Evening journal., 1893-05-19
WAGNER IN PRIVATE LIFE.
kn Employee of the Great Composer Re-
lates Some Interesting Notes.

lAAN7 HNAAt AHAfA'htANk aNoAtns
DR. Hans Richter, the famous conductor,
1t win be remembered, after fulfilling a
long engagement as a horn player at the
kartnerthor theator in Vienna was recon-
mcndcd by Esser TO Wagner then in need
Of % copyist and proceeded TO Triebsohen,
near Lucerne, where be spent upward of q
year October, 1866, 20 December, 1867 under
his roof and made the first fair copy OF the
"Meistersinger." OF his early experiences
Dr. Richter speaks as follows; ~ was in-
stalled IN a room ON the upper story of the
villa. and during the first three months of
my sojoum lived there absolutely alone,
taking even my meals I'm solitude. Wax
ner's study was just under my room, and
there be worked ns a rule all the morning
without interruption. He was then en-
gagged on the 'Meistersingor.' and when he
had finished page of the score he used to
bring it to me himself, often with the ink
still wet, and | In my turn set TO work to
copy it Immediately
"ln the afternoon. aftee the midday meal,
which was regularly served at 1 O'Clock,
was with equal regularity expected TO ac-
company Wagner on his walk, which al
ways lasted several hours. On these walks
Wagner generally appeared TO be deeply
absorbed and did not speak. l imagine
lNAl ne WAS etlll tnENLtu III tNNlNN7ANlbHs
However, he insisted that ] should always
accompany him. At that time / was still
extremely shy and reserved, with little ex-
perience Of the ways Of society, but as these
walks were to a certain extent part OF my
duty fancied that il was obligatory upon
me TO entertain the master who strobe si-
lently by my side Goodness knows what
torturcs underwent in my efforts TO find
subjects likely 70 interest him. positive
ly trembled as ] started the dialogue on the
spur Of the moment.
zone day shortly after my arrival-it
was, think, our second or third walk-l
thought had hit upon a capital subject
and ventured 20 sound Wagner upon his
own works Can you tell me. Herr Wag-
ner, which opera You prefer" "Tannhaeus-
err or "Trstangn' Wagner burst into a
loud fit Of laughter and replied, How can
you ask me such a silly question: That
was all his answer, and the conversation
ended there. From that day | never ven-
tured to break silence unless Wagner gave
me the lead, so othat our walks became more
silent than ever"
Being asked whether Wagner ever con-
suited him on the use Of the different in
struments, DR.. Richter replied;
"No. On this point Wagner had no need
Z
any one else On one single occasion, how
ever, he came up 10 my room with page
of his score, still unblotted, and pointing
out a passage said, Do you think this
phrase can be performed on the horn at so
rapid q tempo2 Isn't il too diiiicultY The
passage in question is in the finale Of the
second act of the 'Meistersinger where the
horn takes up the theme of Beckmessor's
'Serenade' l examined the passage and re-
| assured him Immediately. Certainly IL
can be played. but it will sound very queer
and nasal Captalr cried Wagner, that's
| exactly what / meant il 10 be. 1t Is sure 20
have a comic effect And accordingly
] had to take my horn and play the passage
over several times Wagner was over
loved; the effect was exactly what he had
| intended. ] had brought my horn with me
from Vienna, and in the summer evenings
used TO take a boat and row of to a little
| islet opposite the villa, where, ensconced in
| the long grass and underground, / would
| play ON my favorite instrument till was
out of breath. Next day Wagner would
question me:
81 say, Richter, what were you playing
yesterday evening?
"'Well meister,' / would reply 'it was
a passaue from the "Meistersinger" and
Wagner would smile and appear delighted.
Finally, on Christmas day, after ] had
been nearly three months in the house,
was invited for the first time and presented
to Mime. Cosima Wagner From that day
onward was treated like one of the house
hold and dined every day and spent every
| evening in the family circle. Every evening
| Wagner used TO read aloud. AT that date
the stories of Hoffman were in great favor,
and Wagner read them incomparably with
the utmost animation. In this connection
/ remember that when Tristan was first
put in rehearsal at Vienna in 1862 Wagner
came one day to read his poem to the artists
in order to enable them to enter into the
spirit Of the work. Some of them after
ward declared that IL Wagner had devoted
himself to the histrionic career he would
certainly have become the most remarkable
actor of his time.
"He accom- panied his reading with a
wealth of gesture and of facial plry which,
to quote the words Of the artists of the
Burg theater, while betraying his complete
Ignorance of the tricks of the trade, never
theless revealed an extraordinary talent for
diction and representation. 1 have men
toned that Wagner's workToog where he
was engaged on the score of rhe 'Meister.
singer, was exactly underneath the room
which occupied i'm his house. During the
l3 months which ] spent at Triehschen ]
can positively state that l never once heard
the sound of the piano i'm his room. This
shows that when composing or noting down
his ideas he was never in the habit of try
ing how it would sound ON the pianoforte.
Guide Musical