Evening star., 1933-02-12
NIFTY years ago tomorrow, in
@ Venice, Richard Wagner

afternoon gave up the fight anc
passed into the other world. A
few days later his funeral pro-
cession began across Europe tc
the quiet resting place he had
prepared for himself in Bay
teuth. At each train stop promi-
snent citizens came to bring
wreaths and, when the cortege
| reached Bayreuth at dead OF
night, the entire town had assem-
bled to receive the remains of the
uead genius. At the funeral on
the following day flags hung at
half mast, state functionaries in
full uniform, delegates from vari-
Gus societies, wreaths from the
King, oratiorS, praise and a whole
Europe mourning were the trib-
uteS paid to the dead man. That
year alone 10000 articles ap-
peared on Wagner and his works
Such was the finish of the stormy
career OF the man who held to
his ideas with tenacity against
the rebuffs and hardshipS a skep-
tfcal world had tried to defeat
him with.
Today the musical world unites
In gratitude to that tenacity. Were
the divine fire and clear convic-
ton less strong in Richard Wag-
ner, the fiorid melodies of Rossini
and Donizetti would still be con-
\ Sidered the ideal of operate
grandeur and pure bel canto the
sum total of theatrical singing
Beside the immensity of Wag-
ner's talent, one must honor the
mentality and character that con-
ceived and forced to recognition
a higher and more advanced
state of music.
The consensus of opinion is
that Wagner'S mentality was that
of superman. AS to strength
other than obStinacy and Self-in-
terest in his character the world
is still loath to grant him. How
ever, man who can hold to what
he believes is true throughout a
lifetime, and pass through men
tai and physical vicissitudes with
his ideas held high, deserves len
I iency Of judgment. The weak
3 ness and intriguing nature of
4 Wagner'S character are not only
stressed by those who would be-
little him, but they cannot be
OverIooked in a general conSid-
Grafton of his life and works. At
the same time, the excuse for
these weaknesses, his genius, has
never been sufficiently used to
explain and justify them.
Wagner was genius ridden,
harasSed and goaded by the urge
for expression within himself that
carried the stamp of approval of
his far-seeing mind. This effort
to give out and be acknowledged
needed sympathetic encourage
nlent, peace, comfort and relief
fr9la financial embarrassment
Ag,A was, he was at war with the
VfT5 fighting the insistence of
h q nature, the mental pettiness
o. the people surrounding him
ana the cold and unfriendly at
nosphere that poverty forced him
to work in. In a society that
busted itself with small interests,
he dwelt on Olympian heights,
lived with heroes who were fear
less and strong in their feelings
and deeds, and thought of them
in musical terms the like of which
had never been heard before.
From the inner contemplation
OF his dream characters, who,
good or bad, were so in big way,
he was hourly brought back to
the small domestic annoyanceS,
the small meannesses of his as
SociateS, the question of daily
bread and butter and the uncon-
querable inability of the majority
to understand his ideals. His
nervous, high-Strung nature
fought for its birthright in the
only way he could use. He needed
money relief; he Schemed and
borrowed and cajoled to get it.
He needed sympathy, and eagerly
followed where he felt its glin-
mer might warm into a glow that
would relax him and stimulate
him to greater endeavors. He
ardently grasped each oppor-
tunity that promised chance tc
put into execution the theatrical
reforms he was burning to make
Nothing is more pitiful than the
apologies made by this giant OF
ideas for the lack Of funds that
made 1t necessary to send let
ter without postage or the mis-
guided efforts to find his inspira-
ton in the ideal woman. How
short-Sighted and narrow were
the people who conspired to oust
him from mis- theatrical post III
Riga, where, for the first time
he was able to put his stage ideas
into execution, simply because he
was Unsuitable for work, demand
ing the same from his company
and having no patience with the
easygoing life of the theater.
His warm heart, his pride anc
his tenocity of purpose are ex-
pressed in letter to his mother
sNow that I en- far from you,
am overwhelmed with gratitude
for the wonderful love you be-
stow upon your child; so much
so that am impelled to speak anc
write to you in terms of the ten
derest affection. Oh, mother
what if you were to die too soon
before 7 had time to prove to yol
that you had an upright ane
grateful son? That humiliatin.
scene with Fritz is buried in tht
lowest depths of me. I will pa.
him back to the last penny, ant
yet how glad I am the whole
trouble happened, since 1t has
brought me to rely on myself. [
was fated that in my weakness
should go through all this eX
perience"
Throughout his life Wagne,
Strove to free himself from tn
shackles of the real in order II
live and receive nourishment from
Ehe hero life that never eXiSte(