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

N"'c SNSNtln oNtEDbdEu, DUH IL
: quite clear now that this impression
vas gained only from placing an ex-
aggerated importance on the repre-
sentative theme plan. once We have
relegatea these themes TO their proper
place in M Wagnerian scheme we
md that the highly organized riches
RAJ description Is in the great psychi,
situations OF the dramas always sub
ervient TO the lyric utterance on the
tage.
In Die Walkuere" II IL so in the
iuo II Sie0mund and SieOiinde, in the
'dlogue Of WOtdn and Frckd. In the
announcement of death by Brucrr-
htide and in Wofan's farewell. In tn.
tredt scene between father and daugh-
ger preceding the farewell the orches-
'ral del.neation Is at times paramount
10 the song, but no more.
In "Siegfried" he forging. the dying
speech Of Fdjner. the great duo Of
SicOfri"d and Brucdnhiide come at
once To the memory. In "Goettcr-
'd"W "crHnQ' the duo az the two In
the first scene, tho great tragic proc
!dinations Of the second act. the mar
I've and death OF SieOtr,cd and the
mmo.ation of the Nalkyr are all
mighty .yric u~tterances.
When Wagner desired to create a
'omedy he selected materials intensely
human and treated them with the
method of satire. Thus he found pre-
c!sely the right way TO make true
comedy. In recent productions we
have had interesting materials. Going
hack - ''Thn Ifr1 ~ tho TsAl11- -.
It is not difficult To see now that the
subject matter If the book was not
of the best possible type Cor operate
treatment.
With all his theatrical skill Mr..
ruccini found himself compelled 20
resort To the representative theme sys-
tenn in its fullest development in or
der to make his score cohesive. The
few lyric situations wanted conncc
ton. They came as episodes. In his
La Boheme" on the other hand the
situations on the stage fairly clamor
for expression In sons. and conse-
q~uently they get il.
Does any m now remember
"Ariane ct Barbe Bleu'? II was not
the sort of opera that people in this
town like, but il had an admirable
book and the great moments OF the
story were perfectly fitted TO lyric
speech. The fact that the composer
chose an unpopular idiom Toe not al
ter the fact.
Lately We have had ON perform
ances OF Montemezzi's "L'Amore del
Ire Re- which was so favorably re-
ceived last season. This work has an
ideal book. Everything in It sings
from beginning Ia end. The result Is
that while the composer has written
an instrumental part which operates
vigorously in the delineation it is at
almost every instant secondary to the
Interpretation which goes forward on
the stage. And the climaXes Of the
tragedy are preached in passionate
lyric song.
by giving attention to works OF this
kind We can satisfy ourselves that
while Wagner'> recommendation of
legend and myth need not be too
o~hedicntly accepted. his idea was in
the main right. To free the composer
of trammelling details OF action and in
Cident and open the way to a large
and moving embodiment Of emotions
in some form of SONG speech should
he the aim of every librcttist in writ
Ing a serious opera. In comedy II
may be nO'cd that a field for the @ Y
rrciSc of humor without the exclusion
Of sentiment IL the requirement. Ths
composer must have his opportunities
for contrast and he must have wha'
the theatrical managers call hear
interest" even in his comic drama
He cannot compose an out and OH
farce. There is In this no food 70
music of any value. There must al
ways be n vein Of sentiment In a.
opera, and indeed tho best comic
operas Of tn" older masters Away
contained "A large one.
I, We have nmasscd III euormou
amount of musical materials whicI
| TIE earlier opera composer did NJ
possess. We have a system OF hay
Hony a hundredfold moro opulen