New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-20
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
WAGNER,S TANNHAUSER.


rive or six times in the course of the past
twenty years the casual manager has led to foot
lights MANNED evscerated and moro less tattered
and tiresome parsonage addicted to shabby company
and bad habits and has introduced him TO the American
public Tannhauser the mnstreknight. Most OF US
have never liked him well enough to cultivate the
acquaintance lie seemed to be generally minstrel with
out voice, who shouted the praises Of beery Venus,
quarrelcd with knock-kneed knights, affronted
q fat princess, and after reducing himself to
asthmatic condition died, all too late in an agony
Of hoarscness. The last time this old fraud presented
himself at the Academy Of Music under the auspices
of Herr Muder in 1872 when Franz Abb led the orches
ira The real Taunhuscr OF Herr Wagner Is, we need
hardly say very different character from the counter
felt Lohengrln does not surpass HIM in power Of fasc
nation while the story which he unfolds Is one
OF the romantic most interesting. and
most beautiful IN the modern lyric drama In
respects the opera represents only a partial
development Of the composers theories: the employ
ment of the leading motive" for instance, is not here
carried TO the point 1t afterward reached the melody
often falls into conventional FORMS and the words OF the
text repeated and again, after the Italian
manner whenever Wagner finds II convenient TO repeat
them in order to round oil musical conception. But
in many other respects " Tannhauser" represents
the latest expression Of Magnetism. 1t not only
depends q great degree upon spectacular effects but
II is founded upon spectacular effects, and becomes
stupid without them. The first part for instance show
ing the abode Of pleasure the Nenusberg Is almost I'M
ineligible without the aid Of the painter the deco
raor the machnist and The balletmaser The strange
music this blends perfectly with the rosy
lights, the shifting clouds the charming landscape the
distant view of sporting nymphs and sirens and cooling
lovers which the ruhrcs OF the play demand none or
which however, got last night, nay, it springs so
naturally out OF the situation that the voices and
orchestra can hardly be separated from the ac-
ton and picture without destroying the crca-
ton. Then the effect of the next scene de-
ponds in great measure upon the suddenness
with which this spectacle of the allurements OF unhoy
passion vGnishes In mist, and leaves open peaceful
pastoral landscape with the tinkng of bells, the rustic
pipe pilgrims chant and finally in the distance the
manly music OF the chase. one picturesque and glowing
scene should follow another all the evening, heightened
by contrast, and crowded with the greatest variety OF
FORMS and always there is the closest possible con-
necon between what TO hear and what we are 10
see. Such, say is the "Tannhauser" OF Richard
Wagner, and it is something have yet to sec in
NewYork. The performance offered as substitute FOR
1t last night by Mr. Fryer in respects better
than the previous counterfeit and in other respects uc
worse His TdanhduSer Mr.. BischOff was novice with
fine and abundant voice, which on this occasion was
husky and under the owners control, misfortune
not surprising when know that the whole morning
was spent by the company in severe rehearsal Nine
Pappenheim however was admirable Ei=abet sing
ing as with TASTE intelligence and and
displaying dramatic instincts and sympathetic nature.
Mr. Neuendorf's fine orchestra, although not always
equal 10 its task, did splendid work,-and we
know what important part OF the Wagner
operas the orchestra ia. Here commentator
stop short All the rest very bad The La,d-
grare (Nr. Weinch replacing Mr. Blum, Wolfram
(Preusser) the unstreiS the Shepherd (Mss Cooney)
Venus (who ought TO have been ashamed OF HERSELF,
were one and all peratng singing almost invariably
and actively cooperating with the chorus IN
the ruin most of the concerted music which remained
fin-t Tho mora EDr
result the mornings rehearsas were doubtless
in part responsible, and yet the opera had
evidently not been rehcarsed enough The whole of the
first scene the Veuusberg which is chiefly pictorial
and pantOmimc, Omtted-that is TO say. the cur
tain was raised hut the orchestra played the nsru
mental part which Of under such circumstances
had no sense. Thus tine beginning OF the work was
quite spoiled. Upon the whole we cannot accept TINS
"Tannhauser" embodiment OF the composers IN
tenons nor does il seem be worth such trouble as 1t
may have cost the manager. 1t will not be sung on
Wednesday, but "Lohengrin" will be given instead.