New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-19

D0T -S-0-lgo0 by Hermann Klein. With more
pp. As. The Century Company.
--l,osa lively "reminiscences OF a musical critic
are fru Of personal interest and friendly en-
-bBsiasrns Mr.. Klein has known the famous
musicians Of his generation, and has remem-
bared many picturesque anecdotes OF them
/ Through his friendship with Augustus Harris
/ no Was more or less intimately concerned with
the oueratic affairs OF London in an interesting
re-4od. and he has written OF them with much
amusing detail. HIS account OF the rise ana
progress OF the Wagner cult is especially enter
tai7irr Strange indeed is il 10 look back upon
those early performances Of "LohengTin' under
conductors wholly out Of sympathy with the
German composer. Mr.. Klein records that Sir
Michael Costa's chief interest FUSED TO centre
in the proceedings Of the swan, OF which he in
zariablv smoke conteulptuously as Dat gooseG
When Wagner was persuaded TO 60 TO Lon
don IN 1871 70 conduct six festival concerts
Of his own music, the episode ended in dis
ae+e-. The great man had at the rehearsal a
had attack Of Albert Hall stage fright an
illness. ADDS the author. familiar 10 nearly
every artist on stepping for the first time upon
the platform OF that gigantic anphitheatre-
The first number the Kaiser rnarsch.' went
well enough but the composers nerves were
not Gained. and the Flying Dutchnan" over
ture. which followed. resulted in a complete
breakdown:
Twice. nay thrice. did he make fresh start start
while M T,annreuther and Mr.. Delchmann tthe
faithful leader Of the second violins) took II
nv turns 10 translate his complaints ana IN
structions to the orchestra but II was q no
,-sn T4a utterly failed either TO indicate or TO
obtain what he wanted, ana at last IN sheeI
despair he threw down his STICK ana requested
Richter To do the work FOR him. Wei 90 / re-
,Der,f-er the sharp round OF applause with which
the band greeted the Niennese conductor as he
mounted the rOstrum. Il was thouBhlIeSs-u! ia,
kind. II YOU viii, FOR Il must nave slAoti VIM
l1rrlessaut sound upon the ears OF the sensitive
COMPOSER But the overture went without a
hitch. II was played as 1 had never heard Il
after this Wagner decided that he would con
duct only two pieces al each concert
leaving all the rest TO Richter But would the
r.-,fl3o he satisfied They were paying TO see
wagner as wei as to hear his music. The
matter was discussed, and II was suggested as
. a com promise that when ne was not coiauCllll-
he should sit upon the platform IN an armchair
/ facing the adience. This course was actually
/ adopted Al each OF the six concerts comprising
tra festival scheme after he had conducted the
/ opening piece and acknowledged a magnlilceht
/ reception, he sat down IN his alfnchalr ana
gazed at the assenblage before him win a
sphinxlike expression OF counteIaLCe tildl
/ shall never forget. lie must have felt as though
! he was being exhibited Ike some strange, IN
teresting animal, for an the WoIId 20 500 -
/ and his reflections doubtless were as uieHNldDie
! his situation.
/ II was the great composers last visit to Lon
don-the musical public OF which, in after years.
received his work with the liveiest appreciation.
Mr. Klein quotes an odd story told by Anton
SeidI OF yaEner's celebration of his wife's birth
day in ISIS The first act OF "Parsifal' had
/ iust been completed and the composer wished
10 serenade Frau Cosina with the strains Of
the "vorsriel" seidl. SO Mr.. Klein says, was
sent 10 Meiningen 70 engage for the purpose
the famous orchestra whose conductor was Won
! Below. Frau wagner's first husband. AT the
] first mention OF Wagner's name Won Bulow
/ drew himself UP and inquired in icy tone
what Il was that Herr Wagner wanted Seidl
/ explained the object Of his mission. Won Bulow
/ stifiy referred the ambassador" (who could
/ not have been happy TO his c0ncertmeister. and
/ the musicians were engaged. Early the
] birthday morning while Frau Cosima was
! SIN asleep the heavier instruments were con-
/ veyed 10 Wahnfried and the players quietly
I stationed themselves in the vestibule and upon
the staircase When all was ready Wagner
gave the signal. and his much-honored wife
4 avoke from her slumbers TO hear for the FIRST
time the mystic phrases OF the prelude 10 Parsi-
fall"
There are many stories Of musical conductors
IN this volume. one Of these deals with con-
cert at which, for the first time in many years
Seidl saw upon the platform his viennese rival
Richter. lie was especially curious Klein says
to hear Richter's rendering OF Tschaikowsly's
'PathetiQus" symphony. and was delighted with
every feature save one.
Directly after starting the second CD move.
ment. Richter laid down his baton and allowed
the band 10 proceed without guidance 10 the
END OF the piece. Seidl knit his brows and
looked stern. but did not utter a word tin tbs
room was ringing with applause. Then hs
turned TO me and said: 7 wish he had not done
that u was to show that in spite Of the awk
ward rhythm, his men could keep perfectly to-
gether without tho beat. ana maintain the nee
~ efrrra all
they did, but the result A very machine
Ike performance. Il was much less crisp an,