The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-28
~ W. J.

~ PERATIC composers have not
accepted the Wagnerian the
~ cries as TO the best kline of ma
teria.s for the making OF IL
brettos. 1t was hardly to be expected
that they would. because the Wag-
merriam idea that mythical or legendary
subjects were the best limited the field
..too narrowly. 1t would not be a long
tim before all the stories of mythica.
or legendary origin were exhausted.
The various mytho.og!es deal largely
in thoughts common to them all, ana
legends, as every student knows, n
.iheir way into many literatures with
only slight variations.
~" But on the other hand in the COM
''ments made by Wagner or the en-
ploymtn mt Of historical materials there
is food for thought. The famous
-tmaster held that a historical story
was Likely to embarrass a lyric dra-
matist by its mass of details. What
the musician should have IS a book
which centralizes its dramatic
Thought on the play OF Elemental emo
lions. The historical play always
has a large number of characters. II
.abounds in Incidents of action and
,.usualiy parades considerable pomp
.aand circumstance.
90 One has only to recall such works
las THE Prophtt" and THE Hugue-
nots'' to see how the historical sub
ject throws obstacles IN the COM
,.poser's path. What is a MUSICIAN to
lido with the necessary explanation of
political situations in such a drama?
,rNothing can come Of this but the
.rdriest 10 nd of prose dialogue, utta rly
inimical TO musical treatment.
-. The spectacular features which in
s~-Nar.ably cling TO the historical drama
are indeed dear To the populace; but
suppose these features We're omitted
land in their place were substituted
strong dramatic situations. We have
- only to think of such works as "Tris-
ian und Isolde "paGliacci" and
;. ,"L'Amore del IRE Re" to he satisfied
'soshat We can easily do without pro-
decisions and ballets and stridulent
ensembles. What IA small part the
'Istage spectacle plays In "Manon,'
,cPelleas ct Melisande" or That's"
- OF course there Is another variety
-of the spectacular, that which finds
its fed in the music. Some cali this
Thing the sensational; but speCtac-
Wa -tNlSiAiS ibI ~ Il DttlfI
title. This kind of spectacle Will al
ways be found in the less elevated
types of opera. However, the making
of opera books is not directly assoc
ciated with II.
To make a serious opera the fund.-
mental necessity is food for lofty mu-
steal express q m. \. busting m To-
drama is not suitable. because tho en-
.f,tnn 49, t.t.sf,,, 80. a1,,,4, .t...
.ahosc of action. For the
Ibis means the writing Of some rapid
.recitativo and the construction of an
Orchestral description, The great mo.
mcnts in the great operas have never
been of THIS kind. They are reached
''-Nrhen the tide of emotion has RISEN t.
- rs Hood n its waves break IN splcn.
r aid proc.amatlOns Of song.
49,? Tho Metropolitan Opera House has ot
Ghite offered Us examples of the diff
~ fcrent types of opera and we may
profit by some consideration of them
''"LOraco.o' Is "A very int resting work
d but II IL not at all probable that il WI
taxi rank among the great Great on.
of Italy, It's mDS prominent emo
t!ops c-' .,sSe ana revolving. TIL,
lend themselves to musical setting, t,
hc sur, rsi noi 70 ne KI"d IN wnlc!
composers pour out their noblost in
Sp~irat.ons.
The uplifting cmot ons of the tw,
Young lovers ar, entirely secondary L
.-ihe real story Of the play and the.
expression 5 brief. The orchestra. de
scr.ption whitn continues t%hroughou
ne opera II In fact the most impor
tant part Of the score, AZ alr,ad
f. t,..t ~, ,,.a..p,ta-. l- ,-. l