The Overture, and the Whole of the Music in Carl Maria von Weber's Celebrated Romantic Opera of Der Freischütz, The Poetry by George Soane Esqr. as Performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Adapted to the English Stage, and produced under the direction of Henry R. Bishop. Composer to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Price 30s. [Piano-vocal score]
- London: Goulding, D'Almaine & Co., 20 Soho Square, and to be had at 7 Westmorland St. Dublin, 1824
London: Goulding, D'Almaine & Co., 20 Soho Square, and to be had at 7 Westmorland St. Dublin, 1824. Folio. Contemporary quarter dark brown pebbled cloth with light brown boards. 1f. (recto full-page lithograph frontispiece "Zamiel Appearing to the Summons of Kaspar in the Wolf's Glen ... printed by Hullmändel," verso blank), 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 164 pp. Text in English only. Music engraved. Watermark 1823.
Pagination to outer upper corners of overture continuing to center of each page; each selection with secondary pagination to upper outer corners.
With label titled in contemporary manuscript to front pastedown and "Samuel Dudley [?]Sumner" in contemporary manuscript to upper outer corner of frontispiece; publisher's handstamp "Printed by Goulding & Co." to foot of several pages.
Binding worn, rubbed, and bumped; hinges cracked. Frontispiece partially detached at lower edge, with blank margins soiled, foxed, and dampstained; occasional small stains, minor soiling, small tears, and foxing.
Quite a good copy overall, Rare. JISC (1 copy only, at the Royal College of Music, London. Not in Jähns.
Der Freischütz premiered in Berlin at the Schauspielhaus on 18 June 1821.
"[It] was the culmination of an important phase in Weber’s struggle to realize his conception of German opera. His idea of combining the resources of drama, music and the visual aspect of theatre in a unified art work was only partly realized in Der Freischütz; but, owing much to the example of French opera, he moved far beyond the limitations of Singspiel as it was practised by the majority of his German contemporaries. Along with Spohr (Faust, 1813) and Hoffmann (Undine, 1816), who had similar aims, he attempted, with considerable success, to express the essential elements of the drama in his music. Like them, Weber used tonality, musical motif, orchestral colour and various formal and structural devices." Clive Brown in Grove Music Online
"A prototypical 19th-century musician-critic, [Weber] sought through his works, words, and efforts as performer and conductor to promote art and shape emerging middle-class audiences to its appreciation. His contributions to song, choral music, and piano music were highly esteemed by his contemporaries, his opera overtures influenced the development of the concert overture and symphonic poem, and his explorations of novel timbres and orchestrations enriched the palette of musical sonorities. With the overwhelming success of his opera Der Freischütz in 1821 he became the leading exponent of German opera in the 1820s and an international celebrity. A seminal figure of the 19th century, he influenced composers as diverse as Marschner, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Meyerbeer, Berlioz, and Liszt." Michael C. Tusa in Grove Music Online
This rare edition, representing the 10 November 1824 production at Drury Lane, consists of the overture and 17 individually-issued numbers, each with separate caption title, price, pagination, and (in some cases) named singers.
Pagination to outer upper corners of overture continuing to center of each page; each selection with secondary pagination to upper outer corners.
With label titled in contemporary manuscript to front pastedown and "Samuel Dudley [?]Sumner" in contemporary manuscript to upper outer corner of frontispiece; publisher's handstamp "Printed by Goulding & Co." to foot of several pages.
Binding worn, rubbed, and bumped; hinges cracked. Frontispiece partially detached at lower edge, with blank margins soiled, foxed, and dampstained; occasional small stains, minor soiling, small tears, and foxing.
Quite a good copy overall, Rare. JISC (1 copy only, at the Royal College of Music, London. Not in Jähns.
Der Freischütz premiered in Berlin at the Schauspielhaus on 18 June 1821.
"[It] was the culmination of an important phase in Weber’s struggle to realize his conception of German opera. His idea of combining the resources of drama, music and the visual aspect of theatre in a unified art work was only partly realized in Der Freischütz; but, owing much to the example of French opera, he moved far beyond the limitations of Singspiel as it was practised by the majority of his German contemporaries. Along with Spohr (Faust, 1813) and Hoffmann (Undine, 1816), who had similar aims, he attempted, with considerable success, to express the essential elements of the drama in his music. Like them, Weber used tonality, musical motif, orchestral colour and various formal and structural devices." Clive Brown in Grove Music Online
"A prototypical 19th-century musician-critic, [Weber] sought through his works, words, and efforts as performer and conductor to promote art and shape emerging middle-class audiences to its appreciation. His contributions to song, choral music, and piano music were highly esteemed by his contemporaries, his opera overtures influenced the development of the concert overture and symphonic poem, and his explorations of novel timbres and orchestrations enriched the palette of musical sonorities. With the overwhelming success of his opera Der Freischütz in 1821 he became the leading exponent of German opera in the 1820s and an international celebrity. A seminal figure of the 19th century, he influenced composers as diverse as Marschner, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Meyerbeer, Berlioz, and Liszt." Michael C. Tusa in Grove Music Online
This rare edition, representing the 10 November 1824 production at Drury Lane, consists of the overture and 17 individually-issued numbers, each with separate caption title, price, pagination, and (in some cases) named singers.