Carl Maria Von, was born at Eutin, in Holstein, on the 18th of December 1786. His father, a lover of music and a skilful violinist, not only had him carefully educated, but encouraged his musical pursuits, as well as his fondness for painting, in which last art it appears that he made considerable progress. The retired habits of his family threw him early upon his own resources for amusement, and his passion for music speedily became predominant, and exclusive of all other occupations. As his father often changed his place of residence, Weber's music-teachers were likewise often changed; and with this disadvantage, that as they did not agree in their methods and opinions, what one of them had taught, his successor untaught. This forced Weber to reflect, and to become his own instructor. In 1796-7 he received valuable lessons in pianoforte playing from Hauschkel of Hildburghausen. He was next placed under the care of Michael Haydn at Salzburg for composition, but made little progress under that master, who was then very old. In 1798 his first work of six Fughetti was published at Salzburg, and was well received. Weber then proceeded to Munich, where Valesi became his master in singing, and Kalcher in composition. From Kalcher he acquired much knowledge of the art of counterpoint, which laid a solid foundation for his future studies. While under Kalcher's tuition, he composed his first opera, Die Macht der Liebe und des Weins (the Power of Love and Wine); besides a mass, sonatas, and variations for the pianoforte, violin trios, songs, &c. all of which he afterwards destroyed. His next opera, Das Waldmädchen (the Wood Girl), was performed in November 1800, and met with more success at Vienna and St Petersburg than he himself was pleased with afterwards, when his judgment had become more matured. In 1801 he composed at Salzburg his opera, Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn (Peter Schmoll and his Neighbours), which was performed at Augsburg, but with indifferent success. In 1802 he went on a musical tour with his father to Leipzig, Hamburg, and Holstein, and during this time studied a number of theoretical works, from which, it seems, he derived little benefit. Dissatisfied with these, he endeavoured to form a system of his own, and to apply it to an analysis of the works of the old composers. In this he succeeded to his own satisfaction. The next important step in his career was his visit to Vienna, where he became acquainted with several eminent musicians, among others Haydn and Vogler, under the latter of whom he studied hard for about two years, enriching his mind and developing his powers by a close examination of various masterpieces of composition. Meyerbeer, Gänzbacher, and G. Weber, were at this time his fellow-pupils under Vogler. During these studies he only published some variations and a pianoforte arrangement of Vogler's opera of Samori. Being called to Breslau as music-director, he availed himself of his new position to obtain a knowledge of choral and orchestral effects. At Breslau he composed the greater part of the opera of Rübezahl (Number Nip). In 1806 he was in-

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\(^1\) Reports of the Assistant Hand-Loom Commissioners. Essays on the Art of Weaving, by Duncan, 1808. The Cotton Manufactures of Great Britain, by Dr Andrew Ure. The Repertory of Arts and Manufactures.

According to Weber's own account, he was born on the 18th; according to another account, on the 16th of December. While writing this article, we observe that the Oldenburg government has ordered a bronze statue of Weber to be erected in Eutin; and also, that his works shall be engraved on copper, and the plates preserved in the ducal library. Impressions are to be sent as presents only to the different sovereigns of Europe. The artists of the King's Chapel at Dresden have, it is said, raised a subscription for removing Weber's body from London, to a tomb which they propose to erect for it in the public cemetery of that city.

Weber was an excellent pianist, but does not seem to have pushed himself forward in that capacity. He expressed himself most vehemently against all those who composed music by the aid of any instrument. He is described as a man of small stature, very thin, with an intelligent countenance; sensible, well informed, and very unobtrusive. His temper seems to have been amiable, and we do not find any traces of its being seriously ruffled, except on the occasion of Castil Blaze's piracy of the Freyschütz for the Odéon at Paris. Then indeed he wrote two very sharp letters to Blaze, dated 15th December 1823, and 4th January 1826, but without obtaining answer or redress. A number of interesting particulars regarding him is to be found in some his own letters and other papers, published under the title of Hinterlassene Schriften von Carl Maria von Weber (Posthumous Writings of C. M. von Weber), in 2 vols. 8vo, 1828. Among these are, his Autobiography, and "The Life of a Composer."

We have already mentioned his principal works, and their very favourable reception. It has been said that, in his Freyschütz and other operas, he borrowed largely from old popular German airs, and that he has no great claims to originality. If he adopted much from others, the children of his adoption were at least splendidly clothed and richly entertained. Still there is much of originality and beauty in Weber's works, though it may be granted that he more frequently depends upon bold effects of harmony and modulation than upon melodic invention and expression. The example of Mozart, extended by Beethoven, Rossini, and Weber, led to that system of unlimited modulation which has now become more familiarized to the musical public, though not yet relished except by the initiated. The whole history of music shows that the public ear is only gradually trained to innovations in harmony and modulation; and even at this day, some of the most elaborate works of Sebastian Bach, and his son Emanuel, are caviare to the multitude, from their extreme abstruseness.

Beethoven's magnificent opera of Fidelio, produced in 1805, gave a new impulse and direction to the German opera. The powerful influence of this great work is very perceptible in the operas of Weber and other German composers within the last thirty-five years. So is the influence of Beethoven's pianoforte music upon that of Weber and others. Although Weber cannot be compared with Beethoven for original and powerful genius, fertility and sublimity of invention, still he must be considered as a great master, possessed of much dramatic talent, great knowledge of his art and of orchestral effect, and a high degree of brilliancy and gracefulness in composition. His faults are, occasional dry and harsh construction, want of unity in melody and of determinate rhythm, and the occurrence of what are technically termed strangled modulations. Indeed, violent contrasts in harmony and modulation; fragmentary snatches of melody, often hard and dry, without leading and sustained subjects; the abuse of chromatic passages; vague and disjointed rhythm; are the faulty characteristics of too many composers of the modern German school when carrying license to extremes. This style may be called the transcendental dithyrambic of music; wild, disorderly, heterogeneous, anti-rhythmi-