- Hsu, Dolores Menstell. “Weber on Opera: A Challenge to Tradition.” In Stud-
ies in Eighteenth-Century Music(#73), 297–309.
A summary of Weber’s writings on opera, most of them from newspapers in
Prague and Dresden from 1813 to 1820. His likes and dislikes are made clear,
as well as the embodiment of his ideas in Der Freischütz. The ideal for him was
a perfect balance among music, drama, dance, scenery, and costumes. His
writings enhanced public acceptance of German opera. With 20 footnotes to
the earlier literature.
Biographies
- Warrack, John Hamilton. Carl Maria von Weber.2nd ed. Cambridge: Cam-
bridge U.P., 1976. 411p. ISBN 0-521-21354-1 ML410 .W3 W26.
First edition, 1968. A German translation of that edition appeared as Carl
Maria von Weber: Eine Biographie(Hamburg: Claassen, 1972). A valuable
life story, citing major documents, letters, and other primary sources; biblio-
graphic essay on the sources and on critical studies. Program notes on the six
major operas, with attention to genesis and reception. Worklist; a chapter (in
the revised edition only) on Weber’s style and historical significance. A poor
bibliography detracts from the utility of this work: it has about 100 incom-
plete entries, many of them trivial, and omits important writing, such as the
Gras dissertation (#2096). Index of names, titles, and places. Warrack is also
the author of the Weber section of New Grove Early Romantic Masters
(#172).
Operas in General
- Jones, Gaynor G. “Backgrounds and Themes of the Operas of Carl Maria von
Weber.” Ph.D. diss., Cornell U., 1972. 369p. - Moser, Hans Joachim. Geschichte der deutschen Musik von Auftreten
Beethovens bis zur Gegenwart.5th ed. Stuttgart: Cotta, 1930. 3v. ML275
.M68.
There is a useful overview of Weber’s stage works in “Die romantische Oper,”
v.3, 72–129. Moser’s commentary, including comparisons with the operas of
contemporary composers, is always perceptive.
Individual Works
Die drei Pintos
- Weber, Carl Maria von. Die drei Pintos,as completed by Gustav Mahler. Ed.
James L. Zychowicz. Madison, Wisc.: A-R Editions. 2v. 0-89579-423-3.
Described as “forthcoming” in the A-R 1999 catalogue. The opera was
intended to be a comic counterpart to Die Freischützbut was left unfinished.
Mahler completed and conducted it in 1888. The new edition “includes the
complete libretto with English translation, an introduction, and critical appa-
ratus,” according to the announcement.
Carl Maria von Weber 391