Decoding Wagner : an invitation to his world of music drama / Thomas May.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

May, Thomas (Thomas Robert)

Series:

Unlocking the masters series ; no. 1.

Unlocking the masters series ; no. 1

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Operas.

Wagner, Richard.

Operas--Analysis, appreciation.

Operas.

Operas--Excerpts.

Genre:

Excerpts.

Physical Description:

xii, 220 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm + 2 audio discs (digital ; 4 3/4 in.)

Place of Publication:

Pompton Plains, NJ : Amadeus Press ; Milwaukee, Wis. : North America sales, Hal Leonard Corp., 2004.

Summary:

In this authoritative guide to Wagner and his works, Thomas May explores the world of this deeply mis-understood figure and cultural icon whose influence extends to all the arts. Challenging commonly held assumptions, May serves as a guide to the great emotional power in Wagner's art and presents a straightforward overview of what Wagner attempted to achieve with his "artwork of the future." Lively discussions of his major works place them in the context of his life and consider the interplay of dramatic and musical elements with Wagner's unique philosophical ideas.

Two accompanying CDs trace Wagner's growth as a composer, revealing the expressive richness that continues to make his art compelling and relevant for contemporary audiences.

Contents:

Introduction : what's all the fuss?

Setting the stage : Wagner's emergence as an artist

Navigating a way into Wagner : Der Fliegende Holländer

What kind of love to sing? Tannhäuser

Making contact : the tragedy of Lohengrin

The world's breath : Tristan und Isolde

A touch of madness : the creative spirit and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Total artistic clarity : an overview of the Ring Cycle

Shimmering enigmas : Das Rheingold

The heart of the matter : Die Walküre

Coming of age : Siegfried

In the end is the beginning : Götterdämmerung

Made wise through compassion : Wagner's swan song Parsifal.

Contents of compact discs: CD 1: Der fliegende Höllander. Overture

Tannhäuser. Elisabeth's greeting : Dich, teure Halle (Sabine Passow, soprano ; Stuttgart Philharmonic)

Lohengrin. Prelude ; Lohengrin's Grail narration : In fernem Land (Ben Heppner, tenor)

Tristan und Isolde. Prelude ; Liebestod : Mild und leise (Leontyne Price, soprano ; Philharmonia Orchestra ; Henry Lewis, conductor)

Die Meistersinger. Sach's act 3 monologue : Wahn, Wahn (Otto Wiener, bass ; Bavarian State Orchestra ; Joseph Keilberth, conductor) ; Walther's prize song : Morgenlich leuchtend (Robert Dean Smith, tenor ; Slovak Radio Symphony)

Parsifal. Prelude (NBC Symphony Orchestra ; Arturo Toscanini, conductor) ; Good Friday spell : Charfreitagszauber (Albert Dohmen, bass-baritone ; Orchestra del Teatro Massimo Palermo ; Stefan Anton Rock, conductor)

CD 2 : Excerpts from the Ring: Das Rheingold. Prelude ; Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla (Eberhard Büchner, Peter Schreier, tenors ; Theo Adam, bass-baritone)

Die Walküre. First meeting, Siegmund and Sieglinde (Siegfried Jerusalem, tenor ; Jessye Norman, soprano) ; Ride of the Valkyries ; Wotan's farewell and Magic fire music (Theo Adam, bass-baritone)

Siegfried. Siegfried's forging song (René Kollo, Peter Schreier, tenors) ; Forest murmers (René Kollo, tenor) ; Siegfried and Brünnhilde, Love duet (Jeannine Altmeyer, soprano ; René Kollo, tenor)

Götterdämmerung. Hagen's watch (Siegmund Nimsgern, bass-baritone ; Matti Salminen, bass) ; Siegfried's death [from "...ein' wonniges Weib" to "Brünnhilde bietet mir

Gruss"; does not include the funeral music] (René Kollo, tenor ; Matti Salminen, bass) ; Brünnhilde's immolation (Jennine [i.e. Jeannine] Altmeyer, soprano).

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [215]-217).

On the compact discs: various performers, including Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria, Adrian Leaper, conductor (1st, 5th tracks), Bavarian Radio Symphony, Sir Colin Davis, conductor (3rd-4th tracks), Ivan Anguelov, conductor (2nd, 8th tracks), Staatskapelle Dresden, Marek Janowski, conductor (11th-21st tracks)

Contains:

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Fliegende Holländer. Ouvertüre

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Tannhäuser. Dich, teure Halle

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Lohengrin. Vorspiel

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Lohengrin. In fernem Land

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Tristan und Isolde. 1. Aufzug. Einleitung

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Tristan und Isolde. Liebestod

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn!

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Morgenlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Parsifal. Vorspiel

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Parsifal. Charfreitagszauber

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Ring des Nibelungen. Rheingold. Vorspiel

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Ring des Nibelungen. Rheingold. Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Ring des Nibelungen. Walküre. Selections

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Ring des Nibelungen. Siegfried. Selections

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. Ring des Nibelungen. Götterdämmerung. Selections

ISBN:

1574670972

OCLC:

56194728