Evening star., 1935-03-10

National Symphony Gives
Wagner Program Today
The Conductor Writes Of Special Features of
Concert, Which Will Be Heard at Constitu.
ton Hall at This Afternoon.
By Hans Kinder, Conductor.

ened and blessed by It's presence. The
angels return to the azure sky In q
glorious light and disappear from
view.
This picture Is musically presented
with uncanny realism which, however,
never descends TO mere illustration,
out which gives us the spirit of rap
ture and enhancement that such q
glorious occurrence would evoke In Q
genius like Wagner.
"Lohengrin" Vorspiel, No. 3.
The popular "Lohengrin" Vorspiel,
No. 8, describes the joyous festivities
at the marriage Of Elsa and Lohen-
grin.
The "Gotterdammerung" finale is
the climax of all of the works
written in Wagner's mature years. No
such perfection in the way of con-
trapuntal superimposition of themes
has he ever achieved again. There
fore 1t is in some ways his most over.
Whelming achievement.
This is the final apotheosis of the
Ring of the Nibelungen," in which
all OF the essential qualities of the
great drama are combined in the mu-
sic: The death of the hero Seigfried,
slain by the vile treachery Of the vii
IAN Hagen, who has but one desire
the ring of gold (signifying riches and
power), which he even tries to snatch
from Slegfried's body while it lies.
waiting. among the heroes, for the fu-
neral pyre. The curse motif is thun.
dered by the brass. Brunnhilde de-
nounces Hagen. The Rhine Is seen
oVerhoW1ng in a mighty flood. The
Rhine maldenS come with their lovely
song to take possession Of the ring. to
guard it so that it shall create no
more misery. 1t ends with Brunn-
hldle's 1mmolation, her supreme sac
rif1ce when she joins Siegfried, out Of
love, in death by rushing into the fire
which consumes his body. All this is
described so vividly, so superbly, with
such unerring mastery, with such pas
sion and solemn exaltation that it is
the very crown of the whole trilogy.
A FTER the intermission I will give
an excerpt from Wagner,s last
opera, "Parsifal," where he was al
ready communing with the gods di-
rect. This excerpt is in a way the
essential part of the music drama,
"Parslfal." Elucidation of this music
IS not necessary. 1t tries to re-create
the spirit of the holy happenings of
Good Friday, and put it on this pro-
gram in contrast and again in con-
nection with the spiritual feeling
which was strong part of Wagner's
nature, and which here appears in a
still more transfgured form than in
the earlier "Lohengrin" and also
"Tannhauser" preludes.
"Traume" is the sketch by Wagner
for some Of the love music in the
Tristan" score, which is the most
Wagnerian of all, inasmuch as
1t is a hymn to his greatest in
spiration. Mathilde Won Wesendonck.
Gle had, as we know, manyD
The 'Tannhauser" overture, by far
his most popular" creation, viii nm
ish this concert.
About this overture Wagner writes,
himself: THE orchestra starts the
Pilgrims chant, which becomes louder
when it draws closer to US, then to
die away. Even-fall; last echo Of the
chant; night breaks and magic sights
and sounds occur, rosy mist floats
up, exultant shouts asSail our ear,
the whirlings of a fearsomely volup-
tuouS dance are seen. These are the
'Venusberg,' seductive spells that show
themselves at midnight to those whose
hearts are fired by daring of the senses.
Tannhauser in joyous challenge sings
to Venus as though to force her
to do his bidding. Tumultuous shouts
(cries Of love from the Bacchantes)
| inf1ame his passion more and more
until the goddess throws her glowing
arms around him and bears him away
with her.
THE storm is lain. Merely a
wanton whir still pulses in the breeze,
wave of weird voluptuousness like
the sensuous breath of unblest love.
OF impious charms which have spent
their rapture. Now the night broods
| once more. Dawn breaks From sfar
is heard again the Pilgrims chant.
AS it draws nearer the sun ascends
at last in splendor, and the chant pro-
claims in ecstasy to all the world
that Tannhauser has repented and
has won salvation"