Wagner

342 Pages·1978·13.542 MB·English

by  John Chancellor

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Richard Wagner, more than any
other figure, reflected the many con¬
tradictory intellectual, spiritual, and
artistic movements of the nineteenth
century. His musical dramas revo¬
lutionized opera. He also commented
compulsively on art, drama, politics,
and philosophy in his voluminous writ¬
ings and correspondence.
Why is Wagner one of the most con¬
troversial composers who ever lived?
In his lifetime, his achievements and
pronouncements provoked bitter de¬
bate, and almost a century after his
death in 1883 the man, his music, and
his ideals can still arouse the fiercest
passions: he is loved and hated with
burning intensity. His works are regu¬
larly performed in all important opera
houses and to many people they have
revealed thrilling new psychological
and spiritual truths that have perma¬
nently enriched their lives. On others
they have had a disturbing and repel¬
lent effect.
agttcr
Lithographic portrait of Wagner, circa 1900, by Pierre Auguste
Renoir. The artist first painted Wagner following their brief meet¬
ing in 1882, a year before the composer’s death. Courtesy, the
Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University.
SSngnet*
John Chancellor
&
LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY • BOSTON • TORONTO
To my parents
COPYRIGHT © 1978 BY JOHN CHANCELLOR.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED
IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL MEANS IN¬
CLUDING INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS WITHOUT
PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE PUBLISHER, EXCEPT BY A REVIEWER
WHO MAY QUOTE BRIEF PASSAGES IN A REVIEW.
T 10/78
FIRST AMERICAN EDITION
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Chancellor, John.
Wagner.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. 2. Composers—
Germany—Biography.
ML410.W1C43 782.i'o973 78-16490
ISBN 0-316-13622-0
nJ-U-zo-Js
ill S'
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
Preface ix
I Early Childhood 1813-22 1
2 The Young Musician 1822-32
13
3 First Marriage and Early Operas 1832-9 35
4 Poverty in Paris 1839-42 55
5 Hof kapellmeister and Revolutionary 1843-9 77
6 In Exile 1849-94 105
7 Music and Metaphysics 1833-9 127
8 The Wandering Years 1839-64 H9
A Royal Patron 1864-3 193
9
IO Tribschen and Cosima 1866-jo 215
ii Bayreuth i8yi-8 231
12 The Final Years 1838-83 263
Epilogue 279
13
Important Dates in Wagner’s Life 287
Bibliography 299
Index
3°3

Illustrations
Frontispiece
Wagner, a lithographic portrait by Renoir.
The following illustrations appear after page 125.
Wagner, aged thirty-six.
Ludwig Geyer.
Johanna Wagner.
Minna Wagner.
Franz Liszt.
Mathilde Wesendonk.
Cosima von Biilow.
Cosima and her father, Franz Liszt.
The following illustrations appear after page 261.
Wagner in 1862.
Richard and Cosima Wagner.
King Ludwig II.
Wagner and his collaborators, 1865.
Wotan.
Tristan and Isolde.
The Rhine Maidens.
Wilhelmine Schroder-Devrient.
Wagner at home.
The Villa Wahnfried.
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