Bernhard Crusellin vuosi 1798 – nuoren muusikon toiminta uusien lähteiden valossa
Abstract
This article examines the life of the Swedish-Finnish clarinettist and composer Bernhard Crusell (1775–1838) in the year 1798. He was born in Uusikaupunki, Finland, and moved in 1791 to Stockholm, where he soon started working as a clarinettist in the court orchestra. Crusell became a distinguished soloist after having studied with Franz Tausch in Berlin during the summer of 1798. Not much is known about the visit, which was Crusell’s first to the continent; however, new sources have recently come to light that provide new information about the trip.
The author of this article found two letters that Crusell had written to his beloved, Anna Klemming, which were thought to be missing. The letters were written in Berlin and were dated 12th May, 1798 and 21st August, 1798. The content of these letters confirms some details previously recorded in other sources, such as in his autobiographies: the possibility to travel to Berlin came about at short notice, and he ended up staying in Berlin three months longer than planned.
Previous studies have not made any reference to Crusell’s concerts in Berlin and Hamburg during this trip. The author found new information on them in newspapers from the time. Crusell first performed in Berlin on 21st October, 1798 at the Hotel Stadt Paris with his teacher Franz Tausch, the singers Friedrich Franz Hurka and Charlotte Bachmann and pianist Karl Traugott Zeuner. His next two concerts were held in Hamburg: the first on 10th November, 1798 at the Deutsches Schauspiel with Hurka and soprano Rosine Eleonore Elisabeth Righini. The review in the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung stated that Crusell had "a beautiful tone and that he played specially the Andante or Adagio in a good style". The second concert in Hamburg was held on 25th November, 1798 at the residence of Johann Georg Büsch, one of the leading figures of the German Aufklärung era.
Crusell’s trip to Berlin in 1798 took place at a time when the clarinet was undergoing a period of significant development. Composers had recently started to use the instrument regularly in operas and orchestral works and were composing important solos for it. Crusell’s teacher, Franz Tausch, was one the leading virtuosi of the instrument, and in Crusell’s later life, Tausch’s influence on his own career became apparent. Like Tausch, he also composed important repertory for the instrument, worked as a teacher and as was the case with Tausch’s family, Crusell’s children also started playing instruments and learning to sing. Furthermore, in the same way as in Tausch’s orchestra, the wind instrumentalists in the court orchestra of Sweden became prominent soloists, and they gave concerts together as an ensemble.
Finally, the new sources provide an explanation for a detail that has so far not been fully understood in Crusell’s autobiography: why he "had to" travel back to Sweden from Berlin. The newly found letters to Anna Klemming clearly show that the 22-year-old musician was in love and feeling somewhat homesick. The letters are full of sensuality towards Anna and reveal that he met Anna’s relatives living in Spandau. Perhaps Crusell obtained permission to marry Anna from them: the wedding was held the following year and over the years they had six children together. This blossoming relationship must surely be taken into account when drawing conclusions on Crusell’s activities during the year 1798.
