The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17
The Popularization of Wagner
Mr. Damrosch Accomplishing by His Lecture-Con-
ssianM Music

Correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Jan. 15.-Some paradoxes:
There is in New York a musical critic that
gives. in ponderous writings. the dates and
causes Of the invention Of what he calls
romantic love" He also regards woman
inherently deficient. Is it necessary to
add that he is an enthusiastic advocate of
Magnetism? List too he admires az one
of the worlds great men-but ne does not
like the music of Richard Strauss. who
carries the Wagner-Liszt ideas logically
forward toward the end that singers shall
be entirely done away with and the violins.
oboes. tuba and tympani will actually
speak instead of making the meaningless
noises now Characteristic of them.
= = =
Another critic, who mas manfully assailed
"Parslfar' with words bitter and of rdicule
such as 1.-The feeble child of Wagners ar
tistic senility." turns to Tristan and
Isolde" with laudation. saying: In the
first act the operation of a magical agency
breaks down the hitherto safe bonds Of re-
straint and plunges two typical human
beings into the very vortex of flaming love.
In the second act they rush together and
forget honor. The stroke OF retributIon
falls. fate deals her deadly blow. In the
third act remorse. agony, death and the
salvation OF suffering souls by negation."
There is, then, beauty in the spectacle Of
two persons under the influence OF an aph-
rodisac; and, further, In that of a woman,
, at the end of Tristan and Isolde" Shrek
ing in reminiscent eroticism over the dead
body of the man she loved!
In the words OF ancient wisdom CAN this
ha1 ha FARl1
nothing for the doctrine of salvation by
negation,' whether expressed by Buddha,
Schopenhauer, Wagner or whomsoever.
though for a moment IL will listen to some
promises a queer thrill. Is there not signi-
ficance of q change In the attitude OF the
Immense audiences that Mr.. Walter Dam
rosch has on Sunday afternoon at Carnegie
Hall, 10 hear him lecture on the Wagner
music-dramas and his orchestra play selec-
tions from them? 1t would seem that many
persons prefer to hear Mr.. Damrosch tell
the stories In his amiable fashion and his
orchestra play the principal parts In the
scores, to going TO the Metropolitan Opera
House and sitting through hours OF dia-
logue, both on the stage and In the orches-
ira, for a few minutes OF genuine melody.
Mr.. Damrosch would be the last TO APP
prove the theory that the works OF Wag-
ner shall be dismembered and threshed In
the future. though-another paradox-he is
doing that very thing In his concerts and
finding the public highly pleased with the
| last Sunday afternoon he asserted his be-
lief that In America the Wagner operas
should be sung in English. for an under
standing of the words was essential. He
| deplOred the lack of what he called
| patriotism" here and said that no doubt
| If he went to Europe and returned as
| Herr" Damrosch some persons would be-
| gin TO think that perhaps he did know
| something of Wagner's works.
| 80
Accused of contradicting himself, between
his preaching and his practice, Mr.. Dam
rosch might reply that his concerts were
| but preparation for an intelligent hear
| ing Of the Wagner music-dramas. But do
his audiences accept that intention? The
perfect Wagnerite, borrow George Bernard
| Shaw's title like Mr.. Damrosch, receives
with nothing less than horror the sugges-
ton that "the masters system may break
| up, as do most other things In this world Of
| shift and change. The system" is Wag-
ners great accomplishment and requests;
| destroy that and there is nothing left save
| certain admirable orchestral scenes, such
| as the stirring OF the forest In "Siegfried,
which Wagner himself arranged for con-