Bericht über die Oberon-Uraufführung in London am 12. April 1826

At Covent Garden, Oberon has appeared, and with it the Composer, who, we find is announced in the books of the play as Baron Von Weber, (we presume that our composer of Aladdin, when it is finished, will therefore be called Lord Bishop) and fine and scientific as its music may be, it seems probable that it will be no longer popular than the few fashionable amateurs choose to cry it up, and the little fools who follow the great ones, think it right, in order to show their taste, to go and hear what they by no means understand.

The music is very fine ‒ so was the music of the Freischutz; but of all that music one piece only has been actually familiar with the English ‒ we mean the Hunting Chorus, which nearly resembles the common jog-trot Hunting Chorus of every English pantomime or farce into which the tootly-ootly horn stuff is introduced. All the rest is, what the call “too good” for the poor English; and some of the papers congratulate themselves that the music of Oberon cannot be strummed about, like that of the Freischutz ‒ such critics are bad ones, let them be who they may; the true criterion of music is, if we may be allowed a word, its “catchability.” Nobody we suppose will venture to compare the Baron Von Weber with Mozart or Haydn. What music of theirs has ever been so popular, so universally characteristic of the master, as the simple airs ‒ “Away with Melancholy” ‒ “Life let us Cherish,” and all that class. It is a proof of great genius where the scientific part of the study of music (which any laborious man can attain) is mixed with attractive playfulness like that which characterizes the airs of the great masters.

[…]*

This is the opinion of perhaps the greatest composer that ever existed, and we apprehend the application of his theory to the music of Oberon would not produce the most pleasing results to its admirers.

The newspapers say the Baron Von Weber is a philosophical composer and a “metaphysical musician” ‒ this is all staff, they might as well call him a mathematical musician, or an algebraice musician, or a pig-stye musician, or any thing else, it is all cant. Weber is a scientific German composer, highly gifted and deeply learned in his craft, and to the few who do understand the theory and ramcrammery of it, no doubt a wonder; but what sickens us, is the affectation of people pretending to like what is not agreeable, merely because they are told it is fine ‒ as if a man were to go to have his sound teeth drawn out, one after another, merely because he is told Cartwright is an admirable dentist. ‒ Cartwright is inimitable in drawing teeth, but if a man does not want his teeth drawn, it is particulary absurd to fee Cartwright to dis-dent him.

What we mean to say is, that Mr. Weber’s music is admirable to those who comprehend its intricacies and difficulties; but we will venture to say that no two pieces ¦ performed in Oberon will become common and popular about the streets, and that in the opinion of the greatest musical judges, as we have shewn, is the strongest proof of the goodness of music, as suited to the taste of those for whom it is intended.

All the performers, did their utmost to deserve the applause of the audience and the thanks of the composer; and we have no doubt that Oberon will have a run which will repay the expense to which the proprietors have evidently gone for scenery, dresses, music, and decorations.