WeGA, Rezeptionsdokumente, Digitale Edition
author: anonym
source date: 24. Juni 1826
language: en
availability: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

M. Von Weber. – The funeral of this great Composer took place on Wednesday, when his remains were deposited in th vault of the Roman Catholic Chapel in Moorfields. Though not attended with the impressive ceremonies originally proposed, he was not committed to the dust with maimed rites. The religious observances, and some fine music, were performed with solemnity and effect; but still we cannot help regretting, that on this solemn occasion, as an almost every other in this commercial city, the spirit of trade and gain was suffered to interfere with what ought to have been a free national tribute to departed genius. The masses, anthems, and requiem, were disturbed every minute by the movements of persons who had a John-Bull right to make a noise, because they had paid for admission; and the continual jarring of doors – as if a theatre, not a church, were the scene of exhibition thus presented for money – not only interrupted the service, but destroyed every good feeling in the breasts of the auditors. The Committee, we believe, disbursed the burial expenses; and each mourner in a coach contributed thirty shillings towards the cortége. Thus the business of interring the composer of Der Freischütz, Euryanthe, Oberon, &c. &c. was dens. Between priests and public, it was a very shabby concern.