# Bringing Wagner Criticism Back: A Plea



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

*Bringing Wagner Criticism Back*

Today, one may easily find criticism of Schoenberg, Boulez, Ligeti, or other prominent figures at the forefront of the classical music of the previous century. And this criticism is wonderful; it speaks with a wit and loftiness of purpose that has seldom been seen since the 19th century. When people today speak of reclaiming tonality, of defending melody from those who seek so desperately to hide their spiritual and creative poverty. And this criticism is wonderful; it speaks with the fire necessary to bring classical music back to where it was, before these veritable demons appeared on the horizon.

I propose that we bring the criticism of Wagner, which has in the interim fallen by the wayside, poor, emaciated, and sycophantic (aside from bland repeated criticisms of his anti-Semitism), to the same level as that commonly found for these figures, for this criticism is wonderful, and its lessons should be applied to the whole world of music and the arts. To that end, I submit the following critique of Parsifal, by which I hope, with some immodesty, to set a precedent that may be followed by all future Wagner scholars.

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Parsifal: Opera or Scam?

Clearly, Wagner drew upon the meaninglessness felt by certain of the post-WWI generation in this work. The prelude lacks any kind of tune to which the ear may accustom itself. Those lines which may be remembered are feeble gestures, slowly aching endlessly repeated bits of nonsense from an orchestra that cannot sing any longer, but squeaks and groans. Tonal closure of any kind is rare, and the ear cannot bear for very long such a succession of dissonances without protest.

There are no characters as such. The personages on the stage change from moment to moment; recurring actors even change their names to match the scenes, which are incoherently juxtaposed without continuity or sense. As there are no characters, there is no plot, and thus nothing for the unfortunate viewer to follow amidst the endless screeching and bellowing of the singers, to whom nothing resembling a melody has been provided.

Wagner here introduces his masterstroke. As there is no melody, no harmony, no character, and no plot for the viewer to enjoy or be moved by, he decides that this boring sequence of nothingnesses should be drawn out to such a length as has rarely been seen (no doubt influenced by certain statements from John Cage, whose music sounds next to identical and is actually random rather than merely perceptually so). There will be no future for this work, which aesthetically right-minded audiences everywhere have rejected and which no one is or will ever be interested in performing.

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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

A fair and balanced article, no doubt, Mahlerian. One complaint, though, you should have brought up the countless peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate that Wagner "operas" induce physical pain and crying in babies, noticeable discomfort and howling in canines, and catnip-like hysteria in felines. 

Other than that oversight, good job!


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