This etext was prepared by John Mamoun <mamounjo@umdnj.edu> with
the online distributed prooreading team of Charles Franks.
(1869).
"Fliegenschnauz' und Muckennas'
Mit euren Anverwandten,
Frosch im Laub und Grill' im Gras,
Ihr seid mir Musikanten!"
* * * * * * * *
"Flysnout and Midgenose,
With all your kindred, too,
Treefrog and Meadow-grig.
True musicians, YOU!"
(After GOETHE).
[The lines travestied are taken from "Oberon und Titanias goldene
Hochzeit." Intermezzo, Walpurgisnacht.—Faust I.]
Wagner's Ueber das Dirigiren was published simultaneously in the"Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik" and the "New-Yorker Musik-zeitung,"1869. It was immediately issued in book form, Leipzig, 1869, andis now incorporated in the author's collected writings, Vol.VIII. p. 325-410. ("Gesammelte Schriften und Dichtungen vonRichard Wagner," ten volumes, Leipzig, 1871-1883.) For variousreasons, chiefly personal, the book met with much opposition inGermany, but it was extensively read, and has done a great dealof good. It is unique in the literature of music: a treatise onstyle in the execution of classical music, written by a greatpractical master of the grand style. Certain asperities whichpervade it from beginning to end could not well be omitted in thetranslation; care has, however, been taken not to exaggeratethem. To elucidate some points in the text sundry extracts fromother writings of Wagner have been appended. The footnotes,throughout, are the translator's.
The following pages are intended to form a record of myexperience in a department of music which has hitherto been leftto professional routine and amateur criticism. I shall appeal toprofessional executants, both instrumentalists and vocalists,rather than to conductors; since the executants only can tellwhether, or not, they have been led by a competent conductor. Ido not mean to set up a system, but simply to state certainfacts, and record a number of practical observations.
Composers cannot afford to be indifferent to the manner in whichtheir works are presented to the public; and the public,naturally, cannot be expected to decide whether the performanceof a piece of music is correct or faulty, since there are no databeyond the actual effect of the performance to judge by.
I shall endeavour to throw some light upon the characteristics ofmusical performances in Germany—with regard to the concert-room,as well as to the theatre. Those who have experience in suchmatters are aware that, in most cases, the defective constitutionof German orchestras and the faults of their performances are dueto the shortcomings of the conductors ("Capellmeister,""Musikdirectoren," etc.). The demands upon the orchestras haveincreased greatly of late, their task has be