PREFACE.
The masters of music, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, advanced this art beyond the limits of their predecessors by identifying themselves more closely with the development of active life itself. By their creative power they invested the life of the nation and mankind with profounder thought, culminating at last in the most sublime of our possessions—religion. No artist has followed in their course with more determined energy than Richard Wagner, as well he might, for with equal intellectual capacity, the foundation of his education was broader and deeper than that of the classic masters; while on the other hand the development of our national character during his long active career, became more vigorous and diversified as the ideas of the poets and thinkers were more and more realized and reflected in our life. Wagner’s development was as harmonious as that of the three classic masters, and all his struggles, however violent at times, only cleared his way to that high goal where we stand with him to-day and behold the free unfolding of all our powers. This goal is the entire combination of all the phases of art into one great work: the music-drama, in which is mirrored every form of human existence up to the highest ideal life. As this music-drama rests historically upon the opera it is but natural that the second triumvirate of German music should be composed of the founder of German opera, C. M. von Weber, the reformer of the old opera, Christoph Wilibald Gluck, and Richard Wagner. To trace therefore the development of the youngest of these masters, will lead us to consider theirs as well, and in doing this the knowledge of what he is will disclose itself to us.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE.
Just as this volume is going to press the announcement comes from Germany that the prize offered by the Prague Concordia for the best essay on “Wagner’s Influence upon the National Art” has been adjudged to Louis Nohl, an honor which will lend additional interest to this little volume.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| WAGNER’S EARLY YOUTH. | |
His Birth—The Father’s Death—His Mother Remarries—Removalto Dresden—Theatre and Music—At School—Translation ofHomer—Through Poetry to Music—Returning to Leipzig—Beethoven’sSymphonies—Resolution to be a Musician—Conceals thisResolution—Composes Music and Poetry—His Family distrusts hisTalent—“Romantic” Influences—Studies of Thoroughbass—Overture inB major—Theodor Weinlig—Full Understanding of Mozart—Beethoven’sInfluence—The Genius of German Art—Preparatory Studies ended | [9-22] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| STORM AND STRESS. | |
In Vienna—His Symphony Performed—Modern Ideas—“TheFairies”—“Das Liebesverbot”—Becomes Kapellmeister—MinaPlaner—Hard Times—Experiences and Studies—“Rienzi”—Paris—FirstDisappointments—A Faust Overture—Revival of the GermanGenius—Struggle for Existence—“The Flying Dutchman”—HistoricalStudies—Returning to Germany | [23-44] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| REVOLUTION IN LIFE AND ART. | |
Success and Recognition—Hofkapellmeister to the Saxon Court—NewClouds—“Tannhaeuser” Misunderstood—The Myths of “The FlyingDutchman” and “Tannhaeuser”—Aversion to Meyerbeer—The ReligiousElement—“Lohengrin”—The Idea of “Lohengrin”—Wagner’sRevolutionary Sympathies—The Revolution of 1848—The Poetic Partof “Siegfried’s Death”—The Revolt in Dresden—Flight fromDresden—“Siegfried Words.” | [45-72] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| EXILE. | |
Visit to Liszt—Flight to Foreign Lands—ThreePamphlets—“Lohengrin” Performed—Wagner’s Musical Ideas Expressedin Words—Resumption of the Nibelungen Poem—The Idea of thePoem—Its Religious Element—The First Music-Drama—In Zurich—NewArt Ideas—Increasing Fame—“Tristan and Isolde”—Analysis of thisWork—In Paris Again—The Amnesty—Tannhaeuser at the “GrandOpera”—“Lohengrin” in Vienna—Resurrection of the “Mastersingersof Nuremberg”—Final Return to Germany | [73-105] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| MUNICH. | |
Successful Concerts—Plans for a New Theatre—Offenbach’s MusicPreferred—Concerts Again—New Hindrances and Disappointments—KingLouis of Bavaria—Rescue and Hope—New Life—Schnorr—“Tannhaeuser”Reproduced—Great Performance of “Tristan”—EnthusiasticApplause—Death of Schnorr—Opposition of the Munich Public—UnfairAttacks upon Wagner—He goes to Switzerland—The“Meistersinger”—The Rehearsals—The SuccessfulPerformance—Criticisms | [106-131] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| BAIREUTH. | |
A Vienna Critic—“Judaism in Music”—The War of 1870—Wagner’sSecond Wife—“The Thought of Baireuth”—Wagner-Clubs—The “KaiserMarch”—Baireuth—Increasing Progress—Concerts—The Corner-Stoneof the New Theatre—The Inaugural Celebration—Lukewarmness of theNation—The Preliminary Rehearsals—The Summer of 1876—IncreasingDevotion of the Artists—The General Rehearsal—The Guests—TheMemorable Event—Its Importance—A World-History in Art-Deeds | [132-158] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| PARSIFAL. | |
A German Art—Efforts to maintain the Acquired Results—Concerts inLondon—Recognition Abroad and Lukewarmness at Home—The“Nibelungen” in Vienna—“Parsifal”—Increasing Popularity ofWagner’s Music—Judgments—Accounts of the “Parsifal”Representations—The Theatre Building—“Parsifal,” a NationalDrama—Its Significance and Idea—Anti-Semiticism—The JewishSpirit—Wagner’s Standpoint—Synopsis of “Parsifal”—The Legend ofthe Holy Grail—Its Symbolic Importance—Art in the Service ofReligion—Beethoven and Wagner—“Redemption to the Redeemer.” | [159-198] |
| LAST DAYS AND DEATH OF WAGNER. | [198-204] |