New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-15
REJOINDER FROM HAYES.
Didn't GiUe ClergymeH "Parsifdt
Scores. He Says.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The letter signed Paul Forester" which ap-
peared in columns this morning. contains sew
eral misstatements respecting the famous "Pars-
far case and my connection with same, and beg
leave to make brief reply thereto Mr. Forester
1T appears that Mr.. Halves. OF counsel for Nine
Cosima Wagner. has been furnishing the clergy Of
New-YOrk with copies of the score Of Parsi-
fall. as he admits himself" This is not the fact.
and | have never admitted. I have merely
stated to the newspaper reporters who questioned
me on the subject that several clergymen had
called on me, and to them had shown the Par
sifal' score and other papers and documents bear
Ing on the case including letters of Richard Wag-
ner wherein he explains his reason for reserving
'Parsifal" COR Bayreuth. follows:
While composing "ParsifaI" the character of
this. my last work. has made it clear to me that.
even under the circumstances which still permit
Performances of the separate numbers of the
II g % at our municipal apd royal ff
incidents from the Divine Mystery of the Chris
70 eTpne PRfs my
factor the King OF Bavaria. with deep and nd re- re
tention to have "Parsfal" produced for himself at
at Bayreuth to be the only appropriate place for
Especial and few performances of the work e
made possible only by visiting the projected an
/ nual performances IN Bayreuth-
As the original orchester-partitur score of
"Parsifal" is expensive and have only one copy
. in my possession the story that I distributing
these scores broadcast among the clergy OF New
York City is ridiculous the face Of it, The source
of this story. well others equally false and
improbable is not difficult to determine.
Again Mr.. Forester says: The main reason why
MI Halves is Directing, behalf Of his client TO
the production Of 'ParsifaT in New-York City. Is
! that 1t is a sacred work" If Mr.. Forester had
called this office and examined our moving
papers, he would not have been guilty of making
such silly statement. The question of the sacred
character Of the work has nothing whatever to do
with the legal grounds of our objection. We seek
to enjoin and restrain Heinrich Conried and his
Conried Opera Company from producing ''Parsi-
far the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House
In this city
First-Because the complainants Cosima Wagner
and Siegfried Wagner the legal heirs of Richard
Wagner, the sole owners of "ParsifaF and
object to the appropriation and use OF their prop
erty without their consent.
Second-Because the compliments have never
authorized any publication Of the full score. but
have always reserved together with the right
of stage performance.
Thrd-Because there has never been any aban-
Comment dedication to the public the law
requires. in order justify stage production by
third parties without first procuring license from
| the owners.
Fourth-Because such proposed production by
Heinrich Conried and his company Is a fragrant
violation of honor and good faith, we'll breach
/ Of contract.
On this last point I inclose affidavit of Leo
Goldmark former partner of Conried. which shows
thousands Of dollars by way royalties for pro-
duction of all the Wagnerian operas excepting
"Parsifal') in the United States of America, and,
in return for this exclusive privilege promised and
agreed never to produce 'Parsifal" on any stage
or allow others to do the same
Mr.. Forester also says: "If there are any objec-
tons to ParsifaT from religious point Of view
they should hold good for Bayreuth as well as
New-YOrk This does not follow at all The
Festspielhaus at Bayreuth is specially adapted
for this great work. and it is produced heard and
witnessed in a spirit of religious devotion. This
temple Of music" has become sacred" to the
memory of the master and only his works are
there performed
The religious phase" of the question. so far as
complainants concerned merely relates to the
reason and explanation why Wagner desired TO
separate 'ParsifaT' from all his other works and
keep it exclusively for Bayreuth. There has been
much specule tion among those who do not know
the facts. as to whether Wagner intended to en-
body Christian, pagan, Buddhistic or MahOmetan
religion and philosophy in his great sacred music
DRAMA or whether it all mysticism But the
composer himself ought to know what he intended
and above quoted, he tells in one of his last
letters:
1t would be impossible to allow ''Parsifal." with
its incidents from the Divine Mystery of the Chris
tan religion to become a part OF any opera roper
tory.
With these instructions a dying legacy. the
conplainants are fully justified in resorting TO all
legal means to protect their property and prevent
what to them would be Dissertation
The independent action of the clergy IS Dased
solely on moral and religious grounds. ana mas
nothing to DO with our action. But can Ies'GIy
understand how any Christian must be shoched AT
the portrayal on an ordinary secular stage of in
cidents connected with the life of christ such as
the Last Supper and the descent OF the HOY GhoSs
previously produced on the stage IN New ORR mas
. C02