Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-27
FAMOUS MEN,
RICHARD WAGNER

Richard Wagner was the most ta- tented of famous old men ef music sl Germany, and his life to the very cad was one of striking activity and great ness in accomplishment. Born in 1913 Wagner lived to the allotted period of three score years and ten and only the year 1sfere his death was his inn mortal "ParsifaT' given Its first per formanee at his beloved Bayreuth.
 Wagner began his "Parsifal" in 1878, when he was 65 years of age, and 1t was not completed until 1882. This was his last work. The libretto was writ ten by Wagner himself and he com pieted the music at Palermo on the 18th of January, 1882. The first six teen performances took place at Bay reuth in July and August of that year and under the cemposer's own direc- tion, and fully realized all exReeta- tions.
 Unhappily the exertion of directing so many consecutive performances seems to have been too much for the veteran masters strength, for teYarA the close of the year his health began to decline rapidly. He spent the au- tumn at Venice, and was well enough on Christmas eve to conduct his early symphonN composed in 1899, just fer ty-nine years before at a private per formance. given at the Lieee Mareella. But late in the afternoon of the 1Sth of February, 1893, his friends were shocked by his sudden death from heart failure.
 Wagner had been cemposing oReFas i for forty years, his first beins a tragic opera entitled fRienzi': His greatest musical effort was his production of his "Der Ring des NibeIungenn, unen which he was at WeFk practically frem 1882. when he started the libFstta, te 1875, when he had completed the entire score.
 Wagner spent the last ten wears of his life at Bayreuth. Tere, through the generosity of his patron, King Ludwig of Bavaria, there was erected for the presentation of his music dramas a suitable building, and Wagner laid the first stone of this structure Ia 1879. The edifiee was comRleted after almost ! insurmeuntable difficulties in 1878: | Here alse he found a hame which he named Wahnfried, and in the gar den of which he built his temh. Tn this tomb he was buried, and it is said that a few days after the funeral KinS f L4AA0iS EOAE tp 4DdSAC4t4 dioHEf ftaS at dead of night, to pay his last tFih ute to the master of his world e1 dreams The last few years of his lifs
 however, Wagner was compelled te
 spend in a warmer climate than Ba-
 yaria. and the beautiful Ralazzo Ven, dramiR on the Grand Canal in Veniei
 became his regular winter residence Even there his active spirit knew nc
 rest.
 No other composer may be saids t
 have given the world such flawlesi
 compasitions as Wagner, and the his
 tory of music affords na second ex'
 claim of a composer whose develop
 ment shows such extraordinary aa
 vance as that of the great master
 Nothing attests more eoRyineingly tn l firm hold of his music on the genera ] public than its constant performance 7 by the largest symphony orchestra. , throughout the world. In their reper toire the overtures, preludes, and cer tain excerpts occupy the same position as the symphonies of Beethoven. As the years pass, the figure Q : Wagner seems to assume greater an,
 greater proportions. Even now his in
 fluence, like that of Shakespeare an
 Goeth and Beethoven, is felt and rec : pgnized as one of the living and nov Ing forces of civilization.