Review Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 33, No. 590 (Apr. 1, 1892), pp. 234-235

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This content downloaded from 192.236.36.29 on Thu, 25 Feb 2016 19:16:07 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-APRIL 234 I, 1892. AT St. Mary's, Kilburn, on February 28, Spohr's which, though it furnishes a tolerably complete account of ' God, Thou art great," was sung at the monthly Cantata 's life and artistic career, is most properly to be Service, which is held at the Church after the evening regarded as complementary to Glasenapp's voluminous service. Mr. Edgar Pettman, director of the choir, presided biography, the reminiscences of others, and the article at the organ. These services are becoming increasingly contributed by Mr. Edward Dannreuther to the " Dictionary popular in the neighbourhood. of Music and Musicians "-at once the most complete and the most concise which has in In THE Kyrle Choir gave a performance of Mendelssohn's appeared any language. with his reminiscences of "' Elijah" at the Congregational Church, Canning Town, dealing personal Wagner, must have found it a difficult matter to avoid ,on the ult. The soloists were Miss Ada Loaring, Praeger I5th his own That he has not Miss Ball, Mr. Herbert Clinch, and Mr. George Tate. Mr. obtruding personality. done so and has F. A. W. Docker conducted, and Dr. E. H. unduly, achieved his task with becoming modesty, Turpin a presided at the organ. is highly satisfactory point. Among the matters treated, which will be found THE entitled The " was little pastoral play " Dryad per- absolutely or comparatively new to English readers, may formed forthe second on the at Hall. time, 19th ult., Toynbee be enumerated--(I) Incidents in Wagner's school-life, both The were sustained Miss Mrs. Miss parts by Bass, Fagan, at Dresden and ; (2) his firstlove, a Jewess; (3) his M. C. Foley, Miss Dobie, and the author, Mrs. Christina firstwife, , a thoroughly amiable woman, who Dening. was devotedly attached to him, but incapable of fully STAINER'S " Crucifixion" is being given, alternately with sympathising with and comprehending his genius, his high Mendelssohn's " Hear my Prayer" and " Christus," at the artistic aim and ambition; (4) his firstvisit to London in Wednesday Lenten performances at St. Mark's, Notting 1839; (5) his sojourn in Paris, 1839-42; (6) his residence Hill. Mr. Warren Tear presides at the organ, and the at Dresden (1842-9), a detailed account of the part he solos are sung by members of the choir. took in the Revolution there, and the composition of " and " (7) his flightand exile to THE abridged version of Bach's Passion Music (St. "Tannhr.user" Zdrich (1849-61); (8) his visit to London as Conductor of Matthew) will be sung at a special Service to be held in the Philharmonic Society in 1855, which is St. Paul's Cathedral on the Tuesday in Passion week, minutely described from Praeger's personal observation and associa- according to the usual custom. tion with him at that period; (9) his visit to Paris and return THE Cremona Orchestral Society gave its first Orches- to Germany in 1861. From this point up to the date of tral Concert on the 8th ult., in the Iron Hall, Askew Road, Wagner's death in 1883, except for a long series of letters Shepherd's Bush. The Society now numbers over forty written during 1861-5 and now published for the firsttime, members, and the Hon. Conductor is Mr. J. Stansfeld. Praeger's personal reminiscences become more and more A POPULAR edition of Professor H. C. Banister's sparse. no means its least is that which " George Macfarren: his Life, Works, and Influence," By interesting portion treats of a remarkable has just been published by Messrs. George Bell and Sons. August Roeckel, truly individual, who made Wagner a revolutionist and Praeger a Wag- MR. ALBERT FRANSELLA has been as recently appointed nerite; and, for the part he took in the Revolution of Flute in the Palace Orchestra. Principal Crystal 1848-9, suffered thirteen years' imprisonment-a fate from which, it is made clear, Wagner only escaped by a mere EVIEWS. accident. RE True to the title of his book, Praeger abstains from lengthy disquisitions upon Wagner's works, both musical and literary. A notable exception, however, is made in WTagneras I knew him. By Ferdinand Praeger. favour of the " Judaism in Music." not Green and pamphlet Though [Longmans, Co.] altogether agreeing with Wagner's estimate of the Jews, DR. EDUARD HANSLICK, the well-known Viennese he gives a very full account of its contents, principally for musical critic and Eesthetician,who had long been regarded the sake of showing that Wagner has treated the matter as an active opponent of , on writing about more from an artistic than from a personal point of view. " the firstperformance of ," protested that he had no It is to be regretted that Praeger did not live to " see his objection to Wagner himself, and asserted that his strict- book through the Press," as he would then have reaped ures had been directed against the Wagnerites. Under the glory as well as the emolument of its publication. the denomination of Wagnerites, he doubtless included Further, on looking it through again, he would probably composers who plagiarised Wagner; composers who, con- have modified it in several particulars, the treatment of scious of their inability to rival him, gave up composing which, as they stand, is partly due to the fact of their altogether and employed their pens in expounding his having been written down from his dictation-a mode of works and theories; and that lesser fry of hangers-on who, procedure which weakness of sight and hand compelled by espousing his cause to the exclusion of everything else, him to adopt in his latter days, and one which does not contented themselves with basking in the master's reflected conduce to continuity and elegance of style or to accuracy light. of diction. As an instance of this, the name of Ronge, a The study of Wagnerism-which includes Wagner the priest at Dresden, who proposed certain alterations in the man, Wagner the poet-musician, and his works, both Roman Catholic ritual, and made himself otherwise musical and literary, has unfortunately become so much a obnoxious to the Church, comes out as " Wronger "; and matter of party feeling and contention, that any book on the title of Wagner's pamphlet "A Communication to my the subject, until it has been read, is naturally regarded Friends," is printed " Commutation," &c. He would no with suspicion. In whichever class of Wagnerites specified doubt also have remodelled the dedicatory letteraddressed to above the late Ferdinand Praeger should most properly be the Earl of Dysart, which is dated as far back as June 15, placed, it may at once be avowed that his recently ISS5. The very first sentence of this, which speaks of his published book contains much which, on account of its intimacy with Wagner as " an uninterrupted friendship of novelty, is calculated to interest and satisfy both classes close upon half-a-century," is misleading, for it is not till of readers-whether friends or opponents of the Wagnerian we have reached page 219 that we learn that he did not cause. make Wagner's personal acquaintance until he came to Friends-those hero-worshippers who prize every little London in 1855, and that up to this time he was " but the anecdote or bit of gossip about their idol more than the reflection of August Roeckel," a mutual friend of his and study of his works-will find plenty to entertain them. Wagner's resident in Dresden, and with whom he had Opponents-especially those who have been actively corresponded. Thus this "uninterrupted friendship of emnployed--willrejoice that Praeger, who was fully alive to close upon half-a-century" is reduced to twenty-eight his friend's failings, has not sought to vindicate Wagner in years. Praeger's statement that he was " Wagner's first all things, and has even furnished them with information and sole champion," and that it was through "his sole which might serve as a handle for furthercondemnation. exertions that the Philharmonic Society in 1855 offered Its title, " Wagner as I knew him," is an especially Wagner the post of Conductor " will surprise many, and in happy one, as indicating the general character of the book, the interests of truth calls for confirmation or refutation.

This content downloaded from 192.236.36.29 on Thu, 25 Feb 2016 19:16:07 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.--APRIL I, 1892. 235 It seems improbablethat this can have been so fromthe or that he had good reasons forkeeping his real opinions fact that up to the summerof the previousyear Praeger to himselfuntil the propertime came for divulgingthem was stronglyopposed to the " ," as witheffect. appears froma letterwhich he addressed to the Musical Notwithstandingthe deficiencieswhich we have thought World of July24, 1854,and in which he gives an enter- it but rightto point out, "Wagner as I knewhim " is a tainingaccount of the RotterdamMusical Festival of that remarkablebook. Singularlyfree fromthe "scissors and year,and of his journey thitherfrom Cologne in a Rhine paste" element of ordinarybiographical compilers,it steamboatin companywith a numberof Germanmusicians furnishesus with an independentview of the life and and critics. These kept up an incessant discussionabout careerof certainlythe greatestmusical genius that,since music, " till at last," says Praeger, " I lost my patience, Beethoven,has shed a lustreupon the presentcentury. and told themroundly that their Zukunfts-musik ()was no betterthan DeutschlandsZukauft (the Six Morceaux four le Violoncelle futureof avec accompagnement Germany)." de Piano. Par J. Hollman. [Novello, Ewer and Co.] A letterof Wagner, to Liszt, dated London, May 16, seems to settle the in favourof Sainton. THESE pieces are respectivelyentitled "Ldgende," 1855, question Petite Wagner writestherein : " Poor Klindworthhas been ill all "Pizzicati," "Aubade," " Andante,"" Valse," and " Tarantelle," a sufficient of their It will be along, and the factthat I couldundertake nothing with him proof variety. has me of a Besides him inter- takenfor granted that theyare so writtenas to displayto deprived greatpleasure. my the best course is limitedto Sainton, the leader of the orchestra, advantage the characteristicsof the instrument whichtheir composer handles with such consummateskill. who caused my ill-fated appointmnenthere (the italics are our and a certain who lives withhim. Both Let us add that these qualities are but a small portionof own), Liiders, their which a rare of melodic are ardentlydevoted to me, and do all in their to merits, include degree and power charm, much freshnessof treatment,and an make my stay here pleasant. Apart fromthis I frequentlyexpressive to a soul." last threewords entirefreedom from the modern vice of strainingafter effect. go Praeger, good (N.B.-The Excessive its are omittedin Hueffer'stranslation of the " Correspondence difficultybeing equally conspicuous by absence, of and it is clear that Mr. Hollman has deservedwell of violon- Wagner Liszt.") cellists. Notwithstanding the publication of this letter of Wagoner's, Praeger wrote to the Musical World of July 28, 1888,in correctionof a statementof the Review Quarterly FOREIGN NOTES. that it was Saintonwho proposedWagner as Conductorof the PhilharmonicSociety's Concerts,and maintainingthat POPELEO XIII. has addresseda circularletter to eminent it was he himselfwho had firstmade the suggestionto composersin Europeand the UnitedStates requestingtheir Sainton, and thaton his passing it on to the directorsof co-operationin his effortsto bring about a reformin the the PhilharmonicSociety he was invited to attend their domain of sacred music,which, in his holiness's opinion, meeting, when he gave them all the informationthey partakestoo much of a mundaneand theatricalcharacter required. In this same letter,as evidence of his long in the presentday. acquaintancewith Wagner as a composerand his skillas a A commemorativetablet was, on February20 last,placed conductor,he alludes to an article on the performanceof against the house, via Lamarmora,at where the " " Cagliari, at Dresden, which he had contributedto the greattenor Mario firstsaw the light. The tabletbears the English Gentlenmanin 1845. In his book he speaks of this followinginscription in Italian: " In this house was born, as an article on "Tannhdiuser." Evidentlyhis memory of noble parentage,on October17, 181o,Mario de Candia, here played him false, and havingregard to his admission distinguishedin the vocal art; an enchanterof the world, that up to 1854 he was "but the reflectionof August an honourto his country." Roeckel," it seems quite on the cards that the suggestion PietroMascagni is busilyengaged upon the score of his of Wagner's engagementcame primarilyfrom Roeckel, new opera, " I Rantzau," the subject of which is again if not throughhim, fromWagner himself. As all seven drawnfrom one of Erckmann-Chatrian'sstories. Accord- directorsof the PhilharmonicConcerts of 1855 are dead,the ing to some Italian papers,the opera is to be firstbrought matteris not an easy one to set at rest. To us, of the out at the ImperialOpera, of Vienna, duringnext autumn, presentday, it matterslittle fromwhom it emanated,nor while others name the Teatro Pagliano, of Florence, as should we have now thoughtit worth discussing,had not being the lyricalstage selected forthe prcmiere,and even Praegerhimself publicly raised the question,and that for give the names of the artistscast forthe principalparts. the firsttime, as it appears, after a lapse of thirtyyears' Baron Franchetti,the composer of " Asrael," gave a silence. privateperformance of some extractsfrom his new opera We may seem to have laid too great a stress upon "Christoforo Columbus," last month, at Milan. The Praeger's inimicalopinion of the "music of the future." opera will be firstperformed at Genoa, in connectionwith expressedin his letterto the Musical World anent the the Columbuscelebrations. RotterdamFestival of 1854; but,having been cognisantof At the Teatro Parthenope,of Naples, a new operetta, its existenceand of its contentssince the date of its publi- witha reallycomic librettofrom the pen of Signor Paolo cation,we could not do otherwisethan referto it. Ample Marulli, entitled " Nini la scuffiara,"was produced last evidence is affordedby letters,both fromWagner and month with much success. The composer is Signor Roeckel, containedin his book,that long previouslyto the Gaetano Scognamiglio. RotterdamFestival he had heardmuch about Wagner from Two new operas are announced to be brought out his friend " August Roeckel. Remarkingupon one of the shortlyat the Teatro Bellini, of Naples-viz., Maestro latter's,dated Dresden,March, 1843,he says: " I had such Giorgio," by Signor Sodero, and " Mercedes," by the complete confidencein his (Roeckel's) perceptionand Maistro Pellegrino. judgmentthat I was at once won over to Wagner's side by An interestingConcert, on a grandscale, was given last the tone of hero-worshipthat pervadedhis letter." Wag- monthby the Sociedad de Concertos,of Madrid, at the ner, too, in a letter of January8, 1855, writes: " My Teatro PrincipeAlfonso in thatcapital, with the co-opera- heartiest thanks are due to you, my ardent champion in a tionof the orchestraand chorusof the Opera, membersof strange land and among a conservative people. Your first militarybands, and some fiftyjuvenile voices. The pro- espousal of my cause, ten years ago, when August read to gramme consisted almost entirelyof works by Wagner, me a vigorous article, from some English journal, by you includingorchestral portions of " Rhinegold" and " Tristan on the "Tannhliuser" performance at Dresden, and the und Isolde," and the entire Finale of the firstact of several evidences you have given subsequently of a devotion " Parsifal." The receptionof these excerptsby a Spanish to my efforts,induce me to unhesitatingly throw the burden audience was a mostenthusiastic one, mingled with some of somewhat wearisome arrangements upon your shoulders " occasional opposition on the part of a small minority. In attempting to reconcile these apparent discrepancies, Signor Mancinelliconducted the performances. we are thereforedriven back upon the assumption that at Herr Felix Weingartner,the able Conductor of the the date of the Rotterdam Festival Praeger's opposition to BerlinRoyal Opera, has just completedan opera entitled the "New School," like Hanslick's, was not directed " Genesius,"which is to be shortlyproduced at the theatre against Wagner, the founder of it, but against his disciples; in question.

This content downloaded from 192.236.36.29 on Thu, 25 Feb 2016 19:16:07 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions