Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-30
AN AFTERNOON WITH WAGNER.
LARGE Attendance at Woman's Club
Eniovs Spiendid Paper and Music.


There was an unusually good attend
ance "Wednesday afternoon at the reg
ular meeting Of the Woman's Club IN
Red Mems hall. During the brief bust
ness session and program following,
Mrs. Will Wallace first vice president,
presided Mrs May +. Montgomery,
president, having part in the program
The program was in charge OF the
art and music department, of which
Mrs F. G. Stewart is chairman An
afternoon with the composer Wagner,
had been arranged. with an especially
we'll prepared and interesting paper by
Mrs Montgomery as the principal .ea-
ture The musical numbers also were
splendid and the entire program
evoked the heartiest applause, being
one Of the most enjoyable Of the sea-
son.
A short paper by Mrs. Hinecker tell
ing of the organization. growth. and
aims Of the Arson Mothers Club. OF
which she is a member. was also fea-
ture Of the afternoon.
The Wagner program opened with
the vocal solo. "Elsa'S Dream. from
"Lohengrn." sung in the German by
Mrs Charles Myers. With Miss ella
Zug as her accompanies.
Mrs Montgomery paper was on
Richard Wagner and His Opera
"Tannhauser. and wasp pared as she
stated. from intorma ton CLEANED by
the speaker several years ago, in
library at Cambridge. Mass. at a time
when she expected to attend Wagner
festival. abroad. 1t was prepared only
for department meeting. but by re-
quest she consented TO give il as
part of the club program. In it Mrs
Montgomery told OF WaSner'S life from
boyhood up with its struggle. oppose
ton and strife. and traced in an iiluni-
native manner the development Of his
taste for music and the ideals he
sought 10 realize as composer and
director. He was not as she said, in
any way prodigy. indeed ne did not
turn his attention 10 music until at the
age Of is when he conceived a pas
sionate admiration for Beethoven.
Wagner also became deeply attached to
the composer Weber. who Influenced
him deeply He wrote several tragedies
in his teens and early twenties. and
was married at the age of %. His life
with his first wife. who lived thirty
years. was very unhappy. and she dis
coura ged him greatly in his high ideals.
Several wears after her death he mar
ried daughter Of List I'D she was both
a source or great happiness and in
sDiration to him. The friendship be-
tween Wagner and List was one OF
the great friendships OF the world
The paper pointed out the bitter OPP
position and criticism Wagner had TO
endure from his critics. thru all of
which his determination to uplift and
reform his art. remained mistaken.
H:s desire for truth. as he saw ii. was
the handspring of his efforts. AS All
added handicap. he had a lifelong
struggle with poverty. Forced to flee
from Germany to Paris. from having
participated in a political revolt, he
was pardoned, and returned after many
Of Bavaria with whom Wagner and his
operas became a great favorite. Wag
ner called the old operas a concert in
! costume. and believed that music
should be considered as means rather
! than an end, and that music
and poetry should be one artistic unit
He also saw the superiority Of the
| legendry over the historical story. He
opened a new tone world and advocated
the possibilities of music as language
1t Is now said that Weber and Wagner
created German opera.
I '"Tannhauser." his first creation from
the German myth world. was begun In
1912, when the composer was - years
old. and IL connected with the ancient
Teutonic religion. Mrs. Montgomery
gave the story OF the above opera in q
very clear, graphic and Connected form
and at the appropriate place in the mar
ration. the song gem, 20, Thou Sublime
Sweet Evening Star" was sung by Mrs
i Myers, .E:th Miss lug az accom- panis,
again. Mrs. Montgomery illustrated
her paper with numerous pictures
which were passed around.
The program closed with an eight.
hand rendition OF the, overture q
''rannehauser." The frst piaaio pGrts
were played By Miss Catherine eutpher