Wagnerism audiobook cover - Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music

Wagnerism

Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music

Alex Ross

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Wagnerism
Core Musical Legacy+
Literary & Artistic Influence+
Political Appropriation+
Unexpected & Diverse Audiences+
Cinematic Impact+
Post-WWII Legacy & Ambiguity+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What is the overarching conclusion about Richard Wagner's influence as presented in the book?
  • A. It was strictly limited to the musical sphere and German nationalist politics.
  • B. His works have a singular, protofascist meaning that Hitler correctly identified.
  • C. His influence reached across diverse ideologies and art forms, resisting a single, easy interpretation.
  • D. His legacy was entirely erased after World War II due to his association with the Nazi regime.
Question 2 of 8
How did Wagner's influence surprisingly manifest in American pop culture, specifically the Spaghetti Western genre?
  • A. The use of sweeping orchestral soundtracks in early cowboy films.
  • B. The trope of the nameless hero, inspired by the title character in Wagner's Lohengrin.
  • C. The adaptation of the Ring cycle into a story about the California Gold Rush.
  • D. The use of 'The Ride of the Valkyries' during stagecoach chase scenes.
Question 3 of 8
Despite Wagner's well-documented anti-Semitism, which notable Jewish historical figure was significantly influenced by his opera Tannhäuser?
  • A. Gustav Mahler
  • B. Theodor Herzl
  • C. Thomas Mann
  • D. Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Question 4 of 8
How did the Bolsheviks in Russia view Richard Wagner's work?
  • A. They banned his music because of its association with German imperialism.
  • B. They viewed his essay 'Art and Revolution' as being on par with the Communist Manifesto.
  • C. They solely appreciated his music for its anti-Semitic undertones.
  • D. They considered his operas to be decadent, bourgeois entertainment unfit for the working class.
Question 5 of 8
In his 1933 speech, what did the writer Thomas Mann argue regarding the Nazi appropriation of Wagner?
  • A. He argued that Wagner's anti-Semitism perfectly aligned with the Nazi party's goals.
  • B. He claimed that Wagner was actually a utopian socialist and anarchist, and the Nazis were misreading him.
  • C. He suggested that Wagner's music should be banned in Germany to prevent further political radicalization.
  • D. He celebrated the Nazi party for finally understanding the true German spirit of Wagner's operas.
Question 6 of 8
What was the original intent behind Francis Ford Coppola's use of the 'Ride of the Valkyries' in the film Apocalypse Now?
  • A. To glorify the bravery and supremacy of the American military.
  • B. To provide a historically accurate soundtrack for helicopter pilots in Vietnam.
  • C. To illustrate the horror and hubris of war.
  • D. To pay homage to D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation.
Question 7 of 8
How did Wagner's grandson, Wieland, attempt to rehabilitate the Bayreuth Festival after World War II?
  • A. By leaning into literal, traditional stagings that emphasized German mythology.
  • B. By banning the performance of the Ring cycle entirely.
  • C. By introducing a minimalist aesthetic to distance the operas from the traditional style associated with Nazism.
  • D. By translating all of Wagner's operas into English to appeal to the Allied forces.
Question 8 of 8
How did modernist authors like Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and Marcel Proust incorporate Wagner's influence into their writing?
  • A. By directly rewriting the plot of the Ring cycle into modern settings.
  • B. By using literary versions of his 'leitmotif' technique to help with storytelling.
  • C. By exclusively writing in the German language to capture his poetic rhythm.
  • D. By publishing manifestos that mirrored Wagner's 'Judaism in Music.'

Wagnerism — Full Chapter Overview

Wagnerism Summary & Overview

Wagnerism (2020) chronicles how the works of Richard Wagner have influenced thinkers in the years since his death. Exploring the multitude of ways in which people have interpreted his music, it looks beyond his artistic legacy to his political influence – most of all on the Nazi party.

Who Should Listen to Wagnerism?

  • Classical music fans who want to broaden their knowledge
  • Historians interested in the role of music and culture
  • Politics enthusiasts who want to explore the history of ideas

About the Author: Alex Ross

Alex Ross is a staff writer at the New Yorker. His highly popular and award-winning first book, The Rest is Noise, is an account of classical music in the twentieth century. He also wrote Listen to This, a collection of essays.

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