New-York tribune., 1886-08-16
A MUSICAL PILGRIMAGE.
v.
GPARSIFALv AND "TRISTAN" IN BAY
RETTIH

MED e. the Bayreuth festivals and they remain oi
snperlatiye vane n training school IN musico-
dramatic art To Tristan md Isolde " friends aud
foes Of Wagner long age conceded unique posi-
tiou. It is the first drama in which the reformer
gave full ana free expression TO his artistic aims,
and though il has long been in the repertories OF
the leading German opera houses only minority
Of its admirers have ever heard it in its entirety
Az the first representations in 1866 given under
Vacner's own supervisory the work was presented
without abbreviatiOn or curtalment; from that
time until two DAYS ago every performance has
beeu more or less imperfect iron the extremists
ro,nt of view because of the cuts made IN the
score Ii is worth remembering in the discussion
which the excisons have called forth in the past
and which will in all likelihood be reopcned now.
that the first were made by Wagner himself out OF
consideration for the singer to whom he always
nonted as a perfect eXemplar of the interpretative
artist as he conceived him. Then the considera-
tion was "A physical ohe. and those who insist upon
the cuts on the ground that no artists act and
sing the two titular roles they stand in the I'M
expurgatcd score have an easy demonstration. The
Ravreuth representations this year will not weaken
the argument: the fatigue which Frau Sucher and
Herr Yogi showed night before last long before the
final fall of the curtain settled that. Neither OF
;be two will 90 into another performance under a-
favorable physical conditions during the continu-
ance of this festival.
The other consideration which has had weight
with managers and conductors namely, that there
is much in the work that is wcarisome 10 the lis
tensrs as well as the performers. cannot he dis
posed of so summary since it involves an inquiry
INTO the artistic creeds and temperaments of the
listener
Since 1876 great change has come over tho Bay
reuth audiences. Ihoy are no longer made up OF
the choice minds of the musical world, bnt to
most astounding extent of the worlds tourists.
On the railway trains running to Bayreuth you
tempted to believe you hear more English spoken
than Eerman Twice have sat in the middle of
n knot of Americans ana Englishmen, and once
English to the right of me. English to the left OF
me and French behind he volcyed AMI thundered
fraternal applause. Now to accept the arguments
of the extremists themselves. can become
engrossed in Tristan und Isolde as to resent
The loss OF a single syllable or note unles, he
derstands the German language perfectly. has en-
tirely lived himself into its genius las the Germans
express III and has besides. been inocnlatcd with
SchOpenhauer's pessimlstic philosophy. These
inconsiderate disciples permit to feel the
ordinary sympathy which is excited the world over
by the old tale of brave knighthood and unhappy
love, and which, one would think. would be the
same help to an appreciation of Wagpers version
as il is TO that of Gottfred Won Strassturc. IA
foolish as is much of the talk Of the longhaired
fanatics who think they are helping the Wagner
car along while in fact they arc blocking il with
Their extravagant ircomprehensbe and rnbbishy
brochures. am willing to cOncede that to a grei
extent they right IN their demand OF special
qualifications on the part of an ideal Tristan
audience But If Bayreuth ceases TO attract such
audiences where in tho world are we 10 look for
81. fn la Il. .I..l IN filt
artistic possession OF the people. woul it not lie
better to sanction ia presentation in form which
is at once possible and of one that is
impossible and enjoyable only for the minority
OF course Il VIII be denied that the work presents
this paIadoxical dilemma. but tao proofs are -
hand. Neither Frau Suchrr nor Herr Nogl. among
tie most eminent of living dramatic singers Were
able TO maintain themselves through the second
and third acts on ths plano 10 which they raised
themselves in the first aud when mentioned this
fact t. Frau Materna. whose endurance Americans
know how to appreciate she replied that no singer
would undertake. to SIM all the music in IN opera
house and that il remaIsed impossible even with !
the long intcrmissoUs at iayreuh
But my preliminary promenade is growing too
long. have mentioned the natural desire on the
part oi the admirers of Wagner to hear Tristan
und Isolde" given without cxcisons With this !
desire muat be associated another 10 hear the work
given with as close an approach to perfection ;
human shortcomings viii allow. 4 new reading |
was not to be expected for Wagner is dead anl the |
we'll rs the production were in the |
hands of men who long ago formulated their con- |
ception of the work ana were noe likely t. imbibe
new ones from the atmos sphere of the covered or |
chostra Yet there il wonderful inspiration in |
the I;ayreuth idea and though have heard ola |
pilgrims say that Parsifal was better given at
the preceding festival. have heard none speak o.
Il better ropres ntaton Of Tristan uni Isolde y |
than that OF Sunday night. He would bc but a
sorry critic who could not have pointed out laws |
here ard there. but in this instance they were |
really only specks in tho marble which made no |
one blind to the beauty os the statue. The stage |
attire wa surprisingly fine and in design and exc
cuion reelected great credit the brothers Bruck-
ner of Coburg, the painters. Tho grouping of the
varions personagcs. their attitudes the choice of
materials and colOrs in their costumes all gave !
ideHce Of intelligent and tasteful artistic snper-
vision. Each parting of the curtain disclosed
picture worthy of an artists brush eager and glow
ng as MakarTs. How the recOllcctlons of the
yarish display ana conventional conduct
Of the Grand Opera in Paris faded
away in the presence Of such n revelation of the
possibilities OF stage representation, Compared
with irss'Gas simple ship poa Pcdr0s gllIeon was an
,bsurdty. The former did not SHIFT its course, nor
TO one side yet it delighted the eye and met
III the demands cf dramatic propriety so fully that
" en- the orchestra snrged and the seainen burst
ortL with their joyful greeting to Cornwall and its
King one could scarcely avoid the conviction that
omehOw the ship responsive to the glad ex-
,ilement and was actually bounding forward to-
ward the welcoming cliffs. TO have the conscious
less of such intimate relationship between
picture. music and dramatic feeling brought home
ne must attend performance at Bayreuth. where
III OF ones intellectual aud emotional activities
become focused on the drama in a degree that is
lot possible in any other theatre. Said a New
iork musician, favogably known rs critic and
omposer after parslal -: could feel the suns
eat and see il quiver over the 1owery mead dur