New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-15
4 RETIEW OF "PARSIFAL."
BY LOUIS EHLERT.

same key in which the work also ends The faith theme
% ali the mOies. This me mink quite natural
What particular expression should man ot
teeilngi Its first introduction especially in unison
produces but very poor Impression Inc double MOI
and over again by Wagner, and later also by lSLti ana
II gives the idea of nytng rather than power an
that the "lovefcast motive Is so much more sigmncmt
to himself something tangible, while faih Is something
abstract and quite intangible; wagner must ad"nss
have ground to stand on; he cannot compose Ihe
Beetboven ont of his solitude. with. 1 might say,
naked soul. He needs costumes ne can ohy Iusuac,
only OPERAS Whenever he attempts TO write purely
instrumental music IL bscomeS as IN the case OF .e
segfried Idyl mere "reminsccnce from the opera or
like the Faust overture dramatic cartoon II inc
motives in "Pars are examined Oh the stIehgh inert
~ Of their prolc will he found where that this
strength rises and falls with the situation Mozart ana
other composers have written music TO the most insd
words With Wagner the may be summed up thus:
Where writes bad she also writes bad music ana
where he has to go through tedious situation in the
scene between King Mare and Tristan. he also writes
tedious music. In proportion as he Is able TO master the
Yon viii look in Pnrsal for anything undig
nfed WAGNER enters gqite seriously INTO the sacred
spirit Of his subject and PaSiia bears witness IN el0
Guent manner how serious he can be. Bells and boys
They are quite adssiDle ana are mace 10 serve NJ pu
pose with cOnsummate skill and in great m0deraon IN
bells they are tuned in c. c. 4 and L, c being The
highest the scale They form motive by themselves
0sfinato This son0rous ground bass sounds like the
voice Of the earth itself 1t The quadrpe root TO the
introduced rOmbOncs and trunpets inoned on tho
stage tho "loye-east motive" of the solemn motives
Grail heg The chorus in broadly spoken unison Youths
occupying position little above them aud boys IA
the dome take part in It alternately. The course OF the
celebration up the time of the distribution OF the
bread and WINE be described by the pen. the
voice of Turel sounding if coming from the grave
demands the unve1ng OF the Grail, Whch al Ast DC
gins glow. At first the act closed with sneelng
remark by GurDem9nz about FarsltaL Wagner Judged
correctly that this dissonance had 10 be followed ny
consOnance, and therefore he makes the chorus sing
few conciliatory measures. Noticeable in the ground
plan OF the choir is the Goethean ldea OF the sphere
order OF the voices rhls DO not intend as Ieproach
OF whom should one learn If not from GOcthei
shall try now, in talking of the second act TO make
clear why. cannot consider this profound wors-iho
of Wagners mind The most perfect development OF
any always and necessarily the greatest effort
altogether different. It's shown only when artist
creates work for which he feels he possesses an a
Won can notice an economy even Of the productive
powers while at the same time not an atom Of their
written. Mozart certainly had great many arrows
IN his qulVe1 YET when nc "I0c Ia opera "iiCn Ne
only TO certain height whenever he attempts task
foreign his nature. When read the second act OF
head Mephisto's words: I'm tired now of this dry
tone" Wagner's real field is not the Grail but the
fight aga, it; not the eayenly aspirations but the
passions of the worldin word not cold and abstract
virtue but sweet sin How much more attractive ana
life like is Ortrud than Elsa-Tannhiuser wanton than
Iannaiqser repentant How tresome Is the noble ,
score OF iarsa knndy ana ana Rh5g.or are WasneTs
artfcaly heated air, and air warmed by nature
Very characteristic is the contrast between the clash
and noise of and the ensemble OF the Hover girls
iii the second act At first sight it appears composed
OF twelve voices The girls ranged in two groups OF |
three sopranos each and two female chorses for three
parts. examined closely it becomes apparent that the
inventive faculty is shown mainly in the orchestral
The single parts brought ont at times. such
at least as you are able catch among the musical
phrases that can and cannot be sung; frequently, |
however, the parts reduced to combination OF har
monous notes merely l do not understand how Albert
Heintz OF this ensemble; lie that does not
close his eyes purposey to what wagner mas learned IN
tins felt tle speaks OF dehcacy III grouping .soloH ana
chorus voices and their dramatic effect from preceding
masters, including Sebastian Bach. and which he now
produces a. ny magic Win renewed Ngor IoI the per
petuatiOn of his school, must stand in astOnshment
forms" Now do not close my eyes purposely gener-
ally speaking do not close them at oil; but just here
fail notice the fahOnng OF musical forms and loo
yainy in Wagner for proofs OF the study OF Bach Was
sho n in the "Mejsersnger" but find trace in that
work Of Bachs The fa,honng of musical forms
is not strong side. He fashions less than he weayes
His score is more of tapestry than picture.
After the charming ana nowhere tiresome ensemble
hearing naTue spoken "rhus oft in dreams my mother
called me-" Many Will be reminded OF me duet III inc
when hearing Kundry's "Ie childish lovers flee from
him such "reminiscences not objectionable, as
Wagner never haryests ON strange ground kundry tells
Parsial OF his origin his father (amulct or MS Dth
broken Wagner here introduces one Of the most
striking motives he has ever invented Heintz calls IT
the motive of mOther-SOrr0w.' scarcely nlnk tD1t
by merely looking at the notes an adequate idea could
be Of 6s & al G9qT OF that Of
the mothers last greeting into the first kiss guilty
his danger Now follow scenes Of a mystical haul gym !
which the pen only OF Wagnerite, transported by
ecstasy into unknown heights. Is capable OF Wctng
Parsfal who, recognizing his danger has fallen upon his
knees is almost literally seduced by kundy, who
brings TO her task all the power OF passion one STANDS
IN need Of another besides those OF sight and hear
ing i'll order to take i'll and absorb all this pln9oicai m
ccse. All this however i composed with genius which
the field of alteratye sesuOusness and exaggerato
Is without rival The dullest understanding NUT feel
how here lies Wagner's world. To sprinkle holy water
still quiveT1ng lust TO press NE mothe kiss upon o
lips of the loyer-who besides him. would be able to do
or very striking character is the wdness in the mod
uation of the music do not object here 10 the sudden
sequence of fiat major and minor triads as wagner
uses them the words "Glo0my the eye Is fixed upon
the vial In the first place it is consistent with what he
wishes express, and in the second place the n0dua
zion is not as strange as il appears rst sight Imagine
+ sharp major instead OF g fiat major The step from
sharp major TO major Is not very uncommon one
aud major third is very changed INTO the minor
The ascending transitions too that occrm the pass age
"In distress think see him near possess for me
certain exotic charm Tom it seems, however that
modulatons such as appear on page ~ Oh JoseBn iu
worthy hero exceed the measure OF ne Deaiahe nuGh
one is inclined TO favor chaacierStlc expression IN
this resessness is to he found the chief reason for tho
WEAKNESS which Wagner's music 80 often produces
Here, think, wanting timely stepping PACK iom
and aXimum power for receiving Impressions IL is
true that musical pioneers reform or ears ana that
they only widen our acoustic horizon Dlt also our
sensibiy. Dissonanccs which frightened people Wren
first written by Bach aud Beethoven nave Sos 'nen 20
come common property and here lies still open wide
field for esthe tic annex atOn The Instinct To hppIOpf-
not NECESSARY that il should stimulate and lead 10 vo
and may add, though, that "Parsliai,
compared with Tristan und Isolde, rs regards eccen
trlcy. is distinguished by the most dgnifed reserve
Ii Is Incredible what victory Wagner has gained III his
Old age his nature.
The third and last act is also preceded by intro
ductiOn. Hero How and meet number or musical /
springs OF which the Parsif is composed;
the composer most refined art in nyenting motives
Joined his genius for Complementary cOl0rs in the
chestra If may compare what is called tone 10 the
bottom Of a stream Just Visible underneath The crystal
clear and flowing waters II might be said that here
look through the veil OF the music upon the geological
foundation of this pOetical work. We GuInemanz,
venerable old man. in the midst Of charming landscape.
IL Is sprngtime the morning OF Good Friday. He has
wall OF anguish and discovers kundry half dead
among the thOrns. lie calls her back 10 life. Far OF