WAGNER 265 WAGON festival performances were conducted at regnlar intervals. She died in 1918. WAGNER, (WILHELM) RICHARD, a German operatic composer; born in Leipsic, May 22, 1813. In 1836 he was conductor at Magdeburg, and after spending some time in Konigsberg, Dres- den, and Riga successively, he went to Paris in 1841. Here he composed or completed his "Rienzi" and "Der flie- gende Hollander" (Flying Dutchman). "Rienzi" obtained for him the post of assistant conductor (with Reissiger) at Dresden. His "Tannhauser" appeared in 1845. He spent the season of 1855 in London as conductor of the Philhar- monic Society's concerts. In all his operas the words of the libretto are of his own composition, and far superior, from the poetic standpoint, to the ma- RICHARD WAGNER jorlty of works intended for such use. They are treated in a declamatory style, supported by most original harmonies and instrumentation in accordance with their dramatic significance. Wagner ad- vanced the importance of the orchestra accompaniment till it is almost the prime factor in the performance of his works. He was acknowledged supreme master of instrumental effects. It must be ad- mitted, however, that, in his later works especially, his scoring is not unfre- quently cruel to the human voice. Wag- ner was a musical revolutionist and re- former in many ways affecting the opera. Like other reformers and iconoclasts in other spheres and times, his methods and theories will doubtless be modified by the future. Meantime he may safely be ranked as the greatest musician who has arisen since Beethoven, and his prob- able influence on future operatic compo- sitions can scarcely be overestimated. The following is a list of dates of first performances of his remaining drama- tic works: "Lohengrin" (1850); "Tris- tan and Isolde" (1865) ; "Meistersinger" (1868)); "Das Rheingold" (1869); "Die Walkiire" (1870); "Siegfried" (1876); "Die Gotterdammerung" (The Dusk of the Gods) (1876); "Parsifal" (1882). Of the above the "Walkure," "Siegfried" and "Gotterdammerung" constitute Wag- ner's greatest work, the so-called "Trilo- gie," three chapters of one story eacii for separate evenings. The "Rheingold" is the preface to these three, wherein the events occur whose far-reaching conse- . quences are developed in the subsequent evenings. The four works constitute the "Ring of the Nibelungen." Wagner's ambition was to produce a distinctively national (German) music drama. There- fore his choice and adaptation of scenes from the great, almost prehistoric, epic of Germany — the "Nibelungenlied," the German "Iliad." He died in Venice, Feb. 13, 1883. WAGON, in ordinary language, a four-wheeled vehicle for the transport of goods, freight and produce. The ordi- nary wagon is a strong, heavy vehicle, drawn by two (or sometimes more) horses yoked abreast. The fore wheels are smaller than the hind wheels, and their axle is swiveled to the body of the vehicle, so as to facilitate turning. Most wagons are supplied with strong springs, on account of the weight of the vehicle, and to make up for the absence of the steadying power of the horses, who ex- pend their force in pulling only, the weight being distributed over the four wheels. A vehicle on four wheels of equal diameter is of lighter draught than one in which the fore wheels are smaller than the hind wheels unless the load is distributed on the wheels in pro- portion to their diameter. Common ex- examples of the wagon are the brewer's dray, the agricultural wain, and the rail- way truck. Carriers' wagons are gen- erally provided with wooden bows, over which can be stretched a covering of heavy canvas or other material, so as to protect the goods carried from rain, etc. The ends of the bows are inserted in staples on each side of the vehicles, so that cover and bows can be removed when not required. See Motor Vehicle. Wagon, in goldbeating, a tool having four edges of cane mounted in a frame, and used to trim the edges of gold-leaf
