The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-01

their presence. OF course, Berlin still
feels Disguised over the dismal fizzle
which turned what was intended to be
national event into a private cele-
bratton instituted and paid for by
Herr Leichner, president of the monu-
ment committee, but there is immense
satisfaction with the work. itself and
nothing but praise for Gustave Eber-
lein, it's designer. Artists who have
inspected the statue declare that the
upturned face of the composer as he
listens to the voice. of Inspiration is
intensely lifelike, while the figures
about the pedestal are admitted to be
beautifully done.
The figure at the base of the monu-
ment is, of course, Wolfram Won
Eschenbash, the great German bard;
that on the left, Tannhauser
returning from his pilgrimage to Rome:
that on the right, Brunnhilde, bewailing
the dead Siegfried, while at the back
is group representing Alberich grasp
ing the ring from the Rhine maidens.
What might be called the inside
history of the remarkable coptro-
versy over this statue of the great
German composer has been told in
such a fragmentary fashion that folk
in America must have rather a vague
notion of what it all has been about.
lions offered since the monument COM
mittee had the support of the German
musical world knocked from under it
have conf1icted to such an extent that
it has been rather6difffeult' even for the
public here to get at the real situation,
but it is generally known that the
monument committee, while not using
the best of tact, was not entirely to
blame. 1t will be remembered that
Zoe
determined on deputation waited
upon the composers widow to ascer-
tain her wishes regarding arrange
ments. She informed the committee
that the family thought rendition of
all her husbands compositions from
the earliest to the latest WOULD be fit
ting tribute, so the coIhniittee submit
ted this suggestion to the emperor, to
whom the committees was obliged to
report from time to time, and whose
approval was necessary Before the ar
rangements could proceed ~ -
When the kaiser stopped to think
that such a programme would keep
two theaters going day and night for
two weeks, he utterly refused to give
up any Of the royal playhouses for SO
much grand opera, and, of course, the
committee could do nothing but report
to Frau Wagner that her suggestions
could not be carried out. Unluckily,
the emperor's decision came almost
side by side with the trouble over
"ParsifaPs" production in America, and
probably it was this circumstance that
so enraged the composers whole fam
lily that they withdrew entirely from
the proceedings.
1t seemed as if the action of the
Wagner family was only signal for
all sorts of misfortune to come along.
| The Bavarian court refused to lend the
famous Munich Royal orchestra. Prof.
Kelley, an American director, with
drew from the programme, alleging
that unsatisfactory rehearsal, arrange
mentS would make his music a failure,
and Sir Alexander Mackenzie, one of
the best known patrons, refused to
have anything more to do with the fes-
tival These designations were follow
ed by that of M Grieg, the Norwegian
composer, and Miss Mcintyre vocal
artist upon whom the committee espe-
cially counted s7fS v-ff ~
These Withdrawals, of course, took
away much of the hight tone which the
management had counted upon, but
Herr Leichner, the president of the
COMMITTEES. who is a wealthy manu-
facturer of cosmetics, took, the bull of
trouble by 1.-The horns land spared
neither funds nor energy In seeing the
| matter through. And, as "a result, the
| unwilling ceremonies were by no means
without interest. The emperor was
represent eds by his son, Prince Eitel
Fritz, With Prince Friedrich Heinrich
of Prussias AT the right of the Royal
pavilion several standsfheld the sing
ers, among whom wereIthe9 choir OF the
| Stern'sche3 Gesang Vefeih and the
Caecilia society, whifs The massed
bands of all the guards regiments IN
Berlin, led by Prof. Won Rossberg, oc--
cupied the stands in the foreground OF
the picture. ~ II.
After the actual ceremony, which
was performed by Prince Eitel Fritz
Herr Leichner made a short speech
and various Populations placed thee or
| four wreathes at the foot Of the statue.