| Contents |
Calendar of Wagner's life, works and related events / Barry Millington -- Who's who of Wagner's contemporaries / Barry Millington -- Historical background. The holy Roman empire from 1618-1789 ; The French revolution and the wars of liberation: 1789-1815 ; Reaction and revolution: 1815-1849 ; German unification 'from above': 1850-1871 ; The Reich in Europe: 1871-1883 / Konrad Bund -- Intellectual background. Philosophy / Roger Hollinrake ; Literature / Raymond Furness ; Religion / Roger Hollingrake -- Musical background and influences. Formation of the earlier style ; The music drama and its antecedents ; Patronage, commissions and royalties in Wagner's day / Thomas S. Grey -- Wagner as an individual. Paternity ; Family ; Appearance and character / Barry Millington ; Wagner as a conductor / David Breckbill ; Wagner's working routine / Thomas S. Grey ; The portraits / [various photographers and artists] ; Wagner as polemicist / William Weber ; Finances and attitude to money ; Wagner and women ; Relationship with King Ludwig II / Barry Millington ; Dealings with publishers ; Dealings with critics / Ronald Taylor ; Wagner as scapegoat / Barry Millington -- Myths and legends / Barry Millington -- Opinions and outlook. Social and political attitudes ; Philosophical outlook ; Religious beliefs / Roger Hollinrake ; Literary tastes / Stewart Spencer ; The Beethoven legacy / Thomas S. Grey ; Opera and social reform / William Weber ; Wagner and the Greeks / Hugh Lloyd-Jones ; Wagner and the Jews / Barry Millington ; Wagner's middle ages / Stewart Spencer ; Bayreuth and the idea of a festival theatre / Stewart Spencer ; Contemporary composers / Thomas S. Grey ; Wagner, animals and modern scientific medicine ; Wagner's critique of science and technology / Joachim Thiery and Ulrich Tröhler -- Sources. Autobiographical writings ; Diaries ; Letters ; Collected writings / Stewart Spencer ; Autograph manuscripts / Warren Darcy ; Wagner's hand [facsimiles] / [Wagner] ; Printed editions / Warren Darcy -- A Wagnerian glossary / Thomas S. Grey -- Musical style. Compositional process / Warren Darcy ; Musical language / Arnold Whittall -- Wagner as librettist / Stewart Spencer -- The music. Operas ; Orchestral music ; Choral music ; Chamber music ; Works for solo voice and orchestra ; Works for solo voice and piano ; Piano music ; Projected or unfinished dramatic works ; Editions and arrangements / Barry Millington -- The prose works: a list of Wagner's writings, speeches, open letters and reviews / Barry Millington -- Orchestration / Jonathan Burton -- Performance practice. The orchestra ; Conducting ; Singing ; Wagner and the early music movement / David Breckbill -- Wagner in performance. Singing ; Conducting / David Breckbill ; Staging / Barry Millington -- Reception. Contemporary assessments ; Posthumous reputation and influence ; The Bayreuth legacy / David C. Large ; The birth of modernism: Wagner's impact on the history of music / Arnold Whittall ; Wagner's impact on literature / Raymond Furness ; Wagner's impact on the visual arts / Michael Hall. Wagner literature: Biographies / Stewart Spencer ; Analysis and criticism / Christopher Wintle ; Miscellaneous / Stewart Spencer. |
| Abstract |
The grandiose operas of Richard Wagner--Tannhauser, the Ring Cycle and Tristan und Isolde--still affect audiences with their deeply symbolic dramatic expressions of love, fate and religious fervor. Yet, because of the association of his music with National Socialism and his own anti-Semitism, Wagner himself remains deeply controversial. Edited by one of the leading Wagner scholars of modern times, and with contributions from seventeen experts from around the world, this book is the key to a complete understanding of the composer--the most comprehensive, informative and well-organized guide to his life and times. |
| General note | First published in Great Britain by Thames and Hudson, Ltd. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 412-418) and index. |
| LCCN | 92032214 |
| ISBN | 0028713591 |
