The times., 1899-05-07
wagner.

n2rd SnaN is u writer ci SO maj heu an III
dividuality and so original a literary
style that it is foregone conclusion that
his views on any subject will be novel if
nothing more. In this particular case they
are not only new, but extremely interest
ing.
The theory is, briefly, that Wagner en-
bodied in this tetralogy the revolutionary
ideas to which he was devoted during sew
eral years of his life, and for which he
suffered exile. Mr. Shaw finds in the 81
ants, the dwarfs, the gods, and the heroes
personifcations of the various forces of
modern society, and conceives the music
dramas to be, not mere imaginative operas
founded on Teutonic mythology. but
aIlegorical presentations of the gigantic
struggle between good and evil in the
pTogress Of the world, the outcome Of
which will be the development of the true
man, the hero-type, who is represented as
greater than even the gods. 1t is not lik
ly that this theory will find many adher-
ents in the immediate future, but it is GER
tainiy presented with consummate skill,
and the author has the advantage OF know
ing a great deal about both music and the
revolutionary school Of political science.
What he has to say, therefore, is worth
serious consideration.
In a little preface, addressed to the or
binary citizen" that is, the person who,
as the Hindu proyerb says, knows not,
and knows that he knows not very much
about Wagner, Mr. Shaw gives hint of
the idea which he is going to develop. He
says:
The Ring, with all its gods and giants and
dwafs, its water maidens and Nalkyries, its wish
ing CAP magic ring. enchanted sword, and mi
racuIous treasure. is a drama of today, and not
of a remote and fabulous antiquity. 1t could
not have been written before the second half of
the nineteenth century, because it deals with
events which were only then consunfnat.iis theni-
selves. Unless the spectator recognizes in it an
image Of the life be is himself fighting his way
through, il must needs appear TO him a mon
strous developmen; Of the Christmas p5ntomtme,
spun ont here and there into int0lerable lengths
OF dull conversation by the principal baritone.
Fortunately, even from this point Of view, The
Ring is full OF extraordinarily attractive episodes,
both orchestral and dramatic. The nature music
alone-musie Of river and rainbow. fire and for
esi-is enough TO bribe people with any love of
tire country IN thom to endure the passage of
political philosophy in the sure hope OF pret-
tier page 10 come Everybody, too, can enjoy
the love music, the hammer and anvil muse,
the clumping OF the giants, the time Of the young
woodsmau's horn. the iriiling Of the bird, the
dragon music and nightmare music and thunorr
and lightning music, the profusion Of simple
melody, tho sensuoiIs charm Of the orchestration;
in short, tie vast extent of common ground be-
twern The Ring and the ordinary mu>ic we use
for play and pleasure. Hence il is that the four
separate misic plays of which it is built have be-
come popular throughout Europe as operas
There Is not single bar Of classical music in
The Ring-not note in il that las any other
point than the single direct point of giving mu-
sical ,.NIrcssion to the drama. II Nag-
ner were TO turn aside from his straightforward
dramatic purpose TO pFopinaie the professors with
correct exercises in sonata form. his music would
at once become unin,ciligihe to the unsophis.
ticaisd spectator. upon whom the familiar and
dreaded classical .nsation would descend Ike
the Influenza Nothing Of the kind need be
dreaded. The unsSillcd. untaught musician may
spnroach Wagner boldly; for there IS posi-
biiity Of misunderstanding between them; The
Ring music is perfectly single and simple. Ii Is
the adept musician of the old school who has
everything TO unlearn: and lin l leave, unpit-
fed, TO his fate.
1t Will thus be seen that Mr.. Shaw is dis
posed to be kind to the unschooled mortals
who do not know as much as he himself
does: and that is a good thing.
After this introduction the four dramas
are taken up in their order, and explained
according to the theory of Mr.. Shaw; then
come chapters on "Wagner's Own Explain
ation" the music of the operas, tie way
in which they are performed at Bayreuth
(which, By the way. Mr.. Shaw does not ap-
prove, believing the production TO have
been overratedl, and some speculations on
the music of the future.
The way in which Mr.. Shaw explains
"The Rh;ne-gold' is a good example OF
the working out Of his theory. According
10 his conception. this opera typiies the
destruction of the Golden Age by the spirit
of plutocracy. The Rhine maidens are
attracted by the gold simply by reason OF
its beauty; rejected by them, Alberto, the
dwarf, becomes a plutocrat. The descrip-
tion OF this episode is characteristic ana
interesting passage:
Presently there comes a poor devil OF dwarf
stealing aloug the slippery rocks Of the river
bed a creature with energy enough 10 make MIN
strong Of body and fierce OF passion, but WIN
british narroNnsss Of intelligence and sein-hhes;
of Imagination; too stupid TO see that ms OWE
welfare can only be compassed as part OF Inc
welfare Of the world; TOO full OF brute iorSs
not 10 grab vigorously at his own gam SucI
dua-fs arc quite common in London lie conie'
now with n fruitful impulse in him, in search o.
what he lacks in himself, beauty, hghtness O
heart imagination, music Tie hhlne naldehs
Tep ssentifsg all these TO him, NIL him with hop'
and luneing. and he never consioers uat ne Aiu
nothing 10 offer tina; they could possibly desire
being py natural limitation incapable OF seeint
anything from anyone eises point OF view Niti
perfect simplicity he offers himself as sweet
heart to them. But they are tbouGttless, ele
mental only half-real things, much ike mod
ern Young ladies. That the poor dwarf IS repul
siye to their sense of physical beauty and thell
romantic conception Of hero'sin, that ne Is uel
and awkward, greedy and ridiculous, dispsses W
them Of his claim TO live and love. They mocl
him atrociousiy. pretending 10 iall in love win
him at first sight, and then slipping away ans
making game Of him. heapinS ridIcule and dis
gust on the poor wretch, until be Is beside him
self with modification and rage. They forge
him when the water begins 10 glitter in the sun
and the gold to reflect its glory. They break IN
fafi ip WOrShiU of their treasure.
they have no fear that the gold will be wrenche
away by the dwarf sine. il VIII yield TO no on
who has not forsworn love for 1t, and 1t : /
pursuit q love that lie has come 10 them. The
forget that they have poisoned that desire
him by their Iaockery and denial of it. and tha
he no- knows that life will give him nothin
that he cannot wrest from il by the Plutoni
power. II n just If some poor. rough WI
gar coarse fellow 10 offer 70 take his par
in aristocfaiic society, and be snub5ed into Ia
knowledge that only as millionaire could
ever hone TO bring that society TO his feet an
buy himself beautiful and refined wife III
choice IS forced on him. He forswears love a
thousands Of US forswear il every d2y. and in
moment the gold is in his grasp, and he disaI
pears in the depths, leaving the water tairit
yEiny screaming stop thief" whilst the rive
seems to plunge into darkness and sink from L
as We rise to the cloud regions above.
And now. what forces are there in the worl
TO resis; Alberto, our dwarf. in his new chal
scter Of sworn plutocratf He is soon at wor
welding the power Of the gold. For his gair
hordes Of his feliOwcreatures are theDceto.th col
dcfnnrd 10 slave miserably. oyerground and undel
ground, lzsllcd 10 their work by the inyisbl
whip % starvation. They never see him, an
more than the victims Of our dangerous trades
ever zee the shareholders whose power Is nevei
theless everywhere, driving them TO destruction
The very wealth they create with their labor b,
comes an additional force TO impoverish them; Il
fast they make it IL slips from their hanf
into the hands of their master. and makes hii
rnightier than ever. You can see the process 4
yourself in every civilized country TODAY. wleI
millions Of people toll In wan; and disease
heap up more wealth for our Alberics. layiu
up nothing for Themselves. except sometin,
horrible and ngonizing disease and the certaini
Of premature death. All this part Of the stol