Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749-1832 German poet and dramatist

 

Goethe was the dominating figure in German literature in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. He is best know for his poetry and drama but produced novels, autobiography, criticism, and translations as well. He was the leading figure in the literary movement called Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) which emphasized the emotional as opposed to the rational side of human experience and foreshadowed the Romantic movement in the arts. Goethe was a close friend and collaborator with the German poet and dramatist, Schiller.

 

Although Goethe's work is primarily in literature, he was very interested in music and strongly influenced many composers. He wrote some songs and music for the theater, but, more important, he inspired others to write music. His poems were set to music by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Wolf. Goethe and Beethoven admired each others work. Beethoven wrote incidental music, the "Egmont Overture" for Goethe's play "Egmont." However, although Goethe and Beethoven met, they never became good friends. Beethoven's abrupt manner and bohemian life style did not appeal to the fastidious, aristocratic Goethe. Goethe did establish a lasting friendship, though, with Mendelssohn, whose Octet for Wind Instruments was inspired by Goethe's poems.

Goethe's drama "Faust "inspired Berlioz' opera "The Damnation of Faust", Liszt's "Faust Symphony", and Gounod's opera "Faust".

 

In addition to his literary works, Goethe also wrote on science (more than 14 volumes) and on politics. He contributed influential observations on color vision and bitterly (and incorrectly) attacked Newton's color theory. His political works were inspired by the French Revolution.