New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-15
rHEoDoRE THOMAS on WIGNER.
An EPOCH IN THE HISTORY or MUSIC CLosEDBY TIE
COMPOSITES DEATH

AN EPOCH IN THE HIS TORY or MUSIC CLOSED BY TIE
CoMPDsE.s DEATH
In An informal conversation yesterday afternoon
about Wagner and his rank among composers,
Theodore Thomas said
WAGNER Is dead and with him ends the longest
fight which the history of music SHOWS. Giuch' :
fights were rhaps a. severe, bat were not ot the
same proportion or duration. GlIck was ahead OF
his tine and he was not strong enough
as a musician to make lis influence lasting. lie
had a passing influence upon Mozart. but httle
beyond that. We mus look uoon gner a the
6 uck Of the nnetceath &c tury Both men had
the same aim although Wagner was the greater
musician. They have often been comp1ed, and
justly So as their creations have 10 be judged from
the same point of view. Music TO both wa' only
means TO an end not the end itself as II WAS with
Mozart Be thoven ana Weber, and this is The rea-
son VIII, buth Guck aud Wagner were not unGer-
stood by conservative musicians
"To musicians who nave taken an active part in
The musical growth of the pa', thirty years
Waener's death is an event of the great st
interest 1t Gloss IN epoch IN tlc history
of music. Thl-y Y ara arc Snohr with
Mendelssohn and ms followers had syay,and the m
duences were 9gli Isl the undt rstaniihg oI brtthp-
ven. rni' understanding afterwards cam and
Mendel>sohn and Sp0hr were assigned iIrir ace
i'm history Now again. Will no one think of rnk-
M these men VITA Be thOycn. there Is consider
able action who's. intense admiration Tor aguer
leads them 10 look upon Beethoven ~
antiquatcd. schubert. the greatest mu-
steal genius who ever lived, hds
also come to be appreciated during tuls pero D..
Whrn speak of I'm ID those terms ! mean that
everything he man touched became music with u
labor. lie Is the Creates. mo q Is not excepting
Rossui Schumauu has also bad hi- influence ard
his followers. Thea there wis III vrya f"us qur--
ton oil Li-zt and Wagner. This Ms pirualy
decided wh. "a In = opp.6 creating, thu, allow
ing TIE present generation TO decide upon ms ~ X
during his Itr. 4 lew Year, moro VIII probably
decide Wagner, place, Wh'ch couli not br 81 ded
80 long Is b.. was alive A. for Bcrliaz, Ms lIiiu-
enc" ha, been y,ry lIml eL Certainly II - mo- 10
De compared with that of any Of tn ~ euuin"ruci
above but 10 has probably been all tina Ia, tai
cuis euutlrd hun tn.
is too soon set 20 decide Wayuer's rank n a
couI1o,or A. nave sail. tc 81 year. may uabi- II
10 be- done. 10 Is e. 8 an now q. hc ~, uern
moderated by uis Oppp"chts, auI D. my III u
oat thtt he has been ov"rritcd uy his support Is II
auVone has dOuDts o. ms real Gr,a uc,s LIT INN
look the 20 rcucrY r of tine upcrt houses 81
the world. AID 20 the voiG hc leave, behind hun.
think b. reached MS height Iu the . h1ug OF the
.lrelmg' which he Wa not able io walni ln ln
Par lfaL We siai probably see good icsu. to IN
the influence oi his theories on tine u,iIg comp acT'
q. Italy a. We'll ~ pcrnd v.
mic never met Wagner ! have hal al times
"A lively CORRESPONDENCE win HIM, ahd have uOW IN
my possession many of his letter. | look BACK IS Il
mae. satisfaction o. the formation Oi the hr-t
Wagner y. T.fu ~ .hi. country ia lN12, wIcn
winch cuabieo TO give mti'r RAJ II! =" the ir't
pc.inrnanos oi the bcluuucu King ~ bi}-
Trutu. Ihi, service ~" gracefully acknowledged In
one OF tie letters alluded to-