按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of the singing。
I trust that I know as well as anybody that singing is one
of the most entrancing and bewitching and moving and eloquent of
all the vehicles invented by man for the conveying of feeling；
but it seems to me that the chief virtue in song is melody； air；
tune； rhythm； or what you please to call it； and that when this
feature is absent what remains is a picture with the color left
out。 I was not able to detect in the vocal parts of 〃Parsifal〃
anything that might with confidence be called rhythm or tune or
melody； one person performed at a timeand a long time； too
often in a noble； and always in a high…toned； voice； but he only
pulled out long notes； then some short ones； then another long
one； then a sharp； quick； peremptory bark or twoand so on and
so on； and when he was done you saw that the information which he
had conveyed had not compensated for the disturbance。 Not
always； but pretty often。 If two of them would but put in a duet
occasionally and blend the voices； but no； they don't do that。
The great master； who knew so well how to make a hundred
instruments rejoice in unison and pour out their souls in mingled
and melodious tides of delicious sound； deals only in barren
solos when he puts in the vocal parts。 It may be that he was
deep； and only added the singing to his operas for the sake of
the contrast it would make with the music。 Singing！ It does
seem the wrong name to apply to it。 Strictly described； it is a
practicing of difficult and unpleasant intervals； mainly。 An
ignorant person gets tired of listening to gymnastic intervals in
the long run； no matter how pleasant they may be。 In 〃Parsifal〃
there is a hermit named Gurnemanz who stands on the stage in one
spot and practices by the hour； while first one and then another
character of the cast endures what he can of it and then retires
to die。
During the evening there was an intermission of three…
quarters of an hour after the first act and one an hour long
after the second。 In both instances the theater was totally
emptied。 People who had previously engaged tables in the one
sole eating…house were able to put in their time very
satisfactorily； the other thousand went hungry。 The opera was
concluded at ten in the evening or a little later。 When we
reached home we had been gone more than seven hours。 Seven hours
at five dollars a ticket is almost too much for the money。
While browsing about the front yard among the crowd between
the acts I encountered twelve or fifteen friends from different
parts of America； and those of them who were most familiar with
Wagner said that 〃Parsifal〃 seldom pleased at first； but that
after one had heard it several times it was almost sure to become
a favorite。 It seemed impossible； but it was true； for the
statement came from people whose word was not to be doubted。
And I gathered some further information。 On the ground I
found part of a German musical magazine； and in it a letter
written by Uhlic thirty…three years ago； in which he defends the
scorned and abused Wagner against people like me； who found fault
with the comprehensive absence of what our kind regards as
singing。 Uhlic says Wagner despised 〃JENE PLAPPERUDE MUSIC；〃 and
therefore 〃runs； trills； and SCHNORKEL are discarded by him。〃 I
don't know what a SCHNORKEL is； but now that I know it has been
left out of these operas I never have missed so much in my life。
And Uhlic further says that Wagner's song is true： that it is
〃simply emphasized intoned speech。〃 That certainly describes it
in 〃Parsifal〃 and some of the operas； and if I understand
Uhlic's elaborate German he apologizes for the beautiful airs in
〃Tannh：auser。〃 Very well； now that Wagner and I understand each
other； perhaps we shall get along better； and I shall stop
calling Waggner； on the American plan； and thereafter call him
Waggner as per German custom； for I feel entirely friendly now。
The minute we get reconciled to a person； how willing we are to
throw aside little needless puctilios and pronounce his name
right！
Of course I came home wondering why people should come from
all corners of America to hear these operas； when we have lately
had a season or two of them in New York with these same singers
in the several parts； and possibly this same orchestra。 I
resolved to think that out at all hazards。
TUESDAY。Yesterday they played the only operatic favorite I
have ever hadan opera which has always driven me mad with
ignorant delight whenever I have heard it〃Tannh：auser。〃 I
heard it first when I was a youth； I heard it last in the last
German season in New York。 I was busy yesterday and I did not
intend to go； knowing I should have another 〃Tannh：auser〃
opportunity in a few days； but after five o'clock I found myself
free and walked out to the opera…house and arrived about the
beginning of the second act。 My opera ticket admitted me to the
grounds in front； past the policeman and the chain； and I thought
I would take a rest on a bench for an hour and two and wait for
the third act。
In a moment or so the first bugles blew； and the multitude
began to crumble apart and melt into the theater。 I will explain
that this bugle…call is one of the pretty features here。 You
see； the theater is empty； and hundreds of the audience are a
good way off in the feeding…house； the first bugle…call is blown
about a quarter of an hour before time for the curtain to rise。
This company of buglers； in uniform； march out with military step
and send out over the landscape a few bars of the theme of the
approaching act； piercing the distances with the gracious notes；
then they march to the other entrance and repeat。 Presently they
do this over again。 Yesterday only about two hundred people were
still left in front of the house when the second call was blown；
in another half…minute they would have been in the house； but
then a thing happened which delayed themthe only solitary thing
in this world which could be relied on with certainty to
accomplish it； I supposean imperial princess appeared in the
balcony above them。 They stopped dead in their tracks and began
to gaze in a stupor of gratitude and satisfaction。 The lady
presently saw that she must disappear or the doors would be
closed upon these worshipers； so she returned to her box。 This
daughter…in…law of an emperor was pretty； she had a kind face；
she was without airs； she is known to be full of common human
sympathies。 There are many kinds of princesses； but this kind is
the most harmful of all； for wherever they go they reconcile
people to monarchy and set back the clock of progress。 The
valuable princes； the desirable princes； are the czars and their
sort。 By their mere dumb presence in the world they cover with
derision every argument that can be invented in favor of royalty
by the most ingenious casuist。 In his time the husband of this
princess was valuable。 He led a degraded life； he ended it with
his own hand in circumstances and surroundings of a hideous sort；
and was buried like a god。
In the opera…house there is a long loft back of the
audience； a kind of open gallery； in which princes are displayed。
It is sacred to them； it is the holy of holies。 As soon as the
filling of the house is about complete the standing multitude
turn and fix their eyes upon the princely layout and gaze mutely
and longingly and adoringly and regretfully like sinners looking
into heaven。 They become rapt； unconscious； steeped in worship。
There is no spectacle anywhere that is more pathetic than this。
It is worth crossing many oceans to see。 It is somehow not the
same gaze that people rivet upon a Victor Hugo； or Niagara； or
the bones of the mastodon； or the guillotine of the Revolution；
or the great pyramid； or distant Vesuvius smoking in the sky； or
any man long celebrated to you by his genius and achievements； or
thing long celebrated to you