stop and examine, like building blocks, at least not after the early operas.
Dahlhaus criticizes Lorenz for discovering such large segments (periods) where
they do not exist. But no other satisfactory theory of form in the music drama
has been proposed. The great problem in making such a theory will be in
understanding the details of the work.- Bailey, Robert. “The Evolution of Wagner’s Compositional Procedure after
Lohengrin.” Proceedings of the Eleventh Congress of the International Musi-
cological Society, Copenhagen, 1972,240–245 (Copenhagen: Hansen, 1974;
ML26 .I61).
Considers changes in the interrelations between drafts and final full scores.
Beginning in 1856, with Siegfried,Wagner added second drafts before going to
the full score. - Lavignac, Albert. Music Dramas of Richard Wagner and His Festival Theatre
in Bayreuth.New York: Dodd, Mead, 1898. 515p. MT100 .W2 L4.
A useful compilation of motivic occurrences in each opera, shown in harmo-
nized musical examples. No index. - Redlich, Hans F. “Wagnerian Elements in Pre-Wagnerian Opera.” In Essays
(#70), 145–156.
Wagner admitted being influenced by several composers, including Carl Loewe
(1796–1869) and Albert Lortzing (1801–1851). He had a persistent interest in
certain specific operas: Auber’s La muette de Portici(1828), Spohr’s Jessonda
(1823), and Marschner’sHans Heiling(1833). In La muettethe mute heroine
required the orchestra to express her feelings, and her bridal procession was
the “blueprint” for the one in Lohengrin. Jessondahad an influence on Die
Meistersinger,and Hans Heilinghad a profound influence on Die Walküre,
Tannhäuser,and other works. Redlich appends musical examples to demon-
strate these connections, but it must be said that the similarities may not be
solid enough to make his case. - Adorno, Theodor W. In Search of Wagner. Trans. Rodney Livingstone. [Man-
chester?]: NLB, 1981. 159p. ISBN 0-86091-037-7. ML410 W23 A241.
Originally Versuch über Wagner(1952). Adorno’s mixture of Marxist philoso-
phy and perceptive musicality was long regarded as significant to Wagner criti-
cism. Today it may seem more like a curiosity. Adorno regarded Wagner as a
“dilettante” whose works fail to achieve any artistic or social value. His
approach and language can be indicated by a few quotes: “Wagner draws his
productive force from an irreducible contradiction, and wrests a progressive
constructiveness from the regressive moment of gesture. This goes as far
beyond mere subjective expression as it cancels and preserves it in the double
Hegelian sense.” “Wagner’s hostility to standard forms ends in absurdity.” “In
sacrificing the fairy-tale to what has existed from time immemorial, Wagner’s
work allows itself to be appropriated by bourgeois ideology.” Adorno does
provide some good insights into some musical areas, like instrumentation.
Indexed.
Richard Wagner 375