Posted on 05/22/2013 10:41:35 AM PDT by Borges
Today, May 22, is the 200th birthday of famed composer Richard Wagner — so his native Germany is awash in concerts, lectures and recordings to celebrate the Jubiläumsjahr (Jubilee Year). But predictably, the additional attention has stirred up an intensified version of the never-stale debate over Wagner’s authentic legacy: aesthetic prince to be honoured, or moral leper to be shunned?
Germany was once considered the pinnacle of aesthetic and philosophical sophistication, and at that pinnacle sat Richard Wagner. But after the war, Wagner (who is universally acknowledged to have been a racist and anti-Semite) retained more fame as Hitler’s muse than as a creative genius. In spite of Wagner’s acknowledged musical brilliance, post-Holocaust attendance at Wagnerian concerts came to assume the dimensions of an ethical litmus test for people of conscience.
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Ridiculous perspective.
Oh sorry that was the classical ping!
From the title I thought the author was talking about Porter Wagner, in which case I would have agreed 100%.
Indeed. That article was a "look at me; I'm an idiot!" moment.
Ah, the German version Orson Scott Card (the sci-fi novelist, hailed for the Ender’s Game series of stories, but derided because of his stance on gay marriage).
I agree with you.
On the other hand, I will NOT put money into the pocket of Sean Penn by attending his movies. Penn has worked tirelessly to destroy my country, and finances his treason by acting in movies. And he is doing it NOW.
I have never seen most of them.
While Wagner may have been an antisemite, his music was terrific.
While on a trip to Israel, I was shocked to see Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Pfaff Sewing machines, and even Krupps Appliances. Those companies have a lot more to do with Hitler than Wagner’s music.
Evidently, Israel goes for the best product rather than the politics of 75 years ago associated with it.
I guess this twirp would ban all German cars, return all the technical documents for rockets, atomic research.
This would be the same type of moron who would have a conniption fit if someone wanted to ban a book.
Applying modern standards to 19th Century Europe, 99% percent of people were racists and a slightly smaller percentage were anti-Semites.
The work is what it is, and should be judged as if one knows nothing of its creator.
Isaac Newton was a truly great man, but a real a-hole. The same could be said of many other great contributors to western Civ.
The irony being, of course, that Wagner was a first generation Communist who had been exiled from Dresden following the failed revolution of May 1849.
Wagner gave up his youthful radicalism later in life. Exchanging it for a sort of pagan hero worship culture. With himself being the primary hero.
I prefer Wagner Without Words. I think the voices take away from the beauty of the horns.
CC
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