New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-28
NEW YORK DAILY TRIBUNE MONDAY, AUGUST q, 1915

division of the triogy has been heard in New-York'
so that the whole seems more or less familiar
| to us, and motives are constantly recurring
which we have learned to understand and love. Inc
| orchestral introduction was played by Iheodore
| Thomas last Summer as a sort OF prelude 10 inc
| Love-song OF course heard in that way IL was
mpossible to grasp its true character, aud indeed it
must be said Of all concert arrangements from THIS
| great work that though We are grateful for th'm,
| in defect of anything better, they give but the
shadow of an idea of what the music really is This
Introduction portrays storm in the forest,-por-
traya il moi only with immense power, but with an
| originality which, considering the abundance OF
good storm-music already in existence. is certainly
surprising. We heard the voice of the thunder, the
! angry sweep Of the wind, and the driving OF the
rain against the branches, and as the uDroar began
to die away the curtain The scene was the In
terror of Hunding's abode, a hut built around the
trunk of a huge ash tree which doomed up through
the middle of the apartment. hire burned upon a
great stone hearth at one side There were couches
of skins and trophies of the chase and other tokens
of rude warke life picturesquely disposed
in various parts Of the cabin. Sicgmund (Niemanni
wounded and breathless staggered in at the door,
and sank exhausted by the fire. TO him from an
inner chamber entered Sieghndo (Schefzllyl. She
revived him and gave him drink. Brother and
sister did not at that time know each other, and at
any rate in the days of the vosungs people are sup
| posed not to have been very particular about the
niceties of relationship; nevertheless 1t was some
thing of a shock to find them within few minutes
madIv in love with each other and there is doubt
that enjoyment of tho music that followed was
marred by the impOssibllity of sympathzing with
the characters. Yet what could be more beautiful
than this long love duet IL began with graceful
undulating motive, little fragment of melody III
two parts which returned again aud again IN the
course of the DRAMA II gathered force and passion
and when Siegmund before putting the drinking
horn TO his lips caused Siegnde TO touch it
with hers the two part motive changed TO q
delicious slow melody in the orchestra, which
reminded me, not in It's idea, but only in
its general form, of some of the tender
est portions of "Iohengrn.D The sweet inter
course of the lovers WAS interrupted by strongly
marked phrase in the orchestra which indicated las
Wagner tells usl that Iiundlng had come home and
was putting hi. horse in the stable Sure enough,
Hunding (Nerdg) straightway appeared, looking
very ugly and suspicious. He asked of the stranger
the story of his adventures, and Sicgmund told il in
a comparatively simple and rythlnica song written
in style which Wagner uses sparIngy, but always
with great effect. There il a sample of IL in the
music of Mime in THE Rhengold," and we shall
sec two fine specimens tomorrow in "Siegfrled"
With the aud Of this style Wagner always succeeds
in giving dramatic life TO mere narra;iye-a task
in which the ordinary musician IL almost sure 20 fail
When siegmund spoke Of his father in the course
of this story we heard in the orchestra
the majestic music with full, soft harmonics,
which accompanied the appearance of Wotan and
the towers Of Wahalla in the second scene of The
Rheingoldp and so We knew the secret of Sieg-
munds parentagc. Hundng, however, recognized
him only "a enemy of his elan, and he vowed re-
venge. Scgnund should have shelter for the night,
but in the morning they must fight Az Sicgmund,
left alone by the dim light Of the fire, lamented his
desperate condition without shield or sword, and in
the house of his foe, Siegiinde returned, having
given her husband sleeping potion. She told her
guest Of a stranger who had once come 10 their hat,
and driven into the trunk Of the ash tree NJ TO the
hilt sword which man was able TO pull out
again. and rs che spoke we heard again tho Wotan
music Just referred TO- well as some of the music
ACCOMMODATING the entrance into Walhala in the
last scene of 1.-THE Rheingod," and We knew
| thereby who the stranger The love music
now REQUIRED with redoublcd beauty, and
rose TO uncomfortable rapture. Suddenly
wide doors at the back Of the hut flew
omen. How shall describe the surprising
scenei Into the dark chamber poured the full
glory of a ravishng Spring night. The woods be-
yond were flooded with the golden rays OF the moon
And then began very softly, Sicgmunds famous
! "Winterstirne wichen dem WOnnemond
la mdcm Lichte leuchiet der LeiZ,'
! which we thought we knew at home, but found this
! afternoon perfectly fresh thing. Without the set
ting the gem loses nearly all its brilliancy. Without
the music aud action that have led up To 1t, without
the presence Of the woman TO whom II IL addressed
the superb poetic picture set about IT, aud the asso-
ciations which enable us TO identify the varying
motives in the orchestra with scenes that have gone
| before the song il the mere pale and blo0dleSs
spccter Of itself Besides, it IL duet not solo'
The monologuc of Siegmund was answered in equally
tender accents by his companion, and III Attenuation
| they carried on the amorous music To n climax not
ottainable in our imperfect arrangement for single
voice Segmund recognized the sword "a the weapon
which his father had promised him should be at
hand in his surest need He named 1t Nothing, the
| iuyinciDlc With a wrench he drew II from the
tree lie clasped siegnde in his arms, and to the
most passionate and stirring OF music the curtain
fell upon an act the whole of which was like pro-
| longed delicate romance.
AFTER THE INTERMIsSI0N.
There was an intermission here OF fun hour.
The lights turned up large part OF the audi
ence left their seats and crowded the restaurants
which stand on each side of the thcater OF else wan
dered about the terraced plateau and drank III the
much-needed refrcshinent OF pure air. A call blown
on the trumpet brought them back to their places
A second blast a few minutes later was the signal to
resume tho performance. The people quickly set
tied in their places and the play went on The set
ting of the first stage picture was one of the most
| elegant of the whole evening. The scene repre-
sented rocky place, across which stretched great
natural arch through it led the descent to long
valley seen in distant perspective. Wotan
stood in the foreground, with his spear and