TheLifeofRichardWagner

ErnestNewman'sfour-volumeLifeofWagner,originallypublishedbetween1933and1947,remainsaclassicworkofbiography.Theculminationoffortyyears'researchonthecomposerandhisworks(Newman'sfirstStudyofWagnerwasfirstpublishedin1899),thesebookspresentadetailedportraitofperhapsthemostinfluential,themostcontroversialandthemostfrequentlyreviledcomposerinthewholehistoryofwesternmusic.Newmanwasawarethatnobiographycaneverclaimtobecompleteorcompletelyaccurate:'Thebiographercanatnostagehopetohavereachedthefinaltruth.Allhecandoistomakesurethatwhateverstatementhemaymake,whateverconclusionhemaycometo,shallbebasedonthewholeoftheevidenceavailableatthetimeofwriting.'Inthisaimhetriumphantlysucceeds.Volume3coverstheyears1859to1866.