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Melding literary, philosophical, and political -- as well as musical -- influences in his works, Richard Wagner (1813-83) brought the expressive power of German romantic opera to new heights -- indeed, his music was its crowning glory. George Bernard Shaw, a critic not given to hyperbole, acknowledged Wagner's preeminent status in The Perfect Wagnerite: "He was the summit of the nineteenth-century school of dramatic music."
In Der Ring des Nibelungen, Wagner drew on a medieval German epic, the Nibelungenlied, and Norse mythology to create a new synthesis of music and drama on the largest scale. Of the four works in the Ring cycle, Gterd舂merung is perhaps the grandest and most sweeping of all. Although it is the final work in the series, the opera was actually first sketched out by Wagner in 1848, under the title Siegfrieds Tod. As it turned out, dramaturgic difficulties forced the composer to expand the tragedy of Siegfried into the four-part Ring. In 1851 he amplified Siegfrieds Tod with Der junge Siegfried (later Siegfried), and the following year wrote the texts of Die Walk?e and Das Rheingold. In effect, the text of the Ring cycle was written in reverse order.
Wagner began composing the musical drafts of Gterd舂merung in 1869. Five years later, the work was complete -- the capstone of an epic masterpiece that aroused near-religious fervor among its devotees. Shaw opined of the Ring as a whole: "The musical fabric is enormously elaborate and gorgeous," while Grove's Dictionary offers this comment on the special appeal of Gterd舂merung: "It is in the epic and reflective passages of Gterd舂merung, the narratives and orchestral epic of the Funeral March, that there unfurls that 'associative magic' praised so highly by Thomas Mann."
Gterd舂merung has never been available in the United States in full operatic score -- until now. Reprinted directly from the rare 1877 first edition, this is the score that Wagner himself approved with the instrumentation he intended. Except for the original title page, the German-language front matter has been omitted in this edition for reasons of space and replaced by an English translation.
New admirers of Wagner, opera enthusiasts, and all music lovers can savor the full heroic impact of this majestic musical achievement in Dover's characteristically inexpensive, superbly produced edition.
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Most authentic book compilation on the Oregon Trail I ever read. The way the diaries are brought to life from over 170 years ago is a remarkable achievement. Top book of year so far for me for today June 01, 2024 review Candice
This author is a breathe of fresh air in a world of lies and coverups. He brings ancient writings and new science to bring light to mankind. In this amazing work, the well known plato stories from antiquity are now put alongside this new discovery of tablets from beginning of time. This is the most complete explanation of Atlantis every brought to the public. Shame on the governments of Egypt and the world for hiding WHO BUILT THE PHYRAMIDS OF GIZA AND THE SPHINX. Once I read this book I knew why they hid this knowledge. They don't want a population to know how great the world used to be compared to know.
Randomly stumbled upon this book and I am shocked that I haven’t heard about it before. It’s hands down the best story I’ve read in years. People need to read this book. It needs to be turned into a book. This story is just plain awsome. M
This soulful book of personal poetry brought me into the past and into the present---and into my heart.
Read the first book and this 2nd one did not disappoint! Loved every chapter. More please!