Wagner moments

[yashin]

Reading a new book called 'Wagner moments" by J.K Holman - where people have offered their favourite Wagner Moment.  Someone deceiving as some of the recollections come from other books and some of the people seem quite odd choices for non-Americans.

So, whats your favourite Wagner moment. I am ashamed to say that i have never seen any Wagner in the theatre but i do have DVDs and cds.

I love the anvil scene in Siegfried.  I particularly love the Stuttgart DVD version of the interaction between Mime and Siegfried.

[jochanaan]

"Wagner has some wonderful moments, but some terrible quarter-hours." --Gioacchino Rossini

On the other hand, I have become convinced that Wagner is experienced best, not in moments, but as broad arches of sound and drama.  Therefore, for me, it's hard to select single moments out of his Gesamtkunstwerke.  (M, bear with me if that's not the correct plural of Gesamtkunstwerk; I don't have the time to go looking for proper German grammar now.)  But probably my favorite moment is Parsifal's "Amfortas!  Die Wunde!"

[val]

It is not easy to chose a single moment.

So, I will mention three:

The Choral Scene in the last part of the first act of Parsifal.

The Love Duo in the 2nd act of Tristan und Isolde.

Bünnhildes monologue and the final scene in Götterdämerung.

[Florestan]

"Wagner has some wonderful moments, but some terrible quarter-hours." --Gioacchino Rossini

Same guy on Tannhauser:

"It is too important and too elaborate a work to be judged after a single hearing; but as far as I am concerned, I shall never give it a second" 

Now jokes apart, I like his overtures and orchestral interludes and --- dare I say it? --- Steuermann lass die Wacht!.

[Harry]

Same guy on Tannhauser:

"It is too important and too elaborate a work to be judged after a single hearing; but as far as I am concerned, I shall never give it a second" 

Absolutely capital!

[marvinbrown]

"Wagner has some wonderful moments, but some terrible quarter-hours." --Gioacchino Rossini

On the other hand, I have become convinced that Wagner is experienced best, not in moments, but as broad arches of sound and drama.  Therefore, for me, it's hard to select single moments out of his Gesamtkunstwerke.  (M, bear with me if that's not the correct plural of Gesamtkunstwerk; I don't have the time to go looking for proper German grammar now.)  But probably my favorite moment is Parsifal's "Amfortas!  Die Wunde!"

  I am going to have to agree with Jochanaan on this one.  Wagner is best experienced in broad arches of sound and drama and as far as I am concerned the arches cover the whole opera  !! 

  PS: Rossini wouldn't know great German Art if it came and slapped him on the face!!  Who's he to talk!!!  Thats like Stephen King criticizing Shakespeare for "having wonderful moments, but some terrible quarter hours".  - Please ignore

  marvin

[Tsaraslondon]

  I am going to have to agree with Jochanaan on this one.  Wagner is best experienced in broad arches of sound and drama and as far as I am concerned the arches cover the whole opera  !! 

  PS: Rossini wouldn't know great German Art if it came and slapped him on the face!!  Who's he to talk!!!  Thats like Stephen King criticizing Shakespeare for "having wonderful moments, but some terrible quarter hours". 

  marvin

I'm assuming then that you equate Wagner with Shakespeare and Rossini with Stephen King. I'd say that was being rather unkind. Rossini wrote some very great operas. I might not rate him as high as Shakespeare, if we are to use writers as our comparison, but would probably put him on a par with Byron or Keats. And incidentally, I'd probably have to equate Shakespeare with Verdi. It always seems to me, that, along with Mozart, Verdi had the greater understanding of the human condition. Like Shakespeare, I'd call him a humanitarian.

[m_gigena]

The first 6 seconds of Der Fliegende Holländer.

[zamyrabyrd]

The tenor aria (winning song) in Meistersinger.
Wagner ist kein Shakespeare.

[longears]

Wagner ist kein Shakespeare.

Of course not.  I'm not sure even Bach or Beethoven measure up.  Wagner's more akin to Norman Mailer.  Rossini...maybe Dickens.

[knight66]

Even though there are bits of some of the operas I would happily live without, I agree, you do need the great arc of form and drama. Act 2 Lohengrin, the whole thing works so magnificently, all the elements brought together and the whole thing moves to its conclusion like a great express train rushing through a landscape. It is a wonderful block of work. That could be said about a number of acts.

I was amused the someone claimed the Tristan Love Duet as a 'moment'.

Mike

[marvinbrown]

I'm assuming then that you equate Wagner with Shakespeare and Rossini with Stephen King. I'd say that was being rather unkind. Rossini wrote some very great operas. I might not rate him as high as Shakespeare, if we are to use writers as our comparison, but would probably put him on a par with Byron or Keats. And incidentally, I'd probably have to equate Shakespeare with Verdi. It always seems to me, that, along with Mozart, Verdi had the greater understanding of the human condition. Like Shakespeare, I'd call him a humanitarian.

  You are right, I was quite unkind to Rossini and I withdraw my comment.  But I have heard that anti-Wagnerian comment so often about Wagner's Moments and his "terrible" quarter hours that I felt it needed a stern response- would the GMG members be so kind as to forgive me?

  marvin   

[Harry]

  You are right, I was quite unkind to Rossini and I withdraw my comment.  But I have heard that anti-Wagnerian comment so often about Wagner's Moments and his "terrible" quarter hours that I felt it needed a stern response- would the GMG members be so kind as to forgive me?

  marvin   

There is nothing to forgive my friend, we did not judge you, and why should we, you have done nothing bad. 0:)
Harry

[marvinbrown]

There is nothing to forgive my friend, we did not judge you, and why should we, you have done nothing bad. 0:)
Harry

Thank you Harry  .

marvin

[longears]

I was amused the someone claimed the Tristan Love Duet as a 'moment'.

For Wagner, it is a moment. 

[Florestan]

  You are right, I was quite unkind to Rossini and I withdraw my comment.  But I have heard that anti-Wagnerian comment so often about Wagner's Moments and his "terrible" quarter hours that I felt it needed a stern response- would the GMG members be so kind as to forgive me?

  marvin   

If you put it that way, Marvin, then be so kind to forgive me for joking at Wagner every time I have the opportunity. Don't take me too seriously, please.

[marvinbrown]

If you put it that way, Marvin, then be so kind to forgive me for joking at Wagner every time I have the opportunity. Don't take me too seriously, please.

  No Worries Florestan.  I always welcome a difference in opinion......most of what I say is all should be taken with a grain of salt so to speak 

  marvin

[Tsaraslondon]

  You are right, I was quite unkind to Rossini and I withdraw my comment.  But I have heard that anti-Wagnerian comment so often about Wagner's Moments and his "terrible" quarter hours that I felt it needed a stern response- would the GMG members be so kind as to forgive me?

  marvin   

Perfectly understandable. We can all get a bit prickly, when defending the honour of our heroes (or heroines). I've been known to do the same.

[PSmith08]

All of them. That, though, is not fair to the spirit of the question. This, though, is:

"Nur eine Waffe taugt" from Parsifal, "Mit Gewitter und Sturm aus fernem Meer" from Der fliegende Holländer, and the Immolation Scene from Götterdämmerung.

[Haffner]

The Tristan und Isolde ouverture is a high point for me. Also the Ring.. ouverture in Eb, the entirety of Gotterdamerung, the entire second act of Siegfried, and of course the "hits".