This word, however, may be in place. The marvellous music at Bayreuth
helped in every way in the interpretation of the drama. Every part and
phase of the thought and movement were brought forth in the various
musical motives, adding emphasis and beauty and intensity of feeling.
Now the music would whisper of the wondrous grace of the holy sacrament,
or of the sweet beauty of God's world, clothed in the radiance of Good
Friday; now it would reveal the sorrows of the gentle Herzeleide, or the
awful anguish of Amfortas, or the deep rumblings of Klingsor's black
art, or the fascinating music of the flower-maidens. Often came the pure
tones that told of the guileless One, or the strong chords of mighty
faith, or the ebb and swell of mystic bells, or the glory of the sacred
Spear. Now came the regal blasts for Parsifal, and often and through it
all, the splendid music of the Grail itself. The music was like a
fragrant atmosphere to the drama, softening and refining what was harsh,
giving a needed stress here and there, and investing the whole story
with a subtle and uplifting charm.

The drama of Parsifal teaches its own great lessons of life. Yet one or
two suggestions of interpretation may not be amiss, for it is
confessedly one of the most mystical of modern dramas. It may perchance
be considered as representing the strife between paganism and
Christianity in the early centuries of the Church,--the powers of magic
and the hot passions of the human heart contending against the advancing
power of Christian truth and the victorious might of Purity as portrayed
in the guileless hero. Or it may be considered as representing in a
mystic legend the spiritual history of Christ coming in later presence
among the sons of men and imaged in the mystic Parsifal. Wagner mentions
that this Scripture was often in his mind when writing Parsifal--"Hath
not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? The foolishness of God is
wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." Or this,