The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-10

learned that such ss she had were already 90
disposed OF. sf'N'
Humblod By his III luck and driven By the
pressure OF debts. WAGNER now actually under
took tho task Of writing the music OF an ordi-
nary carnival vaudeville. but In this. too. I
was frustrated," he writes. by the jealousy
ola musical money maker" 1t Is said that at
| the first rehearsal the actors declared that his
| music could not be executed. so IL had TO be
given up. Az q composer he could not de-
scend any lower than this; and. as he had never
acquired mechanical dexterity on an instru-
inent. he could not apply for place in al or
chestra- But he had . voice and he thought
that no might perhaps get place as chorus
singer In small Boulevard theatre II came
out OF this" writes Wagner. worse than Ber-
lioz did whom lie found himself In similar
prcd!cament Theloader OF the orchestra. who
had to examine mo. discovered ut once that
could not sing at sill and that he had no use
for me-" The present biographer suggests
that the fact OF the future composer Of the
Nioelungen TrlloRy being found unit to sing in
the chorus OF a second rate theatre is as comic
an incident as any In tho history OF music.
But 1t has Its pathetic side in sho wing to what
extremities series OF dirappontments had
reduced man Of genius at the time when no
was already capable OF writing such an opera
as The Flying Dutchman."
The fruitlessness OF Meyprbeer's efforts to
help Wagner has sometimes been held to
Justify doubt as to whether he was sincere in
the endeavor to assist him. 1t should. how
ever. be remembered that he furnished the let
ter of introduction to the publisher. schlcs-
niger. which proved Of the greatest utility to
Wagner. who might have starved while COM
posing his first two great operas. Rienzi"
and :" The Flying Dutchman." but for the en-
ployment given him In tho arrangement OF
music for various instruments and in writing
articles for musical paper. Schesinger was
also the means ofbringing about Wagner's one
opportunity OF appearing as a composer be-
fore Partisan audience. At a concert given
for the subscribers to his paper. the Gazette
Musicale. the publisher placed ut the head OF
the programme the Columbus" overture. |
which Wagner had written at the age OF twenty
two. piece of which Laube has remark cd that |
1t showed the author to be undecided as to
whether he should follow Beethoven or Bel
linL French critic. discussing the per-
Of this overture. submitted the
question whether Wagner intended to repre-
sent tho inflnity OF music tho horizon
that seemed endless to the companions of
Columbus. BY means OF the tremolos on the
high notes OF the violin He found that the
brass was used too frequently. Yet. upon the
whole, the overture seemed to him the work
VI M afiist haNuR RTauu. ueHnlto luedS, anu
we'll acquainted with the resources Of m odern
Instrumentation In short. the reception OF
this overture was sufficiently favorable to
prompt the composer to send It to Julien in
London. with tho request to have It performed
1t promenade concert. Julien. however.
the manuscript. and when it was
brought back Wagner had not money enough
10 pay the cost Of transportation from London
20 Paris. The package consequently remained
IN the hands OF the express company. and was
probably sold for waste paper. At all events.
he subsequent efforts Of Wagnsr's friends to
race 1t proved futile.