Klarinet Archive - Posting 001187.txt from 1998/09

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Wagner
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 18:24:46 -0400

In 1992, I had been doing some reading about Wagner, and had rediscovered
and reviewed some of the information about his racism and antisemitism.
Then, in the summer of that year, I went to Europe, primarily for the
purpose of attending the International Double Reed Society conference in
Frankfurt. While there, we travelled around a bit, and visited Bayreuth.
We toured the opera house which was constructed there according to
Wagner's design specifications. We couldn't get tickets to a performance,
in part because they are so expensive, but I do have a photograph of
myself sitting in the principal bassoonist's chair in the orchestra pit.

Then, we visited Wagner's home in Bayreuth, which is called Wanfried. It
has been converted into a museum. The house suffered some damage during
the last days of WWII, but has been rebuilt and restored. Here we can
walk the same hallways and rooms that Wagner walked. Unfortunately, I was
also thinking of the fact that Wagner was very much a champion of Hitler,
and Hitler returned that high esteeme to Wagner. It is known that Hitler
also had trod those same rooms. The house is almost a religious shrine to
Wagner and his beliefs. One can sit in the dining room, where his music
is always being played, and can look out into the back yard of the house,
where Wagner and his wife, Cosima Liszt are buried, and where some people
go to pay homage.

When I was there, the music which was being played was Parsifal, which has
a religious meaning, at least to some, and which had been one of my
favorites during my younger days. I still think it is beautiful music.
But, knowing what I did about Wagner's viewpoints concerning Judaism and
the Jews, I could not reconcile my thoughts about that and about his
music. It made for a very surreal and somehow poignant experience. Since
that day, I have hardly listened to any music of Wagner. I'll try it
again someday, because the fact that he was a rather despicable character
does not alter the fact that he also was a very capable and innovative
composer.

I think that attitudes about Wagner are undergoing a significant change
presently. It will be very interesting to see how he will come to be
regarded during the next 20 years or so.

Ed Lacy
el2@-----.edu

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