The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-19
WAGNER MUSIC DRAMAS
ANINrERsTINC cRITIClsM ny ONE
HHO KNOWS ms BUSINESS.
Prof Charles y. Muticr speaks Freely on
sid wagner Music for All Nations.

sld wagner Music for All Nations.
Professor Charles =. Mutter the musl-
cal conductor OF ST. Marys church. lead
or OF the German American Choral Asso-
citation and of the Gesangvercin Virginia,
has kindly consented TO lay before the
readers Of Tho Times few Thoughts In
regard 90 tho intrinsic value OF the vari-
Gus competitions OF Richard Wagner.
Professor Muttcr expresses himself as
follows.
The General Richard Wagner Associa-
ton held i;s yearly meeting az Bayrcuth
on July 2lst. and 30 was then learned, that
tho society had again lost about 100
members Slowly. but surely, the AS
ISOLATION is nearing SOS end However,
this will in mo- way affect the success OF
the great rcf0rmcrs grand music-dfama-
tic creations. To-day Wagner victory
ls complete and general His works nave
gained favor BOO aii Countries every
musician of motto bias studied some OF the
scores. or Del at least familiar with some
oi the gems from the didcrcnt operas.
10 ls generally believed and has been re-
ugI0us.N upheld bv the Wagncritcs that
D. WAGNER was an perfect that every
limo D.. wrote was 90 sacred revelation ia
tho musical world. Ict us not DE dccclV-
cd Goa The some manner No one Is in
prchcnd "a genius boz whom we found no
single fault. or who w0uld be- liable TO no
error whatsoever.
DECEIVED IN THE EFFECT
ArlIn Do was only "a natural thing that
Wagner could he deceived I'm the erect
produced hy his works and especially so
since he had them published before he
ever heard thcm Wagner would have
erased many line in his own scores. ana
greatly to his advantage had he not be-
gun whore others end.
This holds good also for his poetry he
has written Dis own textbooks TO all
lls operas
ln hs doton. Wagner can rise to the
suhimest heights OF poetry, ne can give
expression 90 the tenderest emotions he
cam describe characters with unsurpassed
he torscucss und precision; but he also
falls into tho lowest depths Of turgidity
and want of taste.
The grand. touching scenes. the noble
heroes and the lovely women Of his
operas are Wagncrs own creations. lie
has written music OF the choicest beauty.
Let us just remember: The Prayer from
EienN Prelude TO Lohcngrin." Prayer.
Wedding Music and the Wedding March
from "Lohcngrln,;' March and Song TO
The Evening Star from "Tannhaeusor."
etc. Tho overture 10 "Tannhacuscr."
opening with the solemn Pilgrims chorus.
is perhaps the grandcst overture ever
composed.
No ono knows how 10 handle change
~ moods and their appropriate tone
colornc like Wagner. Let us but recall
the appearance OF the Wartburg with the
Pilgrims chorus after the Nenusberg.
THE MUSIC DRAMA.
Rlcn2i is worked ON the pcrVading plan
~ grand opera. no little Influenced by
the works of Mcyerhcer with 1.-THE
Flying Dutchman" Wagner begins his
reform and step by STEP through Tam
haeuscr Loheugrln. Tristan and Isolde
the Nihclung TetraiOgy and ParsitdL ne
develops ANA carries ont his own ideas
and gives the world the music drama.
Tho magnificent effective. love-sccncs
Boo Wagncr's operas lend special charm
TO these works. In every one Of the
music dramas VIC find charming and
touching Qualification of love. faith. truth.
fidelity unto resignation or TN death. But
this most attractive subject is always
treated iu "a different manner. There is
the Flying Iufchmun and Scnta Tam
haeuecr Venus and Elizabeth. LohcngTin
and Elsa Tristan and Isolde. etc. and
love and passion hnd in these noble char
actcrs an ever new artistic expression.
And tho lovc-songs ana love-duots belong
10 the gems of the operas.
TIE EJECT MOST PROFOUND.
To an Impressive mind the effect or
dramas is most profound. They will leave
lasting impression. The mastery
musical description of the storm at sea
in The Flying Dutchman. is never again
forgotten. The soul may derive more
spiritual bcncnt from Tannhacuser, than
from volumes of Lcnten sermons. on
every pagc Of LOhcngrn We find cX-
Qusitely beautiful tOne-combinations
The music 10 Tristan and isolde belongs
90 The most remarkable t.ne-productions
of the musical art This work is the
most completely developed attempt OF
W1gner's grand idea, TO bring music
and drama into the most direct contact
and 90 allow the action in the main 10
rceound in the music alone.
The prize song from Die Meister singer
S. one of Wdmers most beautiful melo-
dies
WRITTEN FOR THE GERMANS
The so-c3llod Ring OF the Nibclung. em-
braces four different works. The Rhine
gold. Tho Nalkyro. Sicrfricd and The
Dusk OF the Gods Grand traits abound
in the Nihcrlung. poetry. The various
scenes ana highly poetic and dazzling
dramatic effect AS Is well known. Wag-
ner wrote This grand work expressly Tor
the German nation. and through his un-
firing cNcrtIons new theatre, according
90 his own ideas. was built at Bayrcuth
where the Ring was first performed IN
lNt under Hans kichtCr's direction. But
should "a work that makes pretensions -
giving the world a new art-cpoch be-
long 10 "a single stage We are com
PEELED to dismiss Wagncrs dclusion that
in the Nihclung. Tctralogy ne has pre-
scented the German nation w IN national
art work of deeply stirring and far-rcach-
Ing power. The German nation SHAH
never assemble 40 Bayreuth. This is
evident from the presence of so many
strangers. uon-Gornans. at the perform
anccs at Bayreuth every year.
in its substance Wagncr's Partial. IS a
return 90 the mystery OF che redemption
except that in the place Of passion we
have n legend. The text of parsifal
must De regarded as one OF the happiost
and some of tho music is the very best OF
Wagner parslfal was performed for
the first time az Fayrcuth in 1852
KLONDfHE COMPdNT.