New-York tribune., 1899-01-20
MUSIC.
THE NIBELUNG TRILoGY.

which she will ever live In grateful remembrance.
Nine. schumann-He eloquent Interpretation OF
the oracular utterances OF the prmeval mother
Erda, and the restoration OF hitherto excised
portions lay all the elepents in which last nights
representation Of "Siegfried" differed from the per-
formance OF the work given earlier in the season.
Perhaps It ought to be added also in a slight loss
of effectiveness In part due to slips and impotent
stage management. Were II not for the illumina-
ton OF the characters OF Wotan and Fricka which
the newcomers from Bayreuth. Herr Van Rooy and
Nine Schumann- Henk. have brought TO US, 1t
might be said with entire truth that the present
performances are not adding to the popular knowl-
edge OF Wagners tragedy except such knowl-
edge, and with Il appreciation and affection, are
contingent upon growth In familiarity. We have
yet to wait for the pictures which are so fascinn
ing and inviting to the imagination in the stage
directions with which the poet-composer enriched
his book OF the play and his musical setting: and
We have also to wait for that perfection Of ensem-
BILE in which the essence OF wagnerian representa-
ton consists Toward the latter accomplishment
we are making notable strides, now that to German
opera has been yielded all the privileges enjoyed
by French and italian at the Metropolitan Opera
House. and there is so much to be grateful for
under the circumstances that to grumbe would be
churlish.
AS the Wanderer In "Siegfried" Herr Van Rooy
rounds out conception OF the hero OF the trogy
which ought to go far toward disabusng the popu-
lar mind Of many foolish notions concerning the
character Of Wotan which have fastened upon 1t
and been fed by the witty utterances OF shallow
critics THE Ring Of the Nibelung'' is a Wotan
tragedy, and II we look beyond the merely tech
nical achievements Of Herr Van Rooy, which are
but means devoted to the attainment OF noble
end shall observe the most striking feature
OF the impersonation the presentation OF that
growth which is an essential element In a tragic
hero. 1t Is probably due to Herr Van Rooy's anx-
iety to disclose this element that he resorts to de-
vices at times which have seemed 20 US somewhat
theatrical and unworthy OF the character. Let II
be confessed, however that admiration OF both
the conception and the execution have grown with
study OF his performances.
What has given pause heretofore has been
the obvious unwillingness Of the inspired expound
ers of Wagner to credit the public with a
spark OF creative imagination. Believing with
Berloz that appeals to the imagination Of the pub
lie are idle and Of avail, they encourage a
crude materialisrn which Is often subversive and
degrading OF the poetic idea Their defence is
that Wagner set the example, and so he did He
set It many years ago, when he changed the finale
Of "Tannhauser," that instead OF suggesting
Elizabeths death by tolling OF the Wartburg
bell he had her corpse carried upon the stage,
Notwithstanding that II involved him In the ab-
surdity OF having her climb the mountain to the
castle. die. be laid out and carried down amid
well-ordered procession. all In the space OF few
minutes. He set II again when he substituted the
materialism of touch Of the sacred lance for the
healing question In "Parsifal" He set 1t again
when he changed what he called "a creative
thought for a material sword discarded by the
giants in the last scene Of "Das Rheingold"
The last representations OF Der Ring des Nibel-
ungen" at Bayreuth was full of this materiastic
tendency. and some Of 1t is reflected in the other
wise imposing impersonation OF Wotan by Herr
Van Rooy. 1t has. for instance, led him to en-
phasize tragic development by physical change in
the character. The Wotan OF Die WalkUre'' is an
older than the Wotan OF "Das Rhelngod"; the
Wanderer of "Segfried" is hoary sage. The last
change is justified by the tales of Germanc myth
ology, in which the Wanderer is Wotan in one OF
his disguises. He is also described an old man
by Sieglnde in die Walkure" when she tells OF
the mysterious stranger who thrust the magic
sword into Its ashen sheath. But for the other
change find no explanation Neither can
we observe the splenetive conduct Of Wotan toward
Brunnhilde without a, feeling that In yielding 10
It Herr Van Rooy sacrifices some of the dignity Of
the god There Is much talk In the COM
mentaries and some IN Wagners book Of
the divine rage OF Wotan. There is ALSO tradl-
ton that Wagner In the rehearsas Of 1875, urged
Herr Scara to body forth that anger puissantly;
but against all this, at least against tho exag
gerated exhibition which Herr Van Rooy makes in
the final scene between Wotan and Brunnhide there
lies the argument OF the music itself. There is a
motive Of the divine rage some such thing In
the score, but It's expression Is not that OF anger
so much as of chastened and self-rebuke
In the text the outburst OF rage is In descrp-
ton OF the potency OF the anger which he was
capable Of feeling an anger which could destroy
worlds were he to yield to It, but there is nothing In
consistent with sef-centred dignity and lofty sor-
row In his rebuke of his daughter. who did his
will IN dsobeying his command. The chasusement
is the chastisement Of love- else are all the gods
farewell words "falses as dcers oaths" Moreover.
.ta ica1 |
gentleness Let II be granted that there is
divine anger" OF Wotan. but let that anger be
turned against the god himself, and we fancy that
the ideal which Herr Van Rooy embodies so mar
vellously in every other respect will gain In dignity,
nobility and convincing eloquence But. again. let 1t
he added that here there Is for differences or
opinion.
Herr Dippei's mpersonation OF the forest lad last
night was full Of youthful buoyancy and lusty life.
and he sang much OF tho music with splendid
verve As for those Of his companions who have
not yet been mentioned, praise in large degree
was challenged by Mr.. Bispham (Alberich) In
lesser degree by Herr Meffert. and also by Miss
Maria FngIe (yoice Of the bird) and Mr. Pringle
Hafner) The textua restorations were chiefly In
the scene between the Wanderer and Mime, the
dying speech OF Fafner which should never be
sacrificed the first OF the third act and
the love duet The attendance was less numerous
than at the performances Of "Das Rheingold' and
die wsktire."
THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The second concert given by the Boston Sym
nhony Orchestra In New-York at its present visit
took place last evening in Carnegie Hall There
was an audience present that proved that the
opera. even when the Nibelung musc-dramas are
In course Of production. unabridged, does not mo-
nopolize all the musical culture OF tile town. TOT
II seemed scarcely less numerous than 1t has been
on the previous visits OF the orchestra this season
II was rewarded by a concert OF altogether uncom-
mon interest Brahmss vigorous and overnowinsy
melodious third symphony was the NUMBER
NJ chief Importance, and II received an inter- |
-rata+lon that stood at the summit OF the
BOSTON Orchestras achievements In euphony, |
and in the loving elaboration OF all the details OF
,ts structure and It's rhythmic characteristics Mr..
Ger,cke conducted not only this, but particularly