._ ;. ---
AIN UAILY SUNDAY, MAY 6, 1523
From "Things Near and Far," by ing away. But again it is often like
rthur Machen. an inviolable seal that lasts for- life,
lasts till death. God has created it
"Asl: of some what Love is and it of many kinds and seen it endure or
ill be no more than a breeze mur- perish."
iring among the roses and. then dy- -rom, "Victoria," by Knut. Hamsun.
JAY 6, 1923
a,
-lAY 6, 1923
£
jw
WAGNER'S RETURN
A Review and an Appreciation
7 - - "Ry
111
MR LAWRENCE'S that I know. it is a notable addition
toTthe Spring List of readable and.
TRILOGY worth-while books.
THE eA'PTAl N's DOLL, by D. H. Law- -
r nc Thomas Seltzer. E00
e . - MEDIEVAL
Reviewed by Robert Locke . CANA I
Three of the most readable piece sC
of D. H. Lawrence's works, that I ' IRbAL WRyEAT1 by Sigrid
have ever read have just been nubh Indset, Ared Knopf. $2.r0.
lished by Thomas Seltzer, in one vol- , Reviewed by Lisle Ros
iime which has been given the title of it is perhaps the just test, as it is the
the first, "The Captain's Doll." This highest praise of "Sigrid Undst's
i not the ordinary type of short-story "Bridal Streath" to say that by this
volume but a trilogy which develops one book the young Norwegian author
a love thesis: three indomitable loves, has shown herself capable of standing
each symbolized in the object whose beside Knut Ilamsun and Johannes
name titles the piece, The Captai's Jensen. Some reputation she had al-:
Doll, The Fox and The Ladybird. ready attainedl; the publication of
Closely related by thesis, they devel- "Kristin Lavransdatter" (of which the
op to a further degree the type of "Bridal Wreath" is but the first part)
short story that James Branch Cabell confirmed and extended it. This hat-
has made of his groups, which are est work proves that she has risen!
bound together chronologically and above the faults that iarred "Jenny,"
that in which Waldo Frank failed so her only previous novel of note. Few
utterly with his "City Block," wherein enough are the faults to be found with
the stories resist the binding influ- the "Bridal Wreath." Clearly there
ence of place. f have entered into its making wide and
deep knowledge, a fine literary sye
Some one has lamented the fact and what for want of more exact
that the volume was published in this names we refer to as imagination and
country under the title of "The Cap- genius. For these reasons I named
tam's Doll," rather than "The Lady- the "Bridal Wreath" with the other
bird," under which it was published great Scandanavian novels recently
in England, on the grounds that the published.;
latter is the best one of the trilogy. In basic conception, tca, thc:'e works'
I agree, however, with the publisher, are alike, greatly as they differ in plot.
that the first deserves first honors and The two men turned for theme to pri-
if I had more space I might enjoy neval man: Sigrid Undset recounts
putting forth my theories concerning the story of a woman, typical yet
the dominant appeal of "The Iady- strongly individualized, of the four-
bird," which appeal is not, I believe, teenth century. The society in which
to the literary sense but to the van- Kristin Lavransdatter lives is simple,
ify. through an unobvious -flatterv. natural, only one remove from the
The first story (this com sideration is barbaric. Myth and folklore flourish,
alsc alphabetic which should forestall influence every action of the charact-
any accusation that I chose the best ers. Scarcely different from myth is'
second best and least of the three). +the religion which Kristin is taught
"The Captain's Doll," is written in and which she revolts from at last to
short sctions, each of which ends frllow the man she loves. It sounds
artistically with an impressionistic like the traditional wronged-woman
diminuendo; which suggested that it tale, but Sigrid Undset has made it far
might. easily .and effectively be dra- other than that, by throwing the em-
mat -ed and produced after the man-'phasis on 'the tragic struggle between
ner of"Johannes Kreisler," which the girl and her father-a struggle
was 'produced last winter with over tragic because the two love, but cannot
t quickly changing scenes. The understand each other. Larrans can
wety k nnever comprehend that his little
other two The Fox, which was pub-daughter has grown suddenly into
ished last summer in the Dial, anda. woman, with affections, passions,
the Ladybird, are written in,the more and even lusts, foreign not only to he
Sn e manner; former self but also to her father's
but they are all done in the inimitable character. But I do not purpose to
style of Lawrences longer novels. spoil by inartistic synopsis a story del-
Each handles the thesis of love con- icately conceived and beautifully pre-
tuering some seemingly. unconquer- seated.
able obstacle. In The Captain's Doll Beautifully presented it surely is,
prBde and contempt, bred of familiar- although scarcely with ther profusion
ity, falls to indomitable love when cf description that marked "The Long
the woman moderates her statement, Journey." Sigrid Undset's style is
"I'll come to Africa with you. But simpler, barer, than Jensen's; but no
[ won't promise to honor and obeyj less effective. If at times the restraint
you," by "But anyway I won't say it is so obvious that it becomes inartistic,
before the marriage service. I need- nevertheless in general the book gains
a't, need I?" A fear of losing her ,by avoiding, even too strenuously, ef-
individuality and the necessity of los- fusiveness and recklessness of speech.
ing and hurting a best friend are the Spare and lean as the descriptions are
>btacles which are overcome in The they are yet impressive; particularly
fox. The Ladybird reiterates the old the acepunt of Kristin's first visit to
phrase, "Love conquers all," by the Oslo. One passage is Keats' "Eve of
>reaking down of the wife's fidelity Saint Mark"' done over again: which
nd the acceptance of her lover's ad- is high praise.
monishment, "So don't forget-you are I see that I am ending up on the!
:he night-wife of the ladybird, while same note I started, and I fear that. I
live and even when you die have ranged the scale-but little. So I
u " Inde nhtwin heydrk, and in advise the reader to turn his ears from
h . In the night, in the d my feeble piping, and listen instead to
leath, you are mine." All three are the harmonies I am trying to imitate.
centered about soldiers and are given I assure him that if he appreciates the
L more broadminded aspect, as a prod- clearness and strength for which Scan-
ict of the war, than could logically danavian literature is distinguished, he
e given the same themes, were they will enjoy--only that is far too weak
wrapped about- other characters and a term-Sigrid Undset's great com-:
ather times. But this broadmindedness position.
ffors the chance for vivisection and _
,amnation .of the cross-sections of "But this curse of getting a liveli-
e- hitherto hazily misunderstood mo- hood remains profoundly unnatural to:
Se of people, under the pressure of' man, in spite of. his- long experience
ore. I of it; hence his frantic efforts to es-
This trilogy of Lawrence's is one cape from what he erroneously calls
f the best representatives of the mod- life by running himself red in the
rn love story, with which to compare face at Loids, by rowing himself:
he pink ones of a few years ago, but blue in the face at Henley, by drink
ew of the bewhiskered critics can ing methylated spirits, y by riy-
L1spprove. This volume gives more Ingmind-torturing games like ch~es,
learly and precisely the modern de- by knocking smal ballsin small hole,
'elopm~ets, in the philosophy of an l byclimbing Alps-ani even .by hr-
JI-controlling love, than any other .ing books." ,-
1;11
FIRST
NA TIONAL 4
BANK-
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. Wagner returned to Detroit,as eglor- EDWARD C VANR E troit. The last one before the
Wos as ever, the beauty o ahis melo E Awas "Tristan and Isolde" given I
dies undiminished, the magic of his ; short-lived Interstate Opera Con:
themes more enchanting. Still he is prelude to the first act was especially; est Isolde now in America.-And De- with a cast including Matzenaue
the undisputed Master of Music, and, well played; it contains the haunting troit did not heal' her! It is impossible to speak of i
what was worse, presented by a genu- prayer melody whih recurs so often Maria Lorentz-H-oelischer sang- sentation of a Wagner opera w
ine German operh company from Ber through the opera. At the end of the Isoldo in he: place,' and als Venus saying samcthing abcut Wagie:
lin; and, what was almost sacriligious, second act this prayer is sung by Han- in "Tannhauser" and Ortrud in "Lo - S, I'll have n say.
a company that produced Wagner as sel and Gretel, who, lost in the woods, hengrin." One might well call her 'Wagner is like the Mible Bro
well as, or better than the Metropoli- lie down to sleep. The stage grows as Matzenauer is called, a dramatic :nd modern Russian drama,-n
tan. Not many years ago I was read- darker and darker, mist descends, and mezzo-soprano, which means that vo- derstcod because people look for
ing articles proving conclusively that then a golden light breaks throug-h cally sh can tackle anything that 's pexit, for involution, and hi
German music was mere technique, a the mist disclosing a stairway leading ever written for woman's voice, so- deths, when all is really simp
sore of mathematical exercise worked through the clouds to heaven. Four- prano or contralto. I think her voice To get at the real value of
out by the composers, and to be pre- teen angels are ascending this stair- is the loudest in the whole company. things, one must become " as a
sented to the 'German public in the way, and they circle about the sleep- At any rate, it is a loelish voice, child," one must judge by coi
intervals between the manufacture of ing children, while the orchestra con- That must not be taken as adverse sense rather than fanaticism. T
explosives and the reading of Nietz- - tinues to play the prayer. criticism, though, for it is not a louder the Bible as a simple literary
sche. When you have, been telling The settings in all the operas are voice than Matznauer's, or Raisas, mnt increases its value immense
yourself and every]-' y ei c that by elaborate, as only the Germans know or Van Gordon's, or many of the other recad Browning as an emotional
revelation you have .'Art i a thing how to make them. In "Hansel and singers we enjoy. She is a very cap- rther than as a metaphysical
is bad, it is ery ( ifficult to admit Gretel," the interior of the hut, with able Wagnerian singer, and a good srosity, makes him intelligible
mou- revelation and .mllahcin-n'a. and its great old stove in which a fire is interpreter. Her Venus was passion- interesting; to test Chekhov an
to reassume your forr.- ;.titude. burning, was charming and convinc- ate, her Ortrud afi active villainess, dreyev, watch to see whether yo
The mass of opera-gc',rs ai not turn ing. her Isolde, dignified and impressive. terest flags during the play, and
out for the Wagnerla:: Fstivnl. Thet While all the singers were good, Marcella Roessler made an engaging does, condemn them. Oh, the de
audiences Were small but exception- some were outstanding. There was Eva and a spiritual Elsa and she also for a moral, a meaning! it is th
ally intelligent and appreciative. They no one individual so great as some had a small part in "IHansel and Gre- pair of twenty-nine of the world's
did not mar the operas by inane ap- of the Wagnerian stars, like Frem- tel" with her warm, rich voice. Meta ty thining human beins. Thi
plause at the end of every snatch of stad, Gadski, or Whitehill, but there Seinemeyer sang Elizabeth in "Tann - about the incomprehensibility of
melody, but were, on the contrary, the were many not far below. hauser." She was very precise, and nr is as discouraging to me as to
most attentive, the most quiet audience Robert Hutt, an exceptional tenor, got her every effect by careful. con- discussions about the differenc
I have ever seen at opera. Few boxes appeared twice: as Walter in "Meister- scious methods. There was nothinrg tween romanticism and realism.
weme taken, and the lower floor. was singer" and as Lohengrin. He has an lacking either in her voice or interj;re- ner is the simplest, the most na
discouragingly empty. This indicates even, mellow voice, powerful and tation. of composers.
some things which it is unnecessary sweet, and sings with intelligence and All in all, the company is the best I'm sorry that so many people
to mention. restraint, never shouting on the high that has visited Detroit for many risen to defend Wagner; I'm sorry
The company recruited from all the notes just because they are high years. I have enjoyed the Chicago so much time has been spent pi
opera houses in Germany and put to notes. Iis solo in the first act of Opera when it has come, and wa-s tut and labelling his musical tha
gether in Berlin. It consists of the best Meistersiuger," "At the Quiet Hearth," pleasantly surprised by the work of I wish they had let Wagner aler
of the German singers and wa' and his Narrative in the last act of the Russian Opera Company, but this they did Topsy, to "just grow" o
brought: bere for the obvious reason "Lohengrin" were unforgettable. Hein- is far better than. either of them. It ptlic. I think Wagner could
of providing for its own livlihood, be- 'rich Knote who sang the tenor leads j is surprising that so many Detroit- he appreciated by savages: some
side feeding America that of which in "Tannhauser" and "Tristan and Is- ers have foregone the pleasure of hear- that had an ear for music but
it bad been starved.' They brought 1sde" is said to be an old man, and to ing Wagner, especially when he has wre unperverted by our form of
their own scenery-several carloads. have sung in Germany for many years, not been here for so long. The San sic.
of it,-and were intending to bring but I did not guess this from hearing Carlo Onera brought Lohenrin here Waner's m ldi'- ar the sim
their own musicians, but I understand his fresh lyric voice. It is not so heavy last season, and then one has to go hcause they are Elie thoe --,e
the unions here objected, so the or- 'a voice as Hutt's but it is used with way back before the war to find re- to cu- elves when we are in the
chestra was drawn from American great Sill. At the same time it is by ord of a Wagner performance in De- (Contnued on Paga Seveul
musicians. It is said that they had no means a weak voice, for a weak'
no money to pay their transportation voice would never be heard above lfthifi ill iIllllllNtllllfll 1 1 1lllllllIlitg nlIitllii11lfilhlglllIllI
and that the steamship line took the Wagner's heavy orchestration. Ihis
risk of allowing them to pay after they cleverness was shown in his singg ----- ----- - - - -
had made enough money here. At of the "Hymn of Venus" in "Tann-
teir frst performances in oston, hauser." In the first act he sang it to-
they netted enough to pay their way please Venus, at a time when he is sur-
across and back. Evidently they are feited with her love, and his rendition
not intending to return soon, for they here brought out all his weariness.
announce a tour next season, with He began it almost languidly, and then j -
more operas added to the repertory. tried to-.force gaity and passion into
They are to return to Detroit next it. but at the end of each phrase he lets
November to give "The Niebelungen his voice drop. In the second act he -
Ring," the largest of Wagner's works, again sings the hymn, this time, hay-
consisting of four separate operas. ing been separated from Venus for:,
"Rhinegcd," "Walkuere," "Siegfried" some time and desiring again her em--
and Gotterdammerung," and occupy- braces. This time he sang with no i
ing four evenings. forced passion; the voice did not drop +_III
Last week they gave five perform- at the ends of the phrases, but was
ances; Wagner's -"Meistersinger," tense all the way through.
"Tannhauser," "Lobengrin," and Tri-d Theodor Latterman as genial old !____
stan and Isolde," and Hunmperdinck's Hans Sachs, was the best of the barl- "
"Hansel -and Gretel." There was none j tones. In his upper register he had
of the company objectionable, and few f the "ring" that reminded one of White-
who, could be at all adversely criti- !hill when he was at his height. Lat-
eised. The "star" system is not fol-i terman knew and seemed to live as !
lowed and the company is solidly I Hans Sachs. His scenes with the
good. Singers who have leads in one! young lovers, Eva and Walter, were -
opera may have smaller parts in oth- I full of kindliness. As Kurwenal in
ers which gives the singers better op- "Tristan" he again had a tender role
portunities, and makes (for greater ar- to play, and did it sympathetically. In
tistry. The operas are unified by sym- "Lohengrin" he took the part of Tel-
pathetic acting and singing, and the ramund, a villain of the deepest dye.
freakishness and determined individu- Latterman did the part well, but the
alism to be found in the stars of the terrible demands on the vocal chords16
Metropolitan and CIlicago opera com- are enough to strain any voice, and the I
panies is lacking here. The orchestra strain was evident. The forte high G's j- H I F E
and chorus of the company contain alone would wear on the voice, if
60 or 70 members each. there were not numerous other diffi- E
"Hansel -and Gretel" was the first ciltie.The New victor viotro
to be given. It is based on the old ! Alexander Kipnis. took the bass lead
fairy tale of the two children who are in each of the Wagner operas. One
lost In the woods, are captured by aWagner opera a day! That in itselfF
oannibalistic witch, whom they finally is a feat. And vet Kipnis showed no
outwit. ..Thy .children's parts were signs .f weariness. His voice is deep i: You have been waiting for real talking machine value so here is you'
-made gay and spontaneous, -while Ben and sonorous, and he manages the high opportunity to 'get a genuine Victor Victrola at such a remarkahl;
no Ziegler, as the father, gave his notes that Wagner sprinkles in so low price.
role jst, the right-amount of drollery. generously. Musically Right Mooanoaty Right
The part taken by Paul Schwarz is The singer who attracted most at-
written for the. tenor, and is perhaps tention in New York, Elsa Alsen, did Corse i for free demonstration today.
the most difficult of all. because it de- - not sing at all. although. she was
mands .great vocal flexibility and must scheduled to sing Isolde. The reason .
be made ludicrous at the same time. for this.I de not know, but it may well
In the opera, -lumperdiack uses be because the houses were too small. -
mathes ot Ger-ainfolk songs whlich She was hailedy as the greatest Isoldo Schaebere & Son, M usic Hous
made It seem very-quain and old. Rich since somebody or other, batk sodfare
and colorful is the orchestration and that nobody now living remembers ;'1 S. i-tre#"
iider'the direction.of Ernest Knoch: much about her anyway. In other :-
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