Memories of a Musician: Reminiscences of Seventy years of Musical Life

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text excerpt

Of all the great moments in this music drama I shall never forget the impression the Trauermarsch made upon me. I had no difficulty in following any of the music, and the various Leitmotifs with which each opera was interwoven came out perfectly clear to me. The theatre, which was built from designs given by Wagner, was so arranged that one could see quite well from every seat in the stalls. There was no pit, only rows of gradually ascending stalls, and at the end of every few rows there were doors of exit. There was only a small gallery or circle, in the middle of which was placed the royal box, and also several smaller boxes. The gaslights were lowered during each performance of course, electric light was not then invented. When Wagner appeared, walking across the stalls during the entr'actes, he was cheered to the echo. King Louis of Bavaria attended the four performances, and before the beginning of each opera a fanfare of trumpets was sounded, giving a few bars of a Leitmotif.

excerpt from 'Memories of a Musician: Reminiscences of Seventy years of Musical Life' pp. 174-5 (176 words)

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