Richard Wagner Nationalism

Nationalism constitutes a “belief which, in the course of the nineteenth century, became the governing idea without always being held by those in government…” (Miles). This was a majorly influential factor in the music of the romantic period, both conceptually and musically. Along with being a great factor in shaping romantic music as we know it today, it was also a powerful political tool, used to communicate ones political opinions and agendas. One such example of nationalistic composers was Richard Wagner. Through his music, Wagner portrayed the good and the bad of Europe, with the good being musical and the bad political. Richard Wagner greatly used his music to convey his nationalistic concept of German virtues and his perspective of

It is reflecting on the average German citizen, and portrayed Richard Wagner’s ideal German society, filled with nationalist and political ideologies. However, it is the very last monologue by the protagonist, Hans Sachs that most aptly represents these ideas. Through his music, Wagner portrays his ideas of the ideal German, anti-foreignism and propagates the holy German art. The speech of Hans Sachs portrays these ideologies with great unambiguity. The lines ‘kein Fürst bald mehr sein Volk versteht, und wälschen Dunst mit wälschem Tand’, translated into “soon no prince would understand his people, and foreign mists with foreign vanities”, clearly represent Wagner’s anti foreign nature and his nationalist motives. Hans Sachs represents the virtues of loyalty, patriotism, nativism and anti-foreignism, as the text clearly portrays the influence and the presence of foreigners and foreign influence as a negative impact of German nationalism and the people of Germany. In addition phrases such as ‘was deutsch und echt, wüsst' keiner mehr,’ also clearly show Wagner’s ultranationalist agendas, as it is implied that one must respect and give utmost importance to the native German. It also shows that Wagner greatly prides himself on being German, and it shows his socialist views as he reflects on the society as he knew it. Furthermore, through this Hans Sachs conveys the German virtues of obedience,

Sachs mentions important German values such as nativism and incorruptibility. Wagner believes foreign influence to be a corruptive influence for the German people, which is represented in his musical characteristics. Firstly, in the phrase, ‘Habt Acht! Uns dräuen üble Streich’, ‘Habt Acht!’ stands out. This is because, the word ‘Acht!’ is held for longer in terms of rhythm than the other notes around than the notes nearby creating contrast and awareness to the phrase (Fig.