The Wagner Compendium: A Guide to Wagner's Life and Music

Wagnerisperhapsasrenownedforcontroversyheinspiresasforhismusic.TheWagnerCompendiumpresentsacomprehensivesurveyoftheman,hisocuvreandhistimes.ThemusicalandintellectualbackgroundandinfluenceswhichhelpedshapetheWagneriancanonareconsideredalongwiththehistoricalcontextofGermanunificationandthecreationofBismarck'sReich.Wagner'scharacter,opinions,andhisbehaviourtowardswomenandJews-theprincipalsourcesofthenotorietywhichhasdoggedhim-arefullyexamined,andthereisaspecialchapteron'MythsandLegends'wittilycorrectingtheextraordinarymisconceptionswithwhichWagnerhasbecomeassociated.Theoperas,orchestralandchoralmusicareanalysedtogetherwiththelesser-knownworksforsolovoice,thepianomusic,andtheprojectedoperas-intriguinglyleftuncompleted.Wagner'smusicalandliterarystylearetreatedindepth,asarethesourcesthatthrowlightonboththemanandhiswork.ChaptersonorchestrationandWagnerinperformancearecomplementedbyaccountsofthereceptionandinfluenceofhismusic.Adetailedbibliographyaccompaniesthemostcompletelisteverpublishedofhiswritings,speeches,openlettersandreviews,aswellasaglossaryexplainingthemeaningsandsignificanceofWagnerianterms,acalendarofhislifeandaWho'sWhoofhiscontemporaries.