# Ring cycle/Wagner book recommendations



## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

I've decided to try a plunge into deep Wagner nerdiness and am looking for a book recommendation. What I'm really after is something covering the Ring cycle with strong analytical coverage of the music (plenty of musical examples please) as I'll be reading it alongside the scores.


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

Wagner Operas by Ernest Newman. An oldie but a goodie. And you get analyses of all the operas from Dutchman to Parsifal.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

That looks like a good solid start - and the Amazon description had me at "a plethora of musical examples"! Thanks


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

dgee said:


> That looks like a good solid start - and the Amazon description had me at "a plethora of musical examples"! Thanks


Indeed a plethora, as the bandit chief boasted in The Three Amigos. That film should be turned into an opera. But I digress. Yes you need to be able to read music to truly enjoy the book.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

The Three Amigos, an opera by Daniel Catan? Well, perhaps not...

Thomas Ades, Robert Ashley, Peter Eotvos and Detlev Glanert offer more interesting possibilities


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

dgee said:


> The Three Amigos, an opera by Daniel Catan? Well, perhaps not...
> 
> Thomas Ades, Robert Ashley, Peter Eotvos and Detlev Glanert offer more interesting possibilities


The Martin Short role, however, would have to be assigned to a countertenor probably.


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## Yashin (Jul 22, 2011)

I am not very musical but Donnington's books Wagners Ring and its symbols seems quite useful.

I prefer less analytical books such as M Owen Lee's book 'turning the sky around', 'finding an ending, reflections on Wagners Ring' by Kitcher and Schacht.

Then there are the 'novels'. I enjoyed 'Alberich and friends' by Ian Runcie. Almost a character guide rather than a novel i would say. 

All apart from the Donnington are available for ipad if you look on various sites.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

*The Chi_townPhilly Wagner books recommendations.*


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