New-York tribune., 1883-03-11


classical doctrines on matters of art, which his
| tsxchers inculcated. He conceived liking for
" "Tannhauser." because it struck him as an insur-
recton against the models which had been held up
to his admiration. Three years after Prince Lud-
wig was King and had cvme into the enjoyment of
one of the largest private fortunes in Europe.
What he did for Wagner the whole world knows.
TURBULENT EARLY EXPERIENCES
| Wagner lost his father when he was six months
| old. His mother soon married an actor who had q
permanent engagement at Dresden. The stepfather
| was a many y-sided artist. and good fellow. He
taught young Richard to draw, paint. declam, play
the piano and often brought him to Iehearsas at
| the theatre. The child had o precoclous mind.
| When he was seven his mother was again widow.
Her boy In advancing into his teens aimed at de-
livering her from poverty by writing dramas and
epic poems. For music he showed no genius until
symphony of Beethoven enabled him to discover
his vocation. Sonatas and symphonies flowed from
his pen. But the ears of musical publishers at
Leipsc were deaf to him. All more or less copy
lists in youth. Wagner began by initiating Weber.
At Magdeburg he got theatrical director to ac-
cept "The FAIRIES" 1t was an unlucky piece.
| Everything went wrong at the rehearsals. vio-
| lent thunder storm kept away the pablo on the
evening of the first representation. Soon after the
| rising of the curtain, the husband of the Diva,
thinking she replied with too much sentiment to q
young tenor, knocked him down as he was retiring
behind the scenes, and threw everything on the
stage ipto confusion The wife tainted and was un-
able to get through her part. Wagner kicked the
jealous author of the fdsco and went as orchestral
| leader 10 Konigsburg, where he married singer.
She was not 30 prosaic as she afterward became.
Being young and fresh she had admirers galore and
| was accordingly whsked Off by the bridegroom to
i ~, Il lofo
to seek his fortune in Paris BeIths in a ship bound
for Dunkirk were taken. The vessel was wicked
IN storm on the Norwegian coast Wagner
stayed OIL deck throughout the tempest in order TO
| study its acoustic effects which he later brought
into the overture to " The Phantom SHIP In
Paris he showed his operas and sonatas to Meyer
beer, who asked him whel her he had money enough
| 10 90 on with for ten years confession oi pOV,
srty was made: 9 mat case said ,e S"'TGG G% OIL
ever, shall give YOU letters of introduction To the
II. anager of the Opera House and the principal
| critics" Nothing came OF the recommendations.
| Wagner conquered his nature and made himself
| small and oDsequlons NJ. jolly, who was on the
| high road TO bankruptcy at the Renaissance liked
| an opera" Rienzl "-cOmpOsed In NagneIs second
! style. which imitation OF Meyerbeer. On
| the day on which II was TO nave appeared. Jolly
filed his schedule. bare livelihood was eked out
with dance music. airs for vaudevIile and rednc-
tions fer the piano of La Favorita' and La Refine
| de Chypre." Au6er was next initiated Saxon
Prince heard q tune which lie imagined was by the
French master. On discovering it was by Wagner.
he hunted him mp and obtained for him the place OF
| chape-masteI to the King of Saxony. Bread and
| cheese were thus secured. The poems and the
scores of sTannbauser' and LOhengIin." were
| composed and hynn TO the glory OF Frederick
| the " ell Beloved"
To prove that he was no courtler Wagner became
a socialist tie had been going into the philosophy
of Schopenhauer and fallen IN love with the Princess
Elizabeth. She was seventeen and engaged In the
! Duke OF Genoa. The lady on the other hand went
| distracted about the musician. The revolutionary
| movement put an end TO this game of cross pur-
| poses. Wagner having shouldered u mueket AZ an
| lnsurgent, lost his place and had to fiy.
TRAITS OF THE MAN AND MUSICIAN.
Wagner had harsh. energetic and ugly head.
His bulgng forehead advanced over hs falcon eyes
| The nose was haw kIsh and the chin. which was
| broad and prominent, formed a strong curve High
cheek -bones gave vulgar character 30 the face.
Avarice and IRONY and conceit we're shown IN the
thin and closely pressed lips Wagner used TO taSe
| oil his hat to his own Image in the glass Though
stIngy, lie grudged any luxury TO his second
wife or to Bulow's daughter. His house at Bay
reuth was furnished IN rich and elegant style.
The SALON was decorated with Oriental stuils. por-
ceains and bronzes, and with family portraits done
by eminent masters. Schopenhauer by Lenbach is
| placed beside a picture of the maestro. The
mausoloum is in a clump OF trees at the END of the
| garden. Above the entrance to 1t are the words
| Richard Wagner" L. this tomb now lie the
| mortal remains OF the uisputatious maestro. the
| merits of whom will be henceioth less disputed In
l TINS country tDan Lncy MeIo III nb
| Wagnerisis are rare. But the iuiiuence OF the
school OF BayTeuth nhltratcs into the most divine
| and most subjective of arts in Paris we'll as In
London, and will lift 1t out OF the mud into which
| the Otienbachanalian Demon II can't say Muse y
| has plunged it here.
There is a renovatng power in the musical
| dramas Of Wagner which perhaps will act
| on the rising generation of muslcisns rs
the Pre-Raphaeite school acted upon Italian art IN
| the relgns of Julius III. and Leo y Wagner put
away Stiffness. prettiness, fotility and sensuaIty.
He bad ideality, poetry aud that sentiment OF the
| link which unites the seen and the unseen which
| is expressed by the word mysticism. But he was
Obliged to fight too hard and was too combatye for
his higher faculties 10 find in the hbyday OF his Cat
reer their true equilibrium. There is not that per-
feet balance. that iaultless harmony that simplicity
and easy dignity, to which the Greeks and the tal-
ians of the Renaissance attained in painting, in
| sculpture and in that sublime pOemw hich IL IL a
pity WAGNER did not think of setting to music
Jerusalem Delivered" In his closing years of life
the favOrite maestro of King Ludwig amassed a
great fortune. Within the last six months alone he
| hrm OF Schott x Brothers, and G3,000 francs from
the publisher NeumanE. lie has left his whole
property to his wife and gives her authority TO en-
| dow her two children by her first husband as she
| may think fit. The musical theatres Of germany
have decided to give representation for the benefit
| of his son. the youthful Seigfried. Whatever
money they bring is TO be invested and the accumu-
| lated interest and principal handed to him when
he has attained his majority. Lszt does not appear
10 have boen among the family mourners at the OBJ
| sequies. Perhaps being q Roman Catholic eccle
siastic he felt he should not appear at Lutheran
|