Posted by eric oliver on July 03, 2002 at 23:08:47:
In Reply to: why play wagner? posted by gc on July 03, 2002 at 22:38:19:
Let me pose a counterquestion to you...
Satie was what we would call today psycotic. He was manic-depressive and obsessive compulive. (for documentation see the Satie archive). SO, should we dismiss all of his music as "innane babble." Van Gogh cut off his ear...by many standards this would make him self destructive...should we dismiss all of his works? What Wagner personally felt, in the first degree was a commmonly held view in his time. Secondly, what outside feelings that others may harbour about his works (i.e. those held by facist and neo-nazi groups) cannot be considered becasue it is out of the issue. Wagner's music is a large part of the Romantic era's repirtoire. His music often defines the era.
Your personal feelings about Wagner do not negate his importance to Western music history. Many of his works, and parts of his works have become standards in the orchestral, operatic, and wind repirtoires, and for good reason. My advice to you is...if you don't like the excerpts, don't practice them, and see where you get. If you don't like his music, don't listen.
Right now in the U.S., a controversy is brewing becasue one or two people are offended at having to listen to two words in the Pledge of Allegiance, "under God." I liken your gripe with this situation. You come to the table with some emotional baggage about the issue and you feel that your own opinions are so important that everyone should bow to them, but you're wrong. Just becasue in your tiny expereince Wagner is dis-pleasing, does not mean that there is no value there or what have you.
Either way, in two hundred years, musicians will remember Richard Wagner, NOT YOU!!
Eric, "a little ticked at the lack of musicological knowledge here, I mean, come on!" Oliver