bluebeard-第2节

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scorn　the　marriage　of　ambition　and　convenience　on　the　one　hand；　but　on　the
other；　pursues　with　wrath　and　vengeance　the　law…breaker；　the　indiscriminate
love…winner；　the　wife…collector　and　wife…slayer；　and；　although　women　still
have　a　strange　and　persistent　fancy　for　marriage；　they　might　sometimes
avoid　it　if　they　realized　that　a　violent　death　were　the　price。

We　must　first　study　the　musical　construction　of　the　overture　with　which　the
music…drama　opens；　as　it　is　well　known　that　Wagner　in　his　Preludes　prepares
the　spectator's　mind　for　the　impressions　that　are　to　follow。　Several　of　the
leading　motives　appear　in　this　_Vorspiel_　and　must　be　appreciated　to　be
understood。　First　we　have　the　〃_Blaubart_motiv_〃　（Bluebeard　Motive）。　This
is　a　theme　whose　giant　march　gives　us　in　rhythmic　thunders　the　terrible
power　of　the　hero。

＇〃_Blaubart_motiv_〃＇

The　〃_Blaubart_motiv_〃　should　be　constantly　kept　in　mind；　as　it　is　a　clue
to　much　of　the　later　action；　being　introduced　whenever　Bluebeard　budges　an
inch　from　his　doorstep。　We　do　not　hear　in　it　the　majestic　grandeur　of　the
Wotan　or　Walsungen　motifs；　and　why？　Simply　because　it　was　not　intended　to
illustrate　godlike　power；　but　_brute_force_。

Now　if　this　were　all；　we　had　no　more　to　say；　but　listen！

＇Immer…wieder…heirathen　Motiv＇

What　does　this　portendthis　entrance　of　another　theme；　written　for　the
treble　clef；　played　with　the　right　hand；　but　mysteriously　interwoven　with
the　bass？　What　but　that　Bluebeard　is　not　to　be　the　sole　personage　in　this
music…drama；　and　we　judge　the　stranger　to　be　a　female　on　account　of　the
overwhelming　circumstantial　evidence　just　given。

Bluebeard；　when　first　introducedyou　remember　the　movement；　one　of　somber
grandeur　leading　upward　to　vague　desire　was　alone　and　lonely。　Certainly　the
first；　probably　the　second。　If　his　mood　were　that　of　settled　despair；
typical　of　a　widower　determined　never　to　marry　again　no　matter　what　the
provocation；　the　last　note　of　the　phrase　would　have　been　projected
_downward_；　but；　as　you　must　have　perceived；　the　melody　terminates　in　a
tone　of　something　like　hope。　There　is　no　assurance　in　itdo　not
misunderstand　me；　there　is　no　particular　lady　projected　in　the　musical
textthat　would　have　been　indelicate；　for　we　do　not　know　at　the　moment
precisely　the　date　when　Bluebeard　hung　up　his　last　wife；　but　there　_is_　a
groping　discontent。　At　the　opening　of　the　drama　we　have　not　been　informed
whether　Bluebeard　has　ever　been　married　at　all　or　only　a　few　times；　but　we
feel　that　he　craves　companionship；　and　we　know　when　we　hear　this
〃_Immer_…_wieder_…_heirathen_Motiv_〃　（Always　About　to　Marry　Again　Motive）
that　he　secures　it。　The　sex　created　expressly　to　furnish　companionship　will
go　on　doing　so；　even　if　it　has　to　be　hung　up　in　the　process。

Look　again　at　the　second　theme；　the　〃_Immer_…_wieder_…_heirathen_Motiv_〃
（Always　About　to　Marry　Again　Motive）。　Do　you　note　a　mysterious　reflection
of　the　first　theme　in　it？　Certainly；　it　would　be　evident　even　to　a
chattering　opera…party　of　the　highest　social　circles。　But　why　is　this；　asks
the　sordid　American　business　man；　who　goes　to　the　music…drama　absolutely
unfitted　in　mind　and　body　to　solve　its　great　psychological　questions。　Not
because　Wagner　could　not　have　evolved　a　dozen　_Leit…Motive_　for　every
measure；　but　for　a　more　exquisitely　refined　and　subtle　reason。　The　wife　is
often　found　to　be　more　or　less　a　reflection　of　her　husband；　especially　in
Germany；　therefore　an　entirely　new　and　original　motive　would　have　been　out
of　place。　It　is　this　extraordinary　insight　into　the　human　mind　which　brings
us　to　the　feet　of　the　master　in　reverential　awe；　and　it　detracts　nothing
from　his　fame　that　his　themes　descriptive　of　average　femininity　would　have
been　quite　different　had　he　written　them　for　the　women　of　this　epoch。　The
world　moves　rapidly。　This　motive　slips　with　a　series　of　imperceptible
musical　glides　into　the　〃_Siebente…Frau_Motiv_〃　（Seventh　Wife　Motive）：
Bluebeard　enters　well　in　advance；　Fatima；　contrapuntally　obedient；　coming
in　a　little　behind。

＇Siebente…Frau　Motiv＇

This　Fatima；　or　Seventh　Wife　Motive　seems　to　be　written　in　a　curiously　low
key　if　we　conceive　it　to　be　the　index　to　the　character　of　a　soprano
heroine；　but　let　us　look　further。　What　are　the　two　principal　personages　in
the　music…drama　to　be　to　each　other？

If　_enemies_；　the　phrase　would　have　been　written　thus：　＇separation　of　5
octaves＇

If　_acquaintances_；　thus：　＇separation　of　3　octaves＇

If　_friends_；　thus：　＇separation　of　1　octave＇

If　_lovers_；　thus：　＇separation　of　less　than　one　octave＇

the　ardent　and　tropical　treble　note　leaving　its　own　proper　sphere　and
nestling　cozily　down　in　the　bass　staff。　But　the　hero　and　heroine　of　the
music…drama　were　husband　and　wife；　therefore　the　phrases　are　intertwined
sufficiently　for　propriety；　but　not　too　closely　for　pleasure。　We　might　also
say；　considering　Fatima's　probable　fate；　that　we　cannot　wonder　that　she
sings　in　a　low　key；　and　the　exceedingly　involved　contrapuntal　complications
in　which　the　motive　terminates　hint　perhaps　at　Wagner's　opinion　on　the
momentous　question；〃Is　marriage　a　failure？〃

Next　we　have　the　〃_Bruder_Hoch_zu_Ross_Motiv_〃　（Brothers　on　a　High　Horse
Motive）；　announced　by　sparkling　Tetrazzini　chromatics；　always　at　sixes　and
sevens；　darting　and　dashing；　centaur…like；　in　semi…demi…quavers；　like
horses'　manes　and　tails　mounting　skyward；　whinnyingly。　Fatima's　brothers
have　come　to　make　a　wedding　visit　to　their　beloved　sister；　whom　they
believe　happily　united　to　a　nobleman　of　high　degree。　They　have　also　come
because　in　a　music…drama　action　is　demanded　and　choruses　are　desirable；
being　noisy；　impressive；　popular；　comparatively　cheap；　and　the　participants
less　temperamental　in　character　than　soloists；　therefore　more　easily
managed。

＇Bruder　Hoch　zu　Ross　Motiv＇　（with　devil…may…care　speed。）

If　you　miss　some　of　the　wonderful　sinuosity；　some　of　the　musical　curvatures
of　the　similar　〃Horses　in　a　Hurry　Motive〃　in　〃Die　Walku're；〃　I　can　only
suggest　that　the　Brothers'　mounts　were　not　as　the　fleet　steeds　of　the　gods。
Fatima's　people　were　living　in　genteel　poverty；　and　the　family　horses　were
doubtless　some…what　emaciated；　therefore　the　musical　realist　could　not　in
honesty　depict　them　other　than　in　an　angular　rather　than　curved　movement。

The　overture　next　takes　up　the　arrival　of　the　Brothers；　who；　as　the　music
plainly　assures　us；　dismount；　feed　their　steeds；　perform　a　simple　toilette
at　the　stable…yard　pump；　and　then　come　suddenly　upon　Bluebeard；　whose
frenzy　for　disposing　of　fresh　wives　is　as　sudden　and　as　all…absorbing　as
his　desire　to　annex　them。　At　the　moment　of　the　Brothers'　opportune　arrival
Bluebeard　is　on　the　point　of　severing　Fatima's　relations　with　the　world。
The　Brothers　advance。　A　cloud　of　dust　envelops　them；　they　rush　forward；
dealing　telling　blows；　and　the　frantic　bleating　of　fleeing　sheep　is　heard
in　a　wild　double…tonguing　of　the　united　brass　instruments；　very　effective；
especially　in　the　open　air；　though　a　little　trying　to　nervous　ladies　in　the
front　rows　of　an　opera…house。　This　is　the　celebrated
〃_Kilkennische_Katzen_Motiv_〃　（Motive　of　Mortal　Combat）。　It　is　a　syncopated
movement；　and　when　given　at　the　piano；　is　to　be　played　furiously；　first
with　one　hand　and　then　with　the　other；　till　the　performer　is　quite　weary。

＇Kilkennische　Katzen　Motiv＇　（ad　infinitum；　until　one　is　deceased）

We　find　all　through　these　measures　most　peculiar　phrases；　introduced　by
half…formed　musical　rhythms；　which　are　a　presentiment　of　the　mental　unrest
and　nervous　prostration　of　Fatima；　who　does　not　know　whether　Bluebeard　will
kill　the　Brothers　or　the　Brothers　will　kill　Bluebeard。　She　has　never　been
an　opera…goer　and　does　not　realize　that　there　are　inexorable　laws　in　these
matters　and　that　the　villain　always　dies；　that　he　agrees　in　his　contract　to
die；　no　matter　how　healthy　he　may　be；　no　matter　how　much　he　dislikes　it　nor
how　slight　the　provocation。　However；　this　scene　is　made　notable　by　the
famous　〃Suspense　Motive；〃　one　hundred　and　seven…teen　bars　of　doubt　given　by
the　big　brasses　and　contra…bassoons。

There　is　much　in　this　sort　of　programme　music　that　is　not　easily
intelligible　to　a　young　man　who；　having　purchased　an　admission　ticket；　is
wandering　from　back　to　back　of　one　opera…box　after　another；　but　when　fully
comprehended；　these　special　phrases　are　replete　with　emotion　and　insight。
Several　motives　are　so　dexterously　woven　into　one　gush　of　melody　that　they
cannot　be　disentangled　by　any　ordinary　method；　and　have　to　be　wrenched
apart　by　the　enthusiast；　who　employs；　when　milder　means　fail；　a　sort　of
intellectual　dynamite　to　extricate　the　meaning　from　the　score。　With　the　aid
of　this　lecture；　which　is　better　than　an　ear…trumpet　and　a
magnifying…glass；　we　can；　however；　trace　a　〃_Schwert_Motiv_〃　（Sword
Motive）；　showing　the　weapons　used　in　the　combat；　the　〃_Glu'ckseligkeit_
_Motiv_〃　（Felicity　Motive）；　well　named；　for　we　must　remember　that　Fatima　is
witnessing　the　duel　from　the　castle　window；　her　heart　beating　high　at　the
prospect　of　widowhood；　and；　toward　the　end；　the　famous
〃_Ausgespielt_Motiv_〃　（Motive　of　Spent　Strength　and　Spilled　Blood）。

＇Glu'ckseligkeit　Motiv＇

＇Ausgespielt　Motiv＇

The　〃_