Klaus Döring's Classical Music/Klaus Döring's Klassische Musik

by Hermione Lai , Interlude Carl Maria von Weber   (1786-1826) was a crucial figure in the development of German Romantic opera. In fact,   Der Freischütz   was hugely popular and regarded as the first German opera ever. However, Weber was also busy in other fields, as he was a famous conductor and critic. And let’s not forget that he was also a virtuoso pianist who was known for his exciting improvisations. Last Thoughts of Carl Maria von Weber , by Edouard Hamman Carl Maria von Weber left us four piano sonatas, all composed between 1812 and 1822. These works are considered the pillars of his piano oeuvre. As we remember his all too early death in early June 1826—he was only 39 years old—let us explore Carl Maria von Weber, the pianist. To get us started, here comes his arguably most famous piece, the delightful  Invitation to the Dance . Carl Maria von Weber:  Invitation to the Dance , Op. 65  Weber came to the piano sonata relatively late in the game. He...

Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (1786 – 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and critic of the early Romantic period. Best known for his operas, he was a crucial figure in the development of German Romantische Oper (German Romantic opera). His mature operas — Silvana (1810), Abu Hassan (1811), Der Freischütz (1821), Die drei Pintos (comp. 1820–21), Euryanthe (1823), Oberon (1826) — had a major impact on subsequent German composers including Marschner, Meyerbeer, and Wagner; his compositions for piano influenced those of Mendelssohn, Chopin and Liszt. His best known work, Der Freischütz, remains among the most significant German operas. Performers: - Laurence Perkins (Bassoon) - Manchester Camerata - Richard Howarth (Leader) - Douglas Boyd (Conductor)

We are most familiar with Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) from his opera Der Freischütz. Weber’s connections with the theatre began in childhood where he grew up in his father’s traveling theatre. His father, uncle to Mozart’s wife Constanze Weber, had been, with his brother, a member of the orchestra in Mannheim. Weber went on to write other operas, including Silvana (1810), Euryanthe for Vienna (1822-23), Oberon for London (1825-26) and, at his death, left the unfinished opera Die drei Pintos, which was completed by Mahler some 60 years later in 1888. In 1807, Weber wrote two symphonies. At the time, he was in Carlsruhe working for Duke Eugen, who was himself a talented oboist. The orchestration of the symphonies matches the staff of the duke’s orchestra: a single flute, pairs of oboes, bassoons, horns, and trumpets, but no clarinets. There was the usual string complement, although sometimes the double basses are permitted freedom from being always tied to the cellos. Weber’s Sympho...