CHAPTER VI.

SCHUBERT, MENDELSSOHN, SCHUMANN, AND SPOHR.

Schubert as song-writer — Schubert’s chamber music — Mendelssohn — Mendelssohn’s position in England — Mendelssohn’s character — Mendelssohn’s chamber music — Schumann — Schumann as absolute musician — The E♭ Piano Quintett — Piano trios — Spohr’s opinion of Beethoven’s work — Characteristics of his compositions.

Schubert as Song-writer

Schubert’s fame rests chiefly on his songs, but in the domain of instrumental music he also did some remarkable work, although it can hardly be said that he fundamentally influenced the art in this direction. He lived (1797-1828) in Vienna at the same time as Beethoven, and many of his compositions show distinctly how much he was influenced by the genius of that great musician. Schubert’s works are distinguished by a spontaneous flow of beautiful melody. He possessed, by right of nature, the utmost artistic opulence, but unfortunately, owing chiefly to his birth and early circumstances, this was not consolidated by that profounder culture which is necessary for the fullest expression of human capacity. Not that Schubert failed to reach a most exalted position, for works like the B♭ Piano Trio, the C major Quintett, that noble fragment the B minor Symphony, and especially his best songs, proclaim him unsurpassed by any musician of modern times; but out of the very profusion of his ideas, combined with a certain want of restraint and self-criticism, arose an artistic danger, the result of which is most evident in his larger works. This, too, is probably the reason why he was so great as a composer of songs, for he had all the means ready at hand for the expression which the text required, and the form being necessarily free, he could and did work in an unfettered fashion, with the most wonderful results. That this is so, such Lieder as “The Erl King,” “Gretchen at the Spinning-wheel,” “The Wanderer,” and many others, abundantly prove. Liszt, who greatly advocated his works, called Schubert “the most poetical of all the musicians,” and Schumann characteristically writes thus of the Piano Trio in B♭:—“One glance at this trio, and all the pitiful clouds of life disperse and the world shines again as fresh and bright as ever. This work is indeed a precious legacy. Many and beautiful as are the things which time brings forth, it will be long ere it produces another Schubert.”

Schubert’s Chamber Music

Schubert’s principal chamber music works are the Octett in F for strings, horn, clarinet, and bassoon; a Quintett (Forellen) for piano and strings; another Quintett in C major for strings, which is an extremely fine work; twenty String Quartetts, two Piano Trios, two String Trios, a Rondo Brilliant in B minor, a Fantasia in C, and some Sonatinas, and a Sonata for piano and violin. Of the String Quartetts, that in D minor, the slow movement of which is a set of variations on Schubert’s own song, “Death and the Maiden,” and that in G major, op. 161, are among the best of his works in this form. That in E♭, op. 125, is one of the best known; certainly it is full of charming melody, besides being very grateful for the players. The C major Quintett and the Piano Trio in B♭ already mentioned may be specially referred to as full of that charm and spontaneity which are characteristic of this composer.

Schubert’s career was one of comparative poverty and hardship. His compositions brought him little money. Still he seems to have laboured on without regard to popularity, content to do that which seemed best and truest, and no doubt finding his highest satisfaction and reward in the work itself, for as Emerson says, “Every true talent exhilarates.”

Thus was completed the short span of his earthly life, for he passed away at the early age of 31. Mozart died at 35, Purcell at 37, and Mendelssohn at 38! The inscription on Schubert’s tomb in the cemetery at Vienna, where he was, by his own desire, interred near the grave of Beethoven, reads thus:—“Music has here entombed a rich treasure, but still fairer hopes.”

Mendelssohn

The career of Mendelssohn (1809-47) presents a strong contrast to that of Schubert. Born in affluent circumstances, he possessed from his birth all those advantages (and hindrances) which appertain to wealth. But his parents were discreet people, who were not, so to say, carried off their feet by the unquestionable precocity and genius of the boy. They took care that his education, both general and musical, was of the best, and when he was 16 years old his father took him to Paris, where Cherubini, Principal of the Conservatoire, reigned supreme as the great musical authority. The result of the interview was most satisfactory, and any scruples as to the boy’s musicianship, and as to what his future should be, were thereby finally disposed of, and Mendelssohn entered on a career which proved to be one of the most brilliant that has ever fallen to the lot of a musician.

Mendelssohn’s Position in England

In England, after Handel, and perhaps Haydn, the name of Mendelssohn stands next—that is, taking provincial opinion, which is chiefly concerned with choral works, into account, and not merely London and the larger civic centres. Indeed, it is hardly an exaggeration to say that he stands before Haydn. That master is known, among those of whom we speak, chiefly by his oratorio The Creation. But in this work the choral writing is less satisfactory to the average choral singer than either Handel—as represented, say, by The Messiah, Samson, or Judas Maccabæus—or Mendelssohn, by Elijah and The Hymn of Praise; and for this reason Mendelssohn no doubt, in the opinion of such people, stands higher than the composer of The Creation.

We are not arguing as to the justice of such an opinion, which of course leaves out of consideration the instrumentation and the solos of Haydn’s immortal work; but such a condition of things has, none the less, been of much service in England, for Elijah presents many dramatic points which are not to be met with in either Handel or Haydn, and by the study of this work the taste of a very numerous class has been greatly advantaged, and that pernicious worship of Handel, which up to some twenty or thirty years ago dominated British choral music, has to a considerable extent been broken up. Thus the way has been cleared for the introduction of works by the serious musicians of our own time, which are apt to be misunderstood and neglected, because they are often written in a freely dramatic form that is strange, if not obnoxious, to the average chorister.

This of course applies to choral music, but all the same a sound and progressive taste in one style is sure to affect the general judgment, and what is true of the oratorio will soon become equally so of the symphony, of chamber music, and of the other forms of composition.

Mendelssohn’s Character

Although from his youth up Mendelssohn exhibited a marked spontaneity of manner and freedom from the ordinary conventional restraints of life, yet there was all the time a serious side to his character which made itself manifest quite early in his career. Ferdinand Hiller relates that when Mendelssohn’s teacher, Aloys Schmitt, brought him as a boy to visit Hiller, as they approached the house Hiller, unobserved by them, saw from the window with what gaiety of demeanour Mendelssohn behaved, running behind and leaping on Schmitt’s back in a boisterous and uncontrolled manner, full of life and vigour. When they entered the house, however, while the youth was unconstrained, yet he became quite grave and dignified in his manner, and expressed, in what Hiller thought almost over-ripe a fashion, his views about art and artists. Later in life the same characteristic of restraint showed itself under circumstances of such perennial interest that the story may again be told.

While residing in Frankfort-on-Main, Mendelssohn made the acquaintance of a certain family named Jean-renaud, the head of the household being a widow whose husband had been the pastor of the French Reformed Church. By his frequent visits to the house, it soon became evident that Mendelssohn was attracted in no ordinary way. But such was his demeanour that, although it was really the daughter Cécile to whom his heart went out, his friends were under the impression that the mother, who was still an attractive woman, was the load-star. To Hiller, with whom he was on terms of intimacy, Mendelssohn revealed his true feelings, and spoke with all the enthusiasm of young love of his regard for Fräulein Cécile. Hiller naturally looked daily for the usual climax, when to his astonishment he learned that Mendelssohn had suddenly left Frankfort and gone to Holland, where he stayed for a month. This he did, as he afterwards told Hiller, deliberately to test how much and how truly he was in love. On his return, having no doubt proved the genuineness of his feelings, he became formally engaged to the young lady, and early in the following year (1837) they were married.

Mendelssohn’s Chamber Music

It is not easy even now to deal equitably with Mendelssohn’s chamber music, for his abundant and charming melody, combined with a clear and transparent style, are apt to beguile the judgment, and to obscure the fundamental truths whereby all art must be tried. The slow movement and the scherzo of the E minor String Quartett, for example, are admirable, and even though they may not be said to have added anything to the form in which they are written, yet the pure and elevated beauty of the music is entirely satisfying. On the other hand, some movements, such as the String Quartett op. 44 in D major, are, as has been often remarked, quite orchestral in style and effect, and the same may be said of the Quartett op. 80. Mendelssohn also set a pattern in the two Piano Trios, which has been too much followed by later composers, whereby the piano part dominates and tends to obscure the other instruments. Especially in some movements of the D minor op. 49 is this the case, whereby the balance of parts is disturbed, and the artistic value lowered, of a work otherwise crowded with beautiful ideas.

Professor Ritter,[22] in discussing Mendelssohn’s position, says “he was more lyric than dramatic, more refined than profound, more conventional than original,” a judgment which is, in a general sense, in accord with that of another competent authority, who, speaking of Mendelssohn, writes:—“It has not been the lot of many men to win so much affection, or to give so much pleasure. His various gifts were in constant employment for the benefit of all people who were capable of enjoying music and good company; and he squeezed as much work into his short life as most men get into a life of twice the length. The spirit in the end wore out the body; indeed it seems wonderful that it stood the strain so long. But his nature would not allow him to live otherwise, and the enjoyment of all the things which came in his way was a necessary condition to enable him to produce the happy genial style of music which is characteristic of him.... He was too full of occupation to brood over the troubles of the world, or to think much of tragedies and the stern workings of fate; but all moods must have their expression in art, and those which were natural for him to express he dealt with in the most delicate and artistic way, and the results have afforded healthy and refined pleasure to an immense number of people.”[23]

The following are Mendelssohn’s principal chamber music compositions:—

Schumann

“The English have adopted Mendelssohn, but in Germany an equal rank is accorded to Schumann. It may arise from affection for Mendelssohn that the English are inclined to deny Schumann’s claims, fearing that the recognition of them may interfere with the justly deserved reputation of their favourite; but, be this as it may, a comparison should not be instituted between them. Schumann, apart from his not having the natural gifts of Mendelssohn, was a solitary student, unable by the use of his talents or his manners to make himself popular. Mendelssohn, endowed with every distinction nature and a refined education could bestow, happily balanced the requirements of the public with the dignity of the true artist, without yielding to vulgar tastes. If he did not rely on the vox populi he admitted the truth existing in that voice. Schumann, if he did not exactly treat popular opinion with contempt, would not consult it. He never had the means of forming for himself a clear idea of what was due to the public, not being a public player, as Mozart, Beethoven, Weber, Mendelssohn, and Chopin all were. It is before the public an artist learns to play, and it is before the public a composer feels, with even painful acuteness, any imperfections or tediousness in his works. That which sounds right and interesting in a small study, with a sympathising friend to turn over the leaves, may sound dreary, uninteresting, and even tiresome, to an indifferent audience. We have here a sufficient reason why Schumann would not have attained a widespread popularity like that of his admired friend Mendelssohn. But surely in these days, when there are so many weak productions, we are not justified in disregarding the works of an intelligent and conscientious master; a man who had the purest and noblest aspirations, and who was ever the first to acknowledge, with true sympathy and every sign of delight, the merits of others.”[24]

Robert Schumann (1810-56) was a man of high intellectual capacity and culture, and this it is which chiefly distinguishes both the man and his compositions; for it will hardly be claimed for him that he was by birthright such an absolute musician as, say, Mozart or Mendelssohn.

Schumann as Absolute Musician

The inborn natural qualities of these masters were, of course, supplemented by that careful training which is essential to success, even for the most richly endowed of human beings; but with Schumann one may almost say that the culture stands first. Not that he failed to exhibit strong musical tendencies even from his childhood, for do we not read of his caricaturing his schoolmates by playing, in a grotesque manner, on the piano, while still at school. Yet anything he did in this way, and as regards composition, is very different from what we find in the early years of the two who have been mentioned. It is evident also that, as he grew to manhood, his aim in life was to become a solo pianist, for which purpose he worked diligently under the father of that great artist Clara Wieck, who eventually became his wife. But, unfortunately, he injured his hand in an attempt to make it stronger by some mechanical means, and thus he had to relinquish the idea of playing in public. Then he more earnestly applied himself to composition, with no doubt most remarkable results. Yet in this sphere too we find the influence of a resolute determination, as distinguished from a natural yearning, as, for instance, in the year 1842, when he resolved to write chamber music, it is said that he shut himself up with the scores of Beethoven’s string quartetts, and having, as it were, assimilated their very essence, he proceeded to compose the three quartetts known as op. 41. There are evidences[25] of a like mental habit in connection with his larger works, which may be investigated by those who care to do so.

It is, however, in the piano compositions of his early period that one finds the truest expression of his genius. He was indeed the poet of the piano, and he has left us, in this style, a wealth of rich romantic beauty.

The E♭ Piano Quintett

The Piano Quintett in E♭, op. 44, is generally regarded as one of the best works which Schumann has given to the world in chamber music form. It is, from the outset, characterised by a straight-forwardness of utterance which is not always found in his compositions, and it is also more than usually grateful to play. The first movement, which is distinguished by an impressive and stately rhythm, preserves an astonishing freshness, even after one notices that it consists of an almost unceasing repetition of the first few notes of both its principal themes. The dirge-like “In modo d’una Marcia” movement, which follows, carries with it the convincing argument of true melody and well-contrasted episodes; the scherzo, with its homespun scale passages, which are, however, so treated as to sound quite unusual; these, and the finale, which brings the work to a resounding and successful conclusion, are all quite clear and need no commentary. That such a work should meet with high approval and retain a permanent hold on the musical world is what might naturally be looked for.

The Piano Quartett op. 47, in the same key, E♭, is written somewhat in the same manner, but with hardly the sustained energy and character of the quintett. It is in the andante of this work that we find the succession of sevenths in the chief melody which, while charming in effect, illustrate the tendency frequently shown by Schumann to write passages in the Rosalia form. This is to repeat a phrase or melody at another pitch several times in succession, a method which, at any rate in Germany, is regarded as betokening a certain weakness of inventive power. It is also in this andante that the ’cello tunes the fourth string down to B♭, so as to sustain a pedal bass on that note during the last bars of the movement.

Piano Trios

Of the three piano trios, that in D minor is the finest work, and contains much that is admirable, especially as it avoids, as indeed is Schumann’s constant custom, the mere bravura pianoforte style of writing. These trios do not, however, compare favourably with the quintett or quartett named above, and this applies more especially to that in G minor.

As regards Schumann’s position as one of the classical composers, Mr. Hadow in his Studies in Modern Music, says:—“It may be that much of his work will not survive the attack of time. There are few men who do not find that the greater part of their life’s record is written in water. But something at least will remain. He is not only the best representative, but the virtual founder of a distinct style in music; his sense of beauty is often exquisite; his feeling—pure, manly, and chivalrous. So long as melody possesses the power to soothe, to comfort, to sympathise, so long shall we turn in gratitude to one who could transmute the sorrows of his own heart into an elixir for the cure of others.”

Schumann’s chamber music compositions include:—

Spohr

Spohr’s Opinion of Beethoven’s Works

Had Spohr’s (1784-1859) musical powers, remarkable as they no doubt were, been equal to his individuality of character he would have outstripped all his contemporaries, not perhaps excepting Beethoven himself. He was essentially a self-centred man, a kind of solar mind whose constant tendency was to make satellites of whoever and whatever came within the sphere of his personal influence. This it is which tends to explain his criticisms of the men of his own time, such, for example, as that the opening of Beethoven’s C minor Symphony was unfitted for such a work; that the slow movement was tedious; the finale full of unmeaning noise; that the Ninth Symphony was “monstrous and tasteless”; and that Beethoven was, as a composer, “wanting both in æsthetic culture and sense of beauty.” This, too, it should be remembered, cannot have been any mere hasty or superficial judgment, seeing that Spohr lived in the city of Vienna for some time along with Beethoven, knew him personally, and must have had a fairly full opportunity of forming an opinion of his music. In contradistinction to this, however, we must place the facts that he admired the earlier works of the Bonn master, and was indeed the first to perform publicly at Berlin and Leipzig the String Quartetts op. 18. Also, strange to say, that in the year 1853 he brought out, in spite of much opposition, at the Cassel Opera-house, where he was the director, Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser! This curious combination of conflicting qualities is further exemplified by the fact that he, who was naturally a classic in style, and regarded Mozart as his model, wrote a number of his important works to a programme. Among these we find an orchestral symphony entitled “The Worldly and the Heavenly Influences in the Life of Man,” with a solo orchestra for the heavenly, and an ordinary full orchestra for the worldly influences. Another was called “The Seasons.” No doubt these works contain many fine ideas, and some movements are full of charm, but for all this, it cannot be said that they were really successful, or that Spohr thereby increased the scope of the symphonic form.

Characteristics of his Compositions

Mannerism of a pronounced kind, such as the frequent employment of chromatic progressions both melodic and harmonic, of enharmonic modulations, and a certain kind of constantly repeated phrase and cadence, these it is which prevent Spohr from occupying a place of the first rank among composers. His works for the violin, as a performer on which instrument he occupied a most distinguished position, are, however, of the highest order, and as a composer of chamber music, with which we are here chiefly concerned, his double quartetts, especially the earlier ones, display his powers in the most favourable light. In his ordinary quartetts, however, the leading violin is, generally speaking, used with undue importance. Still, when all is said, the fact remains that these works uphold a high and dignified standard, and while not in any sense an epoch maker in music, Spohr undoubtedly exerted a most beneficial influence on the art. His chief chamber music compositions are:—33 String Quartetts, 8 Quintetts, 4 Double Quartetts, 5 Piano Trios, 2 Sextetts, 1 Septett, 1 Octett, and 1 Nonett; also Duets for 2 violins, violin and harp, violin and piano, etc. There is also a Concerto for String Quartett, op. 131, with orchestral accompaniment.

BRAHMS.
(Photo of a Bust.)