Bericht über Webers Beisetzung in London am 21. Juni 1826

Funeral of Carl Maria Von Weber. ‒ The remains of this distinguished musician were on Wednesday last removed from the house of Sir G. Smart, Portland street, and deposited with every circumstance of solemnity and respect, in a vault beneath the Catholic Chapel in Moorfields. Early on that day, a large party of gentlemen, principally musical professors, assembled at the Portland Coffee-house as mourners, and about 9 o’clock set out in slow and solemn procession to follow the hearse, the mourning coaches being 14 or 15 in number, and 5 or 6 private carriages bringing up the rear. On reaching the chapel at 11 o’clock, the body was lodged on a bier in the middle nisle near the altar. That stupendous piece of work, the Requiem of Mozart, was then performed in full orchestra; and, notwithstanding some little faux pas amongst the vocal corps, had an effect, aided especially by the powerful contingencies of the awfully melancholy occasion, the place, the imposing ceremony of the high mass ‒ (the Sacerdos Magnus, too, possessing an uncommonly fine voice!) ‒ &c. to thrill every nerve, and to enwrap the soul in the sublimest axtasies of devotional feeling! High mass being ended, the subsequent ceremony of removing the body to the vault took place; the mourners following the High Priest and his retinue, to the sad but exquisite strains of the Dead March in Saul. The Priest, arrived in the vault, proceeded to read the burial service, partly in Latin and partly in English ‒ (this we took to be a courteous concession to the habits and feelings of the party assembled, as we do not believe the Catholic ritual admits the introduction of English into the other Burial or any other partion of its Church Service). ‒ An affecting scene occured on quitting the vault: Mr Furstenau, the extraordinary flute player, who accompanied Weber to this country, and who we understand to leave here his devoted friend and constant companion, completely overcome by his feelings, threw himself on the coffin in an agony of grief, and was with difficulty withdrawn from the sad abodes of death! ‒ We have learned a circumstance of late occurance connected with this gentlemen’s attachment to Weber, which we trust is ¦ not true throughout. He had advertised a benefit concert to take place at the Argyll Rooms; but the dangerous illness of his friend interposing, he gave up his concert, together with every other consideration, to devote himself entirely to him: having however engaged the rooms, he was required to pay for them! We hope to hear the latter part of this statement contradicted*. ‒ From a Correspondent.