- Abert, Hermann. “Carl Maria von Weber und sein Freischütz. Jahrbuch der
Musikbibliothek Peters33 (1926): 9–29.
The opera needs to be evaluated independently of its supposed place as a pre-
cursor of Wagner; it has great inventiveness and strong musical form. Abert
reviews the state of Weber scholarship, finding little to praise.
See also Bomberger (#2364).
Oberon
ASO74 (1985).
- Gallarati, Paolo. “Grammatica dell’esotismo nell’Oberon de Weber.” In
Opera and Libretto II(#221), 175–198.
Weber used numerous devices to give an impression of exotic otherness. Tim-
bre, rhythm, ornaments, dynamics, and an ambiguous tonal or modal base all
take part. The fluid melodies, “which know no straight line,” are on the road
to Wagner.
Kurt Weill (1900–1950)
Die Dreigroschenoper(The Three Penny Opera) is in COH (1990) and Rororo
(1987); Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonnyis in ASO166 (1995).
- Kowalke, Kim H. Kurt Weill in Europe.Ann Arbor, Mich.: UMI Research,
- 600p. ISBN 0-8357-1076-9. ML410 .W395 K7.
A valuable, scholarly examination of the early Weill (to 1935), concentrating
on biographical and background matters. Some attention to Dreigroschenoper
and Mahagonny. Worklist through 1935, including literary writings; extensive
bibliography of more than 300 entries; expansive index of names, titles, and
topics. Based on the author’s Ph.D. dissertation (Yale U., 1977). Kowalke has
edited two useful collections of essays: A New Orpheus(New Haven, Conn.:
Yale U.P., 1986) and A Stranger Here Myself(Hildesheim: Olms, 1993). Con-
tents are on the website <www.kwf.org>, which is maintained by the Kurt
Weill Foundation, New York. The website describes the new Kurt Weill Edi-
tion(one volume published: a facsimile of Die Dreigroschenoper), gives a
worklist, calendar of events, and a good bibliography that includes many dis-
sertations. - Drew, David. Kurt Weill: A Handbook. Berkeley: U. of California Press, 1987.
480p. ISBN 0-5200-5839-9. ML134 .W4 A2.
A useful compilation, including a chronological, annotated thematic worklist
(with individual song titles). Sources, documents, manuscripts, and commen-
tary are given. The distinction between autograph and manuscript is not
always made clear, and there are subjective excursions plus some mind reading
involved. Weill’s American work gets less attention, and his Broadway musi-
cals are minimized. This is not a biography. Indexed.
Kurt Weill 393