Scan 388
A Dictionary of music and musicians : (A.D. 1450-1880), 1880
18 lines. Read by computer on 10 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 370. See the scan on archive.org.
1he dialogue in each scene shall exhibit the first the motives of the characters. Scene by scene modern no progress of the story shall be shown to be rather the result of these motives; and a decisive event, Aristotle turning-point in the story, shall mark the close of Shake of each act. The play being sketched, the leading motives of the dialogue fixed, Wagner turns to the verse. Here the full extent of the divergence of his drama from the paths of the opera becomes apparent. He takes no account of musical forms as the opera has them—recitative, aria, duet, ensemble, etc. If only the verse be emotional and strongly rhythmical, music can be trusted to absorb and glorify it. With Wagner as with Aeschylus the verse is conceived and executed in the orgiastic spirit of musical sound. There is no need of, indeed there is no room for, subtleties of diction, intricate correspondence of rhyme and metre; music can supply all that, and much more. Whilst working on The Ring he found that alliterative verse as it exists in the poems of the elder Edda, in Beowulf, etc., was best suited to his subject, and that such verse could be written in German without offering violence to the language. In Tristan and Parsifal he makes use of a combination of alliteration, assonance, and rhyme. Firm and concise, abounding in strong accents, the lines seem to demand music; indeed musical emphasis and prolongation of sound render them more readily intelligible and more impressive.
3The poem finished, Wagner begins the music, or rather begins to write the music, for it is obvious that whereas in his case playwright and musician are one, the musical conception will go hand in hand with the poetic, will perhaps even precede it. Together with the first conception of the characters and situations at a very early stage in the growth of the work, certain musical phrases suggest themselves. These phrases, themes, 'Leitmotive,'1 are the musician's equivalents for the dominant emotions or characteristics of the dramatic personae. Together with other musical germs of kindred origin they are the subjects—in a technical sense the themes—which the dramatic symphonist manipulates, using the full resources of Beethoven's orchestra, and adding thereto whatever the dramatic action may suggest. The pictures and actions on the stage are as visions induced by the symphonic music. The orchestra prepares for and floats the action, enforces details, recalls bygones, is, as it were, the artistic conscience of the whole performance.
5Wagner's treatment of the voice, his vocal melody, has undergone many a change. First he tried to find melodies effective from a vocalist's point of view; then, in the Holländer, consciously in Tannhäuser the melodic flow is regulated by the action; in the emotions expressed, as much as the clarity of melody, attract attention characteristic harmony and instrument force the melodic outlines. In the l the vocal melody often springs direc words; it is frequently independent chestra, in some cases indeed it is bu sified version of the actual sounds of t language. one of two readings
6Wagner's treatment of the voice, his vocal melody, has undergone many a change. First he tried to find melodies effective from a vocalist's point of view; then, in the Holländer, consciously in Tannhäuser the melodic flow is regulated by the action; in the emotions expressed, as much as the clarity of melody, attract attention characteristic harmony and instrument force the melodic outlines. In the l the vocal melody often springs direc words; it is frequently independent chestra, in some cases indeed it is bu sified version of the actual sounds of the language. one of two readings
8From the blatant and at times alm style of Rienzi there is a steady and astonishing increase in power and con subtlety and delicacy. The Nibelur tan, and subsequent works abound in melodic, and rhythmical combinations beauty and striking originality. The i in harmony and melody peculiar to V mainly due to the free use of chromatic bold chromatic and enharmonic p he constantly employs chromatic ai changing, and passing notes, whic melodic significance only. For purp alysis such chromatic notes should be —the harmonic framework will then clearly, and prove perfectly consi take a couple of examples already q opening bars of the prelude to 'Trist under LEIT-MOTIF, vol. ii. p. 117—if bar 2 and the A§ in bar 3 be elimi the treble part, the progression app one of two readings
9From the blatant and at times alm style of Rienzi there is a steady and astonishing increase in power and con subtlety and delicacy. The Nibelur tan, and subsequent works abound in melodic, and rhythmical combinations beauty and striking originality. The i in harmony and melody peculiar to V mainly due to the free use of chromatic bold chromatic and enharmonic p he constantly employs chromatic ai changing, and passing notes, which melodic significance only. For purp alysis such chromatic notes should be —the harmonic framework will then clearly, and prove perfectly consi take a couple of examples already q opening bars of the prelude to 'Trist under LEIT-MOTIF, vol. ii. p. 117—if bar 2 and the A§ in bar 3 be elimi the treble part, the progression app one of two readings
11a – b
12d§ – d
13B – g§
14f – E.
16In the two bars from Act ii. of 'Trist under HARMONY, vol. i. p.684—the two notes of the upper parts are sustained sions into the next chord, etc.; simila might be cited by the dozen. In HARMONY attention is drawn to t cated use of suspensions and passing no follow from the principles of Bach in as applied to Harmony'; and the open the Vorspiel to the Meistersinger cited as an example of the manne suspensions are taken 'in any forn tion which can in the first place b prepared by passing notes, or in the se be possibly resolved even by causin discord, so long as ultimate resolutio cord is feasible in an intelligible manne i. p.682-83.]—The greater part of Wag matic or enharmonic progressions will be based upon correct diatonic pro minor or major. Exceptionally, the progression of parts upwards or downw contrary motion (Tristan, PF. arrt. p. 2 etc.), forms a sufficient link between contradictory chords. The exigencies a tions of the dramatic 'ition fully a sudden and far-fetched modulations, e changes, rhythmical elisions (as when one of two readings
17In the two bars from Act ii. of 'Trist under HARMONY, vol. i. p.684—the two notes of the upper parts are sustained sions into the next chord, etc.; simila might be cited by the dozen. In HARMONY attention is drawn to t cated use of suspensions and passing no follow from the principles of Bach in as applied to Harmony'; and the open the Vorspiel to the Meistersinger cited as an example of the manne suspensions are taken 'in any forn tion which can in the first place b prepared by passing notes, or in the se be possibly resolved even by causin discord, so long as ultimate resolutio cord is feasible in an intelligible manne i. p.682-83.]—The greater part of Wag matic or enharmonic progressions will be based upon correct diatonic pro minor or major. Exceptionally, the progression of parts upwards or downw contrary motion (Tristan, PF. arrt. p. 2 etc.), forms a sufficient link between contradictory chords. The exigencies a tions of the dramatic situation fully a sudden and far-fetched modulations, e changes, rhythmical elisions (as when one of two readings
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