大象传媒

Donald Macleod looks at Weber鈥檚 life in Berlin, where his status as a composer is perceptibly changing: he鈥檚 a man clearly on the up.

Weber鈥檚 relationship with European cities mirrored his life and work, from the restless wandering of his earlier years, to the way his life changed after the success of his opera Der Freisch眉tz. And in his final months he travelled to London to compose and produce another major opera, Oberon, but would die after giving its first performances.

Weber had an unerring ability to cause offence. He got involved in multiple love affairs that caused him problems. He was also very good at racking up debts. These traits unfold as we follow Weber鈥檚 picaresque journeys around Europe, flitting from city to city: sometimes chasing opportunities, sometimes in disgrace, at other times escorted away under armed guard.

In this episode, Donald Macleod looks at Weber鈥檚 life in Berlin, where his status as a composer is perceptibly changing: he鈥檚 a man clearly on the up.

But his gaffes continue unabated: He is overheard bad-mouthing the King, and he takes his fervent opposition towards any Italian influence upon German opera to another level.

Despite being newlywed, marriage does not end the drama always afflicting Weber鈥檚 emotional life. His wife Caroline is unwell, and the couple lose their first child.

And Weber experiences a fierce rivalry with his fellow court composer Francesco Morlacchi, representing the ongoing tension between the new German opera against its Italian counterpart. Weber鈥檚 new opera commission is cancelled, spiralling him into depression.

But Weber鈥檚 reaction to these setbacks is a startling kick of creativity, including his bravura keyboard work Invitation to the Dance, and the Trio into which he poured his intense unhappiness. And his breakthrough work, Der Freisch眉tz, becomes so popular that employers seek to ban their workers from whistling it.

Flute Trio, Op. 63, J259
I. Allegro moderato
Gunther Pohl, flute
Konrad Haesler, cello
Wilfried Kassebaum, piano

Missa sancta No. 1, Op. 75, J224
Kyrie
Gloria
Krisztina Laki, soprano
Marga Schiml, mezzo-soprano
Josef Protschka, tenor
Jan-Hendrick Rootering, bass
Bamberg Symphony Chorus
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Horst Stein, conductor

Aufforderung zum Tanze (Invitation to the Dance), Op. 65, J260
Michael Endres, piano

Der Freisch眉tz, J277
Act III: Finale: Schaut, o schaut! Er traf die eig'ne Brauit - Ja, lasst uns die Blicke erheben
(Agathe, Annchen, Max, Kaspar, Kuno, Ottokar, Chorus)
Elisabeth Gr眉mmer (Agathe)
Lisa Otto (Annchen)
Hermann Prey (Max)
Rudolf Schock (Kaspar)
Karl Kohn (Kuno)
Gottlob Frick (Ottokar)
Berlin Deutsche Opera Chorus
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Joseph Keilberth, conductor

Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Iain Chambers