The Faber Pocket Guide To Wagner

by Michael Tanner

Richard Wagner remains, almost 130 years after his death, the most controversial composer in the history of music. Creator of huge and hugely ambitious operas, which have an immense immediate impact, as well as providing food for endless thought and discussion, Wagner has had an influence on many fields outside music. In this lively pocket guide, Michael Tanner gives concise accounts of all his operas - the likes of Parsifal, Lohengrin and Tristan und Isolde - showing how important it is to grasp the dramatic situations at every point, and indicating some of the key musical features. He also provides an outline of Wagner's astonishing life, and shows that he has often been unfairly criticised and made a scapegoat, especially for political events which took place long after his death.

Key features include:

- Wagner: his life year by year
- Wagner: his music work by work
- Things people said about Wagner
- Essential Wagner: ten great moments
- Wagner on CD and DVD
- Wagner bibliography

This indispensable Faber Pocket Guide provides a wealth of insights into Wagner and is essential reading for anyone with an interest in both and the man and his music.

'[P]robably the best introduction ever written to this most complex of composers.' Simon Heffer, Telegraph

Genres: Music

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2010

Reviews

[Nicholas Story, solicitor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a decent guide, although as the writer remarks, it is hard to get a grip of plot summaries in writing. I found the assessments of the music itself very illuminating.

There is also a whole chapter devoted to Wagner's anti-Semitism, and Hitler's later admiration of him. The writer is in doubt that there is nothing anti-Semitic about the Operas themselves. I suppose that it is a matter of personal opinion as to whether one can enjoy the music without some consideration for this context. An interesting topic of conversation, no doubt.

[Jen Well-Steered · Rating 3 out of 5]

But should you read it? It's the Wagner 200 year, and so you can expect to see a lot of advertisements for his operas, especially since, racism or no, it's the one way opera houses can guarantee they will sell out for at least a few nights. If those adverts do arouse your curiosity, by all means buy this book so you'll have some idea of what you're watching and the fevered, brilliant, temperamental (he hated France nearly as much as he hated Jews, for not liking his operas) mind it sprang from.

Omnibrowbooks

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike Bryan Magee's book, which is also worth reading, this is graced by occasional touches of humour.

[Liz Wager · Rating 4 out of 5]

witty and informative (you can't get much better than that)