RICHARD WAGNER

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 26, 9 January 1931, Page 3

RICHARD WAGNER

---Revolutionary of the Music Drama

Ne A talk given recently from 2VA by Mrs. Daisy Basham on a music genius whom once the world regarded with indifference, but whose works are to-day the joy of opera-lovers.

>| is probable that no musician who ever lived has caused so much discussion as Richard Wagner, who has been well-called "the Revolutionary of the Music Drama." Around his su. works have raged the fiercest controversies. He has, at least, never been treated with indifference, or "damned with faint praise." His music has aroused in its hearers both the most extreme dislike and the deepest joy. Wagner himself declared his music to be the music of the future, and at that time it was emphatically so. Now it is, just as emphatically, the music of the present. Seventy ears ago he was looked upon almost as a sical madman who threw all established art forms and traditions to the winds. The pendulum has to-day swung to the other side, and perhaps we are now making too much of Wagner. But at least we must accept him as a colossal genius in his own domain-the domain of music drama. Wagner altered the whole course of modern opera, and founded a musical system which it is impossible for later composers to set aside. He disliked opera in the Italian style, and was determined to have German opera, in which poetry, music, scenery ard acting all blended to make one artistic whole. He wrote his own words as well as the music, and gave the most minute and thorough directions about the scenery, the dresses, the danc-

ing, and the acting. The object of Wagnerian opera is, in fact, to pre- . sent a true picture of human feeling with the utmost fullness and intensity, dealing with everything. His operas completely exhaust the situation. The music is not split up now and again by pretty songs often haying no reference to the play; but flows smoothly, helping the drama, and showing in itself, the feeling emotion which the performers are

acting on the stage. Thus for each leading character, or for each thought or motive, Wagner composed one particular and special tune or phrase. This "leading motive" was varied in speed, strength, or harmony to show variety in power and meaning of the character or thought; but the basic tune always accompanied the appearance of the character on the stage, or the influence of the thought in the play. ba 7 N the "Tannhauser" music three leading motives portray the meaning of the opera, which is the eternal contest between flesh and spirit, earthly and heavenly love; symbolised in the persons of Venus and the pure maiden Elizabeth. First we have the quiet but impassioned chant of the Pilgrims, which is most subtly woven into the fabric of the drama-now associated with

the mechanical patter of dull monks, now giving expression to Tannhauser’s repentance, now goading him to despair with its hope of salvation not for him, and, lastly, with its triumphant joy at the final miraculous forgiveness of Tannhauser. The chant dies away, to give place to the second idea-the spells of Venus, or, as Wagner calls it, the "pulse of life’-and this in turn gives place to the third, which is Tannhauser’s love-song, asserting the lower side of his nature. Sometimes these themes occur together, and sometimes alone. At other times one is stronger--illustrating musically the struggle between the pure and the base-which went on in Tannhauser’s mind. One can quite see that, to follow all this out properly, audiences must not merely look and listen, but also they

must think. Thus it is not surprising that at first Wagner’s operas were not popular. It was something new to have to think at an opera performance. In addition, his operas are much longer than those of other composers, and people had been so long accustomed to shorter performances requiring slight use of the intelligence that it took a long time to become accustomed to a whole evening of close concentration. But to those who took the trouble, how immense the reward! The joy of experiencing a performance of "Tannhauser" or "Lohengrin" can hardly be compared with an ordinary evening at the theatre. Ws Wagner was 42 he went to London to conduct the Philharmonic Society’s concerts. He was much liked as a conductor, especially for his presentations of Beethoven, which he always conducted from memory. But his operas met with furious opposition; in fact it seems astonishing that people could become so dngry and _ bitter. © When the now-so-popular overture to "Tannhauser" was performed by the Philharmonic, the Times printed this amazing criticism: "A more inflated display of extravagance and noise has rarely been submitted to an audience; and it was a pity to hear so magnificent an orchestra engaged in almost fruitless attempts at accomplishing things which, even if really practicable, would lead to nothing." ; Truly, time does bring changes, for "Tannhauser" has for many years now been one of the greatest draws in the operatic repertoire! Wagner met with the same opposition in Paris it 1860. When "Tannhauser" was presented at the Grand Opera people in the audience blew whistles, hissed, shouted, and created such a disturbance (Concluded on page 29.),

The Life Story of ‘Richard Wagner (Continued from page 3.)

that the work did. not get: a hearing. But concession and. compromise were foreign to Wagner's nature, and though he had, ‘as he’ said himself, "9g feeling of complete isolation," he worked steadily on along. his chosen pa . . His early life is of interest. Richard Wagner was the youngest of a family of nine children. His father, a man of good educatio, occupied some minor. official post in connection with the police. He spent much of his leisure in the study of poetry and showed great interest- in amateur theatricals. However, he died a few months. after Richard’s birth. Frau Wagener left thus with a large family wind with little means, could hardly do etter’ than marry again, which she did after two years. Her second husband, Ludwig Géyer, was a writer of plays and an actor at the Dresden theatre, and to. Dresden, therefore, the Wagners removed. Geyer proved an excellent stepfather ; and though he, too, died when Richard was only ten, it is probable that the early association with him added strength to the already strong theatrical tendencies which were present in the Wagner family. He made a great. pet of little Richard, who loved te attend rehearsals with him, and afterwards to imitate the acting and to make up plays of his own. Richard first went to school in Dresden, and. evinced a great liking. for Greek. He had also some piano lessons, and. he worshipped as a hero the musician Weber, whom he often saw. We read that he tried to play. "with fearful fingering" the overture to Weber’s "Der Freischutz," but he was never more than an indifferent pianist. Someone has said ‘""Wagner could never fondle a. piano without making it howl." Musie to him was thus a secondary consideration, but he was passionately fond of plays and poetry. and used to write both. EN he was eleven his poem on the death of a schoolfellow was published as being the best the school eould produce. Fired with this succes, he promptly determined to become a poet-a characteristic instance of his impetuous nature-and was so much impressed by Shakespeare’s dramas that he spent nearly two years writing a tragedy which was a mixture, more or less, of "Hamlet," "King Lear," and "Romeo and Juliet." This _production was a _ curious affair. Forty-two persons were killed, one ter the other, long before the end, that when he came to the last act was obliged to bring back some of the characters as ghosts, in order to finish off the play and have anybody on the stage at all! Wh Richard was 15 the Wagners moved back to Lepzig, and he used to frequent the Gewandhaus concerts Here he heard for the first time a Beethoven symphony, and, with his customary impulsiveness, he at once determined to become a musician. Hv set about studying Beethoven’s works in dead earnest, and knew them all familiarly before he was 20. Barly in his ’teens he heard Beethoyen’s music to Goethe’s poem "Hgmont." This inspired him to write incidental music for his own tremendous tragedy, mentioned above. This was actually performed, much to the bewilderment of the audience, who were amused at the persistent thumping of the big bass drum.

Wagner now entered the University, and here he worked chiefly at literature, specialising in the old folkstories and legends. Upon these he afterwards founded the stories of his operas. These are most interesting, and remind one somewhat of our own "Tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table." Afterwards he studied music with an excellent musician, and soon after he obtained an engagement as conductor at Konigsberg. The attraction here was one of the actresses, Minna Planer, with whom he had fallen in love some time before. She is described variously as "of pleasing appearance" and "as pretty as a picture, but with a sober, unimaginative soul." "THE wedding followed. but their life together was not happy. Wagner was struggling with poverty, and beaten down by disappointed hopes, and later on, as his genius developed and expanded, he found he could not live in agreement with Minna, and a separation was the ultimate result. Biographers have nothing worse to say of her than that she failed to recognise her husband’s genius; but she was certainly not alone in this respect; and it must be remembered to her eredit that she suffered bravely and uncomplainingly the hardships which beset her husband during the first years of their marriage. It is recorded that she

even pawned her jewels under some domestic distress. Wagner himself used to recount stories of his wife’s self-denial, and of the cheerfulness with which she, the pretty actress of former days, "cooked what meals there were to cook .and scrubbed what clothes there were to serub." One cannot help sympathising with Minna Wagner; thrown out at last upon a cold world, to live isolated, and to die with a shadow upon her name as a wife. But to return to the .year of his marriage, when he was 23. The young couple went to Riga. on the Baltic Sea, where he had a poorly-paid post at the theatre. He had, however, made up his mind to get to Paris as soon as possible. He was composing his opera "Rienzi," based upon Bulwer Lytton’s novel, and he felt that it was the very thing for the Parisian temperament. So, after three years, he and his wife started for Paris on a sailing vessel, by way of London. . . The voyage lasted nearly a month. and they passed through three heavy storms. These recalled to his mind from among his studies of ancient legends the weird story of the "Flying Dutchman," who for his sins was condemned to sail the seas for ever, only coming ashore once in every seven years in the hope of finding a woman whose true love should save him; The sailors affirmed this legend to be true, and looked fearfully for the phantom

ship, for to see this meant shipwreck. He afterwards wrote his opera "The Flying Dutchman" as a result of this stormy voyage. tots FoR three weary years Wagner and his wife lived in Paris, on the verge of starvation. No one would produce his operas, and in despair they went to Dresden in 1842; It was here that his opera, "Rienzi" was. produced. It Was very much in the popular style, and delighted the ‘audience, and Wagner became’ musical director. His next opera, "The Flying Dutche man," did not please so much, for if was not so. showy .and the people thought the music strange. Still,' some musicians praised it. ‘"Tannhauser," which followed, pleased neither his audiences nor the musicians, They said the play was too sad and the music ugly; and were annoyed because the hero and heroine did not marry and live happily ever afterward. Though almost despairing of ever ine ducing the public ta understand him, Wagner worked on, and by 1848 had completed "Lohengrin." Meanwhile the political troubles of the country were. occuping the attention of the people. The poor were crying out against the oppressions of the rich, and revolutionary clubs were’ bee ing formed everywhere. Wagner hotly espoused the cause of the revolutions aries, made red-hot republican speeches, and even, it is said, fought at the bare ricades. A warrant for his arrest was issued, but he managed to escape;mainly by the help of Liszt, ever his most loyal friend. — ' He got safely away to Paris, and for the next ten years lived in Switzerland, writing many, little books about music and politics, and working hard at the greatest of all his musical works, "The Ring." This comprises the four music dramas-"The Rhinegold," "The Valkyrie," "Siegfried," and "The Dusk of the Gods." Meanwhile Liszt was producing, in the best style, Wagner’s other operas, and the ‘German people gradually came to une derstand and to like them. "DLohense grin" was one of these works, and is to-day one of the most popular. Of course Wagner himself, being an exile, could not hear this beautiful work performed. In fact he did not do so for eleven years, till 1861, when his sentence of banishment was withdrawn and he returned to Germany. AFTER his return from exile Wagner became almost desperate’ with the struggle against opposition and financial difficulties. ; In fact he was at the end of his courage and endurance

when the generosity of that tragically pathetic monarch, | Ludwig II. of Bavaria, saved Wagner to the. world, for he was contemplating suicide. Ludwig was passionately fond of Wagner’s music, and he offered the composer a substantial income and a house in the vicinity of his palace. Though Wagner was thus relieved of financial strain and was able to finish his greatest music-drama, "The Ring of the Niebelungen," yet storm and stress accompanied him to the end. His great drama, "Tristan and Isolde," described as "the greatest expression of passionate love in all music," was inspired by his love for. Madame Wesendonck; and when produced at Munich in -1865.was the first undoubtedly. popuJar success which Wagner had had. Then followed "The Meistersingers," which, like "Tristan," was produced by the great Von Bulow, whose divorced wife, Cosima, a: daughter of Liszt, was presently to become Frau Wagner. What a bitter joke the Fates played on Von Bulow! For him, Wagner had almost been a god! — However, he magnanimously forgave him, and the marriage of Wagner and. Cosima took place in 1870. Cosime made Wagner the study of her life, and devoted herself to him with a sublime selflessness. She understood every turn of his mind, and her unobtrusive sympathy, her intelligent advice, criticism and suggestion were unspeakably helpful to such a mind as Wagner's. ,

WAGNER could not have been easy to live with. To the outside world he was arrogant and contemptuous. He spared no one’s feelings, was vain of his own powers, and had few of those social qualities which go to the making of friends and the conciliation of enemies. For the public, even the applauding public, he had little consideration, and sometimes scant courtesy. He was selfish too, and protested that the world should give him a gratuitous living "without asking anything in return beyond what I am actually doing." When the world declined the honour he threatened to buy a pistol and put an end to his life. He certainly required plenty of money, for he had the most expensive tastes. He said himself: "By nature I. am luxurious and extravangant. I-cannot sleep en straw or drink bad whisky.. I must be coaxed in one way .or another if my mind is to accomplish the terribly difficult task of creating a non-existent world." He employed a high-priced Viennese dressmaker to make the rich garments without which he felt he could not compose. There is a story about his wanting some flamingo feathers before he could. obtain sufficient inspiration to finish the flower-maiden scene in "Parsifal." Any caller who had not seen him before was likely to suffer a mild shock; for, on entering the room where his visitor was seated, Wagner would throw the ‘door wide open before him. and would stand for a moment on the threshold, a curious mediaeva: figure framed in the doorway. The mystified visitor, rising from his seat, would be-.

hold a man richly clad in a costume of velvet and satin, like those of the early Tudor period, and -wearing a bonnet such as‘is seen in the portraits of Henry VI. ‘Such was his composing costume. One biographer says: "He made a veritable rainbow of himself, and even wore many-coloured trousers." Alexander Dumas, calling upon him, made some good-humoured remark about his own ignorance of music, but his pleasantries were listened to with such a smileless stolidity that he went home in a huff and wrote a contemptuous protest against what he called Wagnerian din. On the day before this protest was printed, Wagner. returned Dumags’s visit, and was kept waiting half an hour in an ante-room. Then the author of "The Three Musketeers" marched in, superbly attired in a plumed helmet, a cork lifebelt, and a flowered dressing-gown. "Hxcuse me for appearing in my -working dress," he said majestically. "Half my ideas are lodged in this helmet, and the other half in a pair of jackboots which I put on to compose love scenes!" However, the individual is a law unto himself in matters of this kind; and if Wagner had not been able to indulge his expensive tastes we should probably have been without some of his greatest music-dramas to-day. Still, we cannot help reflecting how little luxury Beethoven or Schubert could afford themselves. HEN Wagner was 69 he composed his last great work, "Parsifal," a kind of sacred opera, considered by many- to be the most beautiful of all

his works. For some years it was only allowed to be performed. at the Festival Theatre at Bayreuth, which had been. ‘specially designed and built for the ideal presentation. of Wagner’s operas. It was originally planned by Wagner in order that the wonderful cycle "The Ring of ‘the Nibelungen" might be presented in a festival. for three days, with one preliminary evening. It, was the first theatre designed with the sunken orchestra, invisible to the audience; and the magical effect of such music as the prelude to the "Rhinegold," rising as it were from the infinite, can only be. realised. by actual experience. ; . In 1883 Wagner died, quite suddenly, at Venice, where he and his beloved wife Cosima, with their son Siegfric were spending a holiday. He c. buried in the garden of his own hoze at Bayreuth. His wife cut off her long blonde hair, which he had so much admired, and buried it with him as a final sacrifice.