Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/595



Johann Georg Kastner (d. 1867) worked side by side with Berlioz in minute study of the technique of instrumentation. Born at Strassburg in 1810, he was a precocious organist, and, after studying theology for a time, brought out 4 German operas (1832-5). Going then to Paris for further study, besides writing 4 French operas, including the noteworthy Le dernier roi de Juda (1844), he prepared a long and careful series of didactic methods, mostly for instruments, beginning with a general treatise (1837). He was much interested in developing the military band and in building up choral societies. His zeal for enlarging popular knowledge was shown in 6 elaborate symphony-cantatas with long historical and explanatory introductions (1852-62). His instrumental works included 3 symphonies, 5 overtures, 10 serenades for wind instruments, a saxophone-sextet, etc., but his style, unlike that of Berlioz, was not at all radical.

Among the few French composers at work upon purely orchestral writing were the opera-writer and theorist N. H. Reber (d. 1880), with 4 symphonies, an overture, a suite, the scènes lyriques Roland and many refined chamber works; the poetic orientalist Félicien David (d. 1876), whose first symphony (1838) was followed by the notable orchestral ode Le désert (1844), a second ode Christophe Colomb (1847) and the 'mystery' L'Eden (1848)—all partly vocal; the able pianist Louis Lacombe (d. 1884), with 2 dramatic symphonies, Manfred (1847) and Arva (1850), besides many piano works; and Camille Saint-Saëns, who, though entering the field as early as 1851, belongs among the host of younger men, like Théodore Dubois and Jules Massenet, with the older César Franck (d. 1890), who led onward toward the modern school of French writing (see sec. 231).

Here we may recall that the founder of the Conservatoire concerts in 1806, with their obvious influence upon instrumental music, was François Antoine Habeneck (d. 1849), who from 1826 was also conductor at the Opéra. In succession after him, usually in both offices, were from 1846 Narcisse Girard (d. 1860); in 1860-3 Théophile Tilmant (d. 1878); from 1863 François Georges Hainl (d. 1873); and in 1873-85 Édouard Marie Ernest Deldevez (d. 1897). None of these, except the last, was specially known as a composer. Another influential conductor was Jules Étienne Pasdeloup (d. 1887), who started important symphony concerts in 1851.

213. Some Conservative Leaders.—Against what they felt to be the technically demoralizing tendencies of the Liszt-Wagner movement in instrumentalism, stood several conservative groups. They were not closely united, and had no single centre around which they could rally. A few, like Lachner, derived pre-**possessions direct from the Viennese classicists at the opening of the century. Many, like Taubert and Kiel, were drawn into the peculiarly reactionary atmosphere of Berlin, with its neglect of instrumental work and its prejudice against even the mild romanticism of the Saxon circle. Many more, not only in Germany, but beyond, in Scandinavia, Holland and England, were