_From a photograph._
]
Mozart did not enlarge the general form of the symphony, etc., as given
by Haydn, but he rounded and beautified the details of the several
movements. His themes and melodies are more beautiful and expressive,
and their working up more impressive and emotional. Mozart’s last works
have that perfection of form and depth of sentiment which belong only to
the highest manifestations of genius. Mozart left his stamp on all
branches of music; he is rightly considered as the universal master. It
was his mission to unite and beautify the national differences of style,
and give them the impress of his own rare individuality. European music,
for the first time in history, was concentrated in him.
Beethoven in his earlier period shows the influence of Haydn and Mozart,
yet he set the stamp of originality on his very first works. He was
destined to bring the higher forms of instrumental music to the highest
point of development. Although he ultimately revealed a new world in his
mature works, he remained true to the “sonata” form from first to last.
He did not seek to revolutionize musical form; on the contrary, he built
on the solid foundations already laid. Great as were his achievements as
a musician, in the grand outlines and proportions, dynamic expression,
thematic treatment and instrumentation of his works, we lose sight of
the musician in contemplating the greater tone-poet, who touched every
chord of the heart, who uplifted and broadened the minds and souls of
men, whose long struggle to rise above the sorrows and ills of life
endowed his music with a spirituality and religiousness beyond that of
all others, and which places him among the greatest poets and prophets
of humanity. Further considerations on Beethoven as composer are
contained in the special article of this work. (See page 337.)
Before Beethoven fully entered on his great life-work, Haydn and Mozart
had spread the fame of German music throughout the world. Their
influence was universal, and they had many disciples and imitators, of
whom Gyrowetz, Pleyel, Wranitsky, Kozeluch, Romberg, F. E. Fesca,
Eybler, Süssmayer and Seyfried were prominent. These composers enjoyed
great popularity for a time, and assisted in spreading the love of
instrumental music among the people; but as their music was devoid of
originality and marked individuality, it has not survived. Of these
masters, perhaps the most noteworthy were Pleyel, Romberg and Gyrowetz.
Ignaz Joseph Pleyel (1757–1831) was the favorite pupil of Haydn, who had
a high opinion of Pleyel’s abilities. Though not so productive as his
teacher, Pleyel was a very facile and pleasing composer; his many
symphonies, quartets and quintets were very popular for a long time.
Greater things were expected of him than he fulfilled; even Mozart, on
hearing one of Pleyel’s earlier quartets, thought that he might some day
replace Haydn. But Pleyel did not progress; his later works copied
Haydn’s style without his spirit, and consequently his music has
entirely died out.
Andreas Romberg (1767–1821) sprang from a very musical family, which
counted among its members a number of noted musicians. His cousin,
Bernhard Romberg, was the celebrated violoncello virtuoso and composer.
Andreas began his career as a concert violinist; subsequently he was
court chapelmaster at Gotha. He composed several operas, church music,
six symphonies, and chamber music. His most popular cantata, “The Lay of
the Bell,” is still occasionally sung in England and America. The music
of Romberg is pleasing and well written. Mozart was evidently his model.
The most eminent of all these epigones was Adalbert Gyrowetz
(1763–1850), who presents the melancholy example of an able and worthy
master who entirely outlived his fame. As a young man he had a brilliant
reputation in France and England. From 1804 to 1831 he was conductor of
the Imperial Opera at Vienna, where many of his operas were produced.
Gyrowetz composed thirty operas, Singspiele, and melodramas, and over
forty ballets.
Among his best operas were “Der Augenarzt,” “Die Prüfung” (which
Beethoven liked), “Agnes Sorel” and “Helene.” He also composed four
Italian operas, nineteen masses, besides many other vocal works. He was
equally prolific in all forms of instrumental music, and wrote over
sixty symphonies and as many string quartets, besides quintets,
overtures, serenades, marches and dances and numerous sonatas, trios,
nocturnes, etc., for the pianoforte. Gyrowetz possessed many of the
qualifications of a great composer, yet he lacked the one thing
needful,—originality. His facility betrayed him into weakness, and
unconsciously he became an imitator of Haydn and Mozart. He witnessed
the entire rise and culmination of Beethoven’s genius. As he outlived
Beethoven by twenty-three years, he must have fully realized the
epoch-making character of his great works. Gyrowetz suffered from
neglect and poverty in his old age. None of his music is known to the
present age, and his name is hardly remembered, except by those familiar
with musical history. In the annals of music there is no more striking
example of one who accomplished so much who was destined to see it all
pass away and fall into oblivion.
In the course of the eighteenth century, under the sway of the opera and
the free forms of instrumental music, the style of church music in
general became more melodious, ornate, and sensuous, but less earnest
and religious in tone, than in the time of Bach and Handel. Eberlin and
Michael Haydn were prominent representatives of this lighter style.
Mozart’s earlier church compositions were modelled on theirs.
Michael Haydn (1737–1806), brother of Joseph Haydn, wrote a large number
of masses, requiems, litanies, vespers, offertories, oratorios,
cantatas, German sacred songs, as well as operas. Mozart and his father
had a high opinion of his church music; Joseph Haydn considered it
superior to his own: time, however, has reversed his judgment. Michael
Haydn’s mass in D minor, “Lauda Sion,” and “Tenebræ” in E flat are still
prized by musicians, but the mass of his works are forgotten.
Representatives of the more severe church style in Germany during the
eighteenth century were Fux, Fasch and Albrechtsberger. Johann Joseph
Fux (1660–1741) was chapelmaster of St. Stephan’s and court composer in
Vienna.
Fux had a rare mastery of counterpoint, which he exercised in his
numerous church compositions. His “Missa canonica” is a marvel of
canonic skill and ingenuity, and replete with effects of modulation. His
fame, however, rests on his transcendent abilities as a musical
theorist. His treatise on counterpoint, “Gradus ad Parnassum,” has
remained in use for more than a century and a half. There have been many
editions; it has been translated from the original Latin into German,
French, Italian and English. Both Joseph and Michael Haydn were indebted
to the “Gradus” for their knowledge of counterpoint, and Mozart studied
it with equal diligence.
Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736–1800) is known chiefly as the
founder of the celebrated Singakademie of Berlin. Fasch was industrious
as a composer in the _a capella_ style. His sixteen-part mass is his
most important work.
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (1736–1809) was court organist and
chapelmaster at St. Stephan’s of Vienna. He composed over two hundred
and sixty works, among which his “Te Deum” is best known.
Albrechtsberger was especially distinguished as a musical theorist and
teacher. Among his pupils were Beethoven, Hummel, Seyfried and Eybler.
His strict system did not satisfy Beethoven; yet the exercises published
as Beethoven’s “Studienbuch” show the benefit that he had received from
Albrechtsberger’s instruction.
One of the most curious and remarkable characters of this period was
George Joseph Vogler, called Abt Vogler (1749–1814), whose exact place
in musical history is not easy to determine. In his own day a wide
divergence of opinion was expressed as to his merits; by some, including
Mozart, he was considered to be a veritable charlatan, by others an
“epoch-making” artist. Want of space precludes an extended account of
his career, which was full of picturesque incidents. Vogler travelled
much, and tried his fortune in various places; wherever he went he drew
attention by his organ playing, his revolutionary ideas on teaching
harmony, and innovations in organ building. Vogler was a religious
devotee; at Rome he was made Chamberlain to the Pope, Knight of the
Golden Spur, and Abbé. He was remarkably active as composer, teacher,
organ player, and theorist. He wrote for the theatre as well as the
church. Although most of his music is shelved, his Requiem and Symphony
in C are not forgotten. Mendelssohn bought out his symphony at the
Gewandhaus; the Requiem contains original and impressive effects.
Vogler’s vanity led him to harmonize chorals in order to show how much
he could improve on Sebastian Bach. His organ playing was degraded by
descriptive “thunder-storms” and other claptrap effects. With all his
faults, he was a man of ideas, and as a teacher aroused genuine
enthusiasm among his pupils. His attacks on various established errors
and prejudices of music appealed strongly to his young disciples, Von
Weber and Meyerbeer, and fired them with knightly ardor. All his pupils
were devoted to him; he was equally fond of them, and called them his
“boys.” The picture of Vogler’s home life at the Tonschule at Darmstadt
is charming. His pupils were his friends and companions. Weber wrote, on
hearing of Vogler’s death, “Our beloved master will ever live in our
hearts.” Browning has celebrated Abt Vogler in his remarkable poem
bearing that name.
During the later half of the eighteenth century the pianoforte gradually
superseded the older clavichord. With the rapid improvements in
piano-making, piano playing and composing became more and more artistic.
Haydn, Mozart and Clementi were influenced at first by the clavier style
of Emanuel Bach, but soon developed new features in their piano works.
Clementi, especially, carried technique to a point beyond others of his
time. His celebrated studies, “Gradus ad Parnassum,” are indispensable
in the training of pianists.
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