New-York tribune., 1907-01-23
MUSIC.
The "salOme" of Wilde and Strauss.

nature. both intellectual and moral IN order
10 pronounce fully and fairly upon the qualities
OF the drama by Oscar Wilde and Richard Strauss
"Ilch received its first American representation
! at the Metropolitan Opera House last night He
should be an embodied conscience stung into
righteous fury by the moral stencil with which
SaIome' fills the nostrils OF humanity. but.
though It make him retoh, ne should be suf-
nclently judicial IN his temperament calmly TO
look at the drama IN all its aspects and determine
| "netner or not as whole It is instructive note
on the life and culture Of the times and whether
or not this exudation from the diseased and pol
| 4uted viii and imagination OF the authors marks
real advance in artistic expression irrespective
OF Its contents their fitness for dramatic repre-
seutation- This is asking much Of the harassed
| commentator on the things which the multitude
| OF ms readers receive contributions to their
diversion merely and permit be crowded out of
their minds by the next pleasant or unpleasant
shock TO their sensibilities. He has not the time,
nor have his readers the patience. to enter upon
discussion OF the questions of moral and aesthetic
principle which ought to pave the way for the IN
vestsation. If he tell what the play IS what
! It's musical invesuture Is like, wherein the
bined elements have worked harmoniousy and
efncienty TO an end which TO their authors seemed
artistic, and therefore tustihable ne will have
done much. In the case before even this much
cannot be done until notions which have
long had validity are put aside. We only con-
cerned with "SRlome" in its newest form,-that
given It BY the musical composer. If It shall win
appreciation here. Is it seems have done in
eral German cities, It Will be because of the shape
into which Richard Strauss has moulded It.
Several attempts have been made 90 habilitate
Oscar Wildes drama the New York stage, and
they have failed If It succeeds now, It Will be
| because a larger public has discovered that the
music which has been consorted with the old pict-
ures actions and words has added to them an ele-
ment either OF charm or expressive potentially
hitherto felt 70 be lacking. Is that true7 Has
rock OF offence been removed? Has a mephitio
odoF been changed 10 a sweet by the subtle
alchemy OF the musical composer? Has drama
ten times as abhorrent. bestiaI repellent and
loathsome that which handles the subject.
and which called forth denunciation from Mr..
Winter in yesterdays issue OF this Journal been
changed into thing OF deleotabiity by the potent
agency OF music? It used to be said that things
too silly 20 be spoken might be sung; IS It also
true that things too vile, too foul, too nauseating
for contemplation may be seen. they be In
sidiously and wicledly glorihed by the musicians
art? As rule. plays have been improved by
being turned into operas. Always their dramatic
movement has been interrupted, their emotional
current clogged. their poetry eInasculated by the
| transformation. Things better now than they
were in the long ago, when music took no part
at ell IN dramatic action, but waited for mood
which II had power 10 publish and celebrate; but
music has acquired its power only by
abnegation OF its better part. BY assuming new
functions and asking Tevaluatlon OF its elements
on new Esthetlo basis. Mr.. Strauss does not
call "6alome' opera: he does not call Il lyric
Drama or a musical Drama. or me!odranlR
| (Which IS what II is), drama with music
He calls IT simply drama II put 10 It he would
probably not call the extra vRERntly complex and
sumptuous tonal integument with which he has
clothed It music. except IN parts, and then with
the understanding that tho word be received with
significance. In 'salome" music Is largely
a decorative element Ike the scene Ike the
costumes 1t creates atmosphere, ike the affected
stylism OF much OF Oscar Wnde's text. with its
Oriental imagery borrowed from Tho Song OF
Solomon" diluted ana sophisticated II gives emo
tiOna Eignihcanoe to situations helping the facial
play OF SAlome and her gestures 70 proclaim the
workings OF her mind. when speech has deserted
her: st is at fits best the adjunct and inspiration
OF the lascivious dance In the last instances.
however. II revsVts 10 tho purpose and also the
manner with difference) which have always OBJ
tained, and becomes music IN tho purer sense.
Then the would-be Iramatist Is swallowed up n
the symphonist. and Strauss Is again THE master
magician who Juggls with and
our reason and make his instrumental voices body
forth "the forms OF things unknown"
II would he wholly tusthable 70 charactertzs
''saloHe' n symphonic poem FOR which the play
supplies the programme. The parallelsrn OF which
we hear between Strauss and Wagner exists only
in pertonly in the application Of the principle OF
Characterization By means OF musical symbols
typical phrases. Otherwise the work
diametrically opposite lines With all his musical
effiuence. Wagner aimed. at least. to make his
orchestra only tho bearer and servant OF the
dramatic word. Nothing be palmer dt did not
need that he should himself have confessed tD
than that Strauss looks upon the words as
sary evils. HIS vocal parts are not song. except
for brief. intensified spaces long intervals They
defamation. The song-voice IS used. IS
prone 20 think. only because by means OF Il the
words can be made to be heard above the orches-
ira Song. IN the old acceptance Of the word i'm
plies beauty Of and tustness of information. II
Is amazing how Indifferent the listener IS 20 both
vocal quality and intervallic accuracy in "Saome."
Wide's styistic EFFORTS lost in the food OF IN
strumental sound; only the mood which they were
designed produce remains. Jochanaan sings
phrases which frequently tunsful. and when
they are not denunciatory set in harmonjes
agreeable to the ear. But by reason OF that fact
Jochanann comes perilousy near being Old
fashioned operatio hgure-an asceto Marcel with
little else to diferentiate him from his Meyer
beeran prototype than his 'raiment OF camels
hair ana a leathern girds about his Ioins.'
ana an Undated phrase which must serve FOR the
tunes sung by the rugged Huguenot soldier
Strauss oharacterizes by his vocal manner well
as By his themes and their instrumental treat
mentI but for his success he relies at least as
much upon tho performer upon the musical
text A voice and style like Mr.. Van Rooys give
uplift, prophetic breadth, dignity and impress
siveness 10 the Utterances of Jochanaan which
paralleled only by the imposing instrumental ap-
paratus employed in pToCaimIng the phrase in
vented to clothe his pronouncements. Six horns
used as Strauss knows how TO them. a
good substratum for the arch-colorist The nervous
chatter Of Herod IS certainly characteristic
of this neurasthenic This specimen from the path
ologtcal museum OF Messrs Wilde and Strauss
appears in a ctate which causes alarm lest his in
ternal mechanism fly asunder and scatter his cor
poreal parts about the scene. and the crepitating
volubility with which Strauss endows him is a
marveIously ingenious conceit but it leans heavily
for its effect, fear tho amazing skill Of Mr.
BurrIan not only I'm cackling out the words syn
enormously with the orchestral part but In emo