New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-07
A NEW WAGNER BOOK.
wEIssHEIMERs PERSONAL EXPERT
ENCEs WITH THE MASTER.

ENCEs WITH THE MASTER.
HIS ExTRAvAGANcE AND IMPEcuNIosrrY-rHE
MESSAGE FROM KING LuDwro-GoING
BACK ON HIS FRIENDS.
Berlin. July II.
Wagner literature has Just received notable
addition which throws considerable light on Wag-
ners relations to his friends and on his achieve
ments inancier. II Is not pleasant TO enthu-
siastc admirers OF Wagner's music 10 see how he
could sponge his friends. and II is s'ill less
pleasant 10 with what ingratitude he requited
them; but this side OF the great composers char
acter. growing in large part 1t undoubtedly did
out Of his intense devotion 10 his art must also
be kept in view In making up the complete estimate
OF the The book referred to is by the con-
ductor and composer wessheimer c'Erlchnisse init
Richard Wagner. Franz List und Andcren Zeit-
genossen" Won W. Wesshcimer Stuttgart.
Deutsche VcrlagsanstalO who spent much time
with Wagner in the most interesting periods OF the
masters life. and was one Of his most intimate
friends.
Weissheimer then a music student. first visited
Wagner In Switzerland in the ffties. and came in
contact with him later in Weimar, Mainz Vienna
Stuttgart etc. but most intimately OF all In 1862
Beberch the Rhine. where he was Wagners
friend omanuensis and-bankcr. At this time
Weissheimer gives us the following striking pct-
OF Wagner reading the text to a circle OF
friends:
His power OF voice meditation was so great that
in short time 1t was unnecessary TO give, give me
once that Eva siolsins Sachs or PosneT
speaking, and particularly in the cases o. Da,
confusion OF these persons absolutely impossible
Even in the most animated dialogue Of the
1 from ep hs oSs ha BEFORE M sch
10 selma ted the hearers and called forth storms o.
applause Several times Wagner had to pause till
the applause had ceased before he could ms
performance rhetorical virtuoso. Shall try
TO describe how charmingly he rendered passages
Ike that in the second act How sweet the mae
Tristan and Isolde or how tenderly Eva words %
this to-beforgoten performance It was clear
to everybody present that we were sthd'ng d.
the cradle of a mighty, experimenting WORK vi ART
Weisshemer gives some interesting anecdotes
out OF Wagner's daily life at this time. In one
OF their walks they passed the ducal park 1t was
beautiful spring day. and Wagner wanted to
enter tho park.
As I did not know that IT was forbidden to
smoke there. did not hesitate to continue smSR,ng
at the gate saw this. ran to me and shouted:
Down with that cigar Wagner minated to the
man that II smoking was forbidden there ne might
say so more decenty. l extlnsushed my cigar and
we entered the park. We had however. nsIdly
gone few hundred PAGES when we saw an officer
clouds of smoke upon the air. Wagner remarked:
Now. tina, Is too much. The uniforms doh
trouble themselves at All about the Dukes proh-
billion OF smoking Light your cigar agan d" ,hay
done and We approached tive smoking Officer lie
looked at MS anGrily. measuring us IRON ,op 10 zoe
then. holding his cigar on the FAR aide. ne walKeu
on. Then we recognized hint was tie DUKE
once they took n drive to Wesbaden. where Wag-
ner would not permit WeissheImer TO pay the
coachman but pressed louis dor into the latters
hand and turned away. Weisshemer called TO
him: why the mans charge Is at most rev
Rorins: walt moment; he Will give you the
change" But Wagner answered with a laugh:
Shall take change from the man? Shall for
soo,h hold out my hand TO him." and he moved on
Then follows description Of their visit TO the
gambling hell As they saw the gi!rerins gold
changing hands rapidly Wagner remarked:
For my part | never have any desire 10 play, for
I am convinced befo. ehand that should lose
every time II ! should allow myscf 70 be TEMPTED
TO stake anything RI, eC1 mo"s he s hnd sES
viousy thought OF have already been drawn several
Zines
i proposed TO him that should try an experiment
several times with the smallest adnis' ible So Re
This done and, in fact. IN" numbers designated
by him came out several times In succession. as IN
each instance ,hlrty-fve times the amount OF the
stake was paid out and the stake had been raised
several times was able TO hand nm N 4 teW MN MN
uics the pretty sum OF several hundred HORNS.
"Enomgh From now on We should lose; / am
sure OF that" lie drew me away and wc prone
pndp cd
inc 20 the band on whose programmes numbers
from "Tannhsuser" and "Loheugrin" already ap-
pcared now and then.
During his Boberich days Wagner vas IN HE
usual financial straits His publisher Srhott, had
not only refused further advances bpt hod even
avoided an unpleasant call from Wagner by ;hc
announcement Not at home Wagner had 10
have recourse. usual. TO the purses OF Hls
friends and his spendthrlft habits perpexeI these
no; n little Have you no idea. ION buioW aSIed
rapdly that he Is always able TO get when necessity
pinches? You are always with him; Why, YOU
ought 10 know" But Wesshcimer had - confess
that no had not the remotest idea. and tndt Nhs-
ner's art" OF spending money was riddlo to
him And It IA riddle 70 me. too. continued Won
Rn!ow That he IL able every time to get the need
ful again when he absolutely must have 1t. After
all he Is a stu greater financial genius than
poetIcal and musical one. How often | have had
70 admire him IN The former character
We next ind Wagner and Weisshclmcr together
IN Vienna. whittier Wagner had gone IN order to
give n concert and supcrintend The first produ,-
ton OF Tristan" The preparations for the latter
however drew themselves out wofully long. as
the tenor proved himself utterly insufficient for his
role o.. Meanwhile Wagner had given an expensive
supper 10 the singers who had taken part in his
concert and 10 other persons Ills spendthrft haD-
,ts had otherwise swelled his Dill at the hotel ana
the landlord was becoming duly alarmed. the Dill
was presented and over again. but Wagner
had not the wherewthal to pay. not yet having
received his honorarium for Tristan" At that
time Welsshemer and Tausg spent an evening In
Wagner's quarters:
We listened to HIM with sympathy, and sat on
the sofa depressed in spirits. as he paced up ana
down the room nervous speed. suddenly ne
stoned and said: Hold or. have Il; now
know what's lacking and what | need Ana going
TO the door he rang encrSetcallN IauslH WIS
pered 10 me: What IS he going TO do? why, ne
iooks Just Ike Wotan when he has NJ Inst come TO
n great decision" Finally the walter appeared,
approaching slowly and hesitatngly-these people
estonished than we at hearing Wagners
order: Bring me two bottles OF champagne on zee
at once 49,, - ,,,,.,. ma
For heavens sake End In this condition. we
cried a. the waiter turned away. But wagner ue-
I,r.rod himself OF an earnest speech on the indis-
ncnsahleness OF champagne precisely In desperate
sItuntions since Il alone TIDE us over INC uls-