A Son Recalls

Siegfried Wagner, son of the great composer, published in Stuttgart a volume of Erinnerungen (Recollections). It is a rambling memoir, as the name implies, written by a genial, chatty man from the standpoint of one who knew the famous Richard as kind papa, and the stern Cosima as affectionate mamma.

There are accounts of youthful visits with his father to Italy, of the personality of Liszt, of encounters with the great of all varieties. There is an interesting account of the first time he heard his mother play--for during Wagner's lifetime she was so devoted to her husband that she neglected the piano:

On the 13th of February I sat in the salon at the piano. In came my mother and went to the grand. She began to play. Tomy question as to what she was playing she replied, with an abstract gaze, "Schubert's Lob der Traenen" (In Praise of Tears). A few minutes later the valet brought news that father was very ill. Never shall I forget how my mother dashed through the door. . . . When I saw her in later years at rehearsals the festival productions, representing roles as Kundry, Isolde, Sieglinde or Bruenilde, my mind often reverted to that moment in Venice. Her impersonation was of ancient grandeur; I have seen its like but once upon stage: the acting of Othello by Salvini, who was seventy years old at the time. But the mark of Siegfried's own character is equally well displayed in his Recollections. This short extract quoted in the book from his diary is sufficient evidence of an affirmative personality:

Extremely hot and threatening tempest. The Europeans are guzzling beer with ravenous thirst. I can't conceive of it. I'm happy with my tea and lemonade, and hate this everlasting whiskey and brandy.