MUHI 2323 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Richard Wagner, Gesamtkunstwerk, Johannes Brahms
5 Feb 2017
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Richard wagner: born leipzig 1813, died venice 1883. Wagner, early years 1813-1842: family involved in the theater. Wrote all his own librettos: no formal musical training. Worshipped beethoven, studied his scores: first two operas were disasters, first success: rienzi (1842) Production is in the french grand opera style. Wagner in dresden (1842-49: 1843: der fliegende holl nder (the flying dutchman) Theme of redemption by a woman(cid:495)s love: 1846: tannh user. Theme of medieval knightly musician being torn between two impulses, sensual and spiritual: lohengrin (premiered in weimar in 1850, conducted by liszt, revolutions of 1848-49. Became a socialist, revolutionary in that he wanted a complete transformation of society. He argued that opera could function to reconstruct society, liberate it from capitalism and serve the communal needs of the people (das folk) Based on the role of drama in ancient greece, this new kind of opera would be (cid:498)the. Artwork of the future(cid:499) (more drama, less music)
