Johann André was born in 1741 and died in 1799. Three occupations he is known for is his work in German music, composition, and publishing. He was the leading male figure of a Protestant family. His publishing house was one of the first to not be connected to a bookstore. The three genres that André mostly composed in include operas, ballads, and songs. Some were performed at the Deutsches Theater which is located in Berlin.
Among the poets he knew, Goethe was a close friend of Johann André. They both lived in the same city Offenbach am Main. André composed music to accompany the words of Goethe.
Johann André's son, Johann Anton André, also was a musician. His occupations were a lot like his father's. In 1799, the publishing business became his own. Constanze, Mozart's widow, asked J. A. André to finish Don Giovanni.
Erwin und Elmire was written and performed for the first time in 1775 in Frankfurt, Germany. The first performance was private, but the second performance appeared at the Theater in der Behrenstraße for the public. It is the German version of an opera called a singspiel. In other words, dialogue is inserted between musical compositions such as ballads, songs, etc. Erwin und Elmire has two acts. There are four main roles which includes: Elmire, Erwin, Bernardo, and Olympia. The only two voice types needed are sopranos and tenors. The main plot of the singspiel is a strained love story between Elmire and Erwin. Elmire is afraid of pushing Erwin away, and after talking to Bernardo, she goes to meet a "hermit" in an alley. Much to her surprise it was Erwin. Erwin and Elmire is a Classical piece because of its simplistic and clear melodies and the use of an orchestra.
The following video is the Overture to Erwin and Elmire.
This video is the aria "Sono sposa e sono amante". Johann André created a masterpiece when he composed this aria. The performers in the video do an excellent job bringing it to life.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Andr%C3%A9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Wolfgang_von_Goethe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_und_Elmire_(Andr%C3%A9)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singspiel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QisFyGk9XFo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lTbH348oSQ
It's really interesting that an aria would open with a long, virtuosic clarinet solo. I thought you must have posted the wrong piece--but no, that's how it goes. I've never heard anything quite like that.
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ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting that you only need sopranos and tenors for this. I'd be interested to look into what the most common voice combinations are and why. I agree with M.E., the clarinet solo was slightly odd. I would like to know how that was received at the premiere. Did the audience even notice it?
ReplyDeleteHow cool is it that he composed works set to the text of Goethe's poems? I mean, I realize MANY composers did this, however, it's cool to study works Schubert has set to the text of Goethe and then listen to this by André. The two composers' sounds are completely different, yet they draw from the same source.
ReplyDeleteThat's really interesting that his son took advantage of his father's career and followed in his footsteps. I would really like to know more about how good of friends he is with Goethe.
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