Great Dates 1 - 1874 Wagner - Part 5

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGODSPL6LfY

Four part music history series originally broadcast by Channel 4 in the UK, Autumn 2002.

Composer Howard Goodall links great pieces of music to the era in which they were written in a bid to prove that time, place, culture and politics had more of a part to play in the end product than the genius of the producer. He begins with a historical look at 1874, the year which saw the completion of Wagner's influential Ring cycle.

As always, should these become commercially available i will remove them immediatly. If you enjoy this series please purchase the DVD to support the production of any future work.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• howard
• goodall
• great
• dates
• wagner
• 1874
• ring
• cycle
• history

[RadioEiskirch]

Poor research. Goodall forgot to explain why Wagner did not prevent "The Ride of the Valkyries" being used as a soundtrack for Francis Coppola's Vietnam apologia "Apocalypse Now": It was his deeply ingrained and essentially germanic race hatred against not only the people of Vietnam, but against all mankind in general. And that was the result of reading Schopenhauer, the brainchild of Adolf Hitler who actually drove the Bavarian king Ludwig II. into madness only to make him support Wagner.

[HeiligenSpeer]

Revolting, bigoted, racist and megalomaniac... this docu is not about Wagner, but about how much Howard hates him. he didn't distinguish between wagner's literal quotes and his own interpretation. He simply puts his own words in Wagner's mouth. what would he say if future nazi-like people used Howard's music for their own agenda?... typical anglo-american take on Wagner.

[Edo9River]

With this last part I have watched my first round from How Music Works through Great Dates.as I intend to teach a small group of Japanese an overview of American Music history. This is a rewarding and enriching experience for me. Probably in 2013 in my course I hope to cross the Atlantic and delve into some of the Great Dates material.

Regarding Wagner and lesser degrees of anti-semitism, it exists in me, and I believe in all of us.

[manifestgtr]

there's a world of difference between being antisemitic and doing what the nazis did

as far as speculation that wagner would've supported the nazi regime goes, I'm not sure I can buy into that...there are plenty of people around, even now, that "hate" the jews but would be horrified if the reality of another genocide reared it's head

furthermore, the stranglehold of naziism had a lot of key historical elements that just don't exist anymore and didn't yet exist in wagners time

[clearlogicify]

@skrattkantarellen Why don't you come up with your own "thoughts" and ideas, and stop lifting them directly from the video you've just watched.

Also, you'd have thought the German public at large would have tried to prevent persecution or eradication of the Jews and disabled. Sadly, that didn't happen. But then, that is the very nature of a fascist government, wouldn't stand for dissent.

[skrattkantarellen]

Despite his anti-semitism I do not think Wagner would have been supportive of the Nazi regime as he thought he was an anti-industrialist. The systematic eradication of humans in factories of death would undoubtedly have disturbed him. Wagner, like many great artists had a tremendous ego, and it did blind him, but there is no way one can dismiss his music because of his thoughts and politics. But then again I like 'misogynistic rap music' as well....

[OldSchopenhauer]

Howard Goodall is revolting.

[TheWanted7913]

Alle burde se og høre Wagner får at forstå den politik vi har i verden i dag.

lille Danmark har ikke politik mere den er i Bruxelles

[Hverglemer]

People are too quick to judge. Who gives a damn about his political views, when his art is absolutely outstanding? Most people are far too narrow minded to see beyond that.

[marthakundry]

@jhassett2 siegfried death, gotterdammerung, third act.