=Goldmark=.—Among those opera composers who are not direct imitators
of Wagner, Carl Goldmark (Keszthely, Hungary, 1830) is the most noted.
Son of a cantor in a synagogue, he showed decided musical taste while
still a child, and at twelve played the violin in public. After a few
conservatory lessons at Vienna, he was forced to make his own way, and
live on the small salary obtained in theatre orchestras. He taught
himself piano and singing, and was soon able to teach others also.
He trained himself by reading the scores of the great master-works.
In purely orchestral composition, his first success came with the
“Sakuntala” overture, inspired by the story of the Oriental nymph of
that name, who is wooed, forgotten, and found again by the Indian king,
Dushianta. Later overtures are “Penthesilea,” “Spring,” “Prometheus
Bound,” and “Italy.” Goldmark wrote two symphonies, the first (“Rustic
Wedding”) resembling a suite of tone-pictures, while the second is in
stricter form. He has also published a violin concerto, some chamber
works, and vocal pieces. His music is marked by richness of harmony and
warmth of instrumental coloring.
=Goldmark’s Operas=.—His first opera was the “Queen of Sheba,” dealing
with the infatuation of Assad for that queen, at the court of King
Solomon. Its scenes of splendid festivity and dramatic power, and
its delightful music, won it an immense success, and Goldmark was
nicknamed “Court Composer to the Queen of Sheba.” “Merlin,” his next
work, is based on that wizard’s love for Viviane, in the days of King
Arthur. It contains much noble music, but the libretto is weak and
confused. “Heimchen am Herd” is an example of the style of Folk-opera
introduced by Humperdinck. It is a setting of Dickens’ “Cricket on the
Hearth,” and its music shows a most delightful freshness and charm.
“Die Kriegsgefangene” treats the story of Achilles and Briseis with
much expressive power, while “Götz von Berlichingen” is a setting of
Goethe’s novel of that title. “Der Fremdling” (The Stranger) is a
manuscript work.
[Illustration: ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK.]
=Humperdinck=.—Engelbert Humperdinck (Bonn, Germany, 1854) won a
remarkable success with his Folk-opera “Hänsel and Gretel,” a work
which has almost founded a new school in Germany. Humperdinck studied
architecture at first, but at Hiller’s advice took up music. “Hänsel
and Gretel” is the story of two poor children who are left in the
woods by their stepmother. They find a gingerbread house, inhabited
by a witch who wishes to eat them; but Gretel pushes her into her own
oven, and frees all the children previously under her spells. The
greatness of this work, like that of Weber’s operas, in their day,
lies in its union of the popular Folk-song style with the richness of
modern orchestration. The music is fresh and tuneful, with an appealing
sincerity that carries it directly to the heart. At a period when
other composers seemed able to produce nothing but weak imitations
of Wagner’s operas, this work won universal recognition. Humperdinck
has produced several other fairy operas, such as “Dornröschen,” “Die
Königskinder,” “Saint-Cyr,” and “Die Sieben Geislein,” but none of them
has gained any lasting success.
=Kienzl=.—Another composer of originality is =Wilhelm Kienzl=
(Waizen-Kirchen, Austria, 1857). He studied at Graz, Prague, Leipzig,
and, finally, with Liszt, at Weimar. He, too, served as conductor in
small theatres. His first opera, “Urvasi,” is based on an East Indian
subject. Its music is brilliant, but lacking in dramatic effect.
“Heilmar der Narr” deals with the magic healing qualities of a seventh
son, who forfeits his power if rewarded; he cures his sweetheart, but
loses his gift because he wins her, whereupon she sacrifices herself
to bring back his skill. Kienzl’s greatest work is “Der Evangelimann,”
treating of a true story of two brothers in a small Austrian hamlet.
Both love the same girl, Martha, but she prefers Mathias. Johannes,
out of jealousy, sets fire to a house where the lovers are meeting,
and denounces Mathias as the incendiary. Martha tries in vain to save
him, and he is imprisoned for twenty years. At the end of this term,
Johannes, who has been prosperous and respected, is confronted on his
death-bed by Mathias, who forgives him. This opera has been given
in many countries, and translated into several languages. Its music
shows much dramatic force, and goes far to redeem those scenes in the
libretto that are lacking in action. A fourth opera by Kienzl is the
tragi-comedy “Don Quixote.”
=Schillings=.—Among the composers who have modelled their works on
those of Wagner is Max Schillings (Düren, Germany, 1868). He studied
law at first, like Schumann, but soon turned to music, and became one
of Wagner’s active assistants at Bayreuth. His “Ingwelde” is one of
the many Viking operas that have followed in the lead of “Tristan and
Isolde,” and aimed at effects of dramatic power. Ingwelde is forced by
a careless oath to follow Klause, enemy of her husband, Gest. Bran,
Klause’s brother, loves her also, and kills Klause. She returns to
Gest, but Bran follows and kills him too, after which the pair die
together. “Der Pfeifertag,” a later work, is evidently inspired by
“Die Meistersinger.” It is a confused account of various adventures
on “Pipers’ Day,” a mediæval festival. The chief episodes are the
reduction of an excessive toll paid by the pipers, the pretended death
of one of that Guild, who thus obtains a eulogy from a rival, and the
union of two pairs of lovers. The music, though worthy, can hardly
stand comparison with that of the great work upon which the opera was
modelled.
=Cyrill Kistler= (Augsburg, Germany, 1848) was at one time thought
to be Wagner’s real successor, but nearly all his works are now laid
aside. They show an evident striving after musical grandeur, but are
not wholly successful in attaining that effect. Kistler studied with
Lachner and others at Munich, but became a Wagner enthusiast in spite
of their formal training. In his first opera, “Kunihild,” the heroine
is wooed by one of three brothers, who is successful in the magic ride
necessary to win her. But there has been a feud between the houses,
and another brother, to prevent the marriage, kills the bridegroom. A
comic opera, “Eulenspiegel,” preceded by ten years the symphonic poem
of Strauss. “Baldurs Tod” is based on the beautiful Norse Saga of the
Sun-God. “Im Honigmond” is a smaller work, in romantic style. A more
important production in the same vein is “Röslein im Hag,” which bids
fair to be successful. “Der Vogt von Mühlstein” is a work of still more
recent date.
=August Bungert= (Mühlheim, Germany, 1846) studied at Cologne and
Paris, taking up composition at Berlin under the renowned Fr. Kiel. He
has produced a light opera, “Die Studenten von Salamanca,” a “Tasso”
overture, and the symphonic poem “Auf der Wartburg.” But his life-work
has been the composition of a Hexalogy, or set of six operas, on
Homeric subjects. The first two, “Achilles” and “Klytemnestra,” are
from the Iliad, while the Odyssey furnishes the material for “Kirke,”
“Nausikaa,” “Odysseus Heimkehr,” and “Odysseus Tod.” The abiding beauty
of the old Greek poems has been faithfully preserved in the librettos,
and the music has reflected, to some degree, the noble dignity of these
epics. The first three works of the Odyssey cycle have been given, and
have produced an excellent impression on the critics.
[Illustration: SIEGFRIED WAGNER.]
=Siegfried Wagner= (Triebschen, Switzerland, 1869), son of the immortal
Richard, has an undoubted right to carry on the family traditions.
He studied with Kniese and Humperdinck, and became a very energetic
conductor. His first opera, “Der Bärenhäuter,” is the story of a
mediæval soldier who sells himself to the devil, but is redeemed
by finding a sweetheart who will remain true during three years of
absence. “Herzog Wildfang,” the next work, treats of a fiery duke who
is made unpopular and supplanted by his crafty adviser, Mathias Blank.
Mathias is afterward caught in trying to win the beautiful Osterlind by
trickery, and his dishonesty in office is also exposed; whereupon the
rightful duke comes to his own again, and Osterlind marries her real
lover. “Der Kobold,” a third work, treats of the legend that the souls
of murdered children wander about as kobolds until released by the
sacrifice of the last of their race. “Bruder Lustig,” the fourth opera,
is based on an Austrian subject.
=D’Albert=.—In Eugen d’Albert (Glasgow, Scotland, 1864), we find a man
of real musical gifts. He studied under such men as Stainer and Prout
in England, but he claims that his true musical education began only
in later days, under Richter and Liszt. He has won international fame
as a pianist, and has shown real musicianship in his purely orchestral
works. These include two concertos for piano, one for violoncello,
the “Esther” and “Hyperion” overtures, and a worthy symphony; all
showing harmonic beauty and richness of color, without any inflation or
exaggerated effects. His first opera, “The Ruby,” tells of a princess
imprisoned in the form of that magic gem, but released by a poor young
man who wins her. “Ghismonda” deals with the love of a princess for
a young man of low degree, but noble character. On being surprised
with the princess, he dies rather than reveal her love for him, but
she proclaims his chivalry to the world. “Gernot” is an elfin opera,
with much delicate music. “Die Abreise” shows the reconciliation of
a married couple who have begun to drift apart, and the departure
of the over-amorous cavalier who tried to widen the breach for his
own purposes. “Kain” is a weirdly effective one-act drama, of the
realistic school. “Der Improvisator” has for its libretto a rather weak
arrangement of Hugo’s “Angelo, Tyrant of Padua,” while “Tiefland” is
founded on a Spanish tale, in which true love triumphs over the schemes
of a wicked Alcalde.
=Hugo Wolf= (Vienna, Austria, 1860—Vienna, 1902) had a constant
struggle with poverty, and enjoyed but a short period of fame before
yielding to insanity and death. His opera, “Der Corregidor,” is a
delightful work, in comic vein, and the humorous scenes on the stage
are treated with remarkable animation and skill in the orchestra.
The Corregidor is a Spanish magistrate, who is too much smitten with
Frasquita, the beautiful wife of the miller, Tio Lucas. The pair play
him many tricks, and the opera ends with his discomfiture before his
own consort. Wolf’s fame is much increased by the rare power and beauty
of his many songs. Especially worthy of note are the “Feuerreiter,”
“Gebet,” “Gesang Weylas,” and the “_Italienisches Liederbuch_.” His
symphonic poem, “Penthesilea,” is another important work. His style is
sometimes bizarre and involved, but his themes are always effective and
significant.
=Other Composers=.—=Max Bruch= (Cologne, Germany, 1838) studied under
Hiller, Reinecke, and Breuning. His chief opera, “Hermione,” is not
important, but he has won lasting fame by the breadth and nobility
of his epic cantatas, such as “Frithjof,” “Odysseus,” “Arminius,”
and others. His concertos and serenade for violin are favorite works
with soloists. =Ludwig Thuille=, a friend of Strauss, is given high
praise by musicians, and his new opera “Gugeline” has been well
received. =Heinrich Zollner= has won a popular success by his setting
of Hauptmann’s delicate play, “The Sunken Bell.” =Hans Pfitzner=
has produced an excellent work in his romantic forest-opera, “Die
Rose vom Liebesgarten.” =Leo Blech’s= “Alpenkönig und Menschenfeind”
has received numerous performances, while =E. Klose’s= fairy opera,
“Ilsebill,” is a worthy example of its school.
=Opera in Germany=.—Since Wagner’s time, there has been no striking
development in German opera, and his works still remain by far the most
important in that field. None can rival him in the power, variety, and
expressive qualities of his music. Strauss surpasses him in intricacy
and novelty of instrumental effects, but Wagner himself first cleared
the path in which Strauss was to follow. The greatest successes of
Goldmark are those of twenty and thirty years ago. Humperdinck’s
one chief work is frankly popular in style, and its attractiveness
cannot fairly be compared with the grandeur of the music-dramas, even
though it should found a school of its own. Bungert’s works, though
well received, have not been given many performances, while many of
those who have tried to imitate Wagner have echoed merely his outward
mannerisms, and not the inward greatness of his works. It must be
remembered, however, that a world-genius like that of Wagner does not
appear in every country or every century, and that his importance
prevents his successors from gaining their full meed of appreciation.