Product Description

Wagner is almost as famous for the controversy he inspires as for his music. His work and his attitudes have elicited both devotion and revulsion; his polemical writings and struggle to create the complete work of art—the Gesamtkunstwerk—have generated impassioned argument. His influence on music and on other disciplines has been incalculable. The Wagner Compendium presents a comprehensive survey of the man, his oeuvre, and his times. The musical and intellectual background and influences that helped shape the Wagnerian canon are considered along with the historical context of German unification and the creation of Bismarck's Reich. Wagner's character and opinions are examined, and there is a special chapter on "Myths and Legends" wittily correcting the extraordinary misconceptions with which Wagner has become associated. The operas, orchestral, and choral music are analyzed together with the lesser-known works. Chapters on orchestration and Wagner in performance are complemented by accounts of the reception and influence of his music. A detailed bibliography accompanies the most complete list ever published of his writings, speeches, open letters, and reviews, as well as a glossary explaining the meanings and significance of Wagnerian terms, a calendar of his life, and a Who's Who of his contemporaries. As an authoritative compilation of data and a corrective to common misunderstandings, The Wagner Compendium provides any music-lover with an inexhaustible fund of reference.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1535937 in Books
• Published on: 1992-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

From Library Journal
This compendium is a very useful source for information on all aspects of Wagner and his music. It offers a calendar of his life; biographical sketches of his contemporaries; historical and intellectual background; and evaluation of his influences, opinions, prose works, and legacy. Eighteen Wagner authorities contribute to this broadly based and encyclopedic study of one of the most influential and controversial artists of the 19th century. The individual studies are clear, concise, and packed full with the most up-to-date information. This admirable undertaking is an indispensable reference tool for serious music collections.
- Timothy J. McGee, Univ. of Toronto
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"'Infinitely absorbing...indispensable' - Opera Now 'Invaluable' - Gramophone 'At the forefront of Wagner scholarship' - Guardian"

About the Author
Barry Millington is the author of the highly acclaimed Master Musicians: Wagner and co-author of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: A Companion.

Customer Reviews

Excellent essays on all aspects of this complex man
This is the most up-to-date and useful "general" volume on Wagner I have read. Rather than focusing on a single aspect of Wagner, this gives excellent, short and readable essays (by a variety of modern authors) on the historical and philosophical background; Wagners' views on his contemporaries, women, and the Jews (a particularly insightful essay on this difficult issue); Wagner's own writings; and fine short analysis of all of the music, not just the operas. This book is a mini-encyclopedia (though more comprehensive and readable than the new Grove entry). Well worth finding for anyone who has more than a passing interest in Wagner.