davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15


'-Eohengrin,' although they require
much longer time to sing
The curtain rises on forest deep and
| shady. but rot gloomy. with a sparkling
lake IN the distance Here il is that
Gurnemanz relates the story of Am
fertas' wound, that Parsifal learns OF
his sin in staying the swan, and that
Gurnemanz recognizes him as the
.guileless fool
While the audience listens this whole
I scene begins 10 move. slowly from left
| toSright, and the old knight, with arm
| over Parsifars shoulder. Stimulates
Rocks come in sight. then a cavern, and
then the great. high dome of the sane
| tuary.
The hall is pillared. Bells peal from
| the dome Youths voices sound from
the nid-height and boys voices from
the lantern, mingling with the heavier
| voices of the knights as they pace their
| way to velvet-covered tables before the
| altar.
| Amfortas Is borne in on a litter. The
grail is unveiled with great ceremony.
A dazzling light falls from above upon
the crystal cup. which CLOVIS. ever
deeper. until it shines with the color
of purple wine and sheds soft light on
all around
The sacrament is served Parsifai
stands apart motfoniess. The knights
rise, solernnly embrace. and pass from
the hall An1fortas, who has taken no
| part IN the meal, has gradually sunk
down from, an attitude of inspired ex-
altation, bows his head. and presses
his hand to his wound.
The light diminishes. The bells peal.
Gurnemanz thrusts Parsifai through
the door. And as the curtain falls, a
voice from above sings
| BY ruth his knowledge,
The blameless fool
[ The other scenes disclose klingsor' 5
castle, his magic garden, hut in the
forest, and the sanctuary of the grail
: In the first of the castle seenes-the in
: ner keep OF the watch tower-Khngsol
summons Kundry through the mist OF
, his sorcerer's fire In the second tbs
5 whole stage Is filed with tropical vege-
/. tation and the luxuriant growth o.
= flowers. 1t rises in garden terraces Il
battlements Through the foliage appear
s projecting walls of palace built in ricf
9 Arabian style From all sides rush IL
[ | flower naidens And Parsifal enters
e calm in spite of his recent fight. from
{ over the rampant
i After the scene IN the wood the setting
= changes gradually as In the first act
e but from right to left Again tho char
e acters move as though walking through
;. the wood. the forest gradually vanishes
Il rocks appear, the sound OF bells swell
ever louder, and rock walls give wa,
O to the lofty gratis hall. opening 70
e TitureTs funeral
d This is the panorama of ''ParsifaI-"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15

trary. 1t Is unlikely that any dozen per-
sons in any audience could recognize
them all But the chief motifs are
easily distinguished, and are so OFTEN
,,sed that II will help notably to an I'M
outstanding of the work if they are
known
They are the Eucharist. the Grail.
the Faith, the Lance or Spear the Kun
dry, the Suffering, the Promise, the
Klinesor, the ParsIfaI, the Cry TO this
saviour. and the Good Friday themes.
The three first named and the Par
sifai theme are specially easy 10 recog-
nige, as they are played by the erum-
Tefers in the lobby OF the theater be-
for the curtain rises for each act That
OF the Eucharist is simple and low, ana
beautifully appropriate TO its subject:
That of the Grail has In II note or
the battle cry and the quality OF rev.
erence besides That of Faith IS &C.
clesiastical, slow and heavy, simple ana
grand That of the Lance Is most de-
scriptive of all, treuaulous and shiyer-
ir1c
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
So spoke the oracle-''ruth" having the
significance of pity and suffering"
Driven From the Temple.

Wagner relates SO much in the open
ing scenes OF his opera The story Is
told two youths, In the heart of the
wood rear the castle, by Gurnemanz, an
old knight. faithful true, and devoted
to the suffering Anafortas- While he
speaks kundry enters, riding wildly
an6 bearing a.rvial of balm from Ara
bia. Then esquires bear Amfortas
through the glen to his bath in a pool
A connection among the knights dis
closes thai a swan has been shot while
on the wing All life is. sacred in the
II ecinct of Mons2lvat and the knights
seek the hunter Indignantly. The bow
man was ParsifaI. IA youth of great bod
H. strength, reared in G desert:
Oh, fatherless did his mother pear him,
For in battle slain was Gamuret.
From like untimely hero's death
He7 son to hinGer, peacefully,
In desert, the foolish woman rear MN;
A fool. too.
Parsifal is ignorant of any sin. he IS.
in fact, ignorant CT everything else. His
bow he fashioned himself, and he taught
| himself to usa 1t. All these things
| arouse in Gurnemanz the belief that
the guileless fooi' has come at last.
So Parsifal is taken to the temple of the
Grail and permitted to view the cere-
mony of the grairs unwilling. Deeply
| impressed, but mystified, the fool makes
no response to the questions asked by
Gurnemanz. and is driven from the tenn
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15

motif" that IS to say. the theory OF the
leading motive This is. perhaps, the
source OF most OF the mystihcation
which surrounds the Wagnerian operas.
It is really not at all difficult TO under
stand
: Wagner composed by accFediting to
each element IN his plot a certain u,usi-
cal theme, and making those themes the
basis of his music The theme or motif
might be only three or four notes IN
length or 1t might be three OF four
bars Tt was chosen always as a uauai-
cal reflection of the character or In
fuence. Thus the dwarf Mimi IN ''Sieg-
fried" has a light, piercing, disturbing
motif, while -sIegfried has theme OF
stately powerful. vigorc4s. rather bar
barrie. quality.
Whenever enc of these themes Is
heard It Communicates to the audience
assuming that the audience is really
Iistening-a suggestion Of the element
with which it is identified
But this IS not all So far the theory
is merely one of musical mechanics.
SiegGrfed. at peace and Sjiegfried rush
ing INTO the fray are 5t..:zferent beings.
So the SieefrEed motif urziergoes from
time TO time almost col,2iete transfoF-
ma ton In this way tifS themes are
treated in an Almost iinaLtless variety
None OF the characters sings one
cherns only If S!eghied-weo suggests
himself as a fine exansp le-lopgs Tor ms
sword Il is the sword motif the oEcnes-
ira plays and the tef.cr sings, not the
Siegfried motif So all the themes are
used as frequently as artificial COM
posers, like Donizetti, use tne'r less
Significant themes
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
Ku1dTY : FmQ- Kirby lp0A.. PsTsi!sl= a RennaYnlI

tempts Parsifa1. and he yields so far
as to kiss her.
That kiss is the awakening. Sharp
pains dart through HIS heart. He suffers
the sorrow and renorse Of Amfortas.
ard, turning resolutely from the tempt
ress. he moves toward the castle.
Klingsor, alarmed for his spear. springs
10 his rescue. High over his sholders he
holds the sacred relic. Like a flash 1t
is hurled at SarsifaI It's swift course
carries it directly toward him. But it
stops harmless in the air over his head
The guileless fool-fool no longer
SEXES it and makes the sign of the
cross And on the instant the whole
castle falls as though by ar earthquake.
and The gayly colored garden becomes
Desert.
Then Parsifal fights his way back to
the grail. and many and wonderful are
his adventures He rides, weary and
downhearted, into the forest Of Monsal-
vat on Good Friday. It is old Gurne-
| MANI who recognizes him. while Parsi-
fal kneels before the sacred spear. Kun
dry, iplploripg both men for the privi-
| iege of service, washes ParslIaFs feet
|. and dries them with her hair. ana the
| old knight annoints him guardian of The
grail.
As before, he had taken the fool to
| the temple. now Gurnemanz leads The
| true knight. They come upon the fu-
neral or Titurel and the surrender of
Amfortas 10 his agony. Parsifa1. ma
jestic in new dignity. touches the wound
| of Amfortas with the spear and heals
It Solemnly he uncovers The grail The
dry. looking at Parsifal, sinks expiring
at his feet, her curse ended The grail
g1ows with the light of heaven. And
n0iV 60UQ n f1IITrprC
through the great dome of the temple
and hovers over Parsifafs head
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
-fraskl's SIR

p
however. that he turned his attention
to ca;l 1.-The Victors," which was to
deal with two important figures instead
Of the One and glorify them both
through remuneration This. too. was
abandoned and for fifteen years the
musician in Wagner developed and the
poet in him grew as he gave musical
interpretations to the mythology of the
Germans.
With these NEUROLOGICAL dramas
'.Siegfried." Tristan und Isolde
"Gotterdammerdng." '.Das Rheingold'-
his conception of opera as an art form
developed also and when he turned his
attention to the Won Eschenbach epic
it was with the hope that he might
write, not his greatest opera, but d
great drama which should unite music.
acting, and .stage-seutfngs, for the ex-
preston Of moving and religious
story.
The reflection given to Jesus of
Nazareth and The Victors" was thus
turned to .'ParzivaL" But the German
poem did not satisfy Wagner. Hia ma
ture had in It touch Of Oriental mys-
ticism which THE Victors'' had foster
ed, and "Parzival," as yon Eschenbach
had written. it, did not commend itself
TO Wagners dramatic sense. So he set
about writing a new poem on the quest
Of the Holy Grail and IN It he united the
chief features of the two books" COM
posed by the older poets
The ParsifaI of Wagner, then, is
munfon. rewritten by Wagner, and gath
cred from many sources.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
wagner's Own Description

There are also three preiudes OF Ina
portant musical significance me nrsr
deals mainly with the Grail. Eucharist
and Faith motifs. It has been OFTEN
described but never with so much poetry
as by Wagner himself:
Strong and firm does Faith reveal IT.
self elevated and resolute even IN suf--
fering. In answer TO the renewed prom
ise the voice of Faith sounds softly
from diramest heights-as thousa borne
nm the wings OF 2 snow-white dove.
slowly descending. embracing with ever
increasing breadth and fuHness the
heart of man, dlling the world and the
whole of nature with mightiest force;
then as though stilIed 70 rest, glancins
upward again toward the light os
Heaven.
tuie arises the lament of loving COM
oassi0r the agony. the holy sweat of
the Mount of Olives. the divine suffer
ings of Golgotha; the body blanches. the
blood streams forth and CLOVIS now with
the heavenly glow of blessing. in the
Continued on rage 6. This Section.)
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
POEM OF "PARSIFAL. -

The text of 'Parsifar' bespeaks the
poet Wagner He wrote often as a
dranatist. but not so always. While a
youth he penned vigorous essays. one
of which IN the form OF little story.
"A Piigrimage to Beethoven" Is of ex-
traordinary interest. His version of the
.'Niebelungen Lied established him as
a great dramatic poet, and, according
to most non-German commentators. a
great poet from any point of view.
..ParsifaI' was written. out of the cog
itations and ponderings of lifetime
It is, albeit narrative. still impressive.
rich in figure and imagery, and power
fully dramatic
There are many transactions OF this
German into English. That used for
the production of the work in English
was made by young woman, Miss
Edith Arnold Her design was not so
much to retain the qualities of Wag-
Try as to produce a
-aol IN in English.
on does not lack
for poetic quality
- ILL., III establish
Amfortas in the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
Beautiful Spoil of the crusades.

About the twelfth century there
spreng into the minds of men as "the
most gracious and beautiful spoil of the
Crusades," a series Of legends which
glorified manly courage and purity OF
heart. and which exemplified those quail
tiles IN circle Of knights. The Angles,
Franks, Spaniards, Italians, Germans
Dutchmen. Danes, Scandinavians, even
distant Icelanders, heard these tales
sung by Ministries. The heroes were. in
English. Arthur. Lancelot, Gawair, Gala
had, Perceyal. and a hundred others.
Always they were men Of strength and
knights Of noble ideals. Their lifezpur-
poses were to befriend the weak and
serve their religious faith. In this lat
ter labor they were commissioned 10
seek the cup from which the Saviour
drank at His last supper with His dis
ciples. and IN which His blood was
caught when Longinus pierced HIS side
as He hung on the cross.
Each nation gave these legends its
own atmosphere. But there is common
to them all division into two books
the bringing of this chaiice from Jeru-
salem to England by Joseph Of Arina-
thea; and the quest or search for It
The pens Of treat poets wrote down
both stories-the Frenchman, Chetrier
de Troyes. in an unfinished poem, Con
tie de Grael;" the German, Wolfram yor
Eschenbach. in "Parziyal;" the English.
man, Alfred Tennyson. in The Idyl.
of the King" So the legend was OLE
and its figures familiar when the grea
German. Richard Wagner. was moved
to give them still another form.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
THE LETT MOTIF. +"

In the older days the singing in opera
was merely the performance of various
airs which might or might not be appro-
pirate TO the scene 1t always Included
set solos. duets, choruses and what
not to interrupt the action OF the plot
Chuck and-according to Wagner-Beet-
hoven, protested against this view Of
opera They felt that composers who
wanted set arias, duets, and other
similar compositions, should write can
tatas, cycles of songs. or oratorios.
Opera was to them a poeticaI story en-
phasized and given atmosphere by mu-
sic.
Gluck laid the foundation for this
school with { series of independent
operas composed in accord with that
theory---Orfeo. Helena and Paris =
Iphegenia in Aulis,' and .'Iphegenia in
Taurus" Beethoven wrote only Eide
Ic,'' and in 1t he indicated dissatisfac-
ton with the artificial opera of the
French and Italian schools; but he gave
no promise of the opera which was 10
come later with Wagner.
| Wagner, after writing certain operas
not violently opposed to the older
models-such as The Flying Dutch
man." seRienzi'' and 'Lohengr!n''-com
posed Tristan ind Isolde as music
drama The distinction he drew by that
work definitely separated the new school
| of opera from the old In Tristan
ind Isolde" all the old set forms
were abandoned. Every note of music
which was sung was designed TO vfvify
! the scene in which it was sung. Every
4 note plaved by the orchestra was in
i tended so contribute to the dramatic at
! mosphere of the opera, either by plac-
4 ing the listener in q right attitude for
what was to follow or by re-enforcins
/ the voice None of the music had any
4 other purpose. The composer did rot
) intend and would not have ccndescend-
Il eli 10 write airs" except where the airs
! had an explanation in the posture OF
events, as when the pilgrims sing theii
wonderful chorus in --Tannhausers
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
STORY OF "PARSIFAL."

Wagner gave his poem this outline:
An old knight, Tfturel, had been in
trusted with the grail and the spear
which pierced the Saviou-'s side. AS q
sanctuary for the sacred relics Titurel
had built the castle of Monsalvat and
there kept guard over them with BODY
oe knights, required to live purely in
order to share in the benefits which ac-
crued from the alteration OF the grail.
In a valley beneath MonsalYat-Which
is THE Mountains OF SaIyation"-lives
an enchanter, KIingsor. who has erect
ed there a magic castle Here he lies
IN wait for the knights of the grail; for
Kiirgsor, his heart being impure. has
been refused adrnittanoe TO the brother
hood and has given his Life 10 accom-
plish the ruin OF the order.
Titurel guards his trust valiantly until
old age withers his arm. Then he
raises his son Amfortas to the post OF
CT stodian Of the grail. Klingsor sends
agei inst Anfortas an unnamed Sorcer-
ess, who takes in the opera the name OF
kUndry and has the character of a fe-
male Wandering Jew. When beyond
Klingsor's epell Kundry devotes herself
to serving the good knights. When I'M
der 5Klingsor's spell she tempts them
ard IL is she who seduces Amfortas
| when Titurel's son sets forth with the
holy spear to overcome Klingsor. In the
struggle which follows, Amfortas not
| only loses one Of the sacred relics-the
| spear-but is wounded by the spear and
| is driven back to Monsalvat. His wound
yields to no known remedy. and the
grail oracle announces that healing
shall come through pure foof' wnt
shall gain knowledge OF the worIt
through pity for others.
BY ruth mis- knowledge,
The blameless Fool,
| Him await
| The chosen One.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
Most Conspicuous Work
of Art in View 1of
Americans.
Subject-Matter Is Man S
Constant Struggle
With Evil.
Ripest Product of the
Renowned Connpos-
er's Genius.
n HE festival play of "Parsifar,' is
today the most conspicuous work
ke1 aofaaH in heayiaM Of: the AIneFi-

HE festival play OF sParsifaF, is
today the most conspicuous work
e. aofa artxin thezyiaMsef:-the AIHeEi-
lean people 1t has been com
meated upon in the newspap ers, lecfured
upon, preached Observation-Disclosures sung,
until the whole countrv is confused over
1t and weary of the furore. Yet there is
no nceG that anyone should be confused
over it, and when once the text has
been read or the music heard. it is i'm
possible that anyone should weary OF 1t.
For -.ParsifaP' is within the apprecia-
ton of the sIowest and least cultured
brain. 1t is as simple in its elements
as the four evangels. Its subject-matter
is as common to all mankind-man's
struggle against evil, the irnpoteney Of
his little knowledge, and his ultimate
victory If his heart Is pure and his faith
strong.
The story of this struggle is told in
HParsifaf' in three ways-in q series Of
wondrous stage pictures; in e. poem Of
remarkable and simple beauty; and III
music which arouses the sympathy or
the listener, whether he understands
musical composition IN the least OF no.
He can follow the narrative with his
eyes. He can, follow it, IL he chooses.
merely by hearing the text. And If he
is not stone deaf, if he Is not deaf to all
gradatfons of sound, il ne can distin-
guish between the song OF a bird and
the rumble of a street car, he viii find
this text SO vitaIized and emphasized by
the music with which It has been adorn-
ed. that all its hidden beauty is inten-
eifled and its appeal TO. the reverence In
his heart given an overwhelming elo-
Quence. ..
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
Melody Is Not Barred.

: Nor is melody barred KuEadry IN Inc
second act of .'Parsifal' sings the !, most
entrancfng melodies. not repeated OYER
and over. 20 be sure Ike a pattern IN
wall paper. but invented seemingly
without effort until the listener ;
strength OF character IS swept away oE
the beauty of her song, ana. however
sfurafiy ParsifaI stands against her.
tho audience has surrendered outright
The themes of -Parsifzt'' are twenty
four in number
1t is not necessary u recognize all
these TO enjoy the opera On the con
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
knowledge Through Suffering.

Wandering into Klingsor's garden,
Parsifal meets the whole array OF
knights held captive by the evil one
They fight. Parsifal overcomes his foes
and makes his way to the garden of
Klipgsor There lovely women. dressed
as flowers. first flee from him. then
coquet with him. then tempt him When
their establishments fail. Kundry's voice
is heard. She IS no longer the wild
woman who serves the knights. but a
being OF ravishing loneliness. She, too.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
A Stage consecrating Festival

This theory of opera developed. work
by work. 'Lohengrin" he called a ''ro-
mantle opera" Tristan und Isolde"
was music drama" The Ring
oreras were stage festival plays And
-.Parsifar' was designed as stage
consecrating festival play
In addition 10 making music serve
the plot of his operas as that plot was
served by acting. stage settings. cleo
trio lights and every other valuable aid
Wagner introduced and developed what
is now called the theory Of the Lett
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
Christian and Mystic.

Wagner was thirty-fye years old In
1s48- He had written several musical
works OF such merit that he felt able
10 deal with lofty themes. :. He set to
work, then, outlining a tragedy which
he meant TO cali Jesus Of Nazareth"
and In 1t to present especially the hu-
man sids Of the Saviour and portray Him
as tempted by Mary OF MagdaIa His
project met with so much opposition,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
SIXIMPRESSIVE SCENES,

To narrate this story Wagner wrote a
poem Of hfty-six small pages. If set
loosely. as poetry is usually serfor a
newspaper. 1t would just about i'll =
page of The Times 1t has the form of
a play in three acts. and two scenes in
each act. And it is completed by MUSIC
of about as many bars as there are IN
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-05-04
a CURIO.

Mr.. S. (. Richardson our rug-
gist has captured red bat Which
is rare specimen. 1t can be seen
at the drug store.
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-05-04
PIRATiNG FOLEY'S HONEY
AND TAR.

Foley & Co., Chicago, origina-
ted Honey and Tar as throat
and lung remedy, and on account
of the great merit and popularity
of Foley's Honey and Tar many
limitations are offered for the gen.
uine. Ask for Foley's Honey and
Tar and refuse any substitute Of
fered as no other preparation will
give the same satisfaction. 1t is
mildly laxative. 1t contains no
opiates and is safest for children
and delicate persons. For sale
by S. E. Richardson, Mathews,
and Miller & Rifle, Woods X
Roads, Va.
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-05-04
NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS.

l am at my office, in Journal
Building, every Tuesday. Thurs
day, and Saturday to receive tax
es. 1t is important for all who
have not paid their taxes for 1904
TO do SO at once, as it is necessary
for me to have money to cash
warrants that are coming in every
day. / also desire to call atten-
tion to the fact that in order to
qualify yourselves to vote in the
primary and fall election you will
have to pay your poll tax by the
9th of May.
]. ]. Burke, Treasurer.
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-05-04
MORJACK.

1t would be difficult to imagine
a merrier party than the one en-
tertained at the hospitabIe home
OF Mr.. ]. w. Minter ON Friday
the twenty eighth, the occasion
being the celebration of the birth
day OF Mine Host" Mr.. and
Mrs. Minter and their charming
daughter. Miss Martha, did all
that was possible for the pleasure
ard comfort of their guests, the
bounty and elegance of the din
ner are still a pleasing memory,
and so delightful was the entire
day that there was but one regret
and that was that Mr.. Minter's
birth day did not come oftener.
May he have many happy returns
of the Day"
We were glad to see Mr..
George Lane i'll our village Thurs
day, and to know that he is again
well and strong.
Mrs. Floyd Machen returned to
her home in Norfolk after a brief
visit to friends in this County.
Our enterprising and up-to-date
merchant, Mr.. Walker, is dailv
getting in spring goods and from
his stock one can make good Sc
lections.
"Myosotis. "