Section A25: Gods and Dwarves, Rings and Soundtracks, Hitler and Racism: Examining the Art and Legacy of Richard Wagner
There has probably never been a more polarizing, controversial figure in the history of music than the German composer Richard Wagner (1813-83).
His monumental operas (most famous among them The Ring of the Nibelung, a fifteen-hour saga of ancient Norse gods and mythic worlds) brought music, drama and theatrical stagecraft to new heights of spectacle. His vision of an "artwork of the future"--which would express deep subterranean currents of collective human consciousness in theaters that were more like churches--inspired not only musicians but also writers and philosophers. His contributions to the evolution of harmony and orchestration brought musical language itself to a new level of ecstasy and crisis that still reverberates today. Modern movie music by composers such as John Williams and Howard Shore owes much of its sound and style to Wagner; but beyond that, the very use of music soundtracks as an aid in the creation of character, action and psychological mood in film owes its existence to Wagner's theories.
At the same time, Richard Wagner exemplifies humanity's darker qualities. He was often cruel, petty, vindictive and exploitative of his friends and colleagues. Worse, in some of his published writing he indulged in virulent anti-Semitic stereotypes, blaming Jews for problems in music and in society. These prejudices carried great weight because of his fame and the popularity of his operas. Indeed, Adolph Hitler was a fervent admirer of Wagner's operas, and of his political and social theories. In Wagner's operas--some of which encompass themes of Germanic renewal and victory over decaying civilizations--Hitler saw an archetype for his vision of a Thousand-Year Reich, a vision that was responsible for more death and destruction than had ever occurred in the history of humanity.
Can we admire or even love a work of art, yet be repulsed by the artist? On what basis do we judge artistic value: by how it makes us feel emotionally, or by what its effects are on society at large? Wagner's music and legacy invite these kinds of questions. We will study Wagner's operas, his prose writings, and many of the commentaries and opinions by others who have thought about these questions. We welcome students interested in music, but it is not necessary to have experience in music or opera to take this course. Any technical knowledge that you need will be covered in class.