The times., 1898-09-04
the uu,ic-Dramas of wagner.


With the growing appreciation of Wag-
ner's music in this country has come
inevitably. a series Of more or less ac-
ceptable books intended for students OF
wagner. Most of these are little worse
than useless. The way to study Wagner
is to study him, not to buy books ABOUT
him and Join clubs intended for the oas-
cussion of him, and dabble In all sorts OF
explanations of his works. The bena-
yEor Of some people toward Wagner Is
very much like the behavior of the same
people toward Browning. When TINS
country first grasped the idea snat
Rrowning was considered by those who
knew him. TO be great poet certain
persons were Immediately seized with
manic because they could see nothing re-
-narkable in his work. Instead OF saying
frankly that they did not understand
him they bought commentaries, and reac
magazine articles. and joined clubs, In
frantic desire to make their public think
they did understand him. But they old
yot come a whit the nearer Browning, Tor
an chat Poetry is not a thing WHICH
one NAV learn TO like because Ii happens
10 ne the fashion. Neither Is wagner
music. .,.. .,.s y,
RQNfrtheleSS.
Knowledge that are of use in the STUDY OIL
either poet or musician. Although per-
son wholly unfamiliar with the history
NJ Fra I.ippo Lfppi, Andrea del Sarto, or
King Saul, may instinctvely appreciate
Browning's poems, 1t unQuestionaoly aoos
q charm to the reading II one under-
stands all historical illusions, ana IL
would be rather difficult to appreciate the
fuu force of "Caliban upon Setebos
without knowing who Caliban was ana
what he was talking about. 30 with
Wagner. And for really valuable DOCK
on Wagner's operas, the student is com
nended to ''The Music Dramas of Rich
ard Wagner" by Albert Layignac, pro-
lessor of harmony at the Conservatoire
at Paris. Il is translated from the
French by Esther Singleton, who has
contrived to give the full force of the
French idioms, without making the dc
tion awkward.
The hook is constructed on a plan some
what unique. II is a sort OF encyclopae-
dia of information about Wagner, but
not I'm encyclopaedic form. The first
chapter is entitled Life in Bayreuth,
and describes the town In which the
great masters theater is situated. The
second chapter is a biography OF Wag-
ner, and q history of the building or the
theater The third is a synopsis and
analysis of the poems, and the fourth an
analysis of the music. The fifth chapter
deals with the work of the actors and
musicians who take part In the dramas
at Bayreuth. Altogether, there are
about 500 pages in the book, every one
packed with information.
The first chapter will be of use to any
one who may think of going to Bay
reuth on a pilgrimage. NJ. Lavignac
pauses for moment at the beginning
TO express his opinion Of those people
who go to the opera because it is FASH
ionable. He says:
know perfectly well that II is impossible
70 make al the spectators pass an examination
before permitting them enter the hail. or tC
make sure that, either by their musical educa
tion or by the intelligent interest which they
take in matters of art, they worthy to ente
into the sanctuary; but IL must be confessed tina
81 is painful TO hear the absurd remarks whicl
sbow how unworthy is certain portion of tn
public that now frequents Bayreuth i have hear,
one woman ask who was the author of the piec
70 be given the next day; and another rejoice,
That they were going TO perform Sigurd % whic
-the liked so much.
Perhaps It is not necessary to be hu
INFLATED into the dust because Americ:
has no feeling for art, when one read
that not SO very long ago, in Bayreut
itself, persons offered for sale ''cuff but
tins and scarf pins, with the portrait o
our great master, Richard Wagner" an
even shirt fronts embroidered in Lett
motivT' All the Philistines are evident
ly not on this side of the water.
A point which may be of especial inter
est to those who contemplate the journe
20 Bayreuth is that of expense. N. La
vignac says presumably of the journe
from Paris:
We have calculated that a young man who doc
not mind travelling second-class, and takin
twenty-four hours on the journey TO Nurembure
viii spend on the railway, going and returning
very nearly lS0 francs. Let us allow him abou
40 francs for extras and restaurants during III
two days that ne spends route. going and II
turning; this makes 10 francs. Ii is possible
live very comfortably in Bayreuth for doze
francs day, room and meals. . The price ,
single seat is % francs. Admittin
that he attends four performances he ca
pay for everything. during six days absenc
with $50 francs He who intends to trav
comfortably and without denying himself an,
thing, must expect 10 spend from 500 to g
francs.
The biography is brief. Like all otht
biographies which have been written
Wagner, it makes clear the tremendoI
difficn.ties against which he had to cor
ssnj for forty years. An amusing lit
iaciSSst Of his visit to England in 1855
FecoaEteo. NJ. Lavignac says:
Prince Albert greatly appreciated the mus
q the German master The English pres
however, was hard upon him. Among 9TH
ducting BsethOvens Symphonies from mernor
Wagner, therefore, to please his audience, a.
peared at the next concert with score; the pu
lie perfectly satisfied, and claimed that IL
execution was much better; but what was the il
GignatiOn si everyone, when, later. il was SEE
THAT the scsFe that of '-n Barbiere di Sevi
lis, and That it was upside down on the deshl
The buli-headed egotism of the ordinar
Rnglishman was never better illustrate
a glimpse of Wagner's personality
afforded by quotation from Nine. j
dith Gantzsri friend of the family:
We must recognize that the character of Ric
asperities, which often cause him TO be misl
oerstoOd, but only by those who judge by a
pearances. Always sincere, entirely devt
ing himself TO so many things. and, moreovt
OF very versatile mind, his opinions and ide;
EikJays positive at first, are by no means irI
rceable; no one is ever more willing than he
acknowledge an error; but the first heat mt
be allowed 70 pass BY the freedom and
hemence Of his words, it often happens that
uninteBtionally wounds his best friends; alwa
IL extremes, he goes beyond all bounds, and
conscious of the pain he causes Many peop
wounded IN their vanity, go away without sayT
any thing Of the hurt which rankles, and tn
thus lose a precious friendship; whilst, If tn
had cried out that they had been hurt. th
would have the master so full of sincere
fTet, and he would have tried with such earn
efforts 10 console them, that their love for b
would have increased.
In the next chapter, which is given
analysis of the poems, NJ. Lavignac Civ
O. little experience of his own which m;
u interesting.
I once experimental with myself in a way
Dot regret. but which would not repeat for al
hing in the world, because ii is most distressil
The series OF performances which was 10 attt
r. II oF Nssie noe