[Sidenote: “_THE PHILHARMONIC OMNIBUS._”]
At the sixth concert, 28th May, another of those lengthy programmes was gone through, and comprised--
Symphony in G minor C. Potter. Aria (“Il Seraglio”) Mozart. Concerto, violin, Mr. Sainton Beethoven. Sicilienne Pergolesi. Overture (“Leonora”) Beethoven. Symphony, A minor Mendelssohn. Aria (“Non mi dir”) Mozart. Song, “O ruddier than the cherry” Handel. Overture (“Der Berg-geist”) Spohr.
Think of the anger of Wagner! two symphonies and two overtures in the same evening, besides the vocal music and concerto! This was the fourth concert at which a double dose of symphony and overture was administered to an audience incapable of digesting such a surfeit; it was these “full” programmes, reminding him of the cry of the London omnibus conductors, “full inside,” which led him humorously to speak of himself as “conductor of the Philharmonic Omnibus.” In the subjoined letter addressed to my wife, anent their daily promenade for the “banquetting,” as he called it, of the ducks in the Regent’s Park, he subscribes himself as above.
CARISSIMA SORELLA: Croyez-vous le temps assez bon, pour entreprendre notre promenade? Si vous avez le moindre doute, et comme l’affaire ne presse pas du tout, je vous prie de vous en dispenser pour aujourd’hui. Faites-moi une toute petite reponse si je dois venir vous chercher dans un Hansom, ou non?
En tous cas je gouterai des 4 heures des delices de votre table!
RICHARD WAGNER, _Conductor d’omnibus de la Société Philharmonique, 1855_.
The letter was sent by hand, as his rooms were but ten minutes from my house. Perhaps I may here reproduce another short note from Wagner to my wife, with no other intention than showing the degree of close friendship that existed between him and us:--
MA TRÈS CHÈRE SŒUR LÉONIE: Si vous voulez je viendrai demain (Samedi) diver avec vous à 6 heures le soir. Pour Dimanche il m’a fallu accepter une invitation pour Camberwell, que je ne pouvais absolument pas refuser. Serez-vous contente de me voir demain?
Reverting to the concert, the universal criticism was that Wagner had achieved great things with Cipriani Potter’s symphony. The music Wagner thought the exact reflection of the man, antiquated but respectable. Potter was a charming man in daily intercourse, of short stature, thin, ample features, huge shaggy eyebrows, stand-up collars behind whose points the old man could hide half his face, and a coat copied from a Viennese pattern of last century. Wagner was genuinely drawn to the man; and as the inimical “Musical World” said, “took great pains with the symphony” (p. 347). Wagner used to declaim greatly against Mendelssohnian tradition, in the orchestra,--that no movement should be taken too slow, for fear of wearying the audience. However, being a man of strong independent character, he would have his way, and movements were taken as slow as the spirit appeared to require. The critics abused him heartily; indeed, to such an extent that when the Mozart symphony in E flat was to be done, the directors implored Wagner to allow the orchestra to take the slow movement in the quick _tempo_ taught by Mendelssohn. Similarly, when Potter’s symphony was to be done, Mr. Potter particularly requested Wagner to take the _andante_ somewhat fast, otherwise he feared a failure. But Wagner, who, with his accustomed earnestness had almost the whole by heart, told the composer that the _andante_ was an extremely pretty, naïve movement, and that no matter the speed, if the expression were omitted or slurred, the whole would fall flat; but, added Wagner, it should go thus: Then he sang part to Mr. Potter, who was so touched that he grasped Wagner’s hand, saying, “I never dreamed a conductor could take a new work so much to heart as you have; and as you sing it, just so I meant it.” After the concert Mr. Potter was very delighted.