The San Francisco call., 1909-12-01
DIR. WULLNER IS
TRAMP OF SONG
Declares Fervently That He
Must Roam the Whole
Wide World
By WALTER ANTHONY

II only decent 1 would be
And not be such n tramp.
sMay God provide you with a
husband,
A wealthy one with house and farm.
If we two were TO live together
I'd soon forget my singing
IN r. LUDWIG WULLNER'S favorite
II song ends with the two stanzas
above presented in Indifferent
translation. The song is Hugo VOLTS.
the poem is Eichendorn's but the SEN
timent is Wullner's. as learned when.
Inspired by his almost childish frank
ness and engaging confidence. 1 asked
the great lieder interpreter If he were
married, and if not. why not?
Doctor Wullner has expressed will
ingness to talk about music. 1 was
knocking on his door at the appointed
moment. when tall. guant figure with
pale countenance, from which glowed
two blue spheres, appeared in front of
me.
.sWie gehts." said rumbly barytone
voice.
How do you do?" said /.
Then the truth hit us both at once
He said: "Sprechen sic Deutsch?"
1 said "Nein," which with .sIch Hebe
dich' constitutes my working German
vocabulary. "You speak no English?'
L asked No. said he, and we sat
down facing each other, detected and
embarrassed.
Now that's where Coenraad V. Bos
comes into the story. He's not only
Wullner's accompanist on the concert
platform, but off as well. He is the
doctors guide and interpreter, his con-
slant companion. his menu adviser, his
majordomo, his Bos, so to say.
Bos came in at onse from two floors
above and the interview was resumed
through the medium of his sympathetic
accompa niment.
So / asked Doctor WulIner whether
he was married
He shook his head vigorously and
smiled while he dug through the pro-
grams on his table. finally locating the
one he is to sing thfs "wednesday
afternoon at his farewell recital
There" he said, "in that song are my
sentiments. II was really written for
me, though Wolf didn't know IT. l am
natural born tramp. The Wander
lust is in my veins. l can never STOP
This year here. next year in Germany,
then all over Europe, on singing trip
1 can not stop roaming. | can not stop
singing. If 1 stopped wandering and
got married i d stop singing, and then
I'd die"
artistic, though not notable for any
tendencies to vocal music. Dr.
Franz Wullner, his father, was
for many years-eighteen / think
Doctor Ludwig Wullner told me
the director of the Cologne conserva-
toire and was a familiar figure as d.
rector OF philharmonic concerts in Ber-
lin and other big German cities DR..
Ludwig Wullner was reared and trained
In Cologne and was educated there, too
He started Aout in life as a professor
of the German language and literature
His direction toward music. however,
was too definite to be disturbed. and he
studied at the Cologne conservatoire
for two years the art of composition
and the history and theory of music.
For a year he taught those subjects at
the same institution, but subsequently
went on the stage, and that incidentally
was how he came back to music. as
you will see presently.
At Meiningen there was need for a
leading man to play Schlegefs trans
latfons of Shakespearean roles and the
dramatic classics of Germany. To WuH
ner was given the honor. and for six
years he was leading actor. That was
at least Is years ago. Maybe more,
said Wullner slyty. The grand duke of
Meiningen was a patron of the arts
(wish we had 'em here). and Johannes
49, -,
great composer and the future great
Interpreter of song met at the palace Of
the duke.
WulIner had never studied vocal art
in his life. but was constant reader
and singer of the songs of the lieder
masters. He used to take his discov-
cries to Brahms, and Brahms used to
give him original compositions to sing
He was struck with the young mans
insight into the meaning of the music
and the music of the poem. why don't
you go on the concert stage?" he used
to ask Then he urged, and finally
Wullner made the venture. He appeared
in Berlin; the critics were surprised.
shocked. delighted and amazed. The
people bought more tickets. and so
encouraged for Is years Wullner has
been public singer, though he never
took a vocal lesson in his life
Wullner never goes to concerts. He
knows his art is different from that
of any other singer. He knows his
vocal style is different. being altogether
the result of spontaneous and unaffect-
ed feeling without vocal culture. He is
afraid to hear others. having misgfv-
ings that they might rob him OF his
poise and the confidence born OF free
dom from convention. He does not
hesitate TO hear italian and French
opera stars, however, and is a great
admirer of Caruso. whose sensuously
glorious voice is WuIlner's admiration,
but not envy.
He has sung in Wagnerian opera,
which he adnires much. but not so
much as he used to. He agreed with
what I have contended, that in spite
of Wagners monumental labors as
musical dramatist, the future will
know Wagner as composer only, and
that the Beyreuth genius will live in
the wonderful excerpts concert played.
from his music dramas
Hugo Wolf is Wullner's favorite
song composer. II have sung him so
much said he, that he is as clear
and easy as Schubert to me-"