The Music Dramas of Richard Wagner. By Albert Lavignac. Translated
from the French by Esther Singleton. (Service and Paton. 10s. 6d.)—This book has the clearness of plan, and con- sistency of aim, which make French works of this kind so satis- factory to read. After two chapters of biographical and general matter, we are given an analysis of the poems of the operas ; later, an analysis of the music. By treating the two separately, a clear conception of each drama is arrived at. Although the style of the book is that of panegyric, it is of a perfectly sane and reason- able kind. Our thanks are also due to M. Lavignac for not having wearied us with the philosophic theories Wagner amused himself by spinning when he was not seriously occupied with composition. The ordinary critic has given us too much of them, and the present volume gains greatly by these being ignored. Few people can write about music so well as Frenchmen ; they have the gift of being at the same time critical and enthusiastic,—witness Berlioz's wonderful treatise on the orchestra. The present volume is no exception; in fact, it would be difficult to find a better guide to the dramas of Wagner.
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