town in the Vosges mountains, on a visit to a wealthy manufacturer
_Jacques Hartmann_. Our host, who is an ardent lover of music, was
informed by Herr Kapellmeister _Brandt_ of Carlsruhe, that we should
pass through Colmar on our journey. He had ascertained from Strasburg
the day on which we should pass through; he therefore way laid us and
with friendly force compelled us to follow him to his house at Münster.
Arrived there at nightfall, we were welcomed by his family in the
most hearty manner, and conducted immediately through the garden to a
brilliantly lighted Concert-Room, which was decorated all round with
the names of our great Composers, among which probably from to-day
mine also has found a humble place. The Orchestra of Herr _Hartmann_
was already in their places and received us upon our entry with a
by no means ill executed Overture. The Orchestra consists of Herr
_Hartmann’s_ family, and in part of some of the employés, musicians and
workmen employed in his Cotton-manufactury. As he as much as possible
engages those only who are musical, he has succeeded in getting
together an almost completely appointed Orchestra, which executes in a
very decent manner compositions that are not too difficult and which
it has diligently practised.[17] Herr _Hartmann_ himself is a virtuoso
on the bassoon and has a fine tone and much skill. His sister and
his daughter play the pianoforte. The latter a child, eight years of
age is the star of this Dilettanti orchestra. She already plays very
difficult compositions with wonderful facility and precision. But more
than this, her fine musical ear surprised me, with which (though at a
distance from the Piano) she distinguishes the intervals of the most
complicated discordant accords that can be struck for her, and will
name consecutively the tones of which they consist. Of this child for
a certainty if properly guided will one day be made a distinguished
artiste.[18] After the family had exhibited their capabilities, we let
them hear one of our Duetts and found a very grateful and enthusiastic
auditory.
[17] From the leader of the Orchestra an employé in the manufactory,
I then made the acquisition of a Violin by _Lupot_ of Paris. I was
so much struck with the full and powerful tone of this Instrument,
which was then only thirty years old, that I immediately proposed an
exchange for an Italian Violin, which I had purchased in Brunswick,
and played upon in my first journey; the possessor of the _Lupot_
willingly acceded to my desire. I soon got so fond of this Violin,
that I preferred it to my hitherto Concert-Violin, an old german
by _Buchstetter_, and from this time I played on it in all my
travels.----------
It was not till the year 1822, when my artistic tours as Violinist
had ceased, that I bought of Madame _Schlick_ in Gotha my present
instrument, a _Stradivari_, and yielded to Concert-master _Matthaei_
of Leipsic at his urgent entreaty this Violin of _Lupot_, which in
the course of years had become very good and had acquired a great
reputation. _Matthaei_ played on it till his death, when it came into
the possession of Concert-master _Ulrich_.
[18] Unhappily she died young and before her full development.
Herr _Hartmann_ does not readily permit a Musician of note to pass
through Alsace without calling on him and therefore has already seen
many of them under his roof; among others, _Rudolpho_, _Kreutzer_,
_Durand_, _Turner_, _Bärmann_ and the brothers _Schunke_. And for a
certainty all must have been as satisfied with their stay in his house
as we were; for a more agreable host, and one more desirous to please
than Herr _Hartmann_ could not readily be found. Of the two first
mentioned artistes he related the following, which is sufficiently
characteristic. _Kreutzer_ gave a Concert at the theatre in Strasburg,
which was very fully attended. After the first part, he went and took
the receipts, and lost them at Roulette in the refreshment room to the
last _sous_. He was now called for the second part of the Concert,
and was obliged to earn wherewith to supply what he had already lost.
_Durand_ did still worse! Herr _Hartmann_ had got up a Concert for him
at Mühlhausen and accompanied him thither. _Durand_ immediately forgot
himself in a beerhouse, and it was a difficult matter to get him away
from it to hold the rehearsal. At this he missed his bow, which he
had forgotten at Colmar. He declared that he must fetch it, otherwise
he would not be able to play in the evening. Herr _Hartmann_ gave him
his carriage and urged him to return as soon as possible. The hour
of the Concert was fast approaching, but _Durand_ had not yet come
back. The public had assembled, the Musicians were tuning up,--but the
Concert-giver was still wanting! After waiting for half an hour, as the
auditory had become very restless, Herr _Hartmann_ had the Overture
played. But as _Durand_ had not yet made his appearance, he was
obliged to come forward and explain the absence of the Concert-giver.
Exceedingly displeased at this, the public left the Concert-room.
Late in the evening the coachman returned without the vainly expected
musician, and informed his master that he had sought for him for
several hours in all the Coffee-houses and taverns at Colmar but in
vain, and that at length he had found him in a beerhouse where in
company with other jovial guests he had totally forgotten the concert.
Three days ago, we gave a Concert in Colmar which was very fully
attended, and which Herr _Hartmann_ had previously solicited his there
resident musical friends to make arrangements for. As the Orchestra
which was almost wholly composed of dilettanti was very bad; I was
compelled to renounce playing any of my own compositions and chose some
of easier accompaniment by _Rode_ and _Kreutzer_. After the Sonata
which I played with my wife, a crown of laurel was thrown to us from a
box to which was attached the following poem:
Couple savant dans l’art heureux
Qui fit placer au rang des Dieux
L’antique Chantre de la Grèce.
D’un instrument melodieux,
Et de la harpe enchanteresse
Quand les accords delicieux.
Nous causent une double ivresse,
Faut-il, que les tristes apprêts
D’un depart qui nous désespère,
Mêlent d’inutiles regrets
Aux charmes que votre Art opère!
Ah! près de nous il faut rester!
Quelle raison pour s’en défendre?
A nos voeux, si _Spohr_ veut se rendre,
Il pourra, j’ose l’attester,
Se lasser de nous enchanter,
Jamais nous lasser de l’entendre.
_Par E. C. (outerèt), habitant de Colmar._
In the second part of the Concert Herr _Hartmann_ played also some
variations for the bassoon by _Brandt_. He seemed very nervous, but
played nevertheless right well. The receipts were very considerable
for so small a town. The day after the Concert we dined at General
_Frimont’s_, Commander of the Austrian troops in Alsace. We found our
host an extremely amiable and jovial man. By his love of justice, his
strict discipline and agreable manners, he has acquired in a high
degree the esteem of the inhabitants of Colmar.--In the evening we
returned here.
Yesterday I received information from the Director of music _Tollmann_,
in Basel, to whom Herr _Hartmann_ had previously announced our arrival,
that he had made arrangements for a Concert for us on next Sunday the
31. We must therefore take leave of our kind host and his family. But
we have been obliged to promise to come once again if possible during
the summer.
Herr _Hartmann_ conducted us several times over the Cotton factory.
It is very extensive and produces goods which in respect of taste in
the designs greatly excel the English. It gives employment to upwards
of one thousand persons, and among these to artists of great talent
as Draughtsmen and Engravers on copper. Cotton prints of all kinds
are made, common ones by hand-press, the finer sorts by Roll-press,
with furniture prints as well as carpets ornamented with large and
small designs. The latter are chiefly made for the East Indian and
China markets. On the copper-plates for these kinds, artists often
work for several years together. The designs are for the most part
copies of celebrated pictures. The mechanism by which the copper-plates
are printed off upon stuffs is a secret in the possession of the
_Hartmann_-manufactory, which is not shewn to strangers. We were made
an exception to the rule. An ingenious machine for rubbing colours was
also invented here, and is as yet the only one of the kind. Alsace
which is so rich in manufactories, is very discontented with the new
government, which does nothing for the encouragement of industry as did
the exiled Emperor, to whom the people are devotedly attached. This may
be readily imagined when we consider, that in the palmy days of the
Empire, the manufactories in this part were in an extremely flourishing
condition, which arose in a great measure from the exclusion of English
manufactures from the Continent by the celebrated Berlin decrees. But
now again when the whole of Europe is inundated with English goods, the
factories here are obliged to restrict their labours considerably.
People express here without reserve their discontent with the present
government, and say quite openly, that the favourable opportunity is
only waited for to shake off the present yoke once more. It is true,
also, that many things that tended greatly to the public good, such as
canal and road making, the distribution of prizes for encouragement of
Industry, Art-institutions etc. such for example as the Conservatory
of Music in Paris, have been in part suppressed or greatly limited, as
hateful reminiscences of the Revolution and of the Empire. All this had
made much bad blood, and rendered the new Government extremely hated.
People will therefore be by no means displeased, should the report be
verified, that Alsace is to be ceded to Austria.
_Basel_, April, 2.
Herr _Tollmann_, a good Violinist and Director and at the same time
the most obliging man and most willing to render a service I ever met,
had already with the assistance of the Union-society of Music here,
prepared every thing for our concert. Nothing remained to be done but
to obtain the permission of the Head Burgomaster to raise the price of
admission to half a laub-thaler. This was immediately granted. Herr
_Tollmann_ introduced me to the Directors of the society, whom I found
both agreable and well bred people. They completely disproved in their
persons the report which prevails in Alsace, that the Baseler is cold
and uncourteous, and usually cuts short the visits of strangers at the
street door. I was received with politeness by all whom I visited, and
even with distinction. As the Orchestra, with the exception of four or
five artistes was composed of Dilettanti merely, the accompaniment of
my Solo-pieces, particularly by the wind-instruments was fearful. How
poor _Tollmann_ is to be pitied, to be obliged to hear such music all
the year round! And yet, he says, the Orchestras in the other towns of
Switzerland are still worse. If that is the case, then indeed Music is
in a more pitiable condition in Switzerland than in Alsace. The good
folks here are enraptured still with compositions such as in Germany
even in _Pleyel’s_ time were considered intolerable. _Mozart_, _Haydn_
and _Beethoven_ are scarcely known by name to the majority. But they
are fond of music, and the best of all is, they are easily pleased; for
badly executed as all the orchestral passages were in our Concert the
people were nevertheless content, and considered that on this occasion
the Orchestra had particularly distinguished itself. Even a Bravoura
air which was awfully tortured by a Dilettant, they found delicious.
The expenses being slight, the receipts were somewhat considerable.
_Zürich_, April, 10.
On the road from Basel to this place, like all other travellers coming
from Germany, we had ample proof that though one travels with more
comfort in Switzerland, yet is as expensive again as there. At every
inn here, even in the smallest villages, one finds a complete and well
dressed dinner or supper, but the price all through Switzerland is
half a Laub-thaler a head. All other necessaries are equally good, but
also very dear. The expense of travelling is almost still worse. With
the exception of the short distance from Basel to Zurich, there is no
extra-post in all Switzerland, and one is therefore obliged to travel
either by the Diligence or with hired horses. Both are very dear. The
price for a pair of hired horses per day is three laub-thaler, and
their days for return are also charged for.
There is here also an “Union-society of Music.” These societies in
the Swiss towns are a great boon to the travelling artiste, for they
very willingly undertake all the arrangements for his concert. Ours
took place already on the fourth day after our arrival. We had nothing
more to do but to play. The accompaniment certainly was again very bad
and I suffered the more from it, by allowing myself to be persuaded
to select a Concert of my own compositions. At the rehearsal, by
dint of innumerable repetitions of the most difficult parts, I at
length succeeded in making them sound like music; but in the evening
the orchestra got so frightened that it upset every thing again!
Fortunately, the auditory did not appear to notice anything of it, for
they evinced the greatest satisfaction with every thing they heard.
The receipts were yet greater than at Basel. There are two artistes
living here who are also known in Germany. One of them, Herr _Nägeli_,
is the proprietor of a music-shop, and the composer of the song sung
throughout Germany: “Freut euch des Lebens” (Life let us cherish) he
has also since made a name for himself by his Singing Instructions on
the _Pestalozzian_ system. He may have great merit as a Theorist and
musical Composer but in the practical part of the science of music and
in the development of taste, he does not appear to have effected much;
for of three of his pupils whom he introduced to us as his best, one
sang an Aria, and the other two executed a Duett in our Concert, with a
bad method, and without taste.
The other artiste is Herr _Liste_, who is considered here a first rate
pianiste and Instructor, he is known by some compositions for the
piano. He shewed me some Glees and Quartetts for male voices, which
pleased me much for their melody, harmony and induction of the voices.
Zurich is most charmingly situated. From our room, at the Inn “zum
Raben” (The Raven) we have a view over great part of the lake. The
arrival and departure of boats and other craft give great life to this
part of the town.
_Bern_, April 20.
With most beautiful weather we had an extremely pleasant journey
thither. From the summit of a high hill about a league from here,
we saw for the first time since we entered Switzerland the whole
magnificient chain of the Alps quite distinctly, and in all its
grandeur. We hailed the sight with joy! How we long to approach yet
nearer to those mountains!
The musical society of Bern undertook also with zeal the preparations
for our Concert, and relieved me of all trouble in the matter. The
attendance here likewise, was more numerous than had ever before been
known at the Concert of a foreign artist. The receipts however, on
account of the here customary low price of admission, were not so great
as at Zurich. The Orchestra here is if possible still worse than in
Basel and Zurich, and the public with the exception of very few yet
more uncultivated. At the head of the Orchestra is a brother of _Carl
Maria von Weber_, who, as I am told, is a good theorist. As a Violinist
and Director he is very weak. Among the dilettanti and members of the
Society of music Professors _Meissner_ and _Jahn_, and the Burgomaster
_Hermann_ are particularly distinguished for their cultivated taste for
the science of music. The former is Director of the society, and a very
good violinist.
As the season is already too far advanced, to give further Concerts
in the other towns of Switzerland, we intend giving up our journey
there for the present, and at once set ourselves down to rest in
some beautiful part of the Bernese Oberland, of which _Dorette_ has
such urgent need for the full re-establishment of her health. Our
acquaintances here recommend to us a village in the neigbourhood of
Thun. Yesterday, accompanied by _Edward_[19] we drove out there, and
found every thing so much in accordance with our wishes, that we
resolved to remove thither on the next day. The name of the village
is Thierachern, and it lies in one of the most beautiful spots that
we had yet beheld. At the Inn we hired two rooms, for which together
with a coach house for our carriage, and breakfast and dinner daily, we
agreed to pay the host two Carolines per week. We are all longing to
settle in this paradise, and looking forward to the enjoyment of its
rural repose. I think especially to avail myself of it to write some
new Violin compositions, with very simple and easy accompaniments for
Italy, as from all accounts the Orchestras there are worse than those
of the provincial towns in France. _Edward_ has promised to visit us
frequently, and then join us in excursions into the beautiful environs.
[19] _Edward Henke_, previously adverted to, my mother’s youngest
brother, then Professor at the University of Bern; and afterwards of
Halle.
Bern, the handsomest of all the towns of Switzerland that we had yet
seen, is situated upon an eminence of moderate height in the centre of
a somewhat long and narrow valley. The Aar, a rapid, clear mountain
stream, flows round three sides of it. The mountains which surround
it are not so high as to impede the view of the Alps from the town.
From the Platform in particular, a spacious quadrangular bulwark near
the principal church, planted with chesnut trees and furnished with
benches, the view is extensive, and charmingly beautiful. On leaning
over the wall which surrounds this platform on the south side, the
foaming Aar is seen deep below rushing between the rocks, above this
in the middleground, smiling meadows, hills covered with woods, and
villages thickly surrounded with fruit trees, and in the back ground
the majestic Alpine chain with its summits covered with eternal snow!
The Bernese are not a little proud of this spot; and the first question
they put to a stranger is usually: “Have you been on the platform?”
The houses of the town are all of them massively built, and have open
Arcades running the length of the street, under which one is able to
traverse the whole town dry footed in wet weather. Under these Arcades
are the warehouses and shops of the merchants and trades-people.
_Thierachern_, April, 26.
We have been here three days in our beautiful little village, and are
inhaling in full draughts the breath of the first spring days in this
indiscribably charming place. We have no thought of work as yet, for
early every morning we feel impelled to hasten out into the fresh air.
We have already wandered a full mile in different directions round our
little village, and always discovered new beauties. The situation of
our dwelling is beautiful beyond conception; it stands upon a hill
from which one has a view of the country on every side. Our rooms open
upon a long balcony which extends the whole breadth of the house, and
is covered in by the eaves of the main roof. These open galleries,
which almost all the houses have, are called “Lauben”.[20] From this
laube, where in the hitherto fine weather we breakfast every morning,
we have a most extensive view over wood and meadow, as far as Thun, and
its ancient castle; then upon the right across the lake as far as the
chain of the Alps, with the white peaks of the Jungfrau, the Eiger,
and Schreckhorn. Still farther again to the right, the eye rests upon
green copse-covered hills, and villages embosomed amid orchards, and
beyond these upon the fearful rocky ridges of the Riesen, as far as the
Stockhorn. Almost every day these mountains present aspects different
from those of the previous one. Sometimes the foremost mountains
are covered with dense masses of clouds, and the hinder ones appear
majestically above them at an altitude, such as one can scarce believe
possible for any thing firm to exist; at others the farmost mountains
stand out clear and distinct; and the highest peaks alone are shrouded
in clouds. But in the evening, shortly after sun set, the sight of
these snow covered mountains is quite entrancing to behold. When the
valley is wholly wrapped in gloom, and the lights from Thun are seen
reflected upon the lake, the mountain peaks are still resplendent
with the most beautiful rosy light, which when the darkness encreases
changes into as beautiful a blue. It is a spectacle from which it is
difficult to tear one’s self away!
[20] From _Laube_, an arbour, bower.
May, 16.
We have now begun to divide our time between pleasure and work. In the
forenoon, while I compose, _Dorette_ gives the children instruction
in arithmetic, writing, geography etc.: in the afternoon I teach
them the Piano and singing. Then away we sally out into the free air.
If the weather permits an extended excursion, we take our frugal
evening repast in some “Küher’s” (so the shepherds are called here)
and do not return till late in the evening. Should the weather be
uncertain, we go provided with umbrellas, at least as far as Thun,
to enquire after letters from home; procure some amusement for rainy
days from the lending-library, and purchase our little necessaries.
The daily exercise in the beautiful pure balmy air strengthens our
bodies, enlivens our spirits and makes us joyous and happy. In such
a disposition of mind, one works easily and quickly, and several
compositions lie already completed before me, namely a Violin Concerto
in the shape of a Vocal-scena and a Duett for two violins.
I must not forget to mention a musical Natural-curiosity which we
remarked in our walks. There is a Cuckoo here which does not sing its
name like ours in a terza, but adds another “koo” between, and which
may be expressed as follows:
[Music]
Whether this is a different kind from ours, I have not been able to
ascertain, but, that every year in this part, such Cuckookoos are heard.
Something also, I have here remarked, which has still more interested
me as a musician. The serving boy belonging to our house and some
maidens of the neighbourhood who hold their Singing-Academy before
our window every Sunday evening, intonate in their songs just like
the notes from a tin instrument when unassisted by the stopping of
the finger, i, e, the Terza somewhat too high, the Quarta still
higher and the little Septime considerably too low. From this it is
evident, that this intonation is natural to the human ear, if it is
not accustomed from early youth to the attemperated system of tones.
These nature-singers would sound as false to our tone-scale, as we
to theirs. But it is nevertheless specially remarkable, and _almost
disquieting_, that in order to attain our present richness of harmony,
we have been obliged to deviate from the Tone-scale given to us by
nature. For without our attemperated Tone-system we should be confined
to the nearest tones, and obliged to renounce the enharmonical changes
which are the _haut goût_ of modern harmony. And yet by this deviation
from nature, it seems to me that music is alone elevated to a real
Science, while all other arts, must be content to copy Nature, and even
when they would idealise, still imitate nature in all individualities.
The songs of these Nature-singers have a great deal of originality, and
when I have learned to understand better the dialect of these parts,
which has much resemblance to the Allemanic, I will endeavour to note
down some of them.
June, 4.