaches upon my head for my
-supposed carelessness in not having seen to the heating arrangements.
-At last I dressed myself in my new suit, a dark blue frock-coat with
-gold buttons. The carriage drove up, and I set out to fetch my bride.
-The bright sky had put us all in good spirits, and in the best of
-humour I met Minna, who was dressed in a splendid gown chosen by me.
-She greeted me with sincere cordiality and pleasure shining from her
-eyes; and taking the fine weather as a good omen, we started off for
-what now seemed to us a most cheerful wedding. We enjoyed the
-satisfaction of seeing the church as over-crowded as if a brilliant
-theatrical representation were being given; it was quite a difficult
-matter to make our way to the altar, where a group no less worldly than
-the rest, consisting of our witnesses, dressed in all their theatrical
-finery, were assembled to receive us. There was not one real friend
-amongst all those present, for even our strange old friend Moller was
-absent, because no suitable partner had been found for him. I was not
-for a single moment insensible to the chilling frivolity of the
-congregation, who seemed to impart their tone to the whole ceremony. I
-listened like one in a dream to the nuptial address of the parson, who,
-I was afterwards told, had had a share in producing the spirit of
-bigotry which at this time was so prevalent in Konigsberg, and which
-exercised such a disquieting influence on its population.
-
-A few days later I was told that a rumour had got about the town that I
-had taken action against the parson for some gross insults contained in
-his sermon; I did not quite see what was meant, but supposed that the
-exaggerated report arose from a passage in his address which I in my
-excitement had misunderstood. The preacher, in speaking of the dark
-days, of which we were to expect our share, bade us look to an unknown
-friend, and I glanced up inquiringly for further particulars of this
-mysterious and influential patron who chose so strange a way of
-announcing himself. Reproachfully, and with peculiar emphasis, the
-pastor then pronounced the name of this unknown friend: Jesus. Now I
-was not in any way insulted by this, as people imagined, but was simply
-disappointed; at the same time, I thought that such exhortations were
-probably usual in nuptial addresses.
-
-But, on the whole, I was so absent-minded during this ceremony, which
-was double Dutch to me, that when the parson held out the closed
-prayer-book for us to place our wedding rings upon, Minna had to nudge
-me forcibly to make me follow her example.
-
-At that moment I saw, as clearly as in a vision, my whole being divided
-into two cross-currents that dragged me in different directions; the
-upper one faced the sun and carried me onward like a dreamer, whilst
-the lower one held my nature captive, a prey to some inexplicable fear.
-The extraordinary levity with which I chased away the conviction which
-kept forcing itself upon me, that I was committing a twofold sin, was
-amply accounted for by the really genuine affection with which I looked
-upon the young girl whose truly exceptional character (so rare in the
-environment in which she had been placed) led her thus to bind herself
-to a young man without any means of support. It was eleven o'clock on
-the morning of the 24th of November, 1836, and I was twenty-three and a
-half.
-
-On the way home from church, and afterwards, my good spirits rose
-superior to all my doubts.
-
-Minna at once took upon herself the duty of receiving and entertaining
-her guests. The table was spread, and a rich feast, at which Abraham
-Moller, the energetic promoter of our marriage, also took part,
-although he had been rather put out by his exclusion from the church
-ceremony, made up for the coldness of the room, which for a long time
-refused to get warm, to the great distress of the young hostess.
-
-Everything went off in the usual uneventful way. Nevertheless, I
-retained my good spirits till the next morning, when I had to present
-myself at the magistrate's court to meet the demands of my creditors,
-which had been forwarded to me from Magdeburg to Konigsburg.
-
-My friend Moller, whom I had retained for my defence, had foolishly
-advised me to meet my creditors' demands by pleading infancy according
-to the law of Prussia, at all events until actual assistance for the
-settlement of the claims could be obtained.
-
-The magistrate, to whom I stated this plea as I had been advised, was
-astonished, being probably well aware of my marriage on the previous
-day, which could only have taken place on the production of documentary
-proof of my majority. I naturally only gained a brief respite by this
-manoeuvre, and the troubles which beset me for a long time afterwards
-had their origin on the first day of my marriage.
-
-During the period when I held no appointment at the theatre I suffered
-various humiliations. Nevertheless, I thought it wise to make the most
-of my leisure in the interests of my art, and I finished a few pieces,
-among which was a grand overture on Rule Britannia.
-
-When I was still in Berlin I had written the overture entitled Polonia,
-which has already been mentioned in connection with the Polish
-festival. Rule Britannia was a further and deliberate step in the
-direction of mass effects; at the close a strong military band was to
-be added to the already over-full orchestra, and I intended to have the
-whole thing performed at the Musical Festival in Konigsberg in the
-summer.
-
-To these two overtures I added a supplement--an overture entitled
-Napoleon. The point to which I devoted my chief attention was the
-selection of the means for producing certain effects, and I carefully
-considered whether I should express the annihilating stroke of fate
-that befell the French Emperor in Russia by a beat on the tom-tom or
-not. I believe it was to a great extent my scruples about the
-introduction of this beat that prevented me from carrying out my plan
-just then.
-
-On the other hand, the conclusions which I had reached regarding the
-ill-success of Liebesverbot resulted in an operatic sketch in which the
-demands made on the chorus and the staff of singers should be more in
-proportion to the known capacity of the local company, as this small
-theatre was the only one at my disposal.
-
-A quaint tale from the Arabian Nights suggested the very subject for a
-light work of this description, the title of which, if I remember
-rightly, was Mannerlist grosser als Frauenlist ('Man outwits Woman').
-
-I transplanted the story from Bagdad to a modern setting. A young
-goldsmith offends the pride of a young woman by placing the above motto
-on the sign over his shop; deeply veiled, she steps into his shop and
-asks him, as he displays such excellent taste in his work, to express
-his opinion on her own physical charms; he begins with her feet and her
-hands, and finally, noticing his confusion, she removes the veil from
-her face. The jeweller is carried away by her beauty, whereupon she
-complains to him that her father, who has always kept her in the
-strictest seclusion, describes her to all her suitors as an ugly
-monster, his object being, she imagines, simply to keep her dowry. The
-young man swears that he will not be frightened off by these foolish
-objections, should the father raise them against his suit. No sooner
-said than done. The daughter of this peculiar old gentleman is promised
-to the unsuspecting jeweller, and is brought to her bridegroom as soon
-as he has signed the contract. He then sees that the father has indeed
-spoken the truth, the real daughter being a perfect scarecrow. The
-beautiful lady returns to the bridegroom to gloat over his desperation,
-and promises to release him from his terrible marriage if he will
-remove the motto from his signboard. At this point I departed from the
-original, and continued as follows: The enraged jeweller is on the
-point of tearing down his unfortunate signboard when a curious
-apparition leads him to pause in the act. He sees a bear-leader in the
-street making his clumsy beast dance, in whom the luckless lover
-recognises at a glance his own father, from whom he has been parted by
-a hard fate.
-
-He suppresses any sign of emotion, for in a flash a scheme occurs to
-him by which he can utilise this discovery to free himself from the
-hated marriage with the daughter of the proud old aristocrat.
-
-He instructs the bear-leader to come that evening to the garden where
-the solemn betrothal is to take place in the presence of the invited
-guests.
-
-He then explains to his young enemy that he wishes to leave the
-signboard up for the time being, as he still hopes to prove the truth
-of the motto.
-
-After the marriage contract, in which the young man arrogates to
-himself all kinds of fictitious titles of nobility, has been read to
-the assembled company (composed, say, of the elite of the noble
-immigrants at the time of the French Revolution), there is heard
-suddenly the pipe of the bear-leader, who enters the garden with his
-prancing beast. Angered by this trivial diversion, the astonished
-company become indignant when the bridegroom, giving free vent to his
-feelings, throws himself with tears of joy into the arms of the
-bear-leader and loudly proclaims him as his long-lost father. The
-consternation of the company becomes even greater, however, when the
-bear itself embraces the man they supposed to be of noble birth, for
-the beast is no less a person than his own brother in the flesh who, on
-the death of the real bear, had donned its skin, thus enabling the
-poverty-stricken pair to continue to earn their livelihood in the only
-way left to them. This public disclosure of the bridegroom's lowly
-origin at once dissolves the marriage, and the young woman, declaring
-herself outwitted by man, offers her hand in compensation to the
-released jeweller.
-
-To this unassuming subject I gave the title of the Gluckliche
-Barenfamilie, and provided it with a dialogue which afterwards met with
-Holtei's highest approval.
-
-I was about to begin the music for it in a new light French style, but
-the seriousness of my position, which grew more and more acute,
-prevented further progress in my work.
-
-In this respect my strained relations with the conductor of the theatre
-were still a constant source of trouble. With neither the opportunity
-nor the means to defend myself, I had to submit to being maligned and
-rendered an object of suspicion on all sides by my rival, who remained
-master of the field. The object of this was to disgust me with the idea
-of taking up my appointment as musical conductor, for which the
-contract had been signed for Easter. Though I did not lose my
-self-confidence, I suffered keenly from the indignity and the
-depressing effect of this prolonged strain.
-
-When at last, at the beginning of April, the moment arrived for the
-musical conductor Schubert to resign, and for me to take over the whole
-charge, he had the melancholy satisfaction of knowing that not only was
-the standing of the opera seriously weakened by the departure of the
-prima donna, but that there was good reason to doubt whether the
-theatre could be carried on at all. This month of Lent, which was such
-a bad time in Germany for all similar theatrical enterprises, decimated
-the Konigsberg audience with the rest. The director took the greatest
-trouble imaginable to fill up the gaps in the staff of the opera by
-means of engaging strangers temporarily, and by new acquisitions, and
-in this my personality and unflagging activity were of real service; I
-devoted all my energy to buoying up by word and deed the tattered ship
-of the theatre, in which I now had a hand for the first time.
-
-For a long time I had to try and keep cool under the most violent
-treatment by a clique of students, among whom my predecessor had raised
-up enemies for me; and by the unerring certainty of my conducting I had
-to overcome the initial opposition of the orchestra, which had been set
-against me.
-
-After laboriously laying the foundation of personal respect, I was now
-forced to realise that the business methods of the director, Hubsch,
-had already involved too great a sacrifice to permit the theatre to
-make its way against the unfavourableness of the season, and in May he
-admitted to me that he had come to the point of being obliged to close
-the theatre.
-
-By summoning up all my eloquence, and by making suggestions which
-promised a happy issue, I was able to induce him to persevere;
-nevertheless, this was only possible by making demands on the loyalty
-of his company, who were asked to forego part of their salaries for a
-time. This aroused general bitterness on the part of the uninitiated,
-and I found myself in the curious position of being forced to place the
-director in a favourable light to those who were hard hit by these
-measures, while I myself and my position were affected in such a manner
-that my situation became daily more unendurable under the accumulation
-of intolerable difficulties taking their root in my past.
-
-But though I did not even then lose courage, Minna, who as my wife was
-robbed of all that she had a right to expect, found this turn of fate
-quite unbearable. The hidden canker of our married life which, even
-before our marriage, had caused me the most terrible anxiety and led to
-violent scenes, reached its full growth under these sad conditions. The
-less I was able to maintain the standard of comfort due to our position
-by working and making the most of my talents, the more did Minna, to my
-insufferable shame, consider it necessary to take this burden upon
-herself by making the most of her personal popularity. The discovery of
-similar condescensions--as I used to call them--on Minna's part, had
-repeatedly led to revolting scenes, and only her peculiar conception of
-her professional position and the needs it involved had made a
-charitable interpretation possible.
-
-I was absolutely unable to bring my young wife to see my point of view,
-or to make her realise my own wounded feelings on these occasions,
-while the unrestrained violence of my speech and behaviour made an
-understanding once and for all impossible. These scenes frequently sent
-my wife into convulsions of so alarming a nature that, as will easily
-be realised, the satisfaction of reconciling her once more was all that
-remained to me. Certain it was that our mutual attitude became more and
-more incomprehensible and inexplicable to us both.
-
-These quarrels, which now became more frequent and more distressing,
-may have gone far to diminish the strength of any affection which Minna
-was able to give me, but I had no idea that she was only waiting for a
-favourable opportunity to come to a desperate decision.
-
-To fill the place of tenor in our company, I had summoned Friedrich
-Schmitt to Konigsberg, a friend of my first year in Magdeburg, to whom
-allusion has already been made. He was sincerely devoted to me, and
-helped me as much as possible in overcoming the dangers which
-threatened the prosperity of the theatre as well as my own position.
-
-The necessity of being on friendly terms with the public made me much
-less reserved and cautious in making new acquaintances, especially when
-in his company.
-
-A rich merchant, of the name of Dietrich, had recently constituted
-himself a patron of the theatre, and especially of
- the women. With due deference to the men with whom they were
-connected, he used to invite the pick of these ladies to dinner at his
-house, and affected, on these occasions, the well-to-do Englishman,
-which was the beau-ideal for German merchants, especially in the
-manufacturing towns of the north.
-
-I had shown my annoyance at the acceptance of the invitation, sent to
-us among the rest, at first simply because his looks were repugnant to
-me. Minna considered this very unjust. Anyhow, I set my face decidedly
-against continuing our acquaintance with this man, and although Minna
-did not insist on receiving him, my conduct towards the intruder was
-the cause of angry scenes between us.
-
-One day Friedrich Schmitt considered it his duty to inform me that this
-Herr Dietrich had spoken of me at a public dinner in such a manner as
-to lead every one to suppose that he had a suspicious intimacy with my
-wife. I felt obliged to suspect Minna of having, in some way unknown to
-me, told the fellow about my conduct towards her, as well as about our
-precarious position.
-
-Accompanied by Schmitt, I called this dangerous person to account on
-the subject in his own home. At first this only led to the usual
-denials. Afterwards, however, he sent secret communications to Minna
-concerning the interview, thus providing her with a supposed new
-grievance against me in the form of my inconsiderate treatment of her.
-
-Our relations now reached a critical stage, and on certain points we
-preserved silence.
-
-At the same time--it was towards the end of May, 1837--the business
-affairs of the theatre had reached the crisis above mentioned, when the
-management was obliged to fall back on the self-sacrificing
-co-operation of the staff to assure the continuance of the undertaking.
-As I have said before, my own position at the end of a year so
-disastrous to my welfare was seriously affected by this; nevertheless,
-there seemed to be no alternative for me but to face these difficulties
-patiently, and relying on the faithful Friedrich Schmitt, but ignoring
-Minna, I began to take the necessary steps for making my post at
-Konigsberg secure. This, as well as the arduous part I took in the
-business of the theatre, kept me so busy and so much away from home,
-that I was not able to pay any particular attention to Minna's silence
-and reserve.
-
-On the morning of the 31st of May I took leave of Minna, expecting to
-be detained till late in the afternoon by rehearsals and business
-matters. With my entire approval she had for some time been accustomed
-to have her daughter Nathalie, who was supposed by every one to be her
-youngest sister, to stay with her.
-
-As I was about to wish them my usual quiet good-bye, the two women
-rushed after me to the door and embraced me passionately, Minna as well
-as her daughter bursting into tears. I was alarmed, and asked the
-meaning of this excitement, but could get no answer from them, and I
-was obliged to leave them and ponder alone over their peculiar conduct,
-of the reason for which I had not even the faintest idea.
-
-I arrived home late in the afternoon, worn out by my exertions and
-worries, dead-tired, pale and hungry, and was surprised to find the
-table not laid and Minna not at home, the maid telling me that she had
-not yet returned from her walk with Nathalie.
-
-I waited patiently, sinking down exhausted at the work-table, which I
-absent-mindedly opened. To my intense astonishment it was empty.
-Horror-struck, I sprang up and went to the wardrobe, and realised at
-once that Minna had left the house; her departure had been so cunningly
-planned that even the maid was unaware of it.
-
-With death in my soul I dashed out of the house to investigate the
-cause of Minna's disappearance.
-
-Old Moller, by his practical sagacity, very soon found out that
-Dietrich, his personal enemy, had left Konigsberg in the direction of
-Berlin by the special coach in the morning.
-
-This horrible fact stood staring me in the face.
-
-I had now to try and overtake the fugitives. With the lavish use of
-money this might have been possible, but funds were lacking, and had,
-in part, to be laboriously collected.
-
-On Moller's advice I took the silver wedding presents with me in case
-of emergency, and after the lapse of a few terrible hours went off,
-also by special coach, with my distressed old friend. We hoped to
-overtake the ordinary mail-coach, which had started a short time
-before, as it was probable that Minna would also continue her journey
-in this, at a safe distance from Konigsberg.
-
-This proved impossible, and when next morning at break of day we
-arrived in Elbing, we found our money exhausted by the lavish use of
-the express coach, and were compelled to return; we discovered,
-moreover, that even by using the ordinary coach we should be obliged to
-pawn the sugar-basin and cake-dish.
-
-This return journey to Konigsberg rightly remains one of the saddest
-memories of my youth. Of course, I did not for a moment entertain the
-idea of remaining in the place; my one thought was how I could best get
-away. Hemmed in between the law-suits of my Magdeburg creditors and the
-Konigsberg tradesmen, who had claims on me for the payment by
-instalment of my domestic accounts, my departure could only be carried
-out in secrecy. For this very reason, too, it was necessary for me to
-raise money, particularly for the long journey from Konigsberg to
-Dresden, whither I determined to go in quest of my wife, and these
-matters detained me for two long and terrible days.
-
-I received no news whatever from Minna; from Moller I ascertained that
-she had gone to Dresden, and that Dietrich had only accompanied her for
-a short distance on the excuse of helping her in a friendly way.
-
-I succeeded in assuring myself that she really only wished to get away
-from a position that filled her with desperation, and for this purpose
-had accepted the assistance of a man who sympathised with her, and that
-she was for the present seeking rest and shelter with her parents. My
-first indignation at the event accordingly subsided to such an extent
-that I gradually acquired more sympathy for her in her despair, and
-began to reproach myself both for my conduct and for having brought
-unhappiness on her.
-
-I became so convinced of the correctness of this view during the
-tedious journey to Dresden via Berlin, which I eventually undertook on
-the 3rd of June, that when at last I found Minna at the humble abode of
-her parents, I was really quite unable to express anything but
-repentence and heartbroken sympathy.
-
-It was quite true that Minna thought herself badly treated by me, and
-declared that she had only been forced to take this desperate step by
-brooding over our impossible position, to which she thought me both
-blind and deaf. Her parents were not pleased to see me: the painfully
-excited condition of their daughter seemed to afford sufficient
-justification for her complaints against me. Whether my own sufferings,
-my hasty pursuit, and the heartfelt expression of my grief made any
-favourable impression on her, I can really hardly say, as her manner
-towards me was very confused and, to a certain extent,
-incomprehensible. Still she was impressed when I told her that there
-was a good prospect of my obtaining the post of musical conductor at
-Riga, where a new theatre was about to be opened under the most
-favourable conditions. I felt that I must not press for new resolutions
-concerning the regulation of our future relations just then, but must
-strive the more earnestly to lay a better foundation for them.
-Consequently, after spending a fearful week with my wife under the most
-painful conditions, I went to Berlin, there to sign my agreement with
-the new director of the Riga theatre. I obtained the appointment on
-fairly favourable terms which, I saw, would enable me to keep house in
-such a style that Minna could retire from the theatre altogether. By
-this means she would be in a position to spare me all humiliation and
-anxiety.
-
-On returning to Dresden, I found that Minna was ready to lend a willing
-ear to my proposed plans, and I succeeded in inducing her to leave her
-parents' house, which was very cramped for us, and to establish herself
-in the country at Blasewitz, near Dresden, to await our removal to
-Riga. We found modest lodgings at an inn on the Elbe, in the farm-yard
-of which I had often played as a child. Here Minna's frame of mind
-really seemed to be improving. She had begged me not to press her too
-hard, and I spared her as much as possible. After a few weeks I thought
-I might consider the period of uneasiness past, but was surprised to
-find the situation growing worse again without any apparent reason.
-Minna then told me of some advantageous offers she had received from
-different theatres, and astonished me one day by announcing her
-intention of taking a short pleasure trip with a girl friend and her
-family. As I felt obliged to avoid putting any restraint upon her, I
-offered no objection to the execution of this project, which entailed a
-week's separation, but accompanied her back to her parents myself,
-promising to await her return quietly at Blasewitz. A few days later
-her eldest sister called to ask me for the written permission required
-to make out a passport for my wife. This alarmed me, and I went to
-Dresden to ask her parents what their daughter was about. There, to my
-surprise, I met with a very unpleasant reception; they reproached me
-coarsely for my behaviour to Minna, whom they said I could not even
-manage to support, and when I only replied by asking for information as
-to the whereabouts of my wife, and about her plans for the future, I
-was put off with improbable statements. Tormented by the sharpest
-forebodings, and understanding nothing of what had occurred, I went
-back to the village, where I found a letter from Konigsberg, from
-Moller, which poured light on all my misery. Herr Dietrich had gone to
-Dresden, and I was told the name of the hotel at which he was staying.
-The terrible illumination thrown by this communication upon Minna's
-conduct showed me in a flash what to do. I hurried into town to make
-the necessary inquiries at the hotel mentioned, and found that the man
-in question had been there, but had moved on again. He had vanished,
-and Minna too! I now knew enough to demand of the Fates why, at such an
-early age, they had sent me this terrible experience which, as it
-seemed to me, had poisoned my whole existence.
-
-I sought consolation for my boundless grief in the society of my sister
-Ottilie and her husband, Hermann Brockhaus, an excellent fellow to whom
-she had been married for some years. They were then living at their
-pretty summer villa in the lovely Grosser Garten, near Dresden. I had
-looked them up at once the first time I went to Dresden, but as I had
-not at that time the slightest idea of how things were going to turn
-out, I had told them nothing, and had seen but little of them. Now I
-was moved to break my obstinate silence, and unfold to them the cause
-of my misery, with but few reservations.
-
-For the first time I was in a position gratefully to appreciate the
-advantages of family intercourse, and of the direct and disinterested
-intimacy between blood relations. Explanations were hardly necessary,
-and as brother and sister we found ourselves as closely linked now as
-we had been when we were children. We arrived at a complete
-understanding without having to explain what we meant; I was unhappy,
-she was happy; consolation and help followed as a matter of course.
-
-This was the sister to whom I once had read Leubald und Adelaide in a
-thunderstorm; the sister who had listened, filled with astonishment and
-sympathy, to that eventful performance of my first overture on
-Christmas Eve, and whom I now found married to one of the kindest of
-men, Hermann Brockhaus, who soon earned a reputation for himself as an
-expert in oriental languages. He was the youngest brother of my elder
-brother-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus. Their union was blessed by two
-children; their comfortable means favoured a life free from care, and
-when I made my daily pilgrimage from Blasewitz to the famous Grosser
-Garten, it was like stepping from a desert into paradise to enter their
-house (one of the popular villas), knowing that I would invariably find
-a welcome in this happy family circle. Not only was my spirit soothed
-and benefited by intercourse with my sister, but my creative instincts,
-which had long lain dormant, were stimulated afresh by the society of
-my brilliant and learned brother-in-law. It was brought home to me,
-without in any way hurting my feelings, that my early marriage,
-excusable as it may have been, was yet an error to be retrieved, and my
-mind regained sufficient elasticity to compose some sketches, designed
-this time not merely to meet the requirements of the theatre as I knew
-it. During the last wretched days I had spent with Minna at Blasewitz,
-I had read Bulwer Lytton's novel, Rienzi; during my convalescence in
-the bosom of my sympathetic family, I now worked out the scheme for a
-grand opera under the inspiration of this book. Though obliged for the
-present to return to the limitations of a small theatre, I tried from
-this time onwards to aim at enlarging my sphere of action. I sent my
-overture, Rule Britannia, to the Philharmonic Society in London, and
-tried to get into communication with Scribe in Paris about a setting
-for H. Konig's novel, Die Hohe Braut, which I had sketched out.
-
-Thus I spent the remainder of this summer of ever-happy memory. At the
-end of August I had to leave for Riga to take up my new appointment.
-Although I knew that my sister Rosalie had shortly before married the
-man of her choice, Professor Oswald Marbach of Leipzig, I avoided that
-city, probably with the foolish notion of sparing myself any
-humiliation, and went straight to Berlin, where I had to receive
-certain additional instructions from my future director, and also to
-obtain my passport. There I met a younger sister of Minna's, Amalie
-Planer, a singer with a pretty voice, who had joined our opera company
-at Magdeburg for a short time. My report of Minna quite overwhelmed
-this exceedingly kind-hearted girl. We went to a performance of Fidelia
-together, during which she, like myself, burst into tears and sobs.
-Refreshed by the sympathetic impression I had received, I went by way
-of Schwerin, where I was disappointed in my hopes of finding traces of
-Minna, to Lubeck, to wait for a merchant ship going to Riga. We had set
-sail for Travemunde when an unfavourable wind set in, and held up our
-departure for a week: I had to spend this disagreeable time in a
-miserable ship's tavern. Thrown on my own resources I tried, amongst
-other things, to read Till Eulenspiegel, and this popular book first
-gave me the idea of a real German comic opera. Long afterwards, when I
-was composing the words for my Junger Siegfried, I remember having many
-vivid recollections of this melancholy sojourn in Travemunde and my
-reading of Till Eulenspiegel. After a voyage of four days we at last
-reached port at Bolderaa. I was conscious of a peculiar thrill on
-coming into contact with Russian officials, whom I had instinctively
-detested since the days of my sympathy with the Poles as a boy. It
-seemed to me as if the harbour police must read enthusiasm for the
-Poles in my face, and would send me to Siberia on the spot, and I was
-the more agreeably surprised, on reaching Riga, to find myself
-surrounded by the familiar German element which, above all, pervaded
-everything connected with the theatre.
-
-After my unfortunate experiences in connection with the conditions of
-small German stages, the way in which this newly opened theatre was run
-had at first a calming effect on my mind. A society had been formed by
-a number of well-to-do theatre-goers and rich business men to raise, by
-voluntary subscription, sufficient money to provide the sort of
-management they regarded as ideal with a solid foundation. The director
-they appointed was Karl von Holtei, a fairly popular dramatic writer,
-who enjoyed a certain reputation in the theatrical world. This man's
-ideas about the stage represented a special tendency, which was at that
-time on the decline. He possessed, in addition to his remarkable social
-gifts, an extraordinary acquaintance with all the principal people
-connected with the theatre during the past twenty years, and belonged
-to a society called Die Liebenswurdigen Libertins ('The Amiable
-Libertines'). This was a set of young would-be wits, who looked upon
-the stage as a playground licensed by the public for the display of
-their mad pranks, from which the middle class held aloof, while people
-of culture were steadily losing all interest in the theatre under these
-hopeless conditions.
-
-Holtei's wife had in former days been a popular actress at the
-Konigstadt theatre in Berlin, and it was here, at the time when
-Henriette Sontag raised it to the height of its fame, that Holtei's
-style had been formed. The production there of his melodrama Leonore
-(founded on Burger's ballad) had in particular earned him a wide
-reputation as a writer for the stage, besides which he produced some
-Liederspiele, and among them one, entitled Der Alte Feldherr, became
-fairly popular. His invitation to Riga had been particularly welcome,
-as it bid fair to gratify his craving to absorb himself completely in
-the life of the stage; he hoped, in this out-of-the-way place, to
-indulge his passion without restraint. His peculiar familiarity of
-manner, his inexhaustible store of amusing small talk, and his airy way
-of doing business, gave him a remarkable hold on the tradespeople of
-Riga, who wished for nothing better than such entertainment as he was
-able to give them. They provided him liberally with all the necessary
-means and treated him in every respect with entire confidence. Under
-his auspices my own engagement had been very easily secured. Surly old
-pedants he would have none of, favouring young men on the score of
-their youth alone. As far as I myself was concerned, it was enough for
-him to know that I belonged to a family which he knew and liked, and
-hearing, moreover, of my fervent devotion to modern Italian and French
-music in particular, he decided that I was the very man for him. He had
-the whole shoal of Bellini's, Donizetti's, Adam's, and Auber's operatic
-scores copied out, and I was to give the good people of Riga the
-benefit of them with all possible speed.
-
-The first time I visited Holtei I met an old Leipzig acquaintance,
-Heinrich Dorn, my former mentor, who now held the permanent municipal
-appointment of choir-master at the church and music-teacher in the
-schools. He was pleased to find his curious pupil transformed into a
-practical opera conductor of independent position, and no less
-surprised to see the eccentric worshipper of Beethoven changed into an
-ardent champion of Bellini and Adam. He took me home to his summer
-residence, which was built, according to Riga phraseology, 'in the
-fields,' that is literally, on the sand. While I was giving him some
-account of the experiences through which I had passed, I grew conscious
-of the strangely deserted look of the place. Feeling frightened and
-homeless, my initial uneasiness gradually developed into a passionate
-longing to escape from all the whirl of theatrical life which had wooed
-me to such inhospitable regions. This uneasy mood was fast dispelling
-the flippancy which at Magdeburg had led to my being dragged down to
-the level of the most worthless stage society, and had also conduced to
-spoil my musical taste. It also contained the germs of a new tendency
-which developed during the period of my activity at Riga, brought me
-more and more out of touch with the theatre, thereby causing Director
-Holtei all the annoyance which inevitably attends disappointment.
-
-For some time, however, I found no difficulty in making the best of a
-bad bargain. We were obliged to open the theatre before the company was
-complete. To make this possible, we gave a performance of a short comic
-opera by C. Blum, called Marie, Max und Michel. For this work I
-composed an additional air for a song which Holtei had written for the
-bass singer, Gunther; it consisted of a sentimental introduction and a
-gay military rondo, and was very much appreciated. Later on, I
-introduced another additional song into the Schweizerfamilie, to be
-sung by another bass singer, Scheibler; it was of a devotional
-character, and pleased not only the public, but myself, and showed
-signs of the upheaval which was gradually taking place in my musical
-development. I was entrusted with the composition of a tune for a
-National Hymn written by Brakel in honour of the Tsar Nicholas's
-birthday. I tried to give it as far as possible the right colouring for
-a despotic patriarchal monarch, and once again I achieved some fame,
-for it was sung for several successive years on that particular day.
-Holtei tried to persuade me to write a bright, gay comic opera, or
-rather a musical play, to be performed by our company just as it stood.
-I looked up the libretto of my Glucktiche Barenfamilie, and found
-Holtei very well disposed towards it (as I have stated elsewhere); but
-when I unearthed the little music which I had already composed for it,
-I was overcome with disgust at this way of writing; whereupon I made a
-present of the book to my clumsy, good-natured friend, Lobmann, my
-right-hand man in the orchestra, and never gave it another thought from
-that day to this. I managed, however, to get to work on the libretto of
-Rienzi, which I had sketched out at Blasewitz. I developed it from
-every point of view, on so extravagant a scale, that with this work I
-deliberately cut off all possibility of being tempted by circumstances
-to produce it anywhere but on one of the largest stages in Europe.
-
-But while this helped to strengthen my endeavour to escape from all the
-petty degradations of stage life, new complications arose which
-affected me more and more seriously, and offered further opposition to
-my aims. The prima donna engaged by Holtei had failed us, and we were
-therefore without a singer for grand opera. Under the circumstances,
-Holtei joyfully agreed to my proposal to ask Amalie, Minna's sister
-(who was glad to accept an engagement that brought her near me), to
-come to Riga at once. In her answer to me from Dresden, where she was
-then living, she informed me of Minna's return to her parents, and of
-her present miserable condition owing to a severe illness. I naturally
-took this piece of news very coolly, for what I had heard about Minna
-since she left me for the last time had forced me to authorise my old
-friend at Konigsberg to take steps to procure a divorce. It was certain
-that Minna had stayed for some time at a hotel in Hamburg with that
-ill-omened man, Herr Dietrich, and that she had spread abroad the story
-of our separation so unreservedly that the theatrical world in
-particular had discussed it in a manner that was positively insulting
-to me. I simply informed Amalie of this, and requested her to spare me
-any further news of her sister.
-
-Hereupon Minna herself appealed to me, and wrote me a positively
-heartrending letter, in which she openly confessed her infidelity. She
-declared that she had been driven to it by despair, but that the great
-trouble she had thus brought upon herself having taught her a lesson,
-all she now wished was to return to the right path. Taking everything
-into account, I concluded that she had been deceived in the character
-of her seducer, and the knowledge of her terrible position had placed
-her both morally and physically in a most lamentable condition, in
-which, now ill and wretched, she turned to me again to acknowledge her
-guilt, crave my forgiveness, and assure me, in spite of all, that she
-had now become fully aware of her love for me. Never before had I heard
-such sentiments from Minna, nor was I ever to hear the same from her
-again, save on one touching occasion many years later, when similar
-outpourings moved and affected me in the same way as this particular
-letter had done. In reply I told her that there should never again be
-any mention between us of what had occurred, for which I took upon
-myself the chief blame; and I can pride myself on having carried out
-this resolution to the letter.
-
-When her sister's engagement was satisfactorily settled, I at once
-invited Minna to come to Riga with her. Both gladly accepted my
-invitation, and arrived from Dresden at my new home on 19th October,
-wintry weather having already set in. With much regret I perceived that
-Minna's health had really suffered, and therefore did all in my power
-to provide her with all the domestic comforts and quiet she needed.
-This presented difficulties, for my modest income as a conductor was
-all I had at my disposal, and we were both firmly determined not to let
-Minna go on the stage again. On the other hand, the carrying out of
-this resolve, in view of the financial inconvenience it entailed,
-produced strange complications, the nature of which was only revealed
-to me later, when startling developments divulged the real moral
-character of the manager Holtei. For the present I had to let people
-think that I was jealous of my wife. I bore patiently with the general
-belief that I had good reasons to be so, and rejoiced meanwhile at the
-restoration of our peaceful married life, and especially at the sight
-of our humble home, which we made as comfortable as our means would
-allow, and in the keeping of which Minna's domestic talents came
-strongly to the fore. As we were still childless, and were obliged as a
-rule to enlist the help of a dog in order to give life to the domestic
-hearth, we once lighted upon the eccentric idea of trying our luck with
-a young wolf which was brought into the house as a tiny cub. When we
-found, however, that this experiment did not increase the comfort of
-our home life, we gave him up after he had been with us a few weeks. We
-fared better with sister Amalie; for she, with her good-nature and
-simple homely ways, did much to make up for the absence of children for
-a time. The two sisters, neither of whom had had any real education,
-often returned playfully to the ways of their childhood. When they sang
-children's duets, Minna, though she had had no musical training, always
-managed very cleverly to sing seconds, and afterwards, as we sat at our
-evening meal, eating Russian salad, salt salmon from the Dwina, or
-fresh Russian caviare, we were all three very cheerful and happy far
-away in our northern home.
-
-Amalie's beautiful voice and real vocal talent at first won for her a
-very favourable reception with the public, a fact which did us all a
-great deal of good. Being, however, very short, and having no very
-great gift for acting, the scope of her powers was very limited, and as
-she was soon surpassed by more successful competitors, it was a real
-stroke of good luck for her that a young officer in the Russian army,
-then Captain, now General, Carl von Meek, fell head over ears in love
-with the simple girl, and married her a year later. The unfortunate
-part of this engagement, however, was that it caused many difficulties,
-and brought the first cloud over our menage a trois. For, after a
-while, the two sisters quarrelled bitterly, and I had the very
-unpleasant experience of living for a whole year in the same house with
-two relatives who neither saw nor spoke to each other.
-
-We spent the winter at the beginning of 1838 in a very small dingy
-dwelling in the old town; it was not till the spring that we moved into
-a pleasanter house in the more salubrious Petersburg suburb, where, in
-spite of the sisterly breach before referred to, we led a fairly bright
-and cheerful life, as we were often able to entertain many of our
-friends and acquaintances in a simple though pleasant fashion. In
-addition to members of the stage I knew a few people in the town, and
-we received and visited the family of Dorn, the musical director, with
-whom I became quite intimate. But it was the second musical director,
-Franz Lobmann, a very worthy though not a very gifted man, who became
-most faithfully attached to me. However, I did not cultivate many
-acquaintances in wider circles, and they grew fewer as the ruling
-passion of my life grew steadily stronger; so that when, later on, I
-left Riga, after spending nearly two years there, I departed almost as
-a stranger, and with as much indifference as I had left Magdeburg and
-Konigsberg. What, however, specially embittered my departure was a
-series of experiences of a particularly disagreeable nature, which
-firmly determined me to cut myself off entirely from the necessity of
-mixing with any people like those I had met with in my previous
-attempts to create a position for myself at the theatre.
-
-Yet it was only gradually that I became quite conscious of all this. At
-first, under the safe guidance of my renewed wedded happiness, which
-had for a time been so disturbed in its early days, I felt distinctly
-better than I had before in all my professional work. The fact that the
-material position of the theatrical undertaking was assured exercised a
-healthy influence on the performances. The theatre itself was cooped up
-in a very narrow space; there was as little room for scenic display on
-its tiny stage as there was accommodation for rich musical effects in
-the cramped orchestra. In both directions the strictest limits were
-imposed, yet I contrived to introduce considerable reinforcements into
-an orchestra which was really only calculated for a string quartette,
-two first and two second violins, two violas, and one 'cello. These
-successful exertions of mine were the first cause of the dislike Holtei
-evinced towards me later on. After this we were able to get good
-concerted music for the opera. I found the thorough study of Mehul's
-opera, Joseph in Aegypten, very stimulating. Its noble and simple
-style, added to the touching effect of the music, which quite carries
-one away, did much towards effecting a favourable change in my taste,
-till then warped by my connection with the theatre.
-
-It was most gratifying to feel my former serious taste again aroused by
-really good dramatic performances. I specially remember a production of
-King Lear, which I followed with the greatest interest, not only at the
-actual performances, but at all the rehearsals as well. Yet these
-educative impressions tended to make me feel ever more and more
-dissatisfied with my work at the theatre. On the one hand, the members
-of the company became gradually more distasteful to me, and on the
-other I was growing discontented with the management. With regard to
-the staff of the theatre, I very soon found out the hollowness, vanity,
-and the impudent selfishness of this uncultured and undisciplined class
-of people, for I had now lost my former liking for the Bohemian life
-that had such an attraction for me at Magdeburg. Before long there were
-but a few members of our company with whom I had not quarrelled, thanks
-to one or the other of these drawbacks. But my saddest experience was,
-that in such disputes, into which in fact I was led simply by my zeal
-for the artistic success of the performances as a whole, not only did I
-receive no support from Holtei, the director, but I actually made him
-my enemy. He even declared publicly that our theatre had become far too
-respectable for his taste, and tried to convince me that good
-theatrical performances could not be given by a strait-laced company.
-
-In his opinion the idea of the dignity of theatrical art was pedantic
-nonsense, and he thought light serio-comic vaudeville the only class of
-performance worth considering. Serious opera, rich musical ensemble,
-was his particular aversion, and my demands for this irritated him so
-that he met them only with scorn and indignant refusals. Of the strange
-connection between this artistic bias and his taste in the domain of
-morality I was also to become aware, to my horror, in due course. For
-the present I felt so repelled by the declaration of his artistic
-antipathies, as to let my dislike for the theatre as a profession
-steadily grow upon me. I still took pleasure in some good performances
-which I was able to get up, under favourable circumstances, at the
-larger theatre at Mitau, to where the company went for a time in the
-early part of the summer. Yet it was while I was there, spending most
-of my time reading Bulwer Lytton's novels, that I made a secret resolve
-to try hard to free myself from all connection with the only branch of
-theatrical art which had so far been open to me.
-
-The composition of my Rienzi, the text of which I had finished in the
-early days of my sojourn in Riga, was destined to bridge me over to the
-glorious world for which I had longed so intensely. I had laid aside
-the completion of my Gluckliche Barenfamilie, for the simple reason
-that the lighter character of this piece would have thrown me more into
-contact with the very theatrical people I most despised. My greatest
-consolation now was to prepare Rienzi with such an utter disregard of
-the means which were available there for its production, that my desire
-to produce it would force me out of the narrow confines of this puny
-theatrical circle to seek a fresh connection with one of the larger
-theatres. It was after our return from Mitau, in the middle of the
-summer of 1838, that I set to work on this composition, and by so doing
-roused myself to a state of enthusiasm which, considering my position,
-was nothing less than desperate dare-devilry. All to whom I confided my
-plan perceived at once, on the mere mention of my subject, that I was
-preparing to break away from my present position, in which there could
-be no possibility of producing my work, and I was looked upon as
-light-headed and fit only for an asylum.
-
-To all my acquaintances my procedure seemed stupid and reckless. Even
-the former patron of my peculiar Leipzig overture thought it
-impracticable and eccentric, seeing that I had again turned my back on
-light opera. He expressed this opinion very freely in the Neue
-Zeitschrift fur Musik, in a report of a concert I had given towards the
-end of the previous winter, and openly ridiculed the Magdeburg Columbus
-Overture and the Rule Britannia Overture previously mentioned. I myself
-had not taken any pleasure in the performance of either of these
-overtures, as my predilection for cornets, strongly marked in both
-these overtures, again played me a sorry trick, as I had evidently
-expected too much of our Riga musicians, and had to endure all kinds of
-disappointment on the occasion of the performance. As a complete
-contrast to my extravagant setting of Rienzi, this same director, H.
-Dorn, had set to work to write an opera in which he had most carefully
-borne in mind the conditions obtaining at the Riga theatre. Der Schoffe
-van Paris, an historical operetta of the period of the siege of Paris
-by Joan of Arc, was practised and performed by us to the complete
-satisfaction of the composer. However, the success of this work gave me
-no reason for abandoning my project to complete my Rienzi, and I was
-secretly pleased to find that I could regard this success without a
-trace of envy. Though animated by no feeling of rivalry, I gradually
-gave up associating with the Riga artists, confining myself chiefly to
-the performance of the duties I had undertaken, and worked away at the
-two first acts of my big opera without troubling myself at all whether
-I should ever get so far as to see it produced.
-
-The serious and bitter experiences I had had so early in life had done
-much to guide me towards that intensely earnest side of my nature that
-had manifested itself in my earliest youth. The effect of these bitter
-experiences was now to be still further emphasised by other sad
-impressions. Not long after Minna had rejoined me, I received from home
-the news of the death of my sister Rosalie. It was the first time in my
-life that I had experienced the passing away of one near and dear to
-me. The death of this sister struck me as a most cruel and significant
-blow of fate; it was out of love and respect for her that I had turned
-away so resolutely from my youthful excesses, and it was to gain her
-sympathy that I had devoted special thought and care to my first great
-works. When the passions and cares of life had come upon me and driven
-me away from my home, it was she who had read deep down into my sorely
-stricken heart, and who had bidden me that anxious farewell on my
-departure from Leipzig. At the time of my disappearance, when the news
-of my wilful marriage and of my consequent unfortunate position reached
-my family, it was she who, as my mother informed me later, never lost
-her faith in me, but who always cherished the hope that I would one day
-reach the full development of my capabilities and make a genuine
-success of my life.
-
-Now, at the news of her death, and illuminated by the recollection of
-that one impressive farewell, as by a flash of lightning I saw the
-immense value my relations with this sister had been to me, and I did
-not fully realise the extent of her influence until later on, when,
-after my first striking successes, my mother tearfully lamented that
-Rosalie had not lived to witness them. It really did me good to be
-again in communication with my family. My mother and sisters had had
-news of my doings somehow or other, and I was deeply touched, in the
-letters which I was now receiving from them, to hear no reproaches
-anent my headstrong and apparently heartless behaviour, but only
-sympathy and heartfelt solicitude. My family had also received
-favourable reports about my wife's good qualities, a fact about which I
-was particularly glad, as I was thus spared the difficulties of
-defending her questionable behaviour to me, which I should have been at
-pains to excuse. This produced a salutary calm in my soul, which had so
-recently been a prey to the worst anxieties. All that had driven me
-with such passionate haste to an improvident and premature marriage,
-all that had consequently weighed on me so ruinously, now seemed set at
-rest, leaving peace in its stead. And although the ordinary cares of
-life still pressed on me for many years, often in a most vexatious and
-troublesome form, yet the anxieties attendant on my ardent youthful
-wishes were in a manner subdued and calm. From thence forward till the
-attainment of my professional independence, all my life's struggles
-could be directed entirely towards that more ideal aim which, from the
-time of the conception of my Rienzi, was to be my only guide through
-life.
-
-It was only later that I first realised the real character of my life
-in Riga, from the utterance of one of its inhabitants, who was
-astonished to learn of the success of a man of whose importance, during
-the whole of his two years' sojourn in the small capital of Livonia,
-nothing had been known. Thrown entirely on my own resources, I was a
-stranger to every one. As I mentioned before, I kept aloof from all the
-theatre folk, in consequence of my increasing dislike of them, and
-therefore, when at the end of March, 1839, at the close of my second
-winter there, I was given my dismissal by the management, although this
-occurrence surprised me for other reasons, yet I felt fully reconciled
-to this compulsory change in my life. The reasons which led to this
-dismissal were, however, of such a nature that I could only regard it
-as one of the most disagreeable experiences of my life. Once, when I
-was lying dangerously ill, I heard of Holtei's real feelings towards
-me. I had caught a severe cold in the depth of winter at a theatrical
-rehearsal, and it at once assumed a serious character, owing to the
-fact that my nerves were in a state of constant irritation from the
-continual annoyance and vexatious worry caused by the contemptible
-character of the theatrical management. It was just at the time when a
-special performance of the opera Norma was to be given by our company
-in Mitau. Holtei insisted on my getting up from a sick-bed to make this
-wintry journey, and thus to expose myself to the danger of seriously
-increasing my cold in the icy theatre at Mitau. Typhoid fever was the
-consequence, and this pulled me down to such an extent that Holtei, who
-heard of my condition, is said to have remarked at the theatre that I
-should probably never conduct again, and that, to all intents and
-purposes, 'I was on my last legs.' It was to a splendid homoeopathic
-physician, Dr. Prutzer, that I owed my recovery and my life. Not long
-after that Holtei left our theatre and Riga for ever; his occupation
-there, with 'the far too respectable conditions,' as he expressed it,
-had become intolerable to him. In addition, however, circumstances had
-arisen in his domestic life (which had been much affected by the death
-of his wife) which seemed to make him consider a complete break with
-Riga eminently desirable. But to my astonishment I now first became
-aware that I too had unconsciously been a sufferer from the troubles he
-had brought upon himself. When Holtei's successor in the
-management--Joseph Hoffmann the singer--informed me that his
-predecessor had made it a condition to his taking over the post that he
-should enter into the same engagement that Holtei had made with the
-conductor Dorn for the post which I had hitherto filled, and my
-reappointment had therefore been made an impossibility, my wife met my
-astonishment at this news by giving me the reason, of which for some
-considerable time past she had been well aware, namely, Holtei's
-special dislike of us both. When I was afterwards informed by Minna of
-what had happened--she having purposely kept it from me all this time,
-so as not to cause bad feeling between me and my director--a ghastly
-light was thrown upon the whole affair. I did indeed remember perfectly
-how, soon after Minna's arrival in Riga, I had been particularly
-pressed by Holtei not to prevent my wife's engagement at the theatre. I
-asked him to talk things quietly over with her, so that he might see
-that Minna's unwillingness rested on a mutual understanding, and not on
-any jealousy on my part. I had intentionally given him the time when I
-was engaged at the theatre on rehearsals for the necessary discussions
-with my wife. At the end of these meetings I had, on my return, often
-found Minna in a very excited condition, and at length she declared
-emphatically that under no circumstances would she accept the
-engagement offered by Holtei. I had also noticed in Minna's demeanour
-towards me a strange anxiety to know why I was not unwilling to allow
-Holtei to try to persuade her. Now that the catastrophe had occurred, I
-learned that Holtei had in fact used these interviews for making
-improper advances to my wife, the nature of which I only realised with
-difficulty on further acquaintance with this man's peculiarities, and
-after having heard of other instances of a similar nature. I then
-discovered that Holtei considered it an advantage to get himself talked
-about in connection with pretty women, in order thus to divert the
-attention of the public from other conduct even more disreputable.
-After this Minna was exceedingly indignant at Holtei, who, finding his
-own suit rejected, appeared as the medium for another suitor, on whose
-behalf he urged that he would think none the worse of her for rejecting
-him, a grey-haired and penniless man, but at the same time advocated
-the suit of Brandenburg, a very wealthy and handsome young merchant.
-His fierce indignation at this double repulse, his humiliation at
-having revealed his real nature to no purpose, seems, to judge from
-Minna's observations, to have been exceedingly great. I now understood
-too well that his frequent and profoundly contemptuous sallies against
-respectable actors and actresses had not been mere spirited
-exaggerations, but that he had probably often had to complain of being
-put thoroughly to shame on this account.
-
-The fact that the playing of such criminal parts as the one he had had
-in view with my wife was unable to divert the ever-increasing attention
-of the outside world from his vicious and dissolute habits, does not
-seem to have escaped him; for those behind the scenes told me candidly
-that it was owing to the fear of very unpleasant revelations that he
-had suddenly decided to give up his position at Riga altogether. Even
-in much later years I heard about Holtei's bitter dislike of me, a
-dislike which showed itself, among other things, in his denunciation of
-The Music of the Future, [Footnote: Zukunftsmusik is a pamphlet
-revealing some of Wagner's artistic aims and aspirations, written
-1860-61.--EDITOR.] and of its tendency to jeopardise the simplicity of
-pure sentiment. I have previously mentioned that he displayed so much
-personal animosity against me during the latter part of the time we
-were together in Riga that he vented his hostility upon me in every
-possible way. Up to that time I had felt inclined to ascribe it to the
-divergence of our respective views on artistic points.
-
-To my dismay I now became aware that personal considerations alone were
-at the bottom of all this, and I blushed to realise that by my former
-unreserved confidence in a man whom I thought was absolutely honest, I
-had based my knowledge of human nature on such very weak foundations.
-But still greater was my disappointment when I discovered the real
-character of my friend H. Dorn. During the whole time of our
-intercourse at Riga, he, who formerly treated me more like a
-good-natured elder brother, had become my most confidential friend. We
-saw and visited each other almost daily, very frequently in our
-respective homes. I kept not a single secret from him, and the
-performance of his Schoffe van Paris under my direction was as
-successful as if it had been under his own. Now, when I heard that my
-post had been given to him, I felt obliged to ask him about it, in
-order to learn whether there was any mistake on his part as to my
-intention regarding the position I had hitherto held. But from his
-letter in reply I could clearly see that Dorn had really made use of
-Holtei's dislike for me to extract from him, before his departure, an
-arrangement which was both binding on his successor and also in his
-(Dorn's) own favour. As my friend he ought to have known that he could
-benefit by this agreement only in the event of my resigning my
-appointment in Riga, because in our confidential conversations, which
-continued to the end, he always carefully refrained from touching on
-the possibility of my going away or remaining. In fact, he declared
-that Holtei had distinctly told him he would on no account re-engage
-me, as I could not get on with the singers. He added that after this
-one could not take it amiss if he, who had been inspired with fresh
-enthusiasm for the theatre by the success of his Schoffe von Paris, had
-seized and turned to his own advantage the chance offered to him.
-Moreover, he had gathered from my confidential communications that I
-was very awkwardly situated, and that, owing to my small salary having
-been cut down by Holtei from the very beginning, I was in a very
-precarious position on account of the demands of my creditors in
-Konigsberg and Magdeburg. It appeared that these people had employed
-against me a lawyer, who was a friend of Dorn's, and that,
-consequently, he had come to the conclusion that I would not be able to
-remain in Riga. Therefore, even as my friend, he had felt his
-conscience quite clear in accepting Holtei's proposal.
-
-In order not to leave him in the complacent enjoyment of this
-self-deception, I put it clearly before him that he could not be
-ignorant of the fact that a higher salary had been promised to me for
-the third year of my contract; and that, by the establishment of
-orchestral concerts, which had already made a favourable start, I now
-saw my way to getting free from those long-standing debts, having
-already overcome the difficulties of the removal and settling down. I
-also asked him how he would act if I saw it was to my own interest to
-retain my post, and to call on him to resign his agreement with Holtei,
-who, as a matter of fact, after his departure from Riga, had withdrawn
-his alleged reason for my dismissal. To this I received no answer, nor
-have I had one up to the present day; but, on the other hand, in 1865,
-I was astonished to see Dorn enter my house in Munich unannounced, and
-when to his joy I recognised him, he stepped up to me with a gesture
-which clearly showed his intention of embracing me. Although I managed
-to evade this, yet I soon saw the difficulty of preventing him from
-addressing me with the familiar form of 'thou,' as the attempt to do so
-would have necessitated explanations that would have been a useless
-addition to all my worries just then; for it was the time when my
-Tristan was being produced.
-
-Such a man was Heinrich Dorn. Although, after the failure of three
-operas, he had retired in disgust from the theatre to devote himself
-exclusively to the commercial side of music, yet the success of his
-opera, Der Schoffe von Paris, in Riga helped him back to a permanent
-place among the dramatic musicians of Germany. But to this position he
-was first dragged from obscurity, across the bridge of infidelity to
-his friend, and by the aid of virtue in the person of Director Holtei,
-thanks to a magnanimous oversight on the part of Franz Listz. The
-preference of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. for church scenes contributed
-to secure him eventually his important position at the greatest lyric
-theatre in Germany, the Royal Opera of Berlin. For he was prompted far
-less by his devotion to the dramatic muse than by his desire to secure
-a good position in some important German city, when, as already hinted,
-through Liszt's recommendation he was appointed musical director of
-Cologne Cathedral. During a fete connected with the building of the
-cathedral he managed, as a musician, so to work upon the Prussian
-monarch's religious feelings, that he was appointed to the dignified
-post of musical conductor at the Royal Theatre, in which capacity he
-long continued to do honour to German dramatic music in conjunction
-with Wilhelm Taubert.
-
-I must give J. Hoffmann, who from this time forward was the manager of
-the Riga theatre, the credit of having felt the treachery practised
-upon me very deeply indeed. He told me that his contract with Dorn
-bound him only for one year, and that the moment the twelve months had
-elapsed he wished to come to a fresh agreement with me. As soon as this
-was known, my patrons in Riga came forward with offers of teaching
-engagements and arrangements for sundry concerts, by way of
-compensating me for the year's salary which I should lose by being away
-from my work as a conductor. Though I was much gratified by these
-offers, yet, as I have already pointed out, the longing to break loose
-from the kind of theatrical life which I had experienced up to that
-time so possessed me that I resolutely seized this chance of abandoning
-my former vocation for an entirely new one. Not without some
-shrewdness, I played upon my wife's indignation at the treachery I had
-suffered, in order to make her fall in with my eccentric notion of
-going to Paris. Already in my conception of Rienzi I had dreamed of the
-most magnificent theatrical conditions, but now, without halting at any
-intermediate stations, my one desire was to reach the very heart of all
-European grand opera. While still in Magdeburg I had made H. Konig's
-romance, Die Hohe Braut, the subject of a grand opera in five acts, and
-in the most luxurious French style. After the scenic draft of this
-opera, which had been translated into French, was completely worked
-out, I sent it from Konigsberg to Scribe in Paris. With this manuscript
-I sent a letter to the famous operatic poet, in which I suggested that
-he might make use of my plot, on condition that he would secure me the
-composition of the music for the Paris Opera House. To convince him of
-my ability to compose Parisian operatic music, I also sent him the
-score of my Liebesverbot. At the same time I wrote to Meyerbeer,
-informing him of my plans, and begging him to support me. I was not at
-all disheartened at receiving no reply, for I was content to know that
-now at last 'I was in communication with Paris.' When, therefore, I
-started out upon my daring journey from Riga, I seemed to have a
-comparatively serious object in view, and my Paris projects no longer
-struck me as being altogether in the air. In addition to this I now
-heard that my youngest sister, Cecilia, had become betrothed to a
-certain Eduard Avenarius, an employee of the Brockhaus book-selling
-firm, and that he had undertaken the management of their Paris branch.
-To him I applied for news of Scribe, and for an answer to the
-application I had made to that gentleman some years previously.
-Avenarius called on Scribe, and from him received an acknowledgment of
-the receipt of my earlier communication. Scribe also showed that he had
-some recollection of the subject itself; for he said that, so far as he
-could remember, there was a joueuse de harpe in the piece, who was
-ill-treated by her brother. The fact that this merely incidental item
-had alone remained in his memory led me to conclude that he had not
-extended his acquaintance with the piece beyond the first act, in which
-the item in question occurs. When, moreover, I heard that he had
-nothing to say in regard to my score, except that he had had portions
-of it played over to him by a pupil of the Conservatoire, I really
-could not flatter myself that he had entered into definite and
-conscious relations with me. And yet I had palpable evidence in a
-letter of his to Avenarius, which the latter forwarded to me, that
-Scribe had actually occupied himself with my work, and that I was
-indeed in communication with him, and this letter of Scribe's made such
-an impression upon my wife, who was by no means inclined to be
-sanguine, that she gradually overcame her apprehensions in regard to
-the Paris adventure. At last it was fixed and settled that on the
-expiry of my second year's contract in Riga (that is to say, in the
-coming summer, 1839), we should journey direct from Riga to Paris, in
-order that I might try my luck there as a composer of opera.
-
-The production of my Rienzi now began to assume greater importance. The
-composition of its second act was finished before we started, and into
-this I wove a heroic ballet of extravagant dimensions. It was now
-imperative that I should speedily acquire a knowledge of French, a
-language which, during my classical studies at the Grammar School, I
-had contemptuously laid aside. As there were only four weeks in which
-to recover the time I had lost, I engaged an excellent French master.
-But as I soon realised that I could achieve but little in so short a
-time, I utilised the hours of the lessons in order to obtain from him,
-under the pretence of receiving instruction, an idiomatic translation
-of my Rienzi libretto. This I wrote with red ink on such parts of the
-score as were finished, so that on reaching Paris I might immediately
-submit my half-finished opera to French judges of art.
-
-Everything now seemed to be carefully prepared for my departure, and
-all that remained to be done was to raise the necessary funds for my
-undertaking. But in this respect the outlook was bad. The sale of our
-modest household furniture, the proceeds of a benefit concert, and my
-meagre savings only sufficed to satisfy the importunate demands of my
-creditors in Magdeburg and Konigsberg. I knew that if I were to devote
-all my cash to this purpose, there would not be a farthing left. Some
-way out of the fix must be found, and this our old Konigsberg friend,
-Abraham Moller, suggested in his usual flippant and obscure manner.
-Just at this critical moment he paid us a second visit to Riga. I
-acquainted him with the difficulties of our position, and all the
-obstacles which stood in the way of my resolve to go to Paris. In his
-habitual laconical way he counselled me to reserve all my savings for
-our journey, and to settle with my creditors when my Parisian successes
-had provided the necessary means. To help us in carrying out this plan,
-he offered to convey us in his carriage across the Russian frontier at
-top speed to an East Prussian port. We should have to cross the Russian
-frontier without passports, as these had been already impounded by our
-foreign creditors. He assured us that we should find it quite simple to
-carry out this very hazardous expedition, and declared that he had a
-friend on a Prussian estate close to the frontier who would render us
-very effective assistance. My eagerness to escape at any price from my
-previous circumstances, and to enter with all possible speed upon the
-wider field, in which I hoped very soon to realise my ambition, blinded
-me to all the unpleasantnesses which the execution of his proposal must
-entail. Director Hoffmann, who considered himself bound to serve me to
-the utmost of his ability, facilitated my departure by allowing me to
-leave some months before the expiration of my engagement. After
-continuing to conduct the operatic portion of the Mitau theatrical
-season through the month of June, we secretly started in a special
-coach hired by Moller and under his protection. The goal of our journey
-was Paris, but many unheard-of hardships were in store for us before we
-were to reach that city.
-
-The sense of contentment involuntarily aroused by our passage through
-the fruitful Courland in the luxuriant month of July, and by the sweet
-illusion that now at last I had cut myself loose from a hateful
-existence, to enter upon a new and boundless path of fortune, was
-disturbed from its very outset by the miserable inconveniences
-occasioned by the presence of a huge Newfoundland dog called Robber.
-This beautiful creature, originally the property of a Riga merchant,
-had, contrary to the nature of his race, become devotedly attached to
-me. After I had left Riga, and during my long stay in Mitau, Robber
-incessantly besieged my empty house, and so touched the hearts of my
-landlord and the neighbours by his fidelity, that they sent the dog
-after me by the conductor of the coach to Mitau, where I greeted him
-with genuine effusion, and swore that, in spite of all difficulties, I
-would never part with him again. Whatever might happen, the dog must go
-with us to Paris. And yet, even to get him into the carriage proved
-almost impossible. All my endeavours to find him a place in or about
-the vehicle were in vain, and, to my great grief, I had to watch the
-huge northern beast, with his shaggy coat, gallop all day long in the
-blazing sun beside the carriage. At last, moved to pity by his
-exhaustion, and unable to bear the sight any longer, I hit upon a most
-ingenious plan for bringing the great animal with us into the carriage,
-where, in spite of its being full to overflowing, he was just able to
-find room.
-
-On the evening of the second day we reached the Russo-Prussian
-frontier. Moller's evident anxiety as to whether we should be able to
-cross it safely showed us plainly that the matter was one of some
-danger. His good friend from the other side duly turned up with a small
-carriage, as arranged, and in this conveyance drove Minna, myself, and
-Robber through by paths to a certain point, whence he led us on foot to
-a house of exceedingly suspicious exterior, where, after handing us
-over to a guide, he left us. There we had to wait until sundown, and
-had ample leisure in which to realise that we were in a smugglers'
-drinking den, which gradually became filled to suffocation with Polish
-Jews of most forbidding aspect.
-
-At last we were summoned to follow our guide. A few hundred feet away,
-on the slope of a hill, lay the ditch which runs the whole length of
-the Russian frontier, watched continually and at very narrow intervals
-by Cossacks. Our chance was to utilise the few moments after the relief
-of the watch, during which the sentinels were elsewhere engaged. We
-had, therefore, to run at full speed down the hill, scramble through
-the ditch, and then hurry along until we were beyond the range of the
-soldiers' guns; for the Cossacks were bound in case of discovery to
-fire upon us even on the other side of the ditch. In spite of my almost
-passionate anxiety for Minna, I had observed with singular pleasure the
-intelligent behaviour of Robber, who, as though conscious of the
-danger, silently kept close to our side, and entirely dispelled my fear
-that he would give trouble during our dangerous passage. At last our
-trusted helpmeet reappeared, and was so delighted that he hugged us all
-in his arms. Then, placing us once more in his carriage, he drove us to
-the inn of the Prussian frontier village, where my friend Moller,
-positively sick with anxiety, leaped sobbing and rejoicing out of bed
-to greet us.
-
-It was only now that I began to realise the danger to which I had
-exposed, not only myself, but also my poor Minna, and the folly of
-which I had been guilty through my ignorance of the terrible
-difficulties of secretly crossing the frontier--difficulties concerning
-which Moller had foolishly allowed me to remain in ignorance.
-
-I was simply at a loss to convey to my poor exhausted wife how
-extremely I regretted the whole affair.
-
-And yet the difficulties we had just overcome were but the prelude to
-the calamities incidental to this adventurous journey which had such a
-decisive influence on my life. The following day, when, with courage
-renewed, we drove through the rich plain of Tilsit to Arnau, near
-Konigsberg, we decided, as the next stage of our journey, to proceed
-from the Prussian harbour of Pillau by sailing vessel to London. Our
-principal reason for this was the consideration of the dog we had with
-us. It was the easiest way to take him. To convey him by coach from
-Konigsberg to Paris was out of the question, and railways were unknown.
-But another consideration was our budget; the whole result of my
-desperate efforts amounted to not quite one hundred ducats, which were
-to cover not only the journey to Paris, but our expenses there until I
-should have earned something. Therefore, after a few days' rest in the
-inn at Arnau, we drove to the little seaport town of Pillau, again
-accompanied by Moller, in one of the ordinary local conveyances, which
-was not much better than a wagon. In order to avoid Konigsberg, we
-passed through the smaller villages and over bad roads. Even this short
-distance was not to be covered without accident. The clumsy conveyance
-upset in a farmyard, and Minna was so severely indisposed by the
-accident, owing to an internal shock, that I had to drag her--with the
-greatest difficulty, as she was quite helpless--to a peasant's house.
-The people were surly and dirty, and the night we spent there was a
-painful one for the poor sufferer. A delay of several days occurred
-before the departure of the Pillau vessel, but this was welcome as a
-respite to allow of Minna's recovery. Finally, as the captain was to
-take us without a passport, our going on board was accompanied by
-exceptional difficulties. We had to contrive to slip past the harbour
-watch to our vessel in a small boat before daybreak. Once on board, we
-still had the troublesome task of hauling Robber up the steep side of
-the vessel without attracting attention, and after that to conceal
-ourselves at once below deck, in order to escape the notice of
-officials visiting the ship before its departure. The anchor was
-weighed, and at last, as the land faded gradually out of sight, we
-thought we could breathe freely and feel at ease.
-
-We were on board a merchant vessel of the smallest type. She was called
-the Thetis; a bust of the nymph was erected in the bows, and she
-carried a crew of seven men, including the captain. With good weather,
-such as was to be expected in summer, the journey to London was
-estimated to take eight days. However, before we had left the Baltic,
-we were delayed by a prolonged calm. I made use of the time to improve
-my knowledge of French by the study of a novel, La Derniere Aldini, by
-George Sand. We also derived some entertainment from associating with
-the crew. There was an elderly and peculiarly taciturn sailor named
-Koske, whom we observed carefully because Robber, who was usually so
-friendly, had taken an irreconcilable dislike to him. Oddly enough,
-this fact was to add in some degree to our troubles in the hour of
-danger. After seven days' sailing we were no further than Copenhagen,
-where, without leaving the vessel, we seized an opportunity of making
-our very spare diet on board more bearable by various purchases of food
-and drink. In good spirits we sailed past the beautiful castle of
-Elsinore, the sight of which brought me into immediate touch with my
-youthful impressions of Hamlet. We were sailing all unsuspecting
-through the Cattegat to the Skagerack, when the wind, which had at
-first been merely unfavourable, and had forced us to a process of weary
-tacking, changed on the second day to a violent storm. For twenty-four
-hours we had to struggle against it under disadvantages which were
-quite new to us. In the captain's painfully narrow cabin, in which one
-of us was without a proper berth, we were a prey to sea-sickness and
-endless alarms. Unfortunately, the brandy cask, at which the crew
-fortified themselves during their strenuous work, was let into a hollow
-under the seat on which I lay at full length. Now it happened to be
-Koske who came most frequently in search of the refreshment which was
-such a nuisance to me, and this in spite of the fact that on each
-occasion he had to encounter Robber in mortal combat. The dog flew at
-him with renewed rage each time he came climbing down the narrow steps.
-I was thus compelled to make efforts which, in my state of complete
-exhaustion from sea-sickness, rendered my condition every time more
-critical. At last, on 27th July, the captain was compelled by the
-violence of the west wind to seek a harbour on the Norwegian coast. And
-how relieved I was to behold that far-reaching rocky coast, towards
-which we were being driven at such speed! A Norwegian pilot came to
-meet us in a small boat, and, with experienced hand, assumed control of
-the Thetis, whereupon in a very short time I was to have one of the
-most marvellous and most beautiful impressions of my life. What I had
-taken to be a continuous line of cliffs turned out on our approach to
-be a series of separate rocks projecting from the sea. Having sailed
-past them, we perceived that we were surrounded, not only in front and
-at the sides, but also at our back, by these reefs, which closed in
-behind us so near together that they seemed to form a single chain of
-rocks. At the same time the hurricane was so broken by the rocks in our
-rear that the further we sailed through this ever-changing labyrinth of
-projecting rocks, the calmer the sea became, until at last the vessel's
-progress was perfectly smooth and quiet as we entered one of those long
-sea-roads running through a giant ravine--for such the Norwegian fjords
-appeared to me.
-
-A feeling of indescribable content came over me when the enormous
-granite walls echoed the hail of the crew as they cast anchor and
-furled the sails. The sharp rhythm of this call clung to me like an
-omen of good cheer, and shaped itself presently into the theme of the
-seamen's song in my Fliegender Hollander. The idea of this opera was,
-even at that time, ever present in my mind, and it now took on a
-definite poetic and musical colour under the influence of my recent
-impressions. Well, our next move was to go on shore. I learned that the
-little fishing village at which we landed was called Sandwike, and was
-situated a few miles away from the much larger town of Arendal. We were
-allowed to put up at the hospitable house of a certain ship's captain,
-who was then away at sea, and here we were able to take the rest we so
-much needed, as the unabated violence of the wind in the open detained
-us there two days. On 31st July the captain insisted on leaving,
-despite the pilot's warning. We had been on board the Thetis a few
-hours, and were in the act of eating a lobster for the first time in
-our lives, when the captain and the sailors began to swear violently at
-the pilot, whom I could see at the helm, rigid with fear, striving to
-avoid a reef--barely visible above the water--towards which our ship
-was being driven. Great was our terror at this violent tumult, for we
-naturally thought ourselves in the most extreme danger. The vessel did
-actually receive a severe shock, which, to my vivid imagination, seemed
-like the splitting up of the whole ship. Fortunately, however, it
-transpired that only the side of our vessel had fouled the reef, and
-there was no immediate danger. Nevertheless, the captain deemed it
-necessary to steer for a harbour to have the vessel examined, and we
-returned to the coast and anchored at another point. The captain then
-offered to take us in a small boat with two sailors to Tromsond, a town
-of some importance situated at a few hours' distance, where he had to
-invite the harbour officials to examine his ship. This again proved a
-most attractive and impressive excursion. The view of one fjord in
-particular, which extended far inland, worked on my imagination like
-some unknown, awe-inspiring desert. This impression was intensified,
-during a long walk from Tromsond up to the plateau, by the terribly
-depressing effect of the dun moors, bare of tree or shrub, boasting
-only a covering of scanty moss, which stretch away to the horizon, and
-merge imperceptibly into the gloomy sky. It was long after dark when we
-returned from this trip in our little boat, and my wife was very
-anxious. The next morning (1st August), reassured as to the condition
-of the vessel, and the wind favouring us, we were able to go to sea
-without further hindrance.
-
-After four days' calm sailing a strong north wind arose, which drove us
-at uncommon speed in the right direction. We began to think ourselves
-nearly at the end of our journey when, on 6th August, the wind changed,
-and the storm began to rage with unheard-of violence. On the 7th, a
-Wednesday, at half-past two in the afternoon, we thought ourselves in
-imminent danger of death. It was not the terrible force with which the
-vessel was hurled up and down, entirely at the mercy of this sea
-monster, which appeared now as a fathomless abyss, now as a steep
-mountain peak, that filled me with mortal dread; my premonition of some
-terrible crisis was aroused by the despondency of the crew, whose
-malignant glances seemed superstitiously to point to us as the cause of
-the threatening disaster. Ignorant of the trifling occasion for the
-secrecy of our journey, the thought may have occurred to them that our
-need of escape had arisen from suspicious or even criminal
-circumstances. The captain himself seemed, in his extreme distress, to
-regret having taken us on board; for we had evidently brought him
-ill-luck on this familiar passage--usually a rapid and uncomplicated
-one, especially in summer. At this particular moment there raged,
-beside the tempest on the water, a furious thunderstorm overhead, and
-Minna expressed the fervent wish to be struck by lightning with me
-rather than to sink, living, into the fearful flood. She even begged me
-to bind her to me, so that we might not be parted as we sank. Yet
-another night was spent amid these incessant terrors, which only our
-extreme exhaustion helped to mitigate.
-
-The following day the storm had subsided; the wind remained
-unfavourable, but was mild. The captain now tried to find our bearings
-by means of his astronomical instruments. He complained of the sky,
-which had been overcast so many days, swore that he would give much for
-a single glimpse of the sun or the stars, and did not conceal the
-uneasiness he felt at not being able to indicate our whereabouts with
-certainty. He consoled himself, however, by following a ship which was
-sailing some knots ahead in the same direction, and whose movements he
-observed closely through the telescope. Suddenly he sprang up in great
-alarm, and gave a vehement order to change our course. He had seen the
-ship in front go aground on a sand-bank, from which, he asserted, she
-could not extricate herself; for he now realised that we were near the
-most dangerous part of the belt of sand-banks bordering the Dutch coast
-for a considerable distance. By dint of very skilful sailing, we were
-enabled to keep the opposite course towards the English coast, which we
-in fact sighted on the evening of 9th August, in the neighbourhood of
-Southwold. I felt new life come into me when I saw in the far distance
-the English pilots racing for our ship. As competition is free among
-pilots on the English coast, they come out as far as possible to meet
-incoming vessels, even when the risks are very great.
-
-The winner in our case was a powerful grey-haired man, who, after much
-vain battling with the seething waves, which tossed his light boat away
-from our ship at each attempt, at last succeeded in boarding the
-Thetis. (Our poor, hardly-used boat still bore the name, although the
-wooden figure-head of our patron nymph had been hurled into the sea
-during our first storm in the Cattegat--an ill-omened incident in the
-eyes of the crew.) We were filled with pious gratitude when this quiet
-English sailor, whose hands were torn and bleeding from his repeated
-efforts to catch the rope thrown to him on his approach, took over the
-rudder. His whole personality impressed us most agreeably, and he
-seemed to us the absolute guarantee of a speedy deliverance from our
-terrible afflictions. We rejoiced too soon, however, for we still had
-before us the perilous passage through the sand-banks off the English
-coast, where, as I was assured, nearly four hundred ships are wrecked
-on an average every year. We were fully twenty-four hours (from the
-evening of the 10th to the 11th of August) amid these sandbanks,
-fighting a westerly gale, which hindered our progress so seriously that
-we only reached the mouth of the Thames on the evening of the 12th of
-August. My wife had, up to that point, been so nervously affected by
-the innumerable danger signals, consisting chiefly of small guardships
-painted bright red and provided with bells on account of the fog, that
-she could not close her eyes, day or night, for the excitement of
-watching for them and pointing them out to the sailors. I, on the
-contrary, found these heralds of human proximity and deliverance so
-consoling that, despite Minna's reproaches, I indulged in a long
-refreshing sleep. Now that we were anchored in the mouth of the Thames,
-waiting for daybreak, I found myself in the best of spirits; I dressed,
-washed, and even shaved myself up on deck near the mast, while Minna
-and the whole exhausted crew were wrapped in deep slumber. And with
-deepening interest I watched the growing signs of life in this famous
-estuary. Our desire for a complete release from our detested
-confinement led us, after we had sailed a little way up, to hasten our
-arrival in London by going on board a passing steamer at Gravesend. As
-we neared the capital, our astonishment steadily increased at the
-number of ships of all sorts that filled the river, the houses, the
-streets, the famous docks, and other maritime constructions which lined
-the banks. When at last we reached London Bridge, this incredibly
-crowded centre of the greatest city in the world, and set foot on land
-after our terrible three weeks' voyage, a pleasurable sensation of
-giddiness overcame us as our legs carried us staggering through the
-deafening uproar. Robber seemed to be similarly affected, for he
-whisked round the corners like a mad thing, and threatened to get lost
-every other minute. But we soon sought safety in a cab, which took us,
-on our captain's recommendation, to the Horseshoe Tavern, near the
-Tower, and here we had to make our plans for the conquest of this giant
-metropolis.
-
-The neighbourhood in which we found ourselves was such that we decided
-to leave it with all possible haste. A very friendly little hunchbacked
-Jew from Hamburg suggested better quarters in the West End, and I
-remember vividly our drive there, in one of the tiny narrow cabs then
-in use, the journey lasting fully an hour. They were built to carry two
-people, who had to sit facing each other, and we therefore had to lay
-our big dog crosswise from window to window. The sights we saw from our
-whimsical nook surpassed anything we had imagined, and we arrived at
-our boarding-house in Old Compton Street agreeably stimulated by the
-life and the overwhelming size of the great city. Although at the age
-of twelve I had made what I supposed to be a translation of a monologue
-from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, I found my knowledge of English
-quite inadequate when it came to conversing with the landlady of the
-King's Arms. But the good dame's social condition as a sea-captain's
-widow led her to think she could talk French to me, and her attempts
-made me wonder which of us knew least of that language. And then a most
-disturbing incident occurred--we missed Robber, who must have run away
-at the door instead of following us into the house. Our distress at
-having lost our good dog after having brought him all the way there
-with such difficulty occupied us exclusively during the first two hours
-we spent in this new home on land. We kept constant watch at the window
-until, of a sudden, we joyfully recognised Robber strolling
-unconcernedly towards the house from a side street. Afterwards we
-learned that our truant had wandered as far as Oxford Street in search
-of adventures, and I have always considered his amazing return to a
-house which he had not even entered as a strong proof of the absolute
-certainty of the animal's instincts in the matter of memory.
-
-We now had time to realise the tiresome after-effects of the voyage.
-The continuous swaying of the floor and our clumsy efforts to keep from
-falling we found fairly entertaining; but when we came to take our
-well-earned rest in the huge English double bed, and found that that
-too rocked up and down, it became quite unbearable. Every time we
-closed our eyes we sank into frightful abysses, and, springing up
-again, cried out for help. It seemed as if that terrible voyage would
-go on to the end of our lives. Added to this we felt miserably sick;
-for, after the atrocious food on board, we had been only too ready to
-partake, with less discretion than relish, of tastier fare.
-
-We were so exhausted by all these trials that we forgot to consider
-what was, after all, the vital question--the probable result in hard
-cash. Indeed, the marvels of the great city proved so fascinating, that
-we started off in a cab, for all the world as if we were on a pleasure
-trip, to follow up a plan I had sketched on my map of London. In our
-wonder and delight at what we saw, we quite forgot all we had gone
-through. Costly as it proved, I considered our week's stay justified in
-view of Minna's need of rest in the first place, and secondly, the
-excellent opportunity it afforded me of making acquaintances in the
-musical world. During my last visit to Dresden I had sent Rule
-Britannia, the overture composed at Konigsberg, to Sir John Smart,
-president of the Philharmonic Society. It is true he had never
-acknowledged it, but I felt it the more incumbent on me to bring him to
-task about it. I therefore spent some days trying to find out where he
-lived, wondering meanwhile in which language I should have to make
-myself understood, but as the result of my inquiries I discovered that
-Smart was not in London at all. I next persuaded myself that it would
-be a good thing to look up Bulwer Lytton, and to come to an
-understanding about the operatic performance of his novel, Rienzi,
-which I had dramatised. Having been told, on the continent, that Bulwer
-was a member of Parliament, I went to the House, after a few days, to
-inquire on the spot. My total ignorance of the English language stood
-me in good stead here, and I was treated with unexpected consideration;
-for, as none of the lower officials in that vast building could make
-out what I wanted, I was sent, step by step, to one high dignitary
-after the other, until at last I was introduced to a
-distinguished-looking man, who came out of a large hall as we passed,
-as an entirely unintelligible individual. (Minna was with me all the
-time; only Robber. had been left behind at the King's Arms.) He asked
-me very civilly what I wanted, in French, and seemed favourably
-impressed when I inquired for the celebrated author. He was obliged to
-tell me, however, that he was not in London. I went on to ask whether I
-could not be admitted to a debate, but was told that, in consequence of
-the old Houses of Parliament having been burnt down, they were using
-temporary premises where the space was so limited that only a few
-favoured visitors could procure cards of admittance. But on my pressing
-more urgently he relented, and shortly after opened a door leading
-direct into the strangers' seats in the House of Lords. It seemed
-reasonable to conclude from this that our friend was a lord in person.
-I was immensely interested to see and hear the Premier, Lord Melbourne,
-and Brougham (who seemed to me to take a very active part in the
-proceedings, prompting Melbourne several times, as I thought), and the
-Duke of Wellington, who looked so comfortable in his grey beaver hat,
-with his hands diving deep into his trousers pockets, and who made his
-speech in so conversational a tone that I lost my feeling of excessive
-awe. He had a curious way, too, of accenting his points of special
-emphasis by shaking his whole body, I was also much interested in Lord
-Lyndhurst, Brougham's particular enemy, and was amazed to see Brougham
-go across several times to sit down coolly beside him, apparently with
-a view to prompting even his opponent. The matter in hand was, as I
-learned afterwards from the papers, the discussion of measures to be
-taken against the Portuguese Government to ensure the passing of the
-Anti-Slavery Bill. The Bishop of London, who was one of the speakers on
-this occasion, was the only one of these gentlemen whose voice and
-manner seemed to me stiff or unnatural, but possibly I was prejudiced
-by my dislike of parsons generally.
-
-After this pleasing adventure I imagined I had exhausted the
-attractions of London for the present, for although I could not gain
-admittance to the Lower House, my untiring friend, whom I came across
-again as I went out, showed me the room where the Commons sat,
-explained as much as was necessary, and gave me a sight of the
-Speaker's woolsack, and of his mace lying hidden under the table. He
-also gave me such careful details of various things that I felt I knew
-all there was to know about the capital of Great Britain. I had not the
-smallest intention of going to the Italian opera, possibly because I
-imagined the prices to be too ruinous. We thoroughly explored all the
-principal streets, often tiring ourselves out; we shuddered through a
-ghastly London Sunday, and wound up with a train trip (our very first)
-to Gravesend Park, in the company of the captain of the Thetis. On the
-20th of August we crossed over to France by steamer, arriving the same
-evening at Boulogne-sur-mer, where we took leave of the sea with the
-fervent desire never to go on it again.
-
-We were both of us secretly convinced that we should meet with
-disappointments in Paris, and it was partly on that account that we
-decided to spend a few weeks at or near Boulogne. It was, in any case,
-too early in the season to find the various important people whom I
-proposed to see, in town; on the other hand, it seemed to me a most
-fortunate circumstance that Meyerbeer should happen to be at Boulogne.
-Also, I had the instrumentation of part of the second act of Rienzi to
-finish, and was bent on having at least half of the work ready to show
-on my arrival in the costly French capital. We therefore set out to
-find less expensive accommodation in the country round Boulogne.
-Beginning with the immediate neighbourhood, our search ended in our
-taking two practically unfurnished rooms in the detached house of a
-rural wine merchant's, situated on the main road to Paris at half an
-hour's distance from Boulogne. We next provided scanty but adequate
-furniture, and in bringing our wits to bear upon this matter Minna
-particularly distinguished herself. Besides a bed and two chairs, we
-dug up a table, which, after I had cleared away my Rienzi papers,
-served for our meals, which we had to prepare at our own fireside.
-
-While we were here I made my first call on Meyerbeer. I had often read
-in the papers of his proverbial amiability, and bore him no ill-will
-for not replying to my letter. My favourable opinion was soon to be
-confirmed, however, by his kind reception of me. The impression he made
-was good in every respect, particularly as regards his appearance. The
-years had not yet given his features the flabby look which sooner or
-later mars most Jewish faces, and the fine formation of his brow round
-about the eyes gave him an expression of countenance that inspired
-confidence. He did not seem in the least inclined to depreciate my
-intention of trying my luck in Paris as a composer of opera; he allowed
-me to read him my libretto for Rienzi, and really listened up to the
-end of the third act. He kept the two acts that were complete, saying
-that he wished to look them over, and assured me, when I again called
-on him, of his whole-hearted interest in my work. Be this as it may, it
-annoyed me somewhat that he should again and again fall back on
-praising my minute handwriting, an accomplishment he considered
-especially Saxonian. He promised to give me letters of recommendation
-to Duponchel, the manager of the Opera House, and to Habeneck, the
-conductor. I now felt that I had good cause to extol my good fortune
-which, after many vicissitudes, had sent me precisely to this
-particular spot in France. What better fortune could have befallen me
-than to secure, in so short a time, the sympathetic interest of the
-most famous composer of French opera! Meyerbeer took me to see
-Moscheles, who was then in Boulogne, and also Fraulein Blahedka, a
-celebrated virtuoso whose name I had known for many years. I spent a
-few informal musical evenings at both houses, and thus came into close
-touch with musical celebrities, an experience quite new to me.
-
-I had written to my future brother-in-law, Avernarius, in Paris, to ask
-him to find us suitable accommodations, and we started on our journey
-thither on 16th September in the diligence, my efforts to hoist Robber
-on to the top being attended by the usual difficulties.
-
-My first impression of Paris proved disappointing in view of the great
-expectations I had cherished of that city; after London it seemed to me
-narrow and confined. I had imagined the famous boulevards to be much
-vaster, for instance, and was really annoyed, when the huge coach put
-us down in the Rue de la Juissienne, to think that I should first set
-foot on Parisian soil in such a wretched little alley. Neither did the
-Rue Richelieu, where my brother-in-law had his book-shop, seem imposing
-after the streets in the west end of London. As for the chambre garnie,
-which had been engaged for me in the Rue de la Tonnellerie, one of the
-narrow side-streets which link the Rue St. Honore with the Marche des
-Innocents, I felt positively degraded at having to take up my abode
-there. I needed all the consolation that could be derived from an
-inscription, placed under a bust of Moliere, which read: maison ou
-naquit Moliere, to raise my courage after the mean impression the house
-had first made upon me. The room, which had been prepared for us on the
-fourth floor, was small but cheerful, decently furnished, and
-inexpensive. From the windows we could see the frightful bustle in the
-market below, which became more and more alarming as we watched it, and
-I wondered what we were doing in such a quarter.
-
-Shortly after this, Avenarius had to go to Leipzig to bring home his
-bride, my youngest sister Cecilia, after the wedding in that city.
-Before leaving, he gave me an introduction to his only musical
-acquaintance, a German holding an appointment in the music department
-of the Bibliotheque Royale, named E. G. Anders, who lost no time in
-looking us up in Moliere's house. He was, as I soon discovered, a man
-of very unusual character, and, little as he was able to help me, he
-left an affecting and ineffaceable impression on my memory. He was a
-bachelor in the fifties, whose reverses had driven him to the sad
-necessity of earning a living in Paris entirely without assistance. He
-had fallen back on the extraordinary bibliographical knowledge which,
-especially in reference to music, it had been his hobby to acquire in
-the days of his prosperity. His real name he never told me, wishing to
-guard the secret of that, as of his misfortunes, until after his death.
-For the time being he told me only that he was known as Anders, was of
-noble descent, and had held property on the Rhine, but that he had lost
-everything owing to the villainous betrayal of his gullibility and
-good-nature. The only thing he had managed to save was his very
-considerable library, the size of which I was able to estimate for
-myself. It filled every wall of his small dwelling. Even here in Paris
-he soon complained of bitter enemies; for, in spite of having come
-furnished with an introduction to influential people, he still held the
-inferior position of an employee in the library. In spite of his long
-service there and his great learning, he had to see really ignorant men
-promoted over his head. I discovered afterwards that the real reason
-lay in his unbusinesslike methods, and the effeminacy consequent on the
-delicate way in which he had been nurtured in early life, which made
-him incapable of developing the energy necessary for his work. On a
-miserable pittance of fifteen hundred francs a year, he led a weary
-existence, full of anxiety. With nothing in view but a lonely old age,
-and the probability of dying in a hospital, it seemed as if our society
-put new life into him; for though we were poverty-stricken, we looked
-forward boldly and hopefully to the future. My vivacity and invincible
-energy filled him with hopes of my success, and from this time forward
-he took a most tender and unselfish part in furthering my interests.
-Although he was a contributor to the Gazette Musicale, edited by Moritz
-Schlesinger, he had never succeeded in making his influence felt there
-in the slightest degree. He had none of the versatility of a
-journalist, and the editors entrusted him with little besides the
-preparation of bibliographical notes. Oddly enough, it was with this
-unworldly and least resourceful of men that I had to discuss my plan
-for the conquest of Paris, that is, of musical Paris, which is made up
-of all the most questionable characters imaginable. The result was
-practically always the same; we merely encouraged each other in the
-hope that some unforeseen stroke of luck would help my cause.
-
-To assist us in these discussions Anders called in his friend and
-housemate Lehrs, a philologist, my acquaintance with whom was soon to
-develop into one of the most beautiful friendships of my life. Lehrs
-was the younger brother of a famous scholar at Konigsberg. He had left
-there to come to Paris some years before, with the object of gaining an
-independent position by his philological work. This he preferred, in
-spite of the attendant difficulties, to a post as teacher with a salary
-which only in Germany could be considered sufficient for a scholar's
-wants. He soon obtained work from Didot, the bookseller, as assistant
-editor of a large edition of Greek classics, but the editor traded on
-his poverty, and was much more concerned about the success of his
-enterprise than about the condition of his poor collaborator. Lehrs had
-therefore perpetually to struggle against poverty, but he preserved an
-even temper, and showed himself in every way a model of
-disinterestedness and self-sacrifice. At first he looked upon me only
-as a man in need of advice, and incidentally a fellow-sufferer in
-Paris; for he had no knowledge of music, and had no particular interest
-in it. We soon became so intimate that I had him dropping in nearly
-every evening with Anders, Lehrs being extremely useful to his friend,
-whose unsteadiness in walking obliged him to use an umbrella and a
-walking-stick as crutches. He was also nervous in crossing crowded
-thorough-fares, and particularly so at night; while he always liked to
-make Lehrs cross my threshold in front of him to distract the attention
-of Robber, of whom he stood in obvious terror. Our usually good-natured
-dog became positively suspicious of this visitor, and soon adopted
-towards him the same aggressive attitude which he had shown to the
-sailor Koske on board the Thetis. The two men lived at an hotel garni
-in Rue de Seine. They complained greatly of their landlady, who
-appropriated so much of their income that they were entirely in her
-power. Anders had for years been trying to assert his independence by
-leaving her, without being able to carry out his plan. We soon threw
-off mutually every shred of disguise as to the present state of our
-finances, so that, although the two house-holds were actually
-separated, our common troubles gave us all the intimacy of one united
-family.
-
-The various ways by which I might obtain recognition in Paris formed
-the chief topic of our discussions at that time. Our hopes were at
-first centred on Meyerbeer's promised letters of introduction.
-Duponchel, the director of the Opera, did actually see me at his
-office, where, fixing a monocle in his right eye, he read through
-Meyerbeer's letter without betraying the least emotion, having no doubt
-opened similar communications from the composer many times before. I
-went away, and never heard another word from him. The elderly
-conductor, Habeneck, on the other hand, took an interest in my work
-that was not merely polite, and acceded to my request to have something
-of mine played at one of the orchestral practises at the Conservatoire
-as soon as he should have leisure. I had, unfortunately, no short
-instrumental piece that seemed suitable except my queer Columbus
-Overture, which I considered the most effective of all that had
-emanated from my pen. It had been received with great applause on the
-occasion of its performance in the theatre at Magdeburg, with the
-assistance of the valiant trumpeters from the Prussian garrison. I gave
-Habeneck the score and parts, and was able to report to our committee
-at home that I had now one enterprise on foot.
-
-I gave up the attempt to try and see Scribe on the mere ground of our
-having had some correspondence, for my friends had made it clear to me,
-in the light of their own experience, that it was out of the question
-to expect this exceptionally busy author to occupy himself seriously
-with a young and unknown musician. Anders was able to introduce me to
-another acquaintance, however, a certain M. Dumersan. This grey-haired
-gentleman had written some hundred vaudeville pieces, and would have
-been glad to see one of them performed as an opera on a larger scale
-before his death. He had no idea of standing on his dignity as an
-author, and was quite willing to undertake the translation of an
-existing libretto into French verse. We therefore entrusted him with
-the writing of my Liebesverbot, with a view to a performance at the
-Theatre de la Renaissance, as it was then called. (It was the third
-existing theatre for lyric drama, the performances being given in the
-new Salle Ventadour, which had been rebuilt after its destruction by
-fire.) On the understanding that it was to be a literal translation, he
-at once turned the three numbers of my opera, for which I hoped to
-secure a hearing, into neat French verse. Besides this, he asked me to
-compose a chorus for a vaudeville entitled La Descente de la Courtille,
-which was to be played at the Varietes during the carnival.
-
-This was a second opening. My friends now strongly advised me to write
-something small in the way of songs, which I could offer to popular
-singers for concert purposes. Both Lehrs and Anders produced words for
-these. Anders brought a very innocent Dors, mon enfant, written by a
-young poet of his acquaintance; this was the first thing I composed to
-a French text. It was so successful that, when I had tried it over
-softly several times on the piano, my wife, who was in bed, called out
-to me that it was heavenly for sending one to sleep. I also set
-L'Attente from Hugo's Orientales, and Ronsard's song, Mignonne, to
-music. I have no reason to be ashamed of these small pieces, which I
-published subsequently as a musical supplement to Europa (Lewald's
-publication) in 1841.
-
-I next stumbled on the idea of writing a grand bass aria with a chorus,
-for Lablache to introduce into his part of Orovist in Bellini's Norma.
-Lehrs had to hunt up an Italian political refugee to get the text out
-of him. This was done, and I produced an effective composition a la
-Bellini (which still exists among my manuscripts), and went off at once
-to offer it to Lablache.
-
-The friendly Moor, who received me in the great singer's anteroom,
-insisted upon admitting me straight into his master's presence without
-announcing me. As I had anticipated some difficulty in getting near
-such a celebrity, I had written my request, as I thought this would be
-simpler than explaining verbally.
-
-The black servant's pleasant manner made me feel very uncomfortable; I
-entrusted my score and letter to him to give to Lablache, without
-taking any notice of his kindly astonishment at my refusal of his
-repeated invitation to go into his master's room and have an interview,
-and I left the house hurriedly, intending to call for my answer in a
-few days. When I came back Lablache received me most kindly, and
-assured me that my aria was excellent, though it was impossible to
-introduce it into Bellini's opera after the latter had already been
-performed so very often. My relapse into the domain of Bellini's style,
-of which I had been guilty through the writing of this aria, was
-therefore useless to me, and I soon became convinced of the
-fruitlessness of my efforts in that direction. I saw that I should need
-personal introductions to various singers in order to ensure the
-production of one of my other compositions.
-
-When Meyerbeer at last arrived in Paris, therefore, I was delighted. He
-was not in the least astonished at the lack of success of his letters
-of introduction; on the contrary, he made use of this opportunity to
-impress upon me how difficult it was to get on in Paris, and how
-necessary it was for me to look out for less pretentious work. With
-this object he introduced me to Maurice Schlesinger, and leaving me at
-the mercy of that monstrous person, went back to Germany.
-
-At first Schlesinger did not know what to do with me; the acquaintances
-I made through him (of whom the chief was the violinist Panofka) led to
-nothing, and I therefore returned to my advisory board at home, through
-whose influence I had recently received an order to compose the music
-to the Two Grenadiers, by Heine, translated by a Parisian professor. I
-wrote this song for baritone, and was very pleased with the result; on
-Ander's advice I now tried to find singers for my new compositions.
-Mme. Pauline Viardot, on whom I first called, went through my songs
-with me. She was very amiable, and praised them, but did not see why
-SHE should sing them. I went through the same experience with a Mme.
-Widmann, a grand contralto, who sang my Dors, mon enfant with great
-feeling; all the same she had no further use for my composition. A
-certain M. Dupont, third tenor at the grand opera, tried my setting of
-the Ronsard poem, but declared that the language in which it was
-written was no longer palatable to the Paris public. M. Geraldy, a
-favourite concert singer and teacher, who allowed me to call and see
-him frequently, told me that the Two Grenadiers was impossible, for the
-simple reason that the accompaniment at the end of the song, which I
-had modelled upon the Marseillaise, could only be sung in the streets
-of Paris to the accompaniment of cannons and gunshots. Habeneck was the
-only person who fulfilled his promise to conduct my Columbus Overture
-at one of the rehearsals for the benefit of Anders and myself. As,
-however, there was no question of producing this work even at one of
-the celebrated Conservatoire concerts, I saw clearly that the old
-gentleman was only moved by kindness and a desire to encourage me. It
-could not lead to anything further, and I myself was convinced that
-this extremely superficial work of my young days could only give the
-orchestra a wrong impression of my talents. However, these rehearsals,
-to my surprise, made such an unexpected impression on me in other ways
-that they exercised a decisive influence in the crisis of my artistic
-development. This was due to the fact that I listened repeatedly to
-Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which, by dint of untiring practice,
-received such a marvellous interpretation at the hands of this
-celebrated orchestra, that the picture I had had of it in my mind in
-the enthusiastic days of my youth now stood before me almost tangibly
-in brilliant colours, undimmed, as though it had never been effaced by
-the Leipzig orchestra who had slaughtered it under Pohlenz's baton.
-Where formerly I had only seen mystic constellations and weird shapes
-without meaning, I now found, flowing from innumerable sources, a
-stream of the most touching and heavenly melodies which delighted my
-heart.
-
-The whole of that period of the deterioration of my musical tastes
-which dated, practically speaking, from those selfsame confusing ideas
-about Beethoven, and which had grown so much worse through my
-acquaintance with that dreadful theatre--all these wrong views now sank
-down as if into an abyss of shame and remorse.
-
-This inner change had been gradually prepared by many painful
-experiences during the last few years. I owed the recovery of my old
-vigour and spirits to the deep impression the rendering of the Ninth
-Symphony had made on me when performed in a way I had never dreamed of.
-This important event in my life can only be compared to the upheaval
-caused within me when, as a youth of sixteen, I saw Schroder-Devrient
-act in Fidelio.
-
-The direct result of this was my intense longing to compose something
-that would give me a similar feeling of satisfaction, and this desire
-grew in proportion to my anxiety about my unfortunate position in
-Paris, which made me almost despair of success.
-
-In this mood I sketched an overture to Faust which, according to my
-original scheme, was only to form the first part of a whole Faust
-Symphony, as I had already got the 'Gretchen' idea in my head for the
-second movement. This is the same composition that I rewrote in several
-parts fifteen years later; I had forgotten all about it, and I owed its
-reconstruction to the advice of Liszt, who gave me many valuable hints.
-This composition has been performed many times under the title of eine
-Faust-ouverture, and has met with great appreciation. At the time of
-which I am speaking, I hoped that the Conservatoire orchestra would
-have been willing to give the work a hearing, but I was told they
-thought they had done enough for me, and hoped to be rid of me for some
-time.
-
-Having failed everywhere, I now turned to Meyerbeer for more
-introductions, especially to singers. I was very much surprised when,
-in consequence of my request, Meyerbeer introduced me to a certain M.
-Gouin, a post-office official, and Meyerbeer's sole agent in Paris,
-whom he instructed to do his utmost for me. Meyerbeer specially wished
-me to know M. Antenor Joly, director of the Theatre de la Renaissance,
-the musical theatre already mentioned. M. Gouin, with almost suspicious
-levity, promised me to produce my opera Liebesverbot, which now only
-required translation. There was a question of having a few numbers of
-my opera sung to the committee of the theatre at a special audience.
-When I suggested that some of the singers of this very theatre should
-undertake to sing three of the numbers which had been already
-translated by Dumersan, I was refused on the plea that all these
-artists were far too busy. But Gouin saw a way out of the difficulty;
-on the authority of Maitre Meyerbeer, he won over to our cause several
-singers who were under an obligation to Meyerbeer: Mme. Dorus-Gras, a
-real primadonna of the Grand Opera, Mme. Widmann and M. Dupont (the two
-last-named had previously refused to help me) now promised to sing for
-me at this audience.
-
-This much, then, did I achieve in six months. It was now nearly Easter
-of the year 1840. Encouraged by Gouin's negotiations, which seemed to
-spell hope, I made up my mind to move from the obscure Quartier des
-Innocents to a part of Paris nearer to the musical centre; and in this
-I was encouraged by Lehrs' foolhardy advice.
-
-What this change meant to me, my readers will learn when they hear
-under what circumstances we had dragged on our existence during our
-stay in Paris.
-
-Although we were living in the cheapest possible way, dining at a very
-small restaurant for a franc a head, it was impossible to prevent the
-rest of our money from melting away. Our friend Moller had given us to
-understand that we could ask him if we were in need, as he would put
-aside for us the first money that came in from any successful business
-transaction. There was no alternative but to apply to him for money; in
-the meantime we pawned all the trinkets we possessed that were of any
-value. As I was too shy to make inquiries about a pawnshop, I looked up
-the French equivalent in the dictionary in order to be able to
-recognise such a place when I saw it. In my little pocket dictionary I
-could not find any other word than 'Lombard.' On looking at a map of
-Paris I found, situated in the middle of an inextricable maze of
-streets, a very small lane called Rue des Lombards. Thither I wended my
-way, but my expedition was fruitless. Often, on reading by the light of
-the transparent lanterns the inscription 'Mont de Piete,' I became very
-curious to know its meaning, and on consulting my advisory board at
-home about this 'Mount of Piety,' [Footnote: This is the correct
-translation of the words Berg der Frommigkeit used in the
-original.--Editor.] I was told, to my great delight, that it was
-precisely there that I should find salvation. To this 'Mont de Piete'
-we now carried all we possessed in the way of silver, namely, our
-wedding presents. After that followed my wife's trinkets and the rest
-of her former theatrical wardrobe, amongst which was a beautiful
-silver-embroidered blue dress with a court train, once the property of
-the Duchess of Dessau. Still we heard nothing from our friend Moller,
-and we were obliged to wait on from day to day for the sorely needed
-help from Konigsberg, and at last, one dark day, we pledged our wedding
-rings. When all hope of assistance seemed vain, I heard that the
-pawn-tickets themselves were of some value, as they could be sold to
-buyers, who thereby acquired the right to redeem the pawned articles. I
-had to resort even to this, and thus the blue court-dress, for
-instance, was lost for ever. Moller never wrote again. When later on he
-called on me at the time of my conductorship in Dresden, he admitted
-that he had been embittered against me owing to humiliating and
-derogatory remarks we were said to have made about him after we parted,
-and had resolved not to have anything further to do with us. We were
-certain of our innocence in the matter, and very grieved at having,
-through pure slander, lost the chance of such assistance in our great
-need.
-
-At the beginning of our pecuniary difficulties we sustained a loss
-which we looked upon as providential, in spite of the grief it caused
-us. This was our beautiful dog, which we had managed to bring across to
-Paris with endless difficulty. As he was a very valuable animal, and
-attracted much attention, he had probably been stolen. In spite of the
-terrible state of the traffic in Paris, he had always found his way
-home in the same clever manner in which he had mastered the
-difficulties of the London streets. Quite at the beginning of our stay
-in Paris he had often gone off by himself to the gardens of the Palais
-Royal, where he used to meet many of his friends, and had returned safe
-and sound after a brilliant exhibition of swimming and retrieving
-before an audience of gutter children. At the Quai du Pont-neuf he
-generally begged us to let him bathe; there he used to draw a large
-crowd of spectators round him, who were so loud in their enthusiasm
-about the way in which he dived for and brought to land various objects
-of clothing, tools, etc., that the police begged us to put an end to
-the obstruction. One morning I let him out for a little run as usual;
-he never returned, and in spite of our most strenuous efforts to
-recover him, no trace of him was to be found. This loss seemed to many
-of our friends a piece of luck, for they could not understand how it
-was possible for us to feed such a huge animal when we ourselves had
-not enough to eat. About this time, the second month of our stay in
-Paris, my sister Louisa came over from Leipzig to join her husband,
-Friedrich Brockhaus, in Paris, where he had been waiting for her for
-some time. They intended to go to Italy together, and Louisa made use
-of this opportunity to buy all kinds of expensive things in Paris. I
-did not expect them to feel any pity for us on account of our foolish
-removal to Paris, and its attendant miseries, or that they should
-consider themselves bound to help us in any way; but although we did
-not try to conceal our position, we derived no benefit from the visit
-of our rich relations. Minna was even kind enough to help my sister
-with her luxurious shopping, and we were very anxious not to make them
-think we wanted to rouse their pity. In return my sister introduced me
-to an extraordinary friend of hers, who was destined to take a great
-interest in me. This was the young painter, Ernst Kietz, from Dresden;
-he was an exceptionally kind-hearted and unaffected young man, whose
-talent for portrait painting (in a sort of coloured pastel style) had
-made him such a favourite in his own town, that he had been induced by
-his financial successes to come to Paris for a time to finish his art
-studies. He had now been working in Delaroche's studio for about a
-year. He had a curious and almost childlike disposition, and his lack
-of all serious education, combined with a certain weakness of
-character, had made him choose a career in which he was destined, in
-spite of all his talent, to fail hopelessly. I had every opportunity of
-recognising this, as I saw a great deal of him. At the time, however,
-the simple-hearted devotion and kindness of this young man were very
-welcome both to myself and my wife, who often felt lonely, and his
-friendship was a real source of help in our darkest hours of adversity.
-He became almost a member of the family, and joined our home circle
-every night, providing a strange contrast to nervous old Anders and the
-grave-faced Lehrs. His good-nature and his quaint remarks soon made him
-indispensable to us; he amused us tremendously with his French, into
-which he would launch with the greatest confidence, although he could
-not put together two consecutive sentences properly, in spite of having
-lived in Paris for twenty years. With Delaroche he studied
-oil-painting, and had obviously considerable talent in this direction,
-although it was the very rock on which he stranded. The mixing of the
-colours on his palette, and especially the cleaning of his brushes,
-took up so much of his time that he rarely came to the actual painting.
-As the days were very short in midwinter, he never had time to do any
-work after he had finished washing his palette and brushes, and, as far
-as I can remember, he never completed a single portrait. Strangers to
-whom he had been introduced, and who had given him orders to paint
-their portraits, were obliged to leave Paris without seeing them even
-half done, and at last he even complained because some of his sitters
-died before their portraits were completed. His landlord, to whom he
-was always in debt for rent, was the only creature who succeeded in
-getting a portrait of his ugly person from the painter, and, as far as
-I know, this is the only finished portrait in existence by Kietz. On
-the other hand, he was very clever at making little sketches of any
-subject suggested by our conversation during the evening, and in these
-he displayed both originality and delicacy of execution. During the
-winter of that year he completed a good pencil portrait of me, which he
-touched up two years afterwards when he knew me more intimately,
-finishing it off as it now stands. It pleased him to sketch me in the
-attitude I often assumed during our evening chats when I was in a
-cheerful mood. No evening ever passed during which I did not succeed in
-shaking off the depression caused by my vain endeavours, and by the
-many worries I had gone through during the day, and in regaining my
-natural cheerfulness, and Kietz was anxious to represent me to the
-world as a man who, in spite of the hard times he had to face, had
-confidence in his success, and rose smiling above the troubles of life.
-Before the end of the year 1839, my youngest sister Cecilia also
-arrived in Paris with her husband, Edward Avenarius. It was only
-natural that she should feel embarrassed at the idea of meeting us in
-Paris in our extremely straitened circumstances, especially as her
-husband was not very well off. Consequently, instead of calling on them
-frequently, we preferred waiting until they came to see us, which, by
-the way, took them a long time. On the other hand, the renewal of our
-acquaintance with Heinrich Laube, who came over to Paris at the
-beginning of 1840 with his young wife, Iduna (nee Budaus), was very
-cheering. She was the widow of a wealthy Leipzig doctor, and Laube had
-married her under very extraordinary circumstances, since we last saw
-him in Berlin; they intended to enjoy themselves for a few months in
-Paris. During the long period of his detention, while awaiting his
-trial, this young lady had been so touched by his misfortunes that
-without knowing much of him, she had shown great sympathy and interest
-in his case. Laube's sentence was pronounced soon after I left Berlin;
-it was unexpectedly light, consisting of only one year's imprisonment
-in the town gaol. He was allowed to undergo this term in the prison at
-Muskau in Silesia, where he had the advantage of being near his friend,
-Prince Puckler, who in his official capacity, and on account of his
-influence with the governor of the prison, was permitted to afford the
-prisoner even the consolation of personal intercourse.
-
-The young widow resolved to marry him at the beginning of his term of
-imprisonment, so that she might be near him at Muskau with her loving
-assistance. To see my old friend under such favourable conditions was
-in itself a pleasure to me; I also experienced the liveliest
-satisfaction at finding there was no change in his former sympathetic
-attitude. We met frequently; our wives also became friends, and Laube
-was the first to approve in his kindly humorous way of our folly in
-moving to Paris.
-
-In his house I made the acquaintance of Heinrich Heine, and both of
-them joked good-humouredly over my extraordinary position, making even
-me laugh. Laube felt himself compelled to talk seriously to me about my
-expectations of succeeding in Paris, as he saw that I treated my
-situation, based on such trivial hopes, with a humour that charmed him
-even against his better judgment. He tried to think how he could help
-me without prejudicing my future. With this object he wanted me to make
-a more or less plausible sketch of my future plans, so that on his
-approaching visit to our native land he might procure some help for me.
-I happened just at that time to have come to an exceedingly promising
-understanding with the management of the Theatre de la Renaissance. I
-thus seemed to have obtained a footing, and I thought it safe to
-assert, that if I were guaranteed the means of livelihood for six
-months, I could not fail within that period to accomplish something.
-Laube promised to make this provision, and kept his word. He induced
-one of his wealthy friends in Leipzig, and, following this example, my
-well-to-do relations, to provide me for six months with the necessary
-resources, to be paid in monthly instalments through Avenarius.
-
-We therefore decided, as I have said, to leave our furnished apartments
-and take a flat for ourselves in the Rue du Helder. My prudent, careful
-wife had suffered greatly on account of the careless and uncertain
-manner in which I had hitherto controlled our meagre resources, and in
-now undertaking the responsibility, she explained that she understood
-how to keep house more cheaply than we could do by living in furnished
-rooms and restaurants. Success justified the step; the serious part of
-the question lay in the fact that we had to start housekeeping without
-any furniture of our own, and everything necessary for domestic
-purposes had to be procured, though we had not the wherewithal to get
-it. In this matter Lehrs, who was well versed in the peculiarities of
-Parisian life, was able to advise us. In his opinion the only
-compensation for the experiences we had undergone hitherto would be a
-success equivalent to my daring. As I did not possess the resources to
-allow of long years of patient waiting for success in Paris, I must
-either count on extraordinary luck or renounce all my hopes forthwith.
-The longed-for success must come within a year, or I should be ruined.
-Therefore I must dare all, as befitted my name, for in my case he was
-not inclined to derive 'Wagner' [Footnote: 'Wagner' in German means one
-who dares, also a Wagoner; and 'Fuhrwerk' means a carriage.--Editor.]
-from Fuhrwerk. I was to pay my rent, twelve hundred francs, in
-quarterly instalments; for the furniture and fittings, he recommended
-me, through his landlady, to a carpenter who provided everything that
-was necessary for what seemed to be a reasonable sum, also to be paid
-by instalments, all of which appeared very simple. Lehrs maintained
-that I should do no good in Paris unless I showed the world that I had
-confidence in myself. My trial audience was impending; I felt sure of
-the Theatre de la Renaissance, and Dumersan was keenly anxious to make
-a complete translation of my Liebesverbot into French. So we decided to
-run the risk. On 15th April, to the astonishment of the concierge of
-the house in the Rue du Helder, we moved with an exceedingly small
-amount of luggage into our comfortable new apartments.
-
-The very first visit I received in the rooms I had taken with such high
-hopes was from Anders, who came with the tidings that the Theatre de la
-Renaissance had just gone bankrupt, and was closed. This news, which
-came on me like a thunder-clap, seemed to portend more than an ordinary
-stroke of bad luck; it revealed to me like a flash of lightning the
-absolute emptiness of my prospects. My friends openly expressed the
-opinion that Meyerbeer, in sending me from the Grand Opera to this
-theatre, probably knew the whole of the circumstances. I did not pursue
-the line of thought to which this supposition might lead, as I felt
-cause enough for bitterness when I wondered what I should do with the
-rooms in which I was so nicely installed.
-
-As my singers had now practised the portions of Liebesverbot intended
-for the trial audience, I was anxious at least to have them performed
-before some persons of influence. M. Edouard Monnaie, who had been
-appointed temporary director of the Grand Opera after Duponchel's
-retirement, was the less disposed to refuse as the singers who were to
-take part belonged to the institution over which he presided; moreover,
-there was no obligation attached to his presence at the audience. I
-also took the trouble to call on Scribe to invite him to attend, and he
-accepted with the kindest alacrity. At last my three pieces were
-performed before these two gentlemen in the green room of the Grand
-Opera, and I played the piano accompaniment. They pronounced the music
-charming, and Scribe expressed his willingness to arrange the libretto
-for me as soon as the managers of the opera had decided on accepting
-the piece; all that M. Monnaie had to reply to this offer was that it
-was impossible for them to do so at present. I did not fail to realise
-that these were only polite expressions; but at all events I thought it
-very nice of them, and particularly condescending of Scribe to have got
-so far as to think me deserving of a little politeness.
-
-But in my heart of hearts I felt really ashamed of having gone back
-again seriously to that superficial early work from which I had taken
-these three pieces. Of course I had only done this because I thought I
-should win success more rapidly in Paris by adapting myself to its
-frivolous taste. My aversion from this kind of taste, which had been
-long growing, coincided with my abandonment of all hopes of success in
-Paris. I was placed in an exceedingly melancholy situation by the fact
-that my circumstances had so shaped themselves that I dared not express
-this important change in my feelings to any one, especially to my poor
-wife. But if I continued to make the best of a bad bargain, I had no
-longer any illusions as to the possibility of success in Paris. Face to
-face with unheard-of misery, I shuddered at the smiling aspect which
-Paris presented in the bright sunshine of May. It was the beginning of
-the slack season for any sort of artistic enterprise in Paris, and from
-every door at which I knocked with feigned hope I was turned away with
-the wretchedly monotonous phrase, Monsieur est a la campagne.
-
-On our long walks, when we felt ourselves absolute strangers in the
-midst of the gay throng, I used to romance to my wife about the South
-American Free States, far away from all this sinister life, where opera
-and music were unknown, and the foundations of a sensible livelihood
-could easily be secured by industry. I told Minna, who was quite in the
-dark as to my meaning, of a book I had just read, Zschokke's Die
-Grundung von Maryland, in which I found a very seductive account of the
-sensation of relief experienced by the European settlers after their
-former sufferings and persecutions. She, being of a more practical turn
-of mind, used to point out to me the necessity of procuring means for
-our continued existence in Paris, for which she had thought out all
-sorts of economies.
-
-I, for my part, was sketching out the plan of the poem of my Fliegender
-Hollander, which I kept steadily before me as a possible means of
-making a debut in Paris. I put together the material for a single act,
-influenced by the consideration that I could in this way confine it to
-the simple dramatic developments between the principal characters,
-without troubling about the tiresome operatic accessories. From a
-practical point of view, I thought I could rely on a better prospect
-for the acceptance of my proposed work if it were cast in the form of a
-one-act opera, such as was frequently given as a curtain raiser before
-a ballet at the Grand Opera. I wrote about it to Meyerbeer in Berlin,
-asking for his help. I also resumed the composition of Rienzi, to the
-completion of which I was now giving my constant attention.
-
-In the meantime our position became more and more gloomy; I was soon
-compelled to draw in advance on the subsidies obtained by Laube, but in
-so doing I gradually alienated the sympathy of my brother-in-law
-Avenarius, to whom our stay in Paris was incomprehensible.
-
-One morning, when we had been anxiously consulting as to the
-possibility of raising our first quarter's rent, a carrier appeared
-with a parcel addressed to me from London; I thought it was an
-intervention of Providence, and broke open the seal. At the same moment
-a receipt-book was thrust into my face for signature, in which I at
-once saw that I had to pay seven francs for carriage. I recognised,
-moreover, that the parcel contained my overture Rule Britannia,
-returned to me from the London Philharmonic Society. In my fury I told
-the bearer that I would not take in the parcel, whereupon he
-remonstrated in the liveliest fashion, as I had already opened it. It
-was no use; I did not possess seven francs, and I told him he should
-have presented the bill for the carriage before I had opened the
-parcel. So I made him return the only copy of my overture to Messrs.
-Laffitte and Gaillard's firm, to do what they liked with it, and I
-never cared to inquire what became of that manuscript.
-
-Suddenly Kietz devised a way out of these troubles. He had been
-commissioned by an old lady of Leipzig, called Fraulein Leplay, a rich
-and very miserly old maid, to find a cheap lodging in Paris for her and
-for his stepmother, with whom she intended to travel. As our apartment,
-though not spacious, was larger than we actually needed, and had very
-quickly become a troublesome burden to us, we did not hesitate for a
-moment to let the larger portion of it to her for the time of her stay
-in Paris, which was to last about two months. In addition, my wife
-provided the guests with breakfast, as though they were in furnished
-apartments, and took a great pride in looking at the few pence she
-earned in this way. Although we found this amazing example of
-old-maidishness trying enough, the arrangement we had made helped us in
-some degree to tide over the anxious time, and I was able, in spite of
-this disorganisation of our household arrangements, to continue working
-in comparative peace at my Rienzi.
-
-This became more difficult after Fraulein Leplay's departure, when we
-let one of our rooms to a German commercial traveller, who in his
-leisure hours zealously played the flute. His name was Brix; he was a
-modest, decent fellow, and had been recommended to us by Pecht the
-painter, whose acquaintance we had recently made. He had been
-introduced to us by Kietz, who studied with him in Delaroche's studio.
-He was the very antithesis of Kietz in every way, and obviously endowed
-with less talent, yet he grappled with the task of acquiring the art of
-oil-painting in the shortest possible time under difficult
-circumstances with an industry and earnestness quite out of the common.
-He was, moreover, well educated, and eagerly assimilated information,
-and was very straightforward, earnest, and trustworthy. Without
-attaining to the same degree of intimacy with us as our three older
-friends, he was, nevertheless, one of the few who continued to stand by
-us in our troubles, and habitually spent nearly every evening in our
-company.
-
-One day I received a fresh surprising proof of Laube's continued
-solicitude on our behalf. The secretary of a certain Count Kuscelew
-called on us, and after some inquiry into our affairs, the state of
-which he had heard from Laube at Karlsbad, informed us in a brief and
-friendly way that his patron wished to be of use to us, and with that
-object in view desired to make my acquaintance. In fact, he proposed to
-engage a small light opera company in Paris, which was to follow him to
-his Russian estates. He was therefore looking for a musical director of
-sufficient experience to assist in recruiting the members in Paris. I
-gladly went to the hotel where the count was staying, and there found
-an elderly gentleman of frank and agreeable bearing, who willingly
-listened to my little French compositions. Being a shrewd reader of
-human nature, he saw at a glance that I was not the man for him, and
-though he showed me the most polite attention, he went no further into
-the opera scheme. But that very day he sent me, accompanied by a
-friendly note, ten golden napoleons, in payment for my services. What
-these services were I did not know. I thereupon wrote to him, and asked
-for more precise details of his wishes, and begged him to commission a
-composition, the fee for which I presumed he had sent in advance. As I
-received no reply, I made more than one effort to approach him again,
-but in vain. From other sources I afterwards learned that the only kind
-of opera Count Kuscelew recognised was Adam's. As for the operatic
-company to be engaged to suit his taste, what he really wanted was more
-a small harem than a company of artists.
-
-So far I had not been able to arrange anything with the music publisher
-Schlesinger. It was impossible to persuade him to publish my little
-French songs. In order to do something, however, towards making myself
-known in this direction, I decided to have my Two Grenadiers engraved
-by him at my own expense. Kietz was to lithograph a magnificent
-title-page for it. Schlesinger ended by charging me fifty francs for
-the cost of production. The story of this publication is curious from
-beginning to end; the work bore Schlesinger's name, and as I had
-defrayed all expenses, the proceeds were, of course, to be placed to my
-account. I had afterwards to take the publisher's word for it that not
-a single copy had been sold. Subsequently, when I had made a quick
-reputation for myself in Dresden through my Rienzi, Schott the
-publisher in Mainz, who dealt almost exclusively in works translated
-from the French, thought it advisable to bring out a German edition of
-the Two Grenadiers. Below the text of the French translation he had the
-German original by Heine printed; but as the French poem was a very
-free paraphrase, in quite a different metre to the original, Heine's
-words fitted my composition so badly that I was furious at the insult
-to my work, and thought it necessary to protest against Schott's
-publication as an entirely unauthorised reprint. Schott then threatened
-me with an action for libel, as he said that, according to his
-agreement, his edition was not a reprint (Nachdruck), but a
-reimpression (Abdruck). In order to be spared further annoyance, I was
-induced to send him an apology in deference to the distinction he had
-drawn, which I did not understand.
-
-In 1848, when I made inquiries of Schlesinger's successor in Paris (M.
-Brandus) as to the fate of my little work, I learned from him that a
-new edition had been published, but he declined to entertain any
-question of rights on my part. Since I did not care to buy a copy with
-my own money, I have to this day had to do without my own property. To
-what extent, in later years, others profited by similar transactions
-relating to the publication of my works, will appear in due course.
-
-For the moment the point was to compensate Schlesinger for the fifty
-francs agreed upon, and he proposed that I should do this by writing
-articles for his Gazette Musicale.
-
-As I was not expert enough in the French language for literary
-purposes, my article had to be translated and half the fee had to go to
-the translator. However, I consoled myself by thinking I should still
-receive sixty francs per sheet for the work. I was soon to learn, when
-I presented myself to the angry publisher for payment, what was meant
-by a sheet. It was measured by an abominable iron instrument, on which
-the lines of the columns were marked off with figures; this was applied
-to the article, and after careful subtraction of the spaces left for
-the title and signature, the lines were added up. After this process
-had been gone through, it appeared that what I had taken for a sheet
-was only half a sheet.
-
-So far so good. I began to write articles for Schlesinger's wonderful
-paper. The first was a long essay, De la musique allemande, in which I
-expressed with the enthusiastic exaggeration characteristic of me at
-that time my appreciation of the sincerity and earnestness of German
-music. This article led my friend Anders to remark that the state of
-affairs in Germany must, indeed, be splendid if the conditions were
-really as I described. I enjoyed what was to me the surprising
-satisfaction of seeing this article subsequently reproduced in Italian,
-in a Milan musical journal, where, to my amusement, I saw myself
-described as Dottissimo Musico Tedesco, a mistake which nowadays would
-be impossible. My essay attracted favourable comment, and Schlesinger
-asked me to write an article in praise of the arrangement made by the
-Russian General Lwoff of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, which I did as
-superficially as possible. On my own impulse I then wrote an essay in a
-still more amiable vein called Du metier du virtuose et de
-l'independance de la composition.
-
-In the meantime I was surprised in the middle of the summer by the
-arrival of Meyerbeer, who happened to come to Paris for a fortnight. He
-was very sympathetic and obliging. When I told him my idea of writing a
-one-act opera as a curtain raiser, and asked him to give me an
-introduction to M. Leon Pillet, the recently appointed manager of the
-Grand Opera, he at once took me to see him, and presented me to him.
-But alas, I had the unpleasant surprise of learning from the serious
-conversation which took place between those two gentlemen as to my
-future, that Meyerbeer thought I had better decide to compose an act
-for the ballet in collaboration with another musician. Of course I
-could not entertain such an idea for a moment. I succeeded, however, in
-handing over to M. Pillet my brief sketch of the subject of the Flying
-Dutchman..
-
-Things had reached this point when Meyerbeer again left Paris, this
-time for a longer period of absence.
-
-As I did not hear from M. Pillet for quite a long time, I now began to
-work diligently at my composition of Rienzi, though, to my great
-distress, I had often to interrupt this task in order to undertake
-certain pot-boiling hack-work for Schlesinger.
-
-As my contributions to the Gazette Musicale proved so unremunerative,
-Schlesinger one day ordered me to work out a method for the Cornet a
-pistons. When I told him about my embarrassment, in not knowing how to
-deal with the subject, he replied by sending me five different
-published 'Methods' for the Cornet a pistons, at that time the
-favourite amateur instrument among the younger male population of
-Paris. I had merely to devise a new sixth method out of these five, as
-all Schlesinger wanted was to publish an edition of his own. I was
-racking my brains how to start, when Schlesinger, who had just obtained
-a new complete method, released me from the onerous task. I was,
-however, told to write fourteen 'Suites' for the Cornet a pistons--that
-is to say, airs out of operas arranged for this instrument. To furnish
-me with material for this work, Schlesinger sent me no less than sixty
-complete operas arranged for the piano. I looked them through for
-suitable airs for my 'Suites,' marked the pages in the volumes with
-paper strips, and arranged them into a curious-looking structure round
-my work-table, so that I might have the greatest possible variety of
-the melodious material within my reach. When I was in the midst of this
-work, however, to my great relief and to my poor wife's consternation,
-Schlesinger told me that M. Schlitz, the first cornet player in Paris,
-who had looked my 'Etudes' through, preparatory to their being
-engraved, had declared that I knew absolutely nothing about the
-instrument, and had generally adopted keys that were too high, which
-Parisians would never be able to use. The part of the work I had
-already done was, however, accepted, Schlitz having agreed to correct
-it, but on condition that I should share my fee with him. The remainder
-of the work was then taken off my hands, and the sixty pianoforte
-arrangements went back to the curious shop in the Rue Richelieu.
-
-So my exchequer was again in a sorry plight. The distressing poverty of
-my home grew more apparent every day, and yet I was now free to give a
-last touch to Rienzi, and by the 19th of November I had completed this
-most voluminous of all my operas. I had decided, some time previously,
-to offer the first production of this work to the Court Theatre at
-Dresden, so that, in the event of its being a success, I might thus
-resume my connection with Germany. I had decided upon Dresden as I knew
-that there I should have in Tichatschek the most suitable tenor for the
-leading part. I also reckoned on my acquaintance with
-Schroder-Devrient, who had always been nice to me and who, though her
-efforts were ineffectual, had been at great pains, out of regard for my
-family, to get my Feen introduced at the Court Theatre, Dresden. In the
-secretary of the theatre, Hofrat Winkler (known as Theodor Hell), I
-also had an old friend of my family, besides which I had been
-introduced to the conductor, Reissiger, with whom I and my friend Apel
-had spent a pleasant evening on the occasion of our excursion to
-Bohemia in earlier days. To all these people I now addressed most
-respectful and eloquent appeals, wrote out an official note to the
-director, Herr von Luttichau, as well as a formal petition to the King
-of Saxony, and had everything ready to send off.
-
-Meantime, I had not omitted to indicate the exact tempi in my opera by
-means of a metronome. As I did not possess such a thing, I had to
-borrow one, and one morning I went out to restore the instrument to its
-owner, carrying it under my thin overcoat. The day when this occurred
-was one of the strangest in my life, as it showed in a really horrible
-way the whole misery of my position at that time. In addition to the
-fact that I did not know where to look for the few francs wherewith
-Minna was to provide for our scanty household requirements, some of the
-bills which, in accordance with the custom in Paris in those days, I
-had signed for the purpose of fitting up our apartments, had fallen
-due. Hoping to get help from one source or another, I first tried to
-get those bills prolonged by the holders. As such documents pass
-through many hands, I had to call on all the holders across the length
-and breadth of the city. That day I was to propitiate a cheese-monger
-who occupied a fifth-floor apartment in the Cite. I also intended to
-ask for help from Heinrich, the brother of my brother-in-law,
-Brockhaus, as he was then in Paris; and I was going to call at
-Schlesinger's to raise the money to pay for the despatch of my score
-that day by the usual mail service.
-
-As I had also to deliver the metronome, I left Minna early in the
-morning after a sad good-bye. She knew from experience that as I was on
-a money-raising expedition, she would not see me back till late at
-night. The streets were enveloped in a dense fog, and the first thing I
-recognised on leaving the house was my dog Robber, who had been stolen
-from us a year before. At first I thought it was a ghost, but I called
-out to him sharply in a shrill voice. The animal seemed to recognise
-me, and approached me cautiously, but my sudden movement towards him
-with outstretched arms seemed only to revive memories of the few
-chastisements I had foolishly inflicted on him during the latter part
-of our association, and this memory prevailed over all others. He drew
-timidly away from me and, as I followed him with some eagerness, he
-ran, only to accelerate his speed when he found he was being pursued. I
-became more and more convinced that he had recognised me, because he
-always looked back anxiously when he reached a corner; but seeing that
-I was hunting him like a maniac, he started off again each time with
-renewed energy. Thus I followed him through a labyrinth of streets,
-hardly distinguishable in the thick mist, until I eventually lost sight
-of him altogether, never to see him again. It was near the church of
-St. Roch, and I, wet with perspiration and quite breathless, was still
-bearing the metronome. For a while I stood motionless, glaring into the
-mist, and wondered what the ghostly reappearance of the companion of my
-travelling adventures on this day might portend! The fact that he had
-fled from his old master with the terror of a wild beast filled my
-heart with a strange bitterness and seemed to me a horrible omen. Sadly
-shaken, I set out again, with trembling limbs, upon my weary errand.
-
-Heinrich Brockhaus told me he could not help me, and I left him. I was
-sorely ashamed, but made a strong effort to conceal the painfulness of
-my situation. My other undertakings turned out equally hopeless, and
-after having been kept waiting for hours at Schlesinger's, listening to
-my employer's very trivial conversations with his
-callers--conversations which he seemed purposely to protract--I
-reappeared under the windows of my home long after dark, utterly
-unsuccessful. I saw Minna looking anxiously from one of the windows.
-Half expecting my misfortune she had, in the meantime, succeeded in
-borrowing a small sum of our lodger and boarder, Brix, the
-flute-player, whom we tolerated patiently, though at some inconvenience
-to ourselves, as he was a good-natured fellow. So she was able to offer
-me at least a comfortable meal. Further help was to come to me
-subsequently, though at the cost of great sacrifices on my part, owing
-to the success of one of Donizetti's operas, La Favorita, a very poor
-work of the Italian maestro's, but welcomed with great enthusiasm by
-the Parisian public, already so much degenerated. This opera, the
-success of which was due mainly to two lively little songs, had been
-acquired by Schlesinger, who had lost heavily over Halevy's last operas.
-
-Taking advantage of my helpless situation, of which he was well aware,
-he rushed into our rooms one morning, beaming all over with amusing
-good-humour, called for pen and ink, and began to work out a
-calculation of the enormous fees which he had arranged for me! He put
-down: 'La Favorita, complete arrangement for pianoforte, arrangement
-without words, for solo; ditto, for duet; complete arrangement for
-quartette; the same for two violins; ditto for a Cornet a piston. Total
-fee, frcs. 1100. Immediate advance in cash, frcs. 500.' I could see at
-a glance what an enormous amount of trouble this work would involve,
-but I did not hesitate a moment to undertake it.
-
-Curiously enough, when I brought home these five hundred francs in hard
-shining five-franc pieces, and piled them up on the table for our
-edification, my sister Cecilia Avenarius happened to drop in to see us.
-The sight of this abundance of wealth seemed to produce a good effect
-on her, as she had hitherto been rather chary of coming to see us; and
-after that we used to see rather more of her, and were often invited to
-dine with them on Sundays. But I no longer cared for any amusements. I
-was so deeply impressed by my past experiences that I made up my mind
-to work through this humiliating, albeit profitable task, with untiring
-energy, as though it were a penance imposed on me for the expiation of
-my bygone sins. To save fuel, we limited ourselves to the use of the
-bedroom, making it serve as a drawing-room, dining-room, and study, as
-well as dormitory. It was only a step from my bed to my work-table; to
-be seated at the dining-table, all I had to do was to turn my chair
-round, and I left my seat altogether only late at night when I wanted
-to go to bed again. Every fourth day I allowed myself a short
-constitutional. This penitential process lasted almost all through the
-winter, and sowed the seeds of those gastric disorders which were to be
-more or less of a trouble to me for the rest of my life.
-
-In return for the minute and almost interminable work of correcting the
-score of Donizetti's opera, I managed to get three hundred francs from
-Schlesinger, as he could not get any one else to do it. Besides this, I
-had to find the time to copy out the orchestra parts of my overture to
-Faust, which I was still hoping to hear at the Conservatoire; and by
-the way of counteracting the depression produced by this humiliating
-occupation, I wrote a short story, Eine Pilgerfahrt zu Beethoven (A
-Pilgrimage to Beethoven), which appeared in the Gazette Musicale, under
-the title Une Visite a Beethoven. Schlesinger told me candidly that
-this little work had created quite a sensation, and had been received
-with very marked approval; and, indeed, it was actually reproduced,
-either complete or in parts, in a good many fireside journals.
-
-He persuaded me to write some more of the same kind; and in a sequel
-entitled Das Ende eines Musikers in Paris (Un Musicien etranger a
-Paris) I avenged myself for all the misfortunes I had had to endure.
-Schlesinger was not quite so pleased with this as with my first effort,
-but it received touching signs of approval from his poor assistant;
-while Heinrich Heine praised it by saying that 'Hoffmann would have
-been incapable of writing such a thing.' Even Berlioz was touched by
-it, and spoke of the story very favourably in one of his articles in
-the Journal des Debats. He also gave me signs of his sympathy, though
-only during a conversation, after the appearance of another of my
-musical articles entitled Ueber die Ouverture (Concerning Overtures),
-mainly because I had illustrated my principle by pointing to Gluck's
-overture to Iphigenia in Aulis as a model for compositions of this
-class.
-
-Encouraged by these signs of sympathy, I felt anxious to become more
-intimately acquainted with Berlioz. I had been introduced to him some
-time previously at Schlesinger's office, where we used to meet
-occasionally. I had presented him with a copy of my Two Grenadiers, but
-could, however, never learn any more from him concerning what he really
-thought of it than the fact that as he could only strum a little on the
-guitar, he was unable to play the music of my composition to himself on
-the piano. During the previous winter I had often heard his grand
-instrumental pieces played under his own direction, and had been most
-favourably impressed by them. During that winter (1839-40) he conducted
-three performances of his new symphony, Romeo and Juliet, at one of
-which I was present.
-
-All this, to be sure, was quite a new world to me, and I was desirous
-of gaining some unprejudiced knowledge of it. At first the grandeur and
-masterly execution of the orchestral part almost overwhelmed me. It was
-beyond anything I could have conceived. The fantastic daring, the sharp
-precision with which the boldest combinations--almost tangible in their
-clearness--impressed me, drove back my own ideas of the poetry of music
-with brutal violence into the very depths of my soul. I was simply all
-ears for things of which till then I had never dreamt, and which I felt
-I must try to realise. True, I found a great deal that was empty and
-shallow in his Romeo and Juliet, a work that lost much by its length
-and form of combination; and this was the more painful to me seeing
-that, on the other hand, I felt overpowered by many really bewitching
-passages which quite overcame any objections on my part.
-
-During the same winter Berlioz produced his Sinfonie Fantastique and
-his Harald ('Harold en Italie'). I was also much impressed by these
-works; the musical genre-pictures woven into the first-named symphony
-were particularly pleasing, while Harald delighted me in almost every
-respect..
-
-It was, however, the latest work of this wonderful master, his
-Trauer-Symphonie fur die Opfer der Juli-Revolution (Grande Symphonie
-Funebre et Triomphale), most skilfully composed for massed military
-bands during the summer of 1840 for the anniversary of the obsequies of
-the July heroes, and conducted by him under the column of the Place de
-la Bastille, which had at last thoroughly convinced me of the greatness
-and enterprise of this incomparable artist. But while admiring this
-genius, absolutely unique in his methods, I could never quite shake off
-a certain peculiar feeling of anxiety. His works left me with a
-sensation as of something strange, something with which I felt I should
-never be able to be familiar, and I was often puzzled at the strange
-fact that, though ravished by his compositions, I was at the same time
-repelled and even wearied by them. It was only much later that I
-succeeded in clearly grasping and solving this problem, which for years
-exercised such a painful spell over me.
-
-It is a fact that at that time I felt almost like a little school-boy
-by the side of Berlioz. Consequently I was really embarrassed when
-Schlesinger, determined to make good use of the success of my short
-story, told me he was anxious to produce some of my orchestral
-compositions at a concert arranged by the editor of the Gazette
-Musicale. I realised that none of my available works would in any way
-be suitable for such an occasion. I was not quite confident as to my
-Faust Overture because of its zephyr-like ending, which I presumed
-could only be appreciated by an audience already familiar with my
-methods. When, moreover, I learned that I should have only a
-second-rate orchestra--the Valentino from the Casino, Rue St.
-Honore--and, moreover, that there could be only one rehearsal, my only
-alternative lay between declining altogether, or making another trial
-with my Columbus Overture, the work composed in my early days at
-Magdeburg. I adopted the latter course.
-
-When I went to fetch the score of this composition from Ilabeneck, who
-had it stored among the archives of the Conservatoire, he warned me
-somewhat dryly, though not without kindness, of the danger of
-presenting this work to the Parisian public, as, to use his own words,
-it was too 'vague.' One great objection was the difficulty of finding
-capable musicians for the six cornets required, as the music for this
-instrument, so skilfully played in Germany, could hardly, if ever, be
-satisfactorily executed in Paris. Herr Schlitz, the corrector of my
-'Suites' for Cornet a piston, offered his assistance. I was compelled
-to reduce my six cornets to four, and he told me that only two of these
-could be relied on.
-
-As a matter of fact, the attempts made at the rehearsal to produce
-those very passages on which the effect of my work chiefly depended
-were very discouraging. Not once were the soft high notes played but
-they were flat or altogether wrong. In addition to this, as I was not
-going to be allowed to conduct the work myself, I had to rely upon a
-conductor who, as I was well aware, had fully convinced himself that my
-composition was the most utter rubbish--an opinion that seemed to be
-shared by the whole orchestra. Berlioz, who was present at the
-rehearsal, remained silent throughout. He gave me no encouragement,
-though he did not dissuade me. He merely said afterwards, with a weary
-smile, 'that it was very difficult to get on in Paris.'
-
-On the night of the performance (4th February 1841) the audience, which
-was largely composed of subscribers to the Gazette Musicale, and to
-whom, therefore, my literary successes were not unknown, seemed rather
-favourably disposed towards me. I was told later on that my overture,
-however wearisome it had been, would certainly have been applauded if
-those unfortunate cornet players, by continually failing to produce the
-effective passages, had not excited the public almost to the point of
-hostility; for Parisians, for the most part, care only for the skilful
-parts of performances, as, for instance, for the faultless production
-of difficult tones. I was clearly conscious of my complete failure.
-After this misfortune Paris no longer existed for me, and all I had to
-do was to go back to my miserable bedroom and resume my work of
-arranging Donizetti's operas.
-
-So great was my renunciation of the world that, like a penitent, I no
-longer shaved, and to my wife's annoyance, for the first and only time
-in my life allowed my beard to grow quite long. I tried to bear
-everything patiently, and the only thing that threatened really to
-drive me to despair was a pianist in the room adjoining ours who during
-the livelong day practised Liszt's fantasy on Lucia di Lammermoor. I
-had to put a stop to this torture, so, to give him an idea of what he
-made us endure, one day I moved our own piano, which was terribly out
-of tune, close up to the party wall. Then Brix with his piccolo-flute
-played the piano-and-violin (or flute) arrangement of the Favorita
-Overture I had just completed, while I accompanied him on the piano.
-The effect on our neighbour, a young piano-teacher, must have been
-appalling. The concierge told me the next day that the poor fellow was
-leaving, and, after all, I felt rather sorry.
-
-The wife of our concierge had entered into a sort of arrangement with
-us. At first we had occasionally availed ourselves of her services,
-especially in the kitchen, also for brushing clothes, cleaning boots,
-and so on; but even the slight outlay that this involved was eventually
-too heavy for us, and after having dispensed with her services, Minna
-had to suffer the humiliation of doing the whole work of the household,
-even the most menial part of it, herself. As we did not like to mention
-this to Brix, Minna was obliged, not only to do all the cooking and
-washing up, but even to clean our lodger's boots as well. What we felt
-most, however, was the thought of what the concierge and his wife would
-think of us; but we were mistaken, for they only respected us the more,
-though of course we could not avoid a little familiarity at times, Now
-and then, therefore, the man would have a chat with me on politics.
-When the Quadruple Alliance against France had been concluded, and the
-situation under Thiers' ministry was regarded as very critical, my
-concierge tried to reassure me one day by saying: 'Monsieur, il y a
-quatre hommes en Europe qui s'appellent: le roi Louis Philippe,
-l'empereur d'Autriche, l'empereur de Russie, le roi de Prusse; eh bien,
-ces quatre sont des c...; et nous n'aurons pas la guerre.'
-
-Of an evening I very seldom lacked entertainment; but the few faithful
-friends who came to see me had to put up with my going on scribbling
-music till late in the night. Once they prepared a touching surprise
-for me in the form of a little party which they arranged for New Year's
-Eve (1840). Lehrs arrived at dusk, rang the bell, and brought a leg of
-veal; Kietz brought some rum, sugar, and a lemon; Pecht supplied a
-goose; and Anders two bottles of the champagne with which he had been
-presented by a musical instrument-maker in return for a flattering
-article he had written about his pianos. Bottles from that stock were
-produced only on very great occasions. I soon threw the confounded
-Favorita aside, therefore, and entered enthusiastically into the fun.
-
-We all had to assist in the preparations, to light the fire in the
-salon, give a hand to my wife in the kitchen, and get what was wanted
-from the grocer. The supper developed into a dithyrambic orgy. When the
-champagne was drunk, and the punch began to produce its effects, I
-delivered a fiery speech which so provoked the hilarity of the company
-that it seemed as though it would never end. I became so excited that I
-first mounted a chair, and then, by way of heightening the effect, at
-last stood on the table, thence to preach the maddest gospel of the
-contempt of life together with a eulogy on the South American Free
-States. My charmed listeners eventually broke into such fits of sobs
-and laughter, and were so overcome, that we had to give them all
-shelter for the night--their condition making it impossible for them to
-reach their own homes in safety. On New Year's Day (1841) I was again
-busy with my Favorita.
-
-I remember another similar though far less boisterous feast, on the
-occasion of a visit paid us by the famous violinist Vieux-temps, an old
-schoolfellow of Kietz's. We had the great pleasure of hearing the young
-virtuoso, who was then greatly feted in Paris, play to us charmingly
-for a whole evening--a performance which lent my little salon an
-unusual touch of 'fashion.' Kietz rewarded him for his kindness by
-carrying him on his shoulders to his hotel close by.
-
-We were hard hit in the early part of this year by a mistake I made
-owing to my ignorance of Paris customs. It seemed to us quite a matter
-of course that we should wait until the proper quarter-day to give
-notice to our landlady. So I called on the proprietress of the house, a
-rich young widow living in one of her own houses in the Marias quarter.
-She received me, but seemed much embarrassed, and said she would speak
-to her agent about the matter, and eventually referred me to him. The
-next day I was informed by letter that my notice would have been valid
-had it been given two days earlier. By this omission I had rendered
-myself liable, according to the agreement, for another year's rent.
-Horrified by this news, I went to see the agent himself, and after
-having been kept waiting for a long time--as a matter of fact they
-would not let me in at all--I found an elderly gentleman, apparently
-crippled by some very painful malady, lying motionless before me. I
-frankly told him my position, and begged him most earnestly to release
-me from my agreement, but I was merely told that the fault was mine,
-and not his, that I had given notice a day too late, and consequently
-that I must find the rent for the next year. My concierge, to whom,
-with some emotion, I related the story of this occurrence, tried to
-soothe me by saying: 'J'aurais pu vous dire cela, car voyez, monsieur,
-cet homme ne vaut pas l'eau qu'il boit.'
-
-This entirely unforeseen misfortune destroyed our last hopes of getting
-out of our disastrous position. We consoled ourselves for awhile with
-the hope of finding another lodger, but the fates were once more
-against us. Easter came, the new term began, and our prospects were as
-hopeless as ever. At last our concierge recommended us to a family who
-were willing to take the whole of our apartment, furniture included,
-off our hands for a few months. We gladly accepted this offer; for, at
-any rate, it ensured the payment of the rent for the ensuing quarter.
-We thought if only we could get away from this unfortunate place we
-should find some way of getting rid of it altogether. We therefore
-decided to find a cheap summer residence for ourselves in the outskirts
-of Paris.
-
-Meudon had been mentioned to us as an inexpensive summer resort, and we
-selected an apartment in the avenue which joins Meudon to the
-neighbouring village of Bellevue. We left full authority with our
-concierge as to our rooms in Rue du Helder, and settled down in our new
-temporary abode as well as we could. Old Brix, the good-natured
-flutist, had to stay with us again, for, owing to the fact that his
-usual receipts had been delayed, he would have been in great straits
-had we refused to give him shelter. The removal of our scanty
-possessions took place on the 29th of April, and was, after all, no
-more than a flight from the impossible into the unknown, for how we
-were going to live during the following summer we had not the faintest
-idea. Schlesinger had no work for me, and no other sources were
-available.
-
-The only help we could hope for seemed to lie in journalistic work
-which, though rather unremunerative, had indeed given me the
-opportunity of making a little success. During the previous winter I
-had written a long article on Weber's Freischutz for the Gazette
-Musicale. This was intended to prepare the way for the forthcoming
-first performance of this opera, after recitatives from the pen of
-Berlioz had been added to it. The latter was apparently far from
-pleased at my article. In the article I could not help referring to
-Berlioz's absurd idea of polishing up this old-fashioned musical work
-by adding ingredients that spoiled its original characteristics, merely
-in order to give it an appearance suited to the luxurious repertoire of
-Opera House. The fact that the result fully justified my forecasts did
-not in the least tend to diminish the ill-feeling I had roused among
-all those concerned in the production; but I had the satisfaction of
-hearing that the famous George Sand had noticed my article. She
-commenced the introduction to a legendary story of French provincial
-life by repudiating certain doubts as to the ability of the French
-people to understand the mystic, fabulous element which, as I had
-shown, was displayed in such a masterly manner in Freischutz, and she
-pointed to my article as clearly explaining the characteristics of that
-opera.
-
-Another journalistic opportunity arose out of my endeavours to secure
-the acceptance of my Rienzi by the Court Theatre at Dresden. Herr
-Winkler, the secretary of that theatre, whom I have already mentioned,
-regularly reported progress; but as editor of the Abendzeitung, a paper
-then rather on the wane, he seized the opportunity presented by our
-negotiations in order to ask me to send him frequent and gratuitous
-contributions. The consequence was, that whenever I wanted to know
-anything concerning the fate of my opera, I had to oblige him by
-enclosing an article for his paper. Now, as these negotiations with the
-Court Theatre lasted a very long time, and involved a large number of
-contributions from me, I often got into the most extraordinary fixes
-simply owing to the fact that I was now once more a prisoner in my
-room, and had been so for some time, and therefore knew nothing of what
-was going on in Paris.
-
-I had serious reasons for thus withdrawing from the artistic and social
-life of Paris. My own painful experiences and my disgust at all the
-mockery of that kind of life, once so attractive to me and yet so alien
-to my education, had quickly driven me away from everything connected
-with it. It is true that the production of the Huguenots, for instance,
-which I then heard for the first time, dazzled me very much indeed. Its
-beautiful orchestral execution, and the extremely careful and effective
-mise en scene, gave me a grand idea of the great possibilities of such
-perfect and definite artistic means. But, strange to say, I never felt
-inclined to hear the same opera again. I soon became tired of the
-extravagant execution of the vocalists, and I often amused my friends
-exceedingly by imitating the latest Parisian methods and the vulgar
-exaggerations with which the performances teemed. Those composers,
-moreover, who aimed at achieving success by adopting the style which
-was then in vogue, could not help, either, incurring my sarcastic
-criticism. The last shred of esteem which I still tried to retain for
-the 'first lyrical theatre in the world' was at last rudely destroyed
-when I saw how such an empty, altogether un-French work as Donizetti's
-Favorita could secure so long and important a run at this theatre.
-
-During the whole time of my stay in Paris I do not think I went to the
-opera more than four times. The cold productions at the Opera Comique,
-and the degenerate quality of the music produced there, had repelled me
-from the start; and the same lack of enthusiasm displayed by the
-singers also drove me from Italian opera. The names, often very famous
-ones, of these artists who sang the same four operas for years could
-not compensate me for the complete absence of sentiment which
-characterised their performance, so unlike that of Schroder-Devrient,
-which I so thoroughly enjoyed. I clearly saw that everything was on the
-down grade, and yet I cherished no hope or desire to see this state of
-decline superseded by a period of newer and fresher life. I preferred
-the small theatres, where French talent was shown in its true light;
-and yet, as the result of my own longings, I was too intent upon
-finding points of relationship in them which would excite my sympathy,
-for it to be possible for me to realise those peculiar excellences in
-them which did not happen to interest me at all. Besides, from the very
-beginning my own troubles had proved so trying, and the consciousness
-of the failure of my Paris schemes had become so cruelly apparent,
-that, either out of indifference or annoyance, I declined all
-invitations to the theatres. Again and again, much to Minna's regret, I
-returned tickets for performances in which Rachel was to appear at the
-Theatre Francais, and, in fact, saw that famous theatre only once,
-when, some time later, I had to go there on business for my Dresden
-patron, who wanted some more articles.
-
-I adopted the most shameful means for filling the columns of the
-Abendzeitung; I just strung together whatever I happened to hear in the
-evening from Anders and Lehrs. But as they had no very exciting
-adventures either, they simply told me all they had picked up from
-papers and table-talk, and this I tried to render with as much piquancy
-as possible in accordance with the journalistic style created by Heine,
-which was all the rage at the time. My one fear was lest old Hofrath
-Winkler should some day discover the secret of my wide knowledge of
-Paris. Among other things which I sent to his declining paper was a
-long account of the production of Freischutz, He was particularly
-interested in it, as he was the guardian of Weber's children; and when
-in one of his letters he assured me that he would not rest until he had
-got the definite assurance that Rienzi had been accepted, I sent him,
-with my most profuse thanks, the German manuscript of my 'Beethoven'
-story for his paper. The 1841 edition of this gazette, then published
-by Arnold, but now no longer in existence, contains the only print of
-this manuscript.
-
-My occasional journalistic work was increased by a request from Lewald,
-the editor of Europa, a literary monthly, asking me to write something
-for him. This man was the first who, from time to time, had mentioned
-my name to the public. As he used to publish musical supplements to his
-elegant and rather widely read magazine, I sent him two of my
-compositions from Konigsberg for publication. One of these was the
-music I had set to a melancholy poem by Scheuerlin, entitled Der Knabe
-und der Tannenbaum (a work of which even to-day I am still proud), and
-my beautiful Carnevals Lied out of Liebesverbot.
-
-When I wanted to publish my little French compositions--Dors, mon
-enfant, and the music to Hugo's Attente and Ronsard's Mignonne--Lewald
-not only sent me a small fee--the first I had ever received for a
-composition--but commissioned some long articles on my Paris
-impressions, which he begged me to write as entertainingly as possible.
-For his paper I wrote Pariser Amusements and Pariser Fatalitaten, in
-which I gave vent in a humorous style, a la Heine, to all my
-disappointing experiences in Paris, and to all my contempt for the life
-led by its inhabitants. In the second I described the existence of a
-certain Hermann Pfau, a strange good-for-nothing with whom, during my
-early Leipzig days, I had become more intimately acquainted than was
-desirable. This man had been wandering about Paris like a vagrant ever
-since the beginning of the previous winter, and the meagre income I
-derived from arrangements of La Favorita was often partly consumed in
-helping this completely broken-down fellow. So it was only fair that I
-should get back a few francs of the money spent on him in Paris by
-turning his adventures to some account in Lewald's newspapers.
-
-When I came into contact with Leon Pillet, the manager of the Opera, my
-literary work took yet another direction. After numerous inquiries I
-eventually discovered that he had taken a fancy to my draft of the
-Fliegender Hollander. He informed me of this, and asked me to sell him
-the plot, as he was under contract to supply various composers with
-subjects for operettas. I tried to explain to Pillet, both verbally and
-in writing, that he could hardly expect that the plot would be properly
-treated except by myself, as this draft was in fact my own idea, and
-that it had only come to his knowledge by my having submitted it to
-him. But it was all to no purpose. He was obliged to admit quite
-frankly that the expectations I had cherished as to the result of
-Meyerbeer's recommendation to him would not come to anything. He said
-there was no likelihood of my getting a commission for a composition,
-even of a light opera, for the next seven years, as his already
-existing contracts extended over that period. He asked me to be
-sensible, and to sell him the draft for a small amount, so that he
-might have the music written by an author to be selected by him; and he
-added that if I still wished to try my luck at the Opera House, I had
-better see the 'ballet-master,' as he might want some music for a
-certain dance. Seeing that I contemptuously refused this proposal, he
-left me to my own devices.
-
-After endless and unsuccessful attempts at getting the matter settled,
-I at last begged Edouard Monnaie, the Commissaire for the Royal
-Theatres, who was not only a friend of mine, but also editor of the
-Gazette Musicale, to act as mediator. He candidly confessed that he
-could not understand Pillet's liking for my plot, which he also was
-acquainted with; but as Pillet seemed to like it--though he would
-probably lose it--he advised me to accept anything for it, as Monsieur
-Paul Faucher, a brother-in-law of Victor Hugo's, had had an offer to
-work out the scheme for a similar libretto. This gentleman had,
-moreover, declared that there was nothing new in my plot, as the story
-of the Vaisseau Fantome was well known in France. I now saw how I
-stood, and, in a conversation with Pillet, at which M. Faucher was
-present, I said I would come to an arrangement. My plot was generously
-estimated by Pillet at five hundred francs, and I received that amount
-from the cash office at the theatre, to be subsequently deducted from
-the author's rights of the future poet.
-
-Our summer residence in the Avenue de Meudon now assumed quite a
-definite character. These five hundred francs had to help me to work
-out the words and music of my Fliegender Hollander for Germany, while I
-abandoned the French Vaisseau Fantome to its fate.
-
-The state of my affairs, which was getting ever worse and worse, was
-slightly improved by the settlement of this matter. May and June had
-gone by, and during these months our troubles had grown steadily more
-serious. The lovely season of the year, the stimulating country air,
-and the sensation of freedom following upon my deliverance from the
-wretchedly paid musical hack-work I had had to do all the winter,
-wrought their beneficial effects on me, and I was inspired to write a
-small story entitled Ein glucklicher Abend. This was translated and
-published in French in the Gazette Musicale. Soon, however, our lack of
-funds began to make itself felt with a severity that was very
-discouraging. We felt this all the more keenly when my sister Cecilia
-and her husband, following our example, moved to a place quite close to
-us. Though not wealthy, they were fairly well-to-do. They came to see
-us every day, but we never thought it desirable to let them know how
-terribly hard-up we were. One day it came to a climax. Being absolutely
-without money, I started out, early one morning, to walk to Paris--for
-I had not even enough to pay the railway fare thither--and I resolved
-to wander about the whole day, trudging from street to street, even
-until late in the afternoon, in the hope of raising a five-franc piece;
-but my errand proved absolutely vain, and I had to walk all the way
-back to Meudon again, utterly penniless.
-
-When I told Minna, who came to meet me, of my failure, she informed me
-in despair that Hermann Pfau, whom I have mentioned before, had also
-come to us in the most pitiful plight, and actually in want of food,
-and that she had had to give him the last of the bread delivered by the
-baker that morning. The only hope that now remained was that, at any
-rate, my lodger Brix, who by a singular fate was now our companion in
-misfortune, would return with some success from the expedition to Paris
-which he also had made that morning. At last he, too, returned bathed
-in perspiration and exhausted, driven home by the craving for a meal,
-which he had been unable to procure in the town, as he could not find
-any of the acquaintances he went to see. He begged most piteously for a
-piece of bread. This climax to the situation at last inspired my wife
-with heroic resolution; for she felt it her duty to exert herself to
-appease at least the hunger of her menfolk. For the first time during
-her stay on French soil, she persuaded the baker, the butcher, and
-wine-merchant, by plausible arguments, to supply her with the
-necessaries of life without immediate cash payment, and Minna's eyes
-beamed when, an hour later, she was able to put before us an excellent
-meal, during which, as it happened, we were surprised by the Avenarius
-family, who were evidently relieved at finding us so well provided for.
-
-This extreme distress was relieved for a time, at the beginning of
-July, by the sale of my Vaisseau Fantome, which meant my final
-renunciation of my success in Paris. As long as the five hundred francs
-lasted, I had an interval of respite for carrying on my work. The first
-object on which I spent my money was on the hire of a piano, a thing of
-which I had been entirely deprived for months. My chief intention in so
-doing was to revive my faith in myself as a musician, as, ever since
-the autumn of the previous year, I had exercised my talents as a
-journalist and adapter of operas only. The libretto of the Fliegender
-Hollander, which I had hurriedly written during the recent period of
-distress, aroused considerable interest in Lehrs; he actually declared
-I would never write anything better, and that the Fliegender Hollander
-would be my Don Juan; the only thing now was to find the music for it.
-As towards the end of the previous winter I still entertained the hopes
-of being permitted to treat this subject for the French Opera, I had
-already finished some of the words and music of the lyric parts, and
-had had the libretto translated by Emile Deschamps, intending it for a
-trial performance, which, alas, never took place. These parts were the
-ballad of Senta, the song of the Norwegian sailors, and the 'Spectre
-Song' of the crew of the Fliegender Hollander. Since that time I had
-been so violently torn away from the music that, when the piano arrived
-at my rustic retreat, I did not dare to touch it for a whole day. I was
-terribly afraid lest I should discover that my inspiration had left
-me--when suddenly I was seized with the idea that I had forgotten to
-write out the song of the helmsman in the first act, although, as a
-matter of fact, I could not remember having composed it at all, as I
-had in reality only just written the lyrics. I succeeded, and was
-pleased with the result. The same thing occurred with the 'Spinner's
-Song,' and when I had written out these two pieces, and, on further
-reflection, could not help admitting that they had really only taken
-shape in my mind at that moment, I was quite delirious with joy at the
-discovery. In seven weeks the whole of the music of the Fliegender
-Hollander, except the orchestration, was finished.
-
-Thereupon followed a general revival in our circle; my exuberant good
-spirits astonished every one, and my Avenarius relations in particular
-thought I must really be prospering, as I was such good company. I
-resumed my long walks in the woods of Meudon, frequently even
-consenting to help Minna gather mushrooms, which, unfortunately, were
-for her the chief charm of our woodland retreat, though it filled our
-landlord with terror when he saw us returning with our spoils, as he
-felt sure we should be poisoned if we ate them.
-
-My destiny, which almost invariably led me into strange adventures,
-here once more introduced me to the most eccentric character to be
-found not only in the neighbourhood of Meudon, but even in Paris. This
-was M. Jadin, who, though he was old enough to be able to say that he
-remembered seeing Madame de Pompadour at Versailles, was still vigorous
-beyond belief. It appeared to be his aim to keep the world in a
-constant state of conjecture as to his real age; he made everything for
-himself with his own hands, including even a quantity of wigs of every
-shade, ranging in the most comic variety from youthful flaxen to the
-most venerable white, with intermediate shades of grey; these he wore
-alternately, as the fancy pleased him. He dabbled in everything, and I
-was pleased to find he had a particular fancy for painting. The fact
-that all the walls of his rooms were hung with the most childish
-caricatures of animal life, and that he had even embellished the
-outside of his blinds with the most ridiculous paintings, did not
-disconcert me in the least; on the contrary, it confirmed my belief
-that he did not dabble in music, until, to my horror, I discovered that
-the strangely discordant sounds of a harp which kept reaching my ears
-from some unknown region were actually proceeding from his basement,
-where he had two harpsichords of his own invention. He informed me that
-he had unfortunately neglected playing them for a long time, but that
-he now meant to begin practising again assiduously in order to give me
-pleasure. I succeeded in dissuading him from this, by assuring him that
-the doctor had forbidden me to listen to the harp, as it was bad for my
-nerves. His figure as I saw him for the last time remains impressed on
-my memory, like an apparition from the world of Hoffmann's fairy-tales.
-In the late autumn, when we were going back to Paris, he asked us to
-take with us on our furniture van an enormous stove-pipe, of which he
-promised to relieve us shortly. One very cold day Jadin actually
-presented himself at our new abode in Paris, in a most preposterous
-costume of his own manufacture, consisting of very thin light-yellow
-trousers, a very short pale-green dress-coat with conspicuously long
-tails, projecting lace shirt frills and cuffs, a very fair wig, and a
-hat so small that it was constantly dropping off; he wore in addition a
-quantity of imitation jewellery--and all this on the undisguised
-assumption that he could not go about in fashionable Paris dressed as
-simply as in the country. He had come for the stove-pipe; we asked him
-where the men to carry it were; in reply he simply smiled, and
-expressed his surprise at our helplessness; and thereupon took the
-enormous stove-pipe under his arm and absolutely refused to accept our
-help when we offered to assist him in carrying it down the stairs,
-though this operation, notwithstanding his vaunted skill, occupied him
-quite half an hour. Every one in the house assembled to witness this
-removal, but he was by no means disconcerted, and managed to get the
-pipe through the street door, and then tripped gracefully along the
-pavement with it, and disappeared from our sight.
-
-For this short though eventful period, during which I was quite free to
-give full scope to my inmost thoughts, I indulged in the consolation of
-purely artistic creations. I can only say that, when it came to an end,
-I had made such progress that I could look forward with cheerful
-composure to the much longer period of trouble and distress I felt was
-in store for me. This, in fact, duly set in, for I had only just
-completed the last scene when I found that my five hundred francs were
-coming to an end, and what was left was not sufficient to secure me the
-necessary peace and freedom from worry for composing the overture; I
-had to postpone this until my luck should take another favourable turn,
-and meanwhile I was forced to engage in the struggle for a bare
-subsistence, making efforts of all kinds that left me neither leisure
-nor peace of mind. The concierge from the Rue du Helder brought us the
-news that the mysterious family to whom we had let our rooms had left,
-and that we were now once more responsible for the rent. I had to tell
-him that I would not under any circumstances trouble about the rooms
-any more, and that the landlord might recoup himself by the sale of the
-furniture we had left there. This was done at a very heavy loss, and
-the furniture, the greater part of which was still unpaid for, was
-sacrificed to pay the rent of a dwelling which we no longer occupied.
-
-Under the stress of the most terrible privations I still endeavoured to
-secure sufficient leisure for working out the orchestration of the
-score of the Fliegender Hollander. The rough autumn weather set in at
-an exceptionally early date; people were all leaving their country
-houses for Paris, and, among them, the Avenarius family. We, however,
-could not dream of doing so, for we could not even raise the funds for
-the journey. When M. Jadin expressed his surprise at this, I pretended
-to be so pressed with work that I could not interrupt it, although I
-felt the cold that penetrated through the thin walls of the house very
-severely.
-
-So I waited for help from Ernst Castel, one of my old Konigsberg
-friends, a well-to-do young merchant, who a short time before had
-called on us in Meudon and treated us to a luxurious repast in Paris,
-promising at the same time to relieve our necessities as soon as
-possible by an advance, which we knew was an easy matter to him.
-
-By way of cheering us up, Kietz came over to us one day, with a large
-portfolio and a pillow under his arm; he intended to amuse us by
-working at a large caricature representing myself and my unfortunate
-adventures in Paris, and the pillow was to enable him, after his
-labours, to get some rest on our hard couch, which he had noticed had
-no pillows at the head. Knowing that we had a difficulty in procuring
-fuel, he brought with him some bottles of rum, to 'warm' us with punch
-during the cold evenings; under these circumstances I read Hoffmann's
-Tales to him and my wife.
-
-At last I had news from Konigsberg, but it only opened my eyes to the
-fact that the gay young dog had not meant his promise seriously. We now
-looked forward almost with despair to the chilly mists of approaching
-winter, but Kietz, declaring that it was his place to find help, packed
-up his portfolio, placed it under his arm with the pillow, and went off
-to Paris. On the next day he returned with two hundred francs, that he
-had managed to procure by means of generous self-sacrifice. We at once
-set off for Paris, and took a small apartment near our friends, in the
-back part of No. 14 Rue Jacob. I afterwards heard that shortly after we
-left it was occupied by Proudhon.
-
-We got back to town on 30th October. Our home was exceedingly small and
-cold, and its chilliness in particular made it very bad for our health.
-We furnished it scantily with the little we had saved from the wreck of
-the Rue du Holder, and awaited the results of my efforts towards
-getting my works accepted and produced in Germany. The first necessity
-was at all costs to secure peace and quietness for myself for the short
-time which I should have to devote to the overture of the Fliegender
-Hollander; I told Kietz that he would have to procure the money
-necessary for my household expenses until this work was finished and
-the full score of the opera sent off. With the aid of a pedantic uncle,
-who had lived in Paris a long time and who was also a painter, he
-succeeded in providing me with the necessary assistance, in instalments
-of five or ten francs at a time. During this period I often pointed
-with cheerful pride to my boots, which became mere travesties of
-footgear, as the soles eventually disappeared altogether.
-
-As long as I was engaged on the Dutchman, and Kietz was looking after
-me, this made no difference, for I never went out: but when I had
-despatched my completed score to the management of the Berlin Court
-Theatre at the beginning of December, the bitterness of the position
-could no longer be disguised. It was necessary for me to buckle to and
-look for help myself.
-
-What this meant in Paris I learned just about this time from the
-hapless fate of the worthy Lehrs. Driven by need such as I myself had
-had to surmount a year before at about the same time, he had been
-compelled on a broiling hot day in the previous summer to scour the
-various quarters of the city breathlessly, to get grace for bills he
-had accepted, and which had fallen due. He foolishly took an iced
-drink, which he hoped would refresh him in his distressing condition,
-but it immediately made him lose his voice, and from that day he was
-the victim of a hoarseness which with terrific rapidity ripened the
-seeds of consumption, doubtless latent in him, and developed that
-incurable disease. For months he had been growing weaker and weaker,
-filling us at last with the gloomiest anxiety: he alone believed the
-supposed chill would be cured, if he could heat his room better for a
-time. One day I sought him out in his lodging, where I found him in the
-icy-cold room, huddled up at his writing-table, and complaining of the
-difficulty of his work for Didot, which was all the more distressing as
-his employer was pressing him for advances he had made.
-
-He declared that if he had not had the consolation in those doleful
-hours of knowing that I had, at any rate, got my Dutchman finished, and
-that a prospect of success was thus opened to the little circle of
-friends, his misery would have been hard indeed to bear. Despite my own
-great trouble, I begged him to share our fire and work in my room. He
-smiled at my courage in trying to help others, especially as my
-quarters offered barely space enough for myself and my wife. However,
-one evening he came to us and silently showed me a letter he had
-received from Villemain, the Minister of Education at that time, in
-which the latter expressed in the warmest terms his great regret at
-having only just learned that so distinguished a scholar, whose able
-and extensive collaboration in Didot's issue of the Greek classics had
-made him participator in a work that was the glory of the nation,
-should be in such bad health and straitened circumstances.
-Unfortunately, the amount of public money which he had at his disposal
-at that moment for subsidising literature only allowed of his offering
-him the sum of five hundred francs, which he enclosed with apologies,
-asking him to accept it as a recognition of his merits on the part of
-the French Government, and adding that it was his intention to give
-earnest consideration as to how he might materially improve his
-position.
-
-This filled us with the utmost thankfulness on poor Lehrs' account, and
-we looked on the incident almost as a miracle. We could not help
-assuming, however, that M. Villemain had been influenced by Didot, who
-had been prompted by his own guilty conscience for his despicable
-exploitation of Lehrs, and by the prospect of thus relieving himself of
-the responsibility of helping him. At the same time, from similar cases
-within our knowledge, which were fully confirmed by my own subsequent
-experience, we were driven to the conclusion that such prompt and
-considerate sympathy on the part of a minister would have been
-impossible in Germany. Lehrs would now have a fire to work by, but
-alas! our fears as to his declining health could not be allayed. When
-we left Paris in the following spring, it was the certainty that we
-should never see our dear friend again that made our parting so painful.
-
-In my own great distress I was again exposed to the annoyance of having
-to write numerous unpaid articles for the Abendzeitung, as my patron,
-Hofrath Winkler, was still unable to give me any satisfactory account
-of the fate of my Rienzi in Dresden. In these circumstances I was
-obliged to consider it a good thing that Halevy's latest opera was at
-last a success. Schlesinger came to us radiant with joy at the success
-of La Reine de Chypre, and promised me eternal bliss for the piano
-score and various other arrangements I had made of this newest rage in
-the sphere of opera. So I was again forced to pay the penalty for
-composing my own Fliegender Hollander by having to sit down and write
-out arrangements of Halevy's opera. Yet this task no longer weighed on
-me so heavily. Apart from the wellfounded hope of being at last
-recalled from my exile in Paris, and thus being able, as I thought, to
-regard this last struggle with poverty as the decisive one, the
-arrangement of Halevy's score was far and away a more interesting piece
-of hack-work than the shameful labour I had spent on Donizetti's
-Favorita.
-
-I paid another visit, the last for a long time to come, to the Grand
-Opera to hear this Reine de Chypre. There was, indeed, much for me to
-smile at. My eyes were no longer shut to the extreme weakness of this
-class of work, and the caricature of it that was often produced by the
-method of rendering it. I was sincerely rejoiced to see the better side
-of Halevy again. I had taken a great fancy to him from the time of his
-La Juive, and had a very high opinion of his masterly talent.
-
-At the request of Schlesinger I also willingly consented to write for
-his paper a long article on Halevy's latest work. In it I laid
-particular stress on my hope that the French school might not again
-allow the benefits obtained by studying the German style to be lost by
-relapsing into the shallowest Italian methods. On that occasion I
-ventured, by way of encouraging the French school, to point to the
-peculiar significance of Auber, and particularly to his Stumme von
-Portici, drawing attention, on the other hand, to the overloaded
-melodies of Rossini, which often resembled sol-fa exercises. In reading
-over the proof of my article I saw that this passage about Rossini had
-been left out, and M. Edouard Monnaie admitted to me that, in his
-capacity as editor of a musical paper, he had felt himself bound to
-suppress it. He considered that if I had any adverse criticism to pass
-on the composer, I could easily get it published in any other kind of
-paper, but not in one devoted to the interests of music, simply because
-such a passage could not be printed there without seeming absurd. It
-also annoyed him that I had spoken in such high terms of Auber, but he
-let it stand. I had to listen to much from that quarter which
-enlightened me for ever with regard to the decay of operatic music in
-particular, and artistic taste in general, among Frenchmen of the
-present day.
-
-I also wrote a longer article on the same opera for my precious friend
-Winkler at Dresden, who was still hesitating about accepting my Rienzi.
-In doing so I intentionally made merry over a mishap that had befallen
-Lachner the conductor. Kustner, who was theatrical director at Munich
-at the time, with a view to giving his friend another chance, ordered a
-libretto to be written for him by St. Georges in Paris, so that,
-through his paternal care, the highest bliss which a German composer
-could dream of might be assured to his protege. Well, it turned out
-that when Halevy's Reine de Chypre appeared, it treated the same
-subject as Lachner's presumably original work, which had been composed
-in the meantime. It mattered very little that the libretto was a really
-good one, the value of the bargain lay in the fact that it was to be
-glorified by Lachner's music. It appeared, however, that St. Georges
-had, as a matter of fact, to some extent altered the book sent to
-Munich, but only by the omission of several interesting features. The
-fury of the Munich manager was great, whereupon St. Georges declared
-his astonishment that the latter could have imagined he would supply a
-libretto intended solely for the German stage at the paltry price
-offered by his German customer. As I had formed my own private opinion
-as to procuring French librettos for operas, and as nothing in the
-world would have induced me to set to music even the most effective
-piece of writing by Scribe or St. Georges, this occurrence delighted me
-immensely, and in the best of spirits I let myself go on the point for
-the benefit of the readers of the Abendzeitung, who, it is to be hoped,
-did not include my future 'friend' Lachner.
-
-In addition, my work on Halevy's opera (Reine de Chypre) brought me
-into closer contact with that composer, and was the means of procuring
-me many an enlivening talk with that peculiarly good-hearted and really
-unassuming man, whose talent, alas, declined all too soon. Schlesinger,
-in fact, was exasperated at his incorrigible laziness. Halevy, who had
-looked through my piano score, contemplated several changes with a view
-to making it easier, but he did not proceed with them: Schlesinger
-could not get the proof-sheets back; the publication was consequently
-delayed, and he feared that the popularity of the opera would be over
-before the work was ready for the public. He urged me to get firm hold
-of Halevy very early in the morning in his rooms, and compel him to set
-to work at the alterations in my company.
-
-The first time I reached his house at about ten in the morning, I found
-him just out of bed, and he informed me that he really must have
-breakfast first. I accepted his invitation, and sat down with him to a
-somewhat luxurious meal; my conversation seemed to appeal to him, but
-friends came in, and at last Schlesinger among the number, who burst
-into a fury at not finding him at work on the proofs he regarded as so
-important. Halevy, however, remained quite unmoved. In the best of good
-tempers he merely complained of his latest success, because he had
-never had more peace than of late, when his operas, almost without
-exception, had been failures, and he had not had anything to do with
-them after the first production. Moreover, he feigned not to understand
-why this Reine de Chypre in particular should have been a success; he
-declared that Schlesinger had engineered it on purpose to worry him.
-When he spoke a few words to me in German, one of the visitors was
-astonished, whereupon Schlesinger said that all Jews could speak
-German. Thereupon Schlesinger was asked if he also was a Jew. He
-answered that he had been, but had become a Christian for his wife's
-sake. This freedom of speech was a pleasant surprise to me, because in
-Germany in such cases we always studiously avoided the point, as
-discourteous to the person referred to. But as we never got to the
-proof correcting, Schlesinger made me promise to give Halevy no peace
-until we had done them.
-
-The secret of his indifference to success became clear to me in the
-course of further conversation, as I learned that he was on the point
-of making a wealthy marriage. At first I was inclined to think that
-Halevy was simply a man whose youthful talent was only stimulated to
-achieve one great success with the object of becoming rich; in his
-case, however, this was not the only reason, as he was very modest in
-regard to his own capacity, and had no great opinion of the works of
-those more fortunate composers who were writing for the French stage at
-that time. In him I thus, for the first time, met with the frankly
-expressed admission of disbelief in the value of all our modern
-creations in this dubious field of art. I have since come to the
-conclusion that this incredulity, often expressed with much less
-modesty, justifies the participation of all Jews in our artistic
-concerns. Only once did Halevy speak to me with real candour, when, on
-my tardy departure for Germany, he wished me the success he thought my
-works deserved.
-
-In the year 1860 I saw him again. I had learned that, while the
-Parisian critics were giving vent to the bitterest condemnation of the
-concerts I was giving at that time, he had expressed his approval, and
-this determined me to visit him at the Palais de l'Institut, of which
-he had for some time been permanent secretary. He seemed particularly
-eager to learn from my own lips what my new theory about music really
-was, of which he had heard such wild rumours. For his own part, he
-said, he had never found anything but music in my music, but with this
-difference, that mine had generally seemed very good. This gave rise to
-a lively discussion on my part, to which he good-humouredly agreed,
-once more wishing me success in Paris. This time, however, he did so
-with less conviction than when he bade me good-bye for Germany, which I
-thought was because he doubted whether I could succeed in Paris. From
-this final visit I carried away a depressing sense of the enervation,
-both moral and aesthetic, which had overcome one of the last great
-French musicians, while, on the other hand, I could not help feeling
-that a tendency to a hypocritical or frankly impudent exploitation of
-the universal degeneracy marked all who could be designated as Halevy's
-successors.
-
-Throughout this period of constant hack-work my thoughts were entirely
-bent on my return to Germany, which now presented itself to my mind in
-a wholly new and ideal light. I endeavoured in various ways to secure
-all that seemed most attractive about the project, or which filled my
-soul with longing. My intercourse with Lehrs had, on the whole, given a
-decided spur to my former tendency to grapple seriously with my
-subjects, a tendency which had been counteracted by closer contact with
-the theatre. This desire now furnished a basis for closer study of
-philosophical questions. I had been astonished at times to hear even
-the grave and virtuous Lehrs, openly and quite as a matter of course,
-give expression to grave doubts concerning our individual survival
-after death. He declared that in many great men this doubt, even though
-only tacitly held, had been the real incitement to noble deeds. The
-natural result of such a belief speedily dawned on me without, however,
-causing me any serious alarm. On the contrary, I found a fascinating
-stimulus in the fact that boundless regions of meditation and knowledge
-were thereby opened up which hitherto I had merely skimmed in
-light-hearted levity.
-
-In my renewed attempts to study the Greek classics in the original, I
-received no encouragement from Lehrs. He dissuaded me from doing so
-with the well-meant consolation, that as I could only be born once, and
-that with music in me, I should learn to understand this branch of
-knowledge without the help of grammar or lexicon; whereas if Greek were
-to be studied with real enjoyment, it was no joke, and would not suffer
-being relegated to a secondary place.
-
-On the other hand, I felt strongly drawn to gain a closer acquaintance
-of German history than I had secured at school. I had Raumer's History
-of the Hohenstaufen within easy reach to start upon. All the great
-figures in this book lived vividly before my eyes. I was particularly
-captivated by the personality of that gifted Emperor Frederick II.,
-whose fortunes aroused my sympathy so keenly that I vainly sought for a
-fitting artistic setting for them. The fate of his son Manfred, on the
-other hand, provoked in me an equally well-grounded, but more easily
-combated, feeling of opposition.
-
-I accordingly made a plan of a great five-act dramatic poem, which
-should also be perfectly adapted to a musical setting. My impulse to
-embellish the story with the central figure of romantic significance
-was prompted by the fact of Manfred's enthusiastic reception in Luceria
-by the Saracens, who supported him and carried him on from victory to
-victory till he reached his final triumph, and this, too, in spite of
-the fact that he had come to them betrayed on every hand, banned by the
-Church, and deserted by all his followers during his flight through
-Apulia and the Abruzzi.
-
-Even at this time it delighted me to find in the German mind the
-capacity of appreciating beyond the narrow bounds of nationality all
-purely human qualities, in however strange a garb they might be
-presented. For in this I recognised how nearly akin it is to the mind
-of Greece. In Frederick II. I saw this quality in full flower. A
-fair-haired German of ancient Swabian stock, heir to the Norman realm
-of Sicily and Naples, who gave the Italian language its first
-development, and laid a basis for the evolution of knowledge and art
-where hitherto ecclesiastical fanaticism and feudal brutality had alone
-contended for power, a monarch who gathered at his court the poets and
-sages of eastern lands, and surrounded himself with the living products
-of Arabian and Persian grace and spirit--this man I beheld betrayed by
-the Roman clergy to the infidel foe, yet ending his crusade, to their
-bitter disappointment, by a pact of peace with the Sultan, from whom he
-obtained a grant of privileges to Christians in Palestine such as the
-bloodiest victory could scarcely have secured.
-
-In this wonderful Emperor, who finally, under the ban of that same
-Church, struggled hopelessly and in vain against the savage bigotry of
-his age, I beheld the German ideal in its highest embodiment. My poem
-was concerned with the fate of his favourite son Manfred. On the death
-of an elder brother, Frederick's empire had entirely fallen to pieces,
-and the young Manfred was left, under papal suzerainty, in nominal
-possession of the throne of Apulia. We find him at Capua, in
-surroundings, and attended by a court, in which the spirit of his great
-father survives, in a state of almost effeminate degeneration. In
-despair of ever restoring the imperial power of the Hohenstaufen, he
-seeks to forget his sadness in romance and song. There now appears upon
-the scene a young Saracen lady, just arrived from the East, who, by
-appealing to the alliance between East and West concluded by Manfred's
-noble father, conjures the desponding son to maintain his imperial
-heritage. She acts the part of an inspired prophetess, and though the
-prince is quickly filled with love for her, she succeeds in keeping him
-at a respectful distance. By a skilfully contrived flight she snatches
-him, not only from the pursuit of rebellious Apulian nobles, but also
-from the papal ban which is threatening to depose him from his throne.
-Accompanied only by a few faithful followers, she guides him through
-mountain fastnesses, where one night the wearied son beholds the spirit
-of Frederick II. passing with feudal array through the Abruzzi, and
-beckoning him on to Luceria.
-
-To this district, situated in the Papal States, Frederick had, by a
-peaceful compact, transplanted the remnant of his Saracen retainers,
-who had previously been wreaking terrible havoc in the mountains of
-Sicily. To the great annoyance of the Pope, he had handed the town over
-to them in fee-simple, thus securing for himself a band of faithful
-allies in the heart of an ever-treacherous and hostile country.
-
-Fatima, as my heroine is called, has prepared, through the
-instrumentality of trusty friends, a reception for Manfred in this
-place. When the papal governor has been expelled by a revolution, he
-slips through the gateway into the town, is recognised by the whole
-population as the son of their beloved Emperor, and, amid wildest
-enthusiasm, is placed at their head, to lead them against the enemies
-of their departed benefactor. In the meantime, while Manfred is
-marching on from victory to victory in his reconquest of the whole
-kingdom of Apulia, the tragic centre of my action still continues to be
-the unvoiced longing of the lovelorn victor for the marvellous heroine.
-
-She is the child of the great Emperor's love for a noble Saracen
-maiden. Her mother, on her deathbed, had sent her to Manfred,
-foretelling that she would work wonders for his glory provided she
-never yielded to his passion. Whether Fatima was to know that she was
-his sister I left undecided in framing my plot. Meanwhile she is
-careful to show herself to him only at critical moments, and then
-always in such a way as to remain unapproachable. When at last she
-witnesses the completion of her task in his coronation at Naples, she
-determines, in obedience to her vow, to slip away secretly from the
-newly anointed king, that she may meditate in the solitude of her
-distant home upon the success of her enterprise.
-
-The Saracen Nurreddin, who had been a companion of her youth, and to
-whose help she had chiefly owed her success in rescuing Manfred, is to
-be the sole partner of her flight. To this man, who loves her with
-passionate ardour, she had been promised in her childhood. Before her
-secret departure she pays a last visit to the slumbering king. This
-rouses her lover's furious jealousy, as he construes her act into a
-proof of unfaithfulness on the part of his betrothed. The last look of
-farewell which Fatima casts from a distance at the young monarch, on
-his return from his coronation, inflames the jealous lover to wreak
-instant vengeance for the supposed outrage upon his honour. He strikes
-the prophetess to the earth, whereupon she thanks him with a smile for
-having delivered her from an unbearable existence. At the sight of her
-body Manfred realises that henceforth happiness has deserted him for
-ever.
-
-This theme I had adorned with many gorgeous scenes and complicated
-situations, so that when I had worked it out I could regard it as a
-fairly suitable, interesting, and effective whole, especially when
-compared with other well-known subjects of a similar nature. Yet I
-could never rouse myself to sufficient enthusiasm over it to give my
-serious attention to its elaboration, especially as another theme now
-laid its grip upon me. This was suggested to me by a pamphlet on the
-'Venusberg,' which accidentally fell into my hands.
-
-If all that I regarded as essentially German had hitherto drawn me with
-ever-increasing force, and compelled me to its eager pursuit, I here
-found it suddenly presented to me in the simple outlines of a legend,
-based upon the old and well-known ballad of 'Tannhauser.' True, its
-elements were already familiar to me from Tieck's version in his
-Phantasus. But his conception of the subject had flung me back into the
-fantastic regions created in my mind at an earlier period by Hoffmann,
-and I should certainly never have been tempted to extract the framework
-of a dramatic work from his elaborate story. The point in this popular
-pamphlet which had so much weight with me was that it brought
-'Tannhauser,' if only by a passing hint, into touch with 'The
-Minstrel's War on the Wartburg.' I had some knowledge of this also from
-Hoffmann's account in his Serapionsbrudern. But I felt that the writer
-had only grasped the old legend in a distorted form, and therefore
-endeavoured to gain a closer acquaintance with the true aspect of this
-attractive story. At this juncture Lehrs brought me the annual report
-of the proceedings of the Konigsberg German Society, in which the
-'Wartburg contest' was criticised with a fair amount of detail by
-Lukas. Here I also found the original text. Although I could utilise
-but little of the real setting for my own purpose, yet the picture it
-gave me of Germany in the Middle Ages was so suggestive that I found I
-had not previously had the smallest conception of what it was like.
-
-As a sequel to the Wartburg poem, I also found in the same copy a
-critical study, 'Lohengrin,' which gave in full detail the main
-contents of that widespread epic.
-
-Thus a whole new world was opened to me, and though as yet I had not
-found the form in which I might cope with Lohengrin, yet this image
-also lived imperishably within me. When, therefore, I afterwards made a
-close acquaintance with the intricacies of this legend, I could
-visualise the figure of the hero with a distinctness equal to that of
-my conception of Tannhauser at this time.
-
-Under these influences my longing for a speedy return to Germany grew
-ever more intense, for there I hoped to earn a new home for myself
-where I could enjoy leisure for creative work. But it was not yet
-possible even to think of occupying myself with such grateful tasks.
-The sordid necessities of life still bound me to Paris. While thus
-employed, I found an opportunity of exerting myself in a way more
-congenial to my desires. When I was a young man at Prague, I had made
-the acquaintance of a Jewish musician and composer called Dessauer--a
-man who was not devoid of talent, who in fact achieved a certain
-reputation, but was chiefly known among his intimates on account of his
-hypochondria. This man, who was now in flourishing circumstances, was
-so far patronised by Schlesinger that the latter seriously proposed to
-help him to a commission for Grand Opera. Dessauer had come across my
-poem of the Fliegender Hollander, and now insisted that I should draft
-a similar plot for him, as M. Leon Pillet's Vaisseau Fantome had
-already been given to M. Dietsch, the letter's musical conductor, to
-set to music. From this same conductor Dessauer obtained the promise of
-a like commission, and he now offered me two hundred francs to provide
-him with a similar plot, and one congenial to his hypochondriacal
-temperament.
-
-To meet this wish I ransacked my brain for recollections of Hoffmann,
-and quickly decided to work up his Bergwerke von Falun. The moulding of
-this fascinating and marvellous material succeeded as admirably as I
-could wish. Dessauer also felt convinced that the topic was worth his
-while to set to music. His dismay was accordingly all the greater when
-Pillet rejected our plot on the ground that the staging would be too
-difficult, and that the second act especially would entail
-insurmountable obstacles for the ballet, which had to be given each
-time. In place of this Dessauer wished me to compose him an oratorio on
-'Mary Magdalene.' As on the day that he expressed this wish he appeared
-to be suffering from acute melancholia, so much so that he declared he
-had that morning seen his own head lying beside his bed, I thought well
-not to refuse his request. I asked him, therefore, to give me time, and
-I regret to say that ever since that day I have continued to take it..
-
-It was amid such distractions as these that this winter at length drew
-to an end, while my prospects of getting to Germany gradually grew more
-hopeful, though with a slowness that sorely tried my patience. I had
-kept up a continuous correspondence with Dresden respecting Rienzi, and
-in the worthy chorus-master Fischer I at last found an honest man who
-was favourably disposed to me. He sent me reliable and reassuring
-reports as to the state of my affairs.
-
-After receiving news, early in January, 1842, of renewed delay, I at
-last heard that by the end of February the work would be ready for
-performance. I was seriously uneasy at this, as I was afraid of not
-being able to accomplish the journey by that date. But this news also
-was soon contradicted, and the honest Fischer informed me that my opera
-had had to be postponed till the autumn of that year. I realised fully
-that it would never be performed if I could not be present in person at
-Dresden. When eventually in March Count Redern, the director of the
-Theatre Royal in Berlin, told me that my Fliegender Hollander had been
-accepted for the opera there, I thought I had sufficient reason to
-return to Germany at all costs as soon as possible.
-
-I had already had various experiences as to the views of German
-managers on this work. Relying on the plot, which had pleased the
-manager of the Paris Opera so much, I had sent the libretto in the
-first instance to my old acquaintance Ringelhardt, the director of the
-Leipzig theatre. But the man had cherished an undisguised aversion for
-me since my Liebesverbot. As he could not this time possibly object to
-any levity in my subject, he now found fault with its gloomy solemnity
-and refused to accept it. As I had met Councillor Kustner, at that time
-manager of the Munich Court Theatre, when he was making arrangements
-about La Reine de Chypre in Paris, I now sent him the text of the
-Dutchman with a similar request. He, too, returned it, with the
-assurance that it was not suited to German stage conditions, or to the
-taste of the German public. As he had ordered a French libretto for
-Munich, I knew what he meant. When the score was finished, I sent it to
-Meyerbeer in Berlin, with a letter for Count Redern, and begged him, as
-he had been unable to help me to anything in Paris, in spite of his
-desire to do so, to be kind enough to use his influence in Berlin in
-favour of my composition. I was genuinely astonished at the truly
-prompt acceptance of my work two months later, which was accompanied by
-very gratifying assurances from the Count, and I was delighted to see
-in it a proof of Meyerbeer's sincere and energetic intervention in my
-favour. Strange to say, on my return to Germany soon afterwards, I was
-destined to learn that Count Redern had long since retired from the
-management of the Berlin Opera House, and that Kustner of Munich had
-already been appointed his successor; the upshot of this was that Count
-Redern's consent, though very courteous, could not by any means be
-taken seriously, as the realisation of it depended not on him but on
-his successor. What the result was remains to be seen.
-
-A circumstance that eventually facilitated my long-desired return to
-Germany, which was now justified by my good prospects, was the tardily
-awakened interest taken in my position by the wealthy members of my
-family. If Didot had had reasons of his own for applying to the
-Minister Villemain for support for Lehrs, so also Avenarius, my
-brother-in-law in Paris, when he heard how I was struggling against
-poverty, one day took it into his head to surprise me with some quite
-unexpected help secured by his appeal to my sister Louisa. On 26th
-December of the fast-waning year 1841 I went home to Minna carrying a
-goose under my arm, and in the beak of the bird we found a
-five-hundred-franc note. This note had been given me by Avenarius as
-the result of a request on my behalf made by my sister Louisa to a
-friend of hers, a wealthy merchant named Schletter. This welcome
-addition to our extremely straitened resources might not in itself have
-been sufficient to put me in an exceedingly good-humour, had I not
-clearly seen in it the prospect of escaping altogether from my position
-in Paris. As the leading German managers had now consented to the
-performance of two of my compositions, I thought I might seriously
-reproach my brother-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus, who had repulsed me
-the year before when I applied to him in great distress, on the ground
-that he 'disapproved of my profession.' This time I might be more
-successful in securing the wherewithal for my return. I was not
-mistaken, and when the time came I was supplied from this source with
-the necessary travelling expenses.
-
-With these prospects, and my position thus improved, I found myself
-spending the second half of the winter 1841-42 in high spirits, and
-affording constant entertainment to the small circle of friends which
-my relationship to Avenarius had created around me. Minna and I
-frequently spent our evenings with this family and others, amongst whom
-I have pleasant recollections of a certain Herr Kuhne, the head of a
-private school, and his wife. I contributed so greatly to the success
-of their little soirees, and was always so willing to improvise dances
-on the piano for them to dance to, that I soon ran the risk of enjoying
-an almost burdensome popularity.
-
-At length the hour struck for my deliverance; the day came on which, as
-I devoutly hoped, I might turn my back on Paris for ever. It was the
-7th of April, and Paris was already gay with the first luxuriant
-buddings of spring. In front of our windows, which all the winter had
-looked upon a bleak and desolate garden, the trees were burgeoning, and
-the birds sang. Our emotion at parting from our dear friends Anders,
-Lehrs, and Kietz, however, was great, almost overwhelming. The first
-seemed already doomed to an early death, for his health was exceedingly
-bad, and he was advanced in years. About Lehrs' condition, as I have
-already said, there could no longer be any doubt, and it was dreadful,
-after so short an experience as the two and a half years which I had
-spent in Paris, to see the ravages that want had wrought among good,
-noble, and sometimes even distinguished men. Kietz, for whose future I
-was concerned, less on grounds of health than of morals, touched our
-hearts once more by his boundless and almost childlike good-nature.
-Fancying, for instance, that I might not have enough money for the
-journey, he forced me, in spite of all resistance, to accept another
-five-franc piece, which was about all that remained of his own fortune
-at the moment: he also stuffed a packet of good French snuff for me
-into the pocket of the coach, in which we at last rumbled through the
-boulevards to the barriers, which we passed but were unable to see this
-time, because our eyes were blinded with tears.
-
-
-
-PART II
-
-
-1842-1850
-
-
-
-The journey from Paris to Dresden at that time took five days and
-nights. On the German frontier, near Forbach, we met with stormy
-weather and snow, a greeting which seemed inhospitable after the spring
-we had already enjoyed in Paris. And, indeed, as we continued our
-journey through our native land once more, we found much to dishearten
-us, and I could not help thinking that the Frenchmen who on leaving
-Germany breathed more freely on reaching French soil, and unbuttoned
-their coats, as though passing from winter into summer, were not so
-very foolish after all, seeing that we, for our part, were now
-compelled to seek protection against this conspicuous change of
-temperature by being very careful to put on sufficient clothing. The
-unkindness of the elements became perfect torture when, later on,
-between Frankfort and Leipzig, we were swept into the stream of
-visitors to the Great Easter Fair.
-
-The pressure on the mail-coaches was so great, that for two days and a
-night, amid ceaseless storm, snow and rain, we were continually
-changing from one wretched 'substitute' to another, thus turning our
-journey into an adventure of almost the same type as our former voyage
-at sea.
-
-One solitary flash of brightness was afforded by our view of the
-Wartburg, which we passed during the only sunlit hour of this journey.
-The sight of this mountain fastness, which, from the Fulda side, is
-clearly visible for a long time, affected me deeply. A neighbouring
-ridge further on I at once christened the Horselberg, and as we drove
-through the valley, pictured to myself the scenery for the third act of
-my Tannhauser. This scene remained so vividly in my mind, that long
-afterwards I was able to give Desplechin, the Parisian scene-painter,
-exact details when he was working out the scenery under my direction.
-If I had already been impressed by the significance of the fact that my
-first journey through the German Rhine district, so famous in legend,
-should have been made on my way home from Paris, it seemed an even more
-ominous coincidence that my first sight of Wartburg, which was so rich
-in historical and mythical associations, should come just at this
-moment. The view so warmed my heart against wind and weather, Jews and
-the Leipzig Fair, that in the end I arrived, on 12th April, 1842, safe
-and sound, with my poor, battered, half-frozen wife, in that selfsame
-city of Dresden which I had last seen on the occasion of my sad
-separation from my Minna, and my departure for my northern place of
-exile.
-
-We put up at the 'Stadt Gotha' inn. The city, in which such momentous
-years of my childhood and boyhood had been spent, seemed cold and dead
-beneath the influences of the wild, gloomy weather. Indeed, everything
-there that could remind me of my youth seemed dead. No hospitable house
-received us. We found my wife's parents living in cramped and dingy
-lodgings in very straitened circumstances, and were obliged at once to
-look about for a small abode for ourselves. This we found in the
-Topfergasse for twenty-one marks a month. After paying the necessary
-business visits in connection with Rienzi, and making arrangements for
-Minna during my brief absence, I set out on 15th April direct for
-Leipzig, where I saw my mother and family for the first time in six
-years.
-
-During this period, which had been so eventful for my own life, my
-mother had undergone a great change in her domestic position through
-the death of Rosalie. She was living in a pleasant roomy flat near the
-Brockhaus family, where she was free from all those household cares to
-which, owing to her large family, she had devoted so many years of
-anxious thought. Her bustling energy, which had almost amounted to
-hardness, had entirely given place to a natural cheerfulness and
-interest in the family prosperity of her married daughters. For the
-blissful calm of this happy old age she was mainly indebted to the
-affectionate care of her son-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus, to whom I
-expressed my heartfelt thanks for his goodness. She was exceedingly
-astonished and pleased to see me unexpectedly enter her room. Any
-bitterness that ever existed between us had utterly vanished, and her
-only complaint was that she could not put me up in her house, instead
-of my brother Julius, the unfortunate goldsmith, who had none of the
-qualities that could make him a suitable companion for her. She was
-full of hope for the success of my undertaking, and felt this
-confidence strengthened by the favourable prophecy which our dear
-Rosalie had made about me shortly before her sad death.
-
-For the present, however, I only stayed a few days in Leipzig, as I had
-first to visit Berlin in order to make definite arrangements with Count
-Redern for the performance of the Fliegender Hollander. As I have
-already observed, I was here at once destined to learn that the Count
-was on the point of retiring from the directorship, and he accordingly
-referred me for all further decisions to the new director, Kustner, who
-had not yet arrived in Berlin. I now suddenly realised what this
-strange circumstance meant, and knew that, so far as the Berlin
-negotiations went, I might as well have remained in Paris. This
-impression was in the main confirmed by a visit to Meyerbeer, who, I
-found, regarded my coming to Berlin as over hasty. Nevertheless, he
-behaved in a kind and friendly manner, only regretting that he was just
-on the point of 'going away,' a state in which I always found him
-whenever I visited him again in Berlin.
-
-Mendelssohn was also in the capital about this time, having been
-appointed one of the General Musical Directors to the King of Prussia.
-I also sought him out, having been previously introduced to him in
-Leipzig. He informed me that he did not believe his work would prosper
-in Berlin, and that he would rather go back to Leipzig. I made no
-inquiry about the fate of the score of my great symphony performed at
-Leipzig in earlier days, which I had more or less forced upon him so
-many years ago. On the other hand, he did not betray to me any signs of
-remembering that strange offering. In the midst of the lavish comforts
-of his home he struck me as cold, yet it was not so much that he
-repelled me as that I recoiled from him. I also paid a visit to
-Rellstab, to whom I had a letter of introduction from his trusty
-publisher, my brother-in-law Brockhaus. Here it was not so much smug
-ease that I encountered; I doubtless felt repulsed more by the fact
-that he showed no inclination whatever to interest himself in my
-affairs.
-
-I grew very low spirited in Berlin. I could almost have wished
-Commissioner Cerf back again. Miserable as had been the time I had
-spent here years before, I had then, at any rate, met one man, who, for
-all the bluntness of his exterior, had treated me with true
-friendliness and consideration. In vain did I try to call to mind the
-Berlin through whose streets I had walked, with all the ardour of
-youth, by the side of Laube. After my acquaintance with London, and
-still more with Paris, this city, with its sordid spaces and
-pretensions to greatness, depressed me deeply, and I breathed a hope
-that, should no luck crown my life, it might at least be spent in Paris
-rather than in Berlin.
-
-On my return from this wholly fruitless expedition, I first went to
-Leipzig for a few days, where, on this occasion, I stayed with my
-brother-in-law, Hermann Brockhaus, who was now Professor of Oriental
-Languages at the University. His family had been increased by the birth
-of two daughters, and the atmosphere of unruffled content, illuminated
-by mental activity and a quiet but vivid interest in all things
-relating to the higher aspects of life, greatly moved my homeless and
-vagabond soul. One evening, after my sister had seen to her children,
-whom she had brought up very well, and had sent them with gentle words
-to bed, we gathered in the large richly stocked library for our evening
-meal and a long confidential chat. Here I broke out into a violent fit
-of weeping, and it seemed as though the tender sister, who five years
-before had known me during the bitterest straits of my early married
-life in Dresden, now really understood me. At the express suggestion of
-my brother-in-law Hermann, my family tendered me a loan, to help me to
-tide over the time of waiting for the performance of my Rienzi in
-Dresden. This, they said, they regarded merely as a duty, and assured
-me that I need have no hesitation whatever in accepting it. It
-consisted of a sum of six hundred marks, which was to be paid me in
-monthly instalments for six months. As I had no prospect of being able
-to reply on any other source of income, there was every chance of
-Minna's talent for management being put severely to the test, if this
-were to carry us through; it could be done, however, and I was able to
-return to Dresden with a great sense of relief.
-
-While I was staying with my relatives I played and sang them the
-Fliegender Hollander for the first time connectedly, and seemed to
-arouse considerable interest by my performance, for when, later on, my
-sister Louisa heard the opera in Dresden, she complained that much of
-the effect previously produced by my rendering did not come back to
-her. I also sought out my old friend Apel again. The poor man had gone
-stone blind, but he astonished me by his cheeriness and contentment,
-and thereby once and for all deprived me of any reason for pitying him.
-As he declared that he knew the blue coat I was wearing very well,
-though it was really a brown one, I thought it best not to argue the
-point, and I left Leipzig in a state of wonder at finding every one
-there so happy and contented.
-
-When I reached Dresden, on 26th April, I found occasion to grapple more
-vigorously with my lot. Here I was enlivened by closer intercourse with
-the people on whom I had to rely for a successful production of Rienzi.
-It is true that the results of my interviews with Luttichau, the
-general manager, and Reissiger, the musical conductor, left me cold and
-incredulous. Both were sincerely astonished at my arrival in Dresden;
-and the same might even be said of my frequent correspondent and
-patron, Hofrath Winkler, who also would have preferred my remaining in
-Paris. But, as has been my constant experience both before and since,
-help and encouragement have always come to me from humbler and never
-from the more exalted ranks of life.
-
-So in this case, too, I met my first agreeable sensation in the
-overwhelmingly cordial reception I received from the old chorus-master,
-Wilhelm Fischer. I had had no previous acquaintance with him, yet he
-was the only person who had taken the trouble to read my score
-carefully, and had not only conceived serious hopes for the success of
-my opera, but had worked energetically to secure its being accepted and
-practised. The moment I entered his room and told him my name, he
-rushed to embrace me with a loud cry, and in a second I was translated
-to an atmosphere of hope. Besides this man, I met in the actor
-Ferdinand Heine and his family another sure foundation for hearty and,
-indeed, deep-rooted friendship. It is true that I had known him from
-childhood, for at that time he was one of the few young people whom my
-stepfather Geyer liked to see about him. In addition to a fairly
-decided talent for drawing, it was chiefly his pleasant social gifts
-that had won him an entrance into our more intimate family circle. As
-he was very small and slight, my stepfather nicknamed him DavidCHEN,
-and under this appellation he used to take part with great affability
-and good-humour in our little festivities, and above all in our
-friendly excursions into the neighbouring country, in which, as I
-mentioned in its place, even Carl Maria von Weber used to join.
-Belonging to the good old school, he had become a useful, if not
-prominent, member of the Dresden stage. He possessed all the knowledge
-and qualities for a good stage manager, but never succeeded in inducing
-the committee to give him that appointment. It was only as a designer
-of costumes that he found further scope for his talents, and in this
-capacity he was included in the consultations over the staging of
-Rienzi.
-
-Thus it came about that he had the opportunity of busying himself with
-the work of a member, now grown to man's estate, of the very family
-with whom he had spent such pleasant days in his youth. He greeted me
-at once as a child of the house, and we two homeless creatures found in
-our memories of this long-lost home the first common basis to our
-friendship. We generally spent our evenings with old Fischer at
-Heine's, where, amid hopeful conversation, we regaled ourselves on
-potatoes and herrings, of which the meal chiefly consisted.
-Schroder-Devrient was away on a holiday; Tichatschek, who was also on
-the point of going away, I had just time to see, and with him I went
-quickly through a part of his role in Rienzi. His brisk and lively
-nature, his glorious voice and great musical talent, gave special
-weight to his encouraging assurance that he delighted in the role of
-Rienzi. Heine also told me that the mere prospect of having many new
-costumes, and especially new silver armour, had inspired Tichatschek
-with the liveliest desire to play this part, so that I might rely on
-him under any circumstances. Thus I could at once give closer attention
-to the preparations for practice, which was fixed to begin in the late
-summer, after the principal singers had returned from their holiday.
-
-I had to make special efforts to pacify my friend Fischer by my
-readiness to abbreviate the score, which was excessively lengthy. His
-intentions in the matter were so honest that I gladly sat down with him
-to the wearisome task. I played and sang my score to the astonished man
-on an old grand piano in the rehearsing-room of the Court Theatre, with
-such frantic vigour that, although he did not mind if the instrument
-came to grief, he grew concerned about my chest. Finally, amid hearty
-laughter, he ceased to argue about cutting down passages, as precisely
-where he thought something might be omitted I proved to him with
-headlong eloquence that it was precisely here that the main point lay.
-He plunged with me head over heels into the vast chaos of sound,
-against which he could raise no objection, beyond the testimony of his
-watch, whose correctness I also ended by disputing. As sops I
-light-heartedly flung him the big pantomime and most of the ballet in
-the second act, whereby I reckoned we might save a whole half-hour.
-Thus, thank goodness, the whole monster was at last handed over to the
-clerks to make a fair copy of, and the rest was left for time to
-accomplish.
-
-We next discussed what we should do in the summer, and I decided upon a
-stay of several months at Toplitz, the scene of my first youthful
-flights, whose fine air and baths, I hoped, would also benefit Minna's
-health. But before we could carry out this intention I had to pay
-several more visits to Leipzig to settle the fate of my Dutchman. On
-5th May I proceeded thither to have an interview with Kustner, the new
-director of the Berlin Opera, who I had been told had just arrived
-there. He was now placed in the awkward position of being about to
-produce in Berlin the very opera which he had before declined in
-Munich, as it had been accepted by his predecessor in office. He
-promised me to consider what steps he would take in this predicament.
-In order to learn the result of Kustner's deliberations, I determined,
-on 2nd June, to seek him out, and this time in Berlin itself. But at
-Leipzig I found a letter in which he begged me to wait patiently a
-little longer for his final verdict. I took advantage of being in the
-neighbourhood of Halle to pay a visit to my eldest brother Albert. I
-was very much grieved and depressed to find the poor fellow, whom I
-must give the credit of having the greatest perseverance and a quite
-remarkable talent for dramatic song, living in the unworthy and mean
-circumstances which the Halle Theatre offered to him and his family.
-The realisation of conditions into which I myself had once nearly sunk
-now filled me with indescribable abhorrence. Still more harrowing was
-it to hear my brother speak of this state in tones which showed, alas,
-only too plainly, the hopeless submission with which he had already
-resigned himself to its horrors. The only consolation I could find was
-the personality and childlike nature of his step-daughter Johanna, who
-was then fifteen, and who sang me Spohr's Rose, wie bist du so schon
-with great expression and in a voice of an extraordinarily beautiful
-quality.
-
-Then I returned to Dresden, and at last, in wonderful weather,
-undertook the pleasant journey to Toplitz with Minna and one of her
-sisters, reaching that place on 9th June, where we took up our quarters
-at a second-class inn, the Eiche, at Schonau. Here we were soon joined
-by my mother, who paid her usual yearly visit to the warm baths all the
-more gladly this time because she knew she would find me there. If she
-had before had any prejudice against Minna because of my premature
-marriage to her, a closer acquaintance with her domestic gifts soon
-changed it into respect, and she quickly learned to love the partner of
-my doleful days in Paris. Although my mother's vagaries demanded no
-small consideration, yet what particularly delighted me about her was
-the astonishing vivacity of her almost childlike imagination, a faculty
-she retained to such a degree that one morning she complained that my
-relation of the Tannhauser legend on the previous evening had given her
-a whole night of pleasant but most tiring sleeplessness.
-
-By dint of appealing letters to Schletter, a wealthy patron of art in
-Leipzig, I managed to do something for Kietz, who, had remained behind
-in misery in Paris, and also to provide Minna with medical treatment. I
-also succeeded to a certain extent in ameliorating my own woeful
-financial position. Scarcely were these tasks accomplished, when I
-started off in my old boyish way on a ramble of several days on foot
-through the Bohemian mountains, in order that I might mentally work out
-my plan of the 'Venusberg' amid the pleasant associations of such a
-trip. Here I took the fancy of engaging quarters in Aussig on the
-romantic Schreckenstein, where for several days I occupied the little
-public room, in which straw was laid down for me to sleep on at night.
-I found recreation in daily ascents of the Wostrai, the highest peak in
-the neighbourhood, and so keenly did the fantastic solitude quicken my
-youthful spirit, that I clambered about the ruins of the Schreckenstein
-the whole of one moonlit night, wrapped only in a blanket, in order
-myself to provide the ghost that was lacking, and delighted myself with
-the hope of scaring some passing wayfarer.
-
-Here I drew up in my pocket-book the detailed plan of a three-act opera
-on the 'Venusberg,' and subsequently carried out the composition of
-this work in strict accordance with the sketch I then made.
-
-One day, when climbing the Wostrai, I was astonished, on turning the
-corner of a valley, to hear a merry dance tune whistled by a goatherd
-perched up on a crag. I seemed immediately to stand among the chorus of
-pilgrims filing past the goatherd in the valley; but I could not
-afterwards recall the goatherd's tune, so I was obliged to help myself
-out of the matter in the usual way.
-
-Enriched by these spoils, I returned to Toplitz in a wonderfully
-cheerful frame of mind and robust health, but on receiving the
-interesting news that Tichatschek and Schroder-Devrient were on the
-point of returning, I was impelled to set off once more for Dresden. I
-took this step, not so much to avoid missing any of the early
-rehearsals of Rienzi, as because I wanted to prevent the management
-replacing it by something else. I left Minna for a time with my mother,
-and reached Dresden on 18th July.
-
-I hired a small lodging in a queer house, since pulled down, facing the
-Maximilian Avenue, and entered into a fairly lively intercourse with
-our operatic stars who had just returned. My old enthusiasm for
-Schroder-Devrient revived when I saw her again more frequently in
-opera. Strange was the effect produced upon me when I heard her for the
-first time in Gretry's Blaubart, for I could not help remembering that
-this was the first opera I had ever seen. I had been taken to it as a
-boy of five (also in Dresden), and I still retained my wondrous first
-impressions of it. All my earliest childish memories were revived, and
-I recollected how frequently and with what emphasis I had myself sung
-Bluebeard's song: Ha, die Falsche! Die Thure offen! to the amusement of
-the whole house, with a paper helmet of my own making on my head. My
-friend Heine still remembered it well.
-
-In other respects the operatic performances were not such as to impress
-me very favourably: I particularly missed the rolling sound of the
-fully equipped Parisian orchestra of string instruments. I also noticed
-that, when opening the fine new theatre, they had quite forgotten to
-increase the number of these instruments in proportion to the enlarged
-space. In this, as well as in the general equipment of the stage, which
-was materially deficient in many respects, I was impressed by the sense
-of a certain meanness about theatrical enterprise in Germany, which
-became most noticeable when reproductions were given, often with
-wretched translations of the text, of the Paris opera repertoire. If
-even in Paris my dissatisfaction with this treatment of opera had been
-great, the feeling which once drove me thither from the German theatres
-now returned with redoubled energy. I actually felt degraded again, and
-nourished within my breast a contempt so deep that for a time I could
-hardly endure the thought of signing a lasting contract, even with one
-of the most up-to-date of German opera houses, but sadly wondered what
-steps I could take to hold my ground between disgust and desire in this
-strange world.
-
-Nothing but the sympathy inspired by communion with persons endowed
-with exceptional gifts enabled me to triumph over my scruples. This
-statement applies above all to my great ideal, Schroder-Devrient, in
-whose artistic triumphs it had once been my most burning desire to be
-associated. It is true that many years had elapsed since my first
-youthful impressions of her were formed. As regards her looks, the
-verdict which, in the following winter, was sent to Paris by Berlioz
-during his stay in Dresden, was so far correct that her somewhat
-'maternal' stoutness was unsuited to youthful parts, especially in male
-attire, which, as in Rienzi, made too great a demand upon the
-imagination. Her voice, which in point of quality had never been an
-exceptionally good medium for song, often landed her in difficulties,
-and in particular she was forced, when singing, to drag the time a
-little all through. But her achievements were less hampered now by
-these material hindrances than by the fact that her repertoire
-consisted of a limited number of leading parts, which she had sung so
-frequently that a certain monotony in the conscious calculation of
-effect often developed into a mannerism which, from her tendency to
-exaggeration, was at times almost painful.
-
-Although these defects could not escape me, yet I, more than any one,
-was especially qualified to overlook such minor weaknesses, and realise
-with enthusiasm the incomparable greatness of her performances. Indeed,
-it only needed the stimulus of excitement, which this actress's
-exceptionally eventful life still procured, fully to restore the
-creative power of her prime, a fact of which I was subsequently to
-receive striking demonstrations. But I was seriously troubled and
-depressed at seeing how strong was the disintegrating effect of
-theatrical life upon the character of this singer, who had originally
-been endowed with such great and noble qualities. From the very mouth
-through which the great actress's inspired musical utterances reached
-me, I was compelled to hear at other times very similar language to
-that in which, with but few exceptions, nearly all heroines of the
-stage indulge. The possession of a naturally fine voice, or even mere
-physical advantages, which might place her rivals on the same footing
-as herself in public favour, was more than she could endure; and so far
-was she from acquiring the dignified resignation worthy of a great
-artist, that her jealousy increased to a painful extent as years went
-on. I noticed this all the more because I had reason to suffer from it.
-A fact which caused me even greater trouble, however, was that she did
-not grasp music easily, and the study of a new part involved
-difficulties which meant many a painful hour for the composer who had
-to make her master his work. Her difficulty in learning new parts, and
-particularly that of Adriano in Rienzi, entailed disappointments for
-her which caused me a good deal of trouble.
-
-If, in her case, I had to handle a great and sensitive nature very
-tenderly, I had, on the other hand, a very easy task with Tichatschek,
-with his childish limitations and superficial, but exceptionally
-brilliant, talents. He did not trouble to learn his parts by heart, as
-he was so musical that he could sing the most difficult music at sight,
-and thought all further study needless, whereas with most other singers
-the work consisted in mastering the score. Hence, if he sang through a
-part at rehearsals often enough to impress it on his memory, the rest,
-that is to say, everything pertaining to vocal art and dramatic
-delivery, would follow naturally. In this way he picked up any clerical
-errors there might be in the libretto, and that with such incorrigible
-pertinacity, that he uttered the wrong words with just the same
-expression as if they were correct. He waved aside good-humouredly any
-expostulations or hints as to the sense with the remark, 'Ah! that will
-be all right soon.' And, in fact, I very soon resigned myself and quite
-gave up trying to get the singer to use his intelligence in the
-interpretation of the part of the hero, for which I was very agreeably
-compensated by the light-hearted enthusiasm with which he flung himself
-into his congenial role, and the irresistible effect of his brilliant
-voice.
-
-With the exception of these two actors who played the leading parts, I
-had only very moderate material at my disposal. But there was plenty of
-goodwill, and I had recourse to an ingenious device to induce Reissiger
-the conductor to hold frequent piano rehearsals. He had complained to
-me of the difficulty he had always found in securing a well-written
-libretto, and thought it was very sensible of me to have acquired the
-habit of writing my own. In his youth he had unfortunately neglected to
-do this for himself, and yet this was all he lacked to make a
-successful dramatic composer. I feel bound to confess that he possessed
-'a good deal of melody'; but this, he added, did not seem sufficient to
-inspire the singers with the requisite enthusiasm. His experience was
-that Schroder-Devrient, in his Adele de Foix, would render very
-indifferently the same final passage with which, in Bellini's Romeo and
-Juliet, she would put the audience into an ecstasy. The reason for
-this, he presumed, must lie in the subject-matter. I at once promised
-him that I would supply him with a libretto in which he would be able
-to introduce these and similar melodies to the greatest advantage. To
-this he gladly agreed, and I therefore set aside for versification, as
-a suitable text for Reissiger, my Hohe Braut, founded on Konig's
-romance, which I had once before submitted to Scribe. I promised to
-bring Reissiger a page of verse for every piano rehearsal, and this I
-faithfully did until the whole book was done. I was much surprised to
-learn some time later that Reissiger had had a new libretto written for
-him by an actor named Kriethe. This was called the Wreck of the Medusa.
-I then learned that the wife of the conductor, who was a suspicious
-woman, had been filled with the greatest concern at my readiness to
-give up a libretto to her husband. They both thought the book was good
-and full of striking effects, but they suspected some sort of trap in
-the background, to escape from which they must certainly exercise the
-greatest caution. The result was that I regained possession of my
-libretto and was able, later on, to help my old friend Kittl with it in
-Prague; he set it to music of his own, and entitled it Die Franzosen
-vor Nizza. I heard that it was frequently performed in Prague with
-great success, though I never saw it myself; and I was also told at the
-same time by a local critic that this text was a proof of my real
-aptitude as a librettist, and that it was a mistake for me to devote
-myself to composition. As regards my Tannhauser, on the other hand,
-Laube used to declare it was a misfortune that I had not got an
-experienced dramatist to supply me with a decent text for my music.
-
-For the time being, however, this work of versification had the desired
-result, and Reissiger kept steadily to the study of Rienzi. But what
-encouraged him even more than my verses was the growing interest of the
-singers, and above all the genuine enthusiasm of Tichatschek. This man,
-who had been so ready to leave the delights of the theatre piano for a
-shooting party, now looked upon the rehearsals of Rienzi as a genuine
-treat. He always attended them with radiant eyes and boisterous
-good-humour. I soon felt myself in a state of constant exhilaration:
-favourite passages were greeted with acclamation by the singers at
-every rehearsal, and a concerted number of the third finale, which
-unfortunately had afterwards to be omitted owing to its length,
-actually became on that occasion a source of profit to me. For
-Tichatschek maintained that this B minor was so lovely that something
-ought to be paid for it every time, and he put down a silver penny,
-inviting the others to do the same, to which they all responded
-merrily. From that day forward, whenever we came to this passage at
-rehearsals, the cry was raised, 'Here comes the silver penny part,' and
-Schroder-Devrient, as she took out her purse, remarked that these
-rehearsals would ruin her. This gratuity was conscientiously handed to
-me each time, and no one suspected that these contributions, which were
-given as a joke, were often a very welcome help towards defraying the
-cost of our daily food. For Minna had returned from Toplitz, at the
-beginning of August, accompanied by my mother.
-
-We lived very frugally in chilly lodgings, hopefully awaiting the tardy
-day of our deliverance. The months of August and September passed, in
-preparation for my work, amid frequent disturbances caused by the
-fluctuating and scanty repertoire of a German opera house, and not
-until October did the combined rehearsals assume such a character as to
-promise the certainty of a speedy production. From the very beginning
-of the general rehearsals with the orchestra we all shared the
-conviction that the opera would, without doubt, be a great success.
-Finally, the full dress rehearsals produced a perfectly intoxicating
-effect. When we tried the first scene of the second act with the
-scenery complete, and the messengers of peace entered, there was a
-general outburst of emotion, and even Schroder-Devrient, who was
-bitterly prejudiced against her part, as it was not the role of the
-heroine, could only answer my questions in a voice stifled with tears.
-I believe the whole theatrical body, down to its humblest officials,
-loved me as though I were a real prodigy, and I am probably not far
-wrong in saying that much of this arose from sympathy and lively
-fellow-feeling for a young man, whose exceptional difficulties were not
-unknown to them, and who now suddenly stepped out of perfect obscurity
-into splendour. During the interval at the full dress rehearsal, while
-other members had dispersed to revive their jaded nerves with lunch, I
-remained seated on a pile of boards on the stage, in order that no one
-might realise that I was in the quandary of being unable to obtain
-similar refreshment. An invalid Italian singer, who was taking a small
-part in the opera, seemed to notice this, and kindly brought me a glass
-of wine and a piece of bread. I was sorry that I was obliged to deprive
-him of even his small part in the course of the year, for its loss
-provoked such ill-treatment from his wife, that by conjugal tyranny he
-was driven into the ranks of my enemies. When, after my flight from
-Dresden in 1849, I learned that I had been denounced to the police by
-this same singer for supposed complicity in the rising which took place
-in that town, I bethought me of this breakfast during the Rienzi
-rehearsal, and felt I was being punished for my ingratitude, for I knew
-I was guilty of having brought him into trouble with his wife.
-
-The frame of mind in which I looked forward to the first performance of
-my work was a unique experience which I have never felt either before
-or since. My kind sister Clara fully shared my feelings. She had been
-living a wretched middle-class life at Chemnitz, which, just about this
-time, she had left to come and share my fate in Dresden. The poor
-woman, whose undoubted artistic gifts had faded so early, was
-laboriously dragging out a commonplace bourgeois existence as a wife
-and mother; but now, under the influence of my growing success, she
-began joyously to breathe a new life. She and I and the worthy
-chorus-master Fischer used to spend our evenings with the Heine family,
-still over potatoes and herrings, and often in a wonderfully elated
-frame of mind. The evening before our first performance I was able to
-crown our happiness by myself ladling out a bowl of punch. With mingled
-tears and laughter we skipped about like happy children, and then in
-sleep prepared ourselves for the triumphant day to which we looked
-forward with such confidence..
-
-Although on the morning of 20th October, 1842 I had resolved not to
-disturb any of my singers by a visit, yet I happened to come across one
-of them, a stiff Philistine called Risse, who was playing a minor bass
-part in a dull but respectable way. The day was rather cool, but
-wonderfully bright and sunshiny, after the gloomy weather we had just
-been having. Without a word this curious creature saluted me and then
-remained standing, as though bewitched. He simply gazed into my face
-with wonder and rapture, in order to find out, so he at last managed to
-tell me in strange confusion, how a man looked who that very day was to
-face such an exceptional fate. I smiled and reflected that it was
-indeed a day of crisis, and promised him that I would soon drink a
-glass with him, at the Stadt Hamburg inn, of the excellent wine he had
-recommended to me with so much agitation.
-
-No subsequent experience of mine can be compared with the sensations
-which marked the day of the first production of Rienzi. At all the
-first performances of my works in later days, I have been so absorbed
-by an only too well-founded anxiety as to their success, that I could
-neither enjoy the opera nor form any real estimate of its reception by
-the public. As for my subsequent experiences at the general rehearsal
-of Tristan und Isolde, this took place under such exceptional
-circumstances, and its effect upon me differed so fundamentally from
-that produced by the first performance of Rienzi, that no comparison
-can possibly be drawn between the two.
-
-The immediate success of Rienzi was no doubt assured beforehand. But
-the emphatic way in which the audience declared their appreciation was
-thus far exceptional, that in cities like Dresden the spectators are
-never in a position to decide conclusively upon a work of importance on
-the first night, and consequently assume an attitude of chilling
-restraint towards the works of unknown authors. But this was, in the
-nature of things, an exceptional case, for the numerous staff of the
-theatre and the body of musicians had inundated the city beforehand
-with such glowing reports of my opera, that the whole population
-awaited the promised miracle in feverish expectation. I sat with Minna,
-my sister Clara, and the Heine family in a pit-box, and when I try to
-recall my condition during that evening, I can only picture it with all
-the paraphernalia of a dream. Of real pleasure or agitation I felt none
-at all: I seemed to stand quite aloof from my work; whereas the sight
-of the thickly crowded auditorium agitated me so much, that I was
-unable even to glance at the body of the audience, whose presence
-merely affected me like some natural phenomenon--something like a
-continuous downpour of rain--from which I sought shelter in the
-farthest corner of my box as under a protecting roof. I was quite
-unconscious of applause, and when at the end of the acts I was
-tempestuously called for, I had every time to be forcibly reminded by
-Heine and driven on to the stage. On the other hand, one great anxiety
-filled me with growing alarm: I noticed that the first two acts had
-taken as long as the whole of Freischutz, for instance. On account of
-its warlike calls to arms the third act begins with an exceptional
-uproar, and when at its close the clock pointed to ten, which meant
-that the performance had already lasted full four hours, I became
-perfectly desperate. The fact that after this act, also, I was again
-loudly called, I regarded merely as a final courtesy on the part of the
-audience, who wished to signify that they had had quite enough for one
-evening, and would now leave the house in a body. As we had still two
-acts before us, I thought it settled that we should not be able to
-finish the piece, and apologised for my lack of wisdom in not having
-previously effected the necessary curtailments. Now, thanks to my
-folly, I found myself in the unheard-of predicament of being unable to
-finish an opera, otherwise extremely well received, simply because it
-was absurdly long. I could only explain the undiminished zeal of the
-singers, and particularly of Tichatschek, who seemed to grow lustier
-and cheerier the longer it lasted, as an amiable trick to conceal from
-me the inevitable catastrophe. But my astonishment at finding the
-audience still there in full muster, even in the last act--towards
-midnight--filled me with imbounded perplexity. I could no longer trust
-my eyes or ears, and regarded the whole events of the evening as a
-nightmare. It was past midnight when, for the last time, I had to obey
-the thunderous calls of the audience, side by side with my trusty
-singers.
-
-My feeling of desperation at the unparalleled length of my opera was
-augmented by the temper of my relatives, whom I saw for a short time
-after the performance. Friedrich Brockhaus and his family had come over
-with some friends from Leipzig, and had invited us to the inn, hoping
-to celebrate an agreeable success over a pleasant supper, and possibly
-to drink my health. But on arriving, kitchen and cellar were closed,
-and every one was so worn out that nothing was to be heard but outcries
-at the unparalleled case of an opera lasting from six o'clock till past
-twelve. No further remarks were exchanged, and we stole away feeling
-quite stupefied.
-
-About eight the next morning I put in an appearance at the clerks'
-office, in order that in case there should be a second performance I
-might arrange the necessary curtailment of the parts. If, during the
-previous summer, I had contested every beat with the faithful
-chorus-master Fischer, and proved them all to be indispensable, I was
-now possessed by a blind rage for striking out. There was not a single
-part of my score which seemed any longer necessary--what the audience
-had been made to swallow the previous evening now appeared but a chaos
-of sheer impossibilities, each and all of which might be omitted
-without the slightest damage or risk of being unintelligible. My one
-thought now was how to reduce my convolution of monstrosities to decent
-limits. By dint of unsparing and ruthless abbreviations handed over to
-the copyist, I hoped to avert a catastrophe, for I expected nothing
-less than that the general manager, together with the city and the
-theatre, would that very day give me to understand that such a thing as
-the performance of my Last of the Tribunes might perhaps be permitted
-once as a curiosity, but not oftener. All day long, therefore, I
-carefully avoided going near the theatre, so as to give time for my
-heroic abbreviations to do their salutary work, and for news of them to
-spread through the city. But at midday I looked in again upon the
-copyists, to assure myself that all had been duly performed as I had
-ordered. I then learned that Tichatschek had also been there, and,
-after inspecting the omissions that I had arranged, had forbidden their
-being carried out. Fischer, the chorus-master, also wished to speak to
-me about them: work was suspended, and I foresaw great confusion. I
-could not understand what it all meant, and feared mischief if the
-arduous task were delayed. At length, towards evening, I sought out
-Tichatschek at the theatre. Without giving him a chance to speak, I
-brusquely asked him why he had interrupted the copyists' work. In a
-half-choked voice he curtly and defiantly rejoined, 'I will have none
-of my part cut out--it is too heavenly.' I stared at him blankly, and
-then felt as though I had been suddenly bewitched: such an unheard-of
-testimony to my success could not but shake me out of my strange
-anxiety. Others joined him, Fischer radiant with delight and bubbling
-with laughter. Every one spoke of the enthusiastic emotion which
-thrilled the whole city. Next came a letter of thanks from the
-Commissioner acknowledging my splendid work. Nothing now remained for
-me but to embrace Tichatschek and Fischer, and go on my way to inform
-Minna and Clara how matters stood.
-
-After a few days' rest for the actors, the second performance took
-place on 26th October, but with various curtailments, for which I had
-great difficulty in obtaining Tichatschek's consent. Although it was
-still of much more than average length, I heard no particular
-complaints, and at last adopted Tichatschek's view that, if he could
-stand it, so could the audience. For six performances therefore, all of
-which continued to receive a similar avalanche of applause, I let the
-matter run its course.
-
-My opera, however, had also excited interest among the elder princesses
-of the royal family. They thought its exhausting length a drawback, but
-were nevertheless unwilling to miss any of it. Luttichau consequently
-proposed that I should give the piece at full length, but half of it at
-a time on two successive evenings. This suited me very well, and after
-an interval of a few weeks we announced Rienzi's Greatness for the
-first day, and His Fall for the second. The first evening we gave two
-acts, and on the second three, and for the latter I composed a special
-introductory prelude. This met with the entire approval of our august
-patrons, and especially of the two eldest, Princesses Amalie and
-Augusta. The public, on the contrary, simply regarded this in the light
-of now being asked to pay two entrance fees for one opera, and
-pronounced the new arrangement a decided fraud. Its annoyance at the
-change was so great that it actually threatened to be fatal to the
-attendance, and after three performances of the divided Rienzi the
-management was obliged to go back to the old arrangement, which I
-willingly made possible by introducing my cuttings again.
-
-From this time forward the piece used to fill the house to overflowing
-as often as it could be presented, and the permanence of its success
-became still more obvious when I began to realise the envy it drew upon
-me from many different quarters. My first experience of this was truly
-painful, and came from the hands of the poet, Julius Mosen, on the very
-day after the first performance. When I first reached Dresden in the
-summer I had sought him out, and, having a really high opinion of his
-talent, our intercourse soon became more intimate, and was the means of
-giving me much pleasure and instruction. He had shown me a volume of
-his plays, which on the whole appealed to me exceptionally. Among these
-was a tragedy, Cola Rienzi, dealing with the same subject as my opera,
-and in a manner partly new to me, and which I thought effective. With
-reference to this poem, I had begged him to take no notice of my
-libretto, as in the quality of its poetry it could not possibly bear
-comparison with his own; and it cost him little sacrifice to grant the
-request. It happened that just before the first performance of my
-Rienzi, he had produced in Dresden Bernhard von Weimar, one of his
-least happy pieces, the result of which had brought him little
-pleasure. Dramatically it was a thing with no life in it, aiming only
-at political harangue, and had shared the inevitable fate of all such
-aberrations. He had therefore awaited the appearance of my Rienzi with
-some vexation, and confessed to me his bitter chagrin at not being able
-to procure the acceptance of his tragedy of the same name in Dresden.
-This, he presumed, arose from its somewhat pronounced political
-tendency, which, certainly in a spoken play on a similar subject, would
-be more noticeable than in an opera, where from the very start no one
-pays any heed to the words. I had genially confirmed him in this
-depreciation of the subject matter in opera; and was therefore the more
-startled when, on finding him at my sister Louisa's the day after the
-first performance, he straightway overwhelmed me with a scornful
-outburst of irritation at my success. But he found in me a strange
-sense of the essential unreality in opera of such a subject as that
-which I had just illustrated with so much success in Rienzi, so that,
-oppressed by a secret sense of shame, I had no serious rejoinder to
-offer to his candidly poisonous abuse. My line of defence was not yet
-sufficiently clear in my own mind to be available offhand, nor was it
-yet backed by so obvious a product of my own peculiar genius that I
-could venture to quote it. Moreover, my first impulse was only one of
-pity for the unlucky playwright, which I felt all the more constrained
-to express, because his burst of fury gave me the inward satisfaction
-of knowing that he recognised my great success, of which I was not yet
-quite clear myself.
-
-But this first performance of Rienzi did far more than this. It gave
-occasion for controversy, and made an ever-widening breach between
-myself and the newspaper critics. Herr Karl Bank, who for some time had
-been the chief musical critic in Dresden, had been known to me before
-at Magdeburg, where he once visited me and listened with delight to my
-playing of several fairly long passages from my Liebesverbot. When we
-met again in Dresden, this man could not forgive me for having been
-unable to procure him tickets for the first performance of Rienzi. The
-same thing happened with a certain Herr Julius Schladebach, who
-likewise settled in Dresden about that time as a critic. Though I was
-always anxious to be gracious to everybody, yet I felt just then an
-invincible repugnance for showing special deference to any man because
-he was a critic. As time went on, I carried this rule to the point of
-almost systematic rudeness, and was consequently all my life through
-the victim of unprecedented persecution from the press. As yet,
-however, this ill-will had not become pronounced, for at that time
-journalism had not begun to give itself airs in Dresden. There were so
-few contributions sent from there to the outside press that our
-artistic doings excited very little notice elsewhere, a fact which was
-certainly not without its disadvantages for me. Thus for the present
-the unpleasant side of my success scarcely affected me at all, and for
-a brief space I felt myself, for the first and only time in my life, so
-pleasantly borne along on the breath of general good-will, that all my
-former troubles seemed amply requited.
-
-For further and quite unexpected fruits of my success now appeared with
-astonishing rapidity, though not so much in the form of material
-profit, which for the present resolved itself into nine hundred marks,
-paid me by the General Board as an exceptional fee instead of the usual
-twenty golden louis. Nor did I dare to cherish the hope of selling my
-work advantageously to a publisher, until it had been performed in some
-other important towns. But fate willed it, that by the sudden death of
-Rastrelli, royal director of music, which occurred shortly after the
-first production of Rienzi, an office should unexpectedly become
-vacant, for the filling of which all eyes at once turned to me.
-
-While the negotiations over this matter were slowly proceeding, the
-General Board gave proof in another direction of an almost passionate
-interest in my talents. They insisted that the first performance of the
-Fliegender Hollander should on no account be conceded to the Berlin
-opera, but reserved as an honour for Dresden. As the Berlin authorities
-raised no obstacle, I very gladly handed over my latest work also to
-the Dresden theatre. If in this I had to dispense with Tichatschek's
-assistance, as there was no leading tenor part in the play, I could
-count all the more surely on the helpful co-operation of
-Schroder-Devrient, to whom a worthier task was assigned in the leading
-female part than that which she had had in Rienzi. I was glad to be
-able thus to rely entirely upon her, as she had grown strangely out of
-humour with me, owing to her scanty share in the success of Rienzi. The
-completeness of my faith in her I proved with an exaggeration by no
-means advantageous to my own work, by simply forcing the leading male
-part on Wachter, a once capable, but now somewhat delicate baritone. He
-was in every respect wholly unsuited to the task, and only accepted it
-with unfeigned hesitation. On submitting my play to my adored prima
-donna, I was much relieved to find that its poetry made a special
-appeal to her. Thanks to the genuine personal interest awakened in me
-under very peculiar circumstances by the character and fate of this
-exceptional woman, our study of the part of Senta, which often brought
-us into close contact, became one of the most thrilling and momentously
-instructive periods of my life.
-
-It is true that the great actress, especially when under the influence
-of her famous mother, Sophie Schroder, who was just then with her on a
-visit, showed undisguised vexation at my having composed so brilliant a
-work as Rienzi for Dresden without having specifically reserved the
-principal part for her. Yet the magnanimity of her disposition
-triumphed even over this selfish impulse: she loudly proclaimed me 'a
-genius,' and honoured me with that special confidence which, she said,
-none but a genius should enjoy. But when she invited me to become both
-the accomplice and adviser in her really dreadful love affairs, this
-confidence certainly began to have its risky side; nevertheless there
-were at first occasions on which she openly proclaimed herself before
-all the world as my friend, making most flattering distinctions in my
-favour.
-
-First of all I had to accompany her on a trip to Leipzig, where she was
-giving a concert for her mother's benefit, which she thought to make
-particularly attractive by including in its programme two selections
-from Rienzi--the aria of Adriano and the hero's prayer (the latter sung
-by Tichatschek), and both under my personal conductorship. Mendelssohn,
-who was also on very friendly terms with her, had been enticed to this
-concert too, and produced his overture to Ruy Blas, then quite new. It
-was during the two busy days spent on this occasion in Leipzig that I
-first came into close contact with him, all my previous knowledge of
-him having been limited to a few rare and altogether profitless visits.
-At the house of my brother-in-law, Fritz Brockhaus, he and Devrient
-gave us a good deal of music, he playing her accompaniment to a number
-of Schubert's songs. I here became conscious of the peculiar unrest and
-excitement with which this master of music, who, though still young,
-had already reached the zenith of his fame and life's work, observed or
-rather watched me. I could see clearly that he thought but little of a
-success in opera, and that merely in Dresden. Doubtless I seemed in his
-eyes one of a class of musicians to whom he attached no value, and with
-whom he proposed to have no intercourse. Nevertheless my success had
-certain characteristic features, which gave it a more or less alarming
-aspect. Mendelssohn's most ardent desire for a long time past had been
-to write a successful opera, and it was possible he now felt annoyed
-that, before he had succeeded in doing so, a triumph of this nature
-should suddenly be thrust into his face with blunt brutality, and based
-upon a style of music which he might feel justified in regarding as
-poor. He probably found it no less exasperating that Devrient, whose
-gifts he acknowledged, and who was his own devoted admirer, should now
-so openly and loudly sound my praises. These thoughts were dimly
-shaping themselves in my mind, when Mendelssohn, by a very remarkable
-statement, drove me, almost with violence, to adopt this
-interpretation. On our way home together, after the joint concert
-rehearsal, I was talking very warmly on the subject of music. Although
-by no means a talkative man, he suddenly interrupted me with curiously
-hasty excitement by the assertion that music had but one great fault,
-namely, that more than any other art it stimulated not only our good,
-but also our evil qualities, such, for instance, as jealousy. I blushed
-with shame to have to apply this speech to his own feelings towards me;
-for I was profoundly conscious of my innocence of ever having dreamed,
-even in the remotest degree, of placing my own talents or performances
-as a musician in comparison with his. Yet, strange to say, at this very
-concert he showed himself in a light by no means calculated to place
-him beyond all possibility of comparison with myself. A rendering of
-his Hebrides Overture would have placed him so immeasurably above my
-two operatic airs, that all shyness at having to stand beside him would
-have been spared me, as the gulf between our two productions was
-impassable. But in his choice of the Ruy Blas Overture he appears to
-have been prompted by a desire to place himself on this occasion so
-close to the operatic style that its effectiveness might be reflected
-upon his own work. The overture was evidently calculated for a Parisian
-audience, and the astonishment Mendelssohn caused by appearing in such
-a connection was shown by Robert Schumann in his own ungainly fashion
-at its close. Approaching the musician in the orchestra, he blandly,
-and with a genial smile, expressed his admiration of the 'brilliant
-orchestral piece' just played..
-
-But in the interests of veracity let me not forget that neither he nor
-I scored the real success of that evening. We were both wholly eclipsed
-by the tremendous effect produced by the grey-haired Sophie Schroder in
-a recitation of Burger's Lenore. While the daughter had been taunted in
-the newspapers with unfairly employing all sorts of musical attractions
-to cozen a benefit concert out of the music lovers of Leipzig for a
-mother who never had anything to do with that art, we, who were there
-as her musical aiders and abettors, had to stand like so many idle
-conjurers, while this aged and almost toothless dame declaimed Burger's
-poem with truly terrifying beauty and grandeur. This episode, like so
-much else that I saw during these few days, gave me abundant food for
-thought and meditation.
-
-A second excursion, also undertaken with Devrient, took me in the
-December of that year to Berlin, where the singer had been invited to
-appear at a grand state concert. I for my part wanted an interview with
-Director Kustner about the Fliegender Hollander. Although I arrived at
-no definite result regarding my own personal business, this short visit
-to Berlin was memorable for my meeting with Franz Liszt, which
-afterwards proved of great importance. It took place under singular
-circumstances, which placed both him and me in a situation of peculiar
-embarrassment, brought about in the most wanton fashion by Devrient's
-exasperating caprice.
-
-I had already told my patroness the story of my earlier meeting with
-Liszt. During that fateful second winter of my stay in Paris, when I
-had at last been driven to be grateful for Schlesinger's hack-work, I
-one day received word from Laube, who always bore me in mind, that F.
-Liszt was coming to Paris. He had mentioned and recommended me to him
-when he was in Germany, and advised me to lose no time in looking him
-up, as he was 'generous,' and would certainly find means of helping me.
-As soon as I heard that he had really arrived, I presented myself at
-the hotel to see him. It was early in the morning. On my entrance I
-found several strange gentlemen waiting in the drawing-room, where,
-after some time, we were joined by Liszt himself, pleasant and affable,
-and wearing his indoor coat. The conversation was carried on in French,
-and turned upon his experiences during his last professional journey in
-Hungary. As I was unable to take part, on account of the language, I
-listened for some time, feeling heartily bored, until at last he asked
-me pleasantly what he could do for me. He seemed unable to recall
-Laube's recommendation, and all the answer I could give was that I
-desired to make his acquaintance. To this he had evidently no
-objection, and informed me he would take care to have a ticket sent me
-for his great matinee, which was to take place shortly. My sole attempt
-to introduce an artistic theme of conversation was a question as to
-whether he knew Lowe's Erlkonig as well as Schubert's. His reply in the
-negative frustrated this somewhat awkward attempt, and I ended my visit
-by giving him my address. Thither his secretary, Belloni, presently
-sent me, with a few polite words, a card of admission to a concert to
-be given entirely by the master himself in the Salle Erard. I duly
-wended my way to the overcrowded hall, and beheld the platform on which
-the grand piano stood, closely beleaguered by the cream of Parisian
-female society, and witnessed their enthusiastic ovations of this
-virtuoso, who was at that time the wonder of the world. Moreover, I
-heard several of his most brilliant pieces, such as 'Variations on
-Robert le Diable,' but carried away with me no real impression beyond
-that of being stunned. This took place just at the time when I
-abandoned a path which had been contrary to my truer nature, and had
-led me astray, and on which I now emphatically turned my back in silent
-bitterness. I was therefore in no fitting mood for a just appreciation
-of this prodigy, who at that time was shining in the blazing light of
-day, but from whom I had turned my face to the night. I went to see
-Liszt no more.
-
-As already mentioned, I had given Devrient a bare outline of this
-story, but she had noted it with particular attention, for I happened
-to have touched her weak point of professional jealousy. As Liszt had
-also been commanded by the King of Prussia to appear at the grand state
-concert at Berlin, it so happened that the first time they met Liszt
-questioned her with great interest about the success of Rienzi. She
-thereupon observed that the composer of that opera was an altogether
-unknown man, and proceeded with curious malice to taunt him with his
-apparent lack of penetration, as proved by the fact that the said
-composer, who now so keenly excited his interest, was the very same
-poor musician whom he had lately 'turned away so contemptuously' in
-Paris. All this she told me with an air of triumph, which distressed me
-very much, and I at once set to work to correct the false impression
-conveyed by my former account. As we were still debating this point in
-her room, we were startled by hearing from the next the famous bass
-part in the 'Revenge' air from Donna Anna, rapidly executed in octaves
-on the piano. 'That's Liszt himself,' she cried. Liszt then entered the
-room to fetch her for the rehearsal. To my great embarrassment she
-introduced me to him with malicious delight as the composer of Rienzi,
-the man whose acquaintance he now wished to make after having
-previously shown him the door in his glorious Paris. My solemn
-asseverations that my patroness--no doubt only in fun--was deliberately
-distorting my account of my former visit to him, apparently pacified
-him so far as I was concerned, and, on the other hand, he had no doubt
-already formed his own opinion of the impulsive singer. He certainly
-regretted that he could not remember my visit in Paris, but it
-nevertheless shocked and alarmed him to learn that any one should have
-had reason to complain of such treatment at his hands. The hearty
-sincerity of Listz's simple words to me about this misunderstanding, as
-contrasted with the strangely passionate raillery of the incorrigible
-lady, made a most pleasing and captivating impression upon me. The
-whole bearing of the man, and the way in which he tried to ward off the
-pitiless scorn of her attacks, was something new to me, and gave me a
-deep insight into his character, so firm in its amiability and
-boundless good-nature. Finally, she teased him about the Doctor's
-degree which had just been conferred on him by the University of
-Konigsberg, and pretended to mistake him for a chemist. At last he
-stretched himself out flat on the floor, and implored her mercy,
-declaring himself quite defenceless against the storm of her invective.
-Then turning to me with a hearty assurance that he would make it his
-business to hear Rienzi, and would in any case endeavour to give me a
-better opinion of himself than his evil star had hitherto permitted, we
-parted for that occasion.
-
-The almost naive simplicity and naturalness of his every phrase and
-word, and particularly his emphatic manner, left a most profound
-impression upon me. No one could fail to be equally affected by these
-qualities, and I now realised for the first time the almost magic power
-exerted by Liszt over all who came in close contact with him, and saw
-how erroneous had been my former opinion as to its cause.
-
-These two excursions to Leipzig and Berlin found but brief
-interruptions of the period devoted at home to our study of the
-Fliegender Hollander. It was therefore, of paramount importance to me
-to maintain Schroder-Devrient's keen interest in her part, since, in
-view of the weakness of the rest of the cast, I was convinced that it
-was from her alone I could expect any adequate interpretation of the
-spirit of my work.
-
-The part of Senta was essentially suited to her, and there were just at
-that moment peculiar circumstances in her life which brought her
-naturally emotional temperament to a high pitch of tension. I was
-amazed when she confided to me that she was on the point of breaking
-off a regular liaison of many years' standing, to form, in passionate
-haste, another much less desirable one. The forsaken lover, who was
-tenderly devoted to her, was a young lieutenant in the Royal Guards,
-and the son of Muller, the ex-Minister of Education; her new choice,
-whose acquaintance she had formed on a recent visit to Berlin, was Herr
-von Munchhausen. He was a tall, slim young man, and her predilection
-for him was easily explained when I became more closely acquainted with
-her love affairs. It seemed to me that the bestowal of her confidence
-on me in this matter arose from her guilty conscience; she was aware
-that Muller, whom I liked on account of his excellent disposition, had
-loved her with the earnestness of a first love, and also that she was
-now betraying him in the most faithless way on a trivial pretext. She
-must have known that her new lover was entirely unworthy of her, and
-that his intentions were frivolous and selfish. She knew, too, that no
-one, and certainly none of her older friends who knew her best, would
-approve of her behaviour. She told me candidly that she had felt
-impelled to confide in me because I was a genius, and would understand
-the demands of her temperament. I hardly knew what to think. I was
-repelled alike by her passion and the circumstances attending it; but
-to my astonishment I had to confess that the infatuation, so repulsive
-to me, held this strange woman in so powerful a grasp that I could not
-refuse her a certain amount of pity, nay, even real sympathy.
-
-She was pale and distraught, ate hardly anything, and her faculties
-were subjected to a strain so extraordinary that I thought she would
-not escape a serious, perhaps a fatal illness. Sleep had long since
-deserted her, and whenever I brought her my unlucky Fliegender
-Hollander, her looks so alarmed me that the proposed rehearsal was the
-last thing I thought of. But in this matter she insisted; she made me
-sit down at the piano, and then plunged into the study of her role as
-if it were a matter of life and death. She found the actual learning of
-the part very difficult, and it was only by repeated and persevering
-rehearsal that she mastered her task. She would sing for hours at a
-time with such passion that I often sprang up in terror and begged her
-to spare herself; then she would point smiling to her chest, and expand
-the muscles of her still magnificent person, to assure me that she was
-doing herself no harm. Her voice really acquired at that time a
-youthful freshness and power of endurance. I had to confess that which
-often astonished me: this infatuation for an insipid nobody was very
-much to the advantage of my Senta. Her courage under this intense
-strain was so great that, as time pressed, she consented to have the
-general rehearsal on the very day of the first performance, and a delay
-which would have been greatly to my disadvantage was thus avoided.
-
-The performance took place on 2nd January, in the year 1843. Its result
-was extremely instructive to me, and led to the turning-point of my
-career. The ill-success of the performance taught me how much care and
-forethought were essential to secure the adequate dramatic
-interpretation of my latest works. I realised that I had more or less
-believed that my score would explain itself, and that my singers would
-arrive at the right interpretation of their own accord. My good old
-friend Wachter, who at the time of Henriette Sontag's first success was
-a favourite 'Barber of Seville,' had from the first discreetly thought
-otherwise. Unfortunately, even Schroder-Devrient only saw when the
-rehearsals were too far advanced how utterly incapable Wachter was of
-realising the horror and supreme suffering of my Mariner. His
-distressing corpulence, his broad fat face, the extraordinary movements
-of his arms and legs, which he managed to make look like mere stumps,
-drove my passionate Senta to despair. At one rehearsal, when in the
-great scene in Act ii. she comes to him in the guise of a guardian
-angel to bring the message of salvation, she broke off to whisper
-despairingly in my ear, 'How can I say it when I look into those beady
-eyes? Good God, Wagner, what a muddle you have made!' I consoled her as
-well as I could, and secretly placed my dependence on Herr von
-Munchhausen, who promised faithfully to sit that evening in the front
-row of the stalls, so that Devrient's eyes must fall on him. And the
-magnificent performance of my great artiste, although she stood
-horribly alone on the stage, did succeed in rousing enthusiasm in the
-second act. The first act offered the audience nothing but a dull
-conversation between Herr Wachter and that Herr Risse who had invited
-me to an excellent glass of wine on the first night of Rienzi, and in
-the third the loudest raging of the orchestra did not rouse the sea
-from its dead calm nor the phantom ship in its cautious rocking. The
-audience fell to wondering how I could have produced this crude,
-meagre, and gloomy work after Rienzi, in every act of which incident
-abounded, and Tichatschek shone in an endless variety of costumes.
-
-As Schroder-Devrient soon left Dresden for a considerable time, the
-Fliegender Hollander saw only four performances, at which the
-diminishing audiences made it plain that I had not pleased Dresden
-taste with it. The management was compelled to revive Rienzi in order
-to maintain my prestige; and the triumph of this opera compared with
-the failure of the Dutchman gave me food for reflection. I had to
-admit, with some misgivings, that the success of my Rienzi was not
-entirely due to the cast and staging, although I was fully alive to the
-defects from which the Fliegender Hollander suffered in this respect.
-Although Wachter was far from realising my conception of the Fliegender
-Hollander I could not conceal from myself the fact that Tichatschek was
-quite as far removed from the ideal Rienzi. His abominable errors and
-deficiencies in his presentation of the part had never escaped me; he
-had never been able to lay aside his brilliant and heroic leading-tenor
-manners in order to render that gloomy demonic strain in Rienzi's
-temperament on which I had laid unmistakable stress at the critical
-points of the drama. In the fourth act, after the pronouncement of the
-curse, he fell on his knees in the most melancholy fashion and
-abandoned himself to bewailing his fate in piteous tones. When I
-suggested to him that Rienzi, though inwardly despairing, must take up
-an attitude of statuesque firmness before the world, he pointed out to
-me the great popularity which the end of this very act had won as
-interpreted by himself, with an intimation that he intended making no
-change in it.
-
-And when I considered the real causes of the success of Rienzi, I found
-that it rested on the brilliant and extraordinarily fresh voice of the
-soaring, happy singer, in the refreshing effect of the chorus and the
-gay movement and colouring on the stage. I received a still more
-convincing proof of this when we divided the opera into two, and found
-that the second part, which was the more important from both the
-dramatic and the musical point of view, was noticeably less well
-attended than the first, for the very obvious reason, as I thought,
-that the ballet occurred in the first part. My brother Julius, who had
-come over from Leipzig for one of the performances of Rienzi, gave me a
-still more naive testimony as to the real point of interest in the
-opera. I was sitting with him in an open box, in full sight of the
-audience, and had therefore begged him to desist from giving any
-applause, even if directed only to the efforts of the singers; he
-restrained himself all through the evening, but his enthusiasm at a
-certain figure of the ballet was too much for him, and he clapped
-loudly, to the great amusement of the audience, telling me that he
-could not hold himself in any longer. Curiously enough, this same
-ballet secured for Rienzi, which was otherwise received with
-indifference, the enduring preference of the present King of Prussia,
-[FOOTNOTE: William the First.]who many years afterwards ordered the
-revival of this opera, although it had utterly failed in arousing
-public interest by its merits as a drama.
-
-I found, when I had to be present later on at a representation of the
-same opera at Darmstadt, that while wholesale cuts had to be made in
-its best parts, it had been found necessary to expand the ballets by
-additions and repetitions. This ballet music, which I had put together
-with contemptuous haste at Riga in a few days without any inspiration,
-seemed to me, moreover, so strikingly weak that I was thoroughly
-ashamed of it even in those days at Dresden, when I had found myself
-compelled to suppress its best feature, the tragic pantomime. Further,
-the resources of the ballet in Dresden did not even admit of the
-execution of my stage directions for the combat in the arena, nor for
-the very significant round dances, both admirably carried out at a
-later date in Berlin. I had to be content with the humiliating
-substitution of a long, foolish step-dance by two insignificant
-dancers, which was ended by a company of soldiers marching on, bearing
-their shields on high so as to form a roof and remind the audience of
-the Roman testudo; then the ballet-master with his assistant, in
-flesh-coloured tights, leaped on to the shields and turned somersaults,
-a proceeding which they thought was reminiscent of the gladiatorial
-games. It was at this point that the house was always moved to
-resounding applause, and I had to own that this moment marked the
-climax of my success.
-
-I thus had my doubts as to the intrinsic divergence between my inner
-aims and my outward success; at the same time a decisive and fatal
-change in my fortunes was brought about by my acceptance of the
-conductorship at Dresden, under circumstances as perplexing in their
-way as those preceding my marriage. I had met the negotiations which
-led up to this appointment with a hesitation and a coolness by no means
-affected. I felt nothing but scorn for theatrical life; a scorn that
-was by no means lessened by a closer acquaintance with the apparently
-distinguished ruling body of a court theatre, the splendours of which
-only conceal, with arrogant ignorance, the humiliating conditions
-appertaining to it and to the modern theatre in general. I saw every
-noble impulse stifled in those occupied with theatrical matters, and a
-combination of the vainest and most frivolous interests maintained by a
-ridiculously rigid and bureaucratic system; I was now fully convinced
-that the necessity of handling the business of the theatre would be the
-most distasteful thing I could imagine. Now that, through Rastrelli's
-death, the temptation to be false to my inner conviction came to me in
-Dresden, I explained to my old and trusted friends that I did not think
-I should accept the vacant post.
-
-But everything calculated to shake human resolution combined against
-this decision. The prospect of securing the means of livelihood through
-a permanent position with a fixed salary was an irresistible
-attraction. I combated the temptation by reminding myself of my success
-as an operatic composer, which might reasonably be expected to bring in
-enough to supply my moderate requirements in a lodging of two rooms,
-where I could proceed undisturbed with fresh compositions. I was told
-in answer to this that my work itself would be better served by a fixed
-position without arduous duties, as for a whole year since the
-completion of the Fliegender Hollander I had not, under existing
-circumstances, found any leisure at all for composition. I still
-remained convinced that Rastrelli's post of musical director, in
-subordination to the conductor, was unworthy of me, and I declined to
-entertain the proposal, thus leaving the management to look elsewhere
-for some one to fill the vacancy.
-
-There was therefore no further question of this particular post, but I
-was then informed that the death of Morlacchi had left vacant a court
-conductorship, and it was thought that the King would be willing to
-offer me the post. My wife was very much excited at this prospect, for
-in Germany the greatest value is laid on these court appointments,
-which are tenable for life, and the dazzling respectability pertaining
-to them is held out to German musicians as the acme of earthly
-happiness. The offer opened up for us in many directions the prospect
-of friendly relations in a society which had hitherto been outside our
-experience. Domestic comfort and social prestige were very alluring to
-the homeless wanderers who, in bygone days of misery, had often longed
-for the comfort and security of an assured and permanent position such
-as was now open to them under the august protection of the court. The
-influence of Caroline von Weber did much in the long-run to weaken my
-opposition. I was often at her house, and took great pleasure in her
-society, which brought back to my mind very vividly the personality of
-my still dearly beloved master. She begged me with really touching
-tenderness not to withstand this obvious command of fate, and asserted
-her right to ask me to settle in Dresden, to fill the place left sadly
-empty by her husband's death. 'Just think,' she said, 'how can I look
-Weber in the face again when I join him if I have to tell him that the
-work for which he made such devoted sacrifices in Dresden is neglected;
-just imagine my feelings when I see that indolent Reissiger stand in my
-noble Weber's place, and when I hear his operas produced more
-mechanically every year. If you loved Weber, you owe it to his memory
-to step into his place and to continue his work.' As an experienced
-woman of the world she also pointed out energetically and prudently the
-practical side of the matter, impressing on me the duty of thinking of
-my wife, who would, in case of my death, be sufficiently provided for
-if I accepted the post.
-
-The promptings of affection, prudence and good sense, however, had less
-weight with me than the enthusiastic conviction, never at any period of
-my life entirely destroyed, that wherever fate led me, whether to
-Dresden or elsewhere, I should find the opportunity which would convert
-my dreams into reality through currents set in motion by some change in
-the everyday order of events. All that was needed for this was the
-advent of an ardent and aspiring soul who, with good luck to back him,
-might make up for lost time, and by his ennobling influence achieve the
-deliverance of art from her shameful bonds. The wonderful and rapid
-change which had taken place in my fortunes could not fail to encourage
-such a hope, and I was seduced on perceiving the marked alteration that
-had taken place in the whole attitude of Luttichau, the general
-director, towards me. This strange individual showed me a kindliness of
-which no one would hitherto have thought him capable, and that he was
-prompted by a genuine feeling of personal benevolence towards me I
-could not help being absolutely convinced, even at the time of my
-subsequent ceaseless differences with him.
-
-Nevertheless, the decision came as a kind of surprise. On 2nd February
-1843 I was very politely invited to the director's office, and there
-met the general staff of the royal orchestra, in whose presence
-Luttichau, through the medium of my never-to-be-forgotten friend
-Winkler, solemnly read out to me a royal rescript appointing me
-forthwith conductor to his Majesty, with a life salary of four thousand
-five hundred marks a year. Luttichau followed the reading of this
-document by a more or less ceremonious speech, in which he assumed that
-I should gratefully accept the King's favour. At this polite ceremony
-it did not escape my notice that all possibility of future negotiations
-over the figure of the salary was cut off; on the other hand, a
-substantial exemption in my favour, the omission of the condition,
-enforced even on Weber in his time, of serving a year's probation under
-the title of mere musical director, was calculated to secure my
-unconditional acceptance. My new colleagues congratulated me, and
-Luttichau accompanied me with the politest phrases to my own door,
-where I fell into the arms of my poor wife, who was giddy with delight.
-Therefore I fully realised that I must put the best face I could on the
-matter, and unless I wished to give unheard-of offence, I must even
-congratulate myself on my appointment as royal conductor.
-
-A few days after taking the oath as a servant of the King in solemn
-session, and undergoing the ceremony of presentation to the assembled
-orchestra by means of an enthusiastic speech from the general director,
-I was summoned to an audience with his Majesty. When I saw the features
-of the kind, courteous, and homely monarch, I involuntarily thought of
-my youthful attempt at a political overture on the theme of Friedrich
-und Freiheit. Our somewhat embarrassed conversation brightened with the
-King's expression of his satisfaction with those two of my operas which
-had been performed in Dresden. He expressed with polite hesitation his
-feeling that if my operas left anything to be desired, it was a clearer
-definition of the various characters in my musical dramas. He thought
-the interest in the persons was overpowered by the elemental forces
-figuring beside them--in Hienzi the mob, in the Fliegender Hollander
-the sea. I thought I understood his meaning perfectly, and this proof
-of his sincere sympathy and original judgment pleased me very much. He
-also made his excuses in advance for a possible rare attendance at my
-operas on his part, his sole reason for this being that he had a
-peculiar aversion from theatre-going, as the result of one of the rules
-of his early training, under which he and his brother John, who had
-acquired a similar aversion, were for a long time compelled regularly
-to attend the theatre, when he, to tell the truth, would often have
-preferred to be left alone to follow his own pursuits independent of
-etiquette.
-
-As a characteristic instance of the courtier spirit, I afterwards
-learned that Luttichau, who had had to wait for me in the anteroom
-during this audience, had been very much put out by its long duration.
-In the whole course of my life I was only admitted twice more to
-personal intercourse and speech with the good King. The first occasion
-was when I presented him with the dedication copy of the pianoforte
-score of my Rienzi; and the second was after my very successful
-arrangement and performance of the Iphigenia in Aulis, by Gluck, of
-whose operas he was particularly fond, when he stopped me in the public
-promenade and congratulated me on my work.
-
-That first audience with the King marked the zenith of my hastily
-adopted career at Dresden; thenceforward anxiety reasserted itself in
-manifold ways. I very quickly realised the difficulties of my material
-situation, since it soon became evident that the advantage won by new
-exertions and my present appointment bore no proportion to the heavy
-sacrifices and obligations which I incurred as soon as I entered on an
-independent career. The young musical director of Riga, long since
-forgotten, suddenly reappeared in an astonishing reincarnation as royal
-conductor to the King of Saxony. The first-fruits of the universal
-estimate of my good fortune took the shape of pressing creditors and
-threats of prosecution; next followed demands from the Konigsberg
-tradesmen, from whom I had escaped from Riga by means of that horribly
-wretched and miserable flight. I also heard from people in the most
-distant parts, who thought they had some claim on me, dating even from
-my student, nay, my school days, until at last I cried out in my
-astonishment that I expected to receive a bill next from the nurse who
-had suckled me. All this did not amount to any very large sum, and I
-merely mention it because of the ill-natured rumours which, I learned
-years later, had been spread abroad about the extent of my debts at
-that time. Out of three thousand marks, borrowed at interest from
-Schroder-Devrient, I not only paid these debts, but also fully
-compensated the sacrifices which Kietz had made on my behalf, without
-ever expecting any return, in the days of my poverty in Paris. I was,
-moreover, able to be of practical use to him. But where was I to find
-even this sum, as my distress had hitherto been so great that I was
-obliged to urge Schroder-Devrient to hurry on the rehearsals of the
-Fliegender Hollander by pointing out to her the enormous importance to
-me of the fee for the performance? I had no allowance for the expenses
-of my establishment in Dresden, though it had to be suitable for my
-position as royal conductor, nor even for the purchase of a ridiculous
-and expensive court uniform, so that there would have been no
-possibility of my making a start at all, as I had no private means,
-unless I borrowed money at interest.
-
-But no one who knew of the extraordinary success of Rienzi at Dresden
-could help believing in an immediate and remunerative rage for my
-operas on the German stage. My own relatives, even the prudent Ottilie,
-were so convinced of it that they thought I might safely count on at
-least doubling my salary by the receipts from my operas. At the very
-beginning the prospects did indeed seem bright; the score of my
-Fliegender Hollander was ordered by the Royal Theatre at Cassel and by
-the Riga theatre, which I had known so well in the old days, because
-they were anxious to perform something of mine at an early date, and
-had heard that this opera was on a smaller scale, and made smaller
-demands on the stage management, than Rienzi. In May, 1843 I heard good
-reports of the success of the performances from both those places. But
-this was all for the time being, and a whole year went by without the
-smallest inquiry for any of my scores. An attempt was made to secure me
-some benefit by the publication of the pianoforte score of the
-Fliegender Hollander, as I wanted to reserve Rienzi, after the
-successes it had gained, as useful capital for a more favourable
-opportunity; but the plan was spoilt by the opposition of Messrs.
-Hartel of Leipzig, who, although ready enough to publish my opera,
-would only do so on the condition that I abstained from asking any
-payment for it.
-
-So I had, for the present, to content myself with the moral
-satisfaction of my successes, of which my unmistakable popularity with
-the Dresden public, and the respect and attention paid to me, formed
-part. But even in this respect my Utopian dreams were destined to be
-disturbed. I think that my appearance at Dresden marked the beginning
-of a new era in journalism and criticism, which found food for its
-hitherto but slightly developed vitality in its vexation at my success.
-The two gentlemen I have already mentioned, C. Bank and J. Schladebach,
-had, as I now know, first taken up their regular abode in Dresden at
-that time; I know that when difficulties were raised about the
-permanence of Bank's appointment, they were waived, owing to the
-testimonials and recommendation of my present colleague Reissiger. The
-success of my Rienzi had been the source of great annoyance to these
-gentlemen, who were now established as musical critics to the Dresden
-press, because I made no effort to win their favour; they were not
-ill-pleased, therefore, to find an opportunity of pouring out the
-vitriol of their hatred over the universally popular young musician who
-had won the sympathy of the kindly public, partly on account of the
-poverty and ill-luck which had hitherto been his lot. The need for any
-kind of human consideration had suddenly vanished with my 'unheard-of'
-appointment to the royal conductorship. Now 'all was well with me,'
-'too well,' in fact; and envy found its congenial food; this provided a
-perfectly clear and comprehensible point of attack; and soon there
-spread through the German press, in the columns given to Dresden news,
-an estimate of me which has never fundamentally changed, except in one
-point, to this day. This single modification, which was purely
-temporary and confined to papers of one political colour, occurred on
-my first settlement as a political refugee in Switzerland, but lasted
-only until, through Liszt's exertions, my operas began to be produced
-all over Germany, in spite of my exile. The orders from two theatres,
-immediately after the Dresden performance, for one of my scores, were
-merely due to the fact that up to that time the activity of my
-journalistic critics was still limited. I put down the cessation of all
-inquiries, certainly not without due justification, mainly to the
-effect of the false and calumnious reports in the papers.
-
-My old friend Laube tried, indeed, to undertake my defence in the
-press. On New Year's Day, 1843 he resumed the editorship of the Zeitung
-fur die Elegante Welt, and asked me to provide him with a biographical
-notice of myself for the first number. It evidently gave him great
-pleasure to present me thus in triumph to the literary world, and in
-order to give the subject more prominence he added a supplement to that
-number in the shape of a lithograph reproduction of my portrait by
-Kietz. But after a time even he became anxious and confused in his
-judgment of my works, when he saw the systematic and increasingly
-virulent detraction, depreciation, and scorn to which they were
-subjected. He confessed to me later that he had never imagined such a
-desperate position as mine against the united forces of journalism
-could possibly exist, and when he heard my view of the question, he
-smiled and gave me his blessing, as though I were a lost soul.
-
-Moreover, a change was observable in the attitude of those immediately
-connected with me in my work, and this provided very acceptable
-material for the journalistic campaign. I had been led, though by no
-ambitious impulse, to ask to be allowed to conduct the performances of
-my own works. I found that at every performance of Rienzi Reissiger
-became more negligent in his conducting, and that the whole production
-was slipping back into the old familiar, expressionless, and humdrum
-performance; and as my appointment was already mooted, I had asked
-permission to conduct the sixth performance of my work in person. I
-conducted without having held a single rehearsal, and without any
-previous experience, at the head of the Dresden orchestra. The
-performance went splendidly; singers and orchestra were inspired with
-new life, and everybody was obliged to admit that this was the finest
-performance of Rienzi that had yet been given. The rehearsing and
-con-ducting of the Fliegender Hollander were willingly handed over to
-me, because Reissiger was overwhelmed with work, in consequence of the
-death of the musical director, Rastrelli. In addition to this I was
-asked to conduct Weber's Euryanthe, by way of providing a direct proof
-of my capacity to interpret scores other than my own. Apparently
-everybody was pleased, and it was the tone of this performance that
-made Weber's widow so anxious that I should accept the Dresden
-conductorship; she declared that for the first time since her husband's
-death she had heard his work correctly interpreted, both in expression
-and time.
-
-Thereupon, Reissiger, who would have preferred to have a musical
-director under him, but had received instead a colleague on an equal
-footing, felt himself aggrieved by my appointment. Though his own
-indolence would have inclined him to the side of peace and a good
-understanding with me, his ambitious wife took care to stir up his fear
-of me. This never led to an openly hostile attitude on his part, but I
-noticed certain indiscretions in the press from that time onwards,
-which showed me that the friendliness of my colleague, who never talked
-to me without first embracing me, was not of the most honourable type.
-
-I also received a quite unexpected proof that I had attracted the
-bitter envy of another man whose sentiments I had no reason to suspect.
-This was Karl Lipinsky, a celebrated violinist in his day, who had for
-many years led the Dresden orchestra. He was a man of ardent
-temperament and original talent, but of incredible vanity, which his
-emotional, suspicious Polish temperament rendered dangerous. I always
-found him annoying, because however inspiring and instructive his
-playing was as to the technical execution of the violinists, he was
-certainly ill-fitted to be the leader of a first-class orchestra. This
-extraordinary person tried to justify Director Luttichau's praise of
-his playing, which could always be heard above the rest of the
-orchestra; he came in a little before the other violins; he was a
-leader in a double sense, as he was always a little ahead. He acted in
-much the same way with regard to expression, marking his slight
-variations in the piano passages with fanatical precision. It was
-useless to talk to him about it, as nothing but the most skilful
-flattery had any effect on him. So I had to endure it as best I could,
-and to think out ways and means of diminishing its ill effects on the
-orchestral performances as a whole by having recourse to the most
-polite circumlocutions. Even so he could not endure the higher
-estimation in which the performances of the orchestra under my
-conductorship were held, because he thought that the playing of an
-orchestra in which he was the leader must invariably be excellent,
-whoever stood at the conductor's desk. Now it happened, as is always
-the case when a new man with fresh ideas is installed in office, that
-the members of the orchestra came to me with the most varied
-suggestions for improvements which had hitherto been neglected; and
-Lipinsky, who was already annoyed about this, turned a certain case of
-this kind to a peculiarly treacherous use. One of the oldest
-contrabassists had died. Lipinsky urged me to arrange that the post
-should not be filled in the usual way by promotion from the ranks of
-our own orchestra, but should be given, on his recommendation, to a
-distinguished and skilful contrabassist from Darmstadt named Muller.
-When the musician whose rights of seniority were thus threatened,
-appealed to me, I kept my promise to Lipinsky, explained my views about
-the abuses of promotion by seniority, and declared that, in accordance
-with my sworn oath to the King, I held it my paramount duty to consider
-the maintenance of the artistic interests of the institution before
-everything else. I then found to my great astonishment, though it was
-foolish of me to be surprised, that the whole of the orchestra turned
-upon me as one man, and when the occasion arose for a discussion
-between Lipinsky and myself as to his own numerous grievances, he
-actually accused me of having threatened, by my remarks in the
-contrabassist case, to undermine the well-established rights of the
-members of the orchestra, whose welfare it was my duty to protect.
-Luttichau, who was on the point of absenting himself from Dresden for
-some time, was extremely uneasy, as Reissiger was away on his holiday,
-at leaving musical affairs in such a dangerous state of unrest. The
-deceit and impudence of which I had been the victim was a revelation to
-me, and I gathered from this experience the calm sense necessary to set
-the harassed director at ease by the most conclusive assurances that I
-understood the people with whom I had to deal, and would act
-accordingly. I faithfully kept my word, and never again came into
-collision either with Lipinsky or any other member of the orchestra. On
-the contrary, all the musicians were soon so firmly attached to me that
-I could always pride myself on their devotion.
-
-From that day forward, however, one thing at least was certain, namely,
-that I should not die as conductor at Dresden. My post and my work at
-Dresden thenceforward became a burden, of which the occasionally
-excellent results of my efforts made me all the more sensible.
-
-My position at Dresden, however, brought me one friend whose intimate
-relations with me long survived our artistic collaboration in Dresden.
-A musical director was assigned to each conductor; he had to be a
-musician of repute, a hard worker, adaptable, and, above all, a
-Catholic, for the two conductors were Protestants, a cause of much
-annoyance to the clergy of the Catholic cathedral, numerous positions
-in which had to be filled from the orchestra. August Rockel, a nephew
-of Hummel, who sent in his application for this position from Weimar,
-furnished evidence of his suitability under all these heads. He
-belonged to an old Bavarian family; his father was a singer, and had
-sung the part of Florestan at the time of the first production of
-Beethoven's Fidelio, and had himself remained on terms on close
-intimacy with the Master, many details about whose life have been
-preserved through his care. His subsequent position as a teacher of
-singing led him to take up theatrical management, and he introduced
-German opera to the Parisians with so much success, that the credit for
-the popularity of Fidelio and Der Freischutz with French audiences, to
-whom these works were quite unknown, must be awarded to his admirable
-enterprise, which was also responsible for Schroder-Devrient's debut in
-Paris. August Rockel, his son, who was still a young man, by helping
-his father in these and similar undertakings, had gained practical
-experience as a musician. As his father's business had for some time
-even extended to England, August had won practical knowledge of all
-sorts by contact with many men and things, and in addition had learned
-French and English. But music had remained his chosen vocation, and his
-great natural talent justified the highest hopes of success. He was an
-excellent pianist, read scores with the utmost ease, possessed an
-exceptionally fine ear, and had indeed every qualification for a
-practical musician. As a composer he was actuated, not so much by a
-strong impulse to create, as the desire to show what he was capable of;
-the success at which he aimed was to gain the reputation of a clever
-operatic composer rather than recognition as a distinguished musician,
-and he hoped to obtain his end by the production of popular works.
-Actuated by this modest ambition he had completed an opera, Farinelli,
-for which he had also written the libretto, with no other aspiration
-than that of attaining the same reputation as his brother-in-law
-Lortzing.
-
-He brought this score to me, and begged me--it was his first visit
-before he had heard one of my operas in Dresden--to play him something
-from Rienzi and the Fliegender Hollander. His frank, agreeable
-personality induced me to try and meet his wishes as far as I could;
-and I am convinced that I soon made such a great and unexpectedly
-powerful impression on him that from that moment he determined not to
-bother me further with the score of his opera. It was not until we had
-become more intimate and had discovered mutual personal interests, that
-the desire of turning his work to account induced him to ask me to show
-my practical friendship by turning my attention to his score. I made
-various suggestions as to how it might be improved, but he was soon so
-hopelessly disgusted with his own work that he put it absolutely aside,
-and never again felt seriously moved to undertake a similar task. On
-making a closer acquaintance with my completed operas and plans for new
-works, he declared to me that he felt it his vocation to play the part
-of spectator, to be my faithful helper and the interpreter of my new
-ideas, and, as far as in him lay, to remove entirely, and at all events
-to relieve me as far as possible from, all the unpleasantnesses of my
-official position and of my dealings with the outside world. He wished,
-he said, to avoid placing himself in the ridiculous position of
-composing operas of his own while living on terms of close friendship
-with me.
-
-Nevertheless, I tried to urge him to turn his own talent to account,
-and to this end called his attention to several plots which I wished
-him to work out. Among these was the idea contained in a small French
-drama entitled Cromwell's Daughter, which was subsequently used as the
-subject for a sentimental pastoral romance, and for the elaboration of
-which I presented him with an exhaustive plan.
-
-But in the end all my efforts remained fruitless, and it became evident
-that his productive talent was feeble. This perhaps arose partly from
-his extremely needy and trying domestic circumstances, which were such
-that the poor fellow wore himself out to support his wife and numerous
-growing children. Indeed, he claimed my help and sympathy in quite
-another fashion than by arousing my interest in his artistic
-development. He was unusually clear-headed, and possessed a rare
-capacity for teaching and educating himself in every branch of
-knowledge and experience; he was, moreover, so genuinely true and
-good-hearted that he soon became my intimate friend and comrade. He
-was, and continued to be, the only person who really appreciated the
-singular nature of my position towards the surrounding world, and with
-whom I could fully and sincerely discuss the cares and sorrows arising
-therefrom. What dreadful trials and experiences, what painful anxieties
-our common fate was to bring upon us, will soon be seen.
-
-The earlier period of my establishment in Dresden brought me also
-another devoted and lifelong friend, though his qualities were such
-that he exerted a less decisive influence upon my career. This was a
-young physician, named Anton Pusinelli, who lived near me. He seized
-the occasion of a serenade sung in honour of my thirtieth birthday by
-the Dresden Glee Club to express to me personally his hearty and
-sincere attachment. We soon entered upon a quiet friendship from which
-we derived a mutual benefit. He became my attentive family doctor, and
-during my residence in Dresden, marked as it was by accumulating
-difficulties, he had abundant opportunities of helping me. His
-financial position was very good, and his ready self-sacrifice enabled
-him to give me substantial succour and bound me to him by many
-heartfelt obligations.
-
-A further development of my association with Dresden buddy was provided
-by the kindly advances of Chamberlain von Konneritz's family. His wife,
-Marie von Konneritz (nee Fink), was a friend of Countess Ida Hahn-Hahn,
-and expressed her appreciation of my success as a composer with great
-warmth, I might almost say, with enthusiasm. I was often invited to
-their house, and seemed likely, through this family, to be brought into
-touch with the higher aristocracy of Dresden. I merely succeeded in
-touching the fringe, however, as we really had nothing in common. True,
-I here made the acquaintance of Countess Rossi, the famous Sontag, by
-whom, to my genuine astonishment, I was most heartily greeted, and I
-thereby obtained the right of afterwards approaching her in Berlin with
-a certain degree of familiarity. The curious way in which I was
-disillusioned about this lady on that occasion will be related in due
-course. I would only mention here that, through my earlier experiences
-of the world, I had become fairly impervious to deception, and my
-desire for closer acquaintance with these circles speedily gave way to
-a complete hopelessness and an entire lack of ease in their sphere of
-life.
-
-Although the Konneritz couple remained friendly during the whole of my
-prolonged sojourn in Dresden, yet the connection had not the least
-influence either upon my development or my position. Only once, on the
-occasion of a quarrel between Luttichau and myself, the former observed
-that Frau von Konneritz, by her unmeasured praises, had turned my head
-and made me forget my position towards him. But in making this taunt he
-forgot that, if any woman in the higher ranks of Dresden society had
-exerted a real and invigorating influence upon my inward pride, that
-woman was his own wife, Ida von Luttichau (nee von Knobelsdorf).
-
-The power which this cultured, gentle, and distinguished lady exercised
-over my life was of a kind I now experienced for the first time, and
-might have become of great importance had I been favoured with more
-frequent and intimate intercourse. But it was less her position as wife
-of the general director than her constant ill-health and my own
-peculiar unwillingness to appear obtrusive, that hindered our meeting,
-except at rare intervals. My recollections of her merge somewhat, in my
-memory, with those of my own sister Rosalie. I remember the tender
-ambition which inspired me to win the encouraging sympathy of this
-sensitive woman, who was painfully wasting away amid the coarsest
-surroundings. My earliest hope for the fulfilment of this ambition
-arose from her appreciation of my Fliegender Hollander, in spite of the
-fact that, following close upon Rienzi, it had so puzzled the Dresden
-public. In this way she was the first, so to speak, who swam against
-the tide and met me upon my new path. So deeply was I touched by this
-conquest that, when I afterwards published the opera, I dedicated it to
-her. In the account of my later years in Dresden I shall have more to
-record of the warm sympathy for my new development and dearest artistic
-aims for which I was indebted to her. But of real intercourse we had
-none, and the character of my Dresden life was not affected by this
-acquaintance, otherwise so important in itself.
-
-On the other hand, my theatrical acquaintances thrust themselves with
-irresistible importunancy into the wide foreground of my life, and in
-fact, after my brilliant successes, I was still restricted to the same
-limited and familiar sphere in which I had prepared myself for these
-triumphs. Indeed, the only one who joined my old friends Heine and
-Gaffer Fischer was Tichatschek, with his strange domestic circle. Any
-one who lived in Dresden at that time and chanced to know the court
-lithographer, Furstenau, will be astonished to hear that, without
-really being aware of it myself, I entered into a familiarity that was
-to prove a lasting one with this man who was an intimate friend of
-Tichatschek's. The importance of this singular connection may be judged
-from the fact that my complete withdrawal from him coincided exactly
-with the collapse of my civic position in Dresden.
-
-My good-humoured acceptance of election to the musical committee of the
-Dresden Glee Club also brought me further chance acquaintances. This
-club consisted of a limited number of young merchants and officials,
-who had more taste for any kind of convivial entertainment than for
-music. But it was seduously kept together by a remarkable and ambitious
-man, Professor Lowe, who nursed it with special objects in view, for
-the attainment of which he felt the need of an authority such as I
-possessed at that time in Dresden.
-
-Among other aims he was particularly and chiefly concerned in arranging
-for the transfer of Weber's remains from London to Dresden. As this
-project was one which interested me also, I lent him my support, though
-he was in reality merely following the voice of personal ambition. He
-furthermore desired, as head of the Glee Club--which, by the way, from
-the point of view of music was quite worthless--to invite all the male
-choral unions of Saxony to a great gala performance in Dresden. A
-committee was appointed for the execution of this plan, and as things
-soon became pretty warm, Lowe turned it into a regular revolutionary
-tribunal, over which, as the great day of triumph approached, he
-presided day and night without resting, and by his furious zeal earned
-from me the nickname of 'Robespierre.'
-
-In spite of the fact that I had been placed at the head of this
-enterprise, I luckily managed to evade his terrorism, as I was fully
-occupied with a great composition promised for the festival. The task
-had been assigned to me of writing an important piece for male voices
-only, which, if possible, should occupy half an hour. I reflected that
-the tiresome monotony of male singing, which even the orchestra could
-only enliven to a slight extent, can only be endured by the
-introduction of dramatic themes. I therefore designed a great choral
-scene, selecting the apostolic Pentecost with the outpouring of the
-Holy Ghost as its subject. I completely avoided any real solos, but
-worked out the whole in such a way that it should be executed by
-detached choral masses according to requirement. Out of this
-composition arose my Liebesmahl der Apostel ('Lovefeast of the
-Apostles'), which has recently been performed in various places.
-
-As I was obliged at all costs to finish it within a limited time, I do
-not mind including this in the list of my uninspired compositions. But
-I was not displeased with it when it was done, more especially when it
-was played at the rehearsals given by the Dresden choral societies
-under my personal supervision. When, therefore, twelve hundred singers
-from all parts of Saxony gathered around me in the Frauenkirche, where
-the performance took place, I was astonished at the comparatively
-feeble effect produced upon my ear by this colossal human tangle of
-sounds. The conclusion at which I arrived was, that these enormous
-choral undertakings are folly, and I never again felt inclined to
-repeat the experiment.
-
-It was with much difficulty that I shook myself free of the Dresden
-Glee Club, and I only succeeded in doing so by introducing to Professor
-Lowe another ambitious man in the person of Herr Ferdinand Hiller. My
-most glorious exploit in connection with this association was the
-transfer of Weber's ashes, of which I will speak later on, though it
-occurred at an earlier date. I will only refer now to another
-commissioned composition which, as royal bandmaster, I was officially
-commanded to produce. On the 7th of June of this year (1843) the statue
-of King Frederick Augustus by Rietschl was unveiled in the Dresden
-Zwinger [Footnote: This is the name by which the famous Dresden Art
-Galleries are known.--Editor.] with all due pomp and ceremony. In
-honour of this event I, in collaboration with Mendelssohn, was
-commanded to compose a festal song, and to conduct the gala
-performance. I had written a simple song for male voices of modest
-design, whereas to Mendelssohn had been assigned the more complicated
-task of interweaving the National Anthem (the English 'God Save the
-King,' which in Saxony is called Heil Dir im Rautenkranz) into the male
-chorus he had to compose. This he had effected by an artistic work in
-counterpoint, so arranged that from the first eight beats of his
-original melody the brass instruments simultaneously played the
-Anglo-Saxon popular air. My simpler song seems to have sounded very
-well from a distance, whereas I understood that Mendelssohn's daring
-combination quite missed its effect, because no one could understand
-why the vocalists did not sing the same air as the wind instruments
-were playing. Nevertheless Mendelssohn, who was present, left me a
-written expression of thanks for the pains I had taken in the
-production of his composition. I also received a gold snuff-box from
-the grand gala committee, presumably meant as a reward for my male
-chorus, but the hunting scene which was engraved on the top was so
-badly done that I found, to my surprise, that in several places the
-metal was cut through.
-
-Amid all the distractions of this new and very different mode of life,
-I diligently strove to concentrate and steel my soul against these
-influences, bearing in mind my experiences of success in the past. By
-May of my thirtieth year I had finished my poem Der Venusberg ('The
-Mount of Venus'), as I called Tannhauser at that time. I had not yet by
-any means gained any real knowledge of mediaeval poetry. The classical
-side of the poetry of the Middle Ages had so far only faintly dawned
-upon me, partly from my youthful recollections, and partly from the
-brief acquaintance I had made with it through Lehrs' instruction in
-Paris.
-
-Now that I was secure in the possession of a royal appointment that
-would last my lifetime, the establishment of a permanent domestic
-hearth began to assume great importance; for I hoped it would enable me
-to take up my serious studies once more, and in such a way as to make
-them productive--an aim which my theatrical life and the miseries of my
-years in Paris had rendered impossible. My hope of being able to do
-this was strengthened by the character of my official employment, which
-was never very arduous, and in which I met with exceptional
-consideration from the general management. Though I had only held my
-appointment for a few months, yet I was given a holiday this first
-summer, which I spent in a second visit to Toplitz, a place which I had
-grown to like, and whither I had sent on my wife in advance.
-
-Keenly indeed did I appreciate the change in my position since the
-preceding year. I could now engage four spacious and well-appointed
-rooms in the same house--the Eiche at Schonau--where I had before lived
-in such straitened and frugal circumstances. I invited my sister Clara
-to pay us a visit, and also my good mother, whose gout necessitated her
-taking the Toplitz baths every year. I also seized the opportunity of
-drinking the mineral waters, which I hoped might have a beneficial
-effect on the gastric troubles from which I had suffered ever since my
-vicissitudes in Paris. Unfortunately the attempted cure had a contrary
-effect, and when I complained of the painful irritation produced, I
-learned that my constitution was not adapted for water cures. In fact,
-on my morning promenade, and while drinking my water, I had been
-observed to race through the shady alleys of the adjacent Thurn
-Gardens, and it was pointed out to me that such a cure could only be
-properly wrought by leisurely calm and easy sauntering. It was also
-remarked that I usually carried about a fairly stout volume, and that,
-armed with this and my bottle of mineral water, I used to take rest in
-lonely places.
-
-This book was J. Grimm's German Mythology. All who know the work can
-understand how the unusual wealth of its contents, gathered from every
-side, and meant almost exclusively for the student, would react upon
-me, whose mind was everywhere seeking for something definite and
-distinct. Formed from the scanty fragments of a perished world, of
-which scarcely any monuments remained recognisable and intact, I here
-found a heterogeneous building, which at first glance seemed but a
-rugged rock clothed in straggling brambles. Nothing was finished, only
-here and there could the slightest resemblance to an architectonic line
-be traced, so that I often felt tempted to relinquish the thankless
-task of trying to build from such materials. And yet I was enchained by
-a wondrous magic. The baldest legend spoke to me of its ancient home,
-and soon my whole imagination thrilled with images; long-lost forms for
-which I had sought so eagerly shaped themselves ever more and more
-clearly into realities that lived again. There rose up soon before my
-mind a whole world of figures, which revealed themselves as so
-strangely plastic and primitive, that, when I saw them clearly before
-me and heard their voices in my heart, I could not account for the
-almost tangible familiarity and assurance of their demeanour. The
-effect they produced upon the inner state of my soul I can only
-describe as an entire rebirth. Just as we feel a tender joy over a
-child's first bright smile of recognition, so now my own eyes flashed
-with rapture as I saw a world, revealed, as it were, by miracle, in
-which I had hitherto moved blindly as the babe in its mother's womb.
-
-But the result of this reading did not at first do much to help me in
-my purpose of composing part of the Tannhauser music. I had had a piano
-put in my room at the Eiche, and though I smashed all its strings,
-nothing satisfactory would emerge. With much pain and toil I sketched
-the first outlines of my music for the Venusberg, as fortunately I
-already had its theme in my mind. Meanwhile I was very much troubled by
-excitability and rushes of blood to the brain. I imagined I was ill,
-and lay for whole days in bed, where I read Grimm's German legends, or
-tried to master the disagreeable mythology. It was quite a relief when
-I hit upon the happy thought of freeing myself from the torments of my
-condition by an excursion to Prague. Meanwhile I had already ascended
-Mount Millischau once with my wife, and in her company I now made the
-journey to Prague in an open carriage. There I stayed once more at my
-favourite inn, the Black Horse, met my friend Kittl, who had now grown
-fat and rotund, made various excursions, revelled in the curious
-antiquities of the old city, and learned to my joy that the two lovely
-friends of my youth, Jenny and Auguste Pachta, had been happily married
-to members of the highest aristocracy. Thereupon, having reassured
-myself that everything was in the best possible order, I returned to
-Dresden and resumed my functions as musical conductor to the King of
-Saxony.
-
-We now set to work on the preparations and furnishing of a roomy and
-well-situated house in the Ostra Allee, with an outlook upon the
-Zwinger. Everything was good and substantial, as is only right for a
-man of thirty who is settling down at last for the whole of his life.
-As I had not received any subsidy towards this outlay, I had naturally
-to raise the money by loan. But I could look forward to a certain
-harvest from my operatic successes in Dresden, and what was more
-natural than for me to expect soon to earn more than enough? The three
-most valued treasures which adorned my house were a concert grand piano
-by Breitkopf and Hartel, which I had bought with much pride; a stately
-writing-desk, now in possession of Otto Kummer, the chamber-music
-artist; and the title-page by Cornelius for the Nibelungen, in a
-handsome Gothic frame--the only object which has remained faithful to
-me to the present day. But the thing which above all else made my house
-seem homelike and attractive was the presence of a library, which I
-procured in accordance with a systematic plan laid down by my proposed
-line of study. On the failure of my Dresden career this library passed
-in a curious way into the possession of Herr Heinrich Brockhaus, to
-whom at that time I owed fifteen hundred marks, and who took it as
-security for the amount. My wife knew nothing at the time of this
-obligation, and I never afterwards succeeded in recovering this
-characteristic collection from his hands. Upon its shelves old German
-literature was especially well represented, and also the closely
-related work of the German Middle Ages, including many a costly volume,
-as, for instance, the rare old work, Romans des douze Paris. Beside
-these stood many excellent historical works on the Middle Ages, as well
-as on the German people in general. At the same time I made provision
-for the poetical and classical literature of all times and languages.
-Among these were the Italian poets, Shakespeare and the French writers,
-of whose language I had a passable knowledge. All these I acquired in
-the original, hoping some day to find time to master their neglected
-tongues. As for the Greek and Roman classics, I had to content myself
-with standard German translations. Indeed, on looking once more into my
-Homer--whom I secured in the original Greek--I soon recognised that I
-should be presuming on more leisure than my conductorship was likely to
-leave me, if I hoped to find time for regaining my lost knowledge of
-that language. Moreover, I provided most thoroughly for a study of
-universal history, and to this end did not fail to equip myself with
-the most voluminous works. Thus armed, I thought I could bid defiance
-to all the trials which I clearly foresaw would inevitably accompany my
-calling and position. In hopes, therefore, of long and peaceable
-enjoyment of this hard-earned home, I entered into possession with the
-best of spirits in October of this year (1843), and though my
-conductor's quarters were by no means magnificent, they were stately
-and substantial.
-
-The first leisure in my new home which I could snatch from the claims
-of my profession and my favourite studies was devoted to the
-composition of Tannhauser, the first act of which was completed in
-January of the new year, 1844. I have no recollections of any
-importance regarding my activities in Dresden during this winter. The
-only memorable events were two enterprises which took me away from
-home, the first to Berlin early in the year, for the production of my
-Fliegender Hollander, and the other in March to Hamburg for Rienzi.
-
-Of these the former made the greater impression upon my mind. The
-manager of the Berlin theatre, Kustner, quite took me by surprise when
-he announced the first performance of the Fliegender Hollander for an
-early date.
-
-As the opera house had been burnt down only about a year before, and
-could not possibly have been rebuilt, it had not occurred to me to
-remind them about the production of my opera. It had been performed in
-Dresden with very poor scenic accessories, and knowing how important a
-careful and artistic execution of the difficult scenery was for my
-dramatic sea-scapes, I had relied implicitly on the admirable
-management and staging capacities of the Berlin opera house.
-Consequently I was very much annoyed that the Berlin manager should
-select my opera as a stopgap to be produced at the Comedy Theatre,
-which was being used as a temporary opera house. All remonstrances
-proved useless, for I learned that they were not merely thinking about
-rehearsing the work, but that it was already actually being rehearsed,
-and would be produced in a few days. It was obvious that this
-arrangement meant that my opera was to be condemned to quite a short
-run in their repertoire, as it was not to be expected that they would
-remount it when the new opera house was opened. On the other hand, they
-tried to appease me by saying that this first production of the
-Fliegender Hollander was to be associated with a special engagement of
-Schroder-Devrient, which was to begin in Berlin immediately. They
-naturally thought I should be delighted to see the great actress in my
-own work. But this only confirmed me in the suspicion that this opera
-was simply wanted as a makeshift for the duration of
-Schroder-Devrient's visit. They were evidently in a dilemma with regard
-to her repertoire, which consisted mainly of so-called grand
-operas--such as Meyerbeer's--destined exclusively for the opera house,
-and which were being specially reserved for the brilliant future of the
-new building. I therefore realised beforehand that my Fliegender
-Hollander was to be relegated to the category of conductor's operas,
-and would meet with the usual predestined fate of such productions. The
-whole treatment meted out to me and my works all pointed in the same
-direction; but in consideration of the expected co-operation of
-Schroder-Devrient I fought against these vexatious premonitions, and
-set out for Berlin to do all I could for the success of my opera. I saw
-at once that my presence was very necessary. I found the conductor's
-desk occupied by a man calling himself Conductor Henning (or Henniger),
-an official who had won promotion from the ranks of ordinary musicians
-by an upright observance of the laws of seniority, but who knew
-precious little about conducting an orchestra at all, and about my
-opera had not the faintest glimmer of an idea. I took my seat at the
-desk, and conducted one full rehearsal and two performances, in neither
-of which, however, did Schroder-Devrient take part. Although I found
-much to complain of in the weakness of the string instruments and the
-consequent mean sound of the orchestra, yet I was well satisfied with
-the actors both as regards their capacity and their zeal. The careful
-staging, moreover, which under the supervision of the really gifted
-stage manager, Blum, and with the co-operation of his skilful and
-ingenious mechanics, was truly excellent, gave me a most pleasant
-surprise.
-
-I was now very curious to learn what effect these pleasing and
-encouraging preparations would have upon the Berlin public when the
-full performance took place. My experiences on this point were very
-curious. Apparently the only thing that interested the large audience
-was to discover my weak points. During the first act the prevalent
-opinion seemed to be that I belonged to the category of bores. Not a
-single hand was moved, and I was afterwards informed that this was
-fortunate, as the slightest attempt at applause would have been
-ascribed to a paid claque, and would have been energetically opposed.
-Kustner alone assured me that the composure with which, on the close of
-this act, I quitted my desk and appeared before the curtain, had filled
-him with wonder, considering this entire absence--lucky as it appears
-to have been--of all applause. But so long as I myself felt content
-with the execution, I was not disposed to let the public apathy
-discourage me, knowing, as I did, that the crucial test was in the
-second act.
-
-It lay, therefore, much nearer my heart to do all I could for the
-success of this than to inquire into the reasons for this attitude on
-the part of the Berlin public. And here the ice was really broken at
-last. The audience seemed to abandon all idea of finding a proper niche
-for me, and allowed itself to be carried away into giving vent to
-applause, which at last grew into the most boisterous enthusiasm. At
-the close of the act, amid a storm of shouts, I led forward my singers
-on to the stage for the customary bows of thanks. As the third act was
-too short to be tedious, and as the scenic effects were both new and
-impressive, we could not help hoping that we had won a veritable
-triumph, especially as renewed outbursts of applause marked the end of
-the performance. Mendelssohn, who happened at that time to be in
-Berlin, with Meyerbeer, on business relating to the general musical
-conductorship, was present in a stage box during this performance. He
-followed its progress with a pale face, and afterwards came and
-murmured to me in a weary tone of voice, 'Well, I should think you are
-satisfied now!' I met him several times during my brief stay in
-Berlin., and also spent an evening with him listening to various pieces
-of chamber-music. But never did another word concerning the Fliegender
-Hollander pass his lips, beyond inquiries as to the second performance,
-and as to whether Devrient or some one else would appear in it. I
-heard, moreover, that he had responded with equal indifference to the
-earnest warmth of my allusions to his own music for the Midsummer
-Night's Dream, which was being frequently played at that time, and
-which I had heard for the first time. The only thing he discussed with
-any detail was the actor Gern, who was playing in Zettel, and who he
-considered was overacting his part.
-
-A few days later came a second performance with the same cast. My
-experiences on this evening were even more startling than on the
-former. Evidently the first night had won me a few friends, who were
-again present, for they began to applaud after the overture. But others
-responded with hisses, and for the rest of the evening no one again
-ventured to applaud. My old friend Heine had arrived in the meantime
-from Dresden, sent by our own board of directors to study the scenic
-arrangements of the Midsummer Night's Dream for our theatre. He was
-present at this second performance, and had persuaded me to accept the
-invitation from one of his Berlin relatives to have supper after the
-performance in a wine-bar unter den Linden. Very weary, I followed him
-to a nasty and badly lighted house, where I gulped down the wine with
-hasty ill-humour to warm myself, and listened to the embarrassed
-conversation of my good-natured friend and his companion, whilst I
-turned over the day's papers. I now had ample leisure to read the
-criticisms they contained on the first performance of my Fliegender
-Hollander. A terrible spasm cut my heart as I realised the contemptible
-tone and unparalleled shamelessness of their raging ignorance regarding
-my own name and work. Our Berlin friend and host, a thorough
-Philistine, said that he had known how things would go in the theatre
-that night, after having read these criticisms in the morning. The
-people of Berlin, he added, wait to hear what Rellstab and his mates
-have to say, and then they know how to behave. The good fellow was
-anxious to cheer me up, and ordered one wine after another. Heine
-hunted up his reminiscences of our merry Rienzi times in Dresden, until
-at last the pair conducted me, staggering along in an addled condition,
-to my hotel.
-
-It was already midnight. As I was being lighted by the waiter through
-its gloomy corridors to my room, a gentleman in black, with a pale
-refined face, came forward and said he would like to speak to me. He
-informed me that he had waited there since the close of the play, and
-as he was determined to see me, had stopped till now. I excused myself
-on the ground of being quite unfit for business, and added that,
-although not exactly inclined to merriment, I had, as he might
-perceive, somewhat foolishly drunk a little too much wine. This I said
-in a stammering voice; but my strange visitor seemed only the more
-unwilling to be repulsed. He accompanied me to my room, declaring that
-it was all the more imperative for him to speak with me. We seated
-ourselves in the cold room, by the meagre light of a single candle, and
-then he began to talk. In flowing and impressive language he related
-that he had been present at the performance that night of my Fliegender
-Hollander, and could well conceive the humour in which the evening's
-experiences had left me. For this very reason he felt that nothing
-should hinder him from speaking to me that night, and telling me that
-in the Fliegender Hollander I had produced an unrivalled masterpiece.
-Moreover, the acquaintance he had made with this work had awakened in
-him a new and unforeseen hope for the future of German art; and that it
-would be a great pity if I yielded to any sense of discouragement as
-the result of the unworthy reception accorded to it by the Berlin
-public. My hair began to stand on end. One of Hoffmann's fantastic
-creations had entered bodily into my life. I could find nothing to say,
-except to inquire the name of my visitor, at which he seemed surprised,
-as I had talked with him the day before at Mendelssohn's house. He said
-that my conversation and manner had created such an impression upon him
-there, and had filled him with such sudden regret at not having
-sufficiently overcome his dislike for opera in general, to be present
-at the first performance, that he had at once resolved not to miss the
-second. His name, he added, was Professor Werder. That was no use to
-me, I said, he must write his name down. Getting paper and ink, he did
-as I desired, and we parted. I flung myself unconsciously on the bed
-for a deep and invigorating sleep. Next morning I was fresh and well. I
-paid a farewell call on Schroeder-Devrient, who promised me to do all
-she could for the Fliegender Hollander as soon as possible, drew my fee
-of a hundred ducats, and set off for home. On my way through Leipzig I
-utilised my ducats for the repayment of sundry advances made me by my
-relatives during the earlier and poverty-stricken period of my sojourn
-in Dresden, and then continued my journey, to recuperate among my books
-and meditate upon the deep impression made on me by Werder's midnight
-visit.
-
-Before the end of this winter I received a genuine invitation to
-Hamburg for the performance of Rienzi. The enterprising director, Herr
-Cornet, through whom it came, confessed that he had many difficulties
-to contend against in the management of his theatre, and was in need of
-a great success. This, after the reception with which it had met in
-Dresden, he thought he could secure by the production of Rienzi. I
-accordingly betook myself thither in the month of March. The journey at
-that time was not an easy one, as after Hanover one had to proceed by
-mail-coach, and the crossing of the Elbe, which was full of floating
-ice, was a risky business. Owing to a great fire that had recently
-broken out, the town of Hamburg was in process of being rebuilt, and
-there were still many wide spaces encumbered with ruins. Cold weather
-and an ever-gloomy sky make my recollections of my somewhat prolonged
-sojourn in this town anything but agreeable. I was tormented to such an
-extent by having to rehearse with bad material, fit only for the
-poorest theatrical trumpery, that, worn out and exposed to constant
-colds, I spent most of my leisure time in the solitude of my inn
-chamber. My earlier experiences of ill-arranged and badly managed
-theatres came back to me afresh. I was particularly depressed when I
-realised that I had made myself an unconscious accomplice of Director
-Cornet's basest interests. His one aim was to create a sensation, which
-he thought should be of great service to me also; and not only did he
-put me off with a smaller fee, but even suggested that it should be
-paid by gradual instalments. The dignity of scenic decoration, of which
-he had not the smallest idea, was completely sacrificed to the most
-ridiculous and tawdry showiness. He imagined that pageantry was all
-that was really needed to secure my success. So he hunted out all the
-old fairy-ballet costumes from his stock, and fancied that if they only
-looked gay enough, and if plenty of people were bustling about on the
-stage, I ought to be satisfied. But the most sorry item of all was the
-singer he provided for the title-role. He was a man of the name of
-Wurda, an elderly, flabby and voiceless tenor, who sang Rienzi with the
-expression of a lover--like Elvino, for instance, in the Somnanibula.
-He was so dreadful that I conceived the idea of making the Capitol
-tumble down in the second act, so as to bury him sooner in its ruins, a
-plan which would have cut out several of the processions, which were so
-dear to the heart of the director. I found my one ray of light in a
-lady singer, who delighted me with the fire with which she played the
-part of Adriano. This was a Mme. Fehringer, who was afterwards engaged
-by Liszt for the role of Ortrud in the production of Lohengrin at
-Weimar, but by that time her powers had greatly deteriorated. Nothing
-could be more depressing than my connection with this opera under such
-dismal circumstances. And yet there were no outward signs of failure.
-The manager hoped in any case to keep Rienzi in his repertoire until
-Tichatschek was able to come to Hamburg and give the people of that
-town a true idea of the play. This actually took place in the following
-summer.
-
-My discouragement and ill-humour did not escape the notice of Herr
-Cornet, and discovering that I wished to present my wife with a parrot,
-he managed to procure a very fine bird, which he gave me as a parting
-gift. I carried it with me in its narrow cage on my melancholy journey
-home, and was touched to find that it quickly repaid my care and became
-very much attached to me. Minna greeted me with great joy when she saw
-this beautiful grey parrot, for she regarded it as a self-evident proof
-that I should do something in life. We already had a pretty little dog,
-born on the day of the first Rienzi rehearsal in Dresden, which, owing
-to its passionate devotion to myself, was much petted by all who knew
-me and visited my house during those years. This sociable bird, which
-had no vices and was an apt scholar, now formed an addition to our
-household; and the pair did much to brighten our dwelling in the
-absence of children. My wife soon taught the bird snatches of songs
-from Rienzi, with which it would good-naturedly greet me from a
-distance when it heard me coming up the stairs.
-
-And thus at last my domestic hearth seemed to be established with every
-possible prospect of a comfortable competency.
-
-No further excursions for the performance of any of my operas took
-place, for the simple reason that no such performances were given. As I
-saw it was quite clear that the diffusion of my works through the
-theatrical world would be a very slow business, I concluded that this
-was probably due to the fact that no adaptations of them for the piano
-existed. I therefore thought that I should do well to press forward
-such an issue at all costs, and in order to secure the expected
-profits, I hit upon the idea of publishing at my own expense. I
-accordingly made arrangements with F. Meser, the court music-dealer,
-who had hitherto not got beyond the publication of a valse, and signed
-an agreement with him for his firm to appear as the nominal publishers
-on the understanding that they should receive a commission of ten per
-cent, whilst I provided the necessary capital.
-
-As there were two operas to be issued, including Rienzi, a work of
-exceptional bulk, it was not likely that these publications would prove
-very profitable unless, in addition to the usual piano selections, I
-also published adaptations, such as the music without words, for duet
-or solo. For this a fairly large capital was necessary. I also needed
-funds for the repayment of the loans already mentioned, and for the
-settlement of old debts, as well as to pay off the remaining expenses
-of my house-furnishing. I was therefore obliged to try and procure much
-larger sums. I laid my project and its motive before Schroder-Devrient,
-who had just returned to Dresden, at Easter, 1844, to fulfil a fresh
-engagement. She believed in the future of my works, recognised the
-peculiarity of my position, as well as the correctness of my
-calculations, and declared her willingness to provide the necessary
-capital for the publication of my operas, refusing to consider the act
-as one involving any sacrifice on her part. This money she proposed to
-get by selling out her investments in Polish state-bonds, and I was to
-pay the customary rate of interest. The thing was so easily done, and
-seemed so much a matter of course, that I at once made all needful
-arrangements with my Leipzig printer, and set to work on the
-publication of my operas.
-
-When the amount of work delivered brought with it a demand for
-considerable payments on account, I approached my friend for a first
-advance. And here I became confronted with a new phase of that famous
-lady's life, which placed me in a position which proved as disastrous
-as it was unexpected. After having broken away from the unlucky Herr
-von Munchhausen some time previously, and returned, as it appeared,
-with penitential ardour to her former connection with my friend,
-Hermann Muller, it now turned out that she had found no real
-satisfaction in this fresh relationship. On the contrary, the star of
-her being, whom she had so long and ardently desired, had now at last
-arisen in the person of another lieutenant of the Guards. With a
-vehemence which made light of her treachery to her old friend, she
-elected this slim young man, whose moral and intellectual weaknesses
-were patent to every eye, as the chosen keystone of her life's love. He
-took the good luck that befell him so seriously, that he would brook no
-jesting, and at once laid hands on the fortune of his future wife, as
-he considered that it was disadvantageously and insecurely invested,
-and thought that he knew of much more profitable ways of employing it.
-My friend therefore explained, with much pain and evident
-embarrassment, that she had renounced all control over her capital, and
-was unable to keep her promise to me.
-
-Owing to this I entered upon a series of entanglements and troubles
-which henceforth dominated my life, and plunged me into sorrows that
-left their dismal mark on all my subsequent enterprises. It was clear
-that I could not now abandon the proposed plan of publication. The only
-satisfactory solution of my perplexities was to be found in the
-execution of my project and the success which I hoped would attend it.
-I was compelled, therefore, to turn all my energies to the raising of
-the money wherewith to publish my two operas, to which in all
-probability Tannhauser would shortly have to be added. I first applied
-to my friends, and in some cases had to pay exorbitant rates of
-interest, even for short terms. For the present these details are
-sufficient to prepare the reader for the catastrophe towards which I
-was now inevitably drifting.
-
-The hopelessness of my position did not at first reveal itself. There
-seemed no reason to despair of the eventual spread of my operatic works
-among the theatres in Germany, though my experience of them indicated
-that the process would be slow. In spite of the depressing experiences
-in Berlin and Hamburg, there were many encouraging signs to be seen.
-Above all, Rienzi maintained its position in favour of the people of
-Dresden, a place which undoubtedly occupied a position of great
-importance, especially during the summer months, when so many strangers
-from all parts of the world pass through it. My opera, which was not to
-be heard anywhere else, was in great request, both among the Germans
-and other visitors, and was always received with marked approbation,
-which surprised me very much. Thus a performance of Rienzi, especially
-in summer, became quite a Dionysian revelry, whose effect upon me could
-not fail to be encouraging.
-
-On one occasion Liszt was among the number of these visitors. As Rienzi
-did not happen to be in the repertoire when he arrived, he induced the
-management at his earnest request to arrange a special performance. I
-met him between the acts in Tichatschek's dressing-room, and was
-heartily encouraged and touched by his almost enthusiastic
-appreciation, expressed in his most emphatic manner. The kind of life
-to which Liszt was at that time condemned, and which bound him to a
-perpetual environment of distracting and exciting elements, debarred us
-from all more intimate and fruitful intercourse. Yet from this time
-onward I continued to receive constant testimonies of the profound and
-lasting impression I had made upon him, as well as of his sympathetic
-remembrance of me. From various parts of the world, wherever his
-triumphal progress led him, people, chiefly of the upper classes, came
-to Dresden for the purpose of hearing Rienzi. They had been so
-interested by Liszt's reports of my work, and by his playing of various
-selections from it, that they all came expecting something of
-unparalleled importance.
-
-Besides these indications of Liszt's enthusiastic and friendly
-sympathy, other deeply touching testimonies appeared from different
-quarters. The startling beginning made by Werder, on the occasion of
-his midnight visit after the second performance of the Fliegender
-Hollander in Berlin, was shortly afterwards followed by a similarly
-unsolicited approach in the form of an effusive letter from an equally
-unknown personage, Alwino Frommann, who afterwards became my faithful
-friend. After my departure from Berlin she heard Schroder-Devrient
-twice in the Fliegender Hollander, and the letter in which she
-described the effect produced upon her by my work conveyed to me for
-the first time the vigorous and profound sentiments of a deep and
-confident recognition such as seldom falls to the lot of even the
-greatest master, and cannot fail to exercise a weighty influence on his
-mind and spirit, which long for self-confidence.
-
-I have no very vivid recollections of my own doings during this first
-year of my position as conductor in a sphere of action which gradually
-grew more and more familiar. For the anniversary of my appointment, and
-to some extent as a personal recognition, I was commissioned to procure
-Gluck's Armida. This we performed in March, 1843, with the co-operation
-of Schroder-Devrient, just before her temporary departure from Dresden.
-Great importance was attached to this production, because, at the same
-moment, Meyerbeer was inaugurating his general-directorship in Berlin
-by a performance of the same work. Indeed, it was in Berlin that the
-extraordinary respect entertained for such a commemoration of Gluck had
-its origin. I was told that Meyerbeer went to Rellstab with the score
-of Armida in order to obtain hints as to its correct interpretation.
-
-As not long afterwards I also heard a strange story of two silver
-candlesticks, wherewith the famous composer was said, to have
-enlightened the no less famous critic when showing him the score of his
-Feldlager in Schlesien, I decided to attach no great importance to the
-instructions he might have received, but rather to help myself by a
-careful handling of this difficult score, and by introducing some
-softness into it through modulating the variations in tone as much as
-possible. I had the gratification later of receiving an exceedingly
-warm appreciation of my rendering from Herr Eduard Devrient, a great
-Gluck connoisseur. After hearing this opera as presented by us, and
-comparing it with the Berlin performance, he heartily praised the
-tenderly modulated character of our rendering of certain parts, which,
-he said, had been given in Berlin with the coarsest bluntness. He
-mentioned, as a striking instance of this, a brief chorus in C major of
-male and female nymphs in the third act. By the introduction of a more
-moderate tempo and very soft piano I had tried to free this from the
-original coarseness with which Devrient had heard it rendered in
-Berlin--presumably with traditional fidelity. My most innocent device,
-and one which I frequently adopted, for disguising the irritating
-stiffness or the orchestral movement in the original, was a careful
-modification of the Basso-continuo, which was taken uninterruptedly in
-common time. This I felt obliged to remedy, partly by legato playing,
-and partly by pizzicato.
-
-Our management were lavish in their expenditure on externals,
-especially decoration, and as a spectacular opera the piece drew fairly
-large houses, thus earning me the reputation of being a very suitable
-conductor for Gluck, and one who was in close sympathy with him. This
-result was the more conspicuous from the fact that Iphigenia in Tauris
-which is a far superior work, and in which Devrient's interpretation of
-the title-role was admirable had been performed to empty houses.
-
-I had to live upon this reputation for a long time, as it often
-happened that I was compelled to give inferior performances of
-repertoire pieces, including Mozart's operas. The mediocrity of these
-was particularly disappointing to those who, after my success in
-Armida, had expected a great deal from my rendering of these pieces,
-and were much disappointed in consequence. Even sympathetic hearers
-sought to explain their disappointment on the ground that I did not
-appreciate Mozart and could not understand him. But they failed to
-realise how impossible it was for me, as a mere conductor, to exercise
-any real influence on such desultory performances, which were merely
-given as stopgaps, and often without rehearsal. Indeed, in this matter
-I often found myself in a false position, which, as I was powerless to
-remedy it, contributed not a little to render unbearable both my new
-office and my dependence upon the meanest motives of a paltry
-theatrical routine, already overweighted with the cares of business.
-This, in fact, became worse than I had expected, in spite of my
-previous knowledge of the precariousness of such a life. My colleague
-Reissiger, to whom from time to time I poured out my woes regarding the
-scant attention given by the general management to our demands for the
-maintenance of correct representations in the realm of opera, comforted
-me by saying that I, like himself, would sooner or later relinquish all
-these fads and submit to the inevitable fate of a conductor. Thereupon
-he proudly smote his stomach, and hoped that I might soon be able to
-boast of one as round as his own.
-
-I received further provocation for my growing dislike of these jog-trot
-methods from a closer acquaintance with the spirit in which even
-eminent conductors undertook the reproduction of our masterpieces.
-During this first year Mendelssohn was invited to conduct his St. Paul
-for one of the Palm Sunday concerts in the Dresden chapel, which was
-famous at that time. The knowledge I thus acquired of this work, under
-such favourable circumstances, pleased me so much, that I made a fresh
-attempt to approach the composer with sincere and friendly motives; but
-a remarkable conversation which I had with him on the evening of this
-performance quickly and strangely repelled my impulse. After the
-oratorio Reissiger was to produce Beethoven's Eighth Symphony. I had
-noticed in the preceding rehearsal that Keissiger had fallen into the
-error of all the ordinary conductors of this work by taking the tempo
-di minuetto of the third movement at a meaningless waltz time, whereby
-not only does the whole piece lose its imposing character, but the trio
-is rendered absolutely ridiculous by the impossibility of the
-violoncello part being interpreted at such a speed. I had called
-Reissiger's attention to this defect, and he acquiesced in my opinion,
-promising to take the part in question at true minuetto tempo. I
-related this to Mendelssohn, when he was resting after his own
-performance in the box beside me, listening to the symphony. He, too,
-acknowledged that I was right, and thought that it ought to be played
-as I said. And now the third movement began. Reissiger, who, it is
-true, did not possess the needful power suddenly to impress so
-momentous a change of time upon his orchestra with success, followed
-the usual custom and took the tempo di minuetto in the same old waltz
-time. Just as I was about to express my anger, Mendelssohn gave me a
-friendly nod, as though he thought that this was what I wanted, and
-that I had understood the music in this way. I was so amazed by this
-complete absence of feeling on the part of the famous musician, that I
-was struck dumb, and thenceforth my own particular opinion of
-Mendelssohn gradually matured, an opinion which was afterwards
-confirmed by R. Schumann. The latter, in expressing the sincere
-pleasure he had felt on listening to the time at which I had taken the
-first movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, told me that he had been
-compelled to hear it year after year taken by Mendelssohn at a
-perfectly distracting speed.
-
-Amid my yearning anxiety to exert some influence upon the spirit in
-which our noblest masterpieces were executed, I had to struggle against
-the profound dissatisfaction I felt with my employment on the ordinary
-theatre repertoire. It was not until Palm Sunday of the year 1844, just
-after my dispiriting expedition to Hamburg, that my desire to conduct
-the Pastoral Symphony was satisfied. But many faults still remained
-unremedied, and for the removal of these I had to adopt indirect
-methods which gave me much trouble. For instance, at these famous
-concerts the arrangement of the orchestra, the members of which were
-seated in a long, thin, semicircular row round the chorus of singers,
-was so inconceivably stupid that it required the explanation given by
-Reissiger to make me understand such folly. He told me that all these
-arrangements dated from the time of the late conductor Morlacchi, who,
-as an Italian composer of operas, had no true realisation of the
-importance of the orchestra nor of its necessities. When, therefore, I
-asked why they had permitted him to meddle with things he did not
-understand, I learned that the preference shown to this Italian, both
-by the court and the general management, even in opposition to Carl
-Maria von Weber, had always been absolute and brooked no contradiction.
-I was warned that, even now, we should experience great difficulty in
-ridding ourselves of these inherited vices, because the opinion still
-prevailed in the highest circles that he must have understood best what
-he was about.
-
-Once more my childish memories of the eunuch Sassaroli flashed through
-my mind, and I remembered the warning of Weber's widow as to the
-significance of my succession to her husband's post of conductor in
-Dresden. But, in spite of all this, our performance of the Pastoral
-Symphony succeeded beyond expectation, and the incomparable and
-wonderfully stimulating enjoyment, which I was in future to derive from
-my intercourse with Beethoven's works, now first enabled me to realise
-his prolific strength. Kockel shared in this enjoyment with heartfelt
-sympathy; he supported me with eye and ear at every rehearsal, always
-stood by my side, and was at one with me both in his appreciation and
-his aims.
-
-After this encouraging success I was to receive the gratification of
-another triumph in the summer, which, although it was of no particular
-moment from the musical point of view, was of great social importance.
-The King of Saxony, towards whom, as I have already said, I had felt
-warmly drawn when he was Prince Friedrich, was expected home from a
-long visit to England. The reports received of his stay there had
-greatly rejoiced my patriotic soul. While this homely monarch, who
-shrank from all pomp and noisy demonstration, was in England, it
-happened that the Tsar Nicholas arrived quite unexpectedly on a visit
-to the Queen. In his honour great festivities and military reviews were
-held, in which our King, much against his will, was obliged to
-participate, and he was consequently compelled to receive the
-enthusiastic acclamations of the English crowd, who were most
-demonstrative in showing their preference for him, as compared with the
-unpopular Tsar. This preference was also reflected in the newspapers,
-so that a flattering incense floated over from England to our little
-Saxony which filled us all with a peculiar pride in our King. While I
-was in this mood, which absorbed me completely, I learned that
-preparations were being made in Leipzig for a special welcome to the
-King on his return, which was to be further dignified by a musical
-festival in the directing of which Mendelssohn was to take part. I made
-inquiries as to what was going to be done in Dresden, and learned that
-the King did not propose to call there at all, but was going direct to
-his summer residence at Pillnitz.
-
-A moment's reflection showed me that this would only further my desire
-of preparing a pleasant and hearty reception for his Majesty. As I was
-a servant of the Crown, any attempt on my part to render an act of
-homage in Dresden might have had the appearance of an official parade
-which would not be admissible. I seized the idea, therefore, of
-hurriedly collecting together all who could either play or sing, so
-that we might perform a Reception song hastily composed in honour of
-the event. The obstacle to my plan was that my Director Luttichau was
-away at one of his country seats. To come to an understanding with my
-colleague Reissiger would, moreover, have involved delay, and given the
-enterprise the very aspect of an official ovation which I wished to
-avoid. As no time was to be lost, if anything worthy of the occasion
-was to be done--as the King was due to arrive in a few days--I availed
-myself of my position as conductor of the Glee Club, and summoned all
-its singers and instrumentalists to my aid. In addition to these, I
-invited the members of our theatrical company, and also those of the
-orchestra, to join us. This done, I drove quickly to Pillnitz to
-arrange matters with the Lord Chamberlain, whom I found favourably
-disposed towards my project. The only leisure I could snatch for
-composing the verses of my song and setting them to music was during
-the rapid drive there and back, for by the time I reached home I had to
-have every thing ready for the copyist and lithographer. The agreeable
-sensation of rushing through the warm summer air and lovely country,
-coupled with the sincere affection with which I was inspired for our
-German Prince, and which had prompted my effort, elated me and worked
-me up to a high pitch of tension, in which I now formed a clear
-conception of the lyrical outlines of the 'Tannhauser March,' which
-first saw the light of day on the occasion of this royal welcome. I
-soon afterwards developed this theme, and thus produced the march which
-became the most popular of the melodies I had hitherto composed.
-
-On the next day it had to be tried over with a hundred and twenty
-instrumentalists and three hundred singers. I had taken the liberty of
-inviting them to meet me on the stage of the Court Theatre, where
-everything went off capitally. Every one was delighted, and I not the
-least so, when a messenger arrived from the director, who had just
-returned to town, requesting an immediate interview. Littichau was
-enraged beyond measure at my high-handed proceedings in this matter, of
-which he had been informed by our good friend Reissiger. If his
-baronial coronet had been on his head during this interview, it would
-assuredly have tumbled off. The fact that I should have conducted my
-negotiations in person with the court officials, and could report that
-my endeavours had met with extraordinarily prompt success, aroused his
-deepest fury, for the chief importance of his own position consisted in
-always representing everything which had to be obtained by these means
-as surrounded by the greatest obstacles, and hedged in by the strictest
-etiquette. I offered to cancel everything, but that only embarrassed
-him the more. I thereupon asked him what he wanted me to do, if the
-plan was still to be carried out. On this point he seemed uncertain,
-but thought I had shown a great lack of fellow-feeling in having not
-only ignored him, but Reissiger as well. I answered that I was
-perfectly ready to hand over my composition and the conducting of the
-piece to Reissiger. But he could not swallow this, as he really had an
-exceedingly poor opinion of Reissiger, of which I was very well aware.
-His real grievance was that I had arranged the whole business with the
-Lord Chamberlain, Herr von Reizenstein, who was his personal enemy, and
-he added that I could form no conception of the rudeness he had been
-obliged to endure from the hands of this official. This outburst of
-confidence made it easier for me to exhibit an almost sincere emotion,
-to which he responded by a shrug of the shoulders, meaning that he must
-resign himself to a disagreeable necessity.
-
-But my project was even more seriously threatened by the wretched
-weather than by this storm with the director; for it rained all day in
-torrents. If it lasted, which it seemed only too likely to do, I could
-hardly start on the special boat at five o'clock in the morning, as
-proposed, with my hundreds of helpers, to give an early morning concert
-at Pillnitz, two hours away. I anticipated such a disaster with genuine
-dismay. But Rockel consoled me by saying that I could rely upon it that
-we should have glorious weather the next day; for I was lucky! This
-belief in my luck has followed me ever since, even down to my latest
-days; and amid the great misfortunes which have so often hampered my
-enterprises, I have felt as if this statement were a wicked insult to
-fate. But this time, at least, my friend was right; the 12th of August,
-1844 was from sunrise till late at night the most perfect summer day
-that I can remember in my whole life. The sensation of blissful content
-with which I saw my light-hearted legion of gaily dressed bandsmen and
-singers gathering through the auspicious morning mists on board our
-steamer, swelled my breast with a fervent faith in my lucky star.
-
-By my friendly impetuosity I had succeeded in overcoming Reissiger's
-smouldering resentment, and had persuaded him to share the honour of
-our undertaking by conducting the performance of my composition
-himself. When we arrived at the spot, everything went off splendidly.
-The King and royal family were visibly touched, and in the evil times
-that followed the Queen of Saxony spoke of this occasion, I am told,
-with peculiar emotion, as the fairest day of her life. After Reissiger
-had wielded his baton with great dignity, and I had sung with the
-tenors in the choir, we two conductors were summoned to the presence of
-the royal family. The King warmly expressed his thanks, while the Queen
-paid us the high compliment of saying that I composed very well and
-that Reissiger conducted very well. His Majesty asked us to repeat the
-last three stanzas only, as, owing to a painful ulcerated tooth, he
-could not remain much longer out of doors. I rapidly devised a combined
-evolution, the remarkably successful execution of which I am very
-proud, even to this day. I had the entire song repeated, but, in
-accordance with the King's wish, only one verse was sung in our
-original crescent formation. At the beginning of the second verse I
-made my four hundred undisciplined bandsmen and singers file off in a
-march through the garden, which, as they gradually receded, was so
-arranged that the final notes could only reach the royal ear as an
-echoing dream-song. Thanks to my unexampled activity and ever-present
-help, this retreat was so steadily carried out that not the slightest
-faltering was perceptible either in time or delivery, and the whole
-might have been taken for a carefully rehearsed theatrical manoeuvre.
-On reaching the castle court we found that, by the Queen's kindly
-forethought, an ample breakfast had been provided for our party on the
-lawn, where the tables were already spread. We often saw our royal
-hostess herself busily supervising the attendants, or moving with
-excited delight about the windows and corridors of the castle. Every
-eye beamed rapture to my soul, as the successful author of the general
-happiness, and I almost felt amid the glories of that day as though the
-millennium had been proclaimed. After roaming in a body through the
-lovely grounds of the castle, and not omitting to pay a visit to the
-Keppgrund which had been so dear to me in my youth, we returned late at
-night, and in the highest spirits, to Dresden.
-
-Next morning I was again summoned to the presence of the director. But
-a change had come over him during the night.
-
-As I began to offer my apologies for the anxiety I had caused him, the
-tall thin man, with the hard dry face, seized me by the hand and
-addressed me with a rapturous expression, which I am sure no one else
-ever saw on his face. He told me to say no more about these anxieties.
-I was a great man, and soon no one would know anything about him,
-whereas I should be universally admired and loved. I was deeply moved,
-and wished only to express my embarrassment at so unexpected an
-outburst, when he kindly interrupted me and sought an escape from his
-own emotion in good-humoured confidences. He referred, with a smile, to
-the self-denial which had yielded the place of honour on so
-extraordinary an occasion to an undeserving man like Reissiger. When I
-assured him that this act had afforded me the liveliest satisfaction,
-and that I had myself persuaded my colleague to take the baton, he
-confessed that at last he began to understand me, but failed altogether
-to comprehend how the other could accept a position to which he had no
-right.
-
-Luttichau's altered attitude towards me was such that for some time our
-intercourse on matters of business assumed an almost confidential tone.
-But, unfortunately, in course of time things changed for the worse, so
-that our relationship became one of open enmity; nevertheless, a
-certain peculiar tenderness towards me on the part of this singular man
-was always clearly perceptible. Indeed, I might almost say that much of
-his subsequent abuse of me sounded more like the strangely perverted
-plaints of a love that met with no response.
-
-For my holiday this year I went, early in September, to Fischer's
-vineyard, near Loschwitz, not far from the famous Firidlater vineyard,
-where, somewhat late in the year, I rented a summer residence. Where
-under the kindly and strengthening stimulus of six week of open-air
-life, I composed my music for the second act of Tannhauser, which I
-completed by the 15th of October. During this period a performance of
-Rienzi was given before an audience of no ordinary importance. For this
-event I went up to town. Spontini, Meyerbeer, and General Lwoff, the
-composer of the Russian National Anthem, were seated together in a
-stage box. I sought no opportunity of learning the impression made by
-my opera upon these learned judges and magnates of the musical world.
-It was enough for me to have the complacent satisfaction of knowing
-that they had heard my oft-repeated work performed before a crowded
-house and amid overwhelming applause. I was delighted at the close of
-the opera to have my little dog Peps, which had run after me all the
-way from the country, brought to me; and without waiting to greet the
-European celebrities, I drove off with it at once to our quiet
-vineyard, where Minna was greatly relieved to recover her little pet,
-which for hours she had believed to be lost.
-
-Here I also received a visit from Werder, the man whose friendship I
-had made in Berlin under such dramatic circumstances. But this time he
-appeared in ordinary human guise, beneath the kindly light of heaven,
-by which we disputed in a friendly way concerning the true worth of the
-Fliegender Hollander, my mind having somewhat turned against this work
-since Tannhauser had got into my head. It certainly seemed odd to find
-myself contradicted on this point by my friend, and to receive
-instruction from him on the significance of my own work.
-
-When we returned to our winter quarters I tried to avoid allowing so
-lengthy an interval to elapse between the composition of the second and
-third acts as had separated that of the first and second. In spite of
-many absorbing engagements I succeeded in my aim. By carefully
-cultivating a habit of taking solitary walks, and thanks to their
-soothing influence over me, I managed to finish the music of Act iii.
-by the 29th of December, that is to say, before the end of the year.
-
-During this period my time was otherwise very seriously occupied by a
-visit paid us by Spontini with reference to a proposed presentation of
-his Vestalin, the preparation for which had just begun. The singular
-episodes and characteristic features of the intercourse which I thus
-gained with this eminent and hoary-headed master are still so vividly
-imprinted on my memory that they seem worthy of a place in this record.
-
-Since, with the co-operation of Schroder-Devrient, we could, on the
-whole, rely upon an admirable presentation of the opera, I had inspired
-Luttichau with the idea of inviting Spontini to undertake the personal
-superintendence of his justly famous work. He had just left Berlin for
-ever, after enduring great humiliation there, and such an invitation at
-this moment would be a well-timed proof of respect. This was
-accordingly sent, and as I had myself been entrusted with the
-conductorship of the opera, I was given the singular task of deciding
-this point with the master. My letter, it appears, although written in
-French, inspired him with a high opinion of my zeal for the enterprise,
-and in a gracious reply he informed me what his special wishes were
-regarding the arrangements to be made for his collaboration. As far as
-the vocalists were concerned, and seeing that a Schroder-Devrient was
-among the number, he frankly expressed his satisfaction. As for chorus
-and ballet, he took it for granted that nothing would be lacking to the
-dignity of the performance; and finally, as regarded the orchestra, he
-expected that this also would be sure to please him, as he presumed it
-contained the necessary complement of excellent instruments which, to
-use his own words, 'he hoped would furnish the performance with twelve
-good contrabass!' (le tout garni de douze bonnes contre-basses). This
-phrase bowled me over, for the proportion thus bluntly stated in
-figures gave me so logical a conception of his exalted expectations,
-that I hurried away at once to the director to warn him that the
-enterprise on which we had embarked would not, after all, prove as easy
-as we thought. His alarm was great, and he said that some plan must at
-once be devised for breaking off the engagement.
-
-When Schroder-Devrient heard of our dilemma, knowing Spontini well, she
-laughed as though she would never stop at the ingenuous impudence with
-which we had issued our invitation. A trifling indisposition from which
-she then suffered provided a reasonable excuse for a delay, more or
-less prolonged, and this she generously placed at our disposal.
-Spontini had, in fact, urged us to use all possible despatch in the
-execution of our project, for, as he was impatiently awaited in Paris,
-he could spare us but little time. It fell to my lot to weave the
-tissue of innocent deceptions by which we hoped to divert the master
-from a definite acceptance of our invitation. Now we could breathe
-again, and duly began rehearsing. But on the very day before we
-proposed to hold our full-dress rehearsal at our leisure, lo and
-behold! about noon a carriage drove up to my door, in which, clad in a
-long blue coat of pilot-cloth, sat no other than the haughty master
-himself, whose manners resembled those of a Spanish grandee. All
-unattended and greatly excited, he entered my room, showed me my
-letters, and proved from our correspondence that the invitation had not
-been declined, but that he had in all points accurately complied with
-our wishes. Forgetting for the moment all the possible embarrassments
-which might arise, in my genuine delight at beholding the wonderful man
-before me, and hearing his work conducted by himself, I at once
-undertook to do everything I possibly could to meet his desires. This
-declaration I made with the utmost sincerity of zeal. He smiled with
-almost childlike kindliness on hearing me, and I at once begged him to
-conduct the rehearsal arranged for the morrow. He thereupon grew
-suddenly thoughtful, and began to weigh the numerous disadvantages of
-such an action on his part. So acute did his agitation become that he
-had the greatest difficulty in expressing himself clearly on any point,
-and I found it no easy matter to inquire what arrangements on our part
-would persuade him to undertake the morrow's rehearsal. After a
-moment's reflection he asked what sort of baton I was accustomed to use
-when conducting. With my hands I indicated the approximate length and
-thickness of a medium-sized wooden rod, such as our choir-attendant was
-in the habit of supplying, freshly covered with white paper. He sighed,
-and asked if I thought it possible to procure him by to-morrow a baton
-of black ebony, whose very respectable length and thickness he
-indicated by a gesture, and on each end of which a fairly large knob of
-ivory was to be affixed. I promised to have one prepared for the next
-rehearsal, which should at least be similar in appearance to what he
-desired, and another of the specified materials in time for the actual
-performance. Visibly relieved, he then passed his hand over his brow,
-and granted me permission to announce his consent to conduct on the
-following day. After once more strongly enforcing his instructions as
-to the baton, he went back to his hotel.
-
-I seemed to be moving in a dream, and hastened in a whirl-wind of
-excitement to publish the news of what had happened and was to be
-expected. We were fairly trapped. Schroder-Devrient offered to become
-our scapegoat, while I entered into precise details with the theatre
-carpenter concerning the baton. This turned out so far correct that it
-possessed the requisite length and breadth, was black in its colour,
-and had two large white knobs. Then came the fateful rehearsal.
-Spontini was evidently ill at ease on his seat in the orchestra. First
-of all he wished to have the oboists placed behind him. As this partial
-change of position just at that moment would have caused much confusion
-in the disposition of the orchestra, I promised to effect the
-alteration after the rehearsal. He said no more, and took up his baton.
-In a moment I understood why he attached such importance to its form
-and size. He held it, not as other conductors do, by the end, but
-gripped it about the middle with his clenched fist, waving it so as to
-make it evident that he wielded his baton like a field-marshal's staff,
-not for beating time, but for command.
-
-Confusion arose in the very first scene, which was increased by the
-fact that the master's instructions, both to orchestra and singers,
-were rendered almost unintelligible by his confused use of the German
-language. This much at least we were soon able to grasp, that he was
-particularly anxious to disabuse us of the idea that this was a
-full-dress rehearsal, and to show us that he was set upon a thorough
-re-study of the opera from the very beginning. Great, indeed, was the
-despair of my good old chorus-master and stage manager, Fischer--who
-before had enthusiastically advocated the invitation of Spontini--when
-he recognised that the dislocation of our repertoire was now
-inevitable. This feeling swelled by degrees to open anger, in the
-blindness of which every fresh suggestion of Spontini's appeared but
-frivolous fault-finding, to which he bluntly responded in the coarsest
-German. After one of the choruses Spontini beckoned me to his side and
-whispered: 'Mais savez-vous, vos choeurs ne chantent pas mal';
-whereupon Fischer, regarding this with suspicion, shouted out to me in
-a rage: 'What does the old hog want now?' and I had some trouble to
-pacify the speedily converted enthusiast.
-
-But our most serious delay arose, during the first act, through the
-evolutions of a triumphal march. With the most vociferous emphasis the
-master expressed intense dissatisfaction with the apathetic demeanour
-of our populace during the procession of vestal virgins. He was quite
-unaware of the fact that, in obedience to our stage manager's
-instructions, they had fallen on their knees upon the appearance of the
-priestesses; for he was so excited, and withal so terribly
-short-sighted, that nothing which appealed to the eye alone was
-perceptible to his senses. What he demanded was that the Roman army
-should manifest its devout respect in more drastic fashion by flinging
-themselves as one man to the ground, and marking this by delivering a
-crashing blow of their spears on their shields. Endless attempts were
-made, but some one always clattered either too soon or too late. Then
-he repeated the action himself several times with his baton on the
-desk, but all to no purpose; the crash was not sufficiently sharp and
-emphatic. This reminded me of the impression made upon me some years
-before in Berlin by the wonderful precision and almost alarming effect
-with which I had seen similar evolutions carried out in the play of
-Ferdinand Cortez, and I realized that it would require an immediate and
-tedious accentuation of our customary softness of action in such
-maneouvres before we could meet the fastidious master's requirements.
-At the end of the first act Spontini went on the stage himself, in
-order to give a detailed explanation of his reasons for wishing to
-defer his opera for a considerable time, so as to prepare by
-multitudinous rehearsals for its production in accordance with his
-taste. He expected to find the actors of the Dresden Court Theatre
-gathered there to hear him; but the company had already dispersed.
-Singers and stage manager had hastily scattered in every direction to
-give vent, each in his own fashion, to the misery of the situation.
-None but the workmen, lamp-cleaners, and a few of the chorus gathered
-in a semicircle around Spontini, in order to have a look at that
-remarkable man, as he held forth with wonderful effect on the
-requirements of true theatrical art. Turning towards the dismal scene,
-I gently and respectfully pointed out to Spontini the uselessness of
-his declamation, and promised that everything should eventually be done
-precisely as he desired.
-
-Finally, I succeeded in extricating him from the undignified position
-in which, to my horror, he had been placed, by telling him that Herr
-Eduard Devrient, who had seen the Vestalin in Berlin, and carried every
-detail of the performance in his mind, should personally drill our
-chorus and supers into a becoming solemnity during the reception of the
-vestals. This pacified him, and we proceeded to settle on a plan for a
-series of rehearsals according to his wishes. But, in spite of all
-this, I was the only person to whom this strange turn of affairs was
-not unwelcome; for through the burlesque extravagances of Spontini, and
-notwithstanding his extraordinary eccentricities, which, however, I
-learned in time to understand, I could perceive the miraculous energy
-with which he pursued and attained an ideal of theatrical art such as
-in our days had become almost unknown.
-
-We began, therefore, with a pianoforte rehearsal, at which the master
-made a point of telling the singers what he wanted. He did not tell us
-anything new, however, for he said little about the details of the
-rendering; on the other hand, he expatiated upon the general
-interpretation, and I noticed that in doing this, he had accustomed
-himself to make the most decided allowances for the great singers,
-especially Schroder-Devrient and Tichatschek. The only thing he did was
-to forbid the latter to use the word Braut (bride) with which Licinius
-had to address Julia in the German translation; this word sounded
-horrible in his ears, and he could not understand how anybody could set
-such a vulgar sound as that to music. He gave a long lecture, however,
-to the somewhat coarse and less talented singer who took the part of
-the high-priest, and explained to him how to understand and interpret
-this character from the dialogue (in recitative) between him and
-Haruspex. He told him that he must understand that the whole thing was
-based upon priestcraft and superstition. Pontifex must make it clear
-that he does not fear his antagonist at the head of the Roman army,
-because, should the worst come to the worst, he has his machines ready,
-which, if necessary, will miraculously rekindle the dead fire of Vesta.
-In this way, even though Julia should escape the sacrifice, the power
-of the priesthood would still be unassailable.
-
-During one of the rehearsals I asked Spontini why he, who, as a rule,
-made such very effective use of the trombone, should have left it
-entirely out in the magnificent triumphal march of the first act. Very
-much astonished he asked: 'Est-ce que je n'ai pas de trombones?' I
-showed him the printed score, and he then asked me to add the trombones
-to the march, so that, if possible, they might be used at the next
-rehearsal. He also said: 'J'ai entendu dans votre Rienzi un instrument,
-que vous appelez Basse-tuba; je ne veux pas bannir cet instrument de
-l'orchestre: faites m'en une partie pour la Vestale.' It gave me great
-pleasure to perform this task for him with all the care and good
-judgment I could dispose of. When at the rehearsal he heard the effect
-for the first time, he threw me a really grateful glance, and so much
-appreciated the really simple additions I had made to his score, that a
-little later on he wrote me a very friendly letter from Paris in which
-he asked me kindly to send him the extra instrumental parts I had
-prepared for him. His pride would not allow him, however, to ask
-outright for something for which I alone had been responsible, so he
-wrote: 'Envoyez-moi une partition des trombones pour la marche
-triomphale et de la Basse-tuba telle qu'elle a ete executee sous ma
-direction a Dresde.' Apart from this, I also showed how greatly I
-respected him, in the eagerness with which, at his special request, I
-regrouped all the instruments in the orchestra. He was forced to this
-request more by habit than by principle, and how very important it
-seemed to him not to make the slightest change in his customary
-arrangements, was proved to me when he explained his method of
-conducting. He conducted the orchestra, so he said, only with his eyes:
-'My left eye is the first violin, my right eye the second, and if the
-eye is to have power, one must not wear glasses (as so many bad
-conductors do), even if one is short-sighted. I,' he admitted
-confidentially, 'cannot see twelve inches in front of me, but all the
-same I can make them play as I want, merely by fixing them with my
-eye.' In some respects the arbitrary way in which he used to arrange
-his orchestra was really very irrational. From his old days in Paris he
-had retained the habit of placing the two oboists immediately behind
-him, and although this was a fad which owed its origin to a mere
-accident, it was one to which he always adhered. The consequence was
-that these players had to avert the mouthpiece of their instruments
-from the audience, and our excellent oboist was so angry about this
-arrangement, that it was only by dint of great diplomacy that I
-succeeded in pacifying him.
-
-Apart from this, Spontini's method was based upon the absolutely
-correct system (which even at the present time is misunderstood by some
-German orchestras) of spreading the string quartette over the whole
-orchestra. This system further consisted in preventing the brass and
-percussion instruments from culminating in one point (and drowning each
-other) by dividing them on both sides, and by placing the more delicate
-wind instruments at a judicious distance from each other, thus forming
-a chain between the violins. Even some great and celebrated orchestras
-of the present day still retain the custom of dividing the mass of
-instruments into two halves, the string and the wind instruments, an
-arrangement that denotes roughness and a lack of understanding of the
-sound of the orchestra, which ought to blend harmoniously and be well
-balanced.
-
-I was very glad to have the chance of introducing this excellent
-improvement in Dresden, for now that Spontini himself had initiated it,
-it was an easy matter to get the King's command to let the alteration
-stand. Nothing remained after Spontini's departure but to modify and
-correct certain eccentricities and arbitrary features in his
-arrangements; and from that moment I attained a high level of success
-with my orchestra.
-
-With all the peculiarities he showed at rehearsals, this exceptional
-man fascinated both musicians and singers to such an extent that the
-production attracted quite an unusual amount of attention. Very
-characteristic was the energy with which he insisted on exceptionally
-sharp rhythmic accents; through his association with the Berlin
-orchestra he had acquired the habit of marking the note that he wished
-to be brought out with the word diese (this), which at first was quite
-incomprehensible to me. The great singer Tichatschek, who had a
-positive genius for rhythm, was highly pleased by this; for he also had
-acquired the habit of compelling the chorus to great precision in very
-important entries, and maintained that if one only accentuated the
-first note properly, the rest followed as a matter of course. On the
-whole, therefore, a spirit of devotion to the master gradually pervaded
-the orchestra; the violas alone bore him a grudge for a while, and for
-this reason. In the accompaniment of the lugubrious cantilena of Julia
-at the end of the second act, he would not put up with the way in which
-the violas played the horribly sentimental accompaniment. Suddenly
-turning towards them he called in a sepulchral tone, 'Are the violas
-dying?' The two pale and incurably melancholy old men who held on
-tenaciously to their posts in the orchestra, notwithstanding their
-right to a pension, stared at Spontini with real fright, reading a
-threat in his words, and I had to explain Spontini's wish in sober
-language in order to call them back to life.
-
-On the stage Herr Eduard Devrient helped very materially in bringing
-about wonderfully distinct ensembles; he also knew how to gratify a
-certain wish of Spontini's, which threw us all into tremendous
-confusion. In accordance with the cuts adopted by all the German
-theatres, we too ended the opera with the fiery duet, supported by the
-chorus, between Licinius and Julia after their rescue. The master,
-however, insisted on adding a lively chorus and ballet to the finale,
-according to the antiquated method of ending common to French opera
-seria. He was absolutely against finishing his work with a dismal
-churchyard episode; consequently the whole scene had to be altered.
-Venus was to shine resplendent in a rose bower, and the long-suffering
-lovers were to be wedded at her altar, amid lively dancing and singing,
-by rose-bedecked priests and priestesses. We performed it like this,
-but unluckily not with the success we had all hoped for.
-
-In the course of the production, which was proceeding with wonderful
-accuracy and verve, we came across a difficulty with regard to the
-principal part for which none of us had been prepared. Our great
-Schroder-Devrient was obviously no longer of an age to give the desired
-effect as the youngest of the vestal virgins; she had acquired matronly
-contours, and her age was moreover accentuated by the extremely
-girlish-looking high-priestess with whom she had to act, and whose
-youth it was difficult to dissimulate. This was my niece, Johanna
-Wagner, who, because of her marvellous voice and great talent as an
-actress, made every one in the audience long to see the parts of the
-two women reversed. Schroder-Devrient, who was well aware of this fact,
-tried by every effective means in her power to overcome her most
-difficult position; this effort, however, resulted not infrequently in
-great exaggeration and straining of the voice, and in one very
-important place her part was sadly overacted. When, after the great
-trio in the second act, she had to gasp the words, 'er ist frei' ('he
-is free'), and to move away from her rescued lover towards the front of
-the stage, she made the mistake of speaking the words instead of
-singing them.
-
-She had often proved the effect of a decisive word uttered with an
-exaggerated and yet careful imitation of the ordinary accents of the
-spoken language, by exciting the audience's wildest enthusiasm when she
-almost whispered the words, 'Noch einen Schritt und du bist todt!'
-('Just one more step and thou art dead!') in Fidelia. This terrific
-effect, which I too had felt, was produced by the shock--like unto the
-blow of an executioner's axe--which I received on suddenly coming down
-from the ideal sphere to which music itself can exalt the most awful
-situations, to the naked surface of dreadful reality. This sensation
-was due simply to the knowledge of the utmost height of the sublime,
-and the memory of the impression I received led me to call that
-particular moment the moment of lightning; for it was as if two
-different worlds that meet, and yet are divided, were suddenly
-illumined and revealed as by a flash. Thoroughly to understand such a
-moment, and not to treat it wrongly, was the whole secret, and this I
-fully realised on that day from the absolute failure on the great
-singer's part to produce the right effect. The toneless, hoarse way in
-which she uttered the words was like throwing cold water over the
-audience and myself, and not one of those present could see any more in
-the incident than a botched theatrical effect. It is possible that the
-public had expected too much, for they were curious to see Spontini
-conduct, and the prices had been raised accordingly; it may also have
-been that the whole style of the work, with its antiquated French plot,
-seemed rather obsolete in spite of the majestic beauty, of the music;
-or, perhaps, the very tame end left the same cold impression as
-Devrient's dramatic failure. In any case there was no real enthusiasm,
-and the only sign of approval was a rather lukewarm call for the
-celebrated master, who, covered with numerous decorations, made a sad
-impression on me as he bowed his thanks to the audience for their very
-moderate applause.
-
-Nobody was less blind to the somewhat disappointing result than
-Spontini himself. He decided, however, to defy fate, and to this end
-had recourse to means which he had often employed in Berlin, in order
-to get packed houses for his operatic productions. Thus, he always gave
-Sunday performances, for experience had taught him that he could always
-have a full house on that day. As the next Sunday on which his Vestalin
-was to be produced was still some time ahead, his prolonged stay gave
-us several more chances of enjoying his interesting company. I have
-such a vivid recollection of the hours spent with him either at Madame
-Devrient's or at my house, that I shall be pleased to quote a few
-reminiscences.
-
-I shall never forget a dinner at Schroder-Devrient's house at which we
-had a charming conversation with Spontini and his wife (a sister of the
-celebrated pianoforte maker, Erard). Spontini generally listened
-deferentially to what the others had to say, his attitude being that of
-a man who expected to be asked for his opinion. When he did speak in
-the end it was with a sort of rhetorical solemnity, in sharp and
-precise sentences, categorical and well accentuated, which forbade
-contradiction from the outset. Herr Ferdinand Hiller was among the
-invited guests, and he began to speak about Liszt. After some time
-Spontini gave his opinion in his characteristic fashion, but in a
-spirit which showed only too clearly, that from the heights of his
-Berlin throne he had not judged the affairs of the world either with
-impartiality or goodwill. While he was laying down the law in this
-style he could not brook any interruption. When, therefore, during the
-dessert, the general conversation became livelier, and Madame Devrient
-happened to laugh with her neighbour at the table in the middle of a
-long harangue of Spontini's, he shot an extremely angry glance at his
-wife. Madame Devrient apologised for her at once by saying that it was
-she (Madame Devrient) who had been laughing about some lines on a
-bonbonniere, whereupon Spontini retorted: 'Pourtant je suis sur que
-c'est ma femme qui a suscite ce rire; je ne veux pas que l'on rie
-devant moi, je ne rie jamais moi, j'aime le serieux.' In spite of that
-he sometimes succeeded in being jovial. For instance, it amused him to
-set us all wondering at the way in which he crunched enormous lumps of
-sugar with his marvellous teeth. After dinner, when we drew our chairs
-closer together, he usually became very excited.
-
-As far as he was capable of affection he seemed really to like me; he
-declared openly that he loved me, and said that he would prove this
-best by trying to keep me from the misfortune of proceeding in my
-career as a dramatic composer. He said he knew it would be difficult to
-convince me of the value of this friendly service, but as he felt it
-his sacred duty to look after my happiness in this particular line, he
-was prepared to stay in Dresden for another half-year, during which
-period he suggested that we should produce his other operas, and
-especially Agnes von Hohenstaufen, under his direction. To explain his
-views about the fatal mistake of trying to succeed as a dramatic
-composer 'after Spontini,' he began by praising me in these terms:
-'Quand j'ai entendu votre Rienzi, j'ai dit, c'est un homme de genie,
-mais deja il a plus fait qu'il ne peut faire.' In order to show me what
-he meant by this paradox, he proceeded as follows: 'Apres Gluck c'est
-moi qui ai fait la grande revolution avec la Vestale; j'ai introduit le
-Vorhalt de la sexte' (the suspension of the sixth) 'dans l'harmonie et
-la grosse caisse dans l'orchestre; avec Cortez j'ai fait un pas de plus
-en avant; puis j'ai fait trois pas avec Olympic. Nurmahal, Alcidor et
-tout ce que j'ai fait dans les premiers temps a Berlin, je vous les
-livre, c'etaient des oeuvres occasionnelles; mais depuis j'ai fait cent
-pas en avant avec Agnes de Hohenstaufen, ou j'ai imagine un emploi de
-l'orchestre remplacant parfaitement l'orgue.'
-
-Since then he had tried his hand at a new work, Les Atheniennes; the
-Crown Prince (now King of Prussia [Footnote: William the First.]) had
-urged him to finish this work, and to testify to the truth of his
-words, he took several letters which he had received from this monarch
-out of his pocket-book, and handed them to us for inspection. Not until
-he had insisted upon our reading them carefully through did he continue
-by saying that, in spite of this flattering invitation, he had given up
-the idea of setting this excellent subject to music, because he felt
-sure he could never surpass his Agnes von Hohenstaufen, nor invent
-anything new. In conclusion he said: 'Or, comment voulez-vous que
-quiconque puisse inventer quelque chose de nouveau, moi Spontini
-declarant ne pouvoir en aucune facon surpasser mes oeuvres precedentes,
-d'autre part etant avise que depuis la Vestale il n'a point ete ecrit
-une note qui ne fut volee de mes partitions.'
-
-To prove that this assertion was not merely talk, but that it was based
-on scientific investigations, he quoted his wife, who was supposed to
-have read with him an elaborate discussion on the subject by a
-celebrated member of the French academy, and he added that the essay in
-question had, for some mysterious reason, never been printed. In this
-very important and scientific treatise it was proved that without
-Spontini's invention of the suspension of the sixth in his Vestalin,
-the whole of modern melody would not have existed, and that any and
-every form of melody that had been used since had been borrowed from
-his compositions. I was thunderstruck, but hoped all the same to bring
-the inexorable master to a better frame of mind, especially in regard
-to certain reservations he had made. I acknowledged that the
-academician in question was right in many ways, but I asked him if he
-did not believe that if somebody brought him a dramatic poem full of an
-absolutely new and hitherto unknown spirit, it would not inspire him to
-invent new musical combinations? With a ring of compassion in his
-voice, he replied that my question was wholly mistaken; in what would
-the novelty consist? 'Dans la Vestale j'ai compose un sujet romain,
-dans Ferdinand Cortez un sujet espagnol-mexicain, dans Olympic un sujet
-greco-macedonien, enfin dans Agnes de Hohenstaufen un sujet allemand:
-tout le reste ne vaut rien!' He hoped that I was not thinking of the
-so-called romantic style a la Freischutz? With such childish stuff no
-serious man could have anything to do; for art was a serious thing, and
-he had exhausted serious art! And, after all, what nation could produce
-the composer who could surpass HIM? Surely not the Italians, whom he
-characterised simply as cochons; certainly not the French, who had only
-imitated the Italians; nor the Germans, who would never get beyond
-their childhood in music, and who, if they had ever possessed any
-talent, had had it all spoilt for them by the Jews? 'Oh, croyez-moi, il
-y avait de l'espoir pour l'Allemagne lorsque j'etais empereur de la
-musique a Berlin; mais depuis que le roi de Prusse a livre sa musique
-au desordre occasionne par les deux juifs errants qu'il a attires, tout
-espoir est perdu.'
-
-Our charming hostess now thought it time to change the subject, and to
-divert the master's thoughts. The theatre was situated quite near to
-her house; she invited him to go across with our friend Heine, who was
-amongst the guests, and to have a look at Antigone, which was then
-being given, and which was sure to interest him on account of the
-antique equipment of the stage, which had been carried out according to
-Semper's excellent plans. At first he wanted to refuse, on the plea
-that he had seen all this so much better when his Olympia had been
-performed. After a while he consented; but in a very short time he
-returned to his original opinion, and, smiling scornfully, assured us
-that he had seen and heard enough to strengthen him in his verdict.
-Heine told us that shortly after he and Spontini had taken their seats
-in the almost empty amphitheatre, and as soon as the Bacchus chorus had
-started, Spontini had said to him: 'C'est de la Berliner Sing-Academie,
-allons-nous-en.' Through an open door a streak of light had fallen on a
-lonely figure behind one of the columns; Heine had recognised
-Mendelssohn, and concluded that he had overheard Spontini's remark.
-
-From the master's very excited conversations we soon realised very
-distinctly that he intended to stay longer in Dresden, so as to get all
-his operas performed. It was Schroder-Devrient's idea to save Spontini,
-in his own interest, from the mortifying disappointment of finding all
-his enthusiastic hopes in regard to a second performance of Vestalin
-unfounded, and, if possible, to prevent this second performance during
-his stay in Dresden. She pretended to be ill, and the director
-requested me to inform Spontini of the fact that his production would
-have to be indefinitely postponed. This visit was so distasteful to me,
-that I was glad to make it in Rockel's company. He was also a friend of
-Spontini's, and his French was moreover much better than mine. As we
-were quite prepared for a bad reception, we were really frightened to
-enter. Imagine, therefore, our astonishment when we found the master,
-who had already been informed of the news in a letter from Devrient, in
-the very brightest spirits.
-
-He told us that he had to leave immediately for Paris, and that from
-there he was to travel to Rome, the Holy Father having commanded him to
-come in order to receive the title of 'Count of San Andrea.' Then he
-showed us a second document, in which the King of Denmark was supposed
-to have raised him to the Danish nobility. This meant, however, only
-that the title of 'Ritter' of the 'Elephanten-Order' had been conferred
-upon him; and although this was indeed a high honour, in speaking about
-it he only mentioned the word 'Ritter' without referring to the
-particular order, because this seemed to him too ordinary for a person
-of his dignity. He was, however, childishly pleased over the affair,
-and felt that he had been miraculously rescued from the narrow sphere
-of his Dresden Vestalin production to find himself suddenly transported
-into regions of glory, from which he looked down upon the distressing
-'opera' world with sublime self-content.
-
-Meanwhile Rockel and I silently thanked the Holy Father and the King of
-Denmark from the bottom of our hearts. We bode an affectionate farewell
-to the strange master, and to cheer him I promised him seriously to
-think over his friendly advice with regard to my career as a composer
-of opera.
-
-Later on I heard what Spontini had said about me, on hearing that I had
-fled from Dresden for political reasons, and had sought refuge in
-Switzerland. He thought that this was in consequence of my share in a
-plot of high treason against the King of Saxony, whom he looked upon as
-my benefactor, because I had been nominated conductor of the royal
-orchestra, and he expressed his opinion about me by ejaculating in
-tones of the deepest anguish: 'Quelle ingratitude!'
-
-From Berlioz, who was at Spontini's deathbed until the end, I heard
-that the master had struggled most determinedly against death, and had
-cried repeatedly, 'Je ne veux pas mourir, je ne veux pas mourir!' When
-Berlioz tried to comfort him by saying, 'Comment pouvez-vous penser
-mourir vous, mon maitre, qui etes immortel!' Spontini retorted angrily,
-'Ne faites pas de mauvaises plaisanteries!' In spite of all the
-extraordinary experiences I had had with him, the news of his death,
-which I received in Zurich, touched me very deeply. Later on I
-expressed my feelings towards him, and my opinion of him as an artist,
-in a somewhat condensed form in the Eidgenossischen Zeitung, and in
-this article the quality I extolled more particularly in him was that,
-unlike Meyerbeer, who was then the rage, and the very aged Rossini, he
-believed absolutely in himself and his art. All the same, and somewhat
-to my disgust, I could not but see that this belief in himself had
-deteriorated into a veritable superstition.
-
-I do not remember in those days having gone deeply into my feelings
-about Spontini's exceedingly strange individuality, nor do I recollect
-having troubled to discover how far they were consistent with the high
-opinion I formed of him after I had got to know him more intimately.
-Obviously I had only seen the caricature of the man, although the
-tendency towards such plainly overweening self-confidence may, at all
-events, have manifested itself earlier in life. At the same time, one
-could trace in all this the influence of the decay of the musical and
-dramatic life of the period, which Spontini, situated as he was in
-Berlin, was well able to witness. The surprising fact that he saw his
-chief merit in unessential details showed plainly that his judgment had
-become childish; in my opinion this did not detract from the great
-value of his works, however much he might exaggerate their value. In a
-sense I could justify his boundless self-confidence, which was
-principally the outcome of the comparison between himself and the great
-composers who were now replacing him; for in my heart of hearts I
-shared the contempt which he felt for these artists, although I did not
-dare to say so openly. And thus it came about that, in spite of his
-many somewhat absurd idiosyncrasies, I learned during this meeting at
-Dresden to feel a deep sympathy for this man, the like of whom I was
-never again to meet.
-
-My next experiences of important musical celebrities of this age were
-of quite a different character. Amongst the more distinguished of these
-was Heinrich Marschner, who, as a very young man, had been nominated
-musical director of the Dresden orchestra by Weber. After Weber's death
-he seemed to have hoped that he would take his place entirely, and it
-was due less to the fact that his talent was still unknown, than to his
-repellent manner, that he was disappointed in his expectations. His
-wife, however, suddenly came into some money, and this windfall enabled
-him to devote all his energies to his work as composer of operas,
-without being obliged to fill any fixed post.
-
-During the wild days of my youth Marschner lived in Leipzig, where his
-operas Der Vampir and Templer und Judin saw their first appearance. My
-sister Rosalie had once taken me to him in order to hear his opinion
-about me. He did not treat me uncivilly, but my visit led to nothing. I
-was also present at the first night of his opera Des Falkner's Braut,
-which however was not a success. Then he went to Hanover. His opera
-Hans Heiling, which was originally produced in Berlin, I heard for the
-first time in Wurzburg; it showed vacillation in its tendency, and a
-decrease in constructive power. After that he produced several other
-operas, such as Das Schloss am Aetna and Der Babu, which never became
-popular. He was always neglected by the management at Dresden, as
-though they bore him some grudge, and only his Templer was played at
-all often. My colleague, Reissiger, had to conduct this opera, and as
-in his absence I always had to take his place, it also fell to my lot
-on one occasion to direct a performance of this work.
-
-This was during the time that I worked at my Tannhauser. I remember
-that, although I had often conducted this opera before in Magdeburg, on
-this occasion the wild nature of the instrumentation and its lack of
-mastership affected me to such an extent that it literally made me ill,
-and as soon as he returned, therefore, I implored Reissiger at any cost
-to resume the leadership. On the other hand, immediately after my
-nomination I had started on the production of Hans Heiling, but merely
-for the sake of the artistic honour. The insufficient distribution of
-the parts, however, a difficulty which in those days could not be
-overcome, made a complete success impossible. In any case, though, the
-whole spirit of the work seemed to be terribly old-fashioned.
-
-I now heard that Marschner had finished another opera called Adolph von
-Nassau, and in a criticism of this work, of the genuineness of which I
-was unable to judge, particular stress was laid upon the 'patriotic and
-noble German atmosphere' of this new creation. I did my best to make
-the Dresden theatre take the initiative, and to urge Luttichau to
-secure this opera before it was produced elsewhere. Marschner, who did
-not seem to have been treated with particular consideration by the
-Hanoverian opera authorities, accepted the invitation with great joy,
-sent his score, and declared himself willing to come to Dresden for the
-first performance. Luttichau, however, was not anxious to see him take
-his place at the head of the orchestra; while I, also, was of the
-opinion that the too frequent appearance of outside conductors, even if
-it were for the purpose of conducting their own works, would not only
-lead to confusion, but might also fail to be as amusing and instructive
-as Spontini's visit had proved to be. It was therefore decided that I
-should conduct the new opera myself. And how I lived to regret it!
-
-The score arrived: to a weak plot by Karl Golmick the composer of the
-Templer had written such superficial music, that the principal effect
-lay in a drinking song for a quartette, in which the German Rhine and
-German wine played the usual stereotyped part peculiar to such male
-quartettes. I lost all courage; but we had to go on with it now, and
-all I could do was to try, by maintaining a grave bearing, to make the
-singers take an interest in their task; this, however, was not easy. To
-Tichatschek and Mitterwurzer were assigned the two principal male
-parts; being both eminently musical, they sang everything at first
-sight, and after each number looked up at me as if to say, 'What do you
-think of it all?' I maintained that it was good German music; they must
-not allow themselves to get confused. But all they did was to stare at
-each other in amazement, not knowing what to make of me. Nevertheless,
-in the end they could not stand it any longer, and when they saw that I
-still retained my gravity, they burst into loud laughter, in which I
-could not help joining.
-
-I now had to take them into my confidence, and make them promise to
-follow my lead and pretend to be serious, for it was impossible to give
-up the opera at this stage. A Viennese 'colorature' singer of the
-latest style--Madame Spatser Gentiluomo--who came to us from Hanover,
-and on whose services Marschner greatly relied, was rather taken with
-her part chiefly because it gave her the chance of showing
-'brilliancy.' And, indeed, there was a finale in which my 'German
-master' had actually tried to steal a march on Donizetti. The Princess
-had been poisoned by a golden rose, a present from the wicked Bishop of
-Mainz, and had become delirious. Adolph von Nassau, with the knights of
-the German empire, swears vengeance, and, accompanied by the chorus,
-pours out his feelings in a stretta of such incredible vulgarity and
-amateurishness that Donizetti would have thrown it at the head of any
-of his pupils who had dared to compose such a thing. Marschner now
-arrived for the dress rehearsal; he was very pleased, and, without
-compelling me to falsehood, he gave me sufficient opportunities for
-exercising my powers in the art of concealing my real thoughts. At all
-events I must have succeeded fairly well, for he had every reason to
-think himself considerately and kindly treated by me.
-
-During the performance the public behaved very much as the singers had
-done at the rehearsals. We had brought a still-born child into the
-world. But Marschner was comforted by the fact that his drinking
-quartette was encored. This was reminiscent of one of Becker's songs:
-Sie sollen ihn nicht haben, den freien deutschen Rhein ('They shall not
-have it, our free German Rhine'). After the performance the composer
-was my guest at a supper party at which, I am sorry to say, the
-singers, who had had enough of it, would not attend. Herr Ferdinand
-Hiller had the presence of mind to insist, in his toast to Marschner,
-that 'whatever one might say, all stress must be laid on the GERMAN
-master and GERMAN art.' Strangely enough, Marschner himself
-contradicted him by saying that there was something wrong with German
-operatic compositions, and that one ought to consider the singers and
-how to write more brilliantly for their voices than he had succeeded in
-doing up to the present.
-
-Highly gifted as Marschner was, there can be no doubt that the decline
-of his genius was due partly to a tendency which even in the ageing
-master himself, as he frankly admitted, was effecting an important and
-most salutary change. In later years I met him once more in Paris at
-the time of my memorable production of Tannhauser. I did not feel
-inclined to renew the old relations, for, to tell the truth, I wanted
-to spare myself the unpleasantness of witnessing the consequences of
-his change of views, of which we had seen the beginning in Dresden. I
-learned that he was in a state of almost helpless childishness, and
-that he was in the hands of a young and ambitious woman, who was trying
-to make a last attempt at conquering Paris for him. Among other puff
-paragraphs calculated to spread Marschner's glory, I read one which
-said that the Parisians must not believe that I (Wagner) was
-representative of German art; no--if only Marschner were given a
-hearing, it would be discovered that he was beyond a doubt better
-suited to the French taste than I could ever be. Marschner died before
-his wife had succeeded in establishing this point.
-
-Ferdinand Hiller, on the other hand, who was in Dresden, behaved in a
-very charming and friendly manner, particularly at this time. Meyerbeer
-also stayed in the same town from time to time; precisely why, nobody
-knew. Once he had rented a little house for the summer near the
-Pirnaischer Schlag, and under a pretty tree in the garden of this place
-he had had a small piano installed, whereon, in this idyllic retreat,
-he worked at his Feldlager in Schlesien. He lived in great retirement,
-and I saw very little of him. Ferdinand Hiller, on the contrary, took a
-commanding position in the Dresden musical world in so far as this was
-not already monopolised by the royal orchestra and its masters, and for
-many years he worked hard for its success. Having a little private
-capital, he established himself comfortably amongst us, and was soon
-known as a delightful host, who kept a pleasant house, which, thanks to
-his wife's influence, was frequented by a numerous Polish colony. Frau
-Hiller was indeed an exceptional Jewish woman of Polish origin, and she
-was perhaps all the more exceptional seeing that she, in company with
-her husband, had been baptized a Protestant in Italy. Hiller began his
-career in Dresden with the production of his opera, Der Traum in der
-Christnacht. Since the unheard-of fact that Rienzi had been able to
-rouse the Dresden public to lasting enthusiasm, many an opera composer
-had felt himself drawn towards our 'Florence on the Elbe,' of which
-Laube once said that as soon as one entered it one felt bound to
-apologise because one found so many good things there which one
-promptly forgot the moment one departed.
-
-The composer of Der Traum in der Christnacht looked upon this work as a
-peculiarly 'German composition.' Hiller had set to music a gruesome
-play by Raupach, Der Muller und sein Kind ('The Miller and his Child'),
-in which father and daughter, within but a short space of time, both
-die of consumption. He declared that he had conceived the dialogue and
-the music of this opera in what he called the 'popular style,' but this
-work met with the same fate as that which, according to Liszt, befell
-all his compositions. In spite of his undoubted musical merits, which
-even Rossini acknowledged, and whether he gave them in French in Paris
-or in Italian in Italy, it was his sad experience always to see his
-operas fail. In Germany he had tried the Mendelssohnian style, and had
-succeeded in composing an oratorio called Die Zerstorung Jerusalems,
-which luckily was not taken notice of by the moody theatre-going
-public, and which consequently received the unassailable reputation of
-being 'a solid German work.' He also took Mendelssohn's place as
-director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus concerts when the latter was called
-to Berlin in the capacity of general director. Hiller's evil fortune
-still pursued him, however, and he was unable to retain his position,
-everybody being given to understand that it was because his wife was
-not sufficiently acknowledged as concert prima-donna. Mendelssohn
-returned and made Hiller leave, and Hiller boasted of having quarrelled
-with him.
-
-Dresden and the success of my Rienzi now weighed so much upon his mind
-that he naturally made another attempt to succeed as an opera composer.
-Owing to his great energy, and to his position as son of a rich banker
-(a special attraction even to the director of a court theatre), it
-happened that he induced them to put aside my poor friend Rockel's
-Farinelli (the production of which had been promised him) in favour of
-his (Hiller's) own work, Der Traum in der Christnacht. He was of the
-opinion that next to Reissiger and myself, a man of greater musical
-reputation than Rockel was needed. Luttichau, however, was quite
-content to have Reissiger and myself as celebrities, particularly as we
-got on so well together, and he remained deaf to Hiller's wishes. To me
-Der Traum in der Christnacht was a great nuisance. I had to conduct it
-a second time, and before an empty house. Hiller now saw that he had
-been wrong in not taking my advice before, and in not shortening the
-opera by one act and altering the end, and he now fancied that he was
-doing me a great favour by at last declaring himself ready to act on my
-suggestion in the event of another performance of his opera being
-possible. I really managed to have it played once more. This was,
-however, to be the last time, and Hiller, who had read my book of
-Tannhauser, thought that I had a great advantage over him in writing my
-own words. He therefore made me promise to help him with the choice and
-writing of a subject for his next opera.
-
-Shortly afterwards Hiller was present at a performance of Rienzi, which
-was again given before a crowded and enthusiastic house. When, at the
-end of the second act, and after frantic recalls from the audience, I
-left the orchestra in a great state of excitement, Hiller, who was
-waiting for me in the passage, took the opportunity of adding to his
-very hasty congratulations, 'Do give my Traum once more!' I promised
-him laughingly to do this if I had the chance, but I cannot remember
-whether it came off or not. While he was waiting for the creation of an
-entirely new plot for his next opera, Hiller devoted himself to the
-study of chamber music, to which his large and well-furnished room lent
-itself most admirably.
-
-A beautiful and solemn event added to the seriousness of the mood in
-which I finished the music to Tannhauser towards the end of the year,
-and neutralised the more superficial impressions made upon me by the
-stirring events above described. This was the removal of the remains of
-Carl Maria von Weber from London to Dresden in December, 1844. As I
-have already said, a committee had for years been agitating for this
-removal. From information given by a certain traveller, it had become
-known that the insignificant coffin which contained Weber's ashes had
-been disposed of in such a careless way in a remote corner of St.
-Paul's, that it was feared it might soon become impossible to identify
-it.
-
-My energetic friend, Professor Lowe, whom I have already mentioned, had
-availed himself of this information in order to urge the Dresden Glee
-Club, which constituted his hobby, to take the matter in hand. The
-concert of male singers arranged to this end had been a fair success
-financially, and they now wanted to induce the theatre management to
-make similar efforts, when suddenly they met with serious opposition
-from this very quarter. The management of the Dresden theatre told the
-committee that the King had religious scruples with regard to
-disturbing the peace of the dead. However much we felt inclined to
-doubt the genuineness of these reasons, nothing could be done, and I
-was next approached on the subject, in the hope that my influential
-position might lend weight to my appeal. I entered into the spirit of
-the enterprise with great fervour. I consented to be made president;
-Herr Hofrat Schulz, director of the 'Antiken-Cabinet,' who was a
-well-known authority on artistic matters, and another gentleman, a
-Christian banker, were also elected members of the committee, and the
-movement thus received fresh life. Prospectuses were sent round,
-exhaustive plans were made, and numerous meetings held. Here, again, I
-met with opposition on the part of my chief, Luttichau; if he could
-have done so, he would have forbidden me to move in the matter by
-making the most of the King's scruples referred to above. But he had
-had a warning not to pick a quarrel with me after his experience in the
-summer, when, contrary to his expectations, the music written by me to
-celebrate the King's arrival had found favour with the monarch. As his
-antipathy to the proceedings was not so very serious, Luttichau must
-have seen that even the direct opposition of his Majesty could not have
-prevented the enterprise from being carried out privately, and that, on
-the contrary, the court would cut a sorry figure if the Royal Court
-Theatre (to which Weber once belonged) should assume a hostile
-attitude. He therefore tried in a would-be friendly way to make me
-desist from furthering the cause, well knowing that, without me, the
-plan would fail. He tried to convince me that it would be wrong to pay
-this exaggerated honour to Weber's memory, whereas nobody thought of
-removing the ashes of Morlacchi from Italy, although the latter had
-given his services to the royal orchestra for a much longer period than
-Weber had done. What would be the consequence? By way of argument he
-said, 'Suppose Reissiger died on his journey to some
-watering-place--his wife would then be as much justified as was Frau
-von Weber (who had annoyed him quite enough already) in expecting her
-husband's dead body to be brought home with music and pomp.' I tried to
-calm him, and if I did not succeed in making him see the difference
-between Reissiger and Weber, I managed to make him understand that the
-affair must take its course, as the Berlin Court Theatre had already
-announced a benefit performance to support our undertaking.
-
-Meyerbeer, to whom my committee had applied, was instrumental in
-bringing this about, and a performance of Euryanthe was actually given
-which yielded the handsome balance of six thousand marks. A few
-theatres of lesser importance now followed our lead. The Dresden Court
-Theatre, therefore, could not hold back any longer, and as we now had a
-fairly large sum at the bank, we were able to cover the expenses of the
-removal, as well as the cost of an appropriate vault and monument; we
-even had a nucleus fund for a statue of Weber, which we were to fight
-for later on. The elder of the two sons of the immortal master
-travelled to London to fetch the remains of his father. He brought them
-by boat down the Elbe, and finally arrived at the Dresden
-landing-stage, from whence they were to be conducted to German soil.
-This last journey of the remains was to take place at night. A solemn
-torchlight procession was to be formed, and I had undertaken to see to
-the funeral music.
-
-I arranged this from two motives out of Euryanthe, using that part of
-the music in the overture which relates to the vision of spirits. I
-introduced the Cavatina from Euryanthe--Hier dicht am Quell ('Here near
-the source'), which I left unaltered, except that I transposed it into
-B flat major, and I finished the whole, as Weber finished his opera, by
-a return to the first sublime motive. I had orchestrated this symphonic
-piece, which was well suited to the purpose, for eight chosen wind
-instruments, and notwithstanding the volume of sound, I had not
-forgotten softness and delicacy of instrumentation. I substituted the
-gruesome tremolo of the violas, which appears in that part of the
-overture adapted by me, by twenty muffled drums, and as a whole
-attained to such an exceedingly impressive effect, especially to us who
-were full of thoughts of Weber, that, even in the theatre where we
-rehearsed, Schroder-Devrient, who was present, and who had been an
-intimate friend of Weber's, was deeply moved. I had never carried out
-anything more in keeping with the character of the subject; and the
-procession through the town was equally impressive.
-
-As the very slow tempo, devoid of any strongly marked accents, offered
-numerous difficulties, I had had the stage cleared for the rehearsal,
-in order to command a sufficient space for the musicians, once they had
-thoroughly practised the piece, to walk round me in a circle playing
-all the while. Several of those who witnessed the procession from their
-windows assured me that the effect of the procession was indescribably
-and sublimely solemn. After we had placed the coffin in the little
-mortuary chapel of the Catholic cemetery in Friedrichstadt, where
-Madame Devrient met it with a wreath of flowers, we performed, on the
-following morning, the solemn ceremony of lowering it into the vault.
-Herr Hofrat Schulz and myself, as presidents of the committee, were
-allowed the honour of speaking by the graveside, and what afforded me
-an appropriate subject for the few, somewhat affecting, words which I
-had to pronounce, was the fact that, shortly before the removal of
-Weber's remains, the second son of the master, Alexander von Weber, had
-died. The poor mother had been so terribly affected by the sudden death
-of this youth, so full of life and health, that had we not been in the
-very midst of our arrangements, we should have been compelled to
-abandon them; for in this new loss the widow saw a judgment of God who,
-in her opinion, looked upon the removal of the remains as an act of
-sacrilege prompted by vanity. As the public seemed particularly
-disposed to hold the same view, it fell to my lot to set the nature of
-our undertaking in the proper light before the eyes of the world. And
-this I so far succeeded in doing that, to my satisfaction, I learned
-from all sides that my justification of our action had received the
-most general acceptance.
-
-On this occasion I had a strange experience with regard to myself, when
-for the first time in my life I had to deliver a solemn public speech.
-Since then I have always spoken extemporarily; this time, however, as
-it was my first appearance as an orator, I had written out my speech,
-and carefully learned it by heart. As I was thoroughly under the
-influence of my subject, I felt so sure of my memory that I never
-thought of making any notes. Thanks to this omission, however, I made
-my brother Albert very unhappy. He was standing near me at the
-ceremony, and he told me afterwards that, in spite of being deeply
-moved, he felt at one moment as if he could have sworn at me for not
-having asked him to prompt me. It happened in this way: I began my
-speech in a clear and full voice, but suddenly the sound of my own
-words, and their particular intonation, affected me to such an extent
-that, carried away as I was by my own thoughts, I imagined I SAW as
-well as HEARD myself before the breathless multitude. While I thus
-appeared objectively to myself I remained in a sort of trance, during
-which I seemed to be waiting for something to happen, and felt quite a
-different person from the man who was supposed to be standing and
-speaking there. It was neither nervousness nor absent-mindedness on my
-part; only at the end of a certain sentence there was such a long pause
-that those who saw me standing there must have wondered what on earth
-to think of me. At last my own silence and the stillness round me
-reminded me that I was not there to listen, but to speak. I at once
-resumed my discourse, and I spoke with such fluency to the very end
-that the celebrated actor, Emil Devrient, assured me that, apart from
-the solemn service, he had been deeply impressed simply from the
-standpoint of a dramatic orator.
-
-The ceremony concluded with a poem written and set to music by myself,
-and, though it presented many difficulties for men's voices, it was
-splendidly rendered by some of the best opera singers. Luttichau, who
-was present, was now not only convinced of the justice of the
-enterprise, but also strongly in favour of it. I was deeply thankful
-that everything had succeeded so well, and when Weber's widow, upon
-whom I called after the ceremony, told me how profoundly she, too, had
-been moved, the only cloud that still darkened my horizon was
-dispelled. In my youth I had learned to love music through my
-admiration for Weber's genius, and the news of his death was a terrible
-blow to me. To have, as it were, come into contact with him again and
-after so many years by this second funeral, was an event that stirred
-the very depths of my being.
-
-From all the particulars I have given concerning my intimacy with the
-great masters who were my contemporaries, it is easy to see at what
-sources I had been able to quench my thirst for intellectual
-intercourse. It was not a very satisfactory outlook to turn from
-Weber's grave to his living successors; but I had still to find out how
-absolutely hopeless this was.
-
-I spent the winter of 1844-5 partly in yielding to attractions from
-outside, and partly in indulging in the deepest meditation. By dint of
-great energy, and by getting up very early, even in winter, I succeeded
-in completing my score to Tannhauser early in April, having, as already
-stated, finished the composition of it at the end of the preceding
-year. In writing down the orchestration I made things particularly
-difficult for myself by using the specially prepared paper which the
-printing process renders necessary, and which involved me in all kinds
-of trying formalities. I had each page transferred to the stone
-immediately, and a hundred copies printed from each, hoping to make use
-of these proofs for the rapid circulation of my work. Whether my hopes
-were to be fulfilled or not, I was at all events fifteen hundred marks
-out of pocket when all the expenses of the publication were paid.
-
-In regard to this work which called for so many sacrifices, and which
-was so slow and difficult, more details will appear in my
-autobiography. At all events, when May came round I was in possession
-of a hundred neatly bound copies of my first new work since the
-production of the Fliegender Hollander, and Hiller, to whom I showed
-some parts of it, formed a tolerably good impression of its value.
-
-These plans for rapidly spreading the fame of my Tannhauser were made
-with the hope of a success which, in view of my needy circumstances,
-seemed ever more and more desirable. In the course of one year since I
-had begun my own publication of my operas, much had been done to this
-end. In September of the year 1844 I had presented the King of Saxony
-with a special richly bound copy of the complete pianoforte arrangement
-of Rienzi, dedicated to his Majesty. The Fliegender Hollander had also
-been finished, and the pianoforte arrangement of Rienzi for duet, as
-well as some songs selected from both operas, had either been published
-or were about to be published. Apart from this I had had twenty-five
-copies made of the scores of both these operas by means of the
-so-called autographic transfer process, although only from the writing
-of the copyists. All these heavy expenses made it absolutely imperative
-that I should try to send my scores to the different theatres, and
-induce them to produce my operas, as the outlay on the piano scores had
-been heavy, and these could only have a sale if my works got to be
-known sufficiently well through the theatre.
-
-I now sent the score of my Rienzi to the more important theatres, but
-they all returned my work to me, the Munich Court Theatre even sending
-it back unopened! I therefore knew what to expect, and spared myself
-the trouble of sending my Dutchman. From a speculative business point
-of view the situation was this: the hoped-for success of Tannhauser
-would bring in its wake a demand for my earlier works. The worthy
-Meser, my agent, who was the music publisher appointed to the court,
-had also begun to feel a little doubtful, and saw that this was the
-only thing to do. I started at once on the publication of a pianoforte
-arrangement of Tannhauser, preparing it myself while Rockel undertook
-the Fliegender Hollander, and a certain Klink did Rienzi.
-
-The only thing that Meser was absolutely opposed to was the title of my
-new opera, which I had just named Der Venusberg; he maintained that, as
-I did not mix with the public, I had no idea what horrible jokes were
-made about this title. He said the students and professors of the
-medical school in Dresden would be the first to make fun of it, as they
-had a predilection for that kind of obscene joke. I was sufficiently
-disgusted by these details to consent to the change. To the name of my
-hero, Tannhauser, I added the name of the subject of the legend which,
-although originally not belonging to the Tannhauser myth, was thus
-associated with it by me, a fact which later on Simrock, the great
-investigator and innovator in the world of legend, whom I esteemed so
-highly, took very much amiss.
-
-Tannhauser und der Sangerkrieg auf Wartburg should henceforth be its
-title, and to give the work a mediaeval appearance I had the words
-specially printed in Gothic characters upon the piano arrangement, and
-in this way introduced the work to the public.
-
-
-The extra expenses this involved were very heavy; but I went to great
-pains to impress Meser with my belief in the success of my work. So
-deeply were we involved in this scheme, and so great were the
-sacrifices it had compelled us to make, that there was nothing else for
-it but to trust to a special turn of Fortune's wheel. As it happened,
-the management of the theatre shared my confidence in the success of
-Tannhauser. I had induced Luttichau to have the scenery for Tannhauser
-painted by the best painters of the great opera house in Paris. I had
-seen their work on the Dresden stage: it belonged to the style of
-German scenic art which was then fashionable, and really gave the
-effect of first-class work.
-
-The order for this, as well as the necessary negotiations with the
-Parisian painter, Desplechin, had already been settled in the preceding
-autumn. The management agreed to all my wishes, even to the ordering of
-beautiful costumes of mediaeval character designed by my friend Heine.
-The only thing Luttichau constantly postponed was the order for the
-Hall of Song on the Wartburg; he maintained that the Hall for Kaiser
-Karl the Great in Oberon, which had only recently been delivered by
-some French painters, would answer the purpose just as well. With
-superhuman efforts I had to convince my chief that we did not want a
-brilliant throne-room, but a scenic picture of a certain character such
-as I saw before my mind's eye, and that it could be painted only
-according to my directions. As in the end I became very irritable and
-cross, he soothed me by saying that he had no objection to having this
-scene painted, and that he would order it to be commenced at once,
-adding that he had not agreed immediately, only with the view of making
-my joy the greater, because, what one obtained without difficulty, one
-rarely appreciated. This Hall of Song was fated to cause me great
-trouble later on.
-
-Thus everything was in full swing; circumstances were favourable, and
-seemed to cast a hopeful light upon the production of my new work at
-the beginning of the autumn season. Even the public was looking forward
-to it, and for the first time I saw my name mentioned in a friendly
-manner in a communication to the Allgemeine Zeitung. They actually
-spoke of the great expectations they had of my new work, the poem of
-which had been written 'with undoubted poetic feeling.'
-
-Full of hope, I started in July on my holiday, which consisted of a
-journey to Marienbad in Bohemia, where my wife and I intended to take
-the cure. Again I found myself on the 'volcanic' soil of this
-extraordinary country, Bohemia, which always had such an inspiring
-effect on me. It was a marvellous summer, almost too hot, and I was
-therefore in high spirits. I had intended to follow the easy-going mode
-of life which is a necessary part of this somewhat trying treatment,
-and had selected my books with care, taking with me the poems of
-Wolfram von Eschenbach, edited by Simrock and San Marte, as well as the
-anonymous epic Lohengrin, with its lengthy introduction by Gorres. With
-my book under my arm I hid myself in the neighbouring woods, and
-pitching my tent by the brook in company with Titurel and Parcival, I
-lost myself in Wolfram's strange, yet irresistibly charming, poem.
-Soon, however, a longing seized me to give expression to the
-inspiration generated by this poem, so that I had the greatest
-difficulty in overcoming my desire to give up the rest I had been
-prescribed while partaking of the water of Marienbad.
-
-The result was an ever-increasing state of excitement. Lohengrin, the
-first conception of which dates from the end of my time in Paris, stood
-suddenly revealed before me, complete in every detail of its dramatic
-construction. The legend of the swan which forms such an important
-feature of all the many versions of this series of myths that my
-studies had brought to my notice, exercised a singular fascination over
-my imagination.
-
-Remembering the doctor's advice, I struggled bravely against the
-temptation of writing down my ideas, and resorted to the most strange
-and energetic methods. Owing to some comments I had read in Gervinus's
-History of German Literature, both the Meistersinger von Nurnberg and
-Hans Sachs had acquired quite a vital charm for me. The Marker alone,
-and the part he takes in the Master-singing, were particularly pleasing
-to me, and on one of my lonely walks, without knowing anything
-particular about Hans Sachs and his poetic contemporaries, I thought
-out a humorous scene, in which the cobbler--as a popular
-artisan-poet--with the hammer on his last, gives the Marker a practical
-lesson by making him sing, thereby taking revenge on him for his
-conventional misdeeds. To me the force of the whole scene was
-concentrated in the two following points: on the one hand the Marker,
-with his slate covered with chalk-marks, and on the other Hans Sachs
-holding up the shoes covered with his chalk-marks, each intimating to
-the other that the singing had been a failure. To this picture, by way
-of concluding the second act, I added a scene consisting of a narrow,
-crooked little street in Nuremberg, with the people all running about
-in great excitement, and ultimately engaging in a street brawl. Thus,
-suddenly, the whole of my Meistersinger comedy took shape so vividly
-before me, that, inasmuch as it was a particularly cheerful subject,
-and not in the least likely to over-excite my nerves, I felt I must
-write it out in spite of the doctor's orders. I therefore proceeded to
-do this, and hoped it might free me from the thrall of the idea of
-Lohengrin; but I was mistaken; for no sooner had I got into my bath at
-noon, than I felt an overpowering desire to write out Lohengrin, and
-this longing so overcame me that I could not wait the prescribed hour
-for the bath, but when a few minutes elapsed, jumped out and, barely
-giving myself time to dress, ran home to write out what I had in my
-mind. I repeated this for several days until the complete sketch of
-Lohengrin was on paper.
-
-The doctor then told me I had better give up taking the waters and
-baths, saying emphatically that I was quite unfit for such cures. My
-excitement had grown to such an extent that even my efforts to sleep as
-a rule ended only in nocturnal adventures. Among some interesting
-excursions that we made at this time, one to Eger fascinated me
-particularly, on account of its association with Wallenstein and of the
-peculiar costumes of the inhabitants.
-
-In mid-August we travelled back to Dresden, where my friends were glad
-to see me in such good spirits; as for myself, I felt as if I had
-wings. In September, when all our singers had returned from their
-summer holidays, I resumed the rehearsals of Tannhauser with great
-earnestness. We had now got so far, at least with the musical part of
-the performance, that the possible date of the production seemed quite
-close at hand. Schroder-Devrient was one of the first to realise the
-extraordinary difficulties which the production of Tannhauser would
-entail. And, indeed, she saw these difficulties so clearly that, to my
-great discomfiture, she was able to lay them all before me. Once, when
-I called upon her, she read the principal passages aloud with great
-feeling and force, and then she asked me how I could have been so
-simple-minded as to have thought that so childish a creature as
-Tichatschek would be able to find the proper tones for Tannhauser. I
-tried to bring her attention and my own to bear upon the nature of the
-music, which was written so clearly in order to bring out the necessary
-accent, that, in my opinion, the music actually spoke for him who
-interpreted the passage, even if he were only a musical singer and
-nothing more. She shook her head, saying that this would be all right
-in the case of an oratorio.
-
-She now sang Elizabeth's prayer from the piano score, and asked me if I
-really thought that this music would answer my intentions if sung by a
-young and pretty voice without any soul or without that experience of
-life which alone could give the real expression to the interpretation.
-I sighed and said that, in that case, the youthfulness of the voice and
-of its owner must make up for what was lacking: at the same time, I
-asked her as a favour to see what she could do towards making my niece,
-Johanna, understand her part. All this, however, did not solve the
-Tannhauser problem, for any effort at teaching Tichatschek would only
-have resulted in confusion. I was therefore obliged to rely entirely
-upon the energy of his voice, and on the singer's peculiarly sharp
-'speaking' tone.
-
-Devrient's anxiety about the principal parts arose partly out of
-concern about her own. She did not know what to do with the part of
-Venus; she had undertaken it for the sake of the success of the
-performance, for although a small part, so much depended upon its being
-ideally interpreted! Later on, when the work was given in Paris, I
-became convinced that this part had been written in too sketchy a
-style, and this induced me to reconstruct it by making extensive
-additions, and by supplying all that which I felt it lacked. For the
-moment, however, it looked as if no art on the part of the singer could
-give to this sketch anything of what it ought to represent. The only
-thing that might have helped towards a satisfactory impersonation of
-Venus would have been the artist's confidence in her own great physical
-attraction, and in the effect it would help to produce by appealing to
-the purely material sympathies of the public. The certainty that these
-means were no longer at her disposal paralysed this great singer, who
-could hide her age and matronly appearance no longer. She therefore
-became self-conscious, and unable to use even the usual means for
-gaining an effect. On one occasion, with a little smile of despair, she
-expressed herself incapable of playing Venus, for the very simple
-reason that she could not appear dressed like the goddess. 'What on
-earth am I to wear as Venus?' she exclaimed. 'After all, I cannot be
-clad in a belt alone. A nice figure of fun I should look, and you would
-laugh on the wrong side of your face!'
-
-On the whole, I still built my hopes upon the general effect of the
-music alone, the great promise of which at the rehearsals greatly
-encouraged me. Hiller, who had looked through the score and had already
-praised it, assured me that the instrumentation could not have been
-carried out with greater sobriety. The characteristic and delicate
-sonority of the orchestra delighted me, and strengthened me in my
-resolve to be extremely sparing in the use of my orchestral material,
-in order to attain that abundance of combinations which I needed for my
-later works.
-
-At the rehearsal my wife alone missed the trumpets and trombones that
-gave such brightness and freshness to Rienzi. Although I laughed at
-this, I could not help feeling anxious when she confided to me how
-great had been her disappointment when, at the theatre rehearsal, she
-noticed the really feeble impression made by the music of the
-Sangerkrieg. Speaking from the point of view of the public, who always
-want to be amused or stirred in some way or other, she had thus very
-rightly called attention to an exceedingly questionable side of the
-performance. But I saw at once that the fault lay less with the
-conception than with the fact that I had not controlled the production
-with sufficient care.
-
-In regard to the conception of this scene I was literally on the horns
-of a dilemma, for I had to decide once for all whether this Sangerkrieg
-was to be a concert of arias or a competition in dramatic poetry. There
-are many people even nowadays, who, in spite of having witnessed a
-perfectly successful production of this scene, have not received the
-right impression of its purport. Their idea is that it belongs to the
-traditional operatic 'genre,' which demands that a number of vocal
-evolutions shall be juxtaposed or contrasted, and that these different
-songs are intended to amuse and interest the audience by means of their
-purely musical changes in rhythm and time on the principle of a concert
-programme, i.e. by various items of different styles. This was not at
-all my idea: my real intention was, if possible, to force the listener,
-for the first time in the history of opera, to take an interest in a
-poetical idea, by making him follow all its necessary developments. For
-it was only by virtue of this interest that he could be made to
-understand the catastrophe, which in this instance was not to be
-brought about by any outside influence, but must be the outcome simply
-of the natural spiritual processes at work. Hence the need of great
-moderation and breadth in the conception of the music; first, in order
-that according to my principle it might prove helpful rather than the
-reverse to the understanding of the poetical lines, and secondly, in
-order that the increasing rhythmic character of the melody which marks
-the ardent growth of passion may not be interrupted too arbitrarily by
-unnecessary changes in modulation and rhythm. Hence, too, the need of a
-very sparing use of orchestral instruments for the accompaniment, and
-an intentional suppression of all those purely musical effects which
-must be utilised, and that gradually, only when the situation becomes
-so intense that one almost ceases to think, and can only feel the
-tragic nature of the crisis. No one could deny that I had contrived to
-produce the proper effect of this principle the moment I played the
-Sangerkrieg on the piano. With the view of ensuring all my future
-successes, I was now confronted with the exceptional difficulty of
-making the opera singers understand how to interpret their parts
-precisely in the way I desired. I remembered how, through lack of
-experience, I had neglected properly to superintend the production of
-the Fliegender Hollander, and as I now fully realised all the
-disastrous consequences of this neglect, I began to think of means by
-which I could teach the singers my own interpretation. I have already
-stated that it was impossible to influence Tichatschek, for if he were
-made to do things he could not understand, he only became nervous and
-confused. He was conscious of his advantages. He knew that with his
-metallic voice he could sing with great musical rhythm and accuracy,
-while his delivery was simply perfect. But, to my great astonishment, I
-was soon to learn that all this did not by any means suffice; for, to
-my horror, at the first performance, that which had strangely escaped
-my notice in the rehearsals became suddenly apparent to me. At the
-close of the Sangerkrieg, when Tannhauser (in frantic excitement, and
-forgetful of everybody present) has to sing his praise to Venus, and I
-saw Tichatschek moving towards Elizabeth and addressing his passionate
-outburst to her, I thought of Schroder-Devrient's warning in very much
-the same way as Croesus must have thought when he cried, 'O Solon!
-Solon!' at the funeral pyre. In spite of the musical excellence of
-Tichatschek, the enormous life and melodic charm of the Sangerkrieg
-failed entirely.
-
-On the other hand, I succeeded in calling into life an entirely new
-element such as probably had never been seen in opera! I had watched
-the young baritone Mitterwurzer with great interest in some of his
-parts--he was a strangely reticent man, and not at all sociably
-inclined, and I had noticed that his delightfully mellow voice
-possessed the rare quality of bringing out the inner note of the soul.
-To him I entrusted Wolfram, and I had every reason to be satisfied with
-his zeal and with the success of his studies. Therefore, if I wished my
-intention and method to become known, especially in regard to this
-difficult Sangerkrieg, I had to rely on him for the proper execution of
-my plans and everything they involved. I began by going through the
-opening song of this scene with him; but, after I had done my utmost to
-make him understand how I wanted it done, I was surprised to find how
-very difficult this particular rendering of the music appeared to him.
-He was absolutely incapable of repeating it after me, and with each
-renewed effort his singing became so commonplace and so mechanical that
-I realised clearly that he had not understood this piece to be anything
-more than a phrase in recitative form, which he might render with any
-inflections of the voice that happened to be prescribed, or which might
-be sung either this way or that, according to fancy, as was usual in
-operatic pieces. He, too, was astonished at his own want of capacity,
-but was so struck by the novelty and the justice of my views, that he
-begged me not to try any more for the present, but to leave him to find
-out for himself how best to become familiar with this newly revealed
-world. During several rehearsals he only sang in a whisper in order to
-get over the difficulty, but at the last rehearsal he acquitted himself
-so admirably of his task, and threw himself into it so heartily, that
-his work has remained to this day as my most conclusive reason for
-believing that, in spite of the unsatisfactory state of the world of
-opera to-day, it is possible not only to find, but also properly to
-train, the singer whom I should regard as indispensable for a correct
-interpretation of my works. It was through the impression made by
-Mitterwurzer that I ultimately succeeded in making the public
-understand the whole of my work. This man, who had utterly changed
-himself in bearing, look, and appearance in order to fit himself to the
-role of Wolfram, had, in thus solving the problem, not only become a
-thorough artist, but by his interpretation of his part had also proved
-himself my saviour at the very moment when my work was threatening to
-fail through the unsatisfactory result of the first performance.
-
-By his side the part of Elizabeth made a sweet impression. The youthful
-appearance of my niece, her tall and slender form, the decidedly German
-cast of her features, as well as the incomparable beauty of her voice,
-with its expression of almost childlike innocence, helped her to gain
-the hearts of the audience, even though her talent was more theatrical
-than dramatic. She soon rose to fame by her impersonation of this part,
-and often in later years, when speaking about Tannhauser performances
-in which she had appeared, people used to tell me that its success had
-been entirely due to her. Strange to say, in such reports people
-referred principally to the charm of her acting at the moment when she
-received the guests in the Wartburg Hall; and I used to account for
-this by remembering the untiring efforts with which my talented brother
-and I had trained her to perform this very part. And yet it was never
-possible to make her understand the proper interpretation of the prayer
-in the third act, and I felt inclined to say, 'O Solon! Solon!' as I
-had done in the case of Tichatschek, when after the first performance I
-was obliged to make a considerable cut in this solo, a proceeding which
-greatly reduced its importance for ever afterwards. I heard later that
-Johanna, who for a short period actually had the reputation of being a
-great singer, had never succeeded in singing the prayer as it ought to
-be sung, whereas a French singer, Mademoiselle Marie Sax, achieved this
-in Paris to my entire satisfaction.
-
-In the beginning of October we had so far progressed with our
-rehearsals that nothing stood in the way of an immediate production of
-Tannhauser save the scenery, which was not yet complete. A few only of
-the scenes ordered from Paris had arrived, and even these had come very
-late. The Wartburg Valley was beautifully effective and perfect in
-every detail. The inner part of the Venusberg, however, gave me much
-anxiety: the painter had not understood me; he had painted clusters of
-trees and statues, which reminded one of Versailles, and had placed
-them in a wild cave; he had evidently not known how to combine the
-weird with the alluring. I had to insist on extensive alterations, and
-chiefly on the painting out of the shrubs and statues, all of which
-required time. The grotto had to lie half hidden in a rosy cloud,
-through which the Wartburg Valley had to loom in the distance; this was
-to be done in strict obedience to my own ideas.
-
-The greatest misfortune, however, was to befall me in the shape of the
-tardy delivery of the scenery for the Hall of Song. This was due to
-great negligence on the part of the Paris artists; and we waited and
-waited until every detail of the opera had been studied and studied
-again ad nauseam. Daily I went to the railway station and examined all
-the packages and boxes that had arrived, but there was no Hall of Song.
-At last I allowed myself to be persuaded not to postpone the first
-performance any longer, and I decided to use the Hall of Karl the Great
-out of Oberon, originally suggested to me by Luttichau, instead of the
-real thing. Considering the importance I attached to practical effect,
-this entailed a great sacrifice of my personal feelings. And true
-enough, when the curtain rose for the second act, the reappearance of
-this throne-room, which the public had seen so often, added
-considerably to the general disappointment of the audience, who had
-anticipated astonishing surprises in this opera.
-
-On the 19th of October the first performance took place. In the morning
-of that day a very beautiful young lady was introduced to me by the
-leader Lipinsky. Her name was Mme. Ivalergis, and she was a niece of
-the Russian Chancellor, Count von Nesselrode. Liszt had spoken to her
-about me with such enthusiasm that she had travelled all the way to
-Dresden especially to hear the first production of my new work. I
-thought I was right in regarding this flattering visit as a good omen.
-But although on this occasion she turned away from me, somewhat
-perplexed and disappointed by the very unintelligible performance and
-the somewhat doubtful reception with which it met, I had sufficient
-cause in after-years to know how deeply this remarkable and energetic
-woman had nevertheless been impressed.
-
-A great contrast to this visit was one I received from a peculiar man
-called C. Gaillard. He was the editor of a Berlin musical paper, which
-had only just started, and in which I had read with great astonishment
-an entirely favourable and important criticism of my Fliegender
-Hollander. Although necessity had compelled me to remain indifferent to
-the attitude of the critics, yet this particular notice gave me much
-pleasure, and I had invited my unknown critic to come and hear the
-first production of Tannhauser in Dresden.
-
-This he did, and I was deeply touched to find that I had to deal with a
-young man who, in spite of being threatened by consumption, and being
-also exceedingly badly off, had come at my invitation, simply from a
-sense of duty and honour, and not with any mercenary motive. I saw from
-his knowledge and capacities that he would never be able to attain a
-position of great influence, but his kindness of heart and his
-extraordinarily receptive mind filled me with a feeling of profound
-respect for him. A few years later I was very sorry to hear that he had
-at last succumbed to the terrible disease from which I knew him to be
-suffering; for to the very end he remained faithful and devoted to me,
-in spite of the most trying circumstances.
-
-Meanwhile I had renewed my acquaintance with the friend I had won
-through the production of the Fliegender Hollander in Berlin, and who
-for a long time I had never had an opportunity of knowing more
-thoroughly. The second time I met her was at Schroder-Devrient's, with
-whom she was already on friendly terms, and of whom she used to speak
-as 'one of my greatest conquests.'
-
-She was already past her first youth, and had no beauty of feature
-except remarkably penetrating and expressive eyes that showed the
-greatness of soul with which she was gifted. She was the sister of
-Frommann, the bookseller of Jena, and could relate many intimate facts
-about Goethe, who had stayed at her brother's house when he was in that
-town. She had held the position of reader and companion to the Princess
-Augusta of Prussia, and had thus become intimately acquainted with her,
-and was regarded by her own association as almost a bosom friend and
-confidante of that great lady. Nevertheless, she lived in extreme
-poverty, and seemed proud of being able, by means of her talent as a
-painter of arabesques, to secure for herself some sort of independence.
-She always remained faithfully devoted to me, as she was one of the few
-who were uninfluenced by the unfavourable impression produced by the
-first performance of Tannhauser, and promptly expressed her
-appreciation of my latest work with the greatest enthusiasm.
-
-With regard to the production itself the conclusions I drew from it
-were as follows: the real faults in the work, which I have already
-mentioned incidentally, lay in the sketchy and clumsy portrayal of the
-part of Venus, and consequently of the whole of the introductory scene
-of the first act. In consequence of this defect the drama never even
-rose to the level of genuine warmth, still less did it attain to the
-heights of passion which, according to the poetic conception of the
-part, should so strongly work upon the feelings of the audience as to
-prepare them for the inevitable catastrophe in which the scene
-culminates, and thus lead up to the tragic denouement. This great scene
-was a complete failure, in spite of the fact that it was entrusted to
-so great an actress as Schroder-Devrient, and a singer so unusually
-gifted as Tichatschek. The genius of Devrient might yet have struck the
-right note of passion in the scene had she not chanced to be acting
-with a singer incapable of all dramatic seriousness, and whose natural
-gifts only fitted him for joyous or declamatory accents, and who was
-totally incapable of expressing pain and suffering. It was not until
-Wolfram's touching song and the closing scene of this act were reached
-that the audience showed any signs of emotion. Tichatschek wrought such
-a tremendous effect in the concluding phrase by the jubilant music of
-his voice that, as I was afterwards informed, the end of this first act
-left the audience in a great state of enthusiasm. This was maintained,
-and even exceeded in the second act, during which Elizabeth and Wolfram
-made a very sympathetic impression. It was only the hero of Tannhauser
-who continued to lose ground, and at last so completely failed to hold
-the audience that in the final scene he almost broke down himself in
-dejection, as though the failure of Tannhauser were his own. The fatal
-defect of his performance lay in his inability to find the right
-expression for the theme of the great Adagio passage of the finale
-beginning with the words: 'To lead the sinner to salvation, the
-Heaven-sent messenger drew near.' The importance of this passage I have
-explained at length in my subsequent instructions for the production of
-Tannhauser. Indeed, owing to Tichatschek's absolutely expressionless
-rendering, which made it seem terribly long and tedious, I had to omit
-it entirely from the second performance. As I did not wish to offend so
-devoted and, in his way, so deserving a man as Tichatschek, I let it be
-understood I had come to the conclusion that this theme was a failure.
-Moreover, as Tichatschek was thought to be an actor chosen by myself to
-take the parts of the heroes in my works, this passage, which was so
-immeasurably vital to the opera, continued to be omitted in all the
-subsequent productions of Tannhauser, as though this proceeding had
-been approved and demanded by me. I therefore cherished no illusions
-about the value of the subsequent universal success of this opera on
-the German stage. My hero, who, in rapture as in woe, should always
-have asserted his feelings with boundless energy, slunk away at the end
-of the second act with the humble bearing of a penitent sinner, only to
-reappear in the third with a demeanour designed to awaken the
-charitable sympathy of the audience. His pronunciation of the Pope's
-excommunication, however, was rendered with his usual full rhetorical
-power, and it was refreshing to hear his voice dominating the
-accompanying trombones. Granted that this radical defect in the hero's
-acting had left the public in a doubtful and unsatisfied state of
-suspense regarding the meaning of the whole, yet the mistake in the
-execution of the final scene, arising from my own inexperience in this
-new field of dramatic creation, undoubtedly contributed to produce a
-chilling uncertainty as to the true significance of the scenic action.
-In my first complete version I had made Venus, on the occasion of her
-second attempt to recall her faithless lover, appear in a vision to
-Tannhauser when he is in a frenzy of madness, and the awfulness of the
-situation, is merely suggested by a faint roseate glow upon the distant
-Horselberg. Even the definite announcement of Elizabeth's death was a
-sudden inspiration on the part of Wolfram. This idea I intended to
-convey to the listening audience solely by the sound of bells tolling
-in the distance, and by a faint gleam of torches to attract their eyes
-to the remote Wartburg. Moreover, there was a lack of precision and
-clearness in the appearance of the chorus of young pilgrims, whose duty
-it was to announce the miracle by their song alone. At that time I had
-given them no budding staves to carry, and had unfortunately spoiled
-their refrain by a tedious and unbroken monotony of accompaniment.
-
-When at last the curtain fell, I was under the impression, not so much
-from the behaviour of the audience, which was friendly, as from my own
-inward conviction, that the failure of this work was to be attributed
-to the immature and unsuitable material used in its production. My
-depression was extreme, and a few friends who were present after the
-piece, among them my dear sister Clara and her husband, were equally
-affected. That very evening I decided to remedy the defects of the
-first night before the second performance. I was conscious of where the
-principal fault lay, but hardly dared give expression to my conviction.
-At the slightest attempt on my part to explain anything to Tichatschek
-I had to abandon it, as I realised the impossibility of success, I
-should only have made him so embarrassed and annoyed, that on one
-pretext or another he would never have sung Tannhauser again. In order
-to ensure the repetition of my opera, therefore, I took the only course
-open to me by arrogating to myself all blame for the failure. I could
-thus make considerable curtailments, whereby, of course, the dramatic
-significance of the leading role was considerably lessened; this,
-however, did not interfere with the other parts of the opera, which had
-been favourably received. Consequently, although inwardly very
-humiliated, I hoped to gain some advantage for my work at the second
-performance, and was particularly desirous that this should take place
-with as little delay as possible. But Tichatschek was hoarse, and I had
-to possess my soul in patience for fully a week.
-
-I can hardly describe what I suffered during that time; it seemed as if
-this delay would completely ruin my work. Every day that elapsed
-between the first and second performance left the result of the former
-more and more problematic, until at last it appeared to be a generally
-acknowledged failure. While the public as a whole expressed angry
-astonishment that, after the approval they had shown of my Rienzi, I
-had paid no attention to their taste in writing my new work, there were
-may kind and judicious friends who were utterly perplexed at its
-inefficiency, the principal parts of which they had been unable to
-understand, or thought were imperfectly sketched and finished. The
-critics, with unconcealed joy, attacked it as ravens attack carrion
-thrown out to them. Even the passions and prejudices of the day were
-drawn into the controversy in order, if possible, to confuse men's
-minds, and prejudice them against me. It was just at the time when the
-German-Catholic agitation, set in motion by Czersky and Ronge as a
-highly meritorious and liberal movement, was causing a great commotion.
-It was now made out that by Tannhauser I had provoked a reactionary
-tendency, and that precisely as Meyerbeer with his Huguenots had
-glorified Protestantism, so I with my latest opera would glorify
-Catholicism.
-
-The rumour that in writing Tannhauser I had been bribed by the Catholic
-part was believed for a long time. While the effort was being made to
-ruin my popularity by this means, I had the questionable honour of
-being approached, first by letter, afterwards in person, by a certain
-M. Rousseau, at that time editor of the Prussian Staatszeitung, who
-wished for my friendship and help. I knew of him only in connection
-with a scathing criticism of my Fliegender Hollander. He informed me
-that he had been sent from Austria to further the Catholic cause in
-Berlin, but that he had had so many sad experiences of the
-fruitlessness of his efforts, that he was now returning to Vienna to
-continue his work in this direction undisturbed, with which work I had,
-by my Tannhauser, proclaimed myself fully in accord.
-
-That remarkable paper, the Dresdener Anzeiger, which was a local organ
-for the redress of slander and scandal, daily published some fresh bit
-of news to my prejudice. At last I noticed that these attacks were met
-by witty and forcible little snubs, and also that encouraging comments
-appeared in my favour, which for some time surprised me very much, as I
-knew that only enemies and never friends interested themselves in such
-cases. But I learned, to my amusement, from Rockel, that he and my
-friend Heine had carried out this inspiriting campaign on my behalf.
-
-The ill-feeling against me in this quarter was only troublesome because
-at that unfortunate period I was hindered from expressing myself
-through my work. Tichatschek continued hoarse, and it was said he would
-never sing in my opera again. I heard from Luttichau that, scared by
-the failure of Tannhauser, he was holding himself in readiness to
-countermand the order for the promised scenery for the Hall of Song, or
-to cancel it altogether. I was so terrified at the cowardice which was
-thus revealed, that I myself began to look upon Tannhauser as doomed.
-My prospects and my whole position, when viewed in this mood, may be
-readily gathered from my communications, especially those referring to
-my negotiations for the publication of my works.
-
-This terrible week dragged out like an endless eternity. I was afraid
-to look anybody in the face, but was one day obliged to go to Meser's
-music shop, where I met Gottfried Semper just buying a text-book of
-Tannhauser. Only a short time before I had been very much put out in
-discussing this subject with him; he would listen to nothing I had to
-say about the Minnesangers and Pilgrims of the Middle Ages in
-connection with art, but gave me to understand that he despised me for
-my choice of such material.
-
-While Meser assured me that no inquiry whatever had been received for
-the numbers of Tannhauser already published, it was strange that my
-most energetic antagonist should be the only person who had actually
-bought and paid for a copy. In a peculiarly earnest and impressive
-manner he remarked to me that it was necessary to be thoroughly
-acquainted with the subject if a just opinion was to be passed on it,
-and that for this purpose, unfortunately, nothing but the text was
-available. This very meeting with Semper, strange as it may appear, was
-the first really encouraging sign that I can remember.
-
-But I found my greatest consolation in those days of trouble and
-anxiety in Rockel, who from that time forward entered into a lifelong
-intimacy with me. He had, without my being aware of it, disputed,
-explained, quarrelled, and petitioned on my behalf, and thereby roused
-himself to a veritable enthusiasm for Tannhauser. The evening before
-the second performance, which was at last to take place, we met over a
-glass of beer, and his bright demeanour had such a cheering effect upon
-me that we became very lively. After contemplating my head for some
-time, he swore that it was impossible to destroy me, that there was a
-something in me, something, probably, in my blood, as similar
-characteristics also appeared in my brother Albert, who was otherwise
-so unlike me. To speak more plainly, he called it the peculiar HEAT of
-my temperament; this heat, he thought, might consume others, whereas I
-appeared to feel at my best when it glowed most fiercely, for he had
-several times seen me positively ablaze. I laughed, and did not know
-what to make of his nonsense. Well, he said, I should soon see what he
-meant in Tannhauser, for it was simply absurd to think the work would
-not live; and he was absolutely certain of its success. I thought over
-the matter on my way home, and came to the conclusion that if
-Tannhauser did indeed win its way, and become really popular,
-incalculable possibilities might be attained.
-
-At last the time arrived for our second performance. For this I thought
-I had made due preparation by lessening the importance of the principal
-part, and lowering my original ideals about some of the more important
-portions, and I hoped by accentuating certain undoubtedly attractive
-passages to secure a genuine appreciation of the whole. I was greatly
-delighted with the scenery which had at last arrived for the Hall of
-Song in the second act, the beautiful and imposing effect of which
-cheered us all, for we looked upon it as a good omen. Unfortunately I
-had to bear the humiliation of seeing the theatre nearly empty. This,
-more than anything else, sufficed to convince me what the opinion of
-the public really was in regard to my work. But, if the audience was
-scanty, the majority, at any rate, consisted of the first friends of my
-art, and the reception of the piece was very cordial. Mitterwurzer
-especially aroused the greatest enthusiasm. As for Tichatschek, my
-anxious friends, Rockel and Heine, thought it necessary to endeavour by
-every artifice to keep him in a good humour for his part. In order to
-give practical assistance in making the undoubted obscurity of the last
-scene clear, my friends had asked several young people, more especially
-artists, to give vent to torrents of applause at those parts which are
-not generally regarded by the opera-going public as provoking any
-demonstration. Strange to say, the outburst of applause thus provoked
-after the words, 'An angel flies to God's throne for thee, and will
-make his voice heard; Heinrich, thou art saved,' made the entire
-situation suddenly clear to the public. At all subsequent productions
-this continued to be the principal moment for the expression of
-sympathy on the part of the audience, although it had passed quite
-unnoticed on the first night. A few days later a third performance took
-place, but this time before a full house, Schroder-Devrient, depressed
-at the small share she was able to take in the success of my work,
-watched the progress of the opera from the small stage box; she
-informed me that Luttichau had come to her with a beaming face, saying
-he thought we had now carried Tannhauser happily through.
-
-And this certainly proved to be the case; we often repeated it in the
-course of the winter, but noticed that when two performances followed
-close upon one another, there was not such a rush for the second, from
-which we concluded that I had not yet gained the approval of the great
-opera-going public, but only of the more cultured section of the
-community. Among these real friends of Tannhauser there were many, as I
-gradually discovered, who as a rule never visited the theatre at all,
-and least of all the opera. This interest on the part of a totally new
-public continued to grow in intensity, and expressed itself in a
-delightful and hitherto unknown manner by a strong sympathy for the
-author. It was particularly painful to me, on Tichatschek's account, to
-respond alone to the calls of the audience after almost every act;
-however, I had at last to submit, as my refusal would only have exposed
-the vocalist to fresh humiliations, for when he appeared on the stage
-with his colleagues without me, the loud shouts for me were almost
-insulting to him. With what genuine eagerness did I wish that the
-contrary were the case, and that the excellence of the execution might
-overshadow the author. The conviction that I should never attain this
-with my Tannhauser in Dresden guided me in all my future undertakings.
-But, at all events, in producing Tannhauser in this city I had
-succeeded in making at least the cultured public acquainted with my
-peculiar tendencies, by stimulating their mental faculties and
-stripping the performance of all realistic accessories. I did not,
-however, succeed in making these tendencies sufficiently clear in a
-dramatic performance, and in such an irresistible and convincing manner
-as also to familiarise the uncultivated taste of the ordinary public
-with them when they saw them embodied on the stage.
-
-By enlarging the circle of my acquaintances, and making interesting
-friends, I had a good opportunity during the winter of obtaining
-further information on this point in a way that was both instructive
-and encouraging. My acquaintance and close intimacy at this time with
-Dr. Hermann Franck of Breslau, who had for some time been living
-quietly in Dresden, was also very inspiring. He was very comfortably
-off, and was one of those men who, by a wide knowledge and good
-judgment, combined with considerable gifts as an author, won an
-excellent reputation for himself in a large and select circle of
-private friends, without, however, making any great name for himself
-with the public. He endeavoured to use his knowledge and abilities for
-the general good, and was induced by Brockhaus to edit the Deutsche
-Allgemeine Zeitung when it first started. This paper had been founded
-by Brockhaus some years earlier. However, after editing it for a year,
-Franck resigned this post, and from that time forward it was only on
-the very rarest occasions that he could be persuaded to touch anything
-connected with journalism. His curt and spirited remarks about his
-experiences in connection with the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
-justified his disinclination to engage in any work connected with the
-public press. My appreciation was all the greater, therefore, when,
-without any persuasion on my part, he wrote a full report on Tannhauser
-for the Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung. This appeared in October or
-November, 1845, in a supplement to that paper, and although it
-contained the first account of a work which has since been so widely
-discussed, I regard it, after mature consideration, as the most
-far-reaching and exhaustive that has ever been written. By this means
-my name figured for the first time in the great European political
-paper, whose columns, in consequence of a remarkable change of front
-which was to the interests of the proprietors, have since been open to
-any one who wished to make merry at the expense of me or my work.
-
-The point which particularly attracted me in Dr. Franck was the
-delicate and tactful art he displayed in his criticism and his methods
-of discussion. There was something distinguished about them that was
-not so much the outcome of rank and social position as of genuine
-world-wide culture.
-
-The delicate coldness and reserve of his manner charmed rather than
-repelled me, as it was a characteristic I had not met with hitherto.
-When I found him expressing himself with some reserve in regard to
-persons who enjoyed a reputation to which I did not think they were
-always entitled, I was very pleased to see during my intercourse with
-him that in many ways I exercised a decisive influence over his
-opinion. Even at that time I did not care to let it pass unchallenged
-when people evaded the close analysis of the work of this or that
-celebrity, by referring in terms of eulogy to his 'good-nature.' I even
-cornered my worldly wise friend on this point, when a few years later I
-had the satisfaction of getting from him a very concise explanation of
-Meyerbeer's 'good-nature,' of which he had once spoken, and he recalled
-with a smile the extraordinary questions I had put to him at the time.
-He was, however, quite alarmed when I gave him a very lucid explanation
-of the disinterestedness and conspicuous altruism of Mendelssohn in the
-service of art, of which he had spoken enthusiastically. In a
-conversation about Mendelssohn he had remarked how delightful it was to
-find a man able to make real sacrifices in order to free himself from a
-false position that was of no service to art. It was assuredly a grand
-thing, he said, to have renounced a good salary of nine thousand marks
-as general musical conductor in Berlin, and to have retired to Leipzig
-as a simple conductor at the Gewandhaus concerts, and Mendelssohn was
-much to be admired on that account. Just at that time I happened to be
-in a position to give some correct details regarding this apparent
-sacrifice on the part of Mendelssohn, because when I had made a serious
-proposal to our general management about increasing the salaries of
-several of the poorer members of the orchestra, Luttichau was requested
-to inform me that, according to the King's latest commands, the
-expenditure on the state bands was to be so restricted that for the
-present the poorer chamber musicians could not claim any consideration,
-for Herr von Falkenstein, the governor of the Leipzig district, who was
-a passionate admirer of Mendelssohn's, had gone so far as to influence
-the King to appoint the latter secret conductor, with a secret salary
-of six thousand marks. This sum, together with the salary of three
-thousand marks openly granted him by the management of the Leipzig
-Gewandhaus, would amply compensate him for the position he had
-renounced in Berlin, and he had consequently consented to migrate to
-Leipzig. This large grant had, for decency's sake, to be kept secret by
-the board administering the band funds, not only because it was
-detrimental to the interests of the institution, but also because it
-might give offence to those who were acting as conductors at a lower
-salary, if they knew another man had been appointed to a sinecure. From
-these circumstances Mendelssohn derived not only the advantage of
-having the grant kept a secret, but also the satisfaction of allowing
-his friends to applaud him as a model of self-sacrificing zeal for
-going to Leipzig; which they could easily do, although they knew him to
-be in a good financial position. When I explained this to Franck, he
-was astonished, and admitted it was one of the strangest cases he had
-ever come across in connection with undeserved fame.
-
-We soon arrived at a mutual understanding in our views about many other
-artistic celebrities with whom we came in contact at that time in
-Dresden. This was a simple matter in the case of Ferdinand Hiller, who
-was regarded as the chief of the 'good-natured' ones. Regarding the
-more famous painters of the so-called Dusseldorf School, whom I met
-frequently through the medium of Tannhauser, it was not quite so easy
-to come to a conclusion, as I was to a great extent influenced by the
-fame attached to their well-known names; but here again Franck startled
-me with opportune and conclusive reasons for disappointment. When it
-was a question between Bendemann and Hubner, it seemed to me that
-Hubner might very well be sacrificed to Bendemann. The latter, who had
-only just completed the frescoes for one of the reception-rooms at the
-royal palace, and had been rewarded by his friends with a banquet,
-appeared to me to have the right to be honoured as a great master. I
-was very much astonished, therefore, when Franck calmly pitied the King
-of Saxony for having had his room 'bedaubed' by Bendemann!
-Nevertheless, there was no denying that these people were
-'good-natured.' My intercourse with them became more frequent, and at
-all events offered me opportunities of mixing with the more cultured
-artistic society, in distinction to the theatrical circles with which I
-had usually associated; yet I never derived from it the least
-enthusiasm or inspiration. The latter, however, appears to have been
-Hiller's main object, and that winter he organised a sort of social
-circle which held weekly meetings at the home of one or the other of
-its members in turn. Reinecke, who was both painter and poet, joined
-this society, together with Hubner and Bendemann, and had the bad
-fortune to write the new text for an opera for Hiller, the fate of
-which I will describe later on. Robert Schumann, the musician, who was
-also in Dresden at this time, and was busy working out on opera, which
-eventually developed into Genovefa, made advances to Hiller and myself.
-I had already known Schumann in Leipzig, and we had both entered upon
-our musical careers at about the same time. I had also occasionally
-sent small contributions to the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, of which he
-had formerly been editor, and more recently a longer one from Paris on
-Rossini's Stabat Mater. He had been asked to conduct his Paradies und
-Peri at a concert to be given at the theatre; but his peculiar
-awkwardness in conducting on that occasion aroused my sympathy for the
-conscientious and energetic musician whose work made so strong an
-appeal to me, and a kindly and friendly confidence soon grew up between
-us. After a performance of Tannhauser, at which he was present, he
-called on me one morning and declared himself fully and decidedly in
-favour of my work. The only objection he had to make was that the
-stretta of the second finale was too abrupt, a criticism which proved
-his keenness of perception; and I was able to show him, by the score,
-how I had been compelled, much against my inclination, to curtail the
-opera, and thereby create the position to which he had taken exception.
-We often met when out walking and, as far as it was possible with a
-person so sparing of words, we exchanged views on matters of musical
-interest. He was looking forward to the production, under my baton, of
-Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, as he had attended the performances at
-Leipzig, and had been very much disappointed by Mendelssohn's
-conducting, which had quite misunderstood the time of the first
-movement. Otherwise his society did not inspire me particularly, and
-the fact that he was too conservative to benefit by my views was soon
-shown, more especially in his conception of the poem of Genovefa. It
-was clear that my example had only made a very transient impression on
-him, only just enough, in fact, to make him think it advisable to write
-the text of an opera himself. He afterwards invited me to hear him read
-his libretto, which was a combination of the styles of Hebbel and
-Tieck. When, however, out of a genuine desire for the success of his
-work, about which I had serious misgivings, I called his attention to
-some grave defects in it, and suggested the necessary alterations, I
-realised how matters stood with this extraordinary person: he simply
-wanted me to be swayed by himself, but deeply resented any interference
-with the product of his own ideals, so that thenceforward I let matters
-alone.
-
-In the following winter, our circle, thanks to the assiduity of Hiller,
-was considerably widened, and it now became a sort of club whose object
-was to meet freely every week in a room at Engel's restaurant at the
-Postplatz. Just about this time the famous J. Schnorr of Munich was
-appointed director of the museums in Dresden, and we entertained him at
-a banquet. I had already seen some of his large and well-executed
-cartoons, which made a deep impression on me, not only on account of
-their dimensions, but also by reason of the events they depicted from
-old German history, in which I was at that time particularly
-interested. It was through Schnorr that I now became acquainted with
-the 'Munich School' of which he was the master. My heart overflowed
-when I thought what it meant for Dresden, if such giants of German art
-were to shake hands there. I was much struck by Schnorr's appearance
-and conversation, and I could not reconcile his whining pedagogic
-manner with his mighty cartoons; however, I thought it a great stroke
-of luck when he also took to frequenting Engel's restaurant on
-Saturdays. He was well versed in the old German legends, and I was
-delighted when they formed the topic of conversation. The famous
-sculptor, Hanel, used also to attend these meetings, and his marvellous
-talent inspired me with the greatest respect, although I was not an
-authority on his work, and could only judge of it by my own feelings. I
-soon saw that his bearing and manner were affected; he was very fond of
-expressing his opinion and judgment on questions of art, and I was not
-in a position to decide whether they were reliable or otherwise. In
-fact, it often occurred to me that I was listening to a Philistine
-swaggerer. It was only when my old friend Pecht, who had also settled
-in Dresden for a time, clearly and emphatically explained to me Hanel's
-standing as an artist, that I conquered all my secret doubts, and tried
-to find some pleasure in his works. Rietschel, who was also a member of
-our society, was the very antithesis of Hanel. I often found it
-difficult to believe that the pale delicate man, with the whining
-nervous way of expressing himself, was really a sculptor; but as
-similar peculiarities in Schnorr did not prevent me from recognising
-him as a marvellous painter, this helped me to make friends with
-Rietschel, as he was quite free from affectation, and had a warm
-sympathetic soul that drew me ever closer to him. I also remember
-hearing from him a very enthusiastic appreciation of my personality as
-a conductor. In spite, however, of being fellow-members of our
-versatile art club, we never attained a footing of real comradeship,
-for, after all, no one thought much of anybody else's talents. For
-instance, Hiller had arranged some orchestral concerts, and to
-commemorate them he was entertained at the usual banquet by his
-friends, when his services were gratefully acknowledged with due
-rhetorical pathos. Yet I never found, in my private intercourse with
-Hiller's friends, the least enthusiasm in regard to his work; on the
-contrary, I only noticed expressions of doubt and apprehensive shrugs.
-
-These feted concerts soon came to an end. At our social evenings we
-never discussed the works of the masters who were present; they were
-not even mentioned, and it was soon evident that none of the members
-knew what to talk about. Semper was the only man who, in his
-extraordinary fashion, often so enlivened our entertainments that
-Rietschel, inwardly sympathetic, though painfully startled, would
-heartily complain against the unrestrained outbursts that led not
-infrequently to hot discussions between Semper and myself. Strange to
-say, we two always seemed to start from the hypothesis that we were
-antagonists, for he insisted upon regarding me as the representative of
-mediaeval Catholicism, which he often attacked with real fury. I
-eventually succeeded in persuading him that my studies and inclinations
-had always led me to German antiquity, and to the discovery of ideals
-in the early Teutonic myths. When we came to paganism, and I expressed
-my enthusiasm for the genuine heathen legends, he became quite a
-different being, and a deep and growing interest now began to unite us
-in such a way that it quite isolated us from the rest of the company.
-It was, however, impossible ever to settle anything without a heated
-argument, not only because Semper had a peculiar habit of contradicting
-everything flatly, but also because he knew his views were opposed to
-those of the entire company. His paradoxical assertions, which were
-apparently only intended to stir up strife, soon made me realise,
-beyond any doubt, that he was the only one present who was passionately
-in earnest about everything he said, whereas all the others were quite
-content to let the matter drop when convenient. A man of the latter
-type was Gutzkow, who was often with us; he had been summoned to
-Dresden by the general management of our court theatre, to act in the
-capacity of dramatist and adapter of plays. Several of his pieces had
-recently met with great success: Zopf und Schwert, Das Urbild des
-Tartuffe, and Uriel Acosta, shed an unexpected lustre on the latest
-dramatic repertoire, and it seemed as though the advent of Gutzkow
-would inaugurate a new era of glory for the Dresden theatre, where my
-operas had also been first produced. The good intentions of the
-management were certainly undeniable. My only regret on that occasion
-was that the hopes my old friend Laube entertained of being summoned to
-Dresden to fill that post were unrealised. He also had thrown himself
-enthusiastically into the work of dramatic literature. Even in Paris I
-had noticed the eagerness with which he used to study the technique of
-dramatic composition, especially that of Scribe, in the hope of
-acquiring the skill of that writer, without which, as he soon
-discovered, no poetical drama in German could be successful. He
-maintained that he had thoroughly mastered this style in his comedy,
-Rococo, and he cherished the conviction that he could work up any
-imaginable material into an effective stage play.
-
-At the same time, he was very careful to show equal skill in the
-selection of his material. In my opinion this theory of his was a
-complete failure, as his only successful pieces were those in which
-popular interest was excited by catch-phrases. This interest was always
-more or less associated with the politics of the day, and generally
-involved some obvious diatribes about 'German unity' and 'German
-Liberalism.' As this important stimulus was first applied by way of
-experiment to the subscribers to our Residenz Theater, and afterwards
-to the German public generally, it had, as I have already said, to be
-worked out with the consummate skill which, presumably, could only be
-learned from modern French writers of comic opera.
-
-I was very glad to see the result of this study in Laube's plays, more
-especially as when he visited us in Dresden, which he often did on the
-occasion of a new production, he admitted his indebtedness with modest
-candour, and was far from pretending to be a real poet. Moreover, he
-displayed great skill and an almost fiery zeal, not only in the
-preparation of his pieces, but also in their production, so that the
-offer of a post at Dresden, the hope of which had been held out to him,
-would at least, from a practical point of view, have been a benefit to
-the theatre. Finally, however, the choice fell on his rival Gutzkow, in
-spite of his obvious unsuitability for the practical work of dramatist.
-It was evident that even as regards his successful plays his triumph
-was mainly due to his literary skill, because these effective plays
-were immediately followed by wearisome productions which made us
-realise, to our astonishment, that he himself could not have been aware
-of the skill he had previously displayed. It was, however, precisely
-these abstract qualities of the genuine man of letters which, in the
-eyes of many, cast over him the halo of literary greatness; and when
-Luttichau, thinking more of a showy reputation than of permanent
-benefit to his theatre, decided to give the preference to Gutzkow, he
-thought his choice would give a special impetus to the cause of higher
-culture. To me the appointment of Gutzkow as the director of dramatic
-art at the theatre was peculiarly objectionable, as it was not long
-before I was convinced of his utter incompetence for the task, and it
-was probably owing to the frankness with which I expressed my opinion
-to Luttichau that our subsequent estrangement was originally due. I had
-to complain bitterly of the want of judgment and the levity of those
-who so recklessly selected men to fill the posts of managers and
-conductors in such precious institutions of art as the German royal
-theatres. To obviate the failure I felt convinced must follow on this
-important appointment, I made a special request that Gutzkow should not
-be allowed to interfere in the management of the opera; he readily
-yielded, and thus spared himself great humiliation. This action,
-however, created a feeling of mistrust between us, though I was quite
-ready to remove this as far as possible by coming into personal contact
-with him whenever opportunity offered on those evenings when the
-artists used to gather at the club, as already described. I would
-gladly have made this strange man, whose head was anxiously bowed down
-on his breast, relax and unburden himself in his conversations with me,
-but I was unsuccessful, on account of his constant reserve and
-suspicion, and his studied aloofness. An opportunity arose for a
-discussion between us when he wanted the orchestra to take a
-melodramatic part (which they afterwards did) in a certain scene of his
-Uriel Acosta, where the hero had to recant his alleged heresy. The
-orchestra had to execute the soft tremolo for a given time on certain
-chords, but when I heard the performance it appeared to me absurd, and
-equally derogatory both for the music and the drama.
-
-On one of these evenings I tried to come to an understanding with
-Gutzkow concerning this, and the employment of music generally as a
-melodramatic auxiliary to the drama, and I discussed my views on the
-subject in accordance with the highest principles I had conceived. He
-met all the chief points of my discussion with a nervous distrustful
-silence, but finally explained that I really went too far in the
-significance which I claimed for music, and that he failed to
-understand how music would be degraded if it were applied more
-sparingly to the drama, seeing that the claims of verse were often
-treated with much less respect when it was used as a mere accessory to
-operatic music. To put it practically, in fact, it would be advisable
-for the librettist not to be too dainty in this matter; it wasn't
-possible always to give the actor a brilliant exit; at the same time,
-however, nothing could be more painful than when the chief performer
-made his exit without any applause. In such cases a little distracting
-noise in the orchestra really supplied a happy diversion. This I
-actually heard Gutzkow say; moreover, I saw that he really meant it!
-After this I felt I had done with him.
-
-It was not long before I had equally little to do with all the
-painters, musicians, and other zealots in art belonging to our society.
-At the same time, however, I came into closer contact with Berthold
-Auerbach. With great enthusiasm, Alwine Frommann had already drawn my
-attention to Auerbach's Pastoral Stories. The account she gave of these
-modest works (for that is how she characterised them) sounded quite
-attractive. She said that they had had the same refreshing effect on
-her circle of friends in Berlin as that produced by opening the window
-of a scented boudoir (to which she compared the literature they had
-hitherto been used to), and letting in the fresh air of the woods.
-After that I read the Pastoral Stories of the Black Forest, which had
-so quickly become famous, and I, too, was strongly attracted by the
-contents and tone of these realistic anecdotes about the life of the
-people in a locality which it was easy enough to identify from the
-vivid descriptions. As at this time Dresden seemed to be becoming ever
-more and more the rendezvous for the lights of our literary and
-artistic world, Auerbach also reconciled himself to taking up his
-quarters in this city; and for quite a long time, lived with his friend
-Hiller, who thus again had a celebrity at his side of equal standing
-with himself. The short, sturdy Jewish peasant boy, as he was placed to
-represent himself to be, made a very agreeable impression. It was only
-later that I understood the significance of his green jacket, and above
-all of his green hunting-cap, which made him look exactly what the
-author of Swabian Pastoral Stories ought to look like, and this
-significance was anything but a naive one. The Swiss poet, Gottfried
-Keller, once told me that, when Auerbach was in Zurich, and he had
-decided on taking him up, he (Auerbach) had drawn his attention to the
-best way in which to introduce one's literary effusions to the public,
-and to make money, and he advised him, above all things, to get a coat
-and cap like his own, for being, as he said, like himself, neither
-handsome nor well grown, it would be far better deliberately to make
-himself look rough and queer; so saying, he placed his cap on his head
-in such a way as to look a little rakish. For the time being, I
-perceived no real affectation in Auerbach; he had assimilated so much
-of the tone and ways of the people, and had done this so happily, that,
-in any case, one could not help asking oneself why, with these
-delightful qualities, he should move with such tremendous ease in
-spheres that seemed absolutely antagonistic. At all events, he always
-seemed in his true element even in those circles which really seemed
-most opposed to his assumed character; there he stood in his green
-coat, keen, sensitive, and natural, surrounded by the distinguished
-society that flattered him; and he loved to show letters he had
-received from the Grand Duke of Weimar and his answers to them, all the
-time looking at things from the standpoint of the Swabian peasant
-nature which suited him so admirably.
-
-What especially attracted me to him was the fact that he was the first
-Jew I ever met with whom one could discuss Judaism with absolute
-freedom. He even seemed particularly desirous of removing, in his
-agreeable manner, all prejudice on this score; and it was really
-touching to hear him speak of his boyhood, and declare that he was
-perhaps the only German who had read Klopstock's Messiah all through.
-Having one day become absorbed in this work, which he read secretly in
-his cottage home, he had played the truant from school, and when he
-finally arrived too late at the school-house, his teacher angrily
-exclaimed: 'You confounded Jew-boy, where have you been? Lending money
-again?' Such experiences had only made him feel pensive and melancholy,
-but not bitter, and he had even been inspired with real compassion for
-the coarseness of his tormentors. These were traits in his character
-which drew me very strongly to him. As time went on, however, it seemed
-to me a serious matter that he could not get away from the atmosphere
-of these ideas, for I began to feel that the universe contained no
-other problem for him than the elucidation of the Jewish question. One
-day, therefore, I protested as good-naturedly and confidentially as I
-could, and advised him to let the whole problem of Judaism drop, as
-there were, after all, many other standpoints from which the world
-might be criticised. Strange to say, he thereupon not only lost his
-ingeniousness, but also fell to whining in an ecstatic fashion, which
-did not seem to me very genuine, and assured me that that would be an
-impossibility for him, as there was still so much in Judaism which
-needed his whole sympathy. I could not help recalling the surprising
-anguish which he had manifested on this occasion, when I learned, in
-the course of time, that he had repeatedly arranged Jewish marriages,
-concerning the happy result of which I heard nothing, save that he had,
-by this means, made quite a fortune. When, several years afterwards, I
-again saw him in Zurich, I observed that his appearance had
-unfortunately changed in a manner quite disconcerting: he looked really
-extraordinarily common and dirty; his former refreshing liveliness had
-turned into the usual Jewish restlessness, and it was easy to see that
-all he said was uttered as if he regretted that his words could not be
-turned to better account in a newspaper article.
-
-During his time in Dresden, however, Auerbach's warm agreement with my
-artistic projects really did me good, even though it may have been only
-from his Semitic and Swabian standpoint; so did the novelty of the
-experience I was at that time undergoing as an artist, in meeting with
-ever-increasing regard and recognition among people of note, of
-acknowledged importance and of exceptional culture. If, after the
-success obtained by Rienzi, I still remained with the circle of the
-real theatrical world, the greater success following on Tannhauser
-certainly brought me into contact with such people as I have mentioned
-above, who, though to be sure they considerably enlarged my ideas, at
-the same time impressed me very unfavourably with what was apparently
-the pinnacle of the artistic life of the period. At any rate, I felt
-neither rewarded nor, fortunately, even diverted by the acquaintances I
-won by the first performance of my Tannhauser that winter. On the
-contrary, I felt an irresistible desire to withdraw into my shell and
-leave these gay surroundings into which, strangely enough, I had been
-introduced at the instigation of Hiller, whom I soon recognised as
-being a nonentity. I felt I must quickly compose something, as this was
-the only means of ridding myself of all the disturbing and painful
-excitement Tannhauser had produced in me.
-
-Only a few weeks after the first performances I had worked out the
-whole of the Lohengrin text. In November I had already read this poem
-to my intimate friends, and soon afterwards to the Hiller set. It was
-praised, and pronounced 'effective.' Schumann also thoroughly approved
-of it, although he did not understand the musical form in which I
-wished to carry it out, as he saw no resemblance in it to the old
-methods of writing individual solos for the various artists. I then had
-some fun in reading different parts of my work to him in the form of
-arias and cavatinas, after which he laughingly declared himself
-satisfied.
-
-Serious reflection, however, aroused my gravest doubts as to the tragic
-character of the material itself, and to these doubts I had been led,
-in a manner both sensible and tactful, by Franck. He thought it
-offensive to effect Elsa's punishment through Lohengrin's departure;
-for although he understood that the characteristics of the legend were
-expressed precisely by this highly poetical feature, he was doubtful as
-to whether it did full justice to the demands of tragic feeling in its
-relation to dramatic realism. He would have preferred to see Lohengrin
-die before our eyes owing to Elsa's loving treachery. As, however, this
-did not seem feasible, he would have liked to see Lohengrin spell-bound
-by some powerful motive, and prevented from getting away. Although, of
-course, I would not agree to any of these suggestions, I went so far as
-to consider whether I could not do away with the cruel separation, and
-still retain the incident of Lohengrin's departure, which was
-essential. I then sought for a means of letting Elsa go away with
-Lohengrin, as a form of penance which would withdraw her also from the
-world. This seemed more promising to my talented friend. While I was
-still very doubtful about all this, I gave my poem to Frau von
-Luttichau, so that she might peruse it, and criticise the point raised
-by Franck. In a little letter, in which she expressed her pleasure at
-my poem, she wrote briefly, but very decidedly, on the knotty question,
-and declared that Franck must be devoid of all poetry if he did not
-understand that it was exactly in the way I had chosen, and in no
-other, that Lohengrin must depart. I felt as if a load had fallen from
-my heart. In triumph I showed the letter to Franck, who, much abashed,
-and by way of excusing himself, opened a correspondence with Frau von
-Luttichau, which certainly cannot have been lacking in interest, though
-I was never able to see any of it. In any case, the upshot of it was
-that Lohengrin remained as I had originally conceived it. Curiously
-enough, some time later, I had a similar experience with regard to the
-same subject, which again put me in a temporary state of uncertainty.
-When Adolf Stahr gravely raised the same objection to the solution of
-the Lohengrin question, I was really taken aback by the uniformity of
-opinion; and as, owing to some excitement, I was just then no longer in
-the same mood as when I composed Lohengrin, I was foolish enough to
-write a hurried letter to Stahr in which, with but a few slight
-reservations, I declared him to be right. I did not know that, by this,
-I was causing real grief to Liszt, who was now in the same position
-with regard to Stahr as Frau von Luttichau had been with regard to
-Franck. Fortunately, however, the displeasure of my great friend at my
-supposed treachery to myself did not last long; for, without having got
-wind of the trouble I had caused him, and thanks to the torture I
-myself was going through, I came to the proper decision in a few days,
-and, as clear as daylight, I saw what madness it had been. I was
-therefore able to rejoice Liszt with the following laconical protest
-which I sent him from my Swiss resort: 'Stahr is wrong, and Lohengrin
-is right.'
-
-For the present I remained occupied with the revision of my poem, for
-there could be no question of planning the music to it just now. That
-peaceful and harmonious state of mind which is so favourable to
-creative work, and always so necessary to me for composing, I now had
-to secure with the greatest difficulty, for it was one of the things I
-always had the hardest struggle to obtain. All the experiences
-connected with the performance of Tannhauser having filled me with true
-despair as to the whole future of my artistic operations, I saw it was
-hopeless to think of its production being extended to other German
-theatres--for I had not been able to achieve this end even with the
-successful Rienzi. It was perfectly obvious, therefore, that my work
-would, at the utmost, be conceded a permanent place in the Dresden
-repertoire. As the result of all this, my pecuniary affairs, which have
-already been described, had got into such a serious state that a
-catastrophe seemed inevitable. While I was preparing to meet this in
-the best way I could, I tried to stupefy myself, on the one hand, by
-plunging into the study of history, mythology, and literature, which
-were becoming ever dearer and dearer to me, and on the other by working
-incessantly at my artistic enterprises. As regards the former, I was
-chiefly interested in the German Middle Ages, and tried to make myself
-familiar with every point relative to this period. Although I could not
-set about this task with philological precision, I proceeded with such
-earnestness that I studied the German records, published by Grimm, for
-instance, with the greatest interest. As I could not put the results of
-such studies immediately into my scenes, there were many who could not
-understand why, as an operatic composer, I should waste my time on such
-barren work. Different people remarked later on, that the personality
-of Lohengrin had a charm quite its own; but this was ascribed to the
-happy selection of the subject, and I was specially praised for
-choosing it. Material from the German Middle Ages, and later on,
-subjects from Scandinavian antiquity, were therefore looked forward to
-by many, and, in the end, they were astonished that I gave them no
-adequate result of all my labours. Perhaps it will be of help to them
-if I now tell them to take the old records and such works to their aid.
-I forgot at that time to call Hiller's attention to my documents, and
-with great pride he seized upon a subject out of the history of the
-Hohenstaufen. As, however, he had no success with his work, he may
-perhaps think I was a little artful for not having spoken to him of the
-old records.
-
-Concerning my other duties, my chief undertaking for this winter
-consisted in an exceptionally carefully prepared performance of
-Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which took place in the spring on Palm
-Sunday. This performance involved many a struggle, besides a host of
-experiences which were destined to exercise a strong influence over my
-further development. Roughly they were as follows: the royal orchestra
-had only one opportunity a year of showing their powers independently
-in a musical performance outside the Opera or the church. For the
-benefit of the Pension Fund for their widows and orphans, the old
-so-called Opera House was given up to a big performance originally only
-intended for oratorios. Ultimately, in order to make it more
-attractive, a symphony was always added to the oratorio; and, as
-already mentioned, I had performed on such occasions, once the Pastoral
-Symphony, and later Haydn's Creation. The latter was a great joy to me,
-and it was on this occasion that I first made its acquaintance. As we
-two conductors had stipulated for alternate performances, the Symphony
-on Palm Sunday of the year 1846 fell to my lot. I had a great longing
-for the Ninth Symphony, and I was led to the choice of this work by the
-fact that it was almost unknown in Dresden. When the directors of the
-orchestra, who were the trustees of the Pension Fund, and who had to
-promote its increase, got to know of this, such a fright seized them
-that they interviewed the general director, Luttichau, and begged him,
-by virtue of his high authority, to dissuade me from carrying out my
-intention. They gave as a reason for this request, that the Pension
-Fund would surely suffer through the choice of this symphony, as the
-work was in ill-repute in the place, and would certainly keep people
-from going to the concert. The symphony had been performed many years
-before by Reissiger at a charity concert, and, as the conductor himself
-honestly admitted, had been an absolute failure. Now it needed my whole
-ardour, and all the eloquence I could command, to prevail over the
-doubts of our principal. With the orchestral directors, however, there
-was nothing for me to do but quarrel, as I heard that they were
-complaining all over the town about my indiscretion. In order to add
-shame to their trouble, I made up my mind to prepare the public in such
-a way for the performance, upon which I had resolved, and for the work
-itself, that at least the sensation caused would lead to a full hall
-and thus, in a very favourable manner, guarantee satisfactory returns,
-and contradict their belief that the fund was menaced. Thus the Ninth
-Symphony had, in every conceivable way, become for me a point of
-honour, for the success of which I had to exercise all my powers to the
-utmost. The committee had misgivings regarding the outlay needed for
-procuring the orchestral parts, so I borrowed them from the Leipzig
-Concert Society.
-
-Imagine my feelings, however, on now seeing for the first time since my
-earliest boyhood the mysterious pages of this score, which I studied
-conscientiously! In those days the sight of these same pages had filled
-me with the most mystic reveries, and I had stayed up for nights
-together to copy them out. Just as at the time of my uncertainty in
-Paris, on hearing the rehearsal of the first three movements performed
-by the incomparable orchestra of the Conservatoire, I had been carried
-back through years of error and doubt to be placed in marvellous touch
-with my earliest days, while all my inmost aspirations had been
-fruitfully stimulated in a new direction, so now in the same way the
-memory of that music was secretly awakened in me as I again saw before
-my own eyes that which in those early days had likewise been only a
-mysterious vision. I had by this time experienced much which, in the
-depths of my soul, drove me almost unconsciously to a process of
-summing-up, to an almost despairing inquiry concerning my fate. What I
-dared not acknowledge to myself was the fact of the absolute insecurity
-of my existence both from the artistic and financial point of view; for
-I saw that I was a stranger to my own mode of life as well as to my
-profession, and I had no prospects whatsoever. This despair, which I
-tried to conceal from my friends, was now converted into genuine
-exaltation, thanks entirely to the Ninth Symphony. It is not likely
-that the heart of a disciple has ever been filled with such keen
-rapture over the work of a master, as mine was at the first movement of
-this symphony. If any one had come upon me unexpectedly while I had the
-open score before me, and had seen me convulsed with sobs and tears as
-I went through the work in order to consider the best manner of
-rendering it, he would certainly have asked with astonishment if this
-were really fitting behaviour for the Conductor Royal of Saxony!
-Fortunately, on such occasions I was spared the visits of our orchestra
-directors, and their worthy conductor Reissiger, and even those of F.
-Hiller, who was so versed in classical music.
-
-In the first place I drew up a programme, for which the book of words
-for the chorus--always ordered according to custom--furnished me with a
-good pretext. I did this in order to provide a guide to the simple
-understanding of the work, and thereby hoped to appeal not to the
-critical judgment, but solely to the feelings, of the audience. This
-programme, in the framing of which some of the chief passages in
-Goethe's Faust were exceedingly helpful to me, was very well received,
-not only on that occasion in Dresden, but later on in other places.
-Besides this, I made use of the Dresden Anzeiger, by writing all kinds
-of short and enthusiastic anonymous paragraphs, in order to whet the
-public taste for a work which hitherto had been in ill-repute in
-Dresden.
-
-Not only did these purely extraneous exertions succeed in making the
-receipts of that year by far exceed any that had been taken
-theretofore, but the orchestra directors themselves, during the
-remaining years of my stay in Dresden, made a point of ensuring
-similarly large profits by repeated performances of the celebrated
-symphony. Concerning the artistic side of the performance, I aimed at
-making the orchestra give as expressive a rendering as possible, and to
-this end made all kinds of notes, myself, in the various parts, so as
-to make quite sure that their interpretation would be as clear and as
-coloured as could be desired. It was principally the custom which
-existed then of doubling the wind instruments, that led me to a most
-careful consideration of the advantages this system presented, for, in
-performances on a large scale, the following somewhat crude rule
-prevailed: all those passages marked piano were executed by a single
-set of instruments, while those marked forte were carried out by a
-duplicated set. As an instance of the way in which I took care to
-ensure an intelligible rendering by this means, I might point to a
-certain passage in the second movement of the symphony, where the whole
-of the string instruments play the principal and rhythmical figure in C
-major for the first time; it is written in triple octaves, which play
-uninterruptedly in unison and, to a certain degree, serve as an
-accompaniment to the second theme, which is only performed by feeble
-wood instruments. As fortissimo is indicated alike for the whole
-orchestra, the result in every imaginable rendering must be that the
-melody for the wood instruments not only completely disappears, but
-cannot even be heard through the strings, which, after all, are only
-accompanying. Now, as I never carried my piety to the extent of taking
-directions absolutely literally, rather than sacrifice the effect
-really intended by the master to the erroneous indications given, I
-made the strings play only moderately loudly instead of real
-fortissimo, up to the point where they alternate with the wind
-instruments in taking up the continuation of the new theme: thus the
-motive, rendered as it was as loudly as possible by a double set of
-wind instruments, was, I believe for the first time since the existence
-of the symphony, heard with real distinctness. I proceeded in this
-manner throughout, in order to guarantee the greatest exactitude in the
-dynamical effects of the orchestra. There was nothing, however
-difficult, which was allowed to be performed in such a way as not to
-arouse the feelings of the audience in a particular manner. For
-example, many brains had been puzzled by the Fugato in 6/8 time which
-comes after the chorus, Froh wie seine Sonnen fliegen, in the movement
-of the finale marked alia marcia. In view of the preceding inspiriting
-verses, which seemed to be preparing for combat and victory, I
-conceived this Fugato really as a glad but earnest war-song, and I took
-it at a continuously fiery tempo, and with the utmost vigour. The day
-following the first performance I had the satisfaction of receiving a
-visit from the musical director Anacker of Freiburg, who came to tell
-me somewhat penitently, that though until then he had been one of my
-antagonists, since the performance of the symphony he certainly
-reckoned himself among my friends. What had absolutely overwhelmed him,
-he said, was precisely my conception and interpretation of the Fugato.
-Furthermore, I devoted special attention to that extraordinary passage,
-resembling a recitative for the 'cellos and basses, which comes at the
-beginning of the last movement, and which had once caused my old friend
-Pohlenz such great humiliation in Leipzig. Thanks to the exceptional
-excellence of our bass players, I felt certain of attaining to absolute
-perfection in this passage. After twelve special rehearsals of the
-instruments alone concerned, I succeeded in getting them to perform in
-a way which sounded not only perfectly free, but which also expressed
-the most exquisite tenderness and the greatest energy in a thoroughly
-impressive manner.
-
-From the very beginning of my undertaking I had at once recognised,
-that the only method of achieving overwhelming popular success with
-this symphony was to overcome, by some ideal means, the extraordinary
-difficulties presented by the choral parts. I realised that the demands
-made by these parts could be met only by a large and enthusiastic body
-of singers. It was above all necessary, then, to secure a very good and
-large choir; so, besides adding the somewhat feeble Dreissig 'Academy
-of Singing' to our usual number of members in the theatre chorus, in
-spite of great difficulties I also enlisted the help of the choir from
-the Kreuzschule, with its fine boys' voices, and the choir of the
-Dresden seminary, which had had much practice in church singing. In a
-way quite my own I now tried to get these three hundred singers, who
-were frequently united for rehearsals, into a state of genuine ecstasy;
-for instance, I succeeded in demonstrating to the basses that the
-celebrated passage Seid umschlungen, Millionen, and especially Bruder,
-uber'm Sternenzelt muss ein guter Vater wohnen, could not be sung in an
-ordinary manner, but must, as it were, be proclaimed with the greatest
-rapture. In this I took the lead in a manner so elated that I really
-think I literally transported them to a world of emotion utterly
-strange to them for a while; and I did not desist till my voice, which
-had been heard clearly above all the others, began to be no longer
-distinguishable even to myself, but was drowned, so to speak, in the
-warm sea of sound.
-
-It gave me particular pleasure, with Mitterwurzer's cooperation, to
-give a most overwhelmingly expressive rendering of the recitative for
-baritone: Freunde, nicht diese Tone. In view of its exceptional
-difficulties this passage might almost be considered impossible to
-perform, and yet he executed it in a way which showed what fruit our
-mutual interchange of ideas had borne. I also took care that, by means
-of the complete reconstruction of the hall, I should obtain good
-acoustic conditions for the orchestra, which I had arranged according
-to quite a new system of my own. As may be imagined, it was only with
-the greatest difficulty that the money for this could be found;
-however, I did not give up, and owing to a totally new construction of
-the platform, I was able to concentrate the whole of the orchestra
-towards the centre, and surround it, in amphitheatre fashion, by the
-throng of singers who were accommodated on seats very considerably
-raised. This was not only of great advantage to the powerful effect of
-the choir, but it also gave great precision and energy to the finely
-organised orchestra in the purely symphonic movements.
-
-Even at the general rehearsal the hall was overcrowded. Reissiger was
-guilty of the incredible stupidity of working up the public mind
-against the symphony and drawing attention to Beethoven's very
-regrettable error. Gade, on the other hand, who came to visit us from
-Leipzig, where he was then conducting the Gewandhaus Concerts, assured
-me after the general rehearsal, that he would willingly have paid
-double the price of his ticket in order to hear the recitative by the
-basses once more; whilst Hiller considered that I had gone too far in
-my modification of the tempo. What he meant by this I learned
-subsequently when I heard him conducting intricate orchestral works;
-but of this I shall have more to say later on.
-
-There was no denying that the performance was, on the whole, a success;
-in fact, it exceeded all our expectations, and was particularly well
-received by the non-musical public. Among these I remember the
-philologist Dr. Kochly, who came to me at the end of the evening and
-confessed that it was the first time he had been able to follow a
-symphonic work from beginning to end with intelligent interest. This
-experience left me with a pleasant feeling of ability and power, and
-strongly confirmed me in the belief, that if I only desired anything
-with sufficient earnestness, I was able to achieve it with irresistible
-and overwhelming success. I now had to consider, however, what the
-difficulties were, which hitherto had prevented a similarly happy
-production of my own new conceptions. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which
-was still such a problem to so many, and had, at all events, never
-attained to popularity, I had been able to make a complete success;
-yet, as often as it was put on the stage, my Tannhauser taught me that
-the possibilities of its success had yet to be discovered. How was this
-to be done? This was and remained the secret question which influenced
-all my subsequent development.
-
-I dared not, however, indulge at that time in any meditation on this
-point with the view of arriving at any particular results, for the real
-significance of my failure, of which I was inwardly convinced, stood
-absolutely bare before me with all its terrifying lessons. Albeit, I
-could no longer delay taking even the most disagreeable steps with the
-view of warding off the catastrophe which menaced my financial position.
-
-I was led to this, thanks to the influence of a ridiculous omen. My
-agent, the purely nominal publisher of my three operas--Rienzi, the
-Fliegender Hollander, and Tannhauser--the eccentric court music
-publisher, C. F. Meser, invited me one day to the cafe known as the
-'Verderber' to discuss our money affairs. With great qualms we talked
-over the possible results of the Annual Easter Fair, and wondered
-whether they would be tolerably good or altogether bad. I gave him
-courage, and ordered a bottle of the best Haut-Sauterne. A venerable
-flask made its appearance; I filled the glasses, and we drank to the
-good success of the Fair; when suddenly we both yelled as though we had
-gone mad, while, with horror, we tried to rid our mouths of the strong
-Tarragon vinegar with which we had been served by mistake. 'Heavens!'
-cried Meser, 'nothing could be worse!' 'True enough,' I answered, 'no
-doubt there is much that will turn to vinegar for us.' My good-humour
-revealed to me in a flash that I must try some other way of saving
-myself than by means of the Easter Fair.
-
-Not only was it necessary to refund the capital which had been got
-together by dint of ever-increasing sacrifices, in order to defray the
-expenses of the publication of my operas; but, owing to the fact that I
-had been obliged ultimately to seek aid from the usurers, the rumour of
-my debts had spread so far abroad, that even those friends who had
-helped me at the time of my arrival in Dresden were seized with anxiety
-on my account. At this time I met with a really sad experience at the
-hands of Madame Schroder-Devrient, who, as the result of her
-incomprehensible lack of discretion, did much to bring about my final
-undoing. When I first settled in Dresden, as I have already pointed
-out, she lent me three thousand marks, not only to help me to discharge
-my debts, but also to allow me to contribute to the maintenance of my
-old friend Kietz in Paris. Jealousy of my niece Johanna, and suspicion
-that I had made her (my niece) come to Dresden in order to make it
-easier for the general management to dispense with the services of the
-great artist, had awakened in this otherwise so noble-minded woman the
-usual feelings of animosity towards me, which are so often met with in
-the theatrical profession. She had now given up her engagement; she
-even declared openly that I had been partly instrumental in obtaining
-her dismissal; and abandoning all friendly regard for me, whereby she
-deeply wronged me in every respect, she placed the I.O.U. I had given
-her in the hands of an energetic lawyer, and without further ado this
-man sued me for the payment of the money. Thus I was forced to make a
-clean breast of everything to Luttichau, and to beseech him to
-intervene for me, and if possible to obtain a royal advance that would
-enable me to clear my position, which was so seriously compromised.
-
-My principal declared himself willing to support any request I might
-wish to address to the King on this matter. To this end I had to note
-down the amount of my debts; but as I soon discovered that the
-necessary sum could only be assigned to me as a loan from the Theatre
-Pension Fund, at an interest of five per cent., and that I should
-moreover have to secure the capital of the Pension Fund by a life
-insurance policy, which would cost me annually three per cent, of the
-capital borrowed, I was, for obvious reasons, tempted to leave out of
-my petition all those of my debts which were not of a pressing nature,
-and for the payment of which I thought I could count on the receipts
-which I might finally expect from my publishing enterprises.
-Nevertheless, the sacrifices I had to make in order to repay the help
-offered me increased to such an extent, that my salary of conductor, in
-itself very slender, promised to be materially diminished for some time
-to come. I was forced to make the most irksome efforts to gather
-together the necessary sum for the life insurance policy, and was
-therefore obliged frequently to appeal to Leipzig. In addition to this,
-I had to overcome the most appalling doubts in regard both to my health
-and to the probable length of my life, concerning which I fancied I had
-heard all sorts of malicious apprehensions expressed by those who had
-observed me but casually in the miserable condition which I was in at
-that time. My friend Pusinelli, as a doctor who was very intimate with
-me, eventually managed to give such satisfactory information concerning
-the state of my health, that I succeeded in insuring my life at the
-rate of three per cent.
-
-The last of these painful journeys to Leipzig was, at all events, made
-under pleasant circumstances owing to a kind invitation from the old
-Maestro Louis Spohr. I was particularly pleased over this, because to
-me it meant nothing less than an act of reconciliation. As a matter of
-fact, Spohr had written to me on one occasion, and had declared that,
-stimulated by the success of my Fliegender Hollander and his own
-enjoyment of it, he had once more decided to take up the career of a
-dramatic composer, which of recent years had brought him such scant
-success. His last work was an opera--Die Kreuz-fahrer--which he had
-sent to the Dresden theatre in the course of the preceding year in the
-hope, as he himself assured me, that I would urge on its production.
-After asking this favour, he drew my attention to the fact that in this
-work he had made an absolutely new departure from his earlier operas,
-and had kept to the most precise rhythmically dramatic declamation,
-which had certainly been made all the more easy for him by the
-'excellent subject.' Without being actually surprised, my horror was
-indeed great when, after studying not only the text, but also the
-score, I discovered that the old maestro had been absolutely mistaken
-in regard to the account he had given me of his work. The custom in
-force at that time that the decision concerning the production of works
-should not, as a rule, rest with one of the conductors alone, did not
-tend to make me any less fearful of declaring myself emphatically in
-favour of this work. In addition to this, it was Reissiger, who, as he
-had often boasted, was an old friend of Spohr's, whose turn it was to
-select and produce a new work. Unfortunately, as I learned later, the
-general management had returned Spohr's opera to its author in such a
-curt manner as to offend him, and he complained bitterly of this to me.
-Genuinely concerned at this, I had evidently managed to calm and
-appease him, for the invitation mentioned above was clearly a friendly
-acknowledgment of my efforts. He wrote that it was very painful for him
-to have to touch at Dresden on his way to one of the watering-places;
-as, however, he had a real longing to make my acquaintance, he begged
-me to meet him in Leipzig, where he was going to stay for a few days.
-
-This meeting with him did not leave me unimpressed. He was a tall,
-stately man, distinguished in appearance, and of a serious and calm
-temperament. He gave me to understand, in a touching, almost apologetic
-manner, that the essence of his education and of his aversion from the
-new tendencies in music, had its origin in the first impressions he had
-received on hearing, as a very young boy, Mozart's Magic Flute, a work
-which was quite new at that time, and which had a great influence on
-his whole life. Regarding my libretto to Lohengrin, which I had left
-behind for him to read, and the general impression which my personal
-acquaintance had made on him, he expressed himself with almost
-surprising warmth to my brother-in-law, Hermann Brockhaus, at whose
-house we had been invited to dine, and where, during the meal, the
-conversation was most animated. Besides this, we had met at real
-musical evenings at the conductor Hauptmann's as well as at
-Mendelssohn's, on which occasion I heard the master take the violin in
-one of his own quartettes. It was precisely in these circles that I was
-impressed by the touching and venerable dignity of his absolutely calm
-demeanour. Later on, I learned from witnesses--for whose testimony, be
-it said, I cannot vouch--that Tannhauser, when it was performed at
-Cassel, had caused him so much confusion and pain that he declared he
-could no longer follow me, and feared that I must be on the wrong road.
-
-In order to recover from all the hardships and cares I had gone
-through, I now managed to obtain a special favour from the management,
-in the form of a three months' leave, in which to improve my health in
-rustic retirement, and to get pure air to breathe while composing some
-new work. To this end I had chosen a peasant's house in the village of
-Gross-Graupen, which is half-way between Pillnitz and the border of
-what is known as 'Saxon Switzerland.' Frequent excursions to the
-Porsberg, to the adjacent Liebethaler, and to the far distant bastion
-helped to strengthen my unstrung nerves. While I was first planning the
-music to Lohengrin, I was disturbed incessantly by the echoes of some
-of the airs in Rossini's William Tell, which was the last opera I had
-had to conduct. At last I happened to hit on an effective means of
-stopping this annoying obtrusion: during my lonely walks I sang with
-great emphasis the first theme from the Ninth Symphony, which had also
-quite lately been revived in my memory. This succeeded! At Pirna, where
-one can bathe in the river, I was surprised, on one of my almost
-regular evening constitutionals, to hear the air from the Pilgrim's
-Chorus out of Tannhauser whistled by some bather, who was invisible to
-me. This first sign of the possibility of popularising the work, which
-I had with such difficulty succeeded in getting performed in Dresden,
-made an impression on me which no similar experience later on has ever
-been able to surpass. Sometimes I received visits from friends in
-Dresden, and among them Hans von Bulow, who was then sixteen years old,
-came accompanied by Lipinsky. This gave me great pleasure, because I
-had already noticed the interest which he took in me. Generally,
-however, I had to rely only on my wife's company, and during my long
-walks I had to be satisfied with my little dog Peps. During this summer
-holiday, of which a great part of the time had at the beginning to be
-devoted to the unpleasant task of arranging my business affairs, and
-also to the improvement of my health, I nevertheless succeeded in
-making a sketch of the music to the whole of the three acts of
-Lohengrin, although this cannot be said to have consisted of anything
-more than a very hasty outline.
-
-With this much gained, I returned in August to Dresden, and resumed my
-duties as conductor, which every year seemed to become more and more
-burdensome to me. Moreover, I immediately plunged once more into the
-midst of troubles which had only just been temporarily allayed. The
-business of publishing my operas, on the success of which I still
-counted as the only means of liberating me from my difficult position,
-demanded ever-fresh sacrifices if the enterprise were to be made worth
-while. But as my income was now very much reduced, even the smallest
-outlays necessarily led me into ever-new and more painful
-complications; and I once more lost all courage.
-
-On the other hand, I tried to strengthen myself by again working
-energetically at Lohengrin. While doing this, I proceeded in a manner
-that I have not since repeated. I first of all completed the third act,
-and in view of the criticism already mentioned of the characters and
-conclusion of this act, I determined to try to make it the very pivot
-of the whole opera. I wished to do this, if only for the sake of the
-musical motive appearing in the story of the Holy Grail; but in other
-respects the plan struck me as perfectly satisfactory.
-
-Owing to previous suggestions on my part, Gluck's Iphigenia in Aulis
-was to be produced this winter. I felt it my duty to give more care and
-attention to this work, which interested me particularly on account of
-its subject, than I had given to the study of the Armida. In the first
-place, I was upset by the translation in which the opera with the
-Berlin score was presented to us. In order not to be led into false
-interpretations through the instrumental additions which I considered
-very badly applied in this score, I wrote for the original edition from
-Paris. When I had made a thorough revision of the translation, with a
-view merely to the correctness of declamation, I was spurred on by my
-increasing interest to revise the score itself. I tried to bring the
-poem as far as possible into agreement with Euripides' play of the same
-name, by the elimination of everything which, in deference to French
-taste, made the relationship between Achilles and Iphigenia one of
-tender love. The chief alteration of all was to cut out the inevitable
-marriage at the end. For the sake of the vitality of the drama I tried
-to join the arias and choruses, which generally followed immediately
-upon each other without rhyme or reason, by connecting links, prologues
-and epilogues. In this I did my best, by the use of Gluck's themes, to
-make the interpolations of a strange composer as unnoticeable as
-possible. In the third act alone was I obliged to give Iphigenia, as
-well as Artemis, whom I had myself introduced, recitatives of my own
-composition. Throughout the rest of the work I revised the whole
-instrumentation more or less thoroughly, but only with the object of
-making the existing version produce the effect I desired. It was not
-till the end of the year that I was able to finish this tremendous
-task, and I had to postpone the completion of the third act of
-Lohengrin, which I had already begun, until the New Year.
-
-The first thing to claim my attention at the beginning of the year
-(1847) was the production of Iphigenia. I had to act as stage manager
-in this case, and was even obliged to help the scene-painters and the
-mechanicians over the smallest details. Owing to the fact that the
-scenes in this opera were generally strung together somewhat clumsily
-and without any apparent connection, it was necessary to recast them
-completely, in order so to animate the representation as to give to the
-dramatic action the life it lacked. A good deal of this faultiness of
-construction seemed to me due to the many conventional practices which
-were prevalent at the Paris Opera in Gluck's time. Mitterwurzer was the
-only actor in the whole cast who gave me any pleasure. In the role of
-Agamemnon he showed a thorough grasp of that character, and carried out
-my instructions and suggestions to the letter, so that he succeeded in
-giving a really splendid and intelligent rendering of the part. The
-success of the whole performance was far beyond my expectations, and
-even the directors were so surprised at the exceptional enthusiasm
-aroused by one of Gluck's operas, that for the second performance they,
-on their own initiative, had my name put on the programme as 'Reviser.'
-This at once drew the attention of the critics to this work, and for
-once they almost did me justice; my treatment of the overture, the only
-part of the opera which these gentlemen heard rendered in the usual
-trivial way, was the only thing that they could find fault with. I have
-discussed and given an accurate account of all that relates to this in
-a special article on 'Gluck's Overture to Iphigenia in Aulis' and I
-only wish to add here that the musician who made such strange comments
-on this occasion was Ferdinand Hiller.
-
-As in former years, the winter meetings of the various artistic
-elements in Dresden which Hiller had inaugurated, continued to take
-place; but they now assumed more the character of 'salons' in Hiller's
-own house, and it seemed to me intended solely for the purpose of
-laying the foundations for a general recognition of Hiller's artistic
-greatness. He had already founded, among the more wealthy patrons of
-art, the chief of whom was the banker Kaskel, a society for running
-subscription concerts. As it was impossible for the royal orchestra to
-be placed at his disposal for this purpose, he had to content himself
-with members of the town and military bands for his orchestra, and it
-cannot be denied that, thanks to his perseverance, he attained a
-praiseworthy result. As he produced many compositions which were still
-unknown in Dresden, especially from the domain of more modern music, I
-was often tempted to go to his concerts. His chief bait to the general
-public, however, seemed to lie in the fact that he presented unknown
-singers (among whom, unfortunately, Jenny Lind was not to be found) and
-virtuosos, one of which, Joachim, who was then very young, I became
-acquainted with.
-
-Hiller's treatment of those works with which I was already well
-acquainted, showed what his musical power was really worth. The
-careless and indifferent manner in which he interpreted a Triple
-Concerto by Sebastian Bach positively astounded me. In the tempo di
-minuetto of the Eighth Symphony of Beethoven, I found that Hiller's
-rendering was even more astonishing than Reissiger's and Mendelssohn's.
-I promised to be present at the performance of this symphony if I could
-rely on his giving a correct rendering of the tempo of the third
-phrase, which was generally so painfully distorted, He assured me that
-he thoroughly agreed with me about it, and my disappointment at the
-performance was all the greater when I found the well-known waltz
-measure adopted again. When I called him to account about it he excused
-himself with a smile, saying that he had been seized with a fit of
-temporary abstraction just at the beginning of the phrase in question,
-which had made him forget his promise. For inaugurating these concerts,
-which, as a matter of fact, only lasted for two seasons, Hiller was
-given a banquet, which I also had much pleasure in attending.
-
-People in these circles were surprised at that time to hear me speak,
-often with great animation, about Greek literature and history, but
-never about music. In the course of my reading, which I zealously
-pursued, and which drew me away from my professional activities to
-retirement and solitude, I was at that time impelled by my spiritual
-needs to turn my attention once more to a systematic study of this
-all-important source of culture, with the object of filling the
-perceptible gap between my boyhood's knowledge of the eternal elements
-of human culture and the neglect of this field of learning due to the
-life I had been obliged to lead. In order to approach the real goal of
-my desires--the study of Old and Middle High German--in the right frame
-of mind, I began again from the beginning with Greek antiquity, and was
-now filled with such overwhelming enthusiasm for this subject that,
-whenever I entered into conversation, and by hook or by crook had
-managed to get it round to this theme, I could only speak in terms of
-the strongest emotion. I occasionally met some one who seemed to listen
-to what I had to say; on the whole, however, people preferred to talk
-to me only about the theatre because, since my production of Gluck's
-Iphigenia, they thought themselves justified in thinking I was an
-authority on this subject. I received special recognition from a man to
-whom I quite rightly gave the credit of being at least as well versed
-as myself in the matter. This was Eduard Devrient, who had been forced
-at that time to resign his position as stage manager-in-chief owing to
-a plot against him on the part of the actors, headed by his own brother
-Emil. We were brought into closer sympathy by our conversations in
-connection with this, which led him into dissertations on the
-triviality and thorough hopelessness of our whole theatrical life,
-especially under the ruining influence of ignorant court managers,
-which could never be overcome.
-
-We were also drawn together by his intelligent understanding of the
-part I had played in the production of Iphigenia, which he compared
-with the Berlin production of the same piece, that had been utterly
-condemned by him. He was for a long time the only man with whom I could
-discuss, seriously and in detail, the real needs of the theatre and the
-means by which its defects might be remedied. Owing to his longer and
-more specialised experience, there was much he could tell me and make
-clear to me; in particular he helped me successfully to overcome the
-idea that mere literary excellence is enough for the theatre, and
-confirmed my conviction that the path to true prosperity lay only with
-the stage itself and with the actors of the drama.
-
-From this time forward, till I left Dresden, my intercourse with Eduard
-Devrient grew more and more friendly, though his dry nature and obvious
-limitations as an actor had attracted me but little before. His highly
-meritorious work, Die Geschichte der deutschen Schauspielkunst
-('History of German Dramatic Art'), which he finished and published
-about that time, threw a fresh and instructive light on many problems
-which exercised my mind, and helped me to master them for the first
-time.
-
-At last I managed once more to resume my task of composing the third
-act of Lohengrin, which had been interrupted in the middle of the
-Bridal Scene, and I finished it by the end of the winter. After the
-repetition, by special request, of the Ninth Symphony at the concert on
-Palm Sunday had revived me, I tried to find comfort and refreshment for
-the further progress of my new work by changing my abode, this time
-without asking permission. The old Marcolini palace, with a very large
-garden laid out partly in the French style, was situated in an outlying
-and thinly populated suburb of Dresden.
-
-It had been sold to the town council, and a part of it was to be let.
-The sculptor, Hanel, whom I had known for a long time, and who had
-given me as a mark of friendship an ornament in the shape of a perfect
-plaster cast of one of the bas-reliefs from Beethoven's monument
-representing the Ninth Symphony, had taken the large rooms on the
-ground floor of a side-wing of this palace for his dwelling and studio.
-At Easter I moved into the spacious apartments, above him, the rent of
-which was extremely low, and found that the large garden planted with
-glorious trees, which was placed at my disposal, and the pleasant
-stillness of the whole place, not only provided mental food for the
-weary artist, but at the same time, by lessening my expenses, improved
-my straitened finances. We soon settled down quite comfortably in the
-long row of pleasant rooms without having incurred any unnecessary
-expense, as Minna was very practical in her arrangements. The only real
-inconvenience which in the course of time I found our new home
-possessed, was its inordinate distance from the theatre. This was a
-great trial to me after fatiguing rehearsals and tiring performances,
-as the expense of a cab was a serious consideration. But we were
-favoured by an exceptionally fine summer, which put me in a happy frame
-of mind, and soon helped to overcome every inconvenience.
-
-At this time I insisted with the utmost firmness on refraining from
-taking any further share in the management of the theatre, and I had
-most cogent reasons to bring forth in defence of my conduct. All my
-endeavours to set in order the wilful chaos which prevailed in the use
-of the costly artistic materials at the disposal of this royal
-institution were repeatedly thwarted, merely because I wished to
-introduce some method into the arrangements. In a carefully written
-pamphlet which, in addition to my other work, I had compiled during the
-past winter, I had drawn up a plan for the reorganisation of the
-orchestra, and had shown how we might increase the productive power of
-our artistic capital by making a more methodical use of the royal funds
-intended for its maintenance, and showing greater discretion regarding
-salaries. This increase in the productive power would raise the
-artistic spirit as well as improve the economic position of the members
-of the orchestra, for I should have liked them at the same time to form
-an independent concert society. In such a capacity it would have been
-their task to present to the people of Dresden, in the best possible
-way, a kind of music which they had hitherto hardly had the opportunity
-of enjoying at all. It would have been possible for such a union,
-which, as I pointed out, had so many external circumstances in its
-favour, to provide Dresden with a suitable concert-hall. I hear,
-however, that such a place is wanting to this day.
-
-With this object in view I entered into close communication with
-architects and builders, and the plans were completed, according to
-which the scandalous buildings facing a wing of the renowned prison
-opposite the Ostra Allee, and consisting of a shed for the members of
-the theatre and a public wash-house, were to be pulled down and
-replaced by a beautiful building, which, besides containing a large
-concert-hall adapted to our requirements, would also have had other
-large rooms which could have been, let out on hire at a profit. The
-practicality of these plans was disputed by no one, as even the
-administrators of the orchestra's widows' fund saw in them an
-opportunity for the safe and advantageous laying out of capital; yet
-they were returned to me, after long consideration on the part of the
-general management, with thanks and an acknowledgment of my careful
-work, and the curt reply that it was thought better for things to
-remain as they were.
-
-All my proposals for meeting the useless waste and drain upon our
-artistic capital by a more methodical arrangement, met with the same
-success in every detail that I suggested. I had also found out by long
-experience that every proposal which had to be discussed and decided
-upon in the most tiring committee meetings, as for instance the
-starting of a repertoire, might at any moment be overthrown and altered
-for the worse by the temper of a singer or the plan of a junior
-business inspector. I was therefore driven to renounce my wasted
-efforts and, after many a stormy discussion and outspoken expression of
-my sentiments, I withdrew from taking any part whatever in any branch
-of the management, and limited myself entirely to holding rehearsals
-and conducting performances of the operas provided for me.
-
-Although my relations with Luttichau grew more and more strained on
-this account, for the time being it mattered little whether my conduct
-pleased him or not, as otherwise my position was one which commanded
-respect, on account of the ever-increasing popularity of Tannhauser and
-Rienzi, which were presented during the summer to houses packed with
-distinguished visitors, and were invariably chosen for the gala
-performances.
-
-By thus going my own way and refusing to be interfered with, I
-succeeded this summer, amid the delightful and perfect seclusion of my
-new home, in preserving myself in a frame of mind exceedingly
-favourable to the completion of my Lohengrin. My studies, which, as I
-have already mentioned, I pursued eagerly at the same time as I was
-working on my opera, made me feel more light-hearted than I had ever
-done before. For the first time I now mastered AEschylus with real
-feeling and understanding. Droysen's eloquent commentaries in
-particular helped to bring before my imagination the intoxicating
-effect of the production of an Athenian tragedy, so that I could see
-the Oresteia with my mind's eye, as though it were actually being
-performed, and its effect upon me was indescribable. Nothing, however,
-could equal the sublime emotion with which the Agamemnon trilogy
-inspired me, and to the last word of the Eumenides I lived in an
-atmosphere so far removed from the present day that I have never since
-been really able to reconcile myself with modern literature. My ideas
-about the whole significance of the drama and of the theatre were,
-without a doubt, moulded by these impressions. I worked my way through
-the other tragedians, and finally reached Aristophanes. When I had
-spent the morning industriously upon the completion of the music for
-Lohengrin, I used to creep into the depths of a thick shrubbery in my
-part of the garden to get shelter from the summer heat, which was
-becoming more intense every day. My delight in the comedies of
-Aristophanes was boundless, when once his Birds had plunged me into the
-full torrent of the genius of this wanton favourite of the Graces, as
-he used to call himself with conscious daring. Side by side with this
-poet I read the principal dialogues of Plato, and from the Symposium I
-gained such a deep insight into the wonderful beauty of Greek life that
-I felt myself more truly at home in ancient Athens than in any
-conditions which the modern world has to offer.
-
-As I was following out a settled course of self-education, I did not
-wish to pursue my way further in the leading-strings of any literary
-history, and I consequently turned my attention from the historical
-studies, which seemed to be my own peculiar province, and in which
-department Droysen's history of Alexander and the Hellenistic period,
-as well as Niebuhr and Gibbon, were of great help to me, and fell back
-once more upon my old and trusty guide, Jakob Grimm, for the study of
-German antiquity. In my efforts to master the myths of Germany more
-thoroughly than had been possible in my former perusal of the Nibelung
-and the Heldenbuch, Mone's particularly suggestive commentary on this
-Heldensage filled me with delight, although stricter scholars regarded
-this work with suspicion on account of the boldness of some of its
-statements. By this means I was drawn irresistibly to the northern
-sagas; and I now tried, as far as was possible without a fluent
-knowledge of the Scandinavian languages, to acquaint myself with the
-Edda, as well as with the prose version which existed of a considerable
-portion of the Heldensage.
-
-Read by the light of Mone's Commentaries, the Wolsungasaga had a
-decided influence upon my method of handling this material. My
-conceptions as to the inner significance of these old-world legends,
-which had been growing for a long time, gradually gained strength and
-moulded themselves with the plastic forms which inspired my later works.
-
-All this was sinking into my mind and slowly maturing, whilst with
-unfeigned delight I was finishing the music of the first two acts of
-Lohengrin, which were now at last completed. I now succeeded in
-shutting out the past and building up for myself a new world of the
-future, which presented itself with ever-growing clearness to my mind
-as the refuge whither I might retreat from all the miseries of modern
-opera and theatre life. At the same time, my health and temper were
-settling down into a mood of almost unclouded serenity, which made me
-oblivious for a long time of all the worries of my position. I used to
-walk every day up into the neighbouring hills, which rose from the
-banks of the Elbe to the Plauenscher Grand. I generally went alone,
-except for the company of our little dog Peps, and my excursions always
-resulted in producing a satisfactory number of ideas. At the same time,
-I found I had developed a capacity, which I had never possessed before,
-for good-tempered intercourse with the friends and acquaintances who
-liked to come from time to time to the Marcolini garden to share my
-simple supper. My visitors used often to find me perched on a high
-branch of a tree, or on the neck of the Neptune which was the central
-figure of a large group of statuary in the middle of an old fountain,
-unfortunately always dry, belonging to the palmy days of the Marcolini
-estate. I used to enjoy walking with my friends up and down the broad
-footpath of the drive leading to the real palace, which had been laid
-especially for Napoleon in the fatal year 1813, when he had fixed his
-headquarters there.
-
-By August, the last month of summer, I had completely finished the
-composition of Lohengrin, and felt that it was high time for me to have
-done so, as the needs of my position demanded imperatively that I
-should give my most serious attention to improving it, and it became a
-matter of supreme importance for me once more to take steps for having
-my operas produced in the German theatres.
-
-Even the success of Tannhauser in Dresden, which became more obvious
-every day, did not attract the smallest notice anywhere else. Berlin
-was the only place which had any influence in the theatrical world of
-Germany, and I ought long before to have given my undivided attention
-to that city. From all I had heard of the special tastes of Friedrich
-Wilhelm IV., I felt perfectly justified in assuming that he would feel
-sympathetically inclined towards my later works and conceptions if I
-could only manage to bring them to his notice in the right light. On
-this hypothesis I had already thought of dedicating Tannhauser to him,
-and to gain permission to do so I had to apply to Count Redern, the
-court musical director. From him I heard that the King could only
-accept the dedication of works which had actually been performed in his
-presence, and of which he thus had a personal knowledge. As my
-Tannhauser had been refused by the managers of the court theatre
-because it was considered too epic in form, the Count added that if I
-wished to remain firm in my resolve, there was only one way out of the
-difficulty, and that was to adapt my opera as far as possible to a
-military band, and try to bring it to the King's notice on parade. This
-drove me to determine upon another plan of attack on Berlin.
-
-After this experience I saw that I must open my campaign there with the
-opera that had won the most decided triumph in Dresden. I therefore
-obtained an audience of the Queen of Saxony, the sister of the King of
-Prussia, and begged her to use her influence with her brother to obtain
-a performance in Berlin by royal command of my Rienzi, which was also a
-favourite with the court of Saxony. This manoeuvre was successful, and
-I soon received a communication from my old friend Kustner to say that
-the production of Rienzi was fixed for a very early date at the Berlin
-Court Theatre, and at the same time expressing the hope that I would
-conduct my work in person. As a very handsome author's royalty had been
-paid by this theatre, at the instigation of Kustner, on the occasion of
-the production of his old Munich friend Lachner's opera, Katharina von
-Cornaro, I hoped to realise a very substantial improvement in my
-finances if only the success of Rienzi in this city in any degree
-rivalled that in Dresden. But my chief desire was to make the
-acquaintance of the King of Prussia, so that I might read him the text
-of my Lohengrin, and arouse his interest in my work. This from various
-signs I flattered myself was perfectly possible, in which case I
-intended to beg him to command the first performance of Lohengrin to be
-given at his court theatre.
-
-After my strange experiences as to the way in which my success in
-Dresden had been kept secret from the rest of Germany, it seemed to me
-a matter of vital importance to make the future centre of my artistic
-enterprises the only place which exercised any influence on the outside
-world, and as such I was forced to regard Berlin. Inspired by the
-success of my recommendation to the Queen of Prussia, I hoped to gain
-access to the King himself, which I regarded as a most important step.
-Full of confidence, and in excellent spirits, I set out for Berlin in
-September, trusting to a favourable turn of Fortune's wheel, in the
-first place for the rehearsals of Rienzi, though my interests were no
-longer centred in this work.
-
-Berlin made the same impression on me as on the occasion of my former
-visit, when I saw it again after my long absence in Paris. Professor
-Werder, my friend of the Fliegender Hollander, had taken lodgings for
-me in advance in the renowned Gensdarmeplatz, but when I looked at the
-view from my windows every day I could not believe that I was in a city
-which was the very centre of Germany. Soon, however, I was completely
-absorbed by the cares of the task I had in hand.
-
-I had nothing to complain of with regard to the official preparations
-for Rienzi, but I soon noticed that it was looked upon merely as a
-conductor's opera, that is to say, all the materials to hand were duly
-placed at my disposal, but the management had not the slightest
-intention of doing anything more for me. All the arrangements for my
-rehearsals were entirely upset as soon as a visit from Jenny Lind was
-announced, and she occupied the Royal Opera exclusively for some time.
-
-During the delay thus caused I did all I could to attain my main
-object--an introduction to the King--and for this purpose made use of
-my former acquaintance with the court musical director, Count Redern.
-This gentleman received me at once with the greatest affability,
-invited me to dinner and a soiree, and entered into a hearty discussion
-with me about the steps necessary for attaining my purpose, in which he
-promised to do his utmost to help me. I also paid frequent visits to
-Sans-Souci, in order to pay my respects to the Queen and express my
-thanks to her. But I never got further than an interview with the
-ladies-in-waiting, and I was advised to put myself into communication
-with M. Illaire, the head of the Royal Privy Council. This gentleman
-seemed to be impressed by the seriousness of my request, and promised
-to do what he could to further my wish for a personal introduction to
-the King. He asked what my real object was, and I told him it was to
-get permission from the King to read my libretto Lohengrin to him. On
-the occasion of one of my oft-repeated visits from Berlin, he asked me
-whether I did not think it would be advisable to bring a recommendation
-of my work from Tieck. I was able to tell him that I had already had
-the pleasure of bringing my case to the notice of the old poet, who
-lived near Potsdam as a royal pensioner.
-
-I remembered very well that Frau von Luttichau had sent the themes
-Lohengrin and Tannhauser to her old friend some years ago, when these
-matters were first mentioned between us. When I called upon Tieck, I
-was welcomed by him almost as a friend, and I found my long talks with
-him exceedingly valuable. Although Tieck had perhaps gained a somewhat
-doubtful reputation for the leniency with which he would give his
-recommendation for the dramatic works of those who applied to him, yet
-I was pleased by the genuine disgust with which he spoke of our latest
-dramatic literature, which was modelling itself on the style of modern
-French stagecraft, and his complaint at the utter lack of any true
-poetic feeling in it was heartfelt. He declared himself delighted with
-my poem of Lohengrin, but could not understand how all this was to be
-set to music without a complete change in the conventional structure of
-an opera, and on this score he objected to such scenes as that between
-Ortrud and Frederick at the beginning of the second act. I thought I
-had roused him to a real enthusiasm when I explained how I proposed to
-solve these apparent difficulties, and also described my own ideals
-about musical drama. But the higher I soared the sadder he grew when I
-had once made known to him my hope of securing the patronage of the
-King of Prussia for these conceptions, and the working out of my scheme
-for an ideal drama. He had no doubt that the King would listen to me
-with the greatest interest, and even seize upon my ideas with warmth,
-only I must not entertain the smallest hope of any practical result,
-unless I wished to expose myself to the bitterest disappointment. 'What
-can you expect from a man who to-day is enthusiastic about Gluck's
-Iphigenia in Tauris, and to-morrow mad about Donizetti's Lucrezia
-Borgia?' he said. Tieck's conversation about these and similar topics
-was much too entertaining and charming for me to give any serious
-weight to the bitterness of his views. He gladly promised to recommend
-my poem, more particularly to Privy Councillor Illaire, and dismissed
-me with hearty goodwill and his sincere though anxious blessing. The
-only result of all my labours was that the desired invitation from the
-King still hung fire. As the rehearsals for Rienzi, which had been
-postponed on account of Jenny Lind's visit, were being carried on
-seriously again, I made up my mind to take no further trouble before
-the performance of my opera, as I thought myself, at any rate,
-justified in counting on the presence of the monarch on the first
-night, as the piece was being played at his express command, and at the
-same time I hoped this would conduce to the fulfilment of my main
-object. However, the nearer we came to the event the lower did the
-hopes I had built upon it sink. To play the part of the hero I had to
-be satisfied with a tenor who was absolutely devoid of talent, and far
-below the average. He was a conscientious, painstaking man, and had
-moreover been strongly recommended to me by my kind host, the renowned
-Meinhard. After I had taken infinite pains with him, and had in
-consequence, as so often happens, conjured up in my mind certain
-illusions as to what I might expect from his acting, I was obliged,
-when it came to the final test of the dress rehearsal, to confess my
-true opinion. I realised that the scenery, chorus, ballet, and minor
-parts were on the whole excellent, but that the chief character, around
-whom in this particular opera everything centred, faded into an
-insignificant phantom. The reception which this opera met with at the
-hands of the public when it was produced in October was also due to
-him; but in consequence of the fairly good rendering of a few brilliant
-passages, and more especially on account of the enthusiastic
-recognition of Frau Koster in the part of Adriano, it might have been
-concluded from all the external signs that the opera had been fairly
-successful. Nevertheless, I knew very well that this seeming triumph
-could have no real substance, as only the immaterial parts of my work
-could reach the eyes and ears of the audience; its essential spirit had
-not entered their hearts. Moreover, the Berlin reviewers in their usual
-way began their attacks immediately, with the view of demolishing any
-success my opera might have won, so that after the second performance,
-which I also conducted myself, I began to wonder whether my desperate
-labours were really worth while.
-
-When I asked the few intimate friends I had their opinion on this
-point, I elicited much valuable information. Among these friends I must
-mention, in the first place, Hermann Franck, whom I found again. He had
-lately settled in Berlin, and did much to encourage me. I spent the
-most enjoyable part of those sad two months in his company, of which,
-however, I had but too little. Our conversation generally turned upon
-reminiscences of the old days, and on to topics which had no connection
-with the theatre, so that I was almost ashamed to trouble him with my
-complaints on this subject, especially as they concerned my worries
-about a work which I could not pretend was of any practical importance
-to the stage. He for his part soon arrived at the conclusion that it
-had been foolish of me to choose my Rienzi for this occasion, as it was
-an opera which appealed merely to the general public, in preference to
-my Tannhauser, which might have educated a party in Berlin useful to my
-higher aims. He maintained that the very nature of this work would have
-aroused a fresh interest in the drama in the minds of people who, like
-himself, were no longer to be counted among regular theatre-goers,
-precisely because they had given up all hope of ever finding any nobler
-ideals of the stage.
-
-The curious information as to the character of Berlin art in other
-respects, which Werder gave me from time to time, was most
-discouraging. With regard to the public, he told me once that at a
-performance of an unknown work, it was quite useless for me to expect a
-single member of the audience from the stalls to the gallery to take
-his seat with any better object in view than to pick as many holes as
-possible in the production. Although Werder did not wish to discourage
-me in any of my endeavours, he felt himself obliged to warn me
-continually not to expect anything above the average from the cultured
-society of Berlin. He liked to see proper respect paid to the really
-considerable gifts of the King; and when I asked him how he thought the
-latter would receive my ideas about the ennobling of opera, he
-answered, after having listened attentively to a long and fiery tirade
-on my part: 'The King would say to you, "Go and consult Stawinsky!"'
-This was the opera manager, a fat, smug creature who had grown rusty in
-following out the most jog-trot routine. In short, everything I learned
-was calculated to discourage me. I called on Bernhard Marx, who some
-years ago had shown a kindly interest in my Fliegender Hollander, and
-was courteously received by him. This man, who in his earlier writings
-and musical criticisms had seemed to me filled with a fire of energy,
-now struck me as extraordinarily limp and listless when I saw him by
-the side of his young wife, who was radiantly and bewitchingly
-beautiful. From his conversation I soon learned that he also had
-abandoned even the remotest hope of success for any efforts directed
-towards the object so dear to both our hearts, on account of the
-inconceivable shallowness of all the officials connected with the head
-authority. He told me of the extraordinary fate which had befallen a
-scheme he had brought to the notice of the King for founding a school
-of music. In a special audience the King had gone into the matter with
-the greatest interest, and noticed the minutest detail, so that Marx
-felt justified in entertaining the strongest possible hopes of success.
-However, all his labours and negotiations about the business, in the
-course of which he was driven from pillar to post, proved utterly
-futile, until at last he was told to have an interview with a certain
-general. This personage, like the King, had Marx's proposals explained
-to him in the minutest detail, and expressed his warmest sympathy with
-the undertaking. 'And there,' said Marx, at the end of this long
-rigmarole, 'the matter ended, and I never heard another word about it.'
-
-One day I learned that Countess Rossi, the renowned Henriette Sontag,
-who was living in quiet seclusion in Berlin, had pleasant recollections
-of me in Dresden, and wished me to visit her. She had at this time
-already fallen into the unfortunate position which was so detrimental
-to her artistic career. She too complained bitterly of the general
-apathy of the influential classes in Berlin, which effectually
-prevented any artistic aims from being realised. It was her opinion
-that the King found a sort of satisfaction in knowing that the theatre
-was badly managed, for though he never opposed any criticisms which he
-received on the subject, he likewise never supported any proposal for
-its improvement. She expressed a wish to know something of my latest
-work, and I gave her my poem of Lohengrin for perusal. On the occasion
-of my next morning call she told me she would send me an invitation to
-a musical evening which she was going to have at her house in honour of
-the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, her elderly patron, and she
-also gave me back the manuscript of Lohengrin, with the assurance that
-it had appealed to her very much, and that while she was reading it she
-had often seen the little fairies and elves dancing about in front of
-her. As in the old days I had been heartily encouraged by the warm and
-friendly sympathy of this naturally cultured woman, I now felt as if
-cold water had been suddenly poured down my back. I soon took my leave,
-and never saw her again. Indeed, I had no particular object in doing
-so, as the promised invitation never came. Herr E. Kossak also sought
-me out, and although our acquaintance did not lead to much, I was
-sufficiently kindly received by him to give him my poem of Lohengrin to
-read. I went one day by appointment to see him, and found that his room
-had just been scrubbed with boiling water. The steam from this
-operation was so unbearable that it had already given him a headache,
-and was not less disagreeable to me. He looked into my face with an
-almost tender expression when he gave me back the manuscript of my
-poem, and assured me, in accents which admitted of no doubt of his
-sincerity, that he thought it 'very pretty.'
-
-I found my casual intercourse with H. Truhn rather more entertaining. I
-used to treat him to a good glass of wine at Lutter and Wegener's,
-where I went occasionally on account of its association with Hoffmann,
-and he would then listen with apparently growing interest to my ideas
-as to the possible development of opera and the goal at which we should
-aim. His comments were generally witty and very much to the point, and
-his lively and animated ways pleased me very much. After the production
-of Rienzi, however, he too, as a critic, joined the majority of
-scoffers and detractors. The only person who supported me stoutly but
-uselessly, through thick and thin, was my old friend Gaillard. His
-little music-shop was not a success, his musical journal had already
-failed, so that he was only able to help me in small ways.
-Unfortunately I discovered not only that he was the author of many
-exceedingly dubious dramatic works, for which he wished to gain my
-support, but also that he was apparently in the last stages of the
-disease from which he was suffering, so that the little intercourse I
-had with him, in spite of all his fidelity and devotion, only exercised
-a melancholy and depressing influence upon me.
-
-But as I had embarked upon this Berlin enterprise in contradiction to
-all my inmost wishes, and prompted solely by the desire of winning the
-success so vital to my position, I made up my mind to make a personal
-appeal to Rellstab.
-
-As in the case of the Fliegender Hollander he had taken exception more
-particularly to its 'nebulousness' and 'lack of form,' I thought I
-might with advantage point out to him the brighter and clearer outline
-of Rienzi. He seemed to be pleased at my thinking I could get anything
-out of him, but told me at once of his firm conviction that any new art
-form was utterly impossible after Gluck, and that the only thing that
-the best of good luck and hard work was capable of producing was
-meaningless bombast. I then realised that in Berlin all hope had been
-abandoned. I was told that Meyerbeer was the only man who had been able
-in any way to master the situation.
-
-This former patron of mine I met once more in Berlin, and he declared
-that he still took an interest in me. As soon as I arrived I called on
-him, but in the hall I found his servant busy packing up trunks, and
-learned that Meyerbeer was just going away. His master confirmed this
-assertion, and regretted that he would not be able to do anything for
-me, so I had to say good-bye and how-do-you-do at the same time. For
-some time I thought he really was away, but after a few weeks I learned
-to my surprise that he was still staying in Berlin without letting
-himself be seen by any one, and at last he made his appearance again at
-one of the rehearsals of Rienzi. What this meant I only discovered
-later from a rumour which was circulated among the initiated, and
-imparted to me by Eduard von Bulow, my young friend's father. Without
-having the slightest idea how it originated, I learned, about the
-middle of my stay in Berlin, from the conductor Taubert, that he had
-heard on very good authority that I was trying for a director's post at
-the court theatre, and had good expectations of securing the
-appointment in addition to special privileges. In order to remain on
-good terms with Taubert, as it was very necessary for me to do, I had
-to give him the most solemn assurances that such an idea had never even
-entered my head, and that I would not accept such a position if it were
-offered to me. On the other hand, all my endeavours to get access to
-the King continued to be fruitless. My chief mediator, to whom I always
-turned, was still Count Redern, and although my attention had been
-called to his staunch adherence to Meyerbeer, his extraordinary open
-and friendly manner always strengthened my belief in his honesty. At
-last the only medium that remained open to me was the fact that the
-King could not possibly stay away from the performance of Rienzi, given
-at his express command, and on this conviction I based all further hope
-of approaching him. Whereupon Count Redern informed me, with an
-expression of deep despair, that on the very day of the first
-performance the monarch would be away on a hunting party. Once more I
-begged him to make very effort in his power to secure the King's
-presence, at least at the second performance, and at length my
-inexhaustible patron told me that he could not make head or tail of it,
-but his Majesty seemed to have conceived an utter disinclination to
-accede to my wish; he himself had heard these hard words fall from the
-royal lips: 'Oh bother! have you come to me again with your Rienzi?'
-
-At this second performance I had a pleasant experience. After the
-impressive second act the public showed signs of wishing to call me,
-and as I went from the orchestra to the vestibule, in order to be ready
-if necessary, my foot slipped on the smooth parquet, and I might have
-had perhaps a serious fall had I not felt my arm grasped by a strong
-hand. I turned, and recognised the Crown Prince of Prussia [FOOTNOTE:
-This Prince subsequently became the Emperor William the First. He was
-given the title of Crown Prince in 1840 on the death of his father,
-Frederick William III., as he was then heir-presumptive to his brother,
-Frederick William IV., whose marriage was without issue.--EDITOR.], who
-had come out of his box, and who at once seized the opportunity of
-inviting me to follow him to his wife, who wished to make my
-acquaintance. She had only just arrived in Berlin, and told me that she
-had heard my opera for the first time that evening, and expressed her
-appreciation of it. She had, however, long ago received very favourable
-reports of me and my artistic aims from a common friend, Alwine
-Frommann. The whole tenor of this interview, at which the Prince was
-present, was unusually friendly and pleasant.
-
-It was indeed my old friend Alwine who in Berlin had not only followed
-all my fortunes with the greatest sympathy, but had also done all in
-her power to give me consolation and courage to endure. Almost every
-evening, when the day's business made it possible, I used to visit her
-for an hour of recreation, and gain strength from her ennobling
-conversation for the struggle against the reverses of the following
-day. I was particularly pleased by the warm and intelligent sympathy
-which she and our mutual friend Werder devoted to Lohengrin, the object
-of all my labours at that time. On the arrival of her friend and
-patroness, the Crown Princess, which had been delayed till now, she
-hoped to hear something more definite as to how my affairs stood with
-the King, although she intimated to me that even this great lady was in
-deep disfavour, and could only bring her influence to bear upon the
-King by observing the strictest etiquette. But from this source also no
-news reached me till it was time for me to leave Berlin and I could
-postpone my departure no longer.
-
-As I had to conduct a third performance of Rienzi, and there still
-remained a remote possibility of receiving a sudden command to
-Sans-Souci, I accordingly fixed on a date which would be the very
-latest I could wait to ascertain the fate of the projects I had nearest
-to heart. This period passed by, and I was forced to realise that my
-hopes of Berlin were wholly shattered.
-
-I was in a very depressed state when I made up my mind to this
-conclusion. I can seldom remember having been so dreadfully affected by
-the influence of cold and wet weather and an eternally grey sky as
-during those last wretched weeks in Berlin, when everything that I
-heard, in addition to my own private anxieties, weighed upon me with a
-leaden weight of discouragement.
-
-My conversations with Hermann Franck about the social and political
-situation had assumed a peculiarly gloomy tone, as the King of
-Prussia's efforts to summon a united conference had failed. I was among
-those who had at first been inclined to see a hopeful significance in
-this undertaking, but it was a shock to have all the intimate details
-relating to the project clearly set before me by so well informed a man
-as Franck. His dispassionate views on this subject, as well as on the
-Prussian State in particular, which was supposed to be representative
-of German intelligence, and was universally considered to be a model of
-order and good government, so completely disillusioned me and destroyed
-all the favourable and hopeful opinions I had formed of it, that I felt
-as if I had plunged into chaos, and realised the utter futility of
-expecting a prosperous settlement of the German question from this
-quarter. If in the midst of my misery in Dresden I had founded great
-hopes from gaining the King of Prussia's sympathy for my ideas, I could
-no longer close my eyes to the fearful hollowness which the state of
-affairs disclosed to me on every side.
-
-In this despairing mood I felt but little emotion when, on going to say
-good-bye to Count Redern, he told me with a very sad face the news,
-which had just arrived, of Mendelssohn's death. I certainly did not
-realise this stroke of fate, which Redern's obvious grief first brought
-to my notice. At all events, he was spared more detailed and heartfelt
-explanation of my own affairs, which he had so much at heart.
-
-The only thing that remained for me to do in Berlin was to try and make
-my material success balance my material loss. For a stay of two months,
-during which my wife and my sister Clara had been with me, lured on by
-the hope that the production of Rienzi in Berlin would be a brilliant
-success, I found my old friend, Director Kustner, by no means inclined
-to compensate me. From his correspondence with me he could prove up to
-the hilt that legally he had only expressed the desire for my
-co-operation in studying Rienzi, but had given me no positive
-invitation. As I was prevented by Count Redern's grief over
-Mendelssohn's death from going to him for help in these trivial private
-concerns, there was no alternative but for me to accept with a good
-grace Kustner's beneficence in paying me on the spot the royalties on
-the three performances which had already taken place. The Dresden
-authorities were surprised when I found myself obliged to beg an
-advance of income from them in order to conclude this brilliant
-undertaking in Berlin.
-
-As I was travelling with my wife in the most horrible weather through
-the deserted country on my way home, I fell into a mood of the blackest
-despair, which I thought I might perhaps survive once in a lifetime but
-never again. Nevertheless, it amused me, as I sat silently looking out
-of the carriage into the grey mist, to hear my wife enter into a lively
-discussion with a commercial traveller who, in the course of friendly
-conversation, had spoken in a disparaging way about the 'new opera
-Rienzi.' My wife, with great heat and even passion, corrected various
-mistakes made by this hostile critic, and to her great satisfaction
-made him confess that he had not heard the opera himself, but had only
-based his opinion upon hearsay and the reviews. Whereupon my wife
-pointed out to him most earnestly that 'he could not possibly know
-whose future he might not injure by such irresponsible comment.'
-
-These were the only cheering and consoling impressions which I carried
-back with me to Dresden, where I soon felt the direct results of the
-reverses I had suffered in Berlin in the condolences of my
-acquaintances. The papers had spread abroad the news that my opera had
-been a dismal failure. The most painful part of the whole proceeding
-was that I had to meet these expressions of pity with a cheerful
-countenance and the assurance that things were by no means so bad as
-had been made out, but that, on the contrary, I had had many pleasant
-experiences.
-
-This unaccustomed effort placed me in a position strangely similar to
-that in which I found Hiller on my return to Dresden. He had given a
-performance of his new opera, Conradin von Hohenstaufen, here just
-about this time. He had kept the composition of this work a secret from
-me, and had hoped to make a decided hit with it after the three
-performances which took place in my absence. Both the poet and the
-composer thought that in this work they had combined the tendencies and
-effects of my Rienzi with those of my Tannhauser in a manner peculiarly
-suited to the Dresden public. As he was just setting out for
-Dusseldorf, where he had been appointed concert-director, he commended
-his work with great confidence to my tender mercies, and regretted not
-having the power of appointing me the conductor of it. He acknowledged
-that he owed his great success partly to the wonderfully happy
-rendering of the male part of Conradin by my niece Johanna. She, in her
-turn, told me with equal confidence that without her Hiller's opera
-would not have had such an extraordinary triumph. I was now really
-anxious to see this fortunate work and its wonderful staging for
-myself; and this I was able to do, as a fourth performance was
-announced after Hiller and his family had left Dresden for good. When I
-entered the theatre at the beginning of the overture to take my place
-in the stalls, I was astonished to find all the seats, with a few
-scarcely noticeable exceptions, absolutely empty. At the other end of
-my row I saw the poet who had written the libretto, the gentle painter
-Reinike. We moved, naturally, towards the middle of the space and
-discussed the strange position in which we found ourselves. He poured
-out melancholy complaints to me about Hiller's musical setting to his
-poetry; the secret of the mistake which Hiller had made about the
-success of his work he did not explain, and was evidently very much
-upset at the conspicuous failure of the opera. It was from another
-quarter that I learned how it had been possible for Hiller to deceive
-himself in such an extraordinary way. Frau Hiller, who was of Polish
-origin, had managed at the frequent Polish gatherings which took place
-in Dresden to persuade a large contingent of her countrymen, who were
-keen theatre-goers, to attend her husband's opera. On the first night
-these friends, with their usual enthusiasm, incited the public to
-applaud, but had themselves found so little pleasure in the work that
-they had stayed away from the second performance, which was otherwise
-badly attended, so that the opera could only be considered a failure.
-By commandeering all the help that could possibly be got from the Poles
-by way of applause, every effort was made to secure a third performance
-on a Sunday, when the theatre generally filled of its own accord. This
-object was achieved, and the Polish theatre aristocracy, with the
-charity that was habitual to them, fulfilled their duty towards the
-needy couple in whose drawing-room they had often spent such pleasant
-evenings.
-
-Once more the composer was called before the curtain, and everything
-went off well. Hiller thereupon placed his confidence in the verdict on
-the third performance, according to which his opera was an undoubted
-success, just as had been the case with my Tannhauser. The
-artificiality of this proceeding was, however, exposed by this fourth
-performance, at which I was present, and at which no one was under an
-obligation to the departed composer to attend. Even my niece was
-disgusted with it, and thought that the best singer in the world could
-not make a success of such a tedious opera. Whilst we were watching
-this miserable performance I managed to point out to the poet some
-weaknesses and faults that were to be found in the subject-matter. The
-latter reported my criticisms to Hiller, whereupon I received a warm
-and friendly letter from Dusseldorf, in which Hiller acknowledged the
-mistake he had made in rejecting my advice on this point. He gave me
-plainly to understand that it was not too late to alter the opera
-according to my suggestions; I should thus have had the inestimable
-benefit of having such an obviously well-intentioned, and, in its way,
-so significant, a work in the repertoire, but I never got so far as
-that.
-
-On the other hand, I experienced the small satisfaction of hearing the
-news that two performances of my Rienzi had taken place in Berlin, for
-the success of which Conductor Taubert, as he informed me himself,
-thought he had won some credit on account of the extremely effective
-combinations he had arranged. In spite of this, I was absolutely
-convinced that I must abandon all hope of any lasting and profitable
-success from Berlin, and I could no longer hide from Luttichau that, if
-I were to continue in the discharge of my duties with the necessary
-good spirits, I must insist on a rise of salary, as, beyond my regular
-income, I could not rely on any substantial success wherewith to meet
-my unlucky publishing transactions. My income was so small that I could
-not even live on it, but I asked nothing more than to be placed on an
-equal footing with my colleague Reissiger, a prospect which had been
-held out to me from the beginning.
-
-At this juncture Luttichau saw a favourable opportunity for making me
-feel my dependence on his goodwill, which could only be secured by my
-showing due deference to his wishes. After I had laid my case before
-the King, at a personal interview, and asked for the favour of the
-moderate increase in income which was my object, Luttichau promised to
-make the report he was obliged to give of me as favourable as possible.
-How great was my consternation and humiliation when one day he opened
-our interview by telling me that his report had come back from the
-King. In it was set forth that I had unfortunately overestimated my
-talent on account of the foolish praise of various friends in a high
-position (among whom he counted Frau v. Konneritz), and had thus been
-led to consider that I had quite as good a right to success as
-Meyerbeer. I had thereby caused such serious offence that it might,
-perhaps, be considered advisable to dismiss me altogether. On the other
-hand, my industry and my praiseworthy performance with regard to the
-revision of Gluck's Iphigenia, which had been brought to the notice of
-the management, might justify my being given another chance, in which
-case my material condition must be given due consideration. At this
-point I could read no further, and stupefied by surprise I gave my
-patron back the paper. He tried at once to remove the obviously bad
-impression it had made upon me by telling me that my wish had been
-granted, and I could draw the nine hundred marks belonging to me at
-once from the bank. I took my leave in silence, and pondered over what
-course of action I must pursue in face of this disgrace, as it was
-quite out of the question for me to accept the nine hundred marks.
-
-But in the midst of these adversities a visit of the King of Prussia to
-Dresden was one day announced, and at the same time by his special
-request a performance of Tannhauser was arranged. He really did make
-his appearance in the theatre at this performance in the company of the
-royal family of Saxony, and stayed with apparent interest from
-beginning to end. On this occasion the King gave a curious explanation
-for having stayed away from the performances of Rienzi in Berlin, which
-was afterwards reported to me. He said he had denied himself the
-pleasure of hearing one of my operas in Berlin, because it was
-important to get a good impression of them, and he knew that in his own
-theatre they would only be badly produced. This strange event had, at
-any rate, the result of giving me back sufficient self-confidence to
-accept the nine hundred marks of which I was in such desperate need.
-
-Luttichau also seemed to make a point of winning back my trust to some
-extent, and I gathered from his calm friendliness that I must suppose
-this wholly uncultured man had no consciousness of the outrage he had
-done me. He returned to the idea of having orchestral concerts, in
-accordance with the suggestions I had made in my rejected report on the
-orchestra, and in order to induce me to arrange such musical
-performances in the theatre, said the initiative had come from the
-management and not from the orchestra itself. As soon as I discovered
-that the profits were to go to the orchestra I willingly entered into
-the plan. By a special device of my own the stage of the theatre was
-made into a concert-hall (afterwards considered first-class) by means
-of a sounding board enclosing the whole orchestra, which proved a great
-success. In future six performances were to take place during the
-winter months. This time, however, as it was the end of the year, and
-we only had the second half of the winter before us, subscription
-tickets were issued for only three concerts, and the whole available
-space in the theatre was filled by the public. I found the preparations
-for this fairly diverting, and entered upon the fateful year 1848 in a
-rather more reconciled and amiable frame of mind.
-
-Early in the New Year the first of these orchestral concerts took
-place, and brought me much popularity on account of its unusual
-programme. I had discovered that if any real significance were to be
-given to these concerts, in distinction to those consisting of
-heterogeneous scraps of music of every different species under the sun,
-and which are so opposed to all serious artistic taste, we could only
-afford to give two kinds of genuine music alternately if a good effect
-was to be produced. Accordingly between two symphonies I placed one or
-two longer vocal pieces, which were not to be heard elsewhere, and
-these were the only items in the whole concert. After the Mozart
-Symphony in D major, I made all the musicians move from their places to
-make room for an imposing choir, which had to sing Palestrina's Stabat
-Mater, from an adaptation of the original recitative, which I had
-carefully revised, and Bach's Motet for eight voices: Singet dem Herrn
-ein neues Lied ('Sing unto the Lord a new song'); thereupon I let the
-orchestra again take its place to play Beethoven's Sinfonia Eroica, and
-with that to end the concert.
-
-This success was very encouraging, and disclosed to me a somewhat
-consoling prospect of increasing my influence as musical conductor at a
-time when my disgust was daily growing stronger at the constant
-meddling with our opera repertoire, which made me lose more and more
-influence as compared with the wishes of my would-be prima donna niece,
-whom even Tichatschek supported. Immediately on my return from Berlin I
-had begun the orchestration of Lohengrin, and in all other respects had
-given myself up to greater resignation, which made me feel I could face
-my fate calmly, when I suddenly received a very disturbing piece of
-news.
-
-In the beginning of February my mother's death was announced to me. I
-at once hastened to her funeral at Leipzig, and was filled with deep
-emotion and joy at the wonderfully calm and sweet expression of her
-face. She had passed the latter years of her life, which had before
-been so active and restless, in cheerful ease, and at the end in
-peaceful and almost childlike happiness. On her deathbed she exclaimed
-in humble modesty, and with a bright smile on her face: 'Oh! how
-beautiful! how lovely! how divine! Why do I deserve such favour?' It
-was a bitterly cold morning when we lowered the coffin into the grave
-in the churchyard, and the hard, frozen lumps of earth which we
-scattered on the lid, instead of the customary handful of dust,
-frightened me by the loud noise they made. On the way home to the house
-of my brother-in-law, Hermann Brockhaus, where the whole family were to
-gather together for an hour, Laube, of whom my mother had been very
-fond, was my only companion. He expressed his anxiety at my unusually
-exhausted appearance, and when he afterwards accompanied me to the
-station, we discussed the unbearable burden which seemed to us to lie
-like a dead weight on every noble effort made to resist the tendency of
-the time to sink into utter worthlessness. On my return to Dresden the
-realisation of my complete loneliness came over me for the first time
-with full consciousness, as I could not help knowing that with the loss
-of my mother every natural bond of union was loosened with my brothers
-and sisters, each of whom was taken up with his or her own family
-affairs. So I plunged dully and coldly into the only thing which could
-cheer and warm me, the working out of my Lohengrin and my studies of
-German antiquity.
-
-Thus dawned the last days of February, which were to plunge Europe once
-more into revolution. I was among those who least expected a probable
-or even possible overthrow of the political world. My first knowledge
-of such things had been gained in my youth at the time of the July
-Revolution, and the long and peaceful reaction that followed it. Since
-then I had become acquainted with Paris, and from all the signs of
-public life which I saw there, I thought all that had occurred had been
-merely the preliminaries of a great revolutionary movement. I had been
-present at the erection of the forts detaches around Paris, which Louis
-Philippe had carried out, and been instructed about the strategic value
-of the various fixed sentries scattered about Paris, and I agreed with
-those who considered that everything was ready to make even an attempt
-at a rising on the part of the populace of Paris quite impossible.
-When, therefore, the Swiss War of Separation at the end of the previous
-year, and the successful Sicilian Revolution at the beginning of the
-New Year, turned all men's eyes in great excitement to watch the effect
-of these risings on Paris, I did not take the slightest interest in the
-hopes and fears which were aroused. News of the growing restlessness in
-the French capital did indeed reach us, but I disputed Rockel's belief
-that any significance could be attached to it. I was sitting in the
-conductor's desk at a rehearsal of Martha when, during an interval,
-Rockel, with the peculiar joy of being in the right, brought me the
-news of Louis Philippe's flight, and the proclamation of the Republic
-in Paris. This made a strange and almost astonishing impression on me,
-although at the same time the doubt as to the true significance of
-these events made it possible for me to smile to myself. I too caught
-the fever of excitement which had spread everywhere. The German March
-days were coming, and from all directions ever more alarming news kept
-coming in. Even within the narrow confines of my native Saxony serious
-petitions were framed, which the King withstood for a long time; even
-he was deceived, in a way which he was soon to acknowledge, as to the
-meaning of this commotion and the temper that prevailed in the country.
-
-On the evening of one of these really anxious days, when the very air
-was heavy and full of thunder, we gave our third great orchestral
-concert, at which the King and his court were present, as on the two
-previous occasions. For the opening of this one I had chosen
-Mendelssohn's Symphony in A minor, which I had played on the occasion
-of his funeral. The mood of this piece, which even in the would-be
-joyful phrases is always tenderly melancholy, corresponded strangely
-with the anxiety and depression of the whole audience, which was more
-particularly accentuated in the demeanour of the royal family. I did
-not conceal from Lipinsky, the leader of the orchestra, my regret at
-the mistake I had made in the arrangement of that day's programme, as
-Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, also in a minor key, was to follow this
-minor symphony. With a merry twinkle in his eyes the eccentric Pole
-comforted me by exclaiming: 'Oh, let us play only the first two
-movements of the Symphony in C minor, then no one will know whether we
-have played Mendelssohn in the major or the minor key.' Fortunately
-before these two movements began, to our great surprise, a loud shout
-was raised by some patriotic spirit in the middle of the audience, who
-called out 'Long live the King!' and the cry was promptly repeated with
-unusual enthusiasm and energy on all sides. Lipinsky was perfectly
-right: the symphony, with the passionate and stormy excitement of the
-first theme, swelled out like a hurricane of rejoicing, and had seldom
-produced such an effect on the audience as on that night. This was the
-last of the newly inaugurated concerts that I ever conducted in Dresden.
-
-Shortly after this the inevitable political changes took place. The
-King dismissed his ministry and elected a new one, consisting partly of
-Liberals and partly even of really enthusiastic Democrats, who at once
-proclaimed the well-known regulations, which are the same all over the
-world, for founding a thoroughly democratic constitution. I was really
-touched by this result, and by the heartfelt joy which was evident
-among the whole population, and I would have given much to have been
-able to gain access to the King, and convince myself of his hearty
-confidence in the people's love for him, which seemed to me so
-desirable a consummation. In the evening the town was gaily
-illuminated, and the King drove through the streets in an open
-carriage. In the greatest excitement I went out among the dense crowds
-and followed his movements, often running where I thought it likely
-that a particularly hearty shout might rejoice and reconcile the
-monarch's heart. My wife was quite frightened when she saw me come back
-late at night, tired out and very hoarse from shouting.
-
-The events which took place in Vienna and Berlin, with their apparently
-momentous results, only moved me as interesting newspaper reports, and
-the meeting of a Frankfort parliament in the place of the dissolved
-Bundestag sounded strangely pleasant in my ears. Yet all these
-significant occurrences could not tear me for a single day from my
-regular hours of work. With immense, almost overweening satisfaction, I
-finished, in the last days of this eventful and historic month of
-March, the score of Lohengrin with the orchestration of the music up to
-the vanishing of the Knight of the Holy Grail into the remote and
-mystic distance.
-
-About this time a young Englishwomen, Madame Jessie Laussot, who had
-married a Frenchman in Bordeaux, one day presented herself at my house
-in the company of Karl Ritter, who was barely eighteen years of age.
-This young man, who was born in Russia of German parents, was a member
-of one of those northern families who had settled down permanently in
-Dresden, on account of the pleasant artistic atmosphere of that place.
-I remembered that I had seen him once before not long after the first
-performance of Tannhauser, when he asked me for my autograph for a copy
-of the score of that opera, which was on sale at the music-shop. I now
-learned that this copy really belonged to Frau Laussot, who had been
-present at those performances, and who was now introduced to me.
-Overcome with shyness, the young lady expressed her admiration in a way
-I had never experienced before, and at the same time told me how great
-was her regret at being called away by family affairs from her
-favourite home in Dresden with the Ritter family, who, she gave me to
-understand, were deeply devoted to me. It was with a strange, and in
-its way quite a new, sensation that I bade farewell to this young lady.
-This was the first time since my meeting with Alwine Frommann and
-Werder, when the Fliegender Hollander was produced, that I came across
-this sympathetic tone, which seemed to come like an echo from some old
-familiar past, but which I never heard close at hand. I invited young
-Ritter to come and see me whenever he liked, and to accompany me
-sometimes on my walks. His extraordinary shyness, however, seemed to
-prevent him from doing this, and I only remember seeing him very
-occasionally at my house. He used to turn up more often with Hans von
-Bulow, whom he seemed to know pretty well, and who had already entered
-the Leipzig University as a student of law. This well-informed and
-talkative young man showed his warm and hearty devotion to me more
-openly, and I felt bound to reciprocate his affection. He was the first
-person who made me realise the genuine character of the new political
-enthusiasm. On his hat, as well as on his father's, the black, red, and
-gold cockade was paraded before my eyes.
-
-Now that I had finished my Lohengrin, and had leisure to study the
-course of events, I could no longer help myself sympathising with the
-ferment aroused by the birth of German ideals and the hopes attached to
-their realisation. My old friend Franck had already imbued me with a
-fairly sound political judgment, and, like many others, I had grave
-doubts as to whether the German parliament now assembling would serve
-any useful purpose. Nevertheless, the temper of the populace, of which
-there could be no question, although it might not have been given very
-obvious expression, and the belief, everywhere prevalent, that it was
-impossible to return to the old conditions, could not fail to exercise
-its influence upon me. But I wanted actions instead of words, and
-actions which would force our princes to break for ever with their old
-traditions, which were so detrimental to the cause of the German
-commonwealth. With this object I felt inspired to write a popular
-appeal in verse, calling upon the German princes and peoples to
-inaugurate a great crusade against Russia, as the country which had
-been the prime instigator of that policy in Germany which had so
-fatally separated the monarchs from their subjects. One of the verses
-ran as follows:--
-
-The old fight against the East Returns again to-day. The people's sword
-must not rust Who freedom wish for aye.
-
-As I had no connection with political journals, and had learned by
-chance that Berthold Auerbach was on the staff of a paper in Mannheim,
-where the waves of revolution ran high, I sent him my poem with the
-request to do whatever he thought best with it, and from that day to
-this I have never heard or seen anything of it.
-
-Whilst the Frankfort Parliament continued to sit on from day to day,
-and it seemed idle to conjecture whither this big talk by small men
-would lead, I was much impressed by the news which reached us from
-Vienna. In the May of this year an attempt at a reaction, such as had
-succeeded in Naples and remained indecisive in Paris, had been
-triumphantly nipped in the bud by the enthusiasm and energy of the
-Viennese people under the leadership of the students' band, who had
-acted with such unexpected firmness. I had arrived at the conclusion
-that, in matters directly concerning the people, no reliance could be
-placed on reason or wisdom, but only on sheer force supported by
-fanaticism or absolute necessity; but the course of events in Vienna,
-where I saw the youth of the educated classes working side by side with
-the labouring man, filled me with peculiar enthusiasm, to which I gave
-expression in another popular appeal in verse. This I sent to the
-Oesterreichischen Zeitung, where it was printed in their columns with
-my full signature.
-
-In Dresden two political unions had been formed, as a result of the
-great changes that had taken place. The first was called the Deutscher
-Verein (German Union), whose programme aimed at 'a constitutional
-monarchy on the broadest democratic foundation.' The names of its
-principal leaders, among which, in spite of its broad democratic
-foundation, my friends Eduard Devrient and Professor Rietschel had the
-courage openly to appear, guaranteed the safety of its objects. This
-union, which tried to include every element that regarded a real
-revolution with abhorrence, conjured into existence an opposition club
-which called itself the Vaterlands-Verein (Patriotic Union). In this
-the 'democratic foundation' seemed to be the chief basis, and the
-'constitutional monarchy' only provided the necessary cloak.
-
-Rockel canvassed passionately for the latter, as he seemed to have lost
-all confidence in the monarchy. The poor fellow was, indeed, in a very
-bad way. He had long ago given up all hope of rising to any position in
-the musical world; his directorship had become pure drudgery, and was,
-unfortunately, so badly paid that he could not possibly keep himself
-and his yearly increasing family on the income he derived from his
-post. He always had an unconquerable aversion from teaching, which was
-a fairly profitable employment in Dresden among the many wealthy
-visitors. So he went on from bad to worse, running miserably into debt,
-and for a long time saw no hope for his position as the father of a
-family except in emigration to America, where he thought he could
-secure a livelihood for himself and his dependants by manual labour,
-and for his practical mind by working as a farmer, from which class he
-had originally sprung. This, though tedious, would at least be certain.
-On our walks he had of late been entertaining me almost exclusively
-with ideas he had gleaned from reading books on farming, doctrines
-which he applied with zeal to the improvement of his encumbered
-position. This was the mood in which the Revolution of 1848 found him,
-and he immediately went over to the extreme socialist side, which,
-owing to the example set by Paris, threatened to become serious. Every
-one who knew him was utterly taken aback at the apparently vital change
-which had so suddenly taken place in him, when he declared that he had
-at last found his real vocation--that of an agitator.
-
-His persuasive faculties, on which, however, he could not rely
-sufficiently for platform purposes, developed in private intercourse
-into stupefying energy. It was impossible to stop his flow of language
-with any objection, and those he could not draw over to his cause he
-cast aside for ever. In his enthusiasm about the problems which
-occupied his mind day and night, he sharpened his intellect into a
-weapon capable of demolishing every foolish objection, and suddenly
-stood in our midst like a preacher in the wilderness. He was at home in
-every department of knowledge. The Vaterlands-Verein had elected a
-committee for carrying into execution a plan for arming the populace;
-this included Rockel and other thoroughgoing democrats, and, in
-addition, certain military experts, among whom was my old friend
-Hermann Muller, the lieutenant of the Guards who had once been engaged
-to Schroder-Devrient. He and another officer named Zichlinsky were the
-only members of the Saxon army who joined the political movement. The
-part I played in the meetings of this committee, as in everything else,
-was dictated by artistic motives. As far as I can remember, the details
-of this plan, which at last became a nuisance, afforded very sound
-foundation for a genuine arming of the people, though it was impossible
-to carry it out during the political crisis.
-
-My interest and enthusiasm about the social and political problems
-which were occupying the whole world increased every day, until public
-meetings and private intercourse, and the shallow platitudes which
-formed the staple eloquence of the orators of the day, proved to me the
-terrible shallowness of the whole movement.
-
-If only I could rest assured that, while such senseless confusion was
-the order of the day, people well versed in these matters would
-withhold from any demonstration (which to my great regret I observed in
-Hermann Franck, and told him of, openly), then, on the contrary, I
-should feel myself compelled, as soon as the opportunity arose, to
-discuss the purport of such questions and problems according to my
-judgment. Needless to say, the newspapers played an exciting and
-prominent part on this occasion. Once, when I went incidentally (as I
-might go to see a play) to a meeting of the Vaterlands-Verein, when
-they were assembled in a public garden, they chose for the subject of
-their discussion, 'Republic or Monarchy?' I was astonished to hear and
-to read with what incredible triviality it was carried on, and how the
-sum-total of their explanation was, that, to be sure, a republic is
-best, but, at the worst, one could put up with a monarchy if it were
-well conducted. As the result of many heated discussions on this point,
-I was incited to lay bare my views on the subject in an article which I
-published in the DRESDENER ANZEIGER, but which I did not sign. My
-special aim was to turn the attention of the few who really took the
-matter seriously, from the external form of the government to its
-intrinsic value. When I had pursued and consistently discussed the
-utmost idealistic conclusions of all that which, to my mind, was
-necessary and inseparable from the perfect state and from social order,
-I inquired whether it would not be possible to realise all this with a
-king at the head, and entered so deeply into the matter as to portray
-the king in such a fashion, that he seemed even more anxious than any
-one else that his state should be organised on genuinely republican
-lines, in order that he might attain to the fulfilment of his own
-highest aims. I must own, however, that I felt bound to urge this king
-to assume a much more familiar attitude towards his people than the
-court atmosphere and the almost exclusive society of his nobles would
-seem to render possible. Finally, I pointed to the King of Saxony as
-being specially chosen by Fate to lead the way in the direction I had
-indicated, and to give the example to all the other German princes.
-Rockel considered this article a true inspiration from the Angel of
-Propitiation, but as he feared that it would not meet with proper
-recognition and appreciation in the paper, he urged me to lecture on it
-publicly at the next meeting of the Vaterlands-Verein for he attached
-great importance to my discoursing on the subject personally. Quite
-uncertain as to whether I could really persuade myself to do this, I
-attended the meeting, and there, owing to the intolerable balderdash
-uttered by a certain barrister named Blode and a master-furrier Klette,
-whom at that time Dresden venerated as a Demosthenes and a Cleon, I
-passionately decided to appear at this extraordinary tribunal with my
-paper, and to give a very spirited reading of it to about three
-thousand persons.
-
-The success I had was simply appalling. The astounded audience seemed
-to remember nothing of the speech of the Orchestral Conductor Royal
-save the incidental attack I had made upon the court sycophants. The
-news of this incredible event spread like wildfire. The next day I
-rehearsed Rienzi, which was to be performed the following evening. I
-was congratulated on all sides upon my self-sacrificing audacity. On
-the day of the performance, however, I was informed by Eisolt, the
-attendant of the orchestra, that the plans had been changed, and he
-gave me to understand that thereby there hung a tale. True enough, the
-terrible sensation I had made became so great, that the directors
-feared the most unheard-of demonstrations at any performance of Rienzi.
-Then a perfect storm of derision and vituperation broke loose in the
-press, and I was besieged on all sides to such an extent that it was
-useless to think of self-defence. I had even offended the Communal
-Guard of Saxony, and was challenged by the commander to make a full
-apology. But the most inexorable enemies I made were the court
-officials, especially those holding a minor office, and to this day I
-still continue to be persecuted by them. I learned that, as far as it
-lay in their power, they incessantly besought the King, and finally the
-director, to deprive me at once of my office. On account of this I
-thought it necessary to write to the monarch personally, in order to
-explain to him that my action was to be regarded more in the light of a
-thoughtless indiscretion than as a culpable offence. I sent this letter
-to Herr von Luttichau, begging him to deliver it to the King, and to
-arrange at the same time a short leave for me, so that the provoking
-disturbance should have a chance of dying down during my absence from
-Dresden. The striking kindness and goodwill which Herr von Luttichau
-showed me on this occasion made no little impression upon me, and this
-I took no pains to conceal from him. As in the course of time, however,
-his ill-controlled rage at various things, and especially at a good
-deal that he had misunderstood in my pamphlet, broke loose, I learned
-that it was not from any humane motives that he had spoken in such a
-propitiatory manner to me, but rather by desire of the King himself. On
-this point I received most accurate information, and heard that when
-everybody, and even von Luttichau himself, were besieging the King to
-visit me with punishment, the King had forbidden any further talk on
-the subject. After this very encouraging experience, I flattered myself
-that the King had understood not only my letter, but also my pamphlet,
-better than many others.
-
-In order to change my mind a little, I determined for the present (it
-was the beginning of July) to take advantage of the short period of
-leave granted to me, by going to Vienna. I travelled by way of Breslau,
-where I looked up an old friend of my family, the musical director
-Mosewius, at whose house I spent an evening. We had a most lively
-conversation, but, unfortunately, were unable to steer clear of the
-stirring political questions of the day. What interested me most was
-his exceptionally large, or even, if I remember rightly, complete
-collection of Sebastian Bach's cantatas in most excellent copies.
-Besides this, he related, with a humour quite his own, several amusing
-musical anecdotes which were a pleasant memory for many a year. When
-Mosewius returned my visit in the course of the summer at Dresden, I
-played a part of the first act of Lohengrin on the piano for him, and
-the expression of his genuine astonishment at this conception was very
-gratifying to me. In later years, however, I found that he had spoken
-somewhat scoffingly about me; but I did not stop to reflect as to the
-truth of this information, or as to the real character of the man, for
-little by little I had had to accustom myself to the most inconceivable
-things. At Vienna the first thing I did was to call on Professor
-Fischhof, as I knew that he had in his keeping important manuscripts,
-chiefly by Beethoven, among which the original of the C minor Sonata,
-opus 111, I was particularly curious to see. Through this new friend,
-whom I found somewhat dry, I made the acquaintance of Herr Vesque von
-Puttlingen, who, as the composer of a most insignificant opera (Joan of
-Arc), which had been performed in Dresden, had with cautious good taste
-adopted only the last two syllables of Beethoven's name--Haven. One day
-we were at his house to dinner, and I then recognised in him a former
-confidential official of Prince Metternich, who now, with his ribbon of
-black, red, and gold, followed the current of the age, apparently quite
-convinced. I made another interesting acquaintance in the person of
-Herr von Fonton, the Russian state councillor, and attache at the
-Russian Embassy in Vienna. I frequently met this man, both at
-Fischhof's house and on excursions into the surrounding country; and it
-was interesting to me for the first time to run up against a man who
-could so strongly profess his faith in the pessimistic standpoint, that
-a consistent despotism guarantees the only order of things which can be
-tolerated. Not without interest, and certainly not without
-intelligence--for he boasted of having been educated at the most
-enlightened schools in Switzerland--he listened to my enthusiastic
-narration of the art ideal which I had in my mind, and which was
-destined to exercise a great and decided influence upon the human race.
-As he had to allow that the realisation of this ideal could not be
-effected through the strength of despotism, and as he was unable to
-foresee any rewards for my exertions, by the time we came to the
-champagne he thawed to such a degree of affable good-nature as to wish
-me every success. I learned later on that this man, of whose talent and
-energetic character I had at the time no small opinion, was last heard
-of as being in great distress.
-
-Now, as I never undertook anything whatever without some serious object
-in view, I had made up my mind to avail myself of this visit to Vienna,
-in order to try in some practical manner to promote my ideas for the
-reform of the theatre. Vienna seemed to me specially suitable for this
-purpose, as at that, time it had five theatres, all totally different
-in character, which were dragging on a miserable existence. I quickly
-worked out a plan, according to which these various theatres might be
-formed into a sort of co-operative organisation, and placed under one
-administration composed not only of active members, but also of all
-those having any literary connection with the theatre. With a view to
-submitting my plan to them, I then made inquiries about persons with
-such capacities as seemed most likely to answer my requirements.
-Besides Herr Friedrich Uhl, whom I had got to know at the very
-beginning through Fischer, and who did me very good service, I was told
-of a Herr Franck (the same, I presume, who later on published a big
-epic work called Tannhauser), and a Dr. Pacher, an agent of
-Meyerbeer's, and a pettifogger of whose acquaintance later on I was to
-have no reason to be proud. The most sympathetic, and certainly the
-most important, of those chosen by me for the conference meeting at
-Fischhof's house, was undoubtedly Dr. Becher, a passionate and
-exceedingly cultivated man. He was the only one present who seriously
-followed the reading of my plan, although, of course, he by no means
-agreed with everything. I observed in him a certain wildness and
-vehemence, the impression of which returned to me very vividly some
-months later, when I heard of his being shot as a rebel who had
-participated in the October Insurrection at Vienna. For the present,
-then, I had to satisfy myself with having read the plan of my theatre
-reform to a few attentive listeners. All seemed to be convinced that
-the time was not opportune for putting forward such peaceable schemes
-of reform. On the other hand, Uhl thought it right to give me an idea
-of what was at present all the rage in Vienna, by taking me one evening
-to a political club of the most advanced tendencies. There I heard a
-speech by Herr Sigismund Englander, who shortly afterwards attracted
-much attention in the political monthly papers; the unblushing audacity
-with which he and others expressed themselves that evening with regard
-to the most dreaded persons in public power astounded me almost as much
-as the poverty of the political views expressed on that occasion. By
-way of contrast I received a very nice impression of Herr Grillparzer,
-the poet, whose name was like a fable to me, associated as it was, from
-my earliest days, with his Ahnfrau. I approached him also with respect
-to the matter of my theatre reform. He seemed quite disposed to listen
-in a friendly manner to what I had to say to him; he did not, however,
-attempt to conceal his surprise at my direct appeals and the personal
-demands I made of him. He was the first playwright I had ever seen in
-an official uniform.
-
-After I had paid an unsuccessful visit to Herr Bauernfeld, relative to
-the same business, I concluded that Vienna was of no more use for the
-present, and gave myself up to the exceptionally stimulating
-impressions produced by the public life of the motley crowd, which of
-late had undergone such marked changes. If the student band, which was
-always represented in great numbers in the streets, had already amused
-me with the extraordinary constancy with which its members sported the
-German colours, I was very highly diverted by the effect produced when
-at the theatres I saw even the ices served by attendants in the black,
-red, and gold of Austria. At the Karl Theatre, in the Leopold quarter
-of the town, I saw a new farce, by Nestroy, which actually introduced
-the character of Prince Metternich, and in which this statesman, on
-being asked whether he had poisoned the Duke of Reichstadt, had to make
-his escape behind the wings as an unmasked sinner. On the whole, the
-appearance of this imperial city--usually so fond of
-pleasure--impressed one with a feeling of youthful and powerful
-confidence. And this impression was revived in me when I heard of the
-energetic participation of the youthful members of the population,
-during those fateful October days, in the defence of Vienna against the
-troops of Prince Windischgratz.
-
-On the homeward journey I touched at Prague, where I found my old
-friend Kittl (who had grown very much more corpulent) still in the most
-terrible fright about the riotous events which had taken place there.
-He seemed to be of opinion that the revolt of the Tschech party against
-the Austrian Government was directed at him personally, and he thought
-fit to reproach himself with the terrible agitation of the time, which
-he believed he had specially inflamed by his composition of my operatic
-text of Die Franzosen vor Nizza, out of which a kind of revolutionary
-air seemed to have become very popular. To my great pleasure, on my
-homeward journey I had the company of Hanel the sculptor, whom I met on
-the steamer. There travelled with us also a Count Albert Nostitz, with
-whom he had just settled up his business concerning the statue of the
-Emperor Charles IV., and he was in the gayest mood, as the extremely
-insecure state of Austrian paper money had led to his being paid at a
-great profit to himself, in silver coin in accordance with his
-agreement. I was very pleased to find that, thanks to this
-circumstance, he was in such a confident mood, and so free from
-prejudice, that on, arriving at Dresden he accompanied me the whole
-way--a very long distance--from the landing-stage at which we had left
-the steamer to my house, in an open carriage; and this despite the fact
-that he very well knew that, only a few weeks before, I had caused a
-really terrible stir in this very city.
-
-As far as the public were concerned, the storm seemed quite to have
-died down, and I was able to resume my usual occupations and mode of
-life without any further trouble. I am sorry to say, however, that my
-old worries and anxieties started afresh; I stood in great need of
-money, and had not the vaguest notion whither to go in search of it. I
-then examined very thoroughly the answer I had received during the
-preceding winter to my petition for a higher salary. I had left it
-unread, as the modifications made in it had already disgusted me. If I
-had till now believed that it was Herr von Luttichau who had brought
-about the increase of salary I had demanded, in the shape of a
-supplement which I was to receive annually--in itself a humiliating
-thing--I now saw to my horror that all the time there had been no
-mention save of one single supplement, and that there was nothing to
-show that this should be repeated annually. On learning this, I saw
-that I should now be at the hopeless disadvantage of coming too late
-with a remonstrance if I should attempt to make one; so there was
-nothing left for me but to submit to an insult which, under the
-circumstances, was quite unprecedented. My feelings towards Herr von
-Luttichau, which shortly before had been rather warm owing to his
-supposed kind attitude towards me during the last disturbance, now
-underwent a serious change, and I soon had a new reason (actually
-connected with the above-mentioned affair) for altering my favourable
-opinion of him, and for turning finally against him for good and all.
-He had informed me that the members of the Imperial Orchestra had sent
-him a deputation demanding my instant dismissal, as they thought that
-it affected their honour to be any longer under a conductor who had
-compromised himself politically to the extent which I had. He also
-informed me that he had not only reprimanded them very severely, but
-that he had also been at great pains to pacify them concerning me. All
-this, which Luttichau had put in a highly favourable light, had
-latterly made me feel very friendly towards him. Then, however, as the
-result of inquiries into the matter, I heard accidentally through
-members of the orchestra that the facts of the case were almost exactly
-the reverse. What had happened was this, that the members of the
-Imperial Orchestra had been approached on all sides by the officials of
-the court, and had been not only earnestly requested to do what
-Luttichau had declared they had done of their own accord, but also
-threatened with the displeasure of the King, and of incurring the
-strongest suspicion if they refused to comply. In order to protect
-themselves against this intrigue, and to avoid all evil consequences
-should they not take the required step, the musicians had turned to
-their principal, and had sent him a deputation, through which they
-declared that, as a corporation of artists, they did not in the least
-feel called upon to mix themselves up in a matter that did not concern
-them. Thus the halo with which my former attachment to Herr von
-Luttichau had surrounded him at last disappeared for good and all, and
-it was chiefly my shame at having been so very much upset by his false
-conduct that now inspired me for ever with such bitter feelings for
-this man. What determined this feeling even more than the insults I had
-suffered, was the recognition of the fact that I was now utterly
-incapable of ever being able to enlist his influence in the cause of
-theatrical reform, which was so dear to me. It was natural that I
-should learn to attach ever less and less importance to the mere
-retention of the post of orchestral conductor on so extraordinarily
-inadequate and reduced a salary; and in keeping to this office, I
-merely bowed to what was an inevitable though purely accidental
-circumstance of a wretched fate. I did nothing to make the post more
-intolerable, but, at the same time, I moved not a finger to ensure its
-permanence.
-
-The very next thing I must do was to attempt to establish my hopes of a
-larger income, so sadly doomed hitherto, upon a very much sounder
-basis. In this respect it occurred to me that I might consult my friend
-Liszt, and beg him to suggest a remedy for my grievous position. And lo
-and behold, shortly after those fateful March days, and not long before
-the completion of my Lohengrin score, to my very great delight and
-astonishment, the very man I wanted walked into my room. He had come
-from Vienna, where he had lived through the 'Barricade Days,' and he
-was going on to Weimar, where he intended to settle permanently. We
-spent an evening together at Schumann's, had a little music, and
-finally began a discussion on Mendelssohn and Meyerbeer, in which Liszt
-and Schumann differed so fundamentally that the latter, completely
-losing his temper, retired in a fury to his bedroom for quite a long
-time. This incident did indeed place us in a somewhat awkward position
-towards our host, but it furnished us with a most amusing topic of
-conversation on the way home, I have seldom seen Liszt so extravagantly
-cheerful as on that night, when, in spite of the cold and the fact that
-he was clad only in ordinary evening-dress, he accompanied first the
-music director Schubert, and then myself, to our respective homes.
-Subsequently I took advantage of a few days' holiday in August to make
-an excursion to Weimar, where I found Liszt permanently installed and,
-as is well known, enjoying a life of most intimate intercourse with the
-Grand Duke. Even though he was unable to help me in my affairs, except
-by giving me a recommendation which finally proved useless, his
-reception of me on this short visit was so hearty and so exceedingly
-stimulating, that it left me profoundly cheered and encouraged. On
-returning to Dresden I tried as far as possible to curtail my expenses
-and to live within my means; and, as every means of assistance failed
-me, I resorted to the expedient of sending out a circular letter
-addressed jointly to my remaining creditors, all of whom were really
-friends; and in this I told them frankly of my situation, and enjoined
-them to relinquish their demands for an indefinite time, till my
-affairs took a turn for the better, as without this I should certainly
-never be in a position to satisfy them. By this means they would, at
-all events, be in a position to oppose my general manager, whom I had
-every reason to suspect of evil designs, and who would have been only
-too glad to seize any signs of hostility towards me, on the part of my
-creditors, as a pretext for taking the worst steps against me. The
-assurance I required was given me unhesitatingly; my friend Pusinelli,
-and Frau Klepperbein (an old friend of my mother's), even going so far
-as to declare that they were prepared to give up all claim to the money
-they had lent me. Thus, in some measure reassured, and with my position
-relative to Luttichau so far improved that I could consult my own
-wishes as to whether and when I should give up my post entirely, I now
-continued to fulfil my duties as a conductor as patiently and
-conscientiously as I was able, while with great zeal I also resumed my
-studies, which were carrying me ever further and further afield.
-
-Thus settled, I now began to watch the wonderful developments in the
-fate of my friend Rockel. As every day brought fresh rumours of
-threatened reactionary coups d'etat and similar violent outbreaks,
-which Rockel thought it right to prevent, he drew up an appeal to the
-soldiers of the army of Saxony, in which he explained every detail of
-the cause for which he stood, and which he then had printed and
-distributed broadcast. This was too flagrant a misdeed for the public
-prosecutors: he was therefore immediately placed under arrest, and had
-to remain three days in gaol while an action for high treason was
-lodged against him. He was only released when the solicitor Minkwitz
-stood bail for the requisite three thousand marks (equal to L150). This
-return home to his anxious wife and children was celebrated by a little
-public festival, which the committee of the Vaterlands-Verein had
-arranged in his honour, and the liberated man was greeted as the
-champion of the people's cause. On the other hand, however, the general
-management of the court theatre, who had before suspended him
-temporarily, now gave him his final dismissal. Rockel let a full beard
-grow, and began the publication of a popular journal called the
-Volksblatt, of which he was sole editor. He must have counted on its
-success to compensate him for the loss of his salary as musical
-director, for he at once hired an office in the Brudergasse for his
-undertaking. This paper succeeded in attracting the attention of a
-great many people to its editor, and showed up his talents in quite a
-new light, he never got involved in his style or indulged in any
-elaboration of words, but confined himself to matters of immediate
-importance and general interest; it was only after having discussed
-them in a calm and sober fashion, that he led up from them to further
-deductions of still greater interest connected with them. The
-individual articles were short, and never contained anything
-superfluous, in addition to which they were so clearly written, that
-they made an instructive and convincing appeal to the most uneducated
-mind. By always going to the root of things, instead of indulging in
-circumlocutions which, in politics, have caused such great confusion in
-the minds of the uneducated masses, he soon had a large circle of
-readers, both among cultivated and uncultivated people. The only
-drawback was that the price of the little weekly paper was too small to
-yield him a corresponding profit. Moreover, it was necessary to warn
-him that if the reactionary party should ever come into power again, it
-could never possibly forgive him for this newspaper. His younger
-brother, Edward, who was paying a visit at the time in Dresden,
-declared himself willing to accept a post as piano-teacher in England,
-which, though most uncongenial to him, would be lucrative and place him
-in a position to help Rockel's family, if, as seemed probable, he met
-his reward in prison or on the gallows. Owing to his connection with
-various societies, his time was so much taken up that my intercourse
-with him was limited to walks, which became more and more rare. On
-these occasions I often got lost in the most wildly speculative and
-profound discussions, while this wonderfully exciteable man always
-remained calmly reflective and clear-headed. First and foremost, he had
-planned a drastic social reform of the middle classes--as at present
-constituted--by aiming at a complete alteration of the basis of their
-condition. He constructed a totally new moral order of things, founded
-on the teaching of Proudhon and other socialists regarding the
-annihilation of the power of capital, by immediately productive labour,
-dispensing with the middleman. Little by little he converted me, by
-most seductive arguments, to his own views, to such an extent that I
-began to rebuild my hopes for the realisation of my ideal in art upon
-them. Thus there were two questions which concerned me very nearly: he
-wished to abolish matrimony, in the usual acceptation of the word,
-altogether. I thereupon asked him what he thought the result would be
-of promiscuous intercourse with women of a doubtful character. With
-amiable indignation he gave me to understand that we could have no idea
-about the purity of morals in general, and of the relations of the
-sexes in particular, so long as we were unable to free people
-completely from the yoke of the trades, guilds, and similar coercive
-institutions. He asked me to consider what the only motive would be
-which would induce a woman to surrender herself to a man, when not only
-the considerations of money, fortune, position, and family prejudices,
-but also the various influences necessarily arising from these, had
-disappeared. When I, in my turn, asked him whence he would obtain
-persons of great intellect and of artistic ability, if everybody were
-to be merged in the working classes, he met my objection by replying,
-that owing to the very fact that everybody would participate in the
-necessary labour according to his strength and capacity, work would
-cease to be a burden, and would become simply an occupation which would
-finally assume an entirely artistic character. He demonstrated this on
-the principle that, as had already been proved, a field, worked
-laboriously by a single peasant, was infinitely less productive than
-when cultivated by several persons in a scientific way. These and
-similar suggestions, which Rockel communicated to me with a really
-delightful enthusiasm, led me to further reflections, and gave birth to
-new plans upon which, to my mind, a possible organisation of the human
-race, which would correspond to my highest ideals in art, could alone
-be based. In reference to this, I immediately turned my thoughts to
-what was close at hand, and directed my attention to the theatre. The
-motive for this came not only from my own feelings, but also from
-external circumstances. In accordance with the latest democratic
-suffrage laws, a general election seemed imminent in Saxony; the
-election of extreme radicals, which had now taken place nearly
-everywhere else, showed us that if the movement lasted, there would be
-the most extraordinary changes even in the administration of the
-revenue. Apparently a general resolution had been passed to subject the
-Civil List to a strict revision; all that was deemed superfluous in the
-royal household was to be done away with; the theatre, as an
-unnecessary place of entertainment for a depraved portion of the
-public, was threatened with the withdrawal of the subsidy granted it
-from the Civil List. I now resolved, in view of the importance which I
-attached to the theatre, to suggest to the ministers that they should
-inform the members of parliament, that if the theatre in its present
-condition were not worth any sacrifice from the state, it would sink to
-still more doubtful tendencies--and might even become dangerous to
-public morals--if deprived of that state control which had for its aim
-the ideal, and, at the same time, felt itself called upon to place
-culture and education under its beneficial protection. It was of the
-highest importance to me to secure an organisation of the theatre,
-which would make the carrying out its loftiest ideals not only a
-possibility but also a certainty. Accordingly I drew up a project by
-which the same sum as that which was allotted from the Civil List for
-the support of a court theatre should be employed for the foundation
-and upkeep of a national theatre for the kingdom of Saxony. In showing
-the practical nature of the well-planned particulars of my scheme, I
-defined them with such great precision, that I felt assured my work
-would serve as a useful guide to the ministers as to how they should
-put this matter before parliament. The point now was to have a personal
-interview with one of the ministers, and it occurred to me that the
-best man to apply to in the matter would be Herr von der Pfordten, the
-Minister of Education. Although he already enjoyed the reputation of
-being a turncoat in politics, and was said to be struggling to efface
-the origin of his political promotion, which had taken place at a time
-of great agitation, the mere fact of his having formerly been a
-professor was sufficient to make me suppose that he was a man with whom
-I could discuss the question that I had so much at heart. I learned,
-however, that the real art institutions of the kingdom, such, for
-instance, as the Academy of Fine Arts, to whose number I so ardently
-desired to see the theatre added, belonged to the department of the
-Minister of the Interior. To this man--the worthy though not highly
-cultivated or artistic Herr Oberlander--I submitted my plans, not,
-however, without having first made myself known to Herr von der
-Pfordten, in order, for the reasons above stated, to command my project
-to him. This man, who apparently was very busy, received me in a polite
-and reassuring manner; but his whole bearing, indeed the very
-expression of his face, seemed to destroy all hopes I might ever have
-cherished of finding in him that understanding which I had expected.
-The minister Oberlander, on the other hand, earned my confidence by the
-straightforward earnestness with which he promised a thorough inquiry
-into the matter. Unfortunately, however, at the same time, he informed
-me with the most simple frankness, that he could entertain but very
-little hope of getting the King's authorisation for any unusual
-treatment of a question hitherto given over to routine. It must be
-understood that the relations of the King to his ministers were both
-strained and unconfidential, and that this was more especially so in
-the case of Oberlander, who never approached the monarch on any other
-business than that which the strictest discharge of his current duties
-rendered indispensable. He therefore thought it would be better if my
-plan could be brought forward, in the first place, by the Chamber of
-Deputies. As, in the event of the new Civil List being discussed, I was
-particularly anxious to avoid the question of the continuation of the
-court theatre being treated in the ignorant and shortsighted radical
-fashion, which was to be feared above all, I did not despair of making
-the acquaintance of some of the most influential among the new members
-of parliament. In this wise I found myself suddenly plunged into quite
-a new and strange world, and became acquainted with persons and
-opinions, the very existence of which until then I had not even
-suspected. I found it somewhat trying always to be obliged to meet
-these gentlemen at their beer and shrouded in the dense clouds of their
-tobacco smoke, and to have to discuss with them matters which, though
-very dear to me, must have seemed a little fantastic to their mind.
-After a certain Herr von Trutschler, a very handsome, energetic man,
-whose seriousness was almost gloomy, had listened to me calmly for some
-time, and had told me that he no longer knew anything about the state,
-but only about society, and that the latter would know, without either
-his or my aid, how it should act in regard to art and to the theatre, I
-was filled with such extraordinary feelings, half mingled with shame,
-that there and then I gave up, not only all my exertions, but all my
-hopes as well. The only reminder I ever had of the whole affair came
-some while, after when, on meeting Herr von Luttichau, I quickly
-gathered from his attitude to me that he had got wind of the episode,
-and that it only inspired him with fresh hostility towards me.
-
-During my walks, which I now took absolutely alone, I thought ever more
-deeply--and much to the relief of my mind--over my ideas concerning
-that state of human society for which the boldest hopes and efforts of
-the socialists and communists, then busily engaged in constructing
-their system, offered me but the roughest foundation. These efforts
-could begin to have some meaning and value for me only when they had
-attained to that political revolution and reconstruction which they
-aimed at; for it was only then that I, in my turn, could start my
-reforms in art.
-
-At the same time my thoughts were busy with a drama, in which the
-Emperor Frederick I. (surnamed 'Barbarossa') was to be the hero. In it
-the model ruler was portrayed in a manner which lent him the greatest
-and most powerful significance. His dignified resignation at the
-impossibility of making his ideals prevail was intended not only to
-present a true transcript of the arbitrary multifariousness of the
-things of this world, but also to arouse sympathy for the hero. I
-wished to carry out this drama in popular rhyme, and in the style of
-the German used by our epic poets of the Middle Ages, and in this
-respect the poem Alexander, by the priest Lambert, struck me as a good
-example; but I never got further with this play than to sketch its
-outline in the broadest manner possible. The five acts were planned in
-the following manner: Act i. Imperial Diet in the Roncaglian fields, a
-demonstration of the significance of imperial power which should extend
-even to the investiture of water and air; Act ii. the siege and capture
-of Milan; Act iii. revolt of Henry the Lion and his overthrow at
-Ligano; Act iv. Imperial Diet in Augsburg, the humiliation and
-punishment of Henry the Lion; Act v. Imperial Diet and grand court
-assembly at Mainz; peace with the Lombards, reconciliation with the
-Pope, acceptance of the Cross, and the departure for the East. I lost
-all interest, however, in the carrying out of this dramatic scheme
-directly I discovered its resemblance to the subject-matter of the
-Nibelungen and Siegfried myths, which possessed a more powerful
-attraction for me. The points of similarity which I recognised between
-the history and the legend in question then induced me to write a
-treatise on the subject; and in this I was assisted by some stimulating
-monographs (found in the royal library), written by authors whose names
-have now escaped my memory, but which taught me in a very attractive
-manner a considerable amount about the old original kingdom of Germany.
-Later on I published this fairly extensive essay with the title of Die
-Nibelungen, but in working it out I finally lost all inclination to
-elaborate the historical material for a real drama.
-
-In direct connection with this I began to sketch a clear summary of the
-form which the old original Nibelungen myth had assumed in my mind in
-its immediate association with the mythological legend of the gods--a
-form which, though full of detail, was yet much condensed in its
-leading features. Thanks to this work, I was able to convert the chief
-part of the material itself into a musical drama. It was only by
-degrees, however, and after long hesitation that I dared to enter more
-deeply into my plans for this work; for the thought of the practical
-realisation of such a work on our stage literally appalled me. I must
-confess that it required all the despair which I then felt of ever
-having the chance of doing anything more for our theatre, to give me
-the necessary courage to begin upon this new work. Until that time I
-simply allowed myself to drift, while I meditated listlessly upon the
-possibility of things pursuing their course further under the existing
-circumstances. In regard to Lohengrin, I had got to that point when I
-hoped for nothing more than the best possible production of it at the
-Dresden theatre, and felt that I should have to be satisfied in all
-respects, and for all time, if I were able to achieve even that. I had
-duly announced the completion of the score to Herr von Luttichau; but,
-in consideration of the unfavourable nature of my circumstances at the
-time, I had left it entirely to him to decide when my work should be
-produced.
-
-Meanwhile the time arrived when the keeper of the Archives of the Royal
-Orchestra called to mind that it was just three hundred years since
-this royal institution had been founded, and that a jubilee would
-therefore have to be celebrated. To this end a great concert festival
-was planned, the programme of which was to be made up of the
-compositions of all the Saxon orchestral conductors that had lived
-since the institution had been founded. The whole body of musicians,
-with both their conductors at their head, were first to present their
-grateful homage to the King in Pillnitz; and on this occasion a
-musician was, for the first time, to be elevated to the rank of Knight
-of the Civil Order of Merit of Saxony. This musician was my colleague
-Reissiger. Until then he had been treated by the court, and by the
-manager himself, in the most scornful manner possible, but had, owing
-to his conspicuous loyalty at this critical time, especially to me,
-found exceptional favour in the eyes of our committees. When he
-appeared before the public decorated with the wonderful order, he was
-greeted with great jubilation by the loyal audience that filled the
-theatre on the evening of the festival concert. His overture to Yelva
-was also received with a perfect uproar of enthusiastic applause, such
-as had never fallen to his lot; whereas the finale of the first act
-from Lohengrin, which was produced as the work of the youngest
-conductor, was accorded only an indifferent reception. This was all the
-more strange as I was quite unaccustomed to such coolness in regard to
-my work on the part of the Dresden public. Following upon the concert,
-there was a festive supper, and when this was over, as all kinds of
-speeches were being made, I freely proclaimed to the orchestra, in a
-loud and decided tone, my views as to what was desirable for their
-perfection in the future. Hereupon Marschner, who, as a former musical
-conductor in Dresden, had been invited to the jubilee celebrations,
-expressed the opinion that I should do myself a great deal of harm by
-holding too good an opinion of the musicians. He said I ought just to
-consider how uncultivated these people were with whom I had to deal; he
-pointed out that they were trained simply for the one instrument they
-played; and asked me whether I did not think that by discoursing to
-them on the aspirations of art I would produce not only confusion, but
-even perhaps bad blood? Far more pleasant to me than these festivities
-is the remembrance of the quiet memorial ceremony which united us on
-the morning of the Jubilee Day, with the object of placing wreaths on
-Weber's grave. As nobody could find a word to utter, and even Marschner
-was able to give expression only to the very driest and most trivial of
-speeches about the departed master, I felt it incumbent upon me to say
-a few heartfelt words concerning the memorial ceremony for which we
-were gathered together. This brief spell of artistic activity was
-speedily broken by fresh excitements, which kept pouring in upon us
-from the political world. The events of October in Vienna awakened our
-liveliest sympathy, and our walls daily blazed with red and black
-placards, with summonses to march on Vienna, with the curse of 'Red
-Monarchy,' as opposed to the hated 'Red Republic,' and with other
-equally startling matter. Except for those who were best informed as to
-the course of events--and who certainly did not swarm in our
-streets--these occurrences aroused great uneasiness everywhere. With
-the entry of Windischgratz into Vienna, the acquittal of Frobel and the
-execution of Blum, it seemed as though even Dresden were on the eve of
-an explosion. A vast demonstration of mourning was organised for Blum,
-with an endless procession through the streets. At the head marched the
-ministry, among whom the people were particularly glad to see Herr von
-der Pfordten taking a sympathetic share in the ceremony, as he had
-already become an object of suspicion to them. From that day gloomy
-forebodings of disaster grew ever more prevalent on every side. People
-even went so far as to say, with little attempt at circumlocution, that
-the execution of Blum had been an act of friendship on the part of the
-Archduchess Sophia to her sister, the Queen of Saxony, for during his
-agitation in Leipzig the man had made himself both hated and feared.
-Troops of Viennese fugitives, disguised as members of the student
-bands, began to arrive in Dresden, and made a formidable addition to
-its population, which from this time forth paraded the streets with
-ever-increasing confidence. One day, as I was on my way to the theatre
-to conduct a performance of Rienzi, the choir-master informed me that
-several foreign gentlemen had been asking for me. Thereupon half a
-dozen persons presented themselves, greeted me as a brother democrat,
-and begged me to procure them free entrance tickets. Among them I
-recognised a former dabbler in literature, a man named Hafner, a little
-hunchback, in a Calabrian hat cocked at a terrific angle, to whom I had
-been introduced by Uhl on the occasion of my visit to the Vienna
-political club. Great as was my embarrassment at this visit, which
-evidently astonished our musicians, I felt in no wise compelled to make
-any compromising admission, but quietly went to the booking-office,
-took six tickets and handed them to my strange visitors, who parted
-from me before all the world with much hearty shaking of hands. Whether
-this evening call improved my position as musical conductor in Dresden
-in the minds of the theatrical officials and others, may well be
-doubted; but, at all events, on no occasion was I so frantically called
-for after every act as at this particular performance of Rienzi.
-
-Indeed, at this time I seemed to have won over to my side a party of
-almost passionate adherents among the theatre-going public, in
-opposition to the clique which had shown such marked coldness on the
-occasion of the gala concert already mentioned. It mattered not whether
-Tannhauser or Rienzi were being played, I was always greeted with
-special applause; and although the political tendencies of this party
-may have given our management some cause for alarm, yet it forced them
-to regard me with a certain amount of awe. One day Luttichau proposed
-to have my Lohengrin performed at an early date. I explained my reasons
-for not having offered it to him before, but declared myself ready to
-further his wishes, as I considered the opera company was now
-sufficiently powerful. The son of my old friend, F. Heine, had just
-returned from Paris, where he had been sent by the Dresden management
-to study scene-painting under the artists Desplechin and Dieterle. By
-way of testing his powers, with a view to an engagement at the Dresden
-Royal Theatre, the task of preparing suitable scenery for this opera
-was entrusted to him. He had already asked permission to do this for
-Lohengrin at the instigation of Luttichau, who wished to call attention
-to my latest work. Consequently, when I gave my consent, young Heine's
-wish was granted.
-
-I regarded this turn of events with no little satisfaction, believing
-that in the study of this particular work I should find a wholesome and
-effective diversion from all the excitement and confusion of recent
-events. My horror, therefore, was all the greater, when young Wilhelm
-Heine one day came to my room with the news that the scenery for
-Lohengrin had been suddenly countermanded, and instructions given him
-to prepare for another opera. I did not make any remark, nor ask the
-reason for this singular behaviour. The assurances which Luttichan
-afterwards made to my wife--if they were really true--made me regret
-having laid the chief blame for this mortification at his door, and
-having thereby irrevocably alienated my sympathy from him. When she
-asked him about this many years later, he assured her that he had found
-the court vehemently hostile to me, and that his well-meant attempts to
-produce my work had met with insuperable obstacles.
-
-However that may have been, the bitterness I now experienced wrought a
-decisive effect upon my feelings. Not only did I relinquish all hope of
-a reconciliation with the theatre authorities by a splendid production
-of my Lohengrin, but I determined to turn my back for ever on the
-theatre, and to make no further attempt to meddle with its concerns. By
-this act I expressed not merely my utter indifference as to whether I
-kept my position as musical conductor or no, but my artistic ambitions
-also entirely cut me off from all possibility of ever cultivating
-modern theatrical conditions again.
-
-I at once proceeded to execute my long-cherished plans for Siegfried's
-Tod, which I had been half afraid of before. In this work I no longer
-gave a thought to the Dresden or any other court theatre in the world;
-my sole preoccupation was to produce something that should free me,
-once and for all, from this irrational subservience. As I could get
-nothing more from Rockel in this connection, I now corresponded
-exclusively with Eduard Devrient on matters connected with the theatre
-and dramatic art. When, on the completion of my poem, I read it to him,
-he listened with amazement, and at once realised the fact that such a
-production would be an absolute drug in the modern theatrical market,
-and he naturally could not agree to let it remain so. On the other
-hand, he tried so far to reconcile himself to my work as to try and
-make it less startling and more adapted for actual production. He
-proved the sincerity of his intentions by pointing out my error in
-asking too much of the public, and requiring it to supply from its own
-knowledge many things necessary for a right under-standing of my
-subject-matter, at which I had only hinted in brief and scattered
-suggestions. He showed me, for instance, that before Siegfried and
-Brunhilda are displayed in a position of bitter hostility towards each
-other, they ought first to have been presented in their true and calmer
-relationship. I had, in fact, opened the poem of SIEGFRIED'S TOD with
-those scenes which now form the first act of the GOTTERDAMMERUNG. The
-details of Siegfried's relation to Brunhilda had been merely outlined
-to the listeners in a lyrico-episodical dialogue between the hero's
-wife, whom he had left behind in solitude, and a crowd of Valkyries
-passing before her rock. To my great joy, Devrient's hint on this point
-directed my thoughts to those scenes which I afterwards worked out in
-the prologue of this drama.
-
-This and other matters of a similar nature brought me into intimate
-contact with Eduard Devrient, and made our intercourse much more lively
-and pleasant. He often invited a select circle of friends to attend
-dramatic readings at his house in which I gladly took part, for I
-found, to my surprise, that his gift for declamation, which quite
-forsook him on the stage, here stood out in strong relief. It was,
-moreover, a consolation to pour into a sympathetic ear my worries about
-my growing unpopularity with the director. Devrient seemed particularly
-anxious to prevent a definite breach; but of this there was little
-hope. With the approach of winter the court had returned to town, and
-once more frequented the theatre, and various signs of dissatisfaction
-in high quarters with my behaviour as conductor began to be manifested.
-On one occasion the Queen thought that I had conducted NORMA badly, and
-on another that I 'had taken the time wrongly' in ROBERT THE DEVIL. As
-Luettichau had to communicate these reprimands to me, it was natural
-that our intercourse at such times should hardly be of a nature to
-restore our mutual satisfaction with each other.
-
-Notwithstanding all this, it still seemed possible to prevent matters
-from coming to a crisis, though everything continued in a state of
-agitating uncertainty and fermentation. At all events the forces of
-reaction, which were holding themselves in readiness on every side,
-were not yet sufficiently certain that the hour of their triumph had
-come as not to consider it advisable for the present, at least, to
-avoid all provocation. Consequently our management did not meddle with
-the musicians of the royal orchestra, who, in obedience to the spirit
-of the times, had formed a union for debate and the protection of their
-artistic and civic interests. In this matter one of our youngest
-musicians, Theodor Uhlig, had been particularly active. He was a young
-man, still in his early twenties, and was a violinist in the orchestra.
-His face was strikingly mild, intelligent and noble, and he was
-conspicuous among his fellows on account of his great seriousness and
-his quiet but unusually firm character. He had particularly attracted
-my notice on several occasions by his quick insight and extensive
-knowledge of music. As I recognised in him a spirit keenly alert in
-every direction, and unusually eager for culture, it was not long
-before I chose him as my companion in my regular walks--a habit I still
-continued to cultivate--and on which Roeckel had hitherto accompanied
-me. He induced me to come to a meeting of this union of the orchestral
-company, in order that I might form an opinion about it, and encourage
-and support so praiseworthy a movement. On this occasion I communicated
-to its members the contents of my memorandum to the director, which had
-been rejected a year before, and in which I had made suggestions for
-reforms in the band, and I also explained further intentions and plans
-arising therefrom. At the same time I was obliged to confess that I had
-lost all hope of carrying out any projects of the kind through the
-general management, and must therefore recommend them to take the
-initiative vigorously into their own hands. They acclaimed the idea
-with enthusiastic approval. Although, as I have said before, Luettichau
-left these musicians unmolested in their more or less democratic union,
-yet he took care to be informed through spies of what took place at
-their highly treasonable gatherings. His chief instrument was a bugler
-named Lewy, who, much to the disgust of all his comrades in the
-orchestra, was in particularly high favour with the director. He
-consequently received precise, or rather exaggerated, accounts of my
-appearance there, and thought it was now high time to let me once more
-feel the weight of his authority. I was officially summoned to his
-presence, and had to listen to a long and wrathful tirade which he had
-been bottling up for some time about several matters. I also learned
-that he knew all about the plan of theatre reform which I had laid
-before the ministry. This knowledge he betrayed in a popular Dresden
-phrase, which until then I had never heard; he knew very well, he said,
-that in a memorandum respecting the theatre I had 'made him look
-ridiculous' (ihm an den Laden gelegt). In answer to this I did not
-refrain from telling him how I intended to act in retaliation, and when
-he threatened to report me to the King and demand my dismissal, I
-calmly replied that he might do as he pleased, as I was well assured
-that I could rely on his Majesty's justice to hear, not only his
-charges, but also my defence. Moreover, I added, this was the only
-befitting manner for me to discuss with the King the many points on
-which I had to complain, not only in my own interests, but also in
-those of the theatre and of art. This was not pleasant hearing for
-Luttichau, and he asked how it was possible for him to try and
-co-operate with me, when I for my part had openly declared (to use his
-own expression) that all labour was wasted upon him (Hopfen und Malz
-verloren seien). We had at last to part with mutual shruggings of the
-shoulder. My conduct seemed to trouble my former patron, and he
-therefore enlisted the tact and moderation of Eduard Devrient in his
-service, and asked him to use his influence with me to facilitate some
-further arrangement between us. But, in spite of all his zeal, Devrient
-had to admit with a smile, after we had discussed his message, that
-nothing much could be done; and as I persisted in my refusal to meet
-the director again in consultation respecting the service of the
-theatre, he had at last to recognise that his own wisdom would have to
-help him out of the difficulty.
-
-Throughout the whole period during which I was fated to fill the post
-of conductor at Dresden, the effects of this dislike on the part of the
-court and the director continued to make themselves felt in everything.
-The orchestral concerts, which had been organised by me in the previous
-winter, were this year placed under Reissiger's control, and at once
-sank to the usual level of ordinary concerts. Public interest quickly
-waned, and the undertaking could only with difficulty be kept alive. In
-opera I was unable to carry out the proposed revival of the Fliegender
-Hollander, for which I had found in Mitterwurzer's maturer talent an
-admirable and promising exponent. My niece Johanna, whom I had destined
-for the part of Senta, did not like the role, because it offered little
-opportunity for splendid costumes. She preferred ZAMPA and FAVORITA,
-partly to please her new protector, my erstwhile RIENZI enthusiast,
-Tichatschck, partly for the sake of THREE BRILLIANT COSTUMES which the
-management had to furnish for each of these parts. In fact, these two
-ringleaders of the Dresden opera of that day had formed an alliance of
-rebellion against my vigorous rule in the matter of operatic
-repertoire. Their opposition, to my great discomfiture, was crowned by
-success when they secured the production of this FAVORITA of
-Donizetti's, the arrangement of which I had once been obliged to
-undertake for Schlesinger in Paris. I had at first emphatically refused
-to have anything to do with this opera, although its principal part
-suited my niece's voice admirably, even in her father's judgment. But
-now that they knew of my feud with the director, and of my voluntary
-loss of influence, and finally of my evident disgrace, they thought the
-opportunity ripe for compelling me to conduct this tiresome work
-myself, as it happened to be my turn.
-
-Besides this, my chief occupation at the royal theatre during this
-period consisted in conducting Flotow's opera MARTHA, which, although
-it failed to attract the public, was nevertheless produced with
-excessive frequency, owing to its convenient cast. On reviewing the
-results of my labours in Dresden--where I had now been nearly seven
-years--I could not help feeling humiliated when I considered the
-powerful and energetic impetus I knew I had given in many directions to
-the court theatre, and I found myself obliged to confess that, were I
-now to leave Dresden, not, the smallest trace of my influence would
-remain behind. From various signs I also gathered that, if ever it
-should come to a trial before the King between the director and myself,
-even if his Majesty were in my favour, yet out of consideration for the
-courtier the verdict would go against me.
-
-Nevertheless, on Palm Sunday of the new year, 1849, I received ample
-amends. In order to ensure liberal receipts, our orchestra had again
-decided to produce Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Every one did his utmost
-to make this one of our finest performances, and the public took up the
-matter with real enthusiasm. Michael Bakunin, unknown to the police,
-had been present at the public rehearsal. At its close he walked
-unhesitatingly up to me in the orchestra, and said in a loud voice,
-that if all the music that had ever been written were lost in the
-expected world-wide conflagration, we must pledge ourselves to rescue
-this symphony, even at the peril of our lives. Not many weeks after
-this performance it really seemed as though this world-wide
-conflagration would actually be kindled in the streets of Dresden, and
-that Bakunin, with whom I had meanwhile become more closely associated
-through strange and unusual circumstances, would undertake the office
-of chief stoker.
-
-It was long before this date that I first made the acquaintance of this
-most remarkable man. For years I had come across his name in the
-newspapers, and always under extraordinary circumstances. He turned up
-in Paris at a Polish gathering, but although he was a Russian, he
-declared that it mattered little whether a man were a Russian or a
-Pole, so long as he wanted to be a free man, and that this was all that
-mattered. I heard afterwards, through George Herwegh, that he had
-renounced all his sources of income as a member of an influential
-Russian family, and that one day, when his entire fortune consisted of
-two francs, he had given them away to a beggar on the boulevard,
-because it was irksome to him to be bound by this possession to take
-any thought for the morrow. I was informed of his presence in Dresden
-one day by Rockel, after the latter had become a rampant republican. He
-had taken the Russian into his house, and invited me to come and make
-his acquaintance. Bakunin was at that time being persecuted by the
-Austrian government for his share in the events which took place in
-Prague in the summer of 1848, and because he was a member of the Slav
-Congress which had preceded them. He had consequently sought refuge in
-our city, as he did not wish to settle too far from the Bohemian
-frontier. The extraordinary sensation he had created in Prague arose
-from the fact that, when the Czechs sought the protection of Russia
-against the dreaded Germanising policy of Austria, he conjured them to
-defend themselves with fire and sword against those very Russians, and
-indeed against any other people who lived under the rule of a despotism
-like that of the Tsars. This superficial acquaintance with Balumin's
-aims had sufficed to change the purely national prejudices of the
-Germans against him into sympathy. When I met him, therefore, under the
-humble shelter of Rockel's roof, I was immediately struck by his
-singular and altogether imposing personality. He was in the full bloom
-of manhood, anywhere between thirty and forty years of age. Everything
-about him was colossal, and he was full of a primitive exuberance and
-strength. I never gathered that he set much store by my acquaintance.
-Indeed, he did not seem to care for merely intellectual men; what he
-demanded was men of reckless energy. As I afterwards perceived, theory
-in this case had more weight with him than purely personal sentiment;
-and he talked much and expatiated freely on the matter. His general
-mode of discussion was the Socratic method, and he seemed quite at his
-ease when, stretched on his host's hard sofa, he could argue
-discursively with a crowd of all sorts of men on the problems of
-revolution. On these occasions he invariably got the best of the
-argument. It was impossible to triumph against his opinions, stated as
-they were with the utmost conviction, and overstepping in every
-direction even the extremest bounds of radicalism. So communicative was
-he, that on the very first evening of our meeting he gave me full
-details about the various stages of his development, he was a Russian
-officer of high birth, but smarting under the yoke of the narrowest
-martial tyranny, he had been led by a study of Rousseau's writings to
-escape to Germany under pretence of taking furlough. In Berlin he had
-flung himself into the study of philosophy with all the zest of a
-barbarian newly awakened to civilisation. Hegel's philosophy was the
-one which was the rage at that moment, and he soon became such an
-expert in it, that he had been able to hurl that master's most famous
-disciples from the saddle of their own philosophy, in a thesis couched
-in terms of the strictest Hegelian dialectic. After he had got
-philosophy off his chest, as he expressed it, he proceeded to
-Switzerland, where he preached communism, and thence wandered over
-France and Germany back to the borderland of the Slav world, from which
-quarter he looked for the regeneration of humanity, because the Slavs
-had been less enervated by civilisation. His hopes in this respect were
-centred in the more strongly pronounced Slav type characteristic of the
-Russian peasant class. In the natural detestation of the Russian serf
-for his cruel oppressor the nobleman, he believed he could trace a
-substratum of simple-minded brotherly love, and that instinct which
-leads animals to hate the men who hunt them. In support of this idea he
-cited the childish, almost demoniac delight of the Russian people in
-fire, a quality on which Rostopschin calculated in his strategic
-burning of Moscow. He argued that all that was necessary to set in
-motion a world-wide movement was to convince the Russian peasant, in
-whom the natural goodness of oppressed human nature had preserved its
-most childlike characteristics, that it was perfectly right and well
-pleasing to God for them to burn their lords' castles, with everything
-in and about them. The least that could result from such a movement
-would be the destruction of all those things which, rightly considered,
-must appear, even to Europe's most philosophical thinkers, the real
-source of all the misery of the modern world. To set these destructive
-forces in action appeared to him the only object worthy of a sensible
-man's activity. (Even while he was preaching these horrible doctrines,
-Bakunin, noticing that my eyes troubled me, shielded them with his
-outstretched hand from the naked light for a full hour, in spite of my
-protestations.) This annihilation of all civilisation was the goal upon
-which his heart was set. Meanwhile it amused him to utilise every lever
-of political agitation he could lay hands on for the advancement of
-this aim, and in so doing he often found cause for ironical merriment.
-In his retreat he received people belonging to every shade of
-revolutionary thought. Nearest to him stood those of Slav nationality,
-because these, he thought, would be the most convenient and effective
-weapons he could use in the uprooting of Russian despotism. In spite of
-their republic and their socialism a la Proudhon, he thought nothing of
-the French, and as for the Germans, he never mentioned them to me.
-Democracy, republicanism, and anything else of the kind he regarded as
-unworthy of serious consideration.
-
-Every objection raised by those who had the slightest wish to
-reconstruct what had been demolished, he met with overwhelming
-criticism. I well remember on one occasion that a Pole, startled by his
-theories, maintained that there must be an organised state to guarantee
-the individual in the possession of the fields he had cultivated.
-'What!' he answered; 'would you carefully fence in your field to
-provide a livelihood for the police again!' This shut the mouth of the
-terrified Pole. He comforted himself by saying that the creators of the
-new order of things would arise of themselves, but that our sole
-business in the meantime was to find the power to destroy. Was any one
-of us so mad as to fancy that he would survive the desired destruction?
-We ought to imagine the whole of Europe with St. Petersburg, Paris, and
-London transformed into a vast rubbish-heap. How could we expect the
-kindlers of such a fire to retain any consciousness after so vast a
-devastation? He used to puzzle any who professed their readiness for
-self-sacrifice by telling them it was not the so-called tyrants who
-were so obnoxious, but the smug Philistines. As a type of these he
-pointed to a Protestant parson, and declared that he would not believe
-he had really reached the full stature of a man until he saw him commit
-his own parsonage, with his wife and child, to the flames.
-
-I was all the more perplexed for a while, in the face of such dreadful
-ideas, by the fact that Bakunin in other respects proved a really
-amiable and tender-hearted man. He was fully alive to my own anxiety
-and despair with regard to the risk I ran of forever destroying my
-ideals and hopes for the future of art. It is true, he declined to
-receive any further instruction concerning these artistic schemes, and
-would not even look at my work on the Nibelungen saga. I had just then
-been inspired by a study of the Gospels to conceive the plan of a
-tragedy for the ideal stage of the future, entitled Jesus of Nazareth.
-Bakunin begged me to spare him any details; and when I sought to win
-him over to my project by a few verbal hints, he wished me luck, but
-insisted that I must at all costs make Jesus appear as a weak
-character. As for the music of the piece, he advised me, amid all the
-variations, to use only one set of phrases, namely: for the tenor, 'Off
-with His head!'; for the soprano, 'Hang Him!'; and for the basso
-continuo, 'Fire! fire!' And yet I felt more sympathetically drawn
-towards this prodigy of a man when I one day induced him to hear me
-play and sing the first scenes of my Fliegender Hollander. After
-listening with more attention than most people gave, he exclaimed,
-during a momentary pause, 'That is stupendously fine!' and wanted to
-hear more.
-
-As his life of permanent concealment was very dull, I occasionally
-invited him to spend an evening with me. For supper my wife set before
-him finely cut slices of sausage and meat, which he at once devoured
-wholesale, instead of spreading them frugally on his bread in Saxon
-fashion. Noticing Minna's alarm at this, I was guilty of the weakness
-of telling him how we were accustomed to consume such viands, whereupon
-he reassured me with a laugh, saying that it was quite enough, only he
-would like to eat what was set before him in his own way. I was
-similarly astonished at the manner in which he drank wine from our
-ordinary-sized small glasses. As a matter of fact he detested wine,
-which only satisfied his craving for alcoholic stimulants in such
-paltry, prolonged, and subdivided doses; whereas a stiff glass of
-brandy, swallowed at a gulp, at once produced the same result, which,
-after all, was only temporarily attained. Above all, he scorned the
-sentiment which seeks to prolong enjoyment by moderation, arguing that
-a true man should only strive to still the cravings of nature, and that
-the only real pleasure in life worthy of a man was love.
-
-These and other similar little characteristics showed clearly that in
-this remarkable man the purest impulses of an ideal humanity conflicted
-strangely with a savagery entirely inimical to all civilisation, so
-that my feelings during my intercourse with him fluctuated between
-involuntary horror and irresistible attraction. I frequently called for
-him to share my lonely wanderings. This he gladly did, not only for the
-sake of necessary bodily exercise, but also because he could do so in
-this part of the world without fear of meeting his pursuers. My
-attempts during our conversations to instruct him more fully regarding
-my artistic aims remained quite unavailing as long as we were unable to
-quit the field of mere discussion. All these things seemed to him
-premature. He refused to admit that out of the very needs of the evil
-present all laws for the future would have to be evolved, and that
-these, moreover, must be moulded upon quite different ideas of social
-culture. Seeing that he continued to urge destruction, and again
-destruction, I had at last to inquire how my wonderful friend proposed
-to set this work of destruction in operation. It then soon became
-clear, as I had suspected it would, and as the event soon proved, that
-with this man of boundless activity everything rested upon the most
-impossible hypotheses. Doubtless I, with my hopes of a future artistic
-remodelling of human society, appeared to him to be floating in the
-barren air; yet it soon became obvious to me that his assumptions as to
-the unavoidable demolition of all the institutions of culture were at
-least equally visionary. My first idea was that Bakunin was the centre
-of an international conspiracy; but his practical plans seem originally
-to have been restricted to a project for revolutionising Prague, where
-he relied merely on a union formed among a handful of students.
-Believing that the time had now come to strike a blow, he prepared
-himself one evening to go there. This proceeding was not free from
-danger, and he set off under the protection of a passport made out for
-an English merchant. First of all, however, with the view of adapting
-himself to the most Philistine culture, he had to submit his huge beard
-and bushy hair to the tender mercies of the razor and shears. As no
-barber was available, Rockel had to undertake the task. A small group
-of friends watched the operation, which had to be executed with a dull
-razor, causing no little pain, under which none but the victim himself
-remained passive. We bade farewell to Bakunin with the firm conviction
-that we should never see him again alive. But in a week he was back
-once more, as he had realised immediately what a distorted account he
-had received as to the state of things in Prague, where all he found
-ready for him was a mere handful of childish students. These admissions
-made him the butt of Rockel's good-humoured chaff, and after this he
-won the reputation among us of being a mere revolutionary, who was
-content with theoretical conspiracy. Very similar to his expectations
-from the Prague students were his presumptions with regard to the
-Russian people. These also afterwards proved to be entirely groundless,
-and based merely on gratuitous assumptions drawn from the supposed
-nature of things. I consequently found myself driven to explain the
-universal belief in the terrible dangerousness of this man by his
-theoretical views, as expressed here and elsewhere, and not as arising
-from any actual experience of his practical activity. But I was soon to
-become almost an eye-witness of the fact that his personal conduct was
-never for a moment swayed by prudence, such as one is accustomed to
-meet in those whose theories are not seriously meant. This was shortly
-to be proved in the momentous insurrection of May, 1849.
-
-The winter of this year, up to the spring of 1849, passed in a
-many-sided development of my position and temper, as I have described
-them, that is to say, in a sort of dull agitation. My latest artistic
-occupation had been the five-act drama, Jesus of Nazareth, just
-mentioned. Henceforth I lingered on in a state of brooding instability,
-full of expectation, yet without any definite wish. I felt fully
-convinced that my activity in Dresden, as an artist, had come to an
-end, and I was only waiting for the pressure of circumstances to shake
-myself free. On the other hand, the whole political situation, both in
-Saxony and the rest of Germany, tended inevitably towards a
-catastrophe. Day by day this drew nearer, and I flattered myself into
-regarding my own personal fate as interwoven with this universal
-unrest. Now that the powers of reaction were everywhere more and more
-openly bracing themselves for conflict, the final decisive struggle
-seemed indeed close at hand. My feelings of partisanship were not
-sufficiently passionate to make me desire to take any active share in
-these conflicts. I was merely conscious of an impulse to give myself up
-recklessly to the stream of events, no matter whither it might lead.
-
-Just at this moment, however, an entirely new influence forced itself
-in a most strange fashion into my fortunes, and was at first greeted by
-me with a smile of scepticism. Liszt wrote announcing an early
-production in Weimar of my Tannhauser under his own conductorship--the
-first that had taken place outside Dresden--and he added with great
-modesty that this was merely a fulfilment of his own personal desire.
-In order to ensure success he had sent a special invitation to
-Tichatschek to be his guest for the two first performances. When the
-latter returned he said that the production had, on the whole, been a
-success, which surprised me very much. I received a gold snuff-box from
-the Grand Duke as a keepsake, which I continued to use until the year
-1864. All this was new and strange to me, and I was still inclined to
-regard this otherwise agreeable occurrence as a fleeting episode, due
-to the friendly feeling of a great artist. 'What does this mean for
-me?' I asked myself. 'Has it come too early or too late?' But a very
-cordial letter from Liszt induced me to visit Weimar for a few days
-later on, for a third performance of Tannhausar, which was to be
-carried out entirely by native talent, with a view to the permanent
-addition of this opera to the repertoire. For this purpose I obtained
-leave of absence from my management for the second week in May.
-
-Only a few days elapsed before the execution of this little plan; but
-they were destined to be momentous ones. On the 1st of May the Chambers
-were dissolved by the new Beust ministry, which the King had charged
-with carrying out his proposed reactionary policy. This event imposed
-upon me the friendly task of caring for Rockel and his family. Hitherto
-his position as a deputy had shielded him from the danger of criminal
-prosecution; but as soon as the Chambers were dissolved this protection
-was withdrawn, and he had to escape by flight from being arrested
-again. As I could do little to help him in this matter, I promised at
-least to provide for the continued publication of his popular
-Volksblatt, mainly because the proceeds from this would support his
-family. Scarcely was Rockel safely across the Bohemian frontier, while
-I was still toiling at great inconvenience to myself in the printer's
-office, in order to provide material for an issue of his paper, when
-the long-expected storm burst over Dresden. Emergency deputations,
-nightly mob demonstrations, stormy meetings of the various unions, and
-all the other signs that precede a swift decision in the streets,
-manifested themselves. On the 3rd May the demeanour of the crowds
-moving in our thoroughfares plainly showed that this consummation would
-soon be reached, as was undoubtedly desired. Each local deputation
-which petitioned for the recognition of the German constitution, which
-was the universal cry, was refused an audience by the government, and
-this with a peremptoriness which at last became startling. I was
-present one afternoon at a committee meeting of the Vaterlands-Verein,
-although merely as a representative of Rockel's Volksblatt, for whose
-continuance, both from economic as well as humane motives, I felt
-pledged. Here I was at once absorbed in watching the conduct and
-demeanour of the men whom popular favour had raised to the leadership
-of such unions. It was quite evident that events had passed beyond the
-control of these persons; more particularly were they utterly at a loss
-as to how to deal with that peculiar terrorism exerted by the lower
-classes which is always so ready to react upon the representatives of
-democratic theories. On every side I heard a medley of wild proposals
-and hesitating responses. One of the chief subjects under debate was
-the necessity of preparing for defence. Arms, and how to procure them,
-were eagerly discussed, but all in the midst of great disorder; and
-when at last they discovered that it was time to break up, the only
-impression I received was one of the wildest confusion. I loft the hall
-with a young painter named Kaufmann, from whose hand I had previously
-seen a series of cartoons in the Dresden Art Exhibition, illustrating
-'The History of the Mind.' One day I had seen the King of Saxony
-standing before one of these, representing the torture of a heretic
-under the Spanish Inquisition, and observed him turn away with a
-disapproving shake of the head from so abstruse a subject. I was on my
-way home, deep in conversation with this man, whose pale face and
-troubled look betrayed that he foresaw the disaster that was imminent,
-when, just as we reached the Postplatz, near the fountain erected from
-Semper's design, the clang of bells from the neighbouring tower of St.
-Ann's Church suddenly sounded the tocsin of revolt. With a terrified
-cry, 'Good God, it has begun!' my companion vanished from my side. He
-wrote to me--afterwards to say that he was living as a fugitive in
-Berne, but I never saw his face again.
-
-The clang of this bell, so close at hand, made a profound impression
-upon me also. It was a very sunny afternoon, and I at once noticed the
-same phenomenon which Goethe describes in his attempt to depict his own
-sensations during the bombardment of Valmy. The whole square looked as
-though it were illuminated by a dark yellow, almost brown, light, such
-as I had once before seen in Magdeburg during an eclipse of the sun. My
-most pronounced sensation beyond this was one of great, almost
-extravagant, satisfaction. I felt a sudden strange longing to play with
-something hitherto regarded as dangerous and important. My first idea,
-suggested probably by the vicinity of the square, was to inquire at
-Tichatschek's house for the gun which, as an enthusiastic Sunday
-sportsman, he was accustomed to use. I only found his wife at home, as
-he was away on a holiday tour. Her evident terror as to what was going
-to happen provoked me to uncontrollable laughter. I advised her to
-lodge her husband's gun in a place of safety, by handing it to the
-committee of the Vaterlands-Verein in return for a receipt, as it might
-otherwise soon be requisitioned by the mob. I have since learned that
-my eccentric behaviour on this occasion, was afterwards reckoned
-against me as a serious crime. I then returned to the streets, to see
-whether anything beyond a ringing of bells and a yellowish eclipse of
-the sun might be going on in the town, I first made my way to the Old
-Market-place, where I noticed a group of men gathered round a
-vociferous orator. It was also an agreeable surprise to me to see
-Schroder-Devrient descending at the door of a hotel. She had just
-arrived from Merlin, and was keenly excited by the news which had
-reached her, that the populace had already been fired upon. As she had
-only recently seen an abortive insurrection crushed by arms in Berlin,
-she was indignant to find the same things happening in her 'peaceful
-Dresden' as she termed it.
-
-When she turned to me from the stolid crowd, which had complacently
-been listening to her passionate outpourings, she seemed relieved at
-finding some one to whom she could appeal to oppose these horrible
-proceedings with all his might. I met her on another occasion at the
-house of my old friend Heine, where she had taken refuge. When she
-noticed my indifference she again adjured me to use every possible
-effort to prevent the senseless, suicidal conflict. I heard afterwards
-that a charge of high treason on account of sedition had been brought
-against Schroder-Devrient by reason of her conduct in regard to this
-matter. She had to prove her innocence in a court of law, so as to
-establish beyond dispute her claim to the pension which she had been
-promised by contract for her many years' service in Dresden as an
-opera-singer.
-
-On the 3rd of May I betook myself direct to that quarter of the town
-where I heard unpleasant rumours of a sanguinary conflict having taken
-place. I afterwards learned that the actual cause of the dispute
-between the civil and military power had arisen when the watch had been
-changed in front of the Arsenal. At that moment the mob, under a bold
-leader, had seized the opportunity to take forcible possession of the
-armoury. A display of military force was made, and the crowd was fired
-upon by a few cannon loaded with grape-shot. As I approached the scene
-of operations through the Rampische Gasse, I met a company of the
-Dresden Communal Guards, who, although they were quite innocent, had
-apparently been exposed to this fire. I noticed that one of the citizen
-guards, leaning heavily on the arm of a comrade, was trying to hurry
-along, in spite of the fact that his right leg seemed to be dragging
-helplessly behind him. Some of the crowd, seeing the blood on the
-pavement behind him, shouted 'He is bleeding.' In the midst of this
-excitement I suddenly became conscious of the cry raised on all sides:
-'To the barricades! to the barricades!' Driven by a mechanical impulse
-I followed the stream of people, which moved once more in the direction
-of the Town Hall in the Old Market-place. Amid the terrific tumult I
-particularly noticed a significant group stretching right across the
-street, and striding along the Rosmaringasse. It reminded me, though
-the simile was rather exaggerated, of the crowd that had once stood at
-the doors of the theatre and demanded free entrance to Rienzi; among
-them was a hunchback, who at once suggested Goethe's Vansen in Egmont,
-and as the revolutionary cry rose about his ears, I saw him rub his
-hands together in great glee over the long-desired ecstasy of revolt
-which he had realised at last.
-
-I recollect quite clearly that from that moment I was attracted by
-surprise and interest in the drama, without feeling any desire to join
-the ranks of the combatants. However, the agitation caused by my
-sympathy as a mere spectator increased with every step I felt impelled
-to take. I was able to press right into the rooms of the town council,
-escaping notice in the tumultuous crowd, and it seemed to me as if the
-officials were guilty of collusion with the mob. I made my way
-unobserved into the council-chamber; what I saw there was utter
-disorder and confusion. When night fell I wandered slowly through the
-hastily made barricades, consisting chiefly of market stalls, back to
-my house in the distant Friedrichstrasse, and next morning I again
-watched these amazing proceedings with sympathetic interest.
-
-On Thursday, 4th May, I could see that the Town Hall was gradually
-becoming the undoubted centre of the revolution. That section of the
-people who had hoped for a peaceful understanding with the monarch was
-thrown into the utmost consternation by the news that the King and his
-whole court, acting on the advice of his minister Beust, had left the
-palace, and had gone by ship down the Elbe to the fortress of
-Konigstein. In those circumstances the town council saw they were no
-longer able to face the situation, and thereupon took part in summoning
-those members of the Saxon Chamber who were still in Dresden. These
-latter now assembled in the Town Hall to decide what steps should be
-taken for the protection of the state. A deputation was sent to the
-ministry, but returned with the report that they were nowhere to be
-found. At the same moment news arrived from all sides that, in
-accordance with a previous compact, the King of Prussia's troops would
-advance to occupy Dresden. A general outcry immediately arose for
-measures to be adopted to prevent this incursion of foreign troops.
-
-Simultaneously with this, came the intelligence of the national
-uprising in Wurtemberg, where the troops themselves had frustrated the
-intentions of the government by their declaration of fidelity to the
-parliament, and the ministry had been compelled against their will to
-acknowledge the Pan-German Constitution. The opinion of our
-politicians, who were assembled in consultation, was that the matter
-might still be settled by peaceful means, if it were possible to induce
-the Saxon troops to take up a similar attitude, as by this means the
-King would at least be placed under the wholesome necessity of offering
-patriotic resistance to the Prussian occupation of his country.
-
-Everything seemed to depend on making the Saxon battalions in Dresden
-understand the paramount importance of their action. As this seemed to
-me the only hope of an honourable peace in this senseless chaos, I
-confess that, on this one occasion, I did allow myself to be led astray
-so far as to organise a demonstration which, however, proved futile.
-
-I induced the printer of Rockel's Volksblatt, which was for the moment
-at a standstill, to employ all the type he would have used for his next
-number, in printing in huge characters on strips of paper the words:
-Seid Ihr mit uns gegen fremde Truppen? ('Are you on our side against
-the foreign troops?'). Placards bearing these words were fixed on those
-barricades which it was thought would be the first to be assaulted, and
-were intended to bring the Saxon troops to a halt if they were
-commanded to attack the revolutionaries. Of course no one took any
-notice of these placards except intending informers. On that day
-nothing but confused negotiations and wild excitement took place which
-threw no light on the situation. The Old Town of Dresden, with its
-barricades, was an interesting enough sight for the spectators. I
-looked on with amazement and disgust, but my attention was suddenly
-distracted by seeing Bakunin emerge from his hiding-place and wander
-among the barricades in a black frockcoat. But I was very much mistaken
-in thinking he would be pleased with what he saw; he recognised the
-childish inefficiency of all the measures that had been taken for
-defence, and declared that the only satisfaction he could feel in the
-state of affairs was that he need not trouble about the police, but
-could calmly consider the question of going elsewhere, as he found no
-inducement to take part in an insurrection conducted in such a slovenly
-fashion. While he walked about, smoking his cigar, and making fun of
-the naivete of the Dresden revolution, I watched the Communal Guards
-assembling under arms in front of the Town Hall at the summons of their
-commandant. From the ranks of its most popular corps, the
-Schutzen-Compagnie, I was accosted by Rietschel, who was most anxious
-about the nature of the rising, and also by Semper. Rietschel, who
-seemed to think I was better informed of the facts than he was, assured
-me that he felt his position was a very difficult one. He said the
-select company to which he belonged was very democratic, and as his
-professorship at the Fine Arts Academy placed him in a peculiar
-position, he did not know how to reconcile the sentiments he shared
-with his company with his duty as a citizen. The word 'citizen' amused
-me; I glanced sharply at Semper and repeated the word 'citizen.' Semper
-responded with a peculiar smile, and turned away without further
-comment.
-
-The next day (Friday the 5th of May), when I again took my place as a
-passionately interested spectator of the proceedings at the Town Hall,
-events took a decisive turn. The remnant of the leaders of the Saxon
-people there assembled thought it advisable to constitute themselves
-into a provisional government, as there was no Saxon government in
-existence with which negotiations could be conducted. Professor Kochly,
-who was an eloquent speaker, was chosen to proclaim the new
-administration. He performed this solemn ceremony from the balcony of
-the Town Hall, facing the faithful remnant of the Communal Guards and
-the not very numerous crowd. At the same time the legal existence of
-the Pan-German Constitution was proclaimed, and allegiance to it was
-sworn by the armed forces of the nation. I recollect that these
-proceedings did not seem to me imposing, and Bakunin's reiterated
-opinion about their triviality gradually became more comprehensible.
-Even from a technical point of view these reflections were justified
-when, to my great amusement and surprise, Semper, in the full uniform
-of a citizen guard, with a hat bedecked with the national colours,
-asked for me at the Town Hall, and informed me of the extremely faulty
-construction of the barricades in the Wild Strufergasse and the
-neighbouring Brudergasse. To pacify his artistic conscience as an
-engineer I directed him to the office of the 'Military Commission for
-the Defence.' He followed my advice with conscientious satisfaction;
-possibly he obtained the necessary authorisation to give instructions
-for the building of suitable works of defence at that neglected point.
-After that I never saw him again in Dresden; but I presume that he
-carried out the strategic works entrusted to him by that committee with
-all the conscientiousness of a Michael Angelo or a Leonardo da Vinci.
-
-The rest of the day passed in continuous negotiations over the truce
-which, by arrangement with the Saxon troops, was to last until noon of
-the next day. In this business I noticed the very pronounced activity
-of a former college friend, Marschall von Bieberstein, a lawyer who, in
-his capacity as senior officer of the Dresden Communal Guard,
-distinguished himself by his boundless zeal amid the shouts of a mighty
-band of fellow-orators. On that day a certain Heinz, formerly a Greek
-colonel, was placed in command of the armed forces. These proceedings
-did not seem at all satisfactory to Bakunin, who put in an occasional
-appearance. While the provisional government placed all its hopes on
-finding a peaceful settlement of the conflict by moral persuasion, he,
-on the contrary, with his clear vision foresaw a well-planned military
-attack by the Prussians, and thought it could only be met by good
-strategic measures. He therefore urgently pressed for the acquisition
-of some experienced Polish officers who happened to be in Dresden, as
-the Saxon revolutionaries appeared to be absolutely lacking in military
-tactics. Everybody was afraid to take this course; on the other hand,
-great expectations were entertained from negotiations with the
-Frankfort States Assembly, which was on its last legs. Everything was
-to be done as far as possible in legal form. The time passed pleasantly
-enough. Elegant ladies with their cavaliers promenaded the barricaded
-streets during those beautiful spring evenings. It seemed to be little
-more than an entertaining drama. The unaccustomed aspect of things even
-afforded me genuine pleasure, combined with a feeling that the whole
-thing was not quite serious, and that a friendly proclamation from the
-government would put an end to it. So I strolled comfortably home
-through the numerous barricades at a late hour, thinking as I went of
-the material for a drama, Achilleus, with which I had been occupied for
-some time.
-
-At home I found my two nieces, Clara and Ottilie Brockhaus, the
-daughters of my sister Louisa. They had been living for a year with a
-governess in Dresden, and their weekly visits and contagious good
-spirits delighted me. Every one was in a high state of glee about the
-revolution; they all heartily approved of the barricades, and felt no
-scruples about desiring victory for their defenders. Protected by the
-truce, this state of mind remained undisturbed the whole of Friday (5th
-May). From all parts came news which led us to believe in a universal
-uprising throughout Germany. Baden and the Palatinate were in the
-throes of a revolt on behalf of the whole of Germany. Similar rumours
-came in from free towns like Breslau. In Leipzig, volunteer student
-corps had mustered contingents for Dresden, which arrived amid the
-exultation of the populace. A fully equipped defence department was
-organised at the Town Hall, and young Heine, disappointed like myself
-in his hopes of the performance of Lohengrin, had also joined this
-body. Vigorous promises of support came from the Saxon Erzgebirge, as
-well as announcements that armed contingents were forthcoming. Every
-one thought, therefore, that if only the Old Town were kept well
-barricaded, it could safely defy the threat of foreign occupation.
-Early on Saturday, 6th May, it was obvious that the situation was
-becoming more serious. Prussian troops had marched into the New Town,
-and the Saxon troops, which it had not been considered advisable to use
-for an attack, were kept loyal to the flag. The truce expired at noon,
-and the troops, supported by several guns, at once opened the attack on
-one, of the principal positions held by the people on the Neumarkt.
-
-So far I had entertained no other conviction than that the matter would
-be decided in the most summary fashion as soon as it came to an actual
-conflict, for there was no evidence in the state of my own feelings
-(or, indeed, in what I was able to gather independently of them) of
-that passionate seriousness of purpose, without which tests as severe
-as this have never been successfully withstood. It was irritating to
-me, while I heard the sharp rattle of fire, to be unable to gather
-anything of what was going on, and I thought by climbing the Kreuz
-tower I might get a good view. Even from this elevation I could not see
-anything clearly, but I gathered enough to satisfy myself that after an
-hour of heavy firing the advance artillery of the Prussian troops had
-retired, and had at last been completely silenced, their withdrawal
-being signalled by a loud shout of jubilation from the populace.
-Apparently the first attack had exhausted itself; and now my interest
-in what was going on began to assume a more and more vivid hue. To
-obtain information in greater detail I hurried back to the Town Hall. I
-could extract nothing, however, from the boundless confusion which I
-met, until at last I came upon Bakunin in the midst of the main group
-of speakers. He was able to give me an extraordinarily accurate account
-of what had happened. Information had reached headquarters from a
-barricade in the Neumarkt where the attack was most serious, that
-everything had been in a state of confusion there before the onslaught
-of the troops; thereupon my friend Marschall von Bieberstein, together
-with Leo von Zichlinsky, who were officers in the citizen corps, had
-called up some volunteers and conducted them to the place of danger.
-Kreis-Amtmann Heubner of Freiberg, without a weapon to defend himself,
-and with bared head, jumped immediately on to the top of the barricade,
-which had just been abandoned by all its defenders. He was the sole
-member of the provisional government to remain on the spot, the
-leaders, Todt and Tschirner, having disappeared at the first sign of a
-panic. Heubner turned round to exhort the volunteers to advance,
-addressing them in stirring words. His success was complete, the
-barricade was taken again, and a fire, as unexpected as it was fierce,
-was directed upon the troops, which, as I myself saw, were forced to
-retire. Bakunin had been in close touch with this action, he had
-followed the volunteers, and he now explained to me that however narrow
-might be the political views of Heubner (he belonged to the moderate
-Left of the Saxon Chamber), he was a man of noble character, at whose
-service he had immediately placed his own life.
-
-Bakunin had only needed this example to determine his own line of
-conduct; he had decided to risk his neck in the attempt and to ask no
-further questions. Heubner too was now bound to recognise the necessity
-for extreme measures, and no longer recoiled from any proposal on the
-part of Bakunin which was directed to this end. The military advice of
-experienced Polish officers was brought to bear on the commandant,
-whose incapacity had not been slow to reveal itself; Bakunin, who
-openly confessed that he understood nothing of pure strategy, never
-moved from the Town Hall, but remained at Heubner's side, giving advice
-and information in every direction with wonderful sangfroid. For the
-rest of the day the battle confined itself to skirmishes by
-sharpshooters from the various positions. I was itching to climb the
-Kreuz tower again, so as to get the widest possible survey over the
-whole field of action. In order to reach this tower from the Town Hall,
-one had to pass through a space which was under a cross-fire of
-rifle-shots from the troops posted in the royal palace. At a moment
-when this square was quite deserted, I yielded to my daring impulse,
-and crossed it on my way to the Kreuz tower at a slow pace, remembering
-that in such circumstances the young soldier is advised never to hurry,
-because by so doing he may draw the shot upon himself. On reaching this
-post of vantage I found several people who had gathered there, some of
-them driven by a curiosity like my own, others in obedience to an order
-from the headquarters of the revolutionaries to reconnoitre the enemy's
-movements. Amongst them I made the acquaintance of a schoolmaster
-called Berthold, a man of quiet and gentle disposition, but full of
-conviction and determination. I lost myself in an earnest philosophical
-discussion with him which extended to the widest spheres of religion.
-At the same time he showed a homely anxiety to protect us from the
-cone-shaped bullets of the Prussian sharpshooters by placing us
-ingeniously behind a barricade consisting of one of the straw
-mattresses which he had cajoled out of the warder. The Prussian
-sharpshooters were posted on the distant tower of the Frauenkirche, and
-had chosen the height occupied by us as their target. At nightfall I
-found it impossible to make up my mind to go home and leave my
-interesting place of refuge, so I persuaded the warder to send a
-subordinate to Friedrichstadt with a few lines to my wife, and with
-instructions to ask her to let me have some necessary provisions. Thus
-I spent one of the most extraordinary nights of my life, taking turns
-with Berthold to keep watch and sleep, close beneath the great bell
-with its terrible groaning clang, and with the accompaniment of the
-continuous rattle of the Prussian shot as it beat against the tower
-walls.
-
-Sunday (the 7th of May) was one of the most beautiful days in the year.
-I was awakened by the song of a nightingale, which rose to our ears
-from the Schutze garden close by. A sacred calm and peacefulness lay
-over the town and the wide suburbs of Dresden, which were visible from
-my point of vantage. Towards sunrise a mist settled upon the outskirts,
-and suddenly through its folds we could hear the music of the
-Marseillaise making its way clearly and distinctly from the district of
-the Tharanderstrasse. As the sound drew nearer and nearer, the mist
-dispersed, and the glow of the rising sun spread a glittering light
-upon the weapons of a long column which was winding its way towards the
-town. It was impossible not to feel deeply impressed at the sight of
-this continuous procession. Suddenly a perception of that element which
-I had so long missed in the German people was borne in upon me in all
-its essential freshness and vital colour. The fact that until this
-moment I had been obliged to resign myself to its absence, had
-contributed not a little to the feelings by which I had been swayed.
-Here I beheld some thousand men from the Erzgebirge, mostly miners,
-well armed and organised, who had rallied to the defence of Dresden.
-Soon we saw them march up the Altmarkt opposite the Town Hall, and
-after receiving a joyful welcome, bivouac there to recover from their
-journey. Reinforcements continued to pour in the whole day long, and
-the heroic achievement of the previous day now received its reward in
-the shape of a universal elevation of spirits. A change seemed to have
-been made in the plan of attack by the Prussian troops. This could be
-gathered from the fact that numerous simultaneous attacks, but of a
-less concentrated type, were made upon various positions. The troops
-which had come to reinforce us brought with them four small cannon, the
-property of a certain Herr Thade von Burgk, whose acquaintance I had
-made before on the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of the
-Dresden Choral Society, when he had made a speech which was well
-intentioned but wearisome to the point of being ludicrous. The
-recollection of this speech returned to me with peculiar irony, now
-that his cannon were being fired from the barricade upon the enemy. I
-felt a still deeper impression, however, when, towards eleven o'clock,
-I saw the old Opera House, in which a few weeks ago I had conducted the
-last performance of the Ninth Symphony, burst into flames. As I have
-had occasion to mention before, the danger from fire to which this
-building was exposed, full as it was with wood and all kind of textile
-fabric, and originally built only for a temporary purpose, had always
-been a subject of terror and apprehension to those who visited it.
-
-I was told that the Opera House had been set alight on strategical
-grounds, in order to face a dangerous attack on this exposed side, and
-also to protect the famous 'Semper' barricade from an overpowering
-surprise. From this I concluded that reasons of this kind act as far
-more powerful motives in the world than aesthetic considerations. For a
-long time men of taste had vainly cried aloud for abolition of this
-ugly building which was such an eyesore by the side of the elegant
-proportions of the Zwinger Gallery in its neighbourhood. In a few
-moments the Opera House (which as regards size was, it is true, an
-imposing edifice), together with its highly inflammable contents, was a
-vast sea of flames. When this reached the metal roofs of the
-neighbouring wings of the Zwinger, and enveloped them in wonderful
-bluish waves of fire, the first expression of regret made itself
-audible amongst the spectators. What a disaster! Some thought that the
-Natural History collection was in danger; others maintained that it was
-the Armoury, upon which a citizen soldier retorted that if such were
-the case, it would be a very good job if the 'stuffed noblemen' were
-burnt to cinders. But it appeared that a keen sense of the value of art
-knew how to curb the fire's lust for further dominion, and, as a matter
-of fact, it did but little damage in that quarter. Finally our post of
-observation, which until now had remained comparatively quiet, was
-filled itself with swarms and swarms of armed men, who had been ordered
-thither to defend the approach from the church to the Altmarkt, upon
-which an attack was feared from the side of the ill-secured Kreuzgasse.
-Unarmed men were now in the way; moreover, I had received a message
-from my wife summoning me home after the long and terrible anxiety she
-had suffered.
-
-At last, after meeting with innumerable obstacles and overcoming a host
-of difficulties, I succeeded, by means of all sorts of circuitous
-routes, in reaching my remote suburb, from which I was cut off by the
-fortified portions of the town, and especially by a cannonade directed
-from the Zwinger. My lodgings were full to overflowing with excited
-women who had collected round Minna; among them the panic-stricken wife
-of Rockel, who suspected her husband of being in the very thick of the
-fight, as she thought that on the receipt of the news that Dresden had
-risen he would probably have returned. As a matter of fact, I had heard
-a rumour that Rockel had arrived on this very day, but as yet I had not
-obtained a glimpse of him. My young nieces helped once more to raise my
-spirits. The firing had put them into a high state of glee, which to
-some extent infected my wife, as soon as she was reassured as to my
-personal safety. All of them were furious with the sculptor Hanel, who
-had never ceased insisting upon the expedience of bolting the house to
-prevent an entry of the revolutionaries. All the women without
-exception were joking about his abject terror at the sight of some men
-armed with scythes who had appeared in the street In this way Sunday
-passed like a sort of family jollification.
-
-On the following morning (Monday, 8th May) I tried again to get
-information as to the state of affairs by forcing my way to the Town
-Hall from my house, which was cut off from the place of action. As in
-the course of my journey I was making my way over a barricade near St.
-Ann's Church, one of the Communal Guard shouted out to me, 'Hullo,
-conductor, your der Freude schoner Gotterfunken [Footnote: These words
-refer to the opening of the Ninth Symphony chorus: 'Freude, Freude,
-Freude, schoner gotterfunken Tochter aus Elysium'--(Praise her, praise
-oh praise Joy, the god-descended daughter of Elysium.) English version
-by Natalia Macfarren.--Editor.] has indeed set fire to things. The
-rotten building is rased to the ground.' Obviously the man was an
-enthusiastic member of the audience at my last performance of the Ninth
-Symphony. Coming upon me so unexpectedly, this pathetic greeting filled
-me with a curious sense of strength and freedom. A little further on,
-in a lonely alley in the suburb of Plauen, I fell in with the musician
-Hiebendahl, the first oboist in the royal orchestra, and a man who
-still enjoyed a very high reputation; he was in the uniform of the
-Communal Guards, but carried no gun, and was chatting with a citizen in
-a similar costume. As soon as he saw me, he felt he must immediately
-make an appeal to me to use my influence against Rockel, who,
-accompanied by ordnance officers of the revolutionary party, was
-instituting a search for guns in this quarter. As soon as he realised
-that I was making sympathetic inquiries about Rockel, he drew back
-frightened, and said to me in tones of the deepest anxiety: 'But,
-conductor, have you no thought for your position, and what you may lose
-by exposing yourself in this fashion?' This remark had the most drastic
-effect upon me; I burst into a loud laugh, and told him that my
-position was not worth a thought one way or the other. This indeed was
-the expression of my real feelings, which had long been suppressed, and
-now broke out into almost jubilant utterance. At that moment I caught
-sight of Rockel, with two men of the citizen army who were carrying
-some guns, making his way towards me. He gave me a most friendly
-greeting, but turned at once to Hiebendahl and his companion and asked
-him why he was idling about here in uniform instead of being at his
-post. When Hiebendahl made the excuse that his gun had been
-requisitioned, Rockel cried out to him, 'You're a fine lot of fellows!'
-and went away laughing. He gave me a brief account as we proceeded of
-what had happened to him since I had lost sight of him, and thus spared
-me the obligation of giving him a report of his Volksblatt. We were
-interrupted by an imposing troop of well-armed young students of the
-gymnasium who had just entered the city and wished to have a safe
-conduct to their place of muster. The sight of these serried ranks of
-youthful figures, numbering several hundreds, who were stepping bravely
-to their duty, did not fail to make the most elevating impression upon
-me. Rockel undertook to accompany them over the barricade in safety to
-the mastering place in front of the Town Hall. He took the opportunity
-of lamenting the utter absence of true spirit which he had hitherto
-encountered in those in command. He had proposed, in case of extremity,
-to defend the most seriously threatened barricades by tiring them with
-pitch brands; at the mere word the provisional government had fallen
-into a veritable state of panic. I let him go his way in order that I
-might enjoy the privilege of a solitary person and reach the Town Hall
-by a short cut, and it was not until thirteen years later that I again
-set eyes upon him.
-
-In the Town Hall I learned from Bakunin that the provisional government
-had passed a resolution, on his advice, to abandon the position in
-Dresden, which had been entirely neglected from the beginning, and was
-consequently quite untenable for any length of time. This resolution
-proposed an armed retreat to the Erzgebirge, where it would be possible
-to concentrate the reinforcements pouring in from all sides, especially
-from Thuringia, in such strength, that the advantageous position could
-be used to inaugurate a German civil war that would sound no hesitating
-note at its outset. To persist in defending isolated barricaded streets
-in Dresden could, on the other hand, lend little but the character of
-an urban riot to the contest, although it was pursued with the highest
-courage. I must confess that this idea seemed to me magnificent and
-full of meaning. Up to this moment I had been moved only by a feeling
-of sympathy for a method of procedure entered upon at first with almost
-ironical incredulity, and then pursued with the vigour of surprise.
-Now, however, all that had before seemed incomprehensible, unfolded
-itself before my vision in the form of a great and hopeful solution.
-Without either feeling that I was in any way being compelled, or that
-it was my vocation to get some part or function allotted to me in these
-events, I now definitely abandoned all consideration for my personal
-situation, and determined to surrender myself to the stream of
-developments which flowed in the direction towards which my feelings
-had driven me with a delight that was full of despair. Still, I did not
-wish to leave my wife helpless in Dresden, and I rapidly devised a
-means of drawing her into the path which I had chosen, without
-immediately informing her of what my resolve meant. During my hasty
-return to Friedrichstadt I recognised that this portion of the town had
-been almost entirely cut off from the inner city by the occupation of
-the Prussian troops; I saw in my mind's eye our own suburb occupied,
-and the consequences of a state of military siege in their most
-repulsive light. It was an easy job to persuade Minna to accompany me
-on a visit, by way of the Tharanderstrasse, which was still free, to
-Chemnitz, where my married sister Clara lived. It was only a matter of
-a moment for her to arrange her household orders, and she promised to
-follow me to the next village in an hour with the parrot. I went on in
-advance with my little dog Peps, in order to hire a carriage in which
-to proceed on our journey to Chemnitz. It was a smiling spring morning
-when I traversed for the last time the paths I had so often trod on my
-lonely walks, with the knowledge that I should never wander along them
-again. While the larks were soaring to dizzy heights above my head, and
-singing in the furrows of the fields, the light and heavy artillery did
-not cease to thunder down the streets of Dresden. The noise of this
-shooting, which had continued uninterruptedly for several days, had
-hammered itself so indelibly upon my nerves, that it continued to
-re-echo for a long time in my brain; just as the motion of the ship
-which took me to London had made me stagger for some time afterwards.
-Accompanied by this terrible music, I threw my parting greeting to the
-towers of the city that lay behind me, and said to myself with a smile,
-that if, seven years ago, my entry had taken place under thoroughly
-obscure auspices, at all events my exit was conducted with some show of
-pomp and ceremony.
-
-When at last I found myself with Minna in a one-horse carriage on the
-way to the Erzgebirge, we frequently met armed reinforcements on their
-way to Dresden. The sight of them always kindled an involuntary joy in
-us; even my wife could not refrain from addressing words of
-encouragement to the men; at present it seemed not a single barricade
-had been lost. On the other hand, a gloomy impression was made upon us
-by a company of regulars which was making its way towards Dresden in
-silence. We asked some of them whither they were bound; and their
-answer, 'To do their duty,' had been obviously impressed upon them by
-command. At last we reached my relations in Chemnitz. I terrified all
-those near and dear to me when I declared my intention to return to
-Dresden on the following day at the earliest possible hour, in order to
-ascertain how things were going there. In spite of all attempts to
-dissuade me, I carried out my decision, pursued by a suspicion that I
-should meet the armed forces of the Dresden people on the country
-highroad in the act of retreat. The nearer I approached the capital,
-the stronger became the confirmation of the rumours that, as yet, there
-was no thought in Dresden of surrender or withdrawal, but that, on the
-contrary, the contest was proving very favourable for the national
-party. All this appeared to me like one miracle after another. On this
-day, Tuesday, 9th of May, I once more forced my way in a high state of
-excitement over ground which had become more and more inaccessible. All
-the highways had to be avoided, and it was only possible to make
-progress through such houses as had been broken through. At last I
-reached the Town Hall in the Altstadt, just as night was falling. A
-truly terrible spectacle met my eyes, for I crossed those parts of the
-town in which preparations had been made for a house-to-house fight.
-The incessant groaning of big and small guns reduced to an uncanny
-murmur all the other sounds that came from armed men ceaselessly crying
-out to one another from barricade to barricade, and from one house to
-another, which they had broken through. Pitch brands burnt here and
-there, pale-faced figures lay prostrate around the watch-posts, half
-dead with fatigue, and any unarmed wayfarer forcing a path for himself
-was sharply challenged. Nothing, however, that I have lived through can
-be compared with the impression that I received on my entry into the
-chambers of the Town Hall. Here was a gloomy, and yet fairly compact
-and serious mass of people; a look of unspeakable fatigue was upon all
-faces; not a single voice had retained its natural tone. There was a
-hoarse jumble of conversation inspired by a state of the highest
-tension. The only familiar sight that survived was to be found in the
-old servants of the Town Hall in their curious antiquated uniform and
-three-cornered hats. These tall men, at other times an object of
-considerable fear, I found engaged partly in buttering pieces of bread,
-and cutting slices of ham and sausage, and partly in piling into
-baskets immense stores of provisions for the messengers sent by the
-defenders of the barricades for supplies. These men had turned into
-veritable nursing mothers of the revolution.
-
-As I proceeded further, I came at last upon the members of the
-provisional government, among whom Todt and Tschirner, after their
-first panic-stricken flight, were once more to be found gliding to and
-fro, gloomy as spectres, now that they were chained to the performance
-of their heavy duties. Heubner alone had preserved his full energy; but
-he was a really piteous sight: a ghostly fire burned in his eyes which
-had not had a wink of sleep for seven nights. He was delighted to see
-me again, as he regarded my arrival as a good omen for the cause which
-he was defending; while on the other hand, in the rapid succession of
-events, he had come into contact with elements about which no
-conclusion could shape itself to his complete satisfaction. I found
-Bakunin's outlook undisturbed, and his attitude firm and quiet. He did
-not show the smallest change in his appearance, in spite of having had
-no sleep during the whole time, which I afterwards heard was a fact.
-With a cigar in his mouth he received me, seated on one of the
-mattresses which lay distributed over the floor of the Town Hall. At
-his side was a very young Pole (a Galician) named Haimberger, a
-violinist whom he had once asked me to recommend to Lipinsky, in order
-that he might give him lessons, as he did not want this raw and
-inexperienced boy, who had become passionately attached to him, to get
-drawn into the vortex of the present upheavals. Now that Haimberger had
-shouldered a gun, and presented himself for service at the barricades,
-however, Bakunin had greeted him none the less joyfully. He had drawn
-him down to sit by his side on the couch, and every time the youth
-shuddered with fear at the violent sound of the cannon-shot, he slapped
-him vigorously on the back and cried out: 'You are not in the company
-of your fiddle here, my friend. What a pity you didn't stay where you
-were!' Bakinin then gave me a short and precise account of what had
-happened since I had left him on the previous morning. The retreat
-which had then been decided upon soon proved unadvisable, as it would
-have discouraged the numerous reinforcements which had already arrived
-on that day. Moreover, the desire for fighting had been so great, and
-the force of the defenders so considerable, that it had been possible
-to oppose the enemy's troops successfully so far. But as the latter had
-also got large reinforcements, they again had been able to make an
-effective combined attack on the strong Wildstruf barricade. The
-Prussian troops had avoided fighting in the streets, choosing instead
-the method of fighting from house to house by breaking through the
-walls. This had made it clear that all defence by barricades had become
-useless, and that the enemy would succeed slowly but surely in drawing
-near the Town Hall, the seat of the provisional government. Bakunin had
-now proposed that all the powder stores should be brought together in
-the lower rooms of the Town Hall, and that on the approach of the enemy
-it should be blown up. The town council, who were still in consultation
-in a back room, had remonstrated with the greatest vehemence. Bakunin,
-however, had insisted with great firmness on the execution of the
-measure, but in the end had been completely outwitted by the removal of
-all the powder stores. Moreover, Heubner, to whom Bakunin could refuse
-nothing, had been won over to the other side. It was now decided that
-as everything was ready, the retreat to the Erzgebirge, which had
-originally been intended for the previous day, should be fixed for the
-early morrow. Young Zichlinsky had already received orders to cover the
-road to Plauen so as to make it strategically safe. When I inquired
-after Rockel, Bakunin replied swiftly that he had not been seen since
-the previous evening, and that he had most likely allowed himself to be
-caught: he was in such a nervous state. I now gave an account of what I
-had observed on my way to and from Chemnitz, describing the great
-masses of reinforcements, amongst which was the communal guard of that
-place, several thousands strong. In Freiberg I had met four hundred
-reservists, who had come in excellent form to back the citizen army,
-but could not proceed further, as they were tired out by their forced
-march. It seemed obvious that this was a case in which the necessary
-energy to requisition wagons had been lacking, and that if the bounds
-of loyalty were transgressed in this matter, the advent of fresh forces
-would be considerably promoted. I was begged to make my way back at
-once, and convey the opinion of the provisional government to the
-people whose acquaintance I had made. My old friend Marschall von
-Bieberstein immediately proposed to accompany me. I welcomed his offer,
-as he was an officer of the provisional government, and was
-consequently more fitted than I was to communicate orders. This man,
-who had been almost extravagant in his enthusiasm before, was now
-utterly exhausted by sleeplessness, and unable to emit another word
-from his hoarse throat. He now made his way with me from the Town Hall
-to his house in the suburb of Plauen by the devious ways that had been
-indicated to us, in order to requisition a carriage for our purpose
-from a coachman he knew, and to bid farewell to his family, from whom
-he assumed he would in all probability have to separate himself for
-some time.
-
-While we were waiting for the coachman we had tea and supper, talking
-the while, in a fairly calm and composed manner, with the ladies of the
-house. We arrived at Freiberg early the following morning, after
-various adventures, and I set out forthwith to find the leaders of the
-reservist contingent with whom I was already acquainted. Marschall
-advised them to requisition horses and carts in the villages wherever
-they could do so. When they had all set off in marching order for
-Dresden, and while I was feeling impelled by my passionate interest in
-the fate of that city to return to it once more, Marschall conceived
-the desire to carry his commission further afield, and for this purpose
-asked to be allowed to leave me. Whereupon I again turned my back on
-the heights of the Erzgebirge, and was travelling by special coach in
-the direction of Tharand, when I too was overcome with sleep, and was
-only awakened by violent shouts and the sound of some one holding a
-parley with the postillion. On opening my eyes I found, to my
-astonishment, that the road was filled with armed revolutionaries
-marching, not towards, but away from Dresden, and some of them were
-trying to commandeer the coach to relieve their weariness on the way
-back.
-
-'What is the matter?' I cried. 'Where are you going?'
-
-'Home,' was the reply. 'It is all over in Dresden. The provincial
-government is close behind us in that carriage down there.'
-
-I shot out of the coach like a dart, leaving it at the disposal of the
-tired men, and hurried on, down the steeply sloping road, to meet the
-ill-fated party. And there I actually found them--Heubner, Bakunin, and
-Martin, the energetic post-office clerk, the two latter armed with
-muskets--in a smart hired carriage from Dresden which was coming slowly
-up the hill. On the box were, as I supposed, the secretaries, while as
-many as possible of the weary National Guard struggled for seats
-behind. I hastened to swing myself into the coach, and so came in for a
-conversation which thereupon took place between the driver, who was
-also the owner of the coach, and the provisional government. The man
-was imploring them to spare his carriage, which, he said, was very
-lightly sprung and quite unequal to carrying such a load; he begged
-that the people should be told not to seat themselves behind and in
-front. But Bakunin remained quite unconcerned, and elected to give me a
-short account of the retreat from Dresden, which had been successfully
-achieved without loss. He had had the trees in the newly planted
-Maximilian Avenue felled early in the morning to form a barricade
-against a possible flank attack of cavalry, and had been immensely
-entertained by the lamentations of the inhabitants, who during the
-process did nothing but bewail their Scheene Beeme. [FOOTNOTE: Saxon
-corruption of schtine Bourne, beautiful trees.--EDITOR.] All this time
-our driver's lamentations over his coach were growing more importunate.
-Finally he broke into loud sobs and tears, upon which Bakunin,
-regarding him with positive pleasure, called out: 'The tears of a
-Philistine are nectar for the gods.' He would not vouchsafe him a word,
-but Heubner and I found the scene tiresome, whereupon he asked me
-whether we two at least should not get out, as he could not ask it of
-the others. As a matter of fact, it was high time to leave the coach,
-as some new contingents of revolutionaries had formed up in rank and
-file all along the highway to salute the provisional government and
-receive orders. Heubner strode down the line with great dignity,
-acquainted the leaders with the state of affairs, and exhorted them to
-keep their trust in the righteousness of the cause for which so many
-had shed their blood. All were now to retire to Freiberg, there to
-await further orders.
-
-A youngish man of serious mien now stepped forward from the ranks of
-the rebels to place himself under the special protection of the
-provisional government. He was a certain Menzdorff, a German Catholic
-priest whom I had had the advantage of meeting in Dresden. (It was he
-who, in the course of a significant conversation, had first induced me
-to read Feuerbach.) He had been dragged along as a prisoner and
-abominably treated by the Chemnitz municipal guard on this particular
-march, having originally been the instigator of a demonstration to
-force that body to take up arms and march to Dresden. He owed his
-freedom only to the chance meeting with other better disposed volunteer
-corps. We saw this Chemnitz town guard ourselves, stationed far away on
-a hill. They sent representatives to beseech Heubner to tell them how
-things stood. When they had received the information required, and had
-been told that the fight would be continued in a determined manner,
-they invited the provisional government to quarter at Chemnitz. As soon
-as they rejoined their main body we saw them wheel round and turn back.
-
-With many similar interruptions the somewhat disorganised procession
-reached Freiberg. Here some friends of Heubner's came to meet him in
-the streets with the urgent request not to plunge their native place
-into the misery of desperate street-fighting by establishing the
-provisional government there. Heubner made no reply to this, but
-requested Bakunin and myself to accompany him into his house for a
-consultation. First we had to witness the painful meeting between
-Heubner and his wife; in a few words he pointed out the gravity and
-importance of the task assigned to him, reminding her that it was for
-Germany and the high destiny of his country that he was staking his
-life.
-
-Breakfast was then prepared, and after the meal, during which a fairly
-cheerful mood prevailed, Heubner made a short speech to Bakunin,
-speaking quietly but firmly. 'My dear Bakunin,' he said (his previous
-acquaintance with Bakunin was so slight that he did not even know how
-to pronounce his name), 'before we decide anything further, I must ask
-you to state clearly whether your political aim is really the Red
-Republic, of which they tell me you are a partisan. Tell me frankly, so
-that I may know if I can rely on your friendship in the future?'
-
-Bakunin explained briefly that he had no scheme for any political form
-of government, and would not risk his life for any of them. As for his
-own far-reaching desires and hopes, they had nothing whatever to do
-with the street-fighting in Dresden and all that this implied for
-Germany. He had looked upon the rising in Dresden as a foolish,
-ludicrous movement until he realised the effect of Heubner's noble and
-courageous example. From that moment every political consideration and
-aim had been put in the background by his sympathy with this heroic
-attitude, and he had immediately resolved to assist this excellent man
-with all the devotion and energy of a friend. He knew, of course, that
-he belonged to the so-called moderate party, of whose political future
-he was not able to form an opinion, as he had not profited much by his
-opportunities of studying the position of the various parties in
-Germany.
-
-Heubner declared himself satisfied by this reply, and proceeded to ask
-Bakunin's opinion of the present state of things--whether it would not
-be conscientious and reasonable to dismiss the men and give up a
-struggle which might be considered hopeless. In reply Bakunin insisted,
-with his usual calm assurance, that whoever else threw up the sponge,
-Heubner must certainly not do so. He had been the first member of the
-provisional government, and it was he who had given the call to arms.
-The call had been obeyed, and hundreds of lives had been sacrificed; to
-scatter the people again would look as if these sacrifices had been
-made to idle folly. Even if they were the only two left, they still
-ought not to forsake their posts. If they went under their lives might
-be forfeit, but their honour must remain unsullied, so that a similar
-appeal in the future might not drive every one to despair.
-
-This was quite enough for Heubner. He at once made out a summons for
-the election of a representative assembly for Saxony, to be held at
-Chemnitz. He thought that, with the assistance of the populace and of
-the numerous insurgent bands who were arriving from all quarters, he
-would be able to hold the town as the headquarters of a provisional
-government until the general situation in Germany had become more
-settled. In the midst of these discussions, Stephan Born walked into
-the room to report that he had brought the armed bands right into
-Freiberg, in good order and without any losses. This young man was a
-compositor who had contributed greatly to Heubner's peace of mind
-during the last three days in Dresden by taking over the chief command.
-His simplicity of manner made a very encouraging impression on us,
-particularly when we heard his report. When, however, Heubner asked
-whether he would undertake to defend Freiberg against the troops which
-might be expected to attack at any moment, he declared that this was an
-experienced officer's job, and that he himself was no soldier and knew
-nothing of strategy. Under these circumstances it seemed better, if
-only to gain time, to fall back on the more thickly populated town of
-Chemnitz. The first thing to be done, however, was to see that the
-revolutionaries, who were assembled in large numbers at Freiberg, were
-properly cared for, and Born went off immediately to make preliminary
-arrangements. Heubner also took leave of us, and went to refresh his
-tired brain by an hour's sleep. I was left alone on the sofa with
-Bakunin, who soon fell towards me, overcome by irresistible drowsiness,
-and dropped the terrific weight of his head on to my shoulder. As I saw
-that he would not wake if I shook off this burden, I pushed him aside
-with some difficulty, and took leave both of the sleeper and of
-Heubner's house; for I wished to see for myself, as I had done for many
-days past, what course these extraordinary events were taking. I
-therefore went to the Town Hall, where I found the townspeople
-entertaining to the best of their ability a blustering horde of excited
-revolutionaries both within and without the walls. To my surprise, I
-found Heubner there in the full swing of work. I thought he was asleep
-at home, but the idea of leaving the people even for an hour without a
-counsellor had driven away all thought of rest. He had lost no time in
-superintending the organisation of a sort of commandant's office, and
-was again occupied with drafting and signing documents in the midst of
-the uproar that raged on all sides. It was not long before Bakunin too
-put in an appearance, principally in search of a good officer--who was
-not, however, forthcoming. The commandant of a large contingent from
-the Vogtland, an oldish man, raised Bakunin's hopes by the impassioned
-energy of his speeches, and he would have had him appointed
-commandant-general on the spot. But it seemed as if any real decision
-were impossible in that frenzy and confusion, and as the only hope of
-mastering it seemed to be in reaching Chemnitz, Heubner gave the order
-to march on towards that town as soon as every one had had food. Once
-this was settled, I told my friends I should go on in advance of their
-column to Chemnitz, where I should find them again next day; for I
-longed to be quit of this chaos. I actually caught the coach, the
-departure of which was fixed for that time, and obtained a seat in it.
-But the revolutionaries were just marching off on the same road, and we
-were told that we must wait until they had passed to avoid being caught
-in the whirlpool. This meant considerable delay, and for a long while I
-watched the peculiar bearing of the patriots as they marched out. I
-noticed in particular a Vogtland regiment, whose marching step was
-fairly orthodox, following the beat of a drummer who tried to vary the
-monotony of his instrument in an artistic manner by hitting the wooden
-frame alternately with the drumhead. The unpleasant rattling tone thus
-produced reminded me in ghostly fashion of the rattling of the
-skeletons' bones in the dance round the gallows by night which Berlioz
-had brought home to my imagination with such terrible realism in his
-performance of the last movement of his Sinfonie Fantastique in Paris.
-
-Suddenly the desire seized me to look up the friends I had left behind,
-and travel to Chemnitz in their company if possible. I found they had
-quitted the Town Hall, and on reaching Heubner's house I was told that
-he was asleep. I therefore went back to the coach, which, however, was
-still putting off its departure, as the road was blocked with troops. I
-walked nervously up and down for some time, then, losing faith in the
-journey by coach, I went back again to Heubner's house to offer myself
-definitely as a travelling companion. But Heubner and Bakunin had
-already left home, and I could find no traces of them. In desperation I
-returned once more to the coach, and found it by this time really ready
-to start. After various delays and adventures it brought me late at
-night to Chemnitz, where I got out and betook myself to the nearest
-inn. At five o'clock the next morning I got up (after a few hours'
-sleep) and set out to find my brother-in-law Wolfram's house, which was
-about a quarter of an hour's walk from the town. On the way I asked a
-sentinel of the town guard whether he knew anything about the arrival
-of the provisional government.
-
-'Provisional government?' was the reply. 'Why, it's all up with that.'
-I did not understand him, nor was I able to learn anything about the
-state of things when I first reached the house of my relatives, for my
-brother-in-law had been sent into the town as special constable. It was
-only on his return home, lute in the afternoon, that I heard what had
-taken place in one hotel at Chemnitz while I had been resting in
-another inn. Heubner, Bakunin, and the man called Martin, whom I have
-mentioned already, had, it seemed, arrived before me in a hackney-coach
-at the gates of Chemnitz. On being asked for their names Heubner had
-announced himself in a tone of authority, and had bidden the town
-councillors come to him at a certain hotel. They had no sooner reached
-the hotel than they all three collapsed from excessive fatigue.
-Suddenly the police broke into the room and arrested them in the name
-of the local government, upon which they only begged to have a few
-hours' quiet sleep, pointing out that flight was out of the question in
-their present condition. I heard further that they had been removed to
-Altenburg under a strong military escort. My brother-in-law was obliged
-to confess that the Chemnitz municipal guard, which had been forced to
-start for Dresden much against its will, and had resolved at the very
-outset to place itself at the disposal of the royal forces on arriving
-there, had deceived Heubner by inviting him to Chemnitz, and had lured
-him into the trap. They had reached Chemnitz long before Heubner, and
-had taken over the guard at the gates with the object of seeing him
-arrive and of preparing for his arrest at once. My brother-in-law had
-been very anxious about me too, as he had been told in furious tones by
-the leaders of the town guard that I had been seen in close association
-with the revolutionaries. He thought it a wonderful intervention of
-Providence that I had not arrived at Chemnitz with them and gone to the
-same inn, in which case their fate would certainly have been mine. The
-recollection of my escape from almost certain death in duels with the
-most experienced swordsmen in my student days flashed across me like a
-flash of lightning. This last terrible experience made such an
-impression on me that I was incapable of breathing a word in connection
-with what had happened. My brother-in-law, in response to urgent
-appeals--from my wife in particular, who was much concerned for my
-personal safety--undertook to convey me to Altenburg in his carriage by
-night. From there I continued my journey by coach to Weimar, where I
-had originally planned to spend my holidays, little thinking that I
-should arrive by such devious ways.
-
-The dreamy unreality of my state of mind at this time is best explained
-by the apparent seriousness with which, on meeting Liszt again, I at
-once began to discuss what seemed to be the sole topic of any real
-interest to him in connection with me--the forthcoming revival of
-Tannhauser at Weimar. I found it very difficult to confess to this
-friend that I had not left Dresden in the regulation way for a
-conductor of the royal opera. To tell the truth, I had a very hazy
-conception of the relation in which I stood to the law of my country
-(in the narrow sense). Had I done anything criminal in the eye of the
-law or not? I found it impossible to come to any conclusion about it.
-Meanwhile, alarming news of the terrible conditions in Dresden
-continued to pour into Weimar. Genast, the stage manager, in
-particular, aroused great excitement by spreading the report that
-Rockel, who was well known at Weimar, had been guilty of arson. Liszt
-must soon have gathered from my conversation, in which I did not take
-the trouble to dissimulate, that I too was suspiciously connected with
-these terrible events, though my attitude with regard to them misled
-him for some time. For I was not by any means prepared to proclaim
-myself a combatant in the recent fights, and that for reasons quite
-other than would have seemed valid in the eyes of the law. My friend
-was therefore encouraged in his delusion by the unpremeditated effect
-of my attitude. When we met at the house of Princess Caroline of
-Wittgenstein, to whom I had been introduced the year before when she
-paid her flying visit to Dresden, we were able to hold stimulating
-conversations on all sorts of artistic topics. One afternoon, for
-instance, a lively discussion sprang up from a description I had given
-of a tragedy to be entitled Jesus of Nazareth. Liszt maintained a
-discreet silence after I had finished, whereas the Princess protested
-vigorously against my proposal to bring such a subject on to the stage.
-From the lukewarm attempt I made to support the paradoxical theories I
-had put forward, I realised the state of my mind at that time. Although
-it was not very evident to onlookers, I had been, and still was, shaken
-to the very depths of my being by my recent experiences.
-
-In due course an orchestral rehearsal of Tannhauser took place, which
-in various ways stimulated the artist in me afresh. Liszt's conducting,
-though mainly concerned with the musical rather than the dramatic side,
-filled me for the first time with the flattering warmth of emotion
-roused by the consciousness of being understood by another mind in full
-sympathy with my own. At the same time I was able, in spite of my
-dreamy condition, to observe critically the standard of capacity
-exhibited by the singers and their chorus-master. After the rehearsal
-I, together with the musical director, Stohr, and Gotze the singer,
-accepted Liszt's invitation to a simple dinner, at a different inn from
-the one where he lived. I thus had occasion to take alarm at a trait in
-his character which was entirely new to me. After being stirred up to a
-certain pitch of excitement his mood became positively alarming, and he
-almost gnashed his teeth in a passion of fury directed against a
-certain section of society which had also aroused my deepest
-indignation. I was strongly affected by this strange experience with
-this wonderful man, but I was unable to see the association of ideas
-which had led to his terrible outburst. I was therefore left in a state
-of amazement, while Liszt had to recover during the night from a
-violent attack of nerves which his excitement had produced. Another
-surprise was in store for me the next morning, when I found my friend
-fully equipped for a journey to Karlsruhe--the circumstances which made
-it necessary being absolutely incomprehensible to me. Liszt invited
-Director Stohr and myself to accompany him as far as Eisenach. On our
-way there we were stopped by Beaulieu, the Lord Chamberlain, who wished
-to know whether I was prepared to be received by the Grand Duchess of
-Weimar, a sister of the Emperor Nicolas, at Eisenach castle. As my
-excuse on the score of unsuitable travelling costume was not admitted,
-Liszt accepted in my name, and I really met with a surprisingly kind
-reception that evening from the Grand Duchess, who chatted with me in
-the friendliest way, and introduced me to her chamberlain with all due
-ceremony. Liszt maintained afterwards that his noble patroness had been
-informed that I should be wanted by the authorities in Dresden within
-the next few days, and had therefore hastened to make my personal
-acquaintance at once, knowing that it would compromise her too heavily
-later on.
-
-Liszt continued his journey from Eisenach, leaving me to be entertained
-and looked after by Stohr and the musical director Kuhmstedt, a
-diligent and skilful master of counterpoint with whom I paid my first
-visit to the Wartburg, which had not then been restored. I was filled
-with strange musings as to my fate when I visited this castle. Here I
-was actually on the point of entering, for the first time, the building
-which was so full of meaning for me; here, too, I had to tell myself
-that the days of my further sojourn in Germany were numbered. And in
-fact the news from Dresden, when we returned to Weimar the next day,
-was serious indeed. Liszt, on his return on the third day, found a
-letter from my wife, who had not dared to write direct to me. She
-reported that the police had searched my house in Dresden, to which she
-had returned, and that she had, moreover been warned on no account to
-allow me to return to that city, as a warrant had been taken out
-against me, and I was shortly to be served with a writ and arrested.
-Liszt, who was now solely concerned for my personal safety, called in a
-friend who had some experience of law, to consider what should be done
-to rescue me from the danger that threatened me. Von Watzdorf, the
-minister whom I had already visited, had been of opinion that I should,
-if required, submit quietly to being taken to Dresden, and that the
-journey would be made in a respectable private carriage. On the other
-hand, reports which had reached us of the brutal way in which the
-Prussian troops in Dresden had gone to work in applying the state of
-siege were of so alarming a nature that Liszt and his friends in
-council urged my speedy departure from Weimar, where it would be
-impossible to protect me. But I insisted on taking leave of my wife,
-whose anxiety was great, before leaving Germany, and begged to be
-allowed to stay a little longer at least in the neighbourhood of
-Weimar. This was taken into consideration, and Professor Siebert
-suggested my taking temporary shelter with a friendly steward at the
-village of Magdala, which was three hours distant. I drove there the
-following morning to introduce myself to this kind steward and
-protector as Professor Werder from Berlin, who, with a letter of
-recommendation from Professor Siebert, had come to turn his financial
-studies to practical account in helping to administer these estates.
-Here in rural seclusion I spent three days, entertainment of a peculiar
-nature being provided by the meeting of a popular assembly, which
-consisted of the remainder of the contingent of revolutionaries which
-had marched off towards Dresden and had now returned in disorder. I
-listened with curious feelings, amounting almost to contempt, to the
-speeches on this occasion, which were of every kind and description. On
-the second day of my stay my host's wife came back from Weimar (where
-it was market-day) full of a curious tale: the composer of an opera
-which was being performed there on that very day had been obliged to
-leave Weimar suddenly because the warrant for his arrest had arrived
-from Dresden. My host, who had been let into my secret by Professor
-Seibert, asked playfully what his name was. As his wife did not seem to
-know, he came to her assistance with the suggestion that perhaps it was
-Rockel whose name was familiar at Weimar.
-
-'Yes,' she said, 'Rockel, that was his name, quite right.'
-
-My host laughed loudly, and said that he would not be so stupid as to
-let them catch him, in spite of his opera.
-
-At last, on 22nd May, my birthday, Minna actually arrived at Magdala.
-She had hastened to Weimar on receiving my letter, and had proceeded
-from there according to instructions, bent on persuading me at all
-costs to flee the country immediately and for good. No attempt to raise
-her to the level of my own mood was successful; she persisted in
-regarding me as an ill-advised, inconsiderate person who had plunged
-both himself and her into the most terrible situation. It had been
-arranged that I should meet her the next evening in the house of
-Professor Wolff at Jena to take a last farewell. She was to go by way
-of Weimar, while I took the footpath from Magdala. I started
-accordingly on my walk of about six hours, and came over the plateau
-into the little university town (which now received me hospitably for
-the first time) at sunset. I found my wife again at the house of
-Professor Wolff, who, thanks to Liszt, was already my friend, and with
-the addition of a certain Professor Widmann another conference was held
-on the subject of my further escape. A writ was actually out against me
-for being strongly suspected of participation in the Dresden rising,
-and I could not under any circumstances depend on a safe refuge in any
-of the German federal states. Liszt insisted on my going to Paris,
-where I could find a new field for my work, while Widmann advised me
-not to go by the direct route through Frankfort and Baden, as the
-rising was still in full swing there, and the police would certainly
-exercise praiseworthy vigilance over incoming travellers with
-suspicious-looking passports. The way through Bavaria would be the
-safest, as all was quiet there again; I could then make for
-Switzerland, and the journey to Paris from there could be engineered
-without any danger. As I needed a passport for the journey, Professor
-Widmann offered me his own, which had been issued at Tubingen and had
-not been brought up to date. My wife was quite in despair, and the
-parting from her caused me real pain. I set off in the mail-coach and
-travelled, without further hindrance, through many towns (amongst them
-Rudolstadt, a place full of memories for me) to the Bavarian frontier.
-From there I continued my journey by mail-coach straight to Lindau. At
-the gates I, together with the other passengers, was asked for my
-passport. I passed the night in a state of strange, feverish
-excitement, which lasted until the departure of the steamer on Lake
-Constance early in the morning. My mind was full of the Swabian
-dialect, as spoken by Professor Widmann, with whose passport I was
-travelling. I pictured to myself my dealings with the Bavarian police
-should I have to converse with them in accordance with the
-above-mentioned irregularities in that document. A prey to feverish
-unrest, I spent the whole night trying to perfect myself in the Swabian
-dialect, but, as I was amused to find, without the smallest success. I
-had braced myself to meet the crucial moment early the next morning,
-when the policeman came into my room and, not knowing to whom the
-passports belonged, gave me three at random to choose from. With joy in
-my heart I seized my own, and dismissed the dreaded messenger in the
-most friendly way. Once on board the steamer I realised with true
-satisfaction that I had now stepped on to Swiss territory. It was a
-lovely spring morning; across the broad lake I could gaze at the Alpine
-landscape as it spread itself before my eyes. When I stepped on to
-Republican soil at Rorschach, I employed the first moments in writing a
-few lines home to tell of my safe arrival in Switzerland and my
-deliverance from all danger. The coach drive through the pleasant
-country of St. Gall to Zurich cheered me up wonderfully, and when I
-drove down from Oberstrass into Zurich that evening, the last day in
-May, at six o'clock, and saw for the first time the Glarner Alps that
-encircle the lake gleaming in the sunset, I at once resolved, though
-without being fully conscious of it, to avoid everything that could
-prevent my settling here.
-
-I had been the more willing to accept my friends' suggestion to take
-the Swiss route to Paris, as I knew I should find an old acquaintance,
-Alexander Muller, at Zurich. I hoped with his help to obtain a passport
-to France, as I was anxious not to arrive there as a political refugee.
-I had been on very friendly terms with Muller once upon a time at
-Wurzburg. He had been settled at Zurich for a long time as a teacher of
-music; this I learned from a pupil of his, Wilhelm Baumgartner, who had
-called on me in Dresden some years back to bring me a greeting from
-this old friend. On that occasion I entrusted the pupil with a copy of
-the score of Tannhauser for his master, by way of remembrance, and this
-kind attention had not fallen on barren soil: Muller and Baumgartner,
-whom I visited forthwith, introduced me at once to Jacob Sulzer and
-Franz Hagenbuch, two cantonal secretaries who were the most likely,
-among all their good friends, to compass the immediate fulfilment of my
-desire. These two people, who had been joined by a few intimates,
-received me with such respectful curiosity and sympathy that I felt at
-home with them at once. The great assurance and moderation with which
-they commented on the persecutions which had overtaken me, as seen from
-their usual simple republican standpoint, opened to me a conception of
-civil life which seemed to lift me to an entirely new sphere. I felt so
-safe and protected here, whereas in my own country I had, without quite
-realising it, come to be considered a criminal owing to the peculiar
-connection between my disgust at the public attitude towards art and
-the general political disturbances. To prepossess the two secretaries
-entirely in my favour (one of them, Sulzer, had enjoyed an excellent
-classical education), my friends arranged a meeting one evening at
-which I was to read my poem on the Death of Siegfried. I am prepared to
-swear that I never had more attentive listeners, among men, than on
-that evening. The immediate effect of my success was the drawing up of
-a fully valid federal passport for the poor German under warrant of
-arrest, armed with which I started gaily on my journey to Paris after
-quite a short stay at Zurich. From Strassburg, where I was enthralled
-by the fascination of the world-famous minster, I travelled towards
-Paris by what was then the best means of locomotion, the so-called
-malle-poste. I remember a remarkable phenomenon in connection with this
-conveyance. Till then the noise of the cannonade and musketry in the
-fighting at Dresden had been persistently re-echoing in my ears,
-especially in a half-waking condition; now the humming of the wheels,
-as we rolled rapidly along the highroad, cast such a spell upon me that
-for the whole of the journey I seemed to hear the melody of Freude,
-schoner Gotterfunken [Footnote: See note on page 486.] from the Ninth
-Symphony being played, as it were, on deep bass instruments.
-
-From the time of my entering Switzerland till my arrival in Paris my
-spirits, which had sunk into a dreamlike apathy, rose gradually to a
-level of freedom and comfort that I had never enjoyed before. I felt
-like a bird in the air whose destiny is not to founder in a morass; but
-soon after my arrival in Paris, in the first week of June, a very
-palpable reaction set in. I had had an introduction from Liszt to his
-former secretary Belloni, who felt it his duty, in loyalty to the
-instructions received, to put me into communication with a literary
-man, a certain Gustave Vaisse, with the object of being commissioned to
-write an opera libretto for production in Paris. I did not, however,
-make the personal acquaintance of Vaisse. The idea did not please me,
-and I found sufficient excuse for warding off the negotiations by
-saying I was afraid of the epidemic of cholera which was said to be
-raging in the city. I was staying in the Rue Notre Dame de Lorette for
-the sake of being near Belloni. Through this street funeral
-processions, announced by the muffled drum boats of the National Guard,
-passed practically every hour. Though the heat was stifling, I was
-strictly forbidden to touch water, and was advised to exercise the
-greatest precaution with regard to diet in every respect. Besides this
-weight of uneasiness on my spirits, the whole outward aspect of Paris,
-as it then appeared, had the most depressing effect on me. The motto,
-liberte, egalite, fraternite was still to be seen on all the public
-buildings and other establishments, but, on the other hand, I was
-alarmed at seeing the first garcons caissiers making their way from the
-bank with their long money-sacks over their shoulders and their large
-portfolios in their hands. I had never met them so frequently as now,
-just when the old capitalist regime, after its triumphant struggle
-against the once dreaded socialist propaganda, was exerting itself
-vigorously to regain the public confidence by its almost insulting
-pomp. I had gone, as it were, mechanically into Schlesinger's
-music-shop, where a successor was now installed--a much more pronounced
-type of Jew named Brandus, of a very dirty appearance. The only person
-there to give me a friendly welcome was the old clerk, Monsieur Henri.
-After I had talked to him in loud tones for some time, as the shop was
-apparently empty, he at length asked me with some embarrassment whether
-I had not seen my master (votre maitre) Meyerbeer.
-
-'Is Monsieur Meyerbeer here?' I asked.
-
-'Certainly,' was the even more embarrassed reply; 'quite near, over
-there behind the desk.'
-
-And, sure enough, as I walked across to the desk Meyerbeer came out,
-covered with confusion. He smiled and made some excuse about pressing
-proof-sheets. He had been hiding there quietly for over ten minutes
-since first hearing my voice. I had had enough after my strange
-encounter with this apparition. It recalled so many things affecting
-myself which reflected suspicion on the man, in particular the
-significance of his behaviour towards me in Berlin on the last
-occasion. However, as I had now nothing more to do with him, I greeted
-him with a certain easy gaiety induced by the regret I felt at seeing
-his manifest confusion on becoming cognisant of my arrival in Paris. He
-took it for granted that I should again seek my fortune there, and
-seemed much surprised when I assured him, on the contrary, that the
-idea of having any work there was odious to me.
-
-'But Liszt published such a brilliant article about you in the Journal
-des Debats,' he said.
-
-'Ah,' I replied, 'it really had not occurred to me that the
-enthusiastic devotion of a friend should be regarded as a mutual
-speculation.'
-
-'But the article made a sensation. It is incredible that you should not
-seek to make any profit out of it.'
-
-This offensive meddlesomeness roused me to protest to Meyerbeer with
-some violence that I was concerned with anything rather than with the
-production of artistic work, particularly just at that time when the
-course of events seemed to indicate that the whole world was undergoing
-a reaction.
-
-'But what do you expect to get out of the revolution?' he replied. 'Are
-you going to write scores for the barricades?'
-
-Whereupon I assured him that I was not thinking of writing any scores
-at all. We parted, obviously without having arrived at a mutual
-understanding.
-
-In the street I was also stopped by Moritz Schlesinger, who, being
-equally under the influence of Liszt's brilliant article, evidently
-considered me a perfect prodigy. He too thought I must be counting on
-making a hit in Paris, and was sure that I had a very good chance of
-doing so.
-
-'Will you undertake my business?' I asked him. 'I have no money. Do you
-really think the performance of an opera by an unknown composer can be
-anything but a matter of money?'
-
-'You are quite right,' said Moritz, and left me on the spot.
-
-I turned from these disagreeable encounters in the plague-stricken
-capital of the world to inquire the fate of my Dresden companions, for
-some of those with whom I was intimate had also reached Paris, when I
-called on Desplechins, who had painted the scenery for Tannhauser. I
-found Semper there, who had, like myself, been deposited in this city.
-We met again with no little pleasure, although we could not help
-smiling at our grotesque situation. Semper had retired from the battle
-when the famous barricade, which he in his capacity of architect kept
-under close observation, had been surrounded. (He thought it impossible
-for it to be captured.) All the same, he considered that he had exposed
-himself quite sufficiently to make it state of siege and were occupying
-Dresden. He considered himself lucky as a native of Holstein to be
-dependent, not on the German, but on the Danish government for a
-passport, as this had helped him to reach Paris without difficulty.
-When I expressed my real and heartfelt regret at the turn of affairs
-which had torn him from a professional undertaking on which he had just
-started--the completion of the Dresden Museum--he refused to take it
-too seriously, saying it had given him a great deal of worry. In spite
-of our trying situation, it was with Semper that I spent the only
-bright hours of my stay in Paris. We were soon joined by another
-refugee, young Heine, who had once wished to paint my Lohengrin
-scenery. He had no qualms about his future, for his master Desplechins
-was willing to give him employment. I alone felt I had been pitched
-quite aimlessly into Paris. I had a passionate desire to leave this
-cholera-laden, atmosphere, and Belloni offered me an opportunity which
-I promptly and joyfully seized. He invited me to follow himself and his
-family to a country place near La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, where I could be
-refreshed by pure air and absolute quiet, and wait for a change for the
-better in my position. I made the short journey to Rueil after another
-week in Paris, and took for the time being a poor lodging (one room,
-built with recesses) in the house of Monsieur Raphael, a wine merchant,
-close by the village mairie where the Belloni family were staying. Here
-I waited further developments. During the period when all news from
-Germany ceased I tried to occupy myself as far as possible with
-reading. After going through Proudhon's writings, and in particular his
-De la propriete, in such a manner as to glean comfort for my situation
-in curiously divers ways, I entertained myself for a considerable time
-with Lamartine's Histoire des Girondins, a most alluring and attractive
-work. One day Belloni brought me news of the unfortunate rising in
-Paris, which had been attempted on the 13th June by the Republicans
-under Ledru-Rollin against the provisional government, which was then
-in the full tide of reaction. Great as was the indignation with which
-the news was received by my host and the mayor of the place (a relative
-of his, at whose table we ate our modest daily meal), it made, on the
-whole, little impression on me, as my attention was still fixed in
-great agitation on the events which were taking place on the Rhine, and
-particularly on the grand-duchy of Baden, which had been made forfeit
-to a provisional government. When, however, the news reached me from
-this quarter also that the Prussians had succeeded in subduing a
-movement which had not at first seemed hopeless, I felt extraordinarily
-downcast.
-
-I was compelled to consider my position carefully, and the necessity of
-conquering my difficulties helped to allay the excitement to which I
-was a prey. The letters from my Weimar friends, as well as those from
-my wife, now brought me completely to my senses. The former expressed
-themselves very curtly about my behaviour with regard to recent events.
-The opinion was, that for the moment there would be nothing for me to
-do, and especially not in Dresden, or at the grand-ducal court, 'as one
-could not very well knock at battered doors'; 'on ne frappe pas a des
-portes enfoncees' (Princess von Wittgenstein to Belloni).
-
-I did not know what to reply, for I had never dreamt of expecting
-anything to come from their intervening on my behalf in that quarter;
-consequently I was quite satisfied that they sent me temporarily
-financial assistance. With this money I made up my mind to leave for
-Zurich and ask Alex Muller to give me shelter for a while, as his house
-was sufficiently large to accommodate a guest. My saddest moment came
-when, after a long silence, I at last received a letter from my wife.
-She wrote that she could not dream of living with me again; that after
-I had so unscrupulously thrown away a connection and position, the like
-of which would never again present itself to me, no woman could
-reasonably be expected to take any further interest in my future
-enterprises.
-
-I fully appreciated my wife's unfortunate position; I could in no way
-assist her, except by advising her to sell our Dresden furniture, and
-by making an appeal on her behalf to my relatives in Leipzig.
-
-Until then I had been able to think more lightly of the misery of her
-position, simply because I had imagined her to be more deeply in
-sympathy with what agitated me. Often during the recent extraordinary
-events I had even believed that she understood my feelings. Now,
-however, she had disillusioned me on this point: she could see in me no
-more than what the public saw, and the one redeeming point of her
-severe judgment was that she excused my behaviour on the score that I
-was reckless. After I had begged Liszt to do what he could for my wife,
-I soon began to regard her unexpected behaviour with more equanimity.
-In reply to her announcement that she would not write to me again for
-the present, I said that I had also resolved to spare her all further
-anxiety about my very doubtful fate, by ceasing from communicating with
-her. I surveyed the panorama of our long years of association
-critically in my mind's eye, beginning with that first stormy year of
-our married life, that had been so full of sorrow. Our youthful days of
-worry and care in Paris had undoubtedly been of benefit to us both. The
-courage and patience with which she had faced our difficulties, while I
-on my part had tried to end them by dint of hard work, had linked us
-together with bonds of iron. Minna was rewarded for all these
-privations by Dresden successes, and more especially by the highly
-enviable position I had held there. Her position as wife of the
-conductor (Frau Kapellmeisterin) had brought her the fulfilment of her
-dearest wishes, and all those things which conspired to make my work in
-this official post so intolerable to me, were to her no more than so
-many threats directed against her smug content. The course I had
-adopted with regard to Tannhauser had already made her doubtful of my
-success at the theatres, and had robbed her of all courage and
-confidence in our future. The more I deviated from the path which she
-regarded as the only profitable one, due partly to the change of my
-views (which I grew ever less willing to communicate to her), and
-partly to the modification in my attitude towards the stage, the more
-she retreated from that position of close fellowship with me which she
-had enjoyed in former years, and which she thought herself justified in
-connecting in some way with my successes.
-
-She looked upon my conduct with regard to the Dresden catastrophe as
-the outcome of this deviation from the right path, and attributed it to
-the influence of unscrupulous persons (particularly the unfortunate
-Rockel), who were supposed to have dragged me with them to ruin, by
-appealing to my vanity. Deeper than all these disagreements, however,
-which, after all, were concerned only with external circumstances, was
-the consciousness of our fundamental incompatibility, which to me had
-become ever more and more apparent since the day of our reconciliation.
-From the very beginning we had had scenes of the most violent
-description: never once after these frequent quarrels had she admitted
-herself in the wrong or tried to be friends again.
-
-The necessity of speedily restoring our domestic peace, as well as my
-conviction (confirmed by every one of her extravagant outbursts) that,
-in view of the great disparity of our characters and especially of our
-educations, it devolved upon me to prevent such scenes by observing
-great caution in my behaviour, always led me to take the entire blame
-for what had happened upon myself, and to mollify Minna by showing her
-that I was sorry. Unfortunately, and to my intense grief, I was forced
-to recognise that by acting in this way I lost all my power over her
-affections, and especially over her character. Now we stood in a
-position in which I could not possibly resort to the same means of
-reconciliation, for it would have meant my being inconsistent in all my
-views and actions. And then I found myself confronted by such hardness
-in the woman whom I had spoilt by my leniency, that it was out of the
-question to expect her to acknowledge the injustice done to myself.
-Suffice it to say that the wreck of my married life had contributed not
-inconsiderably to the ruin of my position in Dresden, and to the
-careless manner in which I treated it, for instead of finding help,
-strength, and consolation at home, I found my wife unwittingly
-conspiring against me, in league with all the other hostile
-circumstances which then beset me. After I had got over the first shock
-of her heartless behaviour, I was absolutely clear about this. I
-remember that I did not suffer any great sorrow, but that on the
-contrary, with the conviction of being now quite helpless, an almost
-exalted calm came over me when I realised that up to the present my
-life had been built on a foundation of sand and nothing more. At all
-events, the fact that I stood absolutely alone did much towards
-restoring my peace of mind, and in my distress I now found strength and
-comfort even in the fact of my dire poverty. At last assistance arrived
-from Weimar. I accepted it eagerly, and it was the means of extricating
-me from my present useless life and stranded hopes.
-
-My next move was to find a place of refuge--one, however, which had but
-little attraction for me, seeing that in it there was not the slightest
-hope of my being able to make any further headway in the paths along
-which I had hitherto progressed. This refuge was Zurich, a town devoid
-of all art in the public sense, and where for the first time I met
-simple-hearted people who knew nothing about me as a musician, but who,
-as it appeared, felt drawn towards me by the power of my personality
-alone. I arrived at Muller's house and asked him to let me have a room,
-at the same time giving him what remained of my capital, namely twenty
-francs. I quickly discovered that my old friend was embarrassed by my
-perfectly open confidence in him, and that he was at his wit's end to
-know what to do with me. I soon gave up the large room containing a
-grand piano, which he had allotted to me on the impulse of the moment,
-and retired to a modest little bedroom. The meals were my great trial,
-not because I was fastidious, but because I could not digest thorn.
-Outside my friend's house, on the contrary, I enjoyed what, considering
-the habits of the locality, was the most luxurious reception. The same
-young men who had been so kind to me on my first journey through Zurich
-again showed themselves anxious to be continually in my company, and
-this was especially the case with one young fellow called Jakob Sulzer.
-He had to be thirty years of age before he was entitled to become a
-member of the Zurich government, and he therefore still had several
-years to wait. In spite of his youth, however, the impression he made
-on all those with whom he came in contact was that of a man of riper
-years, whose character was formed. When I was asked long afterwards
-whether I had ever met a man who, morally speaking, was the beau-ideal
-of real character and uprightness, I could, on reflection, think of
-none other than this newly gained friend, Jakob Sulzer.
-
-He owed his early appointment as permanent Cantonal Secretary
-(Staatsschreiber), one of the most excellent government posts in the
-canton of Zurich, to the recently returned liberal party, led by Alfred
-Escher. As this party could not employ the more experienced members of
-the older conservative side in the public offices, their policy was to
-choose exceptionally gifted young men for these positions. Sulzer
-showed extraordinary promise, and their choice accordingly soon lighted
-on him. He had only just returned from the Berlin and Bonn universities
-with the intention of establishing himself as professor of philology at
-the university in his native town, when he was made a member of the new
-government. To fit himself for his post he had to stay in Geneva for
-six months to perfect himself in the French language, which he had
-neglected during his philological studies. He was quick-witted and
-industrious, as well as independent and firm, and he never allowed
-himself to be swayed by any party tactics. Consequently he rose very
-rapidly to high positions in the government, to which he rendered
-valuable and important services, first as Minister of Finance, a post
-he held for many years, and later with particular distinction as member
-of the School Federation. His unexpected acquaintance with me seemed to
-place him in a sort of dilemma; from the philological and classical
-studies which he had entered upon of his own choice, he suddenly found
-himself torn away in the most bewildering manner by this unexpected
-summons from the government. It almost seemed as if his meeting with me
-had made him regret having accepted the appointment. As he was a person
-of great culture, my poem, Siegfried's Death, naturally revealed to him
-my knowledge of German antiquity. He had also studied this subject, but
-with greater philological accuracy than I could possibly have aspired
-to. When, later on, he became acquainted with my manner of writing
-music, this peculiarly serious and reserved man became so thoroughly
-interested in my sphere of art, so far removed from his own field of
-labour, that, as he himself confessed, he felt it his duty to fight
-against these disturbing influences by being intentionally brusque and
-curt with me. In the beginning of my stay in Zurich, however, he
-delighted in being led some distance astray in the realms of art. The
-old-fashioned official residence of the first Cantonal Secretary was
-often the scene of unique gatherings, composed of people such as I
-would be sure to attract. It might even be said that these social
-functions occurred rather more frequently than was advisable for the
-reputation of a civil servant of this little philistine state. What
-attracted the musician Baumgartner more particularly to these meetings
-was the product of Sulzer's vineyards in Winterthur, to which our hosts
-treated his guests with the greatest liberality. When in my moods of
-mad exuberance I gave vent in dithyrambic effusions to my most extreme
-views on art and life, my listeners often responded in a manner which,
-more often than not, I was perfectly right in ascribing to the effects
-of the wine rather than to the power of my enthusiasm. Once when
-Professor Ettmuller, the Germanist and Edda scholar, had been invited
-to listen to a reading of my Siegfried and had been led home in a state
-of melancholy enthusiasm, there was a regular outburst of wanton
-spirits among those who had remained behind. I conceived the absurd
-idea of lifting all the doors of the state official's house off their
-hinges.
-
-Herr Hagenbuch, another servant of the state, seeing what exertion this
-cost me, offered me the help of his gigantic physique, and with
-comparative ease we succeeded in removing every single door, and laying
-it aside, a proceeding at which Sulzer merely smiled good-naturedly.
-The next day, however, when we made inquiries, he told us that the
-replacing of those doors (which must have been a terrible strain on his
-delicate constitution) had taken him the whole night, as he had made up
-his mind to keep the knowledge of our orgies from the sergeant, who
-always arrived at a very early hour in the morning.
-
-The extraordinary birdlike freedom of my existence had the effect of
-exciting me more and more. I was often frightened at the excessive
-outbursts of exaltation to which I was prone--no matter whom I was
-with--and which led me to indulge in the most extraordinary paradoxes
-in my conversation. Soon after I had settled in Zurich I began to write
-down my various ideas about things at which I had arrived through my
-private and artistic experiences, as well as through the influence of
-the political unrest of the day. As I had no choice but to try, to the
-best of my ability, to earn something by my pen, I thought of sending a
-series of articles to a great French journal such as the National,
-which in those days was still extant. In these articles I meant to
-propound my ideas (in my revolutionary way) on the subject of modern
-art in its relation to society. I sent six of them to an elderly friend
-of mine, Albert Franck, requesting him to have them translated into
-French and to get them published. This Franck was the brother of the
-better-known Hermann Franck, now the head of the Franco-German
-bookselling firm, which had originally belonged to my brother-in-law,
-Avenarius. He sent me back my work with the very natural remark that it
-was out of the question to expect the Parisian public to understand or
-appreciate my articles, especially at such a critical moment.
-
-I headed the manuscript Kunst und Revolution ('Art and Revolution') and
-sent it to Otto Wigand in Leipzig, who actually undertook to publish it
-in the form of a pamphlet, and sent me five louis d'or for it. This
-unexpected success induced me to continue to exploit my literary gifts.
-I looked among my papers for the essay I had written the year before as
-the outcome of my historical studies of the 'Nibelungen' legend; I gave
-it the title of Die Nibelungen Weltgeschichte aus der Sage, and again
-tried my luck by sending it to Wigand.
-
-The sensational title of Kunst und Revolution, as well as the notoriety
-the 'royal conductor' had gained as a political refugee, had made the
-radical publisher hope that the scandal that would arise on the
-publication of my articles would redound to his benefit! I soon
-discovered that he was on the point of issuing a second edition of
-Kunst und Revolution, without, however, informing me of the fact. He
-also took over my new pamphlet for another five louis d'or. This was
-the first time I had earned money by means of published work, and I now
-began to believe that I had reached that point when I should be able to
-get the better of my misfortunes. I thought it over, and decided to
-give public lectures in Zurich on subjects related to my writings
-during the coming winter, hoping in that free and haphazard fashion to
-keep body and soul together for a little while, although I had no fixed
-appointment and did not intend to work at music.
-
-It seemed necessary for me to resort to these means, as I did not know
-how otherwise to keep myself alive. Shortly after my arrival in Zurich
-I had witnessed the coming of the fragments of the Baden army,
-dispersed over Swiss territory, and accompanied by fugitive volunteers,
-and this had made a painful and uncanny impression upon me. The news of
-the surrender near Villagos by Gorgey paralysed the last hopes as to
-the issue of the great European struggle for liberty, which so far had
-been left quite undecided. With some misgiving and anxiety I now turned
-my eyes from all these occurrences in the outside world inwards to my
-own soul.
-
-I was accustomed to patronise the cafe litteraire, where I took my
-coffee after my heavy mid-day meal, in a smoky atmosphere surrounded by
-a merry and joking throng of men playing dominoes and 'fast.' One day I
-stared at its common wall-paper representing antique subjects, which in
-some inexplicable way recalled a certain water-colour by Genelli to my
-mind, portraying 'The education of Dionysos by the Muses.' I had seen
-it at the house of my brother-in-law Brockhaus in my young days, and it
-had made a deep impression on me at the time. At this same place I
-conceived the first ideas of my Kunstwerk der Zukunft ('The Art-Work of
-the Future'), and it seemed a significant omen to me to be roused one
-day out of one of my post-prandial dreams by the news that
-Schroder-Devrient was staying in Zurich. I immediately got up with the
-intention of calling on her at the neighbouring hotel, 'Zum Schwerte,'
-but to my great dismay heard that she had just left by steamer. I never
-saw her again, and long afterwards only heard of her painful death from
-my wife, who in later years became fairly intimate with her in Dresden.
-
-After I had spent two remarkable summer months in this wild and
-extraordinary fashion, I at last received reassuring news of Minna, who
-had remained in Dresden. Although her manner of taking leave of me had
-been both harsh and wounding, I could not bring myself to believe I had
-completely parted from her. In a letter I wrote to one of her
-relations, and which I presumed they would forward, I made sympathetic
-inquiries about her, while I had already done all that lay in my power,
-through repeated appeals to Liszt, to ensure her being well cared for.
-I now received a direct reply, which, in addition to the fact that it
-testified to the vigour and activity with which she had fought her
-difficulties, at the same time showed me that she earnestly desired to
-be reunited with me. It was almost in terms of contempt that she
-expressed her grave doubts as to the possibility of my being able to
-make a living in Zurich, but she added that, inasmuch as she was my
-wife, she wished to give me another chance. She also seemed to take it
-for granted that I intended making Zurich only our temporary home, and
-that I would do my utmost to promote my career as a composer of opera
-in Paris. Whereupon she announced her intention of arriving at
-Rorschach in Switzerland on a certain date in September of that year,
-in the company of the little dog Peps, the parrot Papo, and her
-so-called sister Nathalie. After having engaged two rooms for our new
-home, I now prepared to set out on foot for St. Gall and Rorschach
-through the lovely and celebrated Toggenburg and Appenzell, and felt
-very touched after all when the peculiar family, which consisted half
-of pet animals, landed at the harbour of Rorschach. I must honestly
-confess that the little dog and the bird made me very happy. My wife at
-once threw cold water on my emotions, however, by declaring that in the
-event of my behaving badly again she was ready to return to Dresden any
-moment, and that she had numerous friends there, who would be glad to
-protect and succour her if she were forced to carry out her threat. Be
-this as it may, one look at her convinced me how greatly she had aged
-in this short time, and how much I ought to pity her, and this feeling
-succeeded in banishing all bitterness from my heart.
-
-I did my utmost to give her confidence and to make her believe that our
-present misfortunes were but momentary. This was no easy task, as she
-would constantly compare the diminutive aspect of the town of Zurich
-with the more noble majesty of Dresden, and seemed to feel bitterly
-humiliated. The friends whom I introduced to her found no favour in her
-eyes. She looked upon the Cantonal Secretary, Sulzer, as a 'mere town
-clerk who would not be of any importance in. Germany'; and the wife of
-my host Muller absolutely disgusted her when, in answer to Minna's
-complaints about my terrible position, she replied that my greatness
-lay in the very fact of my having faced it. Then again Minna appeased
-me by tolling me of the expected arrival of some of my Dresden
-belongings, which she thought would be indispensable to our new home.
-
-The property of which she spoke consisted of a Breitkopf and Hartel
-grand-piano that looked better than it sounded, and of the 'title-page'
-of the Nibelungen by Cornelius in a Gothic frame that used to hang over
-my desk in Dresden.
-
-With this nucleus of household effects we now decided to take small
-lodgings in the so-called 'hinteren Escherhausern' in the Zeltweg. With
-great cleverness Minna had succeeded in selling the Dresden furniture
-to advantage, and out of the proceeds of this sale she had brought
-three hundred marks with her to Zurich to help towards setting up our
-new home. She told me that she had saved my small but very select
-library for me by giving it into the safe custody of the publisher,
-Heinrich Brockhaus (brother of my sister's husband and member of the
-Saxon Diet), who had insisted upon looking after it. Great, therefore,
-was her dismay when, upon asking this kind friend to send her the
-books, he replied that he was holding them as security for a debt of
-fifteen hundred marks which I had contracted with him during my days of
-trouble in Dresden, and that he intended to keep them until that sum
-was returned. As even after the lapse of many years I found it
-impossible to refund this money, these books, collected for my own
-special wants, were lost to me for ever.
-
-Thanks more particularly to my friend Sulzer, the Cantonal Secretary,
-whom my wife at first despised so much on account of his title which
-she misunderstood, and who, although he was far from well-off himself,
-thought it only natural that he should help me, however moderately, out
-of my difficulties, we soon succeeded in making our little place look
-so cosy that my simple Zurich friends felt quite at home in it. My
-wife, with all her undeniable talents, hero found ample scope in which
-to distinguish herself, and I remember how ingeniously she made a
-little what-not out of the box in which she had kindly brought my music
-and manuscript to Zurich.
-
-But it was soon time to think of how to earn enough money to provide
-for us all. My idea of giving public lectures was treated with contempt
-by my wife, who looked upon it as an insult to her pride. She could
-acquiesce only in one plan, that suggested by Liszt, namely, that I
-should write an opera for Paris. To satisfy her, and in view of the
-fact that I could see no chance of a remunerative occupation close at
-hand, I actually reopened a correspondence on this matter with my great
-friend and his secretary Belloni in Paris. In the meantime I could not
-be idle, so I accepted an invitation from the Zurich musical society to
-conduct a classical composition at one of their concerts, and to this
-end I worked with their very poor orchestra at Beethoven's Symphony in
-A major. Although the result was successful, and I received five
-napoleons for my trouble, it made my wife very unhappy, for she could
-not forget the excellent orchestra, and the much more appreciative
-public, which a short time before in Dresden would have seconded and
-rewarded similar efforts on my part. Her one and only ideal for me was
-that, by hook or by crook, and with a total disregard of all artistic
-scruples, I should make a brilliant reputation for myself in Paris.
-While we were both absolutely at a loss to discover whence we should
-obtain the necessary funds for our journey to Paris and our sojourn
-there, I again plunged into my philosophical study of art, as being the
-only sphere still left open to me.
-
-Harrassed by the cares of a terrible struggle for existence, I wrote
-the whole of Das Kunstwerk der Zukunft in the chilly atmosphere of a
-sunless little room on the ground floor during the months of November
-and December of that year. Minna had no objection to this occupation
-when I told her of the success of my first pamphlet, and the hope I had
-of receiving even better pay for this more extensive work.
-
-Thus for a while I enjoyed comparative peace, although in my heart a
-spirit of unrest had begun to reign, thanks to my growing acquaintance
-with Feuerbach's works. I had always had an inclination to fathom the
-depths of philosophy, just as I had been led by the mystic influence of
-Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to search the deepest recesses of music. My
-first efforts at satisfying this longing had failed. None of the
-Leipzig professors had succeeded in fascinating me with their lectures
-on fundamental philosophy and logic. I had procured Schelling's work,
-Transcendental Idealism, recommended to me by Gustav Schlesinger, a
-friend of Laube's, but it was in vain that I racked my brains to try
-and make something out of the first pages, and I always returned to my
-Ninth Symphony.
-
-During the latter part of my stay in Dresden I had returned to these
-old studies, the longing for which suddenly revived within me, and to
-these I added the deeper historical studies which had always fascinated
-me. As an introduction to philosophy I now chose Hegel's Philosophy of
-History. A good deal of this impressed me deeply, and it now seemed as
-if I should ultimately penetrate into the Holy of Holies along this
-path. The more incomprehensible many of his speculative conclusions
-appeared, the more I felt myself desirous of probing the question of
-the 'Absolute' and everything connected therewith to the core. For I so
-admired Hegel's powerful mind that it seemed to me he was the very
-keystone of all philosophical thought.
-
-The revolution intervened; the practical tendencies of a social
-reconstruction distracted my attention, and as I have already stated,
-it was a German Catholic priest and political agitator (formerly a
-divinity student named Menzdorff, who used to wear a Calabrian hat)
-[Footnote: A broad-rimmed, tall, white felt hat, tapering to a point,
-originally worn by the inhabitants of Calabria, and in 1848 a sign of
-Republicanism.--EDITOR.] who drew my attention to 'the only real
-philosopher of modern times,' Ludwig Feuerbach. My new Zurich friend,
-the piano teacher, Wilhelm Baumgartner, made me a present of
-Feuerbach's book on Tod und Unsterblichkeit ('Death and Immortality').
-The well-known and stirring lyrical style of the author greatly
-fascinated me as a layman. The intricate questions which he propounds
-in this book as if they were being discussed for the first time by him,
-and which he treats in a charmingly exhaustive manner, had often
-occupied my mind since the very first days of my acquaintance with
-Lehrs in Paris, just as they occupy the mind of every imaginative and
-serious man. With me, however, this was not lasting, and I had
-contented myself with the poetic suggestions on these important
-subjects which appear here and there in the works of our great poets.
-
-The frankness with which Feuerbach explains his views on these
-interesting questions, in the more mature parts of his book, pleased me
-as much by their tragic as by their social-radical tendencies. It
-seemed right that the only true immortality should be that of sublime
-deeds and great works of art. It was more difficult to sustain any
-interest in Das Wesen des Christenthums ('The Essence of Christianity')
-by the same author, for it was impossible whilst reading this work not
-to become conscious, however involuntarily, of the prolix and unskilful
-manner in which he dilates on the simple and fundamental idea, namely,
-religion explained from a purely subjective and psychological point of
-view. Nevertheless, from that day onward I always regarded Feuerbach as
-the ideal exponent of the radical release of the individual from the
-thraldom of accepted notions, founded on the belief in authority. The
-initiated will therefore not wonder that I dedicated my Kunstwerk der
-Zukunft to Feuerbach and addressed its preface to him.
-
-My friend Sulzer, a thorough disciple of Hegel, was very sorry to see
-me so interested in Feuerbach, whom he did not even recognise as a
-philosopher at all. He said that the best thing that Feuerbach had done
-for me was that he had been the means of awakening my ideas, although
-he himself had none. But what had really induced me to attach so much
-importance to Feuerbach was the conclusion by means of which he had
-seceded from his master Hegel, to wit, that the best philosophy was to
-have no philosophy--a theory which greatly simplified what I had
-formerly considered a very terrifying study--and secondly, that only
-that was real which could be ascertained by the senses.
-
-The fact that he proclaimed what we call 'spirit' to be an aesthetic
-perception of our senses, together with his statement concerning the
-futility of philosophy--these were the two things in him which rendered
-me such useful assistance in my conceptions of an all-embracing work of
-art, of a perfect drama which should appeal to the simplest and most
-purely human emotions at the very moment when it approached its
-fulfilment as Kunstwerk der Zukunft. It must have been this which
-Sulzer had in his mind when he spoke deprecatingly of Feuerbach's
-influence over me. At all events, after a while I certainly could not
-return to his works, and I remember that his newly published book, Uber
-das Wesen der Religion ('Lectures on the Essence of Religion'), scared
-me to such an extent by the dullness of its title alone, that when
-Herwegh opened it for my benefit, I closed it with a bang under his
-very nose.
-
-At that time I was working with great enthusiasm upon the draft of a
-connected essay, and was delighted one day to receive a visit from the
-novelist and Tieckian scholar, Eduard von Billow (the father of my
-young friend Billow), who was passing through Zurich. In my tiny little
-room I read him my chapter on poetry, and could not help noticing that
-he was greatly startled at my ideas on literary drama and on the advent
-of the new Shakespeare. I thought this all the more reason why Wigand
-the publisher should accept my new revolutionary book, and expected him
-to pay me a fee which would be in proportion to the greater size of the
-work. I asked for twenty louis d'or, and this sum he agreed to pay me.
-
-The prospect of receiving this amount induced me to carry out the plan,
-which need had forced upon me, of travelling to Paris and of trying my
-luck there as a composer of opera. This plan had very serious
-drawbacks; not only did I hate the idea, but I knew that I was doing an
-injustice to myself by believing in the success of my enterprise, for I
-felt that I could never seriously throw myself into it heart and soul.
-Everything, however, combined to make me try the experiment, and it was
-Liszt in particular who, confident of this being my only way to fame,
-insisted upon my reopening the negotiations into which Belloni and I
-had entered during the previous summer. To show with what earnestness I
-tried to consider the chances of carrying out my plan, I drafted out
-the plot of the opera, which the French poet would only have to put
-into verse, because I never for a moment fancied that it would be
-possible for him to think out and write a libretto for which I would
-only need to compose the music. I chose for my subject the legend of
-Wieland der Schmied, upon which I commented with some stress at the end
-of my recently finished Kunstwerk der Zukunft, and the version of which
-by Simrock, taken from the Wilkyna legend, had greatly attracted me.
-
-I sketched out the complete scenario with precise indication of the
-dialogue for three acts, and with a heavy heart decided to hand it over
-to my Parisian author to be worked out. Liszt thought he saw a means of
-making my music known through his relations with Seghers, the musical
-director of a society then known as the 'Concerts de St. Cecile.' In
-January of the following year the Tannhauser Overture was to be given
-under his baton, and it therefore seemed advisable that I should reach
-Paris some time before this event. This undertaking, which appeared to
-be so difficult owing to my complete lack of funds, was at last
-facilitated in a manner quite unexpected.
-
-I had written home for help, and had appealed to all the old friends I
-could think of, but in vain. By the family of my brother Albert in
-particular, whose daughter had recently entered upon a brilliant
-theatrical career, I was treated in much the same way as one treats an
-invalid by whom one dreads to become infected. In contrast to their
-harshness I was deeply touched by the devotion of the Ritter family,
-who had remained in Dresden; for, apart from my acquaintance with young
-Karl, I scarcely knew these people at all. Through the kindness of my
-old friend Heine, who had been informed of my position, Frau Julie
-Ritter, the venerable mother of the family, had thought it her duty to
-place, through a business friend, the sum of fifteen hundred marks at
-my disposal. At about the same time I received a letter from Mme.
-Laussot, who had called upon me in Dresden the year before, and who now
-in the most affecting terms assured me of her continued sympathy.
-
-These were the first signs of that new phase in my life upon which I
-entered from this day forth, and in which I accustomed myself to look
-upon the outward circumstances of my existence as being merely
-subservient to my will. And by this means I was able to escape from the
-hampering narrowness of my home life.
-
-For the moment the proffered financial assistance was very distasteful
-to me, for it seemed to forbid my raising any further objections to the
-realisation of the detested Paris schemes. When, however, on the
-strength of this favourable change in my affairs, I suggested to my
-wife that we might, after all, content ourselves with remaining in
-Zurich, she flew into the most violent passion over my weakness and
-lack of spirit, and declared that if I did not make up my mind to
-achieve something in Paris, she would lose all faith in me. She said,
-moreover, that she absolutely refused to be a witness of my misery and
-grief as a wretched literary man and insignificant conductor of local
-concerts in Zurich.
-
-We had entered upon the year 1850; I had decided to go to Paris, if
-only for the sake of peace, but had to postpone my journey on account
-of ill-health. The reaction following upon the terrible excitement of
-recent times had not failed to have its effect on my overwrought
-nerves, and a state of complete exhaustion had followed. The continual
-colds, in spite of which I had been obliged to work in my very
-unhealthy room, had at last given rise to alarming symptoms. A certain
-weakness of the chest became apparent, and this the doctor (a political
-refugee) undertook to cure by the application of pitch plasters. As the
-result of this treatment and the irritating effect it had upon my
-nerves, I lost my voice completely for a while; whereupon I was told
-that I must go away for a change. On going out to buy my ticket for the
-journey, I felt so weak and broke out into such terrible perspiration
-that I hastened to return to my wife in order to consult her as to the
-advisability, in the circumstances, of abandoning the idea of the
-expedition altogether. She, however, maintained (and perhaps rightly)
-not only that my condition was not dangerous, but that it was to a
-large extent due to imagination, and that, once in the right place, I
-would soon recover.
-
-An inexpressible feeling of bitterness stimulated my nerves as in anger
-and despair I quickly left the house to buy the confounded ticket for
-the journey, and in the beginning of February I actually started on the
-road to Paris. I was filled with the most extraordinary feelings, but
-the spark of hope which was then kindled in my breast certainly had
-nothing whatever to do with the belief that had been imposed upon me
-from without, that I was to make a success in Paris as a composer of
-operas.
-
-I was particularly anxious to find quiet rooms, for peace had now
-become my first necessity, no matter where I happened to be staying.
-The cabman who drove me from street to street through the most isolated
-quarters, and whom I at last accused of keeping always to the most
-animated parts of the city, finally protested in despair that one did
-not come to Paris to live in a convent. At last it occurred to me to
-look for what I wanted in one of the cites through which no vehicle
-seemed to drive, and I decided to engage rooms in the Cite de Provence.
-
-True to the plans which had been forced upon me, I at once called on
-Herr Seghers about the performance of the Tannhauser Overture.
-
-It turned out that in spite of my late arrival I had missed nothing,
-for they were still racking their brains as to how to procure the
-necessary orchestral parts.
-
-I therefore had to write to Liszt, asking him to order the copies, and
-had to wait for their arrival. Belloni was not in town, things were
-therefore at a standstill, and I had plenty of time to think over the
-object of my visit to Paris, while an unceasing accompaniment was
-poured out to my meditations by the barrel-organs which infest the
-cites of Paris.
-
-I had much difficulty in convincing an agent of the government, from
-whom I received a visit soon after my arrival, that my presence in
-Paris was due to artistic reasons, and not to my doubtful position as a
-political refugee.
-
-Fortunately he was impressed by the score, which I showed him, as well
-as by Liszt's article on the Tannhauser Overture, written the year
-before in the Journal des Debats, and he left me, politely inviting me
-to continue my avocations peacefully and industriously, as the police
-had no intention of disturbing me.
-
-I also looked up my older Parisian acquaintances. At the hospitable
-house of Desplechins I met Semper, who was trying to make his position
-as tolerable as possible by writing some inferior artistic work. He had
-left his family in Dresden, from which town we soon received the most
-alarming news. The prisons were gradually filling there with the
-unfortunate victims of the recent Saxon movement Of Rockel, Bakunin,
-and Heubner, all we could hear was that they had been charged with high
-treason, and that they were awaiting the death sentence.
-
-In view of the tidings which continually arrived concerning the cruelty
-and brutality with which the soldiers treated the prisoners, we could
-not help considering our own lot a very happy one.
-
-My intercourse with Semper, whom I saw frequently, was generally
-enlivened by a gaiety which was occasionally of rather a risky nature;
-he was determined to rejoin his family in London, where the prospect of
-various appointments was open to him. My latest attempts at writing,
-and the thoughts expressed in my work, interested him greatly, and gave
-rise to animated conversations in which we were joined by Kietz, who
-was at first amusing, but evidently boring Semper considerably. I found
-the former in the identical position in which I had left him many years
-ago: he had made no headway with his painting, and would have been glad
-if the revolution had taken a more decided turn, so that, under cover
-of the general confusion, he might have escaped from his embarrassing
-position with his landlord. He made at this time quite a good pastel
-portrait of me in his very best and earliest style. While I was sitting
-I unfortunately spoke to him about my Das Kunstwerk der Zukunft, and
-thereby laid the foundation for him of troubles that lasted many years,
-as he tried to instil my new ideas into the Parisian bourgeoisie at
-whose tables he had hitherto been a welcome guest. Notwithstanding, he
-remained as of old a good, obliging, true-hearted fellow, and even
-Semper could not help putting up with him cheerfully. I also looked up
-my friend Anders. It was a difficult matter to find him at any hour of
-the day, since out of sleeping hours he was closeted in the library,
-where he could receive no one, and afterwards retired to the
-reading-room to spend his hours of rest, and generally went to dine
-with certain bourgeois families where he gave music lessons. He had
-aged considerably, but I was glad to find him, comparatively speaking,
-in better health than the state in which I had last seen him had
-allowed me to hope, as when I left Paris before he had seemed to be in
-a decline. Curiously enough, a broken leg had been the means of
-improving his health, the treatment necessary for it having taken him
-to a hydro, where his condition had much improved. His one idea was to
-see me achieve a great success in Paris, and he wished to secure a seat
-in advance for the first performance of my opera, which he took for
-granted was to appear, and kept repeating that it would be so very
-trying for him to occupy a place in any part of the theatre where there
-would be likely to be a crush. He could not see the use of my present
-literary work; in spite of this I was again engaged on it exclusively,
-as I soon ascertained there was no likelihood of my overture to
-Tannhauser being produced. Liszt had shown the greatest zeal in
-obtaining and forwarding the orchestral parts; but Herr Seghers
-informed me that as far as his own orchestra was concerned, he found
-himself in a republican democracy where each instrument had an equal
-right to voice its opinion, and it had been unanimously decided that
-for the remainder of the winter season, which was now drawing to a
-close, my overture could be dispensed with. I gathered enough from this
-turn of affairs to realise how precarious my position was.
-
-It is true, the result of my writings was hardly less discouraging. A
-copy of the Wigand edition of my Kunstwerk der Zukunft was forwarded to
-me full of horrible misprints, and instead of the expected remuneration
-of twenty louis d'or, my publisher explained that for the present he
-could only pay me half this sum, as, owing to the fact that at first
-the sale of the Kunst und Revolution had been very rapid, he had been
-led to attach too high a commercial value to my writings, a mistake he
-had speedily discovered when he found there was no demand for Die
-Nibelungen.
-
-On the other hand, I received an offer of remunerative work from Adolph
-Kolatschek, who was also a fugitive, and was just going to bring out a
-German monthly journal as the organ of the progressive party. In
-response to this invitation I wrote a long essay on Kunst und Klima
-('Art and Climate'), in which I supplemented the ideas I had already
-touched upon in my Kunstwerk der Zukunft. Besides this I had, since my
-arrival in Paris, worked out a more complete sketch of Wieland der
-Schmied. It is true that this work had no longer any value, and I
-wondered with apprehension what I could write home to my wife, now that
-the last precious remittance had been so aimlessly sacrificed. The
-thought of returning to Zurich was as distasteful to me as the prospect
-of remaining any longer in Paris. My feelings with regard to the latter
-alternative were intensified by the impression made upon me by
-Meyerbeer's opera The Prophet, which had just been produced and which I
-had not heard before. Rearing itself on the ruins of the hopes for new
-and more noble endeavour which had animated the better works of the
-past year--the only result of the negotiations of the provisional
-French republic for the encouragement of art--I saw this work of
-Meyerbeer's break upon the world like the dawn heralding this day of
-disgraceful desolation. I was so sickened by this performance, that
-though I was unfortunately placed in the centre of the stalls and would
-willingly have avoided the disturbance necessarily occasioned by one of
-the audience moving during the middle of an act, even this
-consideration did not deter me from getting up and leaving the house.
-When the famous mother of the prophet finally gives vent to her grief
-in the well-known series of ridiculous roulades, I was filled with rage
-and despair at the thought that I should be called upon to listen to
-such a thing, and never again did I pay the slightest heed to this
-opera.
-
-But what was I to do next? Just as the South American republics had
-attracted me during my first miserable sojourn in Paris, so now my
-longing was directed towards the East, where I could live my life in a
-manner worthy of a human being far away from this modern world. While I
-was in this frame of mind I was called upon to answer another inquiry
-as to my state of health from Mme. Laussot in Bordeaux. It turned out
-that my answer prompted her to send me a kind and pressing invitation
-to go and stay at her house, at least for a short time, to rest and
-forget my troubles. In any circumstances an excursion to more southerly
-regions, which I had not yet seen, and a visit to people who, though
-utter strangers, showed such friendly interest in me, could not fail to
-prove attractive and flattering. I accepted, settled my affairs in
-Paris, and went by coach via Orleans, Tours, and Angouleme, down the
-Gironde to the unknown town, where I was received with great courtesy
-and cordiality by the young wine merchant Eugene Laussot, and presented
-to my sympathetic young friend, his wife. A closer acquaintance with
-the family, in which Mrs. Taylor, Mme. Laussot's mother, was now also
-included, led to a clearer understanding of the character of the
-sympathy bestowed upon me in such a cordial and unexpected manner by
-people hitherto unknown to me. Jessie, as the young wife was called at
-home, had, during a somewhat lengthy stay in Dresden, become very
-intimate with the Ritter family, and I had no reason to doubt the
-assurance given me, that the Laussots' interest in me and my work was
-principally owing to this intimacy. After my flight from Dresden, as
-soon as the news of my difficulties had reached the Ritters, a
-correspondence had been carried on between Dresden and Bordeaux with a
-view to ascertaining how best to assist me. Jessie attributed the whole
-idea to Frau Julie Ritter who, while not being well enough off herself
-to make me a sufficient allowance, was endeavouring to come to an
-understanding with Jessie's mother, the well-to-do widow of an English
-lawyer, whose income entirely supported the young couple in Bordeaux.
-This plan had so far succeeded, that shortly after my arrival in
-Bordeaux Mrs. Taylor informed me that the two families had combined,
-and that it had been decided to ask me to accept the help of three
-thousand francs a year until the return of better days. My one object
-now was to enlighten my benefactors as to the exact conditions under
-which I should be accepting such assistance. I could no longer reckon
-upon achieving any success as a composer of opera either in Paris or
-elsewhere; what line I should take up instead I did not know; but, at
-all events, I was determined to keep myself free from the disgrace
-which would reflect upon my whole life if I used such means as this
-offer presented to secure success. I feel sure I am not wrong in
-believing that Jessie was the only one who understood me, and though I
-only experienced kindness from the rest of the family, I soon
-discovered the gulf by which she, as well as myself, was separated from
-her mother and husband. While the husband, who was a handsome young
-man, was away the greater part of the day attending to his business,
-and the mother's deafness excluded her to a great extent from our
-conversations, we soon discovered by a rapid exchange of ideas that we
-shared the same opinions on many important matters, and this led to a
-great feeling of friendship between us. Jessie, who was at that time
-about twenty-two, bore little resemblance to her mother, and no doubt
-took after her father, of whom I heard most flattering accounts. A
-large and varied collection of books loft by this man to his daughter
-showed his tastes, for besides carrying on his lucrative profession as
-a lawyer, he had devoted himself to the study of literature and
-science. From him Jessie had also learned German as a child, and she
-spoke that language with great fluency. She had been brought up on
-Grimm's fairy-tales, and was, moreover, thoroughly acquainted with
-German poetry, as well as with that of England and France, and her
-knowledge of them was as thorough as the most advanced education could
-demand. French literature did not appeal to her much. Her quick powers
-of comprehension were astonishing. Everything which I touched upon she
-immediately grasped and assimilated. It was the same with music: she
-read at sight with the greatest facility, and was an accomplished
-player. During her stay in Dresden she had been told that I was still
-in search of the pianist who could play Beethoven's great Sonata in B
-flat major, and she now astonished me by her finished rendering of this
-most difficult piece. The emotion aroused in me by finding such an
-exceptionally developed talent suddenly changed to anxiety when I heard
-her sing. Her sharp, shrill voice, in which there was strength but no
-real depth of feeling, so shocked me that I could not refrain from
-begging her to desist from singing in future. With regard to the
-execution of the sonata, she listened eagerly to my instructions as to
-how it should be interpreted, though I could not feel that she would
-succeed in rendering it according to my ideas. I read her my latest
-essays, and she seemed to understand even the most extraordinary
-descriptions perfectly. My poem on Siegfried's Tod moved her deeply,
-but she preferred my sketch of Wieland der Schmied. She admitted
-afterwards that she would prefer to imagine herself filling the role of
-Wieland's worthy bride than to find herself in the position and forced
-to endure the fate of Gutrune in Siegfried. It followed inevitably that
-the presence of the other members of the family proved embarrassing
-when we wanted to talk over and discuss these various subjects. If we
-felt somewhat troubled at having to confess to ourselves that Mrs.
-Taylor would certainly never be able to understand why I was being
-offered assistance, I was still more disconcerted at realising after a
-time the complete want of harmony between the young couple,
-particularly from an intellectual point of view. The fact that Laussot
-had for some time been well aware of his wife's dislike for him was
-plainly shown when he one day so far forgot himself as to complain
-loudly and bitterly that she would not even love a child of his if she
-had one, and that he therefore thought it fortunate that she was not a
-mother. Astonished and saddened, I suddenly gazed into an abyss which
-was hidden here, as is often the case, under the appearance of a
-tolerably happy married life. About this time, and just as my visit,
-which had already lasted three weeks, was drawing to a close, I
-received a letter from my wife that could not have had a more
-unfortunate effect on my state of mind. She was, on the whole, pleased
-at my having found new friends, but at the same time explained that if
-I did not immediately return to Paris, and there endeavour to secure
-the production of my overture with the results anticipated, she would
-not know what to think of me, and would certainly fail to understand me
-if I returned to Zurich without having effected my purpose. At the same
-time my depression was intensified in a terrible way by a notice in the
-papers announcing that Rockel, Bakunin, and Heubner had been sentenced
-to death, and that the date of their execution was fixed. I wrote a
-short but stirring letter of farewell to the two first, and as I saw no
-possibility of having it conveyed to the prisoners, who were confined
-in the fortress of Konigstein, I decided to send it to Frau von
-Luttichau, to be forwarded to them by her, because I thought she was
-the only person in whose power it might lie to do this for me, while at
-the same time she had sufficient generosity and independence of mind to
-enable her to respect and carry out my wishes, in spite of any possible
-difference of opinion she might entertain. I was told some time
-afterwards that Luttichau had got hold of the letter and thrown it into
-the fire. For the time being this painful impression helped me to the
-determination to break with every one and everything, to lose all
-desire to learn more of life or of art, and, even at the risk of having
-to endure the greatest privations, to trust to chance and put myself
-beyond the reach of everybody. The small income settled upon me by my
-friends I wished to divide between myself and my wife, and with my half
-go to Greece or Asia Minor, and there, Heaven alone knew how, seek to
-forget and be forgotten. I communicated this plan to the only
-confidante I had left to me, chiefly in order that she might be able to
-enlighten my benefactors as to how I intended disposing of the income
-they had offered me. She seemed pleased with the idea, and the resolve
-to abandon herself to the same fate seemed to her also, in her
-resentment against her position, to be quite an easy matter. She
-expressed us much by hints and a word dropped here and there. Without
-clearly realising what it would lead to, and without coming to any
-understanding with her, I left Bordeaux towards the end of April, more
-excited than soothed in spirit, and filled with regret and anxiety. I
-returned to Paris, for the time being, stunned and full of uncertainty
-as to what to do next. Feeling very unwell, exhausted, and at the same
-time excited from want of sleep, I reached my destination and put up at
-the Hotel Valois, where I remained a week, struggling to gain my
-self-control and to face my strange position. Even if I had wished to
-resume the plans which had been instrumental in bringing me to Paris, I
-soon convinced myself that little or nothing could be done. I was
-filled with distress and anger at being called upon to waste my
-energies in a direction contrary to my tastes, merely to satisfy the
-unreasonable demands made upon me. I was at length obliged to answer my
-wife's last pressing communication, and wrote her a long and detailed
-letter in which I kindly, but at the same time frankly, retraced the
-whole of our life together, and explained that I was fully determined
-to set her free from any immediate participation in my fate, as I felt
-quite incapable of so arranging it so as to meet with her approval. I
-promised her the half of whatever means I should have at my disposal
-now or in the future, and told her she must accept this arrangement
-with a good grace, because the occasion had now arisen to take that
-step of parting from me which, on our first meeting again in
-Switzerland, she had declared herself ready to do. I ended my letter
-without bidding her a final farewell. I thereupon wrote to Bordeaux
-immediately to inform Jessie of the step I had taken, though my means
-did not as yet allow of my forming any definite plan which I could
-communicate to her for my complete flight from the world. In return she
-announced that she was determined to do likewise, and asked for my
-protection, under which she intended to place herself when once she had
-set herself free. Much alarmed, I did all in my power to make her
-realise that it was one thing for a man, placed in such a desperate
-situation as myself, to cut himself adrift in the face of
-insurmountable difficulties, but quite another matter for a young
-woman, at least to all outward appearances, happily settled, to decide
-to break up her home, for reasons which probably no one except myself
-would be in a position to understand. Regarding the unconventionality
-of her resolve in the eyes of the world, she assured me that it would
-be carried out as quietly as possible, and that for the present she
-merely thought of arranging to visit her friends the Ritters in
-Dresden. I felt so upset by all this that I yielded to my craving for
-retirement, and sought it at no great distance from Paris. Towards the
-middle of April I went to Montmorency, of which I had heard many
-agreeable accounts, and there sought a modest hiding-place. With great
-difficulty I dragged myself to the outskirts of the little town, where
-the country still bore a wintry aspect, and turned into the little
-strip of garden belonging to a wine merchant, which was filled with
-visitors only on Sundays, and there refreshed myself with some bread
-and cheese and a bottle of wine. A crowd of hens surrounded me, and I
-kept throwing them pieces of bread, and was touched by the
-self-sacrificing abstemiousness with which the cock gave all to his
-wives though I aimed particularly at him. They became bolder and
-bolder, and finally flew on to the table and attacked my provisions;
-the cock flew after them, and noticing that everything was topsy-turvy,
-pounced upon the cheese with the eagerness of a craving long
-unsatisfied. When I found myself being driven from the table by this
-chaos of fluttering wings, I was filled with a gaiety to which I had
-long been a stranger. I laughed heartily, and looked round for the
-signboard of the inn. I thereby discovered that my host rejoiced in the
-name of Homo. This seemed a hint from Fate, and I felt I must seek
-shelter here at all costs. An extraordinarily small and narrow bedroom
-was shown me, which I immediately engaged. Besides the bed it held a
-rough table and two cane-bottomed chairs. I arranged one of these as a
-washhand-stand, and on the table I placed some books, writing
-materials, and the score of Lohengrin, and almost heaved a sigh of
-content in spite of my extremely cramped accommodation. Though the
-weather remained uncertain and the woods with their leafless trees did
-not seem to offer the prospect of very enticing walks, I still felt
-that here there was a possibility of my being forgotten, and being also
-in my turn allowed to forget the events that had lately filled me with
-Midi desperate anxiety. My old artistic instinct awoke again. I looked
-over my Lohengrin score, and quickly decided to send it to Liszt and
-leave it to him to bring it out as best he could. Now that I had got
-rid of this score also, I felt as free as a bird and as careless as
-Diogenes about what might befall me. I even invited Kietz to come and
-stay with me and share the pleasures of my retreat. He did actually
-come, as he had done during my stay in. Mendon; but he found me even
-more modestly installed than I had been there. He was quite prepared to
-take pot-luck, however, and cheerfully slept on an improvised bed,
-promising to keep the world in touch with me upon his return to Paris.
-I was suddenly startled from my state of complacency by the news that
-my wife had come to Paris to look me up. I had an hour's painful
-struggle with myself to settle the course I should pursue, and decided
-not to allow the step I had taken in regard to her to be looked upon as
-an ill-considered and excusable vagary. I left Montmorency and betook
-myself to Paris, summoned Kietz to my hotel, and instructed him to tell
-my wife, who had already been trying to gain admittance to him, that he
-knew nothing more of me except that I had left Paris. The poor fellow,
-who felt as much pity for Minna as for me, was so utterly bewildered on
-this occasion, that he declared that he felt as though he were the axis
-upon which all the misery in the world turned. But he apparently
-realised the significance and importance of my decision, as it was
-necessary he should, and acquitted himself in this delicate matter with
-intelligence and good feeling. That night t left Paris by train for
-Clermont-Tonnerre, from whence I travelled on to Geneva, there to await
-news from Frau Ritter in Dresden. My exhaustion was such that, even had
-I possessed the necessary means, I could not as yet have contemplated
-undergoing the fatigue of a long journey. By way of gaining time for
-further developments I retired to Villeneuve, at the other end of the
-Lake of Geneva, where I put up at the Hotel Byron, which was quite
-empty at the time. Here I learned that Karl Ritter had arrived in
-Zurich, as he said he would, with the intention of paying me a visit.
-Impressing upon him the necessity for the strictest secrecy, I invited
-him to join me at the Lake of Geneva, and in the second week in May we
-met at the Hotel Byron. The characteristic which pleased me in him was
-his absolute devotion, his quick comprehension of my position and the
-necessity of my resolutions, as well as his readiness to submit without
-question to all my arrangements, even where he himself was concerned.
-He was full of my latest literary efforts, told me what an impression
-they had made on his acquaintances, and thereby induced me to spend the
-few days of rest I was enjoying in preparing my poem of Siegfried's Tod
-for publication.
-
-I wrote a short preface dedicating this poem to my friends as a relic
-of the time when I had hoped to devote myself entirely to art, and
-especially to the composition of music. I sent this manuscript to Herr
-Wigand in Leipzig, who returned it to me after some time with the
-remark, that if I insisted on its being printed in Latin characters he
-would not be able to sell a single copy of it. Later on I discovered
-that he deliberately refused to pay me the ten louis d'or due to me for
-Das Kunstwerk der Zukunft, which I had directed him to send to my wife.
-Disappointing as all this was, I was nevertheless unable to engage in
-any further work, as only a few days after Karl's arrival the realities
-of life made themselves felt in an unexpected manner, most upsetting to
-my tranquillity of mind. I received a wildly excited letter from Mme.
-Laussot to tell me that she had not been able to resist telling her
-mother of her intentions, that in so doing she had immediately aroused
-the suspicion that I was to blame, and in consequence of this her
-disclosure had been communicated to M. Laussot, who vowed he would
-search everywhere for me in order to put a bullet through my body. The
-situation was clear enough, and I decided to go to Bordeaux immediately
-in order to come to an understanding with my opponent I at once wrote
-fully to M. Eugene, endeavouring to make him see matters in their true
-light, but at the same time declared myself incapable of understanding
-how a man could bring himself to keep a woman with him by force, when
-she no longer wished to remain. I ended by informing him that I should
-reach Bordeaux at, the same time as my letter, and immediately upon my
-arrival there would let him know at what hotel to find me; also that I
-would not tell his wife of the step I was taking, and that he could
-consequently act without restraint. I did not conceal from him, what
-indeed was the fact, that I was undertaking this journey under great
-difficulties, as under the circumstances I considered it impossible to
-wait to have my passport endorsed by the French envoy. At the same time
-I wrote a few lines to Mme. Laussot, exhorting her to be calm and
-self-possessed, but, true to my purpose, refrained from even hinting at
-any movement on my part. (When, years afterwards, I told Liszt this
-story, he declared I had acted very stupidly in not, telling Mme.
-Laussot of my intentions.) I took leave of Karl the same day, in order
-to set out next morning from Geneva on my tedious journey across
-France. But I was so exhausted by all this that I could not help
-thinking I was going to die. That same night I wrote to Frau Ritter in
-Dresden, to this effect, giving her a short account of the incredible
-difficulties I had been drawn into. As a matter of fact, I suffered
-great inconvenience at the French frontier on account of my passport; I
-was made to give my exact place of destination, and it was only upon my
-assuring them that pressing family affairs required my immediate
-presence, that the authorities showed exceptional leniency and allowed
-me to proceed.
-
-I travelled by Lyons through Auvergne by stage-coach for three days and
-two nights, till at length I reached Bordeaux. It was the middle of
-May, and as I surveyed the town from a height at early dawn I saw it
-lit up by a fire that had broken out. I alighted at the Hotel Quatre
-Soeurs, and at once sent a note to M. Laussot, informing him that I
-held myself at his disposal and would remain in all day to receive him.
-It was nine o'clock in the morning when I sent him this message. I
-waited in vain for an answer, till at last, late in the afternoon, I
-received a summons from the police-station to present myself
-immediately. There I was first of all asked whether my passport was in
-order. I acknowledged the difficulty I found myself in with regard to
-it, and explained that family matters had necessitated my placing
-myself in this position.
-
-I was thereupon informed that precisely this family matter, which had
-no doubt brought me there, was the cause of their having to deny me the
-permission to remain in Bordeaux any longer. In answer to my question,
-they did not conceal the fact that these proceedings against me were
-being carried out at the express wish of the family concerned. This
-extraordinary revelation immediately restored my good-humour. I asked
-the police inspector whether, after such a trying journey, I might not
-be allowed a couple of days' rest before returning; this request he
-readily granted, and told me that in any case there could be no chance
-of my meeting the family in question, as they had left Bordeaux at
-mid-day. I used these two days to recover from my fatigue, and also
-wrote a letter to Jessie, in which I told her exactly what had taken
-place, without concealing my contempt at the behaviour of her husband,
-who could expose his wife's honour by a denunciation to the police. I
-also added that our friendship could certainly not continue until she
-had released herself from so humiliating a position. The next thing was
-to get this letter safely delivered. The information furnished me by
-the police officials was not sufficient to enlighten me as to what had
-exactly taken place in the Laussot family, whether they had left home
-for some length of time or merely for a day, so I simply made up my
-mind to go to their house. I rang the bell and the door sprang open;
-without meeting any one I walked up to the first-floor flat, the door
-of which stood open, and went from room to room till I reached Jessie's
-boudoir, where I placed my letter in her work-basket and returned the
-way I had come. I received no reply, and set out upon my return journey
-as soon as the term of rest granted me had expired. The fine May
-weather had a cheering effect upon me, and the clear water, as well as
-the agreeable name of the Dordogne, along whose banks the post-chaise
-travelled for some distance, gave me great pleasure.
-
-I was also entertained by the conversation of two fellow-travellers, a
-priest and an officer, about the necessity of putting an end to the
-French Republic. The priest showed himself much more humane and
-broad-minded than his military interlocutor, who could only repeat the
-one refrain, 'Il faut en finir.' I now had a look at Lyons, and in a
-walk round the town tried to recall the scenes in Lamartine's Histoire
-des Girondins, where he so vividly describes the siege and surrender of
-the town during the period of the Convention Nationale. At last I
-arrived at Geneva, and returned to the Byron hotel, where Karl Hitter
-was awaiting me. During my absence he had heard from his family, who
-wrote very kindly concerning me. His mother had at once reassured him
-as to my condition, and pointed out that with people suffering from
-nervous disorders the idea of approaching death was a frequent symptom,
-and that there was consequently no occasion to feel anxious about me.
-She also announced her intention of coming to visit us in Villeneuve
-with her daughter Emilie in a few days' time. This news made me take
-heart again; this devoted family, so solicitous for my welfare, seemed
-sent by Providence to lead me, as I so longed to be led, to a new life.
-Both ladies arrived in time to celebrate my thirty-seventh birthday on
-the twenty-second of May. The mother, Frau Julie, particularly made a
-deep impression upon me. I had only met her once before in Dresden,
-when Karl had invited me to be present at the performance of a
-quartette of his own composition, given at his mother's house. On this
-occasion the respect and devotion shown me by each member of the family
-had delighted me. The mother had hardly spoken to me, but when I was
-leaving she was moved to tears as she thanked me for my visit. I was
-unable to understand her emotion at the time, but now when I reminded
-her of it she was surprised, and explained that she had felt so touched
-at my unexpected kindness to her son.
-
-She and her daughter remained with us about a week. We sought diversion
-in excursions to the beautiful Valais, but did not succeed in
-dispelling Frau Hitter's sadness of heart, caused by the knowledge of
-recent events of which she had now been informed, as well as by her
-anxiety at the course my life was taking. As I afterwards learned, it
-had cost the nervous, delicate woman a great effort to undertake this
-journey, and when I urged her to leave her house to come and settle in
-Switzerland with her family, so that we might all be united, she at
-last pointed out to me that in proposing what seemed to her such an
-eccentric undertaking, I was counting upon a strength and energy she no
-longer possessed. For the present she commended her son, whom she
-wished to leave with me, to my care, and gave me the necessary means to
-keep us both for the time being. Regarding the state of her fortune,
-she told me that her income was limited, and now that it was impossible
-to accept any help from the Laussots, she did not know how she would be
-able to come to my assistance sufficiently to assure my independence.
-Deeply moved, we took leave of this venerable woman at the end of a
-week, and she returned to Dresden with her daughter, and I never saw
-her again.
-
-Still bent upon discovering a means of disappearing from the world, I
-thought of choosing a wild mountain spot where I could retire with
-Karl. For this purpose we sought the lonely Visper Thal in the canton
-Valais, and not without difficulty made our way along the impracticable
-roads to Zermatt. There, at the foot of the colossal and beautiful
-Matterhorn, we could indeed consider ourselves cut off from the outer
-world. I tried to make things as comfortable as I could in this
-primitive wilderness, but discovered only too soon that Karl could not
-reconcile himself to his surroundings. Even on the second day he owned
-that he thought it horrid, and suggested that it would be more pleasant
-in the neighbourhood of one of the lakes. We studied the map of
-Switzerland, and chose Thun for our next destination. Unfortunately I
-again found myself reduced to a state of extreme nervous fatigue, in
-which the slightest effort produced a profuse and weakening
-perspiration. Only by the greatest strength of will was I able to make
-my way out of the valley; but at last we reached Thun, and with renewed
-courage engaged a couple of modest but cheerful rooms looking out on to
-the road, and proposed to wait and see how we should like it. In spite
-of the reserve which still betrayed his shyness of character, I found
-conversation with my young friend always pleasant and enlivening. I now
-realised the pitch of fluent and overflowing vivacity to which the
-young man could attain, particularly at night before retiring to rest,
-when he would squat down beside my bed, and in the agreeable, pure
-dialect of the German Baltic provinces, give free expression to
-whatever had excited his interest. I was exceedingly cheered during
-these days by the perusal of the Odyssey, which I had not read for so
-long and which had fallen into my hands by chance. Homer's
-long-suffering hero, always homesick yet condemned to perpetual
-wandering, and always valiantly overcoming all difficulties, was
-strangely sympathetic to me. Suddenly the peaceful state I had scarcely
-yet entered upon was disturbed by a letter which Karl received from
-Mme. Laussot. He did not know whether he ought to show it to me, as he
-thought Jessie had gone mad. I tore it out of his hand, and found she
-had written to say that she felt obliged to let my friend know that she
-had been sufficiently enlightened about me to make her drop my
-acquaintance entirely. I afterwards discovered, chiefly through the
-help of Frau Ritter, that in consequence of my letter and my arrival in
-Bordeaux, M. Laussot, together with Mrs. Taylor, had immediately taken
-Jessie to the country, intending to remain there until the news was
-received of my departure, to accelerate which he had applied to the
-police authorities. While they were away, and without telling her of my
-letter and my journey, they had obtained a promise from the young woman
-to remain quiet for a year, give up her visit to Dresden, and, above
-all, to drop all correspondence with me; since, under these conditions,
-she was promised her entire freedom at the end of that time, she had
-thought it better to give her word. Not content with this, however, the
-two conspirators had immediately set about calumniating me on all
-sides, and finally to Mme. Laussot herself, saying that I was the
-initiator of this plan of elopement. Mrs. Taylor had written to my wife
-complaining of my intention to commit adultery, at the same time
-expressing her pity for her and offering her support; the unfortunate
-Minna, who now thought she had found a hitherto unsuspected reason for
-my resolve to remain separated from her, wrote back complaining of me
-to Mrs. Taylor. The meaning of an innocent remark I had once made had
-been strangely misinterpreted, and matters wore now aggravated by
-making it appear as though I had intentionally lied. In the course of
-playful conversation Jessie had once told me that she belonged to no
-recognised form of religion, her father Having teen a member of a
-certain sect which did not baptise either according to the Protestant
-or the Roman Catholic ritual; whereupon I had comforted her by assuring
-her that I had come in contact with much more questionable sects, as
-shortly after my marriage in Konigsberg I had learned that it had been
-solemnised by a hypocrite. God alone knows in what form this had been
-repeated to the worthy British matron, but, at all events, she told my
-wife that I had said I was 'not legally married to her.' In any case,
-my wife's answer to this had no doubt furnished further material with
-which to poison Jessie's mind against me, and this letter to my young
-friend was the result. I must admit that, seen by this light, the
-circumstance at which I felt most indignant was the way my wife had
-been treated, and while I was perfectly indifferent as to what the rest
-of the party thought of me, I immediately accepted Karl's offer to go
-to Zurich and see her, so as to give her the explanation necessary to
-her peace of mind. While awaiting his return, I received a letter from
-Liszt, telling me of the deep impression made upon him by my Lohengrin
-score, which had caused him to make up his mind as to the future in
-store for me. He at the same time announced that, as I had given him
-the permission to do so, he intended doing all in his power to bring
-about the production of my opera at the forthcoming Herder festival in
-Weimar. About this time I also heard from Frau Ritter, who, in
-consequence of events of which she was well aware, thought herself
-called upon to beg me not to take the matter too much to heart. At this
-moment Karl also returned from Zurich, and spoke with great warmth of
-my wife's attitude. Not having found me in Paris, she had pulled
-herself together with remarkable energy, and in pursuance of an earlier
-wish of mine, had rented a house on the lake of Zurich, installed
-herself comfortably, and remained there in the hope of at last hearing
-from me again. Besides this, he had much to tell me of Sulzer's good
-sense and friendliness, the latter having stood by, my wife and shown
-her great sympathy. In the midst of his narrative Karl suddenly
-exclaimed, 'Ah! these could be called sensible people; but with such a
-mad Englishwoman nothing could be done.' To all this I said not a word,
-but finally with a smile asked him whether he would like to go over to
-Zurich? He sprang up exclaiming, 'Yes, and as soon as possible.' 'You
-shall have your way,' said I; 'let us pack. I can see no sense in
-anything either here or there.' Without breathing another syllable
-about all that had happened, we left the next day for Zurich.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of My Life, Volume I, by Richard Wagner
-
-Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the
-copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing
-this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.
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-**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971**
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-*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!*****
-
-
-Title: My Life, Volume I
-
-Author: Richard Wagner
-
-Release Date: February, 2004  [EBook #5197]
-[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
-[This file was first posted on June 2, 2002]
-[Date last updated: July 24, 2005]
-
-Edition: 10
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: ASCII
-
-*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, MY LIFE, VOLUME 1***
-
-
-
-
-
-This eBook was produced by John Mamoun <mamounjo@umdnj.edu> with
-help from Charles Franks and the Online distributed proofreading
-website
-
-
-
-
-
-
-My Life, Volume 1
-
-By Richard Wagner
-
-
-
-TABLE OF CONTENTS
-
-
-    PREFACE
-    CONTENTS
-    MY LIFE
-
-        PART I. 1813-1842
-        PART II. 1842-1850 (Dresden)
-
-
-
-
-PREFACE
-
-
-
-The contents of these volumes have been written down directly
-from my dictation, over a period of several years, by my friend
-and wife, who wished me to tell her the story of my life. It was
-the desire of both of us that these details of my life should be
-accessible to our family and to our sincere and trusted friends;
-and we decided therefore, in order to provide against a possible
-destruction of the one manuscript, to have a small number of
-copies printed at our own expense. As the value of this
-autobiography consists in its unadorned veracity, which, under
-the circumstances, is its only justification, therefore my
-statements had to be accompanied by precise names and dates;
-hence there could be no question of their publication until some
-time after my death, should interest in them still survive in our
-descendants, and on that point I intend leaving directions in my
-will.
-
-If, on the other hand, we do not refuse certain intimate friends
-a sight of these papers now, it is that, relying on their genuine
-interest in the contents, we are confident that they will not
-pass on their knowledge to any who do not share their feelings in
-the matter.
-
-Richard Wagner
-
-
-
-CONTENTS
-
-
-
-    Part I. 1813-1842
-
-       Childhood and Schooldays
-       Musical Studies
-       Travels in Germany (First Marriage)
-       Paris: 1839-42
-
-    Part II. 1842-1850 (Dresden)
-
-       'Rienzi'
-       'The Flying Dutchman'
-       Liszt, Spontini, Marschner, etc.
-       'Tannhauser'
-       Franck, Schumann, Semper, Gutzkow, Auerbach
-       'Lohengrin' (Libretto)
-       Ninth Symphony
-       Spohr, Gluck, Hiller, Devrient
-       Official Position.
-       Studies in Historical Literature
-       'Rienzi' at Berlin
-       Relations with the Management, Mother's Death, etc.
-       Growing Sympathy with Political Events, Bakunin
-       The May Insurrection
-       Flight: Weimar, Zurich, Paris, Bordeaux, Geneva, Zurich
-
-ILLUSTRATIONS [not shown in e-text]
-
-    FRONTISPIECE FOR VOLUME I
-
-       Richard Wagner in 1842, from the Portrait by E. Kietz.
-
-FRONTISPIECE FOR VOLUME II
-
-       Richard Wagner about 1872 by Lenbach.
-
-Original in the possession of Frau Cosima Wagner
-These frontispieces are used by the courtesy of Mr. F. Bruckmann.
-
-
-
-MY LIFE
-
-
-
-PART I
-
-1813-1842
-
-
-
-I was born at Leipzig on the 22nd of May 1813, in a room on the
-second floor of the 'Red and White Lion,' and two days later was
-baptized at St. Thomas's Church, and christened Wilhelm Richard.
-
-My father, Friedrich Wagner, was at the time of my birth a clerk
-in the police service at Leipzig, and hoped to get the post of
-Chief Constable in that town, but he died in the October of that
-same year. His death was partly due to the great exertions
-imposed upon him by the stress of police work during the war
-troubles and the battle of Leipzig, and partly to the fact that
-he fell a victim to the nervous fever which was raging at that
-time. As regards his father's position in life, I learnt later
-that he had held a small civil appointment as toll collector at
-the Ranstadt Gate, but had distinguished himself from those in
-the same station by giving his two sons a superior education, my
-father, Friedrich, studying law, and the younger son, Adolph,
-theology.
-
-My uncle subsequently exercised no small influence on my
-development; we shall meet him again at a critical turning-point
-in the story of my youth.
-
-My father, whom I had lost so early, was, as I discovered
-afterwards, a great lover of poetry and literature in general, and
-possessed in particular an almost passionate affection for the
-drama, which was at that time much in vogue among the educated
-classes. My mother told me, among other things, that he took her to
-Lauchstadt for the first performance of the Braut von Messina, and
-that on the promenade he pointed out Schiller and Goethe to her,
-and reproved her warmly for never having heard of these great men.
-He is said to have been not altogether free from a gallant interest
-in actresses. My mother used to complain jokingly that she often
-had to keep lunch waiting for him while he was paying court to a
-certain famous actress of the day [FOOTNOTE: Madame Hartwig]. When
-she scolded him, he vowed that he had been delayed by papers that
-had to be attended to, and as a proof of his assertion pointed to
-his fingers, which were supposed to be stained with ink, but on
-closer inspection were found to be quite clean. His great fondness
-for the theatre was further shown by his choice of the actor,
-Ludwig Geyer, as one of his intimate friends. Although his choice
-of this friend was no doubt mainly due to his love for the theatre,
-he at the same time introduced into his family the noblest of
-benefactors; for this modest artist, prompted by a warm interest in
-the lot of his friend's large family, so unexpectedly left
-destitute, devoted the remainder of his life to making strenuous
-efforts to maintain and educate the orphans. Even when the police
-official was spending his evenings at the theatre, the worthy actor
-generally filled his place in the family circle, and it seems had
-frequently to appease my mother, who, rightly or wrongly,
-complained of the frivolity of her husband.
-
-How deeply the homeless artist, hard pressed by life and tossed
-to and fro, longed to feel himself at home in a sympathetic
-family circle, was proved by the fact that a year after his
-friend's death he married his widow, and from that time forward
-became a most loving father to the seven children that had been
-left behind.
-
-In this onerous undertaking he was favoured by an unexpected
-improvement in his position, for he obtained a remunerative,
-respectable, and permanent engagement, as a character actor, at
-the newly established Court Theatre in Dresden. His talent for
-painting, which had already helped him to earn a livelihood when
-forced by extreme poverty to break off his university studies,
-again stood him in good stead in his position at Dresden. True,
-he complained even more than his critics that he had been kept
-from a regular and systematic study of this art, yet his
-extraordinary aptitude, for portrait painting in particular,
-secured him such important commissions that he unfortunately
-exhausted his strength prematurely by his twofold exertions as
-painter and actor. Once, when he was invited to Munich to fulfil a
-temporary engagement at the Court Theatre, he received, through the
-distinguished recommendation of the Saxon Court, such pressing
-commissions from the Bavarian Court for portraits of the royal
-family that he thought it wise to cancel his contract altogether.
-He also had a turn for poetry. Besides fragments--often in very
-dainty verse--he wrote several comedies, one of which, Der
-Bethlehemitische Kindermord, in rhymed Alexandrines, was often
-performed; it was published and received the warmest praise from
-Goethe.
-
-This excellent man, under whose care our family moved to Dresden
-when I was two years old, and by whom my mother had another
-daughter, Cecilia, now also took my education in hand with the
-greatest care and affection. He wished to adopt me altogether,
-and accordingly, when I was sent to my first school, he gave me
-his own name, so that till the age of fourteen I was known to my
-Dresden schoolfellows as Richard Geyer; and it was not until some
-years after my stepfather's death, and on my family's return to
-Leipzig, the home of my own kith and kin, that I resumed the name
-of Wagner.
-
-The earliest recollections of my childhood are associated with my
-stepfather, and passed from him to the theatre. I well remember
-that he would have liked to see me develop a talent for painting;
-and his studio, with the easel and the pictures upon it, did not
-fail to impress me. I remember in particular that I tried, with a
-childish love of imitation, to copy a portrait of King Frederick
-Augustus of Saxony; but when this simple daubing had to give
-place to a serious study of drawing, I could not stand it,
-possibly because I was discouraged by the pedantic technique of
-my teacher, a cousin of mine, who was rather a bore. At one time
-during my early boyhood I became so weak after some childish
-ailment that my mother told me later she used almost to wish me
-dead, for it seemed as though I should never get well. However,
-my subsequent good health apparently astonished my parents. I
-afterwards learnt the noble part played by my excellent
-stepfather on this occasion also; he never gave way to despair,
-in spite of the cares and troubles of so large a family, but
-remained patient throughout, and never lost the hope of pulling
-me through safely.
-
-My imagination at this time was deeply impressed by my
-acquaintance with the theatre, with which I was brought into
-contact, not only as a childish spectator from the mysterious
-stagebox, with its access to the stage, and by visits to the
-wardrobe with its fantastic costumes, wigs and other disguises,
-but also by taking a part in the performances myself. After I had
-been filled with fear by seeing my father play the villain's part
-in such tragedies as Die Waise und der Morder, Die beiden
-Galeerensklaven, I occasionally took part in comedy. I remember
-that I appeared in Der Weinberg an der Elbe, a piece specially
-written to welcome the King of Saxony on his return from
-captivity, with music by the conductor, C. M. von Weber. In this
-I figured in a tableau vivant as an angel, sewn up in tights with
-wings on my back, in a graceful pose which I had laboriously
-practised. I also remember on this occasion being given a big
-iced cake, which I was assured the King had intended for me
-personally. Lastly, I can recall taking a child's part in which I
-had a few words to speak in Kotzebue's Menschenhass und Reue
-[Footnote: 'Misanthropy and Remorse.'], which furnished me with
-an excuse at school for not having learnt my lessons. I said I
-had too much to do, as I had to learn by heart an important part
-in Den Menschen ausser der Reihe. [Footnote: 'The Man out of the
-Rank or Row.' In the German this is a simple phonetic corruption
-of Kotzebue's title, which might easily occur to a child who had
-only heard, and not read, that title.--EDITOR.]
-
-On the other hand, to show how seriously my father regarded my
-education, when I was six years old he took me to a clergyman in
-the country at Possendorf, near Dresden, where I was to be given
-a sound and healthy training with other boys of my own class. In
-the evening, the vicar, whose name was Wetzel, used to tell us
-the story of Robinson Crusoe, and discuss it with us in a highly
-instructive manner. I was, moreover, much impressed by a
-biography of Mozart which was read aloud; and the newspaper
-accounts and monthly reports of the events of the Greek War of
-Independence stirred my imagination deeply. My love for Greece,
-which afterwards made me turn with enthusiasm to the mythology
-and history of ancient Hellas, was thus the natural outcome of
-the intense and painful interest I took in the events of this
-period. In after years the story of the struggle of the Greeks
-against the Persians always revived my impressions of this modern
-revolt of Greece against the Turks.
-
-One day, when I had been in this country home scarcely a year, a
-messenger came from town to ask the vicar to take me to my
-parents' house in Dresden, as my father was dying.
-
-We did the three hours' journey on foot; and as I was very
-exhausted when I arrived, I scarcely understood why my mother was
-crying. The next day I was taken to my father's bedside; the
-extreme weakness with which he spoke to me, combined with all the
-precautions taken in the last desperate treatment of his
-complaint--acute hydrothorax--made the whole scene appear like a
-dream to me, and I think I was too frightened and surprised to
-cry.
-
-In the next room my mother asked me to show her what I could play
-on the piano, wisely hoping to divert my father's thoughts by the
-sound. I played Ueb' immer Treu und Redlichkeit, and my father
-said to her, 'Is it possible he has musical talent?'
-
-In the early hours of the next morning my mother came into the
-great night nursery, and, standing by the bedside of each of us
-in turn, told us, with sobs, that our father was dead, and gave
-us each a message with his blessing. To me she said, 'He hoped to
-make something of you.'
-
-In the afternoon my schoolmaster, Wetzel, came to take me back to
-the country. We walked the whole way to Possendorf, arriving at
-nightfall. On the way I asked him many questions about the stars,
-of which he gave me my first intelligent idea.
-
-A week later my stepfather's brother arrived from Eisleben for
-the funeral. He promised, as far as he was able, to support the
-family, which was now once more destitute, and undertook to
-provide for my future education.
-
-I took leave of my companions and of the kind-hearted clergyman,
-and it was for his funeral that I paid my next visit to
-Possendorf a few years later. I did not go to the place again
-till long afterwards, when I visited it on an excursion such as I
-often made, far into the country, at the time when I was
-conducting the orchestra in Dresden. I was much grieved not to
-find the old parsonage still there, but in its place a more
-pretentious modern structure, which so turned me against the
-locality, that thenceforward my excursions were always made in
-another direction.
-
-This time my uncle brought me back to Dresden in the carriage. I
-found my mother and sister in the deepest mourning, and remember
-being received for the first time with a tenderness not usual in
-our family; and I noticed that the same tenderness marked our
-leave-taking, when, a few days later, my uncle took me with him
-to Eisleben.
-
-This uncle, who was a younger brother of my stepfather, had
-settled there as a goldsmith, and Julius, one of my elder
-brothers, had already been apprenticed to him. Our old
-grandmother also lived with this bachelor son, and as it was
-evident that she could not live long, she was not informed of the
-death of her eldest son, which I, too, was bidden to keep to
-myself. The servant carefully removed the crape from my coat,
-telling me she would keep it until my grandmother died, which was
-likely to be soon.
-
-I was now often called upon to tell her about my father, and it
-was no great difficulty for me to keep the secret of his death,
-as I had scarcely realised it myself. She lived in a dark back
-room looking out upon a narrow courtyard, and took a great
-delight in watching the robins that fluttered freely about her,
-and for which she always kept fresh green boughs by the stove.
-When some of these robins were killed by the cat, I managed to
-catch others for her in the neighbourhood, which pleased her very
-much, and, in return, she kept me tidy and clean. Her death, as
-had been expected, took place before long, and the crape that had
-been put away was now openly worn in Eisleben.
-
-The back room, with its robins and green branches, now knew me no
-more, but I soon made myself at home with a soap-boiler's family,
-to whom the house belonged, and became popular with them on
-account of the stories I told them.
-
-I was sent to a private school kept by a man called Weiss, who
-left an impression of gravity and dignity upon my mind.
-
-Towards the end of the fifties I was greatly moved at reading in
-a musical paper the account of a concert at Eisleben, consisting
-of parts of Tannhauser, at which my former master, who had not
-forgotten his young pupil, had been present.
-
-The little old town with Luther's house, and the numberless
-memorials it contained of his stay there, has often, in later
-days, come back to me in dreams. I have always wished to revisit
-it and verify the clearness of my recollections, but, strange to
-say, it has never been my fate to do so. We lived in the market-
-place, where I was often entertained by strange sights, such, for
-instance, as performances by a troupe of acrobats, in which a man
-walked a rope stretched from tower to tower across the square, an
-achievement which long inspired me with a passion for such feats
-of daring. Indeed, I got so far as to walk a rope fairly easily
-myself with the help of a balancing-pole. I had made the rope out
-of cords twisted together and stretched across the courtyard, and
-even now I still feel a desire to gratify my acrobatic instincts.
-The thing that attracted me most, however, was the brass band of
-a Hussar regiment quartered at Eisleben. It often played a
-certain piece which had just come out, and which was making a
-great sensation, I mean the 'Huntsmen's Chorus' out of the
-Freischutz, that had been recently performed at the Opera in
-Berlin. My uncle and brother asked me eagerly about its composer,
-Weber, whom I must have seen at my parents' house in Dresden,
-when he was conductor of the orchestra there.
-
-About the same time the Jungfernkranz was zealously played and
-sung by some friends who lived near us. These two pieces cured me
-of my weakness for the 'Ypsilanti' Waltz, which till that time I
-had regarded as the most wonderful of compositions.
-
-I have recollections of frequent tussles with the town boys, who
-were constantly mocking at me for my 'square' cap; and I
-remember, too, that I was very fond of rambles of adventure among
-the rocky banks of the Unstrut.
-
-My uncle's marriage late in life, and the starting of his new
-home, brought about a marked alteration in his relations to my
-family.
-
-After a lapse of a year I was taken by him to Leipzig, and handed
-over for some days to the Wagners, my own father's relatives,
-consisting of my uncle Adolph and his sister Friederike Wagner.
-This extraordinarily interesting man, whose influence afterwards
-became ever more stimulating to me, now for the first time
-brought himself and his singular environment into my life.
-
-He and my aunt were very close friends of Jeannette Thome, a
-queer old maid who shared with them a large house in the market-
-place, in which, if I am not mistaken, the Electoral family of
-Saxony had, ever since the days of Augustus the Strong, hired and
-furnished the two principal storeys for their own use whenever
-they were in Leipzig.
-
-So far as I know, Jeannette Thome really owned the second storey,
-of which she inhabited only a modest apartment looking out on the
-courtyard. As, however, the King merely occupied the hired rooms
-for a few days in the year, Jeannette and her circle generally
-made use of his splendid apartments, and one of these staterooms
-was made into a bedroom for me.
-
-The decorations and fittings of these rooms also dated from the
-days of Augustus the Strong. They were luxurious with heavy silk
-and rich rococo furniture, all of which were much soiled with
-age. As a matter of fact, I was delighted by these large strange
-rooms, looking out upon the bustling Leipzig market-place, where
-I loved above all to watch the students in the crowd making their
-way along in their old-fashioned 'Club' attire, and filling up
-the whole width of the street.
-
-There was only one portion of the decorations of the rooms that I
-thoroughly disliked, and this consisted of the various portraits,
-but particularly those of high-born dames in hooped petticoats,
-with youthful faces and powdered hair. These appeared to me
-exactly like ghosts, who, when I was alone in the room, seemed to
-come back to life, and filled me with the most abject fear. To
-sleep alone in this distant chamber, in that old-fashioned bed of
-state, beneath those unearthly pictures, was a constant terror to
-me. It is true I tried to hide my fear from my aunt when she
-lighted me to bed in the evening with her candle, but never a
-night passed in which I was not a prey to the most horrible
-ghostly visions, my dread of which would leave me in a bath of
-perspiration.
-
-The personality of the three chief occupants of this storey was
-admirably adapted to materialise the ghostly impressions of the
-house into a reality that resembled some strange fairy-tale.
-
-Jeannette Thome was very small and stout; she wore a fair Titus
-wig, and seemed to hug to herself the consciousness of vanished
-beauty. My aunt, her faithful friend and guardian, who was also
-an old maid, was remarkable for the height and extreme leanness
-of her person. The oddity of her otherwise very pleasant face was
-increased by an exceedingly pointed chin.
-
-My uncle Adolph had chosen as his permanent study a dark room in
-the courtyard. There it was that I saw him for the first time,
-surrounded by a great wilderness of books, and attired in an
-unpretentious indoor costume, the most striking feature of which
-was a tall, pointed felt cap, such as I had seen worn by the
-clown who belonged to the troupe of rope-dancers at Eisleben. A
-great love of independence had driven him to this strange
-retreat. He had been originally destined for the Church, but he
-soon gave that up, in order to devote himself entirely to
-philological studies. But as he had the greatest dislike of
-acting as a professor and teacher in a regular post, he soon
-tried to make a meagre livelihood by literary work. He had
-certain social gifts, and especially a fine tenor voice, and
-appears in his youth to have been welcome as a man of letters
-among a fairly wide circle of friends at Leipzig.
-
-On a trip to Jena, during which he and a companion seem to have
-found their way into various musical and oratorical associations,
-he paid a visit to Schiller. With this object in view, he had
-come armed with a request from the management of the Leipzig
-Theatre, who wanted to secure the rights of Wallenstein, which
-was just finished. He told me later of the magic impression made
-upon him by Schiller, with his tall slight figure and
-irresistibly attractive blue eyes. His only complaint was that,
-owing to a well-meant trick played on him by his friend, he had
-been placed in a most trying position; for the latter had managed
-to send Schiller a small volume of Adolph Wagner's poems in
-advance.
-
-The young poet was much embarrassed to hear Schiller address him
-in flattering terms on the subject of his poetry, but was
-convinced that the great man was merely encouraging him out of
-kindness. Afterwards he devoted himself entirely to philological
-studios--one of his best-known publications in that department
-being his Parnasso Italiano, which he dedicated to Goethe in an
-Italian poem. True, I have heard experts say that the latter was
-written in unusually pompous Italian; but Goethe sent him a
-letter full of praise, as well as a silver cup from his own
-household plate. The impression that I, as a boy of eight,
-conceived of Adolph Wagner, amid the surroundings of his own
-home, was that he was a peculiarly puzzling character.
-
-I soon had to leave the influence of this environment and was
-brought back to my people at Dresden. Meanwhile my family, under
-the guidance of my bereaved mother, had been obliged to settle
-down as well as they could under the circumstances. My eldest
-brother Albert, who originally intended to study medicine, had,
-upon the advice of Weber, who had much admired his beautiful
-tenor voice, started his theatrical career in Breslau. My second
-sister Louisa soon followed his example, and became an actress.
-My eldest sister Rosalie had obtained an excellent engagement at
-the Dresden Court Theatre, and the younger members of the family
-all looked up to her; for she was now the main support of our
-poor sorrowing mother. My family still occupied the same
-comfortable home which my father had made for them. Some of the
-spare rooms were occasionally let to strangers, and Spohr was
-among those who at one time lodged with us. Thanks to her great
-energy, and to help received from various sources (among which
-the continued generosity of the Court, out of respect to the
-memory of my late stepfather, must not be forgotten), my mother
-managed so well in making both ends meet, that even my education
-did not suffer.
-
-After it had been decided that my sister Clara, owing to her
-exceedingly beautiful voice, should also go on the stage, my
-mother took the greatest care to prevent me from developing any
-taste whatever for the theatre. She never ceased to reproach
-herself for having consented to the theatrical career of my
-eldest brother, and as my second brother showed no greater
-talents than those which were useful to him as a goldsmith, it
-was now her chief desire to see some progress made towards the
-fulfilment of the hopes and wishes of my step-father, 'who hoped
-to make something of me.' On the completion of my eighth year I
-was sent to the Kreuz Grammar School in Dresden, where it was
-hoped I would study! There I was placed at the bottom of the
-lowest class, and started my education under the most unassuming
-auspices.
-
-My mother noted with much interest the slightest signs I might
-show of a growing love and ability for my work. She herself,
-though not highly educated, always created a lasting impression
-on all who really learnt to know her, and displayed a peculiar
-combination of practical domestic efficiency and keen
-intellectual animation. She never gave one of her children any
-definite information concerning her antecedents. She came from
-Weissenfels, and admitted that her parents had been bakers
-[FOOTNOTE: According to more recent information--mill owners]
-there. Even in regard to her maiden name she always spoke with
-some embarrassment, and intimated that it was 'Perthes,' though,
-as we afterwards ascertained, it was in reality 'Bertz.' Strange
-to say, she had been placed in a high-class boarding-school in
-Leipzig, where she had enjoyed the advantage of the care and
-interest of one of 'her father's influential friends,' to whom
-she afterwards referred as being a Weimar prince who had been
-very kind to her family in Weissenfels. Her education in that
-establishment seems to have been interrupted on account of the
-sudden death of this 'friend.' She became acquainted with my
-father at a very early age, and married him in the first bloom of
-her youth, he also being very young, though he already held an
-appointment. Her chief characteristics seem to have been a keen
-sense of humour and an amiable temper, so we need not suppose
-that it was merely a sense of duty towards the family of a
-departed comrade that afterwards induced the admirable Ludwig
-Geyer to enter into matrimony with her when she was no longer
-youthful, but rather that he was impelled to that step by a
-sincere and warm regard for the widow of his friend. A portrait
-of her, painted by Geyer during the lifetime of my father, gives
-one a very favourable impression of what she must have been. Even
-from the time when my recollection of her is quite distinct, she
-always had to wear a cap owing to some slight affection of the
-head, so that I have no recollection of her as a young and pretty
-mother. Her trying position at the head of a numerous family (of
-which I was the seventh surviving member), the difficulty of
-obtaining the wherewithal to rear them, and of keeping up
-appearances on very limited resources, did not conduce to evolve
-that tender sweetness and solicitude which are usually associated
-with motherhood. I hardly ever recollect her having fondled me.
-Indeed, demonstrations of affection were not common in our
-family, although a certain impetuous, almost passionate and
-boisterous manner always characterised our dealings. This being
-so, it naturally seemed to me quite a great event when one night
-I, fretful with sleepiness, looked up at her with tearful eyes as
-she was taking me to bed, and saw her gaze back at me proudly and
-fondly, and speak of me to a visitor then present with a certain
-amount of tenderness.
-
-What struck me more particularly about her was the strange
-enthusiasm and almost pathetic manner with which she spoke of the
-great and of the beautiful in Art. Under this heading, however,
-she would never have let me suppose that she included dramatic
-art, but only Poetry, Music, and Painting. Consequently, she
-often even threatened me with her curse should I ever express a
-desire to go on the stage. Moreover, she was very religiously
-inclined. With intense fervour she would often give us long
-sermons about God and the divine quality in man, during which,
-now and again, suddenly lowering her voice in a rather funny way,
-she would interrupt herself in order to rebuke one of us. After
-the death of our stepfather she used to assemble us all round her
-bed every morning, when one of us would read out a hymn or a part
-of the Church service from the prayer-book before she took her
-coffee. Sometimes the choice of the part to be read was hardly
-appropriate, as, for instance, when my sister Clara on one
-occasion thoughtlessly read the 'Prayer to be said in time of
-War,' and delivered it with so much expression that my mother
-interrupted her, saying: 'Oh, stop! Good gracious me! Things are
-not quite so bad as that. There's no war on at present!'
-
-In spite of our limited means we had lively and--as they appeared
-to my boyish imagination--even brilliant evening parties
-sometimes. After the death of my stepfather, who, thanks to his
-success as a portrait painter, in the later years of his life had
-raised his income to what for those days was a really decent
-total, many agreeable acquaintances of very good social position
-whom he had made during this flourishing period still remained on
-friendly terms with us, and would occasionally join us at our
-evening gatherings. Amongst those who came were the members of
-the Court Theatre, who at that time gave very charming and highly
-entertaining parties of their own, which, on my return to Dresden
-later on, I found had been altogether given up.
-
-Very delightful, too, were the picnics arranged between us and
-our friends at some of the beautiful spots around Dresden, for
-these excursions were always brightened by a certain artistic
-spirit and general good cheer. I remember one such outing we
-arranged to Loschwitz, where we made a kind of gypsy camp, in
-which Carl Maria von Weber played his part in the character of
-cook. At home we also had some music. My sister Rosalie played
-the piano, and Clara was beginning to sing. Of the various
-theatrical performances we organised in those early days, often
-after elaborate preparation, with the view of amusing ourselves
-on the birthdays of our elders, I can hardly remember one, save a
-parody on the romantic play of Sappho, by Grillparzer, in which I
-took part as one of the singers in the crowd that preceded
-Phaon's triumphal car. I endeavoured to revive these memories by
-means of a fine puppet show, which I found among the effects of
-my late stepfather, and for which he himself had painted some
-beautiful scenery. It was my intention to surprise my people by
-means of a brilliant performance on this little stage. After I
-had very clumsily made several puppets, and had provided them
-with a scanty wardrobe made from cuttings of material purloined
-from my sisters, I started to compose a chivalric drama, in which
-I proposed to rehearse my puppets. When I had drafted the first
-scene, my sisters happened to discover the MS. and literally
-laughed it to scorn, and, to my great annoyance, for a long time
-afterwards they chaffed me by repeating one particular sentence
-which I had put into the mouth of the heroine, and which was--Ich
-hore schon den Ritter trapsen ('I hear his knightly footsteps
-falling'). I now returned with renewed ardour to the theatre,
-with which, even at this time, my family was in close touch. Den
-Freischutz in particular appealed very strongly to my
-imagination, mainly on account of its ghostly theme. The emotions
-of terror and the dread of ghosts formed quite an important
-factor in the development of my mind. From my earliest childhood
-certain mysterious and uncanny things exercised an enormous
-influence over me. If I were left alone in a room for long, I
-remember that, when gazing at lifeless objects such as pieces of
-furniture, and concentrating my attention upon them, I would
-suddenly shriek out with fright, because they seemed to me alive.
-Even during the latest years of my boyhood, not a night passed
-without my waking out of some ghostly dream and uttering the most
-frightful shrieks, which subsided only at the sound of some human
-voice. The most severe rebuke or even chastisement seemed to me
-at those times no more than a blessed release. None of my
-brothers or sisters would sleep anywhere near me. They put me to
-sleep as far as possible away from the others, without thinking
-that my cries for help would only be louder and longer; but in
-the end they got used even to this nightly disturbance.
-
-In connection with this childish terror, what attracted me so
-strongly to the theatre--by which I mean also the stage, the
-rooms behind the scenes, and the dressing-rooms--was not so much
-the desire for entertainment and amusement such as that which
-impels the present-day theatre-goers, but the fascinating
-pleasure of finding myself in an entirely different atmosphere,
-in a world that was purely fantastic and often gruesomely
-attractive. Thus to me a scene, even a wing, representing a bush,
-or some costume or characteristic part of it, seemed to come from
-another world, to be in some way as attractive as an apparition,
-and I felt that contact with it might serve as a lever to lift me
-from the dull reality of daily routine to that delightful region
-of spirits. Everything connected with a theatrical performance
-had for me the charm of mystery, it both bewitched and fascinated
-me, and while I was trying, with the help of a few playmates, to
-imitate the performance of Der Freischutz, and to devote myself
-energetically to reproducing the needful costumes and masks in my
-grotesque style of painting, the more elegant contents of my
-sisters' wardrobes, in the beautifying of which I had often seen
-the family occupied, exercised a subtle charm over my
-imagination; nay, my heart would beat madly at the very touch of
-one of their dresses.
-
-In spite of the fact that, as I already mentioned, our family was
-not given to outward manifestations of affection, yet the fact
-that I was brought up entirely among feminine surroundings must
-necessarily have influenced the development of the sensitive side
-of my nature. Perhaps it was precisely because my immediate
-circle was generally rough and impetuous, that the opposite
-characteristics of womanhood, especially such as were connected
-with the imaginary world of the theatre, created a feeling of
-such tender longing in me.
-
-Luckily these fantastic humours, merging from the gruesome into
-the mawkish, were counteracted and balanced by more serious
-influences undergone at school at the hands of my teachers and
-schoolfellows. Even there, it was chiefly the weird that aroused
-my keenest interest. I can hardly judge whether I had what would
-be called a good head for study. I think that, in general, what I
-really liked I was soon able to grasp without much effort,
-whereas I hardly exerted myself at all in the study of subjects
-that were uncongenial. This characteristic was most marked in
-regard to arithmetic and, later on, mathematics. In neither of
-these subjects did I ever succeed in bringing my mind seriously
-to bear upon the tasks that were set me. In the matter of the
-Classics, too, I paid only just as much attention as was
-absolutely necessary to enable me to get a grasp of them; for I
-was stimulated by the desire to reproduce them to myself
-dramatically. In this way Greek particularly attracted me,
-because the stories from Greek mythology so seized upon my fancy
-that I tried to imagine their heroes as speaking to me in their
-native tongue, so as to satisfy my longing for complete
-familiarity with them. In these circumstances it will be readily
-understood that the grammar of the language seemed to me merely a
-tiresome obstacle, and by no means in itself an interesting
-branch of knowledge.
-
-The fact that my study of languages was never very thorough,
-perhaps best explains the fact that I was afterwards so ready to
-cease troubling about them altogether. Not until much later did
-this study really begin to interest me again, and that was only
-when I learnt to understand its physiological and philosophical
-side, as it was revealed to our modern Germanists by the pioneer
-work of Jakob Grimm. Then, when it was too late to apply myself
-thoroughly to a study which at last I had learned to appreciate,
-I regretted that this newer conception of the study of languages
-had not yet found acceptance in our colleges when I was younger.
-
-Nevertheless, by my successes in philological work I managed to
-attract the attention of a young teacher at the Kreuz Grammar
-School, a Master of Arts named Sillig, who proved very helpful to
-me. He often permitted me to visit him and show him my work,
-consisting of metric translations and a few original poems, and
-he always seemed very pleased with my efforts in recitation. What
-he thought of me may best be judged perhaps from the fact that he
-made me, as a boy of about twelve, recite not only 'Hector's
-Farewell' from the Iliad, but even Hamlet's celebrated monologue.
-On one occasion, when I was in the fourth form of the school, one
-of my schoolfellows, a boy named Starke, suddenly fell dead, and
-the tragic event aroused so much sympathy, that not only did the
-whole school attend the funeral, but the headmaster also ordered
-that a poem should be written in commemoration of the ceremony,
-and that this poem should be published. Of the various poems
-submitted, among which there was one by myself, prepared very
-hurriedly, none seemed to the master worthy of the honour which
-he had promised, and he therefore announced his intention of
-substituting one of his own speeches in the place of our rejected
-attempts. Much distressed by this decision, I quickly sought out
-Professor Sillig, with the view of urging him to intervene on
-behalf of my poem. We thereupon went through it together. Its
-well-constructed and well-rhymed verses, written in stanzas of
-eight lines, determined him to revise the whole of it carefully.
-Much of its imagery was bombastic, and far beyond the conception
-of a boy of my age. I recollect that in one part I had drawn
-extensively from the monologue in Addison's Cato, spoken by Cato
-just before his suicide. I had met with this passage in an
-English grammar, and it had made a deep impression upon me. The
-words: 'The stars shall fade away, the sun himself grow dim with
-age, and nature sink in years,' which, at all events, were a
-direct plagiarism, made Sillig laugh--a thing at which I was a
-little offended. However, I felt very grateful to him, for,
-thanks to the care and rapidity with which he cleared my poem of
-these extravagances, it was eventually accepted by the
-headmaster, printed, and widely circulated.
-
-The effect of this success was extraordinary, both on my
-schoolfellows and on my own family. My mother devoutly folded her
-hands in thankfulness, and in my own mind my vocation seemed
-quite a settled thing. It was clear, beyond the possibility of a
-doubt, that I was destined to be a poet. Professor Sillig wished
-me to compose a grand epic, and suggested as a subject 'The
-Battle of Parnassus,' as described by Pausanias. His reasons for
-this choice were based upon the legend related by Pausanias,
-viz., that in the second century B.C. the Muses from Parnassus
-aided the combined Greek armies against the destructive invasion
-of the Gauls by provoking a panic among the latter. I actually
-began my heroic poem in hexameter verse, but could not get
-through the first canto.
-
-Not being far enough advanced in the language to understand the
-Greek tragedies thoroughly in the original, my own attempts to
-construct a tragedy in the Greek form were greatly influenced by
-the fact that quite by accident I came across August Apel's
-clever imitation of this style in his striking poems 'Polyidos'
-and 'Aitolier.' For my theme I selected the death of Ulysses,
-from a fable of Hyginus, according to which the aged hero is
-killed by his son, the offspring of his union with Calypso. But I
-did not get very far with this work either, before I gave it up.
-
-My mind became so bent upon this sort of thing, that duller
-studies naturally ceased to interest me. The mythology, legends,
-and, at last, the history of Greece alone attracted me.
-
-I was fond of life, merry with my companions, and always ready
-for a joke or an adventure. Moreover, I was constantly forming
-friendships, almost passionate in their ardour, with one or the
-other of my comrades, and in choosing my associates I was mainly
-influenced by the extent to which my new acquaintance appealed to
-my eccentric imagination. At one time it would be poetising and
-versifying that decided my choice of a friend; at another,
-theatrical enterprises, while now and then it would be a longing
-for rambling and mischief.
-
-Furthermore, when I reached my thirteenth year, a great change
-came over our family affairs. My sister Rosalie, who had become
-the chief support of our household, obtained an advantageous
-engagement at the theatre in Prague, whither mother and children
-removed in 1820, thus giving up the Dresden home altogether. I
-was left behind in Dresden, so that I might continue to attend
-the Kreuz Grammar School until I was ready to go up to the
-university. I was therefore sent to board and lodge with a family
-named Bohme, whose sons I had known at school, and in whose house
-I already felt quite at home. With my residence in this somewhat
-rough, poor, and not particularly well-conducted family, my years
-of dissipation began. I no longer enjoyed the quiet retirement
-necessary for work, nor the gentle, spiritual influence of my
-sisters' companionship. On the contrary, I was plunged into a
-busy, restless life, full of rough horseplay and of quarrels.
-Nevertheless, it was there that I began to experience the
-influence of the gentler sex in a manner hitherto unknown to me,
-as the grown-up daughters of the family and their friends often
-filled the scanty and narrow rooms of the house. Indeed, my first
-recollections of boyish love date from this period. I remember a
-very beautiful young girl, whose name, if I am not mistaken, was
-Amalie Hoffmann, coming to call at the house one Sunday. She was
-charmingly dressed, and her appearance as she came into the room
-literally struck me dumb with amazement. On other occasions I
-recollect pretending to be too helplessly sleepy to move, so that
-I might be carried up to bed by the girls, that being, as they
-thought, the only remedy for my condition. And I repeated this,
-because I found, to my surprise, that their attention under these
-circumstances brought me into closer and more gratifying
-proximity with them.
-
-The most important event during this year of separation from my
-family was, however, a short visit I paid to them in Prague. In
-the middle of the winter my mother came to Dresden, and took me
-hack with her to Prague for a week. Her way of travelling was
-quite unique. To the end of her days she preferred the more
-dangerous mode of travelling in a hackney carriage to the quicker
-journey by mail-coach, so that we spent three whole days in the
-bitter cold on the road from Dresden to Prague. The journey over
-the Bohemian mountains often seemed to be beset with the greatest
-dangers, but happily we survived our thrilling adventures and at
-last arrived in Prague, where I was suddenly plunged into
-entirely new surroundings.
-
-For a long time the thought of leaving Saxony on another visit to
-Bohemia, and especially Prague, had had quite a romantic
-attraction for me. The foreign nationality, the broken German of
-the people, the peculiar headgear of the women, the native wines,
-the harp-girls and musicians, and finally, the ever present signs
-of Catholicism, its numerous chapels and shrines, all produced on
-me a strangely exhilarating impression. This was probably due to
-my craze for everything theatrical and spectacular, as
-distinguished from simple bourgeois customs. Above all, the
-antique splendour and beauty of the incomparable city of Prague
-became indelibly stamped on my fancy. Even in my own family
-surroundings I found attractions to which I had hitherto been a
-stranger. For instance, my sister Ottilie, only two years older
-than myself, had won the devoted friendship of a noble family,
-that of Count Pachta, two of whose daughters, Jenny and Auguste,
-who had long been famed as the leading beauties of Prague, had
-become fondly attached to her. To me, such people and such a
-connection were something quite novel and enchanting. Besides
-these, certain beaux esprits of Prague, among them W. Marsano, a
-strikingly handsome and charming man, were frequent visitors at
-our house. They often earnestly discussed the tales of Hoffmann,
-which at that date were comparatively new, and had created some
-sensation. It was now that I made my first though rather
-superficial acquaintance with this romantic visionary, and so
-received a stimulus which influenced me for many years even to
-the point of infatuation, and gave me very peculiar ideas of the
-world.
-
-In the following spring, 1827, I repeated this journey from
-Dresden to Prague, but this time on foot, and accompanied by my
-friend Rudolf Bohme. Our tour was full of adventure. We got to
-within an hour of Teplitz the first night, and next day we had to
-get a lift in a wagon, as we had walked our feet sore; yet this
-only took us as far as Lowositz, as our funds had quite run out.
-Under a scorching sun, hungry and half-fainting, we wandered
-along bypaths through absolutely unknown country, until at
-sundown we happened to reach the main road just as an elegant
-travelling coach came in sight. I humbled my pride so far as to
-pretend I was a travelling journeyman, and begged the
-distinguished travellers for alms, while my friend timidly hid
-himself in the ditch by the roadside. Luckily we decided to seek
-shelter for the night in an inn, where we took counsel whether we
-should spend the alms just received on a supper or a bed. We
-decided for the supper, proposing to spend the night under the
-open sky. While we were refreshing ourselves, a strange-looking
-wayfarer entered. He wore a black velvet skull-cap, to which a
-metal lyre was attached like a cockade, and on his back he bore a
-harp. Very cheerfully he set down his instrument, made himself
-comfortable, and called for a good meal. He intended to stay the
-night, and to continue his way next day to Prague, where he
-lived, and whither he was returning from Hanover.
-
-My good spirits and courage were stimulated by the jovial manners
-of this merry fellow, who constantly repeated his favourite
-motto, 'non plus ultra.' We soon struck up an acquaintance, and
-in return for my confidence, the strolling player's attitude to
-me was one of almost touching sympathy. It was agreed that we
-should continue our journey together next day on foot. He lent me
-two twenty-kreutzer pieces (about ninepence), and allowed me to
-write my Prague address in his pocket-book. I was highly
-delighted at this personal success. My harpist grew extravagantly
-merry; a good deal of Czernosek wine was drunk; he sang and
-played on his harp like a madman, continually reiterating his
-'non plus ultra' till at last, overcome with wine, he fell down
-on the straw, which had been spread out on the floor for our
-common bed. When the sun once more peeped in, we could not rouse
-him, and we had to make up our minds to set off in the freshness
-of the early morning without him, feeling convinced that the
-sturdy fellow would overtake us during the day. But it was in
-vain that we looked out for him on the road and during our
-subsequent stay in Prague. Indeed, it was not until several weeks
-later that the extraordinary fellow turned up at my mother's, not
-so much to collect payment of his loan, as to inquire about the
-welfare of the young friend to whom that loan had been made.
-
-The remainder of our journey was very fatiguing, and the joy I
-felt when I at last beheld Prague from the summit of a hill, at
-about an hour's distance, simply beggars description. Approaching
-the suburbs, we were for the second time met by a splendid
-carriage, from which my sister Ottilie's two lovely friends
-called out to me in astonishment. They had recognised me
-immediately, in spite of my terribly sunburnt face, blue linen
-blouse, and bright red cotton cap. Overwhelmed with shame, and
-with my heart beating like mad, I could hardly utter a word, and
-hurried away to my mother's to attend at once to the restoration
-of my sunburnt complexion. To this task I devoted two whole days,
-during which I swathed my face in parsley poultices; and not till
-then did I seek the pleasures of society. When, on the return
-journey, I looked back once more on Prague from the same hilltop,
-I burst into tears, flung myself on the earth, and for a long
-time could not be induced by my astonished companion to pursue
-the journey. I was downcast for the rest of the way, and we
-arrived home in Dresden without any further adventures.
-
-During the same year I again gratified my fancy for long
-excursions on foot by joining a numerous company of grammar
-school boys, consisting of pupils of several classes and of
-various ages, who had decided to spend their summer holidays in a
-tour to Leipzig. This journey also stands out among the memories
-of my youth, by reason of the strong impressions it left behind.
-The characteristic feature of our party was that we all aped the
-student, by behaving and dressing extravagantly in the most
-approved student fashion. After going as far as Meissen on the
-market-boat, our path lay off the main road, through villages
-with which I was as yet unfamiliar. We spent the night in the
-vast barn of a village inn, and our adventures were of the
-wildest description. There we saw a large marionette show, with
-almost life-sized figures. Our entire party settled themselves in
-the auditorium, where their presence was a source of some anxiety
-to the managers, who had only reckoned on an audience of
-peasants. Genovefa was the play given. The ceaseless silly jests,
-and constant interpolations and jeering interruptions, in which
-our corps of embryo-students indulged, finally aroused the anger
-even of the peasants, who had come prepared to weep. I believe I
-was the only one of our party who was pained by these
-impertinences, and in spite of involuntary laughter at some of my
-comrades' jokes, I not only defended the play itself, but also
-its original, simple-minded audience. A popular catch-phrase
-which occurred in the piece has ever since remained stamped on my
-memory. 'Golo' instructs the inevitable Kaspar that, when the
-Count Palatine returns home, he must 'tickle him behind, so that
-he should feel it in front' (hinten zu kitzeln, dass er es vorne
-fuhle). Kaspar conveys Golo's order verbatim to the Count, and
-the latter reproaches the unmasked rogue in the following terms,
-uttered with the greatest pathos: 'O Golo, Golo! thou hast told
-Kaspar to tickle me behind, so that I shall feel it in front!'
-
-From Grimma our party rode into Leipzig in open carriages, but
-not until we had first carefully removed all the outward emblems
-of the undergraduate, lest the local students we were likely to
-meet might make us rue our presumption.
-
-Since my first visit, when I was eight years old, I had only once
-returned to Leipzig, and then for a very brief stay, and under
-circumstances very similar to those of the earlier visit. I now
-renewed my fantastic impressions of the Thome house, but this
-time, owing to my more advanced education, I looked forward to
-more intelligent intercourse with my uncle Adolph. An opening for
-this was soon provided by my joyous astonishment on learning that
-a bookcase in the large anteroom, containing a goodly collection
-of books, was my property, having been left me by my father. I
-went through the books with my uncle, selected at once a number
-of Latin authors in the handsome Zweibruck edition, along with
-sundry attractive looking works of poetry and belles-lettres, and
-arranged for them to be sent to Dresden. During this visit I was
-very much interested in the life of the students. In addition to
-my impressions of the theatre and of Prague, now came those of
-the so-called swaggering undergraduate. A great change had taken
-place in this class. When, as a lad of eight, I had my first
-glimpse of students, their long hair, their old German costume
-with the black velvet skull-cap and the shirt collar turned back
-from the bare neck, had quite taken my fancy. But since that time
-the old student 'associations' which affected this fashion had
-disappeared in the face of police prosecutions. On the other
-hand, the national student clubs, no less peculiar to Germans,
-had become conspicuous. These clubs adopted, more or less, the
-fashion of the day, but with some little exaggeration. Albeit,
-their dress was clearly distinguishable from that of other
-classes, owing to its picturesqueness, and especially its display
-of the various club-colours. The 'Comment,' that compendium of
-pedantic rules of conduct for the preservation of a defiant and
-exclusive esprit de corps, as opposed to the bourgeois classes,
-had its fantastic side, just as the most philistine peculiarities
-of the Germans have, if you probe them deeply enough. To me it
-represented the idea of emancipation from the yoke of school and
-family. The longing to become a student coincided unfortunately
-with my growing dislike for drier studies and with my ever-
-increasing fondness for cultivating romantic poetry. The results
-of this soon showed themselves in my resolute attempts to make a
-change.
-
-At the time of my confirmation, at Easter, 1827, I had
-considerable doubt about this ceremony, and I already felt a
-serious falling off of my reverence for religious observances.
-The boy who, not many years before, had gazed with agonised
-sympathy on the altarpiece in the Kreuz Kirche (Church of the
-Holy Cross), and had yearned with ecstatic fervour to hang upon
-the Cross in place of the Saviour, had now so far lost his
-veneration for the clergyman, whose preparatory confirmation
-classes he attended, as to be quite ready to make fun of him, and
-even to join with his comrades in withholding part of his class
-fees, and spending the money in sweets. How matters stood with me
-spiritually was revealed to me, almost to my horror, at the
-Communion service, when I walked in procession with my fellow-
-communicants to the altar to the sound of organ and choir. The
-shudder with which I received the Bread and Wine was so
-ineffaceably stamped on my memory, that I never again partook of
-the Communion, lest I should do so with levity. To avoid this was
-all the easier for me, seeing that among Protestants such
-participation is not compulsory.
-
-I soon, however, seized, or rather created, an opportunity of
-forcing a breach with the Kreuz Grammar School, and thus
-compelled my family to let me go to Leipzig. In self-defence
-against what I considered an unjust punishment with which I was
-threatened by the assistant headmaster, Baumgarten-Crusius, for
-whom I otherwise had great respect, I asked to be discharged
-immediately from the school on the ground of sudden summons to
-join my family in Leipzig. I had already left the Bohme household
-three months before, and now lived alone in a small garret, where
-I was waited on by the widow of a court plate-washer, who at
-every meal served up the familiar thin Saxon coffee as almost my
-sole nourishment. In this attic I did little else but write
-verses. Here, too, I formed the first outlines of that stupendous
-tragedy which afterwards filled my family with such
-consternation. The irregular habits I acquired through this
-premature domestic independence induced my anxious mother to
-consent very readily to my removal to Leipzig, the more so as a
-part of our scattered family had already migrated there.
-
-My longing for Leipzig, originally aroused by the fantastic
-impressions I had gained there, and later by my enthusiasm for a
-student's life, had recently been still further stimulated. I had
-seen scarcely anything of my sister Louisa, at that time a girl
-of about twenty-two, as she had gone to the theatre of Breslau
-shortly after our stepfather's death. Quite recently she had been
-in Dresden for a few days on her way to Leipzig, having accepted
-an engagement at the theatre there. This meeting with my almost
-unknown sister, her hearty manifestations of joy at seeing me
-again, as well as her sprightly, merry disposition, quite won my
-heart. To live with her seemed an alluring prospect, especially
-as my mother and Ottilie had joined her for a while. For the
-first time a sister had treated me with some tenderness. When at
-last I reached Leipzig at Christmas in the same year (1827), and
-there found my mother with Ottilie and Cecilia (my half-sister),
-I fancied myself in heaven. Great changes, however, had already
-taken place. Louisa was betrothed to a respected and well-to-do
-bookseller, Friedrich Brockhaus. This gathering together of the
-relatives of the penniless bride-elect did not seem to trouble
-her remarkably kind-hearted fiance. But my sister may have become
-uneasy on the subject, for she soon gave me to understand that
-she was not taking it quite in good part. Her desire to secure an
-entree into the higher social circles of bourgeois life naturally
-produced a marked change in her manner, at one time so full of
-fun, and of this I gradually became so keenly sensible that
-finally we were estranged for a time. Moreover, I unfortunately
-gave her good cause to reprove my conduct. After I got to Leipzig
-I quite gave up my studies and all regular school work, probably
-owing to the arbitrary and pedantic system in vogue at the school
-there.
-
-In Leipzig there were two higher-class schools, one called St.
-Thomas's School, and the other, and the more modern, St.
-Nicholas's School. The latter at that time enjoyed a better
-reputation than the former; so there I had to go. But the council
-of teachers before whom I appeared for my entrance examination at
-the New Year (1828) thought fit to maintain the dignity of their
-school by placing me for a time in the upper third form, whereas
-at the Kreuz Grammar School in Dresden I had been in the second
-form. My disgust at having to lay aside my Homer--from which I
-had already made written translations of twelve songs--and take
-up the lighter Greek prose writers was indescribable. It hurt my
-feelings so deeply, and so influenced my behaviour, that I never
-made a friend of any teacher in the school. The unsympathetic
-treatment I met with made me all the more obstinate, and various
-other circumstances in my position only added to this feeling.
-While student life, as I saw it day by day, inspired me ever more
-and more with its rebellious spirit, I unexpectedly met with
-another cause for despising the dry monotony of school regime. I
-refer to the influence of my uncle, Adolph Wagner, which, though
-he was long unconscious of it, went a long way towards moulding
-the growing stripling that I then was.
-
-The fact that my romantic tastes were not based solely on a
-tendency to superficial amusement was shown by my ardent
-attachment to this learned relative. In his manner and
-conversation he was certainly very attractive; the many-sidedness
-of his knowledge, which embraced not only philology but also
-philosophy and general poetic literature, rendered intercourse
-with him a most entertaining pastime, as all those who knew him
-used to admit. On the other hand, the fact that he was denied the
-gift of writing with equal charm, or clearness, was a singular
-defect which seriously lessened his influence upon the literary
-world, and, in fact, often made him appear ridiculous, as in a
-written argument he would perpetrate the most pompous and
-involved sentences. This weakness could not have alarmed me,
-because in the hazy period of my youth the more incomprehensible
-any literary extravagance was, the more I admired it; besides
-which, I had more experience of his conversation than of his
-writings. He also seemed to find pleasure in associating with the
-lad who could listen with so much heart and soul. Yet
-unfortunately, possibly in the fervour of his discourses, of
-which he was not a little proud, he forgot that their substance,
-as well as their form, was far above my youthful powers of
-comprehension. I called daily to accompany him on his
-constitutional walk beyond the city gates, and I shrewdly suspect
-that we often provoked the smiles of those passers-by who
-overheard the profound and often earnest discussions between us.
-The subjects generally ranged over everything serious or sublime
-throughout the whole realm of knowledge. I took the most
-enthusiastic interest in his copious library, and tasted eagerly
-of almost all branches of literature, without really grounding
-myself in any one of them.
-
-My uncle was delighted to find in me a very willing listener to
-his recital of classic tragedies. He had made a translation of
-Oedipus, and, according to his intimate friend Tieck, justly
-flattered himself on being an excellent reader.
-
-I remember once, when he was sitting at his desk reading out a
-Greek tragedy to me, it did not annoy him when I fell fast
-asleep, and he afterwards pretended he had not noticed it. I was
-also induced to spend my evenings with him, owing to the friendly
-and genial hospitality his wife showed me. A very great change
-had come over my uncle's life since my first acquaintance with
-him at Jeannette Thome's. The home which he, together with his
-sister Friederike, had found in his friend's house seemed, as
-time went on, to have brought in its train duties that were
-irksome. As his literary work assured him a modest income, he
-eventually deemed it more in accordance with his dignity to make
-a home of his own. A friend of his, of the same age as himself,
-the sister of the aesthete Wendt of Leipzig, who afterwards
-became famous, was chosen by him to keep house for him. Without
-saying a word to Jeannette, instead of going for his usual
-afternoon walk he went to the church with his chosen bride, and
-got through the marriage ceremonies as quickly as possible; and
-it was only on his return that he informed us he was leaving, and
-would have his things removed that very day. He managed to meet
-the consternation, perhaps also the reproaches, of his elderly
-friend with quiet composure; and to the end of his life he
-continued his regular daily visits to 'Mam'selle Thome,' who at
-times would coyly pretend to sulk. It was only poor Friederike
-who seemed obliged at times to atone for her brother's sudden
-unfaithfulness.
-
-What attracted me in my uncle most strongly was his blunt
-contempt of the modern pedantry in State, Church, and School, to
-which he gave vent with some humour. Despite the great moderation
-of his usual views on life, he yet produced on me the effect of a
-thorough free-thinker. I was highly delighted by his contempt for
-the pedantry of the schools. Once, when I had come into serious
-conflict with all the teachers of the Nicolai School, and the
-rector of the school had approached my uncle, as the only male
-representative of my family, with a serious complaint about my
-behaviour, my uncle asked me during a stroll round the town, with
-a calm smile as though he were speaking to one of his own age,
-what I had been up to with the people at school. I explained the
-whole affair to him, and described the punishment to which I had
-been subjected, and which seemed to me unjust. He pacified me,
-and exhorted me to be patient, telling me to comfort myself with
-the Spanish proverb, un rey no puede morir, which he explained as
-meaning that the ruler of a school must of necessity always be in
-the right.
-
-He could not, of course, help noticing, to his alarm, the effect
-upon me of this kind of conversation, which I was far too young
-to appreciate. Although it annoyed me one day, when I wanted to
-begin reading Goethe's Faust, to hear him say quietly that I was
-too young to understand it, yet, according to my thinking, his
-other conversations about our own great poets, and even about
-Shakespeare and Dante, had made me so familiar with these sublime
-figures that I had now for some time been secretly busy working
-out the great tragedy I had already conceived in Dresden. Since
-my trouble at school I had devoted all my energies, which ought
-by rights to have been exclusively directed to my school duties,
-to the accomplishment of this task. In this secret work I had
-only one confidante, my sister Ottilie, who now lived with me at
-my mother's. I can remember the misgivings and alarm which the
-first confidential communication of my great poetic enterprise
-aroused in my good sister; yet she affectionately suffered the
-tortures I sometimes inflicted on her by reciting to her in
-secret, but not without emotion, portions of my work as it
-progressed. Once, when I was reciting to her one of the most
-gruesome scenes, a heavy thunderstorm came on. When the lightning
-flashed quite close to us, and the thunder rolled, my sister felt
-bound to implore me to stop; but she soon found it was hopeless,
-and continued to endure it with touching devotion.
-
-But a more significant storm was brewing on the horizon of my
-life. My neglect of school reached such a point that it could not
-but lead to a rupture. Whilst my dear mother had no presentiment
-of this, I awaited the catastrophe with longing rather than with
-fear.
-
-In order to meet this crisis with dignity I at length decided to
-surprise my family by disclosing to them the secret of my
-tragedy, which was now completed. They were to be informed of
-this great event by my uncle. I thought I could rely upon his
-hearty recognition of my vocation as a great poet on account of
-the deep harmony between us on all other questions of life,
-science, and art. I therefore sent him my voluminous manuscript,
-with a long letter which I thought would please him immensely. In
-this I communicated to him first my ideas with regard to the St.
-Nicholas's School, and then my firm determination from that time
-forward not to allow any mere school pedantry to check my free
-development. But the event turned out very different from what I
-had expected. It was a great shock to them. My uncle, quite
-conscious that he had been indiscreet, paid a visit to my mother
-and brother-in-law, in order to report the misfortune that had
-befallen the family, reproaching himself for the fact that his
-influence over me had not always, perhaps, been for my good. To
-me he wrote a serious letter of discouragement; and to this day I
-cannot understand why he showed so small a sense of humour in
-understanding my bad behaviour. To my surprise he merely said
-that he reproached himself for having corrupted me by
-conversations unsuited to my years, but he made no attempt to
-explain to me good-naturedly the error of my ways.
-
-The crime this boy of fifteen had committed was, as I said
-before, to have written a great tragedy, entitled Leubald und
-Adelaide.
-
-The manuscript of this drama has unfortunately been lost, but I
-can still see it clearly in my mind's eye. The handwriting was
-most affected, and the backward-sloping tall letters with which I
-had aimed at giving it an air of distinction had already been
-compared by one of my teachers to Persian hieroglyphics. In this
-composition I had constructed a drama in which I had drawn
-largely upon Shakespeare's Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, and
-Goethe's Gotz van Berlichingen. The plot was really based on a
-modification of Hamlet, the difference consisting in the fact
-that my hero is so completely carried away by the appearance of
-the ghost of his father, who has been murdered under similar
-circumstances, and demands vengeance, that he is driven to
-fearful deeds of violence; and, with a series of murders on his
-conscience, he eventually goes mad. Leubald, whose character is a
-mixture of Hamlet and Harry Hotspur, had promised his father's
-ghost to wipe from the face of the earth the whole race of
-Roderick, as the ruthless murderer of the best of fathers was
-named. After having slain Roderick himself in mortal combat, and
-subsequently all his sons and other relations who supported him,
-there was only one obstacle that prevented Leubald from
-fulfilling the dearest wish of his heart, which was to be united
-in death with the shade of his father: a child of Roderick's was
-still alive. During the storming of his castle the murderer's
-daughter had been carried away into safety by a faithful suitor,
-whom she, however, detested. I had an irresistible impulse to
-call this maiden 'Adelaide.' As even at that early age I was a
-great enthusiast for everything really German, I can only account
-for the obviously un-German name of my heroine by my infatuation
-for Beethoven's Adelaide, whose tender refrain seemed to me the
-symbol of all loving appeals. The course of my drama was now
-characterised by the strange delays which took place in the
-accomplishment of this last murder of vengeance, the chief
-obstacle to which lay in the sudden passionate love which arose
-between Leubald and Adelaide. I succeeded in representing the
-birth and avowal of this love by means of extraordinary
-adventures. Adelaide was once more stolen away by a robber-knight
-from the lover who had been sheltering her. After Leubald had
-thereupon sacrificed the lover and all his relations, he hastened
-to the robber's castle, driven thither less by a thirst for blood
-than by a longing for death. For this reason he regrets his
-inability to storm the robber's castle forthwith, because it is
-well defended, and, moreover, night is fast falling; he is
-therefore obliged to pitch his tent. After raving for a while he
-sinks down for the first time exhausted, but being urged, like
-his prototype Hamlet, by the spirit of his father to complete his
-vow of vengeance, he himself suddenly falls into the power of the
-enemy during a night assault. In the subterranean dungeons of the
-castle he meets Roderick's daughter for the first time. She is a
-prisoner like himself, and is craftily devising flight. Under
-circumstances in which she produces on him the impression of a
-heavenly vision, she makes her appearance before him. They fall
-in love, and fly together into the wilderness, where they realise
-that they are deadly enemies. The incipient insanity which was
-already noticeable in Leubald breaks out more violently after
-this discovery, and everything that can be done to intensify it
-is contributed by the ghost of his father, which continually
-comes between the advances of the lovers. But this ghost is not
-the only disturber of the conciliating love of Leubald and
-Adelaide. The ghost of Roderick also appears, and according to
-the method followed by Shakespeare in Richard III., he is joined
-by the ghosts of all the other members of Adelaide's family whom
-Leubald has slain. From the incessant importunities of these
-ghosts Leubald seeks to free himself by means of sorcery, and
-calls to his aid a rascal named Flamming. One of Macbeth's
-witches is summoned to lay the ghosts; as she is unable to do
-this efficiently, the furious Leubald sends her also to the
-devil; but with her dying breath she despatches the whole crowd
-of spirits who serve her to join the ghosts of those already
-pursuing him. Leubald, tormented beyond endurance, and now at
-last raving mad, turns against his beloved, who is the apparent
-cause of all his misery. He stabs her in his fury; then finding
-himself suddenly at peace, he sinks his head into her lap, and
-accepts her last caresses as her life-blood streams over his own
-dying body.
-
-I had not omitted the smallest detail that could give this plot
-its proper colouring, and had drawn on all my knowledge of the
-tales of the old knights, and my acquaintance with Lear and
-Macbeth, to furnish my drama with the most vivid situations. But
-one of the chief characteristics of its poetical form I took from
-the pathetic, humorous, and powerful language of Shakespeare. The
-boldness of my grandiloquent and bombastic expressions roused my
-uncle Adolph's alarm and astonishment. He was unable to
-understand how I could have selected and used with inconceivable
-exaggeration precisely the most extravagant forms of speech to be
-found in Lear and Gotz von Berlichingen. Nevertheless, even after
-everybody had deafened me with their laments over my lost time
-and perverted talents, I was still conscious of a wonderful
-secret solace in the face of the calamity that had befallen me. I
-knew, a fact that no one else could know, namely, that my work
-could only be rightly judged when set to the music which I had
-resolved to write for it, and which I intended to start composing
-immediately.
-
-I must now explain my position with respect to music hitherto.
-For this purpose I must go back to my earliest attempts in the
-art. In my family two of my sisters were musical; the elder one,
-Rosalie, played the piano, without, however, displaying any
-marked talent. Clara was more gifted; in addition to a great deal
-of musical feeling, and a fine rich touch on the piano, she
-possessed a particularly sympathetic voice, the development of
-which was so premature and remarkable that, under the tuition of
-Mieksch, her singing master, who was famous at that time, she was
-apparently ready for the role of a prima donna as early as her
-sixteenth year, and made her debut at Dresden in Italian opera as
-'Cenerentola' in Rossini's opera of that name. Incidentally I
-may remark that this premature development proved injurious to
-Clara's voice, and was detrimental to her whole career. As I have
-said, music was represented in our family by these two sisters.
-It was chiefly owing to Clara's career that the musical conductor
-C. M. von Weber often came to our house. His visits were varied
-by those of the great male-soprano Sassaroli; and in addition to
-these two representatives of German and Italian music, we also
-had the company of Mieksch, her singing master. It was on these
-occasions that I as a child first heard German and Italian music
-discussed, and learnt that any one who wished to ingratiate
-himself with the Court must show a preference for Italian music,
-a fact which led to very practical results in our family council.
-Clara's talent, while her voice was still sound, was the object
-of competition between the representatives of Italian and German
-opera. I can remember quite distinctly that from the very
-beginning I declared myself in favour of German opera; my choice
-was determined by the tremendous impression made on me by the two
-figures of Sassaroli and Weber. The Italian male-soprano, a huge
-pot-bellied giant, horrified me with his high effeminate voice,
-his astonishing volubility, and his incessant screeching
-laughter. In spite of his boundless good-nature and amiability,
-particularly to my family, I took an uncanny dislike to him. On
-account of this dreadful person, the sound of Italian, either
-spoken or sung, seemed to my ears almost diabolical; and when, in
-consequence of my poor sister's misfortune, I heard them often
-talking about Italian intrigues and cabals, I conceived so strong
-a dislike for everything connected with this nation that even in
-much later years I used to feel myself carried away by an impulse
-of utter detestation and abhorrence.
-
-The less frequent visits of Weber, on the other hand, seemed to
-have produced upon me those first sympathetic impressions which I
-have never since lost. In contrast to Sassaroli's repulsive
-figure, Weber's really refined, delicate, and intellectual
-appearance excited my ecstatic admiration. His narrow face and
-finely-cut features, his vivacious though often half-closed eyes,
-captivated and thrilled me; whilst even the bad limp with which
-he walked, and which I often noticed from our windows when the
-master was making his way home past our house from the fatiguing
-rehearsals, stamped the great musician in my imagination as an
-exceptional and almost superhuman being. When, as a boy of nine,
-my mother introduced me to him, and he asked me what I was going
-to be, whether I wanted perhaps to be a musician, my mother told
-him that, though I was indeed quite mad on Freischutz, yet she
-had as yet seen nothing in me which indicated any musical talent.
-
-This showed correct observation on my mother's part; nothing had
-made so great an impression on me as the music of Freischutz, and
-I tried in every possible way to procure a repetition of the
-impressions I had received from it, but, strange to say, least of
-all by the study of music itself. Instead of this, I contented
-myself with hearing bits from Freischutz played by my sisters.
-Yet my passion for it gradually grew so strong that I can
-remember taking a particular fancy for a young man called Spiess,
-chiefly because he could play the overture to Freischutz, which I
-used to ask him to do whenever I met him. It was chiefly the
-introduction to this overture which at last led me to attempt,
-without ever having received any instruction on the piano, to
-play this piece in my own peculiar way, for, oddly enough, I was
-the only child in our family who had not been given music
-lessons. This was probably due to my mother's anxiety to keep me
-away from any artistic interests of this kind in case they might
-arouse in me a longing for the theatre.
-
-When I was about twelve years old, however, my mother engaged a
-tutor for me named Humann, from whom I received regular music
-lessons, though only of a very mediocre description. As soon as I
-had acquired a very imperfect knowledge of fingering I begged to
-be allowed to play overtures in the form of duets, always keeping
-Weber as the goal of my ambition. When at length I had got so far
-as to be able to play the overture to Freischutz myself, though
-in a very faulty manner, I felt the object of my study had been
-attained, and I had no inclination to devote any further
-attention to perfecting my technique.
-
-Yet I had attained this much: I was no longer dependent for music
-on the playing of others; from this time forth I used to try and
-play, albeit very imperfectly, everything I wanted to know. I
-also tried Mozart's Don Juan, but was unable to get any pleasure
-out of it, mainly because the Italian text in the arrangement for
-the piano placed the music in a frivolous light in my eyes, and
-much in it seemed to me trivial and unmanly. (I can remember that
-when my sister used to sing Zerlinen's ariette, Batti, batti, ben
-Masetto, the music repelled me, as it seemed so mawkish and
-effeminate.)
-
-On the other hand, my bent for music grew stronger and stronger,
-and I now tried to possess myself of my favourite pieces by
-making my own copies. I can remember the hesitation with which my
-mother for the first time gave me the money to buy the scored
-paper on which I copied out Weber's Lutzow's Jagd, which was the
-first piece of music I transcribed.
-
-Music was still a secondary occupation with me when the news of
-Weber's death and the longing to learn his music to Oberon fanned
-my enthusiasm into flame again. This received fresh impetus from
-the afternoon concerts in the Grosser Garten at Dresden, where I
-often heard my favourite music played by Zillmann's Town Band, as
-I thought, exceedingly well. The mysterious joy I felt in hearing
-an orchestra play quite close to me still remains one of my most
-pleasant memories. The mere tuning up of the instruments put me
-in a state of mystic excitement; even the striking of fifths on
-the violin seemed to me like a greeting from the spirit world--
-which, I may mention incidentally, had a very real meaning for
-me. When I was still almost a baby, the sound of these fifths,
-which has always excited me, was closely associated in my mind
-with ghosts and spirits. I remember that even much later in life
-I could never pass the small palace of Prince Anthony, at the end
-of the Ostra Allee in Dresden, without a shudder; for it was
-there I had first heard the sound of a violin, a very common
-experience to me afterwards. It was close by me, and seemed to my
-ears to come from the stone figures with which this palace is
-adorned, some of which are provided with musical instruments.
-When I took up my post as musical conductor at Dresden, and had
-to pay my official visit to Morgenroth, the President of the
-Concert Committee, an elderly gentleman who lived for many years
-opposite that princely palace, it seemed odd to find that the
-player of fifths who had so strongly impressed my musical fancy
-as a boy was anything but a supernatural spectre. And when I saw
-the well-known picture in which a skeleton plays on his violin to
-an old man on his deathbed, the ghostly character of those very
-notes impressed itself with particular force upon my childish
-imagination. When at last, as a young man, I used to listen to
-the Zillmann Orchestra in the Grosser Garten almost every
-afternoon, one may imagine the rapturous thrill with which I drew
-in all the chaotic variety of sound that I heard as the orchestra
-tuned up: the long drawn A of the oboe, which seemed like a call
-from the dead to rouse the other instruments, never failed to
-raise all my nerves to a feverish pitch of tension, and when the
-swelling C in the overture to Freischutz told me that I had
-stepped, as it were with both feet, right into the magic realm of
-awe. Any one who had been watching me at that moment could hardly
-have failed to see the state I was in, and this in spite of the
-fact that I was such a bad performer on the piano.
-
-Another work also exercised a great fascination over me, namely,
-the overture to Fidelio in E major, the introduction to which
-affected me deeply. I asked my sisters about Beethoven, and
-learned that the news of his death had just arrived. Obsessed as
-I still was by the terrible grief caused by Weber's death, this
-fresh loss, due to the decease of this great master of melody,
-who had only just entered my life, filled me with strange
-anguish, a feeling nearly akin to my childish dread of the
-ghostly fifths on the violin. It was now Beethoven's music that I
-longed to know more thoroughly; I came to Leipzig, and found his
-music to Egmont on the piano at my sister Louisa's. After that I
-tried to get hold of his sonatas. At last, at a concert at the
-Gewandthaus, I heard one of the master's symphonies for the first
-time; it was the Symphony in A major. The effect on me was
-indescribable. To this must be added the impression produced on
-me by Beethoven's features, which I saw in the lithographs that
-were circulated everywhere at that time, and by the fact that he
-was deaf, and lived a quiet secluded life. I soon conceived an
-image of him in my mind as a sublime and unique supernatural
-being, with whom none could compare. This image was associated in
-my brain with that of Shakespeare; in ecstatic dreams I met both
-of them, saw and spoke to them, and on awakening found myself
-bathed in tears.
-
-It was at this time that I came across Mozart's Requiem, which
-formed the starting-point of my enthusiastic absorption in the
-works of that master. His second finale to Don Juan inspired me
-to include him in my spirit world.
-
-I was now filled with a desire to compose, as I had before been
-to write verse. I had, however, in this case to master the
-technique of an entirely separate and complicated subject. This
-presented greater difficulties than I had met with in writing
-verse, which came to me fairly easily. It was these difficulties
-that drove me to adopt a career which bore some resemblance to
-that of a professional musician, whose future distinction would
-be to win the titles of Conductor and Writer of Opera.
-
-I now wanted to set Leubald und Adelaide to music, similar to
-that which Beethoven wrote to Goethe's Egmont; the various ghosts
-from the spirit world, who were each to display different
-characteristics, were to borrow their own distinctive colouring
-from appropriate musical accompaniment. In order to acquire the
-necessary technique of composition quickly I studied Logier's
-Methode des Generalbasses, a work which was specially recommended
-to me at a musical lending library as a suitable text-book from
-which this art might be easily mastered. I have distinct
-recollections that the financial difficulties with which I was
-continually harassed throughout my life began at this time. I
-borrowed Logier's book on the weekly payment system, in the fond
-hope of having to pay for it only during a few weeks out of the
-savings of my weekly pocket-money. But the weeks ran on into
-months, and I was still unable to compose as well as I wished.
-Mr. Frederick Wieck, whose daughter afterwards married Robert
-Schumann, was at that time the proprietor of that lending
-library. He kept sending me troublesome reminders of the debt I
-owed him; and when my bill had almost reached the price of
-Logier's book I had to make a clean breast of the matter to my
-family, who thus not only learnt of my financial difficulties in
-general, but also of my latest transgression into the domain of
-music, from which, of course, at the very most, they expected
-nothing better than a repetition of Leubald und Adelaide.
-
-There was great consternation at home; my mother, sister, and
-brother-in-law, with anxious faces, discussed how my studies
-should be superintended in future, to prevent my having any
-further opportunity for transgressing in this way. No one,
-however, yet knew the real state of affairs at school, and they
-hoped I would soon see the error of my ways in this case as I had
-in my former craze for poetry.
-
-But other domestic changes were taking place which necessitated
-my being for some little time alone in our house at Leipzig
-during the summer of 1829, when I was left entirely to my own
-devices. It was during this period that my passion for music rose
-to an extraordinary degree. I had secretly been taking lessons in
-harmony from G. Muller, afterwards organist at Altenburg, an
-excellent musician belonging to the Leipzig orchestra. Although
-the payment of these lessons was also destined to get me into hot
-water at home later on, I could not even make up to my teacher
-for the delay in the payment of his fees by giving him the
-pleasure of watching me improve in my studies. His teaching and
-exercises soon filled me with the greatest disgust, as to my mind
-it all seemed so dry. For me music was a spirit, a noble and
-mystic monster, and any attempt to regulate it seemed to lower it
-in my eyes. I gathered much more congenial instruction about it
-from Hoffmann's Phantasiestucken than from my Leipzig orchestra
-player; and now came the time when I really lived and breathed in
-Hoffmann's artistic atmosphere of ghosts and spirits. With my
-head quite full of Kreissler, Krespel, and other musical spectres
-from my favourite author, I imagined that I had at last found in
-real life a creature who resembled them: this ideal musician in
-whom for a time I fancied I had discovered a second Kreissler was
-a man called Flachs. He was a tall, exceedingly thin man, with a
-very narrow head and an extraordinary way of walking, moving, and
-speaking, whom I had seen at all those open-air concerts which
-formed my principal source of musical education. He was always
-with the members of the orchestra, speaking exceedingly quickly,
-first to one and then the other; for they all knew him, and
-seemed to like him. The fact that they were making fun of him I
-only learned, to my great confusion, much later. I remember
-having noticed this strange figure from my earliest days in
-Dresden, and I gathered from the conversations which I overheard
-that he was indeed well known to all Dresden musicians. This
-circumstance alone was sufficient to make me take a great
-interest in him; but the point about him which attracted me more
-than anything was the manner in which he listened to the various
-items in the programme: he used to give peculiar, convulsive nods
-of his head, and blow out his cheeks as though with sighs. All
-this I regarded as a sign of spiritual ecstasy. I noticed,
-moreover, that he was quite alone, that he belonged to no party,
-and paid no attention to anything in the garden save the music;
-whereupon my identification of this curious being with the
-conductor Kreissler seemed quite natural. I was determined to
-make his acquaintance, and I succeeded in doing so. Who shall
-describe my delight when, on going to call on him at his rooms
-for the first time, I found innumerable bundles of scores! I had
-as yet never seen a score. It is true I discovered, to my regret,
-that he possessed nothing either by Beethoven, Mozart, or Weber;
-in fact, nothing but immense quantities of works, masses, and
-cantatas by composers such as Staerkel, Stamitz, Steibelt, etc.,
-all of whom were entirely unknown to me. Yet Flachs was able to
-tell me so much that was good about them that the respect which I
-felt for scores in general helped me to overcome my regret at not
-finding anything by my beloved masters. It is true I learnt later
-that poor Flachs had only come into the possession of these
-particular scores through unscrupulous dealers, who had traded on
-his weakness of intellect and palmed off this worthless music on
-him for large sums of money. At all events, they were scores, and
-that was quite enough for me. Flachs and I became most intimate;
-we were always seen going about together--I, a lanky boy of
-sixteen, and this weird, shaky flaxpole. The doors of my deserted
-home were often opened for this strange guest, who made me play
-my compositions to him while he ate bread and cheese. In return,
-he once arranged one of my airs for wind instruments, and, to my
-astonishment, it was actually accepted and played by the band in
-Kintschy's Swiss Chalet. That this man had not the smallest
-capacity to teach me anything never once occurred to me; I was so
-firmly convinced of his originality that there was no need for
-him to prove it further than by listening patiently to my
-enthusiastic outpourings. But as, in course of time, several of
-his own friends joined us, I could not help noticing that the
-worthy Flachs was regarded by them all as a half-witted fool. At
-first this merely pained me, but a strange incident unexpectedly
-occurred which converted me to the general opinion about him.
-Flachs was a man of some means, and had fallen into the toils of
-a young lady of dubious character who he believed was deeply in
-love with him. One day, without warning, I found his house closed
-to me, and discovered, to my astonishment, that jealousy was the
-cause. The unexpected discovery of this liaison, which was my
-first experience of such a case, filled me with a strange horror.
-My friend suddenly appeared to me even more mad than he really
-was. I felt so ashamed of my persistent blindness that for some
-time to come I never went to any of the garden concerts for fear
-I should meet my sham Kreissler.
-
-By this time I had composed my first Sonata in D minor. I had
-also begun a pastoral play, and had worked it out in what I felt
-sure must be an entirely unprecedented way.
-
-I chose Goethe's Laune der Verliebten as a model for the form and
-plot of my work. I scarcely even drafted out the libretto,
-however, but worked it out at the same time as the music and
-orchestration, so that, while I was writing out one page of the
-score, I had not even thought out the words for the next page. I
-remember distinctly that following this extraordinary method,
-although I had not acquired the slightest knowledge about writing
-for instruments, I actually worked out a fairly long passage
-which finally resolved itself into a scene for three female
-voices followed by the air for the tenor. My bent for writing for
-the orchestra was so strong that I procured a score of Don Juan,
-and set to work on what I then considered a very careful
-orchestration of a fairly long air for soprano. I also wrote a
-quartette in D major after I had myself sufficiently mastered the
-alto for the viola, my ignorance of which had caused me great
-difficulty only a short time before, when I was studying a
-quartette by Haydn.
-
-Armed with these works, I set out in the summer on my first
-journey as a musician. My sister Clara, who was married to the
-singer Wolfram, had an engagement at the theatre at Magdeburg,
-whither, in characteristic fashion, I set forth upon my adventure
-on foot.
-
-My short stay with my relations provided me with many experiences
-of musical life. It was there that I met a new freak, whose
-influence upon me I have never been able to forget. He was a
-musical conductor of the name of Kuhnlein, a most extraordinary
-person. Already advanced in years, delicate and, unfortunately,
-given to drink, this man nevertheless impressed one by something
-striking and vigorous in his expression. His chief
-characteristics were an enthusiastic worship of Mozart and a
-passionate depreciation of Weber. He had read only one book--
-Goethe's Faust--and in this work there was not a page in which he
-had not underlined some passage, and made some remark in praise
-of Mozart or in disparagement of Weber. It was to this man that
-my brother-in-law confided the compositions which I had brought
-with me in order to learn his opinion of my abilities. One
-evening, as we were sitting comfortably in an inn, old Kuhnlein
-came in, and approached us with a friendly, though serious
-manner.
-
-I thought I read good news in his features, but when my brother-
-in-law asked him what he thought of my work, he answered quietly
-and calmly, 'There is not a single good note in it!' My brother-
-in-law, who was accustomed to Kuhnlein's eccentricity, gave a
-loud laugh which reassured me somewhat. It was impossible to get
-any advice or coherent reasons for his opinion out of Kuhnlein;
-he merely renewed his abuse of Weber and made some references to
-Mozart which, nevertheless, made a deep impression upon me, as
-Kuhnlein's language was always very heated and emphatic.
-
-On the other hand, this visit brought me a great treasure, which
-was responsible for leading me in a very different direction from
-that advised by Kuhnlein. This was the score of Beethoven's great
-Quartette in E flat major, which had only been fairly recently
-published, and of which my brother-in-law had a copy made for me.
-Richer in experience, and in the possession of this treasure, I
-returned to Leipzig to the nursery of my queer musical studies.
-But my family had now returned with my sister Rosalie, and I
-could no longer keep secret from them the fact that my connection
-with the school had been entirely suspended, for a notice was
-found saying that I had not attended the school for the last six
-months. As a complaint addressed by the rector to my uncle about
-me had not received adequate attention, the school authorities
-had apparently made no further attempts to exercise any
-supervision over me, which I had indeed rendered quite impossible
-by absenting myself altogether.
-
-A fresh council of war was held in the family to discuss what was
-to be done with me. As I laid particular stress on my bent for
-music, my relations thought that I ought, at any rate, to learn
-one instrument thoroughly. My brother-in-law, Brockhaus, proposed
-to send me to Hummel, at Weimar, to be trained as a pianist, but
-as I loudly protested that by 'music' I meant 'composing,' and
-not 'playing an instrument,' they gave way, and decided to let me
-have regular lessons in harmony from Muller, the very musician
-from whom I had had instruction on the sly some little while
-before, and who had not yet been paid. In return for this I
-promised faithfully to go back to work conscientiously at St.
-Nicholas's School. I soon grew tired of both. I could brook no
-control, and this unfortunately applied to my musical instruction
-as well. The dry study of harmony disgusted me more and more,
-though I continued to conceive fantasias, sonatas, and overtures,
-and work them out by myself. On the other hand, I was spurred on
-by ambition to show what I could do at school if I liked. When
-the Upper School boys were set the task of writing a poem, I
-composed a chorus in Greek, on the recent War of Liberation. I
-can well imagine that this Greek poem had about as much
-resemblance to a real Greek oration and poetry, as the sonatas
-and overtures I used to compose at that time had to thoroughly
-professional music. My attempt was scornfully rejected as a piece
-of impudence. After that I have no further recollections of my
-school. My continued attendance was a pure sacrifice on my side,
-made out of consideration for my family: I did not pay the
-slightest attention to what was taught in the lessons, but
-secretly occupied myself all the while with reading any book that
-happened to attract me.
-
-As my musical instruction also did me no good, I continued in my
-wilful process of self-education by copying out the scores of my
-beloved masters, and in so doing acquired a neat handwriting,
-which in later years has often been admired. I believe my copies
-of the C minor Symphony and the Ninth Symphony by Beethoven are
-still preserved as souvenirs.
-
-Beethoven's Ninth Symphony became the mystical goal of all my
-strange thoughts and desires about music. I was first attracted
-to it by the opinion prevalent among musicians, not only in
-Leipzig but elsewhere, that this work had been written by
-Beethoven when he was already half mad. It was considered the
-'non plus ultra' of all that was fantastic and incomprehensible,
-and this was quite enough to rouse in me a passionate desire to
-study this mysterious work. At the very first glance at the
-score, of which I obtained possession with such difficulty, I
-felt irresistibly attracted by the long-sustained pure fifths
-with which the first phrase opens: these chords, which, as I
-related above, had played such a supernatural part in my childish
-impressions of music, seemed in this case to form the spiritual
-keynote of my own life. This, I thought, must surely contain the
-secret of all secrets, and accordingly the first thing to be done
-was to make the score my own by a process of laborious copying. I
-well remember that on one occasion the sudden appearance of the
-dawn made such an uncanny impression on my excited nerves that I
-jumped into bed with a scream as though I had seen a ghost. The
-symphony at that time had not yet been arranged for the piano; it
-had found so little favour that the publisher did not feel
-inclined to run the risk of producing it. I set to work at it,
-and actually composed a complete piano solo, which I tried to
-play to myself. I sent my work to Schott, the publisher of the
-score, at Mainz. I received in reply a letter saying 'that the
-publishers had not yet decided to issue the Ninth Symphony for
-the piano, but that they would gladly keep my laborious work,'
-and offered me remuneration in the shape of the score of the
-great Missa Solemnis in D, which I accepted with great pleasure.
-
-In addition to this work I practised the violin for some time, as
-my harmony master very rightly considered that some knowledge of
-the practical working of this instrument was indispensable for
-any one who had the intention of composing for the orchestra. My
-mother, indeed, paid the violinist Sipp (who was still playing in
-the Leipzig orchestra in 1865) eight thalers for a violin (I do
-not know what became of it), with which for quite three months I
-must have inflicted unutterable torture upon my mother and sister
-by practising in my tiny little room. I got so far as to play
-certain Variations in F sharp by Mayseder, but only reached the
-second or third. After that I have no further recollections of
-this practising, in which my family fortunately had very good
-reasons of their own for not encouraging me.
-
-But the time now arrived when my interest in the theatre again
-took a passionate hold upon me. A new company had been formed in
-my birthplace under very good auspices. The Board of Management
-of the Court Theatre at Dresden had taken over the management of
-the Leipzig theatre for three years. My sister Rosalie was a
-member of the company, and through her I could always gain
-admittance to the performances; and that which in my childhood
-had been merely the interest aroused by a strange spirit of
-curiosity now became a more deep-seated and conscious passion.
-
-Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet, the plays of Schiller, and to
-crown all, Goethe's Faust, excited and stirred me deeply. The
-Opera was giving the first performances of Marschner's Vampir and
-Templer und Judin. The Italian company arrived from Dresden, and
-fascinated the Leipzig audience by their consummate mastery of
-their art. Even I was almost carried away by the enthusiasm with
-which the town was over-whelmed, into forgetting the boyish
-impressions which Signor Sassaroli had stamped upon my mind, when
-another miracle--which also came to us from Dresden--suddenly
-gave a new direction to my artistic feelings and exercised a
-decisive influence over my whole life. This consisted of a
-special performance given by Wilhelmine Schroder-Devrient, who at
-that time was at the zenith of her artistic career, young,
-beautiful, and ardent, and whose like I have never again seen on
-the stage. She made her appearance in Fidelio.
-
-If I look back on my life as a whole, I can find no event that
-produced so profound an impression upon me. Any one who can
-remember that wonderful woman at this period of her life must to
-some extent have experienced the almost Satanic ardour which the
-intensely human art of this incomparable actress poured into his
-veins. After the performance I rushed to a friend's house and
-wrote a short note to the singer, in which I briefly told her
-that from that moment my life had acquired its true significance,
-and that if in days to come she should ever hear my name praised
-in the world of Art, she must remember that she had that evening
-made me what I then swore it was my destiny to become. This note
-I left at her hotel, and ran out into the night as if I were mad.
-In the year 1842, when I went to Dresden to make my debut with
-Rienzi, I paid several visits to the kind-hearted singer, who
-startled me on one occasion by repeating this letter word for
-word. It seemed to have made an impression on her too, as she had
-actually kept it.
-
-At this point I feel myself obliged to acknowledge that the great
-confusion which now began to prevail in my life, and particularly
-in my studies, was due to the inordinate effect this artistic
-interpretation had upon me. I did not know where to turn, or how
-to set about producing something myself which might place me in
-direct contact with the impression I had received, while
-everything that could not be brought into touch with it seemed to
-me so shallow and meaningless that I could not possibly trouble
-myself with it. I should have liked to compose a work worthy of a
-Schroder-Devrient; but as this was quite beyond my power, in my
-head-long despair I let all artistic endeavour slide, and as my
-work was also utterly insufficient to absorb me, I flung myself
-recklessly into the life of the moment in the company of
-strangely chosen associates, and indulged in all kinds of
-youthful excesses.
-
-I now entered into all the dissipations of raw manhood, the
-outward ugliness and inward emptiness of which make me marvel to
-this day. My intercourse with those of my own age had always been
-the result of pure chance. I cannot remember that any special
-inclination or attraction determined me in the choice of my young
-friends. While I can honestly say that I was never in a position
-to stand aloof out of envy from any one who was specially gifted,
-I can only explain my indifference in the choice of my associates
-by the fact that through inexperience regarding the sort of
-companionship that would be of advantage to me, I cared only to
-have some one who would accompany me in my excursions, and to
-whom I could pour out my feelings to my heart's content without
-caring what effect it might have upon him. The result of this was
-that after a stream of confidences to which my own excitement was
-the only response, I at length reached the point when I turned
-and looked at my friend; to my astonishment I generally found
-that there was no question of response at all, and as soon as I
-set my heart on drawing something from him in return, and urged
-him to confide in me, when he really had nothing to tell, the
-connection usually came to an end and left no trace on my life.
-In a certain sense my strange relationship with Flachs was
-typical of the great majority of my ties in after-life.
-Consequently, as no lasting personal bond of friendship ever
-found its way into my life, it is easy to understand how delight
-in the dissipations of student life could become a passion of
-some duration, because in it individual intercourse is entirely
-replaced by a common circle of acquaintances. In the midst of
-rowdyism and ragging of the most foolish description, I remained
-quite alone, and it is quite possible that these frivolities
-formed a protecting hedge round my inmost soul, which needed time
-to grow to its natural strength and not be weakened by reaching
-maturity too soon.
-
-My life seemed to break up in all directions; I had to leave St.
-Nicholas's School at Easter 1830, as I was too deeply in disgrace
-with the staff of masters ever to hope for any promotion in the
-University from that quarter. It was now determined that I should
-study privately for six months and then go to St. Thomas's
-School, where I should be in fresh surroundings and be able to
-work up and qualify in a short time for the University. My uncle
-Adolph, with whom I was constantly renewing my friendship, and
-who also encouraged me about my music and exercised a good
-influence over me in that respect, in spite of the utter
-degradation of my life at that time, kept arousing in me an ever
-fresh desire for scientific studies. I took private lessons in
-Greek from a scholar, and read Sophocles with him. For a time I
-hoped this noble poet would again inspire me to get a real hold
-on the language, but the hope was vain. I had not chosen the
-right teacher, and, moreover, his sitting-room in which we
-pursued our studies looked out on a tanyard, the repulsive odour
-of which affected my nerves so strongly that I became thoroughly
-disgusted both with Sophocles and Greek. My brother-in-law,
-Brockhaus, who wanted to put me in the way of earning some
-pocket-money, gave me the correcting of the proof-sheets of a new
-edition he was bringing out of Becker's Universal History,
-revised by Lobell. This gave me a reason for improving by private
-study the superficial general instruction on every subject which
-is given at school, and I thus acquired the valuable knowledge
-which I was destined to have in later life of most of the
-branches of learning so uninterestingly taught in class. I must
-not forget to mention that, to a certain extent, the attraction
-exercised over me by this first closer study of history was due
-to the fact that it brought me in eightpence a sheet, and I thus
-found myself in one of the rarest positions in my life, actually
-earning money; yet I should be doing myself an injustice if I did
-not bear in mind the vivid impressions I now for the first time
-received upon turning my serious attention to those periods of
-history with which I had hitherto had a very superficial
-acquaintance. All I recollect about my school days in this
-connection is that I was attracted by the classical period of
-Greek history; Marathon, Salamis, and Thermopylae composed the
-canon of all that interested me in the subject. Now for the first
-time I made an intimate acquaintance with the Middle Ages and the
-French Revolution, as my work in correcting dealt precisely with
-the two volumes which contained these two periods. I remember in
-particular that the description of the Revolution filled me with
-sincere hatred for its heroes; unfamiliar as I was with the
-previous history of France, my human sympathy was horrified by
-the cruelty of the men of that day, and this purely human impulse
-remained so strong in me that I remember how even quite recently
-it cost me a real struggle to give any weight to the true
-political significance of those acts of violence.
-
-How great, then, was my astonishment when one day the current
-political events of the time enabled me, as it were, to gain a
-personal experience of the sort of national upheavals with which
-I had come into distant contact in the course of my proof-
-correcting. The special editions of the Leipzig Gazette brought
-us the news of the July Revolution in Paris. The King of France
-had been driven from his throne; Lafayette, who a moment before
-had seemed a myth to me, was again riding through a cheering
-crowd in the streets of Paris; the Swiss Guards had once more
-been butchered in the Tuileries, and a new King knew no better
-way of commending himself to the populace than by declaring
-himself the embodiment of the Republic. Suddenly to become
-conscious of living at a time in which such things took place
-could not fail to have a startling effect on a boy of seventeen.
-The world as a historic phenomenon began from that day in my
-eyes, and naturally my sympathies were wholly on the side of the
-Revolution, which I regarded in the light of a heroic popular
-struggle crowned with victory, and free from the blemish of the
-terrible excesses that stained the first French Revolution. As
-the whole of Europe, including some of the German states, was
-soon plunged more or less violently into rebellion, I remained
-for some time in a feverish state of suspense, and now first
-turned my attention to the causes of these upheavals, which I
-regarded as struggles of the young and hopeful against the old
-and effete portion of mankind. Saxony also did not remain
-unscathed; in Dresden it came to actual fighting in the streets,
-which immediately produced a political change in the shape of the
-proclamation of the regency of the future King Frederick, and the
-granting of a constitution. This event filled me with such
-enthusiasm that I composed a political overture, the prelude of
-which depicted dark oppression in the midst of which a strain was
-at last heard under which, to make my meaning clearer, I wrote
-the words Friedrich und Freiheil; this strain was intended to
-develop gradually and majestically into the fullest triumph,
-which I hoped shortly to see successfully performed at one of the
-Leipzig Garden Concerts.
-
-However, before I was able to develop my politico-musical
-conceptions further, disorders broke out in Leipzig itself which
-summoned me from the precincts of Art to take a direct share in
-national life. National life in Leipzig at this time meant
-nothing more than antagonism between the students and the police,
-the latter being the arch-enemy upon whom the youthful love of
-liberty vented itself. Some students had been arrested in a
-street broil who were now to be rescued. The under-graduates, who
-had been restless for some days, assembled one evening in the
-Market Place and the Clubs, mustered together, and made a ring
-round their leaders. The whole proceeding was marked by a certain
-measured solemnity, which impressed me deeply. They sang
-Gaudeamus igitur, formed up into column, and picking up from the
-crowd any young men who sympathised with them, marched gravely
-and resolutely from the Market Place to the University buildings,
-to open the cells and set free the students who had been
-arrested. My heart beat fast as I marched with them to this
-'Taking of the Bastille,' but things did not turn out as we
-expected, for in the courtyard of the Paulinum the solemn
-procession was stopped by Rector Krug, who had come down to meet
-it with his grey head bared; his assurance that the captives had
-already been released at his request was greeted with a
-thundering cheer, and the matter seemed at an end.
-
-But the tense expectation of a revolution had grown too great not
-to demand some sacrifice. A summons was suddenly spread calling
-us to a notorious alley in order to exercise popular justice upon
-a hated magistrate who, it was rumoured, had unlawfully taken
-under his protection a certain house of ill-fame in that quarter.
-When I reached the spot with the tail-end of the crowd, I found
-the house had been broken into and all sorts of violence had been
-committed. I recall with horror the intoxicating effect this
-unreasoning fury had upon me, and cannot deny that without the
-slightest personal provocation I shared, like one possessed, in
-the frantic onslaught of the undergraduates, who madly shattered
-furniture and crockery to bits. I do not believe that the
-ostensible motive for this outrage, which, it is true, was to be
-found in a fact that was a grave menace to public morality, had
-any weight with me whatever; on the contrary, it was the purely
-devilish fury of these popular outbursts that drew me, too, like
-a madman into their vortex.
-
-The fact that such fits of fury are not quick to abate, but, in
-accordance with certain natural laws, reach their proper
-conclusion only after they have degenerated into frenzy, I was to
-learn in my own person. Scarcely did the summons ring out for us
-to march to another resort of the same kind than I too found
-myself in the tide which set towards the opposite end of the
-town. There the same exploits were repeated, and the most
-ludicrous outrages perpetrated. I cannot remember that the
-enjoyment of alcoholic drinks contributed to the intoxication of
-myself and my immediate fellows. I only know that I finally got
-into the state that usually succeeds a debauch, and upon waking
-next morning, as if from a hideous nightmare, had to convince
-myself that I had really taken part in the events of the previous
-night by a trophy I possessed in the shape of a tattered red
-curtain, which I had brought home as a token of my prowess. The
-thought that people generally, and my own family in particular,
-were wont to put a lenient construction upon youthful escapades
-was a great comfort to me; outbursts of this kind on the part of
-the young were regarded as righteous indignation against really
-serious scandals, and there was no need for me to be afraid of
-owning up to having taken part in such excesses.
-
-The dangerous example, however, which had been set by the
-undergraduates incited the lower classes and the mob to similar
-excesses on the following nights, against employers and any who
-were obnoxious to them. The matter at once assumed a more serious
-complexion; property was threatened, and a conflict between rich
-and poor stood grinning at our doors. As there were no soldiers
-in the town, and the police were thoroughly disorganised, the
-students were called in as a protection against the lower orders.
-An undergraduate's hour of glory now began, such as I could only
-have thirsted for in my schoolboy dreams. The student became the
-tutelar deity of Leipzig, called on by the authorities to arm and
-band together in defence of property, and the same young men who
-two days before had yielded to a rage for destruction, now
-mustered in the University courtyard. The proscribed names of the
-students' clubs and unions were shouted by the mouths of town
-councillors and chief constables in order to summon curiously
-equipped undergraduates, who thereupon, in simple mediaeval array
-of war, scattered throughout the town, occupied the guard-rooms
-at the gates, provided sentinels for the grounds of various
-wealthy merchants, and, as occasion demanded, took places which
-seemed threatened, more especially inns, under their permanent
-protection.
-
-Though, unluckily, I was not yet a member of their body, I
-anticipated the delights of academic citizenship by half-
-impudent, half-obsequious solicitation of the leaders of the
-students whom I honoured most. I had the good fortune to
-recommend myself particularly to these 'cocks of the walk,' as
-they were styled, on account of my relationship to Brockhaus, in
-whose grounds the main body of these champions were encamped for
-some time. My brother-in-law was among those who had been
-seriously threatened, and it was only owing to really great
-presence of mind and assurance that he succeeded in saving his
-printing works, and especially his steam presses, which were the
-chief object of attack, from destruction. To protect his property
-against further assault, detachments of students were told off to
-his grounds as well; the excellent entertainment which the
-generous master of the house offered his jovial guardians in his
-pleasant summer-house enticed the pick of the students to him. My
-brother-in-law was for several weeks guarded day and night
-against possible attacks by the populace, and on this occasion,
-as the mediator of a flowing hospitality, I celebrated among the
-most famous 'bloods' of the University the true saturnalia of my
-scholarly ambition.
-
-For a still longer period the guarding of the gates was entrusted
-to the students; the unheard-of splendour which accordingly
-became associated with this post drew fresh aspirants to the spot
-from far and near. Every day huge chartered vehicles discharged
-at the Halle Gate whole bands of the boldest sons of learning
-from Halle, Jena, Gottingen, and the remotest regions. They got
-down close to the guards at the gate, and for several weeks never
-set foot in an inn or any other dwelling; they lived at the
-expense of the Council, drew vouchers on the police for food and
-drink, and knew but one care, that the possibility of a general
-quieting of men's minds would make their opportune guardianship
-superfluous. I never missed a day on guard or a night either,
-alas! trying to impress on my family the urgent need for my
-personal endurance. Of course, the quieter and really studious
-spirits among us soon resigned these duties, and only the flower
-of the flock of undergraduates remained so staunch that it became
-difficult for the authorities to relieve them of their task. I
-held out to the very last, and succeeded in making most
-astonishing friends for my age. Many of the most audacious
-remained in Leipzig even when there was no guard duty to fulfil,
-and peopled the place for some time with champions of an
-extraordinarily desperate and dissipated type, who had been
-repeatedly sent down from various universities for rowdyism or
-debt, and who now, thanks to the exceptional circumstances of the
-day, found a refuge in Leipzig, where at first they had been
-received with open arms by the general enthusiasm of their
-comrades.
-
-In the presence of all these phenomena I felt as if I were
-surrounded by the results of an earthquake which had upset the
-usual order of things. My brother-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus,
-who could justly taunt the former authorities of the place with
-their inability to maintain peace and order, was carried away by
-the current of a formidable movement of opposition. He made a
-daring speech at the Guildhall before their worships the Town
-Council, which brought him popularity, and he was appointed
-second-in-command of the newly constituted Leipzig Municipal
-Guard. This body at length ousted my adored students from the
-guard-rooms of the town gates, and we no longer had the right of
-stopping travellers and inspecting their passes. On the other
-hand, I flattered myself that I might regard my new position as a
-boy citizen as equivalent to that of the French National Guard,
-and my brother-in-law, Brockhaus, as a Saxon Lafayette, which, at
-all events, succeeded in furnishing my soaring excitement with a
-healthy stimulant. I now began to read the papers and cultivate
-politics enthusiastically; however, the social intercourse of the
-civic world did not attract me sufficiently to make me false to
-my beloved academic associates. I followed them faithfully from
-the guard-rooms to the ordinary bars, where their splendour as
-men of the literary world now sought retirement.
-
-My chief ambition was to become one of them as soon as possible.
-This, however, could only be accomplished by being again entered
-at a grammar school. St. Thomas's, whose headmaster was a feeble
-old man, was the place where my wishes could be most speedily
-attained.
-
-I joined the school in the autumn of 1830 simply with the
-intention of qualifying myself for the Leaving Examination by
-merely nominal attendance there. The chief thing in connection
-with it was that I and friends of the same bent succeeded in
-establishing a sham students' association called the Freshman's
-Club. It was formed with all possible pedantry, the institution
-of the 'Comment' was introduced, fencing-practice and sword-bouts
-were held, and an inaugural meeting to which several prominent
-students were invited, and at which I presided as 'Vice' in white
-buckskin trousers and great jack-boots, gave me a foretaste of
-the delights awaiting me as a full-blown son of the Muses.
-
-The masters of St. Thomas's, however, were not quite so ready to
-fall in with my aspirations to studentship; at the end of the
-half-year they were of the opinion that I had not given a thought
-to their institution, and nothing could persuade them that I had
-earned a title to academic citizenship by any acquisition of
-knowledge. Some sort of decision was necessary, so I accordingly
-informed my family that I had made up my mind not to study for a
-profession at the University, but to become a musician. There was
-nothing to prevent me matriculating as 'Studiosus Musicae,' and,
-without therefore troubling myself about the pedantries of the
-authorities at St. Thomas's, I defiantly quitted that seat of
-learning from which I had derived small profit, and presented
-myself forthwith to the rector of the University, whose
-acquaintance I had made on the evening of the riot, to be
-enrolled as a student of music. This was accordingly done without
-further ado, on the payment of the usual fees.
-
-I was in a great hurry about it, for in a week the Easter
-vacation would begin, and the 'men' would go down from Leipzig,
-when it would be impossible to be elected member of a club until
-the vacation was over, and to stay all those weeks at home in
-Leipzig without having the right to wear the coveted colours
-seemed to me unendurable torture. Straight from the rector's
-presence I ran like a wounded animal to the fencing school, to
-present myself for admission to the Saxon Club, showing my card
-of matriculation. I attained my object, I could wear the colours
-of the Saxonia, which was in the fashion at that time, and in
-great request because it numbered so many delightful members in
-its ranks.
-
-The strangest fate was to befall me in this Easter vacation,
-during which I was really the only remaining representative of
-the Saxon Club in Leipzig. In the beginning this club consisted
-chiefly of men of good family as well as the better class
-elements of the student world; all of them were members of highly
-placed and well-to-do families in Saxony in general, and in
-particular from the capital, Dresden, and spent their vacation at
-their respective homes. There remained in Leipzig during the
-vacations only those wandering students who had no homes, and for
-whom in reality it was always or never holiday time. Among those
-a separate club had arisen of daring and desperate young
-reprobates who had found a last refuge, as I said, at Leipzig in
-the glorious period I have recorded. I had already made the
-personal acquaintance of these swashbucklers, who pleased my
-fancy greatly, when they were guarding the Brockhaus grounds.
-Although the regular duration of a university course did not
-exceed three years, most of these men had never left their
-universities for six or seven years.
-
-I was particularly fascinated by a man called Gebhardt, who was
-endowed with extraordinary physical beauty and strength, and
-whose slim heroic figure towered head and shoulders above all his
-companions. When he walked down the street arm-in-arm with two of
-the strongest of his comrades, he used suddenly to take it into
-his head, by an easy movement of his arm, to lift his friends
-high in the air and flutter along in this way as though he had a
-pair of human wings. When a cab was going along the streets at a
-sharp trot, he would seize a spoke of the wheel with one hand and
-force it to pull up. Nobody ever told him that he was stupid
-because they were afraid of his strength, hence his limitations
-were scarcely noticed. His redoubtable strength, combined with a
-temperate disposition, lent him a majestic dignity which placed
-him above the level of an ordinary mortal. He had come to Leipzig
-from Mecklenburg in the company of a certain Degelow, who was as
-powerful and adroit, though by no means of such gigantic
-proportions, as his friend, and whose chief attraction lay in his
-great vivacity and animated features, he had led a wild and
-dissipated life in which play, drink, passionate love affairs,
-and constant and prompt duelling had rung the changes.
-Ceremonious politeness, an ironic and pedantic coldness, which
-testified to bold self-confidence, combined with a very hot
-temper, formed the chief characteristics of this personage and
-natures akin to his. Degelow's wildness and passion were lent a
-curious diabolical charm by the possession of a malicious humour
-which he often turned against himself, whereas towards others he
-exercised a certain chivalrous tenderness.
-
-These two extraordinary men were joined by others who possessed
-all the qualities essential to a reckless life, together with
-real and headstrong valour. One of them, named Stelzer, a regular
-Berserker out of the Nibelungenlied, who was nick-named Lope, was
-in his twentieth term. While these men openly and consciously
-belonged to a world doomed to destruction, and all their actions
-and escapades could only be explained by the hypothesis that they
-all believed that inevitable ruin was imminent, I made in their
-company the acquaintance of a certain Schroter, who particularly
-attracted me by his cordial disposition, pleasant Hanoverian
-accent, and refined wit. He was not one of the regular young
-dare-devils, towards whom he adopted a calm observant attitude,
-while they were all fond of him and glad to see him. I made a
-real friend of this Schroter, although he was much older than I
-was. Through him I became acquainted with the works and poems of
-H. Heine, and from him I acquired a certain neat and saucy wit,
-and I was quite ready to surrender myself to his agreeable
-influence in the hope of improving my outward bearing. It was his
-company in particular that I sought every day; in the afternoon I
-generally met him in the Rosenthal or Kintschy's Chalet, though
-always in the presence of those wonderful Goths who excited at
-once my alarm and admiration.
-
-They all belonged to university clubs which were on hostile terms
-with the one of which I was a member. What this hostility between
-the various clubs meant only those can judge who are familiar
-with the tone prevalent among them in those days. The mere sight
-of hostile colours sufficed to infuriate these men, who otherwise
-were kind and gentle, provided they had taken the slightest drop
-too much. At all events, as long as the old stagers were sober
-they would look with good-natured complacency at a slight young
-fellow like me in the hostile colours moving among them so
-amicably. Those colours I wore in my own peculiar fashion. I had
-made use of the brief week during which my club was still in
-Leipzig to become the possessor of a splendid 'Saxon' cap, richly
-embroidered with silver, and worn by a man called Muller, who was
-afterwards a prominent constable at Dresden. I had been seized
-with such a violent craving for this cap that I managed to buy it
-from him, as he wanted money to go home. In spite of this
-remarkable cap I was, as I have said, welcome in the den of this
-band of rowdies: my friend Schroter saw to that. It was only when
-the grog, which was the principal beverage of these wild spirits,
-began to work that I used to notice curious glances and overhear
-doubtful speeches, the significance of which was for some time
-hidden from me by the dizziness in which my own senses were
-plunged by this baneful drink.
-
-As I was inevitably bound on this account to be mixed up in
-quarrels for some time to come, it afforded me a great
-satisfaction that my first fight, as a matter of fact, arose from
-an incident more creditable to me than those provocations which I
-had left half unnoticed. One day Degelow came up to Schroter and
-me in a wine-bar that we often frequented, and in quite a
-friendly manner confessed to us confidentially his liking for a
-young and very pretty actress whose talent Schroter disputed.
-Degelow rejoined that this was as it might be, but that, for his
-part, he regarded the young lady as the most respectable woman in
-the theatre. I at once asked him if he considered my sister's
-reputation was not as good. According to students' notions it was
-impossible for Degelow, who doubtless had not the remotest
-intention of being insulting, to give me any assurance further
-than to say that he certainly did not think my sister had an
-inferior reputation, but that, nevertheless, he meant to abide by
-his assertion concerning the young lady he had mentioned.
-Hereupon followed without delay the usual challenge, opening with
-the words, 'You're an ass,' which sounded almost ridiculous to my
-own ears when I said them to this seasoned swashbuckler.
-
-I remember that Degelow too gasped with astonishment, and
-lightning seemed to flash from his eyes; but he controlled
-himself in the presence of my friend, and proceeded to observe
-the usual formalities of a challenge, and chose broadswords
-(krumme Sabel) as the weapons for the fight. The event made a
-great stir among our companions, but I saw less reason than
-before to abstain from my usual intercourse with them. Only I
-became more strict about the behaviour of the swashbucklers, and
-for several days no evening passed without producing a challenge
-between me and some formidable bully, until at last Count Solms,
-the only member of my club who had returned to Leipzig as yet,
-visited me as though he were an intimate friend and inquired into
-what had occurred. He applauded my conduct, but advised me not to
-wear my colours until the return of our comrades from the
-vacation, and to keep away from the bad company into which I had
-ventured. Fortunately I had not long to wait; university life
-soon began again, and the fencing ground was filled. The
-unenviable position, in which, in student phrase, I was suspended
-with a half-dozen of the most terrible swordsmen, earned me a
-glorious reputation among the 'freshmen' and 'juniors,' and even
-among the older 'champions' of the Saxonia.
-
-My seconds were duly arranged, the dates for the various duels on
-hand settled, and by the care of my seniors the needful time was
-secured for me to acquire some sort of skill in fencing. The
-light heart with which I awaited the fate which threatened me in
-at least one of the impending encounters I myself could not
-understand at the time; on the other hand, the way in which that
-fate preserved me from the consequences of my rashness seems
-truly miraculous in my eyes to this day, and, worthy of further
-description.
-
-The preparations for a duel included obtaining some experience of
-these encounters by being present at several of them. We freshmen
-attained this object by what is called 'carrying duty,' that is
-to say, we were entrusted with the rapiers of the corps (precious
-weapons of honour belonging to the association), and had to take
-them first to the grinder and thence to the scene of encounter, a
-proceeding which was attended with some danger, as it had to be
-done surreptitiously, since duelling was forbidden by law; in
-return we acquired the right of assisting as spectators at the
-impending engagements.
-
-When I had earned this honour, the meeting-place chosen for the
-duel I was to watch was the billiard-room of an inn in the
-Burgstrasse; the table had been moved to one side, and on it the
-authorised spectators took their places. Among them I stood up
-with a beating heart to watch the dangerous encounters between
-those doughty champions. I was told on this occasion of the story
-of one of my friends (a Jew named Levy, but known as Lippert),
-who on this very floor had given so much ground before his
-antagonist that the door had to be opened for him, and he fell
-back through it down the steps into the street, still believing
-he was engaged in the duel. When several bouts had been finished,
-two men came on to the 'pitch,' Tempel, the president of the
-Markomanen, and a certain Wohlfart, an old stager, already in his
-fourteenth half-year of study, with whom I also was booked for an
-encounter later on. When this was the case, a man was not allowed
-to watch, in order that the weak points of the duellist might not
-be betrayed to his future opponent. Wohlfart was accordingly
-asked by my chiefs whether he wanted me removed; whereupon he
-replied with calm contempt, 'Let them leave the little freshman
-there, in God's name!' Thus I became an eye-witness of the
-disablement of a swordsman who nevertheless showed himself so
-experienced and skilful on the occasion that I might well have
-become alarmed for the issue of my future encounter with him. His
-gigantic opponent cut the artery of his right arm, which at once
-ended the fight; the surgeon declared that Wohlfart would not be
-able to hold a sword again for years, under which circumstances
-my proposed meeting with him was at once cancelled. I do not deny
-that this incident cheered my soul.
-
-Shortly afterwards the first general reunion of our club was held
-at the Green Tap. These gatherings are regular hot-beds for the
-production of duels. Here I brought upon myself a new encounter
-with one Tischer, but learned at the same time that I had been
-relieved of two of my most formidable previous engagements of the
-kind by the disappearance of my opponents, both of whom had
-escaped on account of debt and left no trace behind them. The
-only one of whom I could hear anything was the terrible Stelzer,
-surnamed Lope. This fellow had taken advantage of the passing of
-Polish refugees, who had at that time already been driven over
-the frontier and were making their way through Germany to France,
-to disguise himself as an ill-starred champion of freedom, and he
-subsequently found his way to the Foreign Legion in Algeria. On
-the way home from the gathering, Degelow, whom I was to meet in a
-few weeks, proposed a 'truce.' This was a device which, if it was
-accepted, as it was in this case, enabled the future combatants
-to entertain and talk to one another, which was otherwise most
-strictly forbidden. We wandered back to the town arm-in-arm; with
-chivalrous tenderness my interesting and formidable opponent
-declared that he was delighted at the prospect of crossing swords
-with me in a few weeks' time; that he regarded it as an honour
-and a pleasure, as he was fond of me and respected me for my
-valorous conduct. Seldom has any personal success flattered me
-more. We embraced, and amid protestations which, owing to a
-certain dignity about them, acquired a significance I can never
-forget, we parted. He informed me that he must first pay a visit
-to Jena, where he had an appointment to fight a duel. A week
-later the news of his death reached Leipzig; he had been mortally
-wounded in the duel at Jena.
-
-I felt as if I were living in a dream, out of which I was aroused
-by the announcement of my encounter with Tischer. Though he was a
-first-rate and vigorous fighter, he had been chosen by our chiefs
-for my first passage of arms because he was fairly short. In
-spite of being unable to feel any great confidence in my hastily
-acquired and little practised skill in fencing, I looked forward
-to this my first duel with a light heart. Although it was against
-the rules, I never dreamed of telling the authorities that I was
-suffering from a slight rash which I had caught at that time, and
-which I was informed made wounds so dangerous that if it were
-reported it would postpone the meeting, in spite of the fact that
-I was modest enough to be prepared for wounds. I was sent for at
-ten in the morning, and left home smiling to think what my mother
-and sisters would say if in a few hours I were brought back in
-the alarming state I anticipated. My chief, Herr v. Schonfeld,
-was a pleasant, quiet sort of man, who lived on the marsh. When I
-reached his house, he leant out of the window with his pipe in
-his mouth, and greeted me with the words: 'You can go home, my
-lad, it is all off; Tischer is in hospital.' When I got upstairs
-I found several 'leading men' assembled, from whom I learned that
-Tischer had got very drunk the night before, and had in
-consequence laid himself open to the most outrageous treatment by
-the inhabitants of a house of ill-fame. He was terribly hurt, and
-had been taken by the police in the first instance to the
-hospital. This inevitably meant rustication, and, above all,
-expulsion from the academic association to which he belonged.
-
-I cannot clearly recall the incidents that removed from Leipzig
-the few remaining fire-eaters to whom I had pledged myself since
-that fatal vacation-time; I only know that this aide of my fame
-as a student yielded to another. We celebrated the 'freshmen's
-gathering,' to which all those who could manage it drove a four-
-in-hand in a long procession through the town. After the
-president of the club had profoundly moved me with his sudden and
-yet prolonged solemnity, I conceived the desire to be among the
-very last to return home from the outing. Accordingly I stayed
-away three days and three nights, and spent the time chiefly in
-gambling, a pastime which from the first night of our festivity
-cast its devilish snares around me. Some half-dozen of the
-smartest club members chanced to be together at early dawn in the
-Jolly Peasant, and forthwith formed the nucleus of a gambling
-club, which was reinforced during the day by recruits coming back
-from the town. Members came to see whether we were still at it,
-members also went away, but I with the original six held out for
-days and nights without faltering.
-
-The desire that first prompted me to take part in the play was
-the wish to win enough for my score (two thalers): this I
-succeeded in doing, and thereupon I was inspired with the hope of
-being able to settle all the debts I had made at that time by my
-winnings at play. Just as I had hoped to learn composition most
-quickly by Logier's method, but had found myself hampered in my
-object for a long period by unexpected difficulties, so my plan
-for speedily improving my financial position was likewise doomed
-to disappointment. To win was not such an easy matter, and for
-some three months I was such a victim to the rage for gambling
-that no other passion was able to exercise the slightest
-influence over my mind.
-
-Neither the Fechtboden (where the students' fights were
-practised), nor the beer-house, nor the actual scene of the
-fights, ever saw my face again. In my lamentable position I
-racked my brains all day to devise ways and means of getting the
-money wherewith to gamble at night. In vain did my poor mother
-try everything in her power to induce me not to come home so late
-at night, although she had no idea of the real nature of my
-debauches: after I had left the house in the afternoon I never
-returned till dawn the next day, and I reached my room (which was
-at some distance from the others) by climbing over the gate, for
-my mother had refused to give me a latch-key.
-
-In despair over my ill-luck, my passion for gambling grew into a
-veritable mania, and I no longer felt any inclination for those
-things which at one time had lured me to student life. I became
-absolutely indifferent to the opinion of my former companions and
-avoided them entirely; I now lost myself in the smaller gambling
-dens of Leipzig, where only the very scum of the students
-congregated. Insensible to any feeling of self-respect, I bore
-even the contempt of my sister Rosalie; both she and my mother
-hardly ever deigning to cast a glance at the young libertine whom
-they only saw at rare intervals, looking deadly pale and worn
-out: my ever-growing despair made me at last resort to
-foolhardiness as the only means of forcing hostile fate to my
-side. It suddenly struck me that only by dint of big stakes could
-I make big profits. To this end I decided to make use of my
-mother's pension, of which I was trustee of a fairly large sum.
-That night I lost everything I had with me except one thaler: the
-excitement with which I staked that last coin on a card was an
-experience hitherto quite strange to my young life. As I had had
-nothing to eat, I was obliged repeatedly to leave the gambling
-table owing to sickness. With this last thaler I staked my life,
-for my return to my home was, of course, out of the question.
-Already I saw myself in the grey dawn, a prodigal son, fleeing
-from all I held dear, through forest and field towards the
-unknown. My mood of despair had gained so strong a hold upon me
-that, when my card won, I immediately placed all the money on a
-fresh stake, and repeated this experiment until I had won quite a
-considerable amount. From that moment my luck grew continuously.
-I gained such confidence that I risked the most hazardous stakes:
-for suddenly it dawned upon me that this was destined to be my
-last day with the cards. My good fortune now became so obvious
-that the bank thought it wise to close. Not only had I won back
-all the money I had lost, but I had won enough to pay off all my
-debts as well. My sensations during the whole of this process
-were of the most sacred nature: I felt as if God and His angels
-were standing by my side and were whispering words of warning and
-of consolation into my ears.
-
-Once more I climbed over the gate of my home in the early hours
-of the morning, this time to sleep peacefully and soundly and to
-awake very late, strengthened and as though born again.
-
-No sense of shame deterred me from telling my mother, to whom I
-presented her money, the whole truth about this decisive night. I
-voluntarily confessed my sin in having utilised her pension,
-sparing no detail. She folded her hands and thanked God for His
-mercy, and forthwith regarded me as saved, believing it
-impossible for me ever to commit such a crime again.
-
-And, truth to tell, gambling had lost all fascination for me from
-that moment. The world, in which I had moved like one demented,
-suddenly seemed stripped of all interest or attraction. My rage
-for gambling had already made me quite indifferent to the usual
-student's vanities, and when I was freed from this passion also,
-I suddenly found myself face to face with an entirely new world.
-
-To this world I belonged henceforth: it was the world of real and
-serious musical study, to which I now devoted myself heart and
-soul.
-
-Even during this wild period of my life, my musical development
-had not been entirely at a standstill; on the contrary, it daily
-became plainer that music was the only direction towards which my
-mental tendencies had a marked bent. Only I had got quite out of
-the habit of musical study. Even now it seems incredible that I
-managed to find time in those days to finish quite a substantial
-amount of composition. I have but the faintest recollection of an
-Overture in C major (6/8 time), and of a Sonata in B flat major
-arranged as a duet; the latter pleased my sister Ottilie, who
-played it with me, so much that I arranged it for orchestra. But
-another work of this period, an Overture in B flat major, left an
-indelible impression on my mind on account of an incident
-connected with it. This composition, in fact, was the outcome of
-my study of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in about the same degree
-as Leubald und Adelaide was the result of my study of
-Shakespeare. I had made a special point of bringing out the
-mystic meaning in the orchestra, which I divided into three
-distinctly different and opposite elements. I wanted to make the
-characteristic nature of these elements clear to the score reader
-the moment he looked at it by a striking display of colour, and
-only the fact that I could not get any green ink made this
-picturesque idea impossible. I employed black ink for the brass
-instruments alone, the strings were to have red and the wind
-green ink. This extraordinary score I gave for perusal to
-Heinrich Dorn, who was at that time musical director of the
-Leipzig theatre. He was very young, and impressed me as being a
-very clever musician and a witty man of the world, whom the
-Leipzig public made much of.
-
-Nevertheless, I have never been able to understand how he could
-have granted my request to produce this overture.
-
-Some time afterwards I was rather inclined to believe with
-others, who knew how much he enjoyed a good joke, that he
-intended to treat himself to a little fun. At the time, however,
-he vowed that he thought the work interesting, and maintained
-that if it were only brought out as a hitherto unknown work by
-Beethoven, the public would receive it with respect, though
-without understanding.
-
-It was the Christmas of the fateful year 1830; as usual, there
-would be no performance at the theatre on Christmas Eve, but
-instead a concert for the poor had been organised, which received
-but scant support. The first item on the programme was called by
-the exciting title 'New Overture'--nothing more! I had
-surreptitiously listened to the rehearsal with some misgiving. I
-was very much impressed by the coolness with which Dorn fenced
-with the apparent confusion which the members of the orchestra
-showed with regard to this mysterious composition. The principal
-theme of the Allegro was contained in four bars; after every
-fourth bar, however, a fifth bar had been inserted, which had
-nothing to do with the melody, and which was announced by a loud
-bang on the kettle-drum on the second beat. As this drum-beat
-stood out alone, the drummer, who continually thought he was
-making a mistake, got confused, and did not give the right
-sharpness to the accent as prescribed by the score. Listening
-from my hidden corner, and frightened at my original intention,
-this accidentally different rendering did not displease me. To my
-genuine annoyance, however, Dorn called the drummer to the front
-and insisted on his playing the accents with the prescribed
-sharpness. When, after the rehearsal, I told the musical director
-of my misgivings about this important fact, I could not get him
-to promise a milder interpretation of the fatal drum-beat; he
-stuck to it that the thing would sound very well as it was. In
-spite of this assurance my restlessness grew, and I had not the
-courage to introduce myself to my friends in advance as the
-author of the 'New Overture.'
-
-My sister Ottilie, who had already been forced to survive the
-secret readings of Leubald und Adelaide, was the only person
-willing to come with me to hear my work. It was Christmas Eve,
-and there was to be the usual Christmas tree, presents, etc., at
-my brother-in-law's, Friedrich Brockhaus, and both of us
-naturally wanted to be there. My sister, in particular, who lived
-there, had a good deal to do with the arrangements, and could
-only get away for a short while, and that with great difficulty;
-our amiable relation accordingly had the carriage ready for her
-so that she might get back more quickly. I made use of this
-opportunity to inaugurate, as it were, my entree into the musical
-world in a festive manner. The carriage drew up in front of the
-theatre. Ottilie went into my brother-in-law's box, which forced
-me to try and find a seat in the pit. I had forgotten to buy a
-ticket, and was refused admission by the man at the door.
-Suddenly the tuning up of the orchestra grew louder and louder,
-and I thought I should have to miss the beginning of my work. In
-my anxiety I revealed myself to the man at the door as the
-composer of the 'New Overture,' and in this way succeeded in
-passing without a ticket. I pushed my way through to one of the
-first rows of the pit, and sat down in terrible anxiety.
-
-The Overture began: after the theme of the 'black' brass
-instruments had made itself heard with great emphasis, the 'red'
-Allegro theme started, in which, as I have already mentioned,
-every fifth bar was interrupted by the drum-beat from the 'black'
-world. What kind of effect the 'green' theme of the wind
-instruments, which joined in afterwards, produced upon the
-listeners, and what they must have thought when 'black,' 'red,'
-and 'green' themes became intermingled, has always remained a
-mystery to me, for the fatal drum-beat, brutally hammered out,
-entirely deprived me of my senses, especially as this prolonged
-and continually recurring effect now began to rouse, not only the
-attention, but the merriment of the audience. I heard my
-neighbours calculating the return of this effect; knowing the
-absolute correctness of their calculation, I suffered ten
-thousand torments, and became almost unconscious. At last I awoke
-from my nightmare when the Overture, to which I had disdained to
-give what I considered a trite ending, came to a standstill most
-unexpectedly.
-
-No phantoms like those in Hoffmann's Tales could have succeeded
-in producing the extraordinary state in which I came to my senses
-on noticing the astonishment of the audience at the end of the
-performance. I heard no exclamations of disapproval, no hissing,
-no remarks, not even laughter; all I saw was intense astonishment
-at such a strange occurrence, which impressed them, as it did me,
-like a horrible nightmare. The worst moment, however, came when I
-had to leave the pit and take my sister home. To get up and pass
-through the people in the pit was horrible indeed. Nothing,
-however, equalled the pain of coming face to face with the man at
-the door; the strange look he gave me haunted me ever afterwards,
-and for a considerable time I avoided the pit of the Leipzig
-theatre.
-
-My next step was to find my sister, who had gone through the
-whole sad experience with infinite pity; in silence we drove home
-to be present at a brilliant family festivity, which contrasted
-with grim irony with the gloom of my bewilderment.
-
-In spite of it all I tried to believe in myself, and thought I
-could find comfort in my overture to the Braut von Messina, which
-I believed to be a better work than the fatal one I had just
-heard. A reinstatement, however, was out of the question, for the
-directors of the Leipzig theatre regarded me for a long time as a
-very doubtful person, in spite of Dorn's friendship. It is true
-that I still tried my hand at sketching out compositions to
-Goethe's Faust, some of which have been preserved to this day:
-but soon my wild student's life resumed its sway and drowned the
-last remnant of serious musical study in me.
-
-I now began to imagine that because I had become a student I
-ought to attend the University lectures. From Traugott Krug, who
-was well known to me on account of his having suppressed the
-student's revolt, I tried to learn the first principles of
-philosophy; a single lesson sufficed to make me give this up. Two
-or three times, however, I attended the lectures on aesthetics
-given by one of the younger professors, a man called Weiss. This
-perseverance was due to the interest which Weiss immediately
-aroused in me. When I made his acquaintance at my uncle Adolph's
-house, Weiss had just translated the metaphysics of Aristotle,
-and, if I am not mistaken, dedicated them in a controversial
-spirit to Hegel.
-
-On this occasion I had listened to the conversation of these two
-men on philosophy and philosophers, which made a tremendous
-impression on me. I remember that Weiss was an absent-minded man,
-with a hasty and abrupt manner of speaking; he had an interesting
-and pensive expression which impressed me immensely. I recollect
-how, on being accused of a want of clearness in his writing and
-style, he justified himself by saying that the deep problems of
-the human mind could not in any case be solved by the mob. This
-maxim, which struck me as being very plausible, I at once
-accepted as the principle for all my future writing. I remember
-that my eldest brother Albert, to whom I once had to write for my
-mother, grew so disgusted with my letter and style that he said
-he thought I must be going mad.
-
-In spite of my hopes that Weiss's lectures would do me much good,
-I was not capable of continuing to attend them, as my desires in
-those days drove me to anything but the study of aesthetics.
-Nevertheless, my mother's anxiety at this time on my behalf made
-me try to take up music again. As Muller, the teacher under whom
-I had studied till that time, had not been able to inspire me
-with a permanent love of study, it was necessary to discover
-whether another teacher might not be better able to induce me to
-do serious work.
-
-Theodor Weinlich, who was choirmaster and musical director at St.
-Thomas's Church, held at that time this important and ancient
-post which was afterwards occupied by Schicht, and before him by
-no less a person than Sebastian Bach. By education he belonged to
-the old Italian school of music, and had studied in Bologna under
-Pater Martini. He had made a name for himself in this art by his
-vocal compositions, in which his fine manner of treating the
-parts was much praised. He himself told me one day that a Leipzig
-publisher had offered him a very substantial fee if he would
-write for his firm another book of vocal exercises similar to the
-one which had proved so profitable to his first publisher.
-Weinlich told him that he had not got any exercises of the kind
-ready at the moment, but offered him instead a new Mass, which
-the publisher refused with the words: 'Let him who got the meat
-gnaw the bones.' The modesty with which Weinlich told me this
-little story showed how excellent a man he was. As he was in a
-very bad and weak state of health when my mother introduced me to
-him, he at first refused to take me as a pupil. But, after having
-resisted all persuasions, he at last took pity on my musical
-education, which, as he soon discovered from a fugue which I had
-brought with me, was exceedingly faulty. He accordingly promised
-to teach me, on condition that I should give up all attempts at
-composing for six months, and follow his instructions implicitly.
-To the first part of my promise I remained faithful, thanks to
-the vast vortex of dissipation into which my life as a student
-had drawn me.
-
-When, however, I had to occupy myself for any length of time with
-nothing but four-part harmony exercises in strictly rigorous
-style, it was not only the student in me, but also the composer
-of so many overtures and sonatas, that was thoroughly disgusted.
-Weinlich, too, had his grievances against me, and decided to give
-me up.
-
-During this period I came to the crisis of my life, which led to
-the catastrophe of that terrible evening at the gambling den. But
-an even greater blow than this fearful experience awaited me when
-Weinlich decided not to have anything more to do with me. Deeply
-humiliated and miserable, I besought the gentle old man, whom I
-loved dearly, to forgive me, and I promised him from that moment
-to work with unflagging energy. One morning at seven o'clock
-Weinlich sent for me to begin the rough sketch for a fugue; he
-devoted the whole morning to me, following my work bar by bar
-with the greatest attention, and giving me his valuable advice.
-At twelve o'clock he dismissed me with the instruction to perfect
-and finish the sketch by filling in the remaining parts at home.
-
-When I brought him the fugue finished, he handed me his own
-treatment of the same theme for comparison. This common task of
-fugue writing established between me and my good-natured teacher
-the tenderest of ties, for, from that moment, we both enjoyed the
-lessons. I was astonished how quickly the time flew. In eight
-weeks I had not only gone through a number of the most intricate
-fugues, but had also waded through all kinds of difficult
-evolutions in counterpoint, when one day, on bringing him an
-extremely elaborate double fugue, he took my breath away by
-telling me that after this there was nothing left for him to
-teach me.
-
-As I was not aware of any great effort on my part, I often
-wondered whether I had really become a well-equipped musician.
-Weinlich himself did not seem to attach much importance to what
-he had taught me: he said, 'Probably you will never write fugues
-or canons; but what you have mastered is Independence: you can
-now stand alone and rely upon having a fine technique at your
-fingers' ends if you should want it.'
-
-The principal result of his influence over me was certainly the
-growing love of clearness and fluency to which he had trained me.
-I had already had to write the above-mentioned fugue for ordinary
-voices; my feeling for the melodious and vocal had in this way
-been awakened. In order to keep me strictly under his calming and
-friendly influence, he had at the same time given me a sonata to
-write which, as a proof of my friendship for him, I had to build
-up on strictly harmonic and thematic lines, for which he
-recommended me a very early and childlike sonata by Pleyel as a
-model.
-
-Those who had only recently heard my Overture must, indeed, have
-wondered how I ever wrote this sonata, which has been published
-through the indiscretion of Messrs. Breitkopf and Hartel (to
-reward me for my abstemiousness, Weinlich induced them to publish
-this poor composition). From that moment he gave me a free hand.
-To begin with I was allowed to compose a Fantasia for the
-pianoforte (in F sharp minor) which I wrote in a quite informal
-style by treating the melody in recitative form; this gave me
-intense satisfaction because it won me praise from Weinlich.
-
-Soon afterwards I wrote three overtures which all met with his
-entire approval. In the following winter (1831-1832) I succeeded
-in getting the first of them, in D minor, performed at one of the
-Gewandhaus concerts.
-
-At that time a very simple and homely tone reigned supreme in
-this institution. The instrumental works were not conducted by
-what we call 'a conductor of the orchestra,' but were simply
-played to the audience by the leader of the orchestra. As soon as
-the singing began, Pohlenz took his place at the conductor's
-desk; he belonged to the type of fat and pleasant musical
-directors, and was a great favourite with the Leipzig public. He
-used to come on the platform with a very important-looking blue
-baton in his hand.
-
-One of the strangest events which occurred at that time was the
-yearly production of the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven; after the
-first three movements had been played straight through like a
-Haydn symphony, as well as the orchestra could manage it,
-Pohlenz, instead of having to conduct a vocal quartette, a
-cantata, or an Italian aria, took his place at the desk to
-undertake this highly complicated instrumental work, with its
-particularly enigmatical and incoherent opening, one of the most
-difficult tasks that could possibly be found for a musical
-conductor. I shall never forget the impression produced upon me
-at the first rehearsal by the anxiously and carefully played 3/4
-time, and the way in which the wild shrieks of the trumpet (with
-which this movement begins) resulted in the most extraordinary
-confusion of sound.
-
-He had evidently chosen this tempo in order, in some way, to
-manage the recitative of the double basses; but it was utterly
-hopeless. Pohlenz was in a bath of perspiration, the recitative
-did not come off, and I really began to think that Beethoven must
-have written nonsense; the double bass player, Temmler, a
-faithful veteran of the orchestra, prevailed upon Pohlenz at
-last, in rather coarse and energetic language, to put down the
-baton, and in this way the recitative really proceeded properly.
-All the same, I felt at this time that I had come to the humble
-conclusion, in a way I can hardly explain, that this
-extraordinary work was still beyond my comprehension. For a long
-time I gave up brooding over this composition, and I turned my
-thoughts with simple longing towards a clearer and calmer musical
-form.
-
-My study of counterpoint had taught me to appreciate, above all,
-Mozart's light and flowing treatment of the most difficult
-technical problems, and the last movement of his great Symphony
-in C major in particular served me as example for my own work. My
-D minor Overture, which clearly showed the influence of
-Beethoven's Coriolanus Overture, had been favourably received by
-the public; my mother began to have faith in me again, and I
-started at once on a second overture (in C major), which really
-ended with a 'Fugato' that did more credit to my new model than I
-had ever hoped to accomplish.
-
-This overture, also, was soon afterwards performed at a recital
-given by the favourite singer, Mlle. Palazzesi (of the Dresden
-Italian Opera). Before this I had already introduced it at a
-concert given by a private musical society called 'Euterpe', when
-I had conducted it myself.
-
-I remember the strange impression I received from a remark that
-my mother made on that occasion; as a matter of fact this work,
-which was written in a counterpoint style, without any real
-passion or emotion, had produced a strange effect upon her. She
-gave vent to her astonishment by warmly praising the Egmont
-Overture, which was played at the same concert, maintaining that
-'this kind of music was after all more fascinating than any
-stupid fugue.'
-
-At this time I also wrote (as my third opus) an overture to
-Raupach's drama, Konig Enzio, in which again Beethoven's
-influence made itself even more strongly felt. My sister Rosalie
-succeeded in getting it performed at the theatre before the play;
-for the sake of prudence they did not announce it on the
-programme the first time. Dorn conducted it, and as the
-performance went off all right, and the public showed no
-dissatisfaction, my overture was played with my full name on the
-programme several times during the run of the above-mentioned
-drama.
-
-After this I tried my hand at a big Symphony (in C major); in
-this work I showed what I had learnt by using the influence of my
-study of Beethoven and Mozart towards the achievement of a really
-pleasant and intelligible work, in which the fugue was again
-present at the end, while the themes of the various movements
-were so constructed that they could be played consecutively.
-
-Nevertheless, the passionate and bold element of the Sinfonia
-Eroica was distinctly discernible, especially in the first
-movement. The slow movement, on the contrary, contained
-reminiscences of my former musical mysticism. A kind of repeated
-interrogative exclamation of the minor third merging into the
-fifth connected in my mind this work (which I had finished with
-the utmost effort at clearness) with my very earliest period of
-boyish sentimentality.
-
-When, in the following year, I called on Friedrich Rochlitz, at
-that time the 'Nestor' of the musical aesthetes in Leipzig, and
-president of the Gewandhaus, I prevailed upon him to promise me a
-performance of my work. As he had been given my score for perusal
-before seeing me, he was quite astonished to find that I was a
-very young man, for the character of my music had prepared him to
-see a much older and more experienced musician. Before this
-performance took place many things happened which I must first
-mention, as they were of great importance to my life.
-
-My short and stormy career as a student had drowned in me not
-only all longing for further development, but also all interest
-in intellectual and spiritual pursuits. Although, as I have
-pointed out, I had never alienated myself entirely from music, my
-revived interest in politics aroused my first real disgust for my
-senseless student's life, which soon left no deeper traces on my
-mind than the remembrance of a terrible nightmare.
-
-The Polish War of Independence against Russian supremacy filled
-me with growing enthusiasm. The victories which the Poles
-obtained for a short period during May, 1831, aroused my
-enthusiastic admiration: it seemed to me as though the world had,
-by some miracle, been created anew. As a contrast to this, the
-news of the battle of Ostrolenka made it appear as if the end of
-the world had come. To my astonishment, my boon companions
-scoffed at me when I commented upon some of these events; the
-terrible lack of all fellow-feeling and comradeship amongst the
-students struck me very forcibly. Any kind of enthusiasm had to
-be smothered or turned into pedantic bravado, which showed itself
-in the form of affectation and indifference. To get drunk with
-deliberate cold-bloodedness, without even a glimpse of humour,
-was reckoned almost as brave a feat as duelling. Not until much
-later did I understand the far nobler spirit which animated the
-lower classes in Germany in comparison with the sadly degenerate
-state of the University students. In those days I felt terribly
-indignant at the insulting remarks which I brought upon myself
-when I deplored the battle of Ostrolenka.
-
-To my honour be it said, that these and similar impressions
-helped to make me give up my low associates. During my studies
-with Weinlich the only little dissipation I allowed myself was my
-daily evening visit to Kintschy, the confectioner in the
-Klostergasse, where I passionately devoured the latest
-newspapers. Here I found many men who held the same political
-views as myself, and I specially loved to listen to the eager
-political discussions of some of the old men who frequented the
-place. The literary journals, too, began to interest me; I read a
-great deal, but was not very particular in my choice.
-Nevertheless, I now began to appreciate intelligence and wit,
-whereas before only the grotesque and the fantastic had had any
-attraction for me.
-
-My interest in the issue of the Polish war, however, remained
-paramount. I felt the siege and capture of Warsaw as a personal
-calamity. My excitement when the remains of the Polish army began
-to pass through Leipzig on their way to France was indescribable,
-and I shall never forget the impression produced upon me by the
-first batch of these unfortunate soldiers on the occasion of
-their being quartered at the Green Shield, a public-house in the
-Meat Market. Much as this depressed me, I was soon roused to a
-high pitch of enthusiasm, for in the lounge of the Leipzig
-Gewandhaus, where that night Beethoven's C minor Symphony was
-being played, a group of heroic figures, the principal leaders of
-the Polish revolution, excited my admiration. I felt more
-particularly attracted by Count Vincenz Tyszkiewitcz, a man of
-exceptionally powerful physique and noble appearance, who
-impressed me by his dignified and aristocratic manner and his
-quiet self-reliance--qualities with which I had not met before.
-When I saw a man of such kingly bearing in a tight-fitting coat
-and red velvet cap, I at once realised my foolishness in ever
-having worshipped the ludicrously dressed up little heroes of our
-students' world. I was delighted to meet this gentleman again at
-the house of my brother-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus, where I saw
-him frequently.
-
-My brother-in-law had the greatest pity and sympathy for the
-Polish rebels, and was the president of a committee whose task it
-was to look after their interests, and for a long time he made
-many personal sacrifices for their cause.
-
-The Brockhaus establishment now became tremendously attractive to
-me. Around Count Vincenz Tyszkiewitcz, who remained the lodestar
-of this small Polish world, gathered a great many other wealthy
-exiles, amongst whom I chiefly remember a cavalry captain of the
-name of Bansemer, a man of unlimited kindness, but of a rather
-frivolous nature; he possessed a marvellous team of four horses
-which he drove at such breakneck speed as to cause great
-annoyance to the people of Leipzig. Another man of importance
-with whom I remember dining was General Bem, whose artillery had
-made such a gallant stand at Ostrolenka.
-
-Many other exiles passed through this hospitable house, some of
-whom impressed us by their melancholy, warlike bearing, others by
-their refined behaviour. Vincenz Tyszkiewitcz, however, remained
-my ideal of a true man, and I loved him with a profound
-adoration. He, too, began to be interested in me; I used to call
-upon him nearly every day, and was sometimes present at a sort of
-martial feast, from which he often withdrew in order to be able
-to open his heart to me about the anxieties which oppressed him.
-He had, in fact, received absolutely no news of the whereabouts
-of his wife and little son since they separated at Volhynien.
-Besides this, he was under the shadow of a great sorrow which
-drew all sympathetic natures to him. To my sister Louise he had
-confided the terrible calamity that had once befallen him. He had
-been married before, and while staying with his wife in one of
-his lonely castles, in the dead of night he had seen a ghostly
-apparition at the window of his bedroom. Hearing his name called
-several times, he had taken up a revolver to protect himself from
-possible danger, and had shot his own wife, who had had the
-eccentric idea of teasing him by pretending to be a ghost. I had
-the pleasure of sharing his joy on hearing that his family was
-safe. His wife joined him in Leipzig with their beautiful boy,
-Janusz. I felt sorry not to be able to feel the same sympathy for
-this lady as I did for her husband; perhaps one of the reasons of
-my antipathy was the obvious and conspicuous way in which she
-made herself up, by means of which the poor woman probably tried
-to hide how much her beauty had suffered through the terrible
-strain of the past events. She soon went back to Galicia to try
-and save what she could of their property, and also to provide
-her husband with a pass from the Austrian Government, by means of
-which he could follow her.
-
-Then came the third of May. Eighteen of the Poles who were still
-in Leipzig met together at a festive dinner in a hotel outside
-the town; on this day was to be celebrated the first anniversary
-of the third of May, so dear to the memory of the Poles. Only the
-chiefs of the Leipzig Polish Committee received invitations, and
-as a special favour I also was asked. I shall never forget that
-occasion. The dinner became an orgy; throughout the evening a
-brass band from the town played Polish folksongs, and these were
-sung by the whole company, led by a Lithuanian called Zan, in a
-manner now triumphant and now mournful. The beautiful 'Third of
-May' song more particularly drew forth a positive uproar of
-enthusiasm. Tears and shouts of joy grew into a terrible tumult;
-the excited men grouped themselves on the grass swearing eternal
-friendship in the most extravagant terms, for which the word
-'Oiczisna' (Fatherland) provided the principal theme, until at
-last night threw her veil over this wild debauch.
-
-That evening afterwards served me as the theme for an orchestral
-composition (in the form of an overture) named Polonia; I shall
-recount the fate of this work later on. My friend Tyszkiewitcz's
-passport now arrived, and he made up his mind to go back to
-Galicia via Brunn, although his friends considered it was very
-rash of him to do so. I very much wanted to see something of the
-world, and Tyszkiewitcz's offer to take me with him, induced my
-mother to consent to my going to Vienna, a place that I had long
-wished to visit. I took with me the scores of my three overtures
-which had already been performed, and also that of my great
-symphony as yet unproduced, and had a grand time with my Polish
-patron, who took me in his luxurious travelling-coach as far as
-the capital of Moravia. During a short stop at Dresden the exiles
-of all classes gave our beloved Count a friendly farewell dinner
-in Pirna, at which the champagne flowed freely, while the health
-was drunk of the future 'Dictator of Poland.'
-
-At last we separated at Brunn, from which place I continued my
-journey to Vienna by coach. During the afternoon and night, which
-I was obliged to spend in Brunn by myself, I went through
-terrible agonies from fear of the cholera which, as I
-unexpectedly heard, had broken out in this place. There I was all
-alone in a strange place, my faithful friend just departed, and
-on hearing of the epidemic I felt as if a malicious demon had
-caught me in his snare in order to annihilate me. I did not
-betray my terror to the people in the hotel, but when I was shown
-into a very lonely wing of the house and left by myself in this
-wilderness, I hid myself in bed with my clothes on, and lived
-once again through all the horrors of ghost stories as I had done
-in my boyhood. The cholera stood before me like a living thing; I
-could see and touch it; it lay in my bed and embraced me. My
-limbs turned to ice, I felt frozen to the very marrow. Whether I
-was awake or asleep I never knew; I only remember how astonished
-I was when, on awakening, I felt thoroughly well and healthy.
-
-At last I arrived in Vienna, where I escaped the epidemic which
-had penetrated as far as that town. It was midsummer of the year
-1832. Owing to the introductions I had with me, I found myself
-very much at home in this lively city, in which I made a pleasant
-stay of six weeks. As my sojourn, however, had no really
-practical purpose, my mother looked upon the cost of this
-holiday, short as it seemed, as an unnecessary extravagance on my
-part. I visited the theatres, heard Strauss, made excursions, and
-altogether had a very good time. I am afraid I contracted a few
-debts as well, which I paid off later on when I was conductor of
-the Dresden orchestra. I had received very pleasant impressions
-of musical and theatrical life, and for a long time Vienna lived
-in my memory as the acme of that extraordinarily productive
-spirit peculiar to its people. I enjoyed most of all the
-performances at the Theater an der Wien, at which they were
-acting a grotesque fairy play called Die Abenteuer Fortunat's zu
-Wasser und zu Land, in which a cab was called on the shores of
-the Black Sea and which made a tremendous impression on me. About
-the music I was more doubtful. A young friend of mine took me
-with immense pride to a performance of Gluck's Iphigenia in
-Tauris, which was made doubly attractive by a first-rate cast
-including Wild, Staudigl and Binder: I must confess that on the
-whole I was bored by this work, but I did not dare say so. My
-ideas of Gluck had attained gigantic proportions from my reading
-of Hoffmann's well-known Phantasies; my anticipation of this work
-therefore, which I had not studied yet, had led me to expect a
-treatment full of overpowering dramatic force. It is possible
-that Schroder-Devrient's acting in Fidelio had taught me to judge
-everything by her exalted standard.
-
-With the greatest trouble I worked myself up to some kind of
-enthusiasm for the great scene between Orestes and the Furies. I
-hoped against hope that I should be able to admire the remainder
-of the opera. I began to understand the Viennese taste, however,
-when I saw how great a favourite the opera Zampa became with the
-public, both at the Karnthner Thor and at the Josephstadt. Both
-theatres competed vigorously in the production of this popular
-work, and although the public had seemed mad about Iphigenia,
-nothing equalled their enthusiasm for Zampa. No sooner had they
-left the Josephstadt Theatre in the greatest ecstasies about
-Zampa than they proceeded to the public-house called the
-Strausslein. Here they were immediately greeted by the strains of
-selections from Zampa which drove the audience to feverish
-excitement. I shall never forget the extraordinary playing of
-Johann Strauss, who put equal enthusiasm into everything he
-played, and very often made the audience almost frantic with
-delight.
-
-At the beginning of a new waltz this demon of the Viennese
-musical spirit shook like a Pythian priestess on the tripod, and
-veritable groans of ecstasy (which, without doubt, were more due
-to his music than to the drinks in which the audience had
-indulged) raised their worship for the magic violinist to almost
-bewildering heights of frenzy.
-
-The hot summer air of Vienna was absolutely impregnated with
-Zampa and Strauss. A very poor students' rehearsal at the
-Conservatoire, at which they performed a Mass by Cherubini,
-seemed to me like an alms paid begrudgingly to the study of
-classical music. At the same rehearsal one of the professors, to
-whom I was introduced, tried to make the students play my
-Overture in D minor (the one already performed in Leipzig). I do
-not know what his opinion was, nor that of the students, with
-regard to this attempt; I only know they soon gave it up.
-
-On the whole I had wandered into doubtful musical bypaths; and I
-now withdrew from this first educational visit to a great
-European art centre in order to start on a cheap, but long and
-monotonous return journey to Bohemia, by stage-coach. My next
-move was a visit to the house of Count Pachta, of whom I had
-pleasant recollections from my boyhood days. His estate,
-Pravonin, was about eight miles from Prague. Received in the
-kindest possible way by the old gentleman and his beautiful
-daughters, I enjoyed his delightful hospitality until late into
-the autumn. A youth of nineteen, as I then was, with a fast-
-growing beard (for which my sisters had already prepared the
-young ladies by letter), the continual and close intimacy with
-such kind and pretty girls could hardly fail to make a strong
-impression on my imagination. Jenny, the elder of the two, was
-slim, with black hair, blue eyes, and wonderfully noble features;
-the younger one, Auguste, was a little smaller, and stouter, with
-a magnificent complexion, fair hair, and brown eyes. The natural
-and sisterly manner with which both girls treated me and
-conversed with me did not blind me to the fact that I was
-expected to fall in love with one or the other of them. It amused
-them to see how embarrassed I got in my efforts to choose between
-them, and consequently they teased me tremendously.
-
-Unfortunately, I did not act judiciously with regard to the
-daughters of my host: in spite of their homely education, they
-belonged to a very aristocratic house, and consequently hesitated
-between the hope of marrying men of eminent position in their own
-sphere, and the necessity of choosing husbands amongst the higher
-middle classes, who could afford to keep them in comfort. The
-shockingly poor, almost mediaeval, education of the Austrian so-
-called cavalier, made me rather despise the latter; the girls,
-too, had suffered from the same lack of proper training. I soon
-noticed with disgust how little they knew about things artistic,
-and how much value they attached to superficial things. However
-much I might try to interest them in those higher pursuits which
-had become necessary to me, they were incapable of appreciating
-them. I advocated a complete change from the bad library novels,
-which represented their only reading, from the Italian operatic
-arias, sung by Auguste, and, last but not least, from the horsy,
-insipid cavaliers, who paid their court to both Jenny and her
-sister in the most coarse and offensive manner. My zeal in this
-latter respect soon gave rise to great unpleasantness. I became
-hard and insulting, harangued them about the French Revolution,
-and begged them with fatherly admonitions 'for the love of
-heaven' to be content with well-educated middle-class men, and
-give up those impertinent suitors who could only harm their
-reputation. The indignation provoked by my friendly advice I
-often had to ward off with the harshest retorts. I never
-apologised, but tried by dint of real or feigned jealousy to get
-our friendship back on the old footing. In this way, undecided,
-half in love and half angry, one cold November day I said good-
-bye to these pretty children. I soon met the whole family again
-at Prague, where I made a long sojourn, without, however, staying
-at the Count's residence.
-
-My stay at Prague was to be of great musical importance to me. I
-knew the director of the Conservatoire, Dionys Weber, who
-promised to bring my symphony before the public; I also spent
-much of my time with an actor called Moritz, to whom, as an old
-friend of our family, I had been recommended, and there I made
-the acquaintance of the young musician Kittl.
-
-Moritz, who noticed that not a day passed but what I went to the
-much-feared chief of the Conservatoire upon some pressing musical
-business, once despatched me with an improvised parody on
-Schiller's Burgschaft:--
-
-     Zu Dionys dem Direktor schlich
-     Wagner, die Partitur im Gewande;
-     Ihn schlugen die Schuler im Bande:
-     'Was wolltest du mit den Noten sprich?'
-     Entgegnet ihm finster der Wutherich:
-     'Die Stadt vom schlechten Geschmacke befreien!
-     Das sollst du in den Rezensionen bereuen.'
-
-     [Footnote: To Dionys, the Director,
-     crept Wagner, the score in his pocket;
-     The students arrested him forthwith:
-     'What do'st thou with that music, say?'
-     Thus asked him the angry tyrant:
-     'To free the town from taste too vile!
-     For this the critics will make thee suffer.' ]
-
-Truly I had to deal with a kind of 'Dionysius the Tyrant.' A man
-who did not acknowledge Beethoven's genius beyond his Second
-Symphony, a man who looked upon the Eroica as the acme of bad
-taste on the master's part; who praised Mozart alone, and next to
-him tolerated only Lindpaintner: such a man was not easy to
-approach, and I had to learn the art of making use of tyrants for
-one's own purposes. I dissimulated; I pretended to be struck by
-the novelty of his ideas, never contradicted him, and, to point
-out the similarity of our standpoints, I referred him to the end
-fugue in my Overture and in my Symphony (both in C major), which
-I had only succeeded in making what they were through having
-studied Mozart. My reward soon followed: Dionys set to work to
-study my orchestral creations with almost youthful energy.
-
-
-
-
-
-The students of the Conservatoire were compelled to practise with
-the greatest exactitude my new symphony under his dry and
-terribly noisy baton. In the presence of several of my friends,
-amongst whom was also the dear old Count Pachta in his capacity
-of President of the Conservatoire Committee, we actually held a
-first performance of the greatest work that I had written up to
-that date.
-
-During these musical successes I went on with my love-making in
-the attractive house of Count Pachta, under the most curious
-circumstances. A confectioner of the name of Hascha was my rival.
-He was a tall, lanky young man who, like most Bohemians, had
-taken up music as a hobby; he played the accompaniments to
-Auguste's songs, and naturally fell in love with her. Like
-myself, he hated the frequent visits of the cavaliers, which
-seemed to be quite the custom in this city; but while my
-displeasure expressed itself in humour, his showed itself in
-gloomy melancholy. This mood made him behave boorishly in public:
-for instance, one evening, when the chandelier was to be lighted
-for the reception of one of these gentlemen, he ran his head
-purposely against this ornament and broke it. The festive
-illumination was thus rendered impossible; the Countess was
-furious, and Hascha had to leave the house never to return.
-
-I well remember that the first time I was conscious of any
-feelings of love, these manifested themselves as pangs of
-jealousy, which had, however, nothing to do with real love: this
-happened one evening when I called at the house. The Countess
-kept me by her side in an ante-room, while the girls, beautifully
-dressed and gay, flirted in the reception-room with those hateful
-young noblemen. All I had ever read in Hoffmann's Tales of
-certain demoniacal intrigues, which until that moment had been
-obscure to me, now became really tangible facts, and I left
-Prague with an obviously unjust and exaggerated opinion of those
-things and those people, through whom I had suddenly been dragged
-into an unknown world of elementary passions.
-
-On the other hand I had gained by my stay at Pravonin: I had
-written poetry as well as musical compositions. My musical work
-was a setting of Glockentone, a poem by the friend of my youth,
-Theodor Apel. I had already written an aria for soprano which had
-been performed the winter before at one of the theatre concerts.
-But my new work was decidedly the first vocal piece I had written
-with real inspiration; generally speaking, I suppose it owed its'
-characteristics to the influence of Beethoven's Liederkreis: all
-the same, the impression that it has left on my mind is that it
-was absolutely part of myself, and pervaded by a delicate
-sentimentality which was brought into relief by the dreaminess of
-the accompaniment. My poetical efforts lay in the direction of a
-sketch of a tragi-operatic subject, which I finished in its
-entirety in Prague under the title of Die Hochzeit ('The
-Wedding'). I wrote it without anybody's knowledge, and this was
-no easy matter, seeing that I could not write in my chilly little
-hotel-room, and had therefore to go to the house of Moritz, where
-I generally spent my mornings. I remember how I used quickly to
-hide my manuscript behind the sofa as soon as I heard my host's
-footsteps.
-
-An extraordinary episode was connected with the plot of this
-work.
-
-Already years ago I had come across a tragic story, whilst
-perusing Busching's book on chivalry, the like of which I have
-never since read. A lady of noble birth had been assaulted one
-night by a man who secretly cherished a passionate love for her,
-and in the struggle to defend her honour superhuman strength was
-given her to fling him into the courtyard below. The mystery of
-his death remained unexplained until the day of his solemn
-obsequies, when the lady herself, who attended them and was
-kneeling in solemn prayer, suddenly fell forward and expired. The
-mysterious strength of this profound and passionate story made an
-indelible impression upon my mind. Fascinated, moreover, by the
-peculiar treatment of similar phenomena in Hoffmann's Tales, I
-sketched a novel in which musical mysticism, which I still loved
-so deeply, played an important part. The action was supposed to
-take place on the estate of a rich patron of the fine arts: a
-young couple was going to be married, and had invited the friend
-of the bride-groom, an interesting but melancholy and mysterious
-young man, to their wedding. Intimately connected with the whole
-affair was a strange old organist. The mystic relations which
-gradually developed between the old musician, the melancholy
-young man and the bride, were to grow out of the unravelment of
-certain intricate events, in a somewhat similar manner to that of
-the mediaeval story above related. Here was the same idea: the
-young man mysteriously killed, the equally strange sudden death
-of his friend's bride, and the old organist found dead on his
-bench after the playing of an impressive requiem, the last chord
-of which was inordinately prolonged as if it never would end.
-
-I never finished this novel: but as I wanted to write the
-libretto for an opera, I took up the theme again in its original
-shape, and built on this (as far as the principal features went)
-the following dramatic plot:--
-
-Two great houses had lived in enmity, and had at last decided to
-end the family feud. The aged head of one of these houses invited
-the son of his former enemy to the wedding of his daughter with
-one of his faithful partisans. The wedding feast is thus used as
-an opportunity for reconciling the two families. Whilst the
-guests are full of the suspicion and fear of treachery, their
-young leader falls violently in love with the bride of his newly
-found ally. His tragic glance deeply affects her; the festive
-escort accompanies her to the bridal chamber, where she is to
-await her beloved; leaning against her tower-window she sees the
-same passionate eyes fixed on her, and realises that she is face
-to face with a tragedy.
-
-When he penetrates into her chamber, and embraces her with
-frantic passion, she pushes him backwards towards the balcony,
-and throws him over the parapet into the abyss, from whence his
-mutilated remains are dragged by his companions. They at once arm
-themselves against the presumed treachery, and call for
-vengeance; tumult and confusion fill the courtyard: the
-interrupted wedding feast threatens to end in a night of
-slaughter. The venerable head of the house at last succeeds in
-averting the catastrophe. Messengers are sent to bear the tidings
-of the mysterious calamity to the relatives of the victim: the
-corpse itself shall be the medium of reconciliation, for, in the
-presence of the different generations of the suspected family,
-Providence itself shall decide which of its members has been
-guilty of treason. During the preparations for the obsequies the
-bride shows signs of approaching madness; she flies from her
-bridegroom, refuses to be united to him, and locks herself up in
-her tower-chamber. Only when, at night, the gloomy though
-gorgeous ceremony commences, does she appear at the head of her
-women to be present at the burial service, the gruesome solemnity
-of which is interrupted by the news of the approach of hostile
-forces and then by the armed attack of the kinsmen of the
-murdered man. When the avengers of the presumed treachery
-penetrate into the chapel and call upon the murderer to declare
-himself, the horrified lord of the manor points towards his
-daughter who, turning away from her bridegroom, falls lifeless by
-the coffin of her victim. This nocturnal drama, through which ran
-reminiscences of Leubald und Adelaide (the work of my far-off
-boyhood), I wrote in the darkest vein, but in a more polished and
-more noble style, disdaining all light-effects, and especially
-all operatic embellishments. Tender passages occurred here and
-there all the same, and Weinlich, to whom I had already shown the
-beginning of my work on my return to Leipzig, praised me for the
-clearness and good vocal quality of the introduction I had
-composed to the first act; this was an Adagio for a vocal
-septette, in which I had tried to express the reconciliation of
-the hostile families, together with the emotions of the wedded
-couple and the sinister passion of the secret lover. My principal
-object was, all the same, to win my sister Rosalie's approval. My
-poem, however, did not find favour in her eyes: she missed all
-that which I had purposely avoided, insisted on the ornamentation
-and development of the simple situation, and desired more
-brightness generally. I made up my mind in an instant: I took the
-manuscript, and without a suggestion of ill-temper, destroyed it
-there and then. This action had nothing whatever to do with
-wounded vanity. It was prompted merely by my desire honestly to
-prove to my sister how little I thought of my own work and how
-much I cared for her opinion. She was held in great and loving
-esteem by my mother and by the rest of our family, for she was
-their principal breadwinner: the important salary she earned as
-an actress constituted nearly the whole income out of which my
-mother had to defray the household expenses. For the sake of her
-profession she enjoyed many advantages at home. Her part of the
-house had been specially arranged so that she should have all the
-necessary comfort and peace for her studies; on marketing days,
-when the others had to put up with the simplest fare, she had to
-have the same dainty food as usual. But more than any of these
-things did her charming gravity and her refined way of speaking
-place her above the younger children. She was thoughtful and
-gentle and never joined us in our rather loud conversation. Of
-course, I had been the one member of the family who had caused
-the greatest anxieties both to my mother and to my motherly
-sister, and during my life as a student the strained relations
-between us had made a terrible impression on me. When therefore
-they tried to believe in me again, and once more showed some
-interest in my work, I was full of gratitude and happiness. The
-thought of getting this sister to look kindly upon my
-aspirations, and even to expect great things of me, had become a
-special stimulus to my ambition. Under these circumstances a
-tender and almost sentimental relationship grew up between
-Rosalie and myself, which in its purity and sincerity could vie
-with the noblest form of friendship between man and woman. This
-was principally due to her exceptional individuality. She had not
-any real talent, at least not for acting, which had often been
-considered stagey and unnatural. Nevertheless she was much
-appreciated owing to her charming appearance as well as to her
-pure and dignified womanliness, and I remember many tokens of
-esteem which she received in those days. All the same, none of
-these advances ever seemed to lead to the prospect of a marriage,
-and year by year went by without bringing her hopes of a suitable
-match--a fact which to me appeared quite unaccountable. From time
-to time I thought I noticed that Rosalie suffered from this state
-of affairs. I remember one evening when, believing herself to be
-alone, I heard her sobbing and moaning; I stole away unnoticed,
-but her grief made such an impression upon me that from that
-moment I vowed to bring some joy into her life, principally by
-making a name for myself. Not without reason had our stepfather
-Geyer given my gentle sister the nickname of 'Geistchen' (little
-spirit), for if her talent as an actress was not great, her
-imagination and her love of art and of all high and noble things
-were perhaps, on that account alone, all the greater. From her
-lips I had first heard expressions of admiration and delight
-concerning those subjects which became dear to me later on, and
-she moved amongst a circle of serious and interesting people who
-loved the higher things of life without this attitude ever
-degenerating into affectation.
-
-On my return from my long journey I was introduced to Heinrich
-Laube, whom my sister had added to her list of intimate friends.
-It was at the time when the after-effects of the July revolution
-were beginning to make themselves felt amongst the younger men of
-intellect in Germany, and of these Laube was one of the most
-conspicuous. As a young man he came from Silesia to Leipzig, his
-principal object being to try and form connections in this
-publishing centre which might be of use to him in Paris, whither
-he was going, and from which place Borne also made a sensation
-amongst us by his letters. On this occasion Laube was present at
-a representation of a play by Ludwig Robert, Die Macht der
-Verhallnisse ('The Power of Circumstances'). This induced him to
-write a criticism for the Leipzig Tageblatt, which made such a
-sensation through its terse and lively style that he was at once
-offered, in addition to other literary work, the post of editor
-of Die elegante Welt. In our house he was looked upon as a
-genius; his curt and often biting manner of speaking, which
-seemed to exclude all attempt at poetic expression, made him
-appear both original and daring: his sense of justice, his
-sincerity and fearless bluntness made one respect his character,
-hardened as it had been in youth by great adversity. On me he had
-a very inspiring effect, and I was very much astonished to find
-that he thought so much of me as to write a flattering notice
-about my talent in his paper after hearing the first performance
-of my symphony.
-
-This performance took place in the beginning of the year 1833 at
-the Leipzig Schneider-Herberge. It was, by the bye, in this
-dignified old hall that the society 'Euterpe' held its concerts!
-The place was dirty, narrow, and poorly lighted, and it was here
-that my work was introduced to the Leipzig public for the first
-time, and by means of an orchestra that interpreted it simply
-disgracefully. I can only think of that evening as a gruesome
-nightmare; and my astonishment was therefore all the greater at
-seeing the important notice which Laube wrote about the
-performance. Full of hope, I therefore looked forward to a
-performance of the same work at the Gewandhaus concert, which
-followed soon after, and which came off brilliantly in every way.
-It was well received and well spoken of in all the papers; of
-real malice there was not a trace--on the contrary, several
-notices wore encouraging, and Laube, who had quickly become
-celebrated, confided to me that he was going to offer me a
-libretto for an opera, which he had first written for Meyerbeer.
-This staggered me somewhat, for I was not in the least prepared
-to pose as a poet, and my only idea was to write a real plot for
-an opera. As to the precise manner, however, in which such a book
-had to be written, I already had a very definite and instinctive
-notion, and I was strengthened in the certainty of my own
-feelings in the matter when Laube now explained the nature of his
-plot to me. He told me that he wanted to arrange nothing less
-than Kosziusko into a libretto for grand opera! Once again I had
-qualms, for I felt at once that Laube had a mistaken idea about
-the character of a dramatic subject. When I inquired into the
-real action of the play, Laube was astonished that I should
-expect more than the story of the Polish hero, whose life was
-crowded with incident; in any case, he thought there was quite
-sufficient action in it to describe the unhappy fate of a whole
-nation. Of course the usual heroine was not missing; she was a
-Polish girl who had a love affair with a Russian; and in this way
-some sentimental situations were also to be found in the plot.
-Without a moment's delay I assured my sister Rosalie that I would
-not set this story to music: she agreed with me, and begged me
-only to postpone my answer to Laube. My journey to Wurzburg was
-of great help to me in this respect, for it was easier to write
-my decision to Laube than to announce it to him personally. He
-accepted the slight rebuff with good grace, but he never forgave
-me, either then or afterwards, for writing my own words!
-
-When he heard what subject I had preferred to his brilliant
-political poem, he made no effort to conceal his contempt for my
-choice. I had borrowed the plot from a dramatic fairy tale by
-Gozzi, La Donna Serpente, and called it Die Feen ('The Fairies').
-The names of my heroes I chose from different Ossian and similar
-poems: my prince was called Arindal; he was loved by a fairy
-called Ada, who held him under her spell and kept him in
-fairyland, away from his realm, until his faithful friends at
-last found him and induced him to return, for his country was
-going to rack and ruin, and even its capital had fallen into the
-enemy's hands. The loving fairy herself sends the prince back to
-his country; for the oracle has decreed that she shall lay upon
-her lover the severest of tasks. Only by performing this task
-triumphantly can he make it possible for her to leave the
-immortal world of fairies in order to share the fate of her
-earthly lover, as his wife. In a moment of deepest despair about
-the state of his country, the fairy queen appears to him and
-purposely destroys his faith in her by deeds of the most cruel
-and inexplicable nature. Driven mad by a thousand fears, Arindal
-begins to imagine that all the time he has been dealing with a
-wicked sorceress, and tries to escape the fatal spell by
-pronouncing a curse upon Ada. Wild with sorrow, the unhappy fairy
-sinks down, and reveals their mutual fate to the lover, now lost
-to her for ever, and tells him that, as a punishment for having
-disobeyed the decree of Fate, she is doomed to be turned into
-stone (in Gozzi's version she becomes a serpent). Immediately
-afterwards it appears that all the catastrophes which the fairy
-had prophesied were but deceptions: victory over the enemy as
-well as the growing prosperity and welfare of the kingdom now
-follow in quick succession: Ada is taken away by the Fates, and
-Arindal, a raving madman, remains behind alone. The terrible
-sufferings of his madness do not, however, satisfy the Fates: to
-bring about his utter ruin they appear before the repentant man
-and invite him to follow them to the nether world, on the pretext
-of enabling him to free Ada from the spell. Through the
-treacherous promises of the wicked fairies Arindal's madness
-grows into sublime exaltation; and one of his household
-magicians, a faithful friend, having in the meantime equipped him
-with magic weapons and charms, he now follows the traitresses.
-The latter cannot get over their astonishment when they see how
-Arindal overcomes one after the other of the monsters of the
-infernal regions: only when they arrive at the vault in which
-they show him the stone in human shape do they recover their hope
-of vanquishing the valiant prince, for, unless he can break the
-charm which binds Ada, he must share her fate and be doomed to
-remain a stone for ever. Arindal, who until then has been using
-the dagger and the shield given him by the friendly magician, now
-makes use of an instrument--a lyre--which he has brought with
-him, and the meaning of which he had not yet understood. To the
-sounds of this instrument he now expresses his plaintive moans,
-his remorse, and his overpowering longing for his enchanted
-queen. The stone is moved by the magic of his love: the beloved
-one is released. Fairyland with all its marvels opens its
-portals, and the mortal learns that, owing to his former
-inconstancy, Ada has lost the right to become his wife on earth,
-but that her beloved, through his great and magic power, has
-earned the right to live for ever by her side in fairyland.
-
-Although I had written Die Hochzeit in the darkest vein, without
-operatic embellishments, I painted this subject with the utmost
-colour and variety. In contrast to the lovers out of fairyland I
-depicted a more ordinary couple, and I even introduced a third
-pair that belonged to the coarser and more comical servant world.
-I purposely went to no pains in the matter of the poetic diction
-and the verse. My idea was not to encourage my former hopes of
-making a name as a poet; I was now really a 'musician' and a
-'composer,' and wished to write a decent opera libretto simply
-because I was sure that nobody else could write one for me; the
-reason being that such a book is something quite unique and
-cannot be written either by a poet or by a mere man of letters.
-With the intention of setting this libretto to music, I left
-Leipzig in January, 1833, to stay in Wurzburg with my eldest
-brother Albert, who at the time held an appointment at the
-theatre. It now seemed necessary for me to begin to apply my
-musical knowledge to a practical purpose, and to this end my
-brother had promised to help me in getting some kind of post at
-the small Wurzburg theatre. I travelled by post to Bamberg via
-Hof, and in Bamberg I stayed a few days in the company of a young
-man called Schunke, who from a player on the horn had become an
-actor. With the greatest interest I learned the story of Caspar
-Hauser, who at that time was very well known, and who (if I am
-not mistaken) was pointed out to me. In addition to this, I
-admired the peculiar costumes of the market-women, thought with
-much interest of Hoffmann's stay at this place, and of how it had
-led to the writing of his Tales, and resumed my journey (to
-Wurzburg) with a man called Hauderer, and suffered miserably from
-the cold all the way.
-
-My brother Albert, who was almost a new acquaintance to me, did
-his best to make me feel at home in his not over luxurious
-establishment. He was pleased to find me less mad than he had
-expected me to be from a certain letter with which I had
-succeeded in frightening him some time previously, and he really
-managed to procure me an exceptional occupation as choir-master
-at the theatre, for which I received the monthly fee of ten
-guilders. The remainder of the winter was devoted to the serious
-study of the duties required of a musical director: in a very
-short time I had to tackle two new grand operas, namely,
-Marschner's Vampir and Meyerbeer's Robert der Teufel, in both of
-which the chorus played a considerable part. At first I felt
-absolutely like a beginner, and had to start on Camilla von Paer,
-the score of which was utterly unknown to me. I still remember
-that I felt I was doing a thing which I had no right to
-undertake: I felt quite an amateur at the work. Soon, however,
-Marschner's score interested me sufficiently to make the labour
-seem worth my while. The score of Robert was a great
-disappointment to me: from the newspapers I had expected plenty
-of originality and novelty; I could find no trace of either in
-this transparent work, and an opera with a finale like that of
-the second act could not be named in the same breath with any of
-my favourite works. The only thing that impressed me was the
-unearthly keyed trumpet which, in the last act, represented the
-voice of the mother's ghost.
-
-It was remarkable to observe the aesthetic demoralisation into
-which I now fell through having daily to deal with such a work. I
-gradually lost my dislike for this shallow and exceedingly
-uninteresting composition (a dislike I shared with many German
-musicians) in the growing interest which I was compelled to take
-in its interpretation; and thus it happened that the insipidness
-and affectation of the commonplace melodies ceased to concern me
-save from the standpoint of their capability of eliciting applause
-or the reverse. As, moreover, my future career as musical
-conductor was at stake, my brother, who was very anxious on my
-behalf, looked favourably on this lack of classical obstinacy on
-my part, and thus the ground was gradually prepared for that
-decline in my classical taste which was destined to last some
-considerable time.
-
-All the same, this did not occur before I had given some proof of
-my great inexperience in the lighter style of writing. My brother
-wanted to introduce a 'Cavatine' from the Piraten, by Bellini,
-into the same composer's opera, Straniera; the score was not to
-be had, and he entrusted me with the instrumentation of this
-work. From the piano score alone I could not possibly detect the
-heavy and noisy instrumentation of the ritornelles and intermezzi
-which, musically, were so very thin; the composer of a great C
-major Symphony with an end fugue could only help himself out of
-the difficulty by the use of a few flutes and clarinets playing
-in thirds. At the rehearsal the 'Cavatine' sounded so frightfully
-thin and shallow that my brother made me serious reproaches about
-the waste of copying expenses. But I had my revenge: to the tenor
-aria of 'Aubry' in Marschner's Vampir I added an Allegro, for
-which I also wrote the words.
-
-My work succeeded splendidly, and earned the praise of both the
-public and my brother. In a similar German style I wrote the
-music to my Feen in the course of the year 1833. My brother and
-his wife left Wurzburg after Easter in order to avail themselves
-of several invitations at friends' houses; I stayed behind with
-the children--three little girls of tender years--which placed me
-in the extraordinary position of a responsible guardian, a post
-for which I was not in the least suited at that time of my life.
-My time was divided between my work and pleasure, and in
-consequence I neglected my charges. Amongst the friends I made
-there, Alexander Muller had much influence over me; he was a good
-musician and pianist, and I used to listen for hours to his
-improvisations on given themes--an accomplishment in which he so
-greatly excelled, that I could not fail to be impressed. With him
-and some other friends, amongst whom was also Valentin Hamm, I
-often made excursions in the neighbourhood, on which occasions
-the Bavarian beer and the Frankish wine were wont to fly.
-Valentin Hamm was a grotesque individual, who entertained us
-often with his excellent violin playing; he had an enormous
-stretch on the piano, for he could reach an interval of a
-twelfth. Der Letzte Hieb, a public beer-garden situated on a
-pleasant height, was a daily witness of my fits of wild and often
-enthusiastic boisterousness; never once during those mild summer
-nights did I return to my charges without having waxed
-enthusiastic over art and the world in general. I also remember a
-wicked trick which has always remained a blot in my memory.
-Amongst my friends was a fair and very enthusiastic Swabian
-called Frohlich, with whom I had exchanged my score of the C
-minor Symphony for his, which he had copied out with his own
-hand. This very gentle, but rather irritable young man had taken
-such a violent dislike to one Andre, whose malicious face I also
-detested, that he declared that this person spoilt his evenings
-for him, merely by being in the same room with him. The
-unfortunate object of his hatred tried all the same to meet us
-whenever he could: friction ensued, but Andre would insist upon
-aggravating us. One evening Frohlich lost patience. After some
-insulting retort, he tried to chase him from our table by
-striking him with a stick: the result was a fight in which
-Frolich's friends felt they must take part, though they all
-seemed to do so with some reluctance. A mad longing to join the
-fray also took possession of me. With the others I helped in
-knocking our poor victim about, and I even heard the sound of one
-terrible blow which I struck Andre on the head, whilst he fixed
-his eyes on me in bewilderment.
-
-I relate this incident to atone for a sin which has weighed very
-heavily on my conscience ever since. I can compare this sad
-experience only with one out of my earliest boyhood days, namely
-the drowning of some puppies in a shallow pool behind my uncle's
-house in Eisleben. Even to this day I cannot think of the slow
-death of these poor little creatures without horror. I have never
-quite forgotten some of my thoughtless and reckless actions; for
-the sorrows of others, and in particular those of animals, have
-always affected me deeply to the extent of filling me with a
-disgust of life.
-
-My first love affair stands out in strong contrast against these
-recollections. It was only natural that one of the young chorus
-ladies with whom I had to practise daily should know how to
-attract my attentions. Therese Ringelmann, the daughter of a
-grave-digger, thanks to her beautiful soprano voice, led me to
-believe that I could make a great singer of her. After I told her
-of this ambitious scheme, she paid much attention to her
-appearance, and dressed elegantly for the rehearsals, and a row
-of white pearls which she wound through her hair specially
-fascinated me. During the summer holidays I gave Therese regular
-lessons in singing, according to a method which has always
-remained a mystery to me ever since. I also called on her very
-often at her house, where, fortunately, I never met her
-unpleasant father, but always her mother and her sisters. We also
-met in the public gardens, but false vanity always kept me from
-telling my friends of our relations. I do not know whether the
-fault lay with her lowly birth, her lack of education, or my own
-doubt about the sincerity of my affections; but in any case when,
-in addition to the fact that I had my reasons for being jealous,
-they also tried to urge me to a formal engagement, this love
-affair came quietly to an end.
-
-An infinitely more genuine affair was my love for Friederike
-Galvani, the daughter of a mechanic, who was undoubtedly of
-Italian origin. She was very musical, and had a lovely voice; my
-brother had patronised her and helped her to a debut at his
-theatre, which test she stood brilliantly. She was rather small,
-but had large dark eyes and a sweet disposition. The first oboist
-of the orchestra, a good fellow as well as a clever musician, was
-thoroughly devoted to her. He was looked upon as her fiance, but,
-owing to some incident in his past, he was not allowed to visit
-at her parents' house, and the marriage was not to take place for
-a long time yet. When the autumn of my year in Wurzburg drew
-near, I received an invitation from friends to be present at a
-country wedding at a little distance from Wurzburg; the oboist
-and his fiancee had also been invited. It was a jolly, though
-primitive affair; we drank and danced, and I even tried my hand
-at violin playing, but I must have forgotten it badly, for even
-with the second violin I could not manage to satisfy the other
-musicians. But my success with Friederike was all the greater; we
-danced like mad through the many couples of peasants until at one
-moment we got so excited that, losing all self-control, we
-embraced each other while her real lover was playing the dance
-music. For the first time in my life I began to feel a flattering
-sensation of self-respect when Friederike's fiance, on seeing how
-we two flirted, accepted the situation with good grace, if not
-without some sadness. I had never had the chance of thinking that
-I could make a favourable impression on any young girl. I never
-imagined myself good-looking, neither had I ever thought it
-possible that I could attract the attention of pretty girls.
-
-On the other hand, I had gradually acquired a certain self-
-reliance in mixing with men of my own age. Owing to the
-exceptional vivacity and innate susceptibility of my nature--
-qualities which were brought home to me in my relations with
-members of my circle--I gradually became conscious of a certain
-power of transporting or bewildering my more indolent companions.
-
-From my poor oboist's silent self-control on becoming aware of
-the ardent advances of his betrothed towards me, I acquired, as I
-have said, the first suggestion of the fact that I might count
-for something, not only among men, but also among women. The
-Frankish wine helped to bring about a state of ever greater
-confusion, and under the cover of its influence I at length
-declared myself, quite openly, to be Friederike's lover. Ever so
-far into the night, in fact, when day was already breaking, we
-set off home together to Wurzburg in an open wagon. This was the
-crowning triumph of my delightful adventure; for while all the
-others, including, in the end, the jealous oboist, slept off
-their debauch in the face of the dawning day, I, with my cheek
-against Friederike's, and listening to the warbling of the larks,
-watched the coming of the rising sun.
-
-On the following day we had scarcely any idea of what had
-happened. A certain sense of shame, which was not unbecoming,
-held us aloof from one another: and yet I easily won access to
-Friederike's family, and from that time forward was daily a
-welcome guest, when for some hours I would linger in unconcealed
-intimate intercourse with the same domestic circle from which the
-unhappy betrothed remained excluded. No word was ever mentioned
-of this last connection; never once did it even dawn upon
-Friederike to effect any change in the state of affairs, and it
-seemed to strike no one that I ought, so to speak, to take the
-fiance's place. The confiding manner in which I was received by
-all, and especially by the girl herself, was exactly similar to
-one of Nature's great processes, as, for instance, when spring
-steps in and winter passes silently away. Not one of them ever
-considered the material consequences of the change, and this is
-precisely the most charming and flattering feature of this first
-youthful love affair, which was never to degenerate into an
-attitude which might give rise to suspicion or concern. These
-relations ended only with my departure from Wurzburg, which was
-marked by the most touching and most tearful leavetaking.
-
-For some time, although I kept up no correspondence, the memory
-of this episode remained firmly imprinted on my mind. Two years
-later, while making a rapid journey through the old district, I
-once more visited Friederike: the poor child approached me
-utterly shamefaced. Her oboist was still her lover, and though
-his position rendered marriage impossible, the unfortunate young
-woman had become a mother. I have heard nothing more of her
-since.
-
-Amid all this traffic of love I worked hard at my opera, and,
-thanks to the loving sympathy of my sister Rosalie, I was able to
-find the necessary good spirits for the task. When at the
-commencement of the summer my earnings as a conductor came to an
-end, this same sister again made it her business loyally to
-provide me with ample pocket-money, so that I might devote myself
-solely to the completion of my work, without troubling about
-anything or being a burden to any one. At a much later date I
-came across a letter of mine written to Rosalie in those days,
-which were full of a tender, almost adoring love for that noble
-creature.
-
-When the winter was at hand my brother returned, and the theatre
-reopened. Truth to tell, I did not again become connected with
-it, but acquired a position, which was even more prominent, in
-the concerts of the Musical Society in which I produced my great
-overture in C major, my symphony, and eventually portions of my
-new opera as well. An amateur with a splendid voice, Mademoiselle
-Friedel, sang the great aria from Ada. In addition to this, a
-trio was given which, in one of its passages, had such a moving
-effect upon my brother, who took part in it, that, to his
-astonishment, as he himself admitted, he completely lost his cue
-on account of it.
-
-By Christmas my work had come to an end, my score was written out
-complete with the most laudable neatness, and now I was to return
-to Leipzig for the New Year, in order to get my opera accepted by
-the theatre there. On the way home I visited Nuremberg, where I
-stayed a week with my sister Clara and with her husband, who were
-engaged at the theatre there. I well remember how happy and
-comfortable I felt during this pleasant visit to the very same
-relatives who a few years previously, when I had stayed with them
-at Magdeburg, had been upset by my resolve to adopt music as a
-calling. Now I had become a real musician, had written a grand
-opera, and had already brought out many things without coming to
-grief. The sense of all this was a great joy to me, while it was
-no less flattering to my relatives, who could not fail to see
-that the supposed misfortune had in the end proved to my
-advantage. I was in a jolly mood and quite unrestrained--a state
-of mind which was very largely the result not only of my brother-
-in-law's cheerful and sociable household, but also of the
-pleasant tavern life of the place. In a much more confident and
-elated spirit I returned to Leipzig, where I was able to lay the
-three huge volumes of my score before my highly delighted mother
-and sister.
-
-Just then my family was the richer for the return of my brother
-Julius from his long wanderings. He had worked a good while in
-Paris as a goldsmith, and had now set up for himself in that
-capacity in Leipzig. He too, like the rest, was eager to hear
-something out of my opera, which, to be sure, was not so easy, as
-I entirely lacked the gift of playing anything of the sort in an
-easy and intelligible way. Only when I was able to work myself
-into a state of absolute ecstasy was it possible for me to render
-something with any effect. Rosalie knew that I meant it to draw a
-sort of declaration of love from her; but I have never felt
-certain whether the embrace and the sisterly kiss which were
-awarded me after I had sung my great aria from Ada, were bestowed
-on me from real emotion or rather out of affectionate regard. On
-the other hand, the zeal with which she urged my opera on the
-director of the theatre, Ringelhardt, the conductor and the
-manager was unmistakable, and she did it so effectually that she
-obtained their consent for its performance, and that very
-speedily. I was particularly interested to learn that the
-management immediately showed themselves eager to try to settle
-the matter of the costumes for my drama: but I was astonished to
-hear that the choice was in favour of oriental attire, whereas I
-had intended, by the names I had selected, to suggest a northern
-character for the setting. But it was precisely these names which
-they found unsuitable, as fairy personages are not seen in the
-North, but only in the East; while apart from this, the original
-by Gozzi, which formed the basis of the work, undoubtedly bore an
-oriental character. It was with the utmost indignation that I
-opposed the insufferable turban and caftan style of dress, and
-vehemently advocated the knightly garb worn in the early years of
-the Middle Ages. I then had to come to a thorough understanding
-with the conductor, Stegmayer, on the subject of my score. He was
-a remarkable, short, fat man, with fair curly hair, and an
-exceptionally jovial disposition; he was, however, very hard to
-bring to a point. When over our wine we always arrived at an
-understanding very quickly, but as soon as we sat at the piano, I
-had to listen to the most extraordinary objections concerning the
-trend of which I was for some time extremely puzzled. As the
-matter was much delayed by this vacillation, I put myself into
-closer communication with the stage manager of the opera, Hauser,
-who at that time was much appreciated as a singer and patron of
-art by the people of Leipzig.
-
-With this man, too, I had the strangest experiences: he who had
-captivated the audiences of Leipzig, more especially with his
-impersonation of the barber and the Englishman in Fra Diavolo,
-suddenly revealed himself in his own house as the most fanatical
-adherent of the most old-fashioned music. I listened with
-astonishment to the scarcely veiled contempt with which he
-treated even Mozart, and the only thing he seemed to regret was
-that we had no operas by Sebastian Bach. After he had explained
-to me that dramatic music had not actually been written yet, and
-that properly speaking Gluck alone had shown any ability for it,
-he proceeded to what seemed an exhaustive examination of my own
-opera, concerning which all I had wished to hear from him was
-whether it was fit to be performed. Instead of this, however, his
-object seemed to be to point out the failure of my purpose in
-every number. I sweated blood under the unparalleled torture of
-going through my work with this man; and I told my mother and
-sister of my grave depression. All these delays had already
-succeeded in making it impossible to perform my opera at the date
-originally fixed, and now it was postponed until August of the
-current year (1834).
-
-An incident which I shall never forget inspired me with fresh
-courage. Old Bierey, an experienced and excellent musician, and
-in his day a successful composer, who, thanks more particularly
-to his long practice as a conductor at the Breslau theatre, had
-acquired a perfectly practical knowledge of such things, was then
-living at Leipzig, and was a good friend of my people. My mother
-and sister begged him to give his opinion about the fitness of my
-opera for the stage, and I duly submitted the score to him. I
-cannot say how deeply affected and impressed I was to see this
-old gentleman appear one day among my relatives, and to hear him
-declare with genuine enthusiasm that he simply could not
-understand how so young a man could have composed such a score.
-His remarks concerning the greatness which he had recognised in
-my talent were really irresistible, and positively amazed me.
-When asked whether he considered the work presentable and
-calculated to produce an effect, he declared his only regret was
-that he was no longer at the head of a theatre, because, had he
-been, he would have thought himself extremely lucky to secure
-such a man as myself permanently for his enterprise. At this
-announcement my family was overcome with joy, and their feelings
-were all the more justified seeing that, as they all knew, Bierey
-was by no means an amiable romancer, but a practical musician
-well seasoned by a life full of experience.
-
-The delay was now borne with better spirits, and for a long time
-I was able to wait hopefully for what the future might bring.
-Among other things, I now began to enjoy the company of a new
-friend in the person of Laube, who at that time, although I had
-not set his Kosziusko to music, was at the zenith of his fame.
-The first portion of his novel, Young Europe, the form of which
-was epistolary, had appeared, and had a most stimulating effect
-on me, more particularly in conjunction with all the youthful
-hopefulness which at that time pulsated in my veins. Though his
-teaching was essentially only a repetition of that in Heinse's
-Ardinghello, the forces that then surged in young breasts were
-given full and eloquent expression. The guiding spirit of this
-tendency was followed in literary criticism, which was aimed
-mainly at the supposed or actual incapacity of the semi-classical
-occupants of our various literary thrones. Without the slightest
-mercy the pedants, [Footnote: Zopfe in the German text.--
-TRANSLATOR.] among whom Tieck for one was numbered, were treated
-as sheer encumbrances and hindrances to the rise of a new
-literature. That which led to a remarkable revulsion of my
-feelings with regard to those German composers who hitherto had
-been admired and respected, was partly the influence of these
-critical skirmishes, and the luring sprightliness of their tone;
-but mainly the impression made by a fresh visit of Schroder-
-Devrient to Leipzig, when her rendering of Borneo in Bellini's
-Romeo and Juliet carried every one by storm. The effect of it was
-not to be compared with anything that had been witnessed
-theretofore. To see the daring, romantic figure of the youthful
-lover against a background of such obviously shallow and empty
-music prompted one, at all events, to meditate doubtfully upon
-the cause of the great lack of effect in solid German music as it
-had been applied hitherto to the drama. Without for the moment
-plunging too deeply into this meditation, I allowed myself to be
-borne along with the current of my youthful feelings, then roused
-to ardour, and turned involuntarily to the task of working off
-all that brooding seriousness which in my earlier years had driven
-me to such pathetic mysticism.
-
-What Pohlenz had not done by his conducting of the Ninth
-Symphony, what the Vienna Conservatoire, Dionys Weber, and many
-other clumsy performances (which had led me to regard classical
-music as absolutely colourless) had not fully accomplished, was
-achieved by the inconceivable charm of the most unclassical
-Italian music, thanks to the wonderful, thrilling, and entrancing
-impersonation of Romeo by Schroder-Devrient. What effect such
-powerful, and as regards their causes, incomprehensible, effects
-had upon my opinion was shown in the frivolous way in which I was
-able to contrive a short criticism of Weber's Euryanthe for the
-Elegante Zeitung. This opera had been performed by the Leipzig
-company shortly before the appearance of Schroder-Devrient: cold
-and colourless performers, among whom the singer in the title-
-role, appearing in the wilderness with the full sleeves which
-were then the pink of fashion, is still a disagreeable memory.
-Very laboriously, and without verve, but simply with the object
-of satisfying the demands of classical rules, this company did
-its utmost to dispel even the enthusiastic impressions of Weber's
-music which I had formed in my youth. I did not know what answer
-to make to a brother critic of Laube's, when he pointed out to me
-the laboured character of this operatic performance, as soon as
-he was able to contrast it with the entrancing effect of that
-Romeo evening. Here I found myself confronted with a problem, the
-solving of which I was just at that time disposed to take as
-easily as possible, and displayed my courage by discarding all
-prejudice, and that daringly, in the short criticism just
-mentioned in which I simply scoffed at Euryanthe. Just as I had
-had my season of wild oat sowing as a student, so now I boldly
-rushed into the same courses in the development of my artistic
-taste.
-
-It was May, and beautiful spring weather, and a pleasure trip
-that I now undertook with a friend into the promised land of my
-youthful romance, Bohemia, was destined to bring the unrestrained
-'Young-European' mood in me to full maturity. This friend was
-Theodor Apel. I had known him a long while, and had always felt
-particularly flattered by the fact that I had won his hearty
-affection; for, as the son of the gifted master of metre and
-imitator of Greek forms of poetry, August Apel, I felt that
-admiring deference for him which I had never yet been able to
-bestow upon the descendant of a famous man. Being well-to-do and
-of a good family, his friendship gave me such opportunities of
-coming into touch with the easy circumstances of the upper
-classes as were not of frequent occurrence in my station of life.
-While my mother, for instance, regarded my association with this
-highly respectable family with great satisfaction, I for my part
-was extremely gratified at the thought of the cordiality with
-which I was received in such circles.
-
-Apel's earnest wish was to become a poet, and I took it for
-granted that he had all that was needed for such a calling; above
-all, what seemed to me so important, the complete freedom that
-his considerable fortune assured him by liberating him from all
-need of earning his living or of adopting a profession for a
-livelihood. Strange to say, his mother, who on the death of his
-distinguished father had married a Leipzig lawyer, was very
-anxious about the vocation he should choose, and wished her son
-to make a fine career in the law, as she was not at all disposed
-to favour his poetical gifts. And it was to her attempts to
-convert me to her view, in order that by my influence I might
-avert the calamity of a second poet in the family, in the person
-of the son, that I owed the specially friendly relations that
-obtained between herself and me. All her suggestions succeeded in
-doing, however, was to stimulate me, even more than my own
-favourable opinion of his talent could, to confirm my friend in
-his desire to be a poet, and thus to support him in his
-rebellious attitude towards his family.
-
-He was not displeased at this. As he was also studying music and
-composed quite nicely, I succeeded in being on terms of the
-greatest intimacy with him. The fact that he had spent the very
-year in which I had sunk into the lowest depths of undergraduate
-madness, studying at Heidelberg and not at Leipzig, had kept him
-unsullied by any share in my strange excesses, and when we now
-met again at Leipzig, in the spring of 1834, the only thing that
-we still had in common was the aesthetic aspiration of our lives,
-which we now strove by way of experiment to divert into the
-direction of the enjoyment of life. Gladly would we have flung
-ourselves into lively adventures if only the conditions of our
-environment and of the whole middle-class world in which we lived
-had in any way admitted of such things. Despite all the
-promptings of our instincts, however, we got no further than
-planning this excursion to Bohemia. At all events, it was
-something that we made the journey not by the post, but in our
-own carriage, and our genuine pleasure continued to lie in the
-fact that at Teplitz, for instance, we daily took long drives in
-a fine carriage. When in the evening we had supped off trout at
-the Wilhelmsburg, drunk good Czernosek wine with Bilin water, and
-duly excited ourselves over Hoffmann, Beethoven, Shakespeare,
-Heinse's Ardinghello, and other matters, and then, with our limbs
-comfortably outstretched in our elegant carriage, drove back in
-the summer twilight to the 'King of Prussia,' where we occupied
-the large balcony-room on the first floor, we felt that we had
-spent the day like young gods, and for sheer exuberance could
-think of nothing better to do than to indulge in the most
-frightful quarrels which, especially when the windows were open,
-would collect numbers of alarmed listeners in the square before
-the inn.
-
-One fine morning I stole away from my friend in order to take my
-breakfast alone at the 'Schlackenburg,' and also to seize an
-opportunity of jotting down the plan of a new operatic
-composition in my note-book. With this end in view, I had
-mastered the subject of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, which,
-in accordance with my present mood, I soon transformed pretty
-freely into a libretto entitled Liebesverbot. Young Europe and
-Ardinghello, and the strange frame of mind into which I had
-fallen with regard to classical operatic music, furnished me with
-the keynote of my conception, which was directed more
-particularly against puritanical hypocrisy, and which thus tended
-boldly to exalt 'unrestrained sensuality.' I took care to
-understand the grave Shakespearean theme only in this sense. I
-could see only the gloomy strait-laced viceroy, his heart aflame
-with the most passionate love for the beautiful novice, who,
-while she beseeches him to pardon her brother condemned to death
-for illicit love, at the same time kindles the most dangerous
-fire in the stubborn Puritan's breast by infecting him with the
-lovely warmth of her human emotion.
-
-The fact that these powerful features are so richly developed in
-Shakespeare's creation only in order that, in the end, they may
-be weighed all the more gravely in the scales of justice, was no
-concern of mine: all I cared about was to expose the sinfulness
-of hypocrisy and the unnaturalness of such cruel moral censure.
-Thus I completely dropped Measure for Measure, and made the
-hypocrite be brought to justice only by the avenging power of
-love. I transferred the theme from the fabulous city of Vienna to
-the capital of sunny Sicily, in which a German viceroy, indignant
-at the inconceivably loose morals of the people, attempts to
-introduce a puritanical reform, and comes miserably to grief over
-it. Die Stumme von Portici probably contributed to some extent to
-this theme, as did also certain memories of Die Sizilianische
-Vesper. When I remember that at last even the gentle Sicilian
-Bellini constituted a factor in this composition, I cannot, to be
-sure, help smiling at the strange medley in which the most
-extraordinary misunderstandings here took shape.
-
-This remained for the present a mere draft. Studies from life
-destined for my work were first to be carried out on this
-delightful excursion to Bohemia. I led my friend in triumph to
-Prague, in the hope of securing the same impressions for him
-which had stirred me so profoundly when I was there. We met my
-fair friends in the city itself; for, owing to the death of old
-Count Pachta, material changes had taken place in the family, and
-the surviving daughters no longer went to Pravonin. My behaviour
-was full of arrogance, and by means of it I doubtless wished to
-vent a certain capricious lust of revenge for the feelings of
-bitterness with which I had taken leave of this circle some years
-previously. My friend was well received. The changed family
-circumstances forced the charming girls ever more and more
-imperatively to come to some decision as to their future, and a
-wealthy bourgeois, though not exactly in trade himself, but in
-possession of ample means, seemed to the anxious mother, at all
-events, a good adviser. Without either showing or feeling any
-malice in the matter, I expressed my pleasure at the sight of the
-strange confusion caused by Theodor's introduction into the
-family by the merriest and wildest jests: for my only intercourse
-with the ladies consisted purely of jokes and friendly chaff.
-They could not understand how it was that I had altered so
-strangely. There was no longer any of that love of wrangling,
-that rage for instructing, and that zeal in converting in me
-which formerly they had found so irritating. But at the same time
-not a sensible word could I be made to utter, and they who were
-now wanting to talk over many things seriously could get nothing
-out of me save the wildest tomfoolery. As on this occasion, in my
-character of an uncaged bird, I boldly allowed myself many a
-liberty against which they felt themselves powerless, my
-exuberant spirits were excited all the more when my friend, who
-was led away by my example, tried to imitate me--a thing they
-took in very bad part from him.
-
-Only once was there any attempt at seriousness between us: I was
-sitting at the piano, and was listening to my companion, who was
-telling the ladies that in a conversation at the hotel I had
-found occasion to express myself most warmly to some one who
-appeared to be surprised on hearing of the domestic and
-industrious qualities of my lady friends. I was deeply moved
-when, as the outcome of my companion's remarks, I gathered what
-unpleasant experiences the poor things had already been through:
-for what seemed to me a very natural action on my part, appeared
-to fill them with unexpected pleasure. Jenny, for instance, came
-up to me and hugged me with great warmth. By general consent I
-was now granted the right of behaving with almost studied
-rudeness, and I replied even to Jenny's warm outburst only with
-my usual banter.
-
-In our hotel, the 'Black Horse,' which was so famous in those
-days, I found the playground in which I was able to carry the
-mischievous spirit not exhausted at the Pachta's house to the
-point of recklessness. Out of the most accidental material in
-table and travelling guests we succeeded in gathering a company
-around us which allowed us, until far into the night, to lead it
-into the most inconceivable follies. To all this I was incited
-more particularly by the personality of a very timid and
-undersized business man from Frankfort on the Oder, who longed to
-seem of a daring disposition; and his presence stimulated me, if
-only owing to the remarkable chance it gave me of coming into
-contact with some one who was at home in Frankfort 'on the Oder.'
-Any one who knows how things then stood in Austria can form some
-idea of my recklessness when I say that I once went so far as to
-cause our symposium in the public room to bellow the Marseillaise
-out loud into the night. Therefore, when after this heroic
-exploit was over, and while I was undressing, I clambered on the
-outer ledges of the windows from one room to the other on the
-second floor, I naturally horrified those who did not know of the
-love of acrobatic feats which I had cultivated in my earliest
-boyhood.
-
-Even if I had exposed myself without fear to such dangers, I was
-soon sobered down next morning by a summons from the police.
-When, in addition to this, I recalled the singing of the
-Marseillaise, I was filled with the gravest fears. After having
-been detained at the station a long time, owing to a strange
-misunderstanding, the upshot of it was that the inspector who was
-told off to examine me found that there was not sufficient time
-left for a serious hearing, and, to my great relief, I was
-allowed to go after replying to a few harmless questions
-concerning the intended length of my stay. Nevertheless, we
-thought it advisable not to yield to the temptation of playing
-any more pranks beneath the spread wings of the double eagle.
-
-By means of a circuitous route into which we were led by our
-insatiable longing for adventures--adventures which, as a matter
-of fact, occurred only in our imagination, and which to all
-intents and purposes were but modest diversions on the road--we
-at length got back to Leipzig. And with this return home the
-really cheerful period of my life as a youth definitely closed.
-If, up to that time, I had not been free from serious errors and
-moments of passion, it was only now that care cast its first
-shadow across my path.
-
-My family had anxiously awaited my return in order to inform me
-that the post of conductor had been offered to me by the
-Magdeburg Theatre Company. This company during the current summer
-month was performing at a watering place called Lauchstadt. The
-manager could not get on with an incompetent conductor that had
-been sent to him, and in his extremity had applied to Leipzig in
-the hope of getting a substitute forthwith. Stegmayer, the
-conductor, who had no inclination to practise my score Feen
-during the hot summer weather, as he had promised to do, promptly
-recommended me for the post, and in that way really managed to
-shake off a very troublesome tormentor. For although, on the one
-hand, I really desired to be able to abandon myself freely and
-without restraint to the torrent of adventures that constitute
-the artist's life, yet a longing for independence, which could be
-won only by my earning my own living, had been greatly
-strengthened in me by the state of my affairs. Albeit, I had the
-feeling that a solid basis for the gratification of this desire
-was not to be laid in Lauchstadt; nor did I find it easy to
-assist the plot concocted against the production of my Feen. I
-therefore determined to make a preliminary visit to the place
-just to see how things stood.
-
-This little watering-place had, in the days of Goethe and
-Schiller, acquired a very wide reputation, its wooden theatre had
-been built according to the design of the former, and the first
-performance of the Braut von Messina had been given there. But
-although I repeated all this to myself, the place made me feel
-rather doubtful. I asked for the house of the director of the
-theatre. He proved to be out, but a small dirty boy, his son, was
-told to take me to the theatre to find 'Papa.' Papa, however, met
-us on the way. He was an elderly man; he wore a dressing-gown,
-and on his head a cap. His delight at greeting me was interrupted
-by complaints about a serious indisposition, for which his son
-was to fetch him a cordial from a shop close by. Before
-despatching the boy on this errand he pressed a real silver penny
-into his hand with a certain ostentation which was obviously for
-my benefit. This person was Heinrich Bethmann, surviving husband
-of the famous actress of that name, who, having lived in the
-heyday of the German stage, had won the favour of the King of
-Prussia; and won it so lastingly, that long after her death it
-had continued to be extended to her spouse. He always drew a nice
-pension from the Prussian court, and permanently enjoyed its
-support without ever being able to forfeit its protection by his
-irregular and dissipated ways.
-
-At the time of which I am speaking he had sunk to his lowest,
-owing to continued theatre management. His speech and manners
-revealed the sugary refinement of a bygone day, while all that he
-did and everything about him testified to the most shameful
-neglect. He took me back to his house, where he presented me to
-his second wife, who, crippled in one foot, lay on an
-extraordinary couch while an elderly bass, concerning whose
-excessive devotion Bethmann had already complained to me quite
-openly, smoked his pipe beside her. From there the director took
-me to his stage manager, who lived in the same house.
-
-With the latter, who was just engaged in a consultation about the
-repertory with the theatre attendant, a toothless old skeleton,
-he left me to settle the necessary arrangements. As soon as
-Bethmann had gone, Schmale, the stage manager, shrugged his
-shoulders and smiled, assuring me that that was just the way of
-the director, to put everything on his back and trouble himself
-about nothing. There he had been sitting for over an hour,
-discussing with Kroge what should be put on next Sunday: it was
-all very well his starting Don Juan, but how could he get a
-rehearsal carried out, when the Merseburg town bandsmen, who
-formed the orchestra, would not come over on Saturday to
-rehearse?
-
-All the time Schmale kept reaching out through the open window to
-a cherry tree from which he picked and persistently ate the
-fruit, ejecting the stones with a disagreeable noise. Now it was
-this last circumstance in particular which decided me; for,
-strange to say, I have an innate aversion from fruit. I informed
-the stage manager that he need not trouble at all about Don Juan
-for Sunday, since for my part, if they had reckoned on my making
-my first appearance at this performance, I must anyhow disappoint
-the director, as I had no choice but to return at once to
-Leipzig, where I had to put my affairs in order. This polite
-manner of tendering my absolute refusal to accept the
-appointment--a conclusion I had quickly arrived at in my own
-mind--forced me to practise some dissimulation, and made it
-necessary for me to appear as if I really had some other purpose
-in coming to Lauchstadt. This pretence in itself was quite
-unnecessary, seeing that I was quite determined never to return
-there again.
-
-People offered to help me in finding a lodging, and a young actor
-whom I had chanced to know at Wurzburg undertook to be my guide
-in the matter. While he was taking me to the best lodging he
-knew, he told me that presently he would do me the kindness of
-making me the housemate of the prettiest and nicest girl to be
-found in the place at the time. She was the junior lead of the
-company, Mademoiselle Minna Planer, of whom doubtless I had
-already heard.
-
-As luck would have it, the promised damsel met us at the door of
-the house in question. Her appearance and bearing formed the most
-striking contrast possible to all the unpleasant impressions of
-the theatre which it had been my lot to receive on this fateful
-morning. Looking very charming and fresh, the young actress's
-general manner and movements were full of a certain majesty and
-grave assurance which lent an agreeable and captivating air of
-dignity to her otherwise pleasant expression. Her scrupulously
-clean and tidy dress completed the startling effect of the
-unexpected encounter. After I had been introduced to her in the
-hall as the new conductor, and after she had done regarding with
-astonishment the stranger who seemed so young for such a title,
-she recommended me kindly to the landlady of the house, and
-begged that I might be well looked after; whereupon she walked
-proudly and serenely across the street to her rehearsal.
-
-I engaged a room on the spot, agreed to Don Juan for Sunday,
-regretted greatly that I had not brought my luggage with me from
-Leipzig, and hastened to return thither as quickly as possible in
-order to get back to Lauchstadt all the sooner. The die was cast.
-The serious side of life at once confronted me in the form of
-significant experiences. At Leipzig I had to take a furtive leave
-of Laube. At the instance of Prussia he had been warned off Saxon
-soil, and he half guessed at the meaning which was to be attached
-to this move. The time of undisguised reaction against the
-Liberal movement of the early 'thirties had set in: the fact that
-Laube was concerned in no sort of political work, but had devoted
-himself merely to literary activity, always aiming simply at
-aesthetic objects, made the action of the police quite
-incomprehensible to us for the time being. The disgusting
-ambiguity with which the Leipzig authorities answered all his
-questions as to the cause of his expulsion soon gave him the
-strongest suspicions as to what their intentions towards him
-actually were.
-
-Leipzig, as the scene of his literary labours, being inestimably
-precious, it mattered greatly to him to keep within reach of it.
-My friend Apel owned a fine estate on Prussian soil, within but a
-few hours' distance of Leipzig, and we conceived the wish of
-seeing Laube hospitably harboured there. My friend, who without
-infringing the legal stipulations was in a position to give the
-persecuted man a place of refuge, immediately assented, and with
-great readiness, to our desire, but confessed to us next day,
-after having communicated with his family, that he thought he
-might incur some unpleasantnesses if he entertained Laube. At
-this the latter smiled, and in a manner I shall never forget,
-though I have noticed in the course of my life that the
-expression which I then saw in his face was one which has often
-flitted over my own features. He took his leave, and in a short
-time we heard that he had been arrested, owing to having
-undertaken fresh proceedings against former members of the
-Burschenschaft (Students' League), and had been lodged in the
-municipal prison at Berlin. I had thus had two experiences which
-weighed me down like lead, so I packed my scanty portmanteau,
-took leave of my mother and sister, and, with a stout heart,
-started on my career as a conductor.
-
-In order to be able to look upon the little room under Minna's
-lodging as my new home, I was forced also to make the best of
-Bethmann's theatrical enterprise. As a matter of fact, a
-performance of Don Juan was given at once, for the director, who
-prided himself on being a connoisseur of things artistic,
-suggested that opera to me as one with which it would be wise for
-an aspiring young artist, of a good family, to make his debut.
-Despite the fact that, apart from some of my own instrumental
-compositions, I had never yet conducted, and least of all in
-opera, the rehearsal and the performance went off fairly well.
-Only once or twice did discrepancies appear in the recitative of
-Donna Anna; yet this did not involve me in any kind of hostility,
-and when I took my place unabashed and calm for the production of
-Lumpaci Vagabundus, which I had practised very thoroughly, the
-people generally seemed to have gained full confidence in the
-theatre's new acquisition.
-
-The fact that I submitted without bitterness and even with some
-cheerfulness to this unworthy use of my musical talent, was due
-less to my taste being at this period, as I called it, in its
-salad days, than to my intercourse with Minna Planer, who was
-employed in that magic trifle as the Amorous Fairy. Indeed, in
-the midst of this dust-cloud of frivolity and vulgarity, she
-always seemed very much like a fairy, the reasons of whose
-descent into this giddy whirl, which of a truth seemed neither to
-carry her away nor even to affect her, remained an absolute
-mystery. For while I could discover nothing in the opera singers
-save the familiar stage caricatures and grimaces, this fair
-actress differed wholly from those about her in her unaffected
-soberness and dainty modesty, as also in the absence of all
-theatrical pretence and stiltedness. There was only one young man
-whom I could place beside Minna on the ground of qualities like
-those I recognised in her. This fellow was Friedrich Schmitt, who
-had only just adopted the stage as a career in the hope of making
-a 'hit' in opera, to which, as the possessor of an excellent
-tenor voice, he felt himself called. He too differed from the
-rest of the company, especially in the earnestness which he
-brought to bear upon his studies and his work in general: the
-soulful manly pitch of his chest voice, his clear, noble
-enunciation and intelligent rendering of his words, have always
-remained as standards in my memory. Owing to the fact that he was
-wholly devoid of theatrical talent, and acted clumsily and
-awkwardly, a check was soon put to his progress, but he always
-remained dear to me as a clever and original man of trustworthy
-and upright character--my only associate.
-
-But my dealings with my kind housemate soon became a cherished
-habit, while she returned the ingenuously impetuous advances of
-the conductor of one-and-twenty with a certain tolerant
-astonishment which, remote as it was from all coquetry and
-ulterior motives, soon made familiar and friendly intercourse
-possible with her. When, one evening, I returned late to my
-ground-floor room, by climbing through the window, for I had no
-latch-key, the noise of my entry brought Minna to her window just
-over mine. Standing on my window ledge I begged her to allow me
-to bid her good-night once more. She had not the slightest
-objection to this, but declared it must be done from the window,
-as she always had her door locked by the people of the house, and
-nobody could get in that way. She kindly facilitated the
-handshake by leaning far out of her window, so that I could take
-her hand as I stood on my ledge. When later on I had an attack of
-erysipelas, from which I often suffered, and with my face all
-swollen and frightfully distorted concealed myself from the world
-in my gloomy room, Minna visited me repeatedly, nursed me, and
-assured me that my distorted features did not matter in the
-least. On recovering, I paid her a visit and complained of a rash
-that had remained round my mouth, and which seemed so unpleasant
-that I apologised for showing it to her. This also she made light
-of. Then I inferred she would not give me a kiss, whereupon she
-at once gave me practical proof that she did not shrink from that
-either.
-
-This was all done with a friendly serenity and composure that had
-something almost motherly about it, and it was free from all
-suggestion of frivolity or of heartlessness. In a few weeks the
-company had to leave Lauchstadt to proceed to Rudolstadt and
-fulfil a special engagement there. I was particularly anxious to
-make this journey, which in those days was an arduous
-undertaking, in Minna's company, and if only I had succeeded in
-getting my well-earned salary duly paid by Bethmann, nothing
-would have hindered the fulfilment of my wish. But in this matter
-I encountered exceptional difficulties, which in the course of
-eventful years grew in chronic fashion into the strangest of
-ailments. Even at Lauchstadt I had discovered that there was only
-one man who drew his salary in full, namely the bass Kneisel,
-whom I had seen smoking his pipe beside the couch of the
-director's lame wife. I was assured that if I cared greatly about
-getting some of my wages from time to time, I could obtain this
-favour only by paying court to Mme. Bethmann. This time I
-preferred once more to appeal to my family for help, and
-therefore travelled to Rudolstadt through Leipzig, where, to the
-sad astonishment of my mother, I had to replenish my coffer with
-the necessary supplies. On the way to Leipzig I had travelled
-with Apel through his estate, he having fetched me from
-Lauchstadt for the purpose. His arrival was fixed in my memory by
-a noisy banquet which my wealthy friend gave at the hotel in my
-honour. It was on this occasion that I and one of the other
-guests succeeded in completely destroying a huge, massively built
-Dutch-tile stove, such as we had in our room at the inn. Next
-morning none of us could understand how it had happened.
-
-It was on this journey to Rudolstadt that I first passed through
-Weimar, where on a rainy day I strolled with curiosity, but
-without emotion, towards Goethe's house. I had pictured something
-rather different, and thought I should experience livelier
-impressions from the active theatre life of Rudolstadt, to which
-I felt strongly attracted. In spite of the fact that I was not to
-be conductor myself, this post having been entrusted to the
-leader of the royal orchestra, who had been specially engaged for
-our performances, yet I was so fully occupied with rehearsals for
-the many operas and musical comedies required to regale the
-frivolous public of the principality that I found no leisure for
-excursions into the charming regions of this little land. In
-addition to these severe and ill-paid labours, two passions held
-me chained during the six weeks of my stay in Rudolstadt. These
-were, first, a longing to write the libretto of Liebesverbot; and
-secondly, my growing attachment to Minna. It is true, I sketched
-out a musical composition about this time, a symphony in E major,
-whose first movement (3/4 time) I completed as a separate piece.
-As regards style and design, this work was suggested by
-Beethoven's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies, and, so far as I can
-remember, I should have had no need to be ashamed of it, had I
-been able to complete it, or keep the part I had actually
-finished. But I had already begun at this time to form the
-opinion that, to produce anything fresh and truly noteworthy in
-the realm of symphony, and according to Beethoven's methods, was
-an impossibility. Whereas opera, to which I felt inwardly drawn,
-though I had no real example I wished to copy, presented itself
-to my mind in varied and alluring shapes as a most fascinating
-form of art. Thus, amid manifold and passionate agitations, and
-in the few leisure hours which were left to me, I completed the
-greater part of my operatic poem, taking infinitely more pains,
-both as regards words and versification, than with the text of my
-earlier Feen. Moreover, I found myself possessed of incomparably
-greater assurance in the arrangement and partial invention of
-situations than when writing that earlier work.
-
-On the other hand, I now began for the first time to experience
-the cares and worries of a lover's jealousy. A change, to me
-inexplicable, manifested itself in Minna's hitherto unaffected
-and gentle manner towards me. It appears that my artless
-solicitations for her favour, by which at that time I meant
-nothing serious, and in which a man of the world would merely
-have seen the exuberance of a youthful and easily satisfied
-infatuation, had given rise to certain remarks and comments upon
-the popular actress. I was astonished to learn, first from her
-reserved manner, and later from her own lips, that she felt
-compelled to inquire into the seriousness of my intentions, and
-to consider their consequences. She was at that time, as I had
-already discovered, on very intimate terms with a young nobleman,
-whose acquaintance I first made in Lauchstadt, where he used to
-visit her. I had already realised on that occasion that he was
-unfeignedly and cordially attached to her; in fact, in the circle
-of her friends she was regarded as engaged to Herr von O.,
-although it was obvious that marriage was out of the question, as
-the young lover was quite without means, and owing to the high
-standing of his family it was essential that he should sacrifice
-himself to a marriage of convenience, both on account of his
-social position and of the career which he would have to adopt.
-During this stay at Rudolstadt Minna appears to have gathered
-certain information on this point which troubled and depressed
-her, thus rendering her more inclined to treat my impetuous
-attempts at courtship with cool reserve.
-
-After mature deliberation I recognised that, in any case, Young
-Europe, Ardinghello, and Liebesverbot could not be produced at
-Rudolstadt; but it was a very different matter for the Fee
-Amorosa, with its merry theatrical mood, and an Ehrlicher Burger
-Kind to seek a decent livelihood. Therefore, greatly discouraged,
-I proceeded to accentuate the more extravagant situations of my
-Liebesverbot by rioting with a few comrades in the sausage-
-scented atmosphere of the Rudolstadt Vogelwiese. At this time my
-troubles again brought me more or less into contact with the vice
-of gambling, although on this occasion it only cast temporary
-fetters about me in the very harmless form of the dice and
-roulette-tables out on the open market-place.
-
-We were looking forward to the time when we should leave
-Rudolstadt for the half-yearly winter season at the capital,
-Magdeburg, mainly because I should there resume my place at the
-head of the orchestra, and might in any case count on a better
-reward for my musical efforts. But before returning to Magdeburg
-I had to endure a trying interval at Bernburg, where Bethmann,
-the director, in addition to his other undertakings, had also
-promised sundry theatrical performances. During our brief stay in
-the town I had to arrange for the presentation, with a mere
-fraction of the company, of several operas, which were again to
-be conducted by the royal conductor of the place. But in addition
-to these professional labours, I had to endure such a meagre,
-ill-provided and grievously farcical existence as was enough to
-disgust me, if not for ever, at any rate for the time being, with
-the wretched profession of a theatrical conductor. Yet I survived
-even this, and Magdeburg was destined to lead me eventually to
-the real glory of my adopted profession.
-
-The sensation of sitting in command at the very conductor's desk
-from which, not many years before, the great master Kuhnlein had
-so moved the perplexed young enthusiast by the weighty wisdom of
-his musical directorship, was not without its charm for me, and,
-indeed, I very quickly succeeded in obtaining perfect confidence
-in conducting an orchestra. I was soon a persona grata with the
-excellent musicians of the orchestra. Their splendid combination
-in spirited overtures, which, especially towards the finale, I
-generally took at an unheard-of speed, often earned for us all
-the intoxicating applause of the public. The achievements of my
-fiery and often exuberant zeal won me recognition from the
-singers, and were greeted by the audience with rapturous
-appreciation. As in Magdeburg, at least in those days, the art of
-theatrical criticism was but slightly developed, this universal
-satisfaction was a great encouragement, and at the end of the
-first three months of my Magdeburg conductorship I felt sustained
-by the flattering and comforting assurance that I was one of the
-bigwigs of opera. Under these circumstances, Schmale, the stage
-manager, who has been my good friend ever since, proposed a
-special gala performance for New Year's Day, which he felt sure
-would be a triumph. I was to compose the necessary music. This
-was very speedily done; a rousing overture, several melodramas
-and choruses were all greeted with enthusiasm, and brought us
-such ample applause that we repeated the performance with great
-success, although such repetitions after the actual gala day were
-quite contrary to usage.
-
-With the new year (1835) there came a decisive turning-point in
-my life. After the rupture between Minna and myself at
-Rudolstadt, we had been to some extent lost to one another; but
-our friendship was resumed on our meeting again in Magdeburg;
-this time, however, it remained cool and purposely indifferent.
-When she first appeared in the town, a year before, her beauty
-had attracted considerable notice, and I now learned that she was
-the object of great attention from several young noblemen, and
-had shown herself not unmoved by the compliment implied by their
-visits. Although her reputation, thanks to her absolute
-discretion and self-respect, remained beyond reproach, my
-objection to her receiving such attentions grew very strong,
-owing possibly, in some degree, to the memory of the sorrows I
-had endured in Pachta's house in Prague. Although Minna assured
-me that the conduct of these gentlemen was much more discreet and
-decent than that of theatre-goers of the bourgeois class, and
-especially than that of certain young musical conductors, she
-never succeeded in soothing the bitterness and insistence with
-which I protested against her acceptance of such attentions. So
-we spent three unhappy months in ever-increasing estrangement,
-and at the same time, in half-frantic despair, I pretended to be
-fond of the most undesirable associates, and acted in every way
-with such blatant levity that Minna, as she told me afterwards,
-was filled with the deepest anxiety and solicitude concerning me.
-Moreover, as the ladies of the opera company were not slow to pay
-court to their youthful conductor, and especially as one young
-woman, whose reputation was not spotless, openly set her cap at
-me, this anxiety of Minna's seems at last to have culminated in a
-definite decision. I hit upon the idea of treating the elite of
-our opera company to oysters and punch in my own room on New
-Year's Eve. The married couples were invited, and then came the
-question whether Fraulein Planer would consent to take part in
-such a festivity. She accepted quite ingenuously, and presented
-herself, as neatly and becomingly dressed as ever, in my bachelor
-apartments, where things soon grew pretty lively. I had already
-warned my landlord that we were not likely to be very quiet, and
-reassured him as to any possible damage to his furniture. What
-the champagne failed to accomplish, the punch eventually
-succeeded in doing; all the restraints of petty conventionality,
-which the company usually endeavoured to observe, were cast
-aside, giving place to an unreserved demeanour all round, to
-which no one objected. And then it was that Minna's queenly
-dignity distinguished her from all her companions. She never lost
-her self-respect; and whilst no one ventured to take the
-slightest liberty with her, every one very clearly recognised the
-simple candour with which she responded to my kindly and
-solicitous attentions. They could not fail to see that the link
-existing between us was not to be compared to any ordinary
-liaison, and we had the satisfaction of seeing the flighty young
-lady who had so openly angled for me fall into a fit over the
-discovery.
-
-From that time onward I remained permanently on the best of terms
-with Minna. I do not believe that she ever felt any sort of
-passion or genuine love for me, or, indeed, that she was capable
-of such a thing, and I can therefore only describe her feeling
-for me as one of heartfelt goodwill, and the sincerest desire for
-my success and prosperity, inspired as she was with the kindest
-sympathy, and genuine delight at, and admiration for, my talents.
-All this at last became part of her nature. She obviously had a
-very favourable opinion of my abilities, though she was surprised
-at the rapidity of my success. My eccentric nature, which she
-knew so well how to humour pleasantly by her gentleness,
-stimulated her to the continual exercise of the power, so
-flattering to her own vanity, and without ever betraying any
-desire or ardour herself, she never met my impetuous advances
-with coldness.
-
-At the Magdeburg theatre I had already made the acquaintance of a
-very interesting woman called Mme. Haas. She was an actress, no
-longer in her first youth, and played so-called 'chaperone's
-parts.' This lady won my sympathy by telling me she had been
-friendly ever since her youth with Laube, in whose destiny she
-continued to take a heartfelt and cordial interest. She was
-clever, but far from happy, and an unprepossessing exterior,
-which with the lapse of years grew more uninviting, did not tend
-to make her any happier. She lived in meagre circumstances, with
-one child, and appeared to remember her better days with a bitter
-grief. My first visit to her was paid merely to inquire after
-Laube's fate, but I soon became a frequent and familiar caller.
-As she and Minna speedily became fast friends, we three often
-spent pleasant evenings talking together. But when, later on, a
-certain jealousy manifested itself on the part of the elder woman
-towards the younger, our confidential relations were more or less
-disturbed, for it particularly grieved me to hear Minna's talents
-and mental gifts criticised by the other. One evening I had
-promised Minna to have tea with her and Mme. Haas, but I had
-thoughtlessly promised to go to a whist party first. This
-engagement I purposely prolonged, much as it wearied me, in the
-deliberate hope that her companion--who had already grown irksome
-to me--might have left before my arrival. The only way in which I
-could do this was by drinking hard, so that I had the very
-unusual experience of rising from a sober whist party in a
-completely fuddled condition, into which I had imperceptibly
-fallen, and in which I refused to believe. This incredulity
-deluded me into keeping my engagement for tea, although it was so
-late. To my intense disgust the elder woman was still there when
-I arrived, and her presence at once had the effect of rousing my
-tipsiness to a violent outbreak; for she seemed astonished at my
-rowdy and unseemly behaviour, and made several remarks upon it
-intended for jokes, whereupon I scoffed at her in the coarsest
-manner, so that she immediately left the house in high dudgeon. I
-had still sense enough to be conscious of Minna's astonished
-laughter at my outrageous conduct. As soon as she realised,
-however, that my condition was such as to render my removal
-impossible without great commotion, she rapidly formed a
-resolution which must indeed have cost her an effort, though it
-was carried out with the utmost calmness and good-humour. She did
-all she could for me, and procured me the necessary relief, and
-when I sank into a heavy slumber, unhesitatingly resigned her own
-bed to my use. There I slept until awakened by the wonderful grey
-of dawn. On recognising where I was, I at once realised and grew
-ever more convinced of the fact that this morning's sunrise
-marked the starting-point of an infinitely momentous period of my
-life. The demon of care had at last entered into my existence.
-
-Without any light-hearted jests, without gaiety or joking of any
-description, we breakfasted quietly and decorously together, and
-at an hour when, in view of the compromising circumstances of the
-previous evening, we could set out without attracting undue
-notice, I set off with Minna for a long walk beyond the city
-gates. Then we parted, and from that day forward freely and
-openly gratified our desires as an acknowledged pair of lovers.
-
-The peculiar direction which my musical activities had gradually
-taken continued to receive ever fresh impetus, not only from the
-successes, but also from the disasters which about this time
-befell my efforts. I produced the overture to my Feen with very
-satisfactory results at a concert given by the Logengesellschaft,
-and thereby earned considerable applause. On the other hand, news
-came from Leipzig confirming the shabby action of the directors
-of the theatre in that place with regard to the promised
-presentation of this opera. But, happily for me, I had begun the
-music for my Liebesverbot, an occupation which so absorbed my
-thoughts that I lost all interest in the earlier work, and
-abstained with proud indifference from all further effort to
-secure its performance in Leipzig. The success of its overture
-alone amply repaid me for the composition of my first opera.
-
-Meanwhile, in spite of numerous other distractions, I found time,
-during the brief six months of this theatrical season in
-Magdeburg, to complete a large portion of my new opera, besides
-doing other work. I ventured to introduce two duets from it at a
-concert given in the theatre, and their reception encouraged me
-to proceed hopefully with the rest of the opera.
-
-During the second half of this season my friend Apel came to sun
-himself enthusiastically in the splendour of my musical
-directorship. He had written a drama, Columbus, which I
-recommended to our management for production. This was a
-peculiarly easy favour to win, as Apel volunteered to have a new
-scene, representing the Alhambra, painted at his own expense.
-Besides this, he proposed to effect many welcome improvements in
-the condition of the actors taking part in his play; for, owing
-to the continued preference displayed by the directress for
-Kneisel, the bass, they had all suffered very much from
-uncertainty about their wages. The piece itself appeared to me to
-contain much that was good. It described the difficulties and
-struggles of the great navigator before he set sail on his first
-voyage of discovery. The drama ended with the momentous departure
-of his ships from the harbour of Palos, an episode whose results
-are known to all the world. At my desire Apel submitted his play
-to my uncle Adolph, and even in his critical opinion it was
-remarkable for its lively and characteristic popular scenes. On
-the other hand, a love romance, which he had woven into the plot,
-struck me as unnecessary and dull. In addition to a brief chorus
-for some Moors who were expelled from Granada, to be sung on
-their departure from the familiar home country, and a short
-orchestral piece by way of conclusion, I also dashed off an
-overture for my friend's play. I sketched out the complete draft
-of this one evening at Minna's house, while Apel was left free to
-talk to her as much and as loudly as he liked. The effect this
-composition was calculated to produce rested on a fundamental
-idea which was quite simple, yet startling in its development.
-Unfortunately I worked it out rather hurriedly. In not very
-carefully chosen phrasing the orchestra was to represent the
-ocean, and, as far as might be, the ship upon it. A forcible,
-pathetically yearning and aspiring theme was the only
-comprehensible idea amid the swirl of enveloping sound. When the
-whole had been repeated, there was a sudden jump to a different
-theme in extreme pianissimo, accompanied by the swelling
-vibrations of the first violins, which was intended to represent
-a Fata Morgana. I had secured three pairs of trumpets in
-different keys, in order to produce this exquisite, gradually
-dawning and seductive theme with the utmost niceties of shade and
-variety of modulation. This was intended to represent the land of
-desire towards which the hero's eyes are turned, and whose shores
-seem continually to rise before him only to sink elusively
-beneath the waves, until at last they soar in very deed above the
-western horizon, the crown of all his toil and search, and stand
-clearly and unmistakably revealed to all the sailors, a vast
-continent of the future. My six trumpets were now to combine in
-one key, in order that the theme assigned to them might re-echo
-in glorious jubilation. Familiar as I was with the excellence of
-the Prussian regimental trumpeters, I could rely upon a startling
-effect, especially in this concluding passage. My overture
-astonished every one, and was tumultuously applauded. The play
-itself, however, was acted without dignity. A conceited comedian,
-named Ludwig Meyer, completely ruined the title part, for which
-he excused himself on the ground that, having to act as stage
-manager also, he had been unable to commit his lines to memory.
-Nevertheless, he managed to enrich his wardrobe with several
-splendid costumes at Apel's expense, wearing them, as Columbus,
-one after the other. At all events, Apel had lived to see a play
-of his own actually performed, and although this was never
-repeated, yet it afforded me an opportunity of increasing my
-personal popularity with the people of Magdeburg, as the overture
-was several times repeated at concerts by special request.
-
-But the chief event of this theatrical season occurred towards
-its close. I induced Mme. Schroder-Devrient, who was staying in
-Leipzig, to come to us for a few special performances, when, on
-two occasions, I had the great satisfaction and stimulating
-experience of myself conducting the operas in which she sang, and
-thus entering into immediate artistic collaboration with her. She
-appeared as Desdemona and Romeo. In the latter role particularly
-she surpassed herself, and kindled a fresh flame in my breast.
-This visit brought us also into closer personal contact. So
-kindly disposed and sympathetic did she show herself towards me,
-that she even volunteered to lend me her services at a concert
-which I proposed to give for my own benefit, although this would
-necessitate her returning after a brief absence. Under
-circumstances so auspicious I could only expect the best possible
-results from my concert, and in my situation at that time its
-proceeds were a matter of vital importance to me. My scanty
-salary from the Magdeburg opera company had become altogether
-illusory, being paid only in small and irregular instalments, so
-that I could see but one way of meeting my daily expenses. These
-included frequent entertainment of a large circle of friends,
-consisting of singers and players, and the situation had become
-unpleasantly accentuated by no small number of debts. True, I did
-not know their exact amount; but reckoned that I could at least
-form an advantageous, if indefinite, estimate of the sum to be
-realized by my concert, whereby the two unknown quantities might
-balance each other. I therefore consoled my creditors with the
-tale of these fabulous receipts, which were to pay them all in
-full the day after the concert. I even went so far as to invite
-them to come and be paid at the hotel to which I had moved at the
-close of the season.
-
-And, indeed, there was nothing unreasonable in my counting on the
-highest imaginable receipts, when supported by so great and
-popular a singer, who, moreover, was returning to Magdeburg on
-purpose for the event. I consequently acted with reckless
-prodigality as regards cost, launching out into all manner of
-musical extravagance, such as engaging an excellent and much
-larger orchestra, and arranging many rehearsals. Unfortunately
-for me, however, nobody would believe that such a famous actress,
-whose time was so precious, would really return again to please a
-little Magdeburg conductor. My pompous announcement of her
-appearance was almost universally regarded as a deceitful
-manoeuvre, and people took offence at the high prices charged for
-seats. The result was that the hall was only very scantily
-filled, a fact which particularly grieved me on account of my
-generous patroness. Her promise I had never doubted. Punctually
-on the day appointed she reappeared to support me, and now had
-the painful and unaccustomed experience of performing before a
-small audience. Fortunately, she treated the matter with great
-good-humour (which, I learned later, was prompted by other
-motives, not personally concerning me). Among several pieces she
-sang Beethoven's Adelaide most exquisitely, wherein, to my own
-astonishment, I accompanied her on the piano. But, alas! another
-and more unexpected mishap befell my concert, through our
-unfortunate selection of pieces. Owing to the excessive
-reverberation of the saloon in the Hotel 'The City of London,'
-the noise was unbearable. My Columbus Overture, with its six
-trumpets, had early in the evening filled the audience with
-terror; and now, at the end, came Beethoven's Schlacht bei
-Vittoria, for which, in enthusiastic expectation of limitless
-receipts, I had provided every imaginable orchestral luxury. The
-firing of cannon and musketry was organised with the utmost
-elaboration, on both the French and English sides, by means of
-specially constructed and costly apparatus; while trumpets and
-bugles had been doubled and trebled. Then began a battle, such as
-has seldom been more cruelly fought in a concert-room. The
-orchestra flung itself, so to speak, upon the scanty audience
-with such an overwhelming superiority of numbers that the latter
-speedily gave up all thought of resistance and literally took to
-flight. Mme. Schroder-Devrient had kindly taken a front seat,
-that she might hear the concert to an end. Much as she may have
-been inured to terrors of this kind, this was more than she could
-stand, even out of friendship for me. When, therefore, the
-English made a fresh desperate assault upon the French position,
-she took to flight, almost wringing her hands. Her action became
-the signal for a panic-stricken stampede. Every one rushed out;
-and Wellington's victory was finally celebrated in a confidential
-outburst between myself and the orchestra alone. Thus ended this
-wonderful musical festival. Schroder-Devrient at once departed,
-deeply regretting the ill-success of her well-meant effort, and
-kindly left me to my fate. After seeking comfort in the arms of
-my sorrowing sweetheart, and attempting to nerve myself for the
-morrow's battle, which did not seem likely to end in a victorious
-symphony, I returned next morning to the hotel. I found I could
-only reach my rooms by running the gauntlet between long rows of
-men and women in double file, who had all been specially invited
-thither for the settlement of their respective affairs. Reserving
-the right to select individuals from among my visitors for
-separate interview, I first of all led in the second trumpeter of
-the orchestra, whose duty it had been to look after the cash and
-the music. From his account I learned that, owing to the high
-fees which, in my generous enthusiasm, I had promised to the
-orchestra, a few more shillings and sixpences would still have to
-come out of my own pocket to meet these charges alone. When this
-was settled, the position of affairs was plain. The next person I
-invited to come in was Mme. Gottschalk, a trustworthy Jewess,
-with whom I wanted to come to some arrangement respecting the
-present crisis. She perceived at once that more than ordinary
-help was required in this case, but did not doubt that I should
-be able to obtain it from my opulent connections in Leipzig. She
-undertook, therefore, to appease the other creditors with
-tranquillising assurances, and railed, or pretended to rail,
-against their indecent conduct with great vigour. Thus at last we
-succeeded, though not without some difficulty, in making the
-corridor outside my door once more passable.
-
-The theatrical season was now over, our company on the point of
-dissolution, and I myself free from my appointment. But meanwhile
-the unhappy director of our theatre had passed from a state of
-chronic to one of acute bankruptcy. He paid with paper money,
-that is to say, with whole sheets of box-tickets for performances
-which he guaranteed should take place. By dint of great craft
-Minna managed to extract some profit even from these singular
-treasury-bonds. She was living at this time most frugally and
-economically. Moreover, as the dramatic company still continued
-its efforts on behalf of its members--only the opera troupe
-having been dissolved--she remained at the theatre. Thus, when I
-started out on my compulsory return to Leipzig, she saw me off
-with hearty good-wishes for our speedy reunion, promising to
-spend the next holidays in visiting her parents in Dresden, on
-which occasion she hoped also to look me up in Leipzig.
-
-Thus it came about that early in May I once more went home to my
-own folk, in order that after this abortive first attempt at
-civic independence, I might finally lift the load of debt with
-which my efforts in Magdeburg had burdened me. An intelligent
-brown poodle faithfully accompanied me, and was entrusted to my
-family for food and entertainment as the only visible property I
-had acquired. Nevertheless, my mother and Rosalie succeeded in
-founding good hopes for my future career upon the bare fact of my
-being able to conduct an orchestra. To me, on the other hand, the
-thought of returning once more to my former life with my family
-was very discomfiting. My relation to Minna in particular spurred
-me on to resume my interrupted career as speedily as possible.
-The great change which had come over me in this respect was more
-apparent than ever when Minna spent a few days with me in Leipzig
-on her way home. Her familiar and genial presence proclaimed that
-my days of parental dependence were past and gone. We discussed
-the renewal of my Magdeburg engagement, and I promised her an
-early visit in Dresden. I obtained permission from my mother and
-sister to invite her one evening to tea, and in this way I
-introduced her to my family. Rosalie saw at once how matters
-stood with me, but made no further use of the discovery than to
-tease me about being in love. To her the affair did not appear
-dangerous; but to me things wore a very different aspect, for
-this love-lorn attachment was entirely in keeping with my
-independent spirit, and my ambition to win myself a place in the
-world of art.
-
-My distaste for Leipzig itself was furthermore strengthened by a
-change which occurred there at this time in the realm of music.
-At the very time that I, in Magdeburg, was attempting to make my
-reputation as a musical conductor by thoughtless submission to
-the frivolous taste of the day, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was
-conducting the Gewandhaus concerts, and inaugurating a momentous
-epoch for himself and the musical taste of Leipzig. His influence
-had put an end to the simple ingenuousness with which the Leipzig
-public had hitherto judged the productions of its sociable
-subscription concerts. Through the influence of my good old
-friend Pohlenz, who was not yet altogether laid on the shelf, I
-managed to produce my Columbus Overture at a benefit concert
-given by the favourite young singer, Livia Gerhart. But, to my
-amazement, I found that the taste of the musical public in
-Leipzig had been given a different bent, which not even my
-rapturously applauded overture, with its brilliant combination of
-six trumpets, could influence. This experience deepened my
-dislike of everything approaching a classical tone, in which
-sentiment I found myself in complete accord with honest Pohlenz,
-who sighed good-naturedly over the downfall of the good old
-times.
-
-Arrangements for a musical festival at Dessau, under Friedrich
-Schneider's conductorship, offered me a welcome chance of
-quitting Leipzig. For this journey, which could be performed on
-foot in seven hours, I had to procure a passport for eight days.
-This document was destined to play an important part in my life
-for many years to come; for on several occasions and in various
-European countries it was the only paper I possessed to prove my
-identity. In fact, owing to my evasion of military duty in
-Saxony, I never again succeeded in obtaining a regular pass until
-I was appointed musical conductor in Dresden. I derived very
-little artistic pleasure or benefit of any kind from this
-occasion; on the contrary, it gave a fresh impetus to my hatred
-of the classical. I heard Beethoven's Symphony in C minor
-conducted by a man whose physiognomy, resembling that of a
-drunken satyr, filled me with unconquerable disgust. In spite of
-an interminable row of contrabassi, with which a conductor
-usually coquettes at musical festivals, his performance was so
-expressionless and inane that I turned away in disgust as from an
-alarming and repulsive problem, and desisted from all attempts to
-explain the impassable gulf which, as I again perceived, yawned
-between my own vivid and imaginative conception of this work and
-the only living presentations of it which I had ever heard. But
-for the present my tormented spirits were cheered and calmed by
-hearing the classical Schneider's oratorio Absalom rendered as an
-absolute burlesque.
-
-It was in Dessau that Minna had made her first debut on the
-stage, and while there I heard her spoken of by frivolous young
-men in the tone usual in such circles when discussing young and
-beautiful actresses. My eagerness in contradicting this chatter
-and confounding the scandalmongers revealed to me more clearly
-than ever the strength of the passion which drew me to her.
-
-I therefore returned to Leipzig without calling on my relatives,
-and there procured means for an immediate journey to Dresden. On
-the way (the journey was still performed by express coach) I met
-Minna, accompanied by one of her sisters, already on the way back
-to Magdeburg. Promptly procuring a posting ticket for the return
-journey to Leipzig, I actually set off thither with my dear girl;
-but by the time we reached the next station I had succeeded in
-persuading her to turn back with me to Dresden. By this time the
-mail-coach was far ahead of us, and we had to travel by special
-post-chaise. This lively bustling to and fro seemed to astonish
-the two girls, and put them into high spirits. The extravagance
-of my conduct had evidently roused them to the expectation of
-adventures, and it now behoved me to fulfil this expectation.
-Procuring from a Dresden acquaintance the necessary cash, I
-conducted my two lady friends through the Saxon Alps, where we
-spent several right merry days of innocent and youthful gaiety.
-Only once was this disturbed by a passing fit of jealousy on my
-part, for which, indeed, there was no occasion, but which fed
-itself in my heart on a nervous apprehension of the future, and
-upon the experience I had already gained of womenkind. Yet,
-despite this blot, our excursion still lingers in my memory as
-the sweetest and almost sole remembrance of unalloyed happiness
-in the whole of my life as a young man. One evening in particular
-stands out in bright relief, during which we sat together almost
-all night at the watering-place of Schandau in glorious summer
-weather. Indeed, my subsequent long and anxious connection with
-Minna, interwoven as it was with the most painful and bitter
-vicissitudes, has often appeared to me as a persistently
-prolonged expiation of the brief and harmless enjoyment of those
-few days.
-
-After accompanying Minna to Leipzig, whence she continued her
-journey to Magdeburg, I presented myself to my family, but told
-them nothing of my Dresden excursion. I now braced my energies,
-as though under the stern compulsion of a strange and deep sense
-of duty, to the task of making such arrangements as would
-speedily restore me to my dear one's side. To this end a fresh
-engagement had to be negotiated with Director Bethmann for the
-coming winter season. Unable to await the conclusion of our
-contract in Leipzig, I availed myself of Laube's presence at the
-baths in Kosen, near Naumburg, to pay him a visit. Laube had only
-recently been discharged from the Berlin municipal gaol, after a
-tormenting inquisition of nearly a year's duration. On giving his
-parole not to leave the country until the verdict had been given,
-he had been permitted to retire to Kosen, from which place he,
-one evening, paid us a secret visit in Leipzig. I can still call
-his woebegone appearance to mind. He seemed hopelessly resigned,
-though he spoke cheerfully with regard to all his earlier dreams
-of better things; and owing to my own worries at that time about
-the critical state of my affairs, this impression still remains
-one of my saddest and most painful recollections. While at Kosen
-I showed him a good many of the verses for my Liebesverbot, and
-although he spoke coldly of my presumption in wishing to write my
-own libretto, I was slightly encouraged by his appreciation of my
-work.
-
-Meanwhile I impatiently awaited letters from Magdeburg. Not that
-I had any doubt as to the renewal of my engagement; on the
-contrary, I had every reason to regard myself as a good
-acquisition for Bethmann; but I felt as though nothing which
-tended to bring me nearer to Minna could move fast enough. As
-soon as I received the necessary tidings, I hurried away to make
-all needful arrangements on the spot for ensuring a magnificent
-success in the coming Magdeburg operatic season.
-
-Through the tireless munificence of the King of Prussia fresh and
-final assistance had been granted to our perennially bankrupt
-theatrical director. His Majesty had assigned a not
-inconsiderable sum to a committee consisting of substantial
-Magdeburg citizens, as a subsidy to be expended on the theatre
-under Bethmann's management. What this meant, and the respect
-with which I thereupon regarded the artistic conditions of
-Magdeburg, may be best imagined if one remembers the neglected
-and forlorn surroundings amid which such provincial theatres
-usually drag out their lives. I offered at once to undertake a
-long journey in search of good operatic singers. I said I would
-find the means for this at my own risk, and the only guarantee I
-demanded from the management for eventual reimbursement was that
-they should assign me the proceeds of a future benefit
-performance. This offer was gladly accepted, and in pompous tones
-the director furnished me with the necessary powers, and moreover
-gave me his parting blessing. During this brief interval I lived
-once more in intimate communion with Minna--who now had her
-mother with her--and then took fresh leave of her for my
-venturesome enterprise.
-
-But when I got to Leipzig I found it by no means easy to procure
-the funds, so confidently counted on when in Magdeburg, for the
-expenses of my projected journey. The glamour of the royal
-protection of Prussia for our theatrical undertaking, which I
-portrayed in the liveliest colours to my good brother-in-law
-Brockhaus, quite failed to dazzle him, and it was at the cost of
-great pains and humiliation that I finally got my ship of
-discovery under weigh.
-
-I was naturally drawn first of all to my old wonderland of
-Bohemia. There I merely touched at Prague and, without visiting
-my lovely lady friends, I hurried forward so that I might first
-sample the opera company then playing for the season at Karlsbad.
-Impatient to discover as many talents as I could as soon as
-possible, so as not to exhaust my funds to no purpose, I attended
-a performance of La Dame Blanche, sincerely hoping to find the
-whole performance first class. But not until much later did I
-fully realise how wretched was the quality of all these singers.
-I selected one of them, a bass named Graf, who was singing
-Gaveston. When in due course he made his debut at Magdeburg, he
-provoked so much well-founded dissatisfaction, that I could not
-find a word to say in reply to the mockery which this acquisition
-brought upon me.
-
-But the small success with which the real object of my tour was
-attended was counterbalanced by the pleasantness of the journey
-itself. The trip through Eger, over the Fichtel mountains, and
-the entry into Bayreuth, gloriously illuminated by the setting
-sun, have remained happy memories to this day.
-
-My next goal was Nuremberg, where my sister Clara and her husband
-were acting, and from whom I might reckon on sound information as
-to the object of my search. It was particularly nice to be
-hospitably received in my sister's house, where I hoped to revive
-my somewhat exhausted means of travel. In this hope I reckoned
-chiefly upon the sale of a snuff-box presented to me by a friend,
-which I had secret reasons to suppose was made of platinum. To
-this I could add a gold signet-ring, given me by my friend Apel
-for composing the overture to his Columbus. The value of the
-snuff-box unfortunately proved to be entirely imaginary; but by
-pawning these two jewels, the only ones I had left, I hoped to
-provide myself with the bare necessaries for continuing my
-journey to Frankfort. It was to this place and the Rhine district
-that the information I had gathered led me to direct my steps.
-Before leaving I persuaded my sister and brother-in-law to accept
-engagements in Magdeburg; but I still lacked a first tenor and a
-soprano, whom hitherto I had altogether failed to discover.
-
-My stay in Nuremberg was most agreeably prolonged through a
-renewed meeting with Schroder-Devrient, who just at that time was
-fulfilling a short engagement in that town. Meeting her again was
-like seeing the clouds disperse, which, since our last meeting,
-had darkened my artistic horizon.
-
-The Nuremberg operatic company had a very limited repertoire.
-Besides Fidelio they could produce nothing save Die
-Schweizerfamilie, a fact about which this great singer
-complained, as this was one of her first parts sung in early
-youth, for which she was hardly any longer suited, and which, in
-addition, she had played ad nauseam. I also looked forward to the
-performance of Die Schweizerfamilie with misgivings, and even
-with anxiety, for I feared lest this tame opera and the old-
-fashioned sentimental part of Emmeline would weaken the great
-impression the public, as well as myself, had formed up to that
-moment of the work of this sublime artist. Imagine, therefore,
-how deeply moved and astonished I was, on the evening of the
-performance, to find that it was in this very part that I first
-realised the truly transcendental genius of this extraordinary
-woman. That anything so great as her interpretation of the
-character of the Swiss maiden could not be handed down to
-posterity as a monument for all time can only be looked upon as
-one of the most sublime sacrifices demanded by dramatic art, and
-as one of its highest manifestations. When, therefore, such
-phenomena appear, we cannot hold them in too great reverence, nor
-look upon them as too sacred.
-
-Apart from all these new experiences which were to become of so
-much value to my whole life and to my artistic development, the
-impressions I received at Nuremberg, though they were apparently
-trivial in their origin, left such indelible traces on my mind,
-that they revived within me later on, though in quite a different
-and novel form.
-
-My brother-in-law, Wolfram, was a great favourite with the
-Nuremberg theatrical world; he was witty and sociable, and as
-such made himself much liked in theatrical circles. On this
-occasion I received singularly delightful proofs of the spirit of
-extravagant gaiety manifested on these evenings at the inn, in
-which I also took part. A master carpenter, named Lauermann, a
-little thick-set man, no longer young, of comical appearance and
-gifted only with the roughest dialect, was pointed out to me in
-one of the inns visited by our friends as one of those oddities
-who involuntarily contributed most to the amusement of the local
-wags. Lauermann, it seems, imagined himself an excellent singer,
-and as a result of this presumption, evinced interest only in
-those in whom he thought he recognised a like talent. In spite of
-the fact that, owing to this singular peculiarity, he became the
-butt of constant jest and scornful mockery, he never failed to
-appear every evening among his laughter-loving persecutors. So
-often had he been laughed at and hurt by their scorn, that it
-became very difficult to persuade him to give a display of his
-artistic skill, and this at last could only be effected by
-artfully devised traps, so laid as to appeal to his vanity. My
-arrival as an unknown stranger was utilised for a manoeuvre of
-this kind. How poor was the opinion they held of the unfortunate
-mastersinger's judgment was revealed when, to my great amazement,
-my brother-in-law introduced me to him as the great Italian
-singer, Lablache. To his credit I must confess that Lauermann
-surveyed me for a long time with incredulous distrust, and
-commented with cautious suspicion on my juvenile appearance, but
-especially on the evidently tenor character of my voice. But the
-whole art of these tavern associates and their principal
-enjoyment consisted in leading this poor enthusiast to believe
-the incredible, a task on which they spared neither time nor
-pains.
-
-My brother-in-law succeeded in making the carpenter believe that
-I, while receiving fabulous sums for my performances, wished by a
-singular act of dissimulation, and by visiting public inns, to
-withdraw from the general public; and that, moreover, when it
-came to a meeting between 'Lauermann' and 'Lablache,' the only
-real interest could be to hear Lauermann and not Lablache, seeing
-that the former had nothing to learn from the latter, but only
-Lablache from him. So singular was the conflict between
-incredulity, on the one hand, and keenly excited vanity on the
-other, that finally the poor carpenter became really attractive
-to me. I began to play the role assigned me with all the skill I
-could command, and after a couple of hours, which were relieved
-by the strangest antics, we at last gained our end. The wondrous
-mortal, whose flashing eyes had long been fixed on me in the
-greatest excitement, worked his muscles in the peculiarly
-fantastic fashion which we are accustomed to associate with a
-music-making automaton, the mechanism of which has been duly
-wound up: his lips quivered, his teeth gnashed, his eyes rolled
-convulsively, until finally there broke forth, in a hoarse oily
-voice, an uncommonly trivial street-ballad. Its delivery,
-accompanied by a regular movement of his outstretched thumbs
-behind the ears, and during which his fat face glowed the
-brightest red, was unhappily greeted with a wild burst of
-laughter from all present, which excited the unlucky master to
-the most furious wrath. With studied cruelty this wrath was
-greeted by those, who until then had shamelessly flattered him,
-with the most extravagant mockery, until the poor wretch at last
-absolutely foamed with rage.
-
-As he was leaving the inn amid a hail of curses from his infamous
-friends, an impulse of genuine pity prompted me to follow him,
-that I might beg his forgiveness and seek in some way to pacify
-him, a task all the more difficult since he was especially bitter
-against me as the latest of his enemies, and the one who had so
-deeply deceived his eager hope of hearing the genuine Lablache.
-Nevertheless, I succeeded in stopping him on the threshold; and
-now the riotous company silently entered into an extraordinary
-conspiracy to induce Lauermann to sing again that very evening.
-How they managed this I can as little remember as I can call to
-mind the effect of the spirituous liquors I imbibed. In any case,
-I suspect that drink must eventually have been the means of
-subduing Lauermann, just as it also rendered my own recollections
-of the wonderful events of that prolonged evening at the inn
-extremely vague. After Lauermann had for the second time suffered
-the same mockery, the whole company felt itself bound to
-accompany the unhappy man to his home. They carried him thither
-in a wheelbarrow, which they found outside the house, and in this
-he arrived, in triumph, at his own door, in one of those
-marvellous narrow alleys peculiar to the old city. Frau
-Lauermann, who was aroused from slumber to receive her husband,
-enabled us, by her torrent of curses, to form some idea of the
-nature of their marital and domestic relations. Mockery of her
-husband's vocal talents was with her also a familiar theme; but
-to this she now added the most dreadful reproaches for the
-worthless scamps who, by encouraging him in this delusion, kept
-him from profitably following his trade, and even led him to such
-scenes as the present one. Thereupon the pride of the suffering
-mastersinger reasserted itself; for while his wife painfully
-assisted him to mount the stairs, he harshly denied her right to
-sit in judgment upon his vocal gifts, and sternly ordered her to
-be silent. But even now this wonderful night-adventure was by no
-means over. The entire swarm moved once more in the direction of
-the inn. Before the house, however, we found a number of fellows
-congregated, among them several workmen, against whom, owing to
-police regulations as to closing hours, the doors were shut. But
-the regular guests of the house, who were of our party, and who
-were on terms of old friendship with the host, thought that it
-was nevertheless permissible and possible to demand entrance. The
-host was troubled at having to bar his door against friends,
-whose voices he recognised; yet it was necessary to prevent the
-new arrivals from forcing a way in with them. Out of this
-situation a mighty confusion arose, which, what with shouting and
-clamour and an inexplicable growth in the number of the
-disputants, soon assumed a truly demoniacal character. It seemed
-to me as though in a few moments the whole town would break into
-a tumult, and I thought I should once more have to witness a
-revolution, the real origin of which no man could comprehend.
-Then suddenly I heard some one fall, and, as though by magic, the
-whole mass scattered in every direction. One of the regular
-guests, who was familiar with an ancient Nuremberg boxing trick,
-desiring to put an end to the interminable riot and to cut his
-way home through the crowd, gave one of the noisiest shouters a
-blow with his fist between the eyes, laying him senseless on the
-ground, though without seriously injuring him. And this it was
-that so speedily broke up the whole throng. Within little more
-than a minute of the most violent uproar of hundreds of human
-voices, my brother-in-law and I were able to stroll arm-in-arm
-through the moonlit streets, quietly jesting and laughing, on our
-way home; and then it was that, to my amazement and relief, he
-informed me that he was accustomed to this sort of life every
-evening.
-
-At last, however, it became necessary seriously to attend to the
-purpose of my journey. Only in passing did I touch at Wurzburg
-for a day. I remember nothing of the meeting with my relations
-and acquaintance beyond the melancholy visit to Friederike
-Galvani already mentioned. On reaching Frankfort I was obliged to
-seek at once the shelter of a decent hotel, in order to await
-there the result of my solicitations for subsidies from the
-directorate of the Magdeburg theatre. My hopes of securing the
-real stars of our operatic undertaking were formed with a view to
-a season at Wiesbaden, where, I was told, a good operatic company
-was on the point of dissolution. I found it extremely difficult
-to arrange the short journey thither; yet I managed to be present
-at a rehearsal of Robert der Teufel, in which the tenor
-Freimuller distinguished himself. I interviewed him at once, and
-found him willing to entertain my proposals for Magdeburg. We
-concluded the necessary agreement, and I then returned with all
-speed to my headquarters, the Weidenbusch Hotel in Frankfort.
-There I had to spend another anxious week, during which I waited
-in vain for the necessary travelling expenses to arrive from
-Magdeburg. To kill time I had recourse, among other things, to a
-large red pocket-book which I carried about with me in my
-portmanteau, and in which I entered, with exact details of dates,
-etc., notes for my future biography--the selfsame book which now
-lies before me to freshen my memory, and which I have ever since
-added to at various periods of my life, without leaving any gaps.
-Through the neglect of the Magdeburg managers my situation, which
-was already serious, became literally desperate, when I made an
-acquisition in Frankfort which gave me almost more pleasure than
-I was able to bear. I had been present at a production of the
-Zauberflote under the direction of Guhr, then wonderfully
-renowned as 'a conductor of genius,' and was agreeably surprised
-at the truly excellent quality of the company. It was, of course,
-useless to think of luring one of the leading stars into my net;
-on the other hand, I saw clearly enough that the youthful
-Fraulein Limbach, who sang the 'first boy's' part, possessed a
-desirable talent. She accepted my offer of an engagement, and,
-indeed, seemed so anxious to be rid of her Frankfort engagement
-that she resolved to escape from it surreptitiously. She revealed
-her plans to me, and begged me to assist her in carrying them
-out; for, inasmuch as the directors might get wind of the affair,
-there was no time to lose. At all events, the young lady assumed
-that I had abundant credit, supplied for my official business
-journey by the Magdeburg theatre committee, whose praises I had
-so diligently sung. But already I had been compelled to pledge my
-scanty travelling gear in order to provide for my own departure.
-To this point I had persuaded the host, but now found him by no
-means inclined to advance me the additional funds needed for
-carrying off a young singer. To cloak the bad behaviour of my
-directors I was compelled to invent some tale of misfortune, and
-to leave the astonished and indignant young lady behind. Heartily
-ashamed of this adventure, I travelled through rain and storm via
-Leipzig, where I picked up my brown poodle, and reaching
-Magdeburg, there resumed my work as musical director on the 1st
-of September.
-
-The result of my business labours gave me but little joy. The
-director, it is true, proved triumphantly that he had sent five
-whole golden louis to my address in Frankfort, and that my tenor
-and the youthful lady-singer had also been provided with proper
-contracts, but not with the fares and advances demanded. Neither
-of them came; only the basso Graf arrived with pedantic
-punctuality from Karlsbad, and immediately provoked the chaff of
-our theatrical wags. He sang at a rehearsal of the
-Schweizerfamilie with such a schoolmasterly drone that I
-completely lost my composure. The arrival of my excellent
-brother-in-law Wolfram with my sister Clara was of more advantage
-for musical comedy than for grand opera, and caused me
-considerable trouble into the bargain; for, being honest folk and
-used to decent living, they speedily perceived that, in spite of
-royal protection, the condition of the theatre was but very
-insecure, as was natural under so unscrupulous a management as
-that of Bethmann, and recognised with alarm that they had
-seriously compromised their family position. My courage had
-already begun to sink when a happy chance brought us a young
-woman, Mme. Pollert (nee Zeibig), who was passing through
-Magdeburg with her husband, an actor, in order to fulfil a
-special engagement in that town; she was gifted with a beautiful
-voice, was a talented singer, and well suited for the chief
-roles. Necessity had at last driven the directors to action, and
-at the eleventh hour they sent for the tenor Freimuller. But I
-was particularly gratified when the love which had arisen between
-him and young Limbach in Frankfort enabled the enterprising tenor
-to carry away this singer, to whom I had behaved so miserably.
-Both arrived radiant with joy. Along with them we engaged Mme.
-Pollert, who, in spite of her pretentiousness, met with favour
-from the public. A well-trained and musically competent baritone,
-Herr Krug, afterwards the conductor of a choir in Karlsruhe, had
-also been discovered, so that all at once I stood at the head of
-a really good operatic company, among which the basso Graf could
-be fitted in only with great difficulty, by being kept as much as
-possible in the background. We succeeded quickly with a series of
-operatic performances which were by no means ordinary, and our
-repertory included everything of this nature that had ever been
-written for the theatre. I was particularly pleased with the
-presentation of Spohr's Jessonda, which was truly not without
-sublimity, and raised us high in the esteem of all cultured
-lovers of music. I was untiring in my endeavours to discover some
-means of elevating our performances above the usual level of
-excellence compatible with the meagre resources of provincial
-theatres. I persistently fell foul of the director Bethmann by
-strengthening my orchestra, which he had to pay; but, on the
-other hand, I won his complete goodwill by strengthening the
-chorus and the theatre music, which cost him nothing, and which
-lent such splendour to our presentations that subscriptions and
-audiences increased enormously. For instance, I secured the
-regimental band, and also the military singers, who in the
-Prussian army are admirably organised, and who assisted in our
-performances in return for free passes to the gallery granted to
-their relatives. Thus I managed to furnish with the utmost
-completeness the specially strong orchestral accompaniment
-demanded by the score of Bellini's Norma, and was able to dispose
-of a body of male voices for the impressive unison portion of the
-male chorus in the introduction of that work such as even the
-greatest theatres could rarely command. In later years I was able
-to assure Auber, whom I often met over an ice in Tortoni's cafe
-in Paris, that in his Lestocq I had been able to render the part
-of the mutinous soldiery, when seduced into conspiracy, with an
-absolutely full number of voices, a fact for which he thanked me
-with astonishment and delight.
-
-Amid such circumstances of encouragement the composition of my
-Liebesverbot made rapid strides towards completion. I intended
-the presentation of this piece for the benefit performance which
-had been promised me as a means of defraying my expenses, and I
-worked hard in the hope of improving my reputation, and at the
-same time of accomplishing something by no means less desirable,
-and that was the betterment of my financial position. Even the
-few hours which I could snatch from business to spend at Minna's
-side were devoted with unexampled zeal to the completion of my
-score. My diligence moved even Minna's mother, who looked with
-some uneasiness upon our love affair. She had remained over the
-summer on a visit to her daughter, and managed the house for her.
-Owing to her interference a new and urgent anxiety had entered
-into our relations, which pressed for serious settlement. It was
-natural that we should begin to think of what it was all going to
-lead to. I must confess that the idea of marriage, especially in
-view of my youth, filled me with dismay, and without indeed
-reflecting on the matter, or seriously weighing its pros and
-cons, a naive and instinctive feeling prevented me even from
-considering the possibility of a step which would have such
-serious consequences upon my whole life. Moreover, our modest
-circumstances were in so alarming and uncertain a state that even
-Minna declared that she was more anxious to see these improved
-than to get me to marry her. But she was also driven to think of
-herself, and that promptly, for trouble arose with regard to her
-own position in the Magdeburg theatre. There she had met with a
-rival in her own speciality, and as this woman's husband became
-chief stage manager, and consequently had supreme power, she grew
-to be a source of great danger. Seeing, therefore, that at this
-very moment Minna received advantageous offers from the managers
-of the Konigstadt theatre in Berlin, then doing a splendid
-business, she seized the opportunity to break off her connection
-with the Magdeburg theatre, and thus plunged me, whom she did not
-appear to consider in the matter, into the depths of despair. I
-could not hinder Minna from going to Berlin to fulfil a special
-engagement there, although this was not in accordance with her
-agreement, and so she departed, leaving me behind, overcome with
-grief and doubt as to the meaning of her conduct. At last, mad
-with passion, I wrote to her urging her to return, and the better
-to move her and not to separate her fate from my own, I proposed
-to her in a strictly formal manner, and hinted at the hope of
-early marriage. About the same time my brother-in-law, Wolfram,
-having quarrelled with the director Bethmann and cancelled his
-contract with him, also went to the Konigstadt theatre to fulfil
-a special engagement. My good sister Clara, who had remained
-behind for a while amid the somewhat unpleasant conditions of
-Magdeburg, soon perceived the anxious and troubled temper in
-which her otherwise cheerful brother was rapidly consuming
-himself. One day she thought it advisable to show me a letter
-from her husband, with news from Berlin, and especially
-concerning Minna, in which he earnestly deplored my passion for
-this girl, who was acting quite unworthily of me. As she lodged
-at his hotel, he was able to observe that not only the company
-she kept, but also her own conduct, were perfectly scandalous.
-The extraordinary impression which this dreadful communication
-made upon me decided me to abandon the reserve I had hitherto
-shown towards my relatives with regard to my love affairs. I
-wrote to my brother-in-law in Berlin, telling him how matters
-stood with me, and that my plans greatly depended on Minna, and
-further, how extremely important it was for me to learn from him
-the indubitable truth concerning her of whom he had sent so evil
-an account. From my brother-in-law, usually so dry and given to
-joking, I received a reply which filled my heart to overflowing
-again. He confessed that he had accused Minna too hastily, and
-regretted that he had allowed idle chatter to influence him in
-founding a charge, which, on investigation, had proved to be
-altogether groundless and unjust; he declared, moreover, that on
-nearer acquaintance and conversation with her he had been so
-fully convinced of the genuineness and uprightness of her
-character, that he hoped with all his heart that I might see my
-way to marry her. And now a storm raged in my heart. I implored
-Minna to return at once, and was glad to learn that, for her
-part, she was not inclined to renew her engagement at the Berlin
-theatre, as she had now acquired a more intimate knowledge of the
-life there, and found it too frivolous. All that remained, then,
-was for me to facilitate the resumption of her Magdeburg
-engagement. To this end, therefore, at a meeting of the theatre
-committee, I attacked the director and his detested stage manager
-with such energy, and defended Minna against the wrong done her
-by them both with such passion and fervour, that the other
-members, astonished at the frank confession of my affection,
-yielded to my wishes without any further ado. And now I set off
-by extra post in the depth of night and in dreadful winter
-weather to meet my returning sweetheart. I greeted her with tears
-of deepest joy, and led her back in triumph to her cosy Magdeburg
-home, already become so dear to me.
-
-Meanwhile, as our two lives, thus severed for a while, were being
-drawn more and more closely together, I finished the score of my
-Liebesverbot about New Year 1836. For the development of my
-future plans I depended not a little upon the success of this
-work; and Minna herself seemed not disinclined to yield to my
-hopes in this respect. We had reason to be concerned as to how
-matters would pan out for us at the beginning of the spring, for
-this season is always a bad one in which to start such precarious
-theatrical enterprises. In spite of royal support and the
-participation of the theatre committee in the general management
-of the theatre, our worthy director's state of perennial
-bankruptcy suffered no alteration, and it seemed as if his
-theatrical undertaking could not possibly last much longer in any
-form. Nevertheless, with the help of the really first-rate
-company of singers at my disposal, the production of my opera was
-to mark a complete change in my unsatisfactory circumstances.
-With the view of recovering the travelling expenses I had
-incurred during the previous summer, I was entitled to a benefit
-performance. I naturally fixed this for the presentation of my
-own work, and did my utmost so that this favour granted me by the
-directors should prove as inexpensive to them as possible. As
-they would nevertheless be compelled to incur some expense in the
-production of the new opera, I agreed that the proceeds of the
-first presentation should be left to them, while I should claim
-only those of the second. I did not consider it altogether
-unsatisfactory that the time for the rehearsals was postponed
-until the very end of the season, for it was reasonable to
-suppose that our company, which was often greeted with unusual
-applause, would receive special attention and favour from the
-public during its concluding performances. Unfortunately,
-however, contrary to our expectations, we never reached the
-proper close of this season, which had been fixed for the end of
-April; for already in March, owing to irregularity in the payment
-of salaries, the most popular members of the company, having
-found better employment elsewhere, tendered their resignations to
-the management, and the director, who was unable to raise the
-necessary cash, was compelled to bow to the inevitable. Now,
-indeed, my spirits sank, for it seemed more than doubtful whether
-my Liebesverbot would ever be produced at all. I owed it entirely
-to the warm affection felt for me personally by all members of
-the opera company, that the singers consented not only to remain
-until the end of March, but also to undertake the toil of
-studying and rehearsing my opera, a task which, considering the
-very limited time, promised to be extremely arduous. In the event
-of our having to give two representations, the time at our
-disposal was so very short that, for all the rehearsals, we had
-but ten days before us. And since we were concerned not with a
-light comedy or farce, but with a grand opera, and one which, in
-spite of the trifling character of its music, contained numerous
-and powerful concerted passages, the undertaking might have been
-regarded almost as foolhardy. Nevertheless, I built my hopes upon
-the extraordinary exertions which the singers so willingly made
-in order to please me; for they studied continuously, morning,
-noon, and night. But seeing that, in spite of all this, it was
-quite impossible to attain to perfection, especially in the
-matter of words, in the case of every one of these harassed
-performers, I reckoned further on my own acquired skill as
-conductor to achieve the final miracle of success. The peculiar
-ability I possessed of helping the singers and of making them, in
-spite of much uncertainty, seem to flow smoothly onwards, was
-clearly demonstrated in our orchestral rehearsals, in which, by
-dint of constant prompting, loud singing with the performers and
-vigorous directions as to necessary action, I got the whole thing
-to run so easily that it seemed quite possible that the
-performance might be a reasonable success after all.
-Unfortunately, we did not consider that in front of the public
-all these drastic methods of moving the dramatic and musical
-machinery would be restricted to the movements of my baton and to
-my facial expression. As a matter of fact the singers, and
-especially the men, were so extraordinarily uncertain that from
-beginning to end their embarrassment crippled the effectiveness
-of every one of their parts. Freimuller, the tenor, whose memory
-was most defective, sought to patch up the lively and emotional
-character of his badly learned rule of the madcap Luzio by means
-of routine work learned in Fra Diavolo and Zampa, and especially
-by the aid of an enormously thick, brightly coloured and
-fluttering plume of feathers. Consequently, as the directors
-failed to have the book of words printed in time, it was
-impossible to blame the public for being in doubt as to the main
-outlines of the story, seeing that they had only the sung words
-to guide them. With the exception of a few portions played by the
-lady singers, which were favourably received, the whole
-performance, which I had made to depend largely upon bold,
-energetic action and speech, remained but a musical shadow-play,
-to which the orchestra contributed its own inexplicable
-effusions, sometimes with exaggerated noise. As characteristic of
-the treatment of my tone-colour, I may mention that the band-
-master of a Prussian military band, who, by the bye, had been
-well pleased with the performance, felt it incumbent upon him to
-give me some well-meant hints for my future guidance, as to the
-manipulation of the Turkish drum. Before I relate the further
-history of this wonderful work of my youth, I will pause a moment
-briefly to describe its character, and especially its poetical
-elements.
-
-Shakespeare's play, which I kept throughout in mind as the
-foundation of my story, was worked out in the following manner:--
-
-An unnamed king of Sicily leaves his country, as I suggest, for a
-journey to Naples, and hands over to the Regent appointed--whom I
-simply call Friedrich, with the view of making him appear as
-German as possible--full authority to exercise all the royal
-power in order to effect a complete reform in the social habits
-of his capital, which had provoked the indignation of the
-Council. At the opening of the play we see the servants of the
-public authority busily employed either in shutting up or in
-pulling down the houses of popular amusement in a suburb of
-Palermo, and in carrying off the inmates, including hosts and
-servants, as prisoners. The populace oppose this first step, and
-much scuffling ensues. In the thickest of the throng the chief of
-the sbirri, Brighella (basso-buffo), after a preliminary roll of
-drums for silence, reads out the Regent's proclamation, according
-to which the acts just performed are declared to be directed
-towards establishing a higher moral tone in the manners and
-customs of the people. A general outburst of scorn and a mocking
-chorus meets this announcement. Luzio, a young nobleman and
-juvenile scape-grace (tenor), seems inclined to thrust himself
-forward as leader of the mob, and at once finds an occasion for
-playing a more active part in the cause of the oppressed people
-on discovering his friend Claudio (also a tenor) being led away
-to prison. From him he learns that, in pursuance of some musty
-old law unearthed by Friedrich, he is to suffer the penalty of
-death for a certain love escapade in which he is involved. His
-sweetheart, union with whom had been prevented by the enmity of
-their parents, has borne him a child. Friedrich's puritanical
-zeal joins cause with the parents' hatred; he fears the worst,
-and sees no way of escape save through mercy, provided his sister
-Isabella may be able, by her entreaties, to melt the Regent's
-hard heart. Claudio implores his friend at once to seek out
-Isabella in the convent of the Sisters of St. Elizabeth, which
-she has recently entered as novice. There, between the quiet
-walls of the convent, we first meet this sister, in confidential
-intercourse with her friend Marianne, also a novice. Marianne
-reveals to her friend, from whom she has long been parted, the
-unhappy fate which has brought her to the place. Under vows of
-eternal fidelity she had been persuaded to a secret liaison with
-a man of high rank. But finally, when in extreme need she found
-herself not only forsaken, but threatened by her betrayer, she
-discovered him to be the mightiest man in the state, none other
-than the King's Regent himself. Isabella's indignation finds vent
-in impassioned words, and is only pacified by her determination
-to forsake a world in which so vile a crime can go unpunished.--
-When now Luzio brings her tidings of her own brother's fate, her
-disgust at her brother's misconduct is turned at once to scorn
-for the villainy of the hypocritical Regent, who presumes so
-cruelly to punish the comparatively venial offence of her
-brother, which, at least, was not stained by treachery. Her
-violent outburst imprudently reveals her to Luzio in a seductive
-aspect; smitten with sudden love, he urges her to quit the
-convent for ever and to accept his hand. She contrives to check
-his boldness, but resolves at once to avail herself of his escort
-to the Regent's court of justice.--Here the trial scene is
-prepared, and I introduce it by a burlesque hearing of several
-persons charged by the sbirro captain with offences against
-morality. The earnestness of the situation becomes more marked
-when the gloomy form of Friedrich strides through the inrushing
-and unruly crowd, commanding silence, and he himself undertakes
-the hearing of Claudio's case in the sternest manner possible.
-The implacable judge is already on the point of pronouncing
-sentence when Isabella enters, and requests, before them all, a
-private interview with the Regent. In this interview she behaves
-with noble moderation towards the dreaded, yet despised man
-before her, and appeals at first only to his mildness and mercy.
-His interruptions merely serve to stimulate her ardour: she
-speaks of her brother's offence in melting accents, and implores
-forgiveness for so human and by no means unpardonable a crime.
-Seeing the effect of her moving appeal, she continues with
-increasing ardour to plead with the judge's hard and unresponsive
-heart, which can certainly not have remained untouched by
-sentiments such as those which had actuated her brother, and she
-calls upon his memory of these to support her desperate plea for
-pity. At last the ice of his heart is broken. Friedrich, deeply
-stirred by Isabella's beauty, can no longer contain himself, and
-promises to grant her petition at the price of her own love.
-Scarcely has she become aware of the unexpected effect of her
-words when, filled with indignation at such incredible villainy,
-she cries to the people through doors and windows to come in,
-that she may unmask the hypocrite before the world. The crowd is
-already rushing tumultuously into the hall of judgment, when, by
-a few significant hints, Friedrich, with frantic energy, succeeds
-in making Isabella realise the impossibility of her plan. He
-would simply deny her charge, boldly pretend that his offer was
-merely made to test her, and would doubtless be readily believed
-so soon as it became only a question of rebutting a charge of
-lightly making love to her. Isabella, ashamed and confounded,
-recognises the madness of her first step, and gnashes her teeth
-in silent despair. While then Friedrich once more announces his
-stern resolve to the people, and pronounces sentence on the
-prisoner, it suddenly occurs to Isabella, spurred by the painful
-recollection of Marianne's fate, that what she has failed to
-procure by open means she might possibly obtain by craft. This
-thought suffices to dispel her sorrow, and to fill her with
-utmost gaiety. Turning to her sorrowing brother, her agitated
-friends, and the perplexed crowd, she assures them all that she
-is ready to provide them with the most amusing of adventures. She
-declares that the carnival festivities, which the Regent has just
-strictly forbidden, are to be celebrated this year with unusual
-licence; for this dreaded ruler only pretends to be so cruel, in
-order the more pleasantly to astonish them by himself taking a
-merry part in all that he has just forbidden. They all believe
-that she has gone mad, and Friedrich in particular reproves her
-incomprehensible folly with passionate severity. But a few words
-on her part suffice to transport the Regent himself with ecstasy;
-for in a whisper she promises to grant his desire, and that on
-the following night she will send him such a message as shall
-ensure his happiness.--And so ends the first act in a whirl of
-excitement.
-
-We learn the nature of the heroine's hastily formed plan at the
-beginning of the second act, in which she visits her brother in
-his cell, with the object of discovering whether he is worthy of
-rescue. She reveals Friedrich's shameful proposal to him, and
-asks if he would wish to save his life at the price of his
-sister's dishonour. Then follow Claudio's fury and fervent
-declaration of his readiness to die; whereupon, bidding farewell
-to his sister, at least for this life, he makes her the bearer of
-the most tender messages to the dear girl whom he leaves behind.
-After this, sinking into a softer mood, the unhappy man declines
-from a state of melancholy to one of weakness. Isabella, who had
-already determined to inform him of his rescue, hesitates in
-dismay when she sees him fall in this way from the heights of
-noble enthusiasm to a muttered confession of a love of life still
-as strong as ever, and even to a stammering query as to whether
-the suggested price of his salvation is altogether impossible.
-Disgusted, she springs to her feet, thrusts the unworthy man from
-her, and declares that to the shame of his death he has further
-added her most hearty contempt. After having handed him over
-again to his gaoler, her mood once more changes swiftly to one of
-wanton gaiety. True, she resolves to punish the waverer by
-leaving him for a time in uncertainty as to his fate; but stands
-firm by her resolve to rid the world of the abominable seducer
-who dared to dictate laws to his fellow-men. She tells Marianne
-that she must take her place at the nocturnal rendezvous, at
-which Friedrich so treacherously expected to meet her (Isabella),
-and sends Friedrich an invitation to this meeting. In order to
-entangle the latter even more deeply in ruin, she stipulates that
-he must come disguised and masked, and fixes the rendezvous in
-one of those pleasure resorts which he has just suppressed. To
-the madcap Luzio, whom she also desires to punish for his saucy
-suggestion to a novice, she relates the story of Friedrich's
-proposal, and her pretended intention of complying, from sheer
-necessity, with his desires. This she does in a fashion so
-incomprehensively light-hearted that the otherwise frivolous man,
-first dumb with amazement, ultimately yields to a fit of
-desperate rage. He swears that, even if the noble maiden herself
-can endure such shame, he will himself strive by every means in
-his power to avert it, and would prefer to set all Palermo on
-fire and in tumult rather than allow such a thing to happen. And,
-indeed, he arranges things in such a manner that on the appointed
-evening all his friends and acquaintances assemble at the end of
-the Corso, as though for the opening of the prohibited carnival
-procession. At nightfall, as things are beginning to grow wild
-and merry, Luzio appears, and sings an extravagant carnival song,
-with the refrain:
-
-    Who joins us not in frolic jest 
-    Shall have a dagger in his breast;
-
-by which means he seeks to stir the crowd to bloody revolt. When
-a band of sbirri approaches, under Brighella's leadership, to
-scatter the gay throng, the mutinous project seems on the point
-of being accomplished. But for the present Luzio prefers to
-yield, and to scatter about the neighbourhood, as he must first
-of all win the real leader of their enterprise: for here was the
-spot which Isabella had mischievously revealed to him as the
-place of her pretended meeting with the Regent. For the latter
-Luzio therefore lies in wait. Recognising him in an elaborate
-disguise, he blocks his way, and as Friedrich violently breaks
-loose, is on the point of following him with shouts and drawn
-sword, when, on a sign from Isabella, who is hidden among some
-bushes, he is himself stopped and led away. Isabella then
-advances, rejoicing in the thought of having restored the
-betrayed Marianne to her faithless spouse. Believing that she
-holds in her hand the promised pardon for her brother, she is
-just on the point of abandoning all thought of further vengeance
-when, breaking the seal, to her intense horror she recognises by
-the light of a torch that the paper contains but a still more
-severe order of execution, which, owing to her desire not to
-disclose to her brother the fact of his pardon, a mere chance had
-now delivered into her hand, through the agency of the bribed
-gaoler. After a hard fight with the tempestuous passion of love,
-and recognising his helplessness against this enemy of his peace,
-Friedrich has in fact already resolved to face his ruin, even
-though as a criminal, yet still as a man of honour. An hour on
-Isabella's breast, and then--his own death by the same law whose
-implacable severity shall also claim Claudio's life. Isabella,
-perceiving in this conduct only a further proof of the
-hypocrite's villainy, breaks out once more into a tempest of
-agonised despair. Upon her cry for immediate revolt against the
-scoundrelly tyrant, the people collect together and form a motley
-and passionate crowd. Luzio, who also returns, counsels the
-people with stinging bitterness to pay no heed to the woman's
-fury; he points out that she is only tricking them, as she has
-already tricked him--for he still believes in her shameless
-infidelity. Fresh confusion; increased despair of Isabella;
-suddenly from the background comes the burlesque cry of Brighella
-for help, who, himself suffering from the pangs of jealousy, has
-by mistake arrested the masked Regent, and thus led to the
-latter's discovery. Friedrich is recognised, and Marianne,
-trembling on his breast, is also unmasked. Amazement,
-indignation! Cries of joy burst forth all round; the needful
-explanations are quickly given, and Friedrich sullenly demands to
-be set before the judgment-seat of the returning King. Claudio,
-released from prison by the jubilant populace, informs him that
-the sentence of death for crimes of love is not intended for all
-times; messengers arrive to announce the unexpected arrival in
-harbour of the King; it is resolved to march in full masked
-procession to meet the beloved Prince, and joyously to pay him
-homage, all being convinced that he will heartily rejoice to see
-how ill the gloomy puritanism of Germany is suited to his hot-
-blooded Sicily. Of him it is said:
-
-Your merry festals please him more
-Than gloomy laws or legal lore.
-
-Friedrich, with his freshly affianced wife, Marianne, must lead
-the procession, followed by Luzio and the novice, who is for ever
-lost to the convent.
-
-These spirited and, in many respects, boldly devised scenes I had
-clothed in suitable language and carefully written verse, which
-had already been noticed by Laube. The police at first took
-exception to the title of the work, which, had I not changed it,
-would have led to the complete failure of my plans for its
-presentation. It was the week before Easter, and the theatre was
-consequently forbidden to produce jolly, or at least frivolous,
-plays during this period. Luckily the magistrate, with whom I had
-to treat concerning the matter, did not show any inclination to
-examine the libretto himself; and when I assured him that it was
-modelled upon a very serious play of Shakespeare's, the
-authorities contented themselves merely with changing the
-somewhat startling title. Die Novize van Palermo, which was the
-new title, had nothing suspicious about it, and was therefore
-approved as correct without further scruple. I fared quite
-otherwise in Leipzig, where I attempted to introduce this work in
-the place of my Feen, when the latter was withdrawn. The
-director, Ringelhardt, whom I sought to win over to my cause by
-assigning the part of Marianne to his daughter, then making her
-debut in opera, chose to reject my work on the apparently very
-reasonable grounds that the tendency of the theme displeased him.
-He assured me that, even if the Leipzig magistrates had consented
-to its production--a fact concerning which his high esteem for
-that body led him to have serious doubts--he himself, as a
-conscientious father, could certainly not permit his daughter to
-take part in it.
-
-Strange to say, I suffered nothing from the suspicious nature of
-the libretto of my opera on the occasion of its production in
-Magdeburg; for, as I have said, thanks to the unintelligible
-manner in which it was produced, the story remained a complete
-mystery to the public. This circumstance, and the fact that no
-opposition had been raised on the ground of its TENDENCY, made a
-second performance possible, and as nobody seemed to care one way
-or the other, no objections were raised. Feeling sure that my
-opera had made no impression, and had left the public completely
-undecided about its merits, I reckoned that, in view of this
-being the farewell performance of our opera company, we should
-have good, not to say large, takings. Consequently I did not
-hesitate to charge 'full' prices for admittance. I cannot rightly
-judge whether, up to the commencement of the overture, any people
-had taken their places in the auditorium; but about a quarter of
-an hour before the time fixed for beginning, I saw only Mme.
-Gottschalk and her husband, and, curiously enough, a Polish Jew
-in full dress, seated in the stalls. Despite this, I was still
-hoping for an increase in the audience, when suddenly the most
-incredible commotion occurred behind the scenes. Herr Pollert,
-the husband of my prima donna (who was acting Isabella), was
-assaulting Schreiber, the second tenor, a very young and handsome
-man taking the part of Claudio, and against whom the injured
-husband had for some time been nursing a secret rancour born of
-jealousy. It appeared that the singer's husband, who had surveyed
-the theatre from behind the drop-scene with me, had satisfied
-himself as to the style of the audience, and decided that the
-longed-for hour was at hand when, without injuring the operatic
-enterprise, he could wreak vengeance on his wife's lover. Claudio
-was so severely used by him that the unfortunate fellow had to
-seek refuge in the dressing-room, his face covered with blood.
-Isabella was told of this, and rushed despairingly to her raging
-spouse, only to be so soundly cuffed by him that she went into
-convulsions. The confusion that ensued amongst the company soon
-knew no bounds: they took sides in the quarrel, and little was
-wanting for it to turn into a general fight, as everybody seemed
-to regard this unhappy evening as particularly favourable for the
-paying off of any old scores and supposed insults. This much was
-clear, that the couple suffering from the effects of Herr
-Pollert's conjugal resentment were unfit to appear that evening.
-The manager was sent before the drop-scene to inform the small
-and strangely assorted audience gathered in the theatre that,
-owing to unforeseen circumstances, the representation would not
-take place.
-
-This was the end of my career as director and composer in
-Magdeburg, which in the beginning had seemed so full of promise
-and had been started at the cost of considerable sacrifice. The
-serenity of art now gave way completely before the stern
-realities of life. My position gave food for meditation, and the
-outlook was not a cheerful one. All the hopes that I and Minna
-had founded upon the success of my work had been utterly
-destroyed. My creditors, who had been appeased by the
-anticipation of the expected harvest, lost faith in my talents,
-and now counted solely on obtaining bodily possession of me,
-which they endeavoured to do by speedily instituting legal
-proceedings. Now that every time I came home I found a summons
-nailed to my door, my little dwelling in the Breiter Weg became
-unbearable; I avoided going there, especially since my brown
-poodle, who had hitherto enlivened this retreat, had vanished,
-leaving no trace. This I looked upon as a bad sign, indicating my
-complete downfall.
-
-At this time Minna, with her truly comforting assurance and
-firmness of bearing, was a tower of strength to me and the one
-thing I had left to fall back upon. Always full of resource, she
-had first of all provided for her own future, and was on the
-point of signing a not unfavourable contract with the directors
-of the theatre at Konigsberg in Prussia. It was now a question of
-finding me an appointment in the same place as musical conductor;
-this post was already filled. The Konigsberg director, however,
-gathering from our correspondence that Minna's acceptance of the
-engagement depended upon the possibility of my being taken on at
-the same theatre, held out the prospect of an approaching
-vacancy, and expressed his willingness to allow it to be filled
-by me. On the strength of this assurance it was decided that
-Minna should go on to Konigsberg and pave the way for my arrival
-there.
-
-Ere these plans could be carried out, we had still to spend a
-time of dreadful and acute anxiety, which I shall never forget,
-within the walls of Magdeburg. It is true I made one more
-personal attempt in Leipzig to improve my position, on which
-occasion I entered into the transactions mentioned above with the
-director of the theatre regarding my new opera. But I soon
-realised that it was out of the question for me to remain in my
-native town, and in the disquieting proximity of my family, from
-which I was restlessly anxious to get away. My excitability and
-depression were noticed by my relations. My mother entreated me,
-whatever else I might decide to do, on no account to be drawn
-into marriage while still so young. To this I made no reply. When
-I took my leave, Rosalie accompanied me to the head of the
-stairs. I spoke of returning as soon as I had attended to certain
-important business matters, and wanted to wish her a hurried
-good-bye: she grasped my hand, and gazing into my face,
-exclaimed, "God alone knows when I shall see you again!" This cut
-me to the heart, and I felt conscience-stricken. The fact that
-she was expressing the presentiment she felt of her early death I
-only realised when, barely two years later, without having seen
-her again, I received the news that she had died very suddenly.
-
-I spent a few more weeks with Minna in the strictest retirement
-in Magdeburg: she endeavoured to the best of her ability to
-relieve the embarrassment of my position. In view of our
-approaching separation, and the length of time we might be
-parted, I hardly left her side, our only relaxation being the
-walks we took together round the outskirts of the town. Anxious
-forebodings weighed upon us; the May sun which lit the sad
-streets of Magdeburg, as if in mockery of our forlorn condition,
-was one day more clouded over than I have ever seen it since, and
-filled me with a positive dread. On our way home from one of
-these walks, as we were approaching the bridge crossing the Elbe,
-we caught sight of a man flinging himself from it into the water
-beneath. We ran to the bank, called for help, and persuaded a
-miller, whose mill was situated on the river, to hold out a rake
-to the drowning man, who was being swept in his direction by the
-current. With indescribable anxiety we waited for the decisive
-moment--saw the sinking man stretch out his hands towards the
-rake, but he failed to grasp it, and at the same moment
-disappeared under the mill, never to be seen again. On the
-morning that I accompanied Minna to the stage-coach to bid her a
-most sorrowful farewell, the whole population was pouring from
-one of the gateways of the town towards a big field, to witness
-the execution of a man condemned to be put to death on the wheel
-'from below.'
-
-[Footnote: Durch das Rod van unten. The punishment of the wheel
-was usually inflicted upon murderers, incendiaries, highwaymen
-and church robbers. There were two methods of inflicting this:
-(1) 'from above downwards' (von oben nach unten), in which the
-condemned man was despatched instantly owing to his neck getting
-broken from the start; and (2) 'from below upwards' (von unten
-nach oben), which is the method referred to above, and in which
-all the limbs of the victim were broken previous to his body
-being actually twisted through the spokes of the wheel.--Editor ]
-
-The culprit was a soldier who had murdered his sweetheart in a
-fit of jealousy. When, later in the day, I sat down to my last
-dinner at the inn, I heard the dreadful details of the Prussian
-mode of execution being discussed on all sides. A young
-magistrate, who was a great lover of music, told us about a
-conversation he had had with the executioner, who had been
-procured from Halle, and with whom he had discussed the most
-humane method of hastening the death of the victim; in telling us
-about him, he recalled the elegant dress and manners of this ill-
-omened person with a shudder.
-
-These were the last impressions I carried away from the scene of
-my first artistic efforts and of my attempts at earning an
-independent livelihood. Often since then on my departure from
-places where I had expected to find prosperity, and to which I
-knew I should never return, those impressions have recurred to my
-mind with singular persistence. I have always had much the same
-feelings upon leaving any place where I had stayed in the hope of
-improving my position.
-
-Thus I arrived in Berlin for the first time on the 18th May,
-1836, and made acquaintance with the peculiar features of that
-pretentious royal capital. While my position was an uncertain
-one, I sought a modest shelter at the Crown Prince in the
-Konigstrasse, where Minna had stayed a few months before. I found
-a friend on whom I could rely when I came across Laube again,
-who, while awaiting his verdict, was busying himself with private
-and literary work in Berlin. He was much interested in the fate
-of my work Liebesverbot, and advised me to turn my present
-situation to account for the purpose of obtaining the production
-of this opera at the Konigstadt theatre. This theatre was under
-the direction of one of the most curious creatures in Berlin: he
-was called 'Cerf,' and the title of Commissionsrath had been
-conferred upon him by the King of Prussia. To account for the
-favours bestowed upon him by royalty, many reasons of a not very
-edifying nature were circulated. Through this royal patronage he
-had succeeded in extending considerably the privileges already
-enjoyed by the suburban theatre. The decline of grand opera at
-the Theatre Royal had brought light opera, which was performed
-with great success at the Konigstadt theatre, into public favour.
-The director, puffed up by success, openly laboured under the
-delusion that he was the right man in the right place, and
-expressed his entire agreement with those who declared that one
-could only expect a theatre to be successfully managed by common
-and uneducated men, and continued to cling to his blissful and
-boundless state of ignorance in the most amusing manner. Relying
-absolutely upon his own insight, he had assumed an entirely
-dictatorial attitude towards the officially appointed artists of
-his theatre, and allowed himself to deal with them according to
-his likes and dislikes. I seemed destined to be favoured by this
-mode of procedure: at my very first visit Cerf expressed his
-satisfaction with me, but wished to make use of me as a 'tenor.'
-He offered no objection whatever to my request for the production
-of my opera, but, on the contrary, promised to have it staged
-immediately. He seemed particularly anxious to appoint me
-conductor of the orchestra. As he was on the point of changing
-his operatic company, he foresaw that his present conductor,
-Glaser, the composer of Adlershorst, would hinder his plans by
-taking the part of the older singers: he was therefore anxious to
-have me associated with his theatre, that he might have some one
-to support him who was favourably disposed towards the new
-singers.
-
-All this sounded so plausible, that I could scarcely be blamed
-for believing that the wheel of fortune had taken a favourable
- turn for me, and for feeling a sense of lightheartedness at the
-thought of such rosy prospects. I had scarcely allowed myself the
-few modifications in my manner of living which these improved
-circumstances seemed to justify, ere it was made clear to me that
-my hopes were built upon sand. I was filled with positive dread
-when I soon fully realised how nearly Cerf had come to defrauding
-me, merely it would seem for his own amusement. After the manner
-of despots, he had given his favours personally and
-autocratically; the withdrawal and annulment of his promises,
-however, he made known to me through his servants and
-secretaries, thus placing his strange conduct towards me in the
-light of the inevitable result of his dependence upon
-officialdom.
-
-As Cerf wished to rid himself of me without even offering me
-compensation, I was obliged to try to come to some understanding
-regarding all that had been definitely arranged between us, and
-this with the very people against whom he had previously warned
-me and had wanted me to side with him. The conductor, stage
-manager, secretary, etc., had to make it clear to me that my
-wishes could not be satisfied, and that the director owed me no
-compensation whatever for the time he had made me waste while
-awaiting the fulfilment of his promises. This unpleasant
-experience has been a source of pain to me ever since.
-
-Owing to all this my position was very much worse than it had
-been before. Minna wrote to me frequently from Konigsberg, but
-she had nothing encouraging to tell me with regard to my hopes in
-that direction. The director of the theatre there seemed unable
-to come to any clear understanding with his conductor, a
-circumstance which I was afterwards able to understand, but which
-at the time appeared to me inexplicable, and made my chance of
-obtaining the coveted appointment seem exceedingly remote. It
-seemed certain, however, that the post would be vacant in the
-autumn, and as I was drifting about aimlessly in Berlin and
-refused for a moment to entertain the thought of returning to
-Leipzig, I snatched at this faint hope, and in imagination soared
-above the Berlin quicksands to the safety of the harbour on the
-Baltic.
-
-I only succeeded in doing so, however, after I had struggled
- through difficult and serious inward conflicts to which my
-relations with Minna gave rise. An incomprehensible feature in
-the character of this otherwise apparently simple-minded woman
-had thrown my young heart into a turmoil. A good-natured, well-
-to-do tradesman of Jewish extraction, named Schwabe, who till
-that time had been established in Magdeburg, made friendly
-advances to me in Berlin, and I soon discovered that his sympathy
-was chiefly due to the passionate interest which he had conceived
-for Minna. It afterwards became clear to me that an intimacy had
-existed between this man and Minna, which in itself could hardly
-be considered as a breach of faith towards me, since it had ended
-in a decided repulse of my rival's courtship in my favour. But
-the fact of this episode having been kept so secret that I had
-not had the faintest idea of it before, and also the suspicion I
-could not avoid harbouring that Minna's comfortable circumstances
-were in part due to this man's friendship, filled me with gloomy
-misgivings. But as I have said, although I could find no real
-cause to complain of infidelity, I was distracted and alarmed,
-and was at last driven to the half-desperate resolve of regaining
-my balance in this respect by obtaining complete possession of
-Minna. It seemed to me as though my stability as a citizen as
-well as my professional success would be assured by a recognised
-union with Minna. The two years spent in the theatrical world
-had, in fact, kept me in a constant state of distraction, of
-which in my heart of hearts I was most painfully conscious. I
-realised vaguely that I was on the wrong path; I longed for peace
-and quiet, and hoped to find these most effectually by getting
-married, and so putting an end to the state of things that had
-become the source of so much anxiety to me.
-
-It was not surprising that Laube noticed by my untidy,
-passionate, and wasted appearance that something unusual was
-amiss with me. It was only in his company, which I always found
-comforting, that I gained the only impressions of Berlin which
-compensated me in any way for my misfortunes. The most important
-artistic experience I had, came to me through the performance of
-Ferdinand Cortez, conducted by Spontini himself, the spirit of
-which astonished me more than anything I had ever heard before.
-Though the actual production, especially as regards the chief
-characters, who as a whole could not be regarded as belonging to
-the flower of Berlin opera, left me unmoved, and though the effect
-never reached a point that could be even distantly compared to that
-produced upon me by Schroder-Devrient, yet the exceptional
-precision, fire, and richly organised rendering of the whole was
-new to me. I gained a fresh insight into the peculiar dignity of
-big theatrical representations, which in their several parts could,
-by well-accentuated rhythm, be made to attain the highest pinnacle
-of art. This extraordinarily distinct impression took a drastic
-hold of me, and above all served to guide me in my conception of
-Rienzi, so that, speaking from an artistic point of view, Berlin
-may be said to have left its traces on my development.
-
-For the present, however, my chief concern was to extricate
-myself from my extremely helpless position. I was determined to
-turn my steps to Konigsberg, and communicated my decision, and
-the hopes founded upon it, to Laube. This excellent friend,
-without further inquiry, made a point of exerting his energies to
-free me from my present state of despair, and to help me to reach
-my next destination, an object which, through the assistance of
-several of his friends, he succeeded in accomplishing. When he
-said good-bye to me, Laube with sympathetic foresight warned me,
-should I succeed in my desired career of musical conductor, not
-to allow myself to be entangled in the shallowness of stage life,
-and advised me, after fatiguing rehearsals, instead of going to
-my sweetheart, to take a serious book in hand, in order that my
-greater gifts might not go uncultivated. I did not tell him that
-by taking an early and decisive step in this direction I intended
-to protect myself effectually against the dangers of theatrical
-intrigues. On the 7th of July, therefore, I started on what was
-at that time an extremely troublesome and fatiguing journey to
-the distant town of Konigsberg.
-
-It seemed to me as though I were leaving the world, as I
-travelled on day after day through the desert marches. Then
-followed a sad and humiliating impression of Konigsberg, where,
-in one of the poorest-looking suburbs, Tragheim, near the
-theatre, and in a lane such as one would expect to find in a
- village, I found the ugly house in which Minna lodged. The
-friendly and quiet kindness of manner, however, which was
-peculiar to her, soon made me feel at home. She was popular at
-the theatre, and was respected by the managers and actors, a fact
-which seemed to augur well for her betrothed, the part I was now
-openly to assume.
-
-Though as yet there seemed no distinct prospect of my getting the
-appointment I had come for, yet we agreed that I could hold out a
-little longer, and that the matter would certainly be arranged in
-the end. This was also the opinion of the eccentric Abraham
-Moller, a worthy citizen of Konigsberg, who was devoted to the
-theatre, and who took a very friendly interest in Minna, and
-finally also in me. This man, who was already well advanced in
-life, belonged to the type of theatre lovers now probably
-completely extinct in Germany, but of whom so much is recorded in
-the history of actors of earlier times. One could not spend an
-hour in the company of this man, who at one time had gone in for
-the most reckless speculations, without having to listen to his
-account of the glory of the stage in former times, described in
-most lively terms. As a man of means he had at one time made the
-acquaintance of nearly all the great actors and actresses of his
-day, and had even known how to win their friendship. Through too
-great a liberality he unfortunately found himself in reduced
-circumstances, and was now obliged to procure the means to
-satisfy his craving for the theatre and his desire to protect
-those belonging to it by entering into all kinds of strange
-business transactions, in which, without running any real risk,
-he felt there was something to be gained. He was accordingly only
-able to afford the theatre a very meagre support, but one which
-was quite in keeping with its decrepit condition.
-
-This strange man, of whom the theatre director, Anton Hubsch,
-stood to a certain extent in awe, undertook to procure me my
-appointment. The only circumstance against me was the fact that
-Louis Schubert, the famous musician whom I had known from very
-early times as the first violoncellist of the Magdeburg
-orchestra, had come to Konigsberg from Riga, where the theatre
-had been closed for a time, and where he had left his wife, in
-order to fill the post of musical conductor here until the new
-theatre in Riga was opened, and he could return. The
-reopening of the Riga theatre, which had already been fixed
-for the Easter of this year, had been postponed, and he was now
-anxious not to leave Konigsberg. Since Schubert was a thorough
-master in his art, and since his choosing to remain or go
-depended entirely on circumstances over which he had no control,
-the theatre director found himself in the embarrassing position
-of having to secure some one who would be willing to wait to
-enter upon his appointment till Schubert's business called him
-away. Consequently a young musical conductor who was anxious to
-remain in Konigsberg at any price could but be heartily welcomed
-as a reserve and substitute in case of emergency. Indeed, the
-director declared himself willing to give me a small retaining
-fee till the time should arrive for my definite entrance upon my
-duties.
-
-Schubert, on the contrary, was furious at my arrival; there was
-no longer any necessity for his speedy return to Riga, since the
-reopening of the theatre there had been postponed indefinitely.
-Moreover, he had a special interest in remaining in Konigsberg,
-as he had conceived a passion for the prima donna there, which
-considerably lessened his desire to return to his wife. So at the
-last moment he clung to his Konigsberg post with great eagerness,
-regarded me as his deadly enemy, and, spurred on by his instinct
-of self-preservation, used every means in his power to make my
-stay in Konigsberg, and the already painful position I occupied
-while awaiting his departure, a veritable hell to me.
-
-While in Magdeburg I had been on the friendliest footing with
-both musicians and singers, and had been shown the greatest
-consideration by the public, I here found I had to defend myself
-on all sides against the most mortifying ill-will. This hostility
-towards me, which soon made itself apparent, contributed in no
-small degree to make me feel as though in coming to Konigsberg I
-had gone into exile. In spite of my eagerness, I realised that
-under the circumstances my marriage with Minna would prove a
-hazardous undertaking. At the beginning of August the company
-went to Memel for a time, to open the summer season there, and I
-followed Minna a few days later. We went most of the way by sea,
-and crossed the Kurische Haff in a sailing vessel in bad weather
-with the wind against us--one of the most melancholy crossings I
-have ever experienced. As we passed the thin strip of sand that
-divides this bay from the Baltic Sea, the castle of Runsitten,
-where Hoffmann laid the scene of one of his most gruesome tales
-(Das Majorat), was pointed out to me. The fact that in this
-desolate neighbourhood, of all places in the world, I should after
-so long a lapse of time be once more brought in contact with the
-fantastic impressions of my youth, had a singular and depressing
-effect on my mind. The unhappy sojourn in Memel, the lamentable
-role I played there, everything in short, contributed to make me
-find my only consolation in Minna, who, after all, was the cause of
-my having placed myself in this unpleasant position. Our friend
-Abraham followed us from Konigsberg and did all kinds of queer
-things to promote my interests, and was obviously anxious to put
-the director and conductor at variance with each other. One day
-Schubert, in consequence of a dispute with Hubsch on the previous
-night, actually declared himself too unwell to attend a rehearsal
-of Euryanthe, in order to force the manager to summon me suddenly
-to take his place. In doing this my rival maliciously hoped that as
-I was totally unprepared to conduct this difficult opera, which was
-seldom played, I would expose my incapacity in a manner most
-welcome to his hostile intentions. Although I had never really had
-a score of Euryanthe before me, his wish was so little gratified,
-that he elected to get well for the representation in order to
-conduct it himself, which he would not have done if it had been
-found necessary to cancel the performance on account of my
-incompetence. In this wretched position, vexed in mind, exposed to
-the severe climate, which even on summer evenings struck me as
-horribly cold, and occupied merely in warding off the most painful
-troubles of life, my time, as far as any professional advancement
-was concerned, was completely lost. At last, on our return to
-Konigsberg, and particularly under the guardianship of Moller, the
-question as to what was to be done was more earnestly considered.
-Finally, Minna and I were offered a fairly good engagement in
-Danzig, through the influence of my brother-in-law Wolfram and his
-wife, who had gone there.
-
-Moller seized this opportunity to induce the director Hubsch, who
-was anxious not to lose Minna, to sign a contract including us
-both, and by which it was understood that under any circumstances
-I should be officially appointed as conductor at his theatre from
-the following Easter. Moreover, for our wedding, a benefit
-performance was promised, for which we chose Die Stumme von
-Portici, to be conducted by me in person. For, as Moller
-remarked, it was absolutely necessary for us to get married, and
-to have a due celebration of the event; there was no getting out
-of it. Minna made no objection, and all my past endeavours and
-resolutions seemed to prove that my one desire was to take anchor
-in the haven of matrimony. In spite of this, however, a strange
-conflict was going on within me at this time. I had become
-sufficiently intimate with Minna's life and character to realise
-the wide difference between our two natures as fully as the
-important step I was about to take necessitated; but my powers of
-judgment were not yet sufficiently matured.
-
-My future wife was the child of poor parents, natives of Oederan
-in the Erzgebirge in Saxony. Her father was no ordinary man; he
-possessed enormous vitality, but in his old age showed traces of
-some feebleness of mind. In his young days he had been a
-trumpeter in Saxony, and in this capacity had taken part in a
-campaign against the French, and had also been present at the
-battle of Wagram. He afterwards became a mechanic, and took up
-the trade of manufacturing cards for carding wool, and as he
-invented an improvement in the process of their production, he is
-said to have made a very good business of it for some time. A
-rich manufacturer of Chemnitz once gave him a large order to be
-delivered at the end of the year: the children, whose pliable
-fingers had already proved serviceable in this respect, had to
-work hard day and night, and in return the father promised them
-an exceptionally happy Christmas, as he expected to get a large
-sum of money. When the longed-for time arrived, however, he
-received the announcement of his client's bankruptcy. The goods
-that had already been delivered were lost, and the material that
-remained on his hands there was no prospect of selling. The
-family never succeeded in recovering from the state of confusion
-into which this misfortune had thrown them; they went to Dresden,
-where the father hoped to find remunerative employment as a skilled
-mechanic, especially in the manufacture of pianos, of which he
-supplied separate parts. He also brought away with him a large
-quantity of the fine wire which had been destined for the
-manufacture of the cards, and which he hoped to be able to sell at
-a profit. The ten-year-old Minna was commissioned to sell separate
-lots of it to the milliners for making flowers. She would set out
-with a heavy basketful of wire, and had such a gift for persuading
-people to buy that she soon disposed of the whole supply to the
-best advantage. From this time the desire was awakened in her to be
-of active use to her impoverished family, and to earn her own
-living as soon as possible, in order not to be a burden on her
-parents. As she grew up and developed into a strikingly beautiful
-woman, she attracted the attention of men at a very early age. A
-certain Herr von Einsiedel fell passionately in love with her, and
-took advantage of the inexperienced young girl when she was off her
-guard. Her family was thrown into the utmost consternation, and
-only her mother and elder sister could be told of the terrible
-position in which Minna found herself. Her father, from whose anger
-the worst consequences were to be feared, was never informed that
-his barely seventeen-year-old daughter had become a mother, and
-under conditions that had threatened her life, had given birth to a
-girl. Minna, who could obtain no redress from her seducer, now felt
-doubly called upon to earn her own livelihood and leave her
-father's house. Through the influence of friends, she had been
-brought into contact with an amateur theatrical society: while
-acting in a performance given there, she attracted the notice of
-members of the Royal Court Theatre, and in particular drew the
-attention of the director of the Dessau Court Theatre, who was
-present, and who immediately offered her an engagement. She gladly
-caught at this way of escape from her trying position, as it opened
-up the possibility of a brilliant stage career, and of some day
-being able to provide amply for her family. She had not the
-slightest passion for the stage, and utterly devoid as she was of
-any levity or coquetry, she merely saw in a theatrical career the
-means of earning a quick, and possibly even a rich, livelihood.
-Without any artistic training, the theatre merely meant for her the
-company of actors and actresses. Whether she pleased or not seemed
-of importance in her eyes only in so far as it affected her
-realisation of a comfortable independence. To use all the means at
-her disposal to assure this end seemed to her as necessary as it is
-for a tradesman to expose his goods to the best advantage.
-
-The friendship of the director, manager, and favourite members of
-the theatre she regarded as indispensable, whilst those
-frequenters of the theatre who, through their criticism or taste,
-influenced the public, and thus also had weight with the
-management, she recognised as beings upon whom the attainment of
-her most fervent desires depended. Never to make enemies of them
-appeared so natural and so necessary that, in order to maintain
-her popularity, she was prepared to sacrifice even her self-
-respect. She had in this way created for herself a certain
-peculiar code of behaviour, that on the one hand prompted her to
-avoid scandals, but on the other hand found excuses even for
-making herself conspicuous as long as she herself knew that she
-was doing nothing wrong. Hence arose a mixture of
-inconsistencies, the questionable sense of which she was
-incapable of grasping. It was clearly impossible for her not to
-lose all real sense of delicacy; she showed, however, a sense of
-the fitness of things, which made her have regard to what was
-considered proper, though she could not understand that mere
-appearances were a mockery when they only served to cloak the
-absence of a real sense of delicacy. As she was without idealism,
-she had no artistic feeling; neither did she possess any talent
-for acting, and her power of pleasing was due entirely to her
-charming appearance. Whether in time routine would have made her
-become a good actress it is impossible for me to say. The strange
-power she exercised over me from the very first was in no wise
-due to the fact that I regarded her in any way as the embodiment
-of my ideal; on the contrary, she attracted me by the soberness
-and seriousness of her character, which supplemented what I felt
-to be wanting in my own, and afforded me the support that in my
-wanderings after the ideal I knew to be necessary for me.
-
-I had soon accustomed myself never to betray my craving after the
-ideal before Minna: unable to account for this even to myself, I
-always made a point of avoiding the subject by passing it over
-with a laugh and a joke; but, on this account, it was all the
-more natural for me to feel qualms when fears arose in my mind as
-to her really possessing the qualities to which I had attributed
-her superiority over me. Her strange tolerance with regard to
-certain familiarities and even importunities on the part of
-patrons of the theatre, directed even against her person, hurt me
-considerably; and on my reproaching her for this, I was driven to
-despair by her assuming an injured expression as though I had
-insulted her. It was quite by chance that I came across Schwabe's
-letters, and thus gained an astonishing insight into her intimacy
-with that man, of which she had left me in ignorance, and allowed
-me to gain my first knowledge during my stay in Berlin. All my
-latent jealousy, all my inmost doubts concerning Minna's
-character, found vent in my sudden determination to leave the
-girl at once. There was a violent scene between us, which was
-typical of all our subsequent altercations. I had obviously gone
-too far in treating a woman who was not passionately in love with
-me, as if I had a real right over her; for, after all, she had
-merely yielded to my importunity, and in no way belonged to me.
-To add to my perplexity, Minna only needed to remind me that from
-a worldly point of view she had refused very good offers in order
-to give way to the impetuosity of a penniless young man, whose
-talent had not yet been put to any real test, and to whom she had
-nevertheless shown sympathy and kindness.
-
-What she could least forgive in me was the raging vehemence with
-which I spoke, and by which she felt so insulted, that upon
-realising to what excesses I had gone, there was nothing I could
-do but try and pacify her by owning myself in the wrong, and
-begging her forgiveness. Such was the end of this and all
-subsequent scenes, outwardly; at least, always to her advantage.
-But peace was undermined for ever, and by the frequent recurrence
-of such quarrels, Minna's character underwent a considerable
-change. Just as in later times she became perplexed by what she
-considered my incomprehensible conception of art and its
-proportions, which upset her ideas about everything connected
-with it, so now she grew more and more confused by my greater
-delicacy in regard to morality, which was very different from
-hers, especially as in many other respects I displayed a freedom
-of opinion which the could neither comprehend nor approve.
-
-A feeling of passionate resentment was accordingly roused in her
-otherwise tranquil disposition. It was not surprising that this
-resentment increased as the years went on, and manifested itself
-in a manner characteristic of a girl sprung from the lower middle
-class, in whom mere superficial polish had taken the place of any
-true culture. The real torment of our subsequent life together
-lay in the fact that, owing to her violence, I had lost the last
-support I had hitherto found in her exceptionally sweet
-disposition. At that time I was filled only with a dim foreboding
-of the fateful step I was taking in marrying her. Her agreeable
-and soothing qualities still had such a beneficial effect upon
-me, that with the frivolity natural to me, as well as the
-obstinacy with which I met all opposition, I silenced the inner
-voice that darkly foreboded disaster.
-
-Since my journey to Konigsberg I had broken off all communication
-with my family, that is to say, with my mother and Rosalie, and I
-told no one of the step I had decided to take. Under my old
-friend Moller's audacious guidance I overcame all the legal
-difficulties that stood in the way of our union. According to
-Prussian law, a man who has reached his majority no longer
-requires his parents' consent to his marriage: but since,
-according to this same provision, I was not yet of age, I had
-recourse to the law of Saxony, to which country I belonged by
-birth, and by whose regulations I had already attained my
-majority at the age of twenty-one. Our banns had to be published
-at the place where we had been living during the past year, and
-this formality was carried out in Magdeburg without any further
-objections being raised. As Minna's parents had given their
-consent, the only thing that still remained to be done to make
-everything quite in order was for us to go together to the
-clergyman of the parish of Tragheim. This proved a strange enough
-visit. It took place the morning preceding the performance to be
-given for our benefit, in which Minna had chosen, the pantomimic
-role of Fenella; her costume was not ready yet, and there was
-still a great deal to be done. The rainy cold November weather
-made us feel out of humour, when, to add to our vexation, we
-were kept standing in the hall of the vicarage for an unreasonable
-time. Then an altercation arose between us which speedily led to
-such bitter vituperation that we were just on the point of
-separating and going each our own way, when the clergyman opened
-the door. Not a little embarrassed at having surprised us in the
-act of quarrelling, he invited us in. We were obliged to put a
-good face on the matter, however; and the absurdity of the situation
-so tickled our sense of humour that we laughed; the parson was
-appeased, and the wedding fixed for eleven o'clock the next morning.
-
-Another fruitful source of irritation, which often led to the
-outbreak of violent quarrelling between us, was the arrangement
-of our future home, in the interior comfort and beauty of which I
-hoped to find a guarantee of happiness. The economical ideas of
-my bride filled me with impatience. I was determined that the
-inauguration of a series of prosperous years which I saw before
-me must be celebrated by a correspondingly comfortable home.
-Furniture, household utensils, and all necessaries were obtained
-on credit, to be paid for by instalment. There was, of course, no
-question of a dowry, a wedding outfit, or any of the things that
-are generally considered indispensable to a well-founded
-establishment. Our witnesses and guests were drawn from the
-company of actors accidentally brought together by their
-engagement at the Konigsberg theatre. My friend Moller made us a
-present of a silver sugar-basin, which was supplemented by a
-silver cake-basket from another stage friend, a peculiar and, as
-far as I can remember, rather interesting young man named Ernst
-Castell. The benefit performance of the Die Stumme von Portici,
-which I conducted with great enthusiasm, went off well, and
-brought us in as large a sum as we had counted upon. After
-spending the rest of the day before our wedding very quietly, as
-we were tired out after our return from the theatre, I took up my
-abode for the first time in our new home. Not wishing to use the
-bridal bed, decorated for the occasion, I lay down on a hard
-sofa, without even sufficient covering on me, and froze valiantly
-while awaiting the happiness of the following day. I was
-pleasantly excited the next morning by the arrival of Minna's
-belongings, packed in boxes and baskets. The weather, too, had
-quite cleared up, and the sun was shining brightly; only our
-sitting-room refused to get properly warm, which for some time
-drew down Minna's reproaches upon my head for my supposed
-carelessness in not having seen to the heating arrangements. At
-last I dressed myself in my new suit, a dark blue frock-coat with
-gold buttons. The carriage drove up, and I set out to fetch my
-bride. The bright sky had put us all in good spirits, and in the
-best of humour I met Minna, who was dressed in a splendid gown
-chosen by me. She greeted me with sincere cordiality and pleasure
-shining from her eyes; and taking the fine weather as a good
-omen, we started off for what now seemed to us a most cheerful
-wedding. We enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing the church as
-over-crowded as if a brilliant theatrical representation were
-being given; it was quite a difficult matter to make our way to
-the altar, where a group no less worldly than the rest,
-consisting of our witnesses, dressed in all their theatrical
-finery, were assembled to receive us. There was not one real
-friend amongst all those present, for even our strange old friend
-Moller was absent, because no suitable partner had been found for
-him. I was not for a single moment insensible to the chilling
-frivolity of the congregation, who seemed to impart their tone to
-the whole ceremony. I listened like one in a dream to the nuptial
-address of the parson, who, I was afterwards told, had had a
-share in producing the spirit of bigotry which at this time was
-so prevalent in Konigsberg, and which exercised such a
-disquieting influence on its population.
-
-A few days later I was told that a rumour had got about the town
-that I had taken action against the parson for some gross insults
-contained in his sermon; I did not quite see what was meant, but
-supposed that the exaggerated report arose from a passage in his
-address which I in my excitement had misunderstood. The preacher,
-in speaking of the dark days, of which we were to expect our
-share, bade us look to an unknown friend, and I glanced up
-inquiringly for further particulars of this mysterious and
-influential patron who chose so strange a way of announcing
-himself. Reproachfully, and with peculiar emphasis, the pastor
-then pronounced the name of this unknown friend: Jesus. Now I was
-not in any way insulted by this, as people imagined, but was
-simply disappointed; at the same time, I thought that such
-exhortations were probably usual in nuptial addresses.
-
-But, on the whole, I was so absent-minded during this ceremony,
-which was double Dutch to me, that when the parson held out the
-closed prayer-book for us to place our wedding rings upon, Minna
-had to nudge me forcibly to make me follow her example.
-
-At that moment I saw, as clearly as in a vision, my whole being
-divided into two cross-currents that dragged me in different
-directions; the upper one faced the sun and carried me onward
-like a dreamer, whilst the lower one held my nature captive, a
-prey to some inexplicable fear. The extraordinary levity with
-which I chased away the conviction which kept forcing itself upon
-me, that I was committing a twofold sin, was amply accounted for
-by the really genuine affection with which I looked upon the
-young girl whose truly exceptional character (so rare in the
-environment in which she had been placed) led her thus to bind
-herself to a young man without any means of support. It was
-eleven o'clock on the morning of the 24th of November, 1836, and
-I was twenty-three and a half.
-
-On the way home from church, and afterwards, my good spirits rose
-superior to all my doubts.
-
-Minna at once took upon herself the duty of receiving and
-entertaining her guests. The table was spread, and a rich feast,
-at which Abraham Moller, the energetic promoter of our marriage,
-also took part, although he had been rather put out by his
-exclusion from the church ceremony, made up for the coldness of
-the room, which for a long time refused to get warm, to the great
-distress of the young hostess.
-
-Everything went off in the usual uneventful way. Nevertheless, I
-retained my good spirits till the next morning, when I had to
-present myself at the magistrate's court to meet the demands of
-my creditors, which had been forwarded to me from Magdeburg to
-Konigsburg.
-
-My friend Moller, whom I had retained for my defence, had
-foolishly advised me to meet my creditors' demands by pleading
-infancy according to the law of Prussia, at all events until
-actual assistance for the settlement of the claims could be
-obtained.
-
-The magistrate, to whom I stated this plea as I had been advised,
-was astonished, being probably well aware of my marriage on the
-previous day, which could only have taken place on the production
-of documentary proof of my majority. I naturally only gained a
-brief respite by this manoeuvre, and the troubles which beset me
-for a long time afterwards had their origin on the first day of
-my marriage.
-
-During the period when I held no appointment at the theatre I
-suffered various humiliations. Nevertheless, I thought it wise to
-make the most of my leisure in the interests of my art, and I
-finished a few pieces, among which was a grand overture on Rule
-Britannia.
-
-When I was still in Berlin I had written the overture entitled
-Polonia, which has already been mentioned in connection with the
-Polish festival. Rule Britannia was a further and deliberate step
-in the direction of mass effects; at the close a strong military
-band was to be added to the already over-full orchestra, and I
-intended to have the whole thing performed at the Musical
-Festival in Konigsberg in the summer.
-
-To these two overtures I added a supplement--an overture entitled
-Napoleon. The point to which I devoted my chief attention was the
-selection of the means for producing certain effects, and I
-carefully considered whether I should express the annihilating
-stroke of fate that befell the French Emperor in Russia by a beat
-on the tom-tom or not. I believe it was to a great extent my
-scruples about the introduction of this beat that prevented me
-from carrying out my plan just then.
-
-On the other hand, the conclusions which I had reached regarding
-the ill-success of Liebesverbot resulted in an operatic sketch in
-which the demands made on the chorus and the staff of singers
-should be more in proportion to the known capacity of the local
-company, as this small theatre was the only one at my disposal.
-
-A quaint tale from the Arabian Nights suggested the very subject
-for a light work of this description, the title of which, if I
-remember rightly, was Mannerlist grosser als Frauenlist ('Man
-outwits Woman').
-
-I transplanted the story from Bagdad to a modern setting. A young
-goldsmith offends the pride of a young woman by placing the above
-motto on the sign over his shop; deeply veiled, she steps into
-his shop and asks him, as he displays such excellent taste in his
-work, to express his opinion on her own physical charms; he
-begins with her feet and her hands, and finally, noticing his
-confusion, she removes the veil from her face. The jeweller is
-carried away by her beauty, whereupon she complains to him that
-her father, who has always kept her in the strictest seclusion,
-describes her to all her suitors as an ugly monster, his object
-being, she imagines, simply to keep her dowry. The young man
-swears that he will not be frightened off by these foolish
-objections, should the father raise them against his suit. No
-sooner said than done. The daughter of this peculiar old
-gentleman is promised to the unsuspecting jeweller, and is
-brought to her bridegroom as soon as he has signed the contract.
-He then sees that the father has indeed spoken the truth, the
-real daughter being a perfect scarecrow. The beautiful lady
-returns to the bridegroom to gloat over his desperation, and
-promises to release him from his terrible marriage if he will
-remove the motto from his signboard. At this point I departed
-from the original, and continued as follows: The enraged jeweller
-is on the point of tearing down his unfortunate signboard when a
-curious apparition leads him to pause in the act. He sees a bear-
-leader in the street making his clumsy beast dance, in whom the
-luckless lover recognises at a glance his own father, from whom
-he has been parted by a hard fate.
-
-He suppresses any sign of emotion, for in a flash a scheme occurs
-to him by which he can utilise this discovery to free himself
-from the hated marriage with the daughter of the proud old
-aristocrat.
-
-He instructs the bear-leader to come that evening to the garden
-where the solemn betrothal is to take place in the presence of
-the invited guests.
-
-He then explains to his young enemy that he wishes to leave the
-signboard up for the time being, as he still hopes to prove the
-truth of the motto.
-
-After the marriage contract, in which the young man arrogates to
-himself all kinds of fictitious titles of nobility, has been read
-to the assembled company (composed, say, of the elite of the
-noble immigrants at the time of the French Revolution), there is
-heard suddenly the pipe of the bear-leader, who enters the garden
-with his prancing beast. Angered by this trivial diversion, the
-astonished company become indignant when the bridegroom, giving
-free vent to his feelings, throws himself with tears of joy into
-the arms of the bear-leader and loudly proclaims him as his long-
-lost father. The consternation of the company becomes even
-greater, however, when the bear itself embraces the man they
-supposed to be of noble birth, for the beast is no less a person
-than his own brother in the flesh who, on the death of the real
-bear, had donned its skin, thus enabling the poverty-stricken
-pair to continue to earn their livelihood in the only way left to
-them. This public disclosure of the bridegroom's lowly origin at
-once dissolves the marriage, and the young woman, declaring
-herself outwitted by man, offers her hand in compensation to the
-released jeweller.
-
-To this unassuming subject I gave the title of the Gluckliche
-Barenfamilie, and provided it with a dialogue which afterwards
-met with Holtei's highest approval.
-
-I was about to begin the music for it in a new light French
-style, but the seriousness of my position, which grew more and
-more acute, prevented further progress in my work.
-
-In this respect my strained relations with the conductor of the
-theatre were still a constant source of trouble. With neither the
-opportunity nor the means to defend myself, I had to submit to
-being maligned and rendered an object of suspicion on all sides
-by my rival, who remained master of the field. The object of this
-was to disgust me with the idea of taking up my appointment as
-musical conductor, for which the contract had been signed for
-Easter. Though I did not lose my self-confidence, I suffered
-keenly from the indignity and the depressing effect of this
-prolonged strain.
-
-When at last, at the beginning of April, the moment arrived for
-the musical conductor Schubert to resign, and for me to take over
-the whole charge, he had the melancholy satisfaction of knowing
-that not only was the standing of the opera seriously weakened by
-the departure of the prima donna, but that there was good reason
-to doubt whether the theatre could be carried on at all. This
-month of Lent, which was such a bad time in Germany for all
-similar theatrical enterprises, decimated the Konigsberg audience
-with the rest. The director took the greatest trouble imaginable
-to fill up the gaps in the staff of the opera by means of
-engaging strangers temporarily, and by new acquisitions, and in
-this my personality and unflagging activity were of real service;
-I devoted all my energy to buoying up by word and deed the
-tattered ship of the theatre, in which I now had a hand for the
-first time.
-
-For a long time I had to try and keep cool under the most violent
-treatment by a clique of students, among whom my predecessor had
-raised up enemies for me; and by the unerring certainty of my
-conducting I had to overcome the initial opposition of the
-orchestra, which had been set against me.
-
-After laboriously laying the foundation of personal respect, I
-was now forced to realise that the business methods of the
-director, Hubsch, had already involved too great a sacrifice to
-permit the theatre to make its way against the unfavourableness
-of the season, and in May he admitted to me that he had come to
-the point of being obliged to close the theatre.
-
-By summoning up all my eloquence, and by making suggestions which
-promised a happy issue, I was able to induce him to persevere;
-nevertheless, this was only possible by making demands on the
-loyalty of his company, who were asked to forego part of their
-salaries for a time. This aroused general bitterness on the part
-of the uninitiated, and I found myself in the curious position of
-being forced to place the director in a favourable light to those
-who were hard hit by these measures, while I myself and my
-position were affected in such a manner that my situation became
-daily more unendurable under the accumulation of intolerable
-difficulties taking their root in my past.
-
-But though I did not even then lose courage, Minna, who as my
-wife was robbed of all that she had a right to expect, found this
-turn of fate quite unbearable. The hidden canker of our married
-life which, even before our marriage, had caused me the most
-terrible anxiety and led to violent scenes, reached its full
-growth under these sad conditions. The less I was able to
-maintain the standard of comfort due to our position by working
-and making the most of my talents, the more did Minna, to my
-insufferable shame, consider it necessary to take this burden
-upon herself by making the most of her personal popularity. The
-discovery of similar condescensions--as I used to call them--on
-Minna's part, had repeatedly led to revolting scenes, and only
-her peculiar conception of her professional position and the
-needs it involved had made a charitable interpretation possible.
-
-I was absolutely unable to bring my young wife to see my point of
-view, or to make her realise my own wounded feelings on these
-occasions, while the unrestrained violence of my speech and
-behaviour made an understanding once and for all impossible.
-These scenes frequently sent my wife into convulsions of so
-alarming a nature that, as will easily be realised, the
-satisfaction of reconciling her once more was all that remained
-to me. Certain it was that our mutual attitude became more and
-more incomprehensible and inexplicable to us both.
-
-These quarrels, which now became more frequent and more
-distressing, may have gone far to diminish the strength of any
-affection which Minna was able to give me, but I had no idea that
-she was only waiting for a favourable opportunity to come to a
-desperate decision.
-
-To fill the place of tenor in our company, I had summoned
-Friedrich Schmitt to Konigsberg, a friend of my first year in
-Magdeburg, to whom allusion has already been made. He was
-sincerely devoted to me, and helped me as much as possible in
-overcoming the dangers which threatened the prosperity of the
-theatre as well as my own position.
-
-The necessity of being on friendly terms with the public made me
-much less reserved and cautious in making new acquaintances,
-especially when in his company.
-
-A rich merchant, of the name of Dietrich, had recently
-constituted himself a patron of the theatre, and especially of
- the women. With due deference to the men with whom they were
-connected, he used to invite the pick of these ladies to dinner
-at his house, and affected, on these occasions, the well-to-do
-Englishman, which was the beau-ideal for German merchants,
-especially in the manufacturing towns of the north.
-
-I had shown my annoyance at the acceptance of the invitation,
-sent to us among the rest, at first simply because his looks were
-repugnant to me. Minna considered this very unjust. Anyhow, I set
-my face decidedly against continuing our acquaintance with this
-man, and although Minna did not insist on receiving him, my
-conduct towards the intruder was the cause of angry scenes
-between us.
-
-One day Friedrich Schmitt considered it his duty to inform me
-that this Herr Dietrich had spoken of me at a public dinner in
-such a manner as to lead every one to suppose that he had a
-suspicious intimacy with my wife. I felt obliged to suspect Minna
-of having, in some way unknown to me, told the fellow about my
-conduct towards her, as well as about our precarious position.
-
-Accompanied by Schmitt, I called this dangerous person to account
-on the subject in his own home. At first this only led to the
-usual denials. Afterwards, however, he sent secret communications
-to Minna concerning the interview, thus providing her with a
-supposed new grievance against me in the form of my inconsiderate
-treatment of her.
-
-Our relations now reached a critical stage, and on certain points
-we preserved silence.
-
-At the same time--it was towards the end of May, 1837--the
-business affairs of the theatre had reached the crisis above
-mentioned, when the management was obliged to fall back on the
-self-sacrificing co-operation of the staff to assure the
-continuance of the undertaking. As I have said before, my own
-position at the end of a year so disastrous to my welfare was
-seriously affected by this; nevertheless, there seemed to be no
-alternative for me but to face these difficulties patiently, and
-relying on the faithful Friedrich Schmitt, but ignoring Minna, I
-began to take the necessary steps for making my post at
-Konigsberg secure. This, as well as the arduous part I took in
-the business of the theatre, kept me so busy and so much away
-from home, that I was not able to pay any particular attention to
-Minna's silence and reserve.
-
-On the morning of the 31st of May I took leave of Minna,
-expecting to be detained till late in the afternoon by rehearsals
-and business matters. With my entire approval she had for some
-time been accustomed to have her daughter Nathalie, who was
-supposed by every one to be her youngest sister, to stay with
-her.
-
-As I was about to wish them my usual quiet good-bye, the two
-women rushed after me to the door and embraced me passionately,
-Minna as well as her daughter bursting into tears. I was alarmed,
-and asked the meaning of this excitement, but could get no answer
-from them, and I was obliged to leave them and ponder alone over
-their peculiar conduct, of the reason for which I had not even
-the faintest idea.
-
-I arrived home late in the afternoon, worn out by my exertions
-and worries, dead-tired, pale and hungry, and was surprised to
-find the table not laid and Minna not at home, the maid telling
-me that she had not yet returned from her walk with Nathalie.
-
-I waited patiently, sinking down exhausted at the work-table,
-which I absent-mindedly opened. To my intense astonishment it was
-empty. Horror-struck, I sprang up and went to the wardrobe, and
-realised at once that Minna had left the house; her departure had
-been so cunningly planned that even the maid was unaware of it.
-
-With death in my soul I dashed out of the house to investigate
-the cause of Minna's disappearance.
-
-Old Moller, by his practical sagacity, very soon found out that
-Dietrich, his personal enemy, had left Konigsberg in the
-direction of Berlin by the special coach in the morning.
-
-This horrible fact stood staring me in the face.
-
-I had now to try and overtake the fugitives. With the lavish use
-of money this might have been possible, but funds were lacking,
-and had, in part, to be laboriously collected.
-
-On Moller's advice I took the silver wedding presents with me in
-case of emergency, and after the lapse of a few terrible hours
-went off, also by special coach, with my distressed old friend.
-We hoped to overtake the ordinary mail-coach, which had started a
-short time before, as it was probable that Minna would also
-continue her journey in this, at a safe distance from Konigsberg.
-
-This proved impossible, and when next morning at break of day we
-arrived in Elbing, we found our money exhausted by the lavish use
-of the express coach, and were compelled to return; we
-discovered, moreover, that even by using the ordinary coach we
-should be obliged to pawn the sugar-basin and cake-dish.
-
-This return journey to Konigsberg rightly remains one of the
-saddest memories of my youth. Of course, I did not for a moment
-entertain the idea of remaining in the place; my one thought was
-how I could best get away. Hemmed in between the law-suits of my
-Magdeburg creditors and the Konigsberg tradesmen, who had claims
-on me for the payment by instalment of my domestic accounts, my
-departure could only be carried out in secrecy. For this very
-reason, too, it was necessary for me to raise money, particularly
-for the long journey from Konigsberg to Dresden, whither I
-determined to go in quest of my wife, and these matters detained
-me for two long and terrible days.
-
-I received no news whatever from Minna; from Moller I ascertained
-that she had gone to Dresden, and that Dietrich had only
-accompanied her for a short distance on the excuse of helping her
-in a friendly way.
-
-I succeeded in assuring myself that she really only wished to get
-away from a position that filled her with desperation, and for
-this purpose had accepted the assistance of a man who sympathised
-with her, and that she was for the present seeking rest and
-shelter with her parents. My first indignation at the event
-accordingly subsided to such an extent that I gradually acquired
-more sympathy for her in her despair, and began to reproach
-myself both for my conduct and for having brought unhappiness on
-her.
-
-I became so convinced of the correctness of this view during the
-tedious journey to Dresden via Berlin, which I eventually
-undertook on the 3rd of June, that when at last I found Minna at
-the humble abode of her parents, I was really quite unable to
-express anything but repentence and heartbroken sympathy.
-
-It was quite true that Minna thought herself badly treated by me,
-and declared that she had only been forced to take this desperate
-step by brooding over our impossible position, to which she
-thought me both blind and deaf. Her parents were not pleased to
-see me: the painfully excited condition of their daughter seemed
-to afford sufficient justification for her complaints against me.
-Whether my own sufferings, my hasty pursuit, and the heartfelt
-expression of my grief made any favourable impression on her, I
-can really hardly say, as her manner towards me was very confused
-and, to a certain extent, incomprehensible. Still she was
-impressed when I told her that there was a good prospect of my
-obtaining the post of musical conductor at Riga, where a new
-theatre was about to be opened under the most favourable
-conditions. I felt that I must not press for new resolutions
-concerning the regulation of our future relations just then, but
-must strive the more earnestly to lay a better foundation for
-them. Consequently, after spending a fearful week with my wife
-under the most painful conditions, I went to Berlin, there to
-sign my agreement with the new director of the Riga theatre. I
-obtained the appointment on fairly favourable terms which, I saw,
-would enable me to keep house in such a style that Minna could
-retire from the theatre altogether. By this means she would be in
-a position to spare me all humiliation and anxiety.
-
-On returning to Dresden, I found that Minna was ready to lend a
-willing ear to my proposed plans, and I succeeded in inducing her
-to leave her parents' house, which was very cramped for us, and
-to establish herself in the country at Blasewitz, near Dresden,
-to await our removal to Riga. We found modest lodgings at an inn
-on the Elbe, in the farm-yard of which I had often played as a
-child. Here Minna's frame of mind really seemed to be improving.
-She had begged me not to press her too hard, and I spared her as
-much as possible. After a few weeks I thought I might consider
-the period of uneasiness past, but was surprised to find the
-situation growing worse again without any apparent reason. Minna
-then told me of some advantageous offers she had received from
-different theatres, and astonished me one day by announcing her
-intention of taking a short pleasure trip with a girl friend and
-her family. As I felt obliged to avoid putting any restraint upon
-her, I offered no objection to the execution of this project,
-which entailed a week's separation, but accompanied her back to
-her parents myself, promising to await her return quietly at
-Blasewitz. A few days later her eldest sister called to ask me
-for the written permission required to make out a passport for my
-wife. This alarmed me, and I went to Dresden to ask her parents
-what their daughter was about. There, to my surprise, I met with
-a very unpleasant reception; they reproached me coarsely for my
-behaviour to Minna, whom they said I could not even manage to
-support, and when I only replied by asking for information as to
-the whereabouts of my wife, and about her plans for the future, I
-was put off with improbable statements. Tormented by the sharpest
-forebodings, and understanding nothing of what had occurred, I
-went back to the village, where I found a letter from Konigsberg,
-from Moller, which poured light on all my misery. Herr Dietrich
-had gone to Dresden, and I was told the name of the hotel at
-which he was staying. The terrible illumination thrown by this
-communication upon Minna's conduct showed me in a flash what to
-do. I hurried into town to make the necessary inquiries at the
-hotel mentioned, and found that the man in question had been
-there, but had moved on again. He had vanished, and Minna too! I
-now knew enough to demand of the Fates why, at such an early age,
-they had sent me this terrible experience which, as it seemed to
-me, had poisoned my whole existence.
-
-I sought consolation for my boundless grief in the society of my
-sister Ottilie and her husband, Hermann Brockhaus, an excellent
-fellow to whom she had been married for some years. They were
-then living at their pretty summer villa in the lovely Grosser
-Garten, near Dresden. I had looked them up at once the first time
-I went to Dresden, but as I had not at that time the slightest
-idea of how things were going to turn out, I had told them
-nothing, and had seen but little of them. Now I was moved to
-break my obstinate silence, and unfold to them the cause of my
-misery, with but few reservations.
-
-For the first time I was in a position gratefully to appreciate
-the advantages of family intercourse, and of the direct and
-disinterested intimacy between blood relations. Explanations were
-hardly necessary, and as brother and sister we found ourselves as
-closely linked now as we had been when we were children. We
-arrived at a complete understanding without having to explain
-what we meant; I was unhappy, she was happy; consolation and help
-followed as a matter of course.
-
-This was the sister to whom I once had read Leubald und Adelaide
-in a thunderstorm; the sister who had listened, filled with
-astonishment and sympathy, to that eventful performance of my
-first overture on Christmas Eve, and whom I now found married to
-one of the kindest of men, Hermann Brockhaus, who soon earned a
-reputation for himself as an expert in oriental languages. He was
-the youngest brother of my elder brother-in-law, Friedrich
-Brockhaus. Their union was blessed by two children; their
-comfortable means favoured a life free from care, and when I made
-my daily pilgrimage from Blasewitz to the famous Grosser Garten,
-it was like stepping from a desert into paradise to enter their
-house (one of the popular villas), knowing that I would
-invariably find a welcome in this happy family circle. Not only
-was my spirit soothed and benefited by intercourse with my
-sister, but my creative instincts, which had long lain dormant,
-were stimulated afresh by the society of my brilliant and learned
-brother-in-law. It was brought home to me, without in any way
-hurting my feelings, that my early marriage, excusable as it may
-have been, was yet an error to be retrieved, and my mind regained
-sufficient elasticity to compose some sketches, designed this
-time not merely to meet the requirements of the theatre as I knew
-it. During the last wretched days I had spent with Minna at
-Blasewitz, I had read Bulwer Lytton's novel, Rienzi; during my
-convalescence in the bosom of my sympathetic family, I now worked
-out the scheme for a grand opera under the inspiration of this
-book. Though obliged for the present to return to the limitations
-of a small theatre, I tried from this time onwards to aim at
-enlarging my sphere of action. I sent my overture, Rule
-Britannia, to the Philharmonic Society in London, and tried to
-get into communication with Scribe in Paris about a setting for
-H. Konig's novel, Die Hohe Braut, which I had sketched out.
-
-Thus I spent the remainder of this summer of ever-happy memory.
-At the end of August I had to leave for Riga to take up my new
-appointment. Although I knew that my sister Rosalie had shortly
-before married the man of her choice, Professor Oswald Marbach of
-Leipzig, I avoided that city, probably with the foolish notion of
-sparing myself any humiliation, and went straight to Berlin,
-where I had to receive certain additional instructions from my
-future director, and also to obtain my passport. There I met a
-younger sister of Minna's, Amalie Planer, a singer with a pretty
-voice, who had joined our opera company at Magdeburg for a short
-time. My report of Minna quite overwhelmed this exceedingly kind-
-hearted girl. We went to a performance of Fidelia together,
-during which she, like myself, burst into tears and sobs.
-Refreshed by the sympathetic impression I had received, I went by
-way of Schwerin, where I was disappointed in my hopes of finding
-traces of Minna, to Lubeck, to wait for a merchant ship going to
-Riga. We had set sail for Travemunde when an unfavourable wind
-set in, and held up our departure for a week: I had to spend this
-disagreeable time in a miserable ship's tavern. Thrown on my own
-resources I tried, amongst other things, to read Till
-Eulenspiegel, and this popular book first gave me the idea of a
-real German comic opera. Long afterwards, when I was composing
-the words for my Junger Siegfried, I remember having many vivid
-recollections of this melancholy sojourn in Travemunde and my
-reading of Till Eulenspiegel. After a voyage of four days we at
-last reached port at Bolderaa. I was conscious of a peculiar
-thrill on coming into contact with Russian officials, whom I had
-instinctively detested since the days of my sympathy with the
-Poles as a boy. It seemed to me as if the harbour police must
-read enthusiasm for the Poles in my face, and would send me to
-Siberia on the spot, and I was the more agreeably surprised, on
-reaching Riga, to find myself surrounded by the familiar German
-element which, above all, pervaded everything connected with the
-theatre.
-
-After my unfortunate experiences in connection with the
-conditions of small German stages, the way in which this newly
-opened theatre was run had at first a calming effect on my mind.
-A society had been formed by a number of well-to-do theatre-goers
-and rich business men to raise, by voluntary subscription,
-sufficient money to provide the sort of management they regarded
-as ideal with a solid foundation. The director they appointed was
-Karl von Holtei, a fairly popular dramatic writer, who enjoyed a
-certain reputation in the theatrical world. This man's ideas
-about the stage represented a special tendency, which was at that
-time on the decline. He possessed, in addition to his remarkable
-social gifts, an extraordinary acquaintance with all the
-principal people connected with the theatre during the past
-twenty years, and belonged to a society called Die
-Liebenswurdigen Libertins ('The Amiable Libertines'). This was a
-set of young would-be wits, who looked upon the stage as a
-playground licensed by the public for the display of their mad
-pranks, from which the middle class held aloof, while people of
-culture were steadily losing all interest in the theatre under
-these hopeless conditions.
-
-Holtei's wife had in former days been a popular actress at the
-Konigstadt theatre in Berlin, and it was here, at the time when
-Henriette Sontag raised it to the height of its fame, that
-Holtei's style had been formed. The production there of his
-melodrama Leonore (founded on Burger's ballad) had in particular
-earned him a wide reputation as a writer for the stage, besides
-which he produced some Liederspiele, and among them one, entitled
-Der Alte Feldherr, became fairly popular. His invitation to Riga
-had been particularly welcome, as it bid fair to gratify his
-craving to absorb himself completely in the life of the stage; he
-hoped, in this out-of-the-way place, to indulge his passion
-without restraint. His peculiar familiarity of manner, his
-inexhaustible store of amusing small talk, and his airy way of
-doing business, gave him a remarkable hold on the tradespeople of
-Riga, who wished for nothing better than such entertainment as he
-was able to give them. They provided him liberally with all the
-necessary means and treated him in every respect with entire
-confidence. Under his auspices my own engagement had been very
-easily secured. Surly old pedants he would have none of,
-favouring young men on the score of their youth alone. As far as
-I myself was concerned, it was enough for him to know that I
-belonged to a family which he knew and liked, and hearing,
-moreover, of my fervent devotion to modern Italian and French
-music in particular, he decided that I was the very man for him.
-He had the whole shoal of Bellini's, Donizetti's, Adam's, and
-Auber's operatic scores copied out, and I was to give the good
-people of Riga the benefit of them with all possible speed.
-
-The first time I visited Holtei I met an old Leipzig
-acquaintance, Heinrich Dorn, my former mentor, who now held the
-permanent municipal appointment of choir-master at the church and
-music-teacher in the schools. He was pleased to find his curious
-pupil transformed into a practical opera conductor of independent
-position, and no less surprised to see the eccentric worshipper
-of Beethoven changed into an ardent champion of Bellini and Adam.
-He took me home to his summer residence, which was built,
-according to Riga phraseology, 'in the fields,' that is
-literally, on the sand. While I was giving him some account of
-the experiences through which I had passed, I grew conscious of
-the strangely deserted look of the place. Feeling frightened and
-homeless, my initial uneasiness gradually developed into a
-passionate longing to escape from all the whirl of theatrical
-life which had wooed me to such inhospitable regions. This uneasy
-mood was fast dispelling the flippancy which at Magdeburg had led
-to my being dragged down to the level of the most worthless stage
-society, and had also conduced to spoil my musical taste. It also
-contained the germs of a new tendency which developed during the
-period of my activity at Riga, brought me more and more out of
-touch with the theatre, thereby causing Director Holtei all the
-annoyance which inevitably attends disappointment.
-
-For some time, however, I found no difficulty in making the best
-of a bad bargain. We were obliged to open the theatre before the
-company was complete. To make this possible, we gave a
-performance of a short comic opera by C. Blum, called Marie, Max
-und Michel. For this work I composed an additional air for a song
-which Holtei had written for the bass singer, Gunther; it
-consisted of a sentimental introduction and a gay military rondo,
-and was very much appreciated. Later on, I introduced another
-additional song into the Schweizerfamilie, to be sung by another
-bass singer, Scheibler; it was of a devotional character, and
-pleased not only the public, but myself, and showed signs of the
-upheaval which was gradually taking place in my musical
-development. I was entrusted with the composition of a tune for a
-National Hymn written by Brakel in honour of the Tsar Nicholas's
-birthday. I tried to give it as far as possible the right
-colouring for a despotic patriarchal monarch, and once again I
-achieved some fame, for it was sung for several successive years
-on that particular day. Holtei tried to persuade me to write a
-bright, gay comic opera, or rather a musical play, to be
-performed by our company just as it stood. I looked up the
-libretto of my Glucktiche Barenfamilie, and found Holtei very
-well disposed towards it (as I have stated elsewhere); but when I
-unearthed the little music which I had already composed for it, I
-was overcome with disgust at this way of writing; whereupon I
-made a present of the book to my clumsy, good-natured friend,
-Lobmann, my right-hand man in the orchestra, and never gave it
-another thought from that day to this. I managed, however, to get
-to work on the libretto of Rienzi, which I had sketched out at
-Blasewitz. I developed it from every point of view, on so
-extravagant a scale, that with this work I deliberately cut off
-all possibility of being tempted by circumstances to produce it
-anywhere but on one of the largest stages in Europe.
-
-But while this helped to strengthen my endeavour to escape from
-all the petty degradations of stage life, new complications arose
-which affected me more and more seriously, and offered further
-opposition to my aims. The prima donna engaged by Holtei had
-failed us, and we were therefore without a singer for grand
-opera. Under the circumstances, Holtei joyfully agreed to my
-proposal to ask Amalie, Minna's sister (who was glad to accept an
-engagement that brought her near me), to come to Riga at once. In
-her answer to me from Dresden, where she was then living, she
-informed me of Minna's return to her parents, and of her present
-miserable condition owing to a severe illness. I naturally took
-this piece of news very coolly, for what I had heard about Minna
-since she left me for the last time had forced me to authorise my
-old friend at Konigsberg to take steps to procure a divorce. It
-was certain that Minna had stayed for some time at a hotel in
-Hamburg with that ill-omened man, Herr Dietrich, and that she had
-spread abroad the story of our separation so unreservedly that
-the theatrical world in particular had discussed it in a manner
-that was positively insulting to me. I simply informed Amalie of
-this, and requested her to spare me any further news of her
-sister.
-
-Hereupon Minna herself appealed to me, and wrote me a positively
-heartrending letter, in which she openly confessed her
-infidelity. She declared that she had been driven to it by
-despair, but that the great trouble she had thus brought upon
-herself having taught her a lesson, all she now wished was to
-return to the right path. Taking everything into account, I
-concluded that she had been deceived in the character of her
-seducer, and the knowledge of her terrible position had placed
-her both morally and physically in a most lamentable condition,
-in which, now ill and wretched, she turned to me again to
-acknowledge her guilt, crave my forgiveness, and assure me, in
-spite of all, that she had now become fully aware of her love for
-me. Never before had I heard such sentiments from Minna, nor was
-I ever to hear the same from her again, save on one touching
-occasion many years later, when similar outpourings moved and
-affected me in the same way as this particular letter had done.
-In reply I told her that there should never again be any mention
-between us of what had occurred, for which I took upon myself the
-chief blame; and I can pride myself on having carried out this
-resolution to the letter.
-
-When her sister's engagement was satisfactorily settled, I at
-once invited Minna to come to Riga with her. Both gladly accepted
-my invitation, and arrived from Dresden at my new home on 19th
-October, wintry weather having already set in. With much regret I
-perceived that Minna's health had really suffered, and therefore
-did all in my power to provide her with all the domestic comforts
-and quiet she needed. This presented difficulties, for my modest
-income as a conductor was all I had at my disposal, and we were
-both firmly determined not to let Minna go on the stage again. On
-the other hand, the carrying out of this resolve, in view of the
-financial inconvenience it entailed, produced strange
-complications, the nature of which was only revealed to me later,
-when startling developments divulged the real moral character of
-the manager Holtei. For the present I had to let people think
-that I was jealous of my wife. I bore patiently with the general
-belief that I had good reasons to be so, and rejoiced meanwhile
-at the restoration of our peaceful married life, and especially
-at the sight of our humble home, which we made as comfortable as
-our means would allow, and in the keeping of which Minna's
-domestic talents came strongly to the fore. As we were still
-childless, and were obliged as a rule to enlist the help of a dog
-in order to give life to the domestic hearth, we once lighted
-upon the eccentric idea of trying our luck with a young wolf
-which was brought into the house as a tiny cub. When we found,
-however, that this experiment did not increase the comfort of our
-home life, we gave him up after he had been with us a few weeks.
-We fared better with sister Amalie; for she, with her good-nature
-and simple homely ways, did much to make up for the absence of
-children for a time. The two sisters, neither of whom had had any
-real education, often returned playfully to the ways of their
-childhood. When they sang children's duets, Minna, though she had
-had no musical training, always managed very cleverly to sing
-seconds, and afterwards, as we sat at our evening meal, eating
-Russian salad, salt salmon from the Dwina, or fresh Russian
-caviare, we were all three very cheerful and happy far away in
-our northern home.
-
-Amalie's beautiful voice and real vocal talent at first won for
-her a very favourable reception with the public, a fact which did
-us all a great deal of good. Being, however, very short, and
-having no very great gift for acting, the scope of her powers was
-very limited, and as she was soon surpassed by more successful
-competitors, it was a real stroke of good luck for her that a
-young officer in the Russian army, then Captain, now General,
-Carl von Meek, fell head over ears in love with the simple girl,
-and married her a year later. The unfortunate part of this
-engagement, however, was that it caused many difficulties, and
-brought the first cloud over our menage a trois. For, after a
-while, the two sisters quarrelled bitterly, and I had the very
-unpleasant experience of living for a whole year in the same
-house with two relatives who neither saw nor spoke to each other.
-
-We spent the winter at the beginning of 1838 in a very small
-dingy dwelling in the old town; it was not till the spring that
-we moved into a pleasanter house in the more salubrious
-Petersburg suburb, where, in spite of the sisterly breach before
-referred to, we led a fairly bright and cheerful life, as we were
-often able to entertain many of our friends and acquaintances in
-a simple though pleasant fashion. In addition to members of the
-stage I knew a few people in the town, and we received and
-visited the family of Dorn, the musical director, with whom I
-became quite intimate. But it was the second musical director,
-Franz Lobmann, a very worthy though not a very gifted man, who
-became most faithfully attached to me. However, I did not
-cultivate many acquaintances in wider circles, and they grew
-fewer as the ruling passion of my life grew steadily stronger; so
-that when, later on, I left Riga, after spending nearly two years
-there, I departed almost as a stranger, and with as much
-indifference as I had left Magdeburg and Konigsberg. What,
-however, specially embittered my departure was a series of
-experiences of a particularly disagreeable nature, which firmly
-determined me to cut myself off entirely from the necessity of
-mixing with any people like those I had met with in my previous
-attempts to create a position for myself at the theatre.
-
-Yet it was only gradually that I became quite conscious of all
-this. At first, under the safe guidance of my renewed wedded
-happiness, which had for a time been so disturbed in its early
-days, I felt distinctly better than I had before in all my
-professional work. The fact that the material position of the
-theatrical undertaking was assured exercised a healthy influence
-on the performances. The theatre itself was cooped up in a very
-narrow space; there was as little room for scenic display on its
-tiny stage as there was accommodation for rich musical effects in
-the cramped orchestra. In both directions the strictest limits
-were imposed, yet I contrived to introduce considerable
-reinforcements into an orchestra which was really only calculated
-for a string quartette, two first and two second violins, two
-violas, and one 'cello. These successful exertions of mine were
-the first cause of the dislike Holtei evinced towards me later
-on. After this we were able to get good concerted music for the
-opera. I found the thorough study of Mehul's opera, Joseph in
-Aegypten, very stimulating. Its noble and simple style, added to
-the touching effect of the music, which quite carries one away,
-did much towards effecting a favourable change in my taste, till
-then warped by my connection with the theatre.
-
-It was most gratifying to feel my former serious taste again
-aroused by really good dramatic performances. I specially
-remember a production of King Lear, which I followed with the
-greatest interest, not only at the actual performances, but at
-all the rehearsals as well. Yet these educative impressions
-tended to make me feel ever more and more dissatisfied with my
-work at the theatre. On the one hand, the members of the company
-became gradually more distasteful to me, and on the other I was
-growing discontented with the management. With regard to the
-staff of the theatre, I very soon found out the hollowness,
-vanity, and the impudent selfishness of this uncultured and
-undisciplined class of people, for I had now lost my former
-liking for the Bohemian life that had such an attraction for me
-at Magdeburg. Before long there were but a few members of our
-company with whom I had not quarrelled, thanks to one or the
-other of these drawbacks. But my saddest experience was, that in
-such disputes, into which in fact I was led simply by my zeal for
-the artistic success of the performances as a whole, not only did
-I receive no support from Holtei, the director, but I actually
-made him my enemy. He even declared publicly that our theatre had
-become far too respectable for his taste, and tried to convince
-me that good theatrical performances could not be given by a
-strait-laced company.
-
-In his opinion the idea of the dignity of theatrical art was
-pedantic nonsense, and he thought light serio-comic vaudeville
-the only class of performance worth considering. Serious opera,
-rich musical ensemble, was his particular aversion, and my
-demands for this irritated him so that he met them only with
-scorn and indignant refusals. Of the strange connection between
-this artistic bias and his taste in the domain of morality I was
-also to become aware, to my horror, in due course. For the
-present I felt so repelled by the declaration of his artistic
-antipathies, as to let my dislike for the theatre as a profession
-steadily grow upon me. I still took pleasure in some good
-performances which I was able to get up, under favourable
-circumstances, at the larger theatre at Mitau, to where the
-company went for a time in the early part of the summer. Yet it
-was while I was there, spending most of my time reading Bulwer
-Lytton's novels, that I made a secret resolve to try hard to free
-myself from all connection with the only branch of theatrical art
-which had so far been open to me.
-
-The composition of my Rienzi, the text of which I had finished in
-the early days of my sojourn in Riga, was destined to bridge me
-over to the glorious world for which I had longed so intensely. I
-had laid aside the completion of my Gluckliche Barenfamilie, for
-the simple reason that the lighter character of this piece would
-have thrown me more into contact with the very theatrical people
-I most despised. My greatest consolation now was to prepare
-Rienzi with such an utter disregard of the means which were
-available there for its production, that my desire to produce it
-would force me out of the narrow confines of this puny theatrical
-circle to seek a fresh connection with one of the larger
-theatres. It was after our return from Mitau, in the middle of
-the summer of 1838, that I set to work on this composition, and
-by so doing roused myself to a state of enthusiasm which,
-considering my position, was nothing less than desperate dare-
-devilry. All to whom I confided my plan perceived at once, on the
-mere mention of my subject, that I was preparing to break away
-from my present position, in which there could be no possibility
-of producing my work, and I was looked upon as light-headed and
-fit only for an asylum.
-
-To all my acquaintances my procedure seemed stupid and reckless.
-Even the former patron of my peculiar Leipzig overture thought it
-impracticable and eccentric, seeing that I had again turned my
-back on light opera. He expressed this opinion very freely in the
-Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, in a report of a concert I had given
-towards the end of the previous winter, and openly ridiculed the
-Magdeburg Columbus Overture and the Rule Britannia Overture
-previously mentioned. I myself had not taken any pleasure in the
-performance of either of these overtures, as my predilection for
-cornets, strongly marked in both these overtures, again played me
-a sorry trick, as I had evidently expected too much of our Riga
-musicians, and had to endure all kinds of disappointment on the
-occasion of the performance. As a complete contrast to my
-extravagant setting of Rienzi, this same director, H. Dorn, had
-set to work to write an opera in which he had most carefully
-borne in mind the conditions obtaining at the Riga theatre. Der
-Schoffe van Paris, an historical operetta of the period of the
-siege of Paris by Joan of Arc, was practised and performed by us
-to the complete satisfaction of the composer. However, the
-success of this work gave me no reason for abandoning my project
-to complete my Rienzi, and I was secretly pleased to find that I
-could regard this success without a trace of envy. Though
-animated by no feeling of rivalry, I gradually gave up
-associating with the Riga artists, confining myself chiefly to
-the performance of the duties I had undertaken, and worked away
-at the two first acts of my big opera without troubling myself at
-all whether I should ever get so far as to see it produced.
-
-The serious and bitter experiences I had had so early in life had
-done much to guide me towards that intensely earnest side of my
-nature that had manifested itself in my earliest youth. The
-effect of these bitter experiences was now to be still further
-emphasised by other sad impressions. Not long after Minna had
-rejoined me, I received from home the news of the death of my
-sister Rosalie. It was the first time in my life that I had
-experienced the passing away of one near and dear to me. The
-death of this sister struck me as a most cruel and significant
-blow of fate; it was out of love and respect for her that I had
-turned away so resolutely from my youthful excesses, and it was
-to gain her sympathy that I had devoted special thought and care
-to my first great works. When the passions and cares of life had
-come upon me and driven me away from my home, it was she who had
-read deep down into my sorely stricken heart, and who had bidden
-me that anxious farewell on my departure from Leipzig. At the
-time of my disappearance, when the news of my wilful marriage and
-of my consequent unfortunate position reached my family, it was
-she who, as my mother informed me later, never lost her faith in
-me, but who always cherished the hope that I would one day reach
-the full development of my capabilities and make a genuine
-success of my life.
-
-Now, at the news of her death, and illuminated by the
-recollection of that one impressive farewell, as by a flash of
-lightning I saw the immense value my relations with this sister
-had been to me, and I did not fully realise the extent of her
-influence until later on, when, after my first striking
-successes, my mother tearfully lamented that Rosalie had not
-lived to witness them. It really did me good to be again in
-communication with my family. My mother and sisters had had news
-of my doings somehow or other, and I was deeply touched, in the
-letters which I was now receiving from them, to hear no
-reproaches anent my headstrong and apparently heartless
-behaviour, but only sympathy and heartfelt solicitude. My family
-had also received favourable reports about my wife's good
-qualities, a fact about which I was particularly glad, as I was
-thus spared the difficulties of defending her questionable
-behaviour to me, which I should have been at pains to excuse.
-This produced a salutary calm in my soul, which had so recently
-been a prey to the worst anxieties. All that had driven me with
-such passionate haste to an improvident and premature marriage,
-all that had consequently weighed on me so ruinously, now seemed
-set at rest, leaving peace in its stead. And although the
-ordinary cares of life still pressed on me for many years, often
-in a most vexatious and troublesome form, yet the anxieties
-attendant on my ardent youthful wishes were in a manner subdued
-and calm. From thence forward till the attainment of my
-professional independence, all my life's struggles could be
-directed entirely towards that more ideal aim which, from the
-time of the conception of my Rienzi, was to be my only guide
-through life.
-
-It was only later that I first realised the real character of my
-life in Riga, from the utterance of one of its inhabitants, who
-was astonished to learn of the success of a man of whose
-importance, during the whole of his two years' sojourn in the
-small capital of Livonia, nothing had been known. Thrown entirely
-on my own resources, I was a stranger to every one. As I
-mentioned before, I kept aloof from all the theatre folk, in
-consequence of my increasing dislike of them, and therefore, when
-at the end of March, 1839, at the close of my second winter
-there, I was given my dismissal by the management, although this
-occurrence surprised me for other reasons, yet I felt fully
-reconciled to this compulsory change in my life. The reasons
-which led to this dismissal were, however, of such a nature that
-I could only regard it as one of the most disagreeable
-experiences of my life. Once, when I was lying dangerously ill, I
-heard of Holtei's real feelings towards me. I had caught a severe
-cold in the depth of winter at a theatrical rehearsal, and it at
-once assumed a serious character, owing to the fact that my
-nerves were in a state of constant irritation from the continual
-annoyance and vexatious worry caused by the contemptible
-character of the theatrical management. It was just at the time
-when a special performance of the opera Norma was to be given by
-our company in Mitau. Holtei insisted on my getting up from a
-sick-bed to make this wintry journey, and thus to expose myself
-to the danger of seriously increasing my cold in the icy theatre
-at Mitau. Typhoid fever was the consequence, and this pulled me
-down to such an extent that Holtei, who heard of my condition, is
-said to have remarked at the theatre that I should probably never
-conduct again, and that, to all intents and purposes, 'I was on
-my last legs.' It was to a splendid homoeopathic physician, Dr.
-Prutzer, that I owed my recovery and my life. Not long after that
-Holtei left our theatre and Riga for ever; his occupation there,
-with 'the far too respectable conditions,' as he expressed it,
-had become intolerable to him. In addition, however,
-circumstances had arisen in his domestic life (which had been
-much affected by the death of his wife) which seemed to make him
-consider a complete break with Riga eminently desirable. But to
-my astonishment I now first became aware that I too had
-unconsciously been a sufferer from the troubles he had brought
-upon himself. When Holtei's successor in the management--Joseph
-Hoffmann the singer--informed me that his predecessor had made it
-a condition to his taking over the post that he should enter into
-the same engagement that Holtei had made with the conductor Dorn
-for the post which I had hitherto filled, and my reappointment
-had therefore been made an impossibility, my wife met my
-astonishment at this news by giving me the reason, of which for
-some considerable time past she had been well aware, namely,
-Holtei's special dislike of us both. When I was afterwards
-informed by Minna of what had happened--she having purposely kept
-it from me all this time, so as not to cause bad feeling between
-me and my director--a ghastly light was thrown upon the whole
-affair. I did indeed remember perfectly how, soon after Minna's
-arrival in Riga, I had been particularly pressed by Holtei not to
-prevent my wife's engagement at the theatre. I asked him to talk
-things quietly over with her, so that he might see that Minna's
-unwillingness rested on a mutual understanding, and not on any
-jealousy on my part. I had intentionally given him the time when
-I was engaged at the theatre on rehearsals for the necessary
-discussions with my wife. At the end of these meetings I had, on
-my return, often found Minna in a very excited condition, and at
-length she declared emphatically that under no circumstances
-would she accept the engagement offered by Holtei. I had also
-noticed in Minna's demeanour towards me a strange anxiety to know
-why I was not unwilling to allow Holtei to try to persuade her.
-Now that the catastrophe had occurred, I learned that Holtei had
-in fact used these interviews for making improper advances to my
-wife, the nature of which I only realised with difficulty on
-further acquaintance with this man's peculiarities, and after
-having heard of other instances of a similar nature. I then
-discovered that Holtei considered it an advantage to get himself
-talked about in connection with pretty women, in order thus to
-divert the attention of the public from other conduct even more
-disreputable. After this Minna was exceedingly indignant at
-Holtei, who, finding his own suit rejected, appeared as the
-medium for another suitor, on whose behalf he urged that he would
-think none the worse of her for rejecting him, a grey-haired and
-penniless man, but at the same time advocated the suit of
-Brandenburg, a very wealthy and handsome young merchant. His
-fierce indignation at this double repulse, his humiliation at
-having revealed his real nature to no purpose, seems, to judge
-from Minna's observations, to have been exceedingly great. I now
-understood too well that his frequent and profoundly contemptuous
-sallies against respectable actors and actresses had not been
-mere spirited exaggerations, but that he had probably often had
-to complain of being put thoroughly to shame on this account.
-
-The fact that the playing of such criminal parts as the one he
-had had in view with my wife was unable to divert the ever-
-increasing attention of the outside world from his vicious and
-dissolute habits, does not seem to have escaped him; for those
-behind the scenes told me candidly that it was owing to the fear
-of very unpleasant revelations that he had suddenly decided to
-give up his position at Riga altogether. Even in much later years
-I heard about Holtei's bitter dislike of me, a dislike which
-showed itself, among other things, in his denunciation of The
-Music of the Future, [Footnote: Zukunftsmusik is a pamphlet
-revealing some of Wagner's artistic aims and aspirations, written
-1860-61.--EDITOR.] and of its tendency to jeopardise the
-simplicity of pure sentiment. I have previously mentioned that he
-displayed so much personal animosity against me during the latter
-part of the time we were together in Riga that he vented his
-hostility upon me in every possible way. Up to that time I had
-felt inclined to ascribe it to the divergence of our respective
-views on artistic points.
-
-To my dismay I now became aware that personal considerations
-alone were at the bottom of all this, and I blushed to realise
-that by my former unreserved confidence in a man whom I thought
-was absolutely honest, I had based my knowledge of human nature
-on such very weak foundations. But still greater was my
-disappointment when I discovered the real character of my friend
-H. Dorn. During the whole time of our intercourse at Riga, he,
-who formerly treated me more like a good-natured elder brother,
-had become my most confidential friend. We saw and visited each
-other almost daily, very frequently in our respective homes. I
-kept not a single secret from him, and the performance of his
-Schoffe van Paris under my direction was as successful as if it
-had been under his own. Now, when I heard that my post had been
-given to him, I felt obliged to ask him about it, in order to
-learn whether there was any mistake on his part as to my
-intention regarding the position I had hitherto held. But from
-his letter in reply I could clearly see that Dorn had really made
-use of Holtei's dislike for me to extract from him, before his
-departure, an arrangement which was both binding on his successor
-and also in his (Dorn's) own favour. As my friend he ought to
-have known that he could benefit by this agreement only in the
-event of my resigning my appointment in Riga, because in our
-confidential conversations, which continued to the end, he always
-carefully refrained from touching on the possibility of my going
-away or remaining. In fact, he declared that Holtei had
-distinctly told him he would on no account re-engage me, as I
-could not get on with the singers. He added that after this one
-could not take it amiss if he, who had been inspired with fresh
-enthusiasm for the theatre by the success of his Schoffe von
-Paris, had seized and turned to his own advantage the chance
-offered to him. Moreover, he had gathered from my confidential
-communications that I was very awkwardly situated, and that,
-owing to my small salary having been cut down by Holtei from the
-very beginning, I was in a very precarious position on account of
-the demands of my creditors in Konigsberg and Magdeburg. It
-appeared that these people had employed against me a lawyer, who
-was a friend of Dorn's, and that, consequently, he had come to
-the conclusion that I would not be able to remain in Riga.
-Therefore, even as my friend, he had felt his conscience quite
-clear in accepting Holtei's proposal.
-
-In order not to leave him in the complacent enjoyment of this
-self-deception, I put it clearly before him that he could not be
-ignorant of the fact that a higher salary had been promised to me
-for the third year of my contract; and that, by the establishment
-of orchestral concerts, which had already made a favourable
-start, I now saw my way to getting free from those long-standing
-debts, having already overcome the difficulties of the removal
-and settling down. I also asked him how he would act if I saw it
-was to my own interest to retain my post, and to call on him to
-resign his agreement with Holtei, who, as a matter of fact, after
-his departure from Riga, had withdrawn his alleged reason for my
-dismissal. To this I received no answer, nor have I had one up to
-the present day; but, on the other hand, in 1865, I was
-astonished to see Dorn enter my house in Munich unannounced, and
-when to his joy I recognised him, he stepped up to me with a
-gesture which clearly showed his intention of embracing me.
-Although I managed to evade this, yet I soon saw the difficulty
-of preventing him from addressing me with the familiar form of
-'thou,' as the attempt to do so would have necessitated
-explanations that would have been a useless addition to all my
-worries just then; for it was the time when my Tristan was being
-produced.
-
-Such a man was Heinrich Dorn. Although, after the failure of
-three operas, he had retired in disgust from the theatre to
-devote himself exclusively to the commercial side of music, yet
-the success of his opera, Der Schoffe von Paris, in Riga helped
-him back to a permanent place among the dramatic musicians of
-Germany. But to this position he was first dragged from
-obscurity, across the bridge of infidelity to his friend, and by
-the aid of virtue in the person of Director Holtei, thanks to a
-magnanimous oversight on the part of Franz Listz. The preference
-of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. for church scenes contributed to
-secure him eventually his important position at the greatest
-lyric theatre in Germany, the Royal Opera of Berlin. For he was
-prompted far less by his devotion to the dramatic muse than by
-his desire to secure a good position in some important German
-city, when, as already hinted, through Liszt's recommendation he
-was appointed musical director of Cologne Cathedral. During a
-fete connected with the building of the cathedral he managed, as
-a musician, so to work upon the Prussian monarch's religious
-feelings, that he was appointed to the dignified post of musical
-conductor at the Royal Theatre, in which capacity he long
-continued to do honour to German dramatic music in conjunction
-with Wilhelm Taubert.
-
-I must give J. Hoffmann, who from this time forward was the
-manager of the Riga theatre, the credit of having felt the
-treachery practised upon me very deeply indeed. He told me that
-his contract with Dorn bound him only for one year, and that the
-moment the twelve months had elapsed he wished to come to a fresh
-agreement with me. As soon as this was known, my patrons in Riga
-came forward with offers of teaching engagements and arrangements
-for sundry concerts, by way of compensating me for the year's
-salary which I should lose by being away from my work as a
-conductor. Though I was much gratified by these offers, yet, as I
-have already pointed out, the longing to break loose from the
-kind of theatrical life which I had experienced up to that time
-so possessed me that I resolutely seized this chance of
-abandoning my former vocation for an entirely new one. Not
-without some shrewdness, I played upon my wife's indignation at
-the treachery I had suffered, in order to make her fall in with
-my eccentric notion of going to Paris. Already in my conception
-of Rienzi I had dreamed of the most magnificent theatrical
-conditions, but now, without halting at any intermediate
-stations, my one desire was to reach the very heart of all
-European grand opera. While still in Magdeburg I had made H.
-Konig's romance, Die Hohe Braut, the subject of a grand opera in
-five acts, and in the most luxurious French style. After the
-scenic draft of this opera, which had been translated into
-French, was completely worked out, I sent it from Konigsberg to
-Scribe in Paris. With this manuscript I sent a letter to the
-famous operatic poet, in which I suggested that he might make use
-of my plot, on condition that he would secure me the composition
-of the music for the Paris Opera House. To convince him of my
-ability to compose Parisian operatic music, I also sent him the
-score of my Liebesverbot. At the same time I wrote to Meyerbeer,
-informing him of my plans, and begging him to support me. I was
-not at all disheartened at receiving no reply, for I was content
-to know that now at last 'I was in communication with Paris.'
-When, therefore, I started out upon my daring journey from Riga,
-I seemed to have a comparatively serious object in view, and my
-Paris projects no longer struck me as being altogether in the
-air. In addition to this I now heard that my youngest sister,
-Cecilia, had become betrothed to a certain Eduard Avenarius, an
-employee of the Brockhaus book-selling firm, and that he had
-undertaken the management of their Paris branch. To him I applied
-for news of Scribe, and for an answer to the application I had
-made to that gentleman some years previously. Avenarius called on
-Scribe, and from him received an acknowledgment of the receipt of
-my earlier communication. Scribe also showed that he had some
-recollection of the subject itself; for he said that, so far as
-he could remember, there was a joueuse de harpe in the piece, who
-was ill-treated by her brother. The fact that this merely
-incidental item had alone remained in his memory led me to
-conclude that he had not extended his acquaintance with the piece
-beyond the first act, in which the item in question occurs. When,
-moreover, I heard that he had nothing to say in regard to my
-score, except that he had had portions of it played over to him
-by a pupil of the Conservatoire, I really could not flatter
-myself that he had entered into definite and conscious relations
-with me. And yet I had palpable evidence in a letter of his to
-Avenarius, which the latter forwarded to me, that Scribe had
-actually occupied himself with my work, and that I was indeed in
-communication with him, and this letter of Scribe's made such an
-impression upon my wife, who was by no means inclined to be
-sanguine, that she gradually overcame her apprehensions in regard
-to the Paris adventure. At last it was fixed and settled that on
-the expiry of my second year's contract in Riga (that is to say,
-in the coming summer, 1839), we should journey direct from Riga
-to Paris, in order that I might try my luck there as a composer
-of opera.
-
-The production of my Rienzi now began to assume greater
-importance. The composition of its second act was finished before
-we started, and into this I wove a heroic ballet of extravagant
-dimensions. It was now imperative that I should speedily acquire
-a knowledge of French, a language which, during my classical
-studies at the Grammar School, I had contemptuously laid aside.
-As there were only four weeks in which to recover the time I had
-lost, I engaged an excellent French master. But as I soon
-realised that I could achieve but little in so short a time, I
-utilised the hours of the lessons in order to obtain from him,
-under the pretence of receiving instruction, an idiomatic
-translation of my Rienzi libretto. This I wrote with red ink on
-such parts of the score as were finished, so that on reaching
-Paris I might immediately submit my half-finished opera to French
-judges of art.
-
-Everything now seemed to be carefully prepared for my departure,
-and all that remained to be done was to raise the necessary funds
-for my undertaking. But in this respect the outlook was bad. The
-sale of our modest household furniture, the proceeds of a benefit
-concert, and my meagre savings only sufficed to satisfy the
-importunate demands of my creditors in Magdeburg and Konigsberg.
-I knew that if I were to devote all my cash to this purpose,
-there would not be a farthing left. Some way out of the fix must
-be found, and this our old Konigsberg friend, Abraham Moller,
-suggested in his usual flippant and obscure manner. Just at this
-critical moment he paid us a second visit to Riga. I acquainted
-him with the difficulties of our position, and all the obstacles
-which stood in the way of my resolve to go to Paris. In his
-habitual laconical way he counselled me to reserve all my savings
-for our journey, and to settle with my creditors when my Parisian
-successes had provided the necessary means. To help us in
-carrying out this plan, he offered to convey us in his carriage
-across the Russian frontier at top speed to an East Prussian
-port. We should have to cross the Russian frontier without
-passports, as these had been already impounded by our foreign
-creditors. He assured us that we should find it quite simple to
-carry out this very hazardous expedition, and declared that he
-had a friend on a Prussian estate close to the frontier who would
-render us very effective assistance. My eagerness to escape at
-any price from my previous circumstances, and to enter with all
-possible speed upon the wider field, in which I hoped very soon
-to realise my ambition, blinded me to all the unpleasantnesses
-which the execution of his proposal must entail. Director
-Hoffmann, who considered himself bound to serve me to the utmost
-of his ability, facilitated my departure by allowing me to leave
-some months before the expiration of my engagement. After
-continuing to conduct the operatic portion of the Mitau
-theatrical season through the month of June, we secretly started
-in a special coach hired by Moller and under his protection. The
-goal of our journey was Paris, but many unheard-of hardships were
-in store for us before we were to reach that city.
-
-The sense of contentment involuntarily aroused by our passage
-through the fruitful Courland in the luxuriant month of July, and
-by the sweet illusion that now at last I had cut myself loose
-from a hateful existence, to enter upon a new and boundless path
-of fortune, was disturbed from its very outset by the miserable
-inconveniences occasioned by the presence of a huge Newfoundland
-dog called Robber. This beautiful creature, originally the
-property of a Riga merchant, had, contrary to the nature of his
-race, become devotedly attached to me. After I had left Riga, and
-during my long stay in Mitau, Robber incessantly besieged my
-empty house, and so touched the hearts of my landlord and the
-neighbours by his fidelity, that they sent the dog after me by
-the conductor of the coach to Mitau, where I greeted him with
-genuine effusion, and swore that, in spite of all difficulties, I
-would never part with him again. Whatever might happen, the dog
-must go with us to Paris. And yet, even to get him into the
-carriage proved almost impossible. All my endeavours to find him
-a place in or about the vehicle were in vain, and, to my great
-grief, I had to watch the huge northern beast, with his shaggy
-coat, gallop all day long in the blazing sun beside the carriage.
-At last, moved to pity by his exhaustion, and unable to bear the
-sight any longer, I hit upon a most ingenious plan for bringing
-the great animal with us into the carriage, where, in spite of
-its being full to overflowing, he was just able to find room.
-
-On the evening of the second day we reached the Russo-Prussian
-frontier. Moller's evident anxiety as to whether we should be
-able to cross it safely showed us plainly that the matter was one
-of some danger. His good friend from the other side duly turned
-up with a small carriage, as arranged, and in this conveyance
-drove Minna, myself, and Robber through by paths to a certain
-point, whence he led us on foot to a house of exceedingly
-suspicious exterior, where, after handing us over to a guide, he
-left us. There we had to wait until sundown, and had ample
-leisure in which to realise that we were in a smugglers' drinking
-den, which gradually became filled to suffocation with Polish
-Jews of most forbidding aspect.
-
-At last we were summoned to follow our guide. A few hundred feet
-away, on the slope of a hill, lay the ditch which runs the whole
-length of the Russian frontier, watched continually and at very
-narrow intervals by Cossacks. Our chance was to utilise the few
-moments after the relief of the watch, during which the sentinels
-were elsewhere engaged. We had, therefore, to run at full speed
-down the hill, scramble through the ditch, and then hurry along
-until we were beyond the range of the soldiers' guns; for the
-Cossacks were bound in case of discovery to fire upon us even on
-the other side of the ditch. In spite of my almost passionate
-anxiety for Minna, I had observed with singular pleasure the
-intelligent behaviour of Robber, who, as though conscious of the
-danger, silently kept close to our side, and entirely dispelled
-my fear that he would give trouble during our dangerous passage.
-At last our trusted helpmeet reappeared, and was so delighted
-that he hugged us all in his arms. Then, placing us once more in
-his carriage, he drove us to the inn of the Prussian frontier
-village, where my friend Moller, positively sick with anxiety,
-leaped sobbing and rejoicing out of bed to greet us.
-
-It was only now that I began to realise the danger to which I had
-exposed, not only myself, but also my poor Minna, and the folly
-of which I had been guilty through my ignorance of the terrible
-difficulties of secretly crossing the frontier--difficulties
-concerning which Moller had foolishly allowed me to remain in
-ignorance.
-
-I was simply at a loss to convey to my poor exhausted wife how
-extremely I regretted the whole affair.
-
-And yet the difficulties we had just overcome were but the
-prelude to the calamities incidental to this adventurous journey
-which had such a decisive influence on my life. The following
-day, when, with courage renewed, we drove through the rich plain
-of Tilsit to Arnau, near Konigsberg, we decided, as the next
-stage of our journey, to proceed from the Prussian harbour of
-Pillau by sailing vessel to London. Our principal reason for this
-was the consideration of the dog we had with us. It was the
-easiest way to take him. To convey him by coach from Konigsberg
-to Paris was out of the question, and railways were unknown. But
-another consideration was our budget; the whole result of my
-desperate efforts amounted to not quite one hundred ducats, which
-were to cover not only the journey to Paris, but our expenses
-there until I should have earned something. Therefore, after a
-few days' rest in the inn at Arnau, we drove to the little
-seaport town of Pillau, again accompanied by Moller, in one of
-the ordinary local conveyances, which was not much better than a
-wagon. In order to avoid Konigsberg, we passed through the
-smaller villages and over bad roads. Even this short distance was
-not to be covered without accident. The clumsy conveyance upset
-in a farmyard, and Minna was so severely indisposed by the
-accident, owing to an internal shock, that I had to drag her--
-with the greatest difficulty, as she was quite helpless--to a
-peasant's house. The people were surly and dirty, and the night
-we spent there was a painful one for the poor sufferer. A delay
-of several days occurred before the departure of the Pillau
-vessel, but this was welcome as a respite to allow of Minna's
-recovery. Finally, as the captain was to take us without a
-passport, our going on board was accompanied by exceptional
-difficulties. We had to contrive to slip past the harbour watch
-to our vessel in a small boat before daybreak. Once on board, we
-still had the troublesome task of hauling Robber up the steep
-side of the vessel without attracting attention, and after that
-to conceal ourselves at once below deck, in order to escape the
-notice of officials visiting the ship before its departure. The
-anchor was weighed, and at last, as the land faded gradually out
-of sight, we thought we could breathe freely and feel at ease.
-
-We were on board a merchant vessel of the smallest type. She was
-called the Thetis; a bust of the nymph was erected in the bows,
-and she carried a crew of seven men, including the captain. With
-good weather, such as was to be expected in summer, the journey
-to London was estimated to take eight days. However, before we
-had left the Baltic, we were delayed by a prolonged calm. I made
-use of the time to improve my knowledge of French by the study of
-a novel, La Derniere Aldini, by George Sand. We also derived some
-entertainment from associating with the crew. There was an
-elderly and peculiarly taciturn sailor named Koske, whom we
-observed carefully because Robber, who was usually so friendly,
-had taken an irreconcilable dislike to him. Oddly enough, this
-fact was to add in some degree to our troubles in the hour of
-danger. After seven days' sailing we were no further than
-Copenhagen, where, without leaving the vessel, we seized an
-opportunity of making our very spare diet on board more bearable
-by various purchases of food and drink. In good spirits we sailed
-past the beautiful castle of Elsinore, the sight of which brought
-me into immediate touch with my youthful impressions of Hamlet.
-We were sailing all unsuspecting through the Cattegat to the
-Skagerack, when the wind, which had at first been merely
-unfavourable, and had forced us to a process of weary tacking,
-changed on the second day to a violent storm. For twenty-four
-hours we had to struggle against it under disadvantages which
-were quite new to us. In the captain's painfully narrow cabin, in
-which one of us was without a proper berth, we were a prey to
-sea-sickness and endless alarms. Unfortunately, the brandy cask,
-at which the crew fortified themselves during their strenuous
-work, was let into a hollow under the seat on which I lay at full
-length. Now it happened to be Koske who came most frequently in
-search of the refreshment which was such a nuisance to me, and
-this in spite of the fact that on each occasion he had to
-encounter Robber in mortal combat. The dog flew at him with
-renewed rage each time he came climbing down the narrow steps. I
-was thus compelled to make efforts which, in my state of complete
-exhaustion from sea-sickness, rendered my condition every time
-more critical. At last, on 27th July, the captain was compelled
-by the violence of the west wind to seek a harbour on the
-Norwegian coast. And how relieved I was to behold that far-
-reaching rocky coast, towards which we were being driven at such
-speed! A Norwegian pilot came to meet us in a small boat, and,
-with experienced hand, assumed control of the Thetis, whereupon
-in a very short time I was to have one of the most marvellous and
-most beautiful impressions of my life. What I had taken to be a
-continuous line of cliffs turned out on our approach to be a
-series of separate rocks projecting from the sea. Having sailed
-past them, we perceived that we were surrounded, not only in
-front and at the sides, but also at our back, by these reefs,
-which closed in behind us so near together that they seemed to
-form a single chain of rocks. At the same time the hurricane was
-so broken by the rocks in our rear that the further we sailed
-through this ever-changing labyrinth of projecting rocks, the
-calmer the sea became, until at last the vessel's progress was
-perfectly smooth and quiet as we entered one of those long sea-
-roads running through a giant ravine--for such the Norwegian
-fjords appeared to me.
-
-A feeling of indescribable content came over me when the enormous
-granite walls echoed the hail of the crew as they cast anchor and
-furled the sails. The sharp rhythm of this call clung to me like
-an omen of good cheer, and shaped itself presently into the theme
-of the seamen's song in my Fliegender Hollander. The idea of this
-opera was, even at that time, ever present in my mind, and it now
-took on a definite poetic and musical colour under the influence
-of my recent impressions. Well, our next move was to go on shore.
-I learned that the little fishing village at which we landed was
-called Sandwike, and was situated a few miles away from the much
-larger town of Arendal. We were allowed to put up at the
-hospitable house of a certain ship's captain, who was then away
-at sea, and here we were able to take the rest we so much needed,
-as the unabated violence of the wind in the open detained us
-there two days. On 31st July the captain insisted on leaving,
-despite the pilot's warning. We had been on board the Thetis a
-few hours, and were in the act of eating a lobster for the first
-time in our lives, when the captain and the sailors began to
-swear violently at the pilot, whom I could see at the helm, rigid
-with fear, striving to avoid a reef--barely visible above the
-water--towards which our ship was being driven. Great was our
-terror at this violent tumult, for we naturally thought ourselves
-in the most extreme danger. The vessel did actually receive a
-severe shock, which, to my vivid imagination, seemed like the
-splitting up of the whole ship. Fortunately, however, it
-transpired that only the side of our vessel had fouled the reef,
-and there was no immediate danger. Nevertheless, the captain
-deemed it necessary to steer for a harbour to have the vessel
-examined, and we returned to the coast and anchored at another
-point. The captain then offered to take us in a small boat with
-two sailors to Tromsond, a town of some importance situated at a
-few hours' distance, where he had to invite the harbour officials
-to examine his ship. This again proved a most attractive and
-impressive excursion. The view of one fjord in particular, which
-extended far inland, worked on my imagination like some unknown,
-awe-inspiring desert. This impression was intensified, during a
-long walk from Tromsond up to the plateau, by the terribly
-depressing effect of the dun moors, bare of tree or shrub,
-boasting only a covering of scanty moss, which stretch away to
-the horizon, and merge imperceptibly into the gloomy sky. It was
-long after dark when we returned from this trip in our little
-boat, and my wife was very anxious. The next morning (1st
-August), reassured as to the condition of the vessel, and the
-wind favouring us, we were able to go to sea without further
-hindrance.
-
-After four days' calm sailing a strong north wind arose, which
-drove us at uncommon speed in the right direction. We began to
-think ourselves nearly at the end of our journey when, on 6th
-August, the wind changed, and the storm began to rage with
-unheard-of violence. On the 7th, a Wednesday, at half-past two in
-the afternoon, we thought ourselves in imminent danger of death.
-It was not the terrible force with which the vessel was hurled up
-and down, entirely at the mercy of this sea monster, which
-appeared now as a fathomless abyss, now as a steep mountain peak,
-that filled me with mortal dread; my premonition of some terrible
-crisis was aroused by the despondency of the crew, whose
-malignant glances seemed superstitiously to point to us as the
-cause of the threatening disaster. Ignorant of the trifling
-occasion for the secrecy of our journey, the thought may have
-occurred to them that our need of escape had arisen from
-suspicious or even criminal circumstances. The captain himself
-seemed, in his extreme distress, to regret having taken us on
-board; for we had evidently brought him ill-luck on this familiar
-passage--usually a rapid and uncomplicated one, especially in
-summer. At this particular moment there raged, beside the tempest
-on the water, a furious thunderstorm overhead, and Minna
-expressed the fervent wish to be struck by lightning with me
-rather than to sink, living, into the fearful flood. She even
-begged me to bind her to me, so that we might not be parted as we
-sank. Yet another night was spent amid these incessant terrors,
-which only our extreme exhaustion helped to mitigate.
-
-The following day the storm had subsided; the wind remained
-unfavourable, but was mild. The captain now tried to find our
-bearings by means of his astronomical instruments. He complained
-of the sky, which had been overcast so many days, swore that he
-would give much for a single glimpse of the sun or the stars, and
-did not conceal the uneasiness he felt at not being able to
-indicate our whereabouts with certainty. He consoled himself,
-however, by following a ship which was sailing some knots ahead
-in the same direction, and whose movements he observed closely
-through the telescope. Suddenly he sprang up in great alarm, and
-gave a vehement order to change our course. He had seen the ship
-in front go aground on a sand-bank, from which, he asserted, she
-could not extricate herself; for he now realised that we were
-near the most dangerous part of the belt of sand-banks bordering
-the Dutch coast for a considerable distance. By dint of very
-skilful sailing, we were enabled to keep the opposite course
-towards the English coast, which we in fact sighted on the
-evening of 9th August, in the neighbourhood of Southwold. I felt
-new life come into me when I saw in the far distance the English
-pilots racing for our ship. As competition is free among pilots
-on the English coast, they come out as far as possible to meet
-incoming vessels, even when the risks are very great.
-
-The winner in our case was a powerful grey-haired man, who, after
-much vain battling with the seething waves, which tossed his
-light boat away from our ship at each attempt, at last succeeded
-in boarding the Thetis. (Our poor, hardly-used boat still bore
-the name, although the wooden figure-head of our patron nymph had
-been hurled into the sea during our first storm in the Cattegat--
-an ill-omened incident in the eyes of the crew.) We were filled
-with pious gratitude when this quiet English sailor, whose hands
-were torn and bleeding from his repeated efforts to catch the
-rope thrown to him on his approach, took over the rudder. His
-whole personality impressed us most agreeably, and he seemed to
-us the absolute guarantee of a speedy deliverance from our
-terrible afflictions. We rejoiced too soon, however, for we still
-had before us the perilous passage through the sand-banks off the
-English coast, where, as I was assured, nearly four hundred ships
-are wrecked on an average every year. We were fully twenty-four
-hours (from the evening of the 10th to the 11th of August) amid
-these sandbanks, fighting a westerly gale, which hindered our
-progress so seriously that we only reached the mouth of the
-Thames on the evening of the 12th of August. My wife had, up to
-that point, been so nervously affected by the innumerable danger
-signals, consisting chiefly of small guardships painted bright
-red and provided with bells on account of the fog, that she could
-not close her eyes, day or night, for the excitement of watching
-for them and pointing them out to the sailors. I, on the
-contrary, found these heralds of human proximity and deliverance
-so consoling that, despite Minna's reproaches, I indulged in a
-long refreshing sleep. Now that we were anchored in the mouth of
-the Thames, waiting for daybreak, I found myself in the best of
-spirits; I dressed, washed, and even shaved myself up on deck
-near the mast, while Minna and the whole exhausted crew were
-wrapped in deep slumber. And with deepening interest I watched
-the growing signs of life in this famous estuary. Our desire for
-a complete release from our detested confinement led us, after we
-had sailed a little way up, to hasten our arrival in London by
-going on board a passing steamer at Gravesend. As we neared the
-capital, our astonishment steadily increased at the number of
-ships of all sorts that filled the river, the houses, the
-streets, the famous docks, and other maritime constructions which
-lined the banks. When at last we reached London Bridge, this
-incredibly crowded centre of the greatest city in the world, and
-set foot on land after our terrible three weeks' voyage, a
-pleasurable sensation of giddiness overcame us as our legs
-carried us staggering through the deafening uproar. Robber seemed
-to be similarly affected, for he whisked round the corners like a
-mad thing, and threatened to get lost every other minute. But we
-soon sought safety in a cab, which took us, on our captain's
-recommendation, to the Horseshoe Tavern, near the Tower, and here
-we had to make our plans for the conquest of this giant
-metropolis.
-
-The neighbourhood in which we found ourselves was such that we
-decided to leave it with all possible haste. A very friendly
-little hunchbacked Jew from Hamburg suggested better quarters in
-the West End, and I remember vividly our drive there, in one of
-the tiny narrow cabs then in use, the journey lasting fully an
-hour. They were built to carry two people, who had to sit facing
-each other, and we therefore had to lay our big dog crosswise
-from window to window. The sights we saw from our whimsical nook
-surpassed anything we had imagined, and we arrived at our
-boarding-house in Old Compton Street agreeably stimulated by the
-life and the overwhelming size of the great city. Although at the
-age of twelve I had made what I supposed to be a translation of a
-monologue from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, I found my
-knowledge of English quite inadequate when it came to conversing
-with the landlady of the King's Arms. But the good dame's social
-condition as a sea-captain's widow led her to think she could
-talk French to me, and her attempts made me wonder which of us
-knew least of that language. And then a most disturbing incident
-occurred--we missed Robber, who must have run away at the door
-instead of following us into the house. Our distress at having
-lost our good dog after having brought him all the way there with
-such difficulty occupied us exclusively during the first two
-hours we spent in this new home on land. We kept constant watch
-at the window until, of a sudden, we joyfully recognised Robber
-strolling unconcernedly towards the house from a side street.
-Afterwards we learned that our truant had wandered as far as
-Oxford Street in search of adventures, and I have always
-considered his amazing return to a house which he had not even
-entered as a strong proof of the absolute certainty of the
-animal's instincts in the matter of memory.
-
-We now had time to realise the tiresome after-effects of the
-voyage. The continuous swaying of the floor and our clumsy
-efforts to keep from falling we found fairly entertaining; but
-when we came to take our well-earned rest in the huge English
-double bed, and found that that too rocked up and down, it became
-quite unbearable. Every time we closed our eyes we sank into
-frightful abysses, and, springing up again, cried out for help.
-It seemed as if that terrible voyage would go on to the end of
-our lives. Added to this we felt miserably sick; for, after the
-atrocious food on board, we had been only too ready to partake,
-with less discretion than relish, of tastier fare.
-
-We were so exhausted by all these trials that we forgot to
-consider what was, after all, the vital question--the probable
-result in hard cash. Indeed, the marvels of the great city proved
-so fascinating, that we started off in a cab, for all the world
-as if we were on a pleasure trip, to follow up a plan I had
-sketched on my map of London. In our wonder and delight at what
-we saw, we quite forgot all we had gone through. Costly as it
-proved, I considered our week's stay justified in view of Minna's
-need of rest in the first place, and secondly, the excellent
-opportunity it afforded me of making acquaintances in the musical
-world. During my last visit to Dresden I had sent Rule Britannia,
-the overture composed at Konigsberg, to Sir John Smart, president
-of the Philharmonic Society. It is true he had never acknowledged
-it, but I felt it the more incumbent on me to bring him to task
-about it. I therefore spent some days trying to find out where he
-lived, wondering meanwhile in which language I should have to
-make myself understood, but as the result of my inquiries I
-discovered that Smart was not in London at all. I next persuaded
-myself that it would be a good thing to look up Bulwer Lytton,
-and to come to an understanding about the operatic performance of
-his novel, Rienzi, which I had dramatised. Having been told, on
-the continent, that Bulwer was a member of Parliament, I went to
-the House, after a few days, to inquire on the spot. My total
-ignorance of the English language stood me in good stead here,
-and I was treated with unexpected consideration; for, as none of
-the lower officials in that vast building could make out what I
-wanted, I was sent, step by step, to one high dignitary after the
-other, until at last I was introduced to a distinguished-looking
-man, who came out of a large hall as we passed, as an entirely
-unintelligible individual. (Minna was with me all the time; only
-Robber. had been left behind at the King's Arms.) He asked me
-very civilly what I wanted, in French, and seemed favourably
-impressed when I inquired for the celebrated author. He was
-obliged to tell me, however, that he was not in London. I went on
-to ask whether I could not be admitted to a debate, but was told
-that, in consequence of the old Houses of Parliament having been
-burnt down, they were using temporary premises where the space
-was so limited that only a few favoured visitors could procure
-cards of admittance. But on my pressing more urgently he relented,
-and shortly after opened a door leading direct into the
-strangers' seats in the House of Lords. It seemed reasonable to
-conclude from this that our friend was a lord in person. I was
-immensely interested to see and hear the Premier, Lord Melbourne,
-and Brougham (who seemed to me to take a very active part in the
-proceedings, prompting Melbourne several times, as I thought),
-and the Duke of Wellington, who looked so comfortable in his grey
-beaver hat, with his hands diving deep into his trousers pockets,
-and who made his speech in so conversational a tone that I lost
-my feeling of excessive awe. He had a curious way, too, of
-accenting his points of special emphasis by shaking his whole
-body, I was also much interested in Lord Lyndhurst, Brougham's
-particular enemy, and was amazed to see Brougham go across
-several times to sit down coolly beside him, apparently with a
-view to prompting even his opponent. The matter in hand was, as I
-learned afterwards from the papers, the discussion of measures to
-be taken against the Portuguese Government to ensure the passing
-of the Anti-Slavery Bill. The Bishop of London, who was one of
-the speakers on this occasion, was the only one of these
-gentlemen whose voice and manner seemed to me stiff or unnatural,
-but possibly I was prejudiced by my dislike of parsons generally.
-
-After this pleasing adventure I imagined I had exhausted the
-attractions of London for the present, for although I could not
-gain admittance to the Lower House, my untiring friend, whom I
-came across again as I went out, showed me the room where the
-Commons sat, explained as much as was necessary, and gave me a
-sight of the Speaker's woolsack, and of his mace lying hidden
-under the table. He also gave me such careful details of various
-things that I felt I knew all there was to know about the capital
-of Great Britain. I had not the smallest intention of going to
-the Italian opera, possibly because I imagined the prices to be
-too ruinous. We thoroughly explored all the principal streets,
-often tiring ourselves out; we shuddered through a ghastly London
-Sunday, and wound up with a train trip (our very first) to
-Gravesend Park, in the company of the captain of the Thetis. On
-the 20th of August we crossed over to France by steamer, arriving
-the same evening at Boulogne-sur-mer, where we took leave of the
-sea with the fervent desire never to go on it again.
-
-We were both of us secretly convinced that we should meet with
-disappointments in Paris, and it was partly on that account that
-we decided to spend a few weeks at or near Boulogne. It was, in
-any case, too early in the season to find the various important
-people whom I proposed to see, in town; on the other hand, it
-seemed to me a most fortunate circumstance that Meyerbeer should
-happen to be at Boulogne. Also, I had the instrumentation of part
-of the second act of Rienzi to finish, and was bent on having at
-least half of the work ready to show on my arrival in the costly
-French capital. We therefore set out to find less expensive
-accommodation in the country round Boulogne. Beginning with the
-immediate neighbourhood, our search ended in our taking two
-practically unfurnished rooms in the detached house of a rural
-wine merchant's, situated on the main road to Paris at half an
-hour's distance from Boulogne. We next provided scanty but
-adequate furniture, and in bringing our wits to bear upon this
-matter Minna particularly distinguished herself. Besides a bed
-and two chairs, we dug up a table, which, after I had cleared
-away my Rienzi papers, served for our meals, which we had to
-prepare at our own fireside.
-
-While we were here I made my first call on Meyerbeer. I had often
-read in the papers of his proverbial amiability, and bore him no
-ill-will for not replying to my letter. My favourable opinion was
-soon to be confirmed, however, by his kind reception of me. The
-impression he made was good in every respect, particularly as
-regards his appearance. The years had not yet given his features
-the flabby look which sooner or later mars most Jewish faces, and
-the fine formation of his brow round about the eyes gave him an
-expression of countenance that inspired confidence. He did not
-seem in the least inclined to depreciate my intention of trying
-my luck in Paris as a composer of opera; he allowed me to read
-him my libretto for Rienzi, and really listened up to the end of
-the third act. He kept the two acts that were complete, saying
-that he wished to look them over, and assured me, when I again
-called on him, of his whole-hearted interest in my work. Be this
-as it may, it annoyed me somewhat that he should again and again
-fall back on praising my minute handwriting, an accomplishment he
-considered especially Saxonian. He promised to give me letters of
-recommendation to Duponchel, the manager of the Opera House, and
-to Habeneck, the conductor. I now felt that I had good cause to
-extol my good fortune which, after many vicissitudes, had sent me
-precisely to this particular spot in France. What better fortune
-could have befallen me than to secure, in so short a time, the
-sympathetic interest of the most famous composer of French opera!
-Meyerbeer took me to see Moscheles, who was then in Boulogne, and
-also Fraulein Blahedka, a celebrated virtuoso whose name I had
-known for many years. I spent a few informal musical evenings at
-both houses, and thus came into close touch with musical
-celebrities, an experience quite new to me.
-
-I had written to my future brother-in-law, Avernarius, in Paris,
-to ask him to find us suitable accommodations, and we started on
-our journey thither on 16th September in the diligence, my
-efforts to hoist Robber on to the top being attended by the usual
-difficulties.
-
-My first impression of Paris proved disappointing in view of the
-great expectations I had cherished of that city; after London it
-seemed to me narrow and confined. I had imagined the famous
-boulevards to be much vaster, for instance, and was really
-annoyed, when the huge coach put us down in the Rue de la
-Juissienne, to think that I should first set foot on Parisian
-soil in such a wretched little alley. Neither did the Rue
-Richelieu, where my brother-in-law had his book-shop, seem
-imposing after the streets in the west end of London. As for the
-chambre garnie, which had been engaged for me in the Rue de la
-Tonnellerie, one of the narrow side-streets which link the Rue
-St. Honore with the Marche des Innocents, I felt positively
-degraded at having to take up my abode there. I needed all the
-consolation that could be derived from an inscription, placed
-under a bust of Moliere, which read: maison ou naquit Moliere, to
-raise my courage after the mean impression the house had first
-made upon me. The room, which had been prepared for us on the
-fourth floor, was small but cheerful, decently furnished, and
-inexpensive. From the windows we could see the frightful bustle
-in the market below, which became more and more alarming as we
-watched it, and I wondered what we were doing in such a quarter.
-
-Shortly after this, Avenarius had to go to Leipzig to bring home
-his bride, my youngest sister Cecilia, after the wedding in that
-city. Before leaving, he gave me an introduction to his only
-musical acquaintance, a German holding an appointment in the
-music department of the Bibliotheque Royale, named E. G. Anders,
-who lost no time in looking us up in Moliere's house. He was, as
-I soon discovered, a man of very unusual character, and, little
-as he was able to help me, he left an affecting and ineffaceable
-impression on my memory. He was a bachelor in the fifties, whose
-reverses had driven him to the sad necessity of earning a living
-in Paris entirely without assistance. He had fallen back on the
-extraordinary bibliographical knowledge which, especially in
-reference to music, it had been his hobby to acquire in the days
-of his prosperity. His real name he never told me, wishing to
-guard the secret of that, as of his misfortunes, until after his
-death. For the time being he told me only that he was known as
-Anders, was of noble descent, and had held property on the Rhine,
-but that he had lost everything owing to the villainous betrayal
-of his gullibility and good-nature. The only thing he had managed
-to save was his very considerable library, the size of which I
-was able to estimate for myself. It filled every wall of his
-small dwelling. Even here in Paris he soon complained of bitter
-enemies; for, in spite of having come furnished with an
-introduction to influential people, he still held the inferior
-position of an employee in the library. In spite of his long
-service there and his great learning, he had to see really
-ignorant men promoted over his head. I discovered afterwards that
-the real reason lay in his unbusinesslike methods, and the
-effeminacy consequent on the delicate way in which he had been
-nurtured in early life, which made him incapable of developing the
-energy necessary for his work. On a miserable pittance of fifteen
-hundred francs a year, he led a weary existence, full of anxiety.
-With nothing in view but a lonely old age, and the probability of
-dying in a hospital, it seemed as if our society put new life
-into him; for though we were poverty-stricken, we looked forward
-boldly and hopefully to the future. My vivacity and invincible
-energy filled him with hopes of my success, and from this time
-forward he took a most tender and unselfish part in furthering my
-interests. Although he was a contributor to the Gazette Musicale,
-edited by Moritz Schlesinger, he had never succeeded in making
-his influence felt there in the slightest degree. He had none of
-the versatility of a journalist, and the editors entrusted him
-with little besides the preparation of bibliographical notes.
-Oddly enough, it was with this unworldly and least resourceful of
-men that I had to discuss my plan for the conquest of Paris, that
-is, of musical Paris, which is made up of all the most
-questionable characters imaginable. The result was practically
-always the same; we merely encouraged each other in the hope that
-some unforeseen stroke of luck would help my cause.
-
-To assist us in these discussions Anders called in his friend and
-housemate Lehrs, a philologist, my acquaintance with whom was
-soon to develop into one of the most beautiful friendships of my
-life. Lehrs was the younger brother of a famous scholar at
-Konigsberg. He had left there to come to Paris some years before,
-with the object of gaining an independent position by his
-philological work. This he preferred, in spite of the attendant
-difficulties, to a post as teacher with a salary which only in
-Germany could be considered sufficient for a scholar's wants. He
-soon obtained work from Didot, the bookseller, as assistant
-editor of a large edition of Greek classics, but the editor
-traded on his poverty, and was much more concerned about the
-success of his enterprise than about the condition of his poor
-collaborator. Lehrs had therefore perpetually to struggle against
-poverty, but he preserved an even temper, and showed himself in
-every way a model of disinterestedness and self-sacrifice. At
-first he looked upon me only as a man in need of advice, and
-incidentally a fellow-sufferer in Paris; for he had no knowledge
-of music, and had no particular interest in it. We soon became so
-intimate that I had him dropping in nearly every evening with
-Anders, Lehrs being extremely useful to his friend, whose
-unsteadiness in walking obliged him to use an umbrella and a
-walking-stick as crutches. He was also nervous in crossing
-crowded thorough-fares, and particularly so at night; while he
-always liked to make Lehrs cross my threshold in front of him to
-distract the attention of Robber, of whom he stood in obvious
-terror. Our usually good-natured dog became positively suspicious
-of this visitor, and soon adopted towards him the same aggressive
-attitude which he had shown to the sailor Koske on board the
-Thetis. The two men lived at an hotel garni in Rue de Seine. They
-complained greatly of their landlady, who appropriated so much of
-their income that they were entirely in her power. Anders had for
-years been trying to assert his independence by leaving her,
-without being able to carry out his plan. We soon threw off
-mutually every shred of disguise as to the present state of our
-finances, so that, although the two house-holds were actually
-separated, our common troubles gave us all the intimacy of one
-united family.
-
-The various ways by which I might obtain recognition in Paris
-formed the chief topic of our discussions at that time. Our hopes
-were at first centred on Meyerbeer's promised letters of
-introduction. Duponchel, the director of the Opera, did actually
-see me at his office, where, fixing a monocle in his right eye,
-he read through Meyerbeer's letter without betraying the least
-emotion, having no doubt opened similar communications from the
-composer many times before. I went away, and never heard another
-word from him. The elderly conductor, Habeneck, on the other
-hand, took an interest in my work that was not merely polite, and
-acceded to my request to have something of mine played at one of
-the orchestral practises at the Conservatoire as soon as he
-should have leisure. I had, unfortunately, no short instrumental
-piece that seemed suitable except my queer Columbus Overture,
-which I considered the most effective of all that had emanated
-from my pen. It had been received with great applause on the
-occasion of its performance in the theatre at Magdeburg, with the
-assistance of the valiant trumpeters from the Prussian garrison.
-I gave Habeneck the score and parts, and was able to report to
-our committee at home that I had now one enterprise on foot.
-
-I gave up the attempt to try and see Scribe on the mere ground of
-our having had some correspondence, for my friends had made it
-clear to me, in the light of their own experience, that it was
-out of the question to expect this exceptionally busy author to
-occupy himself seriously with a young and unknown musician.
-Anders was able to introduce me to another acquaintance, however,
-a certain M. Dumersan. This grey-haired gentleman had written
-some hundred vaudeville pieces, and would have been glad to see
-one of them performed as an opera on a larger scale before his
-death. He had no idea of standing on his dignity as an author,
-and was quite willing to undertake the translation of an existing
-libretto into French verse. We therefore entrusted him with the
-writing of my Liebesverbot, with a view to a performance at the
-Theatre de la Renaissance, as it was then called. (It was the
-third existing theatre for lyric drama, the performances being
-given in the new Salle Ventadour, which had been rebuilt after
-its destruction by fire.) On the understanding that it was to be
-a literal translation, he at once turned the three numbers of my
-opera, for which I hoped to secure a hearing, into neat French
-verse. Besides this, he asked me to compose a chorus for a
-vaudeville entitled La Descente de la Courtille, which was to be
-played at the Varietes during the carnival.
-
-This was a second opening. My friends now strongly advised me to
-write something small in the way of songs, which I could offer to
-popular singers for concert purposes. Both Lehrs and Anders
-produced words for these. Anders brought a very innocent Dors,
-mon enfant, written by a young poet of his acquaintance; this was
-the first thing I composed to a French text. It was so successful
-that, when I had tried it over softly several times on the piano,
-my wife, who was in bed, called out to me that it was heavenly
-for sending one to sleep. I also set L'Attente from Hugo's
-Orientales, and Ronsard's song, Mignonne, to music. I have no
-reason to be ashamed of these small pieces, which I published
-subsequently as a musical supplement to Europa (Lewald's
-publication) in 1841.
-
-I next stumbled on the idea of writing a grand bass aria with a
-chorus, for Lablache to introduce into his part of Orovist in
-Bellini's Norma. Lehrs had to hunt up an Italian political
-refugee to get the text out of him. This was done, and I produced
-an effective composition a la Bellini (which still exists among
-my manuscripts), and went off at once to offer it to Lablache.
-
-The friendly Moor, who received me in the great singer's
-anteroom, insisted upon admitting me straight into his master's
-presence without announcing me. As I had anticipated some
-difficulty in getting near such a celebrity, I had written my
-request, as I thought this would be simpler than explaining
-verbally.
-
-The black servant's pleasant manner made me feel very
-uncomfortable; I entrusted my score and letter to him to give to
-Lablache, without taking any notice of his kindly astonishment at
-my refusal of his repeated invitation to go into his master's
-room and have an interview, and I left the house hurriedly,
-intending to call for my answer in a few days. When I came back
-Lablache received me most kindly, and assured me that my aria was
-excellent, though it was impossible to introduce it into
-Bellini's opera after the latter had already been performed so
-very often. My relapse into the domain of Bellini's style, of
-which I had been guilty through the writing of this aria, was
-therefore useless to me, and I soon became convinced of the
-fruitlessness of my efforts in that direction. I saw that I
-should need personal introductions to various singers in order to
-ensure the production of one of my other compositions.
-
-When Meyerbeer at last arrived in Paris, therefore, I was
-delighted. He was not in the least astonished at the lack of
-success of his letters of introduction; on the contrary, he made
-use of this opportunity to impress upon me how difficult it was
-to get on in Paris, and how necessary it was for me to look out
-for less pretentious work. With this object he introduced me to
-Maurice Schlesinger, and leaving me at the mercy of that
-monstrous person, went back to Germany.
-
-At first Schlesinger did not know what to do with me; the
-acquaintances I made through him (of whom the chief was the
-violinist Panofka) led to nothing, and I therefore returned to my
-advisory board at home, through whose influence I had recently
-received an order to compose the music to the Two Grenadiers, by
-Heine, translated by a Parisian professor. I wrote this song for
-baritone, and was very pleased with the result; on Ander's advice
-I now tried to find singers for my new compositions. Mme. Pauline
-Viardot, on whom I first called, went through my songs with me.
-She was very amiable, and praised them, but did not see why SHE
-should sing them. I went through the same experience with a Mme.
-Widmann, a grand contralto, who sang my Dors, mon enfant with
-great feeling; all the same she had no further use for my
-composition. A certain M. Dupont, third tenor at the grand opera,
-tried my setting of the Ronsard poem, but declared that the
-language in which it was written was no longer palatable to the
-Paris public. M. Geraldy, a favourite concert singer and teacher,
-who allowed me to call and see him frequently, told me that the
-Two Grenadiers was impossible, for the simple reason that the
-accompaniment at the end of the song, which I had modelled upon
-the Marseillaise, could only be sung in the streets of Paris to
-the accompaniment of cannons and gunshots. Habeneck was the only
-person who fulfilled his promise to conduct my Columbus Overture
-at one of the rehearsals for the benefit of Anders and myself.
-As, however, there was no question of producing this work even at
-one of the celebrated Conservatoire concerts, I saw clearly that
-the old gentleman was only moved by kindness and a desire to
-encourage me. It could not lead to anything further, and I myself
-was convinced that this extremely superficial work of my young
-days could only give the orchestra a wrong impression of my
-talents. However, these rehearsals, to my surprise, made such an
-unexpected impression on me in other ways that they exercised a
-decisive influence in the crisis of my artistic development. This
-was due to the fact that I listened repeatedly to Beethoven's
-Ninth Symphony, which, by dint of untiring practice, received
-such a marvellous interpretation at the hands of this celebrated
-orchestra, that the picture I had had of it in my mind in the
-enthusiastic days of my youth now stood before me almost tangibly
-in brilliant colours, undimmed, as though it had never been
-effaced by the Leipzig orchestra who had slaughtered it under
-Pohlenz's baton. Where formerly I had only seen mystic
-constellations and weird shapes without meaning, I now found,
-flowing from innumerable sources, a stream of the most touching
-and heavenly melodies which delighted my heart.
-
-The whole of that period of the deterioration of my musical
-tastes which dated, practically speaking, from those selfsame
-confusing ideas about Beethoven, and which had grown so much
-worse through my acquaintance with that dreadful theatre--all
-these wrong views now sank down as if into an abyss of shame and
-remorse.
-
-This inner change had been gradually prepared by many painful
-experiences during the last few years. I owed the recovery of my
-old vigour and spirits to the deep impression the rendering of
-the Ninth Symphony had made on me when performed in a way I had
-never dreamed of. This important event in my life can only be
-compared to the upheaval caused within me when, as a youth of
-sixteen, I saw Schroder-Devrient act in Fidelio.
-
-The direct result of this was my intense longing to compose
-something that would give me a similar feeling of satisfaction,
-and this desire grew in proportion to my anxiety about my
-unfortunate position in Paris, which made me almost despair of
-success.
-
-In this mood I sketched an overture to Faust which, according to
-my original scheme, was only to form the first part of a whole
-Faust Symphony, as I had already got the 'Gretchen' idea in my
-head for the second movement. This is the same composition that I
-rewrote in several parts fifteen years later; I had forgotten all
-about it, and I owed its reconstruction to the advice of Liszt,
-who gave me many valuable hints. This composition has been
-performed many times under the title of eine Faust-ouverture, and
-has met with great appreciation. At the time of which I am
-speaking, I hoped that the Conservatoire orchestra would have
-been willing to give the work a hearing, but I was told they
-thought they had done enough for me, and hoped to be rid of me
-for some time.
-
-Having failed everywhere, I now turned to Meyerbeer for more
-introductions, especially to singers. I was very much surprised
-when, in consequence of my request, Meyerbeer introduced me to a
-certain M. Gouin, a post-office official, and Meyerbeer's sole
-agent in Paris, whom he instructed to do his utmost for me.
-Meyerbeer specially wished me to know M. Antenor Joly, director
-of the Theatre de la Renaissance, the musical theatre already
-mentioned. M. Gouin, with almost suspicious levity, promised me
-to produce my opera Liebesverbot, which now only required
-translation. There was a question of having a few numbers of my
-opera sung to the committee of the theatre at a special audience.
-When I suggested that some of the singers of this very theatre
-should undertake to sing three of the numbers which had been
-already translated by Dumersan, I was refused on the plea that
-all these artists were far too busy. But Gouin saw a way out of
-the difficulty; on the authority of Maitre Meyerbeer, he won over
-to our cause several singers who were under an obligation to
-Meyerbeer: Mme. Dorus-Gras, a real primadonna of the Grand Opera,
-Mme. Widmann and M. Dupont (the two last-named had previously
-refused to help me) now promised to sing for me at this audience.
-
-This much, then, did I achieve in six months. It was now nearly
-Easter of the year 1840. Encouraged by Gouin's negotiations,
-which seemed to spell hope, I made up my mind to move from the
-obscure Quartier des Innocents to a part of Paris nearer to the
-musical centre; and in this I was encouraged by Lehrs' foolhardy
-advice.
-
-What this change meant to me, my readers will learn when they
-hear under what circumstances we had dragged on our existence
-during our stay in Paris.
-
-Although we were living in the cheapest possible way, dining at a
-very small restaurant for a franc a head, it was impossible to
-prevent the rest of our money from melting away. Our friend
-Moller had given us to understand that we could ask him if we
-were in need, as he would put aside for us the first money that
-came in from any successful business transaction. There was no
-alternative but to apply to him for money; in the meantime we
-pawned all the trinkets we possessed that were of any value. As I
-was too shy to make inquiries about a pawnshop, I looked up the
-French equivalent in the dictionary in order to be able to
-recognise such a place when I saw it. In my little pocket
-dictionary I could not find any other word than 'Lombard.' On
-looking at a map of Paris I found, situated in the middle of an
-inextricable maze of streets, a very small lane called Rue des
-Lombards. Thither I wended my way, but my expedition was
-fruitless. Often, on reading by the light of the transparent
-lanterns the inscription 'Mont de Piete,' I became very curious
-to know its meaning, and on consulting my advisory board at home
-about this 'Mount of Piety,' [Footnote: This is the correct
-translation of the words Berg der Frommigkeit used in the
-original.--Editor.] I was told, to my great delight, that it was
-precisely there that I should find salvation. To this 'Mont de
-Piete' we now carried all we possessed in the way of silver,
-namely, our wedding presents. After that followed my wife's
-trinkets and the rest of her former theatrical wardrobe, amongst
-which was a beautiful silver-embroidered blue dress with a court
-train, once the property of the Duchess of Dessau. Still we heard
-nothing from our friend Moller, and we were obliged to wait on
-from day to day for the sorely needed help from Konigsberg, and
-at last, one dark day, we pledged our wedding rings. When all
-hope of assistance seemed vain, I heard that the pawn-tickets
-themselves were of some value, as they could be sold to buyers,
-who thereby acquired the right to redeem the pawned articles. I
-had to resort even to this, and thus the blue court-dress, for
-instance, was lost for ever. Moller never wrote again. When later
-on he called on me at the time of my conductorship in Dresden, he
-admitted that he had been embittered against me owing to
-humiliating and derogatory remarks we were said to have made
-about him after we parted, and had resolved not to have anything
-further to do with us. We were certain of our innocence in the
-matter, and very grieved at having, through pure slander, lost
-the chance of such assistance in our great need.
-
-At the beginning of our pecuniary difficulties we sustained a
-loss which we looked upon as providential, in spite of the grief
-it caused us. This was our beautiful dog, which we had managed to
-bring across to Paris with endless difficulty. As he was a very
-valuable animal, and attracted much attention, he had probably
-been stolen. In spite of the terrible state of the traffic in
-Paris, he had always found his way home in the same clever manner
-in which he had mastered the difficulties of the London streets.
-Quite at the beginning of our stay in Paris he had often gone off
-by himself to the gardens of the Palais Royal, where he used to
-meet many of his friends, and had returned safe and sound after a
-brilliant exhibition of swimming and retrieving before an
-audience of gutter children. At the Quai du Pont-neuf he
-generally begged us to let him bathe; there he used to draw a
-large crowd of spectators round him, who were so loud in their
-enthusiasm about the way in which he dived for and brought to
-land various objects of clothing, tools, etc., that the police
-begged us to put an end to the obstruction. One morning I let him
-out for a little run as usual; he never returned, and in spite of
-our most strenuous efforts to recover him, no trace of him was to
-be found. This loss seemed to many of our friends a piece of
-luck, for they could not understand how it was possible for us to
-feed such a huge animal when we ourselves had not enough to eat.
-About this time, the second month of our stay in Paris, my sister
-Louisa came over from Leipzig to join her husband, Friedrich
-Brockhaus, in Paris, where he had been waiting for her for some
-time. They intended to go to Italy together, and Louisa made use
-of this opportunity to buy all kinds of expensive things in
-Paris. I did not expect them to feel any pity for us on account
-of our foolish removal to Paris, and its attendant miseries, or
-that they should consider themselves bound to help us in any way;
-but although we did not try to conceal our position, we derived
-no benefit from the visit of our rich relations. Minna was even
-kind enough to help my sister with her luxurious shopping, and we
-were very anxious not to make them think we wanted to rouse their
-pity. In return my sister introduced me to an extraordinary
-friend of hers, who was destined to take a great interest in me.
-This was the young painter, Ernst Kietz, from Dresden; he was an
-exceptionally kind-hearted and unaffected young man, whose talent
-for portrait painting (in a sort of coloured pastel style) had
-made him such a favourite in his own town, that he had been
-induced by his financial successes to come to Paris for a time to
-finish his art studies. He had now been working in Delaroche's
-studio for about a year. He had a curious and almost childlike
-disposition, and his lack of all serious education, combined with
-a certain weakness of character, had made him choose a career in
-which he was destined, in spite of all his talent, to fail
-hopelessly. I had every opportunity of recognising this, as I saw
-a great deal of him. At the time, however, the simple-hearted
-devotion and kindness of this young man were very welcome both to
-myself and my wife, who often felt lonely, and his friendship was
-a real source of help in our darkest hours of adversity. He
-became almost a member of the family, and joined our home circle
-every night, providing a strange contrast to nervous old Anders
-and the grave-faced Lehrs. His good-nature and his quaint remarks
-soon made him indispensable to us; he amused us tremendously with
-his French, into which he would launch with the greatest
-confidence, although he could not put together two consecutive
-sentences properly, in spite of having lived in Paris for twenty
-years. With Delaroche he studied oil-painting, and had obviously
-considerable talent in this direction, although it was the very
-rock on which he stranded. The mixing of the colours on his
-palette, and especially the cleaning of his brushes, took up so
-much of his time that he rarely came to the actual painting. As
-the days were very short in midwinter, he never had time to do
-any work after he had finished washing his palette and brushes,
-and, as far as I can remember, he never completed a single
-portrait. Strangers to whom he had been introduced, and who had
-given him orders to paint their portraits, were obliged to leave
-Paris without seeing them even half done, and at last he even
-complained because some of his sitters died before their
-portraits were completed. His landlord, to whom he was always in
-debt for rent, was the only creature who succeeded in getting a
-portrait of his ugly person from the painter, and, as far as I
-know, this is the only finished portrait in existence by Kietz.
-On the other hand, he was very clever at making little sketches
-of any subject suggested by our conversation during the evening,
-and in these he displayed both originality and delicacy of
-execution. During the winter of that year he completed a good
-pencil portrait of me, which he touched up two years afterwards
-when he knew me more intimately, finishing it off as it now
-stands. It pleased him to sketch me in the attitude I often
-assumed during our evening chats when I was in a cheerful mood.
-No evening ever passed during which I did not succeed in shaking
-off the depression caused by my vain endeavours, and by the many
-worries I had gone through during the day, and in regaining my
-natural cheerfulness, and Kietz was anxious to represent me to
-the world as a man who, in spite of the hard times he had to
-face, had confidence in his success, and rose smiling above the
-troubles of life. Before the end of the year 1839, my youngest
-sister Cecilia also arrived in Paris with her husband, Edward
-Avenarius. It was only natural that she should feel embarrassed
-at the idea of meeting us in Paris in our extremely straitened
-circumstances, especially as her husband was not very well off.
-Consequently, instead of calling on them frequently, we preferred
-waiting until they came to see us, which, by the way, took them a
-long time. On the other hand, the renewal of our acquaintance
-with Heinrich Laube, who came over to Paris at the beginning of
-1840 with his young wife, Iduna (nee Budaus), was very cheering.
-She was the widow of a wealthy Leipzig doctor, and Laube had
-married her under very extraordinary circumstances, since we last
-saw him in Berlin; they intended to enjoy themselves for a few
-months in Paris. During the long period of his detention, while
-awaiting his trial, this young lady had been so touched by his
-misfortunes that without knowing much of him, she had shown great
-sympathy and interest in his case. Laube's sentence was
-pronounced soon after I left Berlin; it was unexpectedly light,
-consisting of only one year's imprisonment in the town gaol. He
-was allowed to undergo this term in the prison at Muskau in
-Silesia, where he had the advantage of being near his friend,
-Prince Puckler, who in his official capacity, and on account of
-his influence with the governor of the prison, was permitted to
-afford the prisoner even the consolation of personal intercourse.
-
-The young widow resolved to marry him at the beginning of his
-term of imprisonment, so that she might be near him at Muskau
-with her loving assistance. To see my old friend under such
-favourable conditions was in itself a pleasure to me; I also
-experienced the liveliest satisfaction at finding there was no
-change in his former sympathetic attitude. We met frequently; our
-wives also became friends, and Laube was the first to approve in
-his kindly humorous way of our folly in moving to Paris.
-
-In his house I made the acquaintance of Heinrich Heine, and both
-of them joked good-humouredly over my extraordinary position,
-making even me laugh. Laube felt himself compelled to talk
-seriously to me about my expectations of succeeding in Paris, as
-he saw that I treated my situation, based on such trivial hopes,
-with a humour that charmed him even against his better judgment.
-He tried to think how he could help me without prejudicing my
-future. With this object he wanted me to make a more or less
-plausible sketch of my future plans, so that on his approaching
-visit to our native land he might procure some help for me. I
-happened just at that time to have come to an exceedingly
-promising understanding with the management of the Theatre de la
-Renaissance. I thus seemed to have obtained a footing, and I
-thought it safe to assert, that if I were guaranteed the means of
-livelihood for six months, I could not fail within that period to
-accomplish something. Laube promised to make this provision, and
-kept his word. He induced one of his wealthy friends in Leipzig,
-and, following this example, my well-to-do relations, to provide
-me for six months with the necessary resources, to be paid in
-monthly instalments through Avenarius.
-
-We therefore decided, as I have said, to leave our furnished
-apartments and take a flat for ourselves in the Rue du Helder. My
-prudent, careful wife had suffered greatly on account of the
-careless and uncertain manner in which I had hitherto
-controlled our meagre resources, and in now undertaking the
-responsibility, she explained that she understood how to keep
-house more cheaply than we could do by living in furnished rooms
-and restaurants. Success justified the step; the serious part of
-the question lay in the fact that we had to start housekeeping
-without any furniture of our own, and everything necessary for
-domestic purposes had to be procured, though we had not the
-wherewithal to get it. In this matter Lehrs, who was well versed
-in the peculiarities of Parisian life, was able to advise us. In
-his opinion the only compensation for the experiences we had
-undergone hitherto would be a success equivalent to my daring. As
-I did not possess the resources to allow of long years of patient
-waiting for success in Paris, I must either count on
-extraordinary luck or renounce all my hopes forthwith. The
-longed-for success must come within a year, or I should be
-ruined. Therefore I must dare all, as befitted my name, for in my
-case he was not inclined to derive 'Wagner' [Footnote: 'Wagner'
-in German means one who dares, also a Wagoner; and 'Fuhrwerk'
-means a carriage.--Editor.] from Fuhrwerk. I was to pay my rent,
-twelve hundred francs, in quarterly instalments; for the
-furniture and fittings, he recommended me, through his landlady,
-to a carpenter who provided everything that was necessary for
-what seemed to be a reasonable sum, also to be paid by
-instalments, all of which appeared very simple. Lehrs maintained
-that I should do no good in Paris unless I showed the world that
-I had confidence in myself. My trial audience was impending; I
-felt sure of the Theatre de la Renaissance, and Dumersan was
-keenly anxious to make a complete translation of my Liebesverbot
-into French. So we decided to run the risk. On 15th April, to the
-astonishment of the concierge of the house in the Rue du Helder,
-we moved with an exceedingly small amount of luggage into our
-comfortable new apartments.
-
-The very first visit I received in the rooms I had taken with
-such high hopes was from Anders, who came with the tidings that
-the Theatre de la Renaissance had just gone bankrupt, and was
-closed. This news, which came on me like a thunder-clap, seemed
-to portend more than an ordinary stroke of bad luck; it revealed
-to me like a flash of lightning the absolute emptiness of my
-prospects. My friends openly expressed the opinion that
-Meyerbeer, in sending me from the Grand Opera to this theatre,
-probably knew the whole of the circumstances. I did not pursue
-the line of thought to which this supposition might lead, as I
-felt cause enough for bitterness when I wondered what I should do
-with the rooms in which I was so nicely installed.
-
-As my singers had now practised the portions of Liebesverbot
-intended for the trial audience, I was anxious at least to have
-them performed before some persons of influence. M. Edouard
-Monnaie, who had been appointed temporary director of the Grand
-Opera after Duponchel's retirement, was the less disposed to
-refuse as the singers who were to take part belonged to the
-institution over which he presided; moreover, there was no
-obligation attached to his presence at the audience. I also took
-the trouble to call on Scribe to invite him to attend, and he
-accepted with the kindest alacrity. At last my three pieces were
-performed before these two gentlemen in the green room of the
-Grand Opera, and I played the piano accompaniment. They
-pronounced the music charming, and Scribe expressed his
-willingness to arrange the libretto for me as soon as the
-managers of the opera had decided on accepting the piece; all
-that M. Monnaie had to reply to this offer was that it was
-impossible for them to do so at present. I did not fail to
-realise that these were only polite expressions; but at all
-events I thought it very nice of them, and particularly
-condescending of Scribe to have got so far as to think me
-deserving of a little politeness.
-
-But in my heart of hearts I felt really ashamed of having gone
-back again seriously to that superficial early work from which I
-had taken these three pieces. Of course I had only done this
-because I thought I should win success more rapidly in Paris by
-adapting myself to its frivolous taste. My aversion from this
-kind of taste, which had been long growing, coincided with my
-abandonment of all hopes of success in Paris. I was placed in an
-exceedingly melancholy situation by the fact that my
-circumstances had so shaped themselves that I dared not express
-this important change in my feelings to any one, especially to my
-poor wife. But if I continued to make the best of a bad bargain,
-I had no longer any illusions as to the possibility of success in
-Paris. Face to face with unheard-of misery, I shuddered at the
-smiling aspect which Paris presented in the bright sunshine of
-May. It was the beginning of the slack season for any sort of
-artistic enterprise in Paris, and from every door at which I
-knocked with feigned hope I was turned away with the wretchedly
-monotonous phrase, Monsieur est a la campagne.
-
-On our long walks, when we felt ourselves absolute strangers in
-the midst of the gay throng, I used to romance to my wife about
-the South American Free States, far away from all this sinister
-life, where opera and music were unknown, and the foundations of
-a sensible livelihood could easily be secured by industry. I told
-Minna, who was quite in the dark as to my meaning, of a book I
-had just read, Zschokke's Die Grundung von Maryland, in which I
-found a very seductive account of the sensation of relief
-experienced by the European settlers after their former
-sufferings and persecutions. She, being of a more practical turn
-of mind, used to point out to me the necessity of procuring means
-for our continued existence in Paris, for which she had thought
-out all sorts of economies.
-
-I, for my part, was sketching out the plan of the poem of my
-Fliegender Hollander, which I kept steadily before me as a
-possible means of making a debut in Paris. I put together the
-material for a single act, influenced by the consideration that I
-could in this way confine it to the simple dramatic developments
-between the principal characters, without troubling about the
-tiresome operatic accessories. From a practical point of view, I
-thought I could rely on a better prospect for the acceptance of
-my proposed work if it were cast in the form of a one-act opera,
-such as was frequently given as a curtain raiser before a ballet
-at the Grand Opera. I wrote about it to Meyerbeer in Berlin,
-asking for his help. I also resumed the composition of Rienzi, to
-the completion of which I was now giving my constant attention.
-
-In the meantime our position became more and more gloomy; I was
-soon compelled to draw in advance on the subsidies obtained by
-Laube, but in so doing I gradually alienated the sympathy of my
-brother-in-law Avenarius, to whom our stay in Paris was
-incomprehensible.
-
-One morning, when we had been anxiously consulting as to the
-possibility of raising our first quarter's rent, a carrier
-appeared with a parcel addressed to me from London; I thought it
-was an intervention of Providence, and broke open the seal. At
-the same moment a receipt-book was thrust into my face for
-signature, in which I at once saw that I had to pay seven francs
-for carriage. I recognised, moreover, that the parcel contained
-my overture Rule Britannia, returned to me from the London
-Philharmonic Society. In my fury I told the bearer that I would
-not take in the parcel, whereupon he remonstrated in the
-liveliest fashion, as I had already opened it. It was no use; I
-did not possess seven francs, and I told him he should have
-presented the bill for the carriage before I had opened the
-parcel. So I made him return the only copy of my overture to
-Messrs. Laffitte and Gaillard's firm, to do what they liked with
-it, and I never cared to inquire what became of that manuscript.
-
-Suddenly Kietz devised a way out of these troubles. He had been
-commissioned by an old lady of Leipzig, called Fraulein Leplay, a
-rich and very miserly old maid, to find a cheap lodging in Paris
-for her and for his stepmother, with whom she intended to travel.
-As our apartment, though not spacious, was larger than we
-actually needed, and had very quickly become a troublesome burden
-to us, we did not hesitate for a moment to let the larger portion
-of it to her for the time of her stay in Paris, which was to last
-about two months. In addition, my wife provided the guests with
-breakfast, as though they were in furnished apartments, and took
-a great pride in looking at the few pence she earned in this way.
-Although we found this amazing example of old-maidishness trying
-enough, the arrangement we had made helped us in some degree to
-tide over the anxious time, and I was able, in spite of this
-disorganisation of our household arrangements, to continue
-working in comparative peace at my Rienzi.
-
-This became more difficult after Fraulein Leplay's departure,
-when we let one of our rooms to a German commercial traveller,
-who in his leisure hours zealously played the flute. His name was
-Brix; he was a modest, decent fellow, and had been recommended to
-us by Pecht the painter, whose acquaintance we had recently made.
-He had been introduced to us by Kietz, who studied with him in
-Delaroche's studio. He was the very antithesis of Kietz in every
-way, and obviously endowed with less talent, yet he grappled with
-the task of acquiring the art of oil-painting in the shortest
-possible time under difficult circumstances with an industry and
-earnestness quite out of the common. He was, moreover, well
-educated, and eagerly assimilated information, and was very
-straightforward, earnest, and trustworthy. Without attaining to
-the same degree of intimacy with us as our three older friends,
-he was, nevertheless, one of the few who continued to stand by us
-in our troubles, and habitually spent nearly every evening in our
-company.
-
-One day I received a fresh surprising proof of Laube's continued
-solicitude on our behalf. The secretary of a certain Count
-Kuscelew called on us, and after some inquiry into our affairs,
-the state of which he had heard from Laube at Karlsbad, informed
-us in a brief and friendly way that his patron wished to be of
-use to us, and with that object in view desired to make my
-acquaintance. In fact, he proposed to engage a small light opera
-company in Paris, which was to follow him to his Russian estates.
-He was therefore looking for a musical director of sufficient
-experience to assist in recruiting the members in Paris. I gladly
-went to the hotel where the count was staying, and there found an
-elderly gentleman of frank and agreeable bearing, who willingly
-listened to my little French compositions. Being a shrewd reader
-of human nature, he saw at a glance that I was not the man for
-him, and though he showed me the most polite attention, he went
-no further into the opera scheme. But that very day he sent me,
-accompanied by a friendly note, ten golden napoleons, in payment
-for my services. What these services were I did not know. I
-thereupon wrote to him, and asked for more precise details of his
-wishes, and begged him to commission a composition, the fee for
-which I presumed he had sent in advance. As I received no reply,
-I made more than one effort to approach him again, but in vain.
-From other sources I afterwards learned that the only kind of
-opera Count Kuscelew recognised was Adam's. As for the operatic
-company to be engaged to suit his taste, what he really wanted
-was more a small harem than a company of artists.
-
-So far I had not been able to arrange anything with the music
-publisher Schlesinger. It was impossible to persuade him to
-publish my little French songs. In order to do something,
-however, towards making myself known in this direction, I decided
-to have my Two Grenadiers engraved by him at my own expense.
-Kietz was to lithograph a magnificent title-page for it.
-Schlesinger ended by charging me fifty francs for the cost of
-production. The story of this publication is curious from
-beginning to end; the work bore Schlesinger's name, and as I had
-defrayed all expenses, the proceeds were, of course, to be placed
-to my account. I had afterwards to take the publisher's word for
-it that not a single copy had been sold. Subsequently, when I had
-made a quick reputation for myself in Dresden through my Rienzi,
-Schott the publisher in Mainz, who dealt almost exclusively in
-works translated from the French, thought it advisable to bring
-out a German edition of the Two Grenadiers. Below the text of the
-French translation he had the German original by Heine printed;
-but as the French poem was a very free paraphrase, in quite a
-different metre to the original, Heine's words fitted my
-composition so badly that I was furious at the insult to my work,
-and thought it necessary to protest against Schott's publication
-as an entirely unauthorised reprint. Schott then threatened me
-with an action for libel, as he said that, according to his
-agreement, his edition was not a reprint (Nachdruck), but a
-reimpression (Abdruck). In order to be spared further annoyance,
-I was induced to send him an apology in deference to the
-distinction he had drawn, which I did not understand.
-
-In 1848, when I made inquiries of Schlesinger's successor in
-Paris (M. Brandus) as to the fate of my little work, I learned
-from him that a new edition had been published, but he declined
-to entertain any question of rights on my part. Since I did not
-care to buy a copy with my own money, I have to this day had to
-do without my own property. To what extent, in later years,
-others profited by similar transactions relating to the
-publication of my works, will appear in due course.
-
-For the moment the point was to compensate Schlesinger for the
-fifty francs agreed upon, and he proposed that I should do this
-by writing articles for his Gazette Musicale.
-
-As I was not expert enough in the French language for literary
-purposes, my article had to be translated and half the fee had to
-go to the translator. However, I consoled myself by thinking I
-should still receive sixty francs per sheet for the work. I was
-soon to learn, when I presented myself to the angry publisher for
-payment, what was meant by a sheet. It was measured by an
-abominable iron instrument, on which the lines of the columns
-were marked off with figures; this was applied to the article,
-and after careful subtraction of the spaces left for the title
-and signature, the lines were added up. After this process had
-been gone through, it appeared that what I had taken for a sheet
-was only half a sheet.
-
-So far so good. I began to write articles for Schlesinger's
-wonderful paper. The first was a long essay, De la musique
-allemande, in which I expressed with the enthusiastic
-exaggeration characteristic of me at that time my appreciation of
-the sincerity and earnestness of German music. This article led
-my friend Anders to remark that the state of affairs in Germany
-must, indeed, be splendid if the conditions were really as I
-described. I enjoyed what was to me the surprising satisfaction
-of seeing this article subsequently reproduced in Italian, in a
-Milan musical journal, where, to my amusement, I saw myself
-described as Dottissimo Musico Tedesco, a mistake which nowadays
-would be impossible. My essay attracted favourable comment, and
-Schlesinger asked me to write an article in praise of the
-arrangement made by the Russian General Lwoff of Pergolesi's
-Stabat Mater, which I did as superficially as possible. On my own
-impulse I then wrote an essay in a still more amiable vein called
-Du metier du virtuose et de l'independance de la composition.
-
-In the meantime I was surprised in the middle of the summer by
-the arrival of Meyerbeer, who happened to come to Paris for a
-fortnight. He was very sympathetic and obliging. When I told him
-my idea of writing a one-act opera as a curtain raiser, and asked
-him to give me an introduction to M. Leon Pillet, the recently
-appointed manager of the Grand Opera, he at once took me to see
-him, and presented me to him. But alas, I had the unpleasant
-surprise of learning from the serious conversation which took
-place between those two gentlemen as to my future, that Meyerbeer
-thought I had better decide to compose an act for the ballet in
-collaboration with another musician. Of course I could not
-entertain such an idea for a moment. I succeeded, however, in
-handing over to M. Pillet my brief sketch of the subject of the
-Flying Dutchman..
-
-Things had reached this point when Meyerbeer again left Paris,
-this time for a longer period of absence.
-
-As I did not hear from M. Pillet for quite a long time, I now
-began to work diligently at my composition of Rienzi, though, to
-my great distress, I had often to interrupt this task in order to
-undertake certain pot-boiling hack-work for Schlesinger.
-
-As my contributions to the Gazette Musicale proved so
-unremunerative, Schlesinger one day ordered me to work out a
-method for the Cornet a pistons. When I told him about my
-embarrassment, in not knowing how to deal with the subject, he
-replied by sending me five different published 'Methods' for the
-Cornet a pistons, at that time the favourite amateur instrument
-among the younger male population of Paris. I had merely to
-devise a new sixth method out of these five, as all Schlesinger
-wanted was to publish an edition of his own. I was racking my
-brains how to start, when Schlesinger, who had just obtained a
-new complete method, released me from the onerous task. I was,
-however, told to write fourteen 'Suites' for the Cornet a
-pistons--that is to say, airs out of operas arranged for this
-instrument. To furnish me with material for this work,
-Schlesinger sent me no less than sixty complete operas arranged
-for the piano. I looked them through for suitable airs for my
-'Suites,' marked the pages in the volumes with paper strips, and
-arranged them into a curious-looking structure round my work-
-table, so that I might have the greatest possible variety of the
-melodious material within my reach. When I was in the midst of
-this work, however, to my great relief and to my poor wife's
-consternation, Schlesinger told me that M. Schlitz, the first
-cornet player in Paris, who had looked my 'Etudes' through,
-preparatory to their being engraved, had declared that I knew
-absolutely nothing about the instrument, and had generally
-adopted keys that were too high, which Parisians would never be
-able to use. The part of the work I had already done was,
-however, accepted, Schlitz having agreed to correct it, but on
-condition that I should share my fee with him. The remainder of
-the work was then taken off my hands, and the sixty pianoforte
-arrangements went back to the curious shop in the Rue Richelieu.
-
-So my exchequer was again in a sorry plight. The distressing
-poverty of my home grew more apparent every day, and yet I was
-now free to give a last touch to Rienzi, and by the 19th of
-November I had completed this most voluminous of all my operas. I
-had decided, some time previously, to offer the first production
-of this work to the Court Theatre at Dresden, so that, in the
-event of its being a success, I might thus resume my connection
-with Germany. I had decided upon Dresden as I knew that there I
-should have in Tichatschek the most suitable tenor for the
-leading part. I also reckoned on my acquaintance with Schroder-
-Devrient, who had always been nice to me and who, though her
-efforts were ineffectual, had been at great pains, out of regard
-for my family, to get my Feen introduced at the Court Theatre,
-Dresden. In the secretary of the theatre, Hofrat Winkler (known
-as Theodor Hell), I also had an old friend of my family, besides
-which I had been introduced to the conductor, Reissiger, with
-whom I and my friend Apel had spent a pleasant evening on the
-occasion of our excursion to Bohemia in earlier days. To all
-these people I now addressed most respectful and eloquent
-appeals, wrote out an official note to the director, Herr von
-Luttichau, as well as a formal petition to the King of Saxony,
-and had everything ready to send off.
-
-Meantime, I had not omitted to indicate the exact tempi in my
-opera by means of a metronome. As I did not possess such a thing,
-I had to borrow one, and one morning I went out to restore the
-instrument to its owner, carrying it under my thin overcoat. The
-day when this occurred was one of the strangest in my life, as it
-showed in a really horrible way the whole misery of my position
-at that time. In addition to the fact that I did not know where
-to look for the few francs wherewith Minna was to provide for our
-scanty household requirements, some of the bills which, in
-accordance with the custom in Paris in those days, I had signed
-for the purpose of fitting up our apartments, had fallen due.
-Hoping to get help from one source or another, I first tried to
-get those bills prolonged by the holders. As such documents pass
-through many hands, I had to call on all the holders across the
-length and breadth of the city. That day I was to propitiate a
-cheese-monger who occupied a fifth-floor apartment in the Cite. I
-also intended to ask for help from Heinrich, the brother of my
-brother-in-law, Brockhaus, as he was then in Paris; and I was
-going to call at Schlesinger's to raise the money to pay for the
-despatch of my score that day by the usual mail service.
-
-As I had also to deliver the metronome, I left Minna early in the
-morning after a sad good-bye. She knew from experience that as I
-was on a money-raising expedition, she would not see me back till
-late at night. The streets were enveloped in a dense fog, and the
-first thing I recognised on leaving the house was my dog Robber,
-who had been stolen from us a year before. At first I thought it
-was a ghost, but I called out to him sharply in a shrill voice.
-The animal seemed to recognise me, and approached me cautiously,
-but my sudden movement towards him with outstretched arms seemed
-only to revive memories of the few chastisements I had foolishly
-inflicted on him during the latter part of our association, and
-this memory prevailed over all others. He drew timidly away from
-me and, as I followed him with some eagerness, he ran, only to
-accelerate his speed when he found he was being pursued. I became
-more and more convinced that he had recognised me, because he
-always looked back anxiously when he reached a corner; but seeing
-that I was hunting him like a maniac, he started off again each
-time with renewed energy. Thus I followed him through a labyrinth
-of streets, hardly distinguishable in the thick mist, until I
-eventually lost sight of him altogether, never to see him again.
-It was near the church of St. Roch, and I, wet with perspiration
-and quite breathless, was still bearing the metronome. For a
-while I stood motionless, glaring into the mist, and wondered
-what the ghostly reappearance of the companion of my travelling
-adventures on this day might portend! The fact that he had fled
-from his old master with the terror of a wild beast filled my
-heart with a strange bitterness and seemed to me a horrible omen.
-Sadly shaken, I set out again, with trembling limbs, upon my
-weary errand.
-
-Heinrich Brockhaus told me he could not help me, and I left him.
-I was sorely ashamed, but made a strong effort to conceal the
-painfulness of my situation. My other undertakings turned out
-equally hopeless, and after having been kept waiting for hours at
-Schlesinger's, listening to my employer's very trivial
-conversations with his callers--conversations which he seemed
-purposely to protract--I reappeared under the windows of my home
-long after dark, utterly unsuccessful. I saw Minna looking
-anxiously from one of the windows. Half expecting my misfortune
-she had, in the meantime, succeeded in borrowing a small sum of
-our lodger and boarder, Brix, the flute-player, whom we tolerated
-patiently, though at some inconvenience to ourselves, as he was a
-good-natured fellow. So she was able to offer me at least a
-comfortable meal. Further help was to come to me subsequently,
-though at the cost of great sacrifices on my part, owing to the
-success of one of Donizetti's operas, La Favorita, a very poor
-work of the Italian maestro's, but welcomed with great enthusiasm
-by the Parisian public, already so much degenerated. This opera,
-the success of which was due mainly to two lively little songs,
-had been acquired by Schlesinger, who had lost heavily over
-Halevy's last operas.
-
-Taking advantage of my helpless situation, of which he was well
-aware, he rushed into our rooms one morning, beaming all over
-with amusing good-humour, called for pen and ink, and began to
-work out a calculation of the enormous fees which he had arranged
-for me! He put down: 'La Favorita, complete arrangement for
-pianoforte, arrangement without words, for solo; ditto, for duet;
-complete arrangement for quartette; the same for two violins;
-ditto for a Cornet a piston. Total fee, frcs. 1100. Immediate
-advance in cash, frcs. 500.' I could see at a glance what an
-enormous amount of trouble this work would involve, but I did not
-hesitate a moment to undertake it.
-
-Curiously enough, when I brought home these five hundred francs
-in hard shining five-franc pieces, and piled them up on the table
-for our edification, my sister Cecilia Avenarius happened to drop
-in to see us. The sight of this abundance of wealth seemed to
-produce a good effect on her, as she had hitherto been rather
-chary of coming to see us; and after that we used to see rather
-more of her, and were often invited to dine with them on Sundays.
-But I no longer cared for any amusements. I was so deeply
-impressed by my past experiences that I made up my mind to work
-through this humiliating, albeit profitable task, with untiring
-energy, as though it were a penance imposed on me for the
-expiation of my bygone sins. To save fuel, we limited ourselves
-to the use of the bedroom, making it serve as a drawing-room,
-dining-room, and study, as well as dormitory. It was only a step
-from my bed to my work-table; to be seated at the dining-table,
-all I had to do was to turn my chair round, and I left my seat
-altogether only late at night when I wanted to go to bed again.
-Every fourth day I allowed myself a short constitutional. This
-penitential process lasted almost all through the winter, and
-sowed the seeds of those gastric disorders which were to be more
-or less of a trouble to me for the rest of my life.
-
-In return for the minute and almost interminable work of
-correcting the score of Donizetti's opera, I managed to get three
-hundred francs from Schlesinger, as he could not get any one else
-to do it. Besides this, I had to find the time to copy out the
-orchestra parts of my overture to Faust, which I was still hoping
-to hear at the Conservatoire; and by the way of counteracting the
-depression produced by this humiliating occupation, I wrote a
-short story, Eine Pilgerfahrt zu Beethoven (A Pilgrimage to
-Beethoven), which appeared in the Gazette Musicale, under the
-title Une Visite a Beethoven. Schlesinger told me candidly that
-this little work had created quite a sensation, and had been
-received with very marked approval; and, indeed, it was actually
-reproduced, either complete or in parts, in a good many fireside
-journals.
-
-He persuaded me to write some more of the same kind; and in a
-sequel entitled Das Ende eines Musikers in Paris (Un Musicien
-etranger a Paris) I avenged myself for all the misfortunes I had
-had to endure. Schlesinger was not quite so pleased with this as
-with my first effort, but it received touching signs of approval
-from his poor assistant; while Heinrich Heine praised it by
-saying that 'Hoffmann would have been incapable of writing such a
-thing.' Even Berlioz was touched by it, and spoke of the story
-very favourably in one of his articles in the Journal des Debats.
-He also gave me signs of his sympathy, though only during a
-conversation, after the appearance of another of my musical
-articles entitled Ueber die Ouverture (Concerning Overtures),
-mainly because I had illustrated my principle by pointing to
-Gluck's overture to Iphigenia in Aulis as a model for
-compositions of this class.
-
-Encouraged by these signs of sympathy, I felt anxious to become
-more intimately acquainted with Berlioz. I had been introduced to
-him some time previously at Schlesinger's office, where we used
-to meet occasionally. I had presented him with a copy of my Two
-Grenadiers, but could, however, never learn any more from him
-concerning what he really thought of it than the fact that as he
-could only strum a little on the guitar, he was unable to play
-the music of my composition to himself on the piano. During the
-previous winter I had often heard his grand instrumental pieces
-played under his own direction, and had been most favourably
-impressed by them. During that winter (1839-40) he conducted
-three performances of his new symphony, Romeo and Juliet, at one
-of which I was present.
-
-All this, to be sure, was quite a new world to me, and I was
-desirous of gaining some unprejudiced knowledge of it. At first
-the grandeur and masterly execution of the orchestral part almost
-overwhelmed me. It was beyond anything I could have conceived.
-The fantastic daring, the sharp precision with which the boldest
-combinations--almost tangible in their clearness--impressed me,
-drove back my own ideas of the poetry of music with brutal
-violence into the very depths of my soul. I was simply all ears
-for things of which till then I had never dreamt, and which I
-felt I must try to realise. True, I found a great deal that was
-empty and shallow in his Romeo and Juliet, a work that lost much
-by its length and form of combination; and this was the more
-painful to me seeing that, on the other hand, I felt overpowered
-by many really bewitching passages which quite overcame any
-objections on my part.
-
-During the same winter Berlioz produced his Sinfonie Fantastique
-and his Harald ('Harold en Italie'). I was also much impressed by
-these works; the musical genre-pictures woven into the first-
-named symphony were particularly pleasing, while Harald delighted
-me in almost every respect..
-
-It was, however, the latest work of this wonderful master, his
-Trauer-Symphonie fur die Opfer der Juli-Revolution (Grande
-Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale), most skilfully composed for
-massed military bands during the summer of 1840 for the
-anniversary of the obsequies of the July heroes, and conducted by
-him under the column of the Place de la Bastille, which had at
-last thoroughly convinced me of the greatness and enterprise of
-this incomparable artist. But while admiring this genius,
-absolutely unique in his methods, I could never quite shake off a
-certain peculiar feeling of anxiety. His works left me with a
-sensation as of something strange, something with which I felt I
-should never be able to be familiar, and I was often puzzled at
-the strange fact that, though ravished by his compositions, I was
-at the same time repelled and even wearied by them. It was only
-much later that I succeeded in clearly grasping and solving this
-problem, which for years exercised such a painful spell over me.
-
-It is a fact that at that time I felt almost like a little
-school-boy by the side of Berlioz. Consequently I was really
-embarrassed when Schlesinger, determined to make good use of the
-success of my short story, told me he was anxious to produce some
-of my orchestral compositions at a concert arranged by the editor
-of the Gazette Musicale. I realised that none of my available
-works would in any way be suitable for such an occasion. I was
-not quite confident as to my Faust Overture because of its
-zephyr-like ending, which I presumed could only be appreciated by
-an audience already familiar with my methods. When, moreover, I
-learned that I should have only a second-rate orchestra--the
-Valentino from the Casino, Rue St. Honore--and, moreover, that
-there could be only one rehearsal, my only alternative lay
-between declining altogether, or making another trial with my
-Columbus Overture, the work composed in my early days at
-Magdeburg. I adopted the latter course.
-
-When I went to fetch the score of this composition from
-Ilabeneck, who had it stored among the archives of the
-Conservatoire, he warned me somewhat dryly, though not without
-kindness, of the danger of presenting this work to the Parisian
-public, as, to use his own words, it was too 'vague.' One great
-objection was the difficulty of finding capable musicians for the
-six cornets required, as the music for this instrument, so
-skilfully played in Germany, could hardly, if ever, be
-satisfactorily executed in Paris. Herr Schlitz, the corrector of
-my 'Suites' for Cornet a piston, offered his assistance. I was
-compelled to reduce my six cornets to four, and he told me that
-only two of these could be relied on.
-
-As a matter of fact, the attempts made at the rehearsal to
-produce those very passages on which the effect of my work
-chiefly depended were very discouraging. Not once were the soft
-high notes played but they were flat or altogether wrong. In
-addition to this, as I was not going to be allowed to conduct the
-work myself, I had to rely upon a conductor who, as I was well
-aware, had fully convinced himself that my composition was the
-most utter rubbish--an opinion that seemed to be shared by the
-whole orchestra. Berlioz, who was present at the rehearsal,
-remained silent throughout. He gave me no encouragement, though
-he did not dissuade me. He merely said afterwards, with a weary
-smile, 'that it was very difficult to get on in Paris.'
-
-On the night of the performance (4th February 1841) the audience,
-which was largely composed of subscribers to the Gazette
-Musicale, and to whom, therefore, my literary successes were not
-unknown, seemed rather favourably disposed towards me. I was told
-later on that my overture, however wearisome it had been, would
-certainly have been applauded if those unfortunate cornet
-players, by continually failing to produce the effective
-passages, had not excited the public almost to the point of
-hostility; for Parisians, for the most part, care only for the
-skilful parts of performances, as, for instance, for the
-faultless production of difficult tones. I was clearly conscious
-of my complete failure. After this misfortune Paris no longer
-existed for me, and all I had to do was to go back to my
-miserable bedroom and resume my work of arranging Donizetti's
-operas.
-
-So great was my renunciation of the world that, like a penitent,
-I no longer shaved, and to my wife's annoyance, for the first and
-only time in my life allowed my beard to grow quite long. I tried
-to bear everything patiently, and the only thing that threatened
-really to drive me to despair was a pianist in the room adjoining
-ours who during the livelong day practised Liszt's fantasy on
-Lucia di Lammermoor. I had to put a stop to this torture, so, to
-give him an idea of what he made us endure, one day I moved our
-own piano, which was terribly out of tune, close up to the party
-wall. Then Brix with his piccolo-flute played the piano-and-
-violin (or flute) arrangement of the Favorita Overture I had just
-completed, while I accompanied him on the piano. The effect on
-our neighbour, a young piano-teacher, must have been appalling.
-The concierge told me the next day that the poor fellow was
-leaving, and, after all, I felt rather sorry.
-
-The wife of our concierge had entered into a sort of arrangement
-with us. At first we had occasionally availed ourselves of her
-services, especially in the kitchen, also for brushing clothes,
-cleaning boots, and so on; but even the slight outlay that this
-involved was eventually too heavy for us, and after having
-dispensed with her services, Minna had to suffer the humiliation
-of doing the whole work of the household, even the most menial
-part of it, herself. As we did not like to mention this to Brix,
-Minna was obliged, not only to do all the cooking and washing up,
-but even to clean our lodger's boots as well. What we felt most,
-however, was the thought of what the concierge and his wife would
-think of us; but we were mistaken, for they only respected us the
-more, though of course we could not avoid a little familiarity at
-times, Now and then, therefore, the man would have a chat with me
-on politics. When the Quadruple Alliance against France had been
-concluded, and the situation under Thiers' ministry was regarded
-as very critical, my concierge tried to reassure me one day by
-saying: 'Monsieur, il y a quatre hommes en Europe qui
-s'appellent: le roi Louis Philippe, l'empereur d'Autriche,
-l'empereur de Russie, le roi de Prusse; eh bien, ces quatre sont
-des c...; et nous n'aurons pas la guerre.'
-
-Of an evening I very seldom lacked entertainment; but the few
-faithful friends who came to see me had to put up with my going
-on scribbling music till late in the night. Once they prepared a
-touching surprise for me in the form of a little party which they
-arranged for New Year's Eve (1840). Lehrs arrived at dusk, rang
-the bell, and brought a leg of veal; Kietz brought some rum,
-sugar, and a lemon; Pecht supplied a goose; and Anders two
-bottles of the champagne with which he had been presented by a
-musical instrument-maker in return for a flattering article he
-had written about his pianos. Bottles from that stock were
-produced only on very great occasions. I soon threw the
-confounded Favorita aside, therefore, and entered
-enthusiastically into the fun.
-
-We all had to assist in the preparations, to light the fire in
-the salon, give a hand to my wife in the kitchen, and get what
-was wanted from the grocer. The supper developed into a
-dithyrambic orgy. When the champagne was drunk, and the punch
-began to produce its effects, I delivered a fiery speech which so
-provoked the hilarity of the company that it seemed as though it
-would never end. I became so excited that I first mounted a
-chair, and then, by way of heightening the effect, at last stood
-on the table, thence to preach the maddest gospel of the contempt
-of life together with a eulogy on the South American Free States.
-My charmed listeners eventually broke into such fits of sobs and
-laughter, and were so overcome, that we had to give them all
-shelter for the night--their condition making it impossible for
-them to reach their own homes in safety. On New Year's Day (1841)
-I was again busy with my Favorita.
-
-I remember another similar though far less boisterous feast, on
-the occasion of a visit paid us by the famous violinist Vieux-
-temps, an old schoolfellow of Kietz's. We had the great pleasure
-of hearing the young virtuoso, who was then greatly feted in
-Paris, play to us charmingly for a whole evening--a performance
-which lent my little salon an unusual touch of 'fashion.' Kietz
-rewarded him for his kindness by carrying him on his shoulders to
-his hotel close by.
-
-We were hard hit in the early part of this year by a mistake I
-made owing to my ignorance of Paris customs. It seemed to us
-quite a matter of course that we should wait until the proper
-quarter-day to give notice to our landlady. So I called on the
-proprietress of the house, a rich young widow living in one of
-her own houses in the Marias quarter. She received me, but seemed
-much embarrassed, and said she would speak to her agent about the
-matter, and eventually referred me to him. The next day I was
-informed by letter that my notice would have been valid had it
-been given two days earlier. By this omission I had rendered
-myself liable, according to the agreement, for another year's
-rent. Horrified by this news, I went to see the agent himself,
-and after having been kept waiting for a long time--as a matter
-of fact they would not let me in at all--I found an elderly
-gentleman, apparently crippled by some very painful malady, lying
-motionless before me. I frankly told him my position, and begged
-him most earnestly to release me from my agreement, but I was
-merely told that the fault was mine, and not his, that I had
-given notice a day too late, and consequently that I must find
-the rent for the next year. My concierge, to whom, with some
-emotion, I related the story of this occurrence, tried to soothe
-me by saying: 'J'aurais pu vous dire cela, car voyez, monsieur,
-cet homme ne vaut pas l'eau qu'il boit.'
-
-This entirely unforeseen misfortune destroyed our last hopes of
-getting out of our disastrous position. We consoled ourselves for
-awhile with the hope of finding another lodger, but the fates
-were once more against us. Easter came, the new term began, and
-our prospects were as hopeless as ever. At last our concierge
-recommended us to a family who were willing to take the whole of
-our apartment, furniture included, off our hands for a few
-months. We gladly accepted this offer; for, at any rate, it
-ensured the payment of the rent for the ensuing quarter. We
-thought if only we could get away from this unfortunate place we
-should find some way of getting rid of it altogether. We
-therefore decided to find a cheap summer residence for ourselves
-in the outskirts of Paris.
-
-Meudon had been mentioned to us as an inexpensive summer resort,
-and we selected an apartment in the avenue which joins Meudon to
-the neighbouring village of Bellevue. We left full authority with
-our concierge as to our rooms in Rue du Helder, and settled down
-in our new temporary abode as well as we could. Old Brix, the
-good-natured flutist, had to stay with us again, for, owing to
-the fact that his usual receipts had been delayed, he would have
-been in great straits had we refused to give him shelter. The
-removal of our scanty possessions took place on the 29th of
-April, and was, after all, no more than a flight from the
-impossible into the unknown, for how we were going to live during
-the following summer we had not the faintest idea. Schlesinger
-had no work for me, and no other sources were available.
-
-The only help we could hope for seemed to lie in journalistic
-work which, though rather unremunerative, had indeed given me the
-opportunity of making a little success. During the previous
-winter I had written a long article on Weber's Freischutz for the
-Gazette Musicale. This was intended to prepare the way for the
-forthcoming first performance of this opera, after recitatives
-from the pen of Berlioz had been added to it. The latter was
-apparently far from pleased at my article. In the article I could
-not help referring to Berlioz's absurd idea of polishing up this
-old-fashioned musical work by adding ingredients that spoiled its
-original characteristics, merely in order to give it an
-appearance suited to the luxurious repertoire of Opera House. The
-fact that the result fully justified my forecasts did not in the
-least tend to diminish the ill-feeling I had roused among all
-those concerned in the production; but I had the satisfaction of
-hearing that the famous George Sand had noticed my article. She
-commenced the introduction to a legendary story of French
-provincial life by repudiating certain doubts as to the ability
-of the French people to understand the mystic, fabulous element
-which, as I had shown, was displayed in such a masterly manner in
-Freischutz, and she pointed to my article as clearly explaining
-the characteristics of that opera.
-
-Another journalistic opportunity arose out of my endeavours to
-secure the acceptance of my Rienzi by the Court Theatre at
-Dresden. Herr Winkler, the secretary of that theatre, whom I have
-already mentioned, regularly reported progress; but as editor of
-the Abendzeitung, a paper then rather on the wane, he seized the
-opportunity presented by our negotiations in order to ask me to
-send him frequent and gratuitous contributions. The consequence
-was, that whenever I wanted to know anything concerning the fate
-of my opera, I had to oblige him by enclosing an article for his
-paper. Now, as these negotiations with the Court Theatre lasted a
-very long time, and involved a large number of contributions from
-me, I often got into the most extraordinary fixes simply owing to
-the fact that I was now once more a prisoner in my room, and had
-been so for some time, and therefore knew nothing of what was
-going on in Paris.
-
-I had serious reasons for thus withdrawing from the artistic and
-social life of Paris. My own painful experiences and my disgust
-at all the mockery of that kind of life, once so attractive to me
-and yet so alien to my education, had quickly driven me away from
-everything connected with it. It is true that the production of
-the Huguenots, for instance, which I then heard for the first
-time, dazzled me very much indeed. Its beautiful orchestral
-execution, and the extremely careful and effective mise en scene,
-gave me a grand idea of the great possibilities of such perfect
-and definite artistic means. But, strange to say, I never felt
-inclined to hear the same opera again. I soon became tired of the
-extravagant execution of the vocalists, and I often amused my
-friends exceedingly by imitating the latest Parisian methods and
-the vulgar exaggerations with which the performances teemed.
-Those composers, moreover, who aimed at achieving success by
-adopting the style which was then in vogue, could not help,
-either, incurring my sarcastic criticism. The last shred of
-esteem which I still tried to retain for the 'first lyrical
-theatre in the world' was at last rudely destroyed when I saw how
-such an empty, altogether un-French work as Donizetti's Favorita
-could secure so long and important a run at this theatre.
-
-During the whole time of my stay in Paris I do not think I went
-to the opera more than four times. The cold productions at the
-Opera Comique, and the degenerate quality of the music produced
-there, had repelled me from the start; and the same lack of
-enthusiasm displayed by the singers also drove me from Italian
-opera. The names, often very famous ones, of these artists who
-sang the same four operas for years could not compensate me for
-the complete absence of sentiment which characterised their
-performance, so unlike that of Schroder-Devrient, which I so
-thoroughly enjoyed. I clearly saw that everything was on the down
-grade, and yet I cherished no hope or desire to see this state of
-decline superseded by a period of newer and fresher life. I
-preferred the small theatres, where French talent was shown in
-its true light; and yet, as the result of my own longings, I was
-too intent upon finding points of relationship in them which
-would excite my sympathy, for it to be possible for me to realise
-those peculiar excellences in them which did not happen to
-interest me at all. Besides, from the very beginning my own
-troubles had proved so trying, and the consciousness of the
-failure of my Paris schemes had become so cruelly apparent, that,
-either out of indifference or annoyance, I declined all
-invitations to the theatres. Again and again, much to Minna's
-regret, I returned tickets for performances in which Rachel was
-to appear at the Theatre Francais, and, in fact, saw that famous
-theatre only once, when, some time later, I had to go there on
-business for my Dresden patron, who wanted some more articles.
-
-I adopted the most shameful means for filling the columns of the
-Abendzeitung; I just strung together whatever I happened to hear
-in the evening from Anders and Lehrs. But as they had no very
-exciting adventures either, they simply told me all they had
-picked up from papers and table-talk, and this I tried to render
-with as much piquancy as possible in accordance with the
-journalistic style created by Heine, which was all the rage at
-the time. My one fear was lest old Hofrath Winkler should some
-day discover the secret of my wide knowledge of Paris. Among
-other things which I sent to his declining paper was a long
-account of the production of Freischutz, He was particularly
-interested in it, as he was the guardian of Weber's children; and
-when in one of his letters he assured me that he would not rest
-until he had got the definite assurance that Rienzi had been
-accepted, I sent him, with my most profuse thanks, the German
-manuscript of my 'Beethoven' story for his paper. The 1841
-edition of this gazette, then published by Arnold, but now no
-longer in existence, contains the only print of this manuscript.
-
-My occasional journalistic work was increased by a request from
-Lewald, the editor of Europa, a literary monthly, asking me to
-write something for him. This man was the first who, from time to
-time, had mentioned my name to the public. As he used to publish
-musical supplements to his elegant and rather widely read
-magazine, I sent him two of my compositions from Konigsberg for
-publication. One of these was the music I had set to a melancholy
-poem by Scheuerlin, entitled Der Knabe und der Tannenbaum (a work
-of which even to-day I am still proud), and my beautiful
-Carnevals Lied out of Liebesverbot.
-
-When I wanted to publish my little French compositions--Dors, mon
-enfant, and the music to Hugo's Attente and Ronsard's Mignonne--
-Lewald not only sent me a small fee--the first I had ever
-received for a composition--but commissioned some long articles
-on my Paris impressions, which he begged me to write as
-entertainingly as possible. For his paper I wrote Pariser
-Amusements and Pariser Fatalitaten, in which I gave vent in a
-humorous style, a la Heine, to all my disappointing experiences
-in Paris, and to all my contempt for the life led by its
-inhabitants. In the second I described the existence of a certain
-Hermann Pfau, a strange good-for-nothing with whom, during my
-early Leipzig days, I had become more intimately acquainted than
-was desirable. This man had been wandering about Paris like a
-vagrant ever since the beginning of the previous winter, and the
-meagre income I derived from arrangements of La Favorita was
-often partly consumed in helping this completely broken-down
-fellow. So it was only fair that I should get back a few francs
-of the money spent on him in Paris by turning his adventures to
-some account in Lewald's newspapers.
-
-When I came into contact with Leon Pillet, the manager of the
-Opera, my literary work took yet another direction. After
-numerous inquiries I eventually discovered that he had taken a
-fancy to my draft of the Fliegender Hollander. He informed me of
-this, and asked me to sell him the plot, as he was under contract
-to supply various composers with subjects for operettas. I tried
-to explain to Pillet, both verbally and in writing, that he could
-hardly expect that the plot would be properly treated except by
-myself, as this draft was in fact my own idea, and that it had
-only come to his knowledge by my having submitted it to him. But
-it was all to no purpose. He was obliged to admit quite frankly
-that the expectations I had cherished as to the result of
-Meyerbeer's recommendation to him would not come to anything. He
-said there was no likelihood of my getting a commission for a
-composition, even of a light opera, for the next seven years, as
-his already existing contracts extended over that period. He
-asked me to be sensible, and to sell him the draft for a small
-amount, so that he might have the music written by an author to
-be selected by him; and he added that if I still wished to try my
-luck at the Opera House, I had better see the 'ballet-master,' as
-he might want some music for a certain dance. Seeing that I
-contemptuously refused this proposal, he left me to my own
-devices.
-
-After endless and unsuccessful attempts at getting the matter
-settled, I at last begged Edouard Monnaie, the Commissaire for
-the Royal Theatres, who was not only a friend of mine, but also
-editor of the Gazette Musicale, to act as mediator. He candidly
-confessed that he could not understand Pillet's liking for my
-plot, which he also was acquainted with; but as Pillet seemed to
-like it--though he would probably lose it--he advised me to
-accept anything for it, as Monsieur Paul Faucher, a brother-in-
-law of Victor Hugo's, had had an offer to work out the scheme for
-a similar libretto. This gentleman had, moreover, declared that
-there was nothing new in my plot, as the story of the Vaisseau
-Fantome was well known in France. I now saw how I stood, and, in
-a conversation with Pillet, at which M. Faucher was present, I
-said I would come to an arrangement. My plot was generously
-estimated by Pillet at five hundred francs, and I received that
-amount from the cash office at the theatre, to be subsequently
-deducted from the author's rights of the future poet.
-
-Our summer residence in the Avenue de Meudon now assumed quite a
-definite character. These five hundred francs had to help me to
-work out the words and music of my Fliegender Hollander for
-Germany, while I abandoned the French Vaisseau Fantome to its
-fate.
-
-The state of my affairs, which was getting ever worse and worse,
-was slightly improved by the settlement of this matter. May and
-June had gone by, and during these months our troubles had grown
-steadily more serious. The lovely season of the year, the
-stimulating country air, and the sensation of freedom following
-upon my deliverance from the wretchedly paid musical hack-work I
-had had to do all the winter, wrought their beneficial effects on
-me, and I was inspired to write a small story entitled Ein
-glucklicher Abend. This was translated and published in French in
-the Gazette Musicale. Soon, however, our lack of funds began to
-make itself felt with a severity that was very discouraging. We
-felt this all the more keenly when my sister Cecilia and her
-husband, following our example, moved to a place quite close to
-us. Though not wealthy, they were fairly well-to-do. They came to
-see us every day, but we never thought it desirable to let them
-know how terribly hard-up we were. One day it came to a climax.
-Being absolutely without money, I started out, early one morning,
-to walk to Paris--for I had not even enough to pay the railway
-fare thither--and I resolved to wander about the whole day,
-trudging from street to street, even until late in the afternoon,
-in the hope of raising a five-franc piece; but my errand proved
-absolutely vain, and I had to walk all the way back to Meudon
-again, utterly penniless.
-
-When I told Minna, who came to meet me, of my failure, she
-informed me in despair that Hermann Pfau, whom I have mentioned
-before, had also come to us in the most pitiful plight, and
-actually in want of food, and that she had had to give him the
-last of the bread delivered by the baker that morning. The only
-hope that now remained was that, at any rate, my lodger Brix, who
-by a singular fate was now our companion in misfortune, would
-return with some success from the expedition to Paris which he
-also had made that morning. At last he, too, returned bathed in
-perspiration and exhausted, driven home by the craving for a
-meal, which he had been unable to procure in the town, as he
-could not find any of the acquaintances he went to see. He begged
-most piteously for a piece of bread. This climax to the situation
-at last inspired my wife with heroic resolution; for she felt it
-her duty to exert herself to appease at least the hunger of her
-menfolk. For the first time during her stay on French soil, she
-persuaded the baker, the butcher, and wine-merchant, by plausible
-arguments, to supply her with the necessaries of life without
-immediate cash payment, and Minna's eyes beamed when, an hour
-later, she was able to put before us an excellent meal, during
-which, as it happened, we were surprised by the Avenarius family,
-who were evidently relieved at finding us so well provided for.
-
-This extreme distress was relieved for a time, at the beginning
-of July, by the sale of my Vaisseau Fantome, which meant my final
-renunciation of my success in Paris. As long as the five hundred
-francs lasted, I had an interval of respite for carrying on my
-work. The first object on which I spent my money was on the hire
-of a piano, a thing of which I had been entirely deprived for
-months. My chief intention in so doing was to revive my faith in
-myself as a musician, as, ever since the autumn of the previous
-year, I had exercised my talents as a journalist and adapter of
-operas only. The libretto of the Fliegender Hollander, which I
-had hurriedly written during the recent period of distress,
-aroused considerable interest in Lehrs; he actually declared I
-would never write anything better, and that the Fliegender
-Hollander would be my Don Juan; the only thing now was to find
-the music for it. As towards the end of the previous winter I
-still entertained the hopes of being permitted to treat this
-subject for the French Opera, I had already finished some of the
-words and music of the lyric parts, and had had the libretto
-translated by Emile Deschamps, intending it for a trial
-performance, which, alas, never took place. These parts were the
-ballad of Senta, the song of the Norwegian sailors, and the
-'Spectre Song' of the crew of the Fliegender Hollander. Since
-that time I had been so violently torn away from the music that,
-when the piano arrived at my rustic retreat, I did not dare to
-touch it for a whole day. I was terribly afraid lest I should
-discover that my inspiration had left me--when suddenly I was
-seized with the idea that I had forgotten to write out the song
-of the helmsman in the first act, although, as a matter of fact,
-I could not remember having composed it at all, as I had in
-reality only just written the lyrics. I succeeded, and was
-pleased with the result. The same thing occurred with the
-'Spinner's Song,' and when I had written out these two pieces,
-and, on further reflection, could not help admitting that they
-had really only taken shape in my mind at that moment, I was
-quite delirious with joy at the discovery. In seven weeks the
-whole of the music of the Fliegender Hollander, except the
-orchestration, was finished.
-
-Thereupon followed a general revival in our circle; my exuberant
-good spirits astonished every one, and my Avenarius relations in
-particular thought I must really be prospering, as I was such
-good company. I resumed my long walks in the woods of Meudon,
-frequently even consenting to help Minna gather mushrooms, which,
-unfortunately, were for her the chief charm of our woodland
-retreat, though it filled our landlord with terror when he saw us
-returning with our spoils, as he felt sure we should be poisoned
-if we ate them.
-
-My destiny, which almost invariably led me into strange
-adventures, here once more introduced me to the most eccentric
-character to be found not only in the neighbourhood of Meudon,
-but even in Paris. This was M. Jadin, who, though he was old
-enough to be able to say that he remembered seeing Madame de
-Pompadour at Versailles, was still vigorous beyond belief. It
-appeared to be his aim to keep the world in a constant state of
-conjecture as to his real age; he made everything for himself
-with his own hands, including even a quantity of wigs of every
-shade, ranging in the most comic variety from youthful flaxen to
-the most venerable white, with intermediate shades of grey; these
-he wore alternately, as the fancy pleased him. He dabbled in
-everything, and I was pleased to find he had a particular fancy
-for painting. The fact that all the walls of his rooms were hung
-with the most childish caricatures of animal life, and that he
-had even embellished the outside of his blinds with the most
-ridiculous paintings, did not disconcert me in the least; on the
-contrary, it confirmed my belief that he did not dabble in music,
-until, to my horror, I discovered that the strangely discordant
-sounds of a harp which kept reaching my ears from some unknown
-region were actually proceeding from his basement, where he had
-two harpsichords of his own invention. He informed me that he had
-unfortunately neglected playing them for a long time, but that he
-now meant to begin practising again assiduously in order to give
-me pleasure. I succeeded in dissuading him from this, by assuring
-him that the doctor had forbidden me to listen to the harp, as it
-was bad for my nerves. His figure as I saw him for the last time
-remains impressed on my memory, like an apparition from the world
-of Hoffmann's fairy-tales. In the late autumn, when we were going
-back to Paris, he asked us to take with us on our furniture van
-an enormous stove-pipe, of which he promised to relieve us
-shortly. One very cold day Jadin actually presented himself at
-our new abode in Paris, in a most preposterous costume of his own
-manufacture, consisting of very thin light-yellow trousers, a
-very short pale-green dress-coat with conspicuously long tails,
-projecting lace shirt frills and cuffs, a very fair wig, and a
-hat so small that it was constantly dropping off; he wore in
-addition a quantity of imitation jewellery--and all this on the
-undisguised assumption that he could not go about in fashionable
-Paris dressed as simply as in the country. He had come for the
-stove-pipe; we asked him where the men to carry it were; in reply
-he simply smiled, and expressed his surprise at our helplessness;
-and thereupon took the enormous stove-pipe under his arm and
-absolutely refused to accept our help when we offered to assist
-him in carrying it down the stairs, though this operation,
-notwithstanding his vaunted skill, occupied him quite half an
-hour. Every one in the house assembled to witness this removal,
-but he was by no means disconcerted, and managed to get the pipe
-through the street door, and then tripped gracefully along the
-pavement with it, and disappeared from our sight.
-
-For this short though eventful period, during which I was quite
-free to give full scope to my inmost thoughts, I indulged in the
-consolation of purely artistic creations. I can only say that,
-when it came to an end, I had made such progress that I could
-look forward with cheerful composure to the much longer period of
-trouble and distress I felt was in store for me. This, in fact,
-duly set in, for I had only just completed the last scene when I
-found that my five hundred francs were coming to an end, and what
-was left was not sufficient to secure me the necessary peace and
-freedom from worry for composing the overture; I had to postpone
-this until my luck should take another favourable turn, and
-meanwhile I was forced to engage in the struggle for a bare
-subsistence, making efforts of all kinds that left me neither
-leisure nor peace of mind. The concierge from the Rue du Helder
-brought us the news that the mysterious family to whom we had let
-our rooms had left, and that we were now once more responsible
-for the rent. I had to tell him that I would not under any
-circumstances trouble about the rooms any more, and that the
-landlord might recoup himself by the sale of the furniture we had
-left there. This was done at a very heavy loss, and the
-furniture, the greater part of which was still unpaid for, was
-sacrificed to pay the rent of a dwelling which we no longer
-occupied.
-
-Under the stress of the most terrible privations I still
-endeavoured to secure sufficient leisure for working out the
-orchestration of the score of the Fliegender Hollander. The rough
-autumn weather set in at an exceptionally early date; people were
-all leaving their country houses for Paris, and, among them, the
-Avenarius family. We, however, could not dream of doing so, for
-we could not even raise the funds for the journey. When M. Jadin
-expressed his surprise at this, I pretended to be so pressed with
-work that I could not interrupt it, although I felt the cold that
-penetrated through the thin walls of the house very severely.
-
-So I waited for help from Ernst Castel, one of my old Konigsberg
-friends, a well-to-do young merchant, who a short time before had
-called on us in Meudon and treated us to a luxurious repast in
-Paris, promising at the same time to relieve our necessities as
-soon as possible by an advance, which we knew was an easy matter
-to him.
-
-By way of cheering us up, Kietz came over to us one day, with a
-large portfolio and a pillow under his arm; he intended to amuse
-us by working at a large caricature representing myself and my
-unfortunate adventures in Paris, and the pillow was to enable
-him, after his labours, to get some rest on our hard couch, which
-he had noticed had no pillows at the head. Knowing that we had a
-difficulty in procuring fuel, he brought with him some bottles of
-rum, to 'warm' us with punch during the cold evenings; under
-these circumstances I read Hoffmann's Tales to him and my wife.
-
-At last I had news from Konigsberg, but it only opened my eyes to
-the fact that the gay young dog had not meant his promise
-seriously. We now looked forward almost with despair to the
-chilly mists of approaching winter, but Kietz, declaring that it
-was his place to find help, packed up his portfolio, placed it
-under his arm with the pillow, and went off to Paris. On the next
-day he returned with two hundred francs, that he had managed to
-procure by means of generous self-sacrifice. We at once set off
-for Paris, and took a small apartment near our friends, in the
-back part of No. 14 Rue Jacob. I afterwards heard that shortly
-after we left it was occupied by Proudhon.
-
-We got back to town on 30th October. Our home was exceedingly
-small and cold, and its chilliness in particular made it very bad
-for our health. We furnished it scantily with the little we had
-saved from the wreck of the Rue du Holder, and awaited the
-results of my efforts towards getting my works accepted and
-produced in Germany. The first necessity was at all costs to
-secure peace and quietness for myself for the short time which I
-should have to devote to the overture of the Fliegender
-Hollander; I told Kietz that he would have to procure the money
-necessary for my household expenses until this work was finished
-and the full score of the opera sent off. With the aid of a
-pedantic uncle, who had lived in Paris a long time and who was
-also a painter, he succeeded in providing me with the necessary
-assistance, in instalments of five or ten francs at a time.
-During this period I often pointed with cheerful pride to my
-boots, which became mere travesties of footgear, as the soles
-eventually disappeared altogether.
-
-As long as I was engaged on the Dutchman, and Kietz was looking
-after me, this made no difference, for I never went out: but when
-I had despatched my completed score to the management of the
-Berlin Court Theatre at the beginning of December, the bitterness
-of the position could no longer be disguised. It was necessary
-for me to buckle to and look for help myself.
-
-What this meant in Paris I learned just about this time from the
-hapless fate of the worthy Lehrs. Driven by need such as I myself
-had had to surmount a year before at about the same time, he had
-been compelled on a broiling hot day in the previous summer to
-scour the various quarters of the city breathlessly, to get grace
-for bills he had accepted, and which had fallen due. He foolishly
-took an iced drink, which he hoped would refresh him in his
-distressing condition, but it immediately made him lose his
-voice, and from that day he was the victim of a hoarseness which
-with terrific rapidity ripened the seeds of consumption,
-doubtless latent in him, and developed that incurable disease.
-For months he had been growing weaker and weaker, filling us at
-last with the gloomiest anxiety: he alone believed the supposed
-chill would be cured, if he could heat his room better for a
-time. One day I sought him out in his lodging, where I found him
-in the icy-cold room, huddled up at his writing-table, and
-complaining of the difficulty of his work for Didot, which was
-all the more distressing as his employer was pressing him for
-advances he had made.
-
-He declared that if he had not had the consolation in those
-doleful hours of knowing that I had, at any rate, got my Dutchman
-finished, and that a prospect of success was thus opened to the
-little circle of friends, his misery would have been hard indeed
-to bear. Despite my own great trouble, I begged him to share our
-fire and work in my room. He smiled at my courage in trying to
-help others, especially as my quarters offered barely space
-enough for myself and my wife. However, one evening he came to us
-and silently showed me a letter he had received from Villemain,
-the Minister of Education at that time, in which the latter
-expressed in the warmest terms his great regret at having only
-just learned that so distinguished a scholar, whose able and
-extensive collaboration in Didot's issue of the Greek classics
-had made him participator in a work that was the glory of the
-nation, should be in such bad health and straitened
-circumstances. Unfortunately, the amount of public money which he
-had at his disposal at that moment for subsidising literature
-only allowed of his offering him the sum of five hundred francs,
-which he enclosed with apologies, asking him to accept it as a
-recognition of his merits on the part of the French Government,
-and adding that it was his intention to give earnest
-consideration as to how he might materially improve his position.
-
-This filled us with the utmost thankfulness on poor Lehrs'
-account, and we looked on the incident almost as a miracle. We
-could not help assuming, however, that M. Villemain had been
-influenced by Didot, who had been prompted by his own guilty
-conscience for his despicable exploitation of Lehrs, and by the
-prospect of thus relieving himself of the responsibility of
-helping him. At the same time, from similar cases within our
-knowledge, which were fully confirmed by my own subsequent
-experience, we were driven to the conclusion that such prompt and
-considerate sympathy on the part of a minister would have been
-impossible in Germany. Lehrs would now have a fire to work by,
-but alas! our fears as to his declining health could not be
-allayed. When we left Paris in the following spring, it was the
-certainty that we should never see our dear friend again that
-made our parting so painful.
-
-In my own great distress I was again exposed to the annoyance of
-having to write numerous unpaid articles for the Abendzeitung, as
-my patron, Hofrath Winkler, was still unable to give me any
-satisfactory account of the fate of my Rienzi in Dresden. In
-these circumstances I was obliged to consider it a good thing
-that Halevy's latest opera was at last a success. Schlesinger
-came to us radiant with joy at the success of La Reine de Chypre,
-and promised me eternal bliss for the piano score and various
-other arrangements I had made of this newest rage in the sphere
-of opera. So I was again forced to pay the penalty for composing
-my own Fliegender Hollander by having to sit down and write out
-arrangements of Halevy's opera. Yet this task no longer weighed
-on me so heavily. Apart from the wellfounded hope of being at
-last recalled from my exile in Paris, and thus being able, as I
-thought, to regard this last struggle with poverty as the
-decisive one, the arrangement of Halevy's score was far and away
-a more interesting piece of hack-work than the shameful labour I
-had spent on Donizetti's Favorita.
-
-I paid another visit, the last for a long time to come, to the
-Grand Opera to hear this Reine de Chypre. There was, indeed, much
-for me to smile at. My eyes were no longer shut to the extreme
-weakness of this class of work, and the caricature of it that was
-often produced by the method of rendering it. I was sincerely
-rejoiced to see the better side of Halevy again. I had taken a
-great fancy to him from the time of his La Juive, and had a very
-high opinion of his masterly talent.
-
-At the request of Schlesinger I also willingly consented to write
-for his paper a long article on Halevy's latest work. In it I
-laid particular stress on my hope that the French school might
-not again allow the benefits obtained by studying the German
-style to be lost by relapsing into the shallowest Italian
-methods. On that occasion I ventured, by way of encouraging the
-French school, to point to the peculiar significance of Auber,
-and particularly to his Stumme von Portici, drawing attention, on
-the other hand, to the overloaded melodies of Rossini, which
-often resembled sol-fa exercises. In reading over the proof of my
-article I saw that this passage about Rossini had been left out,
-and M. Edouard Monnaie admitted to me that, in his capacity as
-editor of a musical paper, he had felt himself bound to suppress
-it. He considered that if I had any adverse criticism to pass on
-the composer, I could easily get it published in any other kind
-of paper, but not in one devoted to the interests of music,
-simply because such a passage could not be printed there without
-seeming absurd. It also annoyed him that I had spoken in such
-high terms of Auber, but he let it stand. I had to listen to much
-from that quarter which enlightened me for ever with regard to
-the decay of operatic music in particular, and artistic taste in
-general, among Frenchmen of the present day.
-
-I also wrote a longer article on the same opera for my precious
-friend Winkler at Dresden, who was still hesitating about
-accepting my Rienzi. In doing so I intentionally made merry over
-a mishap that had befallen Lachner the conductor. Kustner, who
-was theatrical director at Munich at the time, with a view to
-giving his friend another chance, ordered a libretto to be
-written for him by St. Georges in Paris, so that, through his
-paternal care, the highest bliss which a German composer could
-dream of might be assured to his protege. Well, it turned out
-that when Halevy's Reine de Chypre appeared, it treated the same
-subject as Lachner's presumably original work, which had been
-composed in the meantime. It mattered very little that the
-libretto was a really good one, the value of the bargain lay in
-the fact that it was to be glorified by Lachner's music. It
-appeared, however, that St. Georges had, as a matter of fact, to
-some extent altered the book sent to Munich, but only by the
-omission of several interesting features. The fury of the Munich
-manager was great, whereupon St. Georges declared his
-astonishment that the latter could have imagined he would supply
-a libretto intended solely for the German stage at the paltry
-price offered by his German customer. As I had formed my own
-private opinion as to procuring French librettos for operas, and
-as nothing in the world would have induced me to set to music
-even the most effective piece of writing by Scribe or St.
-Georges, this occurrence delighted me immensely, and in the best
-of spirits I let myself go on the point for the benefit of the
-readers of the Abendzeitung, who, it is to be hoped, did not
-include my future 'friend' Lachner.
-
-In addition, my work on Halevy's opera (Reine de Chypre) brought
-me into closer contact with that composer, and was the means of
-procuring me many an enlivening talk with that peculiarly good-
-hearted and really unassuming man, whose talent, alas, declined
-all too soon. Schlesinger, in fact, was exasperated at his
-incorrigible laziness. Halevy, who had looked through my piano
-score, contemplated several changes with a view to making it
-easier, but he did not proceed with them: Schlesinger could not
-get the proof-sheets back; the publication was consequently
-delayed, and he feared that the popularity of the opera would be
-over before the work was ready for the public. He urged me to get
-firm hold of Halevy very early in the morning in his rooms, and
-compel him to set to work at the alterations in my company.
-
-The first time I reached his house at about ten in the morning, I
-found him just out of bed, and he informed me that he really must
-have breakfast first. I accepted his invitation, and sat down
-with him to a somewhat luxurious meal; my conversation seemed to
-appeal to him, but friends came in, and at last Schlesinger among
-the number, who burst into a fury at not finding him at work on
-the proofs he regarded as so important. Halevy, however, remained
-quite unmoved. In the best of good tempers he merely complained
-of his latest success, because he had never had more peace than
-of late, when his operas, almost without exception, had been
-failures, and he had not had anything to do with them after the
-first production. Moreover, he feigned not to understand why this
-Reine de Chypre in particular should have been a success; he
-declared that Schlesinger had engineered it on purpose to worry
-him. When he spoke a few words to me in German, one of the
-visitors was astonished, whereupon Schlesinger said that all Jews
-could speak German. Thereupon Schlesinger was asked if he also
-was a Jew. He answered that he had been, but had become a
-Christian for his wife's sake. This freedom of speech was a
-pleasant surprise to me, because in Germany in such cases we
-always studiously avoided the point, as discourteous to the
-person referred to. But as we never got to the proof correcting,
-Schlesinger made me promise to give Halevy no peace until we had
-done them.
-
-The secret of his indifference to success became clear to me in
-the course of further conversation, as I learned that he was on
-the point of making a wealthy marriage. At first I was inclined
-to think that Halevy was simply a man whose youthful talent was
-only stimulated to achieve one great success with the object of
-becoming rich; in his case, however, this was not the only
-reason, as he was very modest in regard to his own capacity, and
-had no great opinion of the works of those more fortunate
-composers who were writing for the French stage at that time. In
-him I thus, for the first time, met with the frankly expressed
-admission of disbelief in the value of all our modern creations
-in this dubious field of art. I have since come to the conclusion
-that this incredulity, often expressed with much less modesty,
-justifies the participation of all Jews in our artistic concerns.
-Only once did Halevy speak to me with real candour, when, on my
-tardy departure for Germany, he wished me the success he thought
-my works deserved.
-
-In the year 1860 I saw him again. I had learned that, while the
-Parisian critics were giving vent to the bitterest condemnation
-of the concerts I was giving at that time, he had expressed his
-approval, and this determined me to visit him at the Palais de
-l'Institut, of which he had for some time been permanent
-secretary. He seemed particularly eager to learn from my own lips
-what my new theory about music really was, of which he had heard
-such wild rumours. For his own part, he said, he had never found
-anything but music in my music, but with this difference, that
-mine had generally seemed very good. This gave rise to a lively
-discussion on my part, to which he good-humouredly agreed, once
-more wishing me success in Paris. This time, however, he did so
-with less conviction than when he bade me good-bye for Germany,
-which I thought was because be doubted whether I could succeed in
-Paris. From this final visit I carried away a depressing sense of
-the enervation, both moral and aesthetic, which had overcome one
-of the last great French musicians, while, on the other hand, I
-could not help feeling that a tendency to a hypocritical or
-frankly impudent exploitation of the universal degeneracy marked
-all who could be designated as Halevy's successors.
-
-Throughout this period of constant hack-work my thoughts were
-entirely bent on my return to Germany, which now presented itself
-to my mind in a wholly new and ideal light. I endeavoured in
-various ways to secure all that seemed most attractive about the
-project, or which filled my soul with longing. My intercourse
-with Lehrs had, on the whole, given a decided spur to my former
-tendency to grapple seriously with my subjects, a tendency which
-had been counteracted by closer contact with the theatre. This
-desire now furnished a basis for closer study of philosophical
-questions. I had been astonished at times to hear even the grave
-and virtuous Lehrs, openly and quite as a matter of course, give
-expression to grave doubts concerning our individual survival
-after death. He declared that in many great men this doubt, even
-though only tacitly held, had been the real incitement to noble
-deeds. The natural result of such a belief speedily dawned on me
-without, however, causing me any serious alarm. On the contrary,
-I found a fascinating stimulus in the fact that boundless regions
-of meditation and knowledge were thereby opened up which hitherto
-I had merely skimmed in light-hearted levity.
-
-In my renewed attempts to study the Greek classics in the
-original, I received no encouragement from Lehrs. He dissuaded me
-from doing so with the well-meant consolation, that as I could
-only be born once, and that with music in me, I should learn to
-understand this branch of knowledge without the help of grammar
-or lexicon; whereas if Greek were to be studied with real
-enjoyment, it was no joke, and would not suffer being relegated
-to a secondary place.
-
-On the other hand, I felt strongly drawn to gain a closer
-acquaintance of German history than I had secured at school. I
-had Raumer's History of the Hohenstaufen within easy reach to
-start upon. All the great figures in this book lived vividly
-before my eyes. I was particularly captivated by the personality
-of that gifted Emperor Frederick II., whose fortunes aroused my
-sympathy so keenly that I vainly sought for a fitting artistic
-setting for them. The fate of his son Manfred, on the other hand,
-provoked in me an equally well-grounded, but more easily
-combated, feeling of opposition.
-
-I accordingly made a plan of a great five-act dramatic poem,
-which should also be perfectly adapted to a musical setting. My
-impulse to embellish the story with the central figure of
-romantic significance was prompted by the fact of Manfred's
-enthusiastic reception in Luceria by the Saracens, who supported
-him and carried him on from victory to victory till he reached
-his final triumph, and this, too, in spite of the fact that he
-had come to them betrayed on every hand, banned by the Church,
-and deserted by all his followers during his flight through
-Apulia and the Abruzzi.
-
-Even at this time it delighted me to find in the German mind the
-capacity of appreciating beyond the narrow bounds of nationality
-all purely human qualities, in however strange a garb they might
-be presented. For in this I recognised how nearly akin it is to
-the mind of Greece. In Frederick II. I saw this quality in full
-flower. A fair-haired German of ancient Swabian stock, heir to
-the Norman realm of Sicily and Naples, who gave the Italian
-language its first development, and laid a basis for the
-evolution of knowledge and art where hitherto ecclesiastical
-fanaticism and feudal brutality had alone contended for power, a
-monarch who gathered at his court the poets and sages of eastern
-lands, and surrounded himself with the living products of Arabian
-and Persian grace and spirit--this man I beheld betrayed by the
-Roman clergy to the infidel foe, yet ending his crusade, to their
-bitter disappointment, by a pact of peace with the Sultan, from
-whom he obtained a grant of privileges to Christians in Palestine
-such as the bloodiest victory could scarcely have secured.
-
-In this wonderful Emperor, who finally, under the ban of that
-same Church, struggled hopelessly and in vain against the savage
-bigotry of his age, I beheld the German ideal in its highest
-embodiment. My poem was concerned with the fate of his favourite
-son Manfred. On the death of an elder brother, Frederick's empire
-had entirely fallen to pieces, and the young Manfred was left,
-under papal suzerainty, in nominal possession of the throne of
-Apulia. We find him at Capua, in surroundings, and attended by a
-court, in which the spirit of his great father survives, in a
-state of almost effeminate degeneration. In despair of ever
-restoring the imperial power of the Hohenstaufen, he seeks to
-forget his sadness in romance and song. There now appears upon
-the scene a young Saracen lady, just arrived from the East, who,
-by appealing to the alliance between East and West concluded by
-Manfred's noble father, conjures the desponding son to maintain
-his imperial heritage. She acts the part of an inspired
-prophetess, and though the prince is quickly filled with love for
-her, she succeeds in keeping him at a respectful distance. By a
-skilfully contrived flight she snatches him, not only from the
-pursuit of rebellious Apulian nobles, but also from the papal ban
-which is threatening to depose him from his throne. Accompanied
-only by a few faithful followers, she guides him through mountain
-fastnesses, where one night the wearied son beholds the spirit of
-Frederick II. passing with feudal array through the Abruzzi, and
-beckoning him on to Luceria.
-
-To this district, situated in the Papal States, Frederick had, by
-a peaceful compact, transplanted the remnant of his Saracen
-retainers, who had previously been wreaking terrible havoc in the
-mountains of Sicily. To the great annoyance of the Pope, he had
-handed the town over to them in fee-simple, thus securing for
-himself a band of faithful allies in the heart of an ever-
-treacherous and hostile country.
-
-Fatima, as my heroine is called, has prepared, through the
-instrumentality of trusty friends, a reception for Manfred in
-this place. When the papal governor has been expelled by a
-revolution, he slips through the gateway into the town, is
-recognised by the whole population as the son of their beloved
-Emperor, and, amid wildest enthusiasm, is placed at their head,
-to lead them against the enemies of their departed benefactor. In
-the meantime, while Manfred is marching on from victory to
-victory in his reconquest of the whole kingdom of Apulia, the
-tragic centre of my action still continues to be the unvoiced
-longing of the lovelorn victor for the marvellous heroine.
-
-She is the child of the great Emperor's love for a noble Saracen
-maiden. Her mother, on her deathbed, had sent her to Manfred,
-foretelling that she would work wonders for his glory provided
-she never yielded to his passion. Whether Fatima was to know that
-she was his sister I left undecided in framing my plot. Meanwhile
-she is careful to show herself to him only at critical moments,
-and then always in such a way as to remain unapproachable. When
-at last she witnesses the completion of her task in his
-coronation at Naples, she determines, in obedience to her vow, to
-slip away secretly from the newly anointed king, that she may
-meditate in the solitude of her distant home upon the success of
-her enterprise.
-
-The Saracen Nurreddin, who had been a companion of her youth, and
-to whose help she had chiefly owed her success in rescuing
-Manfred, is to be the sole partner of her flight. To this man,
-who loves her with passionate ardour, she had been promised in
-her childhood. Before her secret departure she pays a last visit
-to the slumbering king. This rouses her lover's furious jealousy,
-as he construes her act into a proof of unfaithfulness on the
-part of his betrothed. The last look of farewell which Fatima
-casts from a distance at the young monarch, on his return from
-his coronation, inflames the jealous lover to wreak instant
-vengeance for the supposed outrage upon his honour. He strikes
-the prophetess to the earth, whereupon she thanks him with a
-smile for having delivered her from an unbearable existence. At
-the sight of her body Manfred realises that henceforth happiness
-has deserted him for ever.
-
-This theme I had adorned with many gorgeous scenes and
-complicated situations, so that when I had worked it out I could
-regard it as a fairly suitable, interesting, and effective whole,
-especially when compared with other well-known subjects of a
-similar nature. Yet I could never rouse myself to sufficient
-enthusiasm over it to give my serious attention to its
-elaboration, especially as another theme now laid its grip upon
-me. This was suggested to me by a pamphlet on the 'Venusberg,'
-which accidentally fell into my hands.
-
-If all that I regarded as essentially German had hitherto drawn
-me with ever-increasing force, and compelled me to its eager
-pursuit, I here found it suddenly presented to me in the simple
-outlines of a legend, based upon the old and well-known ballad of
-'Tannhauser.' True, its elements were already familiar to me from
-Tieck's version in his Phantasus. But his conception of the
-subject had flung me back into the fantastic regions created in
-my mind at an earlier period by Hoffmann, and I should certainly
-never have been tempted to extract the framework of a dramatic
-work from his elaborate story. The point in this popular pamphlet
-which had so much weight with me was that it brought
-'Tannhauser,' if only by a passing hint, into touch with 'The
-Minstrel's War on the Wartburg.' I had some knowledge of this
-also from Hoffmann's account in his Serapionsbrudern. But I felt
-that the writer had only grasped the old legend in a distorted
-form, and therefore endeavoured to gain a closer acquaintance
-with the true aspect of this attractive story. At this juncture
-Lehrs brought me the annual report of the proceedings of the
-Konigsberg German Society, in which the 'Wartburg contest' was
-criticised with a fair amount of detail by Lukas. Here I also
-found the original text. Although I could utilise but little of
-the real setting for my own purpose, yet the picture it gave me
-of Germany in the Middle Ages was so suggestive that I found I
-had not previously had the smallest conception of what it was
-like.
-
-As a sequel to the Wartburg poem, I also found in the same copy a
-critical study, 'Lohengrin,' which gave in full detail the main
-contents of that widespread epic.
-
-Thus a whole new world was opened to me, and though as yet I had
-not found the form in which I might cope with Lohengrin, yet this
-image also lived imperishably within me. When, therefore, I
-afterwards made a close acquaintance with the intricacies of this
-legend, I could visualise the figure of the hero with a
-distinctness equal to that of my conception of Tannhauser at this
-time.
-
-Under these influences my longing for a speedy return to Germany
-grew ever more intense, for there I hoped to earn a new home for
-myself where I could enjoy leisure for creative work. But it was
-not yet possible even to think of occupying myself with such
-grateful tasks. The sordid necessities of life still bound me to
-Paris. While thus employed, I found an opportunity of exerting
-myself in a way more congenial to my desires. When I was a young
-man at Prague, I had made the acquaintance of a Jewish musician
-and composer called Dessauer--a man who was not devoid of talent,
-who in fact achieved a certain reputation, but was chiefly known
-among his intimates on account of his hypochondria. This man, who
-was now in flourishing circumstances, was so far patronised by
-Schlesinger that the latter seriously proposed to help him to a
-commission for Grand Opera. Dessauer had come across my poem of
-the Fliegender Hollander, and now insisted that I should draft a
-similar plot for him, as M. Leon Pillet's Vaisseau Fantome had
-already been given to M. Dietsch, the letter's musical conductor,
-to set to music. From this same conductor Dessauer obtained the
-promise of a like commission, and he now offered me two hundred
-francs to provide him with a similar plot, and one congenial to
-his hypochondriacal temperament.
-
-To meet this wish I ransacked my brain for recollections of
-Hoffmann, and quickly decided to work up his Bergwerke von Falun.
-The moulding of this fascinating and marvellous material
-succeeded as admirably as I could wish. Dessauer also felt
-convinced that the topic was worth his while to set to music. His
-dismay was accordingly all the greater when Pillet rejected our
-plot on the ground that the staging would be too difficult, and
-that the second act especially would entail insurmountable
-obstacles for the ballet, which had to be given each time. In
-place of this Dessauer wished me to compose him an oratorio on
-'Mary Magdalene.' As on the day that he expressed this wish he
-appeared to be suffering from acute melancholia, so much so that
-he declared he had that morning seen his own head lying beside
-his bed, I thought well not to refuse his request. I asked him,
-therefore, to give me time, and I regret to say that ever since
-that day I have continued to take it..
-
-It was amid such distractions as these that this winter at length
-drew to an end, while my prospects of getting to Germany
-gradually grew more hopeful, though with a slowness that sorely
-tried my patience. I had kept up a continuous correspondence with
-Dresden respecting Rienzi, and in the worthy chorus-master
-Fischer I at last found an honest man who was favourably disposed
-to me. He sent me reliable and reassuring reports as to the
-state of my affairs.
-
-After receiving news, early in January, 1842, of renewed delay, I
-at last heard that by the end of February the work would be ready
-for performance. I was seriously uneasy at this, as I was afraid
-of not being able to accomplish the journey by that date. But
-this news also was soon contradicted, and the honest Fischer
-informed me that my opera had had to be postponed till the autumn
-of that year. I realised fully that it would never be performed
-if I could not be present in person at Dresden. When eventually
-in March Count Redern, the director of the Theatre Royal in
-Berlin, told me that my Fliegender Hollander had been accepted
-for the opera there, I thought I had sufficient reason to return
-to Germany at all costs as soon as possible.
-
-I had already had various experiences as to the views of German
-managers on this work. Relying on the plot, which had pleased the
-manager of the Paris Opera so much, I had sent the libretto in
-the first instance to my old acquaintance Ringelhardt, the
-director of the Leipzig theatre. But the man had cherished an
-undisguised aversion for me since my Liebesverbot. As he could
-not this time possibly object to any levity in my subject, he now
-found fault with its gloomy solemnity and refused to accept it.
-As I had met Councillor Kustner, at that time manager of the
-Munich Court Theatre, when he was making arrangements about La
-Reine de Chypre in Paris, I now sent him the text of the Dutchman
-with a similar request. He, too, returned it, with the assurance
-that it was not suited to German stage conditions, or to the
-taste of the German public. As he had ordered a French libretto
-for Munich, I knew what he meant. When the score was finished, I
-sent it to Meyerbeer in Berlin, with a letter for Count Redern,
-and begged him, as he had been unable to help me to anything in
-Paris, in spite of his desire to do so, to be kind enough to use
-his influence in Berlin in favour of my composition. I was
-genuinely astonished at the truly prompt acceptance of my work
-two months later, which was accompanied by very gratifying
-assurances from the Count, and I was delighted to see in it a
-proof of Meyerbeer's sincere and energetic intervention in my
-favour. Strange to say, on my return to Germany soon afterwards,
-I was destined to learn that Count Redern had long since retired
-from the management of the Berlin Opera House, and that Kustner
-of Munich had already been appointed his successor; the upshot of
-this was that Count Redern's consent, though very courteous,
-could not by any means be taken seriously, as the realisation of
-it depended not on him but on his successor. What the result was
-remains to be seen.
-
-A circumstance that eventually facilitated my long-desired return
-to Germany, which was now justified by my good prospects, was the
-tardily awakened interest taken in my position by the wealthy
-members of my family. If Didot had had reasons of his own for
-applying to the Minister Villemain for support for Lehrs, so also
-Avenarius, my brother-in-law in Paris, when he heard how I was
-struggling against poverty, one day took it into his head to
-surprise me with some quite unexpected help secured by his appeal
-to my sister Louisa. On 26th December of the fast-waning year
-1841 I went home to Minna carrying a goose under my arm, and in
-the beak of the bird we found a five-hundred-franc note. This
-note had been given me by Avenarius as the result of a request on
-my behalf made by my sister Louisa to a friend of hers, a wealthy
-merchant named Schletter. This welcome addition to our extremely
-straitened resources might not in itself have been sufficient to
-put me in an exceedingly good-humour, had I not clearly seen in
-it the prospect of escaping altogether from my position in Paris.
-As the leading German managers had now consented to the
-performance of two of my compositions, I thought I might
-seriously reproach my brother-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus, who
-had repulsed me the year before when I applied to him in great
-distress, on the ground that he 'disapproved of my profession.'
-This time I might be more successful in securing the wherewithal
-for my return. I was not mistaken, and when the time came I was
-supplied from this source with the necessary travelling expenses.
-
-With these prospects, and my position thus improved, I found
-myself spending the second half of the winter 1841-42 in high
-spirits, and affording constant entertainment to the small circle
-of friends which my relationship to Avenarius had created around
-me. Minna and I frequently spent our evenings with this family
-and others, amongst whom I have pleasant recollections of a
-certain Herr Kuhne, the head of a private school, and his wife. I
-contributed so greatly to the success of their little soirees,
-and was always so willing to improvise dances on the piano for
-them to dance to, that I soon ran the risk of enjoying an almost
-burdensome popularity.
-
-At length the hour struck for my deliverance; the day came on
-which, as I devoutly hoped, I might turn my back on Paris for
-ever. It was the 7th of April, and Paris was already gay with the
-first luxuriant buddings of spring. In front of our windows,
-which all the winter had looked upon a bleak and desolate garden,
-the trees were burgeoning, and the birds sang. Our emotion at
-parting from our dear friends Anders, Lehrs, and Kietz, however,
-was great, almost overwhelming. The first seemed already doomed
-to an early death, for his health was exceedingly bad, and he was
-advanced in years. About Lehrs' condition, as I have already
-said, there could no longer be any doubt, and it was dreadful,
-after so short an experience as the two and a half years which I
-had spent in Paris, to see the ravages that want had wrought
-among good, noble, and sometimes even distinguished men. Kietz,
-for whose future I was concerned, less on grounds of health than
-of morals, touched our hearts once more by his boundless and
-almost childlike good-nature. Fancying, for instance, that I
-might not have enough money for the journey, he forced me, in
-spite of all resistance, to accept another five-franc piece,
-which was about all that remained of his own fortune at the
-moment: he also stuffed a packet of good French snuff for me into
-the pocket of the coach, in which we at last rumbled through the
-boulevards to the barriers, which we passed but were unable to
-see this time, because our eyes were blinded with tears.
-
-
-
-PART II
-
-
-1842-1850
-
-
-
-The journey from Paris to Dresden at that time took five days and
-nights. On the German frontier, near Forbach, we met with stormy
-weather and snow, a greeting which seemed inhospitable after the
-spring we had already enjoyed in Paris. And, indeed, as we
-continued our journey through our native land once more, we found
-much to dishearten us, and I could not help thinking that the
-Frenchmen who on leaving Germany breathed more freely on reaching
-French soil, and unbuttoned their coats, as though passing from
-winter into summer, were not so very foolish after all, seeing
-that we, for our part, were now compelled to seek protection
-against this conspicuous change of temperature by being very
-careful to put on sufficient clothing. The unkindness of the
-elements became perfect torture when, later on, between Frankfort
-and Leipzig, we were swept into the stream of visitors to the
-Great Easter Fair.
-
-The pressure on the mail-coaches was so great, that for two days
-and a night, amid ceaseless storm, snow and rain, we were
-continually changing from one wretched 'substitute' to another,
-thus turning our journey into an adventure of almost the same
-type as our former voyage at sea.
-
-One solitary flash of brightness was afforded by our view of the
-Wartburg, which we passed during the only sunlit hour of this
-journey. The sight of this mountain fastness, which, from the
-Fulda side, is clearly visible for a long time, affected me
-deeply. A neighbouring ridge further on I at once christened the
-Horselberg, and as we drove through the valley, pictured to
-myself the scenery for the third act of my Tannhauser. This scene
-remained so vividly in my mind, that long afterwards I was able
-to give Desplechin, the Parisian scene-painter, exact details
-when he was working out the scenery under my direction. If I had
-already been impressed by the significance of the fact that my
-first journey through the German Rhine district, so famous in
-legend, should have been made on my way home from Paris, it
-seemed an even more ominous coincidence that my first sight of
-Wartburg, which was so rich in historical and mythical
-associations, should come just at this moment. The view so warmed
-my heart against wind and weather, Jews and the Leipzig Fair,
-that in the end I arrived, on 12th April, 1842, safe and sound,
-with my poor, battered, half-frozen wife, in that selfsame city
-of Dresden which I had last seen on the occasion of my sad
-separation from my Minna, and my departure for my northern place
-of exile.
-
-We put up at the 'Stadt Gotha' inn. The city, in which such
-momentous years of my childhood and boyhood had been spent,
-seemed cold and dead beneath the influences of the wild, gloomy
-weather. Indeed, everything there that could remind me of my
-youth seemed dead. No hospitable house received us. We found my
-wife's parents living in cramped and dingy lodgings in very
-straitened circumstances, and were obliged at once to look about
-for a small abode for ourselves. This we found in the Topfergasse
-for twenty-one marks a month. After paying the necessary business
-visits in connection with Rienzi, and making arrangements for
-Minna during my brief absence, I set out on 15th April direct for
-Leipzig, where I saw my mother and family for the first time in
-six years.
-
-During this period, which had been so eventful for my own life,
-my mother had undergone a great change in her domestic position
-through the death of Rosalie. She was living in a pleasant roomy
-flat near the Brockhaus family, where she was free from all those
-household cares to which, owing to her large family, she had
-devoted so many years of anxious thought. Her bustling energy,
-which had almost amounted to hardness, had entirely given place
-to a natural cheerfulness and interest in the family prosperity
-of her married daughters. For the blissful calm of this happy old
-age she was mainly indebted to the affectionate care of her son-
-in-law, Friedrich Brockhaus, to whom I expressed my heartfelt
-thanks for his goodness. She was exceedingly astonished and
-pleased to see me unexpectedly enter her room. Any bitterness
-that ever existed between us had utterly vanished, and her only
-complaint was that she could not put me up in her house, instead
-of my brother Julius, the unfortunate goldsmith, who had none of
-the qualities that could make him a suitable companion for her.
-She was full of hope for the success of my undertaking, and felt
-this confidence strengthened by the favourable prophecy which our
-dear Rosalie had made about me shortly before her sad death.
-
-For the present, however, I only stayed a few days in Leipzig, as
-I had first to visit Berlin in order to make definite
-arrangements with Count Redern for the performance of the
-Fliegender Hollander. As I have already observed, I was here at
-once destined to learn that the Count was on the point of
-retiring from the directorship, and he accordingly referred me
-for all further decisions to the new director, Kustner, who had
-not yet arrived in Berlin. I now suddenly realised what this
-strange circumstance meant, and knew that, so far as the Berlin
-negotiations went, I might as well have remained in Paris. This
-impression was in the main confirmed by a visit to Meyerbeer,
-who, I found, regarded my coming to Berlin as over hasty.
-Nevertheless, he behaved in a kind and friendly manner, only
-regretting that he was just on the point of 'going away,' a state
-in which I always found him whenever I visited him again in
-Berlin.
-
-Mendelssohn was also in the capital about this time, having been
-appointed one of the General Musical Directors to the King of
-Prussia. I also sought him out, having been previously introduced
-to him in Leipzig. He informed me that he did not believe his
-work would prosper in Berlin, and that he would rather go back to
-Leipzig. I made no inquiry about the fate of the score of my
-great symphony performed at Leipzig in earlier days, which I had
-more or less forced upon him so many years ago. On the other
-hand, he did not betray to me any signs of remembering that
-strange offering. In the midst of the lavish comforts of his home
-he struck me as cold, yet it was not so much that he repelled me
-as that I recoiled from him. I also paid a visit to Rellstab, to
-whom I had a letter of introduction from his trusty publisher, my
-brother-in-law Brockhaus. Here it was not so much smug ease that
-I encountered; I doubtless felt repulsed more by the fact that he
-showed no inclination whatever to interest himself in my affairs.
-
-I grew very low spirited in Berlin. I could almost have wished
-Commissioner Cerf back again. Miserable as had been the time I
-had spent here years before, I had then, at any rate, met one
-man, who, for all the bluntness of his exterior, had treated me
-with true friendliness and consideration. In vain did I try to
-call to mind the Berlin through whose streets I had walked, with
-all the ardour of youth, by the side of Laube. After my
-acquaintance with London, and still more with Paris, this city,
-with its sordid spaces and pretensions to greatness, depressed me
-deeply, and I breathed a hope that, should no luck crown my life,
-it might at least be spent in Paris rather than in Berlin.
-
-On my return from this wholly fruitless expedition, I first went
-to Leipzig for a few days, where, on this occasion, I stayed with
-my brother-in-law, Hermann Brockhaus, who was now Professor of
-Oriental Languages at the University. His family had been
-increased by the birth of two daughters, and the atmosphere of
-unruffled content, illuminated by mental activity and a quiet but
-vivid interest in all things relating to the higher aspects of
-life, greatly moved my homeless and vagabond soul. One evening,
-after my sister had seen to her children, whom she had brought up
-very well, and had sent them with gentle words to bed, we
-gathered in the large richly stocked library for our evening meal
-and a long confidential chat. Here I broke out into a violent fit
-of weeping, and it seemed as though the tender sister, who five
-years before had known me during the bitterest straits of my
-early married life in Dresden, now really understood me. At the
-express suggestion of my brother-in-law Hermann, my family
-tendered me a loan, to help me to tide over the time of waiting
-for the performance of my Rienzi in Dresden. This, they said,
-they regarded merely as a duty, and assured me that I need have
-no hesitation whatever in accepting it. It consisted of a sum of
-six hundred marks, which was to be paid me in monthly instalments
-for six months. As I had no prospect of being able to reply on
-any other source of income, there was every chance of Minna's
-talent for management being put severely to the test, if this
-were to carry us through; it could be done, however, and I was
-able to return to Dresden with a great sense of relief.
-
-While I was staying with my relatives I played and sang them the
-Fliegender Hollander for the first time connectedly, and seemed
-to arouse considerable interest by my performance, for when,
-later on, my sister Louisa heard the opera in Dresden, she
-complained that much of the effect previously produced by my
-rendering did not come back to her. I also sought out my old
-friend Apel again. The poor man had gone stone blind, but he
-astonished me by his cheeriness and contentment, and thereby once
-and for all deprived me of any reason for pitying him. As he
-declared that he knew the blue coat I was wearing very well,
-though it was really a brown one, I thought it best not to argue
-the point, and I left Leipzig in a state of wonder at finding
-every one there so happy and contented.
-
-When I reached Dresden, on 26th April, I found occasion to
-grapple more vigorously with my lot. Here I was enlivened by
-closer intercourse with the people on whom I had to rely for a
-successful production of Rienzi. It is true that the results of
-my interviews with Luttichau, the general manager, and Reissiger,
-the musical conductor, left me cold and incredulous. Both were
-sincerely astonished at my arrival in Dresden; and the same might
-even be said of my frequent correspondent and patron, Hofrath
-Winkler, who also would have preferred my remaining in Paris.
-But, as has been my constant experience both before and since,
-help and encouragement have always come to me from humbler and
-never from the more exalted ranks of life.
-
-So in this case, too, I met my first agreeable sensation in the
-overwhelmingly cordial reception I received from the old chorus-
-master, Wilhelm Fischer. I had had no previous acquaintance with
-him, yet he was the only person who had taken the trouble to read
-my score carefully, and had not only conceived serious hopes for
-the success of my opera, but had worked energetically to secure
-its being accepted and practised. The moment I entered his room
-and told him my name, he rushed to embrace me with a loud cry,
-and in a second I was translated to an atmosphere of hope.
-Besides this man, I met in the actor Ferdinand Heine and his
-family another sure foundation for hearty and, indeed, deep-
-rooted friendship. It is true that I had known him from
-childhood, for at that time he was one of the few young people
-whom my stepfather Geyer liked to see about him. In addition to a
-fairly decided talent for drawing, it was chiefly his pleasant
-social gifts that had won him an entrance into our more intimate
-family circle. As he was very small and slight, my stepfather
-nicknamed him DavidCHEN, and under this appellation he used to
-take part with great affability and good-humour in our little
-festivities, and above all in our friendly excursions into the
-neighbouring country, in which, as I mentioned in its place, even
-Carl Maria von Weber used to join. Belonging to the good old
-school, he had become a useful, if not prominent, member of the
-Dresden stage. He possessed all the knowledge and qualities for a
-good stage manager, but never succeeded in inducing the committee
-to give him that appointment. It was only as a designer of
-costumes that he found further scope for his talents, and in this
-capacity he was included in the consultations over the staging of
-Rienzi.
-
-Thus it came about that he had the opportunity of busying himself
-with the work of a member, now grown to man's estate, of the very
-family with whom he had spent such pleasant days in his youth. He
-greeted me at once as a child of the house, and we two homeless
-creatures found in our memories of this long-lost home the first
-common basis to our friendship. We generally spent our evenings
-with old Fischer at Heine's, where, amid hopeful conversation, we
-regaled ourselves on potatoes and herrings, of which the meal
-chiefly consisted. Schroder-Devrient was away on a holiday;
-Tichatschek, who was also on the point of going away, I had just
-time to see, and with him I went quickly through a part of his
-role in Rienzi. His brisk and lively nature, his glorious voice
-and great musical talent, gave special weight to his encouraging
-assurance that he delighted in the role of Rienzi. Heine also
-told me that the mere prospect of having many new costumes, and
-especially new silver armour, had inspired Tichatschek with the
-liveliest desire to play this part, so that I might rely on him
-under any circumstances. Thus I could at once give closer
-attention to the preparations for practice, which was fixed to
-begin in the late summer, after the principal singers had
-returned from their holiday.
-
-I had to make special efforts to pacify my friend Fischer by my
-readiness to abbreviate the score, which was excessively lengthy.
-His intentions in the matter were so honest that I gladly sat
-down with him to the wearisome task. I played and sang my score
-to the astonished man on an old grand piano in the rehearsing-
-room of the Court Theatre, with such frantic vigour that,
-although he did not mind if the instrument came to grief, he grew
-concerned about my chest. Finally, amid hearty laughter, he
-ceased to argue about cutting down passages, as precisely where
-he thought something might be omitted I proved to him with
-headlong eloquence that it was precisely here that the main point
-lay. He plunged with me head over heels into the vast chaos of
-sound, against which he could raise no objection, beyond the
-testimony of his watch, whose correctness I also ended by
-disputing. As sops I light-heartedly flung him the big pantomime
-and most of the ballet in the second act, whereby I reckoned we
-might save a whole half-hour. Thus, thank goodness, the whole
-monster was at last handed over to the clerks to make a fair copy
-of, and the rest was left for time to accomplish.
-
-We next discussed what we should do in the summer, and I decided
-upon a stay of several months at Toplitz, the scene of my first
-youthful flights, whose fine air and baths, I hoped, would also
-benefit Minna's health. But before we could carry out this
-intention I had to pay several more visits to Leipzig to settle
-the fate of my Dutchman. On 5th May I proceeded thither to have
-an interview with Kustner, the new director of the Berlin Opera,
-who I had been told had just arrived there. He was now placed in
-the awkward position of being about to produce in Berlin the very
-opera which he had before declined in Munich, as it had been
-accepted by his predecessor in office. He promised me to consider
-what steps he would take in this predicament. In order to learn
-the result of Kustner's deliberations, I determined, on 2nd June,
-to seek him out, and this time in Berlin itself. But at Leipzig I
-found a letter in which he begged me to wait patiently a little
-longer for his final verdict. I took advantage of being in the
-neighbourhood of Halle to pay a visit to my eldest brother
-Albert. I was very much grieved and depressed to find the poor
-fellow, whom I must give the credit of having the greatest
-perseverance and a quite remarkable talent for dramatic song,
-living in the unworthy and mean circumstances which the Halle
-Theatre offered to him and his family. The realisation of
-conditions into which I myself had once nearly sunk now filled me
-with indescribable abhorrence. Still more harrowing was it to
-hear my brother speak of this state in tones which showed, alas,
-only too plainly, the hopeless submission with which he had
-already resigned himself to its horrors. The only consolation I
-could find was the personality and childlike nature of his step-
-daughter Johanna, who was then fifteen, and who sang me Spohr's
-Rose, wie bist du so schon with great expression and in a voice
-of an extraordinarily beautiful quality.
-
-Then I returned to Dresden, and at last, in wonderful weather,
-undertook the pleasant journey to Toplitz with Minna and one of
-her sisters, reaching that place on 9th June, where we took up
-our quarters at a second-class inn, the Eiche, at Schonau. Here
-we were soon joined by my mother, who paid her usual yearly visit
-to the warm baths all the more gladly this time because she knew
-she would find me there. If she had before had any prejudice
-against Minna because of my premature marriage to her, a closer
-acquaintance with her domestic gifts soon changed it into
-respect, and she quickly learned to love the partner of my
-doleful days in Paris. Although my mother's vagaries demanded no
-small consideration, yet what particularly delighted me about her
-was the astonishing vivacity of her almost childlike imagination,
-a faculty she retained to such a degree that one morning she
-complained that my relation of the Tannhauser legend on the
-previous evening had given her a whole night of pleasant but most
-tiring sleeplessness.
-
-By dint of appealing letters to Schletter, a wealthy patron of
-art in Leipzig, I managed to do something for Kietz, who, had
-remained behind in misery in Paris, and also to provide Minna
-with medical treatment. I also succeeded to a certain extent in
-ameliorating my own woeful financial position. Scarcely were
-these tasks accomplished, when I started off in my old boyish way
-on a ramble of several days on foot through the Bohemian
-mountains, in order that I might mentally work out my plan of the
-'Venusberg' amid the pleasant associations of such a trip. Here I
-took the fancy of engaging quarters in Aussig on the romantic
-Schreckenstein, where for several days I occupied the little
-public room, in which straw was laid down for me to sleep on at
-night. I found recreation in daily ascents of the Wostrai, the
-highest peak in the neighbourhood, and so keenly did the
-fantastic solitude quicken my youthful spirit, that I clambered
-about the ruins of the Schreckenstein the whole of one moonlit
-night, wrapped only in a blanket, in order myself to provide the
-ghost that was lacking, and delighted myself with the hope of
-scaring some passing wayfarer.
-
-Here I drew up in my pocket-book the detailed plan of a three-act
-opera on the 'Venusberg,' and subsequently carried out the
-composition of this work in strict accordance with the sketch I
-then made.
-
-One day, when climbing the Wostrai, I was astonished, on turning
-the corner of a valley, to hear a merry dance tune whistled by a
-goatherd perched up on a crag. I seemed immediately to stand
-among the chorus of pilgrims filing past the goatherd in the
-valley; but I could not afterwards recall the goatherd's tune, so
-I was obliged to help myself out of the matter in the usual way.
-
-Enriched by these spoils, I returned to Toplitz in a wonderfully
-cheerful frame of mind and robust health, but on receiving the
-interesting news that Tichatschek and Schroder-Devrient were on
-the point of returning, I was impelled to set off once more for
-Dresden. I took this step, not so much to avoid missing any of
-the early rehearsals of Rienzi, as because I wanted to prevent
-the management replacing it by something else. I left Minna for a
-time with my mother, and reached Dresden on 18th July.
-
-I hired a small lodging in a queer house, since pulled down,
-facing the Maximilian Avenue, and entered into a fairly lively
-intercourse with our operatic stars who had just returned. My old
-enthusiasm for Schroder-Devrient revived when I saw her again
-more frequently in opera. Strange was the effect produced upon me
-when I heard her for the first time in Gretry's Blaubart, for I
-could not help remembering that this was the first opera I had
-ever seen. I had been taken to it as a boy of five (also in
-Dresden), and I still retained my wondrous first impressions of
-it. All my earliest childish memories were revived, and I
-recollected how frequently and with what emphasis I had myself
-sung Bluebeard's song: Ha, die Falsche! Die Thure offen! to the
-amusement of the whole house, with a paper helmet of my own
-making on my head. My friend Heine still remembered it well.
-
-In other respects the operatic performances were not such as to
-impress me very favourably: I particularly missed the rolling
-sound of the fully equipped Parisian orchestra of string
-instruments. I also noticed that, when opening the fine new
-theatre, they had quite forgotten to increase the number of these
-instruments in proportion to the enlarged space. In this, as well
-as in the general equipment of the stage, which was materially
-deficient in many respects, I was impressed by the sense of a
-certain meanness about theatrical enterprise in Germany, which
-became most noticeable when reproductions were given, often with
-wretched translations of the text, of the Paris opera repertoire.
-If even in Paris my dissatisfaction with this treatment of opera
-had been great, the feeling which once drove me thither from the
-German theatres now returned with redoubled energy. I actually
-felt degraded again, and nourished within my breast a contempt so
-deep that for a time I could hardly endure the thought of signing
-a lasting contract, even with one of the most up-to-date of
-German opera houses, but sadly wondered what steps I could take
-to hold my ground between disgust and desire in this strange
-world.
-
-Nothing but the sympathy inspired by communion with persons
-endowed with exceptional gifts enabled me to triumph over my
-scruples. This statement applies above all to my great ideal,
-Schroder-Devrient, in whose artistic triumphs it had once been my
-most burning desire to be associated. It is true that many years
-had elapsed since my first youthful impressions of her were
-formed. As regards her looks, the verdict which, in the following
-winter, was sent to Paris by Berlioz during his stay in Dresden,
-was so far correct that her somewhat 'maternal' stoutness was
-unsuited to youthful parts, especially in male attire, which, as
-in Rienzi, made too great a demand upon the imagination. Her
-voice, which in point of quality had never been an exceptionally
-good medium for song, often landed her in difficulties, and in
-particular she was forced, when singing, to drag the time a
-little all through. But her achievements were less hampered now
-by these material hindrances than by the fact that her repertoire
-consisted of a limited number of leading parts, which she had
-sung so frequently that a certain monotony in the conscious
-calculation of effect often developed into a mannerism which,
-from her tendency to exaggeration, was at times almost painful.
-
-Although these defects could not escape me, yet I, more than any
-one, was especially qualified to overlook such minor weaknesses,
-and realise with enthusiasm the incomparable greatness of her
-performances. Indeed, it only needed the stimulus of excitement,
-which this actress's exceptionally eventful life still procured,
-fully to restore the creative power of her prime, a fact of which
-I was subsequently to receive striking demonstrations. But I was
-seriously troubled and depressed at seeing how strong was the
-disintegrating effect of theatrical life upon the character of
-this singer, who had originally been endowed with such great and
-noble qualities. From the very mouth through which the great
-actress's inspired musical utterances reached me, I was compelled
-to hear at other times very similar language to that in which,
-with but few exceptions, nearly all heroines of the stage
-indulge. The possession of a naturally fine voice, or even mere
-physical advantages, which might place her rivals on the same
-footing as herself in public favour, was more than she could
-endure; and so far was she from acquiring the dignified
-resignation worthy of a great artist, that her jealousy increased
-to a painful extent as years went on. I noticed this all the more
-because I had reason to suffer from it. A fact which caused me
-even greater trouble, however, was that she did not grasp music
-easily, and the study of a new part involved difficulties which
-meant many a painful hour for the composer who had to make her
-master his work. Her difficulty in learning new parts, and
-particularly that of Adriano in Rienzi, entailed disappointments
-for her which caused me a good deal of trouble.
-
-If, in her case, I had to handle a great and sensitive nature
-very tenderly, I had, on the other hand, a very easy task with
-Tichatschek, with his childish limitations and superficial, but
-exceptionally brilliant, talents. He did not trouble to learn his
-parts by heart, as he was so musical that he could sing the most
-difficult music at sight, and thought all further study needless,
-whereas with most other singers the work consisted in mastering
-the score. Hence, if he sang through a part at rehearsals often
-enough to impress it on his memory, the rest, that is to say,
-everything pertaining to vocal art and dramatic delivery, would
-follow naturally. In this way he picked up any clerical errors
-there might be in the libretto, and that with such incorrigible
-pertinacity, that he uttered the wrong words with just the same
-expression as if they were correct. He waved aside good-
-humouredly any expostulations or hints as to the sense with the
-remark, 'Ah! that will be all right soon.' And, in fact, I very
-soon resigned myself and quite gave up trying to get the singer
-to use his intelligence in the interpretation of the part of the
-hero, for which I was very agreeably compensated by the light-
-hearted enthusiasm with which he flung himself into his congenial
-role, and the irresistible effect of his brilliant voice.
-
-With the exception of these two actors who played the leading
-parts, I had only very moderate material at my disposal. But
-there was plenty of goodwill, and I had recourse to an ingenious
-device to induce Reissiger the conductor to hold frequent piano
-rehearsals. He had complained to me of the difficulty he had
-always found in securing a well-written libretto, and thought it
-was very sensible of me to have acquired the habit of writing my
-own. In his youth he had unfortunately neglected to do this for
-himself, and yet this was all he lacked to make a successful
-dramatic composer. I feel bound to confess that he possessed 'a
-good deal of melody'; but this, he added, did not seem sufficient
-to inspire the singers with the requisite enthusiasm. His
-experience was that Schroder-Devrient, in his Adele de Foix,
-would render very indifferently the same final passage with
-which, in Bellini's Romeo and Juliet, she would put the audience
-into an ecstasy. The reason for this, he presumed, must lie in
-the subject-matter. I at once promised him that I would supply
-him with a libretto in which he would be able to introduce these
-and similar melodies to the greatest advantage. To this he gladly
-agreed, and I therefore set aside for versification, as a
-suitable text for Reissiger, my Hohe Braut, founded on Konig's
-romance, which I had once before submitted to Scribe. I promised
-to bring Reissiger a page of verse for every piano rehearsal, and
-this I faithfully did until the whole book was done. I was much
-surprised to learn some time later that Reissiger had had a new
-libretto written for him by an actor named Kriethe. This was
-called the Wreck of the Medusa. I then learned that the wife of
-the conductor, who was a suspicious woman, had been filled with
-the greatest concern at my readiness to give up a libretto to her
-husband. They both thought the book was good and full of striking
-effects, but they suspected some sort of trap in the background,
-to escape from which they must certainly exercise the greatest
-caution. The result was that I regained possession of my libretto
-and was able, later on, to help my old friend Kittl with it in
-Prague; he set it to music of his own, and entitled it Die
-Franzosen vor Nizza. I heard that it was frequently performed in
-Prague with great success, though I never saw it myself; and I
-was also told at the same time by a local critic that this text
-was a proof of my real aptitude as a librettist, and that it was
-a mistake for me to devote myself to composition. As regards my
-Tannhauser, on the other hand, Laube used to declare it was a
-misfortune that I had not got an experienced dramatist to supply
-me with a decent text for my music.
-
-For the time being, however, this work of versification had the
-desired result, and Reissiger kept steadily to the study of
-Rienzi. But what encouraged him even more than my verses was the
-growing interest of the singers, and above all the genuine
-enthusiasm of Tichatschek. This man, who had been so ready to
-leave the delights of the theatre piano for a shooting party, now
-looked upon the rehearsals of Rienzi as a genuine treat. He
-always attended them with radiant eyes and boisterous good-
-humour. I soon felt myself in a state of constant exhilaration:
-favourite passages were greeted with acclamation by the singers
-at every rehearsal, and a concerted number of the third finale,
-which unfortunately had afterwards to be omitted owing to its
-length, actually became on that occasion a source of profit to
-me. For Tichatschek maintained that this B minor was so lovely
-that something ought to be paid for it every time, and he put
-down a silver penny, inviting the others to do the same, to which
-they all responded merrily. From that day forward, whenever we
-came to this passage at rehearsals, the cry was raised, 'Here
-comes the silver penny part,' and Schroder-Devrient, as she took
-out her purse, remarked that these rehearsals would ruin her.
-This gratuity was conscientiously handed to me each time, and no
-one suspected that these contributions, which were given as a
-joke, were often a very welcome help towards defraying the cost
-of our daily food. For Minna had returned from Toplitz, at the
-beginning of August, accompanied by my mother.
-
-We lived very frugally in chilly lodgings, hopefully awaiting the
-tardy day of our deliverance. The months of August and September
-passed, in preparation for my work, amid frequent disturbances
-caused by the fluctuating and scanty repertoire of a German opera
-house, and not until October did the combined rehearsals assume
-such a character as to promise the certainty of a speedy
-production. From the very beginning of the general rehearsals
-with the orchestra we all shared the conviction that the opera
-would, without doubt, be a great success. Finally, the full dress
-rehearsals produced a perfectly intoxicating effect. When we
-tried the first scene of the second act with the scenery
-complete, and the messengers of peace entered, there was a
-general outburst of emotion, and even Schroder-Devrient, who was
-bitterly prejudiced against her part, as it was not the role of
-the heroine, could only answer my questions in a voice stifled
-with tears. I believe the whole theatrical body, down to its
-humblest officials, loved me as though I were a real prodigy, and
-I am probably not far wrong in saying that much of this arose
-from sympathy and lively fellow-feeling for a young man, whose
-exceptional difficulties were not unknown to them, and who now
-suddenly stepped out of perfect obscurity into splendour. During
-the interval at the full dress rehearsal, while other members had
-dispersed to revive their jaded nerves with lunch, I remained
-seated on a pile of boards on the stage, in order that no one
-might realise that I was in the quandary of being unable to
-obtain similar refreshment. An invalid Italian singer, who was
-taking a small part in the opera, seemed to notice this, and
-kindly brought me a glass of wine and a piece of bread. I was
-sorry that I was obliged to deprive him of even his small part in
-the course of the year, for its loss provoked such ill-treatment
-from his wife, that by conjugal tyranny he was driven into the
-ranks of my enemies. When, after my flight from Dresden in 1849,
-I learned that I had been denounced to the police by this same
-singer for supposed complicity in the rising which took place in
-that town, I bethought me of this breakfast during the Rienzi
-rehearsal, and felt I was being punished for my ingratitude, for
-I knew I was guilty of having brought him into trouble with his
-wife.
-
-The frame of mind in which I looked forward to the first
-performance of my work was a unique experience which I have never
-felt either before or since. My kind sister Clara fully shared my
-feelings. She had been living a wretched middle-class life at
-Chemnitz, which, just about this time, she had left to come and
-share my fate in Dresden. The poor woman, whose undoubted
-artistic gifts had faded so early, was laboriously dragging out a
-commonplace bourgeois existence as a wife and mother; but now,
-under the influence of my growing success, she began joyously to
-breathe a new life. She and I and the worthy chorus-master
-Fischer used to spend our evenings with the Heine family, still
-over potatoes and herrings, and often in a wonderfully elated
-frame of mind. The evening before our first performance I was
-able to crown our happiness by myself ladling out a bowl of
-punch. With mingled tears and laughter we skipped about like
-happy children, and then in sleep prepared ourselves for the
-triumphant day to which we looked forward with such confidence..
-
-Although on the morning of 20th October, 1842 I had resolved not
-to disturb any of my singers by a visit, yet I happened to come
-across one of them, a stiff Philistine called Risse, who was
-playing a minor bass part in a dull but respectable way. The day
-was rather cool, but wonderfully bright and sunshiny, after the
-gloomy weather we had just been having. Without a word this
-curious creature saluted me and then remained standing, as though
-bewitched. He simply gazed into my face with wonder and rapture,
-in order to find out, so he at last managed to tell me in strange
-confusion, how a man looked who that very day was to face such an
-exceptional fate. I smiled and reflected that it was indeed a day
-of crisis, and promised him that I would soon drink a glass with
-him, at the Stadt Hamburg inn, of the excellent wine he had
-recommended to me with so much agitation.
-
-No subsequent experience of mine can be compared with the
-sensations which marked the day of the first production of
-Rienzi. At all the first performances of my works in later days,
-I have been so absorbed by an only too well-founded anxiety as to
-their success, that I could neither enjoy the opera nor form any
-real estimate of its reception by the public. As for my
-subsequent experiences at the general rehearsal of Tristan und
-Isolde, this took place under such exceptional circumstances, and
-its effect upon me differed so fundamentally from that produced
-by the first performance of Rienzi, that no comparison can
-possibly be drawn between the two.
-
-The immediate success of Rienzi was no doubt assured beforehand.
-But the emphatic way in which the audience declared their
-appreciation was thus far exceptional, that in cities like
-Dresden the spectators are never in a position to decide
-conclusively upon a work of importance on the first night, and
-consequently assume an attitude of chilling restraint towards the
-works of unknown authors. But this was, in the nature of things,
-an exceptional case, for the numerous staff of the theatre and
-the body of musicians had inundated the city beforehand with such
-glowing reports of my opera, that the whole population awaited
-the promised miracle in feverish expectation. I sat with Minna,
-my sister Clara, and the Heine family in a pit-box, and when I
-try to recall my condition during that evening, I can only
-picture it with all the paraphernalia of a dream. Of real
-pleasure or agitation I felt none at all: I seemed to stand quite
-aloof from my work; whereas the sight of the thickly crowded
-auditorium agitated me so much, that I was unable even to glance
-at the body of the audience, whose presence merely affected me
-like some natural phenomenon--something like a continuous
-downpour of rain--from which I sought shelter in the farthest
-corner of my box as under a protecting roof. I was quite
-unconscious of applause, and when at the end of the acts I was
-tempestuously called for, I had every time to be forcibly
-reminded by Heine and driven on to the stage. On the other hand,
-one great anxiety filled me with growing alarm: I noticed that
-the first two acts had taken as long as the whole of Freischutz,
-for instance. On account of its warlike calls to arms the third
-act begins with an exceptional uproar, and when at its close the
-clock pointed to ten, which meant that the performance had
-already lasted full four hours, I became perfectly desperate. The
-fact that after this act, also, I was again loudly called, I
-regarded merely as a final courtesy on the part of the audience,
-who wished to signify that they had had quite enough for one
-evening, and would now leave the house in a body. As we had still
-two acts before us, I thought it settled that we should not be
-able to finish the piece, and apologised for my lack of wisdom in
-not having previously effected the necessary curtailments. Now,
-thanks to my folly, I found myself in the unheard-of predicament
-of being unable to finish an opera, otherwise extremely well
-received, simply because it was absurdly long. I could only
-explain the undiminished zeal of the singers, and particularly of
-Tichatschek, who seemed to grow lustier and cheerier the longer
-it lasted, as an amiable trick to conceal from me the inevitable
-catastrophe. But my astonishment at finding the audience still
-there in full muster, even in the last act--towards midnight--
-filled me with imbounded perplexity. I could no longer trust my
-eyes or ears, and regarded the whole events of the evening as a
-nightmare. It was past midnight when, for the last time, I had to
-obey the thunderous calls of the audience, side by side with my
-trusty singers.
-
-My feeling of desperation at the unparalleled length of my opera
-was augmented by the temper of my relatives, whom I saw for a
-short time after the performance. Friedrich Brockhaus and his
-family had come over with some friends from Leipzig, and had
-invited us to the inn, hoping to celebrate an agreeable success
-over a pleasant supper, and possibly to drink my health. But on
-arriving, kitchen and cellar were closed, and every one was so
-worn out that nothing was to be heard but outcries at the
-unparalleled case of an opera lasting from six o'clock till past
-twelve. No further remarks were exchanged, and we stole away
-feeling quite stupefied.
-
-About eight the next morning I put in an appearance at the
-clerks' office, in order that in case there should be a second
-performance I might arrange the necessary curtailment of the
-parts. If, during the previous summer, I had contested every beat
-with the faithful chorus-master Fischer, and proved them all to
-be indispensable, I was now possessed by a blind rage for
-striking out. There was not a single part of my score which
-seemed any longer necessary--what the audience had been made to
-swallow the previous evening now appeared but a chaos of sheer
-impossibilities, each and all of which might be omitted without
-the slightest damage or risk of being unintelligible. My one
-thought now was how to reduce my convolution of monstrosities to
-decent limits. By dint of unsparing and ruthless abbreviations
-handed over to the copyist, I hoped to avert a catastrophe, for I
-expected nothing less than that the general manager, together
-with the city and the theatre, would that very day give me to
-understand that such a thing as the performance of my Last of the
-Tribunes might perhaps be permitted once as a curiosity, but not
-oftener. All day long, therefore, I carefully avoided going near
-the theatre, so as to give time for my heroic abbreviations to do
-their salutary work, and for news of them to spread through the
-city. But at midday I looked in again upon the copyists, to
-assure myself that all had been duly performed as I had ordered.
-I then learned that Tichatschek had also been there, and, after
-inspecting the omissions that I had arranged, had forbidden their
-being carried out. Fischer, the chorus-master, also wished to
-speak to me about them: work was suspended, and I foresaw great
-confusion. I could not understand what it all meant, and feared
-mischief if the arduous task were delayed. At length, towards
-evening, I sought out Tichatschek at the theatre. Without giving
-him a chance to speak, I brusquely asked him why he had
-interrupted the copyists' work. In a half-choked voice he curtly
-and defiantly rejoined, 'I will have none of my part cut out--it
-is too heavenly.' I stared at him blankly, and then felt as
-though I had been suddenly bewitched: such an unheard-of
-testimony to my success could not but shake me out of my strange
-anxiety. Others joined him, Fischer radiant with delight and
-bubbling with laughter. Every one spoke of the enthusiastic
-emotion which thrilled the whole city. Next came a letter of
-thanks from the Commissioner acknowledging my splendid work.
-Nothing now remained for me but to embrace Tichatschek and
-Fischer, and go on my way to inform Minna and Clara how matters
-stood.
-
-After a few days' rest for the actors, the second performance
-took place on 26th October, but with various curtailments, for
-which I had great difficulty in obtaining Tichatschek's consent.
-Although it was still of much more than average length, I heard
-no particular complaints, and at last adopted Tichatschek's view
-that, if he could stand it, so could the audience. For six
-performances therefore, all of which continued to receive a
-similar avalanche of applause, I let the matter run its course.
-
-My opera, however, had also excited interest among the elder
-princesses of the royal family. They thought its exhausting
-length a drawback, but were nevertheless unwilling to miss any of
-it. Luttichau consequently proposed that I should give the piece
-at full length, but half of it at a time on two successive
-evenings. This suited me very well, and after an interval of a
-few weeks we announced Rienzi's Greatness for the first day, and
-His Fall for the second. The first evening we gave two acts, and
-on the second three, and for the latter I composed a special
-introductory prelude. This met with the entire approval of our
-august patrons, and especially of the two eldest, Princesses
-Amalie and Augusta. The public, on the contrary, simply regarded
-this in the light of now being asked to pay two entrance fees for
-one opera, and pronounced the new arrangement a decided fraud.
-Its annoyance at the change was so great that it actually
-threatened to be fatal to the attendance, and after three
-performances of the divided Rienzi the management was obliged to
-go back to the old arrangement, which I willingly made possible
-by introducing my cuttings again.
-
-From this time forward the piece used to fill the house to
-overflowing as often as it could be presented, and the permanence
-of its success became still more obvious when I began to realise
-the envy it drew upon me from many different quarters. My first
-experience of this was truly painful, and came from the hands of
-the poet, Julius Mosen, on the very day after the first
-performance. When I first reached Dresden in the summer I had
-sought him out, and, having a really high opinion of his talent,
-our intercourse soon became more intimate, and was the means of
-giving me much pleasure and instruction. He had shown me a volume
-of his plays, which on the whole appealed to me exceptionally.
-Among these was a tragedy, Cola Rienzi, dealing with the same
-subject as my opera, and in a manner partly new to me, and which
-I thought effective. With reference to this poem, I had begged
-him to take no notice of my libretto, as in the quality of its
-poetry it could not possibly bear comparison with his own; and it
-cost him little sacrifice to grant the request. It happened that
-just before the first performance of my Rienzi, he had produced
-in Dresden Bernhard von Weimar, one of his least happy pieces,
-the result of which had brought him little pleasure. Dramatically
-it was a thing with no life in it, aiming only at political
-harangue, and had shared the inevitable fate of all such
-aberrations. He had therefore awaited the appearance of my Rienzi
-with some vexation, and confessed to me his bitter chagrin at not
-being able to procure the acceptance of his tragedy of the same
-name in Dresden. This, he presumed, arose from its somewhat
-pronounced political tendency, which, certainly in a spoken play
-on a similar subject, would be more noticeable than in an opera,
-where from the very start no one pays any heed to the words. I
-had genially confirmed him in this depreciation of the subject
-matter in opera; and was therefore the more startled when, on
-finding him at my sister Louisa's the day after the first
-performance, he straightway overwhelmed me with a scornful
-outburst of irritation at my success. But he found in me a
-strange sense of the essential unreality in opera of such a
-subject as that which I had just illustrated with so much success
-in Rienzi, so that, oppressed by a secret sense of shame, I had
-no serious rejoinder to offer to his candidly poisonous abuse. My
-line of defence was not yet sufficiently clear in my own mind to
-be available offhand, nor was it yet backed by so obvious a
-product of my own peculiar genius that I could venture to quote
-it. Moreover, my first impulse was only one of pity for the
-unlucky playwright, which I felt all the more constrained to
-express, because his burst of fury gave me the inward
-satisfaction of knowing that he recognised my great success, of
-which I was not yet quite clear myself.
-
-But this first performance of Rienzi did far more than this. It
-gave occasion for controversy, and made an ever-widening breach
-between myself and the newspaper critics. Herr Karl Bank, who for
-some time had been the chief musical critic in Dresden, had been
-known to me before at Magdeburg, where he once visited me and
-listened with delight to my playing of several fairly long
-passages from my Liebesverbot. When we met again in Dresden, this
-man could not forgive me for having been unable to procure him
-tickets for the first performance of Rienzi. The same thing
-happened with a certain Herr Julius Schladebach, who likewise
-settled in Dresden about that time as a critic. Though I was
-always anxious to be gracious to everybody, yet I felt just then
-an invincible repugnance for showing special deference to any man
-because he was a critic. As time went on, I carried this rule to
-the point of almost systematic rudeness, and was consequently all
-my life through the victim of unprecedented persecution from the
-press. As yet, however, this ill-will had not become pronounced,
-for at that time journalism had not begun to give itself airs in
-Dresden. There were so few contributions sent from there to the
-outside press that our artistic doings excited very little notice
-elsewhere, a fact which was certainly not without its
-disadvantages for me. Thus for the present the unpleasant side of
-my success scarcely affected me at all, and for a brief space I
-felt myself, for the first and only time in my life, so
-pleasantly borne along on the breath of general good-will, that
-all my former troubles seemed amply requited.
-
-For further and quite unexpected fruits of my success now
-appeared with astonishing rapidity, though not so much in the
-form of material profit, which for the present resolved itself
-into nine hundred marks, paid me by the General Board as an
-exceptional fee instead of the usual twenty golden louis. Nor did
-I dare to cherish the hope of selling my work advantageously to a
-publisher, until it had been performed in some other important
-towns. But fate willed it, that by the sudden death of Rastrelli,
-royal director of music, which occurred shortly after the first
-production of Rienzi, an office should unexpectedly become
-vacant, for the filling of which all eyes at once turned to me.
-
-While the negotiations over this matter were slowly proceeding,
-the General Board gave proof in another direction of an almost
-passionate interest in my talents. They insisted that the first
-performance of the Fliegender Hollander should on no account be
-conceded to the Berlin opera, but reserved as an honour for
-Dresden. As the Berlin authorities raised no obstacle, I very
-gladly handed over my latest work also to the Dresden theatre. If
-in this I had to dispense with Tichatschek's assistance, as there
-was no leading tenor part in the play, I could count all the more
-surely on the helpful co-operation of Schroder-Devrient, to whom
-a worthier task was assigned in the leading female part than that
-which she had had in Rienzi. I was glad to be able thus to rely
-entirely upon her, as she had grown strangely out of humour with
-me, owing to her scanty share in the success of Rienzi. The
-completeness of my faith in her I proved with an exaggeration by
-no means advantageous to my own work, by simply forcing the
-leading male part on Wachter, a once capable, but now somewhat
-delicate baritone. He was in every respect wholly unsuited to the
-task, and only accepted it with unfeigned hesitation. On
-submitting my play to my adored prima donna, I was much relieved
-to find that its poetry made a special appeal to her. Thanks to
-the genuine personal interest awakened in me under very peculiar
-circumstances by the character and fate of this exceptional
-woman, our study of the part of Senta, which often brought us
-into close contact, became one of the most thrilling and
-momentously instructive periods of my life.
-
-It is true that the great actress, especially when under the
-influence of her famous mother, Sophie Schroder, who was just
-then with her on a visit, showed undisguised vexation at my
-having composed so brilliant a work as Rienzi for Dresden without
-having specifically reserved the principal part for her. Yet the
-magnanimity of her disposition triumphed even over this selfish
-impulse: she loudly proclaimed me 'a genius,' and honoured me
-with that special confidence which, she said, none but a genius
-should enjoy. But when she invited me to become both the
-accomplice and adviser in her really dreadful love affairs, this
-confidence certainly began to have its risky side; nevertheless
-there were at first occasions on which she openly proclaimed
-herself before all the world as my friend, making most flattering
-distinctions in my favour.
-
-First of all I had to accompany her on a trip to Leipzig, where
-she was giving a concert for her mother's benefit, which she
-thought to make particularly attractive by including in its
-programme two selections from Rienzi--the aria of Adriano and the
-hero's prayer (the latter sung by Tichatschek), and both under my
-personal conductorship. Mendelssohn, who was also on very
-friendly terms with her, had been enticed to this concert too,
-and produced his overture to Ruy Blas, then quite new. It was
-during the two busy days spent on this occasion in Leipzig that I
-first came into close contact with him, all my previous knowledge
-of him having been limited to a few rare and altogether
-profitless visits. At the house of my brother-in-law, Fritz
-Brockhaus, he and Devrient gave us a good deal of music, he
-playing her accompaniment to a number of Schubert's songs. I here
-became conscious of the peculiar unrest and excitement with which
-this master of music, who, though still young, had already
-reached the zenith of his fame and life's work, observed or
-rather watched me. I could see clearly that he thought but little
-of a success in opera, and that merely in Dresden. Doubtless I
-seemed in his eyes one of a class of musicians to whom he
-attached no value, and with whom he proposed to have no
-intercourse. Nevertheless my success had certain characteristic
-features, which gave it a more or less alarming aspect.
-Mendelssohn's most ardent desire for a long time past had been to
-write a successful opera, and it was possible he now felt annoyed
-that, before he had succeeded in doing so, a triumph of this
-nature should suddenly be thrust into his face with blunt
-brutality, and based upon a style of music which he might feel
-justified in regarding as poor. He probably found it no less
-exasperating that Devrient, whose gifts he acknowledged, and who
-was his own devoted admirer, should now so openly and loudly
-sound my praises. These thoughts were dimly shaping themselves in
-my mind, when Mendelssohn, by a very remarkable statement, drove
-me, almost with violence, to adopt this interpretation. On our
-way home together, after the joint concert rehearsal, I was
-talking very warmly on the subject of music. Although by no means
-a talkative man, he suddenly interrupted me with curiously hasty
-excitement by the assertion that music had but one great fault,
-namely, that more than any other art it stimulated not only our
-good, but also our evil qualities, such, for instance, as
-jealousy. I blushed with shame to have to apply this speech to
-his own feelings towards me; for I was profoundly conscious of my
-innocence of ever having dreamed, even in the remotest degree, of
-placing my own talents or performances as a musician in
-comparison with his. Yet, strange to say, at this very concert he
-showed himself in a light by no means calculated to place him
-beyond all possibility of comparison with myself. A rendering of
-his Hebrides Overture would have placed him so immeasurably above
-my two operatic airs, that all shyness at having to stand beside
-him would have been spared me, as the gulf between our two
-productions was impassable. But in his choice of the Ruy Blas
-Overture he appears to have been prompted by a desire to place
-himself on this occasion so close to the operatic style that its
-effectiveness might be reflected upon his own work. The overture
-was evidently calculated for a Parisian audience, and the
-astonishment Mendelssohn caused by appearing in such a connection
-was shown by Robert Schumann in his own ungainly fashion at its
-close. Approaching the musician in the orchestra, he blandly, and
-with a genial smile, expressed his admiration of the 'brilliant
-orchestral piece' just played..
-
-But in the interests of veracity let me not forget that neither
-he nor I scored the real success of that evening. We were both
-wholly eclipsed by the tremendous effect produced by the grey-
-haired Sophie Schroder in a recitation of Burger's Lenore. While
-the daughter had been taunted in the newspapers with unfairly
-employing all sorts of musical attractions to cozen a benefit
-concert out of the music lovers of Leipzig for a mother who never
-had anything to do with that art, we, who were there as her
-musical aiders and abettors, had to stand like so many idle
-conjurers, while this aged and almost toothless dame declaimed
-Burger's poem with truly terrifying beauty and grandeur. This
-episode, like so much else that I saw during these few days, gave
-me abundant food for thought and meditation.
-
-A second excursion, also undertaken with Devrient, took me in the
-December of that year to Berlin, where the singer had been
-invited to appear at a grand state concert. I for my part wanted
-an interview with Director Kustner about the Fliegender
-Hollander. Although I arrived at no definite result regarding my
-own personal business, this short visit to Berlin was memorable
-for my meeting with Franz Liszt, which afterwards proved of great
-importance. It took place under singular circumstances, which
-placed both him and me in a situation of peculiar embarrassment,
-brought about in the most wanton fashion by Devrient's
-exasperating caprice.
-
-I had already told my patroness the story of my earlier meeting
-with Liszt. During that fateful second winter of my stay in
-Paris, when I had at last been driven to be grateful for
-Schlesinger's hack-work, I one day received word from Laube, who
-always bore me in mind, that F. Liszt was coming to Paris. He had
-mentioned and recommended me to him when he was in Germany, and
-advised me to lose no time in looking him up, as he was
-'generous,' and would certainly find means of helping me. As soon
-as I heard that he had really arrived, I presented myself at the
-hotel to see him. It was early in the morning. On my entrance I
-found several strange gentlemen waiting in the drawing-room,
-where, after some time, we were joined by Liszt himself, pleasant
-and affable, and wearing his indoor coat. The conversation was
-carried on in French, and turned upon his experiences during his
-last professional journey in Hungary. As I was unable to take
-part, on account of the language, I listened for some time,
-feeling heartily bored, until at last he asked me pleasantly what
-he could do for me. He seemed unable to recall Laube's
-recommendation, and all the answer I could give was that I
-desired to make his acquaintance. To this he had evidently no
-objection, and informed me he would take care to have a ticket
-sent me for his great matinee, which was to take place shortly.
-My sole attempt to introduce an artistic theme of conversation
-was a question as to whether he knew Lowe's Erlkonig as well as
-Schubert's. His reply in the negative frustrated this somewhat
-awkward attempt, and I ended my visit by giving him my address.
-Thither his secretary, Belloni, presently sent me, with a few
-polite words, a card of admission to a concert to be given
-entirely by the master himself in the Salle Erard. I duly wended
-my way to the overcrowded hall, and beheld the platform on which
-the grand piano stood, closely beleaguered by the cream of
-Parisian female society, and witnessed their enthusiastic
-ovations of this virtuoso, who was at that time the wonder of the
-world. Moreover, I heard several of his most brilliant pieces,
-such as 'Variations on Robert le Diable,' but carried away with
-me no real impression beyond that of being stunned. This took
-place just at the time when I abandoned a path which had been
-contrary to my truer nature, and had led me astray, and on which
-I now emphatically turned my back in silent bitterness. I was
-therefore in no fitting mood for a just appreciation of this
-prodigy, who at that time was shining in the blazing light of
-day, but from whom I had turned my face to the night. I went to
-see Liszt no more.
-
-As already mentioned, I had given Devrient a bare outline of this
-story, but she had noted it with particular attention, for I
-happened to have touched her weak point of professional jealousy.
-As Liszt had also been commanded by the King of Prussia to appear
-at the grand state concert at Berlin, it so happened that the
-first time they met Liszt questioned her with great interest
-about the success of Rienzi. She thereupon observed that the
-composer of that opera was an altogether unknown man, and
-proceeded with curious malice to taunt him with his apparent lack
-of penetration, as proved by the fact that the said composer, who
-now so keenly excited his interest, was the very same poor
-musician whom he had lately 'turned away so contemptuously' in
-Paris. All this she told me with an air of triumph, which
-distressed me very much, and I at once set to work to correct the
-false impression conveyed by my former account. As we were still
-debating this point in her room, we were startled by hearing from
-the next the famous bass part in the 'Revenge' air from Donna
-Anna, rapidly executed in octaves on the piano. 'That's Liszt
-himself,' she cried. Liszt then entered the room to fetch her for
-the rehearsal. To my great embarrassment she introduced me to him
-with malicious delight as the composer of Rienzi, the man whose
-acquaintance he now wished to make after having previously shown
-him the door in his glorious Paris. My solemn asseverations that
-my patroness--no doubt only in fun--was deliberately distorting
-my account of my former visit to him, apparently pacified him so
-far as I was concerned, and, on the other hand, he had no doubt
-already formed his own opinion of the impulsive singer. He
-certainly regretted that he could not remember my visit in Paris,
-but it nevertheless shocked and alarmed him to learn that any one
-should have had reason to complain of such treatment at his
-hands. The hearty sincerity of Listz's simple words to me about
-this misunderstanding, as contrasted with the strangely
-passionate raillery of the incorrigible lady, made a most
-pleasing and captivating impression upon me. The whole bearing of
-the man, and the way in which he tried to ward off the pitiless
-scorn of her attacks, was something new to me, and gave me a deep
-insight into his character, so firm in its amiability and
-boundless good-nature. Finally, she teased him about the Doctor's
-degree which had just been conferred on him by the University of
-Konigsberg, and pretended to mistake him for a chemist. At last
-he stretched himself out flat on the floor, and implored her
-mercy, declaring himself quite defenceless against the storm of
-her invective. Then turning to me with a hearty assurance that he
-would make it his business to hear Rienzi, and would in any case
-endeavour to give me a better opinion of himself than his evil
-star had hitherto permitted, we parted for that occasion.
-
-The almost naive simplicity and naturalness of his every phrase
-and word, and particularly his emphatic manner, left a most
-profound impression upon me. No one could fail to be equally
-affected by these qualities, and I now realised for the first
-time the almost magic power exerted by Liszt over all who came in
-close contact with him, and saw how erroneous had been my former
-opinion as to its cause.
-
-These two excursions to Leipzig and Berlin found but brief
-interruptions of the period devoted at home to our study of the
-Fliegender Hollander. It was therefore, of paramount importance
-to me to maintain Schroder-Devrient's keen interest in her part,
-since, in view of the weakness of the rest of the cast, I was
-convinced that it was from her alone I could expect any adequate
-interpretation of the spirit of my work.
-
-The part of Senta was essentially suited to her, and there were
-just at that moment peculiar circumstances in her life which
-brought her naturally emotional temperament to a high pitch of
-tension. I was amazed when she confided to me that she was on the
-point of breaking off a regular liaison of many years' standing,
-to form, in passionate haste, another much less desirable one.
-The forsaken lover, who was tenderly devoted to her, was a young
-lieutenant in the Royal Guards, and the son of Muller, the ex-
-Minister of Education; her new choice, whose acquaintance she had
-formed on a recent visit to Berlin, was Herr von Munchhausen. He
-was a tall, slim young man, and her predilection for him was
-easily explained when I became more closely acquainted with her
-love affairs. It seemed to me that the bestowal of her confidence
-on me in this matter arose from her guilty conscience; she was
-aware that Muller, whom I liked on account of his excellent
-disposition, had loved her with the earnestness of a first love,
-and also that she was now betraying him in the most faithless way
-on a trivial pretext. She must have known that her new lover was
-entirely unworthy of her, and that his intentions were frivolous
-and selfish. She knew, too, that no one, and certainly none of
-her older friends who knew her best, would approve of her
-behaviour. She told me candidly that she had felt impelled to
-confide in me because I was a genius, and would understand the
-demands of her temperament. I hardly knew what to think. I was
-repelled alike by her passion and the circumstances attending it;
-but to my astonishment I had to confess that the infatuation, so
-repulsive to me, held this strange woman in so powerful a grasp
-that I could not refuse her a certain amount of pity, nay, even
-real sympathy.
-
-She was pale and distraught, ate hardly anything, and her
-faculties were subjected to a strain so extraordinary that I
-thought she would not escape a serious, perhaps a fatal illness.
-Sleep had long since deserted her, and whenever I brought her my
-unlucky Fliegender Hollander, her looks so alarmed me that the
-proposed rehearsal was the last thing I thought of. But in this
-matter she insisted; she made me sit down at the piano, and then
-plunged into the study of her role as if it were a matter of life
-and death. She found the actual learning of the part very
-difficult, and it was only by repeated and persevering rehearsal
-that she mastered her task. She would sing for hours at a time
-with such passion that I often sprang up in terror and begged her
-to spare herself; then she would point smiling to her chest, and
-expand the muscles of her still magnificent person, to assure me
-that she was doing herself no harm. Her voice really acquired at
-that time a youthful freshness and power of endurance. I had to
-confess that which often astonished me: this infatuation for an
-insipid nobody was very much to the advantage of my Senta. Her
-courage under this intense strain was so great that, as time
-pressed, she consented to have the general rehearsal on the very
-day of the first performance, and a delay which would have been
-greatly to my disadvantage was thus avoided.
-
-The performance took place on 2nd January, in the year 1843. Its
-result was extremely instructive to me, and led to the turning-
-point of my career. The, ill-success of the performance taught me
-how much care and forethought were essential to secure the
-adequate dramatic interpretation of my latest works. I realised
-that I had more or less believed that my score would explain
-itself, and that my singers would arrive at the right
-interpretation of their own accord. My good old friend Wachter,
-who at the time of Henriette Sontag's first success was a
-favourite 'Barber of Seville,' had from the first discreetly
-thought otherwise. Unfortunately, even Schroder-Devrient only saw
-when the rehearsals were too far advanced how utterly incapable
-Wachter was of realising the horror and supreme suffering of my
-Mariner. His distressing corpulence, his broad fat face, the
-extraordinary movements of his arms and legs, which he managed to
-make look like mere stumps, drove my passionate Senta to despair.
-At one rehearsal, when in the great scene in Act ii. she comes to
-him in the guise of a guardian angel to bring the message of
-salvation, she broke off to whisper despairingly in my ear, 'How
-can I say it when I look into those beady eyes? Good God, Wagner,
-what a muddle you have made!' I consoled her as well as I could,
-and secretly placed my dependence on Herr von Munchhausen, who
-promised faithfully to sit that evening in the front row of the
-stalls, so that Devrient's eyes must fall on him. And the
-magnificent performance of my great artiste, although she stood
-horribly alone on the stage, did succeed in rousing enthusiasm in
-the second act. The first act offered the audience nothing but a
-dull conversation between Herr Wachter and that Herr Risse who
-had invited me to an excellent glass of wine on the first night
-of Rienzi, and in the third the loudest raging of the orchestra
-did not rouse the sea from its dead calm nor the phantom ship in
-its cautious rocking. The audience fell to wondering how I could
-have produced this crude, meagre, and gloomy work after Rienzi,
-in every act of which incident abounded, and Tichatschek shone in
-an endless variety of costumes.
-
-As Schroder-Devrient soon left Dresden for a considerable time,
-the Fliegender Hollander saw only four performances, at which the
-diminishing audiences made it plain that I had not pleased
-Dresden taste with it. The management was compelled to revive
-Rienzi in order to maintain my prestige; and the triumph of this
-opera compared with the failure of the Dutchman gave me food for
-reflection. I had to admit, with some misgivings, that the
-success of my Rienzi was not entirely due to the cast and
-staging, although I was fully alive to the defects from which the
-Fliegender Hollander suffered in this respect. Although Wachter
-was far from realising my conception of the Fliegender Hollander
-I could not conceal from myself the fact that Tichatschek was
-quite as far removed from the ideal Rienzi. His abominable errors
-and deficiencies in his presentation of the part had never
-escaped me; he had never been able to lay aside his brilliant and
-heroic leading-tenor manners in order to render that gloomy
-demonic strain in Rienzi's temperament on which I had laid
-unmistakable stress at the critical points of the drama. In the
-fourth act, after the pronouncement of the curse, he fell on his
-knees in the most melancholy fashion and abandoned himself to
-bewailing his fate in piteous tones. When I suggested to him that
-Rienzi, though inwardly despairing, must take up an attitude of
-statuesque firmness before the world, he pointed out to me the
-great popularity which the end of this very act had won as
-interpreted by himself, with an intimation that he intended
-making no change in it.
-
-And when I considered the real causes of the success of Rienzi, I
-found that it rested on the brilliant and extraordinarily fresh
-voice of the soaring, happy singer, in the refreshing effect of
-the chorus and the gay movement and colouring on the stage. I
-received a still more convincing proof of this when we divided
-the opera into two, and found that the second part, which was the
-more important from both the dramatic and the musical point of
-view, was noticeably less well attended than the first, for the
-very obvious reason, as I thought, that the ballet occurred in
-the first part. My brother Julius, who had come over from Leipzig
-for one of the performances of Rienzi, gave me a still more naive
-testimony as to the real point of interest in the opera. I was
-sitting with him in an open box, in full sight of the audience,
-and had therefore begged him to desist from giving any applause,
-even if directed only to the efforts of the singers; he
-restrained himself all through the evening, but his enthusiasm at
-a certain figure of the ballet was too much for him, and he
-clapped loudly, to the great amusement of the audience, telling
-me that he could not hold himself in any longer. Curiously
-enough, this same ballet secured for Rienzi, which was otherwise
-received with indifference, the enduring preference of the
-present King of Prussia, [FOOTNOTE: William the First.]who many
-years afterwards ordered the revival of this opera, although it
-had utterly failed in arousing public interest by its merits as a
-drama.
-
-I found, when I had to be present later on at a representation of
-the same opera at Darmstadt, that while wholesale cuts had to be
-made in its best parts, it had been found necessary to expand the
-ballets by additions and repetitions. This ballet music, which I
-had put together with contemptuous haste at Riga in a few days
-without any inspiration, seemed to me, moreover, so strikingly
-weak that I was thoroughly ashamed of it even in those days at
-Dresden, when I had found myself compelled to suppress its best
-feature, the tragic pantomime. Further, the resources of the
-ballet in Dresden did not even admit of the execution of my stage
-directions for the combat in the arena, nor for the very
-significant round dances, both admirably carried out at a later
-date in Berlin. I had to be content with the humiliating
-substitution of a long, foolish step-dance by two insignificant
-dancers, which was ended by a company of soldiers marching on,
-bearing their shields on high so as to form a roof and remind the
-audience of the Roman testudo; then the ballet-master with his
-assistant, in flesh-coloured tights, leaped on to the shields and
-turned somersaults, a proceeding which they thought was
-reminiscent of the gladiatorial games. It was at this point that
-the house was always moved to resounding applause, and I had to
-own that this moment marked the climax of my success.
-
-I thus had my doubts as to the intrinsic divergence between my
-inner aims and my outward success; at the same time a decisive
-and fatal change in my fortunes was brought about by my
-acceptance of the conductorship at Dresden, under circumstances
-as perplexing in their way as those preceding my marriage. I had
-met the negotiations which led up to this appointment with a
-hesitation and a coolness by no means affected. I felt nothing
-but scorn for theatrical life; a scorn that was by no means
-lessened by a closer acquaintance with the apparently
-distinguished ruling body of a court theatre, the splendours of
-which only conceal, with arrogant ignorance, the humiliating
-conditions appertaining to it and to the modern theatre in
-general. I saw every noble impulse stifled in those occupied with
-theatrical matters, and a combination of the vainest and most
-frivolous interests maintained by a ridiculously rigid and
-bureaucratic system; I was now fully convinced that the necessity
-of handling the business of the theatre would be the most
-distasteful thing I could imagine. Now that, through Rastrelli's
-death, the temptation to be false to my inner conviction came to
-me in Dresden, I explained to my old and trusted friends that I
-did not think I should accept the vacant post.
-
-But everything calculated to shake human resolution combined
-against this decision. The prospect of securing the means of
-livelihood through a permanent position with a fixed salary was
-an irresistible attraction. I combated the temptation by
-reminding myself of my success as an operatic composer, which
-might reasonably be expected to bring in enough to supply my
-moderate requirements in a lodging of two rooms, where I could
-proceed undisturbed with fresh compositions. I was told in answer
-to this that my work itself would be better served by a fixed
-position without arduous duties, as for a whole year since the
-completion of the Fliegender Hollander I had not, under existing
-circumstances, found any leisure at all for composition. I still
-remained convinced that Rastrelli's post of musical director, in
-subordination to the conductor, was unworthy of me, and I
-declined to entertain the proposal, thus leaving the management
-to look elsewhere for some one to fill the vacancy.
-
-There was therefore no further question of this particular post,
-but I was then informed that the death of Morlacchi had left
-vacant a court conductorship, and it was thought that the King
-would be willing to offer me the post. My wife was very much
-excited at this prospect, for in Germany the greatest value is
-laid on these court appointments, which are tenable for life, and
-the dazzling respectability pertaining to them is held out to
-German musicians as the acme of earthly happiness. The offer
-opened up for us in many directions the prospect of friendly
-relations in a society which had hitherto been outside our
-experience. Domestic comfort and social prestige were very
-alluring to the homeless wanderers who, in bygone days of misery,
-had often longed for the comfort and security of an assured and
-permanent position such as was now open to them under the august
-protection of the court. The influence of Caroline von Weber did
-much in the long-run to weaken my opposition. I was often at her
-house, and took great pleasure in her society, which brought back
-to my mind very vividly the personality of my still dearly
-beloved master. She begged me with really touching tenderness not
-to withstand this obvious command of fate, and asserted her right
-to ask me to settle in Dresden, to fill the place left sadly
-empty by her husband's death. 'Just think,' she said, 'how can I
-look Weber in the face again when I join him if I have to tell
-him that the work for which he made such devoted sacrifices in
-Dresden is neglected; just imagine my feelings when I see that
-indolent Reissiger stand in my noble Weber's place, and when I
-hear his operas produced more mechanically every year. If you
-loved Weber, you owe it to his memory to step into his place and
-to continue his work.' As an experienced woman of the world she
-also pointed out energetically and prudently the practical side
-of the matter, impressing on me the duty of thinking of my wife,
-who would, in case of my death, be sufficiently provided for if I
-accepted the post.
-
-The promptings of affection, prudence and good sense, however,
-had less weight with me than the enthusiastic conviction, never
-at any period of my life entirely destroyed, that wherever fate
-led me, whether to Dresden or elsewhere, I should find the
-opportunity which would convert my dreams into reality through
-currents set in motion by some change in the everyday order of
-events. All that was needed for this was the advent of an ardent
-and aspiring soul who, with good luck to back him, might make up
-for lost time, and by his ennobling influence achieve the
-deliverance of art from her shameful bonds. The wonderful and
-rapid change which had taken place in my fortunes could not fail
-to encourage such a hope, and I was seduced on perceiving the
-marked alteration that had taken place in the whole attitude of
-Luttichau, the general director, towards me. This strange
-individual showed me a kindliness of which no one would hitherto
-have thought him capable, and that he was prompted by a genuine
-feeling of personal benevolence towards me I could not help being
-absolutely convinced, even at the time of my subsequent ceaseless
-differences with him.
-
-Nevertheless, the decision came as a kind of surprise. On 2nd
-February 1843 I was very politely invited to the director's
-office, and there met the general staff of the royal orchestra,
-in whose presence Luttichau, through the medium of my never-to-
-be-forgotten friend Winkler, solemnly read out to me a royal
-rescript appointing me forthwith conductor to his Majesty, with a
-life salary of four thousand five hundred marks a year. Luttichau
-followed the reading of this document by a more or less
-ceremonious speech, in which he assumed that I should gratefully
-accept the King's favour. At this polite ceremony it did not
-escape my notice that all possibility of future negotiations over
-the figure of the salary was cut off; on the other hand, a
-substantial exemption in my favour, the omission of the
-condition, enforced even on Weber in his time, of serving a
-year's probation under the title of mere musical director, was
-calculated to secure my unconditional acceptance. My new
-colleagues congratulated me, and Luttichau accompanied me with
-the politest phrases to my own door, where I fell into the arms
-of my poor wife, who was giddy with delight. Therefore I fully
-realised that I must put the best face I could on the matter, and
-unless I wished to give unheard-of offence, I must even
-congratulate myself on my appointment as royal conductor.
-
-A few days after taking the oath as a servant of the King in
-solemn session, and undergoing the ceremony of presentation to
-the assembled orchestra by means of an enthusiastic speech from
-the general director, I was summoned to an audience with his
-Majesty. When I saw the features of the kind, courteous, and
-homely monarch, I involuntarily thought of my youthful attempt at
-a political overture on the theme of Friedrich und Freiheit. Our
-somewhat embarrassed conversation brightened with the King's
-expression of his satisfaction with those two of my operas which
-had been performed in Dresden. He expressed with polite
-hesitation his feeling that if my operas left anything to be
-desired, it was a clearer definition of the various characters in
-my musical dramas. He thought the interest in the persons was
-overpowered by the elemental forces figuring beside them--in
-Hienzi the mob, in the Fliegender Hollander the sea. I thought I
-understood his meaning perfectly, and this proof of his sincere
-sympathy and original judgment pleased me very much. He also made
-his excuses in advance for a possible rare attendance at my
-operas on his part, his sole reason for this being that he had a
-peculiar aversion from theatre-going, as the result of one of the
-rules of his early training, under which he and his brother John,
-who had acquired a similar aversion, were for a long time
-compelled regularly to attend the theatre, when he, to tell the
-truth, would often have preferred to be left alone to follow his
-own pursuits independent of etiquette.
-
-As a characteristic instance of the courtier spirit, I afterwards
-learned that Luttichau, who had had to wait for me in the
-anteroom during this audience, had been very much put out by its
-long duration. In the whole course of my life I was only admitted
-twice more to personal intercourse and speech with the good King.
-The first occasion was when I presented him with the dedication
-copy of the pianoforte score of my Rienzi; and the second was
-after my very successful arrangement and performance of the
-Iphigenia in Aulis, by Gluck, of whose operas he was particularly
-fond, when he stopped me in the public promenade and
-congratulated me on my work.
-
-That first audience with the King marked the zenith of my hastily
-adopted career at Dresden; thenceforward anxiety reasserted
-itself in manifold ways. I very quickly realised the difficulties
-of my material situation, since it soon became evident that the
-advantage won by new exertions and my present appointment bore no
-proportion to the heavy sacrifices and obligations which I
-incurred as soon as I entered on an independent career. The young
-musical director of Riga, long since forgotten, suddenly
-reappeared in an astonishing reincarnation as royal conductor to
-the King of Saxony. The first-fruits of the universal estimate of
-my good fortune took the shape of pressing creditors and threats
-of prosecution; next followed demands from the Konigsberg
-tradesmen, from whom I had escaped from Riga by means of that
-horribly wretched and miserable flight. I also heard from people
-in the most distant parts, who thought they had some claim on me,
-dating even from my student, nay, my school days, until at last I
-cried out in my astonishment that I expected to receive a bill
-next from the nurse who had suckled me. All this did not amount
-to any very large sum, and I merely mention it because of the
-ill-natured rumours which, I learned years later, had been spread
-abroad about the extent of my debts at that time. Out of three
-thousand marks, borrowed at interest from Schroder-Devrient, I
-not only paid these debts, but also fully compensated the
-sacrifices which Kietz had made on my behalf, without ever
-expecting any return, in the days of my poverty in Paris. I was,
-moreover, able to be of practical use to him. But where was I to
-find even this sum, as my distress had hitherto been so great
-that I was obliged to urge Schroder-Devrient to hurry on the
-rehearsals of the Fliegender Hollander by pointing out to her the
-enormous importance to me of the fee for the performance? I had
-no allowance for the expenses of my establishment in Dresden,
-though it had to be suitable for my position as royal conductor,
-nor even for the purchase of a ridiculous and expensive court
-uniform, so that there would have been no possibility of my
-making a start at all, as I had no private means, unless I
-borrowed money at interest.
-
-But no one who knew of the extraordinary success of Rienzi at
-Dresden could help believing in an immediate and remunerative
-rage for my operas on the German stage. My own relatives, even
-the prudent Ottilie, were so convinced of it that they thought I
-might safely count on at least doubling my salary by the receipts
-from my operas. At the very beginning the prospects did indeed
-seem bright; the score of my Fliegender Hollander was ordered by
-the Royal Theatre at Cassel and by the Riga theatre, which I had
-known so well in the old days, because they were anxious to
-perform something of mine at an early date, and had heard that
-this opera was on a smaller scale, and made smaller demands on
-the stage management, than Rienzi. In May, 1843 I heard good
-reports of the success of the performances from both those
-places. But this was all for the time being, and a whole year
-went by without the smallest inquiry for any of my scores. An
-attempt was made to secure me some benefit by the publication of
-the pianoforte score of the Fliegender Hollander, as I wanted to
-reserve Rienzi, after the successes it had gained, as useful
-capital for a more favourable opportunity; but the plan was
-spoilt by the opposition of Messrs. Hartel of Leipzig, who,
-although ready enough to publish my opera, would only do so on
-the condition that I abstained from asking any payment for it.
-
-So I had, for the present, to content myself with the moral
-satisfaction of my successes, of which my unmistakable popularity
-with the Dresden public, and the respect and attention paid to
-me, formed part. But even in this respect my Utopian dreams were
-destined to be disturbed. I think that my appearance at Dresden
-marked the beginning of a new era in journalism and criticism,
-which found food for its hitherto but slightly developed vitality
-in its vexation at my success. The two gentlemen I have already
-mentioned, C. Bank and J. Schladebach, had, as I now know, first
-taken up their regular abode in Dresden at that time; I know that
-when difficulties were raised about the permanence of Bank's
-appointment, they were waived, owing to the testimonials and
-recommendation of my present colleague Reissiger. The success of
-my Rienzi had been the source of great annoyance to these
-gentlemen, who were now established as musical critics to the
-Dresden press, because I made no effort to win their favour; they
-were not ill-pleased, therefore, to find an opportunity of
-pouring out the vitriol of their hatred over the universally
-popular young musician who had won the sympathy of the kindly
-public, partly on account of the poverty and ill-luck which had
-hitherto been his lot. The need for any kind of human
-consideration had suddenly vanished with my 'unheard-of'
-appointment to the royal conductorship. Now 'all was well with
-me,' 'too well,' in fact; and envy found its congenial food; this
-provided a perfectly clear and comprehensible point of attack;
-and soon there spread through the German press, in the columns
-given to Dresden news, an estimate of me which has never
-fundamentally changed, except in one point, to this day. This
-single modification, which was purely temporary and confined to
-papers of one political colour, occurred on my first settlement
-as a political refugee in Switzerland, but lasted only until,
-through Liszt's exertions, my operas began to be produced all
-over Germany, in spite of my exile. The orders from two theatres,
-immediately after the Dresden performance, for one of my scores,
-were merely due to the fact that up to that time the activity of
-my journalistic critics was still limited. I put down the
-cessation of all inquiries, certainly not without due
-justification, mainly to the effect of the false and calumnious
-reports in the papers.
-
-My old friend Laube tried, indeed, to undertake my defence in the
-press. On New Year's Day, 1843 he resumed the editorship of the
-Zeitung fur die Elegante Welt, and asked me to provide him with a
-biographical notice of myself for the first number. It evidently
-gave him great pleasure to present me thus in triumph to the
-literary world, and in order to give the subject more prominence
-he added a supplement to that number in the shape of a lithograph
-reproduction of my portrait by Kietz. But after a time even he
-became anxious and confused in his judgment of my works, when he
-saw the systematic and increasingly virulent detraction,
-depreciation, and scorn to which they were subjected. He
-confessed to me later that he had never imagined such a desperate
-position as mine against the united forces of journalism could
-possibly exist, and when he heard my view of the question, he
-smiled and gave me his blessing, as though I were a lost soul.
-
-Moreover, a change was observable in the attitude of those
-immediately connected with me in my work, and this provided very
-acceptable material for the journalistic campaign. I had been
-led, though by no ambitious impulse, to ask to be allowed to
-conduct the performances of my own works. I found that at every
-performance of Rienzi Reissiger became more negligent in his
-conducting, and that the whole production was slipping back into
-the old familiar, expressionless, and humdrum performance; and as
-my appointment was already mooted, I had asked permission to
-conduct the sixth performance of my work in person. I conducted
-without having held a single rehearsal, and without any previous
-experience, at the head of the Dresden orchestra. The performance
-went splendidly; singers and orchestra were inspired with new
-life, and everybody was obliged to admit that this was the finest
-performance of Rienzi that had yet been given. The rehearsing and
-con-ducting of the Fliegender Hollander were willingly handed
-over to me, because Reissiger was overwhelmed with work, in
-consequence of the death of the musical director, Rastrelli. In
-addition to this I was asked to conduct Weber's Euryanthe, by way
-of providing a direct proof of my capacity to interpret scores
-other than my own. Apparently everybody was pleased, and it was
-the tone of this performance that made Weber's widow so anxious
-that I should accept the Dresden conductorship; she declared that
-for the first time since her husband's death she had heard his
-work correctly interpreted, both in expression and time.
-
-Thereupon, Reissiger, who would have preferred to have a musical
-director under him, but had received instead a colleague on an
-equal footing, felt himself aggrieved by my appointment. Though
-his own indolence would have inclined him to the side of peace
-and a good understanding with me, his ambitious wife took care to
-stir up his fear of me. This never led to an openly hostile
-attitude on his part, but I noticed certain indiscretions in the
-press from that time onwards, which showed me that the
-friendliness of my colleague, who never talked to me without
-first embracing me, was not of the most honourable type.
-
-I also received a quite unexpected proof that I had attracted the
-bitter envy of another man whose sentiments I had no reason to
-suspect. This was Karl Lipinsky, a celebrated violinist in his
-day, who had for many years led the Dresden orchestra. He was a
-man of ardent temperament and original talent, but of incredible
-vanity, which his emotional, suspicious Polish temperament
-rendered dangerous. I always found him annoying, because however
-inspiring and instructive his playing was as to the technical
-execution of the violinists, he was certainly ill-fitted to be
-the leader of a first-class orchestra. This extraordinary person
-tried to justify Director Luttichau's praise of his playing,
-which could always be heard above the rest of the orchestra; he
-came in a little before the other violins; he was a leader in a
-double sense, as he was always a little ahead. He acted in much
-the same way with regard to expression, marking his slight
-variations in the piano passages with fanatical precision. It was
-useless to talk to him about it, as nothing but the most skilful
-flattery had any effect on him. So I had to endure it as best I
-could, and to think out ways and means of diminishing its ill
-effects on the orchestral performances as a whole by having
-recourse to the most polite circumlocutions. Even so he could not
-endure the higher estimation in which the performances of the
-orchestra under my conductorship were held, because he thought
-that the playing of an orchestra in which he was the leader must
-invariably be excellent, whoever stood at the conductor's desk.
-Now it happened, as is always the case when a new man with fresh
-ideas is installed in office, that the members of the orchestra
-came to me with the most varied suggestions for improvements
-which had hitherto been neglected; and Lipinsky, who was already
-annoyed about this, turned a certain case of this kind to a
-peculiarly treacherous use. One of the oldest contrabassists had
-died. Lipinsky urged me to arrange that the post should not be
-filled in the usual way by promotion from the ranks of our own
-orchestra, but should be given, on his recommendation, to a
-distinguished and skilful contrabassist from Darmstadt named
-Muller. When the musician whose rights of seniority were thus
-threatened, appealed to me, I kept my promise to Lipinsky,
-explained my views about the abuses of promotion by seniority,
-and declared that, in accordance with my sworn oath to the King,
-I held it my paramount duty to consider the maintenance of the
-artistic interests of the institution before everything else. I
-then found to my great astonishment, though it was foolish of me
-to be surprised, that the whole of the orchestra turned upon me
-as one man, and when the occasion arose for a discussion between
-Lipinsky and myself as to his own numerous grievances, he
-actually accused me of having threatened, by my remarks in the
-contrabassist case, to undermine the well-established rights of
-the members of the orchestra, whose welfare it was my duty to
-protect. Luttichau, who was on the point of absenting himself
-from Dresden for some time, was extremely uneasy, as Reissiger
-was away on his holiday, at leaving musical affairs in such a
-dangerous state of unrest. The deceit and impudence of which I
-had been the victim was a revelation to me, and I gathered from
-this experience the calm sense necessary to set the harassed
-director at ease by the most conclusive assurances that I
-understood the people with whom I had to deal, and would act
-accordingly. I faithfully kept my word, and never again came into
-collision either with Lipinsky or any other member of the
-orchestra. On the contrary, all the musicians were soon so firmly
-attached to me that I could always pride myself on their
-devotion.
-
-From that day forward, however, one thing at least was certain,
-namely, that I should not die as conductor at Dresden. My post
-and my work at Dresden thenceforward became a burden, of which
-the occasionally excellent results of my efforts made me all the
-more sensible.
-
-My position at Dresden, however, brought me one friend whose
-intimate relations with me long survived our artistic
-collaboration in Dresden. A musical director was assigned to each
-conductor; he had to be a musician of repute, a hard worker,
-adaptable, and, above all, a Catholic, for the two conductors
-were Protestants, a cause of much annoyance to the clergy of the
-Catholic cathedral, numerous positions in which had to be filled
-from the orchestra. August Rockel, a nephew of Hummel, who sent
-in his application for this position from Weimar, furnished
-evidence of his suitability under all these heads. He belonged to
-an old Bavarian family; his father was a singer, and had sung the
-part of Florestan at the time of the first production of
-Beethoven's Fidelio, and had himself remained on terms on close
-intimacy with the Master, many details about whose life have been
-preserved through his care. His subsequent position as a teacher
-of singing led him to take up theatrical management, and he
-introduced German opera to the Parisians with so much success,
-that the credit for the popularity of Fidelio and Der Freischutz
-with French audiences, to whom these works were quite unknown,
-must be awarded to his admirable enterprise, which was also
-responsible for Schroder-Devrient's debut in Paris. August
-Rockel, his son, who was still a young man, by helping his father
-in these and similar undertakings, had gained practical
-experience as a musician. As his father's business had for some
-time even extended to England, August had won practical knowledge
-of all sorts by contact with many men and things, and in addition
-had learned French and English. But music had remained his chosen
-vocation, and his great natural talent justified the highest
-hopes of success. He was an excellent pianist, read scores with
-the utmost ease, possessed an exceptionally fine ear, and had
-indeed every qualification for a practical musician. As a
-composer he was actuated, not so much by a strong impulse to
-create, as the desire to show what he was capable of; the success
-at which he aimed was to gain the reputation of a clever operatic
-composer rather than recognition as a distinguished musician, and
-he hoped to obtain his end by the production of popular works.
-Actuated by this modest ambition he had completed an opera,
-Farinelli, for which he had also written the libretto, with no
-other aspiration than that of attaining the same reputation as
-his brother-in-law Lortzing.
-
-He brought this score to me, and begged me--it was his first
-visit before he had heard one of my operas in Dresden--to play
-him something from Rienzi and the Fliegender Hollander. His
-frank, agreeable personality induced me to try and meet his
-wishes as far as I could; and I am convinced that I soon made
-such a great and unexpectedly powerful impression on him that
-from that moment he determined not to bother me further with the
-score of his opera. It was not until we had become more intimate
-and had discovered mutual personal interests, that the desire of
-turning his work to account induced him to ask me to show my
-practical friendship by turning my attention to his score. I made
-various suggestions as to how it might be improved, but he was
-soon so hopelessly disgusted with his own work that he put it
-absolutely aside, and never again felt seriously moved to
-undertake a similar task. On making a closer acquaintance with my
-completed operas and plans for new works, he declared to me that
-he felt it his vocation to play the part of spectator, to be my
-faithful helper and the interpreter of my new ideas, and, as far
-as in him lay, to remove entirely, and at all events to relieve
-me as far as possible from, all the unpleasantnesses of my
-official position and of my dealings with the outside world. He
-wished, he said, to avoid placing himself in the ridiculous
-position of composing operas of his own while living on terms of
-close friendship with me.
-
-Nevertheless, I tried to urge him to turn his own talent to
-account, and to this end called his attention to several plots
-which I wished him to work out. Among these was the idea
-contained in a small French drama entitled Cromwell's Daughter,
-which was subsequently used as the subject for a sentimental
-pastoral romance, and for the elaboration of which I presented
-him with an exhaustive plan.
-
-But in the end all my efforts remained fruitless, and it became
-evident that his productive talent was feeble. This perhaps arose
-partly from his extremely needy and trying domestic
-circumstances, which were such that the poor fellow wore himself
-out to support his wife and numerous growing children. Indeed, he
-claimed my help and sympathy in quite another fashion than by
-arousing my interest in his artistic development. He was
-unusually clear-headed, and possessed a rare capacity for
-teaching and educating himself in every branch of knowledge and
-experience; he was, moreover, so genuinely true and good-hearted
-that he soon became my intimate friend and comrade. He was, and
-continued to be, the only person who really appreciated the
-singular nature of my position towards the surrounding world, and
-with whom I could fully and sincerely discuss the cares and
-sorrows arising therefrom. What dreadful trials and experiences,
-what painful anxieties our common fate was to bring upon us, will
-soon be seen.
-
-The earlier period of my establishment in Dresden brought me also
-another devoted and lifelong friend, though his qualities were
-such that he exerted a less decisive influence upon my career.
-This was a young physician, named Anton Pusinelli, who lived near
-me. He seized the occasion of a serenade sung in honour of my
-thirtieth birthday by the Dresden Glee Club to express to me
-personally his hearty and sincere attachment. We soon entered
-upon a quiet friendship from which we derived a mutual benefit.
-He became my attentive family doctor, and during my residence in
-Dresden, marked as it was by accumulating difficulties, he had
-abundant opportunities of helping me. His financial position was
-very good, and his ready self-sacrifice enabled him to give me
-substantial succour and bound me to him by many heartfelt
-obligations.
-
-A further development of my association with Dresden buddy was
-provided by the kindly advances of Chamberlain von Konneritz's
-family. His wife, Marie von Konneritz (nee Fink), was a friend of
-Countess Ida Hahn-Hahn, and expressed her appreciation of my
-success as a composer with great warmth, I might almost say, with
-enthusiasm. I was often invited to their house, and seemed
-likely, through this family, to be brought into touch with the
-higher aristocracy of Dresden. I merely succeeded in touching the
-fringe, however, as we really had nothing in common. True, I here
-made the acquaintance of Countess Rossi, the famous Sontag, by
-whom, to my genuine astonishment, I was most heartily greeted,
-and I thereby obtained the right of afterwards approaching her in
-Berlin with a certain degree of familiarity. The curious way in
-which I was disillusioned about this lady on that occasion will
-be related in due course. I would only mention here that, through
-my earlier experiences of the world, I had become fairly
-impervious to deception, and my desire for closer acquaintance
-with these circles speedily gave way to a complete hopelessness
-and an entire lack of ease in their sphere of life.
-
-Although the Konneritz couple remained friendly during the whole
-of my prolonged sojourn in Dresden, yet the connection had not
-the least influence either upon my development or my position.
-Only once, on the occasion of a quarrel between Luttichau and
-myself, the former observed that Frau von Konneritz, by her
-unmeasured praises, had turned my head and made me forget my
-position towards him. But in making this taunt he forgot that, if
-any woman in the higher ranks of Dresden society had exerted a
-real and invigorating influence upon my inward pride, that woman
-was his own wife, Ida von Luttichau (nee von Knobelsdorf).
-
-The power which this cultured, gentle, and distinguished lady
-exercised over my life was of a kind I now experienced for the
-first time, and might have become of great importance had I been
-favoured with more frequent and intimate intercourse. But it was
-less her position as wife of the general director than her
-constant ill-health and my own peculiar unwillingness to appear
-obtrusive, that hindered our meeting, except at rare intervals.
-My recollections of her merge somewhat, in my memory, with those
-of my own sister Rosalie. I remember the tender ambition which
-inspired me to win the encouraging sympathy of this sensitive
-woman, who was painfully wasting away amid the coarsest
-surroundings. My earliest hope for the fulfilment of this
-ambition arose from her appreciation of my Fliegender Hollander,
-in spite of the fact that, following close upon Rienzi, it had so
-puzzled the Dresden public. In this way she was the first, so to
-speak, who swam against the tide and met me upon my new path. So
-deeply was I touched by this conquest that, when I afterwards
-published the opera, I dedicated it to her. In the account of my
-later years in Dresden I shall have more to record of the warm
-sympathy for my new development and dearest artistic aims for
-which I was indebted to her. But of real intercourse we had none,
-and the character of my Dresden life was not affected by this
-acquaintance, otherwise so important in itself.
-
-On the other hand, my theatrical acquaintances thrust themselves
-with irresistible importunancy into the wide foreground of my
-life, and in fact, after my brilliant successes, I was still
-restricted to the same limited and familiar sphere in which I had
-prepared myself for these triumphs. Indeed, the only one who
-joined my old friends Heine and Gaffer Fischer was Tichatschek,
-with his strange domestic circle. Any one who lived in Dresden at
-that time and chanced to know the court lithographer, Furstenau,
-will be astonished to hear that, without really being aware of it
-myself, I entered into a familiarity that was to prove a lasting
-one with this man who was an intimate friend of Tichatschek's.
-The importance of this singular connection may be judged from the
-fact that my complete withdrawal from him coincided exactly with
-the collapse of my civic position in Dresden.
-
-My good-humoured acceptance of election to the musical committee
-of the Dresden Glee Club also brought me further chance
-acquaintances. This club consisted of a limited number of young
-merchants and officials, who had more taste for any kind of
-convivial entertainment than for music. But it was seduously kept
-together by a remarkable and ambitious man, Professor Lowe, who
-nursed it with special objects in view, for the attainment of
-which he felt the need of an authority such as I possessed at
-that time in Dresden.
-
-Among other aims he was particularly and chiefly concerned in
-arranging for the transfer of Weber's remains from London to
-Dresden. As this project was one which interested me also, I lent
-him my support, though he was in reality merely following the
-voice of personal ambition. He furthermore desired, as head of
-the Glee Club--which, by the way, from the point of view of music
-was quite worthless--to invite all the male choral unions of
-Saxony to a great gala performance in Dresden. A committee was
-appointed for the execution of this plan, and as things soon
-became pretty warm, Lowe turned it into a regular revolutionary
-tribunal, over which, as the great day of triumph approached, he
-presided day and night without resting, and by his furious zeal
-earned from me the nickname of 'Robespierre.'
-
-In spite of the fact that I had been placed at the head of this
-enterprise, I luckily managed to evade his terrorism, as I was
-fully occupied with a great composition promised for the
-festival. The task had been assigned to me of writing an
-important piece for male voices only, which, if possible, should
-occupy half an hour. I reflected that the tiresome monotony of
-male singing, which even the orchestra could only enliven to a
-slight extent, can only be endured by the introduction of
-dramatic themes. I therefore designed a great choral scene,
-selecting the apostolic Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy
-Ghost as its subject. I completely avoided any real solos, but
-worked out the whole in such a way that it should be executed by
-detached choral masses according to requirement. Out of this
-composition arose my Liebesmahl der Apostel ('Lovefeast of the
-Apostles'), which has recently been performed in various places.
-
-As I was obliged at all costs to finish it within a limited time,
-I do not mind including this in the list of my uninspired
-compositions. But I was not displeased with it when it was done,
-more especially when it was played at the rehearsals given by the
-Dresden choral societies under my personal supervision. When,
-therefore, twelve hundred singers from all parts of Saxony
-gathered around me in the Frauenkirche, where the performance
-took place, I was astonished at the comparatively feeble effect
-produced upon my ear by this colossal human tangle of sounds. The
-conclusion at which I arrived was, that these enormous choral
-undertakings are folly, and I never again felt inclined to repeat
-the experiment.
-
-It was with much difficulty that I shook myself free of the
-Dresden Glee Club, and I only succeeded in doing so by
-introducing to Professor Lowe another ambitious man in the person
-of Herr Ferdinand Hiller. My most glorious exploit in connection
-with this association was the transfer of Weber's ashes, of which
-I will speak later on, though it occurred at an earlier date. I
-will only refer now to another commissioned composition which, as
-royal bandmaster, I was officially commanded to produce. On the
-7th of June of this year (1843) the statue of King Frederick
-Augustus by Rietschl was unveiled in the Dresden Zwinger
-[Footnote: This is the name by which the famous Dresden Art
-Galleries are known.--Editor.] with all due pomp and ceremony. In
-honour of this event I, in collaboration with Mendelssohn, was
-commanded to compose a festal song, and to conduct the gala
-performance. I had written a simple song for male voices of
-modest design, whereas to Mendelssohn had been assigned the more
-complicated task of interweaving the National Anthem (the English
-'God Save the King,' which in Saxony is called Heil Dir im
-Rautenkranz) into the male chorus he had to compose. This he had
-effected by an artistic work in counterpoint, so arranged that
-from the first eight beats of his original melody the brass
-instruments simultaneously played the Anglo-Saxon popular air. My
-simpler song seems to have sounded very well from a distance,
-whereas I understood that Mendelssohn's daring combination quite
-missed its effect, because no one could understand why the
-vocalists did not sing the same air as the wind instruments were
-playing. Nevertheless Mendelssohn, who was present, left me a
-written expression of thanks for the pains I had taken in the
-production of his composition. I also received a gold snuff-box
-from the grand gala committee, presumably meant as a reward for
-my male chorus, but the hunting scene which was engraved on the
-top was so badly done that I found, to my surprise, that in
-several places the metal was cut through.
-
-Amid all the distractions of this new and very different mode of
-life, I diligently strove to concentrate and steel my soul
-against these influences, bearing in mind my experiences of
-success in the past. By May of my thirtieth year I had finished
-my poem Der Venusberg ('The Mount of Venus'), as I called
-Tannhauser at that time. I had not yet by any means gained any
-real knowledge of mediaeval poetry. The classical side of the
-poetry of the Middle Ages had so far only faintly dawned upon me,
-partly from my youthful recollections, and partly from the brief
-acquaintance I had made with it through Lehrs' instruction in
-Paris.
-
-Now that I was secure in the possession of a royal appointment
-that would last my lifetime, the establishment of a permanent
-domestic hearth began to assume great importance; for I hoped it
-would enable me to take up my serious studies once more, and in
-such a way as to make them productive--an aim which my theatrical
-life and the miseries of my years in Paris had rendered
-impossible. My hope of being able to do this was strengthened by
-the character of my official employment, which was never very
-arduous, and in which I met with exceptional consideration from
-the general management. Though I had only held my appointment for
-a few months, yet I was given a holiday this first summer, which
-I spent in a second visit to Toplitz, a place which I had grown
-to like, and whither I had sent on my wife in advance.
-
-Keenly indeed did I appreciate the change in my position since
-the preceding year. I could now engage four spacious and well-
-appointed rooms in the same house--the Eiche at Schonau--where I
-had before lived in such straitened and frugal circumstances. I
-invited my sister Clara to pay us a visit, and also my good
-mother, whose gout necessitated her taking the Toplitz baths
-every year. I also seized the opportunity of drinking the mineral
-waters, which I hoped might have a beneficial effect on the
-gastric troubles from which I had suffered ever since my
-vicissitudes in Paris. Unfortunately the attempted cure had a
-contrary effect, and when I complained of the painful irritation
-produced, I learned that my constitution was not adapted for
-water cures. In fact, on my morning promenade, and while drinking
-my water, I had been observed to race through the shady alleys of
-the adjacent Thurn Gardens, and it was pointed out to me that
-such a cure could only be properly wrought by leisurely calm and
-easy sauntering. It was also remarked that I usually carried
-about a fairly stout volume, and that, armed with this and my
-bottle of mineral water, I used to take rest in lonely places.
-
-This book was J. Grimm's German Mythology. All who know the work
-can understand how the unusual wealth of its contents, gathered
-from every side, and meant almost exclusively for the student,
-would react upon me, whose mind was everywhere seeking for
-something definite and distinct. Formed from the scanty fragments
-of a perished world, of which scarcely any monuments remained
-recognisable and intact, I here found a heterogeneous building,
-which at first glance seemed but a rugged rock clothed in
-straggling brambles. Nothing was finished, only here and there
-could the slightest resemblance to an architectonic line be
-traced, so that I often felt tempted to relinquish the thankless
-task of trying to build from such materials. And yet I was
-enchained by a wondrous magic. The baldest legend spoke to me of
-its ancient home, and soon my whole imagination thrilled with
-images; long-lost forms for which I had sought so eagerly shaped
-themselves ever more and more clearly into realities that lived
-again. There rose up soon before my mind a whole world of
-figures, which revealed themselves as so strangely plastic and
-primitive, that, when I saw them clearly before me and heard
-their voices in my heart, I could not account for the almost
-tangible familiarity and assurance of their demeanour. The effect
-they produced upon the inner state of my soul I can only describe
-as an entire rebirth. Just as we feel a tender joy over a child's
-first bright smile of recognition, so now my own eyes flashed
-with rapture as I saw a world, revealed, as it were, by miracle,
-in which I had hitherto moved blindly as the babe in its mother's
-womb.
-
-But the result of this reading did not at first do much to help
-me in my purpose of composing part of the Tannhauser music. I had
-had a piano put in my room at the Eiche, and though I smashed all
-its strings, nothing satisfactory would emerge. With much pain
-and toil I sketched the first outlines of my music for the
-Venusberg, as fortunately I already had its theme in my mind.
-Meanwhile I was very much troubled by excitability and rushes of
-blood to the brain. I imagined I was ill, and lay for whole days
-in bed, where I read Grimm's German legends, or tried to master
-the disagreeable mythology. It was quite a relief when I hit upon
-the happy thought of freeing myself from the torments of my
-condition by an excursion to Prague. Meanwhile I had already
-ascended Mount Millischau once with my wife, and in her company I
-now made the journey to Prague in an open carriage. There I
-stayed once more at my favourite inn, the Black Horse, met my
-friend Kittl, who had now grown fat and rotund, made various
-excursions, revelled in the curious antiquities of the old city,
-and learned to my joy that the two lovely friends of my youth,
-Jenny and Auguste Pachta, had been happily married to members of
-the highest aristocracy. Thereupon, having reassured myself that
-everything was in the best possible order, I returned to Dresden
-and resumed my functions as musical conductor to the King of
-Saxony.
-
-We now set to work on the preparations and furnishing of a roomy
-and well-situated house in the Ostra Allee, with an outlook upon
-the Zwinger. Everything was good and substantial, as is only
-right for a man of thirty who is settling down at last for the
-whole of his life. As I had not received any subsidy towards this
-outlay, I had naturally to raise the money by loan. But I could
-look forward to a certain harvest from my operatic successes in
-Dresden, and what was more natural than for me to expect soon to
-earn more than enough? The three most valued treasures which
-adorned my house were a concert grand piano by Breitkopf and
-Hartel, which I had bought with much pride; a stately writing-
-desk, now in possession of Otto Kummer, the chamber-music artist;
-and the title-page by Cornelius for the Nibelungen, in a handsome
-Gothic frame--the only object which has remained faithful to me
-to the present day. But the thing which above all else made my
-house seem homelike and attractive was the presence of a library,
-which I procured in accordance with a systematic plan laid down
-by my proposed line of study. On the failure of my Dresden career
-this library passed in a curious way into the possession of Herr
-Heinrich Brockhaus, to whom at that time I owed fifteen hundred
-marks, and who took it as security for the amount. My wife knew
-nothing at the time of this obligation, and I never afterwards
-succeeded in recovering this characteristic collection from his
-hands. Upon its shelves old German literature was especially well
-represented, and also the closely related work of the German
-Middle Ages, including many a costly volume, as, for instance,
-the rare old work, Romans des douze Paris. Beside these stood
-many excellent historical works on the Middle Ages, as well as on
-the German people in general. At the same time I made provision
-for the poetical and classical literature of all times and
-languages. Among these were the Italian poets, Shakespeare and
-the French writers, of whose language I had a passable knowledge.
-All these I acquired in the original, hoping some day to find
-time to master their neglected tongues. As for the Greek and
-Roman classics, I had to content myself with standard German
-translations. Indeed, on looking once more into my Homer--whom I
-secured in the original Greek--I soon recognised that I should be
-presuming on more leisure than my conductorship was likely to
-leave me, if I hoped to find time for regaining my lost knowledge
-of that language. Moreover, I provided most thoroughly for a
-study of universal history, and to this end did not fail to equip
-myself with the most voluminous works. Thus armed, I thought I
-could bid defiance to all the trials which I clearly foresaw
-would inevitably accompany my calling and position. In hopes,
-therefore, of long and peaceable enjoyment of this hard-earned
-home, I entered into possession with the best of spirits in
-October of this year (1843), and though my conductor's quarters
-were by no means magnificent, they were stately and substantial.
-
-The first leisure in my new home which I could snatch from the
-claims of my profession and my favourite studies was devoted to
-the composition of Tannhauser, the first act of which was
-completed in January of the new year, 1844. I have no
-recollections of any importance regarding my activities in
-Dresden during this winter. The only memorable events were two
-enterprises which took me away from home, the first to Berlin
-early in the year, for the production of my Fliegender Hollander,
-and the other in March to Hamburg for Rienzi.
-
-Of these the former made the greater impression upon my mind. The
-manager of the Berlin theatre, Kustner, quite took me by surprise
-when he announced the first performance of the Fliegender
-Hollander for an early date.
-
-As the opera house had been burnt down only about a year before,
-and could not possibly have been rebuilt, it had not occurred to
-me to remind them about the production of my opera. It had been
-performed in Dresden with very poor scenic accessories, and
-knowing how important a careful and artistic execution of the
-difficult scenery was for my dramatic sea-scapes, I had relied
-implicitly on the admirable management and staging capacities of
-the Berlin opera house. Consequently I was very much annoyed that
-the Berlin manager should select my opera as a stopgap to be
-produced at the Comedy Theatre, which was being used as a
-temporary opera house. All remonstrances proved useless, for I
-learned that they were not merely thinking about rehearsing the
-work, but that it was already actually being rehearsed, and would
-be produced in a few days. It was obvious that this arrangement
-meant that my opera was to be condemned to quite a short run in
-their repertoire, as it was not to be expected that they would
-remount it when the new opera house was opened. On the other
-hand, they tried to appease me by saying that this first
-production of the Fliegender Hollander was to be associated with
-a special engagement of Schroder-Devrient, which was to begin in
-Berlin immediately. They naturally thought I should be delighted
-to see the great actress in my own work. But this only confirmed
-me in the suspicion that this opera was simply wanted as a
-makeshift for the duration of Schroder-Devrient's visit. They
-were evidently in a dilemma with regard to her repertoire, which
-consisted mainly of so-called grand operas--such as Meyerbeer's--
-destined exclusively for the opera house, and which were being
-specially reserved for the brilliant future of the new building.
-I therefore realised beforehand that my Fliegender Hollander was
-to be relegated to the category of conductor's operas, and would
-meet with the usual predestined fate of such productions. The
-whole treatment meted out to me and my works all pointed in the
-same direction; but in consideration of the expected co-operation
-of Schroder-Devrient I fought against these vexatious
-premonitions, and set out for Berlin to do all I could for the
-success of my opera. I saw at once that my presence was very
-necessary. I found the conductor's desk occupied by a man calling
-himself Conductor Henning (or Henniger), an official who had won
-promotion from the ranks of ordinary musicians by an upright
-observance of the laws of seniority, but who knew precious little
-about conducting an orchestra at all, and about my opera had not
-the faintest glimmer of an idea. I took my seat at the desk, and
-conducted one full rehearsal and two performances, in neither of
-which, however, did Schroder-Devrient take part. Although I found
-much to complain of in the weakness of the string instruments and
-the consequent mean sound of the orchestra, yet I was well
-satisfied with the actors both as regards their capacity and
-their zeal. The careful staging, moreover, which under the
-supervision of the really gifted stage manager, Blum, and with
-the co-operation of his skilful and ingenious mechanics, was
-truly excellent, gave me a most pleasant surprise.
-
-I was now very curious to learn what effect these pleasing and
-encouraging preparations would have upon the Berlin public when
-the full performance took place. My experiences on this point
-were very curious. Apparently the only thing that interested the
-large audience was to discover my weak points. During the first
-act the prevalent opinion seemed to be that I belonged to the
-category of bores. Not a single hand was moved, and I was
-afterwards informed that this was fortunate, as the slightest
-attempt at applause would have been ascribed to a paid claque,
-and would have been energetically opposed. Kustner alone assured
-me that the composure with which, on the close of this act, I
-quitted my desk and appeared before the curtain, had filled him
-with wonder, considering this entire absence--lucky as it appears
-to have been--of all applause. But so long as I myself felt
-content with the execution, I was not disposed to let the public
-apathy discourage me, knowing, as I did, that the crucial test
-was in the second act.
-
-It lay, therefore, much nearer my heart to do all I could for the
-success of this than to inquire into the reasons for this
-attitude on the part of the Berlin public. And here the ice was
-really broken at last. The audience seemed to abandon all idea of
-finding a proper niche for me, and allowed itself to be carried
-away into giving vent to applause, which at last grew into the
-most boisterous enthusiasm. At the close of the act, amid a storm
-of shouts, I led forward my singers on to the stage for the
-customary bows of thanks. As the third act was too short to be
-tedious, and as the scenic effects were both new and impressive,
-we could not help hoping that we had won a veritable triumph,
-especially as renewed outbursts of applause marked the end of the
-performance. Mendelssohn, who happened at that time to be in
-Berlin, with Meyerbeer, on business relating to the general
-musical conductorship, was present in a stage box during this
-performance. He followed its progress with a pale face, and
-afterwards came and murmured to me in a weary tone of voice,
-'Well, I should think you are satisfied now!' I met him several
-times during my brief stay in Berlin., and also spent an evening
-with him listening to various pieces of chamber-music. But never
-did another word concerning the Fliegender Hollander pass his
-lips, beyond inquiries as to the second performance, and as to
-whether Devrient or some one else would appear in it. I heard,
-moreover, that he had responded with equal indifference to the
-earnest warmth of my allusions to his own music for the Midsummer
-Night's Dream, which was being frequently played at that time,
-and which I had heard for the first time. The only thing he
-discussed with any detail was the actor Gern, who was playing in
-Zettel, and who he considered was overacting his part.
-
-A few days later came a second performance with the same cast. My
-experiences on this evening were even more startling than on the
-former. Evidently the first night had won me a few friends, who
-were again present, for they began to applaud after the overture.
-But others responded with hisses, and for the rest of the evening
-no one again ventured to applaud. My old friend Heine had arrived
-in the meantime from Dresden, sent by our own board of directors
-to study the scenic arrangements of the Midsummer Night's Dream
-for our theatre. He was present at this second performance, and
-had persuaded me to accept the invitation from one of his Berlin
-relatives to have supper after the performance in a wine-bar
-unter den Linden. Very weary, I followed him to a nasty and badly
-lighted house, where I gulped down the wine with hasty ill-humour
-to warm myself, and listened to the embarrassed conversation of
-my good-natured friend and his companion, whilst I turned over
-the day's papers. I now had ample leisure to read the criticisms
-they contained on the first performance of my Fliegender
-Hollander. A terrible spasm cut my heart as I realised the
-contemptible tone and unparalleled shamelessness of their raging
-ignorance regarding my own name and work. Our Berlin friend and
-host, a thorough Philistine, said that he had known how things
-would go in the theatre that night, after having read these
-criticisms in the morning. The people of Berlin, he added, wait
-to hear what Rellstab and his mates have to say, and then they
-know how to behave. The good fellow was anxious to cheer me up,
-and ordered one wine after another. Heine hunted up his
-reminiscences of our merry Rienzi times in Dresden, until at last
-the pair conducted me, staggering along in an addled condition,
-to my hotel.
-
-It was already midnight. As I was being lighted by the waiter
-through its gloomy corridors to my room, a gentleman in black,
-with a pale refined face, came forward and said he would like to
-speak to me. He informed me that he had waited there since the
-close of the play, and as he was determined to see me, had
-stopped till now. I excused myself on the ground of being quite
-unfit for business, and added that, although not exactly inclined
-to merriment, I had, as he might perceive, somewhat foolishly
-drunk a little too much wine. This I said in a stammering voice;
-but my strange visitor seemed only the more unwilling to be
-repulsed. He accompanied me to my room, declaring that it was all
-the more imperative for him to speak with me. We seated ourselves
-in the cold room, by the meagre light of a single candle, and
-then he began to talk. In flowing and impressive language he
-related that he had been present at the performance that night of
-my Fliegender Hollander, and could well conceive the humour in
-which the evening's experiences had left me. For this very reason
-he felt that nothing should hinder him from speaking to me that
-night, and telling me that in the Fliegender Hollander I had
-produced an unrivalled masterpiece. Moreover, the acquaintance he
-had made with this work had awakened in him a new and unforeseen
-hope for the future of German art; and that it would be a great
-pity if I yielded to any sense of discouragement as the result of
-the unworthy reception accorded to it by the Berlin public. My
-hair began to stand on end. One of Hoffmann's fantastic creations
-had entered bodily into my life. I could find nothing to say,
-except to inquire the name of my visitor, at which he seemed
-surprised, as I had talked with him the day before at
-Mendelssohn's house. He said that my conversation and manner had
-created such an impression upon him there, and had filled him
-with such sudden regret at not having sufficiently overcome his
-dislike for opera in general, to be present at the first
-performance, that he had at once resolved not to miss the second.
-His name, he added, was Professor Werder. That was no use to me,
-I said, he must write his name down. Getting paper and ink, he
-did as I desired, and we parted. I flung myself unconsciously on
-the bed for a deep and invigorating sleep. Next morning I was
-fresh and well. I paid a farewell call on Schroeder-Devrient, who
-promised me to do all she could for the Fliegender Hollander as
-soon as possible, drew my fee of a hundred ducats, and set off
-for home. On my way through Leipzig I utilised my ducats for the
-repayment of sundry advances made me by my relatives during the
-earlier and poverty-stricken period of my sojourn in Dresden, and
-then continued my journey, to recuperate among my books and
-meditate upon the deep impression made on me by Werder's midnight
-visit.
-
-Before the end of this winter I received a genuine invitation to
-Hamburg for the performance of Rienzi. The enterprising director,
-Herr Cornet, through whom it came, confessed that he had many
-difficulties to contend against in the management of his theatre,
-and was in need of a great success. This, after the reception
-with which it had met in Dresden, he thought he could secure by
-the production of Rienzi. I accordingly betook myself thither in
-the month of March. The journey at that time was not an easy one,
-as after Hanover one had to proceed by mail-coach, and the
-crossing of the Elbe, which was full of floating ice, was a risky
-business. Owing to a great fire that had recently broken out, the
-town of Hamburg was in process of being rebuilt, and there were
-still many wide spaces encumbered with ruins. Cold weather and an
-ever-gloomy sky make my recollections of my somewhat prolonged
-sojourn in this town anything but agreeable. I was tormented to
-such an extent by having to rehearse with bad material, fit only
-for the poorest theatrical trumpery, that, worn out and exposed
-to constant colds, I spent most of my leisure time in the
-solitude of my inn chamber. My earlier experiences of ill-
-arranged and badly managed theatres came back to me afresh. I was
-particularly depressed when I realised that I had made myself an
-unconscious accomplice of Director Cornet's basest interests. His
-one aim was to create a sensation, which he thought should be of
-great service to me also; and not only did he put me off with a
-smaller fee, but even suggested that it should be paid by gradual
-instalments. The dignity of scenic decoration, of which he had
-not the smallest idea, was completely sacrificed to the most
-ridiculous and tawdry showiness. He imagined that pageantry was
-all that was really needed to secure my success. So he hunted out
-all the old fairy-ballet costumes from his stock, and fancied
-that if they only looked gay enough, and if plenty of people were
-bustling about on the stage, I ought to be satisfied. But the
-most sorry item of all was the singer he provided for the title-
-role. He was a man of the name of Wurda, an elderly, flabby and
-voiceless tenor, who sang Rienzi with the expression of a lover--
-like Elvino, for instance, in the Somnanibula. He was so dreadful
-that I conceived the idea of making the Capitol tumble down in
-the second act, so as to bury him sooner in its ruins, a plan
-which would have cut out several of the processions, which were
-so dear to the heart of the director. I found my one ray of light
-in a lady singer, who delighted me with the fire with which she
-played the part of Adriano. This was a Mme. Fehringer, who was
-afterwards engaged by Liszt for the role of Ortrud in the
-production of Lohengrin at Weimar, but by that time her powers
-had greatly deteriorated. Nothing could be more depressing than
-my connection with this opera under such dismal circumstances.
-And yet there were no outward signs of failure. The manager hoped
-in any case to keep Rienzi in his repertoire until Tichatschek
-was able to come to Hamburg and give the people of that town a
-true idea of the play. This actually took place in the following
-summer.
-
-My discouragement and ill-humour did not escape the notice of
-Herr Cornet, and discovering that I wished to present my wife
-with a parrot, he managed to procure a very fine bird, which he
-gave me as a parting gift. I carried it with me in its narrow
-cage on my melancholy journey home, and was touched to find that
-it quickly repaid my care and became very much attached to me.
-Minna greeted me with great joy when she saw this beautiful grey
-parrot, for she regarded it as a self-evident proof that I should
-do something in life. We already had a pretty little dog, born on
-the day of the first Rienzi rehearsal in Dresden, which, owing to
-its passionate devotion to myself, was much petted by all who
-knew me and visited my house during those years. This sociable
-bird, which had no vices and was an apt scholar, now formed an
-addition to our household; and the pair did much to brighten our
-dwelling in the absence of children. My wife soon taught the bird
-snatches of songs from Rienzi, with which it would good-naturedly
-greet me from a distance when it heard me coming up the stairs.
-
-And thus at last my domestic hearth seemed to be established with
-every possible prospect of a comfortable competency.
-
-No further excursions for the performance of any of my operas
-took place, for the simple reason that no such performances were
-given. As I saw it was quite clear that the diffusion of my works
-through the theatrical world would be a very slow business, I
-concluded that this was probably due to the fact that no
-adaptations of them for the piano existed. I therefore thought
-that I should do well to press forward such an issue at all
-costs, and in order to secure the expected profits, I hit upon
-the idea of publishing at my own expense. I accordingly made
-arrangements with F. Meser, the court music-dealer, who had
-hitherto not got beyond the publication of a valse, and signed an
-agreement with him for his firm to appear as the nominal
-publishers on the understanding that they should receive a
-commission of ten per cent, whilst I provided the necessary
-capital.
-
-As there were two operas to be issued, including Rienzi, a work
-of exceptional bulk, it was not likely that these publications
-would prove very profitable unless, in addition to the usual
-piano selections, I also published adaptations, such as the music
-without words, for duet or solo. For this a fairly large capital
-was necessary. I also needed funds for the repayment of the loans
-already mentioned, and for the settlement of old debts, as well
-as to pay off the remaining expenses of my house-furnishing. I
-was therefore obliged to try and procure much larger sums. I laid
-my project and its motive before Schroder-Devrient, who had just
-returned to Dresden, at Easter, 1844, to fulfil a fresh
-engagement. She believed in the future of my works, recognised
-the peculiarity of my position, as well as the correctness of my
-calculations, and declared her willingness to provide the
-necessary capital for the publication of my operas, refusing to
-consider the act as one involving any sacrifice on her part. This
-money she proposed to get by selling out her investments in
-Polish state-bonds, and I was to pay the customary rate of
-interest. The thing was so easily done, and seemed so much a
-matter of course, that I at once made all needful arrangements
-with my Leipzig printer, and set to work on the publication of my
-operas.
-
-When the amount of work delivered brought with it a demand for
-considerable payments on account, I approached my friend for a
-first advance. And here I became confronted with a new phase of
-that famous lady's life, which placed me in a position which
-proved as disastrous as it was unexpected. After having broken
-away from the unlucky Herr von Munchhausen some time previously,
-and returned, as it appeared, with penitential ardour to her
-former connection with my friend, Hermann Muller, it now turned
-out that she had found no real satisfaction in this fresh
-relationship. On the contrary, the star of her being, whom she
-had so long and ardently desired, had now at last arisen in the
-person of another lieutenant of the Guards. With a vehemence
-which made light of her treachery to her old friend, she elected
-this slim young man, whose moral and intellectual weaknesses were
-patent to every eye, as the chosen keystone of her life's love.
-He took the good luck that befell him so seriously, that he would
-brook no jesting, and at once laid hands on the fortune of his
-future wife, as he considered that it was disadvantageously and
-insecurely invested, and thought that he knew of much more
-profitable ways of employing it. My friend therefore explained,
-with much pain and evident embarrassment, that she had renounced
-all control over her capital, and was unable to keep her promise
-to me.
-
-Owing to this I entered upon a series of entanglements and
-troubles which henceforth dominated my life, and plunged me into
-sorrows that left their dismal mark on all my subsequent
-enterprises. It was clear that I could not now abandon the
-proposed plan of publication. The only satisfactory solution of
-my perplexities was to be found in the execution of my project
-and the success which I hoped would attend it. I was compelled,
-therefore, to turn all my energies to the raising of the money
-wherewith to publish my two operas, to which in all probability
-Tannhauser would shortly have to be added. I first applied to my
-friends, and in some cases had to pay exorbitant rates of
-interest, even for short terms. For the present these details are
-sufficient to prepare the reader for the catastrophe towards
-which I was now inevitably drifting.
-
-The hopelessness of my position did not at first reveal itself.
-There seemed no reason to despair of the eventual spread of my
-operatic works among the theatres in Germany, though my
-experience of them indicated that the process would be slow. In
-spite of the depressing experiences in Berlin and Hamburg, there
-were many encouraging signs to be seen. Above all, Rienzi
-maintained its position in favour of the people of Dresden, a
-place which undoubtedly occupied a position of great importance,
-especially during the summer months, when so many strangers from
-all parts of the world pass through it. My opera, which was not
-to be heard anywhere else, was in great request, both among the
-Germans and other visitors, and was always received with marked
-approbation, which surprised me very much. Thus a performance of
-Rienzi, especially in summer, became quite a Dionysian revelry,
-whose effect upon me could not fail to be encouraging.
-
-On one occasion Liszt was among the number of these visitors. As
-Rienzi did not happen to be in the repertoire when he arrived, he
-induced the management at his earnest request to arrange a
-special performance. I met him between the acts in Tichatschek's
-dressing-room, and was heartily encouraged and touched by his
-almost enthusiastic appreciation, expressed in his most emphatic
-manner. The kind of life to which Liszt was at that time
-condemned, and which bound him to a perpetual environment of
-distracting and exciting elements, debarred us from all more
-intimate and fruitful intercourse. Yet from this time onward I
-continued to receive constant testimonies of the profound and
-lasting impression I had made upon him, as well as of his
-sympathetic remembrance of me. From various parts of the world,
-wherever his triumphal progress led him, people, chiefly of the
-upper classes, came to Dresden for the purpose of hearing Rienzi.
-They had been so interested by Liszt's reports of my work, and by
-his playing of various selections from it, that they all came
-expecting something of unparalleled importance.
-
-Besides these indications of Liszt's enthusiastic and friendly
-sympathy, other deeply touching testimonies appeared from
-different quarters. The startling beginning made by Werder, on
-the occasion of his midnight visit after the second performance
-of the Fliegender Hollander in Berlin, was shortly afterwards
-followed by a similarly unsolicited approach in the form of an
-effusive letter from an equally unknown personage, Alwino
-Frommann, who afterwards became my faithful friend. After my
-departure from Berlin she heard Schroder-Devrient twice in the
-Fliegender Hollander, and the letter in which she described the
-effect produced upon her by my work conveyed to me for the first
-time the vigorous and profound sentiments of a deep and confident
-recognition such as seldom falls to the lot of even the greatest
-master, and cannot fail to exercise a weighty influence on his
-mind and spirit, which long for self-confidence.
-
-I have no very vivid recollections of my own doings during this
-first year of my position as conductor in a sphere of action
-which gradually grew more and more familiar. For the anniversary
-of my appointment, and to some extent as a personal recognition,
-I was commissioned to procure Gluck's Armida. This we performed
-in March, 1843, with the co-operation of Schroder-Devrient, just
-before her temporary departure from Dresden. Great importance was
-attached to this production, because, at the same moment,
-Meyerbeer was inaugurating his general-directorship in Berlin by
-a performance of the same work. Indeed, it was in Berlin that the
-extraordinary respect entertained for such a commemoration of
-Gluck had its origin. I was told that Meyerbeer went to Rellstab
-with the score of Armida in order to obtain hints as to its
-correct interpretation.
-
-As not long afterwards I also heard a strange story of two silver
-candlesticks, wherewith the famous composer was said, to have
-enlightened the no less famous critic when showing him the score
-of his Feldlager in Schlesien, I decided to attach no great
-importance to the instructions he might have received, but rather
-to help myself by a careful handling of this difficult score, and
-by introducing some softness into it through modulating the
-variations in tone as much as possible. I had the gratification
-later of receiving an exceedingly warm appreciation of my
-rendering from Herr Eduard Devrient, a great Gluck connoisseur.
-After hearing this opera as presented by us, and comparing it
-with the Berlin performance, he heartily praised the tenderly
-modulated character of our rendering of certain parts, which, he
-said, had been given in Berlin with the coarsest bluntness. He
-mentioned, as a striking instance of this, a brief chorus in C
-major of male and female nymphs in the third act. By the
-introduction of a more moderate tempo and very soft piano I had
-tried to free this from the original coarseness with which
-Devrient had heard it rendered in Berlin--presumably with
-traditional fidelity. My most innocent device, and one which I
-frequently adopted, for disguising the irritating stiffness or
-the orchestral movement in the original, was a careful
-modification of the Basso-continuo, which was taken
-uninterruptedly in common time. This I felt obliged to remedy,
-partly by legato playing, and partly by pizzicato.
-
-Our management were lavish in their expenditure on externals,
-especially decoration, and as a spectacular opera the piece drew
-fairly large houses, thus earning me the reputation of being a
-very suitable conductor for Gluck, and one who was in close
-sympathy with him. This result was the more conspicuous from the
-fact that Iphigenia in Tauris which is a far superior work, and
-in which Devrient's interpretation of the title-role was
-admirable had been performed to empty houses,
-
-I had to live upon this reputation for a long time, as it often
-happened that I was compelled to give inferior performances of
-repertoire pieces, including Mozart's operas. The mediocrity of
-these was particularly disappointing to those who, after my
-success in Armida, had expected a great deal from my rendering of
-these pieces, and were much disappointed in consequence. Even
-sympathetic hearers sought to explain their disappointment on the
-ground that I did not appreciate Mozart and could not understand
-him. But they failed to realise how impossible it was for me, as
-a mere conductor, to exercise any real influence on such
-desultory performances, which were merely given as stopgaps, and
-often without rehearsal. Indeed, in this matter I often found
-myself in a false position, which, as I was powerless to remedy
-it, contributed not a little to render unbearable both my new
-office and my dependence upon the meanest motives of a paltry
-theatrical routine, already overweighted with the cares of
-business. This, in fact, became worse than I had expected, in
-spite of my previous knowledge of the precariousness of such a
-life. My colleague Reissiger, to whom from time to time I poured
-out my woes regarding the scant attention given by the general
-management to our demands for the maintenance of correct
-representations in the realm of opera, comforted me by saying
-that I, like himself, would sooner or later relinquish all these
-fads and submit to the inevitable fate of a conductor. Thereupon
-he proudly smote his stomach, and hoped that I might soon be able
-to boast of one as round as his own.
-
-I received further provocation for my growing dislike of these
-jog-trot methods from a closer acquaintance with the spirit in
-which even eminent conductors undertook the reproduction of our
-masterpieces. During this first year Mendelssohn was invited to
-conduct his St. Paul for one of the Palm Sunday concerts in the
-Dresden chapel, which was famous at that time. The knowledge I
-thus acquired of this work, under such favourable circumstances,
-pleased me so much, that I made a fresh attempt to approach the
-composer with sincere and friendly motives; but a remarkable
-conversation which I had with him on the evening of this
-performance quickly and strangely repelled my impulse. After the
-oratorio Reissiger was to produce Beethoven's Eighth Symphony. I
-had noticed in the preceding rehearsal that Keissiger had fallen
-into the error of all the ordinary conductors of this work by
-taking the tempo di minuetto of the third movement at a
-meaningless waltz time, whereby not only does the whole piece
-lose its imposing character, but the trio is rendered absolutely
-ridiculous by the impossibility of the violoncello part being
-interpreted at such a speed. I had called Reissiger's attention
-to this defect, and he acquiesced in my opinion, promising to
-take the part in question at true minuetto tempo. I related this
-to Mendelssohn, when he was resting after his own performance in
-the box beside me, listening to the symphony. He, too,
-acknowledged that I was right, and thought that it ought to be
-played as I said. And now the third movement began. Reissiger,
-who, it is true, did not possess the needful power suddenly to
-impress so momentous a change of time upon his orchestra with
-success, followed the usual custom and took the tempo di minuetto
-in the same old waltz time. Just as I was about to express my
-anger, Mendelssohn gave me a friendly nod, as though he thought
-that this was what I wanted, and that I had understood the music
-in this way. I was so amazed by this complete absence of feeling
-on the part of the famous musician, that I was struck dumb, and
-thenceforth my own particular opinion of Mendelssohn gradually
-matured, an opinion which was afterwards confirmed by R.
-Schumann. The latter, in expressing the sincere pleasure he had
-felt on listening to the time at which I had taken the first
-movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, told me that he had been
-compelled to hear it year after year taken by Mendelssohn at a
-perfectly distracting speed.
-
-Amid my yearning anxiety to exert some influence upon the spirit
-in which our noblest masterpieces were executed, I had to
-struggle against the profound dissatisfaction I felt with my
-employment on the ordinary theatre repertoire. It was not until
-Palm Sunday of the year 1844, just after my dispiriting
-expedition to Hamburg, that my desire to conduct the Pastoral
-Symphony was satisfied. But many faults still remained
-unremedied, and for the removal of these I had to adopt indirect
-methods which gave me much trouble. For instance, at these famous
-concerts the arrangement of the orchestra, the members of which
-were seated in a long, thin, semicircular row round the chorus of
-singers, was so inconceivably stupid that it required the
-explanation given by Reissiger to make me understand such folly.
-He told me that all these arrangements dated from the time of the
-late conductor Morlacchi, who, as an Italian composer of operas,
-had no true realisation of the importance of the orchestra nor of
-its necessities. When, therefore, I asked why they had permitted
-him to meddle with things he did not understand, I learned that
-the preference shown to this Italian, both by the court and the
-general management, even in opposition to Carl Maria von Weber,
-had always been absolute and brooked no contradiction. I was
-warned that, even now, we should experience great difficulty in
-ridding ourselves of these inherited vices, because the opinion
-still prevailed in the highest circles that he must have
-understood best what he was about.
-
-Once more my childish memories of the eunuch Sassaroli flashed
-through my mind, and I remembered the warning of Weber's widow as
-to the significance of my succession to her husband's post of
-conductor in Dresden. But, in spite of all this, our performance
-of the Pastoral Symphony succeeded beyond expectation, and the
-incomparable and wonderfully stimulating enjoyment, which I was
-in future to derive from my intercourse with Beethoven's works,
-now first enabled me to realise his prolific strength. Kockel
-shared in this enjoyment with heartfelt sympathy; he supported me
-with eye and ear at every rehearsal, always stood by my side, and
-was at one with me both in his appreciation and his aims.
-
-After this encouraging success I was to receive the gratification
-of another triumph in the summer, which, although it was of no
-particular moment from the musical point of view, was of great
-social importance. The King of Saxony, towards whom, as I have
-already said, I had felt warmly drawn when he was Prince
-Friedrich, was expected home from a long visit to England. The
-reports received of his stay there had greatly rejoiced my
-patriotic soul. While this homely monarch, who shrank from all
-pomp and noisy demonstration, was in England, it happened that
-the Tsar Nicholas arrived quite unexpectedly on a visit to the
-Queen. In his honour great festivities and military reviews were
-held, in which our King, much against his will, was obliged to
-participate, and he was consequently compelled to receive the
-enthusiastic acclamations of the English crowd, who were most
-demonstrative in showing their preference for him, as compared
-with the unpopular Tsar. This preference was also reflected in
-the newspapers, so that a flattering incense floated over from
-England to our little Saxony which filled us all with a peculiar
-pride in our King. While I was in this mood, which absorbed me
-completely, I learned that preparations were being made in
-Leipzig for a special welcome to the King on his return, which
-was to be further dignified by a musical festival in the
-directing of which Mendelssohn was to take part. I made inquiries
-as to what was going to be done in Dresden, and learned that the
-King did not propose to call there at all, but was going direct
-to his summer residence at Pillnitz.
-
-A moment's reflection showed me that this would only further my
-desire of preparing a pleasant and hearty reception for his
-Majesty. As I was a servant of the Crown, any attempt on my part
-to render an act of homage in Dresden might have had the
-appearance of an official parade which would not be admissible. I
-seized the idea, therefore, of hurriedly collecting together all
-who could either play or sing, so that we might perform a
-Reception song hastily composed in honour of the event. The
-obstacle to my plan was that my Director Luttichau was away at
-one of his country seats. To come to an understanding with my
-colleague Reissiger would, moreover, have involved delay, and
-given the enterprise the very aspect of an official ovation which
-I wished to avoid. As no time was to be lost, if anything worthy
-of the occasion was to be done--as the King was due to arrive in
-a few days--I availed myself of my position as conductor of the
-Glee Club, and summoned all its singers and instrumentalists to
-my aid. In addition to these, I invited the members of our
-theatrical company, and also those of the orchestra, to join us.
-This done, I drove quickly to Pillnitz to arrange matters with
-the Lord Chamberlain, whom I found favourably disposed towards my
-project. The only leisure I could snatch for composing the verses
-of my song and setting them to music was during the rapid drive
-there and back, for by the time I reached home I had to have
-every thing ready for the copyist and lithographer. The agreeable
-sensation of rushing through the warm summer air and lovely
-country, coupled with the sincere affection with which I was
-inspired for our German Prince, and which had prompted my effort,
-elated me and worked me up to a high pitch of tension, in which I
-now formed a clear conception of the lyrical outlines of the
-'Tannhauser March,' which first saw the light of day on the
-occasion of this royal welcome. I soon afterwards developed this
-theme, and thus produced the march which became the most popular
-of the melodies I had hitherto composed.
-
-On the next day it had to be tried over with a hundred and twenty
-instrumentalists and three hundred singers. I had taken the
-liberty of inviting them to meet me on the stage of the Court
-Theatre, where everything went off capitally. Every one was
-delighted, and I not the least so, when a messenger arrived from
-the director, who had just returned to town, requesting an
-immediate interview. Littichau was enraged beyond measure at my
-high-handed proceedings in this matter, of which he had been
-informed by our good friend Reissiger. If his baronial coronet
-had been on his head during this interview, it would assuredly
-have tumbled off. The fact that I should have conducted my
-negotiations in person with the court officials, and could report
-that my endeavours had met with extraordinarily prompt success,
-aroused his deepest fury, for the chief importance of his own
-position consisted in always representing everything which had to
-be obtained by these means as surrounded by the greatest
-obstacles, and hedged in by the strictest etiquette. I offered to
-cancel everything, but that only embarrassed him the more. I
-thereupon asked him what he wanted me to do, if the plan was
-still to be carried out. On this point he seemed uncertain, but
-thought I had shown a great lack of fellow-feeling in having not
-only ignored him, but Reissiger as well. I answered that I was
-perfectly ready to hand over my composition and the conducting of
-the piece to Reissiger. But he could not swallow this, as he
-really had an exceedingly poor opinion of Reissiger, of which I
-was very well aware. His real grievance was that I had arranged
-the whole business with the Lord Chamberlain, Herr von
-Reizenstein, who was his personal enemy, and he added that I
-could form no conception of the rudeness he had been obliged to
-endure from the hands of this official. This outburst of
-confidence made it easier for me to exhibit an almost sincere
-emotion, to which he responded by a shrug of the shoulders,
-meaning that he must resign himself to a disagreeable necessity.
-
-But my project was even more seriously threatened by the wretched
-weather than by this storm with the director; for it rained all
-day in torrents. If it lasted, which it seemed only too likely to
-do, I could hardly start on the special boat at five o'clock in
-the morning, as proposed, with my hundreds of helpers, to give an
-early morning concert at Pillnitz, two hours away. I anticipated
-such a disaster with genuine dismay. But Rockel consoled me by
-saying that I could rely upon it that we should have glorious
-weather the next day; for I was lucky! This belief in my luck has
-followed me ever since, even down to my latest days; and amid the
-great misfortunes which have so often hampered my enterprises, I
-have felt as if this statement were a wicked insult to fate. But
-this time, at least, my friend was right; the 12th of August,
-1844 was from sunrise till late at night the most perfect summer
-day that I can remember in my whole life. The sensation of
-blissful content with which I saw my light-hearted legion of
-gaily dressed bandsmen and singers gathering through the
-auspicious morning mists on board our steamer, swelled my breast
-with a fervent faith in my lucky star.
-
-By my friendly impetuosity I had succeeded in overcoming
-Reissiger's smouldering resentment, and had persuaded him to
-share the honour of our undertaking by conducting the performance
-of my composition himself. When we arrived at the spot,
-everything went off splendidly. The King and royal family were
-visibly touched, and in the evil times that followed the Queen of
-Saxony spoke of this occasion, I am told, with peculiar emotion,
-as the fairest day of her life. After Reissiger had wielded his
-baton with great dignity, and I had sung with the tenors in the
-choir, we two conductors were summoned to the presence of the
-royal family. The King warmly expressed his thanks, while the
-Queen paid us the high compliment of saying that I composed very
-well and that Reissiger conducted very well. His Majesty asked us
-to repeat the last three stanzas only, as, owing to a painful
-ulcerated tooth, he could not remain much longer out of doors. I
-rapidly devised a combined evolution, the remarkably successful
-execution of which I am very proud, even to this day. I had the
-entire song repeated, but, in accordance with the King's wish,
-only one verse was sung in our original crescent formation. At
-the beginning of the second verse I made my four hundred
-undisciplined bandsmen and singers file off in a march through
-the garden, which, as they gradually receded, was so arranged
-that the final notes could only reach the royal ear as an echoing
-dream-song. Thanks to my unexampled activity and ever-present
-help, this retreat was so steadily carried out that not the
-slightest faltering was perceptible either in time or delivery,
-and the whole might have been taken for a carefully rehearsed
-theatrical manoeuvre. On reaching the castle court we found that,
-by the Queen's kindly forethought, an ample breakfast had been
-provided for our party on the lawn, where the tables were already
-spread. We often saw our royal hostess herself busily supervising
-the attendants, or moving with excited delight about the windows
-and corridors of the castle. Every eye beamed rapture to my soul,
-as the successful author of the general happiness, and I almost
-felt amid the glories of that day as though the millennium had
-been proclaimed. After roaming in a body through the lovely
-grounds of the castle, and not omitting to pay a visit to the
-Keppgrund which had been so dear to me in my youth, we returned
-late at night, and in the highest spirits, to Dresden.
-
-Next morning I was again summoned to the presence of the
-director. But a change had come over him during the night.
-
-As I began to offer my apologies for the anxiety I had caused
-him, the tall thin man, with the hard dry face, seized me by the
-hand and addressed me with a rapturous expression, which I am
-sure no one else ever saw on his face. He told me to say no more
-about these anxieties. I was a great man, and soon no one would
-know anything about him, whereas I should be universally admired
-and loved. I was deeply moved, and wished only to express my
-embarrassment at so unexpected an outburst, when he kindly
-interrupted me and sought an escape from his own emotion in good-
-humoured confidences. He referred, with a smile, to the self-
-denial which had yielded the place of honour on so extraordinary
-an occasion to an undeserving man like Reissiger. When I assured
-him that this act had afforded me the liveliest satisfaction, and
-that I had myself persuaded my colleague to take the baton, he
-confessed that at last he began to understand me, but failed
-altogether to comprehend how the other could accept a position to
-which he had no right.
-
-Luttichau's altered attitude towards me was such that for some
-time our intercourse on matters of business assumed an almost
-confidential tone. But, unfortunately, in course of time things
-changed for the worse, so that our relationship became one of
-open enmity; nevertheless, a certain peculiar tenderness towards
-me on the part of this singular man was always clearly
-perceptible. Indeed, I might almost say that much of his
-subsequent abuse of me sounded more like the strangely perverted
-plaints of a love that met with no response.
-
-For my holiday this year I went, early in September, to Fischer's
-vineyard, near Loschwitz, not far from the famous Firidlater
-vineyard, where, somewhat late in the year, I rented a summer
-residence. Where under the kindly and strengthening stimulus of
-six week of open-air life, I composed my music for the second act
-of Tannhauser, which I completed by the 15th of October. During
-this period a performance of Rienzi was given before an audience
-of no ordinary importance. For this event I went up to town.
-Spontini, Meyerbeer, and General Lwoff, the composer of the
-Russian National Anthem, were seated together in a stage box. I
-sought no opportunity of learning the impression made by my opera
-upon these learned judges and magnates of the musical world. It
-was enough for me to have the complacent satisfaction of knowing
-that they had heard my oft-repeated work performed before a
-crowded house and amid overwhelming applause. I was delighted at
-the close of the opera to have my little dog Peps, which had run
-after me all the way from the country, brought to me; and without
-waiting to greet the European celebrities, I drove off with it at
-once to our quiet vineyard, where Minna was greatly relieved to
-recover her little pet, which for hours she had believed to be
-lost.
-
-Here I also received a visit from Werder, the man whose
-friendship I had made in Berlin under such dramatic
-circumstances. But this time he appeared in ordinary human guise,
-beneath the kindly light of heaven, by which we disputed in a
-friendly way concerning the true worth of the Fliegender
-Hollander, my mind having somewhat turned against this work since
-Tannhauser had got into my head. It certainly seemed odd to find
-myself contradicted on this point by my friend, and to receive
-instruction from him on the significance of my own work.
-
-When we returned to our winter quarters I tried to avoid allowing
-so lengthy an interval to elapse between the composition of the
-second and third acts as had separated that of the first and
-second. In spite of many absorbing engagements I succeeded in my
-aim. By carefully cultivating a habit of taking solitary walks,
-and thanks to their soothing influence over me, I managed to
-finish the music of Act iii. by the 29th of December, that is to
-say, before the end of the year.
-
-During this period my time was otherwise very seriously occupied
-by a visit paid us by Spontini with reference to a proposed
-presentation of his Vestalin, the preparation for which had just
-begun. The singular episodes and characteristic features of the
-intercourse which I thus gained with this eminent and hoary-
-headed master are still so vividly imprinted on my memory that
-they seem worthy of a place in this record.
-
-Since, with the co-operation of Schroder-Devrient, we could, on
-the whole, rely upon an admirable presentation of the opera, I
-had inspired Luttichau with the idea of inviting Spontini to
-undertake the personal superintendence of his justly famous work.
-He had just left Berlin for ever, after enduring great
-humiliation there, and such an invitation at this moment would be
-a well-timed proof of respect. This was accordingly sent, and as
-I had myself been entrusted with the conductorship of the opera,
-I was given the singular task of deciding this point with the
-master. My letter, it appears, although written in French,
-inspired him with a high opinion of my zeal for the enterprise,
-and in a gracious reply he informed me what his special wishes
-were regarding the arrangements to be made for his collaboration.
-As far as the vocalists were concerned, and seeing that a
-Schroder-Devrient was among the number, he frankly expressed his
-satisfaction. As for chorus and ballet, he took it for granted
-that nothing would be lacking to the dignity of the performance;
-and finally, as regarded the orchestra, he expected that this
-also would be sure to please him, as he presumed it contained the
-necessary complement of excellent instruments which, to use his
-own words, 'he hoped would furnish the performance with twelve
-good contrabass!' (le tout garni de douze bonnes contre-basses).
-This phrase bowled me over, for the proportion thus bluntly
-stated in figures gave me so logical a conception of his exalted
-expectations, that I hurried away at once to the director to warn
-him that the enterprise on which we had embarked would not, after
-all, prove as easy as we thought. His alarm was great, and he
-said that some plan must at once be devised for breaking off the
-engagement.
-
-When Schroder-Devrient heard of our dilemma, knowing Spontini
-well, she laughed as though she would never stop at the ingenuous
-impudence with which we had issued our invitation. A trifling
-indisposition from which she then suffered provided a reasonable
-excuse for a delay, more or less prolonged, and this she
-generously placed at our disposal. Spontini had, in fact, urged
-us to use all possible despatch in the execution of our project,
-for, as he was impatiently awaited in Paris, he could spare us
-but little time. It fell to my lot to weave the tissue of
-innocent deceptions by which we hoped to divert the master from a
-definite acceptance of our invitation. Now we could breathe
-again, and duly began rehearsing. But on the very day before we
-proposed to hold our full-dress rehearsal at our leisure, lo and
-behold! about noon a carriage drove up to my door, in which, clad
-in a long blue coat of pilot-cloth, sat no other than the haughty
-master himself, whose manners resembled those of a Spanish
-grandee. All unattended and greatly excited, he entered my room,
-showed me my letters, and proved from our correspondence that the
-invitation had not been declined, but that he had in all points
-accurately complied with our wishes. Forgetting for the moment
-all the possible embarrassments which might arise, in my genuine
-delight at beholding the wonderful man before me, and hearing his
-work conducted by himself, I at once undertook to do everything I
-possibly could to meet his desires. This declaration I made with
-the utmost sincerity of zeal. He smiled with almost childlike
-kindliness on hearing me, and I at once begged him to conduct the
-rehearsal arranged for the morrow. He thereupon grew suddenly
-thoughtful, and began to weigh the numerous disadvantages of such
-an action on his part. So acute did his agitation become that he
-had the greatest difficulty in expressing himself clearly on any
-point, and I found it no easy matter to inquire what arrangements
-on our part would persuade him to undertake the morrow's
-rehearsal. After a moment's reflection he asked what sort of
-baton I was accustomed to use when conducting. With my hands I
-indicated the approximate length and thickness of a medium-sized
-wooden rod, such as our choir-attendant was in the habit of
-supplying, freshly covered with white paper. He sighed, and asked
-if I thought it possible to procure him by to-morrow a baton of
-black ebony, whose very respectable length and thickness he
-indicated by a gesture, and on each end of which a fairly large
-knob of ivory was to be affixed. I promised to have one prepared
-for the next rehearsal, which should at least be similar in
-appearance to what he desired, and another of the specified
-materials in time for the actual performance. Visibly relieved,
-he then passed his hand over his brow, and granted me permission
-to announce his consent to conduct on the following day. After
-once more strongly enforcing his instructions as to the baton, he
-went back to his hotel.
-
-I seemed to be moving in a dream, and hastened in a whirl-wind of
-excitement to publish the news of what had happened and was to be
-expected. We were fairly trapped. Schroder-Devrient offered to
-become our scapegoat, while I entered into precise details with
-the theatre carpenter concerning the baton. This turned out so
-far correct that it possessed the requisite length and breadth,
-was black in its colour, and had two large white knobs. Then came
-the fateful rehearsal. Spontini was evidently ill at ease on his
-seat in the orchestra. First of all he wished to have the oboists
-placed behind him. As this partial change of position just at
-that moment would have caused much confusion in the disposition
-of the orchestra, I promised to effect the alteration after the
-rehearsal. He said no more, and took up his baton. In a moment I
-understood why he attached such importance to its form and size.
-He held it, not as other conductors do, by the end, but gripped
-it about the middle with his clenched fist, waving it so as to
-make it evident that he wielded his baton like a field-marshal's
-staff, not for beating time, but for command.
-
-Confusion arose in the very first scene, which was increased by
-the fact that the master's instructions, both to orchestra and
-singers, were rendered almost unintelligible by his confused use
-of the German language. This much at least we were soon able to
-grasp, that he was particularly anxious to disabuse us of the
-idea that this was a full-dress rehearsal, and to show us that he
-was set upon a thorough re-study of the opera from the very
-beginning. Great, indeed, was the despair of my good old
-chorus-master and stage manager, Fischer--who before had
-enthusiastically advocated the invitation of Spontini--when he
-recognised that the dislocation of our repertoire was now
-inevitable. This feeling swelled by degrees to open anger, in the
-blindness of which every fresh suggestion of Spontini's appeared
-but frivolous fault-finding, to which he bluntly responded in the
-coarsest German. After one of the choruses Spontini beckoned me
-to his side and whispered: 'Mais savez-vous, vos choeurs ne
-chantent pas mal'; whereupon Fischer, regarding this with
-suspicion, shouted out to me in a rage: 'What does the old hog
-want now?' and I had some trouble to pacify the speedily
-converted enthusiast.
-
-But our most serious delay arose, during the first act, through
-the evolutions of a triumphal march. With the most vociferous
-emphasis the master expressed intense dissatisfaction with the
-apathetic demeanour of our populace during the procession of
-vestal virgins. He was quite unaware of the fact that, in
-obedience to our stage manager's instructions, they had fallen on
-their knees upon the appearance of the priestesses; for he was so
-excited, and withal so terribly short-sighted, that nothing which
-appealed to the eye alone was perceptible to his senses. What he
-demanded was that the Roman army should manifest its devout
-respect in more drastic fashion by flinging themselves as one man
-to the ground, and marking this by delivering a crashing blow of
-their spears on their shields. Endless attempts were made, but
-some one always clattered either too soon or too late. Then he
-repeated the action himself several times with his baton on the
-desk, but all to no purpose; the crash was not sufficiently sharp
-and emphatic. This reminded me of the impression made upon me
-some years before in Berlin by the wonderful precision and almost
-alarming effect with which I had seen similar evolutions carried
-out in the play of Ferdinand Cortez, and I realized that it would
-require an immediate and tedious accentuation of our customary
-softness of action in such maneouvres before we could meet the
-fastidious master's requirements. At the end of the first act
-Spontini went on the stage himself, in order to give a detailed
-explanation of his reasons for wishing to defer his opera for a
-considerable time, so as to prepare by multitudinous rehearsals
-for its production in accordance with his taste. He expected to
-find the actors of the Dresden Court Theatre gathered there to
-hear him; but the company had already dispersed. Singers and
-stage manager had hastily scattered in every direction to give
-vent, each in his own fashion, to the misery of the situation.
-None but the workmen, lamp-cleaners, and a few of the chorus
-gathered in a semicircle around Spontini, in order to have a look
-at that remarkable man, as he held forth with wonderful effect on
-the requirements of true theatrical art. Turning towards the
-dismal scene, I gently and respectfully pointed out to Spontini
-the uselessness of his declamation, and promised that everything
-should eventually be done precisely as he desired.
-
-Finally, I succeeded in extricating him from the undignified
-position in which, to my horror, he had been placed, by telling
-him that Herr Eduard Devrient, who had seen the Vestalin in
-Berlin, and carried every detail of the performance in his mind,
-should personally drill our chorus and supers into a becoming
-solemnity during the reception of the vestals. This pacified him,
-and we proceeded to settle on a plan for a series of rehearsals
-according to his wishes. But, in spite of all this, I was the
-only person to whom this strange turn of affairs was not
-unwelcome; for through the burlesque extravagances of Spontini,
-and notwithstanding his extraordinary eccentricities, which,
-however, I learned in time to understand, I could perceive the
-miraculous energy with which he pursued and attained an ideal of
-theatrical art such as in our days had become almost unknown.
-
-We began, therefore, with a pianoforte rehearsal, at which the
-master made a point of telling the singers what he wanted. He did
-not tell us anything new, however, for he said little about the
-details of the rendering; on the other hand, he expatiated upon
-the general interpretation, and I noticed that in doing this, he
-had accustomed himself to make the most decided allowances for
-the great singers, especially Schroder-Devrient and Tichatschek.
-The only thing he did was to forbid the latter to use the word
-Braut (bride) with which Licinius had to address Julia in the
-German translation; this word sounded horrible in his ears, and
-he could not understand how anybody could set such a vulgar sound
-as that to music. He gave a long lecture, however, to the
-somewhat coarse and less talented singer who took the part of the
-high-priest, and explained to him how to understand and interpret
-this character from the dialogue (in recitative) between him and
-Haruspex. He told him that he must understand that the whole
-thing was based upon priestcraft and superstition. Pontifex must
-make it clear that he does not fear his antagonist at the head of
-the Roman army, because, should the worst come to the worst, he
-has his machines ready, which, if necessary, will miraculously
-rekindle the dead fire of Vesta. In this way, even though Julia
-should escape the sacrifice, the power of the priesthood would
-still be unassailable.
-
-During one of the rehearsals I asked Spontini why he, who, as a
-rule, made such very effective use of the trombone, should have
-left it entirely out in the magnificent triumphal march of the
-first act. Very much astonished he asked: 'Est-ce que je n'ai pas
-de trombones?' I showed him the printed score, and he then asked
-me to add the trombones to the march, so that, if possible, they
-might be used at the next rehearsal. He also said: 'J'ai entendu
-dans votre Rienzi un instrument, que vous appelez Basse-tuba; je
-ne veux pas bannir cet instrument de l'orchestre: faites m'en une
-partie pour la Vestale.' It gave me great pleasure to perform
-this task for him with all the care and good judgment I could
-dispose of. When at the rehearsal he heard the effect for the
-first time, he threw me a really grateful glance, and so much
-appreciated the really simple additions I had made to his score,
-that a little later on he wrote me a very friendly letter from
-Paris in which he asked me kindly to send him the extra
-instrumental parts I had prepared for him. His pride would not
-allow him, however, to ask outright for something for which I
-alone had been responsible, so he wrote: 'Envoyez-moi une
-partition des trombones pour la marche triomphale et de la Basse-
-tuba telle qu'elle a ete executee sous ma direction a Dresde.'
-Apart from this, I also showed how greatly I respected him, in
-the eagerness with which, at his special request, I regrouped all
-the instruments in the orchestra. He was forced to this request
-more by habit than by principle, and how very important it seemed
-to him not to make the slightest change in his customary
-arrangements, was proved to me when he explained his method of
-conducting. He conducted the orchestra, so he said, only with his
-eyes: 'My left eye is the first violin, my right eye the second,
-and if the eye is to have power, one must not wear glasses (as so
-many bad conductors do), even if one is short-sighted. I,' he
-admitted confidentially, 'cannot see twelve inches in front of
-me, but all the same I can make them play as I want, merely by
-fixing them with my eye.' In some respects the arbitrary way in
-which he used to arrange his orchestra was really very
-irrational. From his old days in Paris he had retained the habit
-of placing the two oboists immediately behind him, and although
-this was a fad which owed its origin to a mere accident, it was
-one to which he always adhered. The consequence was that these
-players had to avert the mouthpiece of their instruments from the
-audience, and our excellent oboist was so angry about this
-arrangement, that it was only by dint of great diplomacy that I
-succeeded in pacifying him.
-
-Apart from this, Spontini's method was based upon the absolutely
-correct system (which even at the present time is misunderstood
-by some German orchestras) of spreading the string quartette over
-the whole orchestra. This system further consisted in preventing
-the brass and percussion instruments from culminating in one
-point (and drowning each other) by dividing them on both sides,
-and by placing the more delicate wind instruments at a judicious
-distance from each other, thus forming a chain between the
-violins. Even some great and celebrated orchestras of the present
-day still retain the custom of dividing the mass of instruments
-into two halves, the string and the wind instruments, an
-arrangement that denotes roughness and a lack of understanding of
-the sound of the orchestra, which ought to blend harmoniously and
-be well balanced.
-
-I was very glad to have the chance of introducing this excellent
-improvement in Dresden, for now that Spontini himself had
-initiated it, it was an easy matter to get the King's command to
-let the alteration stand. Nothing remained after Spontini's
-departure but to modify and correct certain eccentricities and
-arbitrary features in his arrangements; and from that moment I
-attained a high level of success with my orchestra.
-
-With all the peculiarities he showed at rehearsals, this
-exceptional man fascinated both musicians and singers to such an
-extent that the production attracted quite an unusual amount of
-attention. Very characteristic was the energy with which he
-insisted on exceptionally sharp rhythmic accents; through his
-association with the Berlin orchestra he had acquired the habit
-of marking the note that he wished to be brought out with the
-word diese (this), which at first was quite incomprehensible to
-me. The great singer Tichatschek, who had a positive genius for
-rhythm, was highly pleased by this; for he also had acquired the
-habit of compelling the chorus to great precision in very
-important entries, and maintained that if one only accentuated
-the first note properly, the rest followed as a matter of course.
-On the whole, therefore, a spirit of devotion to the master
-gradually pervaded the orchestra; the violas alone bore him a
-grudge for a while, and for this reason. In the accompaniment of
-the lugubrious cantilena of Julia at the end of the second act,
-he would not put up with the way in which the violas played the
-horribly sentimental accompaniment. Suddenly turning towards them
-he called in a sepulchral tone, 'Are the violas dying?' The two
-pale and incurably melancholy old men who held on tenaciously to
-their posts in the orchestra, notwithstanding their right to a
-pension, stared at Spontini with real fright, reading a threat in
-his words, and I had to explain Spontini's wish in sober language
-in order to call them back to life.
-
-On the stage Herr Eduard Devrient helped very materially in
-bringing about wonderfully distinct ensembles; he also knew how
-to gratify a certain wish of Spontini's, which threw us all into
-tremendous confusion. In accordance with the cuts adopted by all
-the German theatres, we too ended the opera with the fiery duet,
-supported by the chorus, between Licinius and Julia after their
-rescue. The master, however, insisted on adding a lively chorus
-and ballet to the finale, according to the antiquated method of
-ending common to French opera seria. He was absolutely against
-finishing his work with a dismal churchyard episode; consequently
-the whole scene had to be altered. Venus was to shine resplendent
-in a rose bower, and the long-suffering lovers were to be wedded
-at her altar, amid lively dancing and singing, by rose-bedecked
-priests and priestesses. We performed it like this, but unluckily
-not with the success we had all hoped for.
-
-In the course of the production, which was proceeding with
-wonderful accuracy and verve, we came across a difficulty with
-regard to the principal part for which none of us had been
-prepared. Our great Schroder-Devrient was obviously no longer of
-an age to give the desired effect as the youngest of the vestal
-virgins; she had acquired matronly contours, and her age was
-moreover accentuated by the extremely girlish-looking high-
-priestess with whom she had to act, and whose youth it was
-difficult to dissimulate. This was my niece, Johanna Wagner, who,
-because of her marvellous voice and great talent as an actress,
-made every one in the audience long to see the parts of the two
-women reversed. Schroder-Devrient, who was well aware of this
-fact, tried by every effective means in her power to overcome her
-most difficult position; this effort, however, resulted not
-infrequently in great exaggeration and straining of the voice,
-and in one very important place her part was sadly overacted.
-When, after the great trio in the second act, she had to gasp the
-words, 'er ist frei' ('he is free'), and to move away from her
-rescued lover towards the front of the stage, she made the
-mistake of speaking the words instead of singing them.
-
-She had often proved the effect of a decisive word uttered with
-an exaggerated and yet careful imitation of the ordinary accents
-of the spoken language, by exciting the audience's wildest
-enthusiasm when she almost whispered the words, 'Noch einen
-Schritt und du bist todt!' ('Just one more step and thou art
-dead!') in Fidelia. This terrific effect, which I too had felt,
-was produced by the shock--like unto the blow of an executioner's
-axe--which I received on suddenly coming down from the ideal
-sphere to which music itself can exalt the most awful situations,
-to the naked surface of dreadful reality. This sensation was due
-simply to the knowledge of the utmost height of the sublime, and
-the memory of the impression I received led me to call that
-particular moment the moment of lightning; for it was as if two
-different worlds that meet, and yet are divided, were suddenly
-illumined and revealed as by a flash. Thoroughly to understand
-such a moment, and not to treat it wrongly, was the whole secret,
-and this I fully realised on that day from the absolute failure
-on the great singer's part to produce the right effect. The
-toneless, hoarse way in which she uttered the words was like
-throwing cold water over the audience and myself, and not one of
-those present could see any more in the incident than a botched
-theatrical effect. It is possible that the public had expected
-too much, for they were curious to see Spontini conduct, and the
-prices had been raised accordingly; it may also have been that
-the whole style of the work, with its antiquated French plot,
-seemed rather obsolete in spite of the majestic beauty, of the
-music; or, perhaps, the very tame end left the same cold
-impression as Devrient's dramatic failure. In any case there was
-no real enthusiasm, and the only sign of approval was a rather
-lukewarm call for the celebrated master, who, covered with
-numerous decorations, made a sad impression on me as he bowed his
-thanks to the audience for their very moderate applause.
-
-Nobody was less blind to the somewhat disappointing result than
-Spontini himself. He decided, however, to defy fate, and to this
-end had recourse to means which he had often employed in Berlin,
-in order to get packed houses for his operatic productions. Thus,
-he always gave Sunday performances, for experience had taught him
-that he could always have a full house on that day. As the next
-Sunday on which his Vestalin was to be produced was still some
-time ahead, his prolonged stay gave us several more chances of
-enjoying his interesting company. I have such a vivid
-recollection of the hours spent with him either at Madame
-Devrient's or at my house, that I shall be pleased to quote a few
-reminiscences.
-
-I shall never forget a dinner at Schroder-Devrient's house at
-which we had a charming conversation with Spontini and his wife
-(a sister of the celebrated pianoforte maker, Erard). Spontini
-generally listened deferentially to what the others had to say,
-his attitude being that of a man who expected to be asked for his
-opinion. When he did speak in the end it was with a sort of
-rhetorical solemnity, in sharp and precise sentences, categorical
-and well accentuated, which forbade contradiction from the
-outset. Herr Ferdinand Hiller was among the invited guests, and
-he began to speak about Liszt. After some time Spontini gave his
-opinion in his characteristic fashion, but in a spirit which
-showed only too clearly, that from the heights of his Berlin
-throne he had not judged the affairs of the world either with
-impartiality or goodwill. While he was laying down the law in
-this style he could not brook any interruption. When, therefore,
-during the dessert, the general conversation became livelier, and
-Madame Devrient happened to laugh with her neighbour at the table
-in the middle of a long harangue of Spontini's, he shot an
-extremely angry glance at his wife. Madame Devrient apologised
-for her at once by saying that it was she (Madame Devrient) who
-had been laughing about some lines on a bonbonniere, whereupon
-Spontini retorted: 'Pourtant je suis sur que c'est ma femme qui a
-suscite ce rire; je ne veux pas que l'on rie devant moi, je ne
-rie jamais moi, j'aime le serieux.' In spite of that he sometimes
-succeeded in being jovial. For instance, it amused him to set us
-all wondering at the way in which he crunched enormous lumps of
-sugar with his marvellous teeth. After dinner, when we drew our
-chairs closer together, he usually became very excited.
-
-As far as he was capable of affection he seemed really to like
-me; he declared openly that he loved me, and said that he would
-prove this best by trying to keep me from the misfortune of
-proceeding in my career as a dramatic composer. He said he knew
-it would be difficult to convince me of the value of this
-friendly service, but as he felt it his sacred duty to look after
-my happiness in this particular line, he was prepared to stay in
-Dresden for another half-year, during which period he suggested
-that we should produce his other operas, and especially Agnes von
-Hohenstaufen, under his direction. To explain his views about the
-fatal mistake of trying to succeed as a dramatic composer 'after
-Spontini,' he began by praising me in these terms: 'Quand j'ai
-entendu votre Rienzi, j'ai dit, c'est un homme de genie, mais
-deja il a plus fait qu'il ne peut faire.' In order to show me
-what he meant by this paradox, he proceeded as follows: 'Apres
-Gluck c'est moi qui ai fait la grande revolution avec la Vestale;
-j'ai introduit le Vorhalt de la sexte' (the suspension of the
-sixth) 'dans l'harmonie et la grosse caisse dans l'orchestre;
-avec Cortez j'ai fait un pas de plus en avant; puis j'ai fait
-trois pas avec Olympic. Nurmahal, Alcidor et tout ce que j'ai
-fait dans les premiers temps a Berlin, je vous les livre,
-c'etaient des oeuvres occasionnelles; mais depuis j'ai fait cent
-pas en avant avec Agnes de Hohenstaufen, ou j'ai imagine un
-emploi de l'orchestre remplacant parfaitement l'orgue.'
-
-Since then he had tried his hand at a new work, Les Atheniennes;
-the Crown Prince (now King of Prussia [Footnote: William the
-First.]) had urged him to finish this work, and to testify to the
-truth of his words, he took several letters which he had received
-from this monarch out of his pocket-book, and handed them to us
-for inspection. Not until he had insisted upon our reading them
-carefully through did he continue by saying that, in spite of
-this flattering invitation, he had given up the idea of setting
-this excellent subject to music, because he felt sure he could
-never surpass his Agnes von Hohenstaufen, nor invent anything
-new. In conclusion he said: 'Or, comment voulez-vous que
-quiconque puisse inventer quelque chose de nouveau, moi Spontini
-declarant ne pouvoir en aucune facon surpasser mes oeuvres
-precedentes, d'autre part etant avise que depuis la Vestale il
-n'a point ete ecrit une note qui ne fut volee de mes partitions.'
-
-To prove that this assertion was not merely talk, but that it was
-based on scientific investigations, he quoted his wife, who was
-supposed to have read with him an elaborate discussion on the
-subject by a celebrated member of the French academy, and he
-added that the essay in question had, for some mysterious reason,
-never been printed. In this very important and scientific
-treatise it was proved that without Spontini's invention of the
-suspension of the sixth in his Vestalin, the whole of modern
-melody would not have existed, and that any and every form of
-melody that had been used since had been borrowed from his
-compositions. I was thunderstruck, but hoped all the same to
-bring the inexorable master to a better frame of mind, especially
-in regard to certain reservations he had made. I acknowledged
-that the academician in question was right in many ways, but I
-asked him if he did not believe that if somebody brought him a
-dramatic poem full of an absolutely new and hitherto unknown
-spirit, it would not inspire him to invent new musical
-combinations? With a ring of compassion in his voice, he replied
-that my question was wholly mistaken; in what would the novelty
-consist? 'Dans la Vestale j'ai compose un sujet romain, dans
-Ferdinand Cortez un sujet espagnol-mexicain, dans Olympic un
-sujet greco-macedonien, enfin dans Agnes de Hohenstaufen un sujet
-allemand: tout le reste ne vaut rien!' He hoped that I was not
-thinking of the so-called romantic style a la Freischutz? With
-such childish stuff no serious man could have anything to do; for
-art was a serious thing, and he had exhausted serious art! And,
-after all, what nation could produce the composer who could
-surpass HIM? Surely not the Italians, whom he characterised
-simply as cochons; certainly not the French, who had only
-imitated the Italians; nor the Germans, who would never get
-beyond their childhood in music, and who, if they had ever
-possessed any talent, had had it all spoilt for them by the Jews?
-'Oh, croyez-moi, il y avait de l'espoir pour l'Allemagne lorsque
-j'etais empereur de la musique a Berlin; mais depuis que le roi
-de Prusse a livre sa musique au desordre occasionne par les deux
-juifs errants qu'il a attires, tout espoir est perdu.'
-
-Our charming hostess now thought it time to change the subject,
-and to divert the master's thoughts. The theatre was situated
-quite near to her house; she invited him to go across with our
-friend Heine, who was amongst the guests, and to have a look at
-Antigone, which was then being given, and which was sure to
-interest him on account of the antique equipment of the stage,
-which had been carried out according to Semper's excellent plans.
-At first he wanted to refuse, on the plea that he had seen all
-this so much better when his Olympia had been performed. After a
-while he consented; but in a very short time he returned to his
-original opinion, and, smiling scornfully, assured us that he had
-seen and heard enough to strengthen him in his verdict. Heine
-told us that shortly after he and Spontini had taken their seats
-in the almost empty amphitheatre, and as soon as the Bacchus
-chorus had started, Spontini had said to him: 'C'est de la
-Berliner Sing-Academie, allons-nous-en.' Through an open door a
-streak of light had fallen on a lonely figure behind one of the
-columns; Heine had recognised Mendelssohn, and concluded that he
-had overheard Spontini's remark.
-
-From the master's very excited conversations we soon realised
-very distinctly that he intended to stay longer in Dresden, so as
-to get all his operas performed. It was Schroder-Devrient's idea
-to save Spontini, in his own interest, from the mortifying
-disappointment of finding all his enthusiastic hopes in regard to
-a second performance of Vestalin unfounded, and, if possible, to
-prevent this second performance during his stay in Dresden. She
-pretended to be ill, and the director requested me to inform
-Spontini of the fact that his production would have to be
-indefinitely postponed. This visit was so distasteful to me, that
-I was glad to make it in Rockel's company. He was also a friend
-of Spontini's, and his French was moreover much better than mine.
-As we were quite prepared for a bad reception, we were really
-frightened to enter. Imagine, therefore, our astonishment when we
-found the master, who had already been informed of the news in a
-letter from Devrient, in the very brightest spirits.
-
-He told us that he had to leave immediately for Paris, and that
-from there he was to travel to Rome, the Holy Father having
-commanded him to come in order to receive the title of 'Count of
-San Andrea.' Then he showed us a second document, in which the
-King of Denmark was supposed to have raised him to the Danish
-nobility. This meant, however, only that the title of 'Ritter' of
-the 'Elephanten-Order' had been conferred upon him; and although
-this was indeed a high honour, in speaking about it he only
-mentioned the word 'Ritter' without referring to the particular
-order, because this seemed to him too ordinary for a person of
-his dignity. He was, however, childishly pleased over the affair,
-and felt that he had been miraculously rescued from the narrow
-sphere of his Dresden Vestalin production to find himself
-suddenly transported into regions of glory, from which he looked
-down upon the distressing 'opera' world with sublime self-
-content.
-
-Meanwhile Rockel and I silently thanked the Holy Father and the
-King of Denmark from the bottom of our hearts. We bode an
-affectionate farewell to the strange master, and to cheer him I
-promised him seriously to think over his friendly advice with
-regard to my career as a composer of opera.
-
-Later on I heard what Spontini had said about me, on hearing that
-I had fled from Dresden for political reasons, and had sought
-refuge in Switzerland. He thought that this was in consequence of
-my share in a plot of high treason against the King of Saxony,
-whom he looked upon as my benefactor, because I had been
-nominated conductor of the royal orchestra, and he expressed his
-opinion about me by ejaculating in tones of the deepest anguish:
-'Quelle ingratitude!'
-
-From Berlioz, who was at Spontini's deathbed until the end, I
-heard that the master had struggled most determinedly against
-death, and had cried repeatedly, 'Je ne veux pas mourir, je ne
-veux pas mourir!' When Berlioz tried to comfort him by saying,
-'Comment pouvez-vous penser mourir vous, mon maitre, qui etes
-immortel!' Spontini retorted angrily, 'Ne faites pas de mauvaises
-plaisanteries!' In spite of all the extraordinary experiences I
-had had with him, the news of his death, which I received in
-Zurich, touched me very deeply. Later on I expressed my feelings
-towards him, and my opinion of him as an artist, in a somewhat
-condensed form in the Eidgenossischen Zeitung, and in this
-article the quality I extolled more particularly in him was that,
-unlike Meyerbeer, who was then the rage, and the very aged
-Rossini, he believed absolutely in himself and his art. All the
-same, and somewhat to my disgust, I could not but see that this
-belief in himself had deteriorated into a veritable superstition.
-
-I do not remember in those days having gone deeply into my
-feelings about Spontini's exceedingly strange individuality, nor
-do I recollect having troubled to discover how far they were
-consistent with the high opinion I formed of him after I had got
-to know him more intimately. Obviously I had only seen the
-caricature of the man, although the tendency towards such plainly
-overweening self-confidence may, at all events, have manifested
-itself earlier in life. At the same time, one could trace in all
-this the influence of the decay of the musical and dramatic life
-of the period, which Spontini, situated as he was in Berlin, was
-well able to witness. The surprising fact that he saw his chief
-merit in unessential details showed plainly that his judgment had
-become childish; in my opinion this did not detract from the
-great value of his works, however much he might exaggerate their
-value. In a sense I could justify his boundless self-confidence,
-which was principally the outcome of the comparison between
-himself and the great composers who were now replacing him; for
-in my heart of hearts I shared the contempt which he felt for
-these artists, although I did not dare to say so openly. And thus
-it came about that, in spite of his many somewhat absurd
-idiosyncrasies, I learned during this meeting at Dresden to feel
-a deep sympathy for this man, the like of whom I was never again
-to meet.
-
-My next experiences of important musical celebrities of this age
-were of quite a different character. Amongst the more
-distinguished of these was Heinrich Marschner, who, as a very
-young man, had been nominated musical director of the Dresden
-orchestra by Weber. After Weber's death he seemed to have hoped
-that he would take his place entirely, and it was due less to the
-fact that his talent was still unknown, than to his repellent
-manner, that he was disappointed in his expectations. His wife,
-however, suddenly came into some money, and this windfall enabled
-him to devote all his energies to his work as composer of operas,
-without being obliged to fill any fixed post.
-
-During the wild days of my youth Marschner lived in Leipzig,
-where his operas Der Vampir and Templer und Judin saw their first
-appearance. My sister Rosalie had once taken me to him in order
-to hear his opinion about me. He did not treat me uncivilly, but
-my visit led to nothing. I was also present at the first night of
-his opera Des Falkner's Braut, which however was not a success.
-Then he went to Hanover. His opera Hans Heiling, which was
-originally produced in Berlin, I heard for the first time in
-Wurzburg; it showed vacillation in its tendency, and a decrease
-in constructive power. After that he produced several other
-operas, such as Das Schloss am Aetna and Der Babu, which never
-became popular. He was always neglected by the management at
-Dresden, as though they bore him some grudge, and only his
-Templer was played at all often. My colleague, Reissiger, had to
-conduct this opera, and as in his absence I always had to take
-his place, it also fell to my lot on one occasion to direct a
-performance of this work.
-
-This was during the time that I worked at my Tannhauser. I
-remember that, although I had often conducted this opera before
-in Magdeburg, on this occasion the wild nature of the
-instrumentation and its lack of mastership affected me to such an
-extent that it literally made me ill, and as soon as he returned,
-therefore, I implored Reissiger at any cost to resume the
-leadership. On the other hand, immediately after my nomination I
-had started on the production of Hans Heiling, but merely for the
-sake of the artistic honour. The insufficient distribution of the
-parts, however, a difficulty which in those days could not be
-overcome, made a complete success impossible. In any case,
-though, the whole spirit of the work seemed to be terribly old-
-fashioned.
-
-I now heard that Marschner had finished another opera called
-Adolph von Nassau, and in a criticism of this work, of the
-genuineness of which I was unable to judge, particular stress was
-laid upon the 'patriotic and noble German atmosphere' of this new
-creation. I did my best to make the Dresden theatre take the
-initiative, and to urge Luttichau to secure this opera before it
-was produced elsewhere. Marschner, who did not seem to have been
-treated with particular consideration by the Hanoverian opera
-authorities, accepted the invitation with great joy, sent his
-score, and declared himself willing to come to Dresden for the
-first performance. Luttichau, however, was not anxious to see him
-take his place at the head of the orchestra; while I, also, was
-of the opinion that the too frequent appearance of outside
-conductors, even if it were for the purpose of conducting their
-own works, would not only lead to confusion, but might also fail
-to be as amusing and instructive as Spontini's visit had proved
-to be. It was therefore decided that I should conduct the new
-opera myself. And how I lived to regret it!
-
-The score arrived: to a weak plot by Karl Golmick the composer of
-the Templer had written such superficial music, that the
-principal effect lay in a drinking song for a quartette, in which
-the German Rhine and German wine played the usual stereotyped
-part peculiar to such male quartettes. I lost all courage; but we
-had to go on with it now, and all I could do was to try, by
-maintaining a grave bearing, to make the singers take an interest
-in their task; this, however, was not easy. To Tichatschek and
-Mitterwurzer were assigned the two principal male parts; being
-both eminently musical, they sang everything at first sight, and
-after each number looked up at me as if to say, 'What do you
-think of it all?' I maintained that it was good German music;
-they must not allow themselves to get confused. But all they did
-was to stare at each other in amazement, not knowing what to make
-of me. Nevertheless, in the end they could not stand it any
-longer, and when they saw that I still retained my gravity, they
-burst into loud laughter, in which I could not help joining.
-
-I now had to take them into my confidence, and make them promise
-to follow my lead and pretend to be serious, for it was
-impossible to give up the opera at this stage. A Viennese
-'colorature' singer of the latest style--Madame Spatser
-Gentiluomo--who came to us from Hanover, and on whose services
-Marschner greatly relied, was rather taken with her part chiefly
-because it gave her the chance of showing 'brilliancy.' And,
-indeed, there was a finale in which my 'German master' had
-actually tried to steal a march on Donizetti. The Princess had
-been poisoned by a golden rose, a present from the wicked Bishop
-of Mainz, and had become delirious. Adolph von Nassau, with the
-knights of the German empire, swears vengeance, and, accompanied
-by the chorus, pours out his feelings in a stretta of such
-incredible vulgarity and amateurishness that Donizetti would have
-thrown it at the head of any of his pupils who had dared to
-compose such a thing. Marschner now arrived for the dress
-rehearsal; he was very pleased, and, without compelling me to
-falsehood, he gave me sufficient opportunities for exercising my
-powers in the art of concealing my real thoughts. At all events I
-must have succeeded fairly well, for he had every reason to think
-himself considerately and kindly treated by me.
-
-During the performance the public behaved very much as the
-singers had done at the rehearsals. We had brought a still-born
-child into the world. But Marschner was comforted by the fact
-that his drinking quartette was encored. This was reminiscent of
-one of Becker's songs: Sie sollen ihn nicht haben, den freien
-deutschen Rhein ('They shall not have it, our free German
-Rhine'). After the performance the composer was my guest at a
-supper party at which, I am sorry to say, the singers, who had
-had enough of it, would not attend. Herr Ferdinand Hiller had the
-presence of mind to insist, in his toast to Marschner, that
-'whatever one might say, all stress must be laid on the GERMAN
-master and GERMAN art.' Strangely enough, Marschner himself
-contradicted him by saying that there was something wrong with
-German operatic compositions, and that one ought to consider the
-singers and how to write more brilliantly for their voices than
-he had succeeded in doing up to the present.
-
-Highly gifted as Marschner was, there can be no doubt that the
-decline of his genius was due partly to a tendency which even in
-the ageing master himself, as he frankly admitted, was effecting
-an important and most salutary change. In later years I met him
-once more in Paris at the time of my memorable production of
-Tannhauser. I did not feel inclined to renew the old relations,
-for, to tell the truth, I wanted to spare myself the
-unpleasantness of witnessing the consequences of his change of
-views, of which we had seen the beginning in Dresden. I learned
-that he was in a state of almost helpless childishness, and that
-he was in the hands of a young and ambitious woman, who was
-trying to make a last attempt at conquering Paris for him. Among
-other puff paragraphs calculated to spread Marschner's glory, I
-read one which said that the Parisians must not believe that I
-(Wagner) was representative of German art; no--if only Marschner
-were given a hearing, it would be discovered that he was beyond a
-doubt better suited to the French taste than I could ever be.
-Marschner died before his wife had succeeded in establishing this
-point.
-
-Ferdinand Hiller, on the other hand, who was in Dresden, behaved
-in a very charming and friendly manner, particularly at this
-time. Meyerbeer also stayed in the same town from time to time;
-precisely why, nobody knew. Once he had rented a little house for
-the summer near the Pirnaischer Schlag, and under a pretty tree
-in the garden of this place he had had a small piano installed,
-whereon, in this idyllic retreat, he worked at his Feldlager in
-Schlesien. He lived in great retirement, and I saw very little of
-him. Ferdinand Hiller, on the contrary, took a commanding
-position in the Dresden musical world in so far as this was not
-already monopolised by the royal orchestra and its masters, and
-for many years he worked hard for its success. Having a little
-private capital, he established himself comfortably amongst us,
-and was soon known as a delightful host, who kept a pleasant
-house, which, thanks to his wife's influence, was frequented by a
-numerous Polish colony. Frau Hiller was indeed an exceptional
-Jewish woman of Polish origin, and she was perhaps all the more
-exceptional seeing that she, in company with her husband, had
-been baptized a Protestant in Italy. Hiller began his career in
-Dresden with the production of his opera, Der Traum in der
-Christnacht. Since the unheard-of fact that Rienzi had been able
-to rouse the Dresden public to lasting enthusiasm, many an opera
-composer had felt himself drawn towards our 'Florence on the
-Elbe,' of which Laube once said that as soon as one entered it
-one felt bound to apologise because one found so many good things
-there which one promptly forgot the moment one departed.
-
-The composer of Der Traum in der Christnacht looked upon this
-work as a peculiarly 'German composition.' Hiller had set to
-music a gruesome play by Raupach, Der Muller und sein Kind ('The
-Miller and his Child'), in which father and daughter, within but
-a short space of time, both die of consumption. He declared that
-he had conceived the dialogue and the music of this opera in what
-he called the 'popular style,' but this work met with the same
-fate as that which, according to Liszt, befell all his
-compositions. In spite of his undoubted musical merits, which
-even Rossini acknowledged, and whether he gave them in French in
-Paris or in Italian in Italy, it was his sad experience always to
-see his operas fail. In Germany he had tried the Mendelssohnian
-style, and had succeeded in composing an oratorio called Die
-Zerstorung Jerusalems, which luckily was not taken notice of by
-the moody theatre-going public, and which consequently received
-the unassailable reputation of being 'a solid German work.' He
-also took Mendelssohn's place as director of the Leipzig
-Gewandhaus concerts when the latter was called to Berlin in the
-capacity of general director. Hiller's evil fortune still pursued
-him, however, and he was unable to retain his position, everybody
-being given to understand that it was because his wife was not
-sufficiently acknowledged as concert prima-donna. Mendelssohn
-returned and made Hiller leave, and Hiller boasted of having
-quarrelled with him.
-
-Dresden and the success of my Rienzi now weighed so much upon his
-mind that he naturally made another attempt to succeed as an
-opera composer. Owing to his great energy, and to his position as
-son of a rich banker (a special attraction even to the director
-of a court theatre), it happened that he induced them to put
-aside my poor friend Rockel's Farinelli (the production of which
-had been promised him) in favour of his (Hiller's) own work, Der
-Traum in der Christnacht. He was of the opinion that next to
-Reissiger and myself, a man of greater musical reputation than
-Rockel was needed. Luttichau, however, was quite content to have
-Reissiger and myself as celebrities, particularly as we got on so
-well together, and he remained deaf to Hiller's wishes. To me Der
-Traum in der Christnacht was a great nuisance. I had to conduct
-it a second time, and before an empty house. Hiller now saw that
-he had been wrong in not taking my advice before, and in not
-shortening the opera by one act and altering the end, and he now
-fancied that he was doing me a great favour by at last declaring
-himself ready to act on my suggestion in the event of another
-performance of his opera being possible. I really managed to have
-it played once more. This was, however, to be the last time, and
-Hiller, who had read my book of Tannhauser, thought that I had a
-great advantage over him in writing my own words. He therefore
-made me promise to help him with the choice and writing of a
-subject for his next opera.
-
-Shortly afterwards Hiller was present at a performance of Rienzi,
-which was again given before a crowded and enthusiastic house.
-When, at the end of the second act, and after frantic recalls
-from the audience, I left the orchestra in a great state of
-excitement, Hiller, who was waiting for me in the passage, took
-the opportunity of adding to his very hasty congratulations, 'Do
-give my Traum once more!' I promised him laughingly to do this if
-I had the chance, but I cannot remember whether it came off or
-not. While he was waiting for the creation of an entirely new
-plot for his next opera, Hiller devoted himself to the study of
-chamber music, to which his large and well-furnished room lent
-itself most admirably.
-
-A beautiful and solemn event added to the seriousness of the mood
-in which I finished the music to Tannhauser towards the end of
-the year, and neutralised the more superficial impressions made
-upon me by the stirring events above described. This was the
-removal of the remains of Carl Maria von Weber from London to
-Dresden in December, 1844. As I have already said, a committee
-had for years been agitating for this removal. From information
-given by a certain traveller, it had become known that the
-insignificant coffin which contained Weber's ashes had been
-disposed of in such a careless way in a remote corner of St.
-Paul's, that it was feared it might soon become impossible to
-identify it.
-
-My energetic friend, Professor Lowe, whom I have already
-mentioned, had availed himself of this information in order to
-urge the Dresden Glee Club, which constituted his hobby, to take
-the matter in hand. The concert of male singers arranged to this
-end had been a fair success financially, and they now wanted to
-induce the theatre management to make similar efforts, when
-suddenly they met with serious opposition from this very quarter.
-The management of the Dresden theatre told the committee that the
-King had religious scruples with regard to disturbing the peace
-of the dead. However much we felt inclined to doubt the
-genuineness of these reasons, nothing could be done, and I was
-next approached on the subject, in the hope that my influential
-position might lend weight to my appeal. I entered into the
-spirit of the enterprise with great fervour. I consented to be
-made president; Herr Hofrat Schulz, director of the 'Antiken-
-Cabinet,' who was a well-known authority on artistic matters, and
-another gentleman, a Christian banker, were also elected members
-of the committee, and the movement thus received fresh life.
-Prospectuses were sent round, exhaustive plans were made, and
-numerous meetings held. Here, again, I met with opposition on the
-part of my chief, Luttichau; if he could have done so, he would
-have forbidden me to move in the matter by making the most of the
-King's scruples referred to above. But he had had a warning not
-to pick a quarrel with me after his experience in the summer,
-when, contrary to his expectations, the music written by me to
-celebrate the King's arrival had found favour with the monarch.
-As his antipathy to the proceedings was not so very serious,
-Luttichau must have seen that even the direct opposition of his
-Majesty could not have prevented the enterprise from being
-carried out privately, and that, on the contrary, the court would
-cut a sorry figure if the Royal Court Theatre (to which Weber
-once belonged) should assume a hostile attitude. He therefore
-tried in a would-be friendly way to make me desist from
-furthering the cause, well knowing that, without me, the plan
-would fail. He tried to convince me that it would be wrong to pay
-this exaggerated honour to Weber's memory, whereas nobody thought
-of removing the ashes of Morlacchi from Italy, although the
-latter had given his services to the royal orchestra for a much
-longer period than Weber had done. What would be the consequence?
-By way of argument he said, 'Suppose Reissiger died on his
-journey to some watering-place--his wife would then be as much
-justified as was Frau von Weber (who had annoyed him quite enough
-already) in expecting her husband's dead body to be brought home
-with music and pomp.' I tried to calm him, and if I did not
-succeed in making him see the difference between Reissiger and
-Weber, I managed to make him understand that the affair must take
-its course, as the Berlin Court Theatre had already announced a
-benefit performance to support our undertaking.
-
-Meyerbeer, to whom my committee had applied, was instrumental in
-bringing this about, and a performance of Euryanthe was actually
-given which yielded the handsome balance of six thousand marks. A
-few theatres of lesser importance now followed our lead. The
-Dresden Court Theatre, therefore, could not hold back any longer,
-and as we now had a fairly large sum at the bank, we were able to
-cover the expenses of the removal, as well as the cost of an
-appropriate vault and monument; we even had a nucleus fund for a
-statue of Weber, which we were to fight for later on. The elder
-of the two sons of the immortal master travelled to London to
-fetch the remains of his father. He brought them by boat down the
-Elbe, and finally arrived at the Dresden landing-stage, from
-whence they were to be conducted to German soil. This last
-journey of the remains was to take place at night. A solemn
-torchlight procession was to be formed, and I had undertaken to
-see to the funeral music.
-
-I arranged this from two motives out of Euryanthe, using that
-part of the music in the overture which relates to the vision of
-spirits. I introduced the Cavatina from Euryanthe--Hier dicht am
-Quell ('Here near the source'), which I left unaltered, except
-that I transposed it into B flat major, and I finished the whole,
-as Weber finished his opera, by a return to the first sublime
-motive. I had orchestrated this symphonic piece, which was well
-suited to the purpose, for eight chosen wind instruments, and
-notwithstanding the volume of sound, I had not forgotten softness
-and delicacy of instrumentation. I substituted the gruesome
-tremolo of the violas, which appears in that part of the overture
-adapted by me, by twenty muffled drums, and as a whole attained
-to such an exceedingly impressive effect, especially to us who
-were full of thoughts of Weber, that, even in the theatre where
-we rehearsed, Schroder-Devrient, who was present, and who had
-been an intimate friend of Weber's, was deeply moved. I had never
-carried out anything more in keeping with the character of the
-subject; and the procession through the town was equally
-impressive.
-
-As the very slow tempo, devoid of any strongly marked accents,
-offered numerous difficulties, I had had the stage cleared for
-the rehearsal, in order to command a sufficient space for the
-musicians, once they had thoroughly practised the piece, to walk
-round me in a circle playing all the while. Several of those who
-witnessed the procession from their windows assured me that the
-effect of the procession was indescribably and sublimely solemn.
-After we had placed the coffin in the little mortuary chapel of
-the Catholic cemetery in Friedrichstadt, where Madame Devrient
-met it with a wreath of flowers, we performed, on the following
-morning, the solemn ceremony of lowering it into the vault. Herr
-Hofrat Schulz and myself, as presidents of the committee, were
-allowed the honour of speaking by the graveside, and what
-afforded me an appropriate subject for the few, somewhat
-affecting, words which I had to pronounce, was the fact that,
-shortly before the removal of Weber's remains, the second son of
-the master, Alexander von Weber, had died. The poor mother had
-been so terribly affected by the sudden death of this youth, so
-full of life and health, that had we not been in the very midst
-of our arrangements, we should have been compelled to abandon
-them; for in this new loss the widow saw a judgment of God who,
-in her opinion, looked upon the removal of the remains as an act
-of sacrilege prompted by vanity. As the public seemed
-particularly disposed to hold the same view, it fell to my lot to
-set the nature of our undertaking in the proper light before the
-eyes of the world. And this I so far succeeded in doing that, to
-my satisfaction, I learned from all sides that my justification
-of our action had received the most general acceptance.
-
-On this occasion I had a strange experience with regard to
-myself, when for the first time in my life I had to deliver a
-solemn public speech. Since then I have always spoken
-extemporarily; this time, however, as it was my first appearance
-as an orator, I had written out my speech, and carefully learned
-it by heart. As I was thoroughly under the influence of my
-subject, I felt so sure of my memory that I never thought of
-making any notes. Thanks to this omission, however, I made my
-brother Albert very unhappy. He was standing near me at the
-ceremony, and he told me afterwards that, in spite of being
-deeply moved, he felt at one moment as if he could have sworn at
-me for not having asked him to prompt me. It happened in this
-way: I began my speech in a clear and full voice, but suddenly
-the sound of my own words, and their particular intonation,
-affected me to such an extent that, carried away as I was by my
-own thoughts, I imagined I SAW as well as HEARD myself before the
-breathless multitude. While I thus appeared objectively to myself
-I remained in a sort of trance, during which I seemed to be
-waiting for something to happen, and felt quite a different
-person from the man who was supposed to be standing and speaking
-there. It was neither nervousness nor absent-mindedness on my
-part; only at the end of a certain sentence there was such a long
-pause that those who saw me standing there must have wondered
-what on earth to think of me. At last my own silence and the
-stillness round me reminded me that I was not there to listen,
-but to speak. I at once resumed my discourse, and I spoke with
-such fluency to the very end that the celebrated actor, Emil
-Devrient, assured me that, apart from the solemn service, he had
-been deeply impressed simply from the standpoint of a dramatic
-orator.
-
-The ceremony concluded with a poem written and set to music by
-myself, and, though it presented many difficulties for men's
-voices, it was splendidly rendered by some of the best opera
-singers. Luttichau, who was present, was now not only convinced
-of the justice of the enterprise, but also strongly in favour of
-it. I was deeply thankful that everything had succeeded so well,
-and when Weber's widow, upon whom I called after the ceremony,
-told me how profoundly she, too, had been moved, the only cloud
-that still darkened my horizon was dispelled. In my youth I had
-learned to love music through my admiration for Weber's genius,
-and the news of his death was a terrible blow to me. To have, as
-it were, come into contact with him again and after so many years
-by this second funeral, was an event that stirred the very depths
-of my being.
-
-From all the particulars I have given concerning my intimacy with
-the great masters who were my contemporaries, it is easy to see
-at what sources I had been able to quench my thirst for
-intellectual intercourse. It was not a very satisfactory outlook
-to turn from Weber's grave to his living successors; but I had
-still to find out how absolutely hopeless this was.
-
-I spent the winter of 1844-5 partly in yielding to attractions
-from outside, and partly in indulging in the deepest meditation.
-By dint of great energy, and by getting up very early, even in
-winter, I succeeded in completing my score to Tannhauser early in
-April, having, as already stated, finished the composition of it
-at the end of the preceding year. In writing down the
-orchestration I made things particularly difficult for myself by
-using the specially prepared paper which the printing process
-renders necessary, and which involved me in all kinds of trying
-formalities. I had each page transferred to the stone
-immediately, and a hundred copies printed from each, hoping to
-make use of these proofs for the rapid circulation of my work.
-Whether my hopes were to be fulfilled or not, I was at all events
-fifteen hundred marks out of pocket when all the expenses of the
-publication were paid.
-
-In regard to this work which called for so many sacrifices, and
-which was so slow and difficult, more details will appear in my
-autobiography. At all events, when May came round I was in
-possession of a hundred neatly bound copies of my first new work
-since the production of the Fliegender Hollander, and Hiller, to
-whom I showed some parts of it, formed a tolerably good
-impression of its value.
-
-These plans for rapidly spreading the fame of my Tannhauser were
-made with the hope of a success which, in view of my needy
-circumstances, seemed ever more and more desirable. In the course
-of one year since I had begun my own publication of my operas,
-much had been done to this end. In September of the year 1844 I
-had presented the King of Saxony with a special richly bound copy
-of the complete pianoforte arrangement of Rienzi, dedicated to
-his Majesty. The Fliegender Hollander had also been finished, and
-the pianoforte arrangement of Rienzi for duet, as well as some
-songs selected from both operas, had either been published or
-were about to be published. Apart from this I had had twenty-five
-copies made of the scores of both these operas by means of the
-so-called autographic transfer process, although only from the
-writing of the copyists. All these heavy expenses made it
-absolutely imperative that I should try to send my scores to the
-different theatres, and induce them to produce my operas, as the
-outlay on the piano scores had been heavy, and these could only
-have a sale if my works got to be known sufficiently well through
-the theatre.
-
-I now sent the score of my Rienzi to the more important theatres,
-but they all returned my work to me, the Munich Court Theatre
-even sending it back unopened! I therefore knew what to expect,
-and spared myself the trouble of sending my Dutchman. From a
-speculative business point of view the situation was this: the
-hoped-for success of Tannhauser would bring in its wake a demand
-for my earlier works. The worthy Meser, my agent, who was the
-music publisher appointed to the court, had also begun to feel a
-little doubtful, and saw that this was the only thing to do. I
-started at once on the publication of a pianoforte arrangement of
-Tannhauser, preparing it myself while Rockel undertook the
-Fliegender Hollander, and a certain Klink did Rienzi.
-
-The only thing that Meser was absolutely opposed to was the title
-of my new opera, which I had just named Der Venusberg; he
-maintained that, as I did not mix with the public, I had no idea
-what horrible jokes were made about this title. He said the
-students and professors of the medical school in Dresden would be
-the first to make fun of it, as they had a predilection for that
-kind of obscene joke. I was sufficiently disgusted by these
-details to consent to the change. To the name of my hero,
-Tannhauser, I added the name of the subject of the legend which,
-although originally not belonging to the Tannhauser myth, was
-thus associated with it by me, a fact which later on Simrock, the
-great investigator and innovator in the world of legend, whom I
-esteemed so highly, took very much amiss.
-
-Tannhauser und der Sangerkrieg auf Wartburg should henceforth be
-its title, and to give the work a mediaeval appearance I had the
-words specially printed in Gothic characters upon the piano
-arrangement, and in this way introduced the work to the public.
-
-
-The extra expenses this involved were very heavy; but I went to
-great pains to impress Meser with my belief in the success of my
-work. So deeply were we involved in this scheme, and so great
-were the sacrifices it had compelled us to make, that there was
-nothing else for it but to trust to a special turn of Fortune's
-wheel. As it happened, the management of the theatre shared my
-confidence in the success of Tannhauser. I had induced Luttichau
-to have the scenery for Tannhauser painted by the best painters
-of the great opera house in Paris. I had seen their work on the
-Dresden stage: it belonged to the style of German scenic art
-which was then fashionable, and really gave the effect of first-
-class work.
-
-The order for this, as well as the necessary negotiations with
-the Parisian painter, Desplechin, had already been settled in the
-preceding autumn. The management agreed to all my wishes, even to
-the ordering of beautiful costumes of mediaeval character
-designed by my friend Heine. The only thing Luttichau constantly
-postponed was the order for the Hall of Song on the Wartburg; he
-maintained that the Hall for Kaiser Karl the Great in Oberon,
-which had only recently been delivered by some French painters,
-would answer the purpose just as well. With superhuman efforts I
-had to convince my chief that we did not want a brilliant throne-
-room, but a scenic picture of a certain character such as I saw
-before my mind's eye, and that it could be painted only according
-to my directions. As in the end I became very irritable and
-cross, he soothed me by saying that he had no objection to having
-this scene painted, and that he would order it to be commenced at
-once, adding that he had not agreed immediately, only with the
-view of making my joy the greater, because, what one obtained
-without difficulty, one rarely appreciated. This Hall of Song was
-fated to cause me great trouble later on.
-
-Thus everything was in full swing; circumstances were favourable,
-and seemed to cast a hopeful light upon the production of my new
-work at the beginning of the autumn season. Even the public was
-looking forward to it, and for the first time I saw my name
-mentioned in a friendly manner in a communication to the
-Allgemeine Zeitung. They actually spoke of the great expectations
-they had of my new work, the poem of which had been written 'with
-undoubted poetic feeling.'
-
-Full of hope, I started in July on my holiday, which consisted of
-a journey to Marienbad in Bohemia, where my wife and I intended
-to take the cure. Again I found myself on the 'volcanic' soil of
-this extraordinary country, Bohemia, which always had such an
-inspiring effect on me. It was a marvellous summer, almost too
-hot, and I was therefore in high spirits. I had intended to
-follow the easy-going mode of life which is a necessary part of
-this somewhat trying treatment, and had selected my books with
-care, taking with me the poems of Wolfram von Eschenbach, edited
-by Simrock and San Marte, as well as the anonymous epic
-Lohengrin, with its lengthy introduction by Gorres. With my book
-under my arm I hid myself in the neighbouring woods, and pitching
-my tent by the brook in company with Titurel and Parcival, I lost
-myself in Wolfram's strange, yet irresistibly charming, poem.
-Soon, however, a longing seized me to give expression to the
-inspiration generated by this poem, so that I had the greatest
-difficulty in overcoming my desire to give up the rest I had been
-prescribed while partaking of the water of Marienbad.
-
-The result was an ever-increasing state of excitement. Lohengrin,
-the first conception of which dates from the end of my time in
-Paris, stood suddenly revealed before me, complete in every
-detail of its dramatic construction. The legend of the swan which
-forms such an important feature of all the many versions of this
-series of myths that my studies had brought to my notice,
-exercised a singular fascination over my imagination.
-
-Remembering the doctor's advice, I struggled bravely against the
-temptation of writing down my ideas, and resorted to the most
-strange and energetic methods. Owing to some comments I had read
-in Gervinus's History of German Literature, both the
-Meistersinger von Nurnberg and Hans Sachs had acquired quite a
-vital charm for me. The Marker alone, and the part he takes in
-the Master-singing, were particularly pleasing to me, and on one
-of my lonely walks, without knowing anything particular about
-Hans Sachs and his poetic contemporaries, I thought out a
-humorous scene, in which the cobbler--as a popular artisan-poet--
-with the hammer on his last, gives the Marker a practical lesson
-by making him sing, thereby taking revenge on him for his
-conventional misdeeds. To me the force of the whole scene was
-concentrated in the two following points: on the one hand the
-Marker, with his slate covered with chalk-marks, and on the other
-Hans Sachs holding up the shoes covered with his chalk-marks,
-each intimating to the other that the singing had been a failure.
-To this picture, by way of concluding the second act, I added a
-scene consisting of a narrow, crooked little street in Nuremberg,
-with the people all running about in great excitement, and
-ultimately engaging in a street brawl. Thus, suddenly, the whole
-of my Meistersinger comedy took shape so vividly before me, that,
-inasmuch as it was a particularly cheerful subject, and not in
-the least likely to over-excite my nerves, I felt I must write it
-out in spite of the doctor's orders. I therefore proceeded to do
-this, and hoped it might free me from the thrall of the idea of
-Lohengrin; but I was mistaken; for no sooner had I got into my
-bath at noon, than I felt an overpowering desire to write out
-Lohengrin, and this longing so overcame me that I could not wait
-the prescribed hour for the bath, but when a few minutes elapsed,
-jumped out and, barely giving myself time to dress, ran home to
-write out what I had in my mind. I repeated this for several days
-until the complete sketch of Lohengrin was on paper.
-
-The doctor then told me I had better give up taking the waters
-and baths, saying emphatically that I was quite unfit for such
-cures. My excitement had grown to such an extent that even my
-efforts to sleep as a rule ended only in nocturnal adventures.
-Among some interesting excursions that we made at this time, one
-to Eger fascinated me particularly, on account of its association
-with Wallenstein and of the peculiar costumes of the inhabitants.
-
-In mid-August we travelled back to Dresden, where my friends were
-glad to see me in such good spirits; as for myself, I felt as if
-I had wings. In September, when all our singers had returned from
-their summer holidays, I resumed the rehearsals of Tannhauser
-with great earnestness. We had now got so far, at least with the
-musical part of the performance, that the possible date of the
-production seemed quite close at hand. Schroder-Devrient was one
-of the first to realise the extraordinary difficulties which the
-production of Tannhauser would entail. And, indeed, she saw these
-difficulties so clearly that, to my great discomfiture, she was
-able to lay them all before me. Once, when I called upon her, she
-read the principal passages aloud with great feeling and force,
-and then she asked me how I could have been so simple-minded as
-to have thought that so childish a creature as Tichatschek would
-be able to find the proper tones for Tannhauser. I tried to bring
-her attention and my own to bear upon the nature of the music,
-which was written so clearly in order to bring out the necessary
-accent, that, in my opinion, the music actually spoke for him who
-interpreted the passage, even if he were only a musical singer
-and nothing more. She shook her head, saying that this would be
-all right in the case of an oratorio.
-
-She now sang Elizabeth's prayer from the piano score, and asked
-me if I really thought that this music would answer my intentions
-if sung by a young and pretty voice without any soul or without
-that experience of life which alone could give the real
-expression to the interpretation. I sighed and said that, in that
-case, the youthfulness of the voice and of its owner must make up
-for what was lacking: at the same time, I asked her as a favour
-to see what she could do towards making my niece, Johanna,
-understand her part. All this, however, did not solve the
-Tannhauser problem, for any effort at teaching Tichatschek would
-only have resulted in confusion. I was therefore obliged to rely
-entirely upon the energy of his voice, and on the singer's
-peculiarly sharp 'speaking' tone.
-
-Devrient's anxiety about the principal parts arose partly out of
-concern about her own. She did not know what to do with the part
-of Venus; she had undertaken it for the sake of the success of
-the performance, for although a small part, so much depended upon
-its being ideally interpreted! Later on, when the work was given
-in Paris, I became convinced that this part had been written in
-too sketchy a style, and this induced me to reconstruct it by
-making extensive additions, and by supplying all that which I
-felt it lacked. For the moment, however, it looked as if no art
-on the part of the singer could give to this sketch anything of
-what it ought to represent. The only thing that might have helped
-towards a satisfactory impersonation of Venus would have been the
-artist's confidence in her own great physical attraction, and in
-the effect it would help to produce by appealing to the purely
-material sympathies of the public. The certainty that these means
-were no longer at her disposal paralysed this great singer, who
-could hide her age and matronly appearance no longer. She
-therefore became self-conscious, and unable to use even the usual
-means for gaining an effect. On one occasion, with a little smile
-of despair, she expressed herself incapable of playing Venus, for
-the very simple reason that she could not appear dressed like the
-goddess. 'What on earth am I to wear as Venus?' she exclaimed.
-'After all, I cannot be clad in a belt alone. A nice figure of
-fun I should look, and you would laugh on the wrong side of your
-face!'
-
-On the whole, I still built my hopes upon the general effect of
-the music alone, the great promise of which at the rehearsals
-greatly encouraged me. Hiller, who had looked through the score
-and had already praised it, assured me that the instrumentation
-could not have been carried out with greater sobriety. The
-characteristic and delicate sonority of the orchestra delighted
-me, and strengthened me in my resolve to be extremely sparing in
-the use of my orchestral material, in order to attain that
-abundance of combinations which I needed for my later works.
-
-At the rehearsal my wife alone missed the trumpets and trombones
-that gave such brightness and freshness to Rienzi. Although I
-laughed at this, I could not help feeling anxious when she
-confided to me how great had been her disappointment when, at the
-theatre rehearsal, she noticed the really feeble impression made
-by the music of the Sangerkrieg. Speaking from the point of view
-of the public, who always want to be amused or stirred in some
-way or other, she had thus very rightly called attention to an
-exceedingly questionable side of the performance. But I saw at
-once that the fault lay less with the conception than with the
-fact that I had not controlled the production with sufficient
-care.
-
-In regard to the conception of this scene I was literally on the
-horns of a dilemma, for I had to decide once for all whether this
-Sangerkrieg was to be a concert of arias or a competition in
-dramatic poetry. There are many people even nowadays, who, in
-spite of having witnessed a perfectly successful production of
-this scene, have not received the right impression of its
-purport. Their idea is that it belongs to the traditional
-operatic 'genre,' which demands that a number of vocal evolutions
-shall be juxtaposed or contrasted, and that these different songs
-are intended to amuse and interest the audience by means of their
-purely musical changes in rhythm and time on the principle of a
-concert programme, i.e. by various items of different styles.
-This was not at all my idea: my real intention was, if possible,
-to force the listener, for the first time in the history of
-opera, to take an interest in a poetical idea, by making him
-follow all its necessary developments. For it was only by virtue
-of this interest that he could be made to understand the
-catastrophe, which in this instance was not to be brought about
-by any outside influence, but must be the outcome simply of the
-natural spiritual processes at work. Hence the need of great
-moderation and breadth in the conception of the music; first, in
-order that according to my principle it might prove helpful
-rather than the reverse to the understanding of the poetical
-lines, and secondly, in order that the increasing rhythmic
-character of the melody which marks the ardent growth of passion
-may not be interrupted too arbitrarily by unnecessary changes in
-modulation and rhythm. Hence, too, the need of a very sparing use
-of orchestral instruments for the accompaniment, and an
-intentional suppression of all those purely musical effects which
-must be utilised, and that gradually, only when the situation
-becomes so intense that one almost ceases to think, and can only
-feel the tragic nature of the crisis. No one could deny that I
-had contrived to produce the proper effect of this principle the
-moment I played the Sangerkrieg on the piano. With the view of
-ensuring all my future successes, I was now confronted with the
-exceptional difficulty of making the opera singers understand how
-to interpret their parts precisely in the way I desired. I
-remembered how, through lack of experience, I had neglected
-properly to superintend the production of the Fliegender
-Hollander, and as I now fully realised all the disastrous
-consequences of this neglect, I began to think of means by which
-I could teach the singers my own interpretation. I have already
-stated that it was impossible to influence Tichatschek, for if he
-were made to do things he could not understand, he only became
-nervous and confused. He was conscious of his advantages. He knew
-that with his metallic voice he could sing with great musical
-rhythm and accuracy, while his delivery was simply perfect. But,
-to my great astonishment, I was soon to learn that all this did
-not by any means suffice; for, to my horror, at the first
-performance, that which had strangely escaped my notice in the
-rehearsals became suddenly apparent to me. At the close of the
-Sangerkrieg, when Tannhauser (in frantic excitement, and
-forgetful of everybody present) has to sing his praise to Venus,
-and I saw Tichatschek moving towards Elizabeth and addressing his
-passionate outburst to her, I thought of Schroder-Devrient's
-warning in very much the same way as Croesus must have thought
-when he cried, 'O Solon! Solon!' at the funeral pyre. In spite of
-the musical excellence of Tichatschek, the enormous life and
-melodic charm of the Sangerkrieg failed entirely.
-
-On the other hand, I succeeded in calling into life an entirely
-new element such as probably had never been seen in opera! I had
-watched the young baritone Mitterwurzer with great interest in
-some of his parts--he was a strangely reticent man, and not at
-all sociably inclined, and I had noticed that his delightfully
-mellow voice possessed the rare quality of bringing out the inner
-note of the soul. To him I entrusted Wolfram, and I had every
-reason to be satisfied with his zeal and with the success of his
-studies. Therefore, if I wished my intention and method to become
-known, especially in regard to this difficult Sangerkrieg, I had
-to rely on him for the proper execution of my plans and
-everything they involved. I began by going through the opening
-song of this scene with him; but, after I had done my utmost to
-make him understand how I wanted it done, I was surprised to find
-how very difficult this particular rendering of the music
-appeared to him. He was absolutely incapable of repeating it
-after me, and with each renewed effort his singing became so
-commonplace and so mechanical that I realised clearly that he had
-not understood this piece to be anything more than a phrase in
-recitative form, which he might render with any inflections of
-the voice that happened to be prescribed, or which might be sung
-either this way or that, according to fancy, as was usual in
-operatic pieces. He, too, was astonished at his own want of
-capacity, but was so struck by the novelty and the justice of my
-views, that he begged me not to try any more for the present, but
-to leave him to find out for himself how best to become familiar
-with this newly revealed world. During several rehearsals he only
-sang in a whisper in order to get over the difficulty, but at the
-last rehearsal he acquitted himself so admirably of his task, and
-threw himself into it so heartily, that his work has remained to
-this day as my most conclusive reason for believing that, in
-spite of the unsatisfactory state of the world of opera to-day,
-it is possible not only to find, but also properly to train, the
-singer whom I should regard as indispensable for a correct
-interpretation of my works. It was through the impression made by
-Mitterwurzer that I ultimately succeeded in making the public
-understand the whole of my work. This man, who had utterly
-changed himself in bearing, look, and appearance in order to fit
-himself to the role of Wolfram, had, in thus solving the problem,
-not only become a thorough artist, but by his interpretation of
-his part had also proved himself my saviour at the very moment
-when my work was threatening to fail through the unsatisfactory
-result of the first performance.
-
-By his side the part of Elizabeth made a sweet impression. The
-youthful appearance of my niece, her tall and slender form, the
-decidedly German cast of her features, as well as the
-incomparable beauty of her voice, with its expression of almost
-childlike innocence, helped her to gain the hearts of the
-audience, even though her talent was more theatrical than
-dramatic. She soon rose to fame by her impersonation of this
-part, and often in later years, when speaking about Tannhauser
-performances in which she had appeared, people used to tell me
-that its success had been entirely due to her. Strange to say, in
-such reports people referred principally to the charm of her
-acting at the moment when she received the guests in the Wartburg
-Hall; and I used to account for this by remembering the untiring
-efforts with which my talented brother and I had trained her to
-perform this very part. And yet it was never possible to make her
-understand the proper interpretation of the prayer in the third
-act, and I felt inclined to say, 'O Solon! Solon!' as I had done
-in the case of Tichatschek, when after the first performance I
-was obliged to make a considerable cut in this solo, a proceeding
-which greatly reduced its importance for ever afterwards. I heard
-later that Johanna, who for a short period actually had the
-reputation of being a great singer, had never succeeded in
-singing the prayer as it ought to be sung, whereas a French
-singer, Mademoiselle Marie Sax, achieved this in Paris to my
-entire satisfaction.
-
-In the beginning of October we had so far progressed with our
-rehearsals that nothing stood in the way of an immediate
-production of Tannhauser save the scenery, which was not yet
-complete. A few only of the scenes ordered from Paris had
-arrived, and even these had come very late. The Wartburg Valley
-was beautifully effective and perfect in every detail. The inner
-part of the Venusberg, however, gave me much anxiety: the painter
-had not understood me; he had painted clusters of trees and
-statues, which reminded one of Versailles, and had placed them
-in a wild cave; he had evidently not known how to combine the
-weird with the alluring. I had to insist on extensive
-alterations, and chiefly on the painting out of the shrubs and
-statues, all of which required time. The grotto had to lie half
-hidden in a rosy cloud, through which the Wartburg Valley had to
-loom in the distance; this was to be done in strict obedience to
-my own ideas.
-
-The greatest misfortune, however, was to befall me in the shape
-of the tardy delivery of the scenery for the Hall of Song. This
-was due to great negligence on the part of the Paris artists; and
-we waited and waited until every detail of the opera had been
-studied and studied again ad nauseam. Daily I went to the railway
-station and examined all the packages and boxes that had arrived,
-but there was no Hall of Song. At last I allowed myself to be
-persuaded not to postpone the first performance any longer, and I
-decided to use the Hall of Karl the Great out of Oberon,
-originally suggested to me by Luttichau, instead of the real
-thing. Considering the importance I attached to practical effect,
-this entailed a great sacrifice of my personal feelings. And true
-enough, when the curtain rose for the second act, the
-reappearance of this throne-room, which the public had seen so
-often, added considerably to the general disappointment of the
-audience, who had anticipated astonishing surprises in this
-opera.
-
-On the 19th of October the first performance took place. In the
-morning of that day a very beautiful young lady was introduced to
-me by the leader Lipinsky. Her name was Mme. Ivalergis, and she
-was a niece of the Russian Chancellor, Count von Nesselrode.
-Liszt had spoken to her about me with such enthusiasm that she
-had travelled all the way to Dresden especially to hear the first
-production of my new work. I thought I was right in regarding
-this flattering visit as a good omen. But although on this
-occasion she turned away from me, somewhat perplexed and
-disappointed by the very unintelligible performance and the
-somewhat doubtful reception with which it met, I had sufficient
-cause in after-years to know how deeply this remarkable and
-energetic woman had nevertheless been impressed.
-
-A great contrast to this visit was one I received from a peculiar
-man called C. Gaillard. He was the editor of a Berlin musical
-paper, which had only just started, and in which I had read with
-great astonishment an entirely favourable and important criticism
-of my Fliegender Hollander. Although necessity had compelled me
-to remain indifferent to the attitude of the critics, yet this
-particular notice gave me much pleasure, and I had invited my
-unknown critic to come and hear the first production of
-Tannhauser in Dresden.
-
-This he did, and I was deeply touched to find that I had to deal
-with a young man who, in spite of being threatened by
-consumption, and being also exceedingly badly off, had come at my
-invitation, simply from a sense of duty and honour, and not with
-any mercenary motive. I saw from his knowledge and capacities
-that he would never be able to attain a position of great
-influence, but his kindness of heart and his extraordinarily
-receptive mind filled me with a feeling of profound respect for
-him. A few years later I was very sorry to hear that he had at
-last succumbed to the terrible disease from which I knew him to
-be suffering; for to the very end he remained faithful and
-devoted to me, in spite of the most trying circumstances.
-
-Meanwhile I had renewed my acquaintance with the friend I had won
-through the production of the Fliegender Hollander in Berlin, and
-who for a long time I had never had an opportunity of knowing
-more thoroughly. The second time I met her was at Schroder-
-Devrient's, with whom she was already on friendly terms, and of
-whom she used to speak as 'one of my greatest conquests.'
-
-She was already past her first youth, and had no beauty of
-feature except remarkably penetrating and expressive eyes that
-showed the greatness of soul with which she was gifted. She was
-the sister of Frommann, the bookseller of Jena, and could relate
-many intimate facts about Goethe, who had stayed at her brother's
-house when he was in that town. She had held the position of
-reader and companion to the Princess Augusta of Prussia, and had
-thus become intimately acquainted with her, and was regarded by
-her own association as almost a bosom friend and confidante of
-that great lady. Nevertheless, she lived in extreme poverty, and
-seemed proud of being able, by means of her talent as a painter
-of arabesques, to secure for herself some sort of independence.
-She always remained faithfully devoted to me, as she was one of
-the few who were uninfluenced by the unfavourable impression
-produced by the first performance of Tannhauser, and promptly
-expressed her appreciation of my latest work with the greatest
-enthusiasm.
-
-With regard to the production itself the conclusions I drew from
-it were as follows: the real faults in the work, which I have
-already mentioned incidentally, lay in the sketchy and clumsy
-portrayal of the part of Venus, and consequently of the whole of
-the introductory scene of the first act. In consequence of this
-defect the drama never even rose to the level of genuine warmth,
-still less did it attain to the heights of passion which,
-according to the poetic conception of the part, should so
-strongly work upon the feelings of the audience as to prepare
-them for the inevitable catastrophe in which the scene
-culminates, and thus lead up to the tragic denouement. This great
-scene was a complete failure, in spite of the fact that it was
-entrusted to so great an actress as Schroder-Devrient, and a
-singer so unusually gifted as Tichatschek. The genius of Devrient
-might yet have struck the right note of passion in the scene had
-she not chanced to be acting with a singer incapable of all
-dramatic seriousness, and whose natural gifts only fitted him for
-joyous or declamatory accents, and who was totally incapable of
-expressing pain and suffering. It was not until Wolfram's
-touching song and the closing scene of this act were reached that
-the audience showed any signs of emotion. Tichatschek wrought
-such a tremendous effect in the concluding phrase by the jubilant
-music of his voice that, as I was afterwards informed, the end of
-this first act left the audience in a great state of enthusiasm.
-This was maintained, and even exceeded in the second act, during
-which Elizabeth and Wolfram made a very sympathetic impression.
-It was only the hero of Tannhauser who continued to lose ground,
-and at last so completely failed to hold the audience that in the
-final scene he almost broke down himself in dejection, as though
-the failure of Tannhauser were his own. The fatal defect of his
-performance lay in his inability to find the right expression for
-the theme of the great Adagio passage of the finale beginning
-with the words: 'To lead the sinner to salvation, the Heaven-sent
-messenger drew near.' The importance of this passage I have
-explained at length in my subsequent instructions for the
-production of Tannhauser. Indeed, owing to Tichatschek's
-absolutely expressionless rendering, which made it seem terribly
-long and tedious, I had to omit it entirely from the second
-performance. As I did not wish to offend so devoted and, in his
-way, so deserving a man as Tichatschek, I let it be understood I
-had come to the conclusion that this theme was a failure.
-Moreover, as Tichatschek was thought to be an actor chosen by
-myself to take the parts of the heroes in my works, this passage,
-which was so immeasurably vital to the opera, continued to be
-omitted in all the subsequent productions of Tannhauser, as
-though this proceeding had been approved and demanded by me. I
-therefore cherished no illusions about the value of the
-subsequent universal success of this opera on the German stage.
-My hero, who, in rapture as in woe, should always have asserted
-his feelings with boundless energy, slunk away at the end of the
-second act with the humble bearing of a penitent sinner, only to
-reappear in the third with a demeanour designed to awaken the
-charitable sympathy of the audience. His pronunciation of the
-Pope's excommunication, however, was rendered with his usual full
-rhetorical power, and it was refreshing to hear his voice
-dominating the accompanying trombones. Granted that this radical
-defect in the hero's acting had left the public in a doubtful and
-unsatisfied state of suspense regarding the meaning of the whole,
-yet the mistake in the execution of the final scene, arising from
-my own inexperience in this new field of dramatic creation,
-undoubtedly contributed to produce a chilling uncertainty as to
-the true significance of the scenic action. In my first complete
-version I had made Venus, on the occasion of her second attempt
-to recall her faithless lover, appear in a vision to Tannhauser
-when he is in a frenzy of madness, and the awfulness of the
-situation, is merely suggested by a faint roseate glow upon the
-distant Horselberg. Even the definite announcement of Elizabeth's
-death was a sudden inspiration on the part of Wolfram. This idea
-I intended to convey to the listening audience solely by the
-sound of bells tolling in the distance, and by a faint gleam of
-torches to attract their eyes to the remote Wartburg. Moreover,
-there was a lack of precision and clearness in the appearance of
-the chorus of young pilgrims, whose duty it was to announce the
-miracle by their song alone. At that time I had given them no
-budding staves to carry, and had unfortunately spoiled their
-refrain by a tedious and unbroken monotony of accompaniment.
-
-When at last the curtain fell, I was under the impression, not so
-much from the behaviour of the audience, which was friendly, as
-from my own inward conviction, that the failure of this work was
-to be attributed to the immature and unsuitable material used in
-its production. My depression was extreme, and a few friends who
-were present after the piece, among them my dear sister Clara and
-her husband, were equally affected. That very evening I decided
-to remedy the defects of the first night before the second
-performance. I was conscious of where the principal fault lay,
-but hardly dared give expression to my conviction. At the
-slightest attempt on my part to explain anything to Tichatschek I
-had to abandon it, as I realised the impossibility of success, I
-should only have made him so embarrassed and annoyed, that on one
-pretext or another he would never have sung Tannhauser again. In
-order to ensure the repetition of my opera, therefore, I took the
-only course open to me by arrogating to myself all blame for the
-failure. I could thus make considerable curtailments, whereby, of
-course, the dramatic significance of the leading role was
-considerably lessened; this, however, did not interfere with the
-other parts of the opera, which had been favourably received.
-Consequently, although inwardly very humiliated, I hoped to gain
-some advantage for my work at the second performance, and was
-particularly desirous that this should take place with as little
-delay as possible. But Tichatschek was hoarse, and I had to
-possess my soul in patience for fully a week.
-
-I can hardly describe what I suffered during that time; it seemed
-as if this delay would completely ruin my work. Every day that
-elapsed between the first and second performance left the result
-of the former more and more problematic, until at last it
-appeared to be a generally acknowledged failure. While the public
-as a whole expressed angry astonishment that, after the approval
-they had shown of my Rienzi, I had paid no attention to their
-taste in writing my new work, there were may kind and judicious
-friends who were utterly perplexed at its inefficiency, the
-principal parts of which they had been unable to understand, or
-thought were imperfectly sketched and finished. The critics, with
-unconcealed joy, attacked it as ravens attack carrion thrown out
-to them. Even the passions and prejudices of the day were drawn
-into the controversy in order, if possible, to confuse men's
-minds, and prejudice them against me. It was just at the time
-when the German-Catholic agitation, set in motion by Czersky and
-Ronge as a highly meritorious and liberal movement, was causing a
-great commotion. It was now made out that by Tannhauser I had
-provoked a reactionary tendency, and that precisely as Meyerbeer
-with his Huguenots had glorified Protestantism, so I with my
-latest opera would glorify Catholicism.
-
-The rumour that in writing Tannhauser I had been bribed by the
-Catholic part was believed for a long time. While the effort was
-being made to ruin my popularity by this means, I had the
-questionable honour of being approached, first by letter,
-afterwards in person, by a certain M. Rousseau, at that time
-editor of the Prussian Staatszeitung, who wished for my
-friendship and help. I knew of him only in connection with a
-scathing criticism of my Fliegender Hollander. He informed me
-that he had been sent from Austria to further the Catholic cause
-in Berlin, but that he had had so many sad experiences of the
-fruitlessness of his efforts, that he was now returning to Vienna
-to continue his work in this direction undisturbed, with which
-work I had, by my Tannhauser, proclaimed myself fully in accord.
-
-That remarkable paper, the Dresdener Anzeiger, which was a local
-organ for the redress of slander and scandal, daily published
-some fresh bit of news to my prejudice. At last I noticed that
-these attacks were met by witty and forcible little snubs, and
-also that encouraging comments appeared in my favour, which for
-some time surprised me very much, as I knew that only enemies and
-never friends interested themselves in such cases. But I learned,
-to my amusement, from Rockel, that he and my friend Heine had
-carried out this inspiriting campaign on my behalf.
-
-The ill-feeling against me in this quarter was only troublesome
-because at that unfortunate period I was hindered from expressing
-myself through my work. Tichatschek continued hoarse, and it was
-said he would never sing in my opera again. I heard from
-Luttichau that, scared by the failure of Tannhauser, he was
-holding himself in readiness to countermand the order for the
-promised scenery for the Hall of Song, or to cancel it
-altogether. I was so terrified at the cowardice which was thus
-revealed, that I myself began to look upon Tannhauser as doomed.
-My prospects and my whole position, when viewed in this mood, may
-be readily gathered from my communications, especially those
-referring to my negotiations for the publication of my works.
-
-This terrible week dragged out like an endless eternity. I was
-afraid to look anybody in the face, but was one day obliged to go
-to Meser's music shop, where I met Gottfried Semper just buying a
-text-book of Tannhauser. Only a short time before I had been very
-much put out in discussing this subject with him; he would listen
-to nothing I had to say about the Minnesangers and Pilgrims of
-the Middle Ages in connection with art, but gave me to understand
-that he despised me for my choice of such material.
-
-While Meser assured me that no inquiry whatever had been received
-for the numbers of Tannhauser already published, it was strange
-that my most energetic antagonist should be the only person who
-had actually bought and paid for a copy. In a peculiarly earnest
-and impressive manner he remarked to me that it was necessary to
-be thoroughly acquainted with the subject if a just opinion was
-to be passed on it, and that for this purpose, unfortunately,
-nothing but the text was available. This very meeting with
-Semper, strange as it may appear, was the first really
-encouraging sign that I can remember.
-
-But I found my greatest consolation in those days of trouble and
-anxiety in Rockel, who from that time forward entered into a
-lifelong intimacy with me. He had, without my being aware of it,
-disputed, explained, quarrelled, and petitioned on my behalf, and
-thereby roused himself to a veritable enthusiasm for Tannhauser.
-The evening before the second performance, which was at last to
-take place, we met over a glass of beer, and his bright demeanour
-had such a cheering effect upon me that we became very lively.
-After contemplating my head for some time, he swore that it was
-impossible to destroy me, that there was a something in me,
-something, probably, in my blood, as similar characteristics also
-appeared in my brother Albert, who was otherwise so unlike me. To
-speak more plainly, he called it the peculiar HEAT of my
-temperament; this heat, he thought, might consume others, whereas
-I appeared to feel at my best when it glowed most fiercely, for
-he had several times seen me positively ablaze. I laughed, and
-did not know what to make of his nonsense. Well, he said, I
-should soon see what he meant in Tannhauser, for it was simply
-absurd to think the work would not live; and he was absolutely
-certain of its success. I thought over the matter on my way home,
-and came to the conclusion that if Tannhauser did indeed win its
-way, and become really popular, incalculable possibilities might
-be attained.
-
-At last the time arrived for our second performance. For this I
-thought I had made due preparation by lessening the importance of
-the principal part, and lowering my original ideals about some of
-the more important portions, and I hoped by accentuating certain
-undoubtedly attractive passages to secure a genuine appreciation
-of the whole. I was greatly delighted with the scenery which had
-at last arrived for the Hall of Song in the second act, the
-beautiful and imposing effect of which cheered us all, for we
-looked upon it as a good omen. Unfortunately I had to bear the
-humiliation of seeing the theatre nearly empty. This, more than
-anything else, sufficed to convince me what the opinion of the
-public really was in regard to my work. But, if the audience was
-scanty, the majority, at any rate, consisted of the first friends
-of my art, and the reception of the piece was very cordial.
-Mitterwurzer especially aroused the greatest enthusiasm. As for
-Tichatschek, my anxious friends, Rockel and Heine, thought it
-necessary to endeavour by every artifice to keep him in a good
-humour for his part. In order to give practical assistance in
-making the undoubted obscurity of the last scene clear, my
-friends had asked several young people, more especially artists,
-to give vent to torrents of applause at those parts which are not
-generally regarded by the opera-going public as provoking any
-demonstration. Strange to say, the outburst of applause thus
-provoked after the words, 'An angel flies to God's throne for
-thee, and will make his voice heard; Heinrich, thou art saved,'
-made the entire situation suddenly clear to the public. At all
-subsequent productions this continued to be the principal moment
-for the expression of sympathy on the part of the audience,
-although it had passed quite unnoticed on the first night. A few
-days later a third performance took place, but this time before a
-full house, Schroder-Devrient, depressed at the small share she
-was able to take in the success of my work, watched the progress
-of the opera from the small stage box; she informed me that
-Luttichau had come to her with a beaming face, saying he thought
-we had now carried Tannhauser happily through.
-
-And this certainly proved to be the case; we often repeated it in
-the course of the winter, but noticed that when two performances
-followed close upon one another, there was not such a rush for
-the second, from which we concluded that I had not yet gained the
-approval of the great opera-going public, but only of the more
-cultured section of the community. Among these real friends of
-Tannhauser there were many, as I gradually discovered, who as a
-rule never visited the theatre at all, and least of all the
-opera. This interest on the part of a totally new public
-continued to grow in intensity, and expressed itself in a
-delightful and hitherto unknown manner by a strong sympathy for
-the author. It was particularly painful to me, on Tichatschek's
-account, to respond alone to the calls of the audience after
-almost every act; however, I had at last to submit, as my refusal
-would only have exposed the vocalist to fresh humiliations, for
-when he appeared on the stage with his colleagues without me, the
-loud shouts for me were almost insulting to him. With what
-genuine eagerness did I wish that the contrary were the case, and
-that the excellence of the execution might overshadow the author.
-The conviction that I should never attain this with my Tannhauser
-in Dresden guided me in all my future undertakings. But, at all
-events, in producing Tannhauser in this city I had succeeded in
-making at least the cultured public acquainted with my peculiar
-tendencies, by stimulating their mental faculties and stripping
-the performance of all realistic accessories. I did not, however,
-succeed in making these tendencies sufficiently clear in a
-dramatic performance, and in such an irresistible and convincing
-manner as also to familiarise the uncultivated taste of the
-ordinary public with them when they saw them embodied on the
-stage.
-
-By enlarging the circle of my acquaintances, and making
-interesting friends, I had a good opportunity during the winter
-of obtaining further information on this point in a way that was
-both instructive and encouraging. My acquaintance and close
-intimacy at this time with Dr. Hermann Franck of Breslau, who had
-for some time been living quietly in Dresden, was also very
-inspiring. He was very comfortably off, and was one of those men
-who, by a wide knowledge and good judgment, combined with
-considerable gifts as an author, won an excellent reputation for
-himself in a large and select circle of private friends, without,
-however, making any great name for himself with the public. He
-endeavoured to use his knowledge and abilities for the general
-good, and was induced by Brockhaus to edit the Deutsche
-Allgemeine Zeitung when it first started. This paper had been
-founded by Brockhaus some years earlier. However, after editing
-it for a year, Franck resigned this post, and from that time
-forward it was only on the very rarest occasions that he could be
-persuaded to touch anything connected with journalism. His curt
-and spirited remarks about his experiences in connection with the
-Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung justified his disinclination to
-engage in any work connected with the public press. My
-appreciation was all the greater, therefore, when, without any
-persuasion on my part, he wrote a full report on Tannhauser for
-the Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung. This appeared in October or
-November, 1845, in a supplement to that paper, and although it
-contained the first account of a work which has since been so
-widely discussed, I regard it, after mature consideration, as the
-most far-reaching and exhaustive that has ever been written. By
-this means my name figured for the first time in the great
-European political paper, whose columns, in consequence of a
-remarkable change of front which was to the interests of the
-proprietors, have since been open to any one who wished to make
-merry at the expense of me or my work.
-
-The point which particularly attracted me in Dr. Franck was the
-delicate and tactful art he displayed in his criticism and his
-methods of discussion. There was something distinguished about
-them that was not so much the outcome of rank and social position
-as of genuine world-wide culture.
-
-The delicate coldness and reserve of his manner charmed rather
-than repelled me, as it was a characteristic I had not met with
-hitherto. When I found him expressing himself with some reserve
-in regard to persons who enjoyed a reputation to which I did not
-think they were always entitled, I was very pleased to see during
-my intercourse with him that in many ways I exercised a decisive
-influence over his opinion. Even at that time I did not care to
-let it pass unchallenged when people evaded the close analysis of
-the work of this or that celebrity, by referring in terms of
-eulogy to his 'good-nature.' I even cornered my worldly wise
-friend on this point, when a few years later I had the
-satisfaction of getting from him a very concise explanation of
-Meyerbeer's 'good-nature,' of which he had once spoken, and he
-recalled with a smile the extraordinary questions I had put to
-him at the time. He was, however, quite alarmed when I gave him a
-very lucid explanation of the disinterestedness and conspicuous
-altruism of Mendelssohn in the service of art, of which he had
-spoken enthusiastically. In a conversation about Mendelssohn he
-had remarked how delightful it was to find a man able to make
-real sacrifices in order to free himself from a false position
-that was of no service to art. It was assuredly a grand thing, he
-said, to have renounced a good salary of nine thousand marks as
-general musical conductor in Berlin, and to have retired to
-Leipzig as a simple conductor at the Gewandhaus concerts, and
-Mendelssohn was much to be admired on that account. Just at that
-time I happened to be in a position to give some correct details
-regarding this apparent sacrifice on the part of Mendelssohn,
-because when I had made a serious proposal to our general
-management about increasing the salaries of several of the poorer
-members of the orchestra, Luttichau was requested to inform me
-that, according to the King's latest commands, the expenditure on
-the state bands was to be so restricted that for the present the
-poorer chamber musicians could not claim any consideration, for
-Herr von Falkenstein, the governor of the Leipzig district, who
-was a passionate admirer of Mendelssohn's, had gone so far as to
-influence the King to appoint the latter secret conductor, with a
-secret salary of six thousand marks. This sum, together with the
-salary of three thousand marks openly granted him by the
-management of the Leipzig Gewandhaus, would amply compensate him
-for the position he had renounced in Berlin, and he had
-consequently consented to migrate to Leipzig. This large grant
-had, for decency's sake, to be kept secret by the board
-administering the band funds, not only because it was detrimental
-to the interests of the institution, but also because it might
-give offence to those who were acting as conductors at a lower
-salary, if they knew another man had been appointed to a
-sinecure. From these circumstances Mendelssohn derived not only
-the advantage of having the grant kept a secret, but also the
-satisfaction of allowing his friends to applaud him as a model of
-self-sacrificing zeal for going to Leipzig; which they could
-easily do, although they knew him to be in a good financial
-position. When I explained this to Franck, he was astonished, and
-admitted it was one of the strangest cases he had ever come
-across in connection with undeserved fame.
-
-We soon arrived at a mutual understanding in our views about many
-other artistic celebrities with whom we came in contact at that
-time in Dresden. This was a simple matter in the case of
-Ferdinand Hiller, who was regarded as the chief of the 'good-
-natured' ones. Regarding the more famous painters of the so-
-called Dusseldorf School, whom I met frequently through the
-medium of Tannhauser, it was not quite so easy to come to a
-conclusion, as I was to a great extent influenced by the fame
-attached to their well-known names; but here again Franck
-startled me with opportune and conclusive reasons for
-disappointment. When it was a question between Bendemann and
-Hubner, it seemed to me that Hubner might very well be sacrificed
-to Bendemann. The latter, who had only just completed the
-frescoes for one of the reception-rooms at the royal palace, and
-had been rewarded by his friends with a banquet, appeared to me
-to have the right to be honoured as a great master. I was very
-much astonished, therefore, when Franck calmly pitied the King of
-Saxony for having had his room 'bedaubed' by Bendemann!
-Nevertheless, there was no denying that these people were 'good-
-natured.' My intercourse with them became more frequent, and at
-all events offered me opportunities of mixing with the more
-cultured artistic society, in distinction to the theatrical
-circles with which I had usually associated; yet I never derived
-from it the least enthusiasm or inspiration. The latter, however,
-appears to have been Hiller's main object, and that winter he
-organised a sort of social circle which held weekly meetings at
-the home of one or the other of its members in turn. Reinecke,
-who was both painter and poet, joined this society, together with
-Hubner and Bendemann, and had the bad fortune to write the new
-text for an opera for Hiller, the fate of which I will describe
-later on. Robert Schumann, the musician, who was also in Dresden
-at this time, and was busy working out on opera, which eventually
-developed into Genovefa, made advances to Hiller and myself. I
-had already known Schumann in Leipzig, and we had both entered
-upon our musical careers at about the same time. I had also
-occasionally sent small contributions to the Neue Zeitschrift fur
-Musik, of which he had formerly been editor, and more recently a
-longer one from Paris on Rossini's Stabat Mater. He had been
-asked to conduct his Paradies und Peri at a concert to be given
-at the theatre; but his peculiar awkwardness in conducting on
-that occasion aroused my sympathy for the conscientious and
-energetic musician whose work made so strong an appeal to me, and
-a kindly and friendly confidence soon grew up between us. After a
-performance of Tannhauser, at which he was present, he called on
-me one morning and declared himself fully and decidedly in favour
-of my work. The only objection he had to make was that the
-stretta of the second finale was too abrupt, a criticism which
-proved his keenness of perception; and I was able to show him, by
-the score, how I had been compelled, much against my inclination,
-to curtail the opera, and thereby create the position to which he
-had taken exception. We often met when out walking and, as far as
-it was possible with a person so sparing of words, we exchanged
-views on matters of musical interest. He was looking forward to
-the production, under my baton, of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, as
-he had attended the performances at Leipzig, and had been very
-much disappointed by Mendelssohn's conducting, which had quite
-misunderstood the time of the first movement. Otherwise his
-society did not inspire me particularly, and the fact that he was
-too conservative to benefit by my views was soon shown, more
-especially in his conception of the poem of Genovefa. It was
-clear that my example had only made a very transient impression
-on him, only just enough, in fact, to make him think it advisable
-to write the text of an opera himself. He afterwards invited me
-to hear him read his libretto, which was a combination of the
-styles of Hebbel and Tieck. When, however, out of a genuine
-desire for the success of his work, about which I had serious
-misgivings, I called his attention to some grave defects in it,
-and suggested the necessary alterations, I realised how matters
-stood with this extraordinary person: he simply wanted me to be
-swayed by himself, but deeply resented any interference with the
-product of his own ideals, so that thenceforward I let matters
-alone.
-
-In the following winter, our circle, thanks to the assiduity of
-Hiller, was considerably widened, and it now became a sort of
-club whose object was to meet freely every week in a room at
-Engel's restaurant at the Postplatz. Just about this time the
-famous J. Schnorr of Munich was appointed director of the museums
-in Dresden, and we entertained him at a banquet. I had already
-seen some of his large and well-executed cartoons, which made a
-deep impression on me, not only on account of their dimensions,
-but also by reason of the events they depicted from old German
-history, in which I was at that time particularly interested. It
-was through Schnorr that I now became acquainted with the 'Munich
-School' of which he was the master. My heart overflowed when I
-thought what it meant for Dresden, if such giants of German art
-were to shake hands there. I was much struck by Schnorr's
-appearance and conversation, and I could not reconcile his
-whining pedagogic manner with his mighty cartoons; however, I
-thought it a great stroke of luck when he also took to
-frequenting Engel's restaurant on Saturdays. He was well versed
-in the old German legends, and I was delighted when they formed
-the topic of conversation. The famous sculptor, Hanel, used also
-to attend these meetings, and his marvellous talent inspired me
-with the greatest respect, although I was not an authority on his
-work, and could only judge of it by my own feelings. I soon saw
-that his bearing and manner were affected; he was very fond of
-expressing his opinion and judgment on questions of art, and I
-was not in a position to decide whether they were reliable or
-otherwise. In fact, it often occurred to me that I was listening
-to a Philistine swaggerer. It was only when my old friend Pecht,
-who had also settled in Dresden for a time, clearly and
-emphatically explained to me Hanel's standing as an artist, that
-I conquered all my secret doubts, and tried to find some pleasure
-in his works. Rietschel, who was also a member of our society,
-was the very antithesis of Hanel. I often found it difficult to
-believe that the pale delicate man, with the whining nervous way
-of expressing himself, was really a sculptor; but as similar
-peculiarities in Schnorr did not prevent me from recognising him
-as a marvellous painter, this helped me to make friends with
-Rietschel, as he was quite free from affectation, and had a warm
-sympathetic soul that drew me ever closer to him. I also remember
-hearing from him a very enthusiastic appreciation of my
-personality as a conductor. In spite, however, of being fellow-
-members of our versatile art club, we never attained a footing of
-real comradeship, for, after all, no one thought much of anybody
-else's talents. For instance, Hiller had arranged some orchestral
-concerts, and to commemorate them he was entertained at the usual
-banquet by his friends, when his services were gratefully
-acknowledged with due rhetorical pathos. Yet I never found, in my
-private intercourse with Hiller's friends, the least enthusiasm
-in regard to his work; on the contrary, I only noticed
-expressions of doubt and apprehensive shrugs.
-
-These feted concerts soon came to an end. At our social evenings
-we never discussed the works of the masters who were present;
-they were not even mentioned, and it was soon evident that none
-of the members knew what to talk about. Semper was the only man
-who, in his extraordinary fashion, often so enlivened our
-entertainments that Rietschel, inwardly sympathetic, though
-painfully startled, would heartily complain against the
-unrestrained outbursts that led not infrequently to hot
-discussions between Semper and myself. Strange to say, we two
-always seemed to start from the hypothesis that we were
-antagonists, for he insisted upon regarding me as the
-representative of mediaeval Catholicism, which he often attacked
-with real fury. I eventually succeeded in persuading him that my
-studies and inclinations had always led me to German antiquity,
-and to the discovery of ideals in the early Teutonic myths. When
-we came to paganism, and I expressed my enthusiasm for the
-genuine heathen legends, he became quite a different being, and a
-deep and growing interest now began to unite us in such a way
-that it quite isolated us from the rest of the company. It was,
-however, impossible ever to settle anything without a heated
-argument, not only because Semper had a peculiar habit of
-contradicting everything flatly, but also because he knew his
-views were opposed to those of the entire company. His
-paradoxical assertions, which were apparently only intended to
-stir up strife, soon made me realise, beyond any doubt, that he
-was the only one present who was passionately in earnest about
-everything he said, whereas all the others were quite content to
-let the matter drop when convenient. A man of the latter type was
-Gutzkow, who was often with us; he had been summoned to Dresden
-by the general management of our court theatre, to act in the
-capacity of dramatist and adapter of plays. Several of his pieces
-had recently met with great success: Zopf und Schwert, Das Urbild
-des Tartuffe, and Uriel Acosta, shed an unexpected lustre on the
-latest dramatic repertoire, and it seemed as though the advent of
-Gutzkow would inaugurate a new era of glory for the Dresden
-theatre, where my operas had also been first produced. The good
-intentions of the management were certainly undeniable. My only
-regret on that occasion was that the hopes my old friend Laube
-entertained of being summoned to Dresden to fill that post were
-unrealised. He also had thrown himself enthusiastically into the
-work of dramatic literature. Even in Paris I had noticed the
-eagerness with which he used to study the technique of dramatic
-composition, especially that of Scribe, in the hope of acquiring
-the skill of that writer, without which, as he soon discovered,
-no poetical drama in German could be successful. He maintained
-that he had thoroughly mastered this style in his comedy, Rococo,
-and he cherished the conviction that he could work up any
-imaginable material into an effective stage play.
-
-At the same time, he was very careful to show equal skill in the
-selection of his material. In my opinion this theory of his was a
-complete failure, as his only successful pieces were those in
-which popular interest was excited by catch-phrases. This
-interest was always more or less associated with the politics of
-the day, and generally involved some obvious diatribes about
-'German unity' and 'German Liberalism.' As this important
-stimulus was first applied by way of experiment to the
-subscribers to our Residenz Theater, and afterwards to the German
-public generally, it had, as I have already said, to be worked
-out with the consummate skill which, presumably, could only be
-learned from modern French writers of comic opera.
-
-I was very glad to see the result of this study in Laube's plays,
-more especially as when he visited us in Dresden, which he often
-did on the occasion of a new production, he admitted his
-indebtedness with modest candour, and was far from pretending to
-be a real poet. Moreover, he displayed great skill and an almost
-fiery zeal, not only in the preparation of his pieces, but also
-in their production, so that the offer of a post at Dresden, the
-hope of which had been held out to him, would at least, from a
-practical point of view, have been a benefit to the theatre.
-Finally, however, the choice fell on his rival Gutzkow, in spite
-of his obvious unsuitability for the practical work of dramatist.
-It was evident that even as regards his successful plays his
-triumph was mainly due to his literary skill, because these
-effective plays were immediately followed by wearisome
-productions which made us realise, to our astonishment, that he
-himself could not have been aware of the skill he had previously
-displayed. It was, however, precisely these abstract qualities of
-the genuine man of letters which, in the eyes of many, cast over
-him the halo of literary greatness; and when Luttichau, thinking
-more of a showy reputation than of permanent benefit to his
-theatre, decided to give the preference to Gutzkow, he thought
-his choice would give a special impetus to the cause of higher
-culture. To me the appointment of Gutzkow as the director of
-dramatic art at the theatre was peculiarly objectionable, as it
-was not long before I was convinced of his utter incompetence for
-the task, and it was probably owing to the frankness with which I
-expressed my opinion to Luttichau that our subsequent
-estrangement was originally due. I had to complain bitterly of
-the want of judgment and the levity of those who so recklessly
-selected men to fill the posts of managers and conductors in such
-precious institutions of art as the German royal theatres. To
-obviate the failure I felt convinced must follow on this
-important appointment, I made a special request that Gutzkow
-should not be allowed to interfere in the management of the
-opera; he readily yielded, and thus spared himself great
-humiliation. This action, however, created a feeling of mistrust
-between us, though I was quite ready to remove this as far as
-possible by coming into personal contact with him whenever
-opportunity offered on those evenings when the artists used to
-gather at the club, as already described. I would gladly have
-made this strange man, whose head was anxiously bowed down on his
-breast, relax and unburden himself in his conversations with me,
-but I was unsuccessful, on account of his constant reserve and
-suspicion, and his studied aloofness. An opportunity arose for a
-discussion between us when he wanted the orchestra to take a
-melodramatic part (which they afterwards did) in a certain scene
-of his Uriel Acosta, where the hero had to recant his alleged
-heresy. The orchestra had to execute the soft tremolo for a given
-time on certain chords, but when I heard the performance it
-appeared to me absurd, and equally derogatory both for the music
-and the drama.
-
-On one of these evenings I tried to come to an understanding with
-Gutzkow concerning this, and the employment of music generally as
-a melodramatic auxiliary to the drama, and I discussed my views
-on the subject in accordance with the highest principles I had
-conceived. He met all the chief points of my discussion with a
-nervous distrustful silence, but finally explained that I really
-went too far in the significance which I claimed for music, and
-that he failed to understand how music would be degraded if it
-were applied more sparingly to the drama, seeing that the claims
-of verse were often treated with much less respect when it was
-used as a mere accessory to operatic music. To put it
-practically, in fact, it would be advisable for the librettist
-not to be too dainty in this matter; it wasn't possible always to
-give the actor a brilliant exit; at the same time, however,
-nothing could be more painful than when the chief performer made
-his exit without any applause. In such cases a little distracting
-noise in the orchestra really supplied a happy diversion. This I
-actually heard Gutzkow say; moreover, I saw that he really meant
-it! After this I felt I had done with him.
-
-It was not long before I had equally little to do with all the
-painters, musicians, and other zealots in art belonging to our
-society. At the same time, however, I came into closer contact
-with Berthold Auerbach. With great enthusiasm, Alwine Frommann
-had already drawn my attention to Auerbach's Pastoral Stories.
-The account she gave of these modest works (for that is how she
-characterised them) sounded quite attractive. She said that they
-had had the same refreshing effect on her circle of friends in
-Berlin as that produced by opening the window of a scented
-boudoir (to which she compared the literature they had hitherto
-been used to), and letting in the fresh air of the woods. After
-that I read the Pastoral Stories of the Black Forest, which had
-so quickly become famous, and I, too, was strongly attracted by
-the contents and tone of these realistic anecdotes about the life
-of the people in a locality which it was easy enough to identify
-from the vivid descriptions. As at this time Dresden seemed to be
-becoming ever more and more the rendezvous for the lights of our
-literary and artistic world, Auerbach also reconciled himself to
-taking up his quarters in this city; and for quite a long time,
-lived with his friend Hiller, who thus again had a celebrity at
-his side of equal standing with himself. The short, sturdy Jewish
-peasant boy, as he was placed to represent himself to be, made a
-very agreeable impression. It was only later that I understood
-the significance of his green jacket, and above all of his green
-hunting-cap, which made him look exactly what the author of
-Swabian Pastoral Stories ought to look like, and this
-significance was anything but a naive one. The Swiss poet,
-Gottfried Keller, once told me that, when Auerbach was in Zurich,
-and he had decided on taking him up, he (Auerbach) had drawn his
-attention to the best way in which to introduce one's literary
-effusions to the public, and to make money, and he advised him,
-above all things, to get a coat and cap like his own, for being,
-as he said, like himself, neither handsome nor well grown, it
-would be far better deliberately to make himself look rough and
-queer; so saying, he placed his cap on his head in such a way as
-to look a little rakish. For the time being, I perceived no real
-affectation in Auerbach; he had assimilated so much of the tone
-and ways of the people, and had done this so happily, that, in
-any case, one could not help asking oneself why, with these
-delightful qualities, he should move with such tremendous ease in
-spheres that seemed absolutely antagonistic. At all events, he
-always seemed in his true element even in those circles which
-really seemed most opposed to his assumed character; there he
-stood in his green coat, keen, sensitive, and natural, surrounded
-by the distinguished society that flattered him; and he loved to
-show letters he had received from the Grand Duke of Weimar and
-his answers to them, all the time looking at things from the
-standpoint of the Swabian peasant nature which suited him so
-admirably.
-
-What especially attracted me to him was the fact that he was the
-first Jew I ever met with whom one could discuss Judaism with
-absolute freedom. He even seemed particularly desirous of
-removing, in his agreeable manner, all prejudice on this score;
-and it was really touching to hear him speak of his boyhood, and
-declare that he was perhaps the only German who had read
-Klopstock's Messiah all through. Having one day become absorbed
-in this work, which he read secretly in his cottage home, he had
-played the truant from school, and when he finally arrived too
-late at the school-house, his teacher angrily exclaimed: 'You
-confounded Jew-boy, where have you been? Lending money again?'
-Such experiences had only made him feel pensive and melancholy,
-but not bitter, and he had even been inspired with real
-compassion for the coarseness of his tormentors. These were
-traits in his character which drew me very strongly to him. As
-time went on, however, it seemed to me a serious matter that he
-could not get away from the atmosphere of these ideas, for I
-began to feel that the universe contained no other problem for
-him than the elucidation of the Jewish question. One day,
-therefore, I protested as good-naturedly and confidentially as I
-could, and advised him to let the whole problem of Judaism drop,
-as there were, after all, many other standpoints from which the
-world might be criticised. Strange to say, he thereupon not only
-lost his ingeniousness, but also fell to whining in an ecstatic
-fashion, which did not seem to me very genuine, and assured me
-that that would be an impossibility for him, as there was still
-so much in Judaism which needed his whole sympathy. I could not
-help recalling the surprising anguish which he had manifested on
-this occasion, when I learned, in the course of time, that he had
-repeatedly arranged Jewish marriages, concerning the happy result
-of which I heard nothing, save that he had, by this means, made
-quite a fortune. When, several years afterwards, I again saw him
-in Zurich, I observed that his appearance had unfortunately
-changed in a manner quite disconcerting: he looked really
-extraordinarily common and dirty; his former refreshing
-liveliness had turned into the usual Jewish restlessness, and it
-was easy to see that all he said was uttered as if he regretted
-that his words could not be turned to better account in a
-newspaper article.
-
-During his time in Dresden, however, Auerbach's warm agreement
-with my artistic projects really did me good, even though it may
-have been only from his Semitic and Swabian standpoint; so did
-the novelty of the experience I was at that time undergoing as an
-artist, in meeting with ever-increasing regard and recognition
-among people of note, of acknowledged importance and of
-exceptional culture. If, after the success obtained by Rienzi, I
-still remained with the circle of the real theatrical world, the
-greater success following on Tannhauser certainly brought me into
-contact with such people as I have mentioned above, who, though
-to be sure they considerably enlarged my ideas, at the same time
-impressed me very unfavourably with what was apparently the
-pinnacle of the artistic life of the period. At any rate, I felt
-neither rewarded nor, fortunately, even diverted by the
-acquaintances I won by the first performance of my Tannhauser
-that winter. On the contrary, I felt an irresistible desire to
-withdraw into my shell and leave these gay surroundings into
-which, strangely enough, I had been introduced at the instigation
-of Hiller, whom I soon recognised as being a nonentity. I felt I
-must quickly compose something, as this was the only means of
-ridding myself of all the disturbing and painful excitement
-Tannhauser had produced in me.
-
-Only a few weeks after the first performances I had worked out
-the whole of the Lohengrin text. In November I had already read
-this poem to my intimate friends, and soon afterwards to the
-Hiller set. It was praised, and pronounced 'effective.' Schumann
-also thoroughly approved of it, although he did not understand
-the musical form in which I wished to carry it out, as he saw no
-resemblance in it to the old methods of writing individual solos
-for the various artists. I then had some fun in reading different
-parts of my work to him in the form of arias and cavatinas, after
-which he laughingly declared himself satisfied.
-
-Serious reflection, however, aroused my gravest doubts as to the
-tragic character of the material itself, and to these doubts I
-had been led, in a manner both sensible and tactful, by Franck.
-He thought it offensive to effect Elsa's punishment through
-Lohengrin's departure; for although he understood that the
-characteristics of the legend were expressed precisely by this
-highly poetical feature, he was doubtful as to whether it did
-full justice to the demands of tragic feeling in its relation to
-dramatic realism. He would have preferred to see Lohengrin die
-before our eyes owing to Elsa's loving treachery. As, however,
-this did not seem feasible, he would have liked to see Lohengrin
-spell-bound by some powerful motive, and prevented from getting
-away. Although, of course, I would not agree to any of these
-suggestions, I went so far as to consider whether I could not do
-away with the cruel separation, and still retain the incident of
-Lohengrin's departure, which was essential. I then sought for a
-means of letting Elsa go away with Lohengrin, as a form of
-penance which would withdraw her also from the world. This seemed
-more promising to my talented friend. While I was still very
-doubtful about all this, I gave my poem to Frau von Luttichau, so
-that she might peruse it, and criticise the point raised by
-Franck. In a little letter, in which she expressed her pleasure
-at my poem, she wrote briefly, but very decidedly, on the knotty
-question, and declared that Franck must be devoid of all poetry
-if he did not understand that it was exactly in the way I had
-chosen, and in no other, that Lohengrin must depart. I felt as if
-a load had fallen from my heart. In triumph I showed the letter
-to Franck, who, much abashed, and by way of excusing himself,
-opened a correspondence with Frau von Luttichau, which certainly
-cannot have been lacking in interest, though I was never able to
-see any of it. In any case, the upshot of it was that Lohengrin
-remained as I had originally conceived it. Curiously enough, some
-time later, I had a similar experience with regard to the same
-subject, which again put me in a temporary state of uncertainty.
-When Adolf Stahr gravely raised the same objection to the
-solution of the Lohengrin question, I was really taken aback by
-the uniformity of opinion; and as, owing to some excitement, I
-was just then no longer in the same mood as when I composed
-Lohengrin, I was foolish enough to write a hurried letter to
-Stahr in which, with but a few slight reservations, I declared
-him to be right. I did not know that, by this, I was causing real
-grief to Liszt, who was now in the same position with regard to
-Stahr as Frau von Luttichau had been with regard to Franck.
-Fortunately, however, the displeasure of my great friend at my
-supposed treachery to myself did not last long; for, without
-having got wind of the trouble I had caused him, and thanks to
-the torture I myself was going through, I came to the proper
-decision in a few days, and, as clear as daylight, I saw what
-madness it had been. I was therefore able to rejoice Liszt with
-the following laconical protest which I sent him from my Swiss
-resort: 'Stahr is wrong, and Lohengrin is right.'
-
-For the present I remained occupied with the revision of my poem,
-for there could be no question of planning the music to it just
-now. That peaceful and harmonious state of mind which is so
-favourable to creative work, and always so necessary to me for
-composing, I now had to secure with the greatest difficulty, for
-it was one of the things I always had the hardest struggle to
-obtain. All the experiences connected with the performance of
-Tannhauser having filled me with true despair as to the whole
-future of my artistic operations, I saw it was hopeless to think
-of its production being extended to other German theatres--for I
-had not been able to achieve this end even with the successful
-Rienzi. It was perfectly obvious, therefore, that my work would,
-at the utmost, be conceded a permanent place in the Dresden
-repertoire. As the result of all this, my pecuniary affairs,
-which have already been described, had got into such a serious
-state that a catastrophe seemed inevitable. While I was preparing
-to meet this in the best way I could, I tried to stupefy myself,
-on the one hand, by plunging into the study of history,
-mythology, and literature, which were becoming ever dearer and
-dearer to me, and on the other by working incessantly at my
-artistic enterprises. As regards the former, I was chiefly
-interested in the German Middle Ages, and tried to make myself
-familiar with every point relative to this period. Although I
-could not set about this task with philological precision, I
-proceeded with such earnestness that I studied the German
-records, published by Grimm, for instance, with the greatest
-interest. As I could not put the results of such studies
-immediately into my scenes, there were many who could not
-understand why, as an operatic composer, I should waste my time
-on such barren work. Different people remarked later on, that the
-personality of Lohengrin had a charm quite its own; but this was
-ascribed to the happy selection of the subject, and I was
-specially praised for choosing it. Material from the German
-Middle Ages, and later on, subjects from Scandinavian antiquity,
-were therefore looked forward to by many, and, in the end, they
-were astonished that I gave them no adequate result of all my
-labours. Perhaps it will be of help to them if I now tell them to
-take the old records and such works to their aid. I forgot at
-that time to call Hiller's attention to my documents, and with
-great pride he seized upon a subject out of the history of the
-Hohenstaufen. As, however, he had no success with his work, he
-may perhaps think I was a little artful for not having spoken to
-him of the old records.
-
-Concerning my other duties, my chief undertaking for this winter
-consisted in an exceptionally carefully prepared performance of
-Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which took place in the spring on
-Palm Sunday. This performance involved many a struggle, besides a
-host of experiences which were destined to exercise a strong
-influence over my further development. Roughly they were as
-follows: the royal orchestra had only one opportunity a year of
-showing their powers independently in a musical performance
-outside the Opera or the church. For the benefit of the Pension
-Fund for their widows and orphans, the old so-called Opera House
-was given up to a big performance originally only intended for
-oratorios. Ultimately, in order to make it more attractive, a
-symphony was always added to the oratorio; and, as already
-mentioned, I had performed on such occasions, once the Pastoral
-Symphony, and later Haydn's Creation. The latter was a great joy
-to me, and it was on this occasion that I first made its
-acquaintance. As we two conductors had stipulated for alternate
-performances, the Symphony on Palm Sunday of the year 1846 fell
-to my lot. I had a great longing for the Ninth Symphony, and I
-was led to the choice of this work by the fact that it was almost
-unknown in Dresden. When the directors of the orchestra, who were
-the trustees of the Pension Fund, and who had to promote its
-increase, got to know of this, such a fright seized them that
-they interviewed the general director, Luttichau, and begged him,
-by virtue of his high authority, to dissuade me from carrying out
-my intention. They gave as a reason for this request, that the
-Pension Fund would surely suffer through the choice of this
-symphony, as the work was in ill-repute in the place, and would
-certainly keep people from going to the concert. The symphony had
-been performed many years before by Reissiger at a charity
-concert, and, as the conductor himself honestly admitted, had
-been an absolute failure. Now it needed my whole ardour, and all
-the eloquence I could command, to prevail over the doubts of our
-principal. With the orchestral directors, however, there was
-nothing for me to do but quarrel, as I heard that they were
-complaining all over the town about my indiscretion. In order to
-add shame to their trouble, I made up my mind to prepare the
-public in such a way for the performance, upon which I had
-resolved, and for the work itself, that at least the sensation
-caused would lead to a full hall and thus, in a very favourable
-manner, guarantee satisfactory returns, and contradict their
-belief that the fund was menaced. Thus the Ninth Symphony had, in
-every conceivable way, become for me a point of honour, for the
-success of which I had to exercise all my powers to the utmost.
-The committee had misgivings regarding the outlay needed for
-procuring the orchestral parts, so I borrowed them from the
-Leipzig Concert Society.
-
-Imagine my feelings, however, on now seeing for the first time
-since my earliest boyhood the mysterious pages of this score,
-which I studied conscientiously! In those days the sight of these
-same pages had filled me with the most mystic reveries, and I had
-stayed up for nights together to copy them out. Just as at the
-time of my uncertainty in Paris, on hearing the rehearsal of the
-first three movements performed by the incomparable orchestra of
-the Conservatoire, I had been carried back through years of error
-and doubt to be placed in marvellous touch with my earliest days,
-while all my inmost aspirations had been fruitfully stimulated in
-a new direction, so now in the same way the memory of that music
-was secretly awakened in me as I again saw before my own eyes
-that which in those early days had likewise been only a
-mysterious vision. I had by this time experienced much which, in
-the depths of my soul, drove me almost unconsciously to a process
-of summing-up, to an almost despairing inquiry concerning my
-fate. What I dared not acknowledge to myself was the fact of the
-absolute insecurity of my existence both from the artistic and
-financial point of view; for I saw that I was a stranger to my
-own mode of life as well as to my profession, and I had no
-prospects whatsoever. This despair, which I tried to conceal from
-my friends, was now converted into genuine exaltation, thanks
-entirely to the Ninth Symphony. It is not likely that the heart
-of a disciple has ever been filled with such keen rapture over
-the work of a master, as mine was at the first movement of this
-symphony. If any one had come upon me unexpectedly while I had
-the open score before me, and had seen me convulsed with sobs and
-tears as I went through the work in order to consider the best
-manner of rendering it, he would certainly have asked with
-astonishment if this were really fitting behaviour for the
-Conductor Royal of Saxony! Fortunately, on such occasions I was
-spared the visits of our orchestra directors, and their worthy
-conductor Reissiger, and even those of F. Hiller, who was so
-versed in classical music.
-
-In the first place I drew up a programme, for which the book of
-words for the chorus--always ordered according to custom--
-furnished me with a good pretext. I did this in order to provide
-a guide to the simple understanding of the work, and thereby
-hoped to appeal not to the critical judgment, but solely to the
-feelings, of the audience. This programme, in the framing of
-which some of the chief passages in Goethe's Faust were
-exceedingly helpful to me, was very well received, not only on
-that occasion in Dresden, but later on in other places. Besides
-this, I made use of the Dresden Anzeiger, by writing all kinds of
-short and enthusiastic anonymous paragraphs, in order to whet the
-public taste for a work which hitherto had been in ill-repute in
-Dresden.
-
-Not only did these purely extraneous exertions succeed in making
-the receipts of that year by far exceed any that had been taken
-theretofore, but the orchestra directors themselves, during the
-remaining years of my stay in Dresden, made a point of ensuring
-similarly large profits by repeated performances of the
-celebrated symphony. Concerning the artistic side of the
-performance, I aimed at making the orchestra give as expressive a
-rendering as possible, and to this end made all kinds of notes,
-myself, in the various parts, so as to make quite sure that their
-interpretation would be as clear and as coloured as could be
-desired. It was principally the custom which existed then of
-doubling the wind instruments, that led me to a most careful
-consideration of the advantages this system presented, for, in
-performances on a large scale, the following somewhat crude rule
-prevailed: all those passages marked piano were executed by a
-single set of instruments, while those marked forte were carried
-out by a duplicated set. As an instance of the way in which I
-took care to ensure an intelligible rendering by this means, I
-might point to a certain passage in the second movement of the
-symphony, where the whole of the string instruments play the
-principal and rhythmical figure in C major for the first time; it
-is written in triple octaves, which play uninterruptedly in
-unison and, to a certain degree, serve as an accompaniment to the
-second theme, which is only performed by feeble wood instruments.
-As fortissimo is indicated alike for the whole orchestra, the
-result in every imaginable rendering must be that the melody for
-the wood instruments not only completely disappears, but cannot
-even be heard through the strings, which, after all, are only
-accompanying. Now, as I never carried my piety to the extent of
-taking directions absolutely literally, rather than sacrifice the
-effect really intended by the master to the erroneous indications
-given, I made the strings play only moderately loudly instead of
-real fortissimo, up to the point where they alternate with the
-wind instruments in taking up the continuation of the new theme:
-thus the motive, rendered as it was as loudly as possible by a
-double set of wind instruments, was, I believe for the first time
-since the existence of the symphony, heard with real
-distinctness. I proceeded in this manner throughout, in order to
-guarantee the greatest exactitude in the dynamical effects of the
-orchestra. There was nothing, however difficult, which was
-allowed to be performed in such a way as not to arouse the
-feelings of the audience in a particular manner. For example,
-many brains had been puzzled by the Fugato in 6/8 time which
-comes after the chorus, Froh wie seine Sonnen fliegen, in the
-movement of the finale marked alia marcia. In view of the
-preceding inspiriting verses, which seemed to be preparing for
-combat and victory, I conceived this Fugato really as a glad but
-earnest war-song, and I took it at a continuously fiery tempo,
-and with the utmost vigour. The day following the first
-performance I had the satisfaction of receiving a visit from the
-musical director Anacker of Freiburg, who came to tell me
-somewhat penitently, that though until then he had been one of my
-antagonists, since the performance of the symphony he certainly
-reckoned himself among my friends. What had absolutely
-overwhelmed him, he said, was precisely my conception and
-interpretation of the Fugato. Furthermore, I devoted special
-attention to that extraordinary passage, resembling a recitative
-for the 'cellos and basses, which comes at the beginning of the
-last movement, and which had once caused my old friend Pohlenz
-such great humiliation in Leipzig. Thanks to the exceptional
-excellence of our bass players, I felt certain of attaining to
-absolute perfection in this passage. After twelve special
-rehearsals of the instruments alone concerned, I succeeded in
-getting them to perform in a way which sounded not only perfectly
-free, but which also expressed the most exquisite tenderness and
-the greatest energy in a thoroughly impressive manner.
-
-From the very beginning of my undertaking I had at once
-recognised, that the only method of achieving overwhelming
-popular success with this symphony was to overcome, by some ideal
-means, the extraordinary difficulties presented by the choral
-parts. I realised that the demands made by these parts could be
-met only by a large and enthusiastic body of singers. It was
-above all necessary, then, to secure a very good and large choir;
-so, besides adding the somewhat feeble Dreissig 'Academy of
-Singing' to our usual number of members in the theatre chorus, in
-spite of great difficulties I also enlisted the help of the choir
-from the Kreuzschule, with its fine boys' voices, and the choir
-of the Dresden seminary, which had had much practice in church
-singing. In a way quite my own I now tried to get these three
-hundred singers, who were frequently united for rehearsals, into
-a state of genuine ecstasy; for instance, I succeeded in
-demonstrating to the basses that the celebrated passage Seid
-umschlungen, Millionen, and especially Bruder, uber'm Sternenzelt
-muss ein guter Vater wohnen, could not be sung in an ordinary
-manner, but must, as it were, be proclaimed with the greatest
-rapture. In this I took the lead in a manner so elated that I
-really think I literally transported them to a world of emotion
-utterly strange to them for a while; and I did not desist till my
-voice, which had been heard clearly above all the others, began
-to be no longer distinguishable even to myself, but was drowned,
-so to speak, in the warm sea of sound.
-
-It gave me particular pleasure, with Mitterwurzer's cooperation,
-to give a most overwhelmingly expressive rendering of the
-recitative for baritone: Freunde, nicht diese Tone. In view of
-its exceptional difficulties this passage might almost be
-considered impossible to perform, and yet he executed it in a way
-which showed what fruit our mutual interchange of ideas had
-borne. I also took care that, by means of the complete
-reconstruction of the hall, I should obtain good acoustic
-conditions for the orchestra, which I had arranged according to
-quite a new system of my own. As may be imagined, it was only
-with the greatest difficulty that the money for this could be
-found; however, I did not give up, and owing to a totally new
-construction of the platform, I was able to concentrate the whole
-of the orchestra towards the centre, and surround it, in
-amphitheatre fashion, by the throng of singers who were
-accommodated on seats very considerably raised. This was not only
-of great advantage to the powerful effect of the choir, but it
-also gave great precision and energy to the finely organised
-orchestra in the purely symphonic movements.
-
-Even at the general rehearsal the hall was overcrowded. Reissiger
-was guilty of the incredible stupidity of working up the public
-mind against the symphony and drawing attention to Beethoven's
-very regrettable error. Gade, on the other hand, who came to
-visit us from Leipzig, where he was then conducting the
-Gewandhaus Concerts, assured me after the general rehearsal, that
-he would willingly have paid double the price of his ticket in
-order to hear the recitative by the basses once more; whilst
-Hiller considered that I had gone too far in my modification of
-the tempo. What he meant by this I learned subsequently when I
-heard him conducting intricate orchestral works; but of this I
-shall have more to say later on.
-
-There was no denying that the performance was, on the whole, a
-success; in fact, it exceeded all our expectations, and was
-particularly well received by the non-musical public. Among these
-I remember the philologist Dr. Kochly, who came to me at the end
-of the evening and confessed that it was the first time he had
-been able to follow a symphonic work from beginning to end with
-intelligent interest. This experience left me with a pleasant
-feeling of ability and power, and strongly confirmed me in the
-belief, that if I only desired anything with sufficient
-earnestness, I was able to achieve it with irresistible and
-overwhelming success. I now had to consider, however, what the
-difficulties were, which hitherto had prevented a similarly happy
-production of my own new conceptions. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony,
-which was still such a problem to so many, and had, at all
-events, never attained to popularity, I had been able to make a
-complete success; yet, as often as it was put on the stage, my
-Tannhauser taught me that the possibilities of its success had
-yet to be discovered. How was this to be done? This was and
-remained the secret question which influenced all my subsequent
-development.
-
-I dared not, however, indulge at that time in any meditation on
-this point with the view of arriving at any particular results,
-for the real significance of my failure, of which I was inwardly
-convinced, stood absolutely bare before me with all its
-terrifying lessons. Albeit, I could no longer delay taking even
-the most disagreeable steps with the view of warding off the
-catastrophe which menaced my financial position.
-
-I was led to this, thanks to the influence of a ridiculous omen.
-My agent, the purely nominal publisher of my three operas--
-Rienzi, the Fliegender Hollander, and Tannhauser--the eccentric
-court music publisher, C. F. Meser, invited me one day to the
-cafe known as the 'Verderber' to discuss our money affairs. With
-great qualms we talked over the possible results of the Annual
-Easter Fair, and wondered whether they would be tolerably good or
-altogether bad. I gave him courage, and ordered a bottle of the
-best Haut-Sauterne. A venerable flask made its appearance; I
-filled the glasses, and we drank to the good success of the Fair;
-when suddenly we both yelled as though we had gone mad, while,
-with horror, we tried to rid our mouths of the strong Tarragon
-vinegar with which we had been served by mistake. 'Heavens!'
-cried Meser, 'nothing could be worse!' 'True enough,' I answered,
-'no doubt there is much that will turn to vinegar for us.' My
-good-humour revealed to me in a flash that I must try some other
-way of saving myself than by means of the Easter Fair.
-
-Not only was it necessary to refund the capital which had been
-got together by dint of ever-increasing sacrifices, in order to
-defray the expenses of the publication of my operas; but, owing
-to the fact that I had been obliged ultimately to seek aid from
-the usurers, the rumour of my debts had spread so far abroad,
-that even those friends who had helped me at the time of my
-arrival in Dresden were seized with anxiety on my account. At
-this time I met with a really sad experience at the hands of
-Madame Schroder-Devrient, who, as the result of her
-incomprehensible lack of discretion, did much to bring about my
-final undoing. When I first settled in Dresden, as I have already
-pointed out, she lent me three thousand marks, not only to help
-me to discharge my debts, but also to allow me to contribute to
-the maintenance of my old friend Kietz in Paris. Jealousy of my
-niece Johanna, and suspicion that I had made her (my niece) come
-to Dresden in order to make it easier for the general management
-to dispense with the services of the great artist, had awakened
-in this otherwise so noble-minded woman the usual feelings of
-animosity towards me, which are so often met with in the
-theatrical profession. She had now given up her engagement; she
-even declared openly that I had been partly instrumental in
-obtaining her dismissal; and abandoning all friendly regard for
-me, whereby she deeply wronged me in every respect, she placed
-the I.O.U. I had given her in the hands of an energetic lawyer,
-and without further ado this man sued me for the payment of the
-money. Thus I was forced to make a clean breast of everything to
-Luttichau, and to beseech him to intervene for me, and if
-possible to obtain a royal advance that would enable me to clear
-my position, which was so seriously compromised.
-
-My principal declared himself willing to support any request I
-might wish to address to the King on this matter. To this end I
-had to note down the amount of my debts; but as I soon discovered
-that the necessary sum could only be assigned to me as a loan
-from the Theatre Pension Fund, at an interest of five per cent.,
-and that I should moreover have to secure the capital of the
-Pension Fund by a life insurance policy, which would cost me
-annually three per cent, of the capital borrowed, I was, for
-obvious reasons, tempted to leave out of my petition all those of
-my debts which were not of a pressing nature, and for the payment
-of which I thought I could count on the receipts which I might
-finally expect from my publishing enterprises. Nevertheless, the
-sacrifices I had to make in order to repay the help offered me
-increased to such an extent, that my salary of conductor, in
-itself very slender, promised to be materially diminished for
-some time to come. I was forced to make the most irksome efforts
-to gather together the necessary sum for the life insurance
-policy, and was therefore obliged frequently to appeal to
-Leipzig. In addition to this, I had to overcome the most
-appalling doubts in regard both to my health and to the probable
-length of my life, concerning which I fancied I had heard all
-sorts of malicious apprehensions expressed by those who had
-observed me but casually in the miserable condition which I was
-in at that time. My friend Pusinelli, as a doctor who was very
-intimate with me, eventually managed to give such satisfactory
-information concerning the state of my health, that I succeeded
-in insuring my life at the rate of three per cent.
-
-The last of these painful journeys to Leipzig was, at all events,
-made under pleasant circumstances owing to a kind invitation from
-the old Maestro Louis Spohr. I was particularly pleased over
-this, because to me it meant nothing less than an act of
-reconciliation. As a matter of fact, Spohr had written to me on
-one occasion, and had declared that, stimulated by the success of
-my Fliegender Hollander and his own enjoyment of it, he had once
-more decided to take up the career of a dramatic composer, which
-of recent years had brought him such scant success. His last work
-was an opera--Die Kreuz-fahrer--which he had sent to the Dresden
-theatre in the course of the preceding year in the hope, as he
-himself assured me, that I would urge on its production. After
-asking this favour, he drew my attention to the fact that in this
-work he had made an absolutely new departure from his earlier
-operas, and had kept to the most precise rhythmically dramatic
-declamation, which had certainly been made all the more easy for
-him by the 'excellent subject.' Without being actually surprised,
-my horror was indeed great when, after studying not only the
-text, but also the score, I discovered that the old maestro had
-been absolutely mistaken in regard to the account he had given me
-of his work. The custom in force at that time that the decision
-concerning the production of works should not, as a rule, rest
-with one of the conductors alone, did not tend to make me any
-less fearful of declaring myself emphatically in favour of this
-work. In addition to this, it was Reissiger, who, as he had often
-boasted, was an old friend of Spohr's, whose turn it was to
-select and produce a new work. Unfortunately, as I learned later,
-the general management had returned Spohr's opera to its author
-in such a curt manner as to offend him, and he complained
-bitterly of this to me. Genuinely concerned at this, I had
-evidently managed to calm and appease him, for the invitation
-mentioned above was clearly a friendly acknowledgment of my
-efforts. He wrote that it was very painful for him to have to
-touch at Dresden on his way to one of the watering-places; as,
-however, he had a real longing to make my acquaintance, he begged
-me to meet him in Leipzig, where he was going to stay for a few
-days.
-
-This meeting with him did not leave me unimpressed. He was a
-tall, stately man, distinguished in appearance, and of a serious
-and calm temperament. He gave me to understand, in a touching,
-almost apologetic manner, that the essence of his education and
-of his aversion from the new tendencies in music, had its origin
-in the first impressions he had received on hearing, as a very
-young boy, Mozart's Magic Flute, a work which was quite new at
-that time, and which had a great influence on his whole life.
-Regarding my libretto to Lohengrin, which I had left behind for
-him to read, and the general impression which my personal
-acquaintance had made on him, he expressed himself with almost
-surprising warmth to my brother-in-law, Hermann Brockhaus, at
-whose house we had been invited to dine, and where, during the
-meal, the conversation was most animated. Besides this, we had
-met at real musical evenings at the conductor Hauptmann's as well
-as at Mendelssohn's, on which occasion I heard the master take
-the violin in one of his own quartettes. It was precisely in
-these circles that I was impressed by the touching and venerable
-dignity of his absolutely calm demeanour. Later on, I learned
-from witnesses--for whose testimony, be it said, I cannot vouch--
-that Tannhauser, when it was performed at Cassel, had caused him
-so much confusion and pain that he declared he could no longer
-follow me, and feared that I must be on the wrong road.
-
-In order to recover from all the hardships and cares I had gone
-through, I now managed to obtain a special favour from the
-management, in the form of a three months' leave, in which to
-improve my health in rustic retirement, and to get pure air to
-breathe while composing some new work. To this end I had chosen a
-peasant's house in the village of Gross-Graupen, which is half-
-way between Pillnitz and the border of what is known as 'Saxon
-Switzerland.' Frequent excursions to the Porsberg, to the
-adjacent Liebethaler, and to the far distant bastion helped to
-strengthen my unstrung nerves. While I was first planning the
-music to Lohengrin, I was disturbed incessantly by the echoes of
-some of the airs in Rossini's William Tell, which was the last
-opera I had had to conduct. At last I happened to hit on an
-effective means of stopping this annoying obtrusion: during my
-lonely walks I sang with great emphasis the first theme from the
-Ninth Symphony, which had also quite lately been revived in my
-memory. This succeeded! At Pirna, where one can bathe in the
-river, I was surprised, on one of my almost regular evening
-constitutionals, to hear the air from the Pilgrim's Chorus out of
-Tannhauser whistled by some bather, who was invisible to me. This
-first sign of the possibility of popularising the work, which I
-had with such difficulty succeeded in getting performed in
-Dresden, made an impression on me which no similar experience
-later on has ever been able to surpass. Sometimes I received
-visits from friends in Dresden, and among them Hans von Bulow,
-who was then sixteen years old, came accompanied by Lipinsky.
-This gave me great pleasure, because I had already noticed the
-interest which he took in me. Generally, however, I had to rely
-only on my wife's company, and during my long walks I had to be
-satisfied with my little dog Peps. During this summer holiday, of
-which a great part of the time had at the beginning to be devoted
-to the unpleasant task of arranging my business affairs, and also
-to the improvement of my health, I nevertheless succeeded in
-making a sketch of the music to the whole of the three acts of
-Lohengrin, although this cannot be said to have consisted of
-anything more than a very hasty outline.
-
-With this much gained, I returned in August to Dresden, and
-resumed my duties as conductor, which every year seemed to become
-more and more burdensome to me. Moreover, I immediately plunged
-once more into the midst of troubles which had only just been
-temporarily allayed. The business of publishing my operas, on the
-success of which I still counted as the only means of liberating
-me from my difficult position, demanded ever-fresh sacrifices if
-the enterprise were to be made worth while. But as my income was
-now very much reduced, even the smallest outlays necessarily led
-me into ever-new and more painful complications; and I once more
-lost all courage.
-
-On the other hand, I tried to strengthen myself by again working
-energetically at Lohengrin. While doing this, I proceeded in a
-manner that I have not since repeated. I first of all completed
-the third act, and in view of the criticism already mentioned of
-the characters and conclusion of this act, I determined to try to
-make it the very pivot of the whole opera. I wished to do this,
-if only for the sake of the musical motive appearing in the story
-of the Holy Grail; but in other respects the plan struck me as
-perfectly satisfactory.
-
-Owing to previous suggestions on my part, Gluck's Iphigenia in
-Aulis was to be produced this winter. I felt it my duty to give
-more care and attention to this work, which interested me
-particularly on account of its subject, than I had given to the
-study of the Armida. In the first place, I was upset by the
-translation in which the opera with the Berlin score was
-presented to us. In order not to be led into false
-interpretations through the instrumental additions which I
-considered very badly applied in this score, I wrote for the
-original edition from Paris. When I had made a thorough revision
-of the translation, with a view merely to the correctness of
-declamation, I was spurred on by my increasing interest to revise
-the score itself. I tried to bring the poem as far as possible
-into agreement with Euripides' play of the same name, by the
-elimination of everything which, in deference to French taste,
-made the relationship between Achilles and Iphigenia one of
-tender love. The chief alteration of all was to cut out the
-inevitable marriage at the end. For the sake of the vitality of
-the drama I tried to join the arias and choruses, which generally
-followed immediately upon each other without rhyme or reason, by
-connecting links, prologues and epilogues. In this I did my best,
-by the use of Gluck's themes, to make the interpolations of a
-strange composer as unnoticeable as possible. In the third act
-alone was I obliged to give Iphigenia, as well as Artemis, whom I
-had myself introduced, recitatives of my own composition.
-Throughout the rest of the work I revised the whole
-instrumentation more or less thoroughly, but only with the object
-of making the existing version produce the effect I desired. It
-was not till the end of the year that I was able to finish this
-tremendous task, and I had to postpone the completion of the
-third act of Lohengrin, which I had already begun, until the New
-Year.
-
-The first thing to claim my attention at the beginning of the
-year (1847) was the production of Iphigenia. I had to act as
-stage manager in this case, and was even obliged to help the
-scene-painters and the mechanicians over the smallest details.
-Owing to the fact that the scenes in this opera were generally
-strung together somewhat clumsily and without any apparent
-connection, it was necessary to recast them completely, in order
-so to animate the representation as to give to the dramatic
-action the life it lacked. A good deal of this faultiness of
-construction seemed to me due to the many conventional practices
-which were prevalent at the Paris Opera in Gluck's time.
-Mitterwurzer was the only actor in the, whole cast who gave me
-any pleasure. In the role of Agamemnon he showed a thorough grasp
-of that character, and carried out my instructions and
-suggestions to the letter, so that he succeeded in giving a
-really splendid and intelligent rendering of the part. The
-success of the whole performance was far beyond my expectations,
-and even the directors were so surprised at the exceptional
-enthusiasm aroused by one of Gluck's operas, that for the second
-performance they, on their own initiative, had my name put on the
-programme as 'Reviser.' This at once drew the attention of the
-critics to this work, and for once they almost did me justice; my
-treatment of the overture, the only part of the opera which these
-gentlemen heard rendered in the usual trivial way, was the only
-thing that they could find fault with. I have discussed and given
-an accurate account of all that relates to this in a special
-article on 'Gluck's Overture to Iphigenia in Aulis' and I only
-wish to add here that the musician who made such strange comments
-on this occasion was Ferdinand Hiller.
-
-As in former years, the winter meetings of the various artistic
-elements in Dresden which Hiller had inaugurated, continued to
-take place; but they now assumed more the character of 'salons'
-in Hiller's own house, and it seemed to me intended solely for
-the purpose of laying the foundations for a general recognition
-of Hiller's artistic greatness. He had already founded, among the
-more wealthy patrons of art, the chief of whom was the banker
-Kaskel, a society for running subscription concerts. As it was
-impossible for the royal orchestra to be placed at his disposal
-for this purpose, he had to content himself with members of the
-town and military bands for his orchestra, and it cannot be
-denied that, thanks to his perseverance, he attained a
-praiseworthy result. As he produced many compositions which were
-still unknown in Dresden, especially from the domain of more
-modern music, I was often tempted to go to his concerts. His
-chief bait to the general public, however, seemed to lie in the
-fact that he presented unknown singers (among whom,
-unfortunately, Jenny Lind was not to be found) and virtuosos, one
-of which, Joachim, who was then very young, I became acquainted
-with.
-
-Hiller's treatment of those works with which I was already well
-acquainted, showed what his musical power was really worth. The
-careless and indifferent manner in which he interpreted a Triple
-Concerto by Sebastian Bach positively astounded me. In the tempo
-di minuetto of the Eighth Symphony of Beethoven, I found that
-Hiller's rendering was even more astonishing than Reissiger's and
-Mendelssohn's. I promised to be present at the performance of
-this symphony if I could rely on his giving a correct rendering
-of the tempo of the third phrase, which was generally so
-painfully distorted, He assured me that he thoroughly agreed with
-me about it, and my disappointment at the performance was all the
-greater when I found the well-known waltz measure adopted again.
-When I called him to account about it he excused himself with a
-smile, saying that he had been seized with a fit of temporary
-abstraction just at the beginning of the phrase in question,
-which had made him forget his promise. For inaugurating these
-concerts, which, as a matter of fact, only lasted for two
-seasons, Hiller was given a banquet, which I also had much
-pleasure in attending.
-
-People in these circles were surprised at that time to hear me
-speak, often with great animation, about Greek literature and
-history, but never about music. In the course of my reading,
-which I zealously pursued, and which drew me away from my
-professional activities to retirement and solitude, I was at that
-time impelled by my spiritual needs to turn my attention once
-more to a systematic study of this all-important source of
-culture, with the object of filling the perceptible gap between
-my boyhood's knowledge of the eternal elements of human culture
-and the neglect of this field of learning due to the life I had
-been obliged to lead. In order to approach the real goal of my
-desires--the study of Old and Middle High German--in the right
-frame of mind, I began again from the beginning with Greek
-antiquity, and was now filled with such overwhelming enthusiasm
-for this subject that, whenever I entered into conversation, and
-by hook or by crook had managed to get it round to this theme, I
-could only speak in terms of the strongest emotion. I
-occasionally met some one who seemed to listen to what I had to
-say; on the whole, however, people preferred to talk to me only
-about the theatre because, since my production of Gluck's
-Iphigenia, they thought themselves justified in thinking I was an
-authority on this subject. I received special recognition from a
-man to whom I quite rightly gave the credit of being at least as
-well versed as myself in the matter. This was Eduard Devrient,
-who had been forced at that time to resign his position as stage
-manager-in-chief owing to a plot against him on the part of the
-actors, headed by his own brother Emil. We were brought into
-closer sympathy by our conversations in connection with this,
-which led him into dissertations on the triviality and thorough
-hopelessness of our whole theatrical life, especially under the
-ruining influence of ignorant court managers, which could never
-be overcome.
-
-We were also drawn together by his intelligent understanding of
-the part I had played in the production of Iphigenia, which he
-compared with the Berlin production of the same piece, that had
-been utterly condemned by him. He was for a long time the only
-man with whom I could discuss, seriously and in detail, the real
-needs of the theatre and the means by which its defects might be
-remedied. Owing to his longer and more specialised experience,
-there was much he could tell me and make clear to me; in
-particular he helped me successfully to overcome the idea that
-mere literary excellence is enough for the theatre, and confirmed
-my conviction that the path to true prosperity lay only with the
-stage itself and with the actors of the drama.
-
-From this time forward, till I left Dresden, my intercourse with
-Eduard Devrient grew more and more friendly, though his dry
-nature and obvious limitations as an actor had attracted me but
-little before. His highly meritorious work, Die Geschichte der
-deutschen Schauspielkunst ('History of German Dramatic Art'),
-which he finished and published about that time, threw a fresh
-and instructive light on many problems which exercised my mind,
-and helped me to master them for the first time.
-
-At last I managed once more to resume my task of composing the
-third act of Lohengrin, which had been interrupted in the middle
-of the Bridal Scene, and I finished it by the end of the winter.
-After the repetition, by special request, of the Ninth Symphony
-at the concert on Palm Sunday had revived me, I tried to find
-comfort and refreshment for the further progress of my new work
-by changing my abode, this time without asking permission. The
-old Marcolini palace, with a very large garden laid out partly in
-the French style, was situated in an outlying and thinly
-populated suburb of Dresden.
-
-It had been sold to the town council, and a part of it was to be
-let. The sculptor, Hanel, whom I had known for a long time, and
-who had given me as a mark of friendship an ornament in the shape
-of a perfect plaster cast of one of the bas-reliefs from
-Beethoven's monument representing the Ninth Symphony, had taken
-the large rooms on the ground floor of a side-wing of this palace
-for his dwelling and studio. At Easter I moved into the spacious
-apartments, above him, the rent of which was extremely low, and
-found that the large garden planted with glorious trees, which
-was placed at my disposal, and the pleasant stillness of the
-whole place, not only provided mental food for the weary artist,
-but at the same time, by lessening my expenses, improved my
-straitened finances. We soon settled down quite comfortably in
-the long row of pleasant rooms without having incurred any
-unnecessary expense, as Minna was very practical in her
-arrangements. The only real inconvenience which in the course of
-time I found our new home possessed, was its inordinate distance
-from the theatre. This was a great trial to me after fatiguing
-rehearsals and tiring performances, as the expense of a cab was a
-serious consideration. But we were favoured by an exceptionally
-fine summer, which put me in a happy frame of mind, and soon
-helped to overcome every inconvenience.
-
-At this time I insisted with the utmost firmness on refraining
-from taking any further share in the management of the theatre,
-and I had most cogent reasons to bring forth in defence of my
-conduct. All my endeavours to set in order the wilful chaos which
-prevailed in the use of the costly artistic materials at the
-disposal of this royal institution were repeatedly thwarted,
-merely because I wished to introduce some method into the
-arrangements. In a carefully written pamphlet which, in addition
-to my other work, I had compiled during the past winter, I had
-drawn up a plan for the reorganisation of the orchestra, and had
-shown how we might increase the productive power of our artistic
-capital by making a more methodical use of the royal funds
-intended for its maintenance, and showing greater discretion
-regarding salaries. This increase in the productive power would
-raise the artistic spirit as well as improve the economic
-position of the members of the orchestra, for I should have liked
-them at the same time to form an independent concert society. In
-such a capacity it would have been their task to present to the
-people of Dresden, in the best possible way, a kind of music
-which they had hitherto hardly had the opportunity of enjoying at
-all. It would have been possible for such a union, which, as I
-pointed out, had so many external circumstances in its favour, to
-provide Dresden with a suitable concert-hall. I hear, however,
-that such a place is wanting to this day.
-
-With this object in view I entered into close communication with
-architects and builders, and the plans were completed, according
-to which the scandalous buildings facing a wing of the renowned
-prison opposite the Ostra Allee, and consisting of a shed for the
-members of the theatre and a public wash-house, were to be pulled
-down and replaced by a beautiful building, which, besides
-containing a large concert-hall adapted to our requirements,
-would also have had other large rooms which could have been, let
-out on hire at a profit. The practicality of these plans was
-disputed by no one, as even the administrators of the orchestra's
-widows' fund saw in them an opportunity for the safe and
-advantageous laying out of capital; yet they were returned to me,
-after long consideration on the part of the general management,
-with thanks and an acknowledgment of my careful work, and the
-curt reply that it was thought better for things to remain as
-they were.
-
-All my proposals for meeting the useless waste and drain upon our
-artistic capital by a more methodical arrangement, met with the
-same success in every detail that I suggested. I had also found
-out by long experience that every proposal which had to be
-discussed and decided upon in the most tiring committee meetings,
-as for instance the starting of a repertoire, might at any moment
-be overthrown and altered for the worse by the temper of a singer
-or the plan of a junior business inspector. I was therefore
-driven to renounce my wasted efforts and, after many a stormy
-discussion and outspoken expression of my sentiments, I withdrew
-from taking any part whatever in any branch of the management,
-and limited myself entirely to holding rehearsals and conducting
-performances of the operas provided for me.
-
-Although my relations with Luttichau grew more and more strained
-on this account, for the time being it mattered little whether my
-conduct pleased him or not, as otherwise my position was one
-which commanded respect, on account of the ever-increasing
-popularity of Tannhauser and Rienzi, which were presented during
-the summer to houses packed with distinguished visitors, and were
-invariably chosen for the gala performances.
-
-By thus going my own way and refusing to be interfered with, I
-succeeded this summer, amid the delightful and perfect seclusion
-of my new home, in preserving myself in a frame of mind
-exceedingly favourable to the completion of my Lohengrin. My
-studies, which, as I have already mentioned, I pursued eagerly at
-the same time as I was working on my opera, made me feel more
-light-hearted than I had ever done before. For the first time I
-now mastered AEschylus with real feeling and understanding.
-Droysen's eloquent commentaries in particular helped to bring
-before my imagination the intoxicating effect of the production
-of an Athenian tragedy, so that I could see the Oresteia with my
-mind's eye, as though it were actually being performed, and its
-effect upon me was indescribable. Nothing, however, could equal
-the sublime emotion with which the Agamemnon trilogy inspired me,
-and to the last word of the Eumenides I lived in an atmosphere so
-far removed from the present day that I have never since been
-really able to reconcile myself with modern literature. My ideas
-about the whole significance of the drama and of the theatre
-were, without a doubt, moulded by these impressions. I worked my
-way through the other tragedians, and finally reached
-Aristophanes. When I had spent the morning industriously upon the
-completion of the music for Lohengrin, I used to creep into the
-depths of a thick shrubbery in my part of the garden to get
-shelter from the summer heat, which was becoming more intense
-every day. My delight in the comedies of Aristophanes was
-boundless, when once his Birds had plunged me into the full
-torrent of the genius of this wanton favourite of the Graces, as
-he used to call himself with conscious daring. Side by side with
-this poet I read the principal dialogues of Plato, and from the
-Symposium I gained such a deep insight into the wonderful beauty
-of Greek life that I felt myself more truly at home in ancient
-Athens than in any conditions which the modern world has to
-offer.
-
-As I was following out a settled course of self-education, I did
-not wish to pursue my way further in the leading-strings of any
-literary history, and I consequently turned my attention from the
-historical studies, which seemed to be my own peculiar province,
-and in which department Droysen's history of Alexander and the
-Hellenistic period, as well as Niebuhr and Gibbon, were of great
-help to me, and fell back once more upon my old and trusty guide,
-Jakob Grimm, for the study of German antiquity. In my efforts to
-master the myths of Germany more thoroughly than had been
-possible in my former perusal of the Nibelung and the Heldenbuch,
-Mone's particularly suggestive commentary on this Heldensage
-filled me with delight, although stricter scholars regarded this
-work with suspicion on account of the boldness of some of its
-statements. By this means I was drawn irresistibly to the
-northern sagas; and I now tried, as far as was possible without a
-fluent knowledge of the Scandinavian languages, to acquaint
-myself with the Edda, as well as with the prose version which
-existed of a considerable portion of the Heldensage.
-
-Read by the light of Mone's Commentaries, the Wolsungasaga had a
-decided influence upon my method of handling this material. My
-conceptions as to the inner significance of these old-world
-legends, which had been growing for a long time, gradually gained
-strength and moulded themselves with the plastic forms which
-inspired my later works.
-
-All this was sinking into my mind and slowly maturing, whilst
-with unfeigned delight I was finishing the music of the first two
-acts of Lohengrin, which were now at last completed. I now
-succeeded in shutting out the past and building up for myself a
-new world of the future, which presented itself with ever-growing
-clearness to my mind as the refuge whither I might retreat from
-all the miseries of modern opera and theatre life. At the same
-time, my health and temper were settling down into a mood of
-almost unclouded serenity, which made me oblivious for a long
-time of all the worries of my position. I used to walk every day
-up into the neighbouring hills, which rose from the banks of the
-Elbe to the Plauenscher Grand. I generally went alone, except for
-the company of our little dog Peps, and my excursions always
-resulted in producing a satisfactory number of ideas. At the same
-time, I found I had developed a capacity, which I had never
-possessed before, for good-tempered intercourse with the friends
-and acquaintances who liked to come from time to time to the
-Marcolini garden to share my simple supper. My visitors used
-often to find me perched on a high branch of a tree, or on the
-neck of the Neptune which was the central figure of a large group
-of statuary in the middle of an old fountain, unfortunately
-always dry, belonging to the palmy days of the Marcolini estate.
-I used to enjoy walking with my friends up and down the broad
-footpath of the drive leading to the real palace, which had been
-laid especially for Napoleon in the fatal year 1813, when he had
-fixed his headquarters there.
-
-By August, the last month of summer, I had completely finished
-the composition of Lohengrin, and felt that it was high time for
-me to have done so, as the needs of my position demanded
-imperatively that I should give my most serious attention to
-improving it, and it became a matter of supreme importance for me
-once more to take steps for having my operas produced in the
-German theatres.
-
-Even the success of Tannhauser in Dresden, which became more
-obvious every day, did not attract the smallest notice anywhere
-else. Berlin was the only place which had any influence in the
-theatrical world of Germany, and I ought long before to have
-given my undivided attention to that city. From all I had heard
-of the special tastes of Friedrich Wilhelm IV., I felt perfectly
-justified in assuming that he would feel sympathetically inclined
-towards my later works and conceptions if I could only manage to
-bring them to his notice in the right light. On this hypothesis I
-had already thought of dedicating Tannhauser to him, and to gain
-permission to do so I had to apply to Count Redern, the court
-musical director. From him I heard that the King could only
-accept the dedication of works which had actually been performed
-in his presence, and of which he thus had a personal knowledge.
-As my Tannhauser had been refused by the managers of the court
-theatre because it was considered too epic in form, the Count
-added that if I wished to remain firm in my resolve, there was
-only one way out of the difficulty, and that was to adapt my
-opera as far as possible to a military band, and try to bring it
-to the King's notice on parade. This drove me to determine upon
-another plan of attack on Berlin.
-
-After this experience I saw that I must open my campaign there
-with the opera that had won the most decided triumph in Dresden.
-I therefore obtained an audience of the Queen of Saxony, the
-sister of the King of Prussia, and begged her to use her
-influence with her brother to obtain a performance in Berlin by
-royal command of my Rienzi, which was also a favourite with the
-court of Saxony. This manoeuvre was successful, and I soon
-received a communication from my old friend Kustner to say that
-the production of Rienzi was fixed for a very early date at the
-Berlin Court Theatre, and at the same time expressing the hope
-that I would conduct my work in person. As a very handsome
-author's royalty had been paid by this theatre, at the
-instigation of Kustner, on the occasion of the production of his
-old Munich friend Lachner's opera, Katharina von Cornaro, I hoped
-to realise a very substantial improvement in my finances if only
-the success of Rienzi in this city in any degree rivalled that in
-Dresden. But my chief desire was to make the acquaintance of the
-King of Prussia, so that I might read him the text of my
-Lohengrin, and arouse his interest in my work. This from various
-signs I flattered myself was perfectly possible, in which case I
-intended to beg him to command the first performance of Lohengrin
-to be given at his court theatre.
-
-After my strange experiences as to the way in which my success in
-Dresden had been kept secret from the rest of Germany, it seemed
-to me a matter of vital importance to make the future centre of
-my artistic enterprises the only place which exercised any
-influence on the outside world, and as such I was forced to
-regard Berlin. Inspired by the success of my recommendation to
-the Queen of Prussia, I hoped to gain access to the King himself,
-which I regarded as a most important step. Full of confidence,
-and in excellent spirits, I set out for Berlin in September,
-trusting to a favourable turn of Fortune's wheel, in the first
-place for the rehearsals of Rienzi, though my interests were no
-longer centred in this work.
-
-Berlin made the same impression on me as on the occasion of my
-former visit, when I saw it again after my long absence in Paris.
-Professor Werder, my friend of the Fliegender Hollander, had
-taken lodgings for me in advance in the renowned Gensdarmeplatz,
-but when I looked at the view from my windows every day I could
-not believe that I was in a city which was the very centre of
-Germany. Soon, however, I was completely absorbed by the cares of
-the task I had in hand.
-
-I had nothing to complain of with regard to the official
-preparations for Rienzi, but I soon noticed that it was looked
-upon merely as a conductor's opera, that is to say, all the
-materials to hand were duly placed at my disposal, but the
-management had not the slightest intention of doing anything more
-for me. All the arrangements for my rehearsals were entirely
-upset as soon as a visit from Jenny Lind was announced, and she
-occupied the Royal Opera exclusively for some time.
-
-During the delay thus caused I did all I could to attain my main
-object--an introduction to the King--and for this purpose made
-use of my former acquaintance with the court musical director,
-Count Redern. This gentleman received me at once with the
-greatest affability, invited me to dinner and a soiree, and
-entered into a hearty discussion with me about the steps
-necessary for attaining my purpose, in which he promised to do
-his utmost to help me. I also paid frequent visits to Sans-Souci,
-in order to pay my respects to the Queen and express my thanks to
-her. But I never got further than an interview with the ladies-
-in-waiting, and I was advised to put myself into communication
-with M. Illaire, the head of the Royal Privy Council. This
-gentleman seemed to be impressed by the seriousness of my
-request, and promised to do what he could to further my wish for
-a personal introduction to the King. He asked what my real object
-was, and I told him it was to get permission from the King to
-read my libretto Lohengrin to him. On the occasion of one of my
-oft-repeated visits from Berlin, he asked me whether I did not
-think it would be advisable to bring a recommendation of my work
-from Tieck. I was able to tell him that I had already had the
-pleasure of bringing my case to the notice of the old poet, who
-lived near Potsdam as a royal pensioner.
-
-I remembered very well that Frau von Luttichau had sent the
-themes Lohengrin and Tannhauser to her old friend some years ago,
-when these matters were first mentioned between us. When I called
-upon Tieck, I was welcomed by him almost as a friend, and I found
-my long talks with him exceedingly valuable. Although Tieck had
-perhaps gained a somewhat doubtful reputation for the leniency
-with which he would give his recommendation for the dramatic
-works of those who applied to him, yet I was pleased by the
-genuine disgust with which he spoke of our latest dramatic
-literature, which was modelling itself on the style of modern
-French stagecraft, and his complaint at the utter lack of any
-true poetic feeling in it was heartfelt. He declared himself
-delighted with my poem of Lohengrin, but could not understand how
-all this was to be set to music without a complete change in the
-conventional structure of an opera, and on this score he objected
-to such scenes as that between Ortrud and Frederick at the
-beginning of the second act. I thought I had roused him to a real
-enthusiasm when I explained how I proposed to solve these
-apparent difficulties, and also described my own ideals about
-musical drama. But the higher I soared the sadder he grew when I
-had once made known to him my hope of securing the patronage of
-the King of Prussia for these conceptions, and the working out of
-my scheme for an ideal drama. He had no doubt that the King would
-listen to me with the greatest interest, and even seize upon my
-ideas with warmth, only I must not entertain the smallest hope of
-any practical result, unless I wished to expose myself to the
-bitterest disappointment. 'What can you expect from a man who to-
-day is enthusiastic about Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris, and to-
-morrow mad about Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia?' he said. Tieck's
-conversation about these and similar topics was much too
-entertaining and charming for me to give any serious weight to
-the bitterness of his views. He gladly promised to recommend my
-poem, more particularly to Privy Councillor Illaire, and
-dismissed me with hearty goodwill and his sincere though anxious
-blessing. The only result of all my labours was that the desired
-invitation from the King still hung fire. As the rehearsals for
-Rienzi, which had been postponed on account of Jenny Lind's
-visit, were being carried on seriously again, I made up my mind
-to take no further trouble before the performance of my opera, as
-I thought myself, at any rate, justified in counting on the
-presence of the monarch on the first night, as the piece was
-being played at his express command, and at the same time I hoped
-this would conduce to the fulfilment of my main object. However,
-the nearer we came to the event the lower did the hopes I had
-built upon it sink. To play the part of the hero I had to be
-satisfied with a tenor who was absolutely devoid of talent, and
-far below the average. He was a conscientious, painstaking man,
-and had moreover been strongly recommended to me by my kind host,
-the renowned Meinhard. After I had taken infinite pains with him,
-and had in consequence, as so often happens, conjured up in my
-mind certain illusions as to what I might expect from his acting,
-I was obliged, when it came to the final test of the dress
-rehearsal, to confess my true opinion. I realised that the
-scenery, chorus, ballet, and minor parts were on the whole
-excellent, but that the chief character, around whom in this
-particular opera everything centred, faded into an insignificant
-phantom. The reception which this opera met with at the hands of
-the public when it was produced in October was also due to him;
-but in consequence of the fairly good rendering of a few
-brilliant passages, and more especially on account of the
-enthusiastic recognition of Frau Koster in the part of Adriano,
-it might have been concluded from all the external signs that the
-opera had been fairly successful. Nevertheless, I knew very well
-that this seeming triumph could have no real substance, as only
-the immaterial parts of my work could reach the eyes and ears of
-the audience; its essential spirit had not entered their hearts.
-Moreover, the Berlin reviewers in their usual way began their
-attacks immediately, with the view of demolishing any success my
-opera might have won, so that after the second performance, which
-I also conducted myself, I began to wonder whether my desperate
-labours were really worth while.
-
-When I asked the few intimate friends I had their opinion on this
-point, I elicited much valuable information. Among these friends
-I must mention, in the first place, Hermann Franck, whom I found
-again. He had lately settled in Berlin, and did much to encourage
-me. I spent the most enjoyable part of those sad two months in
-his company, of which, however, I had but too little. Our
-conversation generally turned upon reminiscences of the old days,
-and on to topics which had no connection with the theatre, so
-that I was almost ashamed to trouble him with my complaints on
-this subject, especially as they concerned my worries about a
-work which I could not pretend was of any practical importance to
-the stage. He for his part soon arrived at the conclusion that it
-had been foolish of me to choose my Rienzi for this occasion, as
-it was an opera which appealed merely to the general public, in
-preference to my Tannhauser, which might have educated a party in
-Berlin useful to my higher aims. He maintained that the very
-nature of this work would have aroused a fresh interest in the
-drama in the minds of people who, like himself, were no longer to
-be counted among regular theatre-goers, precisely because they
-had given up all hope of ever finding any nobler ideals of the
-stage.
-
-The curious information as to the character of Berlin art in
-other respects, which Werder gave me from time to time, was most
-discouraging. With regard to the public, he told me once that at
-a performance of an unknown work, it was quite useless for me to
-expect a single member of the audience from the stalls to the
-gallery to take his seat with any better object in view than to
-pick as many holes as possible in the production. Although Werder
-did not wish to discourage me in any of my endeavours, he felt
-himself obliged to warn me continually not to expect anything
-above the average from the cultured society of Berlin. He liked
-to see proper respect paid to the really considerable gifts of
-the King; and when I asked him how he thought the latter would
-receive my ideas about the ennobling of opera, he answered, after
-having listened attentively to a long and fiery tirade on my
-part: 'The King would say to you, "Go and consult Stawinsky!"'
-This was the opera manager, a fat, smug creature who had grown
-rusty in following out the most jog-trot routine. In short,
-everything I learned was calculated to discourage me. I called on
-Bernhard Marx, who some years ago had shown a kindly interest in
-my Fliegender Hollander, and was courteously received by him.
-This man, who in his earlier writings and musical criticisms had
-seemed to me filled with a fire of energy, now struck me as
-extraordinarily limp and listless when I saw him by the side of
-his young wife, who was radiantly and bewitchingly beautiful.
-From his conversation I soon learned that he also had abandoned
-even the remotest hope of success for any efforts directed
-towards the object so dear to both our hearts, on account of the
-inconceivable shallowness of all the officials connected with the
-head authority. He told me of the extraordinary fate which had
-befallen a scheme he had brought to the notice of the King for
-founding a school of music. In a special audience the King had
-gone into the matter with the greatest interest, and noticed the
-minutest detail, so that Marx felt justified in entertaining the
-strongest possible hopes of success. However, all his labours and
-negotiations about the business, in the course of which he was
-driven from pillar to post, proved utterly futile, until at last
-he was told to have an interview with a certain general. This
-personage, like the King, had Marx's proposals explained to him
-in the minutest detail, and expressed his warmest sympathy with
-the undertaking. 'And there,' said Marx, at the end of this long
-rigmarole, 'the matter ended, and I never heard another word
-about it.'
-
-One day I learned that Countess Rossi, the renowned Henriette
-Sontag, who was living in quiet seclusion in Berlin, had pleasant
-recollections of me in Dresden, and wished me to visit her. She
-had at this time already fallen into the unfortunate position
-which was so detrimental to her artistic career. She too
-complained bitterly of the general apathy of the influential
-classes in Berlin, which effectually prevented any artistic aims
-from being realised. It was her opinion that the King found a
-sort of satisfaction in knowing that the theatre was badly
-managed, for though he never opposed any criticisms which he
-received on the subject, he likewise never supported any proposal
-for its improvement. She expressed a wish to know something of my
-latest work, and I gave her my poem of Lohengrin for perusal. On
-the occasion of my next morning call she told me she would send
-me an invitation to a musical evening which she was going to have
-at her house in honour of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz,
-her elderly patron, and she also gave me back the manuscript of
-Lohengrin, with the assurance that it had appealed to her very
-much, and that while she was reading it she had often seen the
-little fairies and elves dancing about in front of her. As in the
-old days I had been heartily encouraged by the warm and friendly
-sympathy of this naturally cultured woman, I now felt as if cold
-water had been suddenly poured down my back. I soon took my
-leave, and never saw her again. Indeed, I had no particular
-object in doing so, as the promised invitation never came. Herr
-E. Kossak also sought me out, and although our acquaintance did
-not lead to much, I was sufficiently kindly received by him to
-give him my poem of Lohengrin to read. I went one day by
-appointment to see him, and found that his room had just been
-scrubbed with boiling water. The steam from this operation was so
-unbearable that it had already given him a headache, and was not
-less disagreeable to me. He looked into my face with an almost
-tender expression when he gave me back the manuscript of my poem,
-and assured me, in accents which admitted of no doubt of his
-sincerity, that he thought it 'very pretty.'
-
-I found my casual intercourse with H. Truhn rather more
-entertaining. I used to treat him to a good glass of wine at
-Lutter and Wegener's, where I went occasionally on account of its
-association with Hoffmann, and he would then listen with
-apparently growing interest to my ideas as to the possible
-development of opera and the goal at which we should aim. His
-comments were generally witty and very much to the point, and his
-lively and animated ways pleased me very much. After the
-production of Rienzi, however, he too, as a critic, joined the
-majority of scoffers and detractors. The only person who
-supported me stoutly but uselessly, through thick and thin, was
-my old friend Gaillard. His little music-shop was not a success,
-his musical journal had already failed, so that he was only able
-to help me in small ways. Unfortunately I discovered not only
-that he was the author of many exceedingly dubious dramatic
-works, for which he wished to gain my support, but also that he
-was apparently in the last stages of the disease from which he
-was suffering, so that the little intercourse I had with him, in
-spite of all his fidelity and devotion, only exercised a
-melancholy and depressing influence upon me.
-
-But as I had embarked upon this Berlin enterprise in
-contradiction to all my inmost wishes, and prompted solely by the
-desire of winning the success so vital to my position, I made up
-my mind to make a personal appeal to Rellstab.
-
-As in the case of the Fliegender Hollander he had taken exception
-more particularly to its 'nebulousness' and 'lack of form,' I
-thought I might with advantage point out to him the brighter and
-clearer outline of Rienzi. He seemed to be pleased at my
-thinking I could get anything out of him, but told me at once of
-his firm conviction that any new art form was utterly impossible
-after Gluck, and that the only thing that the best of good luck
-and hard work was capable of producing was meaningless bombast. I
-then realised that in Berlin all hope had been abandoned. I was
-told that Meyerbeer was the only man who had been able in any way
-to master the situation.
-
-This former patron of mine I met once more in Berlin, and he
-declared that he still took an interest in me. As soon as I
-arrived I called on him, but in the hall I found his servant busy
-packing up trunks, and learned that Meyerbeer was just going
-away. His master confirmed this assertion, and regretted that he
-would not be able to do anything for me, so I had to say good-bye
-and how-do-you-do at the same time. For some time I thought he
-really was away, but after a few weeks I learned to my surprise
-that he was still staying in Berlin without letting himself be
-seen by any one, and at last he made his appearance again at one
-of the rehearsals of Rienzi. What this meant I only discovered
-later from a rumour which was circulated among the initiated, and
-imparted to me by Eduard von Bulow, my young friend's father.
-Without having the slightest idea how it originated, I learned,
-about the middle of my stay in Berlin, from the conductor
-Taubert, that he had heard on very good authority that I was
-trying for a director's post at the court theatre, and had good
-expectations of securing the appointment in addition to special
-privileges. In order to remain on good terms with Taubert, as it
-was very necessary for me to do, I had to give him the most
-solemn assurances that such an idea had never even entered my
-head, and that I would not accept such a position if it were
-offered to me. On the other hand, all my endeavours to get access
-to the King continued to be fruitless. My chief mediator, to whom
-I always turned, was still Count Redern, and although my
-attention had been called to his staunch adherence to Meyerbeer,
-his extraordinary open and friendly manner always strengthened my
-belief in his honesty. At last the only medium that remained open
-to me was the fact that the King could not possibly stay away
-from the performance of Rienzi, given at his express command, and
-on this conviction I based all further hope of approaching him.
-Whereupon Count Redern informed me, with an expression of deep
-despair, that on the very day of the first performance the
-monarch would be away on a hunting party. Once more I begged him
-to make very effort in his power to secure the King's presence,
-at least at the second performance, and at length my
-inexhaustible patron told me that he could not make head or tail
-of it, but his Majesty seemed to have conceived an utter
-disinclination to accede to my wish; he himself had heard these
-hard words fall from the royal lips: 'Oh bother! have you come to
-me again with your Rienzi?'
-
-At this second performance I had a pleasant experience. After the
-impressive second act the public showed signs of wishing to call
-me, and as I went from the orchestra to the vestibule, in order
-to be ready if necessary, my foot slipped on the smooth parquet,
-and I might have had perhaps a serious fall had I not felt my arm
-grasped by a strong hand. I turned, and recognised the Crown
-Prince of Prussia [FOOTNOTE: This Prince subsequently became the
-Emperor William the First. He was given the title of Crown Prince
-in 1840 on the death of his father, Frederick William III., as he
-was then heir-presumptive to his brother, Frederick William IV.,
-whose marriage was without issue.--EDITOR.], who had come out of
-his box, and who at once seized the opportunity of inviting me to
-follow him to his wife, who wished to make my acquaintance. She
-had only just arrived in Berlin, and told me that she had heard
-my opera for the first time that evening, and expressed her
-appreciation of it. She had, however, long ago received very
-favourable reports of me and my artistic aims from a common
-friend, Alwine Frommann. The whole tenor of this interview, at
-which the Prince was present, was unusually friendly and
-pleasant.
-
-It was indeed my old friend Alwine who in Berlin had not only
-followed all my fortunes with the greatest sympathy, but had also
-done all in her power to give me consolation and courage to
-endure. Almost every evening, when the day's business made it
-possible, I used to visit her for an hour of recreation, and gain
-strength from her ennobling conversation for the struggle against
-the reverses of the following day. I was particularly pleased by
-the warm and intelligent sympathy which she and our mutual friend
-Werder devoted to Lohengrin, the object of all my labours at that
-time. On the arrival of her friend and patroness, the Crown
-Princess, which had been delayed till now, she hoped to hear
-something more definite as to how my affairs stood with the King,
-although she intimated to me that even this great lady was in
-deep disfavour, and could only bring her influence to bear upon
-the King by observing the strictest etiquette. But from this
-source also no news reached me till it was time for me to leave
-Berlin and I could postpone my departure no longer.
-
-As I had to conduct a third performance of Rienzi, and there
-still remained a remote possibility of receiving a sudden command
-to Sans-Souci, I accordingly fixed on a date which would be the
-very latest I could wait to ascertain the fate of the projects I
-had nearest to heart. This period passed by, and I was forced to
-realise that my hopes of Berlin were wholly shattered.
-
-I was in a very depressed state when I made up my mind to this
-conclusion. I can seldom remember having been so dreadfully
-affected by the influence of cold and wet weather and an
-eternally grey sky as during those last wretched weeks in Berlin,
-when everything that I heard, in addition to my own private
-anxieties, weighed upon me with a leaden weight of
-discouragement.
-
-My conversations with Hermann Franck about the social and
-political situation had assumed a peculiarly gloomy tone, as the
-King of Prussia's efforts to summon a united conference had
-failed. I was among those who had at first been inclined to see a
-hopeful significance in this undertaking, but it was a shock to
-have all the intimate details relating to the project clearly set
-before me by so well informed a man as Franck. His dispassionate
-views on this subject, as well as on the Prussian State in
-particular, which was supposed to be representative of German
-intelligence, and was universally considered to be a model of
-order and good government, so completely disillusioned me and
-destroyed all the favourable and hopeful opinions I had formed of
-it, that I felt as if I had plunged into chaos, and realised the
-utter futility of expecting a prosperous settlement of the German
-question from this quarter. If in the midst of my misery in
-Dresden I had founded great hopes from gaining the King of
-Prussia's sympathy for my ideas, I could no longer close my eyes
-to the fearful hollowness which the state of affairs disclosed to
-me on every side.
-
-In this despairing mood I felt but little emotion when, on going
-to say good-bye to Count Redern, he told me with a very sad face
-the news, which had just arrived, of Mendelssohn's death. I
-certainly did not realise this stroke of fate, which Redern's
-obvious grief first brought to my notice. At all events, he was
-spared more detailed and heartfelt explanation of my own affairs,
-which he had so much at heart.
-
-The only thing that remained for me to do in Berlin was to try
-and make my material success balance my material loss. For a stay
-of two months, during which my wife and my sister Clara had been
-with me, lured on by the hope that the production of Rienzi in
-Berlin would be a brilliant success, I found my old friend,
-Director Kustner, by no means inclined to compensate me. From his
-correspondence with me he could prove up to the hilt that legally
-he had only expressed the desire for my co-operation in studying
-Rienzi, but had given me no positive invitation. As I was
-prevented by Count Redern's grief over Mendelssohn's death from
-going to him for help in these trivial private concerns, there
-was no alternative but for me to accept with a good grace
-Kustner's beneficence in paying me on the spot the royalties on
-the three performances which had already taken place. The Dresden
-authorities were surprised when I found myself obliged to beg an
-advance of income from them in order to conclude this brilliant
-undertaking in Berlin.
-
-As I was travelling with my wife in the most horrible weather
-through the deserted country on my way home, I fell into a mood
-of the blackest despair, which I thought I might perhaps survive
-once in a lifetime but never again. Nevertheless, it amused me,
-as I sat silently looking out of the carriage into the grey mist,
-to hear my wife enter into a lively discussion with a commercial
-traveller who, in the course of friendly conversation, had spoken
-in a disparaging way about the 'new opera Rienzi.' My wife, with
-great heat and even passion, corrected various mistakes made by
-this hostile critic, and to her great satisfaction made him
-confess that he had not heard the opera himself, but had only
-based his opinion upon hearsay and the reviews. Whereupon my wife
-pointed out to him most earnestly that 'he could not possibly
-know whose future he might not injure by such irresponsible
-comment.'
-
-These were the only cheering and consoling impressions which I
-carried back with me to Dresden, where I soon felt the direct
-results of the reverses I had suffered in Berlin in the
-condolences of my acquaintances. The papers had spread abroad the
-news that my opera had been a dismal failure. The most painful
-part of the whole proceeding was that I had to meet these
-expressions of pity with a cheerful countenance and the assurance
-that things were by no means so bad as had been made out, but
-that, on the contrary, I had had many pleasant experiences.
-
-This unaccustomed effort placed me in a position strangely
-similar to that in which I found Hiller on my return to Dresden.
-He had given a performance of his new opera, Conradin von
-Hohenstaufen, here just about this time. He had kept the
-composition of this work a secret from me, and had hoped to make
-a decided hit with it after the three performances which took
-place in my absence. Both the poet and the composer thought that
-in this work they had combined the tendencies and effects of my
-Rienzi with those of my Tannhauser in a manner peculiarly suited
-to the Dresden public. As he was just setting out for Dusseldorf,
-where he had been appointed concert-director, he commended his
-work with great confidence to my tender mercies, and regretted
-not having the power of appointing me the conductor of it. He
-acknowledged that he owed his great success partly to the
-wonderfully happy rendering of the male part of Conradin by my
-niece Johanna. She, in her turn, told me with equal confidence
-that without her Hiller's opera would not have had such an
-extraordinary triumph. I was now really anxious to see this
-fortunate work and its wonderful staging for myself; and this I
-was able to do, as a fourth performance was announced after
-Hiller and his family had left Dresden for good. When I entered
-the theatre at the beginning of the overture to take my place in
-the stalls, I was astonished to find all the seats, with a few
-scarcely noticeable exceptions, absolutely empty. At the other
-end of my row I saw the poet who had written the libretto, the
-gentle painter Reinike. We moved, naturally, towards the middle
-of the space and discussed the strange position in which we found
-ourselves. He poured out melancholy complaints to me about
-Hiller's musical setting to his poetry; the secret of the mistake
-which Hiller had made about the success of his work he did not
-explain, and was evidently very much upset at the conspicuous
-failure of the opera. It was from another quarter that I learned
-how it had been possible for Hiller to deceive himself in such an
-extraordinary way. Frau Hiller, who was of Polish origin, had
-managed at the frequent Polish gatherings which took place in
-Dresden to persuade a large contingent of her countrymen, who
-were keen theatre-goers, to attend her husband's opera. On the
-first night these friends, with their usual enthusiasm, incited
-the public to applaud, but had themselves found so little
-pleasure in the work that they had stayed away from the second
-performance, which was otherwise badly attended, so that the
-opera could only be considered a failure. By commandeering all
-the help that could possibly be got from the Poles by way of
-applause, every effort was made to secure a third performance on
-a Sunday, when the theatre generally filled of its own accord.
-This object was achieved, and the Polish theatre aristocracy,
-with the charity that was habitual to them, fulfilled their duty
-towards the needy couple in whose drawing-room they had often
-spent such pleasant evenings.
-
-Once more the composer was called before the curtain, and
-everything went off well. Hiller thereupon placed his confidence
-in the verdict on the third performance, according to which his
-opera was an undoubted success, just as had been the case with my
-Tannhauser. The artificiality of this proceeding was, however,
-exposed by this fourth performance, at which I was present, and
-at which no one was under an obligation to the departed composer
-to attend. Even my niece was disgusted with it, and thought that
-the best singer in the world could not make a success of such a
-tedious opera. Whilst we were watching this miserable performance
-I managed to point out to the poet some weaknesses and faults
-that were to be found in the subject-matter. The latter reported
-my criticisms to Hiller, whereupon I received a warm and friendly
-letter from Dusseldorf, in which Hiller acknowledged the mistake
-he had made in rejecting my advice on this point. He gave me
-plainly to understand that it was not too late to alter the opera
-according to my suggestions; I should thus have had the
-inestimable benefit of having such an obviously well-intentioned,
-and, in its way, so significant, a work in the repertoire, but I
-never got so far as that.
-
-On the other hand, I experienced the small satisfaction of
-hearing the news that two performances of my Rienzi had taken
-place in Berlin, for the success of which Conductor Taubert, as
-he informed me himself, thought he had won some credit on account
-of the extremely effective combinations he had arranged. In spite
-of this, I was absolutely convinced that I must abandon all hope
-of any lasting and profitable success from Berlin, and I could no
-longer hide from Luttichau that, if I were to continue in the
-discharge of my duties with the necessary good spirits, I must
-insist on a rise of salary, as, beyond my regular income, I could
-not rely on any substantial success wherewith to meet my unlucky
-publishing transactions. My income was so small that I could not
-even live on it, but I asked nothing more than to be placed on an
-equal footing with my colleague Reissiger, a prospect which had
-been held out to me from the beginning.
-
-At this juncture Luttichau saw a favourable opportunity for
-making me feel my dependence on his goodwill, which could only be
-secured by my showing due deference to his wishes. After I had
-laid my case before the King, at a personal interview, and asked
-for the favour of the moderate increase in income which was my
-object, Luttichau promised to make the report he was obliged to
-give of me as favourable as possible. How great was my
-consternation and humiliation when one day he opened our
-interview by telling me that his report had come back from the
-King. In it was set forth that I had unfortunately overestimated
-my talent on account of the foolish praise of various friends in
-a high position (among whom he counted Frau v. Konneritz), and
-had thus been led to consider that I had quite as good a right to
-success as Meyerbeer. I had thereby caused such serious offence
-that it might, perhaps, be considered advisable to dismiss me
-altogether. On the other hand, my industry and my praiseworthy
-performance with regard to the revision of Gluck's Iphigenia,
-which had been brought to the notice of the management, might
-justify my being given another chance, in which case my material
-condition must be given due consideration. At this point I could
-read no further, and stupefied by surprise I gave my patron back
-the paper. He tried at once to remove the obviously bad
-impression it had made upon me by telling me that my wish had
-been granted, and I could draw the nine hundred marks belonging
-to me at once from the bank. I took my leave in silence, and
-pondered over what course of action I must pursue in face of this
-disgrace, as it was quite out of the question for me to accept
-the nine hundred marks.
-
-But in the midst of these adversities a visit of the King of
-Prussia to Dresden was one day announced, and at the same time by
-his special request a performance of Tannhauser was arranged. He
-really did make his appearance in the theatre at this performance
-in the company of the royal family of Saxony, and stayed with
-apparent interest from beginning to end. On this occasion the
-King gave a curious explanation for having stayed away from the
-performances of Rienzi in Berlin, which was afterwards reported
-to me. He said he had denied himself the pleasure of hearing one
-of my operas in Berlin, because it was important to get a good
-impression of them, and he knew that in his own theatre they
-would only be badly produced. This strange event had, at any
-rate, the result of giving me back sufficient self-confidence to
-accept the nine hundred marks of which I was in such desperate
-need.
-
-Luttichau also seemed to make a point of winning back my trust to
-some extent, and I gathered from his calm friendliness that I
-must suppose this wholly uncultured man had no consciousness of
-the outrage he had done me. He returned to the idea of having
-orchestral concerts, in accordance with the suggestions I had
-made in my rejected report on the orchestra, and in order to
-induce me to arrange such musical performances in the theatre,
-said the initiative had come from the management and not from the
-orchestra itself. As soon as I discovered that the profits were
-to go to the orchestra I willingly entered into the plan. By a
-special device of my own the stage of the theatre was made into a
-concert-hall (afterwards considered first-class) by means of a
-sounding board enclosing the whole orchestra, which proved a
-great success. In future six performances were to take place
-during the winter months. This time, however, as it was the end
-of the year, and we only had the second half of the winter before
-us, subscription tickets were issued for only three concerts, and
-the whole available space in the theatre was filled by the
-public. I found the preparations for this fairly diverting, and
-entered upon the fateful year 1848 in a rather more reconciled
-and amiable frame of mind.
-
-Early in the New Year the first of these orchestral concerts took
-place, and brought me much popularity on account of its unusual
-programme. I had discovered that if any real significance were to
-be given to these concerts, in distinction to those consisting of
-heterogeneous scraps of music of every different species under
-the sun, and which are so opposed to all serious artistic taste,
-we could only afford to give two kinds of genuine music
-alternately if a good effect was to be produced. Accordingly
-between two symphonies I placed one or two longer vocal pieces,
-which were not to be heard elsewhere, and these were the only
-items in the whole concert. After the Mozart Symphony in D major,
-I made all the musicians move from their places to make room for
-an imposing choir, which had to sing Palestrina's Stabat Mater,
-from an adaptation of the original recitative, which I had
-carefully revised, and Bach's Motet for eight voices: Singet dem
-Herrn ein neues Lied ('Sing unto the Lord a new song'); thereupon
-I let the orchestra again take its place to play Beethoven's
-Sinfonia Eroica, and with that to end the concert.
-
-This success was very encouraging, and disclosed to me a somewhat
-consoling prospect of increasing my influence as musical
-conductor at a time when my disgust was daily growing stronger at
-the constant meddling with our opera repertoire, which made me
-lose more and more influence as compared with the wishes of my
-would-be prima donna niece, whom even Tichatschek supported.
-Immediately on my return from Berlin I had begun the
-orchestration of Lohengrin, and in all other respects had given
-myself up to greater resignation, which made me feel I could face
-my fate calmly, when I suddenly received a very disturbing piece
-of news.
-
-In the beginning of February my mother's death was announced to
-me. I at once hastened to her funeral at Leipzig, and was filled
-with deep emotion and joy at the wonderfully calm and sweet
-expression of her face. She had passed the latter years of her
-life, which had before been so active and restless, in cheerful
-ease, and at the end in peaceful and almost childlike happiness.
-On her deathbed she exclaimed in humble modesty, and with a
-bright smile on her face: 'Oh! how beautiful! how lovely! how
-divine! Why do I deserve such favour?' It was a bitterly cold
-morning when we lowered the coffin into the grave in the
-churchyard, and the hard, frozen lumps of earth which we
-scattered on the lid, instead of the customary handful of dust,
-frightened me by the loud noise they made. On the way home to the
-house of my brother-in-law, Hermann Brockhaus, where the whole
-family were to gather together for an hour, Laube, of whom my
-mother had been very fond, was my only companion. He expressed
-his anxiety at my unusually exhausted appearance, and when he
-afterwards accompanied me to the station, we discussed the
-unbearable burden which seemed to us to lie like a dead weight on
-every noble effort made to resist the tendency of the time to
-sink into utter worthlessness. On my return to Dresden the
-realisation of my complete loneliness came over me for the first
-time with full consciousness, as I could not help knowing that
-with the loss of my mother every natural bond of union was
-loosened with my brothers and sisters, each of whom was taken up
-with his or her own family affairs. So I plunged dully and coldly
-into the only thing which could cheer and warm me, the working
-out of my Lohengrin and my studies of German antiquity.
-
-Thus dawned the last days of February, which were to plunge
-Europe once more into revolution. I was among those who least
-expected a probable or even possible overthrow of the political
-world. My first knowledge of such things had been gained in my
-youth at the time of the July Revolution, and the long and
-peaceful reaction that followed it. Since then I had become
-acquainted with Paris, and from all the signs of public life
-which I saw there, I thought all that had occurred had been
-merely the preliminaries of a great revolutionary movement. I had
-been present at the erection of the forts detaches around Paris,
-which Louis Philippe had carried out, and been instructed about
-the strategic value of the various fixed sentries scattered about
-Paris, and I agreed with those who considered that everything was
-ready to make even an attempt at a rising on the part of the
-populace of Paris quite impossible. When, therefore, the Swiss
-War of Separation at the end of the previous year, and the
-successful Sicilian Revolution at the beginning of the New Year,
-turned all men's eyes in great excitement to watch the effect of
-these risings on Paris, I did not take the slightest interest in
-the hopes and fears which were aroused. News of the growing
-restlessness in the French capital did indeed reach us, but I
-disputed Rockel's belief that any significance could be attached
-to it. I was sitting in the conductor's desk at a rehearsal of
-Martha when, during an interval, Rockel, with the peculiar joy of
-being in the right, brought me the news of Louis Philippe's
-flight, and the proclamation of the Republic in Paris. This made
-a strange and almost astonishing impression on me, although at
-the same time the doubt as to the true significance of these
-events made it possible for me to smile to myself. I too caught
-the fever of excitement which had spread everywhere. The German
-March days were coming, and from all directions ever more
-alarming news kept coming in. Even within the narrow confines of
-my native Saxony serious petitions were framed, which the King
-withstood for a long time; even he was deceived, in a way which
-he was soon to acknowledge, as to the meaning of this commotion
-and the temper that prevailed in the country.
-
-On the evening of one of these really anxious days, when the very
-air was heavy and full of thunder, we gave our third great
-orchestral concert, at which the King and his court were present,
-as on the two previous occasions. For the opening of this one I
-had chosen Mendelssohn's Symphony in A minor, which I had played
-on the occasion of his funeral. The mood of this piece, which
-even in the would-be joyful phrases is always tenderly
-melancholy, corresponded strangely with the anxiety and
-depression of the whole audience, which was more particularly
-accentuated in the demeanour of the royal family. I did not
-conceal from Lipinsky, the leader of the orchestra, my regret at
-the mistake I had made in the arrangement of that day's
-programme, as Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, also in a minor key,
-was to follow this minor symphony. With a merry twinkle in his
-eyes the eccentric Pole comforted me by exclaiming: 'Oh, let us
-play only the first two movements of the Symphony in C minor,
-then no one will know whether we have played Mendelssohn in the
-major or the minor key.' Fortunately before these two movements
-began, to our great surprise, a loud shout was raised by some
-patriotic spirit in the middle of the audience, who called out
-'Long live the King!' and the cry was promptly repeated with
-unusual enthusiasm and energy on all sides. Lipinsky was
-perfectly right: the symphony, with the passionate and stormy
-excitement of the first theme, swelled out like a hurricane of
-rejoicing, and had seldom produced such an effect on the audience
-as on that night. This was the last of the newly inaugurated
-concerts that I ever conducted in Dresden.
-
-Shortly after this the inevitable political changes took place.
-The King dismissed his ministry and elected a new one, consisting
-partly of Liberals and partly even of really enthusiastic
-Democrats, who at once proclaimed the well-known regulations,
-which are the same all over the world, for founding a thoroughly
-democratic constitution. I was really touched by this result, and
-by the heartfelt joy which was evident among the whole
-population, and I would have given much to have been able to gain
-access to the King, and convince myself of his hearty confidence
-in the people's love for him, which seemed to me so desirable a
-consummation. In the evening the town was gaily illuminated, and
-the King drove through the streets in an open carriage. In the
-greatest excitement I went out among the dense crowds and
-followed his movements, often running where I thought it likely
-that a particularly hearty shout might rejoice and reconcile the
-monarch's heart. My wife was quite frightened when she saw me
-come back late at night, tired out and very hoarse from shouting.
-
-The events which took place in Vienna and Berlin, with their
-apparently momentous results, only moved me as interesting
-newspaper reports, and the meeting of a Frankfort parliament in
-the place of the dissolved Bundestag sounded strangely pleasant
-in my ears. Yet all these significant occurrences could not tear
-me for a single day from my regular hours of work. With immense,
-almost overweening satisfaction, I finished, in the last days of
-this eventful and historic month of March, the score of Lohengrin
-with the orchestration of the music up to the vanishing of the
-Knight of the Holy Grail into the remote and mystic distance.
-
-About this time a young Englishwomen, Madame Jessie Laussot, who
-had married a Frenchman in Bordeaux, one day presented herself at
-my house in the company of Karl Ritter, who was barely eighteen
-years of age. This young man, who was born in Russia of German
-parents, was a member of one of those northern families who had
-settled down permanently in Dresden, on account of the pleasant
-artistic atmosphere of that place. I remembered that I had seen
-him once before not long after the first performance of
-Tannhauser, when he asked me for my autograph for a copy of the
-score of that opera, which was on sale at the music-shop. I now
-learned that this copy really belonged to Frau Laussot, who had
-been present at those performances, and who was now introduced to
-me. Overcome with shyness, the young lady expressed her
-admiration in a way I had never experienced before, and at the
-same time told me how great was her regret at being called away
-by family affairs from her favourite home in Dresden with the
-Ritter family, who, she gave me to understand, were deeply
-devoted to me. It was with a strange, and in its way quite a new,
-sensation that I bade farewell to this young lady. This was the
-first time since my meeting with Alwine Frommann and Werder, when
-the Fliegender Hollander was produced, that I came across this
-sympathetic tone, which seemed to come like an echo from some old
-familiar past, but which I never heard close at hand. I invited
-young Ritter to come and see me whenever he liked, and to
-accompany me sometimes on my walks. His extraordinary shyness,
-however, seemed to prevent him from doing this, and I only
-remember seeing him very occasionally at my house. He used to
-turn up more often with Hans von Bulow, whom he seemed to know
-pretty well, and who had already entered the Leipzig University
-as a student of law. This well-informed and talkative young man
-showed his warm and hearty devotion to me more openly, and I felt
-bound to reciprocate his affection. He was the first person who
-made me realise the genuine character of the new political
-enthusiasm. On his hat, as well as on his father's, the black,
-red, and gold cockade was paraded before my eyes.
-
-Now that I had finished my Lohengrin, and had leisure to study
-the course of events, I could no longer help myself sympathising
-with the ferment aroused by the birth of German ideals and the
-hopes attached to their realisation. My old friend Franck had
-already imbued me with a fairly sound political judgment, and,
-like many others, I had grave doubts as to whether the German
-parliament now assembling would serve any useful purpose.
-Nevertheless, the temper of the populace, of which there could be
-no question, although it might not have been given very obvious
-expression, and the belief, everywhere prevalent, that it was
-impossible to return to the old conditions, could not fail to
-exercise its influence upon me. But I wanted actions instead of
-words, and actions which would force our princes to break for
-ever with their old traditions, which were so detrimental to the
-cause of the German commonwealth. With this object I felt
-inspired to write a popular appeal in verse, calling upon the
-German princes and peoples to inaugurate a great crusade against
-Russia, as the country which had been the prime instigator of
-that policy in Germany which had so fatally separated the
-monarchs from their subjects. One of the verses ran as follows:--
-
-The old fight against the East Returns again to-day. The people's
-sword must not rust Who freedom wish for aye.
-
-As I had no connection with political journals, and had learned
-by chance that Berthold Auerbach was on the staff of a paper in
-Mannheim, where the waves of revolution ran high, I sent him my
-poem with the request to do whatever he thought best with it, and
-from that day to this I have never heard or seen anything of it.
-
-Whilst the Frankfort Parliament continued to sit on from day to
-day, and it seemed idle to conjecture whither this big talk by
-small men would lead, I was much impressed by the news which
-reached us from Vienna. In the May of this year an attempt at a
-reaction, such as had succeeded in Naples and remained indecisive
-in Paris, had been triumphantly nipped in the bud by the
-enthusiasm and energy of the Viennese people under the leadership
-of the students' band, who had acted with such unexpected
-firmness. I had arrived at the conclusion that, in matters
-directly concerning the people, no reliance could be placed on
-reason or wisdom, but only on sheer force supported by fanaticism
-or absolute necessity; but the course of events in Vienna, where
-I saw the youth of the educated classes working side by side with
-the labouring man, filled me with peculiar enthusiasm, to which I
-gave expression in another popular appeal in verse. This I sent
-to the Oesterreichischen Zeitung, where it was printed in their
-columns with my full signature.
-
-In Dresden two political unions had been formed, as a result of
-the great changes that had taken place. The first was called the
-Deutscher Verein (German Union), whose programme aimed at 'a
-constitutional monarchy on the broadest democratic foundation.'
-The names of its principal leaders, among which, in spite of its
-broad democratic foundation, my friends Eduard Devrient and
-Professor Rietschel had the courage openly to appear, guaranteed
-the safety of its objects. This union, which tried to include
-every element that regarded a real revolution with abhorrence,
-conjured into existence an opposition club which called itself
-the Vaterlands-Verein (Patriotic Union). In this the 'democratic
-foundation' seemed to be the chief basis, and the 'constitutional
-monarchy' only provided the necessary cloak.
-
-Rockel canvassed passionately for the latter, as he seemed to
-have lost all confidence in the monarchy. The poor fellow was,
-indeed, in a very bad way. He had long ago given up all hope of
-rising to any position in the musical world; his directorship had
-become pure drudgery, and was, unfortunately, so badly paid that
-he could not possibly keep himself and his yearly increasing
-family on the income he derived from his post. He always had an
-unconquerable aversion from teaching, which was a fairly
-profitable employment in Dresden among the many wealthy visitors.
-So he went on from bad to worse, running miserably into debt, and
-for a long time saw no hope for his position as the father of a
-family except in emigration to America, where he thought he could
-secure a livelihood for himself and his dependants by manual
-labour, and for his practical mind by working as a farmer, from
-which class he had originally sprung. This, though tedious, would
-at least be certain. On our walks he had of late been
-entertaining me almost exclusively with ideas he had gleaned from
-reading books on farming, doctrines which he applied with zeal to
-the improvement of his encumbered position. This was the mood in
-which the Revolution of 1848 found him, and he immediately went
-over to the extreme socialist side, which, owing to the example
-set by Paris, threatened to become serious. Every one who knew
-him was utterly taken aback at the apparently vital change which
-had so suddenly taken place in him, when he declared that he had
-at last found his real vocation--that of an agitator.
-
-His persuasive faculties, on which, however, he could not rely
-sufficiently for platform purposes, developed in private
-intercourse into stupefying energy. It was impossible to stop his
-flow of language with any objection, and those he could not draw
-over to his cause he cast aside for ever. In his enthusiasm about
-the problems which occupied his mind day and night, he sharpened
-his intellect into a weapon capable of demolishing every foolish
-objection, and suddenly stood in our midst like a preacher in the
-wilderness. He was at home in every department of knowledge. The
-Vaterlands-Verein had elected a committee for carrying into
-execution a plan for arming the populace; this included Rockel
-and other thoroughgoing democrats, and, in addition, certain
-military experts, among whom was my old friend Hermann Muller,
-the lieutenant of the Guards who had once been engaged to
-Schroder-Devrient. He and another officer named Zichlinsky were
-the only members of the Saxon army who joined the political
-movement. The part I played in the meetings of this committee, as
-in everything else, was dictated by artistic motives. As far as I
-can remember, the details of this plan, which at last became a
-nuisance, afforded very sound foundation for a genuine arming of
-the people, though it was impossible to carry it out during the
-political crisis.
-
-My interest and enthusiasm about the social and political
-problems which were occupying the whole world increased every
-day, until public meetings and private intercourse, and the
-shallow platitudes which formed the staple eloquence of the
-orators of the day, proved to me the terrible shallowness of the
-whole movement.
-
-If only I could rest assured that, while such senseless confusion
-was the order of the day, people well versed in these matters
-would withhold from any demonstration (which to my great regret I
-observed in Hermann Franck, and told him of, openly), then, on
-the contrary, I should feel myself compelled, as soon as the
-opportunity arose, to discuss the purport of such questions and
-problems according to my judgment. Needless to say, the
-newspapers played an exciting and prominent part on this
-occasion. Once, when I went incidentally (as I might go to see a
-play) to a meeting of the Vaterlands-Verein, when they were
-assembled in a public garden, they chose for the subject of their
-discussion, 'Republic or Monarchy?' I was astonished to hear and
-to read with what incredible triviality it was carried on, and
-how the sum-total of their explanation was, that, to be sure, a
-republic is best, but, at the worst, one could put up with a
-monarchy if it were well conducted. As the result of many heated
-discussions on this point, I was incited to lay bare my views on
-the subject in an article which I published in the DRESDENER
-ANZEIGER, but which I did not sign. My special aim was to turn
-the attention of the few who really took the matter seriously,
-from the external form of the government to its intrinsic value.
-When I had pursued and consistently discussed the utmost
-idealistic conclusions of all that which, to my mind, was
-necessary and inseparable from the perfect state and from social
-order, I inquired whether it would not be possible to realise all
-this with a king at the head, and entered so deeply into the
-matter as to portray the king in such a fashion, that he seemed
-even more anxious than any one else that his state should be
-organised on genuinely republican lines, in order that he might
-attain to the fulfilment of his own highest aims. I must own,
-however, that I felt bound to urge this king to assume a much
-more familiar attitude towards his people than the court
-atmosphere and the almost exclusive society of his nobles would
-seem to render possible. Finally, I pointed to the King of Saxony
-as being specially chosen by Fate to lead the way in the
-direction I had indicated, and to give the example to all the
-other German princes. Rockel considered this article a true
-inspiration from the Angel of Propitiation, but as he feared that
-it would not meet with proper recognition and appreciation in the
-paper, he urged me to lecture on it publicly at the next meeting
-of the Vaterlands-Verein for he attached great importance to my
-discoursing on the subject personally. Quite uncertain as to
-whether I could really persuade myself to do this, I attended the
-meeting, and there, owing to the intolerable balderdash uttered
-by a certain barrister named Blode and a master-furrier Klette,
-whom at that time Dresden venerated as a Demosthenes and a Cleon,
-I passionately decided to appear at this extraordinary tribunal
-with my paper, and to give a very spirited reading of it to about
-three thousand persons.
-
-The success I had was simply appalling. The astounded audience
-seemed to remember nothing of the speech of the Orchestral
-Conductor Royal save the incidental attack I had made upon the
-court sycophants. The news of this incredible event spread like
-wildfire. The next day I rehearsed Rienzi, which was to be
-performed the following evening. I was congratulated on all sides
-upon my self-sacrificing audacity. On the day of the performance,
-however, I was informed by Eisolt, the attendant of the
-orchestra, that the plans had been changed, and he gave me to
-understand that thereby there hung a tale. True enough, the
-terrible sensation I had made became so great, that the directors
-feared the most unheard-of demonstrations at any performance of
-Rienzi. Then a perfect storm of derision and vituperation broke
-loose in the press, and I was besieged on all sides to such an
-extent that it was useless to think of self-defence. I had even
-offended the Communal Guard of Saxony, and was challenged by the
-commander to make a full apology. But the most inexorable enemies
-I made were the court officials, especially those holding a minor
-office, and to this day I still continue to be persecuted by
-them. I learned that, as far as it lay in their power, they
-incessantly besought the King, and finally the director, to
-deprive me at once of my office. On account of this I thought it
-necessary to write to the monarch personally, in order to explain
-to him that my action was to be regarded more in the light of a
-thoughtless indiscretion than as a culpable offence. I sent this
-letter to Herr von Luttichau, begging him to deliver it to the
-King, and to arrange at the same time a short leave for me, so
-that the provoking disturbance should have a chance of dying down
-during my absence from Dresden. The striking kindness and
-goodwill which Herr von Luttichau showed me on this occasion made
-no little impression upon me, and this I took no pains to conceal
-from him. As in the course of time, however, his ill-controlled
-rage at various things, and especially at a good deal that he had
-misunderstood in my pamphlet, broke loose, I learned that it was
-not from any humane motives that he had spoken in such a
-propitiatory manner to me, but rather by desire of the King
-himself. On this point I received most accurate information, and
-heard that when everybody, and even von Luttichau himself, were
-besieging the King to visit me with punishment, the King had
-forbidden any further talk on the subject. After this very
-encouraging experience, I flattered myself that the King had
-understood not only my letter, but also my pamphlet, better than
-many others.
-
-In order to change my mind a little, I determined for the present
-(it was the beginning of July) to take advantage of the short
-period of leave granted to me, by going to Vienna. I travelled by
-way of Breslau, where I looked up an old friend of my family, the
-musical director Mosewius, at whose house I spent an evening. We
-had a most lively conversation, but, unfortunately, were unable
-to steer clear of the stirring political questions of the day.
-What interested me most was his exceptionally large, or even, if
-I remember rightly, complete collection of Sebastian Bach's
-cantatas in most excellent copies. Besides this, he related, with
-a humour quite his own, several amusing musical anecdotes which
-were a pleasant memory for many a year. When Mosewius returned my
-visit in the course of the summer at Dresden, I played a part of
-the first act of Lohengrin on the piano for him, and the
-expression of his genuine astonishment at this conception was
-very gratifying to me. In later years, however, I found that he
-had spoken somewhat scoffingly about me; but I did not stop to
-reflect as to the truth of this information, or as to the real
-character of the man, for little by little I had had to accustom
-myself to the most inconceivable things. At Vienna the first
-thing I did was to call on Professor Fischhof, as I knew that he
-had in his keeping important manuscripts, chiefly by Beethoven,
-among which the original of the C minor Sonata, opus 111, I was
-particularly curious to see. Through this new friend, whom I
-found somewhat dry, I made the acquaintance of Herr Vesque von
-Puttlingen, who, as the composer of a most insignificant opera
-(Joan of Arc), which had been performed in Dresden, had with
-cautious good taste adopted only the last two syllables of
-Beethoven's name--Haven. One day we were at his house to dinner,
-and I then recognised in him a former confidential official of
-Prince Metternich, who now, with his ribbon of black, red, and
-gold, followed the current of the age, apparently quite
-convinced. I made another interesting acquaintance in the person
-of Herr von Fonton, the Russian state councillor, and attache at
-the Russian Embassy in Vienna. I frequently met this man, both at
-Fischhof's house and on excursions into the surrounding country;
-and it was interesting to me for the first time to run up against
-a man who could so strongly profess his faith in the pessimistic
-standpoint, that a consistent despotism guarantees the only order
-of things which can be tolerated. Not without interest, and
-certainly not without intelligence--for he boasted of having been
-educated at the most enlightened schools in Switzerland--he
-listened to my enthusiastic narration of the art ideal which I
-had in my mind, and which was destined to exercise a great and
-decided influence upon the human race. As he had to allow that
-the realisation of this ideal could not be effected through the
-strength of despotism, and as he was unable to foresee any
-rewards for my exertions, by the time we came to the champagne he
-thawed to such a degree of affable good-nature as to wish me
-every success. I learned later on that this man, of whose talent
-and energetic character I had at the time no small opinion, was
-last heard of as being in great distress.
-
-Now, as I never undertook anything whatever without some serious
-object in view, I had made up my mind to avail myself of this
-visit to Vienna, in order to try in some practical manner to
-promote my ideas for the reform of the theatre. Vienna seemed to
-me specially suitable for this purpose, as at that, time it had
-five theatres, all totally different in character, which were
-dragging on a miserable existence. I quickly worked out a plan,
-according to which these various theatres might be formed into a
-sort of co-operative organisation, and placed under one
-administration composed not only of active members, but also of
-all those having any literary connection with the theatre. With a
-view to submitting my plan to them, I then made inquiries about
-persons with such capacities as seemed most likely to answer my
-requirements. Besides Herr Friedrich Uhl, whom I had got to know
-at the very beginning through Fischer, and who did me very
-good service, I was told of a Herr Franck (the same, I presume,
-who later on published a big epic work called Tannhauser), and a
-Dr. Pacher, an agent of Meyerbeer's, and a pettifogger of whose
-acquaintance later on I was to have no reason to be proud. The
-most sympathetic, and certainly the most important, of those
-chosen by me for the conference meeting at Fischhof's house, was
-undoubtedly Dr. Becher, a passionate and exceedingly cultivated
-man. He was the only one present who seriously followed the
-reading of my plan, although, of course, he by no means agreed
-with everything. I observed in him a certain wildness and
-vehemence, the impression of which returned to me very vividly
-some months later, when I heard of his being shot as a rebel who
-had participated in the October Insurrection at Vienna. For the
-present, then, I had to satisfy myself with having read the plan
-of my theatre reform to a few attentive listeners. All seemed to
-be convinced that the time was not opportune for putting forward
-such peaceable schemes of reform. On the other hand, Uhl thought
-it right to give me an idea of what was at present all the rage
-in Vienna, by taking me one evening to a political club of the
-most advanced tendencies. There I heard a speech by Herr
-Sigismund Englander, who shortly afterwards attracted much
-attention in the political monthly papers; the unblushing
-audacity with which he and others expressed themselves that
-evening with regard to the most dreaded persons in public power
-astounded me almost as much as the poverty of the political views
-expressed on that occasion. By way of contrast I received a very
-nice impression of Herr Grillparzer, the poet, whose name was
-like a fable to me, associated as it was, from my earliest days,
-with his Ahnfrau. I approached him also with respect to the
-matter of my theatre reform. He seemed quite disposed to listen
-in a friendly manner to what I had to say to him; he did not,
-however, attempt to conceal his surprise at my direct appeals and
-the personal demands I made of him. He was the first playwright I
-had ever seen in an official uniform.
-
-After I had paid an unsuccessful visit to Herr Bauernfeld,
-relative to the same business, I concluded that Vienna was of no
-more use for the present, and gave myself up to the exceptionally
-stimulating impressions produced by the public life of the motley
-crowd, which of late had undergone such marked changes. If the
-student band, which was always represented in great numbers in
-the streets, had already amused me with the extraordinary
-constancy with which its members sported the German colours, I
-was very highly diverted by the effect produced when at the
-theatres I saw even the ices served by attendants in the black,
-red, and gold of Austria. At the Karl Theatre, in the Leopold
-quarter of the town, I saw a new farce, by Nestroy, which
-actually introduced the character of Prince Metternich, and in
-which this statesman, on being asked whether he had poisoned the
-Duke of Reichstadt, had to make his escape behind the wings as an
-unmasked sinner. On the whole, the appearance of this imperial
-city--usually so fond of pleasure--impressed one with a feeling
-of youthful and powerful confidence. And this impression was
-revived in me when I heard of the energetic participation of the
-youthful members of the population, during those fateful October
-days, in the defence of Vienna against the troops of Prince
-Windischgratz.
-
-On the homeward journey I touched at Prague, where I found my old
-friend Kittl (who had grown very much more corpulent) still in
-the most terrible fright about the riotous events which had taken
-place there. He seemed to be of opinion that the revolt of the
-Tschech party against the Austrian Government was directed at him
-personally, and he thought fit to reproach himself with the
-terrible agitation of the time, which he believed he had
-specially inflamed by his composition of my operatic text of Die
-Franzosen vor Nizza, out of which a kind of revolutionary air
-seemed to have become very popular. To my great pleasure, on my
-homeward journey I had the company of Hanel the sculptor, whom I
-met on the steamer. There travelled with us also a Count Albert
-Nostitz, with whom he had just settled up his business concerning
-the statue of the Emperor Charles IV., and he was in the gayest
-mood, as the extremely insecure state of Austrian paper money had
-led to his being paid at a great profit to himself, in silver
-coin in accordance with his agreement. I was very pleased to find
-that, thanks to this circumstance, he was in such a confident
-mood, and so free from prejudice, that on, arriving at Dresden he
-accompanied me the whole way--a very long distance--from the
-landing-stage at which we had left the steamer to my house, in an
-open carriage; and this despite the fact that he very well knew
-that, only a few weeks before, I had caused a really terrible
-stir in this very city.
-
-As far as the public were concerned, the storm seemed quite to
-have died down, and I was able to resume my usual occupations and
-mode of life without any further trouble. I am sorry to say,
-however, that my old worries and anxieties started afresh; I
-stood in great need of money, and had not the vaguest notion
-whither to go in search of it. I then examined very thoroughly
-the answer I had received during the preceding winter to my
-petition for a higher salary. I had left it unread, as the
-modifications made in it had already disgusted me. If I had till
-now believed that it was Herr von Luttichau who had brought about
-the increase of salary I had demanded, in the shape of a
-supplement which I was to receive annually--in itself a
-humiliating thing--I now saw to my horror that all the time there
-had been no mention save of one single supplement, and that there
-was nothing to show that this should be repeated annually. On
-learning this, I saw that I should now be at the hopeless
-disadvantage of coming too late with a remonstrance if I should
-attempt to make one; so there was nothing left for me but to
-submit to an insult which, under the circumstances, was quite
-unprecedented. My feelings towards Herr von Luttichau, which
-shortly before had been rather warm owing to his supposed kind
-attitude towards me during the last disturbance, now underwent a
-serious change, and I soon had a new reason (actually connected
-with the above-mentioned affair) for altering my favourable
-opinion of him, and for turning finally against him for good and
-all. He had informed me that the members of the Imperial
-Orchestra had sent him a deputation demanding my instant
-dismissal, as they thought that it affected their honour to be
-any longer under a conductor who had compromised himself
-politically to the extent which I had. He also informed me that
-he had not only reprimanded them very severely, but that he had
-also been at great pains to pacify them concerning me. All this,
-which Luttichau had put in a highly favourable light, had
-latterly made me feel very friendly towards him. Then, however,
-as the result of inquiries into the matter, I heard accidentally
-through members of the orchestra that the facts of the case were
-almost exactly the reverse. What had happened was this, that the
-members of the Imperial Orchestra had been approached on all
-sides by the officials of the court, and had been not only
-earnestly requested to do what Luttichau had declared they had
-done of their own accord, but also threatened with the
-displeasure of the King, and of incurring the strongest suspicion
-if they refused to comply. In order to protect themselves against
-this intrigue, and to avoid all evil consequences should they not
-take the required step, the musicians had turned to their
-principal, and had sent him a deputation, through which they
-declared that, as a corporation of artists, they did not in the
-least feel called upon to mix themselves up in a matter that did
-not concern them. Thus the halo with which my former attachment
-to Herr von Luttichau had surrounded him at last disappeared for
-good and all, and it was chiefly my shame at having been so very
-much upset by his false conduct that now inspired me for ever
-with such bitter feelings for this man. What determined this
-feeling even more than the insults I had suffered, was the
-recognition of the fact that I was now utterly incapable of ever
-being able to enlist his influence in the cause of theatrical
-reform, which was so dear to me. It was natural that I should
-learn to attach ever less and less importance to the mere
-retention of the post of orchestral conductor on so
-extraordinarily inadequate and reduced a salary; and in keeping
-to this office, I merely bowed to what was an inevitable though
-purely accidental circumstance of a wretched fate. I did nothing
-to make the post more intolerable, but, at the same time, I moved
-not a finger to ensure its permanence.
-
-The very next thing I must do was to attempt to establish my
-hopes of a larger income, so sadly doomed hitherto, upon a very
-much sounder basis. In this respect it occurred to me that I
-might consult my friend Liszt, and beg him to suggest a remedy
-for my grievous position. And lo and behold, shortly after those
-fateful March days, and not long before the completion of my
-Lohengrin score, to my, very great delight and astonishment, the
-very man I wanted walked into my room. He had come from Vienna,
-where he had lived through the 'Barricade Days,' and he was going
-on to Weimar, where he intended to settle permanently. We spent
-an evening together at Schumann's, had a little music, and
-finally began a discussion on Mendelssohn and Meyerbeer, in which
-Liszt and Schumann differed so fundamentally that the latter,
-completely losing his temper, retired in a fury to his bedroom
-for quite a long time. This incident did indeed place us in a
-somewhat awkward position towards our host, but it furnished us
-with a most amusing topic of conversation on the way home, I have
-seldom seen Liszt so extravagantly cheerful as on that night,
-when, in spite of the cold and the fact that he was clad only in
-ordinary evening-dress, he accompanied first the music director
-Schubert, and then myself, to our respective homes. Subsequently
-I took advantage of a few days' holiday in August to make an
-excursion to Weimar, where I found Liszt permanently installed
-and, as is well known, enjoying a life of most intimate
-intercourse with the Grand Duke. Even though he was unable to
-help me in my affairs, except by giving me a recommendation which
-finally proved useless, his reception of me on this short visit
-was so hearty and so exceedingly stimulating, that it left me
-profoundly cheered and encouraged. On returning to Dresden I
-tried as far as possible to curtail my expenses and to live
-within my means; and, as every means of assistance failed me, I
-resorted to the expedient of sending out a circular letter
-addressed jointly to my remaining creditors, all of whom were
-really friends; and in this I told them frankly of my situation,
-and enjoined them to relinquish their demands for an indefinite
-time, till my affairs took a turn for the better, as without this
-I should certainly never be in a position to satisfy them. By
-this means they would, at all events, be in a position to oppose
-my general manager, whom I had every reason to suspect of evil
-designs, and who would have been only too glad to seize any signs
-of hostility towards me, on the part of my creditors, as a
-pretext for taking the worst steps against me. The assurance I
-required was given me unhesitatingly; my friend Pusinelli, and
-Frau Klepperbein (an old friend of my mother's), even going so
-far as to declare that they were prepared to give up all claim to
-the money they had lent me. Thus, in some measure reassured, and
-with my position relative to Luttichau so far improved that I
-could consult my own wishes as to whether and when I should give
-up my post entirely, I now continued to fulfil my duties as a
-conductor as patiently and conscientiously as I was able, while
-with great zeal I also resumed my studies, which were carrying me
-ever further and further afield.
-
-Thus settled, I now began to watch the wonderful developments in
-the fate of my friend Rockel. As every day brought fresh rumours
-of threatened reactionary coups d'etat and similar violent
-outbreaks, which Rockel thought it right to prevent, he drew up
-an appeal to the soldiers of the army of Saxony, in which he
-explained every detail of the cause for which he stood, and which
-he then had printed and distributed broadcast. This was too
-flagrant a misdeed for the public prosecutors: he was therefore
-immediately placed under arrest, and had to remain three days in
-gaol while an action for high treason was lodged against him. He
-was only released when the solicitor Minkwitz stood bail for the
-requisite three thousand marks (equal to L150). This return home
-to his anxious wife and children was celebrated by a little
-public festival, which the committee of the Vaterlands-Verein had
-arranged in his honour, and the liberated man was greeted as the
-champion of the people's cause. On the other hand, however, the
-general management of the court theatre, who had before suspended
-him temporarily, now gave him his final dismissal. Rockel let a
-full beard grow, and began the publication of a popular journal
-called the Volksblatt, of which he was sole editor. He must have
-counted on its success to compensate him for the loss of his
-salary as musical director, for he at once hired an office in the
-Brudergasse for his undertaking. This paper succeeded in
-attracting the attention of a great many people to its editor,
-and showed up his talents in quite a new light, he never got
-involved in his style or indulged in any elaboration of words,
-but confined himself to matters of immediate importance and
-general interest; it was only after having discussed them in a
-calm and sober fashion, that he led up from them to further
-deductions of still greater interest connected with them. The
-individual articles were short, and never contained anything
-superfluous, in addition to which they were so clearly written,
-that they made an instructive and convincing appeal to the most
-uneducated mind. By always going to the root of things, instead
-of indulging in circumlocutions which, in politics, have caused
-such great confusion in the minds of the uneducated masses, he
-soon had a large circle of readers, both among cultivated and
-uncultivated people. The only drawback was that the price of the
-little weekly paper was too small to yield him a corresponding
-profit. Moreover, it was necessary to warn him that if the
-reactionary party should ever come into power again, it could
-never possibly forgive him for this newspaper. His younger
-brother, Edward, who was paying a visit at the time in Dresden,
-declared himself willing to accept a post as piano-teacher in
-England, which, though most uncongenial to him, would be
-lucrative and place him in a position to help Rockel's family,
-if, as seemed probable, he met his reward in prison or on the
-gallows. Owing to his connection with various societies, his time
-was so much taken up that my intercourse with him was limited to
-walks, which became more and more rare. On these occasions I
-often got lost in the most wildly speculative and profound
-discussions, while this wonderfully exciteable man always
-remained calmly reflective and clear-headed. First and foremost,
-he had planned a drastic social reform of the middle classes--as
-at present constituted--by aiming at a complete alteration of the
-basis of their condition. He constructed a totally new moral
-order of things, founded on the teaching of Proudhon and other
-socialists regarding the annihilation of the power of capital, by
-immediately productive labour, dispensing with the middleman.
-Little by little he converted me, by most seductive arguments, to
-his own views, to such an extent that I began to rebuild my hopes
-for the realisation of my ideal in art upon them. Thus there were
-two questions which concerned me very nearly: he wished to
-abolish matrimony, in the usual acceptation of the word,
-altogether. I thereupon asked him what he thought the result
-would be of promiscuous intercourse with women of a doubtful
-character. With amiable indignation he gave me to understand that
-we could have no idea about the purity of morals in general, and
-of the relations of the sexes in particular, so long as we were
-unable to free people completely from the yoke of the trades,
-guilds, and similar coercive institutions. He asked me to
-consider what the only motive would be which would induce a woman
-to surrender herself to a man, when not only the considerations
-of money, fortune, position, and family prejudices, but also the
-various influences necessarily arising from these, had
-disappeared. When I, in my turn, asked him whence he would obtain
-persons of great intellect and of artistic ability, if everybody
-were to be merged in the working classes, he met my objection by
-replying, that owing to the very fact that everybody would
-participate in the necessary labour according to his strength and
-capacity, work would cease to be a burden, and would become
-simply an occupation which would finally assume an entirely
-artistic character. He demonstrated this on the principle that,
-as had already been proved, a field, worked laboriously by a
-single peasant, was infinitely less productive than when
-cultivated by several persons in a scientific way. These and
-similar suggestions, which Rockel communicated to me with a
-really delightful enthusiasm, led me to further reflections, and
-gave birth to new plans upon which, to my mind, a possible
-organisation of the human race, which would correspond to my
-highest ideals in art, could alone be based. In reference to
-this, I immediately turned my thoughts to what was close at hand,
-and directed my attention to the theatre. The motive for this
-came not only from my own feelings, but also from external
-circumstances. In accordance with the latest democratic suffrage
-laws, a general election seemed imminent in Saxony; the election
-of extreme radicals, which had now taken place nearly everywhere
-else, showed us that if the movement lasted, there would be the
-most extraordinary changes even in the administration of the
-revenue. Apparently a general resolution had been passed to
-subject the Civil List to a strict revision; all that was deemed
-superfluous in the royal household was to be done away with; the
-theatre, as an unnecessary place of entertainment for a depraved
-portion of the public, was threatened with the withdrawal of the
-subsidy granted it from the Civil List. I now resolved, in view
-of the importance which I attached to the theatre, to suggest to
-the ministers that they should inform the members of parliament,
-that if the theatre in its present condition were not worth any
-sacrifice from the state, it would sink to still more doubtful
-tendencies--and might even become dangerous to public morals--if
-deprived of that state control which had for its aim the ideal,
-and, at the same time, felt itself called upon to place culture
-and education under its beneficial protection. It was of the
-highest importance to me to secure an organisation of the
-theatre, which would make the carrying out its loftiest ideals
-not only a possibility but also a certainty. Accordingly I drew
-up a project by which the same sum as that which was allotted
-from the Civil List for the support of a court theatre should be
-employed for the foundation and upkeep of a national theatre for
-the kingdom of Saxony. In showing the practical nature of the
-well-planned particulars of my scheme, I defined them with such
-great precision, that I felt assured my work would serve as a
-useful guide to the ministers as to how they should put this
-matter before parliament. The point now was to have a personal
-interview with one of the ministers, and it occurred to me that
-the best man to apply to in the matter would be Herr von der
-Pfordten, the Minister of Education. Although he already enjoyed
-the reputation of being a turncoat in politics, and was said to
-be struggling to efface the origin of his political promotion,
-which had taken place at a time of great agitation, the mere fact
-of his having formerly been a professor was sufficient to make me
-suppose that he was a man with whom I could discuss the question
-that I had so much at heart. I learned, however, that the real
-art institutions of the kingdom, such, for instance, as the
-Academy of Fine Arts, to whose number I so ardently desired to
-see the theatre added, belonged to the department of the Minister
-of the Interior. To this man--the worthy though not highly
-cultivated or artistic Herr Oberlander--I submitted my plans,
-not, however, without having first made myself known to Herr von
-der Pfordten, in order, for the reasons above stated, to command
-my project to him. This man, who apparently was very busy,
-received me in a polite and reassuring manner; but his whole
-bearing, indeed the very expression of his face, seemed to
-destroy all hopes I might ever have cherished of finding in him
-that understanding which I had expected. The minister Oberlander,
-on the other hand, earned my confidence by the straightforward
-earnestness with which he promised a thorough inquiry into the
-matter. Unfortunately, however, at the same time, he informed me
-with the most simple frankness, that he could entertain but very
-little hope of getting the King's authorisation for any unusual
-treatment of a question hitherto given over to routine. It must
-be understood that the relations of the King to his ministers
-were both strained and unconfidential, and that this was more
-especially so in the case of Oberlander, who never approached the
-monarch on any other business than that which the strictest
-discharge of his current duties rendered indispensable. He
-therefore thought it would be better if my plan could be brought
-forward, in the first place, by the Chamber of Deputies. As, in
-the event of the new Civil List being discussed, I was
-particularly anxious to avoid the question of the continuation of
-the court theatre being treated in the ignorant and shortsighted
-radical fashion, which was to be feared above all, I did not
-despair of making the acquaintance of some of the most
-influential among the new members of parliament. In this wise I
-found myself suddenly plunged into quite a new and strange world,
-and became acquainted with persons and opinions, the very
-existence of which until then I had not even suspected. I found
-it somewhat trying always to be obliged to meet these gentlemen
-at their beer and shrouded in the dense clouds of their tobacco
-smoke, and to have to discuss with them matters which, though
-very dear to me, must have seemed a little fantastic to their
-mind. After a certain Herr von Trutschler, a very handsome,
-energetic man, whose seriousness was almost gloomy, had listened
-to me calmly for some time, and had told me that he no longer
-knew anything about the state, but only about society, and that
-the latter would know, without either his or my aid, how it
-should act in regard to art and to the theatre, I was filled with
-such extraordinary feelings, half mingled with shame, that there
-and then I gave up, not only all my exertions, but all my hopes
-as well. The only reminder I ever had of the whole affair came
-some while, after when, on meeting Herr von Luttichau, I quickly
-gathered from his attitude to me that he had got wind of the
-episode, and that it only inspired him with fresh hostility
-towards me.
-
-During my walks, which I now took absolutely alone, I thought
-ever more deeply--and much to the relief of my mind--over my
-ideas concerning that state of human society for which the
-boldest hopes and efforts of the socialists and communists, then
-busily engaged in constructing their system, offered me but the
-roughest foundation. These efforts could begin to have some
-meaning and value for me only when they had attained to that
-political revolution and reconstruction which they aimed at; for
-it was only then that I, in my turn, could start my reforms in
-art.
-
-At the same time my thoughts were busy with a drama, in which the
-Emperor Frederick I. (surnamed 'Barbarossa') was to be the hero.
-In it the model ruler was portrayed in a manner which lent him
-the greatest and most powerful significance. His dignified
-resignation at the impossibility of making his ideals prevail was
-intended not only to present a true transcript of the arbitrary
-multifariousness of the things of this world, but also to arouse
-sympathy for the hero. I wished to carry out this drama in
-popular rhyme, and in the style of the German used by our epic
-poets of the Middle Ages, and in this respect the poem Alexander,
-by the priest Lambert, struck me as a good example; but I never
-got further with this play than to sketch its outline in the
-broadest manner possible. The five acts were planned in the
-following manner: Act i. Imperial Diet in the Roncaglian fields,
-a demonstration of the significance of imperial power which
-should extend even to the investiture of water and air; Act ii.
-the siege and capture of Milan; Act iii. revolt of Henry the Lion
-and his overthrow at Ligano; Act iv. Imperial Diet in Augsburg,
-the humiliation and punishment of Henry the Lion; Act v. Imperial
-Diet and grand court assembly at Mainz; peace with the Lombards,
-reconciliation with the Pope, acceptance of the Cross, and the
-departure for the East. I lost all interest, however, in the
-carrying out of this dramatic scheme directly I discovered its
-resemblance to the subject-matter of the Nibelungen and Siegfried
-myths, which possessed a more powerful attraction for me. The
-points of similarity which I recognised between the history and
-the legend in question then induced me to write a treatise on the
-subject; and in this I was assisted by some stimulating
-monographs (found in the royal library), written by authors whose
-names have now escaped my memory, but which taught me in a very
-attractive manner a considerable amount about the old original
-kingdom of Germany. Later on I published this fairly extensive
-essay with the title of Die Nibelungen, but in working it out I
-finally lost all inclination to elaborate the historical material
-for a real drama.
-
-In direct connection with this I began to sketch a clear summary
-of the form which the old original Nibelungen myth had assumed in
-my mind in its immediate association with the mythological legend
-of the gods--a form which, though full of detail, was yet much
-condensed in its leading features. Thanks to this work, I was
-able to convert the chief part of the material itself into a
-musical drama. It was only by degrees, however, and after long
-hesitation that I dared to enter more deeply into my plans for
-this work; for the thought of the practical realisation of such a
-work on our stage literally appalled me. I must confess that it
-required all the despair which I then felt of ever having the
-chance of doing anything more for our theatre, to give me the
-necessary courage to begin upon this new work. Until that time I
-simply allowed myself to drift, while I meditated listlessly upon
-the possibility of things pursuing their course further under the
-existing circumstances. In regard to Lohengrin, I had got to that
-point when I hoped for nothing more than the best possible
-production of it at the Dresden theatre, and felt that I should
-have to be satisfied in all respects, and for all time, if I were
-able to achieve even that. I had duly announced the completion of
-the score to Herr von Luttichau; but, in consideration of the
-unfavourable nature of my circumstances at the time, I had left
-it entirely to him to decide when my work should be produced.
-
-Meanwhile the time arrived when the keeper of the Archives of the
-Royal Orchestra called to mind that it was just three hundred
-years since this royal institution had been founded, and that a
-jubilee would therefore have to be celebrated. To this end a
-great concert festival was planned, the programme of which was to
-be made up of the compositions of all the Saxon orchestral
-conductors that had lived since the institution had been founded.
-The whole body of musicians, with both their conductors at their
-head, were first to present their grateful homage to the King in
-Pillnitz; and on this occasion a musician was, for the first
-time, to be elevated to the rank of Knight of the Civil Order of
-Merit of Saxony. This musician was my colleague Reissiger. Until
-then he had been treated by the court, and by the manager
-himself, in the most scornful manner possible, but had, owing to
-his conspicuous loyalty at this critical time, especially to me,
-found exceptional favour in the eyes of our committees. When he
-appeared before the public decorated with the wonderful order, he
-was greeted with great jubilation by the loyal audience that
-filled the theatre on the evening of the festival concert. His
-overture to Yelva was also received with a perfect uproar of
-enthusiastic applause, such as had never fallen to his lot;
-whereas the finale of the first act from Lohengrin, which was
-produced as the work of the youngest conductor, was accorded only
-an indifferent reception. This was all the more strange as I was
-quite unaccustomed to such coolness in regard to my work on the
-part of the Dresden public. Following upon the concert, there was
-a festive supper, and when this was over, as all kinds of
-speeches were being made, I freely proclaimed to the orchestra,
-in a loud and decided tone, my views as to what was desirable for
-their perfection in the future. Hereupon Marschner, who, as a
-former musical conductor in Dresden, had been invited to the
-jubilee celebrations, expressed the opinion that I should do
-myself a great deal of harm by holding too good an opinion of the
-musicians. He said I ought just to consider how uncultivated
-these people were with whom I had to deal; he pointed out that
-they were trained simply for the one instrument they played; and
-asked me whether I did not think that by discoursing to them on
-the aspirations of art I would produce not only confusion, but
-even perhaps bad blood? Far more pleasant to me than these
-festivities is the remembrance of the quiet memorial ceremony
-which united us on the morning of the Jubilee Day, with the
-object of placing wreaths on Weber's grave. As nobody could find
-a word to utter, and even Marschner was able to give expression
-only to the very driest and most trivial of speeches about the
-departed master, I felt it incumbent upon me to say a few
-heartfelt words concerning the memorial ceremony for which we
-were gathered together. This brief spell of artistic activity was
-speedily broken by fresh excitements, which kept pouring in upon
-us from the political world. The events of October in Vienna
-awakened our liveliest sympathy, and our walls daily blazed with
-red and black placards, with summonses to march on Vienna, with
-the curse of 'Red Monarchy,' as opposed to the hated 'Red
-Republic,' and with other equally startling matter. Except for
-those who were best informed as to the course of events--and who
-certainly did not swarm in our streets--these occurrences aroused
-great uneasiness everywhere. With the entry of Windischgratz into
-Vienna, the acquittal of Frobel and the execution of Blum, it
-seemed as though even Dresden were on the eve of an explosion. A
-vast demonstration of mourning was organised for Blum, with an
-endless procession through the streets. At the head marched the
-ministry, among whom the people were particularly glad to see
-Herr von der Pfordten taking a sympathetic share in the
-ceremony, as he had already become an object of suspicion to
-them. From that day gloomy forebodings of disaster grew ever more
-prevalent on every side. People even went so far as to say, with
-little attempt at circumlocution, that the execution of Blum had
-been an act of friendship on the part of the Archduchess Sophia
-to her sister, the Queen of Saxony, for during his agitation in
-Leipzig the man had made himself both hated and feared. Troops of
-Viennese fugitives, disguised as members of the student bands,
-began to arrive in Dresden, and made a formidable addition to its
-population, which from this time forth paraded the streets with
-ever-increasing confidence. One day, as I was on my way to the
-theatre to conduct a performance of Rienzi, the choir-master
-informed me that several foreign gentlemen had been asking for
-me. Thereupon half a dozen persons presented themselves, greeted
-me as a brother democrat, and begged me to procure them free
-entrance tickets. Among them I recognised a former dabbler in
-literature, a man named Hafner, a little hunchback, in a
-Calabrian hat cocked at a terrific angle, to whom I had been
-introduced by Uhl on the occasion of my visit to the Vienna
-political club. Great as was my embarrassment at this visit,
-which evidently astonished our musicians, I felt in no wise
-compelled to make any compromising admission, but quietly went to
-the booking-office, took six tickets and handed them to my
-strange visitors, who parted from me before all the world with
-much hearty shaking of hands. Whether this evening call improved
-my position as musical conductor in Dresden in the minds of the
-theatrical officials and others, may well be doubted; but, at all
-events, on no occasion was I so frantically called for after
-every act as at this particular performance of Rienzi.
-
-Indeed, at this time I seemed to have won over to my side a party
-of almost passionate adherents among the theatre-going public, in
-opposition to the clique which had shown such marked coldness on
-the occasion of the gala concert already mentioned. It mattered
-not whether Tannhauser or Rienzi were being played, I was always
-greeted with special applause; and although the political
-tendencies of this party may have given our management some cause
-for alarm, yet it forced them to regard me with a certain amount
-of awe. One day Luttichau proposed to have my Lohengrin performed
-at an early date. I explained my reasons for not having offered
-it to him before, but declared myself ready to further his
-wishes, as I considered the opera company was now sufficiently
-powerful. The son of my old friend, F. Heine, had just returned
-from Paris, where he had been sent by the Dresden management to
-study scene-painting under the artists Desplechin and Dieterle.
-By way of testing his powers, with a view to an engagement at the
-Dresden Royal Theatre, the task of preparing suitable scenery for
-this opera was entrusted to him. He had already asked permission
-to do this for Lohengrin at the instigation of Luttichau, who
-wished to call attention to my latest work. Consequently, when I
-gave my consent, young Heine's wish was granted.
-
-I regarded this turn of events with no little satisfaction,
-believing that in the study of this particular work I should find
-a wholesome and effective diversion from all the excitement and
-confusion of recent events. My horror, therefore, was all the
-greater, when young Wilhelm Heine one day came to my room with
-the news that the scenery for Lohengrin had been suddenly
-countermanded, and instructions given him to prepare for another
-opera. I did not make any remark, nor ask the reason for this
-singular behaviour. The assurances which Luttichan afterwards
-made to my wife--if they were really true--made me regret having
-laid the chief blame for this mortification at his door, and
-having thereby irrevocably alienated my sympathy from him. When
-she asked him about this many years later, he assured her that he
-had found the court vehemently hostile to me, and that his well-
-meant attempts to produce my work had met with insuperable
-obstacles.
-
-However that may have been, the bitterness I now experienced
-wrought a decisive effect upon my feelings. Not only did I
-relinquish all hope of a reconciliation with the theatre
-authorities by a splendid production of my Lohengrin, but I
-determined to turn my back for ever on the theatre, and to make
-no further attempt to meddle with its concerns. By this act I
-expressed not merely my utter indifference as to whether I kept
-my position as musical conductor or no, but my artistic ambitions
-also entirely cut me off from all possibility of ever cultivating
-modern theatrical conditions again.
-
-I at once proceeded to execute my long-cherished plans for
-Siegfried's Tod, which I had been half afraid of before. In this
-work I no longer gave a thought to the Dresden or any other court
-theatre in the world; my sole preoccupation was to produce
-something that should free me, once and for all, from this
-irrational subservience. As I could get nothing more from Rockel
-in this connection, I now corresponded exclusively with Eduard
-Devrient on matters connected with the theatre and dramatic art.
-When, on the completion of my poem, I read it to him, he listened
-with amazement, and at once realised the fact that such a
-production would be an absolute drug in the modern theatrical
-market, and he naturally could not agree to let it remain so. On
-the other hand, he tried so far to reconcile himself to my work
-as to try and make it less startling and more adapted for actual
-production. He proved the sincerity of his intentions by pointing
-out my error in asking too much of the public, and requiring it
-to supply from its own knowledge many things necessary for a
-right under-standing of my subject-matter, at which I had only
-hinted in brief and scattered suggestions. He showed me, for
-instance, that before Siegfried and Brunhilda are displayed in a
-position of bitter hostility towards each other, they ought first
-to have been presented in their true and calmer relationship. I
-had, in fact, opened the poem of SIEGFRIED'S TOD with those
-scenes which now form the first act of the GOTTERDAMMERUNG.
-The details of Siegfried's relation to Brunhilda had been merely
-outlined to the listeners in a lyrico-episodical dialogue between
-the hero's wife, whom he had left behind in solitude, and a crowd
-of Valkyries passing before her rock. To my great joy, Devrient's
-hint on this point directed my thoughts to those scenes which I
-afterwards worked out in the prologue of this drama.
-
-This and other matters of a similar nature brought me into
-intimate contact with Eduard Devrient, and made our intercourse
-much more lively and pleasant. He often invited a select circle
-of friends to attend dramatic readings at his house in which I
-gladly took part, for I found, to my surprise, that his gift for
-declamation, which quite forsook him on the stage, here stood out
-in strong relief. It was, moreover, a consolation to pour into a
-sympathetic ear my worries about my growing unpopularity with the
-director. Devrient seemed particularly anxious to prevent a
-definite breach; but of this there was little hope. With the
-approach of winter the court had returned to town, and once more
-frequented the theatre, and various signs of dissatisfaction in
-high quarters with my behaviour as conductor began to be
-manifested. On one occasion the Queen thought that I had
-conducted NORMA badly, and on another that I 'had taken the time
-wrongly' in ROBERT THE DEVIL. As Luettichau had to communicate
-these reprimands to me, it was natural that our intercourse at
-such times should hardly be of a nature to restore our mutual
-satisfaction with each other.
-
-Notwithstanding all this, it still seemed possible to prevent
-matters from coming to a crisis, though everything continued in a
-state of agitating uncertainty and fermentation. At all events
-the forces of reaction, which were holding themselves in
-readiness on every side, were not yet sufficiently certain that
-the hour of their triumph had come as not to consider it
-advisable for the present, at least, to avoid all provocation.
-Consequently our management did not meddle with the musicians of
-the royal orchestra, who, in obedience to the spirit of the
-times, had formed a union for debate and the protection of their
-artistic and civic interests. In this matter one of our youngest
-musicians, Theodor Uhlig, had been particularly active. He was a
-young man, still in his early twenties, and was a violinist in
-the orchestra. His face was strikingly mild, intelligent and
-noble, and he was conspicuous among his fellows on account of his
-great seriousness and his quiet but unusually firm character. He
-had particularly attracted my notice on several occasions by his
-quick insight and extensive knowledge of music. As I recognised
-in him a spirit keenly alert in every direction, and unusually
-eager for culture, it was not long before I chose him as my
-companion in my regular walks--a habit I still continued to
-cultivate--and on which Roeckel had hitherto accompanied me. He
-induced me to come to a meeting of this union of the orchestral
-company, in order that I might form an opinion about it, and
-encourage and support so praiseworthy a movement. On this
-occasion I communicated to its members the contents of my
-memorandum to the director, which had been rejected a year
-before, and in which I had made suggestions for reforms in the
-band, and I also explained further intentions and plans arising
-therefrom. At the same time I was obliged to confess that I had
-lost all hope of carrying out any projects of the kind through
-the general management, and must therefore recommend them to take
-the initiative vigorously into their own hands. They acclaimed
-the idea with enthusiastic approval. Although, as I have said
-before, Luettichau left these musicians unmolested in their more
-or less democratic union, yet he took care to be informed through
-spies of what took place at their highly treasonable gatherings.
-His chief instrument was a bugler named Lewy, who, much to the
-disgust of all his comrades in the orchestra, was in particularly
-high favour with the director. He consequently received precise,
-or rather exaggerated, accounts of my appearance there, and
-thought it was now high time to let me once more feel the weight
-of his authority. I was officially summoned to his presence, and
-had to listen to a long and wrathful tirade which he had been
-bottling up for some time about several matters. I also learned
-that he knew all about the plan of theatre reform which I had
-laid before the ministry. This knowledge he betrayed in a popular
-Dresden phrase, which until then I had never heard; he knew very
-well, he said, that in a memorandum respecting the theatre I had
-'made him look ridiculous' (ihm an den Laden gelegt). In answer
-to this I did not refrain from telling him how I intended to act
-in retaliation, and when he threatened to report me to the King
-and demand my dismissal, I calmly replied that he might do as he
-pleased, as I was well assured that I could rely on his Majesty's
-justice to hear, not only his charges, but also my defence.
-Moreover, I added, this was the only befitting manner for me to
-discuss with the King the many points on which I had to complain,
-not only in my own interests, but also in those of the theatre
-and of art. This was not pleasant hearing for Luttichau, and he
-asked how it was possible for him to try and co-operate with me,
-when I for my part had openly declared (to use his own
-expression) that all labour was wasted upon him (Hopfen und Malz
-verloren seien). We had at last to part with mutual shruggings of
-the shoulder. My conduct seemed to trouble my former patron, and
-he therefore enlisted the tact and moderation of Eduard Devrient
-in his service, and asked him to use his influence with me to
-facilitate some further arrangement between us. But, in spite of
-all his zeal, Devrient had to admit with a smile, after we had
-discussed his message, that nothing much could be done; and as I
-persisted in my refusal to meet the director again in
-consultation respecting the service of the theatre, he had at
-last to recognise that his own wisdom would have to help him out
-of the difficulty.
-
-Throughout the whole period during which I was fated to fill the
-post of conductor at Dresden, the effects of this dislike on the
-part of the court and the director continued to make themselves
-felt in everything. The orchestral concerts, which had been
-organised by me in the previous winter, were this year placed
-under Reissiger's control, and at once sank to the usual level of
-ordinary concerts. Public interest quickly waned, and the
-undertaking could only with difficulty be kept alive. In opera I
-was unable to carry out the proposed revival of the Fliegender
-Hollander, for which I had found in Mitterwurzer's maturer talent
-an admirable and promising exponent. My niece Johanna, whom I had
-destined for the part of Senta, did not like the role, because it
-offered little opportunity for splendid costumes. She preferred
-ZAMPA and FAVORITA, partly to please her new protector, my
-erstwhile RIENZI enthusiast, Tichatschck, partly for the sake of
-THREE BRILLIANT COSTUMES which the management had to furnish for
-each of these parts. In fact, these two ringleaders of the
-Dresden opera of that day had formed an alliance of rebellion
-against my vigorous rule in the matter of operatic repertoire.
-Their opposition, to my great discomfiture, was crowned by
-success when they secured the production of this FAVORITA of
-Donizetti's, the, arrangement of which I had once been obliged to
-undertake for Schlesinger in Paris. I had at first emphatically
-refused to have anything to do with this opera, although its
-principal part suited my niece's voice admirably, even in her
-father's judgment. But now that they knew of my feud with the
-director, and of my voluntary loss of influence, and finally of
-my evident disgrace, they thought the opportunity ripe for
-compelling me to conduct this tiresome work myself, as it
-happened to be my turn.
-
-Besides this, my chief occupation at the royal theatre during
-this period consisted in conducting Flotow's opera MARTHA, which,
-although it failed to attract the public, was nevertheless
-produced with excessive frequency, owing to its convenient cast.
-On reviewing the results of my labours in Dresden--where I had
-now been nearly seven years--I could not help feeling humiliated
-when I considered the powerful and energetic impetus I knew I had
-given in many directions to the court theatre, and I found myself
-obliged to confess that, were I now to leave Dresden, not, the
-smallest trace of my influence would remain behind. From various
-signs I also gathered that, if ever it should come to a trial
-before the King between the director and myself, even if his
-Majesty were in my favour, yet out of consideration for the
-courtier the verdict would go against me.
-
-Nevertheless, on Palm Sunday of the new year, 1849, I received
-ample amends. In order to ensure liberal receipts, our orchestra
-had again decided to produce Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Every
-one did his utmost to make this one of our finest performances,
-and the public took up the matter with real enthusiasm. Michael
-Bakunin, unknown to the police, had been present at the public
-rehearsal. At its close he walked unhesitatingly up to me in the
-orchestra, and said in a loud voice, that if all the music that
-had ever been written were lost in the expected world-wide
-conflagration, we must pledge ourselves to rescue this symphony,
-even at the peril of our lives. Not many weeks after this
-performance it really seemed as though this world-wide
-conflagration would actually be kindled in the streets of
-Dresden, and that Bakunin, with whom I had meanwhile become more
-closely associated through strange and unusual circumstances,
-would undertake the office of chief stoker.
-
-It was long before this date that I first made the acquaintance
-of this most remarkable man. For years I had come across his name
-in the newspapers, and always under extraordinary circumstances.
-He turned up in Paris at a Polish gathering, but although he was
-a Russian, he declared that it mattered little whether a man were
-a Russian or a Pole, so long as he wanted to be a free man, and
-that this was all that mattered. I heard afterwards, through
-George Herwegh, that he had renounced all his sources of income
-as a member of an influential Russian family, and that one day,
-when his entire fortune consisted of two francs, he had given
-them away to a beggar on the boulevard, because it was irksome to
-him to be bound by this possession to take any thought for the
-morrow. I was informed of his presence in Dresden one day by
-Rockel, after the latter had become a rampant republican. He had
-taken the Russian into his house, and invited me to come and make
-his acquaintance. Bakunin was at that time being persecuted by
-the Austrian government for his share in the events which took
-place in Prague in the summer of 1848, and because he was a
-member of the Slav Congress which had preceded them. He had
-consequently sought refuge in our city, as he did not wish to
-settle too far from the Bohemian frontier. The extraordinary
-sensation he had created in Prague arose from the fact that, when
-the Czechs sought the protection of Russia against the dreaded
-Germanising policy of Austria, he conjured them to defend
-themselves with fire and sword against those very Russians, and
-indeed against any other people who lived under the rule of a
-despotism like that of the Tsars. This superficial acquaintance
-with Balumin's aims had sufficed to change the purely national
-prejudices of the Germans against him into sympathy. When I met
-him, therefore, under the humble shelter of Rockel's roof, I was
-immediately struck by his singular and altogether imposing
-personality. He was in the full bloom of manhood, anywhere
-between thirty and forty years of age. Everything about him was
-colossal, and he was full of a primitive exuberance and strength.
-I never gathered that he set much store by my acquaintance.
-Indeed, he did not seem to care for merely intellectual men; what
-he demanded was men of reckless energy. As I afterwards
-perceived, theory in this case had more weight with him than
-purely personal sentiment; and he talked much and expatiated
-freely on the matter. His general mode of discussion was the
-Socratic method, and he seemed quite at his ease when, stretched
-on his host's hard sofa, he could argue discursively with a crowd
-of all sorts of men on the problems of revolution. On these
-occasions he invariably got the best of the argument. It was
-impossible to triumph against his opinions, stated as they were
-with the utmost conviction, and overstepping in every direction
-even the extremest bounds of radicalism. So communicative was he,
-that on the very first evening of our meeting he gave me full
-details about the various stages of his development, he was a
-Russian officer of high birth, but smarting under the yoke of the
-narrowest martial tyranny, he had been led by a study of
-Rousseau's writings to escape to Germany under pretence of taking
-furlough. In Berlin he had flung himself into the study of
-philosophy with all the zest of a barbarian newly awakened to
-civilisation. Hegel's philosophy was the one which was the rage
-at that moment, and he soon became such an expert in it, that he
-had been able to hurl that master's most famous disciples from
-the saddle of their own philosophy, in a thesis couched in terms
-of the strictest Hegelian dialectic. After he had got philosophy
-off his chest, as he expressed it, he proceeded to Switzerland,
-where he preached communism, and thence wandered over France and
-Germany back to the borderland of the Slav world, from which
-quarter he looked for the regeneration of humanity, because the
-Slavs had been less enervated by civilisation. His hopes in this
-respect were centred in the more strongly pronounced Slav type
-characteristic of the Russian peasant class. In the natural
-detestation of the Russian serf for his cruel oppressor the
-nobleman, he believed he could trace a substratum of simple-
-minded brotherly love, and that instinct which leads animals to
-hate the men who hunt them. In support of this idea he cited the
-childish, almost demoniac delight of the Russian people in fire,
-a quality on which Rostopschin calculated in his strategic
-burning of Moscow. He argued that all that was necessary to set
-in motion a world-wide movement was to convince the Russian
-peasant, in whom the natural goodness of oppressed human nature
-had preserved its most childlike characteristics, that it was
-perfectly right and well pleasing to God for them to burn their
-lords' castles, with everything in and about them. The least that
-could result from such a movement would be the destruction of all
-those things which, rightly considered, must appear, even to
-Europe's most philosophical thinkers, the real source of all the
-misery of the modern world. To set these destructive forces in
-action appeared to him the only object worthy of a sensible man's
-activity. (Even while he was preaching these horrible doctrines,
-Bakunin, noticing that my eyes troubled me, shielded them with
-his outstretched hand from the naked light for a full hour, in
-spite of my protestations.) This annihilation of all civilisation
-was the goal upon which his heart was set. Meanwhile it amused
-him to utilise every lever of political agitation he could lay
-hands on for the advancement of this aim, and in so doing he
-often found cause for ironical merriment. In his retreat he
-received people belonging to every shade of revolutionary
-thought. Nearest to him stood those of Slav nationality, because
-these, he thought, would be the most convenient and effective
-weapons he could use in the uprooting of Russian despotism. In
-spite of their republic and their socialism a la Proudhon, he
-thought nothing of the French, and as for the Germans, he never
-mentioned them to me. Democracy, republicanism, and anything else
-of the kind he regarded as unworthy of serious consideration.
-
-Every objection raised by those who had the slightest wish to
-reconstruct what had been demolished, he met with overwhelming
-criticism. I well remember on one occasion that a Pole, startled
-by his theories, maintained that there must be an organised state
-to guarantee the individual in the possession of the fields he
-had cultivated. 'What!' he answered; 'would you carefully fence
-in your field to provide a livelihood for the police again!' This
-shut the mouth of the terrified Pole. He comforted himself by
-saying that the creators of the new order of things would arise
-of themselves, but that our sole business in the meantime was to
-find the power to destroy. Was any one of us so mad as to fancy
-that he would survive the desired destruction? We ought to
-imagine the whole of Europe with St. Petersburg, Paris, and
-London transformed into a vast rubbish-heap. How could we expect
-the kindlers of such a fire to retain any consciousness after so
-vast a devastation? He used to puzzle any who professed their
-readiness for self-sacrifice by telling them it was not the so-
-called tyrants who were so obnoxious, but the smug Philistines.
-As a type of these he pointed to a Protestant parson, and
-declared that he would not believe he had really reached the full
-stature of a man until he saw him commit his own parsonage, with
-his wife and child, to the flames.
-
-I was all the more perplexed for a while, in the face of such
-dreadful ideas, by the fact that Bakunin in other respects proved
-a really amiable and tender-hearted man. He was fully alive to
-my own anxiety and despair with regard to the risk I ran of
-forever destroying my ideals and hopes for the future of art. It
-is true, he declined to receive any further instruction
-concerning these artistic schemes, and would not even look at my
-work on the Nibelungen saga. I had just then been inspired by a
-study of the Gospels to conceive the plan of a tragedy for the
-ideal stage of the future, entitled Jesus of Nazareth. Bakunin
-begged me to spare him any details; and when I sought to win him
-over to my project by a few verbal hints, he wished me luck, but
-insisted that I must at all costs make Jesus appear as a weak
-character. As for the music of the piece, he advised me, amid all
-the variations, to use only one set of phrases, namely: for the
-tenor, 'Off with His head!'; for the soprano, 'Hang Him!'; and
-for the basso continuo, 'Fire! fire!' And yet I felt more
-sympathetically drawn towards this prodigy of a man when I one
-day induced him to hear me play and sing the first scenes of my
-Fliegender Hollander. After listening with more attention than
-most people gave, he exclaimed, during a momentary pause, 'That
-is stupendously fine!' and wanted to hear more.
-
-As his life of permanent concealment was very dull, I
-occasionally invited him to spend an evening with me. For supper
-my wife set before him finely cut slices of sausage and meat,
-which he at once devoured wholesale, instead of spreading them
-frugally on his bread in Saxon fashion. Noticing Minna's alarm at
-this, I was guilty of the weakness of telling him how we were
-accustomed to consume such viands, whereupon he reassured me with
-a laugh, saying that it was quite enough, only he would like to
-eat what was set before him in his own way. I was similarly
-astonished at the manner in which he drank wine from our
-ordinary-sized small glasses. As a matter of fact he detested
-wine, which only satisfied his craving for alcoholic stimulants
-in such paltry, prolonged, and subdivided doses; whereas a stiff
-glass of brandy, swallowed at a gulp, at once produced the same
-result, which, after all, was only temporarily attained. Above
-all, he scorned the sentiment which seeks to prolong enjoyment by
-moderation, arguing that a true man should only strive to still
-the cravings of nature, and that the only real pleasure in life
-worthy of a man was love.
-
-These and other similar little characteristics showed clearly
-that in this remarkable man the purest impulses of an ideal
-humanity conflicted strangely with a savagery entirely inimical
-to all civilisation, so that my feelings during my intercourse
-with him fluctuated between involuntary horror and irresistible
-attraction. I frequently called for him to share my lonely
-wanderings. This he gladly did, not only for the sake of
-necessary bodily exercise, but also because he could do so in
-this part of the world without fear of meeting his pursuers. My
-attempts during our conversations to instruct him more fully
-regarding my artistic aims remained quite unavailing as long as
-we were unable to quit the field of mere discussion. All these
-things seemed to him premature. He refused to admit that out of
-the very needs of the evil present all laws for the future would
-have to be evolved, and that these, moreover, must be moulded
-upon quite different ideas of social culture. Seeing that he
-continued to urge destruction, and again destruction, I had at
-last to inquire how my wonderful friend proposed to set this work
-of destruction in operation. It then soon became clear, as I had
-suspected it would, and as the event soon proved, that with this
-man of boundless activity everything rested upon the most
-impossible hypotheses. Doubtless I, with my hopes of a future
-artistic remodelling of human society, appeared to him to be
-floating in the barren air; yet it soon became obvious to me that
-his assumptions as to the unavoidable demolition of all the
-institutions of culture were at least equally visionary. My first
-idea was that Bakunin was the centre of an international
-conspiracy; but his practical plans seem originally to have been
-restricted to a project for revolutionising Prague, where he
-relied merely on a union formed among a handful of students.
-Believing that the time had now come to strike a blow, he
-prepared himself one evening to go there. This proceeding was not
-free from danger, and he set off under the protection of a
-passport made out for an English merchant. First of all, however,
-with the view of adapting himself to the most Philistine culture,
-he had to submit his huge beard and bushy hair to the tender
-mercies of the razor and shears. As no barber was available,
-Rockel had to undertake the task. A small group of friends
-watched the operation, which had to be executed with a dull
-razor, causing no little pain, under which none but the victim
-himself remained passive. We bade farewell to Bakunin with the
-firm conviction that we should never see him again alive. But in
-a week he was back once more, as he had realised immediately what
-a distorted account he had received as to the state of things in
-Prague, where all he found ready for him was a mere handful of
-childish students. These admissions made him the butt of Rockel's
-good-humoured chaff, and after this he won the reputation among
-us of being a mere revolutionary, who was content with
-theoretical conspiracy. Very similar to his expectations from the
-Prague students were his presumptions with regard to the Russian
-people. These also afterwards proved to be entirely groundless,
-and based merely on gratuitous assumptions drawn from the
-supposed nature of things. I consequently found myself driven to
-explain the universal belief in the terrible dangerousness of
-this man by his theoretical views, as expressed here and
-elsewhere, and not as arising from any actual experience of his
-practical activity. But I was soon to become almost an eye-
-witness of the fact that his personal conduct was never for a
-moment swayed by prudence, such as one is accustomed to meet in
-those whose theories are not seriously meant. This was shortly to
-be proved in the momentous insurrection of May, 1849.
-
-The winter of this year, up to the spring of 1849, passed in a
-many-sided development of my position and temper, as I have
-described them, that is to say, in a sort of dull agitation. My
-latest artistic occupation had been the five-act drama, Jesus of
-Nazareth, just mentioned. Henceforth I lingered on in a state of
-brooding instability, full of expectation, yet without any
-definite wish. I felt fully convinced that my activity in
-Dresden, as an artist, had come to an end, and I was only waiting
-for the pressure of circumstances to shake myself free. On the
-other hand, the whole political situation, both in Saxony and the
-rest of Germany, tended inevitably towards a catastrophe. Day by
-day this drew nearer, and I flattered myself into regarding my
-own personal fate as interwoven with this universal unrest. Now
-that the powers of reaction were everywhere more and more openly
-bracing themselves for conflict, the final decisive struggle
-seemed indeed close at hand. My feelings of partisanship were not
-sufficiently passionate to make me desire to take any active
-share in these conflicts. I was merely conscious of an impulse to
-give myself up recklessly to the stream of events, no matter
-whither it might lead.
-
-Just at this moment, however, an entirely new influence forced
-itself in a most strange fashion into my fortunes, and was at
-first greeted by me with a smile of scepticism. Liszt wrote
-announcing an early production in Weimar of my Tannhauser under
-his own conductorship--the first that had taken place outside
-Dresden--and he added with great modesty that this was merely a
-fulfilment of his own personal desire. In order to ensure success
-he had sent a special invitation to Tichatschek to be his guest
-for the two first performances. When the latter returned he said
-that the production had, on the whole, been a success, which
-surprised me very much. I received a gold snuff-box from the
-Grand Duke as a keepsake, which I continued to use until the year
-1864. All this was new and strange to me, and I was still
-inclined to regard this otherwise agreeable occurrence as a
-fleeting episode, due to the friendly feeling of a great artist.
-'What does this mean for me?' I asked myself. 'Has it come too
-early or too late?' But a very cordial letter from Liszt induced
-me to visit Weimar for a few days later on, for a third
-performance of Tannhausar, which was to be carried out entirely
-by native talent, with a view to the permanent addition of this
-opera to the repertoire. For this purpose I obtained leave of
-absence from my management for the second week in May.
-
-Only a few days elapsed before the execution of this little plan;
-but they were destined to be momentous ones. On the 1st of May
-the Chambers were dissolved by the new Beust ministry, which the
-King had charged with carrying out his proposed reactionary
-policy. This event imposed upon me the friendly task of caring
-for Rockel and his family. Hitherto his position as a deputy had
-shielded him from the danger of criminal prosecution; but as soon
-as the Chambers were dissolved this protection was withdrawn, and
-he had to escape by flight from being arrested again. As I could
-do little to help him in this matter, I promised at least to
-provide for the continued publication of his popular Volksblatt,
-mainly because the proceeds from this would support his family.
-Scarcely was Rockel safely across the Bohemian frontier, while I
-was still toiling at great inconvenience to myself in the
-printer's office, in order to provide material for an issue of
-his paper, when the long-expected storm burst over Dresden.
-Emergency deputations, nightly mob demonstrations, stormy
-meetings of the various unions, and all the other signs that
-precede a swift decision in the streets, manifested themselves.
-On the 3rd May the demeanour of the crowds moving in our
-thoroughfares plainly showed that this consummation would soon be
-reached, as was undoubtedly desired. Each local deputation which
-petitioned for the recognition of the German constitution, which
-was the universal cry, was refused an audience by the government,
-and this with a peremptoriness which at last became startling. I
-was present one afternoon at a committee meeting of the
-Vaterlands-Verein, although merely as a representative of
-Rockel's Volksblatt, for whose continuance, both from economic as
-well as humane motives, I felt pledged. Here I was at once
-absorbed in watching the conduct and demeanour of the men whom
-popular favour had raised to the leadership of such unions. It
-was quite evident that events had passed beyond the control of
-these persons; more particularly were they utterly at a loss as
-to how to deal with that peculiar terrorism exerted by the lower
-classes which is always so ready to react upon the
-representatives of democratic theories. On every side I heard a
-medley of wild proposals and hesitating responses. One of the
-chief subjects under debate was the necessity of preparing for
-defence. Arms, and how to procure them, were eagerly discussed,
-but all in the midst of great disorder; and when at last they
-discovered that it was time to break up, the only impression I
-received was one of the wildest confusion. I loft the hall with a
-young painter named Kaufmann, from whose hand I had previously
-seen a series of cartoons in the Dresden Art Exhibition,
-illustrating 'The History of the Mind.' One day I had seen the
-King of Saxony standing before one of these, representing the
-torture of a heretic under the Spanish Inquisition, and observed
-him turn away with a disapproving shake of the head from so
-abstruse a subject. I was on my way home, deep in conversation
-with this man, whose pale face and troubled look betrayed that he
-foresaw the disaster that was imminent, when, just as we reached
-the Postplatz, near the fountain erected from Semper's design,
-the clang of bells from the neighbouring tower of St. Ann's
-Church suddenly sounded the tocsin of revolt. With a terrified
-cry, 'Good God, it has begun!' my companion vanished from my
-side. He wrote to me--afterwards to say that he was living as a
-fugitive in Berne, but I never saw his face again.
-
-The clang of this bell, so close at hand, made a profound
-impression upon me also. It was a very sunny afternoon, and I at
-once noticed the same phenomenon which Goethe describes in his
-attempt to depict his own sensations during the bombardment of
-Valmy. The whole square looked as though it were illuminated by a
-dark yellow, almost brown, light, such as I had once before seen
-in Magdeburg during an eclipse of the sun. My most pronounced
-sensation beyond this was one of great, almost extravagant,
-satisfaction. I felt a sudden strange longing to play with
-something hitherto regarded as dangerous and important. My first
-idea, suggested probably by the vicinity of the square, was to
-inquire at Tichatschek's house for the gun which, as an
-enthusiastic Sunday sportsman, he was accustomed to use. I only
-found his wife at home, as he was away on a holiday tour. Her
-evident terror as to what was going to happen provoked me to
-uncontrollable laughter. I advised her to lodge her husband's gun
-in a place of safety, by handing it to the committee of the
-Vaterlands-Verein in return for a receipt, as it might otherwise
-soon be requisitioned by the mob. I have since learned that my
-eccentric behaviour on this occasion, was afterwards reckoned
-against me as a serious crime. I then returned to the streets, to
-see whether anything beyond a ringing of bells and a yellowish
-eclipse of the sun might be going on in the town, I first made my
-way to the Old Market-place, where I noticed a group of men
-gathered round a vociferous orator. It was also an agreeable
-surprise to me to see Schroder-Devrient descending at the door of
-a hotel. She had just arrived from Merlin, and was keenly excited
-by the news which had reached her, that the populace had already
-been fired upon. As she had only recently seen an abortive
-insurrection crushed by arms in Berlin, she was indignant to find
-the same things happening in her 'peaceful Dresden' as she termed
-it.
-
-When she turned to me from the stolid crowd, which had
-complacently been listening to her passionate outpourings, she
-seemed relieved at finding some one to whom she could appeal to
-oppose these horrible proceedings with all his might. I met her
-on another occasion at the house of my old friend Heine, where
-she had taken refuge. When she noticed my indifference she again
-adjured me to use every possible effort to prevent the senseless,
-suicidal conflict. I heard afterwards that a charge of high
-treason on account of sedition had been brought against Schroder-
-Devrient by reason of her conduct in regard to this matter. She
-had to prove her innocence in a court of law, so as to establish
-beyond dispute her claim to the pension which she had been
-promised by contract for her many years' service in Dresden as an
-opera-singer.
-
-On the 3rd of May I betook myself direct to that quarter of the
-town where I heard unpleasant rumours of a sanguinary conflict
-having taken place. I afterwards learned that the actual cause of
-the dispute between the civil and military power had arisen when
-the watch had been changed in front of the Arsenal. At that
-moment the mob, under a bold leader, had seized the opportunity
-to take forcible possession of the armoury. A display of military
-force was made, and the crowd was fired upon by a few cannon
-loaded with grape-shot. As I approached the scene of operations
-through the Rampische Gasse, I met a company of the Dresden
-Communal Guards, who, although they were quite innocent, had
-apparently been exposed to this fire. I noticed that one of the
-citizen guards, leaning heavily on the arm of a comrade, was
-trying to hurry along, in spite of the fact that his right leg
-seemed to be dragging helplessly behind him. Some of the crowd,
-seeing the blood on the pavement behind him, shouted 'He is
-bleeding.' In the midst of this excitement I suddenly became
-conscious of the cry raised on all sides: 'To the barricades! to
-the barricades!' Driven by a mechanical impulse I followed the
-stream of people, which moved once more in the direction of the
-Town Hall in the Old Market-place. Amid the terrific tumult I
-particularly noticed a significant group stretching right across
-the street, and striding along the Rosmaringasse. It reminded me,
-though the simile was rather exaggerated, of the crowd that had
-once stood at the doors of the theatre and demanded free entrance
-to Rienzi; among them was a hunchback, who at once suggested
-Goethe's Vansen in Egmont, and as the revolutionary cry rose
-about his ears, I saw him rub his hands together in great glee
-over the long-desired ecstasy of revolt which he had realised at
-last.
-
-I recollect quite clearly that from that moment I was attracted
-by surprise and interest in the drama, without feeling any desire
-to join the ranks of the combatants. However, the agitation
-caused by my sympathy as a mere spectator increased with every
-step I felt impelled to take. I was able to press right into the
-rooms of the town council, escaping notice in the tumultuous
-crowd, and it seemed to me as if the officials were guilty of
-collusion with the mob. I made my way unobserved into the
-council-chamber; what I saw there was utter disorder and
-confusion. When night fell I wandered slowly through the hastily
-made barricades, consisting chiefly of market stalls, back to my
-house in the distant Friedrichstrasse, and next morning I again
-watched these amazing proceedings with sympathetic interest.
-
-On Thursday, 4th May, I could see that the Town Hall was
-gradually becoming the undoubted centre of the revolution. That
-section of the people who had hoped for a peaceful understanding
-with the monarch was thrown into the utmost consternation by the
-news that the King and his whole court, acting on the advice of
-his minister Beust, had left the palace, and had gone by ship
-down the Elbe to the fortress of Konigstein. In those
-circumstances the town council saw they were no longer able to
-face the situation, and thereupon took part in summoning those
-members of the Saxon Chamber who were still in Dresden. These
-latter now assembled in the Town Hall to decide what steps should
-be taken for the protection of the state. A deputation was sent
-to the ministry, but returned with the report that they were
-nowhere to be found. At the same moment news arrived from all
-sides that, in accordance with a previous compact, the King of
-Prussia's troops would advance to occupy Dresden. A general
-outcry immediately arose for measures to be adopted to prevent
-this incursion of foreign troops.
-
-Simultaneously with this, came the intelligence of the national
-uprising in Wurtemberg, where the troops themselves had
-frustrated the intentions of the government by their declaration
-of fidelity to the parliament, and the ministry had been
-compelled against their will to acknowledge the Pan-German
-Constitution. The opinion of our politicians, who were assembled
-in consultation, was that the matter might still be settled by
-peaceful means, if it were possible to induce the Saxon troops to
-take up a similar attitude, as by this means the King would at
-least be placed under the wholesome necessity of offering
-patriotic resistance to the Prussian occupation of his country.
-
-Everything seemed to depend on making the Saxon battalions in
-Dresden understand the paramount importance of their action. As
-this seemed to me the only hope of an honourable peace in this
-senseless chaos, I confess that, on this one occasion, I did
-allow myself to be led astray so far as to organise a
-demonstration which, however, proved futile.
-
-I induced the printer of Rockel's Volksblatt, which was for the
-moment at a standstill, to employ all the type he would have used
-for his next number, in printing in huge characters on strips of
-paper the words: Seid Ihr mit uns gegen fremde Truppen? ('Are you
-on our side against the foreign troops?'). Placards bearing these
-words were fixed on those barricades which it was thought would
-be the first to be assaulted, and were intended to bring the
-Saxon troops to a halt if they were commanded to attack the
-revolutionaries. Of course no one took any notice of these
-placards except intending informers. On that day nothing but
-confused negotiations and wild excitement took place which threw
-no light on the situation. The Old Town of Dresden, with its
-barricades, was an interesting enough sight for the spectators. I
-looked on with amazement and disgust, but my attention was
-suddenly distracted by seeing Bakunin emerge from his hiding-
-place and wander among the barricades in a black frockcoat. But I
-was very much mistaken in thinking he would be pleased with what
-he saw; he recognised the childish inefficiency of all the
-measures that had been taken for defence, and declared that the
-only satisfaction he could feel in the state of affairs was that
-he need not trouble about the police, but could calmly consider
-the question of going elsewhere, as he found no inducement to
-take part in an insurrection conducted in such a slovenly
-fashion. While he walked about, smoking his cigar, and making fun
-of the naivete of the Dresden revolution, I watched the Communal
-Guards assembling under arms in front of the Town Hall at the
-summons of their commandant. From the ranks of its most popular
-corps, the Schutzen-Compagnie, I was accosted by Rietschel, who
-was most anxious about the nature of the rising, and also by
-Semper. Rietschel, who seemed to think I was better informed of
-the facts than he was, assured me that he felt his position was a
-very difficult one. He said the select company to which he
-belonged was very democratic, and as his professorship at the
-Fine Arts Academy placed him in a peculiar position, he did not
-know how to reconcile the sentiments he shared with his company
-with his duty as a citizen. The word 'citizen' amused me; I
-glanced sharply at Semper and repeated the word 'citizen.'
-Semper responded with a peculiar smile, and turned away without
-further comment.
-
-The next day (Friday the 5th of May), when I again took my place
-as a passionately interested spectator of the proceedings at the
-Town Hall, events took a decisive turn. The remnant of the
-leaders of the Saxon people there assembled thought it advisable
-to constitute themselves into a provisional government, as there
-was no Saxon government in existence with which negotiations
-could be conducted. Professor Kochly, who was an eloquent
-speaker, was chosen to proclaim the new administration. He
-performed this solemn ceremony from the balcony of the Town Hall,
-facing the faithful remnant of the Communal Guards and the not
-very numerous crowd. At the same time the legal existence of the
-Pan-German Constitution was proclaimed, and allegiance to it was
-sworn by the armed forces of the nation. I recollect that these
-proceedings did not seem to me imposing, and Bakunin's reiterated
-opinion about their triviality gradually became more
-comprehensible. Even from a technical point of view these
-reflections were justified when, to my great amusement and
-surprise, Semper, in the full uniform of a citizen guard, with a
-hat bedecked with the national colours, asked for me at the Town
-Hall, and informed me of the extremely faulty construction of the
-barricades in the Wild Strufergasse and the neighbouring
-Brudergasse. To pacify his artistic conscience as an engineer I
-directed him to the office of the 'Military Commission for the
-Defence.' He followed my advice with conscientious satisfaction;
-possibly he obtained the necessary authorisation to give
-instructions for the building of suitable works of defence at
-that neglected point. After that I never saw him again in
-Dresden; but I presume that he carried out the strategic works
-entrusted to him by that committee with all the conscientiousness
-of a Michael Angelo or a Leonardo da Vinci.
-
-The rest of the day passed in continuous negotiations over the
-truce which, by arrangement with the Saxon troops, was to last
-until noon of the next day. In this business I noticed the very
-pronounced activity of a former college friend, Marschall von
-Bieberstein, a lawyer who, in his capacity as senior officer of
-the Dresden Communal Guard, distinguished himself by his
-boundless zeal amid the shouts of a mighty band of fellow-
-orators. On that day a certain Heinz, formerly a Greek colonel,
-was placed in command of the armed forces. These proceedings did
-not seem at all satisfactory to Bakunin, who put in an occasional
-appearance. While the provisional government placed all its hopes
-on finding a peaceful settlement of the conflict by moral
-persuasion, he, on the contrary, with his clear vision foresaw a
-well-planned military attack by the Prussians, and thought it
-could only be met by good strategic measures. He therefore
-urgently pressed for the acquisition of some experienced Polish
-officers who happened to be in Dresden, as the Saxon
-revolutionaries appeared to be absolutely lacking in military
-tactics. Everybody was afraid to take this course; on the other
-hand, great expectations were entertained from negotiations with
-the Frankfort States Assembly, which was on its last legs.
-Everything was to be done as far as possible in legal form. The
-time passed pleasantly enough. Elegant ladies with their
-cavaliers promenaded the barricaded streets during those
-beautiful spring evenings. It seemed to be little more than an
-entertaining drama. The unaccustomed aspect of things even
-afforded me genuine pleasure, combined with a feeling that the
-whole thing was not quite serious, and that a friendly
-proclamation from the government would put an end to it. So I
-strolled comfortably home through the numerous barricades at a
-late hour, thinking as I went of the material for a drama,
-Achilleus, with which I had been occupied for some time.
-
-At home I found my two nieces, Clara and Ottilie Brockhaus, the
-daughters of my sister Louisa. They had been living for a year
-with a governess in Dresden, and their weekly visits and
-contagious good spirits delighted me. Every one was in a high
-state of glee about the revolution; they all heartily approved of
-the barricades, and felt no scruples about desiring victory for
-their defenders. Protected by the truce, this state of mind
-remained undisturbed the whole of Friday (5th May). From all
-parts came news which led us to believe in a universal uprising
-throughout Germany. Baden and the Palatinate were in the throes
-of a revolt on behalf of the whole of Germany. Similar rumours
-came in from free towns like Breslau. In Leipzig, volunteer
-student corps had mustered contingents for Dresden, which arrived
-amid the exultation of the populace. A fully equipped defence
-department was organised at the Town Hall, and young Heine,
-disappointed like myself in his hopes of the performance of
-Lohengrin, had also joined this body. Vigorous promises of
-support came from the Saxon Erzgebirge, as well as announcements
-that armed contingents were forthcoming. Every one thought,
-therefore, that if only the Old Town were kept well barricaded,
-it could safely defy the threat of foreign occupation. Early on
-Saturday, 6th May, it was obvious that the situation was becoming
-more serious. Prussian troops had marched into the New Town, and
-the Saxon troops, which it had not been considered advisable to
-use for an attack, were kept loyal to the flag. The truce expired
-at noon, and the troops, supported by several guns, at once
-opened the attack on one, of the principal positions held by the
-people on the Neumarkt.
-
-So far I had entertained no other conviction than that the matter
-would be decided in the most summary fashion as soon as it came
-to an actual conflict, for there was no evidence in the state of
-my own feelings (or, indeed, in what I was able to gather
-independently of them) of that passionate seriousness of purpose,
-without which tests as severe as this have never been
-successfully withstood. It was irritating to me, while I heard
-the sharp rattle of fire, to be unable to gather anything of what
-was going on, and I thought by climbing the Kreuz tower I might
-get a good view. Even from this elevation I could not see
-anything clearly, but I gathered enough to satisfy myself that
-after an hour of heavy firing the advance artillery of the
-Prussian troops had retired, and had at last been completely
-silenced, their withdrawal being signalled by a loud shout of
-jubilation from the populace. Apparently the first attack had
-exhausted itself; and now my interest in what was going on began
-to assume a more and more vivid hue. To obtain information in
-greater detail I hurried back to the Town Hall. I could extract
-nothing, however, from the boundless confusion which I met, until
-at last I came upon Bakunin in the midst of the main group of
-speakers. He was able to give me an extraordinarily accurate
-account of what had happened. Information had reached
-headquarters from a barricade in the Neumarkt where the attack
-was most serious, that everything had been in a state of
-confusion there before the onslaught of the troops; thereupon my
-friend Marschall von Bieberstein, together with Leo von
-Zichlinsky, who were officers in the citizen corps, had called up
-some volunteers and conducted them to the place of danger. Kreis-
-Amtmann Heubner of Freiberg, without a weapon to defend himself,
-and with bared head, jumped immediately on to the top of the
-barricade, which had just been abandoned by all its defenders. He
-was the sole member of the provisional government to remain on
-the spot, the leaders, Todt and Tschirner, having disappeared at
-the first sign of a panic. Heubner turned round to exhort the
-volunteers to advance, addressing them in stirring words. His
-success was complete, the barricade was taken again, and a fire,
-as unexpected as it was fierce, was directed upon the troops,
-which, as I myself saw, were forced to retire. Bakunin had been
-in close touch with this action, he had followed the volunteers,
-and he now explained to me that however narrow might be the
-political views of Heubner (he belonged to the moderate Left of
-the Saxon Chamber), he was a man of noble character, at whose
-service he had immediately placed his own life.
-
-Bakunin had only needed this example to determine his own line of
-conduct; he had decided to risk his neck in the attempt and to
-ask no further questions. Heubner too was now bound to recognise
-the necessity for extreme measures, and no longer recoiled from
-any proposal on the part of Bakunin which was directed to this
-end. The military advice of experienced Polish officers was
-brought to bear on the commandant, whose incapacity had not been
-slow to reveal itself; Bakunin, who openly confessed that he
-understood nothing of pure strategy, never moved from the Town
-Hall, but remained at Heubner's side, giving advice and
-information in every direction with wonderful sangfroid. For the
-rest of the day the battle confined itself to skirmishes by
-sharpshooters from the various positions. I was itching to climb
-the Kreuz tower again, so as to get the widest possible survey
-over the whole field of action. In order to reach this tower from
-the Town Hall, one had to pass through a space which was under a
-cross-fire of rifle-shots from the troops posted in the royal
-palace. At a moment when this square was quite deserted, I
-yielded to my daring impulse, and crossed it on my way to the
-Kreuz tower at a slow pace, remembering that in such
-circumstances the young soldier is advised never to hurry,
-because by so doing he may draw the shot upon himself. On
-reaching this post of vantage I found several people who had
-gathered there, some of them driven by a curiosity like my own,
-others in obedience to an order from the headquarters of the
-revolutionaries to reconnoitre the enemy's movements. Amongst
-them I made the acquaintance of a schoolmaster called Berthold, a
-man of quiet and gentle disposition, but full of conviction and
-determination. I lost myself in an earnest philosophical
-discussion with him which extended to the widest spheres of
-religion. At the same time he showed a homely anxiety to protect
-us from the cone-shaped bullets of the Prussian sharpshooters by
-placing us ingeniously behind a barricade consisting of one of
-the straw mattresses which he had cajoled out of the warder. The
-Prussian sharpshooters were posted on the distant tower of the
-Frauenkirche, and had chosen the height occupied by us as their
-target. At nightfall I found it impossible to make up my mind to
-go home and leave my interesting place of refuge, so I persuaded
-the warder to send a subordinate to Friedrichstadt with a few
-lines to my wife, and with instructions to ask her to let me have
-some necessary provisions. Thus I spent one of the most
-extraordinary nights of my life, taking turns with Berthold to
-keep watch and sleep, close beneath the great bell with its
-terrible groaning clang, and with the accompaniment of the
-continuous rattle of the Prussian shot as it beat against the
-tower walls.
-
-Sunday (the 7th of May) was one of the most beautiful days in the
-year. I was awakened by the song of a nightingale, which rose to
-our ears from the Schutze garden close by. A sacred calm and
-peacefulness lay over the town and the wide suburbs of Dresden,
-which were visible from my point of vantage. Towards sunrise a
-mist settled upon the outskirts, and suddenly through its folds
-we could hear the music of the Marseillaise making its way
-clearly and distinctly from the district of the Tharanderstrasse.
-As the sound drew nearer and nearer, the mist dispersed, and the
-glow of the rising sun spread a glittering light upon the weapons
-of a long column which was winding its way towards the town. It
-was impossible not to feel deeply impressed at the sight of this
-continuous procession. Suddenly a perception of that element
-which I had so long missed in the German people was borne in upon
-me in all its essential freshness and vital colour. The fact that
-until this moment I had been obliged to resign myself to its
-absence, had contributed not a little to the feelings by which I
-had been swayed. Here I beheld some thousand men from the
-Erzgebirge, mostly miners, well armed and organised, who had
-rallied to the defence of Dresden. Soon we saw them march up the
-Altmarkt opposite the Town Hall, and after receiving a joyful
-welcome, bivouac there to recover from their journey.
-Reinforcements continued to pour in the whole day long, and the
-heroic achievement of the previous day now received its reward in
-the shape of a universal elevation of spirits. A change seemed to
-have been made in the plan of attack by the Prussian troops. This
-could be gathered from the fact that numerous simultaneous
-attacks, but of a less concentrated type, were made upon various
-positions. The troops which had come to reinforce us brought with
-them four small cannon, the property of a certain Herr Thade von
-Burgk, whose acquaintance I had made before on the occasion of
-the anniversary of the founding of the Dresden Choral Society,
-when he had made a speech which was well intentioned but
-wearisome to the point of being ludicrous. The recollection of
-this speech returned to me with peculiar irony, now that his
-cannon were being fired from the barricade upon the enemy. I felt
-a still deeper impression, however, when, towards eleven o'clock,
-I saw the old Opera House, in which a few weeks ago I had
-conducted the last performance of the Ninth Symphony, burst into
-flames. As I have had occasion to mention before, the danger from
-fire to which this building was exposed, full as it was with wood
-and all kind of textile fabric, and originally built only for a
-temporary purpose, had always been a subject of terror and
-apprehension to those who visited it.
-
-I was told that the Opera House had been set alight on
-strategical grounds, in order to face a dangerous attack on this
-exposed side, and also to protect the famous 'Semper' barricade
-from an overpowering surprise. From this I concluded that reasons
-of this kind act as far more powerful motives in the world than
-aesthetic considerations. For a long time men of taste had vainly
-cried aloud for abolition of this ugly building which was such an
-eyesore by the side of the elegant proportions of the Zwinger
-Gallery in its neighbourhood. In a few moments the Opera House
-(which as regards size was, it is true, an imposing edifice),
-together with its highly inflammable contents, was a vast sea of
-flames. When this reached the metal roofs of the neighbouring
-wings of the Zwinger, and enveloped them in wonderful bluish
-waves of fire, the first expression of regret made itself audible
-amongst the spectators. What a disaster! Some thought that the
-Natural History collection was in danger; others maintained that
-it was the Armoury, upon which a citizen soldier retorted that if
-such were the case, it would be a very good job if the 'stuffed
-noblemen' were burnt to cinders. But it appeared that a keen
-sense of the value of art knew how to curb the fire's lust for
-further dominion, and, as a matter of fact, it did but little
-damage in that quarter. Finally our post of observation, which
-until now had remained comparatively quiet, was filled itself
-with swarms and swarms of armed men, who had been ordered thither
-to defend the approach from the church to the Altmarkt, upon
-which an attack was feared from the side of the ill-secured
-Kreuzgasse. Unarmed men were now in the way; moreover, I had
-received a message from my wife summoning me home after the long
-and terrible anxiety she had suffered.
-
-At last, after meeting with innumerable obstacles and overcoming
-a host of difficulties, I succeeded, by means of all sorts of
-circuitous routes, in reaching my remote suburb, from which I was
-cut off by the fortified portions of the town, and especially by
-a cannonade directed from the Zwinger. My lodgings were full to
-overflowing with excited women who had collected round Minna;
-among them the panic-stricken wife of Rockel, who suspected her
-husband of being in the very thick of the fight, as she thought
-that on the receipt of the news that Dresden had risen he would
-probably have returned. As a matter of fact, I had heard a rumour
-that Rockel had arrived on this very day, but as yet I had not
-obtained a glimpse of him. My young nieces helped once more to
-raise my spirits. The firing had put them into a high state of
-glee, which to some extent infected my wife, as soon as she was
-reassured as to my personal safety. All of them were furious with
-the sculptor Hanel, who had never ceased insisting upon the
-expedience of bolting the house to prevent an entry of the
-revolutionaries. All the women without exception were joking
-about his abject terror at the sight of some men armed with
-scythes who had appeared in the street In this way Sunday passed
-like a sort of family jollification.
-
-On the following morning (Monday, 8th May) I tried again to get
-information as to the state of affairs by forcing my way to the
-Town Hall from my house, which was cut off from the place of
-action. As in the course of my journey I was making my way over
-a barricade near St. Ann's Church, one of the Communal Guard
-shouted out to me, 'Hullo, conductor, your der Freude schoner
-Gotterfunken [Footnote: These words refer to the opening of the
-Ninth Symphony chorus: 'Freude, Freude, Freude, schoner
-gotterfunken Tochter aus Elysium'--(Praise her, praise oh praise
-Joy, the god-descended daughter of Elysium.) English version by
-Natalia Macfarren.--Editor.] has indeed set fire to things. The
-rotten building is rased to the ground.' Obviously the man was an
-enthusiastic member of the audience at my last performance of the
-Ninth Symphony. Coming upon me so unexpectedly, this pathetic
-greeting filled me with a curious sense of strength and freedom.
-A little further on, in a lonely alley in the suburb of Plauen, I
-fell in with the musician Hiebendahl, the first oboist in the
-royal orchestra, and a man who still enjoyed a very high
-reputation; he was in the uniform of the Communal Guards, but
-carried no gun, and was chatting with a citizen in a similar
-costume. As soon as he saw me, he felt he must immediately make
-an appeal to me to use my influence against Rockel, who,
-accompanied by ordnance officers of the revolutionary party, was
-instituting a search for guns in this quarter. As soon as he
-realised that I was making sympathetic inquiries about Rockel, he
-drew back frightened, and said to me in tones of the deepest
-anxiety: 'But, conductor, have you no thought for your position,
-and what you may lose by exposing yourself in this fashion?' This
-remark had the most drastic effect upon me; I burst into a loud
-laugh, and told him that my position was not worth a thought one
-way or the other. This indeed was the expression of my real
-feelings, which had long been suppressed, and now broke out into
-almost jubilant utterance. At that moment I caught sight of
-Rockel, with two men of the citizen army who were carrying some
-guns, making his way towards me. He gave me a most friendly
-greeting, but turned at once to Hiebendahl and his companion and
-asked him why he was idling about here in uniform instead of
-being at his post. When Hiebendahl made the excuse that his gun
-had been requisitioned, Rockel cried out to him, 'You're a fine
-lot of fellows!' and went away laughing. He gave me a brief
-account as we proceeded of what had happened to him since I had
-lost sight of him, and thus spared me the obligation of giving
-him a report of his Volksblatt. We were interrupted by an
-imposing troop of well-armed young students of the gymnasium who
-had just entered the city and wished to have a safe conduct to
-their place of muster. The sight of these serried ranks of
-youthful figures, numbering several hundreds, who were stepping
-bravely to their duty, did not fail to make the most elevating
-impression upon me. Rockel undertook to accompany them over the
-barricade in safety to the mastering place in front of the Town
-Hall. He took the opportunity of lamenting the utter absence of
-true spirit which he had hitherto encountered in those in
-command. He had proposed, in case of extremity, to defend the
-most seriously threatened barricades by tiring them with pitch
-brands; at the mere word the provisional government had fallen
-into a veritable state of panic. I let him go his way in order
-that I might enjoy the privilege of a solitary person and reach
-the Town Hall by a short cut, and it was not until thirteen years
-later that I again set eyes upon him.
-
-In the Town Hall I learned from Bakunin that the provisional
-government had passed a resolution, on his advice, to abandon the
-position in Dresden, which had been entirely neglected from the
-beginning, and was consequently quite untenable for any length of
-time. This resolution proposed an armed retreat to the Erzgebirge,
-where it would be possible to concentrate the reinforcements
-pouring in from all sides, especially from Thuringia, in such
-strength, that the advantageous position could be used to
-inaugurate a German civil war that would sound no hesitating note
-at its outset. To persist in defending isolated barricaded
-streets in Dresden could, on the other hand, lend little but the
-character of an urban riot to the contest, although it was
-pursued with the highest courage. I must confess that this idea
-seemed to me magnificent and full of meaning. Up to this moment I
-had been moved only by a feeling of sympathy for a method of
-procedure entered upon at first with almost ironical incredulity,
-and then pursued with the vigour of surprise. Now, however, all
-that had before seemed incomprehensible, unfolded itself before
-my vision in the form of a great and hopeful solution. Without
-either feeling that I was in any way being compelled, or that it
-was my vocation to get some part or function allotted to me in
-these events, I now definitely abandoned all consideration for my
-personal situation, and determined to surrender myself to the
-stream of developments which flowed in the direction towards
-which my feelings had driven me with a delight that was full of
-despair. Still, I did not wish to leave my wife helpless in
-Dresden, and I rapidly devised a means of drawing her into the
-path which I had chosen, without immediately informing her of
-what my resolve meant. During my hasty return to Friedrichstadt I
-recognised that this portion of the town had been almost entirely
-cut off from the inner city by the occupation of the Prussian
-troops; I saw in my mind's eye our own suburb occupied, and the
-consequences of a state of military siege in their most repulsive
-light. It was an easy job to persuade Minna to accompany me on a
-visit, by way of the Tharanderstrasse, which was still free, to
-Chemnitz, where my married sister Clara lived. It was only a
-matter of a moment for her to arrange her household orders, and
-she promised to follow me to the next village in an hour with the
-parrot. I went on in advance with my little dog Peps, in order to
-hire a carriage in which to proceed on our journey to Chemnitz.
-It was a smiling spring morning when I traversed for the last
-time the paths I had so often trod on my lonely walks, with the
-knowledge that I should never wander along them again. While the
-larks were soaring to dizzy heights above my head, and singing in
-the furrows of the fields, the light and heavy artillery did not
-cease to thunder down the streets of Dresden. The noise of this
-shooting, which had continued uninterruptedly for several days,
-had hammered itself so indelibly upon my nerves, that it
-continued to re-echo for a long time in my brain; just as the
-motion of the ship which took me to London had made me stagger
-for some time afterwards. Accompanied by this terrible music, I
-threw my parting greeting to the towers of the city that lay
-behind me, and said to myself with a smile, that if, seven years
-ago, my entry had taken place under thoroughly obscure auspices,
-at all events my exit was conducted with some show of pomp and
-ceremony.
-
-When at last I found myself with Minna in a one-horse carriage on
-the way to the Erzgebirge, we frequently met armed reinforcements
-on their way to Dresden. The sight of them always kindled an
-involuntary joy in us; even my wife could not refrain from
-addressing words of encouragement to the men; at present it
-seemed not a single barricade had been lost. On the other hand, a
-gloomy impression was made upon us by a company of regulars which
-was making its way towards Dresden in silence. We asked some of
-them whither they were bound; and their answer, 'To do their
-duty,' had been obviously impressed upon them by command. At last
-we reached my relations in Chemnitz. I terrified all those near
-and dear to me when I declared my intention to return to Dresden
-on the following day at the earliest possible hour, in order to
-ascertain how things were going there. In spite of all attempts
-to dissuade me, I carried out my decision, pursued by a suspicion
-that I should meet the armed forces of the Dresden people on the
-country highroad in the act of retreat. The nearer I approached
-the capital, the stronger became the confirmation of the rumours
-that, as yet, there was no thought in Dresden of surrender or
-withdrawal, but that, on the contrary, the contest was proving
-very favourable for the national party. All this appeared to me
-like one miracle after another. On this day, Tuesday, 9th of May,
-I once more forced my way in a high state of excitement over
-ground which had become more and more inaccessible. All the
-highways had to be avoided, and it was only possible to make
-progress through such houses as had been broken through. At last
-I reached the Town Hall in the Altstadt, just as night was
-falling. A truly terrible spectacle met my eyes, for I crossed
-those parts of the town in which preparations had been made for a
-house-to-house fight. The incessant groaning of big and small
-guns reduced to an uncanny murmur all the other sounds that came
-from armed men ceaselessly crying out to one another from
-barricade to barricade, and from one house to another, which they
-had broken through. Pitch brands burnt here and there, pale-faced
-figures lay prostrate around the watch-posts, half dead with
-fatigue, and any unarmed wayfarer forcing a path for himself was
-sharply challenged. Nothing, however, that I have lived through
-can be compared with the impression that I received on my entry
-into the chambers of the Town Hall. Here was a gloomy, and yet
-fairly compact and serious mass of people; a look of unspeakable
-fatigue was upon all faces; not a single voice had retained its
-natural tone. There was a hoarse jumble of conversation inspired
-by a state of the highest tension. The only familiar sight that
-survived was to be found in the old servants of the Town Hall in
-their curious antiquated uniform and three-cornered hats. These
-tall men, at other times an object of considerable fear, I found
-engaged partly in buttering pieces of bread, and cutting slices
-of ham and sausage, and partly in piling into baskets immense
-stores of provisions for the messengers sent by the defenders of
-the barricades for supplies. These men had turned into veritable
-nursing mothers of the revolution.
-
-As I proceeded further, I came at last upon the members of the
-provisional government, among whom Todt and Tschirner, after
-their first panic-stricken flight, were once more to be found
-gliding to and fro, gloomy as spectres, now that they were
-chained to the performance of their heavy duties. Heubner alone
-had preserved his full energy; but he was a really piteous sight:
-a ghostly fire burned in his eyes which had not had a wink of
-sleep for seven nights. He was delighted to see me again, as he
-regarded my arrival as a good omen for the cause which he was
-defending; while on the other hand, in the rapid succession of
-events, he had come into contact with elements about which no
-conclusion could shape itself to his complete satisfaction. I
-found Bakunin's outlook undisturbed, and his attitude firm and
-quiet. He did not show the smallest change in his appearance, in
-spite of having had no sleep during the whole time, which I
-afterwards heard was a fact. With a cigar in his mouth he
-received me, seated on one of the mattresses which lay
-distributed over the floor of the Town Hall. At his side was a
-very young Pole (a Galician) named Haimberger, a violinist whom
-he had once asked me to recommend to Lipinsky, in order that he
-might give him lessons, as he did not want this raw and
-inexperienced boy, who had become passionately attached to him,
-to get drawn into the vortex of the present upheavals. Now that
-Haimberger had shouldered a gun, and presented himself for
-service at the barricades, however, Bakunin had greeted him none
-the less joyfully. He had drawn him down to sit by his side on
-the couch, and every time the youth shuddered with fear at the
-violent sound of the cannon-shot, he slapped him vigorously on
-the back and cried out: 'You are not in the company of your
-fiddle here, my friend. What a pity you didn't stay where you
-were!' Bakinin then gave me a short and precise account of what
-had happened since I had left him on the previous morning. The
-retreat which had then been decided upon soon proved unadvisable,
-as it would have discouraged the numerous reinforcements which
-had already arrived on that day. Moreover, the desire for
-fighting had been so great, and the force of the defenders so
-considerable, that it had been possible to oppose the enemy's
-troops successfully so far. But as the latter had also got large
-reinforcements, they again had been able to make an effective
-combined attack on the strong Wildstruf barricade. The Prussian
-troops had avoided fighting in the streets, choosing instead the
-method of fighting from house to house by breaking through the
-walls. This had made it clear that all defence by barricades had
-become useless, and that the enemy would succeed slowly but
-surely in drawing near the Town Hall, the seat of the provisional
-government. Bakunin had now proposed that all the powder stores
-should be brought together in the lower rooms of the Town Hall,
-and that on the approach of the enemy it should be blown up. The
-town council, who were still in consultation in a back room, had
-remonstrated with the greatest vehemence. Bakunin, however, had
-insisted with great firmness on the execution of the measure, but
-in the end had been completely outwitted by the removal of all
-the powder stores. Moreover, Heubner, to whom Bakunin could
-refuse nothing, had been won over to the other side. It was now
-decided that as everything was ready, the retreat to the
-Erzgebirge, which had originally been intended for the previous
-day, should be fixed for the early morrow. Young Zichlinsky had
-already received orders to cover the road to Plauen so as to make
-it strategically safe. When I inquired after Rockel, Bakunin
-replied swiftly that he had not been seen since the previous
-evening, and that he had most likely allowed himself to be
-caught: he was in such a nervous state. I now gave an account of
-what I had observed on my way to and from Chemnitz, describing
-the great masses of reinforcements, amongst which was the
-communal guard of that place, several thousands strong. In
-Freiberg I had met four hundred reservists, who had come in
-excellent form to back the citizen army, but could not proceed
-further, as they were tired out by their forced march. It seemed
-obvious that this was a case in which the necessary energy to
-requisition wagons had been lacking, and that if the bounds of
-loyalty were transgressed in this matter, the advent of fresh
-forces would be considerably promoted. I was begged to make my
-way back at once, and convey the opinion of the provisional
-government to the people whose acquaintance I had made. My old
-friend Marschall von Bieberstein immediately proposed to
-accompany me. I welcomed his offer, as he was an officer of the
-provisional government, and was consequently more fitted than I
-was to communicate orders. This man, who had been almost
-extravagant in his enthusiasm before, was now utterly exhausted
-by sleeplessness, and unable to emit another word from his hoarse
-throat. He now made his way with me from the Town Hall to his
-house in the suburb of Plauen by the devious ways that had been
-indicated to us, in order to requisition a carriage for our
-purpose from a coachman he knew, and to bid farewell to his
-family, from whom he assumed he would in all probability have to
-separate himself for some time.
-
-While we were waiting for the coachman we had tea and supper,
-talking the while, in a fairly calm and composed manner, with the
-ladies of the house. We arrived at Freiberg early the following
-morning, after various adventures, and I set out forthwith to
-find the leaders of the reservist contingent with whom I was
-already acquainted. Marschall advised them to requisition horses
-and carts in the villages wherever they could do so. When they
-had all set off in marching order for Dresden, and while I was
-feeling impelled by my passionate interest in the fate of that
-city to return to it once more, Marschall conceived the desire to
-carry his commission further afield, and for this purpose asked
-to be allowed to leave me. Whereupon I again turned my back on
-the heights of the Erzgebirge, and was travelling by special
-coach in the direction of Tharand, when I too was overcome with
-sleep, and was only awakened by violent shouts and the sound of
-some one holding a parley with the postillion. On opening my eyes
-I found, to my astonishment, that the road was filled with armed
-revolutionaries marching, not towards, but away from Dresden, and
-some of them were trying to commandeer the coach to relieve their
-weariness on the way back.
-
-'What is the matter?' I cried. 'Where are you going?'
-
-'Home,' was the reply. 'It is all over in Dresden. The provincial
-government is close behind us in that carriage down there.'
-
-I shot out of the coach like a dart, leaving it at the disposal
-of the tired men, and hurried on, down the steeply sloping road,
-to meet the ill-fated party. And there I actually found them--
-Heubner, Bakunin, and Martin, the energetic post-office clerk,
-the two latter armed with muskets--in a smart hired carriage from
-Dresden which was coming slowly up the hill. On the box were, as
-I supposed, the secretaries, while as many as possible of the
-weary National Guard struggled for seats behind. I hastened to
-swing myself into the coach, and so came in for a conversation
-which thereupon took place between the driver, who was also the
-owner of the coach, and the provisional government. The man was
-imploring them to spare his carriage, which, he said, was very
-lightly sprung and quite unequal to carrying such a load; he
-begged that the people should be told not to seat themselves
-behind and in front. But Bakunin remained quite unconcerned, and
-elected to give me a short account of the retreat from Dresden,
-which had been successfully achieved without loss. He had had the
-trees in the newly planted Maximilian Avenue felled early in the
-morning to form a barricade against a possible flank attack of
-cavalry, and had been immensely entertained by the lamentations
-of the inhabitants, who during the process did nothing but bewail
-their Scheene Beeme. [FOOTNOTE: Saxon corruption of schtine
-Bourne, beautiful trees.--EDITOR.] All this time our driver's
-lamentations over his coach were growing more importunate.
-Finally he broke into loud sobs and tears, upon which Bakunin,
-regarding him with positive pleasure, called out: 'The tears of a
-Philistine are nectar for the gods.' He would not vouchsafe him a
-word, but Heubner and I found the scene tiresome, whereupon he
-asked me whether we two at least should not get out, as he could
-not ask it of the others. As a matter of fact, it was high time
-to leave the coach, as some new contingents of revolutionaries
-had formed up in rank and file all along the highway to salute
-the provisional government and receive orders. Heubner strode
-down the line with great dignity, acquainted the leaders with the
-state of affairs, and exhorted them to keep their trust in the
-righteousness of the cause for which so many had shed their
-blood. All were now to retire to Freiberg, there to await further
-orders.
-
-A youngish man of serious mien now stepped forward from the ranks
-of the rebels to place himself under the special protection of
-the provisional government. He was a certain Menzdorff, a German
-Catholic priest whom I had had the advantage of meeting in
-Dresden. (It was he who, in the course of a significant
-conversation, had first induced me to read Feuerbach.) He had
-been dragged along as a prisoner and abominably treated by the
-Chemnitz municipal guard on this particular march, having
-originally been the instigator of a demonstration to force that
-body to take up arms and march to Dresden. He owed his freedom
-only to the chance meeting with other better disposed volunteer
-corps. We saw this Chemnitz town guard ourselves, stationed far
-away on a hill. They sent representatives to beseech Heubner to
-tell them how things stood. When they had received the
-information required, and had been told that the fight would be
-continued in a determined manner, they invited the provisional
-government to quarter at Chemnitz. As soon as they rejoined their
-main body we saw them wheel round and turn back.
-
-With many similar interruptions the somewhat disorganised
-procession reached Freiberg. Here some friends of Heubner's came
-to meet him in the streets with the urgent request not to plunge
-their native place into the misery of desperate street-fighting
-by establishing the provisional government there. Heubner made no
-reply to this, but requested Bakunin and myself to accompany him
-into his house for a consultation. First we had to witness the
-painful meeting between Heubner and his wife; in a few words he
-pointed out the gravity and importance of the task assigned to
-him, reminding her that it was for Germany and the high destiny
-of his country that he was staking his life.
-
-Breakfast was then prepared, and after the meal, during which a
-fairly cheerful mood prevailed, Heubner made a short speech to
-Bakunin, speaking quietly but firmly. 'My dear Bakunin,' he said
-(his previous acquaintance with Bakunin was so slight that he did
-not even know how to pronounce his name), 'before we decide
-anything further, I must ask you to state clearly whether your
-political aim is really the Red Republic, of which they tell me
-you are a partisan. Tell me frankly, so that I may know if I can
-rely on your friendship in the future?'
-
-Bakunin explained briefly that he had no scheme for any political
-form of government, and would not risk his life for any of them.
-As for his own far-reaching desires and hopes, they had nothing
-whatever to do with the street-fighting in Dresden and all that
-this implied for Germany. He had looked upon the rising in
-Dresden as a foolish, ludicrous movement until he realised the
-effect of Heubner's noble and courageous example. From that
-moment every political consideration and aim had been put in the
-background by his sympathy with this heroic attitude, and he had
-immediately resolved to assist this excellent man with all the
-devotion and energy of a friend. He knew, of course, that he
-belonged to the so-called moderate party, of whose political
-future he was not able to form an opinion, as he had not profited
-much by his opportunities of studying the position of the various
-parties in Germany.
-
-Heubner declared himself satisfied by this reply, and proceeded
-to ask Bakunin's opinion of the present state of things--whether
-it would not be conscientious and reasonable to dismiss the men
-and give up a struggle which might be considered hopeless. In
-reply Bakunin insisted, with his usual calm assurance, that
-whoever else threw up the sponge, Heubner must certainly not do
-so. He had been the first member of the provisional government,
-and it was he who had given the call to arms. The call had been
-obeyed, and hundreds of lives had been sacrificed; to scatter the
-people again would look as if these sacrifices had been made to
-idle folly. Even if they were the only two left, they still ought
-not to forsake their posts. If they went under their lives might
-be forfeit, but their honour must remain unsullied, so that a
-similar appeal in the future might not drive every one to
-despair.
-
-This was quite enough for Heubner. He at once made out a summons
-for the election of a representative assembly for Saxony, to be
-held at Chemnitz. He thought that, with the assistance of the
-populace and of the numerous insurgent bands who were arriving
-from all quarters, he would be able to hold the town as the
-headquarters of a provisional government until the general
-situation in Germany had become more settled. In the midst of
-these discussions, Stephan Born walked into the room to report
-that he had brought the armed bands right into Freiberg, in good
-order and without any losses. This young man was a compositor who
-had contributed greatly to Heubner's peace of mind during the
-last three days in Dresden by taking over the chief command. His
-simplicity of manner made a very encouraging impression on us,
-particularly when we heard his report. When, however, Heubner
-asked whether he would undertake to defend Freiberg against the
-troops which might be expected to attack at any moment, he
-declared that this was an experienced officer's job, and that he
-himself was no soldier and knew nothing of strategy. Under these
-circumstances it seemed better, if only to gain time, to fall
-back on the more thickly populated town of Chemnitz. The first
-thing to be done, however, was to see that the revolutionaries,
-who were assembled in large numbers at Freiberg, were properly
-cared for, and Born went off immediately to make preliminary
-arrangements. Heubner also took leave of us, and went to refresh
-his tired brain by an hour's sleep. I was left alone on the sofa
-with Bakunin, who soon fell towards me, overcome by irresistible
-drowsiness, and dropped the terrific weight of his head on to my
-shoulder. As I saw that he would not wake if I shook off this
-burden, I pushed him aside with some difficulty, and took leave
-both of the sleeper and of Heubner's house; for I wished to see
-for myself, as I had done for many days past, what course these
-extraordinary events were taking. I therefore went to the Town
-Hall, where I found the townspeople entertaining to the best of
-their ability a blustering horde of excited revolutionaries both
-within and without the walls. To my surprise, I found Heubner
-there in the full swing of work. I thought he was asleep at home,
-but the idea of leaving the people even for an hour without a
-counsellor had driven away all thought of rest. He had lost no
-time in superintending the organisation of a sort of commandant's
-office, and was again occupied with drafting and signing
-documents in the midst of the uproar that raged on all sides. It
-was not long before Bakunin too put in an appearance, principally
-in search of a good officer--who was not, however, forthcoming.
-The commandant of a large contingent from the Vogtland, an oldish
-man, raised Bakunin's hopes by the impassioned energy of his
-speeches, and he would have had him appointed commandant-general
-on the spot. But it seemed as if any real decision were
-impossible in that frenzy and confusion, and as the only hope of
-mastering it seemed to be in reaching Chemnitz, Heubner gave the
-order to march on towards that town as soon as every one had had
-food. Once this was settled, I told my friends I should go on in
-advance of their column to Chemnitz, where I should find them
-again next day; for I longed to be quit of this chaos. I actually
-caught the coach, the departure of which was fixed for that time,
-and obtained a seat in it. But the revolutionaries were just
-marching off on the same road, and we were told that we must wait
-until they had passed to avoid being caught in the whirlpool.
-This meant considerable delay, and for a long while I watched the
-peculiar bearing of the patriots as they marched out. I noticed
-in particular a Vogtland regiment, whose marching step was fairly
-orthodox, following the beat of a drummer who tried to vary the
-monotony of his instrument in an artistic manner by hitting the
-wooden frame alternately with the drumhead. The unpleasant
-rattling tone thus produced reminded me in ghostly fashion of the
-rattling of the skeletons' bones in the dance round the gallows
-by night which Berlioz had brought home to my imagination with
-such terrible realism in his performance of the last movement of
-his Sinfonie Fantastique in Paris.
-
-Suddenly the desire seized me to look up the friends I had left
-behind, and travel to Chemnitz in their company if possible. I
-found they had quitted the Town Hall, and on reaching Heubner's
-house I was told that he was asleep. I therefore went back to the
-coach, which, however, was still putting off its departure, as
-the road was blocked with troops. I walked nervously up and down
-for some time, then, losing faith in the journey by coach, I went
-back again to Heubner's house to offer myself definitely as a
-travelling companion. But Heubner and Bakunin had already left
-home, and I could find no traces of them. In desperation I
-returned once more to the coach, and found it by this time really
-ready to start. After various delays and adventures it brought me
-late at night to Chemnitz, where I got out and betook myself to
-the nearest inn. At five o'clock the next morning I got up (after
-a few hours' sleep) and set out to find my brother-in-law
-Wolfram's house, which was about a quarter of an hour's walk from
-the town. On the way I asked a sentinel of the town guard whether
-he knew anything about the arrival of the provisional government.
-
-'Provisional government?' was the reply. 'Why, it's all up with
-that.' I did not understand him, nor was I able to learn anything
-about the state of things when I first reached the house of my
-relatives, for my brother-in-law had been sent into the town as
-special constable. It was only on his return home, lute in the
-afternoon, that I heard what had taken place in one hotel at
-Chemnitz while I had been resting in another inn. Heubner,
-Bakunin, and the man called Martin, whom I have mentioned
-already, had, it seemed, arrived before me in a hackney-coach at
-the gates of Chemnitz. On being asked for their names Heubner had
-announced himself in a tone of authority, and had bidden the town
-councillors come to him at a certain hotel. They had no sooner
-reached the hotel than they all three collapsed from excessive
-fatigue. Suddenly the police broke into the room and arrested
-them in the name of the local government, upon which they only
-begged to have a few hours' quiet sleep, pointing out that flight
-was out of the question in their present condition. I heard
-further that they had been removed to Altenburg under a strong
-military escort. My brother-in-law was obliged to confess that
-the Chemnitz municipal guard, which had been forced to start for
-Dresden much against its will, and had resolved at the very
-outset to place itself at the disposal of the royal forces on
-arriving there, had deceived Heubner by inviting him to Chemnitz,
-and had lured him into the trap. They had reached Chemnitz long
-before Heubner, and had taken over the guard at the gates with
-the object of seeing him arrive and of preparing for his arrest
-at once. My brother-in-law had been very anxious about me too, as
-he had been told in furious tones by the leaders of the town
-guard that I had been seen in close association with the
-revolutionaries. He thought it a wonderful intervention of
-Providence that I had not arrived at Chemnitz with them and gone
-to the same inn, in which case their fate would certainly have
-been mine. The recollection of my escape from almost certain
-death in duels with the most experienced swordsmen in my student
-days flashed across me like a flash of lightning. This last
-terrible experience made such an impression on me that I was
-incapable of breathing a word in connection with what had
-happened. My brother-in-law, in response to urgent appeals--from
-my wife in particular, who was much concerned for my personal
-safety--undertook to convey me to Altenburg in his carriage by
-night. From there I continued my journey by coach to Weimar,
-where I had originally planned to spend my holidays, little
-thinking that I should arrive by such devious ways.
-
-The dreamy unreality of my state of mind at this time is best
-explained by the apparent seriousness with which, on meeting
-Liszt again, I at once began to discuss what seemed to be the
-sole topic of any real interest to him in connection with me--the
-forthcoming revival of Tannhauser at Weimar. I found it very
-difficult to confess to this friend that I had not left Dresden
-in the regulation way for a conductor of the royal opera. To tell
-the truth, I had a very hazy conception of the relation in which
-I stood to the law of my country (in the narrow sense). Had I
-done anything criminal in the eye of the law or not? I found it
-impossible to come to any conclusion about it. Meanwhile,
-alarming news of the terrible conditions in Dresden continued to
-pour into Weimar. Genast, the stage manager, in particular,
-aroused great excitement by spreading the report that Rockel, who
-was well known at Weimar, had been guilty of arson. Liszt must
-soon have gathered from my conversation, in which I did not take
-the trouble to dissimulate, that I too was suspiciously connected
-with these terrible events, though my attitude with regard to
-them misled him for some time. For I was not by any means
-prepared to proclaim myself a combatant in the recent fights, and
-that for reasons quite other than would have seemed valid in the
-eyes of the law. My friend was therefore encouraged in his
-delusion by the unpremeditated effect of my attitude. When we met
-at the house of Princess Caroline of Wittgenstein, to whom I had
-been introduced the year before when she paid her flying visit to
-Dresden, we were able to hold stimulating conversations on all
-sorts of artistic topics. One afternoon, for instance, a lively
-discussion sprang up from a description I had given of a tragedy
-to be entitled Jesus of Nazareth. Liszt maintained a discreet
-silence after I had finished, whereas the Princess protested
-vigorously against my proposal to bring such a subject on to the
-stage. From the lukewarm attempt I made to support the
-paradoxical theories I had put forward, I realised the state of
-my mind at that time. Although it was not very evident to
-onlookers, I had been, and still was, shaken to the very depths
-of my being by my recent experiences.
-
-In due course an orchestral rehearsal of Tannhauser took place,
-which in various ways stimulated the artist in me afresh. Liszt's
-conducting, though mainly concerned with the musical rather than
-the dramatic side, filled me for the first time with the
-flattering warmth of emotion roused by the consciousness of being
-understood by another mind in full sympathy with my own. At the
-same time I was able, in spite of my dreamy condition, to observe
-critically the standard of capacity exhibited by the singers and
-their chorus-master. After the rehearsal I, together with the
-musical director, Stohr, and Gotze the singer, accepted Liszt's
-invitation to a simple dinner, at a different inn from the one
-where he lived. I thus had occasion to take alarm at a trait in
-his character which was entirely new to me. After being stirred
-up to a certain pitch of excitement his mood became positively
-alarming, and he almost gnashed his teeth in a passion of fury
-directed against a certain section of society which had also
-aroused my deepest indignation. I was strongly affected by this
-strange experience with this wonderful man, but I was unable to
-see the association of ideas which had led to his terrible
-outburst. I was therefore left in a state of amazement, while
-Liszt had to recover during the night from a violent attack of
-nerves which his excitement had produced. Another surprise was in
-store for me the next morning, when I found my friend fully
-equipped for a journey to Karlsruhe--the circumstances which made
-it necessary being absolutely incomprehensible to me. Liszt
-invited Director Stohr and myself to accompany him as far as
-Eisenach. On our way there we were stopped by Beaulieu, the Lord
-Chamberlain, who wished to know whether I was prepared to be
-received by the Grand Duchess of Weimar, a sister of the Emperor
-Nicolas, at Eisenach castle. As my excuse on the score of
-unsuitable travelling costume was not admitted, Liszt accepted in
-my name, and I really met with a surprisingly kind reception that
-evening from the Grand Duchess, who chatted with me in the
-friendliest way, and introduced me to her chamberlain with all
-due ceremony. Liszt maintained afterwards that his noble
-patroness had been informed that I should be wanted by the
-authorities in Dresden within the next few days, and had
-therefore hastened to make my personal acquaintance at once,
-knowing that it would compromise her too heavily later on.
-
-Liszt continued his journey from Eisenach, leaving me to be
-entertained and looked after by Stohr and the musical director
-Kuhmstedt, a diligent and skilful master of counterpoint with
-whom I paid my first visit to the Wartburg, which had not then
-been restored. I was filled with strange musings as to my fate
-when I visited this castle. Here I was actually on the point of
-entering, for the first time, the building which was so full of
-meaning for me; here, too, I had to tell myself that the days of
-my further sojourn in Germany were numbered. And in fact the news
-from Dresden, when we returned to Weimar the next day, was
-serious indeed. Liszt, on his return on the third day, found a
-letter from my wife, who had not dared to write direct to me. She
-reported that the police had searched my house in Dresden, to
-which she had returned, and that she had, moreover been warned on
-no account to allow me to return to that city, as a warrant had
-been taken out against me, and I was shortly to be served with a
-writ and arrested. Liszt, who was now solely concerned for my
-personal safety, called in a friend who had some experience of
-law, to consider what should be done to rescue me from the danger
-that threatened me. Von Watzdorf, the minister whom I had already
-visited, had been of opinion that I should, if required, submit
-quietly to being taken to Dresden, and that the journey would be
-made in a respectable private carriage. On the other hand,
-reports which had reached us of the brutal way in which the
-Prussian troops in Dresden had gone to work in applying the state
-of siege were of so alarming a nature that Liszt and his friends
-in council urged my speedy departure from Weimar, where it would
-be impossible to protect me. But I insisted on taking leave of my
-wife, whose anxiety was great, before leaving Germany, and begged
-to be allowed to stay a little longer at least in the
-neighbourhood of Weimar. This was taken into consideration, and
-Professor Siebert suggested my taking temporary shelter with a
-friendly steward at the village of Magdala, which was three hours
-distant. I drove there the following morning to introduce myself
-to this kind steward and protector as Professor Werder from
-Berlin, who, with a letter of recommendation from Professor
-Siebert, had come to turn his financial studies to practical
-account in helping to administer these estates. Here in rural
-seclusion I spent three days, entertainment of a peculiar nature
-being provided by the meeting of a popular assembly, which
-consisted of the remainder of the contingent of revolutionaries
-which had marched off towards Dresden and had now returned in
-disorder. I listened with curious feelings, amounting almost to
-contempt, to the speeches on this occasion, which were of every
-kind and description. On the second day of my stay my host's wife
-came back from Weimar (where it was market-day) full of a curious
-tale: the composer of an opera which was being performed there on
-that very day had been obliged to leave Weimar suddenly because
-the warrant for his arrest had arrived from Dresden. My host, who
-had been let into my secret by Professor Seibert, asked playfully
-what his name was. As his wife did not seem to know, he came to
-her assistance with the suggestion that perhaps it was Rockel
-whose name was familiar at Weimar.
-
-'Yes,' she said, 'Rockel, that was his name, quite right.'
-
-My host laughed loudly, and said that he would not be so stupid
-as to let them catch him, in spite of his opera.
-
-At last, on 22nd May, my birthday, Minna actually arrived at
-Magdala. She had hastened to Weimar on receiving my letter, and
-had proceeded from there according to instructions, bent on
-persuading me at all costs to flee the country immediately and
-for good. No attempt to raise her to the level of my own mood was
-successful; she persisted in regarding me as an ill-advised,
-inconsiderate person who had plunged both himself and her into
-the most terrible situation. It had been arranged that I should
-meet her the next evening in the house of Professor Wolff at Jena
-to take a last farewell. She was to go by way of Weimar, while I
-took the footpath from Magdala. I started accordingly on my walk
-of about six hours, and came over the plateau into the little
-university town (which now received me hospitably for the first
-time) at sunset. I found my wife again at the house of Professor
-Wolff, who, thanks to Liszt, was already my friend, and with the
-addition of a certain Professor Widmann another conference was
-held on the subject of my further escape. A writ was actually out
-against me for being strongly suspected of participation in the
-Dresden rising, and I could not under any circumstances depend on
-a safe refuge in any of the German federal states. Liszt insisted
-on my going to Paris, where I could find a new field for my work,
-while Widmann advised me not to go by the direct route through
-Frankfort and Baden, as the rising was still in full swing there,
-and the police would certainly exercise praiseworthy vigilance
-over incoming travellers with suspicious-looking passports. The
-way through Bavaria would be the safest, as all was quiet there
-again; I could then make for Switzerland, and the journey to
-Paris from there could be engineered without any danger. As I
-needed a passport for the journey, Professor Widmann offered me
-his own, which had been issued at Tubingen and had not been
-brought up to date. My wife was quite in despair, and the parting
-from her caused me real pain. I set off in the mail-coach and
-travelled, without further hindrance, through many towns (amongst
-them Rudolstadt, a place full of memories for me) to the Bavarian
-frontier. From there I continued my journey by mail-coach
-straight to Lindau. At the gates I, together with the other
-passengers, was asked for my passport. I passed the night in a
-state of strange, feverish excitement, which lasted until the
-departure of the steamer on Lake Constance early in the morning.
-My mind was full of the Swabian dialect, as spoken by Professor
-Widmann, with whose passport I was travelling. I pictured to
-myself my dealings with the Bavarian police should I have to
-converse with them in accordance with the above-mentioned
-irregularities in that document. A prey to feverish unrest, I
-spent the whole night trying to perfect myself in the Swabian
-dialect, but, as I was amused to find, without the smallest
-success. I had braced myself to meet the crucial moment early the
-next morning, when the policeman came into my room and, not
-knowing to whom the passports belonged, gave me three at random
-to choose from. With joy in my heart I seized my own, and
-dismissed the dreaded messenger in the most friendly way. Once on
-board the steamer I realised with true satisfaction that I had
-now stepped on to Swiss territory. It was a lovely spring
-morning; across the broad lake I could gaze at the Alpine
-landscape as it spread itself before my eyes. When I stepped on
-to Republican soil at Rorschach, I employed the first moments in
-writing a few lines home to tell of my safe arrival in
-Switzerland and my deliverance from all danger. The coach drive
-through the pleasant country of St. Gall to Zurich cheered me up
-wonderfully, and when I drove down from Oberstrass into Zurich
-that evening, the last day in May, at six o'clock, and saw for
-the first time the Glarner Alps that encircle the lake gleaming
-in the sunset, I at once resolved, though without being fully
-conscious of it, to avoid everything that could prevent my
-settling here.
-
-I had been the more willing to accept my friends' suggestion to
-take the Swiss route to Paris, as I knew I should find an old
-acquaintance, Alexander Muller, at Zurich. I hoped with his help
-to obtain a passport to France, as I was anxious not to arrive
-there as a political refugee. I had been on very friendly terms
-with Muller once upon a time at Wurzburg. He had been settled at
-Zurich for a long time as a teacher of music; this I learned from
-a pupil of his, Wilhelm Baumgartner, who had called on me in
-Dresden some years back to bring me a greeting from this old
-friend. On that occasion I entrusted the pupil with a copy of the
-score of Tannhauser for his master, by way of remembrance, and
-this kind attention had not fallen on barren soil: Muller and
-Baumgartner, whom I visited forthwith, introduced me at once to
-Jacob Sulzer and Franz Hagenbuch, two cantonal secretaries who
-were the most likely, among all their good friends, to compass
-the immediate fulfilment of my desire. These two people, who had
-been joined by a few intimates, received me with such respectful
-curiosity and sympathy that I felt at home with them at once. The
-great assurance and moderation with which they commented on the
-persecutions which had overtaken me, as seen from their usual
-simple republican standpoint, opened to me a conception of civil
-life which seemed to lift me to an entirely new sphere. I felt so
-safe and protected here, whereas in my own country I had, without
-quite realising it, come to be considered a criminal owing to the
-peculiar connection between my disgust at the public attitude
-towards art and the general political disturbances. To prepossess
-the two secretaries entirely in my favour (one of them, Sulzer,
-had enjoyed an excellent classical education), my friends
-arranged a meeting one evening at which I was to read my poem on
-the Death of Siegfried. I am prepared to swear that I never had
-more attentive listeners, among men, than on that evening. The
-immediate effect of my success was the drawing up of a fully
-valid federal passport for the poor German under warrant of
-arrest, armed with which I started gaily on my journey to Paris
-after quite a short stay at Zurich. From Strassburg, where I was
-enthralled by the fascination of the world-famous minster, I
-travelled towards Paris by what was then the best means of
-locomotion, the so-called malle-poste. I remember a remarkable
-phenomenon in connection with this conveyance. Till then the
-noise of the cannonade and musketry in the fighting at Dresden
-had been persistently re-echoing in my ears, especially in a
-half-waking condition; now the humming of the wheels, as we
-rolled rapidly along the highroad, cast such a spell upon me that
-for the whole of the journey I seemed to hear the melody of
-Freude, schoner Gotterfunken [Footnote: See note on page 486.]
-from the Ninth Symphony being played, as it were, on deep bass
-instruments.
-
-From the time of my entering Switzerland till my arrival in Paris
-my spirits, which had sunk into a dreamlike apathy, rose
-gradually to a level of freedom and comfort that I had never
-enjoyed before. I felt like a bird in the air whose destiny is
-not to founder in a morass; but soon after my arrival in Paris,
-in the first week of June, a very palpable reaction set in. I had
-had an introduction from Liszt to his former secretary Belloni,
-who felt it his duty, in loyalty to the instructions received, to
-put me into communication with a literary man, a certain Gustave
-Vaisse, with the object of being commissioned to write an opera
-libretto for production in Paris. I did not, however, make the
-personal acquaintance of Vaisse. The idea did not please me, and
-I found sufficient excuse for warding off the negotiations by
-saying I was afraid of the epidemic of cholera which was said to
-be raging in the city. I was staying in the Rue Notre Dame de
-Lorette for the sake of being near Belloni. Through this street
-funeral processions, announced by the muffled drum boats of the
-National Guard, passed practically every hour. Though the heat
-was stifling, I was strictly forbidden to touch water, and was
-advised to exercise the greatest precaution with regard to diet
-in every respect. Besides this weight of uneasiness on my
-spirits, the whole outward aspect of Paris, as it then appeared,
-had the most depressing effect on me. The motto, liberte,
-egalite, fraternite was still to be seen on all the public
-buildings and other establishments, but, on the other hand, I was
-alarmed at seeing the first garcons caissiers making their way
-from the bank with their long money-sacks over their shoulders
-and their large portfolios in their hands. I had never met them so
-frequently as now, just when the old capitalist regime, after its
-triumphant struggle against the once dreaded socialist
-propaganda, was exerting itself vigorously to regain the public
-confidence by its almost insulting pomp. I had gone, as it were,
-mechanically into Schlesinger's music-shop, where a successor was
-now installed--a much more pronounced type of Jew named Brandus,
-of a very dirty appearance. The only person there to give me a
-friendly welcome was the old clerk, Monsieur Henri. After I had
-talked to him in loud tones for some time, as the shop was
-apparently empty, he at length asked me with some embarrassment
-whether I had not seen my master (votre maitre) Meyerbeer.
-
-'Is Monsieur Meyerbeer here?' I asked.
-
-'Certainly,' was the even more embarrassed reply; 'quite near,
-over there behind the desk.'
-
-And, sure enough, as I walked across to the desk Meyerbeer came
-out, covered with confusion. He smiled and made some excuse about
-pressing proof-sheets. He had been hiding there quietly for over
-ten minutes since first hearing my voice. I had had enough after
-my strange encounter with this apparition. It recalled so many
-things affecting myself which reflected suspicion on the man, in
-particular the significance of his behaviour towards me in Berlin
-on the last occasion. However, as I had now nothing more to do
-with him, I greeted him with a certain easy gaiety induced by the
-regret I felt at seeing his manifest confusion on becoming
-cognisant of my arrival in Paris. He took it for granted that I
-should again seek my fortune there, and seemed much surprised
-when I assured him, on the contrary, that the idea of having any
-work there was odious to me.
-
-'But Liszt published such a brilliant article about you in the
-Journal des Debats,' he said.
-
-'Ah,' I replied, 'it really had not occurred to me that the
-enthusiastic devotion of a friend should be regarded as a mutual
-speculation.'
-
-'But the article made a sensation. It is incredible that you
-should not seek to make any profit out of it.'
-
-This offensive meddlesomeness roused me to protest to Meyerbeer
-with some violence that I was concerned with anything rather than
-with the production of artistic work, particularly just at that
-time when the course of events seemed to indicate that the whole
-world was undergoing a reaction.
-
-'But what do you expect to get out of the revolution?' he
-replied. 'Are you going to write scores for the barricades?'
-
-Whereupon I assured him that I was not thinking of writing any
-scores at all. We parted, obviously without having arrived at a
-mutual understanding.
-
-In the street I was also stopped by Moritz Schlesinger, who,
-being equally under the influence of Liszt's brilliant article,
-evidently considered me a perfect prodigy. He too thought I must
-be counting on making a hit in Paris, and was sure that I had a
-very good chance of doing so.
-
-'Will you undertake my business?' I asked him. 'I have no money.
-Do you really think the performance of an opera by an unknown
-composer can be anything but a matter of money?'
-
-'You are quite right,' said Moritz, and left me on the spot.
-
-I turned from these disagreeable encounters in the plague-
-stricken capital of the world to inquire the fate of my Dresden
-companions, for some of those with whom I was intimate had also
-reached Paris, when I called on Desplechins, who had painted the
-scenery for Tannhauser. I found Semper there, who had, like
-myself, been deposited in this city. We met again with no little
-pleasure, although we could not help smiling at our grotesque
-situation. Semper had retired from the battle when the famous
-barricade, which he in his capacity of architect kept under close
-observation, had been surrounded. (He thought it impossible for
-it to be captured.) All the same, he considered that he had
-exposed himself quite sufficiently to make it state of siege and
-were occupying Dresden. He considered himself lucky as a native
-of Holstein to be dependent, not on the German, but on the Danish
-government for a passport, as this had helped him to reach Paris
-without difficulty. When I expressed my real and heartfelt regret
-at the turn of affairs which had torn him from a professional
-undertaking on which he had just started--the completion of the
-Dresden Museum--he refused to take it too seriously, saying it
-had given him a great deal of worry. In spite of our trying
-situation, it was with Semper that I spent the only bright hours
-of my stay in Paris. We were soon joined by another refugee,
-young Heine, who had once wished to paint my Lohengrin scenery.
-He had no qualms about his future, for his master Desplechins was
-willing to give him employment. I alone felt I had been pitched
-quite aimlessly into Paris. I had a passionate desire to leave
-this cholera-laden, atmosphere, and Belloni offered me an
-opportunity which I promptly and joyfully seized. He invited me
-to follow himself and his family to a country place near La
-Ferte-sous-Jouarre, where I could be refreshed by pure air and
-absolute quiet, and wait for a change for the better in my
-position. I made the short journey to Rueil after another week in
-Paris, and took for the time being a poor lodging (one room,
-built with recesses) in the house of Monsieur Raphael, a wine
-merchant, close by the village mairie where the Belloni family
-were staying. Here I waited further developments. During the
-period when all news from Germany ceased I tried to occupy myself
-as far as possible with reading. After going through Proudhon's
-writings, and in particular his De la propriete, in such a manner
-as to glean comfort for my situation in curiously divers ways, I
-entertained myself for a considerable time with Lamartine's
-Histoire des Girondins, a most alluring and attractive work. One
-day Belloni brought me news of the unfortunate rising in Paris,
-which had been attempted on the 13th June by the Republicans
-under Ledru-Rollin against the provisional government, which was
-then in the full tide of reaction. Great as was the indignation
-with which the news was received by my host and the mayor of the
-place (a relative of his, at whose table we ate our modest daily
-meal), it made, on the whole, little impression on me, as my
-attention was still fixed in great agitation on the events which
-were taking place on the Rhine, and particularly on the grand-
-duchy of Baden, which had been made forfeit to a provisional
-government. When, however, the news reached me from this quarter
-also that the Prussians had succeeded in subduing a movement
-which had not at first seemed hopeless, I felt extraordinarily
-downcast.
-
-I was compelled to consider my position carefully, and the
-necessity of conquering my difficulties helped to allay the
-excitement to which I was a prey. The letters from my Weimar
-friends, as well as those from my wife, now brought me completely
-to my senses. The former expressed themselves very curtly about
-my behaviour with regard to recent events. The opinion was, that
-for the moment there would be nothing for me to do, and
-especially not in Dresden, or at the grand-ducal court, 'as one
-could not very well knock at battered doors'; 'on ne frappe pas a
-des portes enfoncees' (Princess von Wittgenstein to Belloni).
-
-I did not know what to reply, for I had never dreamt of expecting
-anything to come from their intervening on my behalf in that
-quarter; consequently I was quite satisfied that they sent me
-temporarily financial assistance. With this money I made up my
-mind to leave for Zurich and ask Alex Muller to give me shelter
-for a while, as his house was sufficiently large to accommodate a
-guest. My saddest moment came when, after a long silence, I at
-last received a letter from my wife. She wrote that she could not
-dream of living with me again; that after I had so unscrupulously
-thrown away a connection and position, the like of which would
-never again present itself to me, no woman could reasonably be
-expected to take any further interest in my future enterprises.
-
-I fully appreciated my wife's unfortunate position; I could in no
-way assist her, except by advising her to sell our Dresden
-furniture, and by making an appeal on her behalf to my relatives
-in Leipzig.
-
-Until then I had been able to think more lightly of the misery of
-her position, simply because I had imagined her to be more deeply
-in sympathy with what agitated me. Often during the recent
-extraordinary events I had even believed that she understood my
-feelings. Now, however, she had disillusioned me on this point:
-she could see in me no more than what the public saw, and the one
-redeeming point of her severe judgment was that she excused my
-behaviour on the score that I was reckless. After I had begged
-Liszt to do what he could for my wife, I soon began to regard her
-unexpected behaviour with more equanimity. In reply to her
-announcement that she would not write to me again for the
-present, I said that I had also resolved to spare her all further
-anxiety about my very doubtful fate, by ceasing from
-communicating with her. I surveyed the panorama of our long years
-of association critically in my mind's eye, beginning with that
-first stormy year of our married life, that had been so full of
-sorrow. Our youthful days of worry and care in Paris had
-undoubtedly been of benefit to us both. The courage and patience
-with which she had faced our difficulties, while I on my part had
-tried to end them by dint of hard work, had linked us together
-with bonds of iron. Minna was rewarded for all these privations
-by Dresden successes, and more especially by the highly enviable
-position I had held there. Her position as wife of the conductor
-(Frau Kapellmeisterin) had brought her the fulfilment of her
-dearest wishes, and all those things which conspired to make my
-work in this official post so intolerable to me, were to her no
-more than so many threats directed against her smug content. The
-course I had adopted with regard to Tannhauser had already made
-her doubtful of my success at the theatres, and had robbed her of
-all courage and confidence in our future. The more I deviated
-from the path which she regarded as the only profitable one, due
-partly to the change of my views (which I grew ever less willing
-to communicate to her), and partly to the modification in my
-attitude towards the stage, the more she retreated from that
-position of close fellowship with me which she had enjoyed in
-former years, and which she thought herself justified in
-connecting in some way with my successes.
-
-She looked upon my conduct with regard to the Dresden catastrophe
-as the outcome of this deviation from the right path, and
-attributed it to the influence of unscrupulous persons
-(particularly the unfortunate Rockel), who were supposed to have
-dragged me with them to ruin, by appealing to my vanity. Deeper
-than all these disagreements, however, which, after all, were
-concerned only with external circumstances, was the consciousness
-of our fundamental incompatibility, which to me had become ever
-more and more apparent since the day of our reconciliation. From
-the very beginning we had had scenes of the most violent
-description: never once after these frequent quarrels had she
-admitted herself in the wrong or tried to be friends again.
-
-The necessity of speedily restoring our domestic peace, as well
-as my conviction (confirmed by every one of her extravagant
-outbursts) that, in view of the great disparity of our characters
-and especially of our educations, it devolved upon me to prevent
-such scenes by observing great caution in my behaviour, always
-led me to take the entire blame for what had happened upon myself,
-and to mollify Minna by showing her that I was sorry.
-Unfortunately, and to my intense grief, I was forced to recognise
-that by acting in this way I lost all my power over her
-affections, and especially over her character. Now we stood in a
-position in which I could not possibly resort to the same means
-of reconciliation, for it would have meant my being inconsistent
-in all my views and actions. And then I found myself confronted
-by such hardness in the woman whom I had spoilt by my leniency,
-that it was out of the question to expect her to acknowledge the
-injustice done to myself. Suffice it to say that the wreck of my
-married life had contributed not inconsiderably to the ruin of my
-position in Dresden, and to the careless manner in which I
-treated it, for instead of finding help, strength, and
-consolation at home, I found my wife unwittingly conspiring
-against me, in league with all the other hostile circumstances
-which then beset me. After I had got over the first shock of her
-heartless behaviour, I was absolutely clear about this. I
-remember that I did not suffer any great sorrow, but that on the
-contrary, with the conviction of being now quite helpless, an
-almost exalted calm came over me when I realised that up to the
-present my life had been built on a foundation of sand and
-nothing more. At all events, the fact that I stood absolutely
-alone did much towards restoring my peace of mind, and in my
-distress I now found strength and comfort even in the fact of my
-dire poverty. At last assistance arrived from Weimar. I accepted
-it eagerly, and it was the means of extricating me from my
-present useless life and stranded hopes.
-
-My next move was to find a place of refuge--one, however, which
-had but little attraction for me, seeing that in it there was not
-the slightest hope of my being able to make any further headway
-in the paths along which I had hitherto progressed. This refuge
-was Zurich, a town devoid of all art in the public sense, and
-where for the first time I met simple-hearted people who knew
-nothing about me as a musician, but who, as it appeared, felt
-drawn towards me by the power of my personality alone. I arrived
-at Muller's house and asked him to let me have a room, at the
-same time giving him what remained of my capital, namely twenty
-francs. I quickly discovered that my old friend was embarrassed
-by my perfectly open confidence in him, and that he was at his
-wit's end to know what to do with me. I soon gave up the large
-room containing a grand piano, which he had allotted to me on the
-impulse of the moment, and retired to a modest little bedroom.
-The meals were my great trial, not because I was fastidious, but
-because I could not digest thorn. Outside my friend's house, on
-the contrary, I enjoyed what, considering the habits of the
-locality, was the most luxurious reception. The same young men
-who had been so kind to me on my first journey through Zurich
-again showed themselves anxious to be continually in my company,
-and this was especially the case with one young fellow called
-Jakob Sulzer. He had to be thirty years of age before he was
-entitled to become a member of the Zurich government, and he
-therefore still had several years to wait. In spite of his youth,
-however, the impression he made on all those with whom he came in
-contact was that of a man of riper years, whose character was
-formed. When I was asked long afterwards whether I had ever met a
-man who, morally speaking, was the beau-ideal of real character
-and uprightness, I could, on reflection, think of none other than
-this newly gained friend, Jakob Sulzer.
-
-He owed his early appointment as permanent Cantonal Secretary
-(Staatsschreiber), one of the most excellent government posts in
-the canton of Zurich, to the recently returned liberal party, led
-by Alfred Escher. As this party could not employ the more
-experienced members of the older conservative side in the public
-offices, their policy was to choose exceptionally gifted young
-men for these positions. Sulzer showed extraordinary promise, and
-their choice accordingly soon lighted on him. He had only just
-returned from the Berlin and Bonn universities with the intention
-of establishing himself as professor of philology at the
-university in his native town, when he was made a member of the
-new government. To fit himself for his post he had to stay in
-Geneva for six months to perfect himself in the French language,
-which he had neglected during his philological studies. He was
-quick-witted and industrious, as well as independent and firm,
-and he never allowed himself to be swayed by any party tactics.
-Consequently he rose very rapidly to high positions in the
-government, to which he rendered valuable and important services,
-first as Minister of Finance, a post he held for many years, and
-later with particular distinction as member of the School
-Federation. His unexpected acquaintance with me seemed to place
-him in a sort of dilemma; from the philological and classical
-studies which he had entered upon of his own choice, he suddenly
-found himself torn away in the most bewildering manner by this
-unexpected summons from the government. It almost seemed as if
-his meeting with me had made him regret having accepted the
-appointment. As he was a person of great culture, my poem,
-Siegfried's Death, naturally revealed to him my knowledge of
-German antiquity. He had also studied this subject, but with
-greater philological accuracy than I could possibly have aspired
-to. When, later on, he became acquainted with my manner of
-writing music, this peculiarly serious and reserved man became so
-thoroughly interested in my sphere of art, so far removed from
-his own field of labour, that, as he himself confessed, he felt
-it his duty to fight against these disturbing influences by being
-intentionally brusque and curt with me. In the beginning of my
-stay in Zurich, however, he delighted in being led some distance
-astray in the realms of art. The old-fashioned official residence
-of the first Cantonal Secretary was often the scene of unique
-gatherings, composed of people such as I would be sure to
-attract. It might even be said that these social functions
-occurred rather more frequently than was advisable for the
-reputation of a civil servant of this little philistine state.
-What attracted the musician Baumgartner more particularly to
-these meetings was the product of Sulzer's vineyards in
-Winterthur, to which our hosts treated his guests with the
-greatest liberality. When in my moods of mad exuberance I gave
-vent in dithyrambic effusions to my most extreme views on art and
-life, my listeners often responded in a manner which, more often
-than not, I was perfectly right in ascribing to the effects of
-the wine rather than to the power of my enthusiasm. Once when
-Professor Ettmuller, the Germanist and Edda scholar, had been
-invited to listen to a reading of my Siegfried and had been led
-home in a state of melancholy enthusiasm, there was a regular
-outburst of wanton spirits among those who had remained behind. I
-conceived the absurd idea of lifting all the doors of the state
-official's house off their hinges.
-
-Herr Hagenbuch, another servant of the state, seeing what
-exertion this cost me, offered me the help of his gigantic
-physique, and with comparative ease we succeeded in removing
-every single door, and laying it aside, a proceeding at which
-Sulzer merely smiled good-naturedly. The next day, however, when
-we made inquiries, he told us that the replacing of those doors
-(which must have been a terrible strain on his delicate
-constitution) had taken him the whole night, as he had made up
-his mind to keep the knowledge of our orgies from the sergeant,
-who always arrived at a very early hour in the morning.
-
-The extraordinary birdlike freedom of my existence had the effect
-of exciting me more and more. I was often frightened at the
-excessive outbursts of exaltation to which I was prone--no matter
-whom I was with--and which led me to indulge in the most
-extraordinary paradoxes in my conversation. Soon after I had
-settled in Zurich I began to write down my various ideas about
-things at which I had arrived through my private and artistic
-experiences, as well as through the influence of the political
-unrest of the day. As I had no choice but to try, to the best of
-my ability, to earn something by my pen, I thought of sending a
-series of articles to a great French journal such as the
-National, which in those days was still extant. In these articles
-I meant to propound my ideas (in my revolutionary way) on the
-subject of modern art in its relation to society. I sent six of
-them to an elderly friend of mine, Albert Franck, requesting him
-to have them translated into French and to get them published.
-This Franck was the brother of the better-known Hermann Franck,
-now the head of the Franco-German bookselling firm, which had
-originally belonged to my brother-in-law, Avenarius. He sent me
-back my work with the very natural remark that it was out of the
-question to expect the Parisian public to understand or
-appreciate my articles, especially at such a critical moment.
-
-I headed the manuscript Kunst und Revolution ('Art and
-Revolution') and sent it to Otto Wigand in Leipzig, who actually
-undertook to publish it in the form of a pamphlet, and sent me
-five louis d'or for it. This unexpected success induced me to
-continue to exploit my literary gifts. I looked among my papers
-for the essay I had written the year before as the outcome of my
-historical studies of the 'Nibelungen' legend; I gave it the
-title of Die Nibelungen Weltgeschichte aus der Sage, and again
-tried my luck by sending it to Wigand.
-
-The sensational title of Kunst und Revolution, as well as the
-notoriety the 'royal conductor' had gained as a political
-refugee, had made the radical publisher hope that the scandal
-that would arise on the publication of my articles would redound
-to his benefit! I soon discovered that he was on the point of
-issuing a second edition of Kunst und Revolution, without,
-however, informing me of the fact. He also took over my new
-pamphlet for another five louis d'or. This was the first time I
-had earned money by means of published work, and I now began to
-believe that I had reached that point when I should be able to
-get the better of my misfortunes. I thought it over, and decided
-to give public lectures in Zurich on subjects related to my
-writings during the coming winter, hoping in that free and
-haphazard fashion to keep body and soul together for a little
-while, although I had no fixed appointment and did not intend to
-work at music.
-
-It seemed necessary for me to resort to these means, as I did not
-know how otherwise to keep myself alive. Shortly after my arrival
-in Zurich I had witnessed the coming of the fragments of the
-Baden army, dispersed over Swiss territory, and accompanied by
-fugitive volunteers, and this had made a painful and uncanny
-impression upon me. The news of the surrender near Villagos by
-Gorgey paralysed the last hopes as to the issue of the great
-European struggle for liberty, which so far had been left quite
-undecided. With some misgiving and anxiety I now turned my eyes
-from all these occurrences in the outside world inwards to my own
-soul.
-
-I was accustomed to patronise the cafe litteraire, where I took
-my coffee after my heavy mid-day meal, in a smoky atmosphere
-surrounded by a merry and joking throng of men playing dominoes
-and 'fast.' One day I stared at its common wall-paper
-representing antique subjects, which in some inexplicable way
-recalled a certain water-colour by Genelli to my mind, portraying
-'The education of Dionysos by the Muses.' I had seen it at the
-house of my brother-in-law Brockhaus in my young days, and it had
-made a deep impression on me at the time. At this same place I
-conceived the first ideas of my Kunstwerk der Zukunft ('The Art-
-Work of the Future'), and it seemed a significant omen to me to
-be roused one day out of one of my post-prandial dreams by the
-news that Schroder-Devrient was staying in Zurich. I immediately
-got up with the intention of calling on her at the neighbouring
-hotel, 'Zum Schwerte,' but to my great dismay heard that she had
-just left by steamer. I never saw her again, and long afterwards
-only heard of her painful death from my wife, who in later years
-became fairly intimate with her in Dresden.
-
-After I had spent two remarkable summer months in this wild and
-extraordinary fashion, I at last received reassuring news of
-Minna, who had remained in Dresden. Although her manner of taking
-leave of me had been both harsh and wounding, I could not bring
-myself to believe I had completely parted from her. In a letter I
-wrote to one of her relations, and which I presumed they would
-forward, I made sympathetic inquiries about her, while I had
-already done all that lay in my power, through repeated appeals
-to Liszt, to ensure her being well cared for. I now received a
-direct reply, which, in addition to the fact that it testified to
-the vigour and activity with which she had fought her
-difficulties, at the same time showed me that she earnestly
-desired to be reunited with me. It was almost in terms of
-contempt that she expressed her grave doubts as to the
-possibility of my being able to make a living in Zurich, but she
-added that, inasmuch as she was my wife, she wished to give me
-another chance. She also seemed to take it for granted that I
-intended making Zurich only our temporary home, and that I would
-do my utmost to promote my career as a composer of opera in
-Paris. Whereupon she announced her intention of arriving at
-Rorschach in Switzerland on a certain date in September of that
-year, in the company of the little dog Peps, the parrot Papo, and
-her so-called sister Nathalie. After having engaged two rooms for
-our new home, I now prepared to set out on foot for St. Gall and
-Rorschach through the lovely and celebrated Toggenburg and
-Appenzell, and felt very touched after all when the peculiar
-family, which consisted half of pet animals, landed at the
-harbour of Rorschach. I must honestly confess that the little dog
-and the bird made me very happy. My wife at once threw cold water
-on my emotions, however, by declaring that in the event of my
-behaving badly again she was ready to return to Dresden any
-moment, and that she had numerous friends there, who would be
-glad to protect and succour her if she were forced to carry out
-her threat. Be this as it may, one look at her convinced me how
-greatly she had aged in this short time, and how much I ought to
-pity her, and this feeling succeeded in banishing all bitterness
-from my heart.
-
-I did my utmost to give her confidence and to make her believe
-that our present misfortunes were but momentary. This was no easy
-task, as she would constantly compare the diminutive aspect of
-the town of Zurich with the more noble majesty of Dresden, and
-seemed to feel bitterly humiliated. The friends whom I introduced
-to her found no favour in her eyes. She looked upon the Cantonal
-Secretary, Sulzer, as a 'mere town clerk who would not be of any
-importance in. Germany'; and the wife of my host Muller
-absolutely disgusted her when, in answer to Minna's complaints
-about my terrible position, she replied that my greatness lay in
-the very fact of my having faced it. Then again Minna appeased me
-by tolling me of the expected arrival of some of my Dresden
-belongings, which she thought would be indispensable to our new
-home.
-
-The property of which she spoke consisted of a Breitkopf and
-Hartel grand-piano that looked better than it sounded, and of the
-'title-page' of the Nibelungen by Cornelius in a Gothic frame
-that used to hang over my desk in Dresden.
-
-With this nucleus of household effects we now decided to take
-small lodgings in the so-called 'hinteren Escherhausern' in the
-Zeltweg. With great cleverness Minna had succeeded in selling the
-Dresden furniture to advantage, and out of the proceeds of this
-sale she had brought three hundred marks with her to Zurich to
-help towards setting up our new home. She told me that she had
-saved my small but very select library for me by giving it into
-the safe custody of the publisher, Heinrich Brockhaus (brother of
-my sister's husband and member of the Saxon Diet), who had
-insisted upon looking after it. Great, therefore, was her dismay
-when, upon asking this kind friend to send her the books, he
-replied that he was holding them as security for a debt of
-fifteen hundred marks which I had contracted with him during my
-days of trouble in Dresden, and that he intended to keep them
-until that sum was returned. As even after the lapse of many
-years I found it impossible to refund this money, these books,
-collected for my own special wants, were lost to me for ever.
-
-Thanks more particularly to my friend Sulzer, the Cantonal
-Secretary, whom my wife at first despised so much on account of
-his title which she misunderstood, and who, although he was far
-from well-off himself, thought it only natural that he should
-help me, however moderately, out of my difficulties, we soon
-succeeded in making our little place look so cosy that my simple
-Zurich friends felt quite at home in it. My wife, with all her
-undeniable talents, hero found ample scope in which to
-distinguish herself, and I remember how ingeniously she made a
-little what-not out of the box in which she had kindly brought my
-music and manuscript to Zurich.
-
-But it was soon time to think of how to earn enough money to
-provide for us all. My idea of giving public lectures was treated
-with contempt by my wife, who looked upon it as an insult to her
-pride. She could acquiesce only in one plan, that suggested by
-Liszt, namely, that I should write an opera for Paris. To satisfy
-her, and in view of the fact that I could see no chance of a
-remunerative occupation close at hand, I actually reopened a
-correspondence on this matter with my great friend and his
-secretary Belloni in Paris. In the meantime I could not be idle,
-so I accepted an invitation from the Zurich musical society to
-conduct a classical composition at one of their concerts, and to
-this end I worked with their very poor orchestra at Beethoven's
-Symphony in A major. Although the result was successful, and I
-received five napoleons for my trouble, it made my wife very
-unhappy, for she could not forget the excellent orchestra, and
-the much more appreciative public, which a short time before in
-Dresden would have seconded and rewarded similar efforts on my
-part. Her one and only ideal for me was that, by hook or by
-crook, and with a total disregard of all artistic scruples, I
-should make a brilliant reputation for myself in Paris. While we
-were both absolutely at a loss to discover whence we should
-obtain the necessary funds for our journey to Paris and our
-sojourn there, I again plunged into my philosophical study of
-art, as being the only sphere still left open to me.
-
-Harrassed by the cares of a terrible struggle for existence, I
-wrote the whole of Das Kunstwerk der Zukunft in the chilly
-atmosphere of a sunless little room on the ground floor during
-the months of November and December of that year. Minna had no
-objection to this occupation when I told her of the success of my
-first pamphlet, and the hope I had of receiving even better pay
-for this more extensive work.
-
-Thus for a while I enjoyed comparative peace, although in my
-heart a spirit of unrest had begun to reign, thanks to my growing
-acquaintance with Feuerbach's works. I had always had an
-inclination to fathom the depths of philosophy, just as I had
-been led by the mystic influence of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to
-search the deepest recesses of music. My first efforts at
-satisfying this longing had failed. None of the Leipzig
-professors had succeeded in fascinating me with their lectures on
-fundamental philosophy and logic. I had procured Schelling's
-work, Transcendental Idealism, recommended to me by Gustav
-Schlesinger, a friend of Laube's, but it was in vain that I
-racked my brains to try and make something out of the first
-pages, and I always returned to my Ninth Symphony.
-
-During the latter part of my stay in Dresden I had returned to
-these old studies, the longing for which suddenly revived within
-me, and to these I added the deeper historical studies which had
-always fascinated me. As an introduction to philosophy I now
-chose Hegel's Philosophy of History. A good deal of this
-impressed me deeply, and it now seemed as if I should ultimately
-penetrate into the Holy of Holies along this path. The more
-incomprehensible many of his speculative conclusions appeared,
-the more I felt myself desirous of probing the question of the
-'Absolute' and everything connected therewith to the core. For I
-so admired Hegel's powerful mind that it seemed to me he was the
-very keystone of all philosophical thought.
-
-The revolution intervened; the practical tendencies of a social
-reconstruction distracted my attention, and as I have already
-stated, it was a German Catholic priest and political agitator
-(formerly a divinity student named Menzdorff, who used to wear a
-Calabrian hat) [Footnote: A broad-rimmed, tall, white felt hat,
-tapering to a point, originally worn by the inhabitants of
-Calabria, and in 1848 a sign of Republicanism.--EDITOR.] who drew
-my attention to 'the only real philosopher of modern times,'
-Ludwig Feuerbach. My new Zurich friend, the piano teacher,
-Wilhelm Baumgartner, made me a present of Feuerbach's book on Tod
-und Unsterblichkeit ('Death and Immortality'). The well-known and
-stirring lyrical style of the author greatly fascinated me as a
-layman. The intricate questions which he propounds in this book
-as if they were being discussed for the first time by him, and
-which he treats in a charmingly exhaustive manner, had often
-occupied my mind since the very first days of my acquaintance
-with Lehrs in Paris, just as they occupy the mind of every
-imaginative and serious man. With me, however, this was not
-lasting, and I had contented myself with the poetic suggestions
-on these important subjects which appear here and there in the
-works of our great poets.
-
-The frankness with which Feuerbach explains his views on these
-interesting questions, in the more mature parts of his book,
-pleased me as much by their tragic as by their social-radical
-tendencies. It seemed right that the only true immortality should
-be that of sublime deeds and great works of art. It was more
-difficult to sustain any interest in Das Wesen des Christenthums
-('The Essence of Christianity') by the same author, for it was
-impossible whilst reading this work not to become conscious,
-however involuntarily, of the prolix and unskilful manner in
-which he dilates on the simple and fundamental idea, namely,
-religion explained from a purely subjective and psychological
-point of view. Nevertheless, from that day onward I always
-regarded Feuerbach as the ideal exponent of the radical release
-of the individual from the thraldom of accepted notions, founded
-on the belief in authority. The initiated will therefore not
-wonder that I dedicated my Kunstwerk der Zukunft to Feuerbach and
-addressed its preface to him.
-
-My friend Sulzer, a thorough disciple of Hegel, was very sorry to
-see me so interested in Feuerbach, whom he did not even recognise
-as a philosopher at all. He said that the best thing that
-Feuerbach had done for me was that he had been the means of
-awakening my ideas, although he himself had none. But what had
-really induced me to attach so much importance to Feuerbach was
-the conclusion by means of which he had seceded from his master
-Hegel, to wit, that the best philosophy was to have no
-philosophy--a theory which greatly simplified what I had formerly
-considered a very terrifying study--and secondly, that only that
-was real which could be ascertained by the senses.
-
-The fact that he proclaimed what we call 'spirit' to be an
-aesthetic perception of our senses, together with his statement
-concerning the futility of philosophy--these were the two things
-in him which rendered me such useful assistance in my conceptions
-of an all-embracing work of art, of a perfect drama which should
-appeal to the simplest and most purely human emotions at the very
-moment when it approached its fulfilment as Kunstwerk der
-Zukunft. It must have been this which Sulzer had in his mind when
-he spoke deprecatingly of Feuerbach's influence over me. At all
-events, after a while I certainly could not return to his works,
-and I remember that his newly published book, Uber das Wesen der
-Religion ('Lectures on the Essence of Religion'), scared me to
-such an extent by the dullness of its title alone, that when
-Herwegh opened it for my benefit, I closed it with a bang under
-his very nose.
-
-At that time I was working with great enthusiasm upon the draft
-of a connected essay, and was delighted one day to receive a
-visit from the novelist and Tieckian scholar, Eduard von Billow
-(the father of my young friend Billow), who was passing through
-Zurich. In my tiny little room I read him my chapter on poetry,
-and could not help noticing that he was greatly startled at my
-ideas on literary drama and on the advent of the new Shakespeare.
-I thought this all the more reason why Wigand the publisher
-should accept my new revolutionary book, and expected him to pay
-me a fee which would be in proportion to the greater size of the
-work. I asked for twenty louis d'or, and this sum he agreed to pay
-me.
-
-The prospect of receiving this amount induced me to carry out the
-plan, which need had forced upon me, of travelling to Paris and
-of trying my luck there as a composer of opera. This plan had
-very serious drawbacks; not only did I hate the idea, but I knew
-that I was doing an injustice to myself by believing in the
-success of my enterprise, for I felt that I could never seriously
-throw myself into it heart and soul. Everything, however,
-combined to make me try the experiment, and it was Liszt in
-particular who, confident of this being my only way to fame,
-insisted upon my reopening the negotiations into which Belloni
-and I had entered during the previous summer. To show with what
-earnestness I tried to consider the chances of carrying out my
-plan, I drafted out the plot of the opera, which the French poet
-would only have to put into verse, because I never for a moment
-fancied that it would be possible for him to think out and write
-a libretto for which I would only need to compose the music. I
-chose for my subject the legend of Wieland der Schmied, upon
-which I commented with some stress at the end of my recently
-finished Kunstwerk der Zukunft, and the version of which by
-Simrock, taken from the Wilkyna legend, had greatly attracted me.
-
-I sketched out the complete scenario with precise indication of
-the dialogue for three acts, and with a heavy heart decided to
-hand it over to my Parisian author to be worked out. Liszt
-thought he saw a means of making my music known through his
-relations with Seghers, the musical director of a society then
-known as the 'Concerts de St. Cecile.' In January of the
-following year the Tannhauser Overture was to be given under his
-baton, and it therefore seemed advisable that I should reach
-Paris some time before this event. This undertaking, which
-appeared to be so difficult owing to my complete lack of funds,
-was at last facilitated in a manner quite unexpected.
-
-I had written home for help, and had appealed to all the old
-friends I could think of, but in vain. By the family of my
-brother Albert in particular, whose daughter had recently entered
-upon a brilliant theatrical career, I was treated in much the
-same way as one treats an invalid by whom one dreads to become
-infected. In contrast to their harshness I was deeply touched by
-the devotion of the Ritter family, who had remained in Dresden;
-for, apart from my acquaintance with young Karl, I scarcely knew
-these people at all. Through the kindness of my old friend Heine,
-who had been informed of my position, Frau Julie Ritter, the
-venerable mother of the family, had thought it her duty to place,
-through a business friend, the sum of fifteen hundred marks at my
-disposal. At about the same time I received a letter from Mme.
-Laussot, who had called upon me in Dresden the year before, and
-who now in the most affecting terms assured me of her continued
-sympathy.
-
-These were the first signs of that new phase in my life upon
-which I entered from this day forth, and in which I accustomed
-myself to look upon the outward circumstances of my existence as
-being merely subservient to my will. And by this means I was able
-to escape from the hampering narrowness of my home life.
-
-For the moment the proffered financial assistance was very
-distasteful to me, for it seemed to forbid my raising any further
-objections to the realisation of the detested Paris schemes.
-When, however, on the strength of this favourable change in my
-affairs, I suggested to my wife that we might, after all, content
-ourselves with remaining in Zurich, she flew into the most
-violent passion over my weakness and lack of spirit, and declared
-that if I did not make up my mind to achieve something in Paris,
-she would lose all faith in me. She said, moreover, that she
-absolutely refused to be a witness of my misery and grief as a
-wretched literary man and insignificant conductor of local
-concerts in Zurich.
-
-We had entered upon the year 1850; I had decided to go to Paris,
-if only for the sake of peace, but had to postpone my journey on
-account of ill-health. The reaction following upon the terrible
-excitement of recent times had not failed to have its effect on
-my overwrought nerves, and a state of complete exhaustion had
-followed. The continual colds, in spite of which I had been
-obliged to work in my very unhealthy room, had at last given rise
-to alarming symptoms. A certain weakness of the chest became
-apparent, and this the doctor (a political refugee) undertook to
-cure by the application of pitch plasters. As the result of this
-treatment and the irritating effect it had upon my nerves, I lost
-my voice completely for a while; whereupon I was told that I must
-go away for a change. On going out to buy my ticket for the
-journey, I felt so weak and broke out into such terrible
-perspiration that I hastened to return to my wife in order to
-consult her as to the advisability, in the circumstances, of
-abandoning the idea of the expedition altogether. She, however,
-maintained (and perhaps rightly) not only that my condition was
-not dangerous, but that it was to a large extent due to
-imagination, and that, once in the right place, I would soon
-recover.
-
-An inexpressible feeling of bitterness stimulated my nerves as in
-anger and despair I quickly left the house to buy the confounded
-ticket for the journey, and in the beginning of February I
-actually started on the road to Paris. I was filled with the most
-extraordinary feelings, but the spark of hope which was then
-kindled in my breast certainly had nothing whatever to do with
-the belief that had been imposed upon me from without, that I was
-to make a success in Paris as a composer of operas.
-
-I was particularly anxious to find quiet rooms, for peace had now
-become my first necessity, no matter where I happened to be
-staying. The cabman who drove me from street to street through
-the most isolated quarters, and whom I at last accused of keeping
-always to the most animated parts of the city, finally protested
-in despair that one did not come to Paris to live in a convent.
-At last it occurred to me to look for what I wanted in one of the
-cites through which no vehicle seemed to drive, and I decided to
-engage rooms in the Cite de Provence.
-
-True to the plans which had been forced upon me, I at once called
-on Herr Seghers about the performance of the Tannhauser Overture.
-
-It turned out that in spite of my late arrival I had missed
-nothing, for they were still racking their brains as to how to
-procure the necessary orchestral parts.
-
-I therefore had to write to Liszt, asking him to order the
-copies, and had to wait for their arrival. Belloni was not in
-town, things were therefore at a standstill, and I had plenty of
-time to think over the object of my visit to Paris, while an
-unceasing accompaniment was poured out to my meditations by the
-barrel-organs which infest the cites of Paris.
-
-I had much difficulty in convincing an agent of the government,
-from whom I received a visit soon after my arrival, that my
-presence in Paris was due to artistic reasons, and not to my
-doubtful position as a political refugee.
-
-Fortunately he was impressed by the score, which I showed him, as
-well as by Liszt's article on the Tannhauser Overture, written
-the year before in the Journal des Debats, and he left me,
-politely inviting me to continue my avocations peacefully and
-industriously, as the police had no intention of disturbing me,
-
-I also looked up my older Parisian acquaintances. At the
-hospitable house of Desplechins I met Semper, who was trying to
-make his position as tolerable as possible by writing some
-inferior artistic work. He had left his family in Dresden, from
-which town we soon received the most alarming news. The prisons
-were gradually filling there with the unfortunate victims of the
-recent Saxon movement Of Rockel, Bakunin, and Heubner, all we
-could hear was that they had been charged with high treason, and
-that they were awaiting the death sentence.
-
-In view of the tidings which continually arrived concerning the
-cruelty and brutality with which the soldiers treated the
-prisoners, we could not help considering our own lot a very happy
-one.
-
-My intercourse with Semper, whom I saw frequently, was generally
-enlivened by a gaiety which was occasionally of rather a risky
-nature; he was determined to rejoin his family in London, where
-the prospect of various appointments was open to him. My latest
-attempts at writing, and the thoughts expressed in my work,
-interested him greatly, and gave rise to animated conversations
-in which we were joined by Kietz, who was at first amusing, but
-evidently boring Semper considerably. I found the former in the
-identical position in which I had left him many years ago: he had
-made no headway with his painting, and would have been glad if
-the revolution had taken a more decided turn, so that, under
-cover of the general confusion, he might have escaped from his
-embarrassing position with his landlord. He made at this time
-quite a good pastel portrait of me in his very best and earliest
-style. While I was sitting I unfortunately spoke to him about my
-Das Kunstwerk der Zukunft, and thereby laid the foundation for
-him of troubles that lasted many years, as he tried to instil my
-new ideas into the Parisian bourgeoisie at whose tables he had
-hitherto been a welcome guest. Notwithstanding, he remained as of
-old a good, obliging, true-hearted fellow, and even Semper could
-not help putting up with him cheerfully. I also looked up my
-friend Anders. It was a difficult matter to find him at any hour
-of the day, since out of sleeping hours he was closeted in the
-library, where he could receive no one, and afterwards retired to
-the reading-room to spend his hours of rest, and generally went
-to dine with certain bourgeois families where he gave music
-lessons. He had aged considerably, but I was glad to find him,
-comparatively speaking, in better health than the state in which
-I had last seen him had allowed me to hope, as when I left Paris
-before he had seemed to be in a decline. Curiously enough, a
-broken leg had been the means of improving his health, the
-treatment necessary for it having taken him to a hydro, where his
-condition had much improved. His one idea was to see me achieve a
-great success in Paris, and he wished to secure a seat in advance
-for the first performance of my opera, which he took for granted
-was to appear, and kept repeating that it would be so very trying
-for him to occupy a place in any part of the theatre where there
-would be likely to be a crush. He could not see the use of my
-present literary work; in spite of this I was again engaged on it
-exclusively, as I soon ascertained there was no likelihood of my
-overture to Tannhauser being produced. Liszt had shown the
-greatest zeal in obtaining and forwarding the orchestral parts;
-but Herr Seghers informed me that as far as his own orchestra was
-concerned, he found himself in a republican democracy where each
-instrument had an equal right to voice its opinion, and it had
-been unanimously decided that for the remainder of the winter
-season, which was now drawing to a close, my overture could be
-dispensed with. I gathered enough from this turn of affairs to
-realise how precarious my position was.
-
-It is true, the result of my writings was hardly less
-discouraging. A copy of the Wigand edition of my Kunstwerk der
-Zukunft was forwarded to me full of horrible misprints, and
-instead of the expected remuneration of twenty louis d'or, my
-publisher explained that for the present he could only pay me
-half this sum, as, owing to the fact that at first the sale of
-the Kunst und Revolution had been very rapid, he had been led to
-attach too high a commercial value to my writings, a mistake he
-had speedily discovered when he found there was no demand for Die
-Nibelungen.
-
-On the other hand, I received an offer of remunerative work from
-Adolph Kolatschek, who was also a fugitive, and was just going to
-bring out a German monthly journal as the organ of the
-progressive party. In response to this invitation I wrote a long
-essay on Kunst und Klima ('Art and Climate'), in which I
-supplemented the ideas I had already touched upon in my Kunstwerk
-der Zukunft. Besides this I had, since my arrival in Paris,
-worked out a more complete sketch of Wieland der Schmied. It is
-true that this work had no longer any value, and I wondered with
-apprehension what I could write home to my wife, now that the
-last precious remittance had been so aimlessly sacrificed. The
-thought of returning to Zurich was as distasteful to me as the
-prospect of remaining any longer in Paris. My feelings with
-regard to the latter alternative were intensified by the
-impression made upon me by Meyerbeer's opera The Prophet, which
-had just been produced and which I had not heard before. Rearing
-itself on the ruins of the hopes for new and more noble endeavour
-which had animated the better works of the past year--the only
-result of the negotiations of the provisional French republic for
-the encouragement of art--I saw this work of Meyerbeer's break
-upon the world like the dawn heralding this day of disgraceful
-desolation. I was so sickened by this performance, that though I
-was unfortunately placed in the centre of the stalls and would
-willingly have avoided the disturbance necessarily occasioned by
-one of the audience moving during the middle of an act, even this
-consideration did not deter me from getting up and leaving the
-house. When the famous mother of the prophet finally gives vent
-to her grief in the well-known series of ridiculous roulades, I
-was filled with rage and despair at the thought that I should be
-called upon to listen to such a thing, and never again did I pay
-the slightest heed to this opera.
-
-But what was I to do next? Just as the South American republics
-had attracted me during my first miserable sojourn in Paris, so
-now my longing was directed towards the East, where I could live
-my life in a manner worthy of a human being far away from this
-modern world. While I was in this frame of mind I was called
-upon to answer another inquiry as to my state of health from Mme.
-Laussot in Bordeaux. It turned out that my answer prompted her to
-send me a kind and pressing invitation to go and stay at her
-house, at least for a short time, to rest and forget my troubles.
-In any circumstances an excursion to more southerly regions,
-which I had not yet seen, and a visit to people who, though utter
-strangers, showed such friendly interest in me, could not fail to
-prove attractive and flattering. I accepted, settled my affairs
-in Paris, and went by coach via Orleans, Tours, and Angouleme,
-down the Gironde to the unknown town, where I was received with
-great courtesy and cordiality by the young wine merchant Eugene
-Laussot, and presented to my sympathetic young friend, his wife.
-A closer acquaintance with the family, in which Mrs. Taylor, Mme.
-Laussot's mother, was now also included, led to a clearer
-understanding of the character of the sympathy bestowed upon me
-in such a cordial and unexpected manner by people hitherto
-unknown to me. Jessie, as the young wife was called at home, had,
-during a somewhat lengthy stay in Dresden, become very intimate
-with the Ritter family, and I had no reason to doubt the
-assurance given me, that the Laussots' interest in me and my work
-was principally owing to this intimacy. After my flight from
-Dresden, as soon as the news of my difficulties had reached the
-Ritters, a correspondence had been carried on between Dresden and
-Bordeaux with a view to ascertaining how best to assist me.
-Jessie attributed the whole idea to Frau Julie Ritter who, while
-not being well enough off herself to make me a sufficient
-allowance, was endeavouring to come to an understanding with
-Jessie's mother, the well-to-do widow of an English lawyer, whose
-income entirely supported the young couple in Bordeaux. This plan
-had so far succeeded, that shortly after my arrival in Bordeaux
-Mrs. Taylor informed me that the two families had combined, and
-that it had been decided to ask me to accept the help of three
-thousand francs a year until the return of better days. My one
-object now was to enlighten my benefactors as to the exact
-conditions under which I should be accepting such assistance. I
-could no longer reckon upon achieving any success as a composer
-of opera either in Paris or elsewhere; what line I should take up
-instead I did not know; but, at all events, I was determined to
-keep myself free from the disgrace which would reflect upon my
-whole life if I used such means as this offer presented to secure
-success. I feel sure I am not wrong in believing that Jessie was
-the only one who understood me, and though I only experienced
-kindness from the rest of the family, I soon discovered the gulf
-by which she, as well as myself, was separated from her mother
-and husband. While the husband, who was a handsome young man, was
-away the greater part of the day attending to his business, and
-the mother's deafness excluded her to a great extent from our
-conversations, we soon discovered by a rapid exchange of ideas
-that we shared the same opinions on many important matters, and
-this led to a great feeling of friendship between us. Jessie, who
-was at that time about twenty-two, bore little resemblance to her
-mother, and no doubt took after her father, of whom I heard most
-flattering accounts. A large and varied collection of books loft
-by this man to his daughter showed his tastes, for besides
-carrying on his lucrative profession as a lawyer, he had devoted
-himself to the study of literature and science. From him Jessie
-had also learned German as a child, and she spoke that language
-with great fluency. She had been brought up on Grimm's fairy-
-tales, and was, moreover, thoroughly acquainted with German
-poetry, as well as with that of England and France, and her
-knowledge of them was as thorough as the most advanced education
-could demand. French literature did not appeal to her much. Her
-quick powers of comprehension were astonishing. Everything which
-I touched upon she immediately grasped and assimilated. It was
-the same with music: she read at sight with the greatest
-facility, and was an accomplished player. During her stay in
-Dresden she had been told that I was still in search of the
-pianist who could play Beethoven's great Sonata in B flat major,
-and she now astonished me by her finished rendering of this most
-difficult piece. The emotion aroused in me by finding such an
-exceptionally developed talent suddenly changed to anxiety when I
-heard her sing. Her sharp, shrill voice, in which there was
-strength but no real depth of feeling, so shocked me that I could
-not refrain from begging her to desist from singing in future.
-With regard to the execution of the sonata, she listened eagerly
-to my instructions as to how it should be interpreted, though I
-could not feel that she would succeed in rendering it according
-to my ideas. I read her my latest essays, and she seemed to
-understand even the most extraordinary descriptions perfectly. My
-poem on Siegfried's Tod moved her deeply, but she preferred my
-sketch of Wieland der Schmied. She admitted afterwards that she
-would prefer to imagine herself filling the role of Wieland's
-worthy bride than to find herself in the position and forced to
-endure the fate of Gutrune in Siegfried. It followed inevitably
-that the presence of the other members of the family proved
-embarrassing when we wanted to talk over and discuss these
-various subjects. If we felt somewhat troubled at having to
-confess to ourselves that Mrs. Taylor would certainly never be
-able to understand why I was being offered assistance, I was
-still more disconcerted at realising after a time the complete
-want of harmony between the young couple, particularly from an
-intellectual point of view. The fact that Laussot had for some
-time been well aware of his wife's dislike for him was plainly
-shown when he one day so far forgot himself as to complain loudly
-and bitterly that she would not even love a child of his if she
-had one, and that he therefore thought it fortunate that she was
-not a mother. Astonished and saddened, I suddenly gazed into an
-abyss which was hidden here, as is often the case, under the
-appearance of a tolerably happy married life. About this time,
-and just as my visit, which had already lasted three weeks, was
-drawing to a close, I received a letter from my wife that could
-not have had a more unfortunate effect on my state of mind. She
-was, on the whole, pleased at my having found new friends, but at
-the same time explained that if I did not immediately return to
-Paris, and there endeavour to secure the production of my
-overture with the results anticipated, she would not know what to
-think of me, and would certainly fail to understand me if I
-returned to Zurich without having effected my purpose. At the
-same time my depression was intensified in a terrible way by a
-notice in the papers announcing that Rockel, Bakunin, and Heubner
-had been sentenced to death, and that the date of their execution
-was fixed. I wrote a short but stirring letter of farewell to the
-two first, and as I saw no possibility of having it conveyed to
-the prisoners, who were confined in the fortress of Konigstein, I
-decided to send it to Frau von Luttichau, to be forwarded to them
-by her, because I thought she was the only person in whose power
-it might lie to do this for me, while at the same time she had
-sufficient generosity and independence of mind to enable her to
-respect and carry out my wishes, in spite of any possible
-difference of opinion she might entertain. I was told some time
-afterwards that Luttichau had got hold of the letter and thrown
-it into the fire. For the time being this painful impression
-helped me to the determination to break with every one and
-everything, to lose all desire to learn more of life or of art,
-and, even at the risk of having to endure the greatest
-privations, to trust to chance and put myself beyond the reach of
-everybody. The small income settled upon me by my friends I
-wished to divide between myself and my wife, and with my half go
-to Greece or Asia Minor, and there, Heaven alone knew how, seek
-to forget and be forgotten. I communicated this plan to the only
-confidante I had left to me, chiefly in order that she might be
-able to enlighten my benefactors as to how I intended disposing
-of the income they had offered me. She seemed pleased with the
-idea, and the resolve to abandon herself to the same fate seemed
-to her also, in her resentment against her position, to be quite
-an easy matter. She expressed us much by hints and a word dropped
-here and there. Without clearly realising what it would lead to,
-and without coming to any understanding with her, I left Bordeaux
-towards the end of April, more excited than soothed in spirit,
-and filled with regret and anxiety. I returned to Paris, for the
-time being, stunned and full of uncertainty as to what to do
-next. Feeling very unwell, exhausted, and at the same time
-excited from want of sleep, I reached my destination and put up
-at the Hotel Valois, where I remained a week, struggling to gain
-my self-control and to face my strange position. Even if I had
-wished to resume the plans which had been instrumental in
-bringing me to Paris, I soon convinced myself that little or
-nothing could be done. I was filled with distress and anger at
-being called upon to waste my energies in a direction contrary to
-my tastes, merely to satisfy the unreasonable demands made upon
-me. I was at length obliged to answer my wife's last pressing
-communication, and wrote her a long and detailed letter in which
-I kindly, but at the same time frankly, retraced the whole of our
-life together, and explained that I was fully determined to set
-her free from any immediate participation in my fate, as I felt
-quite incapable of so arranging it so as to meet with her
-approval. I promised her the half of whatever means I should have
-at my disposal now or in the future, and told her she must accept
-this arrangement with a good grace, because the occasion had now
-arisen to take that step of parting from me which, on our first
-meeting again in Switzerland, she had declared herself ready to
-do. I ended my letter without bidding her a final farewell. I
-thereupon wrote to Bordeaux immediately to inform Jessie of the
-step I had taken, though my means did not as yet allow of my
-forming any definite plan which I could communicate to her for my
-complete flight from the world. In return she announced that she
-was determined to do likewise, and asked for my protection, under
-which she intended to place herself when once she had set herself
-free. Much alarmed, I did all in my power to make her realise
-that it was one thing for a man, placed in such a desperate
-situation as myself, to cut himself adrift in the face of
-insurmountable difficulties, but quite another matter for a young
-woman, at least to all outward appearances, happily settled, to
-decide to break up her home, for reasons which probably no one
-except myself would be in a position to understand. Regarding the
-unconventionality of her resolve in the eyes of the world, she
-assured me that it would be carried out as quietly as possible,
-and that for the present she merely thought of arranging to visit
-her friends the Ritters in Dresden. I felt so upset by all this
-that I yielded to my craving for retirement, and sought it at no
-great distance from Paris. Towards the middle of April I went to
-Montmorency, of which I had heard many agreeable accounts, and
-there sought a modest hiding-place. With great difficulty I
-dragged myself to the outskirts of the little town, where the
-country still bore a wintry aspect, and turned into the little
-strip of garden belonging to a wine merchant, which was filled
-with visitors only on Sundays, and there refreshed myself with
-some bread and cheese and a bottle of wine. A crowd of hens
-surrounded me, and I kept throwing them pieces of bread, and was
-touched by the self-sacrificing abstemiousness with which the
-cock gave all to his wives though I aimed particularly at him.
-They became bolder and bolder, and finally flew on to the table
-and attacked my provisions; the cock flew after them, and
-noticing that everything was topsy-turvy, pounced upon the cheese
-with the eagerness of a craving long unsatisfied. When I found
-myself being driven from the table by this chaos of fluttering
-wings, I was filled with a gaiety to which I had long been a
-stranger. I laughed heartily, and looked round for the signboard
-of the inn. I thereby discovered that my host rejoiced in the
-name of Homo. This seemed a hint from Fate, and I felt I must
-seek shelter here at all costs. An extraordinarily small and
-narrow bedroom was shown me, which I immediately engaged. Besides
-the bed it held a rough table and two cane-bottomed chairs. I
-arranged one of these as a washhand-stand, and on the table I
-placed some books, writing materials, and the score of Lohengrin,
-and almost heaved a sigh of content in spite of my extremely
-cramped accommodation. Though the weather remained uncertain and
-the woods with their leafless trees did not seem to offer the
-prospect of very enticing walks, I still felt that here there was
-a possibility of my being forgotten, and being also in my turn
-allowed to forget the events that had lately filled me with Midi
-desperate anxiety. My old artistic instinct awoke again. I looked
-over my Lohengrin score, and quickly decided to send it to Liszt
-and leave it to him to bring it out as best he could. Now that I
-had got rid of this score also, I felt as free as a bird and as
-careless as Diogenes about what might befall me. I even invited
-Kietz to come and stay with me and share the pleasures of my
-retreat. He did actually come, as he had done during my stay in.
-Mendon; but he found me even more modestly installed than I had
-been there. He was quite prepared to take pot-luck, however, and
-cheerfully slept on an improvised bed, promising to keep the
-world in touch with me upon his return to Paris. I was suddenly
-startled from my state of complacency by the news that my wife
-had come to Paris to look me up. I had an hour's painful struggle
-with myself to settle the course I should pursue, and decided not
-to allow the step I had taken in regard to her to be looked upon
-as an ill-considered and excusable vagary. I left Montmorency and
-betook myself to Paris, summoned Kietz to my hotel, and
-instructed him to tell my wife, who had already been trying to
-gain admittance to him, that he knew nothing more of me except
-that I had left Paris. The poor fellow, who felt as much pity for
-Minna as for me, was so utterly bewildered on this occasion, that
-he declared that he felt as though he were the axis upon which
-all the misery in the world turned. But he apparently realised
-the significance and importance of my decision, as it was
-necessary he should, and acquitted himself in this delicate
-matter with intelligence and good feeling. That night t left
-Paris by train for Clermont-Tonnerre, from whence I travelled on
-to Geneva, there to await news from Frau Ritter in Dresden. My
-exhaustion was such that, even had I possessed the necessary
-means, I could not as yet have contemplated undergoing the
-fatigue of a long journey. By way of gaining time for further
-developments I retired to Villeneuve, at the other end of the
-Lake of Geneva, where I put up at the Hotel Byron, which was
-quite empty at the time. Here I learned that Karl Ritter had
-arrived in Zurich, as he said he would, with the intention of
-paying me a visit. Impressing upon him the necessity for the
-strictest secrecy, I invited him to join me at the Lake of
-Geneva, and in the second week in May we met at the Hotel Byron.
-The characteristic which pleased me in him was his absolute
-devotion, his quick comprehension of my position and the
-necessity of my resolutions, as well as his readiness to submit
-without question to all my arrangements, even where he himself
-was concerned. He was full of my latest literary efforts, told me
-what an impression they had made on his acquaintances, and
-thereby induced me to spend the few days of rest I was enjoying
-in preparing my poem of Siegfried's Tod for publication.
-
-I wrote a short preface dedicating this poem to my friends as a
-relic of the time when I had hoped to devote myself entirely to
-art, and especially to the composition of music. I sent this
-manuscript to Herr Wigand in Leipzig, who returned it to me after
-some time with the remark, that if I insisted on its being
-printed in Latin characters he would not be able to sell a single
-copy of it. Later on I discovered that he deliberately refused to
-pay me the ten louis d'or due to me for Das Kunstwerk der
-Zukunft, which I had directed him to send to my wife.
-Disappointing as all this was, I was nevertheless unable to
-engage in any further work, as only a few days after Karl's
-arrival the realities of life made themselves felt in an
-unexpected manner, most upsetting to my tranquillity of mind. I
-received a wildly excited letter from Mme. Laussot to tell me
-that she had not been able to resist telling her mother of her
-intentions, that in so doing she had immediately aroused the
-suspicion that I was to blame, and in consequence of this her
-disclosure had been communicated to M. Laussot, who vowed he
-would search everywhere for me in order to put a bullet through
-my body. The situation was clear enough, and I decided to go to
-Bordeaux immediately in order to come to an understanding with my
-opponent I at once wrote fully to M. Eugene, endeavouring to make
-him see matters in their true light, but at the same time
-declared myself incapable of understanding how a man could bring
-himself to keep a woman with him by force, when she no longer
-wished to remain. I ended by informing him that I should reach
-Bordeaux at, the same time as my letter, and immediately upon my
-arrival there would let him know at what hotel to find me; also
-that I would not tell his wife of the step I was taking, and that
-he could consequently act without restraint. I did not conceal
-from him, what indeed was the fact, that I was undertaking this
-journey under great difficulties, as under the circumstances I
-considered it impossible to wait to have my passport endorsed by
-the French envoy. At the same time I wrote a few lines to Mme.
-Laussot, exhorting her to be calm and self-possessed, but, true
-to my purpose, refrained from even hinting at any movement on my
-part. (When, years afterwards, I told Liszt this story, he
-declared I had acted very stupidly in not, telling Mme. Laussot
-of my intentions.) I took leave of Karl the same day, in order to
-set out next morning from Geneva on my tedious journey across
-France. But I was so exhausted by all this that I could not help
-thinking I was going to die. That same night I wrote to Frau
-Ritter in Dresden, to this effect, giving her a short account of
-the incredible difficulties I had been drawn into. As a matter of
-fact, I suffered great inconvenience at the French frontier on
-account of my passport; I was made to give my exact place of
-destination, and it was only upon my assuring them that pressing
-family affairs required my immediate presence, that the
-authorities showed exceptional leniency and allowed me to
-proceed.
-
-I travelled by Lyons through Auvergne by stage-coach for three
-days and two nights, till at length I reached Bordeaux. It was
-the middle of May, and as I surveyed the town from a height at
-early dawn I saw it lit up by a fire that had broken out. I
-alighted at the Hotel Quatre Soeurs, and at once sent a note to
-M. Laussot, informing him that I held myself at his disposal and
-would remain in all day to receive him. It was nine o'clock in
-the morning when I sent him this message. I waited in vain for an
-answer, till at last, late in the afternoon, I received a summons
-from the police-station to present myself immediately. There I
-was first of all asked whether my passport was in order. I
-acknowledged the difficulty I found myself in with regard to it,
-and explained that family matters had necessitated my placing
-myself in this position.
-
-I was thereupon informed that precisely this family matter, which
-had no doubt brought me there, was the cause of their having to
-deny me the permission to remain in Bordeaux any longer. In
-answer to my question, they did not conceal the fact that these
-proceedings against me were being carried out at the express wish
-of the family concerned. This extraordinary revelation
-immediately restored my good-humour. I asked the police inspector
-whether, after such a trying journey, I might not be allowed a
-couple of days' rest before returning; this request he readily
-granted, and told me that in any case there could be no chance of
-my meeting the family in question, as they had left Bordeaux at
-mid-day. I used these two days to recover from my fatigue, and
-also wrote a letter to Jessie, in which I told her exactly what
-had taken place, without concealing my contempt at the behaviour
-of her husband, who could expose his wife's honour by a
-denunciation to the police. I also added that our friendship
-could certainly not continue until she had released herself from
-so humiliating a position. The next thing was to get this letter
-safely delivered. The information furnished me by the police
-officials was not sufficient to enlighten me as to what had
-exactly taken place in the Laussot family, whether they had left
-home for some length of time or merely for a day, so I simply
-made up my mind to go to their house. I rang the bell and the
-door sprang open; without meeting any one I walked up to the
-first-floor flat, the door of which stood open, and went from
-room to room till I reached Jessie's boudoir, where I placed my
-letter in her work-basket and returned the way I had come. I
-received no reply, and set out upon my return journey as soon as
-the term of rest granted me had expired. The fine May weather had
-a cheering effect upon me, and the clear water, as well as the
-agreeable name of the Dordogne, along whose banks the post-chaise
-travelled for some distance, gave me great pleasure.
-
-I was also entertained by the conversation of two fellow-
-travellers, a priest and an officer, about the necessity of
-putting an end to the French Republic. The priest showed himself
-much more humane and broad-minded than his military interlocutor,
-who could only repeat the one refrain, 'Il faut en finir.' I now
-had a look at Lyons, and in a walk round the town tried to recall
-the scenes in Lamartine's Histoire des Girondins, where he so
-vividly describes the siege and surrender of the town during the
-period of the Convention Nationale. At last I arrived at Geneva,
-and returned to the Byron hotel, where Karl Hitter was awaiting
-me. During my absence he had heard from his family, who wrote
-very kindly concerning me. His mother had at once reassured him
-as to my condition, and pointed out that with people suffering
-from nervous disorders the idea of approaching death was a
-frequent symptom, and that there was consequently no occasion to
-feel anxious about me. She also announced her intention of coming
-to visit us in Villeneuve with her daughter Emilie in a few days'
-time. This news made me take heart again; this devoted family, so
-solicitous for my welfare, seemed sent by Providence to lead me,
-as I so longed to be led, to a new life. Both ladies arrived in
-time to celebrate my thirty-seventh birthday on the twenty-second
-of May. The mother, Frau Julie, particularly made a deep
-impression upon me. I had only met her once before in Dresden,
-when Karl had invited me to be present at the performance of a
-quartette of his own composition, given at his mother's house. On
-this occasion the respect and devotion shown me by each member of
-the family had delighted me. The mother had hardly spoken to me,
-but when I was leaving she was moved to tears as she thanked me
-for my visit. I was unable to understand her emotion at the time,
-but now when I reminded her of it she was surprised, and
-explained that she had felt so touched at my unexpected kindness
-to her son.
-
-She and her daughter remained with us about a week. We sought
-diversion in excursions to the beautiful Valais, but did not
-succeed in dispelling Frau Hitter's sadness of heart, caused by
-the knowledge of recent events of which she had now been
-informed, as well as by her anxiety at the course my life was
-taking. As I afterwards learned, it had cost the nervous,
-delicate woman a great effort to undertake this journey, and when
-I urged her to leave her house to come and settle in Switzerland
-with her family, so that we might all be united, she at last
-pointed out to me that in proposing what seemed to her such an
-eccentric undertaking, I was counting upon a strength and energy
-she no longer possessed. For the present she commended her son,
-whom she wished to leave with me, to my care, and gave me the
-necessary means to keep us both for the time being. Regarding the
-state of her fortune, she told me that her income was limited,
-and now that it was impossible to accept any help from the
-Laussots, she did not know how she would be able to come to my
-assistance sufficiently to assure my independence. Deeply moved,
-we took leave of this venerable woman at the end of a week, and
-she returned to Dresden with her daughter, and I never saw her
-again.
-
-Still bent upon discovering a means of disappearing from the
-world, I thought of choosing a wild mountain spot where I could
-retire with Karl. For this purpose we sought the lonely Visper
-Thal in the canton Valais, and not without difficulty made our
-way along the impracticable roads to Zermatt. There, at the foot
-of the colossal and beautiful Matterhorn, we could indeed
-consider ourselves cut off from the outer world. I tried to make
-things as comfortable as I could in this primitive wilderness,
-but discovered only too soon that Karl could not reconcile
-himself to his surroundings. Even on the second day he owned that
-he thought it horrid, and suggested that it would be more
-pleasant in the neighbourhood of one of the lakes. We studied the
-map of Switzerland, and chose Thun for our next destination.
-Unfortunately I again found myself reduced to a state of extreme
-nervous fatigue, in which the slightest effort produced a profuse
-and weakening perspiration. Only by the greatest strength of will
-was I able to make my way out of the valley; but at last we
-reached Thun, and with renewed courage engaged a couple of modest
-but cheerful rooms looking out on to the road, and proposed to
-wait and see how we should like it. In spite of the reserve which
-still betrayed his shyness of character, I found conversation
-with my young friend always pleasant and enlivening. I now
-realised the pitch of fluent and overflowing vivacity to which
-the young man could attain, particularly at night before retiring
-to rest, when he would squat down beside my bed, and in the
-agreeable, pure dialect of the German Baltic provinces, give free
-expression to whatever had excited his interest. I was
-exceedingly cheered during these days by the perusal of the
-Odyssey, which I had not read for so long and which had fallen
-into my hands by chance. Homer's long-suffering hero, always
-homesick yet condemned to perpetual wandering, and always
-valiantly overcoming all difficulties, was strangely sympathetic
-to me. Suddenly the peaceful state I had scarcely yet entered
-upon was disturbed by a letter which Karl received from Mme.
-Laussot. He did not know whether he ought to show it to me, as he
-thought Jessie had gone mad. I tore it out of his hand, and found
-she had written to say that she felt obliged to let my friend
-know that she had been sufficiently enlightened about me to make
-her drop my acquaintance entirely. I afterwards discovered,
-chiefly through the help of Frau Ritter, that in consequence of
-my letter and my arrival in Bordeaux, M. Laussot, together with
-Mrs. Taylor, had immediately taken Jessie to the country,
-intending to remain there until the news was received of my
-departure, to accelerate which he had applied to the police
-authorities. While they were away, and without telling her of my
-letter and my journey, they had obtained a promise from the young
-woman to remain quiet for a year, give up her visit to Dresden,
-and, above all, to drop all correspondence with me; since, under
-these conditions, she was promised her entire freedom at the end
-of that time, she had thought it better to give her word. Not
-content with this, however, the two conspirators had immediately
-set about calumniating me on all sides, and finally to Mme.
-Laussot herself, saying that I was the initiator of this plan of
-elopement. Mrs. Taylor had written to my wife complaining of my
-intention to commit adultery, at the same time expressing her
-pity for her and offering her support; the unfortunate Minna, who
-now thought she had found a hitherto unsuspected reason for my
-resolve to remain separated from her, wrote back complaining of
-me to Mrs. Taylor. The meaning of an innocent remark I had once
-made had been strangely misinterpreted, and matters wore now
-aggravated by making it appear as though I had intentionally
-lied. In the course of playful conversation Jessie had once told
-me that she belonged to no recognised form of religion, her
-father Having teen a member of a certain sect which did not
-baptise either according to the Protestant or the Roman Catholic
-ritual; whereupon I had comforted her by assuring her that I had
-come in contact with much more questionable sects, as shortly
-after my marriage in Konigsberg I had learned that it had been
-solemnised by a hypocrite. God alone knows in what form this had
-been repeated to the worthy British matron, but, at all events,
-she told my wife that I had said I was 'not legally married to
-her.' In any case, my wife's answer to this had no doubt
-furnished further material with which to poison Jessie's mind
-against me, and this letter to my young friend was the result. I
-must admit that, seen by this light, the circumstance at which I
-felt most indignant was the way my wife had been treated, and
-while I was perfectly indifferent as to what the rest of the
-party thought of me, I immediately accepted Karl's offer to go to
-Zurich and see her, so as to give her the explanation necessary
-to her peace of mind. While awaiting his return, I received a
-letter from Liszt, telling me of the deep impression made upon
-him by my Lohengrin score, which had caused him to make up his
-mind as to the future in store for me. He at the same time
-announced that, as I had given him the permission to do so, he
-intended doing all in his power to bring about the production of
-my opera at the forthcoming Herder festival in Weimar. About this
-time I also heard from Frau Ritter, who, in consequence of events
-of which she was well aware, thought herself called upon to beg
-me not to take the matter too much to heart. At this moment Karl
-also returned from Zurich, and spoke with great warmth of my
-wife's attitude. Not having found me in Paris, she had pulled
-herself together with remarkable energy, and in pursuance of an
-earlier wish of mine, had rented a house on the lake of Zurich,
-installed herself comfortably, and remained there in the hope of
-at last hearing from me again. Besides this, he had much to tell
-me of Sulzer's good sense and friendliness, the latter having
-stood by, my wife and shown her great sympathy. In the midst of
-his narrative Karl suddenly exclaimed, 'Ah! these could be
-called sensible people; but with such a mad Englishwoman nothing
-could be done.' To all this I said not a word, but finally with a
-smile asked him whether he would like to go over to Zurich? He
-sprang up exclaiming, 'Yes, and as soon as possible.' 'You shall
-have your way,' said I; 'let us pack. I can see no sense in
-anything either here or there.' Without breathing another
-syllable about all that had happened, we left the next day for
-Zurich.
-
-
-
-
-
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