The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-21
wAcNER's ANIMAL FRIENDS.
The Composer Introduced Them in Nearl
All His OuAraa


Tho Composer Introduced Them in Nearly
All His Operas.
Wherever Wagner made his homo he
liked to be surrounded by animals His
cook, Vrouka, in describing his home
1t Lucerne, writes:
'sThen we have chickens, peacocks
our two dogs. which often prove real
pastims." Two dogs, the cook says.
whereas Nendez, Gautier and Pohl
mention only ono Doubtless the cook
knew bsst; but the enormous New
fomdlald Russ was obviously the more
nOta be Of the two. Pohl snys of this
dog (who now lies buried in the Wahn-
fried garden at Bayreuth at his mas.
ter's feet that lit took Stocker, who
came out at Russ signal, some time to
convince the faithful guardian that
was IN adnirer of rs master. After
ward ws-stocker, Russ and became
the best of friends"
F. AveEarius, the son of Wagner's
half-sister, has preserved two anecdotes
which show that love of animals. like
love of nature, was a trait in Wagner's
childhood
The boy went all over town hunting
for good natured dogs and forming
friendships with them. One day he
heard whining sounds in a ditch, and
found young puppy. Knowing that
no such addition to large family at
homo would receive official approval,
he secretly Struggled it into his bed
roem, where he fed it and kept it warm
until it was betrayed by it. whining.
On another occasion his mother heard
squeaking sounds in his room, but
could not locate them. When the
teacher came to give the boy his lesson
he noticed a peculiar, disagreeable
odor. Investigation brought to light
in Richards bureau a whole family of
young rabbits. 1.-THE poor things
would have died." was the boys ex-
cuse. He had made an air-hole for
them, and his sister had provided the
food.
Only once in his life did Wagner kill
an animal for amusement He joined
a party of young hunters and shot
rabbit Its dying look met his eyes
and so moved him to pity that nothing
could have ever induced him to go
hunting again. The impression here
made on him is echoed in the ibretto
of his early opera, the Fairies where
the doe is hit by the arrow: ''Oh, see!
the animal weeps, q tear is in its eye.
Oh, how its broken look rests on me"
And again, in his last work, in the
pathetic lines of Gurnemanz reproach-
ing Parsifal for killing the sacred
swan. Animals are introduced in all
but three of his operas (Dutchman,
Tristan and Meistersinger). There are
horses in Rienzi, Tanuhauser, Walkure,
Gotterdammerung; a swan and dove in
Lohengrin; hunting dogs in Tam
hauser; a toad and a snake in Rhein-
gold; ram in Walkure; bear,
dragon and bird in Siegfried; ravens
in ootterdammerung; q swan in Par
sifaL
The swans, the bird and the dragon
are accompanied BY some of the most
characteristic or beautiful music in the
several operas; and it is interesting to
note that the swan motive in Lohen.
grin reappears in . modified form in
Parsifai. just as . few motives from
Tristan are introduced In the Meister-
singer, where Sachs alludes to that le-
gend. In this delightful kind of self.
quotation Wagner followed the pre-
cedsnt Of Mozart, who introduces
number from Figaro in Don Juan-with
humorous intent, however, in this case.
When Wagner died, in his SEVENTEEN
year, several interesting artistic and
literary projects were buried with him
One Of these was to write "A History
of Ny Dogs" 1t would have been an
Interesting little beck, ne
doubt, for next TO his work and a few
intimate friends, there was nothing in
the world to which he was so attached |
rs to his dogs.
From HIS early youth to his last days |
he always had one who was his con. |
slant companion, whether he was
writing or resting. At Madgeburg, in |
1884, he had a poodle of musical pro-
pensiSieA who accompanied him to all |
the rehearsah at the theatsr.
Al first he was allowed to enter tho |
orchestra circle. but. when he permitted
himself to ''crftioise" the performances
this privilege was taken away from
him, .ad he had to wait at the stage
aosr to accompany his master home
weleogen thinks it Was the same dog
Of whom Wagner related the following
One SAy he took him along on an ex-
c1ssisn in the Saxon Switzerland.
" Ahing to climb preeipiteus rock en-
Ne Bessst and fsaring that the poodle
night come to grief, he threw down
his handkroief for the dog to watch.
But the animal was too clever for him.
After . nsnsHt Of deliberatien he
,eraechsd . hole in the ground, buried
tAs hsalksrshisf fer safe keeping, and
I'm naAs haste to chamber after his
nastar.
His next pet At Riga was big New.
dog named Robber. He be.
oagsl ~ AEst to an English merchant,
put beeens - yossicnstely attached
70 WACosr. 1sIlswsog Kim ~ day. lying
n III lesssss1 at right that he was
It lsst aAsyesa - . nsmbsr Of the
andy. He. tsA ssss0panisd his mas
YER - ell yvAeasvals, aad on the way
le always tssk bssA in ne canal; be-
ng q hussian A.g. he ksDt up this
"a bit evsn in winter provided he could
Ind heae Ia The ice
His career - musical critic was cut
hort, like that Of the poodle His
tavoTite place was between the con-
iuctoy's Aesk and the double-bass
player. The latter he always regard.
ID with suspicion, because sf his con-
'taatly pushing the ssw in his direc-
ion