A study into the far-reaching effects of ‘Wagnerism’, with a particular emphasis on Tristan und Isolde Born on the 22nd of May 1813 to an ethnic family in Leipzig, Richard Wagner was destined to be one of the world’s most influential yet controversial artists. I use the word ‘artist’ because ‘composer’ by itself would not be an apt enough terminology to describe Wagner. This is because he not only sought to change how music was used, but more an overall modification in the ideological fundamentals of art itself. From the age of 36, much of Wagner’s life was characterised by political turmoil; being forced to flee Germany due to his involvement in the May uprising in Dresden in 1849. Wagner would then spend the next 12 years of his life …show more content…
In his 1951 essay Opera and Drama, Wagner even went as far as to suggest that “the musician has not so much as attempted to devise a unitarian form for the whole artwork” (Wagner, 1900). It’s therefore evident that Wagner was displeased with the state of the arts, believing that even in opera not all of the arts were represented fully. One could henceforth assume that the arts can be …show more content…
Similar to Wagner, in Germany during the start of the nineteenth century Weber argued for a pure ‘German’ opera, free from the influence of format from the Italian operas. This led to the formation of the ‘Harmonischer Verein’, or in English ‘Harmonious Association’ with Meyerbeer, Danzi and Gänsbacherher. This association aimed to reformat the opera in Germany, with the end goal being a nationalistic format of music which represents the ideals of Germany. In Weber’s review of E.T.A Hoffmann’s Undine he contended for an increased role of the orchestra, music integrated in with the libretto, singers also acting and the use of increased dramatic scenery to complement the operas of the