From a photograph from life by Keller & Borsos, of Budapest.
]
Among German composers of choral works, during the present century, the
following have been prominent:—
Friedrich Schneider (1786–1853) was eminent as a teacher and conductor,
and as a composer excelled in the church and oratorio style. His
oratorios, “Das Weltgericht” and “The Deluge,” are his best known works.
(Robert Franz was one of his pupils.) Bernhard Klein (1793–1832) was
also a worthy representative of the sacred style. His oratorio of “Job,”
his motets and other church compositions are pure and religious in
feeling.
Moritz Hauptmann (1792–1868), one of the most eminent musical theorists
of the nineteenth century, was also a composer of true merit. His
earlier compositions were mainly for the violin, in which he showed his
affinity with Spohr. His vocal works are more important, and include two
masses, motets, three-part vocal canons, and sacred songs; these works
hold a place among classical church music.
Eduard Grell (1800–86), director of the Berlin Singakademie, was an able
representative of _a capella_ choral music. His sixteen-part mass is a
masterpiece of polyphonic skill.
Friedrich Kiel (1821–85) is pre-eminent among recent masters of sacred
music for his depth of religious feeling and perfect polyphonic art. His
“Requiem,” “Missa Solemnis” and oratorio, “Christus,” are noble and
profound works.
Albert Becker (born 1834), the well-known Berlin conductor, is the
composer of a “Reformation Cantata” and “Mass in B flat minor” which
take high rank among compositions of their class. Among numberless works
for male voices, none have been more highly esteemed than those of Carl
Friedrich Zöllner (1800–60) and Heinrich Esser (1818–75). The latter is
distinguished for his refined and melodious style. His numerous songs
and part songs are universal favorites, and are held in high esteem by
cultivated musicians. His symphonies and suites are also well known.
Wagner entrusted Esser with the arrangement of his “Meistersinger” for
the piano. Esser’s arrangements for orchestra of Bach’s organ
“Passacaglia” and “Toccata in F” are skilfully done.
The lighter style of opera has been well represented in Germany, during
the present century, by Lortzing, Flotow, Von Suppe, Brühl, Johann
Strauss and others.
Albert Lortzing (1803–51) is known and loved by all Germans in his
operas, “Die beiden Schützen,” “Czar und Zimmermann,” “Der Wildschütz”
and “Der Waffenschmied.” These are stock pieces in the repertory of
every German theatre, and never fail to delight audiences. The “Czar und
Zimmermann” is a universal favorite. His serious opera, “Undine,” on the
contrary, is a labored effort in an uncongenial field; but it has
succeeded in holding its place on the German stage. As a composer of
comic opera, Lortzing is thoroughly delightful in his naturalness and
straightforwardness. His opera texts—written by himself—are full of
movement and variety, and their _naïveté_ is never synonymous with
dulness. His “character” _rôles_ are especially full of possibilities
for clever actors. Lortzing’s pleasing operas have shed the light of
wholesome and lively entertainment into many millions of lives.
The “Nachtlager in Granada,” by Conradin Kreutzer (1782–1849), is
familiar enough to all German theatregoers, although its composer has
retained his popularity rather by his songs and male choruses.
More famous than Lortzing, though less meritorious, was Friedrich Flotow
(1812–83). Of his fifteen or more operas, “Stradella” and “Martha” are
the only ones universally known. The artistic aim of Flotow was not
high, yet his talent enabled him to make a distinct contribution to the
“light literature” of music. Certain of the melodies of “Stradella” and
“Martha” have more sentiment than is usual with the music of this class.
Nevertheless, the popularity of these two operas seems to be on the
wane, and it is possible that Flotow may be known only by name to the
next generation.
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