Scan 4
Musical Courier 1902-08-20: Vol 45 Iss 1169, 1902
58 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Berlin Branch Budget
3German Headquarters of The Musical Courier, Berlin, W., Linkstrasse 17, August 2, 1902.
5A friend of The Musical Courier writes to me from Bayreuth: "So far you did not miss anything by your absence from this year's festival performances, nor do I wonder that you did not come, for there is little work here for a 'news' paper."
7Nevertheless I am keeping in touch with what is going on at Bayreuth and can give you a short résumé of the first of this year's representations of the "Nibelungen Ring" cycle, under Hans Richter's direction. It began on July 25 with "Rheingold." It must be said in advance that the grand total impression of this performance was an eminent one, even if differences of opinion based on fundamental principles regarding representation as well as stage management are not excluded. Especially the principal parts were in a great majority of cases in the hands of artists who had given satisfaction in former Bayreuth performances.
9The deepest impressions were, as in former years, created by Friedrich's demoniacal impersonation of Alberich and by Mrs. Schumann-Heink through the dark, mystic beauty of her Erda. Next to them shone Breuer as Mime and van Rooy's vocally eminent and histrionically replete with energy Wotan representation. Frau Reuss-Belce's Fricka should also be mentioned with praise, but she not infrequently effaced the under all circumstances obligatory line of beauty by means of an all too obvious sarcastic refinement. The Loge of Brieseimeister would also gain by greater histrionic restriction. Of course against the memories of Heinrich Vogl in this part he has a difficult fighting task, but it is scarcely a good vantage ground to try to obliterate the remembrances of this model through the introduction of an entirely "new" conception, for what Vogl offered was authoritative and typical. It sprang from headquarters in every sense of the word. New was—if my memory is correct—Bender as Fasolt, who in appearance proved a convincing giant, but overdid things in his endeavor to contrast with Fafner, and hence frequently became almost melodramatic. Also Miss Pewny as Freia, who with dramatic skill lifted this ungrateful part much further above the ensemble than one is wont to witness it. The beauty of the orchestra needs no special commendatory mention, for it is true Bayreuth tradition. Noteworthy, however, is that under Richter, in comparison to several other also well accredited and authoritative interpreters of the "Nibelungen Ring" score in many places a considerably increased speed of tempo, a certain spirit of goahead is noticeable. The audience, which filled every seat in the house, followed with lively interest and apparent zest the performance and seemed impressed beyond the ordinary by the effectiveness of the work itself and its representation.
11The performance of "Die Walküre" on the 26th was an exceedingly successful one. The applause increased from act to act and culminated in a long continued ovation of such power as the Festspielhaus may have rarely witnessed since the first days of its existence.
13This natural increase of success, keeping step with the progress of the drama itself, was in the main due to the impression made by the representatives of Wotan, van Rooy, and of Brünnhilde, Frau Gulbranson. With the heightened dramatic task grew the heroic energy with which van Rooy understands how to vivify in most excellent style the stage impersonation and activity of the father of the Walsungs. His Wotan is ever a representative of action, never the yielding toy of a stronger fate, such as the god is so frequently characterized or rather misrepresented by other artists. Mrs. Gulbranson has simplified considerably her conception of the part of the Walküre, and hence the dramatic kernel of the role grew more clearly apparent. She knows now how to imbue the part not only with her Northern coldness but also with a trait of unaffected grandeur. Hunding was sung for the first time by Lohsing, from Hamburg, and he proved himself a worthy successor of Heidkamp. Mrs. Wittich, from Dresden, renewed the laurels she won last year as Sieglinde, and Mrs. Reuss-Belce as Fricka was divine in her dignity, but quite the reverse in her anger.
15Burgstaller displayed besides some vocal faults, also so many merely extraneous histrionic traits in his representation of the touching part of the hero Siegmund, that he could not compare favorably with his predecessor in the same role.
17The orchestra and the ensemble of the Valkyries were beyond cavil, the scenic arrangement in its many difficult episodes, especially "The Ride of the Valkyries," succeeded for the greater part admirably.
19More stormy still than the applause at the Walküre was the reception with which on the 27th the performance of "Siegfried" met at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. More slowly than its immediate precursor has this forest idyl won the favor and gained the understanding of the masses of the public. The first half of the third act suggests the cause that a certain amount of reserve is felt even now against the work, despite the fact that the delicious genre pictures of the two first acts have generally been recognized before in their entire importance, which lifts them beyond the confines of the drama of which they form a portion. In Bayreuth this ban also has been very nearly destroyed, and it would have been completely the case if Krauss as Siegfried had not left unfulfilled in this third act what in the two preceding ones he so promisingly offered in the impersonation of the boyish hero. On the other hand his partners were just in this act at their very best; the sage, world wise Wotan, of Van Rooy; the dark beauty of Erda, such as Schumann-Heink knows how to personify the part, and finally the intellectual, ecstatic Brünnhilde of Mrs. Gulbranson. Of the other representatives Breuer as Mime elicited deserved admiration. The mere physical will power with which he adheres to the character of the dwarf, and the rarest richness of all sorts of nuances with which he shades this interpretation are astounding. By means of laying less stress than is customary upon a certain kind of humor in this part he takes away much of what seems distorted or ridiculously grotesque in it. What Elmbald and Friedrichs offer in the parts of Fafner and Alberich is so well known that it needs no special mention from Bayreuth.
21The beauty of the stage pictures was to a slight degree marred through some mishaps, for which a higher power than the stage management, viz., accident, must be held responsible.
23The first cycle of the "Ring" was concluded on Monday with "Götterdämmerung." After the great successes of the previous performances, which increased from evening to evening, a slight reaction was to have been foreseen, for even a stopping of the increase is apt to be felt like a retrogression. As this was the case last Monday, the audience showed a quite markedly less enthusiastic spirit, which only at the close of the music drama gave way to a spontaneous outburst of applause. Hans Richter and his brilliant orchestra have a right to claim the lion's share of these final demonstrations of approval. Among the principals in the cast, the old Bayreuth standbys, Frau Schumann-Heink, as Waltraute; Friedrichs, as Alberich, and Frau Gulbranson, as Brünnhilde, were the most satisfactory portrayers of the parts from an artistic viewpoint. The other members of the cast can be praised only with certain reservations. Krauss, as Siegfried, lost much through strong vacillations in the conception of the character. He seems to be subject upon the stage to many varying moods, which he is unable to control artistically. The new Hagen, Herr Mayr, who on this occasion stepped before the public the first time in his life, proved a complete fiasco. How can Bayreuth, with its claims to Festspiele, viz., festival or model performances, allow a novice upon the stage to appear in such an important part as Hagen? The ensemble singing of the chorus can also be praised only with regard to clearness of delivery, while few vocal advantages were noticeable in their singing. The scenic representation was exceedingly beautiful, and in the final tableau reached a climax of elevating effectiveness. Thus at the close of the work after all a deep emotion was plainly noticeable on all sides, and the importance of Bayreuth was impressed upon the listeners. That Wagner has become our common property after ever so many, so long and so hard fights is in a measure due to Bayreuth, and is its greatest victory, the fruits of which begin to ripen now everywhere all over the civilized world.
25The anniversary of the death of her father, Franz Liszt, was commemorated by Cosima Wagner at the Villa Wahnfried on the 31st ult. by a soirée musicale in which the American artist, Richard Burmeister, participated. The program was as follows:
26Angelus String Quartet……………………………………………..Liszt
27Performed with Carl Wendling as leader.
28Three Sacred Songs……………………………………………….Bach one of two readings
29Three Sacred Songs……………………………………………..Bach one of two readings
30Sung by Dr. Krauss.
31Violin solo from the Coronation Mass………………………..Liszt
32Performed by Concertmaster Carl Wendling.
33Transcription of Mignon's Song………………………………..Liszt one of two readings
34Transcription of Mignon's Song……………………………….Liszt one of two readings
35Performed by Richard Burmeister.
36The Three Gypsies……………………………………………….Liszt one of two readings
37The Three Gypsies……………………………………………..Liszt one of two readings
38Sung by Frau Schumann-Heink.
39Rakoczy March, for four hands………………………………..Liszt one of two readings
40Rakoczy March, for four hands……………………………….Liszt one of two readings
41Performed by Mottl and Pruewer.
43My informant says that Cosima Wagner on this occasion was exceedingly animated and equally amiable. The company which had assembled at Wahnfried he describes as "feudal."
45Richard Burmeister is rusticating at the Philippsruh Eremitage. He proposes before leaving Bayreuth to give a performance there of Liszt's "Concerto Patetico" in the arrangement for piano and orchestra which Burmeister made of this work, which, as you all know, was written by the composer for two pianos.
47Edwin Grasse, the young blind violinist from New York, who last year created something like a sensation in Berlin, will follow up his successes by giving his first concert here on October 4 at the Beethoven Hall.
49Moritz Mayer-Mahr, the eminent pianist and pedagogue, will be married to Mrs. Mathilde Tarlau at Lichtenthal, near Baden-Baden, on the 11th inst. Sincerest congratulations are in order.
51Charles H. Steinway, president of the firm of Steinway & Sons, wrote to me from Bad Homburg, on July 30, that he will call on Paderewski, if the latter is at Morges, in August, which month Mr. Steinway intends to spend in Switzerland. In the beginning of September Mr. Steinway will meet Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ziegler at Hamburg.
53Arthur van. Eweyk, the excellent American baritone, calls my attention to a lapsus I made in my budget which appeared in the July 16th issue of The Musical Courier. Not Leon Wachsner, of Milwaukee, but the Chicago Bureau of Fine Arts, will manage van Eweyk's tour in America. Mr. Wachsner, however, arranges van Eweyk's song recital at Milwaukee, which will be given under the auspices of the Musik Verein. Besides this Mr. van Eweyk will sing the title part in Schumann's "Faust," which on November 21 is to be performed by the same society.
55C. G. Thomas, the organist of the English Royal Church at Berlin, contributes to one of our American contemporaries an article on the subject of his former master, the venerable Carl Reinecke, of Leipsic, who has just retired from teaching. The article makes good reading during these dull days of August.
57Gustav Kogel, who for now more than eleven years officiated as conductor of the celebrated Museum's concerts at Frankfort-on-the-Main, will not renew his contract, which will expire next summer. As his successor the energetic young composer-conductor Siegmund von Hansegger, heretofore second conductor of the Munich Kaim Orchestra, has been chosen. Kogel, who is just as excellent a chef d'orchestre as he is a meritorious musician, is there-
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