It was about this time, while visiting Mannheim, that the idea of "Der
Freischütz" first entered his mind. His friend the poet Kind was with
him, and they were ransacking an old book, Apel's _Ghost Stories_. One
of these dealt with the ancient legend of the hunter Bartusch, a
woodland myth ranking high in German folk-lore. They were both
delighted with the fantastic and striking story, full of the warm
colouring of Nature, and the balmy atmosphere of the forest and
mountain. They immediately arranged the framework of the libretto,
afterwards written by Kind, and set to such weird and enchanting music
by Weber.
In 1811 Weber began to give concerts, for his reputation was becoming
known far and wide as a brilliant composer and virtuoso. For two years
he played a round of concerts in Munich, Leipsic, Gotha, Weimar,
Berlin, and other places. He was everywhere warmly welcomed.
Lichtenstein, in his _Memoir of Weber_, writes of his Berlin
reception--"Young artists fell on their knees before him; others
embraced him wherever they could get at him. All crowded around him,
till his head was crowned, not with a chaplet of flowers, but a
circlet of happy faces." The devotion of his friends, his happy family
relations, the success of his published works, conspired to make Weber
cheerful and joyous beyond his wont, for he was naturally of a
melancholy and serious turn, disposed to look at life from its tragic
side.
In 1813 he was called to Prague to direct the music of the German
opera in that Bohemian capital. The Bohemians had always been a highly
musical race, and their chief city is associated in the minds of the
students of music as the place where many of the great operas were
first presented to the public. Mozart loved Prague, for he found in
its people the audiences who appreciated and honoured him the most.
Its traditions were honoured in their treatment of Weber, for his
three years there were among the happiest of his life.
Our composer wrote his opera of "Der Freischütz" in Dresden. It was
first produced in the opera-house of that classic city, but it was not
till 1821, when it was performed in Berlin, that its greatness was
recognised. Weber can best tell the story of its reception himself. In
his letter to his co-author, Kind, he writes:--
"The free-shooter has hit the mark. The second
representation has succeeded as well as the first; there was
the same enthusiasm. All the places in the house are taken
for the third, which comes off to-morrow. It is the greatest
triumph one can have. You cannot imagine what a lively
interest your text inspires from beginning to end. How happy
I should have been if you had only been present to hear it
for yourself! Some of the scenes produced an effect which I
was far from anticipating; for example, that of the young
girls. If I see you again at Dresden, I will tell you all
about it; for I cannot do it justice in writing. How much I
am indebted to you for your magnificent poem! I embrace you
with the sincerest emotion, returning to your muse the
laurels I owe her. God grant that you may be happy. Love him
who loves you with infinite respect.
"Your Weber."
"Der Freischütz" was such a success as to place the composer in the
front ranks of the lyric stage. The striking originality, the fire,
the passion of his music, the ardent national feeling, and the
freshness of treatment, gave a genuine shock of delight and surprise
to the German world.