The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-19
Wagner, the Art RevoIutionist.

Among the curious and extraordinary
events that the future historian OF the
worlds progress will chronicle OF this gen.
GRAFTON of ours so full of startling occur
rences, the musical performances now 60
ing on at Bayreuth, in Bavaria, will GER
tainly not be among the least interesting,
singular, OF important.
The arts, OF course, are held In differing
esteem by different men, and to many II 10
a matter OF supreme indifference what
progress Is made In that OF music.
A distinguished General once said that
IL he could have his way, he would
never intrust the command of a company,
much less that OF a regiment, 10 any man
who could play the piano He was a
fighting man, who disliked music aud
despised musicians. The world is full
OF people OF like sentiment even II
they are not so free In its expression.
The fellow in the pit of the Dublin
theatre who watched with excited IN
terest the struggle OF two enraged men
In the 20 llery, and when ut last one OF the
combntants got the better of the other,
and held him suspended over the edge
ready to be precipltated into the par
quet cried out, Don't waste him; kill
a fiddler with him." expressed n feeling Of
contempt for musicians which, we dare
say, finds an echo in many minds.
To such II Is doubtless matter OF won
derment that the interest aud attention of
the whole civilized world should be stirred
rs 1t is by performance of operas in n re-
mote little town of Bavaria. But,
fortunately, even II the mass Of
people are indifferent TO the progress of
this art, there are Others, doubtless, 10
whom it seems more important TO the well
fare and happiness OF the world than the
struggles of ambition, the intrigues OF
courts, and the plots and counterpots
that make up the staple OF history
rs IL is commonly understood. To
such, RICHARD WAGNER the musician, is a
person of infinitely more Importance than
LUDWIG, the King; and in their esteem II
will one day be as vital TO the art OF
music that WAGNER should have existed
as It was TO that of painting that RA'
PHAEL worked, or TO dramatic literature
that SHAKESPEARE lived. Right OIL
wrong WAGNER makes the broades
and deepest mark upon this nineteenth
century of all the composers in what
ever concerns dramatic music. Com.
pared, indeed, with his influence. thai
of any one operate composer from the
| days OF MoNTEvERDE, the first OF the race,
TO those of our own time, has been us moth
ing; for his predecessors were men who
| followed in the footsteps of one another,
each pushing the art on u little, yet Away:
in the direction it had already received.
WAGNER, however, is a revolutionist. II,
| has scattered the old theories TO the winds,
and initiated a system so new that, saving
the fact that the notes Of the datonio scale
are the same to ALL he seems to have
| but little else in common with them.
Away have gone reoitatives, arias, cav
atinas, nicely adjusted trios, quarteti
and concerted pieces, and all the other or
binary machinery Of operate representa-
| ton. In their place is n new and strang,
musical language. II this is accepted by
the world, then farewell to Italian opera
for Its day is done, Indeed, Italy seems NJ
longer TO produce the composers for thu
world. That prerogative is transferred t.
the Germans. Aud now the composers oil
that nation are sitting in high council a
Bayreuth awaiting with singular emotions
doubtless, the upshot OF this prodigious ex
pertinent in the domain OF music. Is,
the result all future composers will b.
guided; and whether the undertaking Ell
tirely succeeds or not, its influence upol
music hereafter composed will be- con
] slant, peryading, and irresistible. Fo