New-York tribune., 1909-09-12

pleting the routine OF the conservstories in Milan,
he spent a great deal OF time In Paris and the
larger German cities engrossed quite as much in
the study Of literature OF music. Had he fol-
lowed his incnatons and the advice of Victor
Hugo who gave him a letter Of introduction TO
Emile de Girardin. he would have become jour
nalist i'm Paris instead of the composer OF 'AIefs-
tofele and the poet or ''Otel.o.' ''Falstaff' ia
Gioconda" and Fro Leandro'' But Girardin was
too much occupied with his affairs to attend
10 him when Boto presented himself and after
waiting wearly. vainy and long. he went 20
Poland. where. for want of something else TO do.
he sketched the opera "NIefstofele,' which made
its memorable hasco at Milan in March 1868
To show that il is impossible 10 think of ''Mefis-
tofele except series of disconnected episodes.
il sufces 10 point that its prologue. epilogue
and four acts embrace fantastic parody, per-
version Of GOathes Prologue in Heaven, frag-
ment Of his Easter Scene, smaller fragment Of
the scene in Faust's study bit OF the garden
scene, the scene of the witches gathering the
Broeken the prison scene. the classical Sabbath
in which Faust is discovered in with
Helen of Troy, and the death and salvation OF
Faust old man. Can any one who knows
that music, even of the modern dramatic type, in
which strictly musical forms have given way to as
persistent onward flow as the text itself must
OF necessity act as clog dramatic action, i'm
sgtne that such number and variety OF scenes
could be combined into a logical, consistent whole
conpassed by four hours of performance? Ger
Goethe in his effort 10 carry his listeners from
heaven through the earth TO hell'; he must needs
ask them follow him IN his exposition Of Goethes
philosophy and symbolism OF course, that is i'm
possible during stage representation, and there
fore he exposes the workings of his mind in an
essay and notes to his score. From these we may
learn, among other things that the poet-composer
conceves Faust \ type OF man athrst for
knowledge, of whom solomon the Biblical
prototype. Prometheus the NEUROLOGICAL, Manfred
and Don QuiXote the predecessors in modern ltera-
ture. Also that Mephistopheles is as inexhaust-
ihle type of evil as Faust is as a type OF
virtue, and therefore that this picturesque stage
devil with all his conventionalty, is akin TO the
serpent which tempted Eve the Therstes of Ho-
mer and-mirahIe dicfu!-the FastaT of Shake
speare!
The device with which Botto tried to link the
scenes Of his opera together is musical as well as
philosophical In the book which Barber and
Carre wrote for Gounod Faust sells his soul TO the
devil for period OF sensual pleasure of indefinite
duration. and so TAR the hero is concerned, the
story is left unfinished All that has been accom-
plished is the physical ruin Of Marguerite Sephis-
tophees eGults foy a moment in contemplation OF
the destruction also Of the immortal part Of her.
but the angelic choir proclaims her salvation.
Faust departs hurriedly with AIephistopheles. but
whether TO his death in search Of new advent
do not know. The Germans are there
FORE not 50 wrong, after ALL in calling the opera