What is Carl Maria von Weber?
[[Image:Carl Maria von Weber.jpg|220px|right|thumb|Carl Maria von Weber]] '''Carl Maria von Weber''' (born Eutin, [[Holstein]], [[baptism|baptised]] 18 November 1786;<ref>The date of birth is unknown, only the date of baptism is recorded. Children were usually baptised a few days after birth, at that time, both 18 and 19 November have been named for the date of his birth</ref> died 5 June 1826 in [[London]]), was one of the most important [[Germany|German]] [[composer]]s of the early [[Romantic music|Romantic]] period. He wrote many [[opera]]s, of which ''[[Der Freischütz]]'', ''[[Euryanthe]]'' and ''[[Oberon (opera)|Oberon]]'' are especially famous. He wrote [[musical instrument|instrumental]] music, especially for the [[clarinet]], and wrote very well for [[orchestra]]. ==Early life== Weber was the eldest of the three children of Franz Anton von Weber. The word “von” in front of a German [[surname]] normally means that the family had [[nobility|noble]] ancestry, but the Weber family do not appear to be of noble blood. Weber was never a strong, healthy child. He had a damaged [[hip]]-bone and always walked with a [[limp]]. His father worked in the theatre, and the family often moved from one town to another. This was difficult for his [[education]]. His mother was called Rosa, she influenced him to go to military school at the age of 20, but his love for music meant that he would go to Cranbrook in Germany. His daughter Laurel was well known for playing the viola in many Orchestras. Weber’s mother died of [[tuberculosis]] when he was eleven. Later that year Weber went to [[Salzburg]], to study with [[Michael Haydn]] (the brother of the famous [[Joseph Haydn]]), and later to [[Munich]]. He started to publish some [[piano]] music, and even composed an opera. When he was 14 the family moved to [[Freiberg, Saxony|Freiberg]] in [[Saxony]]. He had an opera performed there, and he started to write articles as a [[critic]] in a [[Leipzig]] [[newspaper]]. In 1801 the family went back to Salzburg and Weber had more les