New-York tribune., 1871-04-07
Al USIC.
WAGNHR'S LOUFNGRIN.

TASTE has least The formation aud develop
ment OF distinct school OF art, ami aroused deep IN
terost In his works all the cultivated word. His
"Tannhaiser" is longer n novelty in E,w-York.
His Rlenz" and /" Der negenGo Hoi Under are wei
known in many opcra-houscs. But LoAen rin" written
Immediately after the "Tannhaiiscr," and bearing in
spirit and workmanship close relation TO that cOmpoh
ton has never been played, believe, outside OF
many and Switzerland until it was brought out at our
stadt Theater Monday night. We must congratulate
Messrs Hamann aud Rosenberg, AMI the hard-workng
company under their direction upon the crelable
prise they have exhibited IN the production OF opera
which, TO say the least OF IT, ought heard
long ago. merely as curiosity.
The story OF Lohcngrn borrowed from the legend
OF the Holy Grail,
"-the cup itself from which our Lord
Drank at the last sad supper with bis own"
| and which, when the times grew evil. was caught
away to heaven and disappeared" The quest Of the
holy vessel guarded far in spiritual city by com
pany Of spotles knights the favore adventure OF
medieval "hvalry. It's wonderful power to cleanse the
world from sin, its blessed gifts OF purify AMI superhu-
man strength to the just and faithful knight OF God upon
whose favored eyes the glorious vision had shone ana
before whose path with folded feet In soles of white
the angels bore the Holy Grail the darling theme OF
medieval poetry. Lohengrin in Wagners adaptation of
the legend Is the Of King Arthurs famous comade,
Sir Perclvae the Pure lie has succeeded In the quest
OF the Holy Grail He IL one OF the chosen
champions
city OF Montsalvat, to keep watch aud ward over the
sacred treasure The knights Of the Holy Grail arc not
wholly removed from EARTH though their high oce en-
dues them with supernatural power. Lohengrin r-vts
the world at the call of distressed Innocence The bless
ing which no bears is marred OF its effect by the maehina-
tons Of the wicked and tho weakness OF the woman
whom he has taken to wife, and from the bridal chamber
he is forced to return whence he came, leaV-
Ing the promise OF happy life destroyed
uhol of IA
Vorspie or Introduction well known to or concert
rooms, II begins with series Of undulating strains
PLAYED pnnissimo by the v0lns alone-hrst single ho'
at painfully high pitch, then one by one tho Other sthgs'
anon faint breathings from the hutei ana US tne sue
rious champion approaches borne in nis encHap'0 ~
down the far-stretchng tide, tho music taxes usto'
colorng and louder there is ful sott' era'eiu
chord from the reeds and the orchestra gathers its
mighty forces for great sweep Of rushing harmohes'
in which we are to recognize the clash OF hostile arms
and the uproar OF worldly passions. Then tine overture
dies away as it began. The Knight is borne back
across the sea, ana as the vision disappears the
music ceases with faint, high, long lrawn note on
single string 1t been well called perfect piece OF
musical perspective. We can almost believe that Tenny-
son must have md this yorSpid in mind when he de
seribed the appearance OF the Holy Grail to the pale
nun, Sir Perciyales sister:
And o nv brother Perciyale' she said,
sweet brother, have seen the Holy Grail:
For. walked at dead OF night he ird a sound
Blown, and thought II is not Artlur's use
To hunt by moonlight and lie slender sound
Coming upon mo-O never harp nor horn,
Nor aught We blow with breath, or touch with hand
streamed thro' my cell a cold aud silver beam.
Ana down the long beam stole the Holy Grail.
And then the music faded, and the Grail
Passed"
The action Of 1.-The opera passes in and near the City Of
Antwerp the beginning Of the tenth century In the
one Diu Scpup a. EmupTUr.
returning from his victories the Migyars. gives au-
dience to the mobiles and people Of Brahant' aud al
dresses upon the subject OF the disorders and "uds
which distract their province. Count Erie irich Won
Telramund thereupon steps forward to accuse
his ward, Elsa OF Brabaut. OF the murder Of her
brother, the young Duke GOttfried, and demands
that she shall be stripped OF her titles and power aud
compelled transfer the government of the province to
him. Elsa IL summoned To Judgment She attempts no
defense; dreams she hastseen the vision OF
glorious young knight; he shall be her champion; she
prays that he may be summoned TO the lists. In the
whole OF the first there il nothing that appeals to
the popular taste there is fOrcDle dialogue aud strong
dramatic cOorng enriched with the superb orchesratOn
which Wagner ayshes upon all his work. but there not
measure in canae STYLE and hardly suggestion OF
rhythm The first formal melody is the aria based upon
the theme Of the overture, in which Elsa describes her
vision of the champon-an exquisite number, embroid-
cred with great wealth OF instrumental accOmpanim
and followed by a short invocation Of the divine assist
ance by the Emperor and his mobiles. fine dramatic
scene follows wherein the angry accusations of the
Count the excamation OF the BrabancOns the voice OF
the Herald again aud again repeating the sum
mons TO the Unknown mingle and alternate with
the tender and moving strains In wllch Elsa
pours ont her prayers aud expresses her confidence
The arrival OF Lohengrin now takes us back to the
strange music OF the Introduction. Again the slender
sound from distance beyond distance grows ana
along the lazy of Schedt the knight seen APP
I'm in @ hon drnyy by a
business here is well managed, the stage hand
somely set, and the entire scene effective. Lo-
henglin has exquisite little solo, delivered mostly
without accompaniment, and then comes long
delicious passage, based upon the Swan song
varied In many charming modes, and borne In turn
by the chief personages and the chorus Lohcngiln
accepts the challenge. II he conquer Elsa is to become
his wife and share with hun the OF Brablnt; but
ne exacs promise that she will never inquire his name
or rank, and never seek to know whence he
came. A nobly phrased invocation by the En-
peror serves as the prelude to the grand quinette
aud chorus, which seems to us one OF the most
magnificent and really nspirns numbers that Wagner
ever wroecertanly the grandet thing in this opera
IL is conceived in the most elevated spirit and eabo-
rated with all the masters wonderful command OF broad
effects and gorgeous instrumental colorng, and on MOn-
day night sung with spirit and vgor that did IL
full Justice. In n short combat Friedrich Is dsarned and
there another grand concerted piece, ontburst OF
Jubilee amt praise fearfully difficult and hardly less
effective than the chorus and quintete preceding It,
! Upon this splendid scene the curtain falls
The second act introduces the evil agent OF the drama
Ortrud, the wife OF Friedrich, who devised tho plot
against Elsa and who now, crouching at night beneath
| the window OF the princess. torments herself and
her husband with rage aud bitterness at the failure OF
their wles. In an angry duet with Friedrich she re
Dukes the cowardce OF her weaker partner, and nsu
gates him to schemes OF wickedness. Go before
the Emperor" she exclaims "and accuse your adver-
sary OF using magic arts will persuade sa to de
| mand his name. She alone has power TO make him