LUIGI GASPARO PACIFICO SPONTINI, born of peasant parents at Majolati,
Italy, November 14, 1774, displayed his musical passion at an early
age. Designed for holy orders from childhood, his priestly tutors
could not make him study; but he delighted in the service of the
church, with its organ and choir effects, for here his true vocation
asserted itself. He was wont, too, to hide in the belfry, and revel in
the roaring orchestra of metal, when the chimes were rung. On one
occasion a stroke of lightning precipitated him from his dangerous
perch to the floor below, and the history of music nearly lost one of
its great lights. The bias of his nature was intractable, and he was
at last permitted to study music, at first under the charge of his
uncle Joseph, the curé of Jesi, and finally at the Naples
Conservatory, where he was entered at the age of sixteen.
His first opera, "I Puntigli delle Donne," was composed at the age of
twenty-one, and performed at Rome, where it was kindly received. The
French invasion unsettled the affairs of Italy, and Spontini wandered
somewhat aimlessly, unable to exercise his talents to advantage till
he went to Paris in 1803, where he found a large number of brother
Italian musicians, and a cordial reception, though himself an obscure
and untried youth. He produced several minor works on the French
stage, noticeably among them the one-act opera of "Milton," in which
he stepped boldly out of his Italian mannerism, and entered on that
path afterwards pursued with such brilliancy and boldness. Yet, though
his talents began to be recognised, life was a trying struggle, and it
is doubtful if he could have overcome the difficulties in his way
when he was ready to produce "La Vestale," had he not enlisted the
sympathies of the Empress Josephine, who loved music, and played the
part of patroness as gracefully as she did all others.
By Napoleon's order "La Vestale" was rehearsed against the wish of the
manager and critics of the Academy of Music, and produced December 15,
1807. Previous to this some parts of it had been performed privately
at the Tuileries, and the Emperor had said, "M. Spontini, your opera
abounds in fine airs and effective duets. The march to the place of
execution is admirable. You will certainly have the great success you
so well deserve." The imperial prediction was justified by consecutive
performances of one hundred nights. His next work, "Fernand Cortez,"
sustained the impression of genius earned for him by its predecessor.
The scene of the revolt is pronounced by competent critics to be one
of the finest dramatic conceptions in operatic music.
In 1809 Spontini married the niece of Erard, the great
pianoforte-maker, and was called to the direction of the Italian
opera; but he retained this position only two years, from the
disagreeable conditions he had to contend with, and the cabals that
were formed against him. The year 1814 witnessed the production of
"Pélage," and two years later "Les Dieux Rivaux" was composed, in
conjunction with Persuis, Berton, and Kreutzer; but neither work
attracted much attention. The opera of "Olympie," worked out on the
plan of "La Vestale" and "Cortez," was produced in 1819. Spontini was
embittered by its poor success, for he had built many hopes on it, and
wrought long and patiently. That he was not in his best vein, and like
many other men of genius was not always able to estimate justly his
own work, is undeniable; for Spontini, contrary to the opinion of his
contemporaries and of posterity, regarded this as his best opera. His
acceptance of the Prussian King's offer to become musical director at
Berlin was the result of his chagrin. Here he remained for twenty
years. "Olympie" succeeded better at Berlin, though the
boisterousness of the music seems to have called out some sharp
strictures even among the Berlinese, whose penchant for noisy operatic
effects was then as now a butt for the satire of the musical wits.
Apropos of the long run of "Olympie" at Berlin, an amusing anecdote is
told on the authority of Castel-Blaze. A wealthy amateur had become
deaf, and suffered much from his deprivation of the enjoyment of his
favourite art. After trying many physicians, he was treated in a novel
fashion by his latest doctor. "Come with me to the opera this
evening," wrote down the doctor. "What's the use? I can't hear a
note," was the impatient rejoinder. "Never mind," said the other;
"come, and you will see something at all events." So the twain
repaired to the theatre to hear Spontini's "Olympie." All went well
till one of the overwhelming finales, which happened to be played that
evening more _fortissimo_ than usual. The patient turned around
beaming with delight, exclaiming, "Doctor, I can hear." As there was
no reply, the happy patient again said, "Doctor, I tell you, you have
cured me." A blank stare alone met him, and he found that the doctor
was as deaf as a post, having fallen a victim to his own prescription.
The German wits had a similar joke afterwards at Halévy's expense. The
_Punch_ of Vienna said that Halévy made the brass play so loudly that
the French horn was actually blown quite straight.
Among the works produced at Berlin were "Nurmahal," in 1825;
"Alcidor," the same year; and 1829, "Agnes von Hohenstaufen." Various
other new works were given from time to time, but none achieved more
than a brief hearing. Spontini's stiff-necked and arrogant will kept
him in continual trouble, and the Berlin press aimed its arrows at him
with incessant virulence: a war which the composer fed by his bitter
and witty rejoinders, for he was an adept in the art of invective. Had
he not been singularly adroit, he would have been obliged to leave his
post. But he gloried in the disturbance he created, and was proof
against the assaults of his numerous enemies, made so largely by his
having come of the French school, then as now an all-sufficient cause
of Teutonic dislike. Spontini's unbending intolerance, however, at
last undermined his musical supremacy, so long held good with an iron
hand; and an intrigue headed by Count Brühl, intendant of the Royal
Theatre, at last obliged him to resign after a rule of a score of
years. His influence on the lyric theatre of Berlin, however, had been
valuable, and he had the glory of forming singers among the Prussians,
who until his time had thought more of cornet-playing than of
beautiful and true vocalisation. The Prussian King allowed him on his
departure a pension of 16,000 francs.
When Spontini returned to Paris, though he was appointed member of the
Academy of Fine Arts, he was received with some coldness by the
musical world. He had no little difficulty in getting a production of
his operas; only the Conservatory remained faithful to him, and in
their hall large audiences gathered to hear compositions to which the
opera-house denied its stage. New idols attracted the public, and
Spontini, though burdened with all the orders of Europe, was obliged
to rest in the traditions of his earlier career. A passionate desire
to see his native land before death made him leave Paris in 1850, and
he went to Majolati, the town of his birth, where he died after a
residence of a few months in 1851. His cradle was his tomb.