Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-14

VENICE, February 13.-Richard Wagner
the eminent composer, died at 4 o'clock this
afternoon.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Richard Wagner was born in Leipsic May D
1913 He received but little scholastic education,
and from q very early period was suffered to pur.
sue such studies as first attracted him. For
awhile ne was devoted to poetry and the drama,
plays. He also tried his hand at painting and put
himself for some time under the tuition of Q mas
ter St this bs art His thoughts were first xed upon
and when. at the age of ffteen, he
"a with
OF his compositions Of which he'll peaks was q
eonedfe ehdmpetre, written under ~ Inspiration
formed. but in iss$ a symphony written by him
was presented at a concert in Leipsic. In 1856 he
Madgeburg, and at once wrote for it an opera en-.
titled The Fairies, which, however, was not pro-
duced. In 1886 he brought out The Novice
sic were both his own, and which failed.
He consequently resigned his place and accepted
whence he soon removed to Riga, where he held Z,
similar position. Here he commenced q comic
opera, on subject taken from the Arabian Nights.
tions then turned toward Paris, and in order to
prepare himself for a favorable reception there
opera than he aDg he had pre0ieusiy Uie co%
posed, called kien=i. On arriving st the
schlesinger, music publisher and journalist be;
tdended him and s.re tiru irst payment. and
claim to artistic recognition. s He pubiished "a =
number Of songs, but their eccentric forms pre-
for wagner a commission to write an over.
ture for 1.-The Societe des Concerts which
was rehearsed once and then set aside,
producing SO eccentric a work. A lightly written
opera, called La Defense de pAnlour was also re-
no encouragement to Wagner He was resolved
no hfas eT to s1s an%S Sgess Sng
prepare paudeyiie: music for the minor thesters
until 1t was in1mated that his compositions were
altogether too fantastic for the purpose. He was
then left two the operas in his hands, Rienzi and
the Vdtsseuu Fdntoae, and not q sou In hts pocket
In this dilemma he took to writing novels
in which field he reaped his first success But lit
erary triumphs were not what he sought for; so
selling the hbretto of his Vdissedu Fdniome to pay
his way, he removed to Dresden, where Riensi
had been accepted at one of the principal theates
tiop Of writing an opera which should thoroughly
art-a step he had not yentured to take
either in Riensi or the Vdisseau Fantome
Tdnnhdrser was afterward the result of this con-
ception. At Dresden Ricn=i was received with
favor, and the composer was rewarded with the
office Of chapelmaster to the King Of sa1ony. In
1S4S the Vdtsscdu Fdntone was brought out. 1t
failed utterly, and, although soon after repro
dneed at Berlin, Cassel and other musical capi-
JAILED eTsrywSere svso excepting in Dresden. TSs
composer set to work to get Tdnnhotscr ad-
initteu INTO Otner tneatere. fellluS IN tn1s ne
began 70 compose Lohengrin, an opera still more
Identified with his peculiar views Of art. When it
was about TO be produced Wagner participated In
the revolution Of 1s4e, and was subsequently ex.
lied. Returning to Switzerland he composed
Tristan and the Nibeiungen. his principal convert
and advocate at this time was Liszt the pianist.
Through his efforts wagners fame spread. Tam
hduser has since been alternately q failure and .
success in the capitals of Europe. He was par.
doned and permitted to return to Saxony, but
subsequently, on invitation Of the King of Bava-
ria, made his home in Munich and Baireuth,
producing in the latter place under circumstances
of great ecldt. his famous triology. This assured
his fame and raised him to the hight where carp
ing critics could not reach him. Wag-
ners merits are described by a critic as q
perfect mastery of the science of music and q
thorough acquaintance with its technical laws,
which, however, he frequently chose to disre-
gard. His command OF the orchestra was ab-
solute. and no. finer instrumental writing
than his is extant. His fault, in the
view of the public, is an uncompromis.
ing adherence to his own peculiar theo-
ries. He not only claimed his own
system to be everlastingly true, but he also de-
nounced all other systems as irremediably false.
he avoided regular melody as inconsistent with
the highest expression of artistic feeling. Apart
from his musical compositions, Wagnere literary
works received much attention.