The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-09
NAkner.

WuOtlOI " 8oOu VI v ~ 8io1s AnSa
are moro or less lied about. The deifica-
ton. thanks TO Bayreuth, OF Richard
Wagner p~eriiously approaches the proc
ess known Al whitswashing. Now the
composer was neither the monster OF
ingratitude, lust and treachery painted
by his enemies. nor yet VA he the angel
Of light limned by thu whitswasbers Of
Bayreuth and elsewhere. II all osts
are gray by night, there b IN the moral
world an analogous condition, no person.
not oven his Satanic Majesty, b % black
- m~ezsotintsd BY the cunning hand Of
the ~biographer. To the latter contrast
10 his chief aim. whether he II an advocate
Of the devil or an enemy. Among the
Wagner ~apol6gists none ID % fsrvid, not
even Houston Chamberlain, . W. ASHTON
ELLss, the English translator Of the
masters writings and letters. After
England, stiIl the most unmusioal Of u
tons. emerged from its Mendelssohn
fever IL had no absorbing musical pas
sion, aside from a mild attack Of Sohu-
mannism and Chopinism. until Wagner
was accepted by the world a. the pattern
composer Of opera. While New York wa
listening for ten years 10 all the music
dramas interpreted by Lehman, Me
mann, Fischer, Soaria. Materna, Winkel-
mann, Alvary. Brandt, the De Reszkes,
Christina Nilsson, Campanini. Nordioa,
Ternina, Klapsky. under the baton OF
Anton Seidl and other celebrated oonduc-
tors, London was content to be served
with scraps from the Wagnerian BAN
auet. or else 60 to Bayreuth. Uncritioal
Wagner worship ID the rule to-day In
England and tho Covent Garden perform
ancss are mediocre.
The latest Wagner work Mr.. Ellis has
translated consists entirely Of the mas
tors letters to his first wife, Minna Wagner;
two stout volumes Imported by Charles
Scribner's Sonsl. That these letters arc
available contribution to the already largo
Wagner literature ne need hardly add;
that they would have BEEN treasure trove
indeed II Minna's letters had been included
IL indisputable. But Bayreuth. that IL,
tho Villa Wahnfried. Is so much en-
crossed in the creation Of . fair oolored
image OF tho divine Richard that We may
only eusss at the other side Of the case.
With MIR. Ellis all 10 pdrH pris; Richard,
right or wrong; no still suffers ~ he SUI
fered whom he wrote years ago q vindica-
ton Of Wagner's action at tho Dresden
i~nsurreoton (isAo) from hero worship.
We rather admire his attitude. though II
hardly makes for critical e1actitude.
For example. In . f~ootnote to the preface
Of these letters no demolishes the story
Of Wagner's doubtful paternity BY assert-
ing that the best authorities have never
lent 1t serious credence.' An italicized
word does not prove the fact. Many
prominent Wagnerians have lent their
ears to the rumor-whioh by the way
did not originate with Nietzsche. a. Ellis
declares, but va moro than mere gossip
In Leipsic in the Jnden0osse where
Wagner was born. Mr.. Finok 1t vas
who first remarked that the elder Wag-
nsr's portrait 10 not on view at Wahnfred.
Throughout his life Richard always spoke
OF Ludwig Geyer " his father-whioh wa
natural, a. Geyer was the only father he
knew. To those interested the psyohioal
resemblance between Geyer and Richard
are still more puxzling. Perhaps that
autobiography-th irst line Of which,
according to Nietzsohe and . certain
famous Wagner conductor, now in Ger
many. begins thus: i am the son Of Lud-
wig Geyer'-will clear UP all doubts on
this not very important matter. Wagner
was bigger than tho stock from which
he stemmed.
Christine wilheimina Planer. born 1900
In Saxony, was three and q half years
older than her husband, Richard Wagner.
They married In 1895 and appeared to
have regretted the act for the thirty years
that elapsed before death relieved Richard
Of his share Of the burden. No children
pleased OF cursed their union-which
might have been rendered more insupport-
able II such had been the Until
Ludwig Of Bavaria came to Wagner's
aid In 1884 his life had been M battle
with poverty, with his own bodily ills,