contemporaries and immediate successors. The vast popularity of Handel
in England had the effect of stunting the development of our national
music for more than a century. During his lifetime, and for many years
after his death, English-born musicians could do little but imitate his
more salient mannerisms, and reproduce in an attenuated form the lessons
which he had taught. The effect of Wagner's music upon German opera has
been something of the same description. As soon as his works gained
their legitimate place in the affections of his countrymen, his
influence began to assume formidable proportions. The might of his
individuality was irresistible. It was not possible, as in Italy and
France, to combine the system of Wagner with other elements. In Germany
it had to be Wagner or nothing, and thus, except for the writers of
sentimental Singspiele, a form of opera which scarcely comes into the
province of art at all, German musicians have vied with each other in
producing imitations of their great master, which succeeded or failed
according to the measure of their resemblance to their model, but had
very little value as original work. The production of Humperdinck's
'Haensel und Gretel' gave rise to a hope that the merely imitative period
was passing away, but it is plain that the mighty shadow of Wagner still
hangs over German music. Strauss's 'Salome' may be the herald of a new
epoch, but on that subject it is too soon to indulge in prophecy.

Wagner had completed what, for the sake of convenience, we have called
his earlier period, before his influence began to make itself felt in
German opera. 'Lohengrin' was performed for the first time under Liszt's
direction at Weimar in 1850. Eight years later Cornelius's 'Barbier von
Bagdad' was performed at the same theatre under the same conductor. This
was Liszt's last production at Weimar, for the ill-feeling stirred up by
Cornelius's work was so pronounced that the great pianist threw up his
position as Kapellmeister in disgust, and took refuge in the more
congenial society of Rome. Peter Cornelius (1824-1874) was one of the
most prominent of the band of young men who gathered round Liszt at
Weimar, and by means of their music and writings sought to further the
cause of 'New-German' art. 'Der Barbier von Bagdad' was immensely in
advance of its time. It failed completely to attract the public of
Weimar, the most cultivated in Europe, when it was originally produced,
but it i