Der Freischütz

Der Freischütz (J. 277, Op. 77 The Marksman[1] or The Freeshooter[2]) is a German opera with spoken dialogue in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Schauspielhaus Berlin.

Der Freischütz
Opera by Carl Maria von Weber
Costume designs for Samiel and Kaspar in the original production
TranslationThe Marksman or The Freeshooter
LibrettistFriedrich Kind
LanguageGerman
Premiere
18 June 1821 (1821-06-18)
Schauspielhaus Berlin

It is considered the first important German Romantic opera,[3] though what exactly is German remains unclear. One of the most scornful critics of Weber, Ludwig Börne, remarked: "In each German work the familiar must be found; because it is the way of the Germans to combine the colours of art and science, which the prism of peoples have divided, to produce the pure light of insight. This does not mean to acquire anything improperly, as the colours are daughters of the light."[4]

The opera's plot is mainly based on August Apel's tale "Der Freischütz" from the Gespensterbuch though the hermit, Kaspar and Ännchen are new to Kind's libretto. That Weber's tunes were just German folk music is a common misconception.[5] Its unearthly portrayal of the supernatural in the famous Wolf's Glen scene has been described as "the most expressive rendering of the gruesome that is to be found in a musical score".[6]

Performance history

The reception of Der Freischütz surpassed Weber's own hopes and it quickly became an international success, with productions in Vienna the same year followed by Dresden, Leipzig, Hamburg, Munich, Karlsruhe, Königsberg, Prague, other German centres, Riga and Copenhagen. 1824 saw productions in four London theatres in four different adaptations, as well as the French premiere at the Théâtre de l'Odéon as Robin des Bois.[7]

A version in French with recitatives was prepared by Hector Berlioz together with an orchestration of Weber's Invitation to the Dance for an interlude in a production at the Paris Opera in 1841.[8] Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky criticised Berlioz's arrangement in the Bolshoi Theatre production of 1873 as "utterly incongruous", "tasteless" and "silly"[9] because it intermitted the rustic opera by a completely urban piece of music. In 1879 he again criticised a performance in Paris:

"Der Freischütz afforded me great pleasure; in many places in the first act my eyes were moist with tears. In the second act Krauss pleased me greatly by her wonderful rendition of Agathe's aria. The Wolf's Glen was staged not at all as splendidly as I had expected. The third act was curious because of the French brazenness with which they took the liberty, on the one hand, of inserting Invitation à la valse with the most stupid dances, and, on the other, of cutting out the role of the hermit who appears at the end for the dénouement".[10]

Berlioz's arrangement again underlay the production at the Paris Opéra-Comique in 2011.[11]

His orchestration of Invitation à la valse soon became a concert piece in its own right.

Also Weber's overture and the "Huntsmen's Chorus" from act 3 ("With princely enjoyment and manly employment") are often performed as concert pieces.

Roles
Roles, voice types, and premiere cast
Role[12] Voice type[12] Premiere cast, 18 June 1821[12]
Conductor: Carl Maria von Weber
Ottokar, a sovereign prince baritone Gottlieb Rebenstein
Cuno, a hereditary forester bass Carl Wauer
Agathe, his daughter soprano Caroline Seidler
Ännchen, a young relative soprano Johanna Eunike[13]
Caspar, first assistant forester bass Heinrich Blume
Max, second assistant forester tenor Heinrich Stümer[14]
Samiel, the 'Black Huntsman' spoken Joseph Hillebrand
Hermit bass Johann Georg Gern
Kilian, a wealthy peasant baritone August Wiedemann
Four bridesmaids soprano Henriette Reinwald etc.
Hunters, peasants, spirits, attendants

Synopsis
An 1822 illustration of Der Freischütz depicting the opening scene with Max and Kilian
Place: Bohemia
Time: shortly after the end of the Thirty Years' War[12]

Act 1

At a shooting contest, the assistant forester Max loses to a peasant, Kilian, who is proclaimed "King of marksmen" (Chorus: Viktoria! Der Meister soll leben—"Victory! Long live the master"). Kilian mocks him good-naturedly (Schaut der Herr mich an als König—"Let him gaze on me as king").

Max wants to marry his bride Agathe, daughter of the head forester Kuno. For this, he has to prove his marksmanship and score in a shooting trial of before Ottokar, the sovereign prince, on the following day.

As Max has had ill luck for several days, he muses his dismal prospects of losing Agathe by failing the shooting test (Trio of Kuno, Kaspar, and Max; chorus: O diese Sonne—"O this sun"). Left alone, in deep melancholy he recalls happy days (Aria: Durch die Wälder, durch die Auen—"Through the forests, through the meadows").

Kaspar, the first assistant forester, tries to imbue Max with wine and courage (Hier im ird'schen Jammerthal—"Here in this vale of tears"). He had wooed formerly for Agathe but she had chosen Max. This marriage would make Max also heir of Kuno. For this reset behind Max, the second assistant, Kaspar seeks revenge from all three.[15] He hands Max his gun and Max, to his own astonishment, hits an eagle soaring at a great height. Kaspar explains that the gun had been loaded with his last magic bullet.

He persuades Max to meet him at midnight in the terrible Wolf's Glen to cast seven more of the magic bullets. (Six hit, but the seventh belongs to the Evil One who can guide it wherever he pleases.) He warns Max not to tell a soul about their purpose so as not to endanger them. Left alone, Kaspar triumphs and boasts of his insidiousness (Aria: Schweig! damit dich Niemand warnt—"Silence, let no one warn him").

Act 2
Design for the Wolf's Glen (1822, Weimar)

Agathe's chamber

At the moment when Max shoots the magic bullet, a picture of Agathe's ancestor hanging on the wall falls to the floor, slightly wounding her. Agathe's cousin and companion Ännchen refastens the hook (Duet: Schelm, halt fest!—"Rogue, hold fast!"). She endeavours to cheer Agathe with jests (Ännchen: Kommt ein schlanker Bursch gegangen—"Comes a pretty boy this path"). Agathe, still hesitative, tells of her meeting with the hermit. He had indicated a danger from which his white consecrated roses shall protect her.

Left alone Agathe awaits Max with the news of his success (Recitative and aria: Wie nahte mir der Schlummer...Leise, leise—"How did slumber approach me...Low, low"). Max arrives, acknowledging that while he has not been the victor, he has killed an eagle. Though the night is falling he has to leave again to bring in a stag which he had shot in the Wolf's Glen (Trio: Wie? Was? Entsetzen!—"How? What? Oh, horror!").

The Wolf's Glen at night

As the bell chimes twelve Kaspar calls upon Samiel, the Black Huntsman, for assistance in casting the magic bullets. Having already sold his own soul, which is due the next day, Kaspar offers Max’s soul in exchange of a prolongation by three more years. Agathe is to be killed by Max's magic bullet, despair will then make him the Devil's, him - and the father. Samiel agrees ambiguously: "So be it - By the gates of hell! Tomorrow he or you!"

As Max arrives the spirit of his mother warns him to abandon the project. But Samiel conjures up Agathe, seemingly drowning herself in despair whereupon Max plunges into the glen. With demoniacal noise, the casting of the bullets begins.

Act 3

The meeting of the marksmen[16]

Having split the seven bullets between them, Max has used three during the hunt in the morning. Kaspar spoils his third on a fox. Thus Max's remaining bullet is the seventh, the Devil's bullet.

Agathe's chamber

Agathe is praying (Aria: Und ob die Wolke sie verhülle—"Through clouds obscure"), her doubts having returned owing to a dream of ill omen where she was a white dove which Max shot. Ännchen tries to cheer her with a spooky tale (Aria: Einst träumte meiner sel'gen Base—"My deceased cousin had a dream"). The bridesmaids bring the box with the bridal wreath (Song: Wir winden dir den Jungfern-Kranz—"We wind round thee the bridal wreath"). But as they open it they find a funeral wreath. Recalling the hermit's promise that the white roses will protect her, Agathe proposes to twine them to the bridal wreath.

Design for the act 3 finale (original 1821 production)

The marksmanship trial

Prince Ottokar awaits Max at his tent (Chorus of foresters: Was gleicht wohl auf Erden—"What excels the pleasures of the chase"). As probe Max is ordered to shoot the dove pointed out to him. Max takes aim, fires and Agathe, who has just entered the scene, falls as if hit (Finale: Schaut, o schaut—"See, oh see"). But her bridal wreath and the hermit behind her have deflected the bullet. It strikes Kaspar. Agathe revives from her faint and Kaspar, seeing a holy hermit by her side, realizes that he has failed. Samiel grasps him instead of Max, whereupon Kaspar expires cursing hell and heaven.

Prince Ottokar orders the corpse to be thrown into the Wolf's Glen. Then he demands and receives explanation from Max who confesses to shooting with magic bullets. Regardless of pleas from Kuno, Agathe, peasants, and huntsmen, the infuriated Prince forbids the marriage and banishes Max from the country.

The hermit appeases (Aria: Wer legt auf ihn so strengen Bann! Ein Fehltritt, ist er solcher Büssung wert?—"Who lays so strict a sentence upon him? An error, is it worthy of such atonement?"). Only love of Agathe and fear of losing her had caused Max to stray from a life that was formerly without fault. Who is to raise the first stone? Who does not look into his own heart? After a faultless probationary year Max should marry Agathe. To the exuberant joy of all the Prince accepts this judgement. After the probation he himself will place the hand of Agathe in that of Max.

In the end all join in a prayer of thanks.

Instrumentation

The opera is scored for a standard-sized orchestra composed of:

Recordings
Recordings
Year Cast (Agathe,
Ännchen,
Max,
Caspar)		 Conductor,
Opera house and orchestra		 Label
1954 Elisabeth Grümmer,
Rita Streich,
Hans Hopf,
Kurt Böhme		 Wilhelm Furtwängler,
Wiener Philharmoniker and Wiener Staatsopernchor		 CD: EMI Classics
Cat: 67419
1955 Elisabeth Grümmer,
Rita Streich,
Hans Hopf,
Max Proebstl		 Erich Kleiber,
Orchester und Chor des Radio Köln, (WDR radio production)		 CD: Opera D'Oro
Cat: 7038
1959 Elisabeth Grümmer,
Lisa Otto,
Rudolf Schock,
Karl-Christian Kohn		 Joseph Keilberth,
Berliner Philharmoniker		 CD: EMI Classics
Cat: 69342
1959 Irmgard Seefried,
Rita Streich,
Richard Holm,
Kurt Böhme		 Eugen Jochum,
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus		 CD: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 000459302
1967 Claire Watson,
Lotte Schädle,
Rudolf Schock,
Gottlob Frick		 Lovro von Matačić,
Chor & Orchester der Deutschen Oper, Berlin		 CD: Eurodisc
Cat: 7791-2-RG
1969 Birgit Nilsson,
Erika Köth,
Nicolai Gedda,
Walter Berry		 Robert Heger,
Chor & Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper München		 CD: EMI Electrola Collection – 7235482
1973 Gundula Janowitz,
Edith Mathis,
Peter Schreier,
Theo Adam		 Carlos Kleiber,
Staatskapelle Dresden and Rundfunkchor Leipzig		 CD: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 457 736–2
1980 Hildegard Behrens,
Helen Donath,
René Kollo,
Peter Meven		 Rafael Kubelík,
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus		 CD: Decca
Cat: 417119
1990 Karita Mattila,
Eva Lind,
Francisco Araiza,
Ekkehard Wlaschiha		 Sir Colin Davis,
Staatskapelle Dresden and Rundfunkchor Leipzig		 CD: Decca/Philips
Cat: 478015
1999 Inga Nielsen,
Malin Hartelius,
Peter Seiffert,
Matti Salminen		 Nikolaus Harnoncourt,
Zurich Opera		 Blu-ray Disc: Arthaus Musik
Cat: 8556882
2010 Juliane Banse,
Regula Mühlemann,
Michael Volle,
René Pape		 Daniel Harding,
London Symphony Orchestra and Rundfunkchor Berlin		 Hunter's Bride
DVD: Constantin Film
Cat: HC087848
2012 Christine Brewer,
Sally Matthews,
Simon O'Neill,
Lars Woldt		 Sir Colin Davis,
London Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Chorus,
(Recording of a live concert performance at the Barbican in London on 21 April)		 CD: LSO Live
Cat: 0726
2019 Lise Davidsen,
Sofia Fomina,
Andreas Schager,
Alan Held		 Marek Janowski,
Leipzig MDR Radio Choir, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra		 CD:Pentatone
Cat: PTC5186788

Derivative works
  • Franz Liszt wrote a piano transcription of the overture in 1846 (S.575).
  • Karel Arnoldus Craeyvanger wrote an introduction and variations on a theme from Der Freischütz for guitar in c. 1851.[17]
gollark: You could.
gollark: Astfgl?
gollark: Rank-P.
gollark: Ah yes, and now everything involved *mysteriously vanished*.
gollark: <@378840449152188419> Really? Chatting in <#477912446946902019> after telling people not to?

References

Notes

  1. Scholes, Percy A., 1952, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music, London: Oxford University Press, p. 219.
  2. Brown 1992.
  3. Boyden 1959, p. 339: "The German Romantic opera really began with Der Freischütz of Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826)." See also p. 284 n. 2: "Indeed from Weber's Freischütz (1821) one can date the beginning of musical Romanticism."
  4. "Aufführungsbesprechung Stuttgart: Der Freischütz von Carl Maria von Weber, April 1822, Ludwig Börne: Vertrauliche Briefe (Teil 1 von 2)" [Review Stuttgart Der Freischütz ... Confidential letters (part 1 of 2)] (in German). Carl-Maria-von-Weber-Gesamtausgabe. In jedem Werke deutschen Geistes muß sich Bekanntes finden; denn das ist ja eben die Art der Deutschen, daß sie die Farben der Kunst und Wissenschaft, worin das Völker-Prisma sich getheilt, wieder versammeln, um das reine Licht der Erkenntniß darzustellen. Doch das heißt nicht sich Ungebührliches zuwenden, denn Farben sind ja die Töchter des Lichts.
  5. Taruskin, Richard; Gibbs, Christopher H. (2013). The Oxford History of Western Music (College ed.). Oxford University Press, Inc. p. 527. ISBN 978-0-19-509762-7.
  6. Kobbé 1997, p. 958.
  7. "Carl Maria von Weber: Der Freischütz". In: Kamiński, Piotr. Mille et un opéras. Fayard, 2003, pp. 1726–7.
  8. Berlioz and the Romantic Imagination. Catalogue for exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum for Berlioz centenary. Art Council, London, 1969, p. 84.
  9. "The Italian Opera - Tchaikovsky Research". en.tchaikovsky-research.net.
  10. "Carl Maria von Weber - Tchaikovsky Research". en.tchaikovsky-research.net.
  11. Le Freischütz. Opéra-Comique season book 2010–2011, pp. 37–38.
  12. "Announcement of the Premiere" (in German).
  13. Weber added a romanza to the third act ("Einst träumte meiner sel'gen Base") especially for Johanna Eunike, which she performed to great acclaim at the premiere.
  14. "Heinrich Stümer" (in German).
  15. This motive is omitted in the English translation
  16. This scene is omitted in the English translation.
  17. "K. A. Craeyvanger Introduction & Variations: On Theme from Der Freischutz (Guitar Solo), score, Chanterelle Verlag (Musikverlag Zimmermann), 2011

Sources

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