# How well Do You Rate Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg?



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Wagner's late opera _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg_ is the master's greatest tonal music/opera and one of the finest of that genre. How well do you rate it?


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Here is a decent performance of the opera. Sit back and enjoy over four and a half hours of strongly written late Romantic tonal opera.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

It's the heartwarming hand Wagner extends to rescue us after nearly pushing us off the edge into the abyss that is _Tristan und Isolde_. The antidote to the draught of love-death.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Couchie said:


> It's the heartwarming hand Wagner extends to rescue us after nearly pushing us off the edge into the abyss that is _Tristan und Isolde_. The antidote to the draught of love-death.


You speak wisdom.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Couchie said:


> It's the heartwarming hand Wagner extends to rescue us after nearly pushing us off the edge into the abyss that is _Tristan und Isolde_. The antidote to the draught of love-death.


Long time no see, Mr. Couchie. 









hammeredklavier said:


> I like your new hairstyle. So Wagnerian


For some reason your beautiful avatar always makes me think of "Wagner", "Die Meistersinger", "green alien", which in turn remind me of the 1561 celestial phenomenon over Nuremberg".
I always think Wagner should have written a "sequel" to Die Meistersinger, based on a story of "green aliens invading Nuremberg to challenge the guys there to a singing contest". Imagine the kind of music he would have written.. So epic..
Btw, what are your thoughts on the recent thread <Did Wagner Revolutionize Modern Music?> I'm sure you would have something to say regarding the subject.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Mediocre at best and too long for sure.


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## Zhdanov (Feb 16, 2016)

a top notch work.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Rogerx said:


> Mediocre at best and too long for sure.


Not a fan then?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Rogerx said:


> Mediocre at best and too long for sure.


Jeez, I know... All that boring contrapuntal virtuosity. And not even an anvil chorus.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Not to everyone's taste, but I mean, come on. It's generally acknowledged as one of the four (or five, but that's just me) great operatic comedies. Even if I didn't love it (which I do), I'd still rate it highly.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

I remember reading this:
https://www.appreciateopera.org/post/ranking-richard-wagner-s-operas
"At over 4 hours in duration, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg is the longest opera ever composed. Although its main motif, heard in the strong overture and triumphant, almost regal, ending, is beautiful, Wagner's only comic opera is far from perfect. Meistersinger is often criticized for having an underwhelming plot and few exciting moments. It is also lambasted for the continuous repetition of its main theme. Whereas many complain of the repetition of Meistersinger's main theme, some admire it, arguing that Meistersinger is a prime example of Wagner's genius ability to keep audiences interested through the interesting development of a simple melody. 
As for the plot, Meistersinger is considered inferior to Wagner's other libretti. A good story is imperative to Gesamtkunstwerk, and Meistersinger as a story is nothing special.
Wagner is known for his music's ability to transform, and Meistersinger fails in this respect. Since it is supposedly a comic opera -- in reality, it is far from comic, offering none of the chuckles of a Nozze di Figaro or L'elisir d'Amore -- Meistersinger doesn't contain the raw emotional struggles of Tristan und Isolde or the psychological conflict of Die Walkure. If we could see some of the classic Wagnerian energy and drama in this opera, Meistersinger would certainly be better. Ironically, Meistersinger was composed between Tristan und Isolde and the finale to Der Ring des Nibelungen, two of the most powerful pieces of music ever written.
Wagner, with Meistersinger, was trying something different, testing his artistic abilities. As a writer of comedy, one must admit, Wagner is not sublime.
We must bear in mind, though, that ranking 10th out of Wagner's operas does not disqualify Meistersinger as a work of genius. Some highlights in the opera include the Act 3 Quintet, "Selig, wie die Sonne," and the Act 3 Tenor aria "Morgenlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein.""


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

hammeredklavier said:


> I remember reading this:
> https://www.appreciateopera.org/post/ranking-richard-wagner-s-operas
> "At over 4 hours in duration, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg is the longest opera ever composed. Although its main motif, heard in the strong overture and triumphant, almost regal, ending, is beautiful, Wagner's only comic opera is far from perfect. Meistersinger is often criticized for having an underwhelming plot and few exciting moments. It is also lambasted for the continuous repetition of its main theme. Whereas many complain of the repetition of Meistersinger's main theme, some admire it, arguing that Meistersinger is a prime example of Wagner's genius ability to keep audiences interested through the interesting development of a simple melody.
> As for the plot, Meistersinger is considered inferior to Wagner's other libretti. A good story is imperative to Gesamtkunstwerk, and Meistersinger as a story is nothing special.
> ...


The very first sentence is wrong; it's not even the longest Wagner opera.

Doesn't get much better after that.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

hammeredklavier said:


> I remember reading this:
> https://www.appreciateopera.org/post/ranking-richard-wagner-s-operas
> "At over 4 hours in duration, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg is the longest opera ever composed. Although its main motif, heard in the strong overture and triumphant, almost regal, ending, is beautiful, Wagner's only comic opera is far from perfect. Meistersinger is often criticized for having an underwhelming plot and few exciting moments. It is also lambasted for the continuous repetition of its main theme. Whereas many complain of the repetition of Meistersinger's main theme, some admire it, arguing that Meistersinger is a prime example of Wagner's genius ability to keep audiences interested through the interesting development of a simple melody.
> As for the plot, Meistersinger is considered inferior to Wagner's other libretti. A good story is imperative to Gesamtkunstwerk, and Meistersinger as a story is nothing special.
> ...


Where do you find this stuff? Are you a collector of adolescent music critics?


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

amfortas said:


> The very first sentence is wrong; it's not even the longest Wagner opera.
> 
> Doesn't get much better after that.


That depends on the conductor.


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

Great work but, unfortunately, I don't like it very much (in comparison to other Wagner's operas)


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Sloe said:


> That depends on the conductor.


Depends even more on the version. An uncut _Rienzi_, no matter when it was performed, would still be going on right now.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Dimace said:


> Great work but, unfortunately, I don't like it very much (in comparison to other Wagner's operas)


This my feeling too, I don't like it as much as the others for the reasons given in the quote above.

N.


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

Like all of Wagner's last 7 operas, generally regarded as masterpieces all, I think this is worthy of that designation.


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## Agamenon (Apr 22, 2019)

After many years hooked on Wagner, I consider this opera as one the supreme efforts of his genius.

Moreover, Meistersingers is my fave opera alongside DG. Hans Sachs moves my heart to kindness and more.


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