Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, writer, and theatre director who is primarily known for his operas. Unlike most opera composers, Wagner wrote both the music and the text for his works. His compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration. Wagner revolutionized opera through his concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk ("total work of art"), by which he sought to synthesize the poetic, visual, musical and
Richard Wagner was born on May 22nd 1813 in Leipzig, Germany to Friedrich and Johanna Wagner. His father later died that same year in October from typhoid fever and Ludwig Geyer, who was a close friend to the family, became Wagner’s adoptive father after marrying Wagner’s mother on August 28th 1814. ½ Wagner began his formal studies in Dresden in December of 1822, but he was much less interested in school studies than he was in aspects of music and theatre. Eventually he enrolled in Leipzig University
Richard Wagner TIME LINE: Wagner’s Life 1813: Wilhelm Richard Wagner is born on May 22. Wagner’s father dies on November 23. ;1814: Wagner’s mother remarries § 1815: Wagner’s mother has a daughter Cacilie § 1821: Wagner’s step-father dies § 1829: Wagner composes his first music: two piano sonatas and a string quartet § 1830: Writes a piano arrangement for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony § 1832: Begins work on first opera, Die Hochzeit § 1833: Begins
Richard Wagner and Opera One of the key figures in the history of opera, Wagner was largely responsible for altering its orientation in the nineteenth century. His program of artistic reform accelerated the trend towards organically conceived, through-composed structures, as well as influencing the development of the orchestra, of a new breed of singer, and of various aspects of theatrical practice. As the most influential composer during the second half of the nineteenth century, Richard Wagner's
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was one of the greatest opera writers of all time. He helped to take opera to a whole new level from even Verdi and Puccini. Some say that Wagner was very egotistic, however; “his extreme egotism rested on conviction, Wagner had the ability to do great things” (Colles 207). He was extraordinary at composing music as well as formulating words. He was not a prodigy however his musical skills surpassed many other composers from his time period. Richard Wagner was the son
sisters becoming opera singers and his own life never lacked operatic drama. However his first all-consuming passion was not music but literature. Wagner was only 11 when he wrote a drama, influenced by Shakespeare and Greek drama, in which 42 characters died in the first four acts, and a lucky few reappeared as ghosts in the fifth act. Four years later Wagner decided to become a compo... ... middle of paper ... ...agre salary, (1500 talers per annum) was not enough to cover essential outgoings, but
Introduction One of the greatest figures of 19th century European art, Wilhelm Richard Wagner, is most commonly recognized in the world by his outstanding operas. However, the legacy he left for the future generations goes far beyond his music. Wagner’s personal philosophy, controversial ideas, progressive vision, and most of all, his enigmatic personality still evokes interest among both his admirers and critiques. Addressing the composer’s musical heritage, it is probably the legendary opera Parsifal
Nationalist Composer’s Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig Germany on May 22nd, 1813. When he was a young boy Wagner’s father passed away a few months after he was born, but his mother Johanna remarried a close family friend, Ludwig Geyer. He was an actor, playwright, and painter, Geyer was also looked at as important father figure in Wagner’s life. Geyer realized Wagner expressed no musical attribute even his teachers said, “he would torture the piano” but as time went on Wagner showed great determination
Richard Wagner has been touted as one of the most influential composers of the nineteenth century. However, he is also one of the most controversial. Throughout his life and even in his music, Wagner exhibited clear anti-Semitic tendencies. His beliefs, and the way that they became manifested in his music, writing, and his very life have had a profound impact on the course of history, and particularly on the persecution of the Jews by the Nazi party. Wagner was born in 1813, the same year that
the music of Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883), principally his "Der Ring des Nibelungen", or, The Ring of the Nibelung. The Nibelungenlied is a medieval German epic poem, written in Middle High German in the early thirteenth century. Its authorship is unknown. The poem is a mixture of Norse and Teutonic Mythology concerning the early history of the kingdom of Burgundy. There are several versions of basically the same story, details are shaded but the end results are the same. Wagner used material
Introduction In this essay I am going to be looking at Richard Wagner’s most Influential Opera’s “ Der Ring Des Nibelungen” also known as ‘The ring Cycle.' This cycle is made up of four operas.It begins with the beginning of the world and ends with the fall of the world. This piece begins as a mythic story and ends with modern humanity. This work in total is sixteen hours in length.I will be looking at the story behind the first opera or introduction entitled ‘Das Rheingold,' as well as his use of
to study theology(to please his mother). At this time Nietzsche no longer believed in Christianity, because “with maturity he lost his heavenly father”(Bentley, p.86). In 1868 Nietzsche was a student in Leipzig. This is when he met Cosima and Richard Wagner. The... ... middle of paper ... ...world domination is only possible by ignoring the greater part of what he wrote.”(Brett-Evans, p.81) Matter-of-factly, Nietzsche sternly despised anti-Semites. At certain times, there was not a harsher critic
longer feel worthy of calling a colleague but now rather address him as a fraud. The man that I speak of is Richard Wagner. Now I tried to attend this opera with little bias as possible, as I once was a dear friend of Wagner, but I must say after 5 hours at the opera I had a distaste in my mouth. This opera was more off-putting than I thought it would be, and I already had my reservations about Wagner. Not only was the opera long, at moments it was rather unentertaining; the plot of the story had some
must have been infuriating for him. The wrath is not focused solely on Wagner however, but as well at the masses that gathered to worship at his alter; Wagner himself was a slave to Wagnerianism and European decadence. Nietzsche recalls a story of Goethe reflecting on what dangers romanticism the most, to which he though ““suffocating of the rumination of moral and religious absurdities.” In brief: Parsifal.” (EH, “The Case of Wagner, 3). The performance so intertwined with the symbolism of a moral-religious
Nietzsche and Wagner In terms of artists and their influences, the case of Nietzsche and Wagner has been the focal point of discussion between many great academic minds of the last century. The controversy surrounding the relationship has led many to postulate that the eventual break between the two men may have contributed to the untimely death of Wagner in 1882, and Nietzsche's eight-year writing spurt from 1883 - 1888. While investigating the details of this peculiar relationship, I was
so much more powerful and penetrating than that of the other arts. It expresses the essence behind appearance. Thus, the creator of instrumental music reveals the inner truth of the world," According to Green berg (2009), this philosophy influenced Wagner to shape his concepts of both leitmotif and
Achille-Claude Debussy was one of the most renowned French composers who stimulated the music of the twentieth-century. Debussy’s life experiences have given an emotional and relatable truth in his work. Works such as Clair de Lune, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, and La Mer are great achievements of Debussy that are the most familiar today. Debussy is worth reviewing because he uniquely structured his compositions that served as a base for musicians in the past, and will easily continue to motivate
active and socially valuable career, such as medicine. Nietzsche never was satisfied with his own value. In 1869, composer Richard Wagner invited Nietzsche to spend a winter holiday with him in Tribschen. Wagner was living with another man’s wife and was not known for his conformity. Somehow, Wagner appealed to Nietzsche’s sense of adventure. Nietzsche was so taken by Wagner that he decided his first book would be a tribute to Wagner’s music. Unfortunately, the writing this work was delayed by war
In 1860, liberalism cultivated Vienna with its emerging Ringstrasse. A new generation of modern artists and musicians arose, promoting new views and ideas. This rise of liberalism was not only confined to Vienna, but also became a cultural movement that spread across the world. Well-known architects were commissioned to build up the rounded boulevard with a wide diversity of architecture. The architectural style of the Ringstrasse is historicism, meaning that the buildings mirror the varied architectural
The Total Work of Art or the Total Way of Life Gesamtkunstwerk is a term that literally means the total work of art. However, it contains too many conceptions in itself. First appearance of this term is in Richard Wagner’s Die Kunst und die Revolution [“The Art and Revolution”], dated 1849. Roughly, Gesamtkunstwerk is a notion that “heaping together the various arts – architecture, landscape painting, dance, drama and music” (Daverio, 1986). However, this Wagnerian concept brought a discussion around