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

most elaborate German biography OF the con
possf. that by Glasenapp. has not been tran
lated. and even that treatise In rather an 0,
haustive critical estimate OF waEpers wor
than study Of his life and character. Nor,
over. since Glasenapp wrote. q great deal
Hight Mas been thrown upon Wagner's person
alty by the publication Of his letters to Lisz
Hei6e. Uhlig. Fischer. and others. or ell sue
new material. Including some valuable manu-
scriptS Mr.. II. I. F1NcK has awaited himself |
Z the two volumes which constitute the thor
ougfly adequate and deeply interesting boo
entitled Wagner and His Works: ne Story o
His LUe teih Critical Comments tScribner's
Mr. Ffnck claims that he is indebted to previ
Gus bioeraphers for less than twentieth par
Of thetnatte contained in his narrative. tn
rest being based on his own personal expert
encss. on WaRner's autobiographic writings
and other original documents. including
3 eollectiop OF Wagneriana. which has beer
brought together during the last seventeen
I years. A good deal Of space is devoted to tn,
xsfutation Of hostile criticism. q REPUTATION
often effected out OF tho mouths OF tho critic,
themselves. transform cd into complete or par
fal converts. This 10 o novel and striking
feature OF the book. 1t 10 not. however. the
critical. but tho biographical parts Of those vol.
umes ut which we purpose to glance. and we
shall particularly refer to Incidents which
have Boon overlooked or misunderstood by
,prsvf6us biogrsphers
sf 81 tr.' ''f I.
RichSld 'waonsr ~, a horn IN I,e,ns,c IN NAV
~ 1Sfg VIA -. ~ hnmhi. nr,o,n Tba ,or :.
Nv vhi6h M vas 10 maka iIlustrioua can ha
Ar.seS Nback M surtbar than His grandfather.
s9ottinh' WAGNER ,xho v,a n ANAL Cna,om
Houso official in Leipsic. This mans son
Friedrfch iRicbard Waener,s father rose to
y. cI.rk IN En-. o,tv oonrts and dnrin1 ,ho
Trernh occu nation a, I,sinsic vas Amounted
Chief OF Police. From his father the composer
loberftsd his lova of the theatre and a sneciaI
talent for taking parts in theatrical . er,orm-
nnoeCe fsriedrIph Wagner was one Of those
VINO wftnesase d the frat performance in Lelp-
sio,of Sobillerss -Junpfrau Won Orleapsr inItbe
poet,s iprosenoe. and he ia said to have an.
,,eared oeca sionalIv az an amateur actor be
fore m audience including royal spectators.
Riohdriia uncle. Adolph Wagner. was A nlav
fright who published. among other works. n
satirIoal comedy. and a Contribution TO the
bistofy of the stage. or Richard,s tbree
brotbara and four sisters. several distin.
ouishsd themselves in ooonection with the
fbeatfai klbert who was fourteen veara bia
older. vas. n Anger Of repute as wall as an
actoEand staae manager. The oldest sister
Rosaffe. became a leading actress at the
Ieipsio Theatre and IA said tn hava acted
(3oethets Gretchen with superlstt.e ability
Anotber sfstsr Luise. appeared as an actreas
and third slater Klara. was educated IN aing
An Italian opera. but eventnailv narred a
member OF tho Brockhaus family. Of encvclo.
pmdia fame We should add that one Of Rich.
ard Warner,s nieces. Jobanna daughter n,
chsrd wagner. became one q, tbs mo.t 10.
moue dramatic sineers of her tim. sbe was
fhe fltst 10 tire thn mart NJ EHzobe,b IN Tam
The most poverful infusncs n which Rich.
ard Wagner was subjected during bis child.
hood was axarted NV tho notsd nrofo.sinn,,
actor. Indwie Geyer. who becama bia st.n.
father befora tbs nov had raaob.d hio third
birthday. Geyer had recsived an annoin,m.nt
at the ,D,esden Tbeatr. vith n saI.rv -, oao
tbalers. for which he VA. oh,ioad n .nna.r
only ionce or tyice a week. He TINS had
leisure for othsr oeeu ma tions and he Inn nrov.d
Il. for, me hin stepson. he WAS , man n, var,.d
rifts. He wrote a number Of com edias ana hi.
ekill a & portrait painter was 40 bIohlv annra-
ciated. that he vaa AJAX ed IN naipt the nortroit.
Of the King and Queen Of saxony. His
sourth !. aoaom nlisbmant rao,,,s ond n.rh.n.
uuerested his stspson'a tbeorv that dr.
matic ana musical nouers sbonId he con;oinad
In those Who vould annear In nnora
Clever vas n tenor. and. as aucb tool nat In |
:. Joserh IN Eoyntn Nh. first nsrtormo,aa
given under Weber,s direction after The LAT.
ter's sppointment as conductor Mt tho Drss-
dom Opera. Tho relation Of Weber to Wa ona-
h carefully traced nv the nresant hioorsnh..
I'm Dresden tina oneraa .van ~ c.
man eomposers had been snng IN italian Int
Ia 1915 the King OF saxony was nersuodsd ~
lound n f3erman opsro IA m sstar IN sti,mtion
o heitaiian, and Weber was chosen ~ an
,arintand n .rba It.,ion ,nr,o, -.
lad The beet sinoara ,rd W.hor ~ -.
,ompIete his cast was oblipad 10 coll unon ,ho
ocal actors. and Actresses Tins q camsto
PASS that Geyer. the actor. came N h. . msn,
,er oftbe arst German onara IN nrosd.n
act which gave Richard Wacnar ,ra
,uents ,onnortunitiss of se.,ng th. oan
,oser and hearIno hia musi. H. bin,
,elf says In hie autoh,ogra,hy thot no,L;
rave him 40 much nIeasnrs no tho "Erni
chutz.n ana that he alwavs Iooraa 80
Weber with a hoIv awe Mr. Enot i,da.u
naintains that Wagner ia rooted In Wahsr os
- 'SooA 10