It is not too much to say that every composer of opera, since Wagner’s later works became known, has come under the influence of the great master, consciously or unconsciously. It is not inferred that modern musicians have taken the system of guiding themes and used them systematically in the manner in which they are used in the _Ring_: this has indeed been attempted, sometimes on quite a large scale, and sometimes with success, more often with failure; for mere imitation of Wagner’s methods have always spelt failure. The systematic use of guiding themes has, however, become common, not only in dramatic music, but even in abstract music, and occasionally in the oratorio, as witness Elgar’s _Apostles_. [Sidenote: =Modern Melos=] But whether the guiding-theme plan has been adopted or no by late nineteenth century composers of opera, there is no doubt that all have been influenced by the _melos_ and accompanied recitative of Wagner. The new, richly-constructed musical dialogue, if we may so term it, which he was the first to treat in so characteristic and individual a manner, became a new tool in the hands of composers. The tool is one which turns out attractive work and has been plentifully laboured with: its results are apparent everywhere, in the modern dramatic passages that differ as widely from the Mozartean recitatives as they in turn do from those of Scarlatti. The main difference is due to the polyphonic blending of themes in the orchestral accompaniment: they may or may not be guiding themes, but in any case they are superimposed to a much greater extent than was the case in the simple chordal recitative sections of earlier days. [Sidenote: =Use of the Orchestra=] Wagner’s use of the orchestra, too, unquestionably led the way for much of the modern scoring; the rich completeness of a whole family of instruments of the same timbre has found many admirers, and modern orchestration has a resonance and a roundness which is hard to find in music prior to his time. The tendency to-day is to use more and more instruments, and to group them according to their characteristic tone colour, thus offering a palate of greater scope and variety. [Sidenote: =His Harmony=] It must be borne in mind, too, that Wagner’s simultaneous use of many themes brought into prominence the possibility of the use of many uncommon harmonies. We will not say he invented these, because it is difficult, if not impossible, to find any that have not occurred in the writings of that marvellous contrapuntist, J. S. Bach; but whereas in the older master their use is fortuitous and rare, they become in Wagner of frequent and designed occurrence—hence the ear accepts them eventually, although sometimes at first repelled. These many new harmonies are part of the legacy bequeathed to a younger generation by the Bayreuth maestro.