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Originally Posted by realtall
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Originally Posted by MikeWaters
For the most part, I think we should look at art for its own sake, and not try to interpret it through the lens of the artists' life.
If Wagner was not the sort of person that one would want to be acquainted with, so what, to some extent.
Wagner, muscially, was a visionary. (I learned this in my Music 101 class).
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In addition to the thematic & the storyline elements to his operas Wagner is also noted for scoring for full symphony orchestra in his opratic works. The orchestra music is so strong that it can stand independent of the opera. Because of this, you can often hear of orchestras performing music from Wagner opera x in a standalone concert. Wagner is also noted for using unusual or newly invented instruments in the orchestra(anvil, serpent, ophicleide, English bass horn, Wagner tuba to name a few) to create a certain atmosphere or aura appropriate to the scene.
Wagner's music is, of course, famous but never more so then when Elmer Fudd starts up with his 'Kill da wabbit' song. |
Yes. It's often part of any symphony orchestra's regular repertoir. And, as you suggest in your last sentence, Wagner's music appears often in popular culture, sometimes as an influence. The shark motif in Jaws is a dummed down rip off of the dragon motif in the Ring opera Siegfried. We hear echoes of the Ride of the Valkyrie motif in many a cavalry charge accompaniment.
Often individual operas from the Ring cycle are independently performed. I will say, though, that though a novice I found the cycle to be riveting, and not a minute of it tedious. I highly recommend it. It's one of those events that stay with you forever.