Parsifal | Page 9

a long spear. In silence the
knight un-helms, and, sticking the spear into the ground, kneels before
it, and remains lost in devotional contemplation. The "Spear" and
"Grail" motives mingle together in the full tide of orchestral sounds
carrying on the emotional undercurrent of the drama. The knight is
soon recognized by both as the long-lost and discarded Parsifal.
The "guileless one" has learned wisdom, and discovered his
mission--he knows now that he bears the spear which is to heal the
king's grievous wound, and that he himself is appointed his successor.
Through long strife and trial and pain he seems to have grown into
something of Christ's own likeness. Not all at once, but at last he has
found the path. He returns to bear salvation and pardon both to Kundry
and the wretched king, Amfortas.
The full music flows on while Gurnemanz relates how the knights have
all grown weak and aged, deprived of the vision and sustenance of the
Holy Grail, while the long-entranced Titurel is at last dead.
At this news Parsifal, overcome with grief, swoons away, and
Gurnemanz and Kundry loosen his armor, and sprinkle him with water

from the holy spring. Underneath his black suit of mail he appears clad
in a long white tunic.
The grouping here is admirable. Gurnemanz is in the Templar's red and
blue robe. Parsifal in white, his auburn hair parted in front and flowing
down in ringlets on either side, recalls Leonardo's favorite conception
of the Savior's head, and, indeed, from this point Parsifal becomes a
kind of symbolic reflection of the Lord Himself. Kundry, subdued and
awed, lies weeping at his feet; he lifts his hands to bless her with
infinite pity. She washes his feet, and dries them with the hairs of her
head. It is a bold stroke, but the voices of nature, the murmur of the
summer woods, come with an infinite healing tenderness and pity, and
the act is seen to be symbolical of the pure devotion of a sinful creature
redeemed from sin. Peace has at last entered into that wild and troubled
heart, and restless Kundry, delivered from Klingsor's spell, receives the
sprinkling of baptismal water at the hands of Parsifal.
* * * * *
The great spaces of silence in the dialog, broken now by a few
sentences from Parsifal, now from Gurnemanz, are more eloquent than
many words. The tidal music flows on in a ceaseless stream of
changing harmonies, returning constantly to the sweet and slumbrous
sound of a summer-land, full of teeming life and glowing happiness.
Then Gurnemanz takes up his parable. It is the Blessed Good Friday on
which our dear Lord suffered. The Love and Faith phrases are chimed
forth, the pain-notes of the Cross agony are sounded and pass, the Grail
motive seems to swoon away in descending harmonies, sinking into the
woodland voices of universal Nature--that trespass-pardoned Nature
that now seems waking to the day of her glory and innocence.
In that solemn moment Parsifal bends over the subdued and humbled
Kundry, and kisses her softly on the brow--her wild kiss in the garden
had kindled in him fierce fire, mingled with the bitter wound-pain; his
is the seal of her eternal pardon and peace.
In the distance the great bells of Montsalvat are now heard booming

solemnly--the air darkens, the light fades out, the slow motion of all the
scenery recommences. Again I hear the wild cave music, strange and
hollow sounding--the three move on as in a dream, and are soon lost in
the deep shadows; and through all, louder and louder, boom the heavy
bells of Montsalvat, until the stage brightens, and we find ourselves
once more in the vast Alhambralike hall of the knights.
[Illustration: Copyright, 1903, by Pach Bros., N. Y.
PARSIFAL ENTERING THE GRAIL CASTLE IN TRIUMPH]
For the last time Amfortas is borne in, and the brotherhood of the Grail
form the possession bearing the sacred relics, which are deposited
before him.
The king, in great agony and despair, bewails the death of his father
and his own backsliding. With failing but desperate energy he
harangues the assembled knights, and, tottering forward, beseeches
them to free him from his misery and sin-stained life, and thrust their
swords deep into his wounded side. At this moment Gurnemanz,
accompanied by Parsifal and Kundry, enter. Parsifal steps forward with
the sacred spear, now at length to be restored to the knights. He touches
the side of Amfortas, the wound is healed, and as he raises the spear on
high the point is seen glowing with the crimson glory of the Grail. Then
stepping up to the shrine, Parsifal takes the crystal cup, the dark blood
glows bright crimson as he holds it on high, and at that moment, while
all