Do you like Martin Kraus? I do. And for those still unfamiliar with him,
let me present the following little background (comprehended by me). Let
us see where we can go from here.
- - -
The musical life of Stockholm undertoke its first phase of development
in the 17th century with help from the from Germany settlered family
Dueben. Art music by then existed almost only under the churches compass.
Concerts for the public started to be given at 1731 by Johan Helmich
Roman, thae musician who created a national tradition of importance.
His Drottningholmsmusik from 1744, is still counted as one of the best
works from that aera.
The blossoming for the performing arts should however wait until the
time of Gustav IIIs govern 1771-1792. Then the whole cultural life were
reorganized and vitalized from its foundations. Already the first year he
founded the Musical Academy with teaching duties as well as general musical
options. Some years later started the first musictheatre, The Swedish
Opera, in the Bollhuset at Slottsbacken, and in 1782 it moved into the
newbiult operahouse at (now) Gustav Adolfs Square.
The kings personal interest circled mainly around theatre, where he wanted
everything to be performed by swedes in swedish. The first showed up to
be impossible as the change came so quickly so there were no performers
avaliable. To be able to start it quickly he engaged a lot of foregin
artists, skilled artists who soon should influence the culture. The result
was a mixture of French, Italian and German influences. Most important
among the new composers were Naumann, "Abbe" Vogler, Haeffner and Martin
Kraus, who all should compose operas to swedish libretto. But the greatest
creating spirit was Kraus.
He came from Mannheim, a city were a lot of that times new stuff was
introduced. After finished schooltime, he had followed his parents wish
and studied law at the university of Goettingen, where literature and
music, his real interests became streghtened in a significant way.
Symphonies, sacral works, and operas were composed by him under this time.
He got in touch with the new Sturm und Drang movement and he also tested
his abilities in writing books.
At the university there were a lot of Swedish students who could tell
about the cultural blossoming in their capitol. They suggested him to
go to Stockholm to try to get employed at the opera. So came Kraus 1778,
22 years old to move to Stockholm. The fisrt years were hard, and he
was thinking of returning back again, but after the opera Prosperin (with
libretto by Johan Henrik Kjellgren) was produced in concert at the castle
of Ulriksdal, it went better and he could 1781 start as second capellmaster
at the Royal Theatre.
As privilegue to the post was to be allowed five years studies abroad,
a good evidence for the kings demand on quality. This made Kraus very
interested and he went to i.e. Vienna, where he learnt to know Cristoph
Willibald Gluck and at a visit at Esterhaza Joseph Haydn, two composers who
should come to have a great influence on him.
A lot of Kraus finest compositions were made during to years abroad. Some
were printed in Vienna and Paris, the latter in more famous composers names
- a not rare selling tactics among contemporary publishers. Some are
believed to have been written for the french capitals "concertos
spirituels".
Back in Stockholm (1787) with no good times, not because of some collagues
intriguing games, but still the next year he advanced to the post as first
conductor and chief for Musikaliska Akademins Utbildningsanstalt. (The
musical academys education filial).
The own creating was only to part successful. Of his about fifteen
symphonies, only a very few, if any, were performed in Sweden, except one
at Gustav IIIs funeral. Abroad had a row of them been played. His main
opera project, Aeneas in Carthago, with libretto by Kjellgren, tended to
grow to enormous propotions, and were completely released first seven years
after his death.
Kraus was only given a 36 year life; he died in december 1792, and was
soon forgotten. The Romantic movement had neither place nor mind for old
Gustavianer. First in 20th century has his importance been valued after
its right worth. That he was our most important composer between J.H.Roman
and Frans Berwald is now obvious to most of people. The 200years memorial
of his death brought attention in many ways in both Sweden and Germany.
Besides orchestral and chambermusik, operas and other vocal works,
Kraus composed some music to plays. In january 1792 was Voltaires
tradgedy Olympiae produced at the Dramatic Theatre in Bollhuset (A sort of
Tennishouse). For this work Kraus composed an ouverture, a marsch and some
preludes. The opening piece was formed, according to the tradition from
Jean Baptiste Lullys days, as a "french ouverture" with a solemn start in
adagio, a hunting allegro and a to the introduction related epilogue. The
ouverture is interesting as it belongs to the composers most characteristic
pieces, and is almost in Glucks level in similar pieces.
A dozen symphonies has been saved to our time. Even more symphonies
have been mentioned in letters and other peoples scripts, but it is not
yet clear which are lost or have became parts of other works we know.
The symphonies do almost ever consist of three movements. The missing
ingredient is the traditional menuett; perhaps its dance caracter didn't
fit in the lofty mans concept.
The most played Kraus symponies are the symphonies in C major, C minor
and E flat major, the first composed in Stockholm 1781, the two latter
in central Europe. The famous C minor symphony, which is derived from a
C sharp minor symphony, a in the relation rare key. Both versions still
exist, and the change shows clearly the major refining and engrossing of
the frame.
It was thought this piece was first performed by Haydn during Kraus'
visit, but a musicologist has found that it can have been composed many
years later. If Haydn played a symphony, it must have been another,
perhaps one in D major which later was printed in his name.
Gluck liked Kraus symphonies very much and to a common friend, the
diplomat Fredrik Silverstolpe, he is reported to have said: "That three
movement symphony he wrote here in Vienna will for centuries be regarded
as a masterpiece. Believe me, there are few who can create such music"
That is what he said, and he continued: "With its darkly passionate ethos,
the C minor symphony remindes me of Haydns Sturm und Drang symphonies 49
and 45 ("Farewell"). Kraus musics caracter is in general also close to
Glucks, espescially his ouverture to Ifigenia in Aulis, an opera that was
presented at the same time Kraus returned to Stockholm. Gluck once also
said about Kraus: "Gee! That man has a great style!"
Except they were born the same year and Kraus died only one year after
his famous collague, to call Kraus, as he is often labelled; "The swedish
Mozart" is though not relevant.
Mats Norrman
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