Friedrich Freiherr von Flotow was born in Teutendorf, Mecklenburg, on
April 26, 1812. He was descended from a family that traced its nobility
back several centuries. After studying music in Paris with Anton Reicha
and Johann Pixis between 1828 and 1830, he wrote his first opera, _Peter
und Katharina_. Success came first with _Alessandro Stradella_
introduced in Hamburg in 1844, and was solidified in 1847 with the opera
by which he is still remembered, _Martha_. From 1856 to 1863 he was
Intendant of the Schwerin Court Theater. He went into retirement in 1880
and died in Darmstadt, Germany, on January 24, 1883.
The ebullient melodies with which Flotow flooded his operas made him
extremely popular in his day. This same joyous lyricism keeps the
overtures to _Alessandro Stradella_ and _Martha_ fresh in the orchestral
repertory.
_Alessandro Stradella_—introduced in Hamburg on December 30, 1844—was
based on a romantic episode in the life of a 17th century opera
composer; the libretto was by Wilhelm Friedrich. Stradella elopes with
Leonora, whose guardian hires assassins to kill the composer. But
Stradella’s singing has such an effect on the assassins that they are
incapable of murdering him. They let him go, and in the end the guardian
himself is moved to forgive the composer and sanction his union with
Leonora.
The overture opens with a solemn chant for the brass (Stradella’s song
in the last act). Vigorous transitional material leads to a robust song
for full orchestra which is soon repeated expressively by the strings. A
sprightly tune for strings (the bell chorus of the second act) is given
prominent treatment and developed climactically. The mood now alternates
between lightness and gaiety with an occasional intrusion of a strong
dramatic effect.
_Martha_ received its première in Vienna on November 25, 1847. The
libretto, by Friedrich Wilhelm Riese was based on a ballet-pantomime by
Vernoy de Saint-Georges. “Martha” is Lady Harriet in disguise as a
servant girl for the sake of an amusing escapade; and the opera is
concerned with her amatory adventures with Lionel, and that of her maid
with Plunkett, at the Richmond fair. The complications that ensue when
the men discover this deception are eventually happily resolved.
The overture begins with a slow introduction which leads into a
_Larghetto_ section where considerable attention is paid to the main
melody of the quintet at the close of the third act, “_Mag der Himmel
euch vergeben_.” The tempo quickens as the lively country dances of the
opera are presented. A crescendo reaches towards a fortissimo
restatement of the main theme of the third-act quintet, and the overture
ends with a brief and energetic coda.
Salon orchestras often present potpourris of this opera’s main melodies.
Two are always dominant in such potpourris. “The Last Rose of Summer”
(“_Qui sola, vergin rosa_”)—an aria sung by the heroine in the second
act—is a melody familiar to all; it is not by Flotow, but from an old
Irish song, “The Groves of Blarney,” set to a poem by Thomas Moore. The
second famous melody from _Martha_ is the beautiful tenor aria from the
third act, “_M’Appari_,” in which Lionel expresses his grief when he
feels he has lost Martha for good.