, 1876-08-15
THE WAGNER FESTIVAL,

IQ6 Qulut HLtlc mountAlu tOWu OF Bnl-
routh hitherto unknown to fame, has sud
denly become the focus of the oyes Of tho
whole musical world, md for two or three
weeks to como will occupy a prominent
place In the news intelligence and criticisms
of tho day. R1oHARn WAGNER, whose whole
life has been baltic with fate and fortune,
is presenting to n jury composed Of the moat
prominent representatives of art, literature,
aud music in all Europe tho crowning work
of bis life. ne Is now an old man, and it ia
not within tho possibilities of things that be
can extend tho field Of his composition. The
SUCCESS or failure Of tile Nibelungen 4'rilogy,
therefore, must zeal the work Of his life.
From the day that he first act foot in paris,
with. his whole wealth comprised in tho
scoro Of "Rienzi," without money In bis
pocket or friends to asaist him, down to the
present time, his life Inns boon continual
warfarc. No MN ever had bitiorcr or
moro implncnble enemies. He sot out
in lis musical career with certain ideas
which have been gradually developed
through "Rienzi," "Dor Fliegende Hol-
LANDER" j" Lohcngrin," '" Tannhause1," "The
h1eistersaengcr," "Tristan uud Isolde" md
aro now brought out in their completeness in
tie Trilogy. Whit those ideas are We mood
not now rehearso. The peculiar conception
of tho predominanco Of the dramatic over
tho lyric, aud tho manner In which ho gives
emotional expression to music, must be fa1nil-
iar to all readers who know anything Of mu-
sicRl progress. The interest Of tho Dairouth
festival now centres in it's suocoss OF failure,
because 1t involves the personal worl, Of
WAGNER. If 1t succeeds, If lie 1nakca m i'm
preston upon this jury Of the truth aud 1T
ncss Of his idoaa, his music will no. longer bo
what he himself has termed 1t, 1.-THE music
Of tho future" It will DO the music Of the
present, and his reward will come in seoing
ita acceptance. II 1t falls, his life-work will
be lost, and he will 60 to bis grave disap-
pointed man.
II energy, industry, perseverance,, and
cournge merit SUCCESS, then certainly 1s1ou-
ARD WAGNER deserves It, aud those who nd
,nire these qualities will rejoice II he earns it.
For yoars he fought the world a!ngle-handed
and maao gallant battle agninst
poverty, disappointmonts, snoers, intriguas,
and ingratitudo. As tho years went Oh,
howeyor, few friends rallied about him,
and, rs thoy came To know the man and to
study and appreciate his idoas, they soon
became prosalytos. L1szr III Germany, HuEr-
FER in England, and 1'uEopoaE THOMAS III
this country, have done great work In
milking tho people acquainted with his tech-
nical ideas aud with the grandeur Of his
music, It has been stubborn conquest,
however. While oil his works have boon
hoard In Germany, 1t WIS only the other
day tint |" Lotengri." aud "Tannhauser i"
were first hoard in England, while In our
own country we only know these two operas
through, very imperfect performances. which
hsyo failed to do Justice to then, aud havo
ouly given hearers their bare outlines. The
ground las booll broken, however, for tho
future harvest, which will be n fruitful Que
should tile performances at Baireuth prove
successful.
Tllc preparations for this SUCCESS haye
t,eon made upon colossal scale, aua noth-
Ing has besu left unlono tLat would give
tho fullest opportunities for hta grand TX
pertinent. lie himself chose that granlest
OF epics, tho Nibelungen Lied, with itu
tlwarfs aul gnozaos, its giants and goblins,
It's gods End demigotts, its Titanic battles.
exalted passions, and heroic loye4, ~ Tie sub-
| icut OF his work. lIe las devoted years Of
timo to tho preparation Of tho librettoa and
| SCORES. He selected for tho loe,4ity OF the
performances q rotired, sleepy country viii
la3e, but beautiful and grand in its surround.
iuga, 80 that ho might be FREQ from the din,
nj ~