1000555 (Year 2) How important were the Operas of Weber and Marschner in the Development of Wagners style?

Richard Wagners relationship with Weber and his music could be described as similar to that of an adult of present times with a band or group from their youth. A childhood fascination with an idol can often lead to disappointment as the youth grows older and more mature. Frequently, it is the case that the group progresses too far ahead of the child, going in new directions which the youth does not relate to. Or, the child may simply become bored and move on to the next big thing. Neither was the case for Wagner. His mind began to surge ahead, forming opinions and laying the foundations for his future philosophies about Art. Instead of searching for another idol, he searched for a new art. He believed that he was to become the next great Artiste (maybe even the greatest) and the world owed him his living. He embarked on an exploration of all music that had gone before; adapting, developing and fusing styles on the hunt for his own unique and all embracing meta-art. The Napoleonic wars ended in 18th June 1815, two years after Wagners birth. They were preceded by many years of the Holy Roman Empire, which after the treaties of the Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648 in the Holy Roman Empire and also the Eighty Years War of 1568- 1648 between the Dutch Republic and Spain, led to the creation of the Kleinstaaterei; A political situation consisting of many small states and city-states. There was a drive in for a unified folk of the Germanic land; a cultural unification as well as a political one. In music this meant an increased push for a German Opera style; A Genre that held true to Germanic ideals and was not taken from other places, for example, Italy (like the Mozart/ De Ponte Opera Buffe, Le Nozze de Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cos fan tutti). Carl Maria von Weber, Wagner believed, was attempting this:
Earnest Composers [...] whilst by no means negating the claims of melody, held that Rossinis melody was cheap and superficial, and endeavoured to derive it more directly from the fountains of expression of the folk. This was the course taken by Weber, who gave opera-aria the deep and genuine feeling of the folk-song.
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On the other hand, as Wagner matured he grew to dislike Webers work. He continues:
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Newman, 83

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; though the flower, thus torn from its native meadow, could not thrive in the salons of modern luxury and artificiality. And Weber, no less than Rossini made his melody the main factor of opera, though of course it was far worthier and more honest that the melody of the Italian composer. Weber repressed and controlled the poet of Die Freischtz as much as Rossini did the poet of Tancredi. And Webers failure proves afresh the assertion that instead of drama being taken up into the being of music, music must be taken up into the drama
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The young Wagner disapproved of Webers control of the poet who wrote the libretto to Euryanthe (1823). He felt that Weber had been too conscious of musical ideas whilst suggesting alterations in the text. This ultimately led to the loss of drama and tension within the text, which was after all, in Wagners eyes, the noblest sphere of art.

But Wagner must have taken something from the failures of Weber. It must have been clear to him that the text and music must be unified from creation, but ultimately it is the work of the libretto to absorb and enhance the drama. Webers interjections and modifications for the librettist for Euryanthe, Helmina von Chzy are a step behind Wagners complete conception of his music dramas. He had the ability to keep all of the Arts in his mind whilst composing and writing his own text.
While writing the poem [Wagner] probably had a general feeling of what the actual music was going to be, just as a dramatist keeps in his mind a fairly clear idea of the scene and the action of the play he is writing 3

Weber and Mendelssohn were both writing at a time in Germany when the vocal talent available was less polished than that of their Italian rivals. The composers of this period needed to strip away the complex coloratura in order to make the works singable and comprehensible to listeners. Wagner says in an Essay of 1834, titled German Opera (No.1) that Weber had some lyrical capacity but never knew how to handle singing. In another of Wagners prose works this time for the Dresdener Abendzeitung, Wagner gives an ironic account of an adaption of Die Freischtz for the Opra, in Paris, which he regarded as a massive disappointment. He discusses the bad translation of the libretto and a reconstruction of the

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Newman, 83 Parry, 322

1000555 (Year 2) plot. Berlioz had written recitative for parts and the scene of the invitation to the dance had been arranged for ballet dancers. Wagner altogether dismissed the work as poor because it allowed so much reconstruction to take place and therefore lost its integrity. Eventually, as Wagner settled in his later years he described Euryanthe as containing Webers most beautiful, richest and most masterful music4. He continues, Criticism has not given Euryanthe the degree of attention that it deserves on account of its uncommonly instructive content5. Whilst comparing the hunting chorus from Die Freischtz and Euryanthe, Wagner told Cosima Wagner on October 10th 1875, in the first... Weber was still entirely a popular melodist (Volkslyriker) and he wrote a chorus as one sings it; in Euryanthe he is much more the dramatist and he wrote the chorus as one hears it, coming out of nature6. Wagners first attempt at opera was Die Hochzeit. He had the libretto completed in 1832 and went on to complete a full score for the first act. With his sister Rosalie displaying her repulsion to the story Wagner went on to destroy it leaving only a few fragments behind. What is important here is that he composed the libretto himself at only nineteen years old. This is long before he developed the notion of Gesamtkunstwerk (Total artwork), a fusion or synthesis of all the arts in order to enhance and raise the drama to higher ideals.

Wagner moved on to Die Feen early in 1833 with a score finalised in 1834. He attempted to have it premiered in the Leipzig Theater but it was rejected, finally receiving a posthumous premiere in 1888 in Munich. During 1841, in Eine Mittheilung an meine Freunde (A Communication to my Friends) Wagner writes:

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Tusa, 2 from Wagner, ber das Opern-Dichten und Komponiren im Besonderen Tusa, 5 6 Wagner, Cosima, 941

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The Romantic opera of Weber popular at the time, and the new appearance of Marschner in Leipzig, where I was living, inspired me to imitate it. I produced just what I wanted, an opera libretto: I set it to music according to my impression of Beethoven, Weber and Marschner 7

Wagner had learned to master the magic of the stage, particularly, off-stage effects. More significantly he grasped the great Romantic theme that was developed by writers like Hoffmann, Foqu and Novalis and composers such as Weber and Marschner; the tales of the Spirit world and the Human world coming together, usually with cataclysmic consequences. Marschners Hans Heiling is a good example; A story of forbidden love, magic, jealousy and redemption.

Das Liebsverbot was written in 1834-5 and was premiered at Magdeburg where he was conductor. Apart from works by Weber and Marschner, he primarily conducted Italian and French operas during his time at Magdeburg, including Aubers La muette de Protici, Rossinis Il Barbiere de Saviglia and Bellinis I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Das Liebsverbot is dissimilar to Die Feen in some respects. Its aesthetics are along similar lines to Italian and French light opera with its Modest posturing, its transparent frivolities8. Part of the reason for this could be justified by some of Wagners own prose works written and the time. In the Essay German Opera (No.1) Wagner assaults Webers Euryanthe as the quintessence of German Profundity9 in music.
Instead of quickly capturing a feeling with a single bold and telling stroke, he hacks to pieces the impression of the whole with petty details and detailed pettiness... Oh this unhappy erudition this source of all German ills10

A negative criticism of Webers opera could be related to Wagners relative youth. He was still twenty-one going on twenty-two when Das Leibesverbot was composed. He attempted to pad out the work but at the expense of musical substance. His key concern was that of length, which left voids of misconnection between parts of the opera. Had he written this opera a bit later, he may have been able to weave these ideas together with Leitmotifs, creating a more unified whole.

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Wagner, 404-406 Mller and Wapnewski, 6 9 Mller and Wapnewski, 406 -408 10 Mller and Wapnewski, 406-408

1000555 (Year 2) Wagners next venture is probably the most famous of all of his early operas. It certainly draws on the most diverse influences. Rienzi was written in 1938-40 and was premiered at the Hofoper in Dresden in 1942. The structure of the works bears resemblance to Aubers La muette de Portici (1828), and other French Grand Operas with its vast five Act span. Wagner pays homage to the Italian composer Spontini, in particular, his opera Fernand Cortez (1936). In his autobiography Wagner writes that the style of the performance gave him a fresh insight into the inherent dignity of major theatrical undertakings, which in all their parts could be elevated by alert rhythmical control into a singular and incomparable form of art11. The influence of Meyerbeer must not be forgotten here, although Wagner would be very reluctant to confess to it. Wagner praises his own work as follows:
Each of the five acts presented a graphic image of the most common vividness, in which arias and duets in the conventional operatic sense could scarcely be perceived... or at any rate did not function as such; it was always a whole act done like this with every bit of its ensemble that was fascinating and thrilling 12

Wagner would not deny the opra comique and opra semiseria links with Das Liebesverbot or Sponini and Meyerbeers grand opera influences on Rienzi. Despite Der Feens distinctive Italian and French influences it is unquestionably a German Romantic Opera. Robert Schumann described this style as a musical juste milieu or happy medium which had always been a feature of Marschners work. The suggestion of German Romantic Opera is of course not really true. Germany was still not politically united, so we must accept the genre as a culturally inspired.
Das Fliegende Holl nder, Tannhuser and Lohengrin, and in anticipatory form Die Feen belong to a type of musical drama whose name, Romantic Opera, suggests a clearly defined genre with a history of its own. 13

This history began with Hoffmanns opera Undine (1816) and Spohrs Faust (1816) and continues up to Lohengrin with pre-Wagnerian characters, Weber and Marschner deemed to be the chief representatives. What differentiates Wagners music from Das Rheingold (1954) on is the binding compositional device of the Leitmotif.
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Mller and Wapnewski, 408-413 Mller and Wapnewski, 414 13 Mller and Wapnewski, 100

1000555 (Year 2) The term Leitmotif is fundamentally different from the term Erinnerungsmotiv or Reminiscence motif as the latter is said to punctuate musical design rather than provide the principal, leading thematic premises for that design14. A reminiscence motif has a significant aesthetic effect but has insignificant structural importance. Wagner, as a conductor, would have been introduced to widespread use of the device, especially in early Mhul and Cherubini to Marschner and Spohr. The word Leitmotif was first recorded the work of musicologist, A. W. Ambros, in 1865 where he commented on Wagners and Liszts use of it to create a higher unity across the whole15. F. W. Jhns in his comprehensive study of Weber in 1871 mentions it, as does the guide to the first Ring Cycle published in 1876 and written by Hans von Wolzogen. It is widely believed that Wagners friend, Theodor Uhlig, had commented of Wagners recurring thematic ideas as early as 1850. The Leitmotif is a progression of the Reminiscence Motif that was used in a French, German and Italian opera. Wagner has united vast musical dramas with this theory of allocation of themes, keys and timbres and created a complex and well-built framework to support and advance the drama. In Webers Oberon (1826), it is easy to see some direct influences with Wagners later operas and music dramas. Ocean! Thou mighty monster (figure 1) presents the image of the ocean which becomes huge and suggests a Wagnerian expansiveness. This is similar to when Siegfried awakens Brnnhilde to the sun at the top of the Mountain (figure 2).

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The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 527 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 527

1000555 (Year 2) Figure 116

Figure 217

It is often said that Marschner is a strong stepping stop between Weber and Wagner. This is true, but as Dalmer writes, he was not the only logical link... with respect to the expansion of the Singspiel format18. As French Opera grew towards its grandest, the length of German operas being written followed. The introduction of a new type of musical number became widespread. A Scena is a

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Warrack, 336 Warrack, 336 18 Dalmer, 217

1000555 (Year 2) dramatic unit consisting ordinarily of arioso and/or accompanied recitative19. This Italian element was designed to replace the out-of-date secco recitative that came before an Italian aria and all or part of the dialogue that happens prior to a German aria. Marschner began experimenting with the sections of his Operas. He started to remove the independent solo song by adding scena. He increased the number of ensembles and began the lengthening of sections into ensemble complexes. These are longer sections of multiple divisions of the cast singing solos, duets ensembles and chorus numbers which constructs the essence of preWagnerian Romantic Opera. Figure 3 shows a simple representation of the Vorspiel to Marschners Hans Heiling (1833) with each line to be read as a continuation of the line previous to it.. It shows the quick succession through varying keys and a vast array of ensembles. Ensemble Complexes had been used before and were in no way unique to German Opera but never before had they been so long and had so many of them been used. They remove unnecessary action and the stop-start motions created in a Singspiel. Marschner had allowed the drama of the text and the story to determine the format of ensemble complexes. Wagner only had to use this theory in vast expanses to create a uniform and seamless Music Drama.

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Dalmer, 217-218

1000555 (Year 2) Figure 320

Opening Ritornello Chorus of Earth Spirits Duet (Heiling and Queen) Recitative (Heiling) Chorus of Earth Spirits

4/4 A minor

B minor/ G major

B minor

Recitiative (Heiling)

Ensemble (Queen and Chorus Duet (Heiling and Queen)

Recitiative (Queen)

Duet (Heiling and Queen)

F# minor

C major

3/4 D minor

Arioso (Heiling)

Duet (Heiling and Queen)

Arioso (Queen)

Add Heiling

Add Chorus

modulating

4/4 F major/ D minor

a minor

A major

F# minor -> B minor

Arioso (Queen)

Chorus

Chorus

Ritornello

E minor

F major -> A minor -> (B minor) A minor

Franz Schubert, though not particularly remembered for his works for the stage, was an eminent figure in the expansion of the pit orchestra and for composing large ensemble numbers (Alphonso und Estrella (1821) and Fierrabras (1823)). The role of the Baritone voice appears in Mozarts Don Giovanni but it is with Schubert, along with Albert Lortzing that helped to develop the demonic Baritone role that Wagner would use extensively for (Alberich in Das Rheingold, Siegfried and Gtterdmmerung for example). In Schuberts Alphonso und Estrella, the character Troila, and Lortzings Zar und Zimmermann, the character Peter the Great both sing Baritone, but they lack the supernatural element that Marschner uses for character Hans Heiling21. In Webers Euryanthe, Lysiart is a foreshadowing of the Wagnerian Heroic Baritone, like the Dutchman in Das Fliegende Hollnder. Hans Heiling and Ruthven not only prefigure the Dutchman in characteristics but they are not the clich villain. They have been hardened in the gloom through horror and suffering; they are fallen angels, as Wagner said of the Dutchman22

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Dalmer, figure 74, 243 Dalmer, 247 22 Mller and Wapnewski, 531 - 535

1000555 (Year 2) The ever increasing complexity of harmony and the move towards chromaticism exist in the operas of Hoffman and Spohr, as does the advance in through-composition. The blurring or even total removal of Dominant to Tonic cadences began to imply multiple keys or even no strict tonic. Figure 423 (Marschner)

Weber avoided chromaticism and only used to achieve a very specific effect. Lortzing opted for the safe diatonic language that secured the Singspiels popularity. Kreutzer, on the other hand, chose to concentrate on simple effects, occasionally using exotic scales within a reinforced diatonic system. Marschner was the one who transmitted to Wagner much of his material for his concept of chromatic Harmony24. Figure 525- the end of Die Walkre (Bright shooting flames surrounded Wotan. With his spear he directs the sea of fire)

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Dalmer, figure 712, 245 Dalmer, 246 25 Dalmer, figure 7-13, 246

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1000555 (Year 2) Marschner was also an important figure in the increased importance of low brass in his compositions. Although Mozart had used trombones in Die Zauberflte (1791), as did Weber in Euryanthe, Marschners Die Vampyr, especially when Ruthven warns Aubry not to break his oath of silence (Figure 6) may well have been the spark that led Wagner to develop his tenor tuba. Marschner also had used Serpents in Die Vampyr and Ophicliedes in Austin. Wagner would continue with the exploration of the lower end of orchestral colour (Opening the das Rheingold for example, with eight horns starting very low and in canon). Figure 626

Perhaps then, if Marschner cannot be regarded as a great creator we should conclude that he was one of those curious composers whose fate it is to live on in the works of others. Not every genius is an innovator; and not every innovator has... creative genius27 Wagners style has been influenced by many things that an essay of this length could never address. I have attempted to show Weber and Marschners influences but also mentioning other important factors where necessary; some of these being Italian and French genres. Overall, Wagner had always been searching for a total German art form. As the Knleinstaaterei enforced a non-political union with the Germanic folk, Weber attempted a cultural one. His involvement with the librettists for his operas produced a connection between words and music Wagner was keen to explore. Also the Romantic themes of magic and supernatural relations with humans inspired Wagner to create the Ring. Working with many Italian and French operas, Wagner was clearly influenced sometime by their Grand, or even humoresque aesthetics. This created dislike towards Weber, but it was not to last forever.
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Dalmer, figure 7-17, 249 Mitchell, 218

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1000555 (Year 2) Wagners boyish admiration would prevail and he would die at peace with Weber and appreciative of his work. Wagner took a lot from his fellow German Composers. The development of the Reminiscence motif into the Leitmotif was one of the most important progressions in Western music. The ability to lengthen drama with Scena and ensemble complexes allowed immense theatre to be woven and hold firm all the complicated ideas of the composer. Marschners development of low Brass techniques and increased use of chromaticism helped Wagner on his way to the harmomic language and sound world of Tristan and Isolde and all his other late Music Dramas.

Bibliography Newman, Earnest, A Study of Wagner (London, 1899) Mller and Wapnewski, Wagner Handbook (Harvard University Press, 1992) Williams, Simon, Wagner and the Romantic Hero (Cambridge University Press, 2004) The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Vol. 14, ed. Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (Macmillan, 2001) Dalmer, A. Dean, Heinrich August Marschner 1795 1861: His Life and Stage Work (UMI Research Press, 1980) Mitchell, Donald, Contemporary Chronicle, Britten and Marschner, Musical Opinion, 77 (1954), 218 Warrack, John, Carl Maria von Weber, Second Edition (Cambridge University Press, 1976) Tusa, Michael C., Euryanthe and Carl Maria von Webers Dramaturgy of German Opera (Oxford University Press, 1991) Parry, C. Hubert H., The Evolution of the Art of Music (London, K. Paul, Trench, Trbner, 1893) Wagner, Richard, Gesammelte Schriften und Dichtungen, 2nd Edition (Leipzig, 1887-8) Wagner, Cosima, Die Tagebcher, ed. Martin Gregor-Dellin and Dietrich Mach, Vol. I (Munich and Zurich, 1976) p941

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