# Happy birthday, Dickie W!



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Wagner is 206 years old today! Critic Eduard Hanslick wrote of him often, not always favorably. Some excerpts:

“A stranger would have seen in his face not so much an artistic genius as a dry Leipzig professor or lawyer. He spoke incredibly much—and fast—in a monotonous sing-song Saxon dialect and always of himself, his works, his reforms, his plans. If he mentioned the name of another composer it was always in a tone of disparagement.”

“I know very well that Wagner is the greatest living opera composer and the only one in Germany worth talking about in a historical sense … But between this admission and the repulsive idolatry which has grown up in connection with Wagner and which he has encouraged, there is an infinite chasm.”

Upon learning of Wagner’s death in 1883: “Wagner stands at the head of the moving forces of modern art. He shook opera and all its associated theoretical and practical issues from a comfortable state of repose bordering on stagnation.”


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Why celebrate Wagner's birthday with quotes from a critic who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the party? Fairly or unfairly, Hanslick's name is virtually synonymous with "reactionary."


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Woodduck said:


> Fairly or unfairly, Hanslick's name is virtually synonymous with "reactionary."


He certainly didn't do poor old Anton Bruckner any favours. Although maybe that was at least partially linked to Bruckner being an open devotee of Wagner.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I'm going to celebrate with a vegetarian dinner. Wagner couldn't bear cruelty to animals and espoused vegetarianism, but unfortunately found he couldn't maintain his health on purely vegetable fare. He expressed his love of animals in the scene from _Parsifal_ where Gurnemanz chides Parsifal for shooting the swan, thus eliciting the first glimmerings of compassion in the naive young hero.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

KenOC said:


> Happy birthday, Dickie W!


I admire some aspects of Wagner's life. It was by his recommendation that Beethoven's grand-nephew, a certain Louis von Hoven, became employed by king Ludwig II. He also recommended _a raise_ in the salaries of his orchestra in Dresden: if one played for him, it seems that he would try to make sure that one was fairly paid. But most importantly: good or not, he fought for what he believed. He even left his comfortable position as Royal Saxon Court Conductor in 1849 to, under protests of his wife, join the people and take part in the _Spring of Nations_, at the risk of being arrested or even sentenced to death by this. Which other great composer would have the strong will to do that?

Sources:

https://www.therestisnoise.com/2014/05/beethovens-grand-nephew.html

https://books.google.com.br/books?id=thuTAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA469&lpg=PA469&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false (page 466)

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


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## howlingfantods (Jul 27, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> Why celebrate Wagner's birthday with quotes from a critic who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the party? Fairly or unfairly, Hanslick's name is virtually synonymous with "reactionary."


Hanslick, the inspiration for the character of Beckmesser, the punctilious critic who is unable to appreciate the great and radical new art that is put in front of him.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

howlingfantods said:


> Hanslick, the inspiration for the character of Beckmesser, the punctilious critic who is unable to appreciate the great and radical new art that is put in front of him.


Wagner's original name for Beckmesser was "Veit Hanslich," but his better instincts prevailed.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Woodduck said:


> Why celebrate Wagner's birthday with quotes from a critic who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the party? Fairly or unfairly, Hanslick's name is virtually synonymous with "reactionary."


The point is, in these comments by Hanslick he has nothing but praise for Wagner's music.


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## howlingfantods (Jul 27, 2015)

KenOC said:


> The point is, in these comments by Hanslick he has nothing but praise for Wagner's music.


really? quote 1 -- Hanslick wants you to know that Wagner is ugly and self-centered, and talks nothing but crap about his peers. quote 2 -- Hanslick grudgingly praises Wagner's music but with a lot of qualifications. Also makes sure to decry his cult. quote 3 -- Hanslick doesn't really talk about the quality of the compositions, but notes that Wagner was a radical and historical figure, which is factually true.

Happy birthday! If he were alive, I'm sure Wagner would be super happy to be remembered with these faint praises, factual statements and criticisms.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Woodduck said:


> Wagner's original name for Beckmesser was "Veit Hanslich," but his better instincts prevailed.


I heard that the original name for that character was Hans Lick, which I thought was hilarious :lol:

Happy birthday Wagner :cheers: mine is two days later.

Anyone listening to an opera of his in celebration?


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

flamencosketches said:


> I heard that the original name for that character was Hans Lick, which I thought was hilarious :lol:
> 
> Happy birthday Wagner :cheers: mine is two days later.
> 
> Anyone listening to an opera of his in celebration?


Not now in my case, but I'm planning to listen to one of his early operas on the weekend.


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