, 1876-12-03

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4 LETTER OF RICHARD WAGNER.
Et.n N fbs Rs7sRse}c I5ttst.yt Huj<ye I1ny 70

4 LETTER OF RICHARD WAGNER.
fspna the Brussels Uws3ca1 Gaide oct. 49,
Paul Lindau, in the Gegeaanort "a literary re-
view which appears in Bcrlin), publishes 1ctte,
Of Richard Wagner, addressed to Edward Hans
lick, the eminent critic Of the Nene Frcie Pres,
Of 'ienna. This letter is dated 1915. Wagpe,
was then conductor Of the orchestra OF the
Dresden Opera. Mr.. Hanslick was at the same
time only simple law student, but already oc.
cupied himself with musical criticism. Having
heard tue "Tannhause1," in Dresden, he pub
lished on this subject au article which was much
noticed, and in which, though fully recognizing
the great value Of the work, he criticised the
abuse of tile chord Of TIE seaeAth inli,.ution, and
felt impellel to say that the music PLAYED in
general in the new lyrical drama a more or less
secondary role. Wagner responded by letter.
It is very interesting document to add to the
pages in which We trace the struggles which he
had to sustain in himself before finding his way,
and we behold the doubts which besicped
that mighty intelligence amid its profound and
:1'oI noble a, aspirations toward a high artistic
ideal. Mr: Lindau recalls, apropos Of the let
ter, that Mr. Hanslick was present at the repre-
sentation Of - Tannhauser in company with
Robert Schumann~ The latter, on leaving the
theatre, is renorted to have said: The work is
tull Of beautiful things, but is uneven. All! if
Wagner had only as much melodious invention
as dramatic fire!: These details do not seen,
to us authentic. At that time Schumann was
not very dcnonstratiTe. Afterwards he did not
see . TannhauseE again until 1877, and his
opinion Of Wagner he then expressed i'll terms
quite otherwise characterized Than that asgribel
to him by Mr.. l-indau. In the notes left by
Scluulann on the principal works i'll the reper-
toire Of the Dresden opera during his sojourn
there in lS4s we read 10 this effect:
!, ..Tannhaaser,' ~ Of Richard Wagner lAug. :,
in so few words fncontestibly there is in it the
whisper Of genius II Wagner were musician as
n,elodous as sprfsel, he would be the man Of the
hour, There might be much more said Of tl1is o.
ers the work is Of great merit will come to that
perhaps some day.
The exclamation reported By Mr.. linlau has
very much the sound of being but all echo, in
complete and distgured. of this little note, so
mann unfortunately wrote nothing afterwards
Of the Tannhauser. This much being said. here
is the translation OF the letter:
Accept, my dear Hr. Hansck, ell nv thanks TO,
your criticism; it reached me this morning, the
ut yeut go full and developed appreciation OF NV
'.Iannhauser, " because cannot be deludinc nv.
sell as to the impression which my work has lett
rcalinE your article: To tell you truly. I resd II
with anxiety. When read criticism. whether Of
culosy q hfame, on one Of ms works. tsccms to me
always that the writer pcnctratca into my breast.
| cannot prevent sort OF original pndicity wh;ch
makes MY eonl like mv body Tie execution of
one Of NJ works before the puoc is for me ltrus-
and keen that at a time when
was not feeling sufficiently strong 10 surmoun1 it
nave more than once sought to prevent the rep
when the day for it was already liked
am, nevertheless, convinced that for the artist
:zltc'sm ~ nluch More profitable than cnlogv The
.ttist whom blame ann'hilates is worthy that death;
,nly he whom criticism teaches to correct 1se}f
really the right force in him. it is not tho lrss
lultc natural that criticism or eulogy should vivid