Johann Wilhelm Hertel

Johann Wilhelm Hertel (1727 - 1789), one of the substantial number of composers of the pre-classical generation, was a fascinating character whose acquaintances ranged from C.P.E. Bach and Telemann, to Franz Benda and Karl Heinrich Graun. Hertel was himself a highly educated man of broad interests and varied experiences. His prolific output includes vocal and instrumental compositions, theoretical works, translations of Italian and French writings on opera, and an autobiography. The autobiography reveals many significant insights on performers, performance practice, and stylistic changes of the music of third quarter of the eighteenth century, a link between the baroque and classical periods, the period marked by cultural changes and the coexistence of different trends. It also acquaints us with Hertel's own carefully considered view of the art of composition, the proper training of a musician, and the musical and non-musical influences which shaped his life and work.

Although Hertel is not a widely known figure today, he was highly regarded by his contemporaries, both as a keyboard player and as a composer. Ernst Ludwig Gerber, in his Historische Biographische Lexicon der Tonkunstler, called him a virtuoso of the keyboard and placed him among the best German composers of the third quarter of the century. His paternal grandfather, Jakob Christian Hertel, had been Kapellmeister at the Göttingen court in Swabia from about 1667 to the end of the century and had later held the same position at Merseburg in Saxony. Hertel's father, Johann Christian Hertel (born 25 June 1697/99 in Oettingen; died October 1754 in Strelitz), Konzertmeister of the Eisenach court chapel from 1733 to 1741 and of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz Kapelle from 1741 to 1753, was well known throughout Europe in his day as a gamba virtuoso who made frequent trips to a number of courts as guest soloist. Hertel's mother was was a descendant of the very well known Schnauss family in Weimar.

Early life in Eisenach

Born on 9 October 1727 in Eisenach (same city where J.S Bach was born 69 years earlier), the lively boy grew up with and amidst nature, inherited his father's love of flowers, and adored horses. By the age of six he could 'read and write German and Latin flawlessly, do his sums, answer questions from geography and history, and creditably distinguish good from evil, the decent and proper from the indecent and improper'. Recognizing his gifts, his parents sent him to Eisenach's best grammar school, which also had an outstanding choir. Between the ages of ten and fourteen, Hertel attended the renowned Eisenach Gymnasium, studying classical Latin and Greek, mathematics, history, logic, and theology. The broad interests which informed Hertel's early education were to expand throughout his lifetime. He strongly believed that a musician should acquire a solid background, not only in the theory and practice of music, but also in the humanities. His own library at the time of his death contained some 1200 volumes, books in German, Italian, French, and Latin, on music theory, poetry, drama, philosophy, history, law, economics, languages, medicine, and travel.

Concurrently with his basic education at the Eisenach Gymnasium, Hertel received lessons in keyboard playing from his father's colleague Johann Heinrich Heil (1706–1764), and former pupil of Bach, harpsichordist and violinist in the Eisenach court chapel (Eisenach Hofkapelle) in which Johann Christian Hertel was also employed as a violinist and later concertmaster. Once he was able to play and fittingly accompany Bach's fugues and sonatas Hertel's father took him on a concert tour in 1739. Their relationship, as Hertel described it, resembled that of father and son. Hertel's lengthy tribute to Höckh, as both man and musician, acknowledged the tremendous influence of Höckh in his life, both musically and personally. During his apprenticeship in Zerbst, Hertel continued his academic studies first at the Bartholomauschule for a short period, and then at the Zerbst Gymnasium. At this point he had not yet decided on a career in music and was in fact tending toward the law.

With the death of the last Duke of Eisenach in 1741 the Eisenach Hofkapelle was dissolved in the spring of 1742 and his father had to find a new position. His first wish was to go to Berlin, but the city's world-famous orchestra had no vacancies.

Zerbst, 1742 (with Carl Höckh, Johan Friedrich Fasch)

On the recommendation of his friend, Franz Benda, violinist at the court of Friedrich the Great in Berlin and one of the leading violinists in Germany, family moved to Neustrelitz, where Hertel's father was duly appointed Konzertmeister. From 1742 to 1745 Johann Wilhelm Hertel was studying in Zerbst and frequently received violin lessons from Carl Höckh (1707–1773), one of the main figures in the new German violin school, a close friend of Hertel's father, and Konzertmeister at the Zerbst court. Whilst studying in Zerbst he lived in Höckh's house, and was not only Höckh's human qualities that left a lifelong impression on the boy: he also learned the art of thoroughbass, composition and orchestral performance from Höckh and from Johan Friedrich Fasch, the famous chapel-master of the Zerbst orchestra. These years were certainly the most important for the development of his personality and his compositional style: he was so greatly influenced by the sensitive and gallant style of the Dresden and Berlin composers, not to mention the Italian opera repertoire, that he deeply internalized their characteristics and specific features.

Neustrelitz, Mecklenburg-Strelitz house, 1745

In 1745, the Superintendent of Court Affairs, Baron von Altrock, urged Hertel to join the Hofkapelle of Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. After several days of painful indecision Hertel accepted the post at Neustrelitz palace court chapel of Mecklenburg-Strelitz house, one of the oldest royal houses which was also unique among the German princely families who were of Slavic origins being descended from Niklot the Prince of the Obotrites. He thus embarked on his musical career at the age of seventeen, but he continued his academic studies in the event that he might later regret his choice. Hertel's education continued that summer with tutoring in logic, morals, and natural law by Christian August Wolf (1679-1754). Wolf was a philosopher at the University of Halle, and is famous as the foremost German exponent of the Enlightenment.

At Neustrelitz there was a stimulating musical life and Hertel took full advantage of it. The frequent concerts by the best virtuosi of the Berlin Kapelle gave an additional impetus to Hertel's already strong determination to perfect himself in everything pertaining to music. He purchased and studied "the latest compositions" for the violin and for the clavier and spent his nights examining "the best theoretical writings." His earliest known compositions stemmed from this period under the critical direction of his father.

Hertel's conception of the art of composition, as stated in his autobiography, reflects his broad view of the musical craft:

'Here he found only too soon that principally it is bountiful nature which must produce the first aptitude for an able composer and must give that which Horace referred to as 'deum in nobis'; in addition much thought and arduously protracted study is demanded; that nature without industry produces nothing but a wild vine, but industry without nature only a forced, dry fruit; that without either, one would be happier with a cobbler's knife and last, than with the art of composition; and finally, that only he who combines persistent industry with a fine talent and a mind trained by the sciences, a soul full of emotion, and he who seizes the right opportunity to gain momentum, can hope to gain honor in this pursuit. Admittedly, many things are demanded; granted also that this is the reason for so many incompetent [composers] when these qualities are not present. Their lack cannot be compensated by travel, familiarity with a great amount of music, or the polish of a well-mannered, refined gentleman.'

Hertel goes on to stress the necessity of the knowledge of both the humanities and sciences, in addition to a solid foundation in all aspects of harmony, ornamentation, thoroughbass, and Doctrine of the affections. In addition, a composer of vocal music must have a knowledge of melody, poetry, philosophy, and declamation, and a complete insight into the language of the text. Hertel put into practice what he preached about composition by rewriting his own compositions as many as ten times. Due to failing eyesight, Hertel's father became unable to function as Konzertmeister at Neustrelitz and from the Fall of 1750 to the death of Duke Adolph Friedrich in 1752, the younger Hertel was in charge of concerts at the court.

An important event in Hertel's life was the installation of two new Silbermann pianos at the Neustrelitz court in 1750. Hertel was delighted with these instruments and from that time preferred the piano to the other keyboard instruments, unlike most of the north German composers (including the Bachs), who preferred the clavichord. In his autobiography he noted that as a result of working with the pianos at Neustrelitz, he developed a technique which enabled him to deal effectively with any keyboard instrument. Hertel's observation regarding the finger strength and touch necessary for the piano is significant, because the north German musicians were generally indifferent to the distinct dissimilarities in touch between the piano and its predecessors.

While in Neustrelitz, thanks to the frequent journeys with his father, sometimes also as harpsichord accompanist, Hertel became acquainted with the lively cultural life and exciting atmosphere at the court of Berlin.

Berlin, 1747 (with Carl Heinrich
Graun, C. P. E. Bach, Franz Benda, Emperor Frederick, Johann Joachim Quantz)

Hertel was eager to absorb all he could of Berlin's musical life, and in 1747 he requested a year's leave of absence to further his studies with the musicians at the court of Friedrich the Great. Hertel lived in Berlin where he was introduced to the eminent musicians of the Royal Prussian Chapel. He began to appreciate the operas of the Graun brothers, the instrumental music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and the numerous vocal talents from Italy with their unforgettable performances of works by Jommelli, Pergolesi, and Porpora, composers who were very much in fashion at the court of Frederick the Great at the Neustrelitz.

While in Berlin, Hertel visited for a few days Franz Benda, to whom he had been recommended by Carl Höckh. Benda was impressed with Hertel's playing and praised his bowing technique in particular. Hertel perfected his violin playing with Franz Benda. At a concert in Benda's home, Hertel heard the three Benda brothers, violinists Franz, Georg, and Joseph, the Italian singer 'Paolino' and he also met C.P.E. Bach for the first time. Hertel also studied composition with Carl Heinrich Graun.

In his autobiography he described the experience of the concert and in particular the performance of Bach, saying that it had such a powerful effect on him that he wavered in his decision to make law his career. During the ceremonious concerts at the Prussian court he was able to admire the best Italian singers in operas. During a chamber concert at the Berlin court, he even accompanied Emperor Frederick, together with Johann Joachim Quantz, in flute concerto. During the years in Berlin, Hertel was exposed also to some of the most fascinating non musical figures of his time, including the great philosopher Voltaire. Among other distinguished members of Friedrich's circle with whom Hertel became acquainted were Maupertois, the scientist; Marquis Jean-Baptiste d'Argens, the philosopher and Algarotti, an influential figure in opera reform.

The autobiography contains colorful accounts of Hertel's musical experiences during that year and during his subsequent visits to the Berlin court, where he was completely enthralled by the famous singers and the fine precision and balance of the orchestra. He stated that the Berlin Kapelle was one of the most brilliant in Germany at the time, second only to that of Dresden in vocal and instrumental soloists and outstanding composers. Hertel's descriptions of the vocal technique, personality and character of the court musicians, particularly of the castrati and female opera singers, are vivid and entertaining. While in Berlin Hertel's musical studies continued — violin with Franz Benda, composition with Karl Heinrich Graun, and cembalo with C.P.E. Bach.

Hertel continued throughout his lifetime to associate not only with musicians, but with men of the humanities and sciences as well. Some of the most noteworthy of these included: Gotthold Lessing, poet, dramatist and great literary exponent of the Enlightenment; Karl Wilhelm Ramler, poet of famous cantata texts, especially known for Graun's "Der Tod Jesu"; Johann Georg Sulzer, aesthetician and author of the four-volume Allgemeine Theorie der schönen Kunste; and Christian Gottfried Krause, theoretician, composer, and author of Von der Musicalischen Poesie. Hertel also developed a close relationship with the French aristocrat Isaac von Chasot, top commanding officer of Friedrich's royal Prussian cavalry regiment. The two men had a common interest in music and the arts, Chasot was a fine flutist, and Hertel wrote several flute concertos and two theoretical works for him.

Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin house, 1754

In the Easter of 1754, the widowed duchess Elisabeth Albertine (mother of Princess Sophie Charlotte), retained Hertel and a few members of the Kapelle, taking them with her to Schwerin where they joined forces with the Kapelle of Duke Christian Ludwig of Schwerin (from Mecklenburg-Schwerin), born 1683, ruled 1747-1756. The duke and his whole family were accomplished amateur musicians, and their influence on the musical life of the court was inestimable. The duke's son, Prince Ludwig, was a fine violinist and maintained his own small Kapelle and his own chamber music concerts, for which he drew a special subsidy.

Schwerin's Kapellmeister, Karl Adolph Kunzen (1720-1781), had left shortly before and Hertel now functioned as Kapellmeister (court chapel composer), although he was never given that title, this position was ranked just below that of Superintendent of Court Affairs and above the rest of the Kapelle. The Schwerin orchestra was equipped with established several 'concerto players' of European stature who are listed in its 1757 registry as 'virtuosic on the violin' or 'virtuosic on the oboe'. It stands to reason that they were capable of playing Hertel's concertos (Hertel produced a body of nearly 50 solo concertos). About this time Hertel gave up playing the violin and devoted all of his time to composing and performing on the clavier. The first year as court composer in Schwerin was a prolific one. Hertel wrote much instrumental music and eight large cantatas ("Sing-Gedichte").

The style of Hertel's compositions up to this time had been influenced largely by that of two leading German composers of the time, Johann Hasse and Karl H. Graun. The death of Duke Christian Ludwig in May 1756 was to result indirectly in Hertel's assimilation of the Italian styles of Pergolesi and Jommelli. The duke's son and successor, Friedrich "the Pious" (born 1717, ruled 1756-1785), was especially fond of the music of these two composers. He had known Jommelli personally in Stuttgart where Jommelli was Kapellmeister to the Duke of Württemburg. Because of Duke Friedrich's preference for the music of these Italians, Hertel began a thorough study of their compositions. The result was a fusing of his earlier style, essentially German, with the Italian influence. Hertel was apparently pleased with the outcome, the development of a unique style which he says he found no reason to change thereafter.

In 1756 Schwerin became involved in the Seven Years' War (1756–63), siding with Austria. The Prussians marched against Mecklenburg but without a formal declaration of war. During the next five years the duke moved his court to Hamburg, Lübeck, and Altona. Only his great love for music explains why the duke retained most of his musicians during this period. They had little or nothing to do and were permitted to go wherever they could find work. However, the war years were productive ones for Hertel. He remained at Schwerin for a time, studying, composing, and writing. From this period date his German translations of Italian and French essays on opera. The two volumes of "Sammlung musikalischer Schriften . . .", with critical commentary, were published by Breitkopf in Leipzig in 1757 and 1758. Other published works from this time are two sets of Oden und Lieder on texts of Johann Friedrich Löwen, the first published by Breitkopf in 1757, the second by Koppe in Rostock, 1760.

Hertel also spent some time during the war with his friend Chasot, then commander of the troops of the free city of Lübeck. While in Lübeck, Hertel became acquainted with Karl Adolph Kunzen, former Kapellmeister at Schwerin. Kunzen had been a child prodigy whose clavier playing had created a sensation in Holland and England. Hertel was impressed with Kunzen's fine performance, commenting however that it was "not in the Bach manner." Except for his keyboard sonatas, Kunzen's compositions were characterized by Hertel as somewhat in the style of Telemann, the early galant style, which Hertel at this time considered already antiquated.

Stralsund, 1759

The economic difficulties forced Hertel to seek a more secure source of income, and in 1759 he accepted a position as organist and cantor at the church of St. Nicolai in Stralsund and also held the same position at the church of St. Marien. The concerts in Stralsund were surely a bright spot for Hertel, and he enjoyed the great interest displayed in music by a wide range of people, something he had not known at the court in Schwerin. The townspeople of Stralsund, the landed gentry in Pomerania and the Isle of Rügen, even the officers of various descent stationed nearby in the Swedish army: all convened in town for 'daily diversions'. One of the star of these concerts was the 24-year old singer and harpist Therese Petrini of Berlin, and it is highly likely that Hertel composed his three harp concerts for her to play in Stralsund.

After spending nearly 2 years in Stralsund Hertel returned to Schwerin. One of the reason why he returned to the court in Schwerin was as he recalled in his memoirs: 'The lack of good drinking water, and especially the town's flat and uniform countryside for miles around, devoid of hill and dale, woodland and scrub, had become somewhat abhorrent to him'. Another reason for his return to court Schwerin may be in the fact that Hertel was 'dismissed on July 1761 owing to poor conduct' as written in a contemporary Stralsund source. Although Hertel's autobiography supplies various reasons for leaving the post at St. Nicolai, recent research has revealed another reason: he was in fact relieved of his duties because his background as a court musician had not prepared him to fill the position as cantor and organist. However, he returned to Schwerin already in 1760, where starting in the following year he entered the service of Princess Ulrike Sophie.

Schwerin Court Chapel, 1761 - 1789

When peace finally came to Schwerin in 1762, after five years' involvement in the war, the duke, his court and the Kapelle were able to return to normal routine, and musical activities were resumed. Duke Friedrich "the Pious" was especially interested in sacred music and sponsored sacred concerts two evenings a week. These were held in church in the summer months and in the castle during the winter season and were of such quality that the sacred music of the Schwerin court became known and admired throughout northern Germany. Hertel's chorale cantatas written for these concerts have been evaluated by Erich Schenk as the most original contribution of Mecklenburg in the field of music.

As early as 1764 Hertel had considered giving up his position as court composer and retiring to the country for reasons of health. Perhaps he would have moved to the country side and busied himself with 'the closer observation of rural life, which had long held out for him such an attraction, that he never missed an occasion or opportunity to make the acquaintance of farmers, staying with them as often as he could, conversing with them about their business, and paying avid attention to their activities, at home and in the field' as he mentioned in his biography.

Beginning in 1765 Hertel owned a house with garden and meadow in the Schelfstadt district of Schwerin. There he indulged his fondness for cultivating carnations buttercups and cowslips, about which he published a scientific treatise with sales catalogue 20 years later, offering more than 200 species of carnation for purchase. The flowers in his garden distracted him from his cares and illnesses. At this time he gave much of his music library to Prince Ludwig, retaining the keyboard works of C.P.E. Bach and some of the best known vocal works of the time. In 1767 Hertel received an honourable discharge from the court orchestra for reasons of health, but maintained ties to 'his' orchestra with newly commissioned works. By then his pupil Princess Ulrike, Duke Frederick's sister, asked him to fill the vacant post as Secretary and he accepted the assignment, keeping his position in the Kapelle as well.

While employed with the Princess Ulrike, during that time, Hertel had the joy of visiting the eighty-four-year-old Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767), an old friend of his father's. Hertel had anticipated a friendly exchange of ideas, but the old master led him into such a learned discussion on theory and composition that he soon began to feel as though he were being given an examination. In his account of this meeting, Hertel commented wryly that when the conversation took this course he felt compelled to redirect it toward the contemporary "more refined taste" and in the end earned the respect of the redoubtable Telemann.

Not long after this, Duke Friedrich III in 1767, transferred the Hofkapelle (Court chapel) to Ludwigslust, but Hertel remained in Schwerin in the service of Princess Ulrike, (where he had already relinquished his position as Court Chapel Composer in 1764) becoming Ulrike Sophie’s secretary. There, Hertel arranged concerts for the nobility, and served as a tutor in clavier. From time to time he went to Ludwigslust to conduct his sacred cantatas commissioned by the duke. In 1770 she promoted him to Privy Councillor, a position which nevertheless did not hinder him from continuing to compose and to arrange concerts. In his late years he abandoned the violin in favor of keyboard instruments.

Hertel's connection with the German National Theatre in Hamburg dated from around this time, according to Gotthold Lessing. In 1767 Hertel wrote incidental music for the Hamburg Theatre production of Chronegk's Olint und Sophronia produced by Lessing, and entr'acte symphonies to Weise's Richard III and Löwen's comedy, Das Rathsel.

Personal life

Hertel remained single until he was forty-one. In May 1769, he married one of his clavier students, Sophie Emilie von Wurms, age twenty-six, lady-in-waiting to Princess Charlotte who bore him a son one year later. Unfortunately the boy died of dysentery at the age of eight. In 1770, a year after the marriage, Hertel was named Privy Councillor. In May 1774 the couple were blessed with a daughter, Caroline Auguste Henriette. In 1780 a second son was born, but Hertel refused to acknowledge his paternity. Hertel and his wife separated in 1783, but no reasons are given in the autobiography. Hertel says only that certain circumstances caused him to be separated from his wife after twelve happy years together. Hertel regarded the separation as a personal tragedy. This is what Hertel wrote in his autobiography:

"Until now the paths of our Hertel were without sorrow, flowing along in calmness, peace and enjoyment, like a quiet brook, but now he had to experience grief also; to know that the pilgrimage of man does not always take place on paths of roses and jasmine, but also among thorns and thistles, over mountains and cliffs, so that he should rightly appreciate the greatness and contentment Providence had given him, and learn how to endure suffering with patience and steadfastness." With this flowery introduction Hertel refers to the period of sorrow in his life.

Though truly a man of the Enlightenment, Hertel was a devout Lutheran; he did not endorse the anti-religious tendencies of the Enlightenment, but again and again emphasized his belief in the existence of God and in God's power in the world and in the individual. Six years before Hertel's death, Johann Christian Koppe, son of the Rostock publisher, recognized his stature as a distinguished Mecklenburg personage. Koppe was collecting autobiographies of famous Mecklenburg residents for publication, particularly theologians, lawyers, and scholars. He requested Hertel and one other musician (Christian Fischer of Gustrow) to contribute to the collection.

End of life

The deaths of his son, mother, sister, and "greatest patron," Prince Ludwig, had caused him much sadness, but his deepest grief was felt in the tragedy of his marriage, precipitating a nervous breakdown in 1782. In spite of his illness, Hertel composed a number of sacred cantatas on the life and passion of Christ. The sacred cantatas are the work of a man of faith, who turned in personal tragedy to the discipline of art, addressing his energy to works of religious faith.

Johann Wilhelm Hertel died in 1789 at the age of nearly sixty-two, as the Hamburgischer Unparteischer Correspondent reported, slightly inaccurately, shortly after his death: "Schwerin, 18th June. On the 14th of this month, the privy councillor, former chamber composer Johann Wilhelm Hertel died of a stroke in the 63rd year of his life. He was an admirable composer who had educated himself after the manner of C. P. E. Bach, Hasse, and Graun, and a good clavier and violin player."

Works

The libraries in Brussels and Schwerin contain about 45 symphonies. All his symphonies are set in major keys for various forces, from string ensembles to pieces with trumpets and timpani. Only two are in the key of B-flat major, and only one calls for an orchestra with two flutes and two horns. They contain also 48 concertos (15 keyboard, 10 oboe, 9 violin, 2 violoncello, 3 each for flute, trumpet and bassoon, 1 organ, a double-concerto for trumpet and oboe, and a "Concerto à Cinque" for trumpet, two oboes and two bassoons). There are also 29 keyboard sonatas, 17 violin sonatas with continuo, a sonata for two horns and two bassoons without continuo, 6 trios (3 for harp [or cembalo], violin [or flute] and cello; 1 for flute, violin and bass; 1 for two violins [or flutes] and bass; and 1 for oboe, flute and organ), and 3 Partite for organ and oboe obbligato. In the field of vocal music, the extant works include sacred and secular cantatas, Lieder, Italian arias, German Chorales and psalm settings.

Hertel's autobiography notes

Hertel's autobiography contains not only the record of an interesting musical figure, but also a detailed picture of the social and cultural conditions of his time. Hertel's autobiography exists in three versions:

1) that written for Koppe's edition of 1784, which was drastically cut and distorted by the editor
2) the second edition of 1806 which embodied corrections of the first and included a six-page listing of Hertel's works, and
3) a new version for a projected continuation of Hiller's Lebensbeschreibungen berühmter Musikgelehrten und Tonkunstler neuer Zeit which never materialized.

From the three manuscript copies in the Bibliothèque Royal Albert Ier of Brussels, Erich Schenk edited the first complete printed version of Hertel's autobiography with extensive commentary.

References

1) Sister Romana Hertel: Johann Wilhelm Hertel (1727-1789): A 250th Birthday Tribute
2) Johann Wilhelm Hertel, Autobiographie, edited and annotated by Eric Schenk, Wiener musikwissenschaftliche Beiträge 3 (Graz, etc.: Böhlau , 1957).
3) Reinhard Diekow, “Studien über das Musikschaffen Johann Christian und Johann Wilhelm Hertels” (PhD dissertation, Rostock University, 1977).