New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-16
" USIC.
THE oPARSIFAL7 MUSIC.


II any old habituc Of the Academy Of Music on
sunday night, when under the Maplcsonlan regime
miscellaneous concerts used 10 be given by prlnclph'
chori,ters and orchestra had >trayed into the Metro
poitan opera House last night. he would have folnu
something calculated to him beyond description.
We do not believe exactly that If lie had come 10
scon he would have remained to pray. for II Is not
given to every one to be either entertained or cdlci
bv performance OF the music 10 Wasners IarslidI'
no matter how well it may be given II III fpifit II
IS the most consistently solemn and Impressive o
Wasner's creations 1t is in spite Of rs religious sub
iect 50 completely drama. that II lends l'acli most
reluctantly Of all the noble company 10 "hch II uc
longs 10 concert room performance. There j. Ia II
A wOndrous deal Of music designed u accomli"
stage pictures and dumb movements Oi uIc
pcrsonages. Kundry, one OF the most singular
vet dramatically effective OF Wagncrs ciaf
actcrs. gOas through the last act Of the dram"
in pantomime yet the music is greatly concerned with
her II one has seen the drama at ayreuth, and can
call upon the pleasure, Of memory to c0n>Du them
selves with the seHsuOus enjoy ment If the moment u
concert-room performance Of ra,id' may prove
edfying and even delightful but to those VINO have
not this advantage. the edcauon as well a. the &c
light is "a dubious matter, except 50 iaf a. the T."
excerpts which nav. established themselves III our
concert list, are concerned
But, evidently. the Waencrian Mecca In, harLoN,d
many pilgrims from New York. I'm audience OF about
1000 person, heard the "Parsiial7 concert ut the
Metropolitan opera Ioase last night, with such unnia
taxable Signs of intelligent enjoyment tia; 40 other
inference can be rcconccd with the facts I'm the c9~s
II we have correctly stated them. 1t was an -
semblagc that had gathered for a serious puiP0c
The conduct Of the occupants % the boxes called for
Iebukc from those sitting in the orchestra chairs
for all equally cugrO,,cd In listening 10 the
music, which was p;iioymcd as rcvcrenilally a.
If upon the performance hung everlasting
things so far eoqucnce cXprc,,i'cnesa
and truthfulncss are concerned, performance 0i
''Parsifdl int Has vet been heard here ha- compared
with that OF last night under Mr. Scid II was mastery
throughout even Frau >chOollcr rising above some ol
the unpleasant features Of her ordinary Work To III
tcTpTet of the music If kUudy with sincere Ter
VOr, intelligence and whole Oulcd enthusiasm. The
parts Of Parsi1al and AmiOrtas We're taken by trir
BdyTcuth bearers, Hcrrcl Gudclus and Rclclninh,
ana GurnemanTs music was sing by IN" htt"nt 81
all German bas,Os T. take the place vacated by ~caa.
by Herr Fischer VINO. moreover, would long ago nave
becd added u the Bayrcuth forces had he not fallen
under the dpleasurc Of The union Of German managers
organized fjr the purpose Of embarrassing the Metro
pOitan Opera House management. VII single
exception all those prominently concerned In the
performance, Herr Scdl al their head. were worthy Of
work and the theatre for which it, creator reserved
IL. That would 10 cover all that need be said
critically Of the performance. The fragments given
were the prelude. the between Pdr>if1 aud
Kundry in Act - the Good Friday music. return Of
Parsfal 10 the domain OF the Holy Grail and the hnIl
scene In which the chorus Of the German Opera tool.
part.