New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-02
..,,zed his plan IN 'IIaneel and Gretel" which

..aIized his plan IN "Haneel and Gretel" which
rcu,t be looked upon as the prototype OF Die
K5n,gskinder" Notwithstanding that the former
&c frankly a lyric drama. while the latter is a
A-aroa with music. drama Of a kind that cam
80, be defined by title but must be described
Tho author did not conceive Die K0nigskinder''
&c n lyric drama. She wrote 1t some four wears
400 and published II in 1885 and then turned to
Herr Humperdinck so the story goes. for Incl
dental music. such as an overture. between acts
n,eces and settings for few songs But Humper-
d,nck saw other and new possibilities IN the work.
and after he had had II in hand two years II
uas still without the overture. The second and
third acts had been provided with preludes the
songs had their melodies and accomplishments.
and all the principal scenes had been provided
with illustrative music IN the Wagnerian style.
with this difference. that the dialogue had been
pointed" as the church musician might say
that IS the rhythm indicated with exact
ness and even the variations OF pitch. though it
uas understood that the purpose was not 10
achieve song. but only intensified utterance
halfway between speech and song. This expert
mont may he said 10 be a reverson in principle
IN the primitive drama. at least to the
rer OF classic oratory which had careful musical
regulation. Rousseau is credited sometimes with
the invention OF this form Of meodrama. but 1t
IS plain that 1t has always been in the mind OF
the musician. In the present century Cherutm
and Beethoven Introduced It into opera. Won
Weber made use OF 1t in "Precosa" and Schu-
mann in Manfred" which are both largely
lyric Wagner rejected IT. hut his disciple
Huripe rdinck revives It. seemingly actuated by
the ,rincpes which actuated the Florentne in
ven OF the italian opera in the last days Of
the sixteenth century. He does this, 'oreover
alta time when there seems 10 be n general and
unpremed!tatcd revival OF interest in form
which has scarcely ever been discussed WITH
out being condemned an impotent monSre.
Mr. Ffrangcon- Davies though Inuch-admred
singer. essays 1t under the title OF Camilla
ton" and by the word mars his success
Ernst Possart. actor and manager Of great
influence in Germany, puts aside his lsurels and
strives for by reciting a German YER
sion Of "Enoch Arden" with accompanying
music composed and played by Richard Strauss
who did not hesitate TO try and publish the
philosophy Of Nietzsche- Zarathustra without
the aid OF words. but is quite willing to amble
along behind Tennyson when he tells the story
OF the sailor who overcame the sea. but suffered
shipwreck at home
What does 1t all mean? The performance at
the Irving Place Theatre has followed In the
footsteps Of ali those In Germany OF which ac-
counts have reached IN ignoring the com
y
innate opera: that Is the actors do not attempt
10 follow the pointing OF the lines but de-
claim their lines in the speaking voice over the
illustrative music giving heed simply 10 musical
cues. SO that the orchestral part may heighten
the dramatic intensity OF the various scenes and
situations Frau Sorma alone occasionally re-
cites in prescribed intervals and in something
between the speaking and singing voice. but
oftener she sings when the composer prescribes
only meodramatic speech. At the end of the
second act there is a scene Of disorder. in which
the youth and maiden are driven out OF the
town-a scene which. with its context inevi-
tably suggests the corresponding scene In Die
Meistersinger" This too. had been "pointed
by the composer: but IT is said that at the first
performance in Munich a year ago last Janu-
ary Herr Humperdinck reached the conclusion
that all the scenes in which numbers are en-
gagged ought 10 have been made operate
II Is safe, therefore. to say that all that Herr
Humperdnck has done more than the old melo-
drama with one exception. has failed 10 com
mend itself to the people OF the stage where
fore the public have had no chance 10 pass
Judgment upon It. The exception is one Of vast
Significance. however. The composer has writ
ten in Wagner's manner. He has invented
rnelodic phrases which stand for the people and
passions, the agents and agencies Of the play.
and out Of these he has constructed the orches-
trail pieces upon which the play floats He has
done so with the same funess Of taste and fe-
cundty of invention which won admiration. and
II at times he is carried away with a love for
sonority which seems excessive. he achieves such
lovely effects with his orchestration that one Is
willing 10 put down a part Of the loss OF bal
ance and symmetry TO defective performance
Mr. Proelss's best intentions must be handi-
capped in this particular at the Irving Place
Theatre. where the augmented orchestra ex-
tends into the audience-room.
The overture and two preludes. or between
act pieces have been heard in our concert
rooms and have been admired: but II is one or
the sincerest tributes TO Mr. Humperdincks
music 10 note how much they gain In beauty
and expressveness when heard IN connection
with the play The overture. which followed
the rest Of the mucic after the lapse OF year IS
Q swelling composition in which the general
mood Of the play finds expression. and the prn-
cipa musical symbols are marshaed For the
benefit OF those who will find delight In recog-
nzing them and following their development
through the play they are given here Like
siegfried the Prince is announced in horn call
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