New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-25
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THE SECOND WAGNER CONCERT.

|
Gus burst Of music and an extraordi-
| nary demonstration Of enthusiasm Tho
disposition Of the forces was not different from that
at tho first concert on Tuesday evening. and the
effect 80 far as the singing of the chorus was
cerned. also not different The nassing of so many
voices of good musical quality, and their spirited
cooperation In music with which all familiar,
| resulted in peri rmance which only fell short Of
thrilling effect because Of the stage arrangement
| which wasted more sound in the empty space be-
! hind tho scenes than 1t sent out into tho
audience-rOOm. Even as it was, the
spirit of the performance such to set ones
pulses to beating rapidly. and the balance, pre-
cisOn, and tastefuness of the singing brought com
| pensation for the loss in sorority.
| Familiarity with the changed conditions worked
the usual effect upon the more advan-
tageOusly situated orchestra which, whilo
playing the Centennial March, with which the
cert opened, gave out pOmpous volume Of sound,
and compelled respect for of the weakest Of
! WagnePs latter-day compositions. The playing Of
| the orchestra throughout the evening was
| worthy of the highest praise. II IL
! fact which composers have recognized
! for long time that for unstrumcntaists of the
| first class "a they are developed by the present
methods of study, technical difficulties have
existence Complex rhythms, unwOnted progress
|
tors which have come into use for tho
| purpose of increasing the passionate
expression of which instruments have been shown
| TO be capable as well as the human voice, now
! the common property of the members Of a model
| band. 1t was to have been imagined that Mr..
Thomas would organize a band of this character:
| but the brilliant result is none the less worthy Of
| hearty praise.
The playing of the men is free full and plant and
shows no fear of the printed, or written. page.
Their reading is intelligent and imprisoned, aud
they are are swayed at will by the masteriul mind
of their leader.
The programme. outside of the Centennial March
already referred 10. was composed Of fragments
from Tristan ind Isolde" and g Die Meister-
singer Won Nilrnbcrg" There was undoubtly de-
sign in the conserving of two works which together
enjoy the distinction of having bccn composed
betwcen-times while Wagner engaged upon
the Nibelung terllogy. Ii there was any other pur-
pose than this chronological one, it may have been
70 exhibit the marked difference between
the methods employed in the work
of composition. The fact that Wagner
was already deep in a." The Ring ~
tine Nibelung' when he composed Die Neister-
singer is an answer to the suggestion that tho
latter is a less ripe work; yet he himself admitted
that it moves TO a considerable extent in the old
groove OF operate conycntionality. That 10
abouuds in set pieces OF music of marked melOdi-
BUSINESS and does not scorn to combine voices ln the
concerted pieces which are indefeuSiblo under the
principles Of dramatic writing eDuncated by Nag-
ner, last nights concert showed with
ample cleamess Sacbs's Monoloeue, "UGba!
| uaka! TcJeyaU Uqbu,p the quintet, the
songs of the cobblerS and talors, the
dance of the apprentices, the chOIaie sung AT the
opening of the tournament of song-all these are
pieces OF music which can be detached from each
other and lifted out Of their dramatic connection
yet still exert charm as pieces Of absolute music.
Yet Die Meistersinger" has not fallen under the
condemnation of its author or his disciples 1t is
looked upon as model comic opera, and there is no
question that il deserves the name much than
most of the operas which classed in tho
same category. 1t is Wagner's only musical
comedy and it answers the classical definition. IL
deals with the manners fOles and vices of the peO-
Pile; its primary object is amuiement; its ultimate
aim correction and reform. Both things are accom-
pliShed in the pTCsentat Of wonderfully lltellke
and vivid picture of "A quaint phase OF German
social life over 800 years ago. This phase was tho
foolish dongs of the maSteIslngers who by amt or
pedantIc effort thought they could keep alive the
spirit OF mnstrciTy which was the outgrow th OF the
Old-time chyarY To hit OIL the OllesOf this class
and their teaching and TO show that in art-eypres-
sion it IL the natural poetic impulse, acquired by
communication with nature and not the mastery
oCpcdautic .ormularies which, essential is the cor
receive idea which lies at the base OF The opera
Had the parts which Were performed last night
been gwen with action and scenery, this purpose
would have been made plain for the selections COM
passed nearly all of the third act in which the con:
test of song takes place and the representative of
the good principle wins the victory over the repre-
sentative of pcdantry and Journalism. All OF the
contest cut ont, however, except UGttCFS pIlLe
song. In this performance by Herr Wnkelmann the
height of the evenings pleasure reached Tho
music which preceded It, strongly Ri thmlcal, mol
OdiOus and full of quaint humOr was that Of the
gathering of the guilds in the meadow on the
Feast day TO witness the tournament Through
1t all ran the suggestions OF the mer,
rest aud most bustling of activities, and
when the elimination came IN the pompous chorae
with which local concert room res0unds nj least
once every season, the audience had been worked
mp to "A pitch Of Enthusiasm which found nvoInn-
taTy utterance and made the subdivisions which
the programme did not cOuntenance.
All of this music given 81 brilliantly that the
recollecuons of the passionate duo from Tristan
was not strange that this shouid have
been so. Tristan" though closely related IN
in it Wagner confessed his system of composition
eliminated, and the excerpt given last night was
the most notable scene in the work. 1t il
Wagner's bodest and most successful effort to
give expression to not unbndled passion. At Its
climax as performed by the orchestra. Nine. Ma
terna and Herr Nlnklemann, the iurthermost limit
Of dramatic expression by sound alOne
seemed to have been reached. IL
began with the accents OF intense
that seemed like Il lava torrent Not only IN tho
music but IN the performance by the two artists
there seemed to be an utter torgctiuness of all
surroundings and even of the limitations which
ordinarily confront singer. Had the selection
closed with the love duo. the impression upon the
audience would have been of the protoundcst
character. But the finale was added. luStinctlyely
the mind reached out for the accompany INK action
and there came a shock of disappoiu tmeut when the
music ended with Herr Wu6elmann's last Words
neither spoken nor sung but ,hrleSed. All that
there was of mitigation the memory of Herr
Scarias marvel0usy pathetic defamation in tho
speech IN which hjHq Mark upbIadS Tristan for his
treachery. 1t was vocal performance OF trrnon-
dous power and impre>siveneSs. which surpassed IN
It's effect upon the hearers even the Thrilling music
winch Matema poured out in the earlier portion of
the evening.