The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-20

he tried to demonstrate that Richard Wagner in
sane. He succeeded proving that the &C.
centrctes of of genius otter resemble those mad
men, which is old story Several eminent composers
did, however end their lives in asylums-schumann.
Donizet and Smetana. recent tragic instance
is that of the song composer Hugo Wolf whose works
have inspired much enthusiasm in Germany and Aus
Hugo Wolf societies formed in Ber-
lin Vienna and other cities. Wolf was for a time pu
the Vienna conservatory but left consequence
of quarrel with his teachers father .thereupon
refused support him any longer and tenceforth he
had make his living He sang in choruses,
Quoted operattas, musical criticisms for in
significant Viennese journal and during the 1885
TO 1891 devoted himself chiefly to composition The
ceeds of his great activity barely suced keep body
and soul together Besides orchestral works and
an opera, ne about two hundred songs which
contained in his Spanish Song Book" italian Song
Book collections of fftyone songs by Goethe, fifty
by Morike and other collections Not till 1892
when 80 years old did begin attract
public attention In 1896 his opera, Der Corregidor'
was performed at Mannheim and well received
starved composer had worked hard it that his
health began fail following year while he
writing another opera, Manuel Vegas" he broke
down and had to be taken a asylum.
In 1898 "Corregidor' produced strassburg and
at Prague strassburg it given only twice, but
at Prague it has remained in the repertory since
1t latest performance at Graz, weeks ago. and
there. too it proved genuine DR.. Ernst Dec
sey gives entertaining account in the Munich Allge
meme Zeitung of the circumstances under which it was
produced Graz. The management wanted to produce
a comic opera 1t to be by German where
fore verdis "Falstaf" smetanas 'Barered Bride"
were excluded. Goetzs Tanning of the Shrew," Reg
ncek's Donna Diana and Cornelius Barber of Bag
dad" had been previously given other novelties
considered were Schillng's 'Pfeferag" Strauss Ecu
ersnot" and siegfred wagners Herzog wildfang" but
none seemed be just what wanted. In this
gency friend of Hugo Wolf suggested his "Corregidor
1t examined and the experts at first shook their
heads because the breto while poetic enough seemed
nsuiciently theatric when the conductor began
to study the score he found such an abundance of
healthy original melody enthusiasm grew from
hour and finally that such splendid
music would float much poorer libretto His task
interest the singers this music At first they
looked askance at it, for there long-drawn-out
high notes. no serenades win applause the
they studied it the greater their interest and
delight and finally the whole company enthusiast
lie the conductor The battle won for under
such circumstances it a foregone conclusion that
the would please the public Dr. Decsey expresses
MS surprise that gem like this work should been
80 long ignored by the leadnb opera houses ami he
hus up his impressions:
wolf is a musical imtimist His handwriting is |
sometimes too fine to be easily read by the footghts
His style is dimnutive of the Mestersinger' style
somewhat Spanish in coloring but otherwise genuinely
German and original from the the last The
world will marvel day at the musical vrilty and
he a composer here avshed on a simple story
# love before and after marriage"