New-York tribune., 1890-04-01

IL Is impossible to pronounce an unqualdcf
opinion on the artistic value Of the concert given
under the auspices of the sedl Society in the Rroo,
yn Academy of Music yesterday at which the greater
part Of the music Of Wagncr's Parsi.als uas NO,
formed under the direction Of Mr. seidl The nor
formancc itself supcrlatively excellent and the
Interpretation Of the work by Mr. scdl an acbisv.
ment which surpassed the brilliant work TO which h.
has accustomed the people Of NewYorl az the renra
scntation Of Wagncrs dramas at the Metropolitan
opera House. II evident I'm every measure 80
the music that he had undertaken the task with a
zeal akin to religious de, OtOn and that his knolady.
was complete his love perfect As for the inter
prcting mediums, it is doubtful whether so admirable a
company Of singers materially better COMPANY
Of insrumentaliss operated in a performance
Of the drama before. But the pleasure caused by
these excclcnces was marrcd by questions raised by
the fact that the work given in concert style and
by the manner In which it adapted for such a
performance. To discuss all these questions would
be idle that the affair has gone into history but
IL ought to be said in fairness to Wagner and his
drama that many Of the excerpts given last night
were portions Of the drama which are wholly nef
fcctivc In the concert r0om and most Of the omitted
portions were the very parts which suited to per-
formancc in such place. The omission Of the
choruses and the vocal parts in the scene between
Parsifal and the Flower Madcns in the enchanted
garden is in The latter case: the performance OF most
the scene in which Par,ifal kirs the swan.
The question concerning the pl0priety Of concert
room performance Of the music of Parsifalo IS purely
an artistic one. Neither religion nor moral, is in ;be
remoteSt degree concerned in the natter This is
50 selicydcnt proposition that it seems waste OF
time 10 make it; but it needs to be stated because OF
the singular disposition displayed in some circles to
dcnouno' such performances sacrllcgouss The
beauty and significance Of the work cannot be per
..tsr. ala. all, -.
notice. and this is possible only by means OF stage
representation. 70 present It's poetry and music dis.
-ocstci from its scenic decorations and action is 10
present only portion Of the DRAMA and that portion
stripped Of the things which, at times, essential
10 tie comprehension Of the poetry and music and
the appreciation Of their beauty. OF course such
proceeding works injury to the artworI by inviting
incomplete false judgment upon it but it Is no
sacrege for the simple that the artwork does
not possess the sacred character, violation of which
i, implied in that term. IN fact, there is ono point
Of view from which it might be argued with con-
siderable appositenesS and cogency that 70 perform
Parsfa7 oratorio is less offensive 10 religious
feeling than 10 represent it as drama. That it
cxcrts a narvellous, powerful spell over the in
eloctua and emotional faculties is tho testimony Of
all vhO have attended the representations an Bayren
Not long ago eminent statesman, whose suscept!-
bliiy To music j. known to his friends, but who las
TO religious scntimentalty, remarked 70 the writer
that 40 the festival in the Wagncrian Mecca last
summer he had been unable to keep back the tears
while Witnessing the last Of the first act OF
~ parsfaL7 was never in my life so profoundly
moved By q dramatic representation he added. such
testimony might easily he multiplied and is pecu-
larly eloquent tribute to Wagncrs creative power az
a dramatic poet But though "Par,ifal7 stirs the
latent religious feeling instincts Of persons disln-
cned t. reverence religion il also shocks the religious
thought Of the nineteenth century. This seems sone-
what parsd0xical. bat il is for this reason that we
have said that in one IT Is more sacregious TO
represent the drama than TO disrupt it FOR concert
room performance. MacncTs Philosophical schehe
in the drama compels Us to look upon the hero as
symbol OF christ Lest this should not be discerned
the poet placed parodcs Of scenes from the lie OF
Christ IN his drama la which Pars.fa j. the central
figure. kundry washes and anont' tie foct OF the
hero and dlies them with her hair. Palsfal receives
the Dit, Of baptism from Gurnemanh and IN tsn
baptile, Kundry. An age that is stll prone 10 deny
the propgl,ty II making the Christian Rcdc mer
character in tragedy written for the stage IS not
lihel, - look with sacred awe upon 50 palpahle
ma Iucrade as this
besides. unless one * able 70 read the mystical
symbolism into the work which Wagner intended. the
becomes strong to question il rsht to
being considered I'm any sense a rhex Of the
religion, feeling Of today. Il is beautiful in It's
philosophy and also profound, but In It's dramatic
il Is too pcr~isiently mei.aeyal and
mous-h 70 satisfy nineteenth century Intelligence.
Tie alteration Of the relies Of Chri,r- passion. and
the idc, that al human virtues summed mp in
cclibaie charity product, ot an age whose
thcorie, and practices regards relationship can
have no echo in modern civilization. Wolfram Won
E-chenbachs married par,ifa. who clings with fond
devotion 20 the memory II the wife whom he was
obliged 10 tear himself from in order - undertake
Ia -, .ffpo
for long wien tie sight Of blood spots on tho
snow suggests his fancy the red and white OF his
wiic- checks seems to 70 be n much more amiablc
and humane hero than the Young ascctic OF Wagner.
For thi, reason. too it might be urged that trans
formation of the work from drama into an epic by
The Punishment Of scenery, costumes and
action /. not necessarily a nroflnation. Par
,ifa7 Is wonderfully moving artistic creation and its
subject is religions as religion understood IN the
,nlclc Ago. bat it is only tworl, and though
II i, unwisc 10 mutil-ic it, It i, not wicked.
Of course ,hcic Is great desire get acquainted
with the music of Wa-uci~ last d-na. and n IL vas
.sht o crafty tlat desire il also Shi 10 attempt
ID stimulate the Imagination Of the listeners by taking
the ucrfolman'c oct OF Tie rit OF conventional con-
cert, This seems to lave been the motive of Mr..
-cdl in placing his orclie ira on stage with an
impressive interior modelled after Dut copc from.
me- picture II the temple Of :hc Holy Grail used in
Ityleuih. The effect of this device. Of the choice of
Holy Wcol Nl rle time Of performance and of tho
,>0ns',e ,bui not acah.fun decoration, If the ardi
,nce room which urahly concealed its theatrical
.naiasicr. was easily observed IN the rapt atten-
ion paid 10 the mu>ic and the respect
mi attitude of the public toward many things
,nich cannot have appealed very strongly
10 their aesthetic judgment The singer, were
Madame Lehman. Mr.. kalisch, Mr.. Rcchmann, Mr..
,l,chcr Mr.. Beck. Mr.. Nittchauser, Miss rraubmann
md Mis-, Iluln To each of them. but especially TO
hc n.st four tand To MIR Beck, Tor his singing ot
<lins,olrs musicl praise Of the most emphauc A'o
, due 1t was evident that the music had been
tndied with great care and reverence for the dls-
inrtoe.s Of cnunciaton truthfulncss of defamation
md intensity Of dramatic expression which marked
he singing Of the principals were greater tial .'c
audiences at the Metropolitan Opera House were pfV-
eyed to hear during the season lately ehded' Inc
,hestm superb.