Richard Wagner

Extract

Ladies and Gentlemen,—I feel that by way of preface I must ask your pardon for venturing to intrude upon your notice a paper very hastily composed, scrappily written, and to a great extent carelessly put together. I must tell you that when the idea of this paper first suggested itself to me I hoped that I should be able to devote much time and study to the consideration of so vast and absorbing a subject, but since then circumstances have materially altered, and I have been obliged to give my whole time to other matters more especially connected with my work as a clergyman which previously had not been thrown in my way. But is not this the way with so many matters in this hurrying, driving, bustling, brain-wearing age in which we live; we propose to ourselves great things, but how many attain to them ? I at least so far as this paper is concerned must in dust and ashes sit with covered head and say “Peccavi, I have sinned.” And then again, why should I speak to you about Richard Wagner ? I never knew the man, I only saw him once; I have never been to that musical Mecca, Bayreuth; I have never seen any of his operas performed in his native land; and I have not exhaustively studied his life, works, or character. Well, I suppose there are two reasons to account for this whimsical caprice in my selection of a subject : first, a blind following of the spirit of the age, a spirit which prompts people to talk a great deal about what they know very little of; and secondly, an earnest desire on my part to ascertain the attitude of members of this Association towards so great a genius as Wagner, and to elicit a genuine expression of opinion as to the future prospects of what has been not inaptly, though I will not say prophetically termed “The music of the future.” If this paper only arouses and awakens an interesting discussion amongst the members here present, my object will have been more than fulfilled, and we shall all leave this room with the very candid opinion that the second half-hour has been far more entertaining and useful than the first one. Such sentences may suggest to wily-minded individuals that I am what is called “fishing for compliments,” but I assure you I am not; I am convinced within myself that I am speaking solid and indisputable truth.