LOUIS SPOHR AND THE METRONOMEA contribution to early nineteenth-century performance practice

by I)r. Martin WulfhorstO

This article was previously published in Henryk Wieniawski: Composer and Virtuoso inthe Musical Culture of the XIX and XX Centuries, ed. Maciej Jabloriski and DanutaJasiislra, Poznai: Rltytmos, 2001, pp. i,89-205, ISBN $-9A8462-6-8.

N 1763 James Watt developedthe steam engine, in1767 James Hargreaves constructed thespinning jenny and in 1768 Richard Arkwright introduced the spinning frame (Devms 1997:page 680, see bibliography below). Machines triggered a transformation of all economic and

social structures that proved more radical than was ever believed possible and it was only natr,ralthat musicians too showed a keen interest in various mechanical devices. The Viennese mechanicJohann Nepomuk Maelzel (1772-1838), for instance, invented a Panharmonikon, for whichBeethoven composed Wellingtons Sieg oder Die Schlacht bei Vittoria Op.91in 1813 (ANoN.1813a). But whereas such attempts to replace human per{ormers with machines were shortlived,another mechanical device invented at about the same time and associated with the name ofMaelzel has exerted a profound impact on performances to the present day - the metronome. Thesuccess of the mechanical metronome stemmed from the fact that its invention coincided withthe advent of the modern aesthetics of mwical interpretation, which subordinated theperformance to the composition, left fewer and fewer aspects of the composition to the discretionof the player, singer or conductor, and led composers to search for new methods and tools tospeci$ their intentions as clearly and precisely as possible.

As the present author has demonstrated elsewhere, Louis Spohr played a crucial tole in thedevelopment of the novel, composition-orientated aesthetics of performance (WulrHonstl998la-b and 1999). Thus it is not surprising that he also belonged among the first prominentmusicians to recognise the value of the meffonome for composers and performers, and to applymetronome markings to many of his published works. Yet because most of the research on the

early nineteenth-century use of the metronome has focused on Beethoven, the contribution ofSpohr, whom many contemporaries placed on a par with him, has not yet been sufficientlystudied. The present article is intended to shed some light on this issue.

Not only Beethoven but also Maelzel has received an inordinate amount of attention in the

literature on the metronome. Yet there were earlier attempts at musical tempo-measuring

machines, most of which, however, received liule or no attention (AucHecrN 1997: 230'31).

Furthermore, contrary to common belief, Maelzel's role in the history of the metronome was

much more that of a sales agent than of an inventor, Two years after introducing his flrst model

of a chronometer, equipped with a little hammer (ANoN l8l3c-d), he saw and immediately

adopted the more sophisticated metronome mechanism constucted by Diederick Nicolaus

Winkel in Amsterdam. Winkel's machine resembled the modern mechanical metronome,

consisting of a compound pendulum with an adjustable weight, moved by clockwork(AuouecrN 1997:231). Maelzel even received a patent for the invention, which was, however,

partially revoked after a lawsuit and then limited to his scale (Onrl 1960: 1456). Yet no matter

who deserves credit for the invention, the true rivalry in the early nineteenth-century history ofthe metronome was less between Winkel and Maelzel than between their type of mechanical

metronome and amuch simpler device propagated at the same time by the music theorist Jacob

Gottfried Weber (1779-1839), whose contribution deserves closer scrutiny in the present context.Weber too was led by the desire to provide a commonly acceptable time-measrning device

which could serve, in his words, "as a translator between composer and performer l...dazubestimmt, den Dollmetscher zu machen zwischen dem Componisten und dem, der seineComposition aufi)hrtf" (Weaen 1813:444). Weber's device - for which the term chronometerhas been chosen here over other contemporary tenns such as Toktmesser, Zeitmesser orMetronom, in order to avoid confusion with Maelzel's machine * was meant to be used in thefollowing manner:

...it should only serve as a measuring tool that the composer uses to indicate precisely to theperformer or, in music for larger forces, to the conductor the tempo in which he intends his work tobe performed. The conductor should apply this tool alone at home in order to become acquaintedwith the composer's intentions. After memorising the tempo he should go to the rehearsal whileleaving the chronometer at home. Thus he can conduct according to the composeros intentions whichhave been revealed and become familiar to him in this manner. - The chronometer is useful andobviously invaluable only as a means of communication between composer and performer!l...er sey blos der Maastab, dessen der Componist sich bedient, um dem Spieler, oder, fi)rvollstimmige Musiken, dem Dirigenten, genau bezeichnet zu ktinnen, in welchem Tempo er seinllrerk aufgefi)hrt haben will. Diesen Maastab lege der Musikdirector flir sich allein zrHause on,mache da sich die Willensmeynung des Componisten bekannt, prdge sich die Bewegung insGedcichtnis, und gehe dann in die Probe, lasse sein Chronometer zu Hause, und dirigire nach derihm auf diese Art bekannt und geldufig gewordnen Intention des Componisten. - Blos alsVerstcindgungs-Mittel zwischen dem Componisten und dem Ausfcihrer; blos dafilr hat derChronometer Brauchbarkeit, unverkennbarn, unbezahlbaren Werthll (Wenrn l8l3:444,cf. Fig.l)

The objections Weber raised against mechanical metronomes were similar to those raised againstvirtually any machine at the dawn of the industrial age: he questioned the reliability and precisionof the metronome, expressing a general scepticism towards machines, and criticised the fact thatits high price divided musicians into those who could afford it and those who could not (WEBER1813:445, cf, Fig.1, and WEBER 1817a). His arguments were certainly valid during an age whe.nmanufacturing was far from perfect and when most musicians may not even have owned a watchgood enough to check the precision of Maelzel's metronome. The device Weber recommendedas "the simplest and most reliable chronometer" (WenER 1817a) was based on the pendulumprinciple too but consisted of a simple, hand-held string pendulum, attached to a weight anddivided into even segments by knots: "...a lead ball, fastened to a thread on which inches aremarked off by means of knots and points and which one lets swing back and forth" (WEaen1813:446,cf Fig.l on Page 4).

The roots of Weber's device went all the way back to Galileo Galilei's pendulum experimentsof c1583 and to the discovery of the corresponding basic law by the Dutch mathematicianChristian Huygens in about 1656 (ENcvcLopEDIA ArczuceNA 1 965). As Huygens demonstrated,the period (T), that is, the time in seconds for a complete oscillation of a pendulum, isproportional to the square root of its length in metres (l), divided by the square root of the localacceleration of gravity (g):

T=Ztr

145 1813.

auf dio Slfiiihruug n'irken lasscu I nissbrauchtc ihnau eilem Dieostc, wozu er nicht taugte, nie taugeu

wirtl, rrie taugeu taan, und acachtc dadurch &sOulc vcrkenncn, rtrils er leiste[ kdrnte, uud wasolue ibi uic erreicht werden wird; machtc, dass

lnan dac Instrumcni als unbrauchbar zuriictlegtqrcil cs sicb zu eiaer Vcricht--t aic.ht aissbraucheo

Iasseu wolltc, wozu er aicht gerchallen isuMwitd. Ich gestehe Ihneu: sowcuig IIrc Iilec

dcu kt - deun de dcutct ebcn aufdie urspiiirg-

liche, uur ia der Folgc misL"'nte BestimauugdesChronometer:o zurii&

- so habe i& doch sclbst

da^s Wc*zeng nie arxschliesslich vou iliescr Seitcbetrachtet; ich habc uit so vicleu Audem dariibcr,dacs cs zum Dirigircn sclbst ni&ts taugt, dcnt-rutzeu, welchcn Gs sonst gew:Iu'cn -a8, zo crir*-8cE vcrgcsscD-

Conrp. Nuu, cs ftcuetuich,, dass ich Sie tibcr-zeugt unil fiir meiuc Me5aruog gewouuca habe

il*ibil. Oho! so rveit rinal w.il aocL ni&t!Noch bruc i& verschied6e6 Binw6sdusgcn gegerr

dic Anwcsillnrteit ond Genciauiitzigteit dcs In-etrtrnents !

Co^p- So? Nun, Iasscu Sie Lorea!Mwild- Eiuea grossc,n Etri& durlb IheRe&-

i"-g aracht dic Iluregel-eesigtcit und Unvolll,om-menheit dcr bis jetzt crfundcaea Ctroaoactcr:raeistcos 0rllca sic uoglcich ab; gebca dic cinc ZeitItugcr odcr liirzcr, als dic aarlrc. I)och deo,l,6artc noch abgcbollen wcrden, durch

- figlich

lostspicl.ige, Vcrwolllommuung dec mecbaaisorhen

Baoes! Allein, wa.s das ScLlinrmste id,: gesa:rt,

auch, jcderuann y6|lgs si& aungleich uachlbrern'Willcn so cinc lodbarc tr[aschine arschefcu

-'Iiseeu Sie ooeih zcba Chrototoctcr erfrdcar, i,laseca Sie zehu vou ciuer ruoil dereelben Art bauer:ao ist iumcr rtbr mgcwi.rr, ob da' cino fortrraLreud fibercinsEmncud rnit dcm andera gebcn undschlagen wird3 nnil wena ich darn meine Zcitenra& arr.* Cthronometer abacsse, welcher mit dcm,des Coropouistcu richt gcnau fibcrcint,orurt qndvolll,oraeu glcicheo Schritl heh, so ist lhr ganzorcingcbildacr Vortheil wieder zu'Wasser gcwordeu.

&rnp Dicseu Missstaoile auvorzuhomua, ilcboa ui&t sctnrcr. Der Conpooist, etatt sichaofilie coavcntionellcn, und freylich cbea darurn nicLtallgcacin gultigen* noch iiborall gleichen GradgZiliern, ocler coustigtn Altthcilungcu irgend eiucsCLlouomcters zu bea&ar, dlarFnur, was nocb vieltuz,er, unil ciufachcr ist; anmcikcol wie vid Zoll

July. 446sail T.ini6a (nacLeincra illgcrrcin bcloa&ntrf-rqz. B. dem frauztJsischca) ein Pgndcf r"-g.rq/rmfisse, um die Tahtleilc, so wic cr cic-bainwil, anzogeben. So z. B. giebt ein Pcudcl vorr5, 6 bis 7 patiser Zollen dio Viertlailc cina oehrodcr weniger rascleu Allegrt an IIm uol ciucsdieser Tanpo'r allgeaaiu glei&vcrsttudlicL undhaargcharf zu bczcichnon, ilarf dor Compdrt rmr'die karre Bezei6fu.n'ig voratlaetten: 5" odcr 6" oitce5 f", (und dandt ual aicht etwarheinischg rtatlparise,r.Zoll vcrstohc, 5|/ Per.) Ebeu eo rrErilociu VieltLcil unccrs gcr,ohnliciheu Adagio urrgaftbrfolgendcraassen zubozeicLueu se;ra: 4E"Par. d. L.48 ZolI pariscr Mae"e, cin Adrthcil a.bcr rt'.

N:airi}y',. Sie wolltcn sagen: c4'.Coazp. Keioeswcgs: Sic wirrcu ia wol, dass ch

doppdt iauger Pendel nicLt rio& cinmel ro laugsaas&14t, als efu cinfaeh langcr, sorilera nu' tjnvierual so laagcr; dass aleo cin Pcndd Tou t2'ridrt vicmd so gcschwiud ceLH4, als qincr voa48", eondera uqr zwqrmal ro geschwirtl.

Musibd,. Ja wol: i& dac&te uur cbcu nichtdaraa- Der Pendel, wdcher AcLd c&lagca so!,darf dlerdings rur { so lang se;a, aLl der Yier-tel scblegt

Corzp. Allerilipgs ! * Kurz also c ilcr Cou-ponist w'ird und duss iibcrdauf dicsc Artcoglci&richtig uad iibcrall glcichlblmig vorstaodcn wcrdoqsobalil er nur icdcsnd dic Ltngc dcs Pcuil& bc-rcichuct,. wclcher dr Mauslsb ec*ur TaLuMlcgdtcu so[ also dcr Viqulfu rwey-Viortd-e &cy-Vicr-lel-, vier-Viert€I-, scchr-Vicrtd-r ac&Vicrtel-TaLt e i de .4cl*l iE drcy - A&td-, lathr-Acbtol-, acur-A&tcl-Talt u. t w.i dcr LrlbcaNotco io Zvey-Z'wcytd: odcr C-Taktr im l-rS-Tatt, a. s. w. --

A"e;U. Ey, eufdiese Art bcilfir&e o i" tt ottnichr ciumd achr irgeuil ciucr ciSncn Mas&iae,sondcm ieile Blaylogcl, an cineua.,Zwirrcfailcu b+festigt, (an dein mal allcufalls Ue Zolle dur&Knotcn und Punlte bczei&aa unil 'welchc uau tinunil her schwirrgeu hc*.) geaiigt, um aufduun-zweyileutiget: zu erfoit&eir 1 vic gcschwin_il dcrCoarpouist ecin StiicL Yorgctregca hrbal \rilt!

Comp. Nlcrdings; dcoa eddlzoscroprilliec Gc-muigteit kdErrt a hiar ri<&t an, de rclbst dnhalhsl. Zoll mehr oder wcnigcr teincn aeeltertnUnter'!&icd in ilcr,Schwbgrogsdaucr bc'rit*L

-Nor brauche '4'n Aie cinzigc Yorricht, dic Eugduicht allzuboctr rnr hcben, dcn Pcuild nur Heurl

Fig. I ln his first article on the metronome - written in the form of a dialogue beh/veen composerahi conductor, in the tradition of ancient philosophical and musical treatises - Jacob Gottfried

Weber praised the advantages of his chronomeferand described its use (Weaen tn AMZXVIZT

Uuly 71, cols.441-47.

Assuming that g equals 9.81 m/s in Europe, one may calculate the number of beats per minuteof a chronometer (n) as follows:

60 3.13209t9 s9.8r8s6

\t|tsn-T- = -m*-The string pendulum was recommended first by Marin Mersenne in1636-37, later by Etienne

Louli6 in 1696 (illustration in GorerI"s 1960:234), and finally by Weber (AuHecrN 1997:230).It had three advantages: it was universally available, as it could be produced easily and

inexpensively by any musician; it was convenient for, rolled up, it fitted into one's pocket; and

it was reliable and standardised because, neglecting differences in the acceleration of gravity indifferent geographic regions, a string pendulum of a given length indicates the same tempo at any

time and anywhere. ln short, Weber, who was working as ajudge at the time and, unlike Maelzel,

was not led by any financial interest, intended to popularise a'metronome for the masses.' Alla musician needed in order to use his chronometer was the reference to a generally accepted unitof measurement. For Weber this was at first the Parisian inch (Wensn l8l3: 446,cf. Fig.l) and

later the Rhenish inch (Rheinischer Zoll), corresponding to 0.02615 metres (Krmieu.v t928:86; LeNcr 1976: 154) - a choice which has generated the misleading term "Rhein system" used

sometimes in anglophone literature for his method. In his pamphlet Uber chronometrische

Tempobezeichnung (1817a) Weber juxtaposed pendulum measurements in Rhenish inches and

centimetes to the corresponding numbers on Maelzel's metonome (reproduced in Leirrce 1968:

231), and urged composers to include appropriate measuring scales in all their published works.

Therefore any musician could use a pendulum to convert tempos according to Maelzel's numbers

and obtain thus what Weber promised in the title of another publication: "Maelzel's metronome,

available for free anywhere lMeilzels Metronome, ilberall umsonst zu habenf" (WEeen 1817b,

cf. 1 8 I 7c). Table I below offers a comparative chart of pendulum lenglhs and Maelzel numbers,

similar to Weber's but compiled on the basis of exact mathematical calculations and ofmetronome markings in published works by Spohr. The chart is intended to aid modem-day

musicians prtzzled by early nineteenth-century tempo indications such as Rh.22" or I5" Rhein.

Table IComparative Chart of Metronome Markings

According to Maetzel and Weber

60 60En= : =;17 =

pendulumlength inRhenishinches(Rh.)

pendulum qcact resulting correspondingnumberlength in number of of beats per minute,

metres beats per minule as given by Spohr(calculated (calculated in his published worl<s

onthe basis of onthe basis of (cf. Table II)I Rh." = the equation above)

0.02615 m)LO98 57.1 58 (WoO 5218,52115)

1.019 59.? 60 (OP.5a)

0.889 63.4 63 (OP.as)66 (op.s8)

0.836 65.4 66 (OP.aS)

0.784 67.5 67 (OP.52, 53)69 (oP.sa)72 (WoO 52/1,52/13)72 (Op.sa)

423934

32

30

2726

0106 71.2

0.679 ',12,6

))2t20l9l8t7

24 0.627 '15.5 70 (Op.52,53)76 (Op.45, 54, WoO 52/7, 52/16)80 (op.a2)80 (Op.42, 58, WoO 5213,5215,52/12)8a (op.aS)

88 (Op.45, Op.58)88 (Op.58) [Erroneously, the printed parts forOp.58/l/i give the tempo as 77"Rh. 88M.1

92 (Op.43, WoO 5216)

96 (Op.42,45, 58, WoQ 52/9,52112)100 (op.58)100 (Op.45, WoO 52114)

104 (Op.42,58) [Contrary to the published score,

the metronome number nOp.42 must referto the

eighth-note not to the quarter-note.]104 (Op.45,52,53)108 (Op.58, WoO 5212 + l6)

I l6 (Op.45, 54)120 (Op.45, 58)126 (Woo szlt0)132 (Op.54, WoO 52115)

138 (Op.52, 53)152 (Op.45, WoO 5211, 5214,52/6)160 (Woo sztrt)

189 (WoO 52t17)

0.575 '18.9

0.549 80.70.523 82.70.497 84.90.470 87.20.4M 89.7

l6I5t4t3

0.41803920.3660.339

92.595.598.9

102.6

t2 0.313 106.8

l1 0.288l0 0.261e a.%58 0.209

0.1830.1 56

0.1 300.1050.078

65

4J

111.5

I17.0123.3

130.8

139.8

151.0165.5

184.1

2r3.6

The simplicity of Weber's device appealed to.many musicians. In a letter to Weber ofFebruary 14th, 1815, Meyerbeer called it o'a solution of striking simplicity ldas Ei des

Columbusl" and Beethoven sent Weber's article of June 19th, 1817 (WenEn 1817c) to Nikolaus

von Zmeskall with the comment:Read this article about chronometic tempo indication. - To me this seems to be the best invention

of its kind.

lLesen Sie dieses ilber die chronometrische Tempobezeichnung. - Mir scheint es noch das beste

hierr;ber erfundene.)(Quoted after Rtrsx 1985: 13, cf. Ttravpn 1908) j

Nevertheless, Weber's chronomete,, was soon superseded by Maelzel's increasirtgly more reliable

metronomes: it was too imprecise for fast tempos and too cumbersome for slow tempos, as itrequired a string length of over three feet for tempos slower than 60 M.M. Furthermore, what

Wiber presented as an advantage of his device over Maelzel's machine - the fact that it produced

visual signals but no distracting sounds (Wennn l8l3 442-43) - was perceived more often as

a deficiency, especially when the chronometer was set to fast tempos or used for practising. Withthe advent of modern electronic metronomes, which have united both manners of tempo

indication, acoustic and visual, it is not surprising that a recent attgmpt to revive the chronometer

has apparently not caught on (Lnxcn 1976).

456n avid reader of and frequent contributor to the Leipzig journal Allgemeine musikslische

Zeitung, Spohr certainly must have read the short anonymous notice about the benefits of a

Taktmissei in the issueof May 5th, 1813, as well as Weber's article of July 7th, 1813, which

described the advantages of the c/l ronometer - an article he himself cited in a note inserted in the

tenor part of Op.44 IANoN 1813b, WrsrR 1813, Fig. I, Sporn 1818). A few months later an

*ony*our uriho. of an AlufZ article described at length the construction of Maelzel's first

metronome and mentioned that Salieri had provided metronome markings for Haydn's Creationand that several other composers, including Beethoven, endorsed it (ANoN 1813d). Less than ayear later an anonymous critic made an important comment in a review of J.G. Weber's IeDeum:

It needs to be noted that the composer indicated the tempo on the basis of a chronometer, accordingto the simplest method, which can be understood by anyone and which has been proposed by thecomposer in this Journal, in issue No.27 of 1813 [Wreen 1813]. As far as the present reviewerknows, this is the first composition in which this highly valuable method has been used.

lNoch ist zu bemerken, dass der Verf, Die Tempi nach der einfachsten, jedem verstdndlichen, vonihm in No.27 dieser Zeitung vom Jahre l8l j vorgeschlagenen Weise, chronometrisch angegebenhat. Es ist dies, so viel Rec. Weiss, das erste Werk, wo von jener ilberaus schcitzbaren MethodeGebrauch gemacht isr.l (ANoN 1814: 680)

Spohr, who worked in Vienna as concerlmaster at the Theater an der Wien from 1 81 3 to 1 81 5,

must have seen not only various notices published by Weber and others in AMZ during theseyears but also the articles about the metronome in various Viennese newspapers (e.9., AttON1813c, WesrR 1814a-b, cf. RreHN 1985). Furthermore, during this time he came into contactwith several musicians who supported the idea of inserting metronome markings in publishedscores, including Adalbert Gyrowetz, Joseph Weigl, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Antonio Salieriand Beethoven (ANoN 1813c-d, Rtprw 1985: 73). Spohr may even have been among the two-hundred composers to whom Maelzel presented one of his metronomes.

But most likely the decisive impulse for Spohr to follow Weber's example and use metonomemarkings in his compositions came during a visit to the latter's home in Mainz in January I 816* a visit that Weber commemorated by writing a canon by Carl Maria von Weber into Spohr'salbum (G0rrnr 1981: 498). Spohr's firstpublished composition carrying metronome markings,the Potpourri Op.a2 fig. II, below), was first advertised in D'ecember 1817 in Journal filrLiteratur, Kunst, Ltnus und Mode (GOrrnr 1981: 76). Thus it may have preceded the firstpublished metronome markings of Beethoven, who is often credited with having been "the firstimportant composer to use Maelzel's metronome" (RlcuaRosoN 1980: 223): alist ofmetronomemarkings for Beethoven's symphonies Nos. l-8 appeared in the AMZ of December l7th,l8l7(BreruovrN 1817), and his first published score with metronome markings, the Piano Sonata

Op.106, came out in 1819.

Potr ou nttl

Fig. ll Spoh/s Potpourri on Themes from Mozart's Entfuhrung and Figaru for Violin and Pianoin E b major Op.42 (Leipzig: Peters, 1818) is perhaps the first published work by a prominent

composer carrying metronome markings. J. G. Weber, whose Te Deum was published withmetronome markings four years earlier (see above), was considered a minor figure even then.

Adagio.J'rs'

At the time of the publication of the Potpourri Ap.42 Spohr knew apparently both principalmetronomic systems, for the published score included markings both according to Maelzel andWeber, as do the scores for several other works published between 1819 and 1823 (cf, Fig.II andTable II). Yet in four publications of 1818-21 Spolu used only Weber's method, which he mayhave considered then the more practical and generally acceptable one. The following note isfound in the tenor part of the Songs Op.44:

The tempos in these songs as well as in several earlier works lOp.a2 and Op.43l are indicated notonly in the traditional manner but also in the manner proposed by Mr Cottfried Weber. One maywish to read his essay in theAllgemeine musikalische Zeitung [Vol.XV] No.27 of 1813 or hisAttempt at a Systematic Theory of Composition fMainz, I 81 7], p)21 .

lDie Tempi sind bei diesen Gestingen, wie auch schon bei einigenfriihern Werken, neben der bishergebrtiuchlichen Weise, auch noch auf die von Herrn Gottfried Weber vorgeschlagene Art bezeichnet

worden. Man lese darilber seinen Aufsatz in der musikalischen Zeitung vorn Jahr 1813 No. 27 oderdessenTheoriederTonsetzkunstSeite 12l.1(SPoHR,1818,cf. WBsen 1813 and 1817d)

In accordance with Weber's recommendation, the note was accompanied by a scale of sixRhenish inches fMaasstab von 6 Zoll Rheiniscftl. After 1823 though, Spohr abandoned Weber'smethod, probably realising the wider acceptance and increasing precision of Maelzel's machine.

Table IISpohr's Compositions with Metronome Markings Published

during his Second and Third Periods (to 1834)work (titles according to WuLFHoRsr 1997) meffonome markings Date of

according to composition publicationWeber Maelzel

Ap.42: Potpouri on Themes from Mozart's x x 1816 l8l7Entfuhrung and Figaro for Violin and Pianoin Eb majorOp.43: Brillant String Quartet No.2 (String x I 817 I 81 8

Quartet No.l l) in E majorOp.44: Six Songs for Four Male Voices x l8l7 1818

Op.45: Three Gearberrer String Quartets Nos. x x l8l8 l8l912-14 in C major, E minor and F minorOp.49: Symphony No.2 in D minor x 1820 1820

WoO 52: Zemire und Azor x x l8l8-19 l#lOp.5l: Concertant Rondo for Violin and Piano x 1820 l82lin G majorOp.52-53: Quintet for Piano, Flute, Clarinet,Bassoon and Horn or String Quartet in C minor x x 1820 l82lOp.54: Mass for Five Solo Voices and Two x x 1821 1822Five-Part ChoirsOp.58: Three Gearbertet String Quartets Nos. x x l82l'22 1822-23

16-18 in Eb major, A minor and G majorOp.63:Overture toJessonda inEb major x 1822 1824

WoO 53: Jessonda x 1822 1824

Op.65: Double Quartet No. I in D minor x l'823 1825

Op.68: Brillant String Quartet No.4 (String x 1823 1825

Quartet No.19) in A majorWoO 54: Der Berggeist x 1824 1825

WoO 6l: Die letzten Dinge x 1825'26 1827

Op.69: String Quintet No.3 for Two Violins, x 1826 7827

Two Violas and Cello in B minorOp.73: Overture 1o Der Berggeist in D minor x 1824 1827

WoO 56: Pietro von Abano x 1827 1828

Op.77: Double Quartet No.2 in Eb majorOp.78: Symphony No.3 in C minorOp.79: Concertino No. 1 [Violin Concerto No.15 (12)l in A majorOp.82: Three Gearbeirsl String Quartets Nos.23-25 nE major, G major and A minorOp.83: Brillant String QuartetNo.5 (StringQuartet No.26) in E b majorWoO 67: Vater unser for Solo Voices, Choirand OrchestraWoO 57: Der AlchymistWoO 45: Violin MethodOp.85: Tluee Psalms for Two Four-Part Choirsand Solo VoicesOp.87: Double Quartet No.3 in E minorOp.84: Tlree Gearbeitet StrngQuafiets Nos.27-29 nD minor, Ab major and B minorOp.86: Symphony No.4 in F major "TheConsecration of Sounds: Characteristic TonePoem in the Form of a Symphony"Op.9l: String Quintet No.4 for Two Violins,Two Violas and Cello in A minor

xxx

1827

1828r 828

1829

1829

1829

I 829-30I 830-3 r

r832

I 832-33l83l-32

1832

I 833-34

r828r8281829

l 830

r 830

r 83l

183 Ir 833

l 833

1 833I 834

l 834

1 834

Spohr adopted metronome markings not because he followed a fashionable trend but ratherbecause he wanted to prevent perfonners from taking arbitrary tempos.This is evident from the"Composer's Plea" added to the first edition of the Mass Op.54:

..'I ask the performers to observe strictly the tempos specified by means of Maelzel's metronomenumbers and pendulum lengths according to Gottfried Weber'S method, as well as the indicatednuances of piano and forte...

fFerner bitte ich, sich an die nach Mcilzel's Metronom und nach Pendellcinge, auf GottfriedWeber'sche Weise, bezeichneten Tempi, sowie an die vorgeschriebenen Ntianien ,in p. ira f.streng zu binden...l (Seonn 1822)

Similarly, in an article inAMZSpohrreminded the performers of the Mass "to...observe strictlythe indicated nuances of piano and forte and the tempos indicated by means of metronomenumbers, because only then [the composition] can have the intended effect" (Srorm. I Q21 : 820).

For Spohr, metronome markings were not an end in themselves: executing the letter of thescore was merely a prerequisite for realising its spirit. After hearing an excessively fastperformance of the last Allegro of the Finale I of Don Giovanni in Paris in I 820, he made thefollowing commentl

If one hears a magnificent piece of music lose some of its impact from a bad choice of tempo, onewishes again that the method of speciffing tempos by means of Maelzel's or Weber's methods (or,best, both together) would finally become generally accepted. Then, however, the conductors wouldneed to observe such markings diligently and not insist on following their own feeling, as they donow.

lllrenn man so einem herrlichen Musikstticke durchfalsches Teipo seinen Effekt schncilern hrirt,wird von neuem der lYunsch rege, dafi doch endlich die Bezeichnung der Tenpi auf Mcilzelscheoder lilebersche Weise (oder besser noch auf beide zugleich) allgemein werden mcichte. Freilichmilfiten die Direktoren sich dann auch gewissenhaft danach richten und nicht, wie jetzt, ihremeigenen Gefiihle unbedingt folgen w ollen.l (SpoHR I 820 : I 06)

The application of metronome markings divides Spohr's oeuvre into two categories ofcompositions. Metronome markings are found primarily in those works which require theperformer to subordinate himself strictly to the composer's intentions: orchestral, choral and

xxx

xx

operatic works as well as chamhr works representing the type his contemporaries calledgearbeitet,that is, quartets, quintets and double quartets inspired by the model of Haydn, Mozartand Beethoven. Spohr used metronome markings less often in works which give more libertiesto the performer, that is, virtuosic chamber compositions, concertos, symphonies concertantesand songs (exceptions are the Potpoumi Op.42 and the quatuors brillants, which in this respectfollow the aesthetics of the gearbeitet quartets).

Many studies have been devoted to explanations of Beethoven's metronome markings, manyof which seem excessively fast to modern performers. No such general tendency characterisesSpohr's metronome markings. Two unusual markings, those in Op.58/1/i and Op.42, have beenexplained plausibly as misprints in Table I. Some of the markings are slower, others faster thanone might expect. The Rondo Op.51, arranged from the third movement of the Sonata Op.l15,a typical finale in 2/4 with dotted rhythms, is considerably slower than modern performersusually take it, with the eighth note equalling126. The 6/8 section in the Potpourri Op.42,incontast, featuring diffrcult sixteenth-note passages for both violin and piano, is to be played atsurprisingly fast speed, 96 to the dotted quarter. But there can be no doubts about the accuracyof Spohr's metronome markings, and the assumption made occasionally that some were addedby his publishers still requires proof.

Spolu's metronome markings are a valuable source for early nineteenth-century performancepractice (cf. Fig.lil on Page 11). Especially instructive to performers of his violin music aredifferences in tempos for movements representing seemingly the same qpe of character. Spohr'spolonaises range from 88 M.M. in the Alla Polacca moderato of the Quartet ap.9}lllllli to 92M.M. in the Alla polacca of the Quatuor brillant Op.83/iii to 104 M.M. in the Alla Polacca inthe Concertino Op.79liii. The wide spectrum of metronome markings for opening fastmovements in4l4 (Table III) conoborates that it is impossible to reduce Spohr's music to cerlain'standard types'. Through his playing he apparently highlighted the nuances of his music andcounteracted the impression of monotony and uniformity that critics have found especially in hislate oeuwe. His metronome markings can teach us how to avoid stereotlped interpretations, andmodern-day performers are well advised to emulate Spohr in basing their interpretation on thespirit or character ofthe composition and in grasping each work in its individuality (Wut ruonsr1998a-band 1999).

Table IIIMetronome Markings in Opening Fast Movements

in 414 in Spohr's Oeuvrework (cf, Table Il)

Op.68Op.43, Op.52-53Op.58/IIop.69Op.45/lOp.55 (cf. SpoHR [833]), Op.65, Op.l28Op.77

Current research is only beginning to reveal the impressive scope of Louis Spohr's musicalactivities: he worked as a cofnposer, violin virtuoso, chamber musician, concertmaster,conductor, organiser of music festivals, musical journalist and pedagogue. His role as one of thefirst advocates of the metronome among early nineteenth-century musicians and as a pioneer of

metronome movementmarkingforthe quarterr00104t08108

120t26138

Allegro moderatoAllegroModeratoAllegroAllegroAllegroAllegro vivace

10

the modern aesthetics of performance shows in yet another way how deeply he shaped themusical profile of his age.

Siellentes Coneert vorr Rorle.b]RSTES SOLO.

Alleerrr^SoIo. +A"

I

rnrderato. ) ge,,

t I * --1-D:,

-r;h._

1r-4. <,tt

d,imin, n{ lc

-.--_-_--

-ro*l ' ,i9

g.*

dinri n .

----__--\-:I

\-\\-----z

/--__-----_,..

dinin. 1r

-t-- -

-Y

Fig. lll The metronome markings for Rode's Concerto No.7 in Spohr's Violin Method (1833)represent an important source for early nineteenth-century performance practice. They carry agreat degree of authenticity as Spohr himself heard a performance the composer gave of thework in Brunswick in July 1803, which left a deep impression on him: "Soon I began to makestrong efforts to adopt Rode's playing style as far as possible by carefully studying all of hiscompositions that I had heard him perform at court and in private circles. My attempts w6re verysuccessful, and until I gradually formed my personal style of playing I remained probably themost faithful copy of Rode among all young violinists of the time" (Seonn 1968/l: 66).

BIBLIOGRAPHYAllgemeine musikalische ZeitungDie Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Allgemeine Eruyklopcidie der Musik. Ed. FriedrichBlume. 17 vols. Kassel: Biirenreiter, 1949-86.

MGG2 Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart,znd. rev. ed. Ed. By Ludwig Finscher. Kassel: Biirenreiter;Stuttgart, Weimar: Metzler, 1994-.

NG The New Grote. Ed. Stanley Sadie. London: Macmillan, 1980.

WAMZ Wiener allgemeine musikalische Zeitung

ANoN.l8l3a "Gro8es Panharmonikon. WAMZ 114 (January 23), cols. 53-55.

AMZMGG

11

1813b "Miscellen...Es giebt Erfindungen..." [article about the need for using a Taknnesser). AMZXY/l8(May 5), cols. 305-7, and WAMZUZS (lune l9), cols. 387-89.

l8l3c 'Neue Erfindungen: Miilzels Chronometer." WAMZ 1/41 (October l3), cols. 623-32.1813d 'Nachrichten. Wien d. 16tenNov." [description of Maelzel's firstchronometer, based on ANoN

18l3cl. AMZXVI4E (December l), cols. 784-88.1814 "Recensionen" [review of Jacob Gottfried Weber's Te Deum]. AMZXW4I (October l2), cols.

677-80.

AuHAceN, Wolfgang1997 s.v. "Metronome." MGG2, Sachteil, vol.6, cols. 227-34.BeptuovpN, Ludwig van1817 "Die Tempo's siimmtlicher Sitze aller Symphonien [No. l-8] des Hrn. L. v. Beethoven, vom

Verfflasser] selbst nach Maelzels Metronom bestimmt." l MZ 19 (December 17), cols. 873-74.DavtEs, Norman1997 Europe: A History. Rev. ed. London: PimlicolRandom House.ENcr.vct opEDh AMERIcANA1965 s.v. "Pendulum." Encyclopedia Americana: International Edition, vol. 21, p.5A2. Americana

Corporation.GoeeoLs, Franzpeter1960 s.v. "Metronom." MGG,vol. 8, cols.234-37.G0rueL, Folker1981 Thematisch-bibliographisches Verzeichnis der Werke von Louis Spohr. Tutzing: Hans Schneider.KpNEttv, Arthur E.

1928 Vestiges of Pre-Meffic Weights and Measures Persisting in Metric-System Europe 1926-1927.New York, Macmillan.

LANGE, Helmut K. H,1976 o'Das Fadenpendel-Metronom." Osterreichische Musilaeitschri/t XXXI/3 (March), pp. I53-57.LEMKE, ATno1968 Jacob Gottfried \Teber - Leben und Werk: Ein Betrag zur Musikgeschichte des Mittelrheinischen

Raums. Beitrige zur Mittelrheinischen Musikgeschichte, no. 9. Mainz: Schott.OREL, Alfred1960 s.v. "M6lzel." MGG, vol, 8, cols. 1456-58.RtcHaRosor.r, E. G.1980 s.v. "Metronome."-0y'G, vol. 13,pp.222-23.

:,

fuErD.t, Rainer1985 "Beethovens Verh6ltnis zum Metronom: Eine Dokumentation." Beethoven: Das Problem der

Interpretation, pp. 70-84,Znd rev. ed. By Heinz-Klaus Metzger and Rainer Riehn. Musik-Konzepte: Die Reihe llber Komponisten, vol. 8. Munich: edition text + kritik.

SpoHR, Louis1 8l 8 Preface in the tenor part of the first edition of Six Songs for Four Men's Voices Qp.44. Leipzig:

C. F. Peters, pl. no. 1396, parts.

I 820 'nZweiter Brief an einen Freund, Paris, 31 . Dezember 1820." AMZ XXIII, cols. I 56-62. Quotedhere according to the original manuscript, published in SponR. 1968/II: 101-6.

l82l 'oUeber deutsche Gesangvereine." AMZXXIII/49 (December 5), cols. 817-20.1822 "Bifie des Componisten," added to the first edition ofthe Mass Op.54. Leipzig: C. F. Peters, 1822,

pl. no. 1659.

[1833] Violinschule. Vienna: Tobias Haslinger. [Spohr's Violin Method was not published in l83l or1832, as frequently assumed on the basis of the date inserted at the end of the preface, but rather

in 1833, as Folker G0thel demonstrated in 1981: 316-17.1

1968 Lebenserinnerungen. Complete edition of Spohr's memoirs, on the basis of autograph sources,

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t2

l813b "Miscellen...EsgiebtErfindungen..."[articleabouttheneedforusingaTaktmesser).AMZXY||8(May 5), cols. 305-7, and WAMZUZ5 (June l9), cols. 387-89.

1813c 'T.Ieue Erfindungen: Mtilzels Chronometer." WAMZ l/41 (October l3), cols.623-32.1813d 'Nachrichten. Wien d. 16ten Nov." [description of Maelzel's firstchronometer,bued on ANoN

l8l3cl. AMZXVI4S (December l), cols. 784-88.1814 "Recensionen" [review of Jacob Gottfried Weber's Te Deum). AMZXYll4l (October l2), cols.

677-80.

AUHAGEN, Wolfgang1997 s.v. "Metronome." MGG2, Sachteil, vol.6, cols. 227-34.BepruoveN, Ludwig van1817 "Die Tempo's sdmmtlicher Siitze aller Symphonien [No. 1-8] des Hrn. L. v. Beethoven, vom

Verfflasser] selbstnach Maelzels Metronom bestimrnt."lMZ 19 (December 17), cols. 873-74.DAvlEs, Norman1997 Europe: A History, Rev. ed. London: Pimlico/Random House.ENcI.ycT.opEDta AMERIcANA1965 s.v. "Pendulum." Encyclopedia Americana: International Edition, vol.2l, p.502, Americana

Corporation.GoEBELS, Franzpeter1960 s.v. "Metronom." MGG, vol. 8, cols.234-37.GOTuet, Folker1981 Thematisch-bibliographisches Verzeichnis der Werke von Louis Spohr. Tutzing: Hans Schneider.KgNpLLv, Arthur E.1928 Vestiges of Pre-Metric Weights and Measures Persisting in Metric-Systern Europe 1926-1927,

New York, Macmillan.LANGE, Helmut K. H.1976 "Das Fadenpendel-Metronom." )steweichische MusilueitschriftXXX\|3 (March), pp. 153-57.LEMKE, Arno1968 Jacob Gottfried Weber - Leben und ll/erk: Ein Betrag zur Musikgeschichte des Mittelrheinischen

Raums. Beitrage zur Mittelrheinischen Musikgeschichte, no. 9. Mainz: Schott.OBf;L, Alfred1960 s.v. "Millzel." MGG, vol, 8, cols. 1456-58.RtcunRpsotr, E.G.1980 s.v. "Metronome."NG, vol. 13,pp.222-23. ,

RIETN, Rainer1985 "Beethovens Verhliltnis zum Metronom: Eine Dokumentation." Beethoven: Das Problem der

Interpretation, pp. 70-84,2nd rev. ed. By Heinz-Klaus Metzger and Rainer Riehn. Musik-Konzepte: Die Reihe ilber Komponisten, vol. 8. Munich: edition text + kritik.

SroHR, Louisl8l8 Preface in the tenor part of the first edition of Six Songs for Four Men's Voices Qp.44. Leipzig:

C. F. Peters, pl. no. 1396, parts.

1820 "Zweiter Brief an einen Freund, Paris,3l. Dezember 1820." AMZXXIII, cols. 156-62. Quotedhere according to the original manuscript, published in SponR 1968/II: I 01 -6.

l82l o'Ueber deutsche Gesangvereine;'AMZXXIIV49 (December 5), cols. 817-20.l82Z "Bitte des Componisten," added to the first edition offfre Mass Op,54. Leipzig: C. F. Peters, 1822,

pl. no. 1659.

[1833] Violinschule. Vienna: Tobias Haslinger. [Spohr's Violin Method was not published in 1831 or1832, as frequently assumed on the basis of the date inserted at the end of the preface, but rather

in I 833, as Folker G0thel dernonstrated in 1 98 1 : 3 1 6-1 7.1

1968 Lebenserinnerungen. Complete edition of Spohr's memoirs, on the basis of autograph sources,

ed. Folker G0thel. Two vols. in one. Tutzing: Hans Schneider.

t2

THAYER, Alexander Wheelock1908 Ludwigtan Beethovens Leben. Continued by Hugo Riemann on the basis of the materials left by

Hermann Deiters. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Htirtel.WEBER, Jacob Gottfried1 813 'Noch einmal ein Wort iiber den musikalischen Chronometer oder Taktmesser: Gespriich zwischen

einem Componisten und einem Musik-Director." AMZXV/27 (July 7), cols. 441-47 [cf. Fig. I

abovel, and WAMZU3T (September 15), cols. 564-72.I 8 l4a 'o(Jeber die jetzt bevorstehende wirkliche Erfindung des Taktmessers [Part I).' AMZ XYI/27 (July

6), cols. 445-49.l8l4b "Ueber die jetzt bevorstehende wirkliche Erfindung des Taktmessers. (Beschluss aus der 27sten

No. )... (Nachschrift) IP art ll] ;' AMZ XVV?S (July 20), cols. 46 1 -64.l8l7a Uber chronometrische Tempobezeichnung, welche ohne chronometrische Tempomaschine i)berall

undiederzeit verstanden und angewendet werden kann, nebst einer Vergleichungs- undZuriicffihntngstabelle der Mcilzelschen metronomischen Grade auf einfache Pendellcingen[About a method of chronomeffic tempo indication, which may be understood and appliedanywhere and anytime without a chronometric tempo machine, including a comparative chart,juxtaposing Maelzel's metronomic numbers to simple pendulum lengths]. Mainz: B. Schott.[According to LEMKE 1968:229, the MS is preserved in the Bibliothek der Musikfreunde Wienand a copy can be found in the Schott Archives.]

l8l7b "Mdlzels Metronome, tiberall umsonst zu haben." AMZxrx/37 (April l l).1817c "Ueber eine chronometrische Tempobezeichnung, welche den Miilzlschen Metronomen, sowie

jede andere chronometrische Maschine entbehrlich macht." Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, ntitbesonderer Rilcksicht aufden cisterreichischen Kaiserstaat 25 (June l 9).

I 8 1 7d Versuch einer geordneten Theorie der Tonsetzkunst. Mainz, l8l7 -21 .WutpuoRsr, Martin1997 o'Spohr's Instrumental Works: A Preliminary Catalogue)' Spo,hr Journal: The Magazine of the

Spohr Society of Great Britain 24 (Autumn), pp. 9-18.1998a "Louis Spohr und die moderne, werkorientierte Interpretation: '...seine Einsicht in den Geist der

verschiedensten Kompositionen und seine Kuns! jede in diesem ihrem Geist darzustellen.' " DasOrchester 4617 -8 (July-August), pp. 2-9.

1998b " '...his insight into the characters of the most diverse compositions and his ability to perform eachin its own spirit' Louis Spohr and the Modern Concept of Performance." Spohr Journal; TheMagazine of the Spohr Society of Great Britain 25 (Winter), pp,2-10.

1999 'olouis Spohr and the Modern Concept of Performance." Journal of the Conductors Suild l8/2(SummerlFall 1997, publ. 1999), pp. 66-75.

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