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On the famous musical composer Wagner and also some of his highly off-putting views.

posted 3 days ago by TheMan18 (13044)
6 replies | jump to latest

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wagner

Knowing all of this, briefly speaking, can you STILL listen to and appreciate his MUSIC? Also, do you think its FAIR that at some points, like in December 2001 (look it up on Wikipedia), the shows that had modern music players play some of his music had to be cancelled and people had to face trouble for playing his music - alone?

I mean, I agree that if he was anti-Semite than yes that's a bad thing, I also wonder, how and why did he make his views so well known even something like a hundred years after his death, and why do they STILL resonate so strongly with people, and not just Jewish communities?

So yeah, can we still listen to and appreciate his music knowing what he was like, and can his music be played and listened to in public venues without any backlash, what do we think, thanks.

[–] filmflaneur (1237) 3 days ago

can we still listen to and appreciate his music knowing what he was like, and can his music be played and listened to in public venues without any backlash

I'd say yes; although not a Wagnerite, if I did, I would be listening to his music and not his ideas. Ultimately artists are no worse or better than any selection of humanity. Composer Gesualdo was a murderer, something even worse; but no one I know of refuses to listen to him. Perhaps Wagner, being more prominent a figure (and closer to us) attracts more opprobrium in these tense times? Beethoven no less was arrested for vagrancy after being found wandering around Vienna and peering into windows (he was fond of cheap wine, like Michael Haydn). The police assumed that he was homeless, and his protest of “I am Beethoven!” didn’t stop them from locking him up for the night. Bach once spent 30 days behind bars..

[–] nyctc7 (43641) 3 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5yPuiJHlYo&t=79s

[–] jk90us (7260) 3 days ago

I can.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14421) 3 days ago

Didn't he live in the 1800s? When his views would have been common for the period?

[–] TheMan18 (13044) 2 days ago

"When his views would have been common for the period?"

Well... Even if they "were", I am sure there were some moral standards even back then even for those things. But today especially they are sensitive issues and resonate strongly with many people personally.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14421) 2 days ago

Here's something else that's ironic: despite his antisemitic views, the article [and historical records] says that he had several friends that were Jewish.

People these days are waaaayyyy too sensitive about everything and want to find ways to punish people for "hurt feelings" way too readily. It's pathetic to watch and disgusting that anyone would give such crybabies the time of day. Just one of many reasons I loathe and despise social media.