Goethe and Music

Goethe and MusicAuthor(s): Marguerite HellerSource: The German Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 4, Goethe Bicentennial Number (Nov., 1949), pp.205-208Published by: Wiley on behalf of the American Association of Teachers of GermanStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/402099 .Accessed: 29/10/2014 15:36

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GOETHE AND MUSIC MARGUERITE HELLER

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Germany was the foremost center for musical culture. The music of the composers in these centuries, Handel, Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart, influenced greatly the work of artistic people during that time. Goethe, a contemporary German writer of that period, did not escape the strong, German musical influence. Music and literature were in- separable and vital throughout his whole life. "Like mysticism, music had never been absent from his life. .. ."

A young child, whose mother was a pianist and singer, and whose father was a flutist, would naturally grow up in a home where the enjoyment of listening and playing music was not a seldom occurrence. Before the boy, Goethe, knew the meaning of words, his mother taught him children's songs which he quickly memorized. Music study was begun early; first he was given piano lessons, then cello lessons. His parents believed that the develop- ment of the voice was necessary, so Goethe was taught to practice reading aloud, reciting, and singing. Along with his early musical training, he was offered opportunities to hear Italian arias and French light operas while he was in Frankfurt.

As he grew up, his musical background and environment show- ed a definite effect upon him. His interest in music increased with age, and when he was older he continued to study music, but now, he studied it from a theoretical and scientific standpoint. Vocal polyphony of the sixteenth century became familiar to him, and he enjoyed studying counterpoint in his later years. After holding conversations concerning the natural science in music with Johann Friedrich Christain Verneburg, a mathematician, and Ernst Chladni, a specialist in acoustics, Goethe thought about writing a book on acoustics. However, he never really made much progress in the writing of it. The physical aspect of music in- terested him, and he even attempted to work on a minor mode on which he was not successful. Goethe received a wealth of information on the fugue, origins of opera, and on church music from the books of Rochlitz, the well-known music historian of Goethe's day. To Goethe, music was an experience. He not only played himself,

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heard many musical performances and thought about music, but he also studied the history, science, and physics of it.

In Weimar, Goethe held the position of the director of the pro- vincial theatre where both plays and operas were given. One hundred and thirty-five of the six hundred pieces which he direct- ed were operas. Mozart's works led all others in the number of performances at the theatre. Goethe said: "Mozart, along with Rafael and Shakespeare were examples of explicable genius." Among the other masters' works which were presented were those of Dittersdorf, Benda, Paesiello, Cimarosa, Monsigny, Dalayrac, Gretry, Salieri, and Sarti. While at Weimar, Goethe became inter- ested in the writing of operetta liberetti. Romain Rolland says: "In 1783, he wrote libretti for five ballad operas (Singspiele)." Abert, a musician, analyzed some of Goethe's libretti, and he was surprised at the Italian, French, and German theatrical music knowledge Goethe seemed to possess, as shown in these writings. Weimar served as inspiration to Goethe's writing of libretti. It was here that he absorbed many operatic works which he had not know prior to his direction of them at the theatre.

An enriching and inspiring part of Goethe's musical life took place in the years between 1812-1827. During this period, Goethe was fortunate in meeting many acclaimed musicians. Johann Hein- rich Friedrich Schiitz, pianist and organist, acquainted Goethe with Johann Sebastian Bach's music. Goethe became more familiar with the music of his country's composers as a result of his friendship with Schutz. For thirty years, Johann Rochlitz, the music historian remained a staunch friend to Goethe. He was also very closely attached to the composer Zelter. Musicales were held often at Goethe's home, and it was always quite possible to see many German musical celebrities there. "In 1823, Goethe's heart was never more accessible to music and to musical emotion. .. ."

Always proud of some accomplishment in the field of music, Goethe founded a four-part private choral society which he presented to his friends, to the court, and finally to the whole town. German and Italian sacred music was sung most frequently. After seven or eight years, the choir disbanded and Goethe centered his musical interests elsewhere.

"Music was never to him what it is to great musicians, namely the means of perfecting speech. It is the poet's words which per-


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feet music." "Goethe created a music of speech, and he was its master." Perhaps the above quotations prove why Goethe's writings influenced composers. Among the composers who set to music his poems were: Schubert, who set eighty; Schuman, twenty-six; Mendelssohn and Brahms, who composed music for fourteen; and Liszt, who set nine. Goethe once wrote to his cousin, Lina: "Never read, always sing" when reading my poems. Goethe, himself, never wrote a verse without humming to it.

When Beethoven was conversing with Bettina in May, 1810, he told her he was fascinated by Goethe's poetry and exclaimed:

"... Not only by their contents, but also by their rhythm. This language, composed after the noblest design, like an edifice erected by spirit hands drives me, exalts me to write music. The secret of the harmonies is en- grafted in it. "

No writer could be given a more beautiful compliment for his works. After meeting Goethe, Beethoven told him:

"When your poems reach my brain, I am filled with pride so intense that I long to climb to the height of your grandeur. ...." As Goethe inspired Beethoven, so did the musician move the writer to indescribable heights.

Goethe studied poetic rhythm, and as one reads his lyrics, one feels his rhythm and rhythmical unity. Beethoven probably knew what he was talking about when he said: "No writer may be set to music so readily." Goethe said:

"Music was the true element from which all poetry is derived and into which all poetry flows."

Music is an art, and so is poetry; Goethe combined the two ana the result was the writing of truly artistic works.

Bach was Goethe's favorite German composer. In Goethe's opinion,

"Bach fugues were like the eternal harmony conversing with itself in the bosom of God a little while before creation."

Romnain Rolland said that Goethe compared Bach's preludes and fugues to "brilliant mathematical works. . . ." Bach's music was always well-organized and put together very precisely. Goethe appreciated Bach's proportion in his music writing, for Goethe always worked for a definite meter and rhythm in his poetry.

Religious and sacred music especially appealed to Goethe. Handel may be given a great deal of credit for his influence on Goethe's tastes in this type of music. In Handel's oratorios, The


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Messiah, Samson, and Judas Maccabeus, Goethe found pleasure in studying their musical constructions. The German writer believed that sacred and secular music

"should set free the joy of living, moral confidence, whole-hearted energy, and above all, the impulse of reason; it should encourage the spirit of clearness of thought, the sense of the eternal contempt for pettiness, and nothingness. "

Along with his deep appreciation of religious and sacred music, dramatic music thrilled him.

Goethe's lifelong dream was: "..*. to create in collaboration with a musician, great epic and dramatic works."'

However, this dream never materialized successfully, but Goethe's dramatic works did influence many composers after his death.

His dramas, such as Iphigenie, Egmont, and Faust have been set to music, either completely or in part. Faust, the most out- standing of his dramatic accomplishments, has suggested music to Gounod, Berlioz, Liszt, Rubinstein, Boito, Wagner, Spohr, and others. Because of his love for Mozart's Don Giovanni opera, Goethe hoped that someday his Faust would have musical accom- paniment in the style of Mozart's opera. According to Goethe, stage representation should include all forms of music; instru- mental and vocal, as well as scenery.

Music profoundly stirred the emotions and inner being of Goethe during his lifetime. However, few people realize when they read his lyrical love-songs and dramas that this man was influenced by the charms of music and musicians of his day. His parents en- couraged his study of music, and when a man, music had auto- matically become a part of him. Intimate relationships and friendships sprung up between Goethe and the celebrated musicians in Germany during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Goethe carried over his musical appreciation into his literature. When listening to music, Goethe was able to write at his best. In his literary works, composers have found a wealth of material to which music can be adapted. His literature inspired musicians, and the musicians' creations moved him to write beautiful, immortal literature. Rolland expressed Goethe's view toward music:

"Music was to him not simply an amusement. It was either an intelli- gent interest for the mind, a means of soothing, calming, and restoring the spirit, or a source of direct inspiration to creative activity."

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Issue Table of ContentsThe German Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 4, Goethe Bicentennial Number (Nov., 1949), pp. i-iv+185-254+v-xviiiVolume InformationFront Matter [pp. i-iii]Letter from Goethe to Zelter [p. iv]Goethe's and Schiller's Interpretation of Beauty [pp. 185-194]Goethe's Literary Clubs [pp. 195-201]A Note on Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Goethe's Faust [pp. 202-203]Two Poems by Goethe [p. 204]Goethe and Music [pp. 205-208]Goethe's Faust in Two Novels of Thomas Mann [pp. 209-214]Francesco De Sanctis and Goethe [pp. 215-222]Goethe, Grobianus and Wolfram von Eschenbach [pp. 223-229]Das Hexen-Einmal-Eins in Goethes Faust [pp. 230-232]A German Masterpieces Course in English [pp. 233-240]Neo-Classicism and Symbolism in Pannwitz' Works [pp. 241-245]News and Notes [pp. 246-253]Books Received [p. 254]Back Matter [pp. v-xviii]

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Goethe and Music