the fine weather tempted us to undertake, and enjoyed ourselves
exceedingly. We went to Kandersteg, a small village high up in the
mountains, distant from here between seven or eight leagues. I had
hired for this purpose our host’s one horse “Rietwägeli” and drove
myself. The map was again our guide. Our road lay at first along
the right bank of the lake of Thun as far as Spiez. Behind Gwatt we
crossed the Kander over a wooden bridge, which in a single arch of most
ingenious construction spans high and boldly the broad and rushing
stream. About a hundred years ago the course of the Kander was turned
into the lake, by which means the beautiful valley from Glutsch to
Thierachern which lay waste and uncultivated every spring owing to
the inundations, was converted into fine meadows and fruitful fields.
But this must have been a giant-labour, for it was found necessary
to pierce a high mountain for the purpose. From the centre of the
bridge one looks down from a dizzy height upon the foaming Kander in
its passage over the rocks, and at the same time upon the lowering
banks on either side. From Spiez the road turns to the right round the
majestic Riesen, and leads through a fruitful and highly cultivated
valley to Frutigen, a cheerful little place. Here a second valley
opens, out of which the Kander issues. In this gloomy, fearful rocky
vale, which is frequently scarce broad enough for the bed of the river
and the road, the ascent now begins. On both sides, rocks of stupendous
height, and which in many places hang so much over the road as to make
it quite dark, and fearful to behold. Added to that, the roar of the
onward rolling Kander over its rocky bed, and the numerous waterfalls
which on both sides of the glen precipitate themselves frequently
from a height of more than a hundred feet. As we by degrees ascended
higher with every step, we receded as it were more and more back into
the season of Spring. The cherry trees, which at Thierachern had
already bloomed a month ago, were here only in their first bloom. But
higher, all fruit trees ceased, and after we had crossed the last steep
mountain of the Kandersteg we saw nothing but a few thinly scattered
fir trees. The village, consisting of small wooden huts, unsurrounded
by gardens and trees, lying wide apart from each other between masses
of rock, presents a cheerless aspect. The snow which lies here for nine
weary months, was scarcely melted, and the meadows upon which lean
looking cattle sought a scanty fodder, still wore the sickly yellow hue
of the winter season. Upon all the lofty peaks which tower on either
side of the valley of Kandersteg, lay still a deep mantle of snow, from
which innumerable small rivulets had their rise, and leaped foaming
down. From this part, the road still ascends for three leagues more to
Gemmi, and then descends precipitously to the Leuker Baths, whose hot
springs are greatly frequented in the autumn. As the made road ceases
at Kandersteg, the visitors to the Baths, who are bad pedestrians, are
obliged to be carried on there by bearers, or upon mules, and with
this arduous occupation the majority of the inhabitants of the little
village eke out a scanty subsistance.
We slept at Kandersteg, and returned on the following day. It was an
agreable feeling to return by degrees as it were from winter once more
into the spring and summer.
July, 1.
A few days ago I sent five new works to Herr _Peters_ at Leipsic to
be engraved. They were two collections of Songs, three Duetts for two
Violins, the seventh Violin Concerto and a grand Polonaise for Violin
and Orchestra, work 37-41. The Duetts and one of the Songs are new;
the other Songs which I wrote the previous summer at Carolath, I have
partly rewritten and newly instrumentated the Polonaise.
After mature consideration we have resolved to make the journey to
Italy without our carriage, as one travels there more economically and
safely by Vetturino. The chief reason for this decision was the fear
that the renewed exertion upon the instrument which so much affects the
nerves might again shake the health of my good _Dorette_, and embitter
both for her and us the long anticipated enjoyment of the delightful
journey. As therefore we were going to leave the harp and a part of our
luggage behind with our host, until our return, we should not require
the carriage, and save at the same time the long circuitous route by
the highroad to the lake of Geneva, and through the whole length of the
valley of the Valais. That _Dorette_ however, as artiste, should not
wholly sink into inactivity, I shall write several things in part anew,
for Violin and Pianoforte, and re-arrange some from former things,
which we can then play both in private circles and in public in Italy,
where it is even said there is great difficulty in meeting with a good
Quartett accompaniment. In the way of preparation for our next winter
journey, I may also mention an improvement I have made upon my newly
acquired violin. By a variety of experiments with voice and bridge, I
have at length so far succeeded as to make it speak as softly with the
Quinte which was hitherto hard and brittle, as with the other strings.
The change in the instrument has not been without effect on the style
of the new Violin-compositions, as also upon my method of execution!
So certain it is, that, the instrument exercises an influence upon the
method of the player in the same manner as does the voice upon that
of the singer. As one endeavours to conceal the weak points of
the instrument, and to bring out its good qualities, one plays more
especially what the instruments renders with the most ease, and in this
manner the whole method of play becomes by degrees subordinate and
appropriate to the peculiarity of the instrument. One may therefore not
only recognise the peculiarities of a Virtuoso by his compositions, but
those also of his instrument.
August, 1.
We have again made some farther excursions in the neighbourhood.
First of all, a fortnight ago we went to Bern, to repay the solicited
visit to Professor _Jahn_, who accompained by his wife and _Edward_
had several times visited us. We passed a most delightful day with
our Bernese friends. For the last month we had been in hopes of
settled weather, in order to make an excursion on the lake; but with
the wet-cold weather of this summer we have as yet not had three
wholly bright days in succession. At length it appeared as though
it would be finer! The mountains, which for a long time we had not
seen wholly unshrouded, stood out on Friday evening in all their
majestic distinctness. On Saturday the horizon remained quite clear.
As the height of the barometer now also indicated settled fair
weather, we resolved to set out on our journey early the following
morning. On our awaking, a bright clear sky filled us with the most
agreable expectations, and we got into our Rietwägeli amid the
joyous exclamations of the children. At Thun I hired an extra-boat
which carried us over the whole length of the lake. This voyage in
the beautiful calm Sabbath morning gave us the most inexpressible
delight. The sail so over the green, clear bosom of the lake, and
along its banks clothed in the richest verdure, the majestic chain
of the Alps in the back ground, whose snow covered peaks mirrored
themselves in trembling outlines in the fathomless depth of the lake,
the solemn tolling of the bells calling to Divine worship, every thing
was entrancing, and inspired as with a sense of the purest joy. At
Neuhaus, where we landed after a three hour’s sail, we were pounced
upon immediately by one of the drivers of the carriages plying there
for hire. We permitted him drive us to Lauterbrunn. The road leads
through the little, poverty stricken town of Untersee, round the base
of a projecting mountain into a deep valley, resembling that from
Frutigen to Kandersteg, but not quite so wild and barren. Almost at
the extremity of this valley, after it has gradually become somewhat
higher, lies Lauterbrunn. As soon as we had turned the base of the
last projecting wall of rock, the Staubach lay before us in all its
grandeur. The water precipitates itself down from an immense height
upon a perpendicular wall of rock, and scatters itself so completely
into a vapoury spray, that one would almost imagine it a cloud of
the finest dust rather than water. Every thing around this wonder of
nature is worthy of it. In the back ground of the valley, barriers of
rock, over which also, leap numerous small streams of water; above
them a glacier of a greenish hue, and near that, stretching far away,
the Wengern Alps, above which the Jungfrau towering majestically over
all. Upon our arrival, we were so fortunate as to be still enabled to
behold the whole grandeur of this sublime scene under favour of the
most beautiful weather. But shortly afterwards, to our regret, the sky
became obscured, and while we were taking dinner at the inn, hail and
rain poured down in torrents. Towards evening it again cleared up a
little. We hastened therefore to take a walk through the village in the
direction of the waterfall, but found that our previous point of view
from the side, was far more favorable than close in front of it. We
were exceedingly annoyed by the pertinaceous solicitations of beggars
on every kind of plea. One offered small pieces of quartz or minerals,
and another cristals for sale. Two grown up maidens had posted
themselves on the road and howled a Duett, for which they expected to
be remunerated. We were however soon driven back into the inn by the
recommencing rain, from the windows of which we enjoyed a third view of
the waterfall from another aspect.
August, 12.
We are just returned from Freiburg, where we went to hear the Swiss
Musical festival. Herr _Nägeli_, the President of the Swiss Society
of Music, had in Zurich previously invited me to it, and offered
me its direction, which I willingly accepted. But he had not then
bethought him that the statutes of the Society expressly forbid that
a foreign and non-member of the Union should direct the concerts.
We received therefore from the Director of the Society (who here in
Switzerland is not the same who directs the music, but he who conducts
the correspondance, provides the locale, superintends the erection of
the orchestral platform and the printing of the tickets of admission)
a friendly invitation it is true, to be present at the Festival, but
not a word was said about the direction of the orchestra. Instead of
that, he begged me to assist with the violin. But as I had always
replied both by word of mouth and writing in the affirmative, whenever
questioned whether I would direct the Musical Festival this year,
and that this had been more widely circulated, I could not now well
undertake a subordinate _rôle_ at the Festival. I therefore excused
myself from assisting at it, but wrote to say that we would attend the
Festival as hearers. On the 6^{th}, with clear favourable weather we
drove to Freiburg in our Rietwägeli. Upon our arrival, although I had
declined to assist at the Festival, we were lodged in a private house
just the same as the members of the society, and found there tickets
for admission to all the rehearsals and performances as also to a
dress ball, with text books of the “Schöpfung” (Creation) in French
and German, and for myself also an invitation to the sittings of the
Society.... As the weather was very fine, we resolved upon a walk with
the children to the celebrated Hermitage, three miles distant from
Freiburg, situated in a narrow wild rocky valley on the banks of the
Saane. This was the habitation of a pious Recluse who many years ago
had hewn it in the sandstone rock in this secluded part of the country.
It now consists, after having been enlarged by his son and successor,
of a Chapel with a bell tower 86 feet in height, hewn out of the rock,
five or six rooms, a kitchen with a chimney of the same height as the
tower, and several passages of intercommunication. The whole of this
space, the architectural proportions of which are very pleasing, is
gained by boring and excavating the gigantic perpendicular rock, and
has no where not even in the window spaces any supports of masonry. One
is filled with wonder not only at the immense patience and perseverance
of the two architects, but with admiration also at their skill and
sentiment for beauty of proportion.
The chapel is still very prettily decorated, and the bells in the tower
are still sometimes rung to summon the pious of the neighbourhood
to mass. The remaining apartments were taken possession of by a
peasant-family after the death of the last Recluse and therein they
possess a commodious and healthy dwelling at all seasons of the year.
We dined at an inn in the immediate neighbourhood and returned to
Freiburg in the evening. There we were informed, that during our
absence a deputation of the Musical Society had called at our house, to
announce to me, that on the following morning at their second sitting,
I was to be nominated honorary member. At the same time, the gentlemen
had again begged that I would lead with the violin. I was very glad
that my absence had exonerated me of the unpleasant obligation to give
a refusal. In order not to be taken by storm, I slipped secretly into
the Church and concealed behind a pillar, listened to the rehearsal. It
went very badly, and I was therefore very pleased that I was not of the
party. After the first part was over, I was obliged to retire in order
not to be seen.
When I appeared the next morning at the sitting, I was received with
applause. The President announced to me, that the members present had
unanimously elected me honorary member of the Society, adding thereto
many things very flattering to me and made honourable allusion to our
musical Festival at Frankenhausen. I returned thanks to him and the
Society in a few words, and then seated myself in the place assigned
to me. They were then engaged in the choice of a President and of the
other Officials for the next year, and after some debates nominated
Zurich as the place of meeting for the next assembly.
At three o’clock in the afternoon the performance of the “Creation”
took place. The locale was exceedingly favourable for music, and the
orchestra very well placed, but unfortunately, on the opposite side
to the Organ, so that of this no use could be made. The assistant
_personnel_, which on former occasions was at least estimated at three
hundred and fifty persons, amounted this time scarcely to two hundred,
and as the larger half formed the chorus, the orchestra was relatively
to the strength of the chorus much too weak, so that it was frequently
not heard at all. As it was also very bad besides, the Chaos, and the
accompanied Recitative in particular, went awfully bad. The Violinists
intonated unbearably false, and the wind instrumentalists, particularly
the Hornists, and trumpets, brought out tones sometimes which excited
general laughter. _Tollmann_ directed with firmness and foresight, but
unhappily took several _tempi_ totally false, almost all the airs too
slow and the chorus too fast. His greatest mistake was in the chorus
after the Chaos: “Und der Geist Gottes etc.” (And the spirit of the
Lord etc.) which he gave just like an _Allegro_. The chorus had been
well practised and sang powerfully and purely. It consisted chiefly
of German singers. Among the Solo-singers there were however two from
French Switzerland who sang in their mother tongue which sounded droll
enough, particularly in the Duett between Adam and Eve in which the
latter replied in French to the tender breathings of her German Adam.
To the auditors at Freiburg this appeared however in no wise strange,
as their town forms, the frontier boundary of both languages, and on
one side of the Saane they preach in French, on the other in German.
Hence all the inhabitants understand and speak both languages.--The
part of Eve was sung by Madame _Segni_ from Lausanne, who has a very
fine voice, but unhappily also for a German ear, an unbearable style
of execution. Among the German singers were also good voices. The
assembled public applauded the music in a very lukewarm manner, and
there was not a spark of the enthusiasm that inspired us so much in
Frankenhausen.
On the 9^{th}, the rehearsal for the Concert took place. As it had
been previously the intention to give it in a smaller saloon, but it
was found insufficient for the accommodation of the audience present,
there was a want of written voices for the whole of the orchestra. It
was therefore much less numerously appointed than the day before, and
its want of purety, and stupidity were still more obvious to the ear.
But how could it be otherwise with an Orchestra composed wholly of
dilettanti and particularly of _Swiss dilettanti_? The easiest passages
were obliged to be repeated from six to eight times before they went
even tolerably. I was astonished all along with the indefatigable
patience of the worthy _Tollmann_, but who nevertheless, it must be
confessed, was born with every qualification for the Director of an
Orchestra of Swiss dilettanti.--At three o’clock this remarkable
concert began at once in an ear-rending manner with the Overture to
_Gluck’s_ “Iphigenia.” The trumpets were pitched a quarter of a tone
too high, and notwithstanding the weakness of the orchestra were blown
with the utmost strength of lungs. Had the Overture only lasted a
little longer the greater part of the auditory would now already have
run out of the church. Then followed a long succession of dilettanti,
partly Singers, partly Instrumentalists with their Solo-pieces.
Some of them were very good, for instance a gentleman from Iverdun
distinguished himself by the ease and good taste with which he
executed a Harp-concerto by _Bochsa_. Madame _Segni_ also, the “Eve” of
the day before, sang this time in Italian and right well. A gentleman,
whose name is as little known to me as those of the other performers,
for no programme was distributed, played variations upon a clarinet, in
tone and form similar to the Basset-horn, with much skill and beauty of
tone. In the second part of the Concert, which we did not stop to hear,
for we were now satiated to nausea, we were informed that a Clergyman
of Lucern and the worthy _Tollmann_ executed a Violin-Rondo in a very
effective manner. We regretted that we were not aware that the latter
was going to play, otherwise we would have remained to the end. Such
were the productions of the Swiss Society of Music so highly spoken of
in Germany. Director _Conradin Kreutzer_ of Stuttgard and his wife, a
native of Zürich, whose acquaintance we made here, sat near us during
the performances, and we were pleased to be enabled to interchange our
opinions upon what we heard. But we were obliged to keep a constant
guard upon our looks and gestures, fore we were continually watched by
those sitting round us, who sought to read in our faces the impression
their music made upon us. When we were asked also for our opinion,
which was not unfrequently, and always with a sentiment of national
pride, we carefully kept in the mean between truth and flattery, and by
that means successfully extricated ourselves without giving offence.
_Kreutzer_ told me in confidence that, he would not return to Stuttgard
because the despotism there had become thoroughly insufferable.[21]
My former Viennese acquaintance _Romberg_ and _Kraft_ were just in
the same position; they also longed to get away and made application
for other appointments.--We passed the greater part of the time while
at Freiburg in the society of _Kreutzer_ and his wife. We dined and
supped together, and during the continuous fine weather made frequent
promenades into the charming surrounding country. It is true the
Society had a place of meeting at the “Schützenhouse”, where most of
the members dined; but as women were not admitted, because there were
several unmarried Clergymen in the society, we did not pay a single
visit to that place. But I heard that there was a total absence of
that sociability and cheerfulness which gave such a zest to our meals
at Frankenhausen.--The ball which took place in the same locality,
had neither any attraction for us, as none of us danced. We sat
therefore meanwhile, in confidential discourse at the tea-table, and
amused ourselves with the relation of past incidents of our lives
and experience. _Kreutzer_ in reality had come with the sole view to
give a concert upon his own account at the conclusion of the musical
festival, as he had been told in Zurich that this year the Society
would only give one performance. He seemed to think that I had the same
intention, for he proposed that we should make common cause and give
one together. But I had never thought of giving a concert here, and had
not even brought my violin. His concert however never took place, for
the Society gave a second, and thus we had no opportunity of hearing
the play and compositions of this famous artist.
[21] _Mozart_ has recorded his hatred of the “insolent Aristocracies
of Germany” towards whom _Haydn_ demeaned himself with more courtly
subserviency than became the great Master of Sound.
On the 10. early in the morning we left Freiburg, spent the afternoon
and evening very pleasantly in Bern in the society of _Edward_ and
_Jahn_, and returned here at 11 in the forenoon.
* * * * *
Journey to Milan.
In _Edward’s_ company, who was desirous to avail himself of his
vacation to make a little excursion into North-Italy, we set out upon
our journey on Sunday the 2^d September. At one o’clock we arrived at
Kandersteg, where I immediately hired four horses with as many guides,
to carry us over the Gemmi. On three of them, rode _Dorette_, _Emilie_
and _Ida_, the fourth carried our luggage. _Edward_ and I preferred to
do it on foot. Three quarters of a league on this side of Kandersteg,
the ascent begins and continues tolerably steep for a good 2-1/2
leagues. The road then leads round the Gemmihorn for some distance upon
a level, till at a distance of 3/4 of a league from Schwaribach it
ascends again.--The weather had up till now been very favorable; but
here a hail storm over took us which soon changed to rain and wetted us
completely through. As it was already tolerably late besides, and we
had still the greatest and most difficult part of the way before us,
the guides easily persuaded us to put up for the night in Schwaribach.
The inn here is a mere rude blockhouse, and has nothing in common with
the hotels in the Swiss vallies, that one should be made to pay here
equally their exorbitant overcharges. But as one of the two habitable
rooms was wholly given up to us, and that besides a bundle of clean
straw for us men, we found there a large bed for _Dorette_ and the
children, we passed the night nevertheless in tolerable comfort. We
could certainly not help feeling a shudder of horror when we called to
mind previous to going to sleep, that the midnight murder in _Werner’s_
“Twenty fourth of February” was enacted here.[22]
[22] At this inn in 1807, two Italians murdered the daughter of the
Innkeeper, and this circumstance suggested to _Zach. Werner_ the
Tragedy adverted to.