New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-05-06
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There is conventional point of view
from which it is considered obtrusive
and even little unseemly for a man
to speak warmly Of his colleague Well,
there are occasions on which convention
may go hang. This is one of them.
II. f. k is celebrating the f1ftieth
anniversary of his entry into journalism.
1t congra tulations may flow toward him
from any source it is surely from among
his colleagues, whose admiration and af-
lection are based upon intimate asso-
cation as we'll as upon familiarity with
his work. And if any excuse is needed
for doing this publicly it is found in the
everlasting nature Of things. Krehbel's
work has been a public service There
must be thousands of our readers who
share The Tribune's appreciation of his
career
The good Of the public in matters of
music has been from the beginning
high tradition in this paper Greeley
had deep love of the art. In an old
sheaf Of his letters to Whitelaw Reid.
written half century ago, found this
terse communication: of there be places
at the opera tomorrow, remember yours,
H. c. He gave free swing to w. II.
Fry, the father Of scholarly musical
criticism in this country After him in
the columns OF The Tribune came John
K. G. Hassard, who described in them
the first Derforn,a Of tbo "P;r o.,
Bayreuth. Hassard was learned in the
intricaces of Wagnerism, but remained
IN spite of his appreciation of the music
dramas, peculiarly sympathetic con-
noisseur of the symphonic classics and
Of Italian opera. He was the eulogist
of Parepa Rosa, the spokesman of the
older schools of composition and sing
ing. Roughly speaking, the period in
which he shone with distinguished bril-
lance had q unity conferred by con-
servatism. When his health broke down
and krehbiel came on from his desk in
the Office of "The Cincinnati Gazette"
to act as his assistant and shortly to
succeed him an era of many new or
chestral and choral adventures was just
about to be ushered in Thenceforth our
friend witnessed historical events-and
helped to make them.
1t was in 1880 that Krehhiel took full
command of musical criticism in The
Tribune. Italian opera, in the old
Academy of Music, still prevailed.
Campanini was singing Lohengrin to
Missions Elsa. They were tuneful,
melodious days. Krehbiel, | gather,
loved them and was content to carry on
an old cult. But in the sos came the
great change and his great opportunity
nous house. Materna came upon the
scene. Then, after Leopold Damrosch's
death, followed the historic administra-
ton in which Stanton acted as man.
ager and Seidl presided at the con-
ductor's desk. There were first per-
formances of Tristan" and the "Mei-
stersnger" New York had new
thrill! New, strange and a little puz-
cling. Krehbiel clarified the subject.
He prides himself, and justly, that he
has never been a Wagnerite, but that
is only to say that he has never been
an insensate worshiper of "the mas
ter" In constructive Interpretation he
was one Of the stanchest friends that
Wagner ever had in the days when
Tristan was not only a work of art
but a problem.
Of the occasion on which | first saw
Krehbiel l have two memories. 1t was
the first meeting Of the short-lived
Wagner Society. One picture that
recall is Of Seidl at the piano making
the music of the Rhine Daughters,
while his wife, Lilli Lehman and