Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20050829 | 20050905 | Bad luck seemed to dog Carl Maria von Weber's professional life; there was always a rival faction, a temperamental diva or political intrigue to complicate matters. Donald Macleod finds Weber working for the aristocratic and eccentric Württemberg family, with whom Weber's own sense of mischief landed him in hot water. Ruler of the Sprits Overture The Hanover Band Roy Goodman (director) Symphony No 1 Philharmonia Orchestra Claus Peter Flor (conductor) Seven Variations on Vien quà, Dorina bella Alexander Paley (piano). | |
| 01 | 'you Will Never Be A Musician!' | 20180618 | Weber's childhood as travelling player - first opera at 14 and banishment from W\u00fcrttemberg Series exploring the life and works of a succession of composers Carl Maria von Weber's father wanted a child prodigy like his niece's husband Mozart. But he was unimpressed by his son's attempts at learning the violin and rapped him over the knuckles with the bow, telling him: "Whatever will be made of you Carl, it will never be a musician!" Donald Macleod traces Weber's childhood in the Weber family of travelling players through to the staging of his first opera in Freiburg aged 14. Then came a near tragic episode when the young composer somehow managed to mistake a bottle of nitric acid for a bottle of wine, which left his voice badly affected for the rest of his life. He eventually got a job at the Court at Württemberg in Stuttgart, but he and his father were arrested there for a scam and were banished from the kingdom. Overture Der Freischütz Variations for the Pianoforte Op 2 Piano Quartet Ein steter Kampf ist unser Leben Producer: Rosie Boulton for BBC Wales. | |
| 02 | 'you Have To Go Out; Away Into The Distance' | 20180619 | Weber's life continues - always on the move and always in debt. Series exploring the life and works of a succession of composers Donald Macleod traces Weber's years as a young composer when he was always in debt and always on the move. Despite his lifelong trouble with his hip, Weber went on a walking tour in the Alps where he was deeply inspired by nature. And he toured Germany with his new virtuoso clarinettist friend Heinrich Baermann for whom he wrote revolutionary works for the clarinet. Cantata Der erste Ton for chorus and orchestra, Op. 14, last mvt Clarinet Quintet in B flat Opus 34 Abu Hassan Opera (Geld, Geld, Geld! Chorus) Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano in G minor Producer: Rosie Boulton for BBC Wales. | |
| 03 | 'landscape Is To Me The Performance Of A Piece Of Music' | 20180620 | Weber is deeply influenced by new Romantic ideas. Series exploring the life and works of a succession of composers Donald Macleod traces Weber's fascination with the Romantic movement. Also, his directorship of the Opera at the Estates Theatre in Prague where he tries to champion German opera but the audiences prefer Italian opera. The composer a ménage à trois with one singer Therese Brunetti, but ends up marrying Caroline Brandt, another singer. He composes The Invitation to the Dance to celebrate their partnership. The Gallant Troubadour Ein Konig einst gefangen sass Cantata Kampf und Sieg, Op 44 (final chorus) Sind es schmerzen, sind es freuden? Invitation to the Dance Piano Concerto No 2 Producer: Rosie Boulton for BBC Wales. | |
| 04 | 'an Artist's Sphere Of Influence Is The World' | 20180621 | The woodland setting of Der Freisch\u00fctz entrances Weber's German audience. Series exploring the life and works of a succession of composers Donald Macleod traces the origins of Weber's opera Der Freischütz and, as part of Radio 3's Into the Forest season, discusses how its woodland setting captured the romantic imagination of his audience. The first performance was witnessed by E T A Hoffmann, the poet Heinrich Heine, and a 12-year-old Felix Mendelssohn. Heine said that the opera became so popular that even the dogs barked tunes from it. Hector Berlioz eulogised that a score as irreproachable as Freischütz, as constantly interesting from beginning to end... Intelligence, imagination, genius shine everywhere with a radiance the force of which might dazzle any but eagle eyes, were it not also for a sensitiveness, inexhaustible as well as restrained, which softens its glare. The thunderous success of Der Freischütz brought Weber international renown and made him the undisputed composer - par excellence - of German opera. Der Freischütz (Huntsmen's Chorus) Der Freischütz (Wolf's Glen Act 2 Finale) Euryanthe Overture Konzertstück for piano and orchestra, Op 79 Producer: Rosie Boulton for BBC Wales. | |
| 05 | 'i Am Going To London To Die' | 20180622 | Weber visits London for his opera Oberon, but his health deteriorates and he dies aged 39. Series exploring the life and works of a succession of composers Donald Macleod traces Weber to London for the premiere of his opera Oberon at Covent Garden. But exhaustion from travelling and the stress of the new production combined with the pollution in London, caused Weber's health to deteriorate and he died aged 39. In 1844, 18 years after Weber's death, Richard Wagner oversaw the transfer of Weber's coffin from London to its final resting place in Dresden. Year later he recalled: "In my youth, I had learned to love music by way of my admiration of Weber's genius; and the news of his death came as a terrible blow to me. To have come in contact with him again, so to speak, and after so many years by this second funeral, was an event that stirred me to the very depths of my being." Oberon Overture Oberon (Kavatine: Trauer mein Herz) Piano Sonata No 4 Oberon (Final 2 movements) Producer: Rosie Boulton for BBC Wales. |