New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-19
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.
The Opera OF Tannhausers

tustdlns tno uhl'cFsc, anu WulSh hA'o 'N"o''
canons of mathematical and asheticalruth No artist
If painter matter what his genius can improve on
Raphael by originating Virgin with two noses and q
Child with one eye in the middle of the forehead NO
musician can improve on Mozart by beginning piece
at the end and finishing in the middle or by Jumping
about from key to key az if all detestabe aike or
bv putting ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS musical warts,
so speakat every instant on the chords' lest they
should be deemed commonplace and stale, because sim
pie natural and beautiful or by substituting broken
backed cnbfooted bodies Of musical phrases for the
apollolike proportions Of classical form in music.
II is all very well for q man TO call himsefa reorner
where reform is needed II is very easy, likewise, to
say Whatever it, Il uroag' in religion, morals, poll
ties or art but IL Is easy matter TO prove this by
creating new system. The person who disparages
everything and attempts 10 prove in effect that all De-
fore him is wrong is simply very indiscreet.
Mr. Richard Wagner the writer OF the words ana
music oftho opera Of 7aHHhdusr played last night al
the Academy by Ir. Anschuz's German opera compa'
ny sets himself up as great musical reiormer both OF
words and music for opera He has issued, besides
volume detailing his theory, his likes and diskes' his
opinions his patronage Of this that and the other nusi
cal person and thingand remembers TO forget to men
tion the name Of the who above all others, has
added 10 the variety a. musical forms In the opera In
the briiancy aud intensity Of melody, and in the
vital dash Of spontaneous cTeaton mean Of course
Rossinl
Under favor We consider IL a beggarly mode for
composer To soek to interest the public by 80 describing
his musical ideas and notions regarding the music and
words for operas II the musical ideas and words have
the true ring Of genius they speak for themselves One
really would expect .fer Mr.. Wagners disseratons ON
words that he had secret 10 mpart practically
but upon examining his metres, find them Of tho
most commonplace description, and the most unsug-
gestye a. regards melodc forms and for the plot
Of the opera Ia question it is simply stupid and dreary
There was some meaning and wonderful charm In on
Weber giving US an episodical act poruaying The
Demon ofitle HaTz Mountains, and his grim, ghasty
and fiery works because the said devil Is not obrusiye
throughout tho opera and does not interfere with the
passion and emotion OF the leading charae'
ter. 50 as to distort them. But We never recoe-
nized the sense or interest in NJ. Meyerbeors
Original Jacobs OF Devil. Bsr're~. nor the
son Ro5rt he DerH nor the foil OF Bgran, Al,ee
because human interest cannot be excited in such IN
natural creatures. SO. too, when Mr.. r. Wagner
parades with indescrbable ss his legend Of Tam
ldns loves Of venu, our only feeling is that he does
not know how 70 choose fitting subject FOR operate
treatment, for. Ysaa, simply dramatic bore as well
/
BE BY any mode Of musical treatment to excite our
emotions or sympahies; and when, added TO this. we
have Mr.. wainers theory and practice which ignore
most Of the established laws OF musical beauty, and
truth along with IT, and set up in their place sheer
uglines. and melodies so.caIled which the most
acuie and reteniye ear finds Il nearly impossible to
spprehcnd or retain. We have production which may
30 the music Of the future but which makes rs
thankful that IL is only tie exceptional music Of the
present.
Mr. Wagner has disciples who affect TO believe that
he is pregnant with celestial frs d" had Johanna
Southcoto disciples during the last century who be-
lcycd that she was in the interesting situation
with divinity itself There IL folly too excessive not
10 have ianaiical supporters Tho chief priest Of Mr.
Wagner was or is Mr.. Lisz-a stupendous pianoiorte
PLAYER and superb arranecr Of dramatic airs OF other
people for that instrument Besides this Mr. Lisiz as
piTcs 20 be composer; and, being Ike Alr. Wagner
destitute Of meodic genius be finds through sympathy
perhaps admiration for the school which seeks TO
substitute chaos for melody. Apropos, We heard lately
symphony for orchestra by Mr. Ls,z entitled Fan"
(sccs iiervn Crisprus and during the performance an
eminent German gentleman wellknown In musical cir
Giles sat behind Us and favored Us with his opinion OF
the work 10 this efcct-Ihs style OF music has great
Is not necessary for the orchestra play
ers to tune their Instruments 1t is impossible to tell
whether they are In tune not.
noted wit In Paris when TaanAdlso was produced
shere stated that at last the secret article in the Treaty
Of Sorino was made known: 1t article insisted
upon by Austria that France should submit 20 the In
Fiction OF hearing TsnEAdgsr IN French at the Paris
Grand Opora-House.
The result OF that performance Is known. Paris is
erbay liberal To composers Of every nation. pro
yidod they lucky enough 10 get hearing and give
evidence Of high genius. Whether in conformity with
that article OF the Treaty not TaHaAds'r certainly
placed upon the stage In Paris by the special order
Of tie French Emperor with csr;e blanche as TO expense
and augmentation Of the musical and show forces 10
whatever extent required by the composer-and II We
may believe the descriptions Of Partisan critics to
whom the greatest c-splcndors are commonplace
tings the mountingof this opera was supremacy mag
niGccnt As Istz was the highpres, 50 the Princess
Mctternoh was the high priestess OF Mr. Wagner aud
In iact the occasion made an international affair
But the result was disastrous to the music Of the fu
ture" Tho great educated. enlightened musical public
Of Paris were satisfied with music past and present
They Kissed the opera down They have way there of
Kissing what disappoin,s them.
We shall not go into an extended analysis Of this
work. on account Of the difficulties Of criticsing
music without musical notation and also because We
feel assured that the Partisan Judgment viii be con-
hrmcd hero by our audience though In different
form The mode Of condcmnng piece here is, for the
people To- stay away from the theatre.
There are however IL Is proper 20 state, few very
effective points in the opera. Prominent is the March
and Chorus and il because il is in the Rossninn
stye--won Ihy,hmed and marked; TO this We except
the second four bars Of the group OF eight bars OF posi-
tive melody where the sopranos begin. The main mel