The Life of Richard Wagner

Newman's Life of Wagner, published between 1933 and 1947, the culmination of forty years' research, is a classic biography.

Ernest Newman (Author)

9781108007702, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 March 2014

672 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.8 cm, 0.97 kg

Ernest Newman's four-volume Life of Wagner, originally published between 1933 and 1947, remains a classic work of biography. The culmination of forty years' research on the composer and his works (Newman's first Study of Wagner was first published in 1899), these books present a detailed portrait of perhaps the most influential, the most controversial and the most frequently reviled composer in the whole history of western music. Newman was aware that no biography can ever claim to be complete or completely accurate: 'The biographer can at no stage hope to have reached the final truth. All he can do is to make sure that whatever statement he may make, whatever conclusion he may come to, shall be based on the whole of the evidence available at the time of writing.' In this aim he triumphantly succeeds. Volume 2 covers the years 1848 to 1860.

Foreword
1. Wagner and politics in 1848
2. The literary works of 1848
3. Leading up to revolution
4. Wagner and the revolution I: the legal case against him
5. Wagner and the revolution II: his share in the revolt
6. Between Zürich and Paris
7. Jessie Laussot
8. Friends and public work in Zürich
9. Liszt, Wagner and 'Lohengrin'
10. Liszt and Weimar
11. The rising tide
12. Uhlig's visit: expansion of the Nibelungen plan
13. Weakening of the link with Weimar
14. Distractions and diet: the 'Cellini' episode
15. The 'hailstorm'
16. Growing estrangement from the world
17. Difficulties in the rounding of the 'Ring'
18. Marking time in Zürich
19. Liszt and Wagner meet again: the 'Ring' music begun
20. Wagner's finances in Zürich
21. The year 1854
22. The London inferno
23. Nearing the end in Zürich
24. Between Zürich and Paris
25. The Asyl catastrophe
26. Calm in Venice
27. From Venice to Lucerne
28. Preparing for the siege of Paris
Appendixes
Index.

Subject Areas: Classical music [c 1750 to c 1830 AVGC4]