the director of music _Kiel_, of Detmold; where upon, at the desire of
his Prince, he proposed to _Spohr_ the composition of some songs for
a baritone voice, with pianoforte and violin accompaniment. Although
doubtful at first that such a combination would be suited to a deep
male voice, he nevertheless interested himself in the trial, and in a
short time he wrote a collection of six songs of the required kind,
with which he himself felt highly satisfied. He then gave a hearing
of them in manuscript to his musical friends in his own house, in
which he himself took the violin part, which had proved of a somewhat
difficult nature, and gave the voice part to _Heinrich Osthoff_
an ex-concert-singer, who for some years past had been settled in
Cassel as a teacher of music, and who from his particularly excellent
and expressive execution of all _Spohr’s_ song pieces, sacred and
otherwise, was a welcome guest in all musical circles. In Detmold also,
the new songs dedicated to the Prince were very favorably received,
and the Prince, as his director of music informed _Spohr_, sang them
every day with increased satisfaction. When _Spohr_ shortly afterwards
forwarded the first printed presentation copy (published by _Luckhardt_
of Cassel, Op. 154) to the musical prince, the latter in an autograph
letter of thanks thus expressed himself: “that the great pleasure the
fine songs already gave him would be yet increased when he should have
the opportunity of singing them with _Spohr’s_ own accompaniment.”
The obliging letter was at the same time accompanied by a valuable
souvenir, in the shape of a shirt-pin with the appropriately selected
emblems of an oak-leaf in green gold, with an acorn of pearl set in
gold, presented to _Spohr_ as an honourable acknowledgement “of his
true _German_ worth as musician and as man.”
The first weeks of the summer vacation were passed by Spohr in a
very pleasant and recreative journey to Dresden, Saxon Switzerland
and Prague; after which, having reposed a short time in his own
beautiful flower-garden, he undertook a journey into the Harz, at
the solicitation of an enthusiastic musical friend, the jurisconsult
_Haushalter_ of Wernigerode.
The increased leisure time gained by _Spohr_ in consequence of the
appointment of his new colleague he now devoted to composition, for
which, despite his advanced age, the impulse and love had not yet
diminished. Though his musical ideas may no longer have flowed so
copiously, and assumed as readily the form he wished, as in former
years, and though he himself at times expressed doubts as to whether
his later works would take equal rank with his earlier compositions,
yet he frequently received an enthusiastic recognition of the merit of
his newest compositions from quite unexpected quarters, which always
gave him fresh courage to continue his musical creations.
_Spohr_ now determined to write another quartet (his 34th.), upon
terminating which he immediately opened the winter series of his
still continued quartet circle with it. Although this new composition
was considered extremely fresh and charming by both co-operators and
auditory, yet he himself was so little satisfied with it, that after
repeated alteration, which were rejected as soon as made, he laid
aside the whole quartet as a failure; nor did he write another until a
whole twelvemonth had elapsed: this differed in every respect from the
former, and he substituted it for it under the same number. Upon its
first performance at the quartet meeting this piece of music pleased
him right well; but shortly afterwards it seemed to him to require
many improvements, and as these did not turn out to his satisfaction,
sorrowfully, but resigned to the consciousness that he could no longer
carry out in a satisfactory manner the ideas which floated before his
fancy, he associated the new 34th. quartet with that which he had
previously rejected, and expressed the wish to his wife that neither
should at any time be made public.
He came to a similar decision in respect to a symphony which he had
composed shortly before, which was performed once only in the presence
of a few only of his most intimate musical friends, at a rehearsal by
the court orchestra of Cassel. Notwithstanding the numerous beauties
and novelties in thought which it contains, to him nevertheless it
did not appear worthy of being placed in the fine catalogue of his
earlier written symphonies, and in this manner by himself was this--his
tenth--symphony condemned, not to destruction it is true, but to
eternal concealment.
In the summer of 1857 _Spohr_ availed himself of the vacation to go to
Holland, his former visit there being still borne by him in pleasing
recollection, he had therefore long been desirous of proceeding thither
with his wife to shew her that country, as yet unvisited by her, and
remarkable for so many peculiarities. Little as he had calculated
upon any musical enjoyments there at such a season of the year, his
pleasure was great to hear on the very first evening at _Verhulst’s_,
in Rotterdam, in a numerous circle of musicians and lovers of music,
several quartets both of his own and of _Verhulst’s_ composition,
upon which occasion the violinist _Tours_, whose acquaintance he had
formerly made, proved himself a great virtuoso, as first violin. The
director of music _Böhm_, of Dortrecht, who had shown from his youth
a strong attachment to the honoured master, exhibited it anew by the
unwearying attention with which he strove to alleviate all the cares
and difficulties of travel in a foreign country, and took them wholly
upon himself. Willingly following the arrangements of the excellent
“travelling marshall,” as _Spohr_ was wont playfully to call him, the
travellers were now enabled to see the many remarkable objects in the
chief cities of Holland in a comparatively much shorter time, after
which a further journey was undertaken from Amsterdam to that part of
North Holland lying beyond the Y. The singular topographical feature
of the whole country, the meadows intersected by innumerable canals
and lakes, meadows covered with grazing cattle, the hundreds of gaily
painted windmills, the cheerful blue sky, and the easy travelling upon
the smoothly paved highroads, more like the parquetted floors of an
apartment--in short, the whole delightful journey, with its interesting
final objects, the celebrated places Saardam and Broek, presented a
succession of charming pictures that surpassed all expectation and put
_Spohr_ in particular in the most cheerful possible mood.
Their kind “marshall” _Böhm_ accompanied the travellers on their return
as far back as Utrecht, but placed them there in good hands, under the
hospitable roof of one of _Spohr’s_ grateful pupils, the director of
music _Kufferath_, with whom they passed some exceedingly pleasant
days. As the country round Utrecht abounds with handsome country-seats
and parks, these furnished occasion for frequent delightful walks with
the family of their host; and the musical entertainments given to
_Spohr_--a quickly arranged organ-concert got up by _Nieuvenhuisen_,
the organist of the cathedral, and a grand serenade by torch-light in
the evening--made the memory of those days worthy of being associated
with the pleasing reminiscences of his former visit.
On the return-journey _Spohr_ stopped a day at Cologne, where _Hiller_,
the director of music, quickly improvised a brilliant dinner-party in
his honour, and afterwards gratified him with the performance of some
highly interesting musical pieces in his own house. _Hiller_ himself
played with great spirit a recently composed sonata for the pianoforte
of extreme difficulty of execution, some numbers of the comic opera
composed by him called: “Jest, cunning and revenge,” which was received
with universal satisfaction, and by _Spohr_ in particular with lively
applause. This was succeeded later in the evening by a musical
surprise; the celebrated Cologne choral society, wholly composed of
male voices, had assembled in all silence in the hotel, and at the door
of their honoured guest sang their finest songs in the most masterly
manner, which, together with a spirited address, spoken by professor
_Bischof_, afforded him very great pleasure.
Gratified in every respect with his journey, _Spohr_ returned to
Cassel, where, reinvigorated and refreshed, he devoted himself with
his usual zeal and interest to the materially lightened labours of his
office, shared now with his young and active colleague.
Meanwhile, at that time was heard here and there the report that it was
contemplated to pension him off; but when he was apprised of this by a
friend, and it was put to him whether he would not rather anticipate
such an intention by proposing himself to retire upon his pension, he
replied with decision, that: his duty and inclination impelled him
alike to remain in the performance of his official engagements so long
as he could fulfil them satisfactorily. Thus things remained on the old
footing, until on the 14th. November, both contrary to his wish and
expectation, he received the following rescript from the Elector:
“In pursuance of our most gracious will and pleasure, we have granted
to the director-general of music and court Kapellmeister at our
court-theatre, Dr. _Louis Spohr_, by reason of his advanced years,
permission to retire into private life, and have been further pleased
to grant him a yearly pension of 1500 Thalers from our court treasury
from the date of the month next ensuing. The department of our lord
high marshall of the palace will make the further dispositions to that
effect. Cassel, November 12, 1857. _Friedrich Wilhelm._”
Painfully affected as _Spohr_ was upon the receipt of this, he with
his usual good sense soon overcame the shock of the first impression
and contemplated the matter on its brighter side; in which sense he
then gave expression to his sentiments in his letters to distant
friends, and among others, in replying shortly afterwards to the
director of music _Bott_ respecting other affairs, he wrote as follows;
“You do not appear to have yet learned that the Elector, without my
solicitation, has placed me in retirement, and although the terms
of my engagement specified that my salary should be paid so long as
I lived, he has pensioned me off on 1500 Thalers per annum. It has
nevertheless appeared in all the newspapers, together with the account
of the festive form in which I directed for the last time the opera of
Jessonda at the theatre. At first it gave me very great pain, for I
felt still perfectly competent to conduct the few operas which latterly
fell to my share. But I soon learned to estimate my present freedom at
its real value, and now feel very glad that whenever I choose I can get
away by rail whithersoever my fancy takes me! I have submitted also to
the deduction from my salary, having been informed that I should not be
able to compel the payment of the full salary without a new law-suit,
and because it was repulsive to my feelings to take the whole amount
without performing any service for it, and I can live very well with
three-fourths of it by means of my savings!”
Thus terminated _Spohr’s_ personal co-operation at opera and concert.
But that he still cherished as warm an interest in the latter his
letters to distant friends attest, and in this spirit he wrote on
December 22nd. to Mr. _Lüder_: “Since we were at your house, we have
had here the second subscription concert! It was the first concert
that took place in Cassel without my co-operation, and at which I
was present from beginning to end as an auditor. It consisted of
carefully rehearsed music: the two finales from “Zemire and Azor” and
“Euryanthe;” of instrumental music _Mozart’s C major_ symphony with the
fugue (called Jupiter); of concert things _Beethoven’s_ violin concerto
with _Joachim’s_ cadences, and a concert piece by _Moscheles_ for two
pianofortes, called _Hommage à Händel_, very correctly and effectively
played by Messrs. _Reiss_ and _Tivendell_. The concert opened with the
overture to “Rosamunda” by _Schubert_, one of his youthful works, but
which is very pleasing, and was quite new to me. _Reiss_ has again
achieved great praise both by his arrangement and by his careful
rehearsal and study of the music.” In the same letter he farther says:
“We have also had again two quartet parties, and I am happy to say,
that I am still all right at the violin, only I must always prepare
myself a few days before, which was not necessary some years ago![43]”
[43] These quartet evenings in the society of a few of the families of
his most intimate friends, were always a source of great pleasure to
_Spohr_. Every year, on the approach of winter, he took early steps for
their re-arrangement, and generally opened the series in his own house.
Painful as it was to him whenever the death of one of the members
of the circle caused a vacancy therein, the loss of his two oldest
and most faithful friends, chief director _von Schmerfeld_ and Lord
marshall _von der Malsburg_, who had died in the two previous years,
was long and deeply deplored by him.
The at this time still powerful impulse to compose, on the one hand,
and the dread of being no longer capable of producing anything good
and new on the other, gave rise to many painful struggles in the mind
of _Spohr_,--till one morning he entered his wife’s apartment, and
with a cheerful countenance announced to her that he had found the
right way to get out of the difficulty. He had resolved upon writing
a requiem, and had already conceived some fine ideas for it; he had
the greatest hopes that he would be able to complete it, and produce
a worthy conclusion to his numerous works. In happy and inspired mood
he now immediately went to work; and in a few days wrote the first
subjects, but this pleasure, like that which he had shortly before
boasted of in his quartet play, was soon dissipated. On the second day
after Christmas Day, while on his wonted way to the reading room of
the museum in the evening twilight he had the misfortune to fall over
the stone steps at the entrance, and to break his left arm. Beyond
all expectation, nevertheless, the fractured limb was happily healing
fast, and when, after a lapse of several months, with anxious fear of
the result, he once more took up his violin, to draw the first tones
from it, the trial seemed quite satisfactory. But after several days’
practice, followed up with great perseverance, he nevertheless became
convinced to his great sorrow that his arm would never recover its lost
strength and elasticity; upon which, as in this also he could no longer
satisfy himself, deprived of another of the most precious elements of
his existence, with a grieving heart he laid by his beloved violin!
Meanwhile, notwithstanding, many wished-for opportunities presented
themselves elsewhere to _Spohr_, to keep alive his interest in musical
enjoyments and to cheer him with the performance of his greater
works. Scarcely was he recovered from the fracture of his arm, than
he accepted an invitation to Magdeburg, to hear the performance of
his oratorio, “Des Heilands letzte Stunden,” which was to take place
there on Good Friday. With this performance he expressed himself
highly pleased, in a letter to Mr. _Lüders_: “Orchestra, choruses,
and solo-singers were alike excellently practised in their respective
parts, and the effect, in the church of St. Ulrich, which is so
favorably constructed for sound, was indeed heavenly. The solo-voices,
for the most part belonging to the _Seebach_ choral society, were
particularly fine, harmonious and powerful dilettante singers, and
led by their director _Mühling_ they were so penetrated with the true
spirit of the composition, that I was quite taken by surprise, and
delighted!
The accompaniment also of the solo instruments in the grand air of Mary
in the second part was very fine; for _Grimm_ the harpist had been sent
for from Berlin, and the other solo instruments--violin, violincello
and horn--were played by members of the present orchestra of the
Magdeburg theatre, who are, as luck would have it, virtuosi.”
In a similar letter of the 6th. April to _Hauptmann_, in speaking of
his further contemplated plans of journey, he says: “Whether all these
excursions will be carried into effect, is not yet decided; but for
the rest of my life my artistic enjoyments are limited to them; for I
am now perfectly convinced, that I cannot accomplish any great work
more. I regret to say, that my last attempt of the kind failed, and
my requiem remains a fragment; nevertheless, as the subject as far as
the _Lacrimosa dies illa_, at which I stuck fast, pleases me well, and
seems to have much that is new and ingenious in it, I shall not destroy
it, as I should like to take it up again, and will make another attempt
to complete it.”
This attempt, to which with much perseverance he devoted half a day,
proved however a failure, and brought him finally to the avowed painful
determination to relinquish composition entirely; as he did not feel
capable of putting his musical ideas into a distinct shape. At the
conclusion of the letter adverted to, he says further: “I thank you
heartily for your kind wishes upon my birth-day! Notwithstanding my
present low spirits on account of my artistic impotency, I nevertheless
passed it agreeably enough. That may have arisen from my happily
performed journey.” Scarcely three weeks afterwards, _Spohr_, again
full of pleasurable anticipation, set out anew, and this time to
Bremen, where the director of music _Engel_ purposed to open his
recently established choral society with the public performance of
_Spohr’s_ oratorio, “The Fall of Babylon,” a great undertaking, but so
worthily executed that _Spohr_ himself was greatly surprised and deeply
moved.
For the beginning of July _Spohr_ had been invited to Prague, where the
half-centennial anniversary of the Conservatory of that city was to be
celebrated by three grand musical performances--among which was his
opera “Jessonda.” The celebration of divine service in the cathedral
on the first morning was followed in the evening by a grand concert
in the theatre. It began with a new Symphony by _Kittl_, the director
of the conservatory, which, like the other _Pièces d’Ensemble_, was
performed by the pupils of the institution; while the solo-pieces were
executed by foreign resident musicians who had received their education
there; among these, the celebrated violinists _Dreyschock_ and _Laub_.
“On the second evening,” in the words of the “Tagesboten aus Böhmen,”
“not only in honour of the great musician present, but in order to give
every true lover of art a right festive evening, the ‘Jessonda’ of _Dr.
Louis Spohr_ was selected, and Prague had this time the satisfaction of
seeing the inspired and still vigorous veteran conduct the performance
of his work himself.... As _Spohr_ took his place at the conductor’s
desk, which was hung with wreaths of laurel and ornamented with a
crown of the same, he was received by the densely crowded house, which
comprised all the leading artists and lovers of music of Prague,
with long and enthusiastic applause. At every moment of interest, of
which the fascinating “Jessonda,” (the not yet surpassed model of
German lyrical opera) is one uninterrupted beautiful chain, the most
gratifying acclamations were first directed to the master, and then
to the singers. After the second act, the venerable poet of sweet
sounds was vehemently called forward upon the stage, as also after
the last act, when another crown of laurel was thrown to him.... The
conducting of the honoured master _Spohr_ is still marked by unimpaired
vigour, and attention to every detail; his stroke of the baton has
its usual characteristic stamp” &c. The _concert spirituel_, which
had been arranged for the third evening, as the finale to the musical
part of the festival, comprised as chief subject, the ninth Symphony
of _Beethoven_; but at the grand dinner given on the following day,
a series of select musical pieces was performed, and the opportunity
seized, both by loud calls for the repetition of the overture to
“Jessonda,” and every possible mode of demonstration, to honour
_Spohr_, the Nestor of the numerously congregated musicians, as the
king of the feast. Not less however than by all these demonstrations
was he gratified by the kind anticipation of his wishes with the
invitation to visit the country-house in the neighbourhood of Prague
which had been hallowed by _Mozart’s_ lengthened residence; to which
the present proprietor Herr _Popelka_ himself accompanied him, to shew
him the room, which _Spohr_ also looked upon as sacred ground, where
_Mozart_ had composed his “Don Juan.”
_Spohr_ was less fortunate upon his return journey in realising a
long-cherished and ardent wish. He had for several years vainly
endeavoured to hear upon a foreign stage _Mozart’s_ opera “Idomeneo,”
which he had never been able to give a performance of in Cassel, and
which was known to him only in the pianoforte selection. With this
object also, already in the beginning of the summer, apart from and
independent of his subsequently promised visit to Prague, he had
projected a journey to Dresden, for the reason, as he then expressed in
a letter to his friend _Lüder_--“that with the constantly increasing
dearth in the repertory of modern operas, an as yet unheard opera of
_Mozart_ was too important an event, and for him an artistic necessity
too great, that he should not joyfully undertake even a much longer
journey to hear it.” Long previously he had written on the subject to
his friend the director of music _Reissiger_, and at length thought to
see his hope realized in Dresden, either before or after the Prague
musical festival. Unfortunately, however, owing to the absence of
the chief singers of the opera, it could not be carried out, and so,
consoling himself meanwhile till the autumn, he took the road to
Alexandersbad, where during a pleasant sojourn of a week, he reposed
from the exertion of the previous journey in the enjoyment of the quiet
relaxation he so much desired.
Greatly gratified, and visibly refreshed as _Spohr_ again returned
from this pleasant excursion to Alexandersbad, yet from that period he
exhibited a constantly increasing low-spirited and thoughtful mood,
which was so opposite to his former manner. To his wife, who vainly
tried every means to cheer him, he would then reply after a protracted
and earnest silence, that he was weary of life, as he could no longer
be doing; that he had enjoyed to exhaustion all that mortal life
could given, and lived to see a more widely spread recognition and
love for his music than he even could have hoped for,--that now he
ardently wished for death, before the infirmities of old age completely
prostrated him. Nevertheless he always felt cheerfully moved again
by invitations to new journeys, and musical enjoyments, of which
several presented themselves in the autumn. In September namely, the
journey to Wiesbaden to the musical festival of the Middle-Rhine,
and in October to Leipsic, to the performance of his own and other
works which particularly interested him, at the Gewandhaus concert,
at the conservatory and at the church,--on which occasions he at both
places followed the musical performances with persevering interest and
pleasure, and received with lively satisfaction the various ovations
of which he was the object. Although upon this journey to Leipsic,
and lastly also to Dresden, he found no opportunity to realise his
_most ardent expectation_ to hear the “Idomeneo,” he nevertheless was
somewhat compensated for the disappointment by the kindness of the
Frankfort theatrical Intendant, who on his previously expressed wish,
announced _Cherubini’s_ opera of “Medea” for the evening of his arrival
there, on his way through to Wiesbaden, and thus afforded him the high
enjoyment of hearing that classically beautiful music.