Dresden and Leipzig: Two Bourgeois Centres

Abstract

The musical history of Dresden and Leipzig in the early nineteenth century illustrates, with particular clarity, aesthetic and ideological tendencies in the development of a national and middle-class musical culture. In these two cities, as throughout Germany at the time, the classes of society that set the cultural tone were much concerned with the idea of national music, in particular a national opera to be at least equal, and if possible superior, to Italian and French models. In the field of instrumental music, German composers had produced major works in the very recent past; but though a national continuation of this tradition was seen as desirable, it was not yet assured.