New-York tribune., 1909-10-31

years. no matter how often the action de-
manded IT, there Is neither change of scenes
nor division into acts; and the personages.
whether Biblical or classical. talked In the
manner OF the simple folk OF the sixteenth
century. Sachss tragedy. Won der Streng-
en- Lieb Herrn Tristrant NIT der K0nigfn
Isolden'' "(Of the Strong Love of Lord
Tristram and the Beautiful Queen Iseult)
contains seven acts. as Is specified In the
continuation of the title ''und hat seben
Akre" 1t was written thirty-six years
later than the carnival play, and three
years after the establishment Of a theatre
In Nuremberg by the mastersingers. Each
act ends with a triple rhyme. Though
Sachs uses stage directions somewhat free
ly. compared with the other dramatists OF
the period, the personages all speak In the
same manner, and time and space ara
annihilated In the action most bewilder-
ingly. Thus, no sooner does Herr Tristrant
volunteer to meet Morholdt, der Held. TO
settle the question spf "Curnewelshland's"
tribute to 'Irland.'' than the two are at 1t
hammer and tongs on an island in the
ocean. All the other incidents of the old
legends follow fast they are men
toned Tristrant saves his head in Ire
land when discovered as the slayer Of
Morholdt by Kidding the country OF
dragon. and is repeatedly convicted OF
treachery and taken back into confidence
by konig Marx. as one may read in Sir
Thomas Malory's "Morte d'Arthur." Sachs
follows an old conclusion of the story and
sVes Tristrant second Iseult to wife,
and she tells the lie about the sails. The
first Iseult dies of broken heart at the
sight of her lovers bier. and the Herald
In speech draws the moral of the tale:
Aus dem so lass dich treulich warnen.
Shd spar dein Lieb' bis In die Eli,
Pam hab, Elm lieb und klein web.
Diesselb' Lieb' ist nit Gott und Ehren
Die Welt damit fruchtbar gu ulehren
Dazu gfeot. Gott selist allewegen
sem. sem Gnad'. Gedeihen und milden seeen-
pass stete Lieb' und Treu' aufwachs'
I'm ehlich'n Stand, das wunsche Hans
one OF the most thrilling scenes In die
Meistersinger" Is the greeting of Hans
sachs by the popUlace when the hero en-
ters with the mastersingers' guild at the
FESTIVAL OF ST. John (the chorus "Wacht
eur! es nahet gen dem Tag'D. Hero there
is another Illustration OF Wagner's adher-
ence to the verities of history, or, rather.
or his employment OF them. The words
OF the uplifting choral song are not
Wagner's, but were written by the old
coboier-poet himself Wagner's stage
people apply them to their idol, but Sachs
uttered them in praise of Martin Luther;
they form the beginning OF his poem en-
Titled The Wittenberg nightingale"
which was printed in 1923 To the old
history OF Nuremberg, written by Wagen-
SELL Wagner went for other things be-
SIDES the theatre and personages of his
play. From 1t he got the rules which
governed the meeting OF the ma .ersinsers
hke That which follows the religious ser
vice In the Church OF st. Catherine In
the hrst act and the singular names O, th.
neiodies to which. according to David.
'he candidates for mastersingers' honors
were in the habit OF improvIsing their
songs. IN one instance he made a draft
0h an authentic mastersinger melody. Tho
march which is used tAroughou, the COM
edy to symbolize the guild begin. a.
follows: