New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-31
MUSICAL COMMENT.
MR.. STATIONS VIEWS on oPERA-RUBlN-
STEIN As \ CRITIC OF WAC
NER-NEWS NOTES.

In the current number OF The North American Re
View Mr.. Edmund e. stanton discusses several phases
oi the operate problem in manner that IS marked
By evident sincerity, thoughfuncs, and no small
degree Of adroitncss. Mr. SantDns relations toward
the Metropolitan opera House Company and Measla-
Abbey and Gran compelled him 10 be somewhat diplo
matte I'm his uttcmnces, but II l. still obvious from
what he says that he consldcS tue day OF old la'h
toned Italian opera past, and he secs ar evidence OF
advancement in musical culture in the appreciation
-towed during ,he last seven years on German
opera Very properly he pleads for hber't' In the
opciac rcportory while cOnfc>sing that Il was
the public demand for Wagner which last year com
pell,d the directors TO change their minds with re
.p.u 70 the list. In hs opinion. and very correct
or a, least int resting 1t H. too. the "opera,ic
prv,yors Of the future viii have % search through the
world Tor what i, highest and best instead Of conn-
ing themselves 10 Italy and Germany. Russia,
Hungary and bohemia strike him good field, for
cleaning and he looks forwari to performances III the
vornacunr but the spirit OF German opera - the
goal toward which New-YOrlI should turn.
Rubcnsten dcvotcs sev RAJ pages In his new book
TO criticism OF Wagner. his principles OF composition
aud his works II Is an old story tlat creative huSi-
clans are the poorest OF all critics aud even II there
were no personal equation In the case 1t would nave
been passing strange II Eubicnsten I'm taking glance
AT fine history OF music had not fallen foul Of Wagner
rut for a Ion. time hi, friends Lave known that
Rubnstcln's hatred OF Wagner Is the product OF pro
fes,ionnl jealousy The fundamental proposition In
his new book Is that vocal music Is lower form of
art than instrumental. lie needs that i'll order to
attack opcrn I'm general and Wagner's dramas, In which
the poetry has equal rights with the music IN par
ticular Yet Rubnsein tried harder ana ulied more
mscrnbly than any living composer to win an oper-
attic success. Convinced OF the beauty ana express
ivcncss Of his own music, he could only eNpiin his
failure on the ground OF pcrNer'lon OF
public taste by Wagner. II IS unpleasant
yh
a large measure Of popular admiration and affection
~ ruhIn,tein but the evidences OF the truhulness
Of the statement pepper the pages OF his book lie
takes an extremely bilious view OF all his contcm-
porarIes and the tendency Of their art The world
is ont Of Joint and he is 80 veAed ana sourcd by
the contemplation OF It. that he refuses to take the
Least bt Of trouble 10 it right The coantS IN his
Indictment ~ Wagner Involve most amazing con
ccpton of tho province Of the different operate ee
rc,ts The psychological bass Of music is found
in tbo v,rntiols of voice caused 10y emotional eX-
element vet RuLn,tcin condemns vocal music. The
tragedies OF the Greeks. which are sun the admiration
Of the world dealt wholly with NEUROLOGICAL legends
vet ,ce arr, told that the legend IS always a cold
cxnression Of art The Of Representatives themes
he o, down n, so naive a proceeding that IT tends
+, ,ho cou,,col vet IL involves "A highly intellectual
cyorcise both I'm the composer and the listener.
Ee,de, Rubinstein has not got beyond the ingenious
notion that the themes are labels whch invariably
accompany the dramatic characters lie contends that
tbe old aria form ought 10 have been preserved. be-
cause if corresponds to the solio9uy In The DRAMA
and note this strange reason! Characters who speak
,. 90 each other never to themselves that Is. TO
tto nbhc, become mineresting-Onc cannot discover
whether ANYTHING. and what is taking place in their |
pipd,l =, Having urged that vocal music is less en- |
titled to respect than instrumental he next turns about
and rcbue- Wagner because his orchestra too much
NJ good thing il lessons the interest in the vocal
part. And so for quantity. IL Is a great pity |
that Rubinstein did not so to Gounod and learn from
b,s exaun,a how to grow old gracefully.
An entertainment has been arranged basis OF !
extraordinary interest and generosity for the benefit of
the Society for the Rehef OF the Destitute Blind. to
take MACE on Saturday evening. February 81, at the
uetronoIton opera House. Ths first part Of the
programme IS to be a concert in which Miss Eames NJ.
Iassalle and NJ. Edouard dc Reskc and the seid or
chsstr under the direction Of Anton S,ids. viii take