Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was a composer of the Romantic period. In addition to his title as a composer, Wagner was also a theorist, author and librettist. He is most commonly associated with the operatic genre, in which he is known for his lengthy and dramatic works. Wagner was a revolutionist of his time and sought to reform the operatic genre by using theories he developed to write operas in such a way that they served the drama. In this essay, Wagner’s ideas of Gesamtkunstwerk and leitmotiv will be discussed, referring to his theories and ideas about language, music, drama and poetry.
To begin the discussion of Wagner’s ideas, one has to have an understanding of the history prior to Wagner’s operatic reform. Opera has its origins in the Baroque period and underwent various developments by …show more content…
Although he generally approved of French opera, Wagner was largely dissatisfied with the operatic genre on a whole. He disliked the methods of other composers who used opera as an “excuse for music and spectacle”, by undermining the dramatic process. Operas consisted of arias and recitatives that were, although linked, somewhat discontinuous as they could be separated from the rest of the opera. I think the point Wagner was trying to make by highlighting this issue is that the dramatic unity of the opera is lost: the audience is not constantly involved and grabbed by the action as there is an opportunity for distraction. In addition to this idea, Wagner’s unhappiness with separate parts could be due to the fact that since the music is not continuous, arias or recitatives could be removed which would not impact the rest of the opera, except in terms of the plot. Displays of vocal virtuosity also displeased Wagner as he believed it detracted from the movement of
To begin the discussion of Wagner’s ideas, one has to have an understanding of the history prior to Wagner’s operatic reform. Opera has its origins in the Baroque period and underwent various developments by …show more content…
Although he generally approved of French opera, Wagner was largely dissatisfied with the operatic genre on a whole. He disliked the methods of other composers who used opera as an “excuse for music and spectacle”, by undermining the dramatic process. Operas consisted of arias and recitatives that were, although linked, somewhat discontinuous as they could be separated from the rest of the opera. I think the point Wagner was trying to make by highlighting this issue is that the dramatic unity of the opera is lost: the audience is not constantly involved and grabbed by the action as there is an opportunity for distraction. In addition to this idea, Wagner’s unhappiness with separate parts could be due to the fact that since the music is not continuous, arias or recitatives could be removed which would not impact the rest of the opera, except in terms of the plot. Displays of vocal virtuosity also displeased Wagner as he believed it detracted from the movement of