In Search of WagnerRichard Wagner's works are among the most controversial in the history of European music--because of their powerful aesthetic qualities and, in wider political terms, because of their eventual assimilation into the official culture of the Third Reich. This concise synoptic account by the most brilliant exponent of Frankfurt School Marxism subtly interweaves these artistic and ideological qualities. It provides deft musicological analyses of Wagner's scores and of his compositional techniques, orchestration and staging methods, quoting copiously from the music dramas themselves. At the same time it offers incisive reflections on Wagner's social character and the ideological impulses of his artistic activity [Publisher description]. |
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achieve aesthetic Alberich allegorical ambiguous anti-Semitism appears archaic artistic Bayreuth Beckmesser becomes bour bourgeois Brünhilde character chord chromaticism clarinet colour composer composition concept conscious contradiction contrast Das Liebesverbot death dissonances division of labour dominant dream effect element emancipation existence expression fact flute function geois German Gesamtkunstwerk gesture Glasenapp Gods Grail Hagen harmonic hence hero horn human Ibid idea ideal ideology individual instruments Kundry leitmotiv logic Lohengrin magic Mastersingers means ment metaphysical Mime motif motiv music drama myth mythical nature negation Newman Nietzsche nothingness oboe opera orchestration Parsifal passage Paul Bekker phantasmagoria principle production reality realm redemption regression Rhinegold Richard Strauss Richard Wagner Ring Romantic Romanticism scene Schoenberg Schopenhauer Schopenhauer's sense Siegfried Siegfried's social society song sound style Tannhäuser timbre tion totality Translator's note Tristan Twilight unending melody unity Valkyrie Venusberg Wagner Wagner's music Wagnerian whole words Wotan