Beethoven

by Richard Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (later called music dramas). Wagner’s musical style is often considered the epitome of classical music’s Romantic period, due to its unprecedented exploration of emotional expression. He transformed musical thought through his idea of Gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork), the synthesis of all the poetic, visual, musical and dramatic arts, epitomized by his monumental four-opera cycle The Ring of the Niebelung (1876). Wagner even went so far as to build his own opera-house to try to stage these works as he had imagined them. His literary friendship with Franz Liszt led to a long-lived correspondence later compiled in the two volumes of Corrrespondence of Wagner and Liszt (1889); a book that was attributed to both musicians. Among his other famous works are Tristan and Isolde, which broke important new musical ground, My Life (in two volumes) (1880), and The Flying Dutchman.

Genres: Music

76 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1870

About the author

Germanic legends often based romantic operas of especially known composer Richard Wagner, who worked Tannhäuser (1845) and the tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen (1853-1876).

From 1872, Richard Wagner lived at Bayreuth to 1883 and designed the opera house, used chiefly for performances of his works.

Works of Jacques Martin Barzun include Darwin, Marx, Wagner (1941).

Wilhelm Richard Wagner conducted, directed theater, and authored essays, primarily for his later called "music dramas." Unlike most other greats, Wagner wrote the scenario and libretto.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard...

Reviews

[Andrei Tamaş · Rating 1 out of 5]

O incercare esuata de a face o filosofie muzicala pe tema geniului lui Beethoven. Se proiecteaza un nationalism extrem -"spiritul german"- si o imagine mult disproportionata (pozitiv) a lui Beetoven. Wagner nu e scriitor!

[Víctor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un compositor genial (Wagner) escribiendo sobre otro compositor genial y fundamental (Beethoven). Este es el principal aliciente de este breve ensayo. La lectura se hace incómoda por momentos debido al estilo ampuloso y la intención abarcadora del texto, que analiza la obra de Beethoven desde un punto de vista filosófico y estético. Destacaría la poética descricipón del cuarteto nº 14, un pasaje espléndido.