Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

'
show how far he fell short of the equalities
required for this kind of work. The piece contains
much that is beautiful, especially some
psissages in the Andantino malinconico, of
startling novelty and expression, the gay introductory
chorus, and the melodious Nos. 3, i,
and 5, so entirely in Spontini's Neapolitan
manner that they might have been taken from
his early operas. Here and there are touches
recalling Mozart. The overtmre and ballets
are brilliant and festal, and the overture has
an open-airiness of style often found in Italian
overtures. Clumsy accentuation of words,
hosvever, constantly betrays the fact that the
composer is dealing with an unfamiliar language.
On June 9, 1821, Spontini started for a seven
months' leave. He went first to Dresden, and
there met Weber. Weber was cordial and
obliging, while Spontini, though polite in
manner, took pains to make hia rival feel the
newness of his reputation as a composer.' By
June 29, he was in Vienna trying to arrange
-. performance of 'Olympia' for the following
season ; but this did not take place. Thence
he went to Italy, revisiting his birthplace ; and
by September was in Paris at work on the
revision of 'Olympia.' He also made some
experiments on 'Milton,' telling Briihl (Jan.
12, 1823) that he would put it before him in
three different forms. By the end of January
he was back in Berlin, apparently anxious to
keep on good terms with Briihl, though such
good resolutions seldom lasted long. One of their
many differences was on the subject of starsingers
(Gastspieler). These Briihl wished to
encourage, as a means of testing the artists,
and their chance of popularity ; but Spontini
disliked the system. An appearance of Carl
Devrient and Wilhelmine Schroder in the
summer of 1823 evoked another impertin'ent
letter to Briihl, who in reply (July 7) told him
to mind his own business.
He had now been in office four years, and
the stipulated two grand operas evei-y three
years, or smaller one each year, were only
represented by a scena or two for 'Olympia,'
and a couple of pieces for
' Nurmahal.' It was
plain that he had undertaken a task wholly
beyond his strength, owing to his pedantic
manner of working. He thought (August 2,
1823) of turning 'Milton' into a grand opera
with recitatives, choruses, and ballets, but soon
relinquished the idea, and by Oct. 17 was busy,
'
'night and day, with " Alcidor."
'
The libretto
was by Theauleon, who had formerly altered
'Cortez.' On coming to Berlin, in Nov.
1823, Th&iuleon found the first scene already
composed, and his business was to fit words to
the music. His task was not easy
'
: If I wrote
lines of ten syllables,' he says, Spontini wanted
'
them of five ;
scarcely had I hammered out an
unfortunate stanza of five, when it had to be
1 C. M. von Weber, by Max von Weber, ii. 433.
SPONTINI 657
lengthened to twelve or fifteen, and if I expostulated,
on the ground that lines of that
length were not admissible in French poetry,
he would reply in a sort of recitative, accompanying
himself on the piano, ' ' The translation
will make it all right." Never did so poor a
poem cost its author so much trouble. ' ^ It is
evident from this that Spontini composed to
French words, which were afterwards translated
by Herklots. Schinkel and Gropius again
painted the scenery. The rehearsals began in
Sept. 1824, and the first performance took place
May 23, 1825. Its reception by Spontini's
adherents was unmistakably hearty, and many
outsiders were dazzled by its new effects of
'
Milton, '
scenery and music, but the national party were
louderthan ever in their disapprobation. Among
the adverse critiques was a parody in the true
Berlin style, in which Alcidor '
eine Zauberoper
was converted into 'Allzudoll eine Zauderoper.'^
Zelter alone was impartial, but he was no doubt
influenced by his prejudice against Weber, and
all that he can say is The ' piece was written by
Theauleon in French, and set to French music,
so we have at last a real Berlin original—that
is a new coat turned ' ; and again, Spontini
'
always reminds me of a Gold-King, flinging
his gold at the people, and breaking theu' heads
with it. '
* Not even a PF. score of ' Alcidor
was published ;
nor did it make its way beyond
Berlin, any more than Nui-mahal ' ' had done.
Another grand opera was due for the summer
of 1826, and a week after the production of
' Alcidor ' Spontini asked Count Briihl whether
a revised and lengthened version of Milton
'
would do for the purpose. The Count thought
the material too scanty, but the King (June 29)
agreed to the proposal. Spontini having obtained
eleven months' leave, started for Paris,
where he was present at a revival of Olympic
'
on Feb. 28, 1826, returning immediately afterwards
to Berlin. Nothing more was heard of
and during this year he furnished no
work for the King's theatre. Ernst Raupach
was now librettist to the Opera, and Spontini
agreed with him on a subject from Gei-man
mediaeval history, which eventually became the
opera Agnes von Hohenstaufen. ' ' The first act
—long enough for a complete opera—was ready
by 1827, and performed May 28. The whole
three acts were finished in 1829, and produced
Jiine 12 for the marriage of Prince Wilhelm,
(afterwards the EmperorWiUiam I.). Spontini,
dissatisfied with his work, had the libretto
altered by Baron von Lichtenstein and other
friends, and made more vital changes in the
music than in almost any other of his grand
operas. In this form it was revived Dec. 6, 1837.
German mediaeval history at this time occupied
much attention, and thus no doubt influenced
2 Ledebiir, lierliner Tonkuntlier-f^xicrm, p. 564.
3 jMlzudoll, vulgarism for Al]zutoll=qulte too miul ; Zauderoper
BSlow opera, because of the time it had taken to write.
* Briefvutchicl von Ooethe und ZHtcr, iv. 39, 40.
2u