New-York tribune., 1900-09-02

Monday with him. He came again and again
ana appears to have fallen under the influence
OF the dramatist as under spell The widest
hyperboie will not suffice him to picture the
greatness and the charm of his friend Here are
few expressions from letters written at the
time:
Wagner is all that we had hoped of him: a
great and lavish mind an energetic mind and
an entrancingy amiabIe man
l nave round a man who, as no other. reveals
70 70 me the likeness OF what Schopenhauer calls
the genius" This is no other than Richa I'd
wagner, about whom you must believe no iudg-
ment that appears in the press, the writings of
musical pedants, etc. No one knows him, no one
can Judge him, for all the world stands on an
other foundation and is not native to his atnos-
phere. In him there reigns so unconditional an
ideality, so deep and touching a humanity so
sublime an earnestness of life, that near him
feel myself in neighborhOOd of the divine.
have my Italy, like you, only that I cannot
ny there oftener lhan from Saturday to Sun
day Its name is Triebschen, which is already
quite home TO me- Latterly have been there
lour times, ana scarcely a week elapseS but a
letter makes the same journey. What l learn,
near. see and understand there is indescribable.
Schopenhauer and Goethe, 141schylus and Pin
car are still alive, believe
When you come and see must go to
Triebschen. 1t is infinite enrichment Of ones
life to meet such a genius at close quarters.
For me everything tat - best and loyeliest Is
knit with the names of Schopennauer and
Wagner
In this spirit Of enthusiastic veneration for a
man who seemed TO him Schopenhauer Goethe,
Eschylus and Pndar, all rolled into one Metz
sche now entered the lists to do battle for
Wagner by publishing in 1872 his "Geburt der
Tragodie aus dem Geiste der Musk C''The
Birth Of Tragedy Out Of the Spirit of Music"),
the first Of his poIemics in favor of the new art
work In the same year he attended the laying
Of the cornerstone of the festival theatre at
Bayreuth and visited Wagner. At Easter, 1873,
he goes to the Wagnerian Mecca again, and
takes part in the meeting Of the Patronats-
verein, whose aim it was to assist Wagner with
money for the first festival He gees again on
an invitation in August 1874 Meanwhile there
were evidences Of a growing GOODNESS in the
friendship, and in the August visit there may
have been a quarrel over Brahms. At any rate,
there is anecdoIe from Nine F0rster-Nietz-
sche's book, told in the translation made by
William Ashton Ellis for the preface to Volume
VI of Richard Wagner's Prose Works"
My brother and heard the 'Triumphlied" of
Brahms in the Bale Cathedral 1t splen-
did performance and pleased Fritz very much.
v Nhen he went to Bayreuth in August he took
the pianOfOrte arrangement with him. apparent
ly in the naive belief that Wagner would like it.
I say apparently" for upon later reflection il
has occurred to me that this red bound
''TTiumphlied" was meant q sort Of gOad
and therefore Wagner'S prodigious wrath seems
to have been not altogether groundless- So
will leave the continuation of the tale to WaS-
ner, who had an exquisite fashion Of satiTlZinG
himself:
Your brother set this red book on the piano
whenever went into the drawing room the red
! thing stared me in the face; il eXasperated me
as red rag to a bull. Perhaps I guessed that
NietZsche wanted il to say to me, See here an
other man who can turn out something good"
and one evening I broke out with vengeance '
Wagner had hearty laugh at the recoliec-
! ton. What did my brother say?'' I asked in
alarm Nothing at all answered Wagner
He simply blushed, and looked at me in aston
ishment and modest dignity. I would give a
hundred thousand marks to have such splendid
-anneTs as this NietZsche, always distinguished
always well bred: it's an immense advantage ii
( the world" That story Of Wagners came bacb
10 my mind at this moment (spring, 1870
/ Fritz" I said why didn't you tell that tale
about Brahms's -Triumphlied? Wagner related
/ the whole thing to himself" Fritz looked
| straight before him and held his tongue. A.
I last he said, beneath his breath, "Lisbeth, thet
! Wagner was not great"
} too human" to suit the gentle Nietzsche, who was
probably as much amazed at the exhibition o
pettiness Of character and ill-temper in his lido
as he had formerly been amazed at the great
ness Of MS mind. Brahms was ever a thorn il
the flesh 10 Wagner. as he still is TO the tribe
that saIaam and kowtow at VilIl Wlhnfr q !. anC
to bring the vocal score Of his 'Triumphed,' p
composed in honor Of Germany's triumph over
. France into the house OF the man who had cele
I brated that triumph with his Kaisermarsch'
was an offence for which the master" felt it nj!
privilege 10 reprimand his disciple like a school
bay la brd at ftlr 4 bu