The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-01-03
The Real "PaTSifdl''
A Discussion of Wagner's
Great Work by a Foremost
Musical Critic Built Upon
Legends in a Spirit of True
Reverence.

Legends in a Spirit Of True
Reverence.
which has arisen as TO "Parsifal,"
4 the following excerpts from an ar
ticle by II. Z. Krehbiel. Of the
New York Tribune" ought to have
great interest. 1t is a little unfair, no
doubt. TO publish his views in this in
complete form, when not even the
critics sequence of ideas is followed.
But enough is presented to indicate the
wide error made by ehurchmen and
other DIRECTORS.
1t is. perhaps. an evidence Of the
greatness OF ''Parsifar' that 1t is SIM
plest to the simple, and most irritat-
ingiy complex 70 the thoughtful. Iris
tan und Isolde" and Der Ring des
Nibelungen." though surcharged with
philosophical thought and symbolism.
are yet enjoyable to those who see and
hear them as picturesque and eloquent
dramas. pure and simple. To Jew and
Pagan. by birth or education. "Parslfaf'
is similarly enjoyable, and also to those
to whom the gospel OF beauty is para
mount to all else; with the rest
Of the world it must perforce appeal
to religious feeling. When that feel
ing generates reflection, then. comes
troublous doubt to mar pleasure.
1t is difficult to find the most proper
frame Of mind in which to approach
performance Of the drama. for in 1t
there are many things which are re-
mote from the mental and emotional
habits Of the present time. 1t were well.
II. u
with the innocency OF the hero himself.
coupled with such a raised magma
ton as that which Charles Lamb car
ried with him on his first visit to the
theater. which transformed the glisten-
ing substance on the pillars Of Old
Drury into "glorified sugar candy"
Were we able to keep a tight check
line on our reflective faculties and give
free rein TO our imagination we might
look at the story told by "Parsifal' as
a glorified fairy play. as so many Of us
look upon ''Das Rheingold." and not be
harassed by clashing dogmas and diff
fering conceptions of religion and ques-
lions OF propriety touching the relation
ship between the Church and the thea
ter 1t may be frankly said here that
without the music that would easily be
possible.
Built on Legends.
There is nothing in the drama-no
parsonage. no thing. no incident. no
Principle of conduct-which did not live
in legendary tales and philosophical
systems long before Christianity existed
as a universal religion.
The hero IN his first estate was born.
bred. went out in search of adventure.
rescued the suffering and righted
wrong. just as Krishna. Perseus, These
US, ,Oedipus. Romulus, Remus. Siegfried
and Volt Dietrich did before MIN. He
Is al Aryan legendary and mythical
hero type that has existed for ages.
The talismanic cup and spear are
equally ancient. They have figured in
legend from time immemorial.
sThe incidents OF their quest the
agonies wrought by their sight. their
mission as inviters OF sympathetic in
terest, and the failure Of a hero to
achieve a work Of succor because of
failure to show pity are all elements in
Kettle Quester and Quest stories which
antedate Christianity.
KundTy and the Sacred Lance
sKundry. the loathly damsel and the
siren. has her prototypes in classic IA
bic and romantic tale. So has the magic
castle of Klingsor surrounded by its
BEAUTIFUL garden. 1t is Ogygia, the de-
Hghtful island where Ulysses met Calyp-
so. where Kronos sleeps. guarded by
Briareus. TIL the time OF his awakening
shall come; IL is King Arthur's Avalon.
and the Horselberg where Tannhaussr
met his undoing 1t is the Underworld,
where prevails the law OF taboo. Thou
must" or Thou must not" whittier
Psyche went on her errand for Venus
AID came back scot free; where Peri
theus and Theseus remained grown to
asrccky seat till Hercules came to re-
lease them with mighty wrench.
The sacred lance. which shines red
with blood after & has by it's touch
healed the wound OF Amfortas. is the
Needing lance. which was a symbol Of
righteous vengeance unperformed in the
Old Bardic days Of Britain: it became
the. lance Of Longinus. which pierced
the side Of Christ when Christian sym
bolism was grated onto the ancient Ar
thurian legends; and you may read in
Nalory's "Morte d'Arthur'' how a do
lorous stroke dealt with it By Balm
opened wound in the side Of King Pei
lam from which he suffered many years
TIL Galshad healed him in the quest OF
the Sangreal by touching the wound
With the blood which flowed from the
spear.
"A NoAlIOfeISldl OIOIm-
Let US look frankly at some Of the
things which have made ''Parsifal" a
controversial storm center for years
Its champions against the charge that
IT is PROCLAMATION OF religion have ad-
mftSed that it is religious. but have
denied that II parodies either Biblical
personages and scenes or any OF the
rites OF the church.
What are the facts? They may be
stated with an occasional brief com
ment on their value.
Parsifal throughout the play is called
a Redeemer. The word IS not neces-
sariiy Biblical: as has been said, there
were a multitude OF redeemers and saw
Tors in India besides the Buddha. The
hero's act OF redemption was accom-
plished on Good Friday. Here use is
made OF church tradition; but a holy
day is used for holy deed. and this IS
surely not sacrilegiOus. In the third
act. scenes are borrowed from the life
OF Christ. and Parsifal plays in them