The New York herald., 1877-03-20
ADJUSTMENTS.
TANNHAusEn AT the AcApEMr OF MUSIC.

Last night the "Wagner Festival' gave US the FIRST
| performance of Tannhahser" This Is the arst time
ms opera has been performed In tho Academy OF
Music At tho s,ad Theatre In this city, It has been
several times given, tho last time Under the conductor
snip oil Mr. Neuendorn. tho present able director at
the Academy But the Siadt Theatre is so exclusively
aGsrman place OF amusement that this may DO con-
sidered lis hrst performance before pub
iic THIS being tho case, few words about the plot
and the music may not bo OF place. The plot is as
! folows:-
Iannhauscr, one OF the ancient minstrel brother.
nood ana tho most skiiu OF ALL having become dis
satisfied with tho life he has been leading the rc.
wards he has received has abjured his faith aud sworn
fcaity to the pagan goddess Venus whose power and
presence We already nnd him when tho opera opens
But he appears to be rather hard individual please
rs by the time he Is presented us he has already be.
come saated with the pleasures provided tor him by
the goddess, and earnestly wishes himself back on
earth Aiicr trying IN to induce him to remain
Venus ansrly bids him so, but to her he lnds
ms hopes oil salvation and success on earth iul-
filled. He promises 10 be faithful To her m MS
ninsresy, although he leaves her. ana i'm IN edlatcIy
nnds himself III valley well known TO him; the
church bells ringing IN tho distance and shepherd
coy perchcd on rock. playing his pipe and singing
song III praise oi May. Then band OF pilgrims Jour
neyng 10 Rome are heard singing their hymns tho
instance; ey pass over the stage and disappear stiil
Singing. The sight OF thom again Tannhaiscrs
thoughts To holy subjects, and hs knecls 20 pray
tauser's brohsr minslrcis appear welcome HIM and
invite hin again To JON them, using the Of
hausrr has beea in ioSe '"s" "Im anal '1u" and
successful inducement AT 'minstrel tournumcnt' is
Organized, ana tho subject given s rhe praso uf
Love" The trial Is IN the presence OF the Lapdgrave
Elisabeth and the whole court. Tnnnhalser sings IN
praise oi earthly aud sensuous love, as embodied
venus, and his unholy son. rouscs against Em the
anger Vt all the court and of his brother minstrcis,
WHO threaten his lilo. Elisabeth pleads for him,
and on condition that he will journey the pi.
gruis then heard singing outsde)t 10 Rome and receive
pardon RON Tue Pope his outburst is forgiven. Dur
lug his abseucc Elizabeth pines away, Just
iurs he returns ragged, disheartehed and ioosore.
Hc meets wolfram, one OF the ininstres, and 10
him relates how, at Romc, the Pope on hearing
TINT ho had been IL the Venus Mountain, INSTEAD
Of iorgivng ana blessing him, had cursed hn told
nin there was NO pardon or such as he Hopeless. no
has returned to devote himself again Venus.
Wolfram tries 10 dlssuaue him from this and Venus
appearing ma cloud above his head invites INN 10
JON her While fannhauser 10 still undecided u pro-
ccsslon enters bcarng the corpse OF Elisabeth Venus
disappears, and rannhaiscr, sinking by the bier
rcpentant Although an earlier opera tnan ''Lohen
grin," Wagners pecuiarltics OF construction aud
orchestraton are apparent IN full force The overture
anu march ana "Plgrim Chorus" undoubtedly
three OF the best known numbers OF all Waguer's op
eras, not even excepting the "Brda Chorus" .'Lo
sn.,s..m noSsr t tne maacn mas ocen as much tran.
Verdi aria, and has been used Tor piano
for military band. tor large orchestra. for small
chcstra-and once We heard 1t desecaled quick
step-until everybody knows It and many people arc
tired OF H. The overture Is not quite Sd flexible IN
nature, but II has been arranged Tor military band,
and Is one ol Warrcns iavorllo show pieces on the
organ AspcopIe-tnat 49, the ordinary public. always
like what thcy know, these three were loudly
applauded There many numoers III this opera
that catch the even oi tho ordinary listener. Tam
hasers song In the rsL act o three verses
| the euch sonntone higher than The ono
preceding, and In quicker tempe hurros the auditor
10 the climax its final rush made even more less
by the recitatives between tho verses which keeps
the nearer IN suspense without weakening the effect
OF the main theme. And after the passionate scene
between Venus and rannhHiser. with It's screaming
violin passages its clash cymbals bare Brass
tho lovely "May Song OF the Shepherd Boy'entlrely
unacconIpanied-comes as great relief, like breath
Of pure In overheated room. On this breaks tho
"Cborus Of Pilgrims" not IL appears In tho over.
common timo In tact this Grst Introduction of
the chorus only oresnadows It as II Is to appear IN its
complete form in the last act, when the pilgrims ro
turn, blessed by the Popo and happy from Rome AZ
ibis Its first Introduction the chorus Interrupted by
queer little pastoral phrascs played by tho shepherd
ON his pipe. Wotram's aria and the succeeding Con.
cered music form elective finale to this first act
an act which Tor dramatic contrasts has rarely been
| equaed. We have Ia II first the sensuous music OF
| Venus and her votares, then TaDnhulsers hcry
\ Solo, then the vigorous duet between Venus aud
Tannhauser, then tho charming pastoral solo OF
the shepherd, then the religious chorus OF tho P,l.
grims, ami hon tho rcsh manly strains OF the Land
grave and the mnstrels with which the act ends In
the act have. ut tho end ot long scene be-
tween Elizabeth and Tannha1sor, concerted duet
such as IN his later works Wagner never writes-w
ut at It's coinmencenent strongly rennds OF tho
duet 30 Numenlose Frcudc In ''Fidelio" but rs II
develops that similarity disappears. wagnerawouid
be very disgusted to hear IT, but thcre doubt that
the ending OF this number Is strongly Meyerbeerish
Oi the march we nave already spoken, aud
mention. Tho succeeding MINSTREL tournament Is n
wonderful specimen OF long, steadily growing and
pages the piano score, and In It's entrcty ono
gradual and s.eady increase effect and nd Com
mencing with an accompaniment Of harp alone, inslru-
ment aftor instrument Is added until, where all riso
against Tannialscr Tor his mpious declarations, the
full orchestra is III use. From here to The end
oi the act is simply nery aud dramatic
ccrtcd music interrupted once by ElIzabcth's short
and pathetic solo, in which she prays ior
mercy aud forgiveness Tannnaiscr (again by tho
Lanugruvc'S of
pilgrims heard In tho distance The orchestral intro
duction the third and act Is tone painting Of
Tannnaiiser's weary pilgrimage TO Rome, his being
cursed by tho Pope and his hopeless return Alter tho
rise OF tho curtain aud short solo by Wolfram
have the pilgrims chorus In It's completed and best
known form. Elizabeth, not tinding Tannhauser
among the returned pIlarims she had hoped prays
solo, which, though never likely to DO pop
uarly accepted, Is beautifully expressive and sure
10 command tho admiration of musiciana Then
have Woiiram's solo to the evening star, r0manzA
which has been played oD pianos and blown solo
trombones times without number. Tnis Is followed by
Tannhadscr's description OF his journey TO Rome tho
number on which Wagnor has evidently bestowed
more care and thought than any other the whole
opera From It's Introductory thcme on tho strings,
descriptive OF weary wandering, to It's wild ending
where TaDnhaiiscr calls on Venus again TO receive
HIM, tho music faithfully follows and PIC
lures every change IN the dramatic narrative.
AT Venus appearance the music OF the scene the
Venus Mountan and phrase after phrase
OF II Is recalled, until Wolfram In despair calls
name Of ''EiisaDcthl" AT this word Tannha1scr
awakes from his temporary dcliriun and Tho whole
character Oft music changes instantly from sensuous
passion 10 religious fcrvor as the procession appears
bearing Eiisabcth's boey. Tannhauscr sinks ny tho
bier and dies. The opera ends with the pilgrims
chorus, massivOy orchestratcd and sung by all the
remaining characters aud tho chorus
~ BischOn appeared Tannhaiiscr, hts first ap-
pcarancc NJ these festival pcror THIS gentlc-
man has voice OF considerable power and good
quality. He Is not satisfactory actor but he sang
music with energy aDd fire. Nine. Pappcnhcilu as
Elisabeth was very good, and showed much less
fatigue ihan could have bccn expected by any one WHO
knew The immense amount OF work that she TN com
mon with the chorus tho orchestra and Mcssrs Blum
and Prsusser) mas had to encounter since tho com.
mcncenent Of these performances Her Irst solo--a
greeting 10 the hall IN whch the tournament Is TO
Occurwas very nnely sung, as her prayer In tho
last act.
Mr. Preusscr Wolfram was as much out OF tuno
as usual Mt Blum, who to have sung tho
Iaindgrave, had succumbcd to his last weeks work,
aud was unablo TO appear. His pace supplied at
twentyfour hours notice by Mr.. Weinlich. The Wal
ter was u Mr. Urban "A gentleman belonging I've be-
hevc) properly 10 tue Germania Theatre He proved
IA luasl La uld.i IN