New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-27
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
, CONSERVATIVE BOOK ON WAGNER.


genius of Richard Wagner forced upon the world
During the lifetime of the reformer the controversy
which he called up and in which he took an active
part was marked by such bitterness that 1t is open
10 question whether the thousands of books and
pamphlets devoted to the problem ever did more
than modcum of good. Had Wagner been merely
n thcOriSt and attempted to persuade the Worlu VI
the merit Of his dramatic system purely 10y amt OF
arguments, we question whether victory would ever
have been his. We know how difficult 1t Is TO eS
cape the convicting force of his reasoning ana ~
keen the u0usitive mind outside the charmed chVIc
of his logic but the problem is ineXtrlcaoly III
yolved with undetermined aesthetic questions %
hoary antiquity, and had not his genius oeen sc"'
enough to make demonstration follow proCIaih"
ton practice enforce precept, the muSical ui"li"
would still be a Teforncr'S dream. nSteau Oh al "'
form which dominates the musical lawgvers of the
world. The opposition TO Wagner since the com
position of Tannhauscr" has steadily fallen back
before the advance of his music in the appreciation
of the peOple and the critics. "TannhauSer" ana
HIohenprin were attacked for lack of the beauties
in "Rienzir and " Der Fliegcndc Hollander III
turn "Tannhauscr" and "Lohengrn' became
missiles to be hurled at Die Meisterslnger ana
"Tristan und Isolde; now the latter are quoted
against Der Ring DIES Nibelungen and " FarS1aI''
Meanwhile the original controversy IN ITS essence
remains unchanged. A determination was eStopped
by the mode of warfare which, whatever the I'M
reasoning adherents of Wagner may say to the con
trary. was marked by as much bitterness and want
of candor on their side as on the other. wagner
death brought something like truce which stlll
continues. His warmest friends have perhaps lost
,one of their fealty. but the leader IN the ag
erosion is gone and no one has shown himself aOIe
to take his place 1t would be confession OF snort
siehtedneSs if one were to say that evidences ol
,ubs,dence of the angry waters were not apparent
IN both sides 1t is open secret that the Bayleuh
festival enterprise deSpaired of after TINS summer
by some of the most fanatca of the poet-composer
adherents; and among the heartlest expressions ol
,pnreciation and admiration for portions OF the
music of Parsfal" were those of some ot the Ieau
ers in the attack on Wagner's art theories
We have. therefore, been unable to resist the con
victon that in one aspect of the question the death
If Richard Wagner. much as 1t shocked his
friends was nevertheless of great value TO his
,anse. The fanatcism of those who led his retain
ars made a virtue ont of his every foible. 10 be-
ueve In the fundamental principles of his muslco-
dramatic system did not suffice for artistic saiVa-
ton 1t needed also that one should be Veee
tartan. an opponent of vivisection, pessimist IN
philosophy, revoutionst in politics. Wagner
nature developed by his long, stubborn ana
acrimonious fight, was not unsolhsh and impartlaI
enough TO divorce these things from his art primer
pies and they blocked the progress OF his chariot
His death will do what he and his friends were un-
willing TO do; the excrcscences will be removed,
rational discussion will take the place of heated de
bate. the thing itself will be proved, the good will
be held fast and taken up in the musical and
dramatic art of the world.
Herr Kulke is critic who has realized the need
of a new status for Wagncran criticism lie be
lieves that the time has not yet come for writing
critical review of the art-life of the operate re-
former but seems anxious TO contribute his share
toward clearing away present miSts. lie has felt
the influence which has gone ont from WagnerS
death but thinks that sufficient time has not yet
ELAPSED to enable the critical work to be under
taken in the right spirit lie sums up the situation
and fixes the relation of the future critic to his
task in these words:
He who supposcs that the death of Richard
Wagner az once wiped ont all opposition is gWVel
in error The resentment which Wagner called on
urgnst himself has not yet passed away, ana IL VIII
not pass away long as the other SIDE retains us
attitude of idOlatrOus worship OF his genus As Il
whole Wagner has won the case which mas Deth
p,udiu- so many years, but only co,dm pn1icoi me
criticism of the opposition nevertheless sun Appc3iS
In The HIGHER court of sO-Called art laws anC the
controversy will in all probability continue loT
long time to turn on the circumstance that the OPP
p0ucnts of Wagner hold that his creations \Rlate
ihc laws of ant while his adleTcntS behoIu III MN
the real diScovcrer and follower of the true avs
prcScutcd must be free tTum bind l0OlauN as
hon fauatical hate; ne must be neither adhcrcnt
nor opponent, Or-he must be both.
Hem Kuke seems to have measurably realized IN
himself the requirements Of such critic. When
the issue was FIST raised to the artistic merit OF
Warucrs works and theories he in the thick Of
the fight amongst the ptiful minority. He still
accepts the EXTREMIST consequences of Nagners
creative methods. He holds them to be mconteSt-
able but he protests against their elevation to the
rank of theory binding on all creators Of art
works. lie has the most enthusiastic admiration
for Wagner's Ring dies Nibcungcn as moving
drama, and is loud in praise OF Its musical element
which he thinks dignihes even some OF its Poeticai
weaknesses; but he believes that he has discovered
in il a fundamental error and this he sets out with
un>Neryng energy, pursuing 1t to the extremity OF
it. bearings This discovery (which 1t may be said
in passing did not call for very great exercise of
a,tutenc>si was for several years the subject OF
controversy IN the journals of Germany. We have
no, time to follow the poemic nor even to advance
the tlenchant arguments with which the author
sustdms his case. We must content ourselves with
stating the leading points and recommending those
interested TO read the book which besides this feat
ure contain much interesting matter touching the
Wagnerian drama.
Herr Kulke asserts that the Nibclung tetralOgy,
elective and impressive it Is, is built upon an
unstable foundation it rests upon hopeless con
tradction. The false premise is the Importance
attached 10 the ring made of the Rhinegold stolen
by llJe,ich the Nibelung, from the mixes set to
guard it. The prophecy of the Rhinedmghters is
that possession of the ring viii gyo unlimited
dominion over the world. These are the words Of
the prophecy: Der Helt Erbe gecdnne sa agen
ver aus dean Ehdnqold schGe don King der mdsSIoSe
uacht Inn rerlick." In Mr.. Formans translation:
The worlds wealth
Is by him TO be won.
who has from the RhinegOld
hammered the ring
that helps him to measuTeless might.
All persons familiar with Wagner's drama know