WAGNER'S WIDOW

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 80, 4 April 1930, Page 7

WAGNER'S WIDOW

HER BOMANTIC LIFE

INFLUENCE ON COMPOSER

(Written for "The Post" by L. D. Austin.)

The death of Frau Cosima Wagner, reported in yesterday's cable, removes one of the few remaining links with the great musicians of the past century. Boru nearly ono hundred years ago, she was associated, more or less intimately, with such dazzling names in the world of music as Liszt, who was her father, Rubinstein, and Tansig—his two most eminent early pupils —Hans yon Bulow and Richard W.agner, both of whom she married in turn, after considerable pro and post marital intrigue. For fifty years Madame Wagner lived, moved, and had her being' in that extraordinary circle of musical genius, and in all probability no other single individual ever had more experience of the eccentricity and sublimity of talent in ita, supremest form. When one reflects th.it during the first part of her life her father's home was at Weimar—the famous Germau musical centre, where J. S. Bach was a violinist in 1703, and where, between 1847 and 1861, Liszt gathered around him a brilliant group, including besides the above names, Raff, Joachim, and—greatest of all composers—Wagner, the scope of her experience may be imagined. It is scarcely; too much to assert that, enormous as Wagner's genius was, and despite his indomitable resolution, without .Liszt's assistances he might have remained unrecognised and unknown for years—possibly not even during his lifetime. This will be readily understood by the fact that Liszt was entirely responsible for the first productions of "Tannhauser," "Lohengrin," and "The Flying Dutchman," all of which first saw the light at Weimar, making this small provincial city the artistic centre of Germany—perhaps of Europe, as it had been in the days of Goethe and Schiller.

But there is another most interesting aspect of Liszt's life in Weimar, for it was there that he practically abandoned the career of virtuoso for the still greater distinction of composer, and from that time forward his incomparable ability was devoted to that branch of his art and to the advance and betterment of his fellowmusicians. The father of Cosima Wagner was not only the greatest pianist yet given to the world; he was a singularly nobleminded man, of the loftiest ideals and purity of purpose. Such a man as Frank Liszt could not fail to impress some of his unique qualities upon his family, and, undoubtedly Madame Wagner—daughter of one ineffable genius, married to another —was a most remarkable woman.

Cosima Liszt's first husband, Hans yon Bulow, also ranked —with Tansig, Rubinstein, and Thalberg—among the first halfdozen of the foremost pianists—possibly of all these he was the most severely! intellectual —so much so that it is sqmewhat difficult to conceive the attraction which at_ first Liszt's daughter felt for him. Evidently, with her, mental rather than physical attributes in men were paramount, consequently we cannot be surprised at her surrender to the overwhelming personality of Richard Wagner when she met him in 1864; the disparity in- age of over twenty years proved .no bar to a mutual fascination which culminated in their marriage on 25th August, 1870, and continued happily until the composer's death in 1883.

A charming instance of Wagner's devotion to his wife was given on her 33rd birthday, which was also Christmas Day,, when—in honour of the birth of his son, Siegfried—he caused to be performed that strangely beautiful composition, the "Siegfried Idyl," composed expressly for the occasion, and produced as a complete) surprise and natal celebration. Incidentally, it may be mentioned that this work is noteworthy as being the only one of any importance in the field of "straight" or absolute music, apart from the stage; the rest of Wagner's output being confined to opera. It was, however, after her husband's death that Madame Wagner came out in all the strength of her character. Iri 1886 she emerged from her retirement in Bayreuth, the town in which Wagner had built his ideal theatre, and herself undertook the scenic direction of the festival plays, thus carrying on the famous "Bayreuth Tradition" that resulted in no fewer than 380 performances of Wagner's gigantic music-dramas between.-the years 1876 and 1914. "Parsifal," "Die Meistersinger," "Tristan and Isolde," "Lohengrin," "Rienzi," "Tannhauser"—and most important of all, the colossal "Ring dcs Nibulungen"; in fact, the entire repertory of Wagner's amazing genius, have all been produced, each" dozens of times, under the supervision of the wonderful woman whohas just passed away. Her unrivalled authority, ability, and tireless energy enabled her,through twenty years of unremitting effort to raise the Bayreuth Theatre to a pinnacle of world-wide fame. The amount of labour involved in those productions was almost incredible; tha best orchestral player's from all over Europe were engaged, the finest vocalists assembled; and, for two months prior to each festival, continual preliminary rehearsal under the famous Hans Richter was insisted upon, resulting in performances which, for all-round perfection, have never been approached elsewhere. Eventually, in 1900, Madame Wagner was compelled by ill-health to relinquish, active participation in these great festivals of her husband's immortal music; but her interest and loving patronage have never ceased in recent years, during which she—the object of universal respect and homage—has remained true and faithful to her noble trust. As long as Wagner s name and influence endure so will Cosima Wagner continue a figure to remember and to venerate.