Klarinet Archive - Posting 000109.txt from 1998/10

From: Neil Leupold <nleupold@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Wagner
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 15:44:50 -0400

On Thu, 1 Oct 1998 HatNYC62@-----.com wrote:

> I just don't see how Wagner can be held responsible personally for what
> happened after his lifetime. He was an egomaniac, often out of touch with
> reality, and when it came time to put himself in personal danger for his
> political beliefs, a coward. He alienated everyone who got near him,
> including most of his most ardent admirers. There is no way to know
> what his reaction to Hitler might have been. He might have thought him
> an idiot.

The remainder of your post (ommitted), reveals that you do have more
than surface knowledge of Wagner's life and personality. Given this
probability, you must also be aware that Wagner was a scathing anti-
semite during his own lifetime. One look at his relationship with
Meyerbeer -- as a single case study -- shows this adequately. Thus,
it is an irrelevant consideration to ponder what Wagner might have
though of Hitler's beliefs and actions. Wagner was abhorrent enough
as a man all by himself.

Neil

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