New-York tribune., 1909-10-31

The best definition OF the true purpose
@. comedy which l know is that II is 10
.-chastise manners with smile" (Tidendo
oas yaf fnoresl. and il has no better eN-
eu !ffcation in the literature of opera
than Wagner's Die Meistersinger Won
Niirnberg." Wagner's mind dwelt much
on Greek things and as he followed
Classical principle in choosing mythoioGi-
cal and legendary subjects for his TRACE
dies, so he also followed classical precedent
in drawing the line between tragedy and
comedy. '.Tannh4user,' Tristan und
Isolde Der Ring des Nibelungen,' Par
s!fal" ana, in a lesser degree, 'Lohen-
grin are examples Of the old tragedy
tyne To them the restrictions Of time and
space do not apply. They deal with large
passions. and their heroes are gods or god
like men who are shattered against the
rock Of irnmutable law-the Fate" OF the
ancient tragedians. His only Significant
essay in the field OF comedy was made in
die MeistersinEer, and this Is as fal.h-
fui to the old conception OF comedy as the
dramas mentioned are TO that OF tragedy
II deals with the manners, vices and
follies of the common people; and, there
fore, it has local environment and Illus
trates period in history. II was conceived
as a satyr-play following a tragedy
('.Tannhauscr''). and though there can be
no doubt that il was designed to teach a
lesson in art. It nevertheless aims pri-
rnarily TO amuse and only secondariIy to
instruct and correct Moreover, even the
most cutting Of its satirical lashes are ad-
ninistered with a smile
AS a picture Of the social life of quaint
German city three centuries ago, its vivid
IA Fr1ro hex a
Il IS worthy TO stand beside the best dramas
OF the world. and has no equal in operate
literature The food for its satire. too. IS
most admirably chosen, for no feature of
the social life Of that place and period IS
more amiably absurd than the efforts Of the
handicraftsmen and tradespeople, with
their prosaic surroundings. 10 keep alive by
dint OF Dedantic formularies the spirit OF
rninstrelsy which had natural stimulus in
the chivalric life OF the troubadours and
minnesingers Of whom the mastersingers
thought themselves the direct and legiti-
mate successors. In Its delineation of the
pompous doings OF the Inastersingers Wag-
ner is true to the letter. He has vitalized
the dry record 10 be found in OLD Wagon
seiTs book on Nuremberg. and intensified
the vivid description Of a mastersingers'
meeting which the curious may read in Au-
gust Hagen's novel ",Iorica." His studiss
have been marvellously exact and careful,
and he has put Wagenseil's book under lit
eral contribution. as viii appear after
while. Nost it seems best 10 tell the story
of the comedy before discussing Il further.
Teit Pogner, a rich silyersmith, desiring
10 honor the craft Of the mastersingers' 10
whose guild he belongs, offers his daughter
Eva IN marriage TO the successful com
petitor at the annual meeting Of the mas
tersingers on the feast of st. John. Eva
IS in love (she declares It IN the impetuous
manner peculiar 10 Wagner's heroines)
with walther Won Stolzing, a young Fran
CONAN knight and the knight with her.
After q pantonnime In church during divine
service. Walther meets her before she
leaves the building and asks II she be be-
trothed. She answers in the affirmative,
but Il IS TO the unknown victor at the con-
test OF singing on the morrow. He resolves
TO enter the guild so as TO be qualified for
the competition. Trial Of candidates takes
place IN the Church Of ST. Catherine in
the afternoon. and Walther, knowing moth
ing OF the rules Of the mastersingers. some
of which have hurriedly been outlined to
him by a youugster who IS an apprentice
at shoemaking and also songmaking. fails.
crafts, recognizes evidences of genius in
the knights song, and espouses his cause
as against BeckInesser. the town clerk,
who aims al acquiring Pogner's fortune by
winning his daughter. The young people
n despair al Walther's failure, are about
20 elope when they are prevented by the
arrival on the scene OF Beckmesser. 1t is
night and he wishes TO serenade Eva;
Sachs sits cobbling at his bench while
Eva's nurse, Magdalena, disguised, sits
81 a window TO hear the serenade in her
rnistress's stead. Sachs interrupts the
serenader, who is an i'll natured CLOWN
by Justify shouting a song in which ne
seeks also to give warning Of knowledge
of her intention TO Eva, whose departure
with the knight had been interrupted by
the cobbler when he came out OF ms shop
10 work in the cool OF the evening; ouI
finally agrees TO listen TO Beckmesser on
condition that he be permitted TO marx
the errors in the composition by striking
his lapstone The humorous consequences
can be imagined. Beckmesser becomes en-
RACED at Sachs, sings more and more la4se-
fy. until Sachs is occupied in beating
reritable tattoo on his lapstone. To add 10
Becknesser's discontinue, David, Sachs
apprentice ithe lad who had tried 10 IN
et-uct Nalther IN the NlOfIADB1 GIN NAA9
dalena's sweetheart, thinking the serenade
intended for his love, begins 10 belaoor the
ginger with a club; neighbors join in the
brawl. which proceeds right rnerrily until
interrupted by the horn OF night watcn-
man The dignity and vigor OF wagner
kraesical fancy are attested by the marvel
hons close OF the act. The tremendous
b,,ha,,b OF the street brawl is at its height
and the business OF the act is at an end
THE coming OF the watchman, VINO mas
evidently been aroused by the noise IS
foretold by his horn. The crowd is selzeo
with a manic. All the brawlers disappear
bebind doors The sleepy watchman stares
about him in amazement, Tabs ms eyes,
sings the rnonotonous chant which pup
fishes the hour OF the night, continues on
his round and the moon shines on quiet
street in Nuremberg as the curtain faiIs'
In the third act Walther, who had been
taken into his house by Sachs and spent
the night there, sings a recital Of a dream;
and Sachs struck by its beauty, uanscribes
H. punctuat!ng il with hits of comment
and advice Beckmesser. entering Sachs's
shop when the cobbler-poet is out for a mo-
rnent, finSs the song. concludes that II is
Sachs's own composition and appropriates
IL Sachs, discovering the theft, gives the
song 10 Eeckmesser. who secures promise
from Sachs not 10 betray him, and resolves
TO sing il At the competition. The Iest-
4. . a,.ral