3 1924 067 290 548 RICHARD WAGNER. THE MASTERSINGERS OF NURNBERG. A GUIDE TO THE MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. TRANSLATED BY CARL ARMBRUSTER FROM THE GERMAN OF HEINRICH WILSING. WITH MUSICAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND A TABLE OF LEADING MOTIVES. SCHOTT & CY. 17 & 159, REGENT ST., LONDON. W. B. SCHOTT’S SOHNE. P. SCHOTT & Ce. SCHOTT FRERES. MAYENCE. PARIS. BRUSSELS, ENT, STA. HALL. New Editions Richard Wagner's Works. PARSIF AL. Vocal Score, with English and German Words, in 4to (The former by F. Corder) . 5 Bode . . net ‘Book of Words, in English or Canin . « each, net An Analysis, by Dr. F. HUEFrER. . net DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NURNBERG. Vocal Score, with English and German Words, in 4to net Book of Words, in English and German . . net Einfihring in Musik und Dichtung von H. Wisine (German), 274 edition. . . “sg amet A Guide to the Music and the Bea. heasaied by CARL ARMBRUSTER, from the German of H. Wilsing. (With Musical Illustrations and a table of Leading Motives) . . Lng net DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN. . DAS RHEINGOLD, Vocal Score, with English and German Words, in 4to , , eso Met Il. DIE WALKURE, Vocal Score, walk English and German Words, ‘in 4to. . aly .net HI. SIEGFRIED, Vocal Score, with English and German Words, in 4to . . 2 net IV. GOTTERDAMMERUNG, Vouul Seen. wi English and German Words, in 4to. . . . . . . net Book of Words of “Der Ring des Nibelungen the 4 parts in 1, in German, . « = met The same, in Cloth OM net The English Translation of the ihove: by, ALFRED ForMAN .. . os fo at Bare SS een so SHEE The same, in Cloth . ard He pet The German Original facing the English Translas tion of H. L. & F. Corder, 4 parts . . each, net 10 15 ooo8R oO SCHOTT & CO., 159, Regent Street, London, W. ae ——__— Oy, Cy Sa jag Ts . py 2 RICHARD WAGNER. ~ THE MASTERSINGERS OF NURNBERG. A GUIDE TO THE MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. cbse TRANSLATED BY CARL ARMBRUSTER FROM THE GERMAN OF HEINRICH | WILSING. WITH MUSICAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND A TABLE OF LEADING MOTIVES. ——+##— SCHOTT & C°. 157 & 159, REGENT 8T., LONDON, W. B. SCHOTT’S SOHNE. P. SCHOTT & C™. SCHOTT FRERES. MAYENCE. PARIS. BRUSSELS. CUR Balai © Hop - Musik - Handlung HitESDEN, Praserstr. 9. (All rights reserved.) PREFACE. Tue author of a work, which is to facilitate the understanding by the public of one of Wagner’s Musical dramas, is compelled to say a word of explanation, nay of justification. It is a precarious undertaking, and one easily giving rise to misjudgment, to attempt to describe by mere words the effect of a work of art. The effect of every art-work should be solely produced by the work itself and this refers, before all others, to a musical art-work which, being a product of the most personal art (der innerlichsten aller Kiinste), appeals directly to the feelings. Works, like the present, therefore appear at first sight to be either superfluous or to give proof to the statement, that Wagner’s works are so complicated that their understanding requires the most detailed study. Both suppositions are incorrect. Wagner’s creations are of course perfectly intelligible themselves; yet, on the other hand, I believe that through the literature of “Guides” an enhancement of the enjoyment of the works is rendered possible to many people. A well-known critic has used a comparison, which ~ seems to me to be so appropriate, that I cannot help adducing it here. If we step into one of our large gothic cathedrals, let us say Cologne Cathedral, we feel the most powerful emotion. The columns and pillars es which ascend heaven-ward, the arches and vaults above us in giddy heights, and the mystic twilight which falls through the stained windows, all unite to form a picture, which captivates the mind and which is so overwhelming, that in the general impression we can at first not perceive any details. Only after a prolonged sojourn the wealth of beautiful details, which previously escaped us, is re- vealed to our eyes in ever increasing profusion. The spectator of one of Wagner’s Musical dramas will, at first, be in an exactly similar position. Always supposing that his mind is without prejudice and that the performance is a good one, the first impression will be so overpowering, that the innumerable beautiful details will be lost in it. If then we hear the same work again and again, the effect will become clearer, deeper and more durable every time; each theme, each beautiful feature in the poetry and music will be familiar to us and without trouble we can then abandon ourselves to the charm of enjoying the work as fully and completely as the Master has conceived it. Now what is the scope of the present and of similar introductions? It is to render it possible that the spec- tator, who im the bustle of every-day life often wants opportunity and inclination to witness repeated perfor- mances of Wagner’s works may, at his first visit, obtain that heightened and more durable impression, which other- wise he would gain only after repeated hearings. That this view about the scope of the “Guide” lite- ~wature is thoroughly in keeping with Wagner’s own ideas upon the subject, may be gathered from the words by which he introduces his Explanation of Beethoven’s Eroica- Symphony. (Ges. Schriften, vol. V, page 219.) He says there that he wrote this introduction to Beethoven’s work Se “with the intention and in the belief, that it would facilitate the understanding of many listeners, to which they by themselves could attain only after frequently repeated hearings of specially vigorous performances of the work”. May this little book produce the intended effect upon a great many visitors of the Festival plays, and may it do its part in making the most genial (gemiithvollste) work of the Master the favorite opera of our nation, BernspurG, March 1888. HEINRICH WILSING. INTRODUCTION. The origin of Master - singing. *) In the intellectual life of nations an uninterrupted change may be noticed, similar to the one through which in the course of years summer and winter follow each other in endless succession. After a period of growth, which produces the most fragrant blossoms, an icy win- ter follows, during which the mental life of entire nations appears to be stagnant. Our German nation has hardly lived through a more glorious intellectual spring than in the time of the Em- pire of the house of Hohenstaufen. The tree of the splendid Imperial house spread far its protecting branches and beneath them the flower-garden of knightly poetry grew to unheard-of magnificence. The powerful German popular epics, the Nibelungenlied, Gudrun, Parcival, the tender blossoms of the genial art of Minne-singing, these are the fruits of the first classical period of our litera- ture, in which the names of Wolfram von Eschenbach and of Walter von der Vogelweide are brilliantly con- *) For this historical retrospect, which seemed to me to be indispensable to the understanding of the Mastersinger drama, I have consulted the works of Vilmar, Franz Hirsch and Joh. Scherr. 1 a spicuous, A brave and knightly spirit, deeply religious feeling, rapturous veneration of the fair sex, and finally the motley and phantastic world of the East, which the crusades had unravelled, these were the elements which gave birth to the knightly Court-poetry, which flourished most splendidly in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. When in the year 1268 the last descendant of the art-loving and brilliant Imperial house laid his head upon the block, the gradual downfall of knightly poetry commenced. The autumn of minne-singing shows already the unmistakable signs of beginning decay: the prepon- derance of form over contents. The most important representative of mature minne-singing, the singer Frauen- lob of Mayence, shows a distinct predilection for playing with artificial forms at the expense of their tenor. It is significant that later on the Mastersingers traced back the origin of their “holdselige” (blissful) art to this very Frauenlob. With the end of the thirteenth century begins one of the saddest periods in the history of our nation’s culture, a time, which in the fullest measure merits the designation of “the dark Middle Ages”. The political conditions were as unfavorable as possible: first the troubled times of the Interregnum, then the reign of Rudolf von Habsburg and his successors, who were cer- tainly interested in the increase of their personal power, but who had scarcely any sympathy with the intellectual life of Germany. The noble, aristocratic knighthood sank down so low as to become a band of plundering highwaymen, and in their castles Poetry could not find a home any more than at the courts of princes. About the middle of the fifteenth century the first ray of light, the herald of a new dawn, penetrates the terrible darkness in which Germany had been wrapt for more than a century: it was the invention of the art of oe ee printing. Soon afterwards an event happened, which set its stamp upon the whole period then commencing, viz: the taking of Constantinople by the Turks. The Byzantine men of science, driven away by this occurrence, wandered into western lands and here kindled the torch of that classical research, which was to form the founda- tion of a more humane age and which alone rendered possible the world-rescuing deed of the reformation. At ‘the end of the fifteenth century the all-important trans- oceanic discoveries were made, which immeasurably widened the horizon of the west-European world, which opened new roads to commerce, and which, before all else, caused the intellectual point of gravity of our nation to change its place completely. The courts of princes and the castles of knights are no longer the centres spreading the light of culture, but the vigorously flourishing towns and cities. And yet even in this century of the reformation, so brightly illu- mined by the light of a new intellectual elevation, poetry does not attain to any considerable development. The serene and romantic conception of life, which knightly poetry had generated, did not return, but in its place there arose a cool, matter-of-fact way of thinking, which left but little room for poetry. That is the period during which Master-singing was developed, the period which forms the background for Wagner’s drama. When knightly poetry decayed, the stream of the art divided into two branches. True and popular poetry disappeared among the people, like a river which is swallowed up by the ground, in order to re- appear later on im the shape of the German Volkslied; artistic poetry fled from the castles of the knights to the citizens of the towns: courtly Minne-singing re-appears as civic Master-singing. If we contemplate the brilliant pic- ture of knightly poetry, endowed with all its romantic 1* Sf) Se charm, ‘such as it is ‘shown to us in “Tannhauser”, then "we must own that from an artistic point of view the art of the Mastersingers was only a caricature of that of the Minnesingers, The honest craftsmen could of course faith- fully imitate the external forms of their models, but the light and graceful style of courtl poetry assumed, in their hands, a coarse and stiffly’ pedantic character. And yet it is a pleasant picture, which here present itself at the threshold of a new era; because these old Masters, who, ‘of an evening, after thoi day’s work was done, met in cheerful companionship to take pleasure in “blissful” (holdselige) poetry, were German to the core. Hans Sachs says truly of the art of the Mastersingers: “If not so honoured as of yore, “When courts and princes prized her more, “In troublous years all through “She has been German and true.” The Mastersinger - Guild. The rules and customs of the Mastersingers are so clearly shown in Wagner’s drama, one might say they are represented with such photographic fidelity, that here we need refer to them but briefly. — As already stated, the Mastersingers traced back the origin of their art to Master Frauenlob of Mayence. At any rate the Mayence Guild was the oldest one. The principal centres of Master- singing. were the South German Imperial cities (Reichs- stiidte): Mayence, Frankfort, Niirnberg, (Nuremberg), Re- gensburg (Ratisbon), Augsburg and Ulm. In the rich and art-loving city of Niirnberg a particularly vigorous cultiva- tion of the art of Mastersinging arose, when the only true poet, whom this city produced, Hans Sachs, became the teacher of a numerous class of pupils. a The Mastersingers were principally artisans and hence they applied the guild-life of their craft. to their ' singing guild. As in ‘their trades they | had apprentices, journey-" men and masters, ‘these grades were equally introduced into their singing | guild, with the master- dignity : as ‘the highest grade. By: the side of the principals of the guild, the office of Marker was “specially important, ‘inasmuch as he was the judge of singing, appointed by the guild, and he had to note down the mistakes and to pass the judgment. In this he was guided by the ‘tabulature”, in which all rules and laws of Mastersinging were enu- merated. The meetings, during which candidates were admitted, were generally held in the church on Sunday afternoons. The Royal Singer David was the patron saint of the Master’s art and a gold medal bearing his por- trait was the highest Singer’s prize. The form of the Mastersong, which was called “bar”, was a close imitation of the Song of the Minnesingers; there were three parts in every bar, the two “Stollen” (or stanzas) which were con- structed alike, and the “Abgesang” (or aftersong). The subjects were neneiaally of a biblical nature. Thenumerous song-forms, which differed from one another in their construction and melody, were called “Téne” and “Weisen” (tones and modes) and the most curious names were given to them. The Master-dignity could be obtained only by the inventor of a new “tone”. The above may enable the reader to understand the literary and historical back ground, which plays such an important part in “Wagner's drama. Let us now turn to the action of the piece. a Wagner’s ‘“Mastersinger” Drama. The first sketch of the drama “The Mastersingers” falls into the year 1845, into the period following the a completion of “Tannhauser”. Wagner had written this work in the most glowing excitement, one might say with his very heart’s blood; only after the work was done he journeyed to Marienbad by way of relaxation. Here he soon felt in a light and joyous mood, during which the idea occurred to him to let the agitating Tannhduser tragedy be succeeded by a merry satirical piece. The contest of Singers upon the Wartburg was to be supple- mented by an amusing counterpart in the contest of the honest craftsmen of Niirnberg. The sketch was soon finished, when a new and more powerful subject took hold of the Master’s mind, “Lohengrin” to wit. — Seven- teen years elapsed before the sketch then made was taken up again. The most German work of the most German master could only be executed upon German soil. When in 1862 the leave to return to his native land was at last granted to the banished artist, he began working at the poetry and music of the “Mastersingers”. The score was finished in 1867 and chronologically it therefore stands next to “Tristan”. In the following year that celebrated first performance under Wagner’s own direc- tion took place at Munich, which will ever remain un- forgotten as marking an epoch in the history of art. — After this retrospect we now turn to the contents of the drama and here we follow, on the whole, the first sketch of 1845, mentioned above.*) From the group of Mastersingers we specially note three persons as standing in the foreground of the action: Beckmesser, the marker, Pogner, the rich goldsmith, and Hans Sachs, the poetical cobbler. All the less pleasant and, at the same time, comical features of Mastersinging are embodied in the person of the Marker. The narrow- *) Eine Mittheilung an meine Freunde (a communication to my friends). Ges. Schriften vol. IV, page 349. ear Yt es minded illiberality, the most matter-of-fact conception of poetry, attaching itself only to forms, are here united with unmeasured vanity, thus forming a figure, which thanks to the exquisite humor which pervades it, has not a repulsive but only an infinitely comical effect. By way of contrast to this the good features of Mastersinging find their embodiment in Veit Pogner. It is true that he is not a poet, but he is a typical citizen of rich, art- loving Niirnberg. Impelled by warm love of art, he offers the hand of his only daughter Eva and all his wordly possessions as prize for the master who shall be victorious in the contest on St. John’s day. Lastly, Hans Sachs is “the only truly original and productive figure” in the circle of Mastersingers. As a true poet, nay as unques- tionably the most eminent poet of the sixteenth century, he stands in complete opposition to the dull and crafts- man-like conception of poetry, to which all the other Mastersingers adhere. But not only as a poet, also as a man Hans Sachs is a splendid and thoroughly sym- pathetic figure. Mild and kind, with a hearty interest in the fate of his fellow creatures, on the other hand deriding their weaknesses with happy humor and masterly irony, a warm patriot and an enthusiastic defender of intellectual progress, Hans Sachs is, of all the characters we meet with in the works of Wagner, probably that one, which stands nearest to our hearts on account of its undisguised naturalness and humaneness. The action begins on the afternoon of St. John’s eve. Before the Master’s guild Pogner has announced the high prize he offers to the victor. Beckmesser hopes for cer- tain to gain the hand of Eva in the contest. Then he finds an unexpected rival in Walter von Stolzing. In- spired by the old Minnesingers and songs of heroes, the knight has left his poverty-stricken and decaying ancestral castle, with a view of learning the art of Mastersinging en at Niirnberg. If Hans Sachs: represents the newly arising spirit of the period, then Walter is a late descendant of ' the long-defurict poetry of the knights; all the brilliant ~ qualities of the serene, joyous, romantic and knightly period of Minnesingers are again revived in him. Having,. upon his lonely castle, lived::more in intercourse with the Singers of: the past than with actual reality, he believed that he would find a kindred circle in art-in- spired Niirnberg. But his aristocratic and noble mind was naturally repulsed by the pedantic spirit of the Mastersingers. Then the flame of a consuming passion is kindled in the heart of the impetuous, romantic youth. Impelled by this he condescends to step down into the sphere of the Master’s guild. In order to be able to win the hand of Eva, he applies for admission to the guild. Ad- mitted to the examination, he sings an enthusiastic song, which however arouses the Marker’s constant disapproba- tion, so that before he has half finished he has already failed. Hans Sachs is the only one, who, with a clearer insight, has recognized the value of this art; in him Walter has gained a friend. The knight, despairing of obtaining the hand of his beloved in the contest, makes an attempt to elope with her in the evening. Sachs frustrates this with a view to his welfare and finds an opportunity, at the same time, of grievously vexing the Marker. The latter’ stations himself before Eva’s window in the night in order to sing to her, as a serenade, the song with which he hopes to be victorious in the contest. Sachs, who sits at work before his workshop, at once begins to sing loudly too. At last he promises to the luckless fellow to stop sing- ing, on condition of his being allowed to mark in his way the faults he would find in the Markers song, viz. by strokes of his hammer upon the last. Beckmesser sings, often interrupted by the hammer strokes of Sachs, a a who finally holds up the finished shoes in triumph. Meanwhile David, Sachs’s apprentice, has noticed the serenade-singing and believing that it is addressed to Magdalena, his beloved and Eva’s intimate friend, he flings himself furiously upon the Marker. From all sides the neighbours, disturbed in their sleep, rush upon the scene. A general free fight ensues, which is terminated by the approach of the night-watchman. In the confusion Sachs draws the knight into his house and Eva, half fainting, is carried home by her father. The next morning, that of the festival of St. John, Walter, encouraged by Sachs and instructed by him about the rules of Mastersinging, sings a wonderful Mastersong, which Sachs eagerly writes down. Soon afterwards the Marker appears. Meditating disconsolately about a new song, he finds the song of the knight and, following an inspiration of the moment, he puts it into his pocket, believing that it is a competitive song by Sachs. The latter, building his plans upon his conviction of the incapa- city of Beckmesser, makes him a present of the song and leaves him in the belief that it is by himself. The Marker, before the public assembly of Masters and people, now sings the poem of the knight in so disfigured a manner and to such an unsuitable tune, that he fails decisively. Enraged, he accuses Sachs of deceit in having foisted upon him his bad song. Sachs declares that the song is good, only that it must be sung correctly. The Masters then consent that-he who knows how to sing the song pro- perly and thus reveals himself as its author, shall be adjudged the victor. Upon Sachs’s request Walter ad- vances; he sings the song and wins the prize and the bride. But he rejects the Master-dignity, which is now offered to him. Then Sachs again steps in as conciliator. With fervent words he defends the Masters and convinces the knight. Joyfully Masters and people repeat the last sentence of his address: “Though should depart “The pride of holy Rome, “Still thrives at home “Our sacred German Art!” In conclusion only a few words regarding the alle- gorical meaning of the “Mastersinger” drama. The con- trast between the narrowminded art-pedantry of the Mastersingers and the freely arising art, as embodied in Walter and Sachs, obviously forms a parallel to the combat, which Wagner’s own art had to fight out with the no less narrowminded Marker-dom of our time. That, when sketching the ‘“Mastersingers”, Wagner was guided by the conscious intention of writing an ironical satyre upon the state of modern art, is evident from his own words. “Out of the ironical consciousness of the artist, who, with his ideal, had to face a public which misunderstood him and an inimical host of critics, there arose now, during a sojourn for my health at a Bohemian bathing- place, the sketch of the Mastersingers.”*) Are not passages, like the following, exact counter- parts of the reproaches, which narrowminded and pre- Judiced critics have addressed to Wagner’s art from the beginning and continue to repeat even now: “Not one full close, no grace notes, you see! “And not a trace of melody!” And further: “Who'd call that a song “Tis shockingly wrong!” *) Rich. Wagner’s autobiography pag. 35. Ss WS And would one not like to call out, like Sachs, to our modern musical infallibles: “One way you measure solely “A work that your rules do not fit; “Resign your own views wholly, “Some other rules apply to it!” In another passage we seem to hear Wagner’s own voice when he lets Sachs say: “The melody do you think no matter? “Both words and notes should fit in song.” And is it not again Wagner himself, who has loved and honored our great masters Mozart, Beethoven, Weber, as deeply as hardly anyone else has done, out of whose very heart these wonderful words are spoken: “Honour your German Masters “If you would stay disasters!” *) If to day already we may, with sincere joy, recognize that the wall, which the inimical Markerdom of our days had erected between the heart of the German nation and its great master, begins to fall down, then let us hope that the Wagnerian art work, in the noble and pure form in which it is cultivated at Bayreuth, will before long attain that triumph, which the enthusiastic knightly singer foresees: : “From gloomy thicket breaking “Behold the screech-owl swoop, “With circling flight awaking “The raven’s croaking troop! “Up then roars, “By golden pinions stirr’d, “A wondrous lovely bird. “Each brightly glowing feather “Gleams in the glorious day.” *) “Dann bannt ihr gute Geister” is, of course, a more genial phrase than the English line, invented for the sake of the rhyme (Translator). The Prelude. Together with the Overtures to the “Flying Dutch- man” and to “Tannhiuser” the “Mastersinger” prelude belongs to that group of Wagner’s orchestral preludes, which are broadly developed and almost bear the cha- racter of symphonic poems. It is not a short introduc- tion into the mood of the scene which follows, like the preludes of the “Ring of the Niblung”, nor the musical rendering of a solitary idea, like the “Lohengrin” intro- duction for instance, but it is a piece of music, built up of numerous and strongly contrasted themes, with an unmistakable dramatic tenor. In his “Programmatische Erliuterungen” (program- matical explanations)*) of the preludes to the ‘Flying Dutchman” and to “Tannhduser”, Wagner has himself shown us the way in which we may attempt an explanation of the ‘“Mastersinger” prelude. The prelude is to form a condensation of the whole drama, the pith of the action with the omission of all secondary matter; it is indeed to take the place of a prologue. Later on the Master abandoned this kind of overture, because such a piece of music, if it is to be a sketch of the principal features of the action, can hardly be at once understood by the listener. Because the significance of the leading motives can only become clear to him, when they occur for the first time during the progress of the action. *) Gesammelte Schriften vol. V, page 228 etc. = = These considerations ‘are ‘tiot ‘unjustified; however, ‘they apply only to one, who hears the’ work for the ‘first time and without any preparation at all. If we know the work ‘already, or if we have become acquainted with the principal themes, then the wonderful intellectual beauty, the masterly répresentation of the dramatic conflict, the magnificently colored tone-picture will surely not escape us. But for the reasons just adduced we can give here only a short programme of the general outline of the prelude. Its more detailed analysis and description we must reserve for the end of our explanations. Programme of the Prelude. A magnificently colored picture of mediaeval life is revealed before us: The powerful and stately sounds (1—2,7; 1)*) depict the art-loving city of Niirnberg, the honest Mastersingers with the popular figure of Hans Sachs at their head. Then a strange element makes its appearance; a knightly singer approaches, attracted and dazed by the splendour of the art of Mastersinging, and fervently requesting to be admitted (2,8—17; 2,1—10). But the Masters are strangers to him; in rigid reserve, proud of their art, they reject the new comer. His request dies away unheard in the Master-tunes that sound forth anew. Then love seizes the singer and kindles his courage for combat. With quickly burning passion he approaches his beloved, in order secretly to whisper his love con- fession to her. His spring-encouraged wooing succeeds *) The numbers designate the page and bar of the Vocal score; the first group referring to the large 4° edition (German words), and the second to the smaller 8v° edition (German and Eng- lish words). in arousing love in the heart of the maiden (5,3—14; 4,12—93). Strengthened afresh he faces the Masters in order to obtain the Master-dignity and to win the bride 5,15—6,17; 4,13—5,18). But these, wrapt in the pedantic pride of their guild, do not understand his art; his tender and ardent song of wooing is stifled by their mocking shouts (6,18—7,11; 5,19—6,6). The knight’s courage how- ever is undaunted; before all the people he faces the Masters and the rival (7,12—17; 6,7—10). And he obtains the applause of the people, who deride his antagonist (8,1—13; 6,11—7,5). The Master-tribunal begins. With powerful tones, accompanied by the joyous shouts of the people, the splendour of the Mastersingers is shown to us (8,14—9,6; 7,6—12). Beginning softly, but growing more and more ardent and confident the singer’s song penetrates the Master-tunes. The Masters and the people are over- powered by the charm of his singing (9,7—11,6; 7,13—9,4). With all its splendour the Master-dignity is conferred upon him and the bride is led towards him. The people greet the judgment with enthusiasm (11,7—13,6; 9,5—10,9). New strength has now been imparted to Mastersinging, it is refreshed and ennobled by the powerful life-pulse of a freer and more youthful art (13,7—17; 10,10—20). Act I. Scene I. The curtain rises on the closing chord of the prelude. The first scenic picture at once places the spectator in that peaceful and placidly pleasant frame of mind, which pervades the whole work. We see the interior of St. Catherine’s Church, which is filled with a motley multi- tude. Afternoon-service is just near its end; we hear the final chorale of the congregation, accompanied by the organ. But in two hearts, in which the first germs of passionate love have been awakened, there is no room for pious devotion. Between Eva, who with Magdalena sits in the last row of seats, and Walter, who leans against a pillar at the side, a charming exchange of silent gestures takes place during the pauses in the sing- ing, and the orchestra accompanies these gestures with tender and expressive phrases. Here we note three im- portant themes. The first one characterizes Walter as the poet and singer, and we may therefore call it Wal- ter’s Singer-Motive (I). It is a beautiful idea, and one of great psychological importance, that Walters first, ti- mid love-avowal is accompanied by this theme (14,4—6; 11,4—6). Because after all it is the poet, the artist, who is attracted by the poetical charm that surrounds the form of Eva. The second motive, which accompanies Walter’s tender but more urgent gesture (15,4—6; 12,4—6) es [6 es shows him as the youth who burns with equal enthusiasm both for art and for love, and whose passionate heart spurs him on to combat against any obstacle. Bearing in mind a subsequent passage (146,15—18; 174,2—5) we call it the Spring’s Command-Motive (II). A wonder- fully tender continuation of the theme then extends right into the re-commencing chorale of the congregation. Impetuous passages designate Walter’s ardent protestations, which Eva perceives with a blissful smile. Here we hear for the first time the enchanting Love-Melody (II]) (16,7—9; 13,79), which’ reaches its highest development afterwards in Walter’s prize-song and: which pervades the whole work as one of the most significant themes. When the congregation’s singing is ended, we have stormy figures of ascending semiquavers, which represent a shortened form of the Spring-Command-Motive (IIb). The congregation make their way to the doors; Walter, highly impatient, tries to approach Eva. This is accom- panied by a brilliant working out of the Singer-Motive, broadly built upon an organ-point on C, until Walter steps before the two women with the impetuous form of the Spring’s-Command. The scene that now follows is excellently adapted to acquaint the listener with the special style of the “Mastersingers”. The animated dia- logue, in spite of the complete absence of a formal melody in the old sense, is yet full of the most enchanting melodic and harmonic charms and, at the same time, so natural and free from restraint, that we seem to hear only idea- lised speech. Walter endeavours vainly to obtain Eva’s reply to the question, upon which depends his life’s happiness; every time Magdalena interrupts him at the decisive moment, although Eva tries slily to get her out of the way. A very characteristic, restless, syncopated theme, related to the subsequent Love-question' (IX) accompanies this part on a of the scene (18,19—24; 16,2—7, and later on). At last he is able to ask the momentous question of his beloved; then Magdalena returns and greets the knight. A quietly graceful theme which occurs here and several times later on (20,13—16; 18,9—12) may be interpreted as Magda- lena’s Motive (IV). While Eva tells her companion of Walter’s question, there are at first timid suggestions, but finally a full recurrence of his Singer-Motive. He urgently begs for a reply. In the meantime David has entered in order to make arrangements. for the meeting of the Mastersingers. He appears here as the first representative of the craft of Mastersingers and thus, at his entrance, we do not yet hear his personal motive, but a Master- singer theme (22,9 etc.; 21,9 etc.). The first Master- singer-Motive (V), of which frequently only parts are used, brilliantly represents on the one hand the powerful and honest German character of the Mastersingers in the decided and broadly-treated first bars, and on the other the obstinate pedantic spirit of the guild in the stubborn ascending and descending passages. Contrasted with this is the second theme, which is magnificently developed during the festive procession..of the Masters in Act III, and which we will call the Motive of the Mastersinger Guild, or shortly the Mastersinger fanfare or flourish (VI). It always serves to express the brilliant exterior side of Mastership; indeed its very fanfare-nature indi- cates this almost official and festive character. Thus it appears particularly as a Motive of the picture of king David upon the guild’s banner, the symbol of Master- singer- glory. Connected with this is its significance as the Motive of Master-honours; the highest of which was indeed awarded through the Symbol of the picture of king David. Eva compares the knight, who appears to her as the ideal of youthful strength and comeliness, with David, the patron saint of Mastersinging. Magda- 2 lena thinks of her own lover, and therefore with her astonished question (25,4—6; 24,4—6) the Motive of David, the apprentice, (VII) is heard. This is one of the most significant themes of the whole work and with its bright, jocose and lively series of chords and modulations it splendidly describes the somewhat forward but thoroughly kind-hearted and ever merry apprentice. But Eva did not compare the knight with him, nor with king David as he appears on the Guild’s banner, but with the youth, ‘‘whose head surround light locks” and who overthrew Goliath with sling and pebble. The musical characteri- zation of these three different Davids is wonderful: the apprentice is designated by his own merry theme, the king by the brilliant Master-fanfare, the youth by charm- ing, bright harmonies, emanating from the Master-theme in a sudden change of key and ending in a magnificent final phrase on the words “as Master Albrecht Diirer portrays”. Now David enters again with his jocose theme. In the frolicsome dialogue between him and Magdalena we meet with a new graceful theme (26,7—14; 25,12—26,3): David’s Love Motive (VIII). As the scene proceeds the two Master themes and David’s motive predominate, until at the passionate leave-taking of the lovers, we come to a new theme (29,10 etc.; 29,10 etc.), which is perhaps best described as the Motive of the Love-question (IX). Accompanied by a counter-melody in a syncopated rythm, it forms a strong crescendo rising to forte and then sink- ing back. There can be no doubt as to its close relation- ship to the subsequent Motive of embarrassment (XXI). The questioning character is common to both themes and indeed the beginning of Motive XXI is afterwards used as a special question-motive (XXV). The questioning hope of the lovers is thus expressed here in this forward- pressing theme. It is first heard at Eva’s anxious ques- tion: “When shall I see you?”, then again at Walter’s reply: “What use declaring how great my daring”, and twice more after that, every time leading to a softer key. In the final duet the wonderful love melody returns, of which the tender closing passage has indeed appeared a few bars before (30,6; 30,10). Again the same theme is heard as an afterlude, passing eventually into the Singer- motive, as Walter remains behind alone. Scene II. From a musical point of view there is in this scene little, which requires further explanation. David instructs the knight about the Master-honours and the ways in which they may be acquired. From time to time he is inter- rupted by the apprentices and the scene is divided into 4 sections by these repeated recurrences of the chorus of apprentices. The first entrance of the apprentices is accompanied by a Noisy passage (X) (82,5—6; 32,17—33,1), which throughout the scene returns whenever the apprentices accost David. A new theme appears when David begins his in- structive explanations about the Master-honours (34,8 etc.; 35,14 etc.). This theme, consisting only of a shake and a descending semitone, creates the impression of mono- tonous striving. It always appears when students of the art of Mastersinging are mentioned and we can conse- quently call it the Student- Motive (XI). When David refers to his own instruction in the noble art of singing, he shows himself as a zealous pupil, by using a phrase of his master’s, which belongs to the subsequent cobbler’s song of Sachs (35,21—24; 37,15—18). The musical charac- terization of the different tones and modes is admirable; it is a perfect masterpiece of musical miniature painting. With a few notes Wagner knows here how to render musically the pictures indicated by the names of the modes. A new motive is heard when David speaks of Q* — 20 — the severity of his master, who, as he reports, often lets him feel the knee-strap across his back during the les- sons (42,5—6; 46,1—2). It is Sachs’s Cobbler Motive (XII) which fittingly depicts Sachs’s activity as a cobbler in its augmented fifth and the staccato quavers. Finally David advises the knight to give up his intention, show- ing him in a mocking spirit the desired goal in the dis- tance by returning to the theme of the Master-honors (VI) (42,20—23; 46,16—19). The noisy figure of the ap- prentices again interrupts him and soon afterwards for the third time, after his telling the knight about the poet’s prize. Then he replies to Walter’s question about the Master-honour; besides the Mastersinger fanfare we notice here a small fragment of melody from the sub- sequent dream-song of Walter, prophetically pointing to the strain through which the knight will actually gain the Master-prize (45,7—8; 49,12—13). Walter’s resolve is now fixed; his Singer-motive and this theme from his dream-song signify this. Relying upon his art and his luck he is resolved, however strange everything seems to him, to dare all for his love. Now David turns to the apprentices, who in the meantime have wrongly built up the ‘Gemerk” or Mar- kers platform; the melody of his Motive which is here heard unisono, quite loses its gay character through the missing harmony and acquires a scolding and bustling expression (46,1 etc.; 50,8 etc.). The apprentices take up his Motive in a merry mocking strain and do not forget to tease him with his love making to Magdalena by using his love motive (VIII) (47,2—7; 52,2—7). David again addresses himself to Walter and tries to frighten him with the Marker. There we first hear the Marker Motive (XT) (49,12—19; 55,6—13), a theme, consisting of six monotonously halting chords, which however is capable of the most varied rhythmical, melodic and harmonic oe) changes and which eventually becomes the personal mo- tive of Beckmesser. At the end of his remarks David starts the merry tune of the Mocking-Song (XIV), which is at once taken up by the apprentices dancing round the Marker’s box. Suddenly the David Motive breaks in ff, they all separate in alarm and Pogner and Beckmesser enter. Then we have the noisy passage again, which softens down more and more and leads over to the next Scene, while the apprentices become gradually calmer. . Scene III. The arrival of the Masters, Kothner’s calling out the names and the proposal of Pogner form the first division of the scene. It is pervaded by a theme which in its monotonous recurrence graphically depicts the craftsman- like and thoroughly formal life of the Masterguild: this is the Guild-Motive (XV). It completely rules over the first dialogue between Pogner and Beckmesser. Now Wal- ter comes forward, salutes Pogner and begs to be re- ceived into the guild. The Guild-Motive is here joined by the first Mastersinger-Motive and by Walter’s Singer- Motive. In serene A major we hear the Guild motive, when Pogner joyously communicates the news to the other Masters. When the Masters have all arrived, Kothner calls out their names. Here the significance of the Guild-Motive is shown most clearly; observe only its monotonous return at the beginning of Kothner’s speech (“Now to a trial exa- mination ... .”). Pogners address is full of rich melody and here we find a new theme of great beauty: St. John’s Motive (XVI)*). At first it appears alone, returning fre- quently in the interlaced web of the orchestral instru- *) In the rhythm and melody of this theme some relationship to the Briinnhilde Motive of the “Dusk of the Gods” may be found. ae 89) es ments; afterwards it is joined by the first Mastersinger Motive and the Guild Motive. The latter in stormy, ascending repetitions and united with the St. John’s Motive designates the applause of the Masters and the joyful exclamations of the apprentices. In the second part of Pogner’s address there are parts of the first Mastersinger Motive in a bright scherzando, and at the close at the words: “A Mastersinger must he be” the whole theme recurs broadly executed. Now Sachs rises; here as every- where his first words are conciliating. All he says is so calm and clear and proves his heartwinning kindness and goodness. Sachs’s way of singing has always something specially melodious; in every word and every note one hears that a true poet and a true singer speaks; thus his very first speech (‘The fire that warms a maiden’s heart ....”) with all its simplicity is of great melodic charm. The first Mastersinger Motive which otherwise sounds. so stiff and stubborn is on his lips charmingly softened (‘then let the people too decide”). His proposal certainly finds the approval of the apprentices, who jump up, accompanied by their merry mocking song, but not that of the Masters. Beckmesser reproaches him mockingly saying that with his “street-song” poetry he is of course dependent upon the applause of the masses; here the orchestra, by way of giving an example of Sachs’s popular art, again intones the merry mocking song (76,5—7; 87,5—7). Soon afterwards Sachs finds an opportunity to retaliate with charming humour, when he says to the marker: “Of younger wax than myself or you must the suitor be”. Pointing to the real suitor, we have here a suggestion of the Knight’s-Motive (XVI) (77,17 and 19; 89,7 and 9), slightly veiled as yet. When Walter comes forward upon Kothner’s summons, then the Knight’s Motive is heard in full (79,1 etc.; 90,15 etc.). Calm and serene, in a strongly marked rhythm, and of a proud yet stately ates AOR