Evening star., 1934-05-20

This famous collection contains
manuscripts, compositions, letters and
pictures relating to Wagner and his
work collected by Cosima Wagner and
now opened to the public by Frau
Winifred Wagner, widow of Siegfried.
Among the autographed letters of
Wagner are about $50 addressed to
List, Won Pulow, Otto Wesendock,
Uhlig and others, with 265 letters to
his first wife, Minna. There are also
a number of important and still un-
published letters to King Ludwig II of
Bavaria The original copies of
articles on varied subjects written by
Wagner are to be seen, many of them
the first rough draft, and autographed
copies of poems and speeches. These,
together with the original musical
manuscripts, form the center of at
traction of this rich collection.
An insight to Wagner's manner of
working, the astonishing wealth of
idea, the sureness and free flowing
character of his genius and his pains
taking thoroughness is to be had in
the study of this carefully preserved
legacy of the great composer. Wag-
ner was accustomed to jot down his
first ideas and then to develop them
into comprehensive drafts, which con-
tanned. in addition to scenic details,
part of the planned dialogue. These
first drafts were so concise that rarely
were changes made when the first
complete copy of his dramatic texts
was made The first draft was usu-
n,, fa11 i l,, ,,,l-s
proved upon the original only in its
1egibility. In the Archive are to be
found the first drafts of the texts for
'DaS Rheingold," die Walkure," !"
"Meistersinger," Tristan" and Par
sifal' and the second copy of 1.-The
Flying Dutchman," "Tannhauser,"
"Siegfried's Death" and The Young
Siegfried."
Up to the time of the writing of
''Lohengrin" Wagner made his musi-
cal sketches exclusively in the two
tire ring" is thus preserved. After
THE Rhine Gold" Wagner wrote in
three-note system and always in pen
Gil. retraced sometimes in ink. The
final autographed version in ink of
the partitures of The Flying Dutch
man." "Lohengrin," Tristan" two
additional scenes composed for Tam
hauser" in Paris. the third act of
"Siegfried," "Gotterdaemmerung" and
'Parsifal" are some of the treasures
Of the collection. Original manu-
scripts of French songs, written in
Paris. and the sketches and final ver-
sionS Of the five WeSendock songs are
also to be seen.
The amount of secrecy that has
been maintained regarding the init
mate data of the life and work of
Wagner has aroused much criticism
among the admirers and the students
OF perhaps the greatest parsonage in
musical history. Countless legends
have sprung up to becloud the clear
vision that historians were trying to
attain of the man, the appreciation
of whom is in reality just beginning
Up to the present, frame had been
carefully constructed to inclose his
picture. and this was the limited por-
trait that posterity was allowed to
study. Wagner is the one artist whose
life story has suffered surprising de-
Lotions by his close kin, who have
striven to impose certain angles of the
great mans genius and history on
public which desires and needs to
know more.
1t is a mistaken idea that any,
thing regarding a great man can be
withheld from the public. The mo-
ment a talent is great enough to at