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Dr. Douglass Seaton states in his textbook that Richard Wagner (1813-1883) "...like
many artists of the time, became involved in the political uprisings that swept through
Europe, and his revolutionary activities made him persona non grata in Germany."
While this is true, what Dr. Seaton fails to mention in the short blurb about Wagner is his
extreme hatred for Jewish people. It was not necessarily only the radical ideas that
caused him to fall from favor for many people; it was also his extreme anti-semitism.
This paper will explore the many instances of Wagner's anti-semetic feelings, both within
his life, letters, and music.
Wagner often attributed any ill will toward him as being a part of an organized Jewish
opposition. This was not a completely baseless accusation, as most of the presses that
were giving him bad press were owned and controlled by Jews. It did not seem to matter
what was really causing bad press or hard feelings; it was always the Jews. After being
hissed at the Tannhauser in Paris in 1861, he attributed it to "... not the French, but the
German Jews." In a letter to Otto Wesendonck on April 5, 1885, he stated that he did not
find it worth the effort to pick up the paper to read the critism of his music by the critics
of the British Press. He felt that anyone with any opinion of their own and really
understands anything would not mingle with "...this gang of Jews." So it becomes
apparent that Wagner was never able to take any critism because he wrote it off as being
all from Jews, and he did not feel that Jews were even good enough to be considered real
Germans.
Wagner also opposed several Jewish musicians. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (18091847) was a great German composer, but partly because of his Jewish beliefs, Wagner
could never consider him really worthy of praise. He felt as though followers of
Mendelssohn were somehow betraying the "true" German spirit. However, he did not
always feel this way about Mendelssohn. As a budding composer, Wagner adored
Mendelssohn, and even sent his first symphony to Mendelssohn. It was lost, which is
probably part of the reason why Wagner built up dislike for the composer. He never did
establish a real relationship with Mendelssohn. However, he did not have such hard
feelings for him until after his death. He also had these hatred feelings toward composer
Giacomo (Jacob) Meyerbeer (1791-1864). These feelings were more unfounded than the
feelings for Mendelssohn. Again, he was not always so disenchanted with Meyerbeer.
He too helped Wagner in more ways than one. Some of his attempts to bring Wagner
more publicity failed, which at the time Wagner did not attribute to the fact that he was a
Jew. He used this fact to hate Meyerbeer later. Interestingly, there was one Jew that he
liked in some ways when he was changing into racist later in life. The conductor of the
orchestra in Munich, Herman Levi, was indeed the son of a Rabbi. There are suggestions
that Wagner insisted on having Levi conduct for various performances, but evidence
proves otherwise. He was inconsistant in his anti-Jewish feelings with Levi, probably
due to the fact that he was not always hateful of Jews. He admired him for his
competence on the podium, but the fact that Levi was a Jew irritated Wagner to no end.
Once when Levi was at Wahnfried, Wagner attempted to persuade Levi to be baptized a
Christian. Being the son of a Rabbi, Levi refused. Wagner even went as far as to ask
that Levi not conduct at Munich because of his religion. King Ludwig responded with a
statement saying that without Levi, there would be no Munich orchestra. He also
mentioned to Wagner that such blatent racism is nauseating. Of course this irritated
Wagner even more, but Levi stayed at Munich.
Scholars argue over wether or not Wagner's anti-semitism was pertinent to his music.
For Wagner's later music, there does not seem to be any other reason for it being written.
There are several instances that can be quoted. One, quite simply, is the character Mime
in Seigfried, Wagner's most anti-semetic musical drama of his Ring. Mime is
characterized as a Jew in Wagner's eyes; he has red eyes, poor posture, and a rough,
grating, nasel, high voice. He is deceiving and uses Seigfried for his own gain.
Seigfried learns of himself (Seigfried representing a "real" German) by comparing
himself to Mime, his foster father (and mother, as Mime tried to convince Seigfried).
Once Seigfried realized that he was completely unlike Mime by seeing his own reflection
in the water, he rejected him and was repulsed by him. There is also contrast in the
voices of Mime and Seigfried. Most of Mime's music starts above c1 and goes higher,
while Seigfried's music typically starts at or around c. The timbre of Seigfried's voice is
also much different from Mime's, with low, dark, "honest" sounds. The voice of
Beckmesser in Der Meistersinger von Nuremburg, another heavily anti-semetic musical
drama, was intended to be high and nasel, the way Wagner portrayed the Jews to sing and
use their voices in general. This was also intended to point out that Jews have large noses
(in Wagner's opinion). He also used such high tenor parts to show that he found Jews to
be effeminate. He used the incestual relationship of Sigmund and Siglinde to represent
his feeling that he would rather have an inbred Germany than have Jewish influence.
While Wagner's hatred for Jews did not surface until late in life, he claims that the
tension was built up over time and repeated "offenses" the Jews commited against him.
Wagner also denied the claim that he may be a Jew himself, which may have also
attributed to his concentrated hatred for Jews, as he feared he might be one himself. The
preceding examples of bigotry in its finest form are most interesting to learn about,
especially in context to the music. One must understand that he did not learn to hate Jews
all by himself. The practice was becoming more fasionable as the end of the nineteenth
century approached. Learning about his dislike for Jews does shine some light on the
meaning behind his late (and argueably best) works, and this historical look into his racial
thinking will improve the way Richard Wagner's late works are performed.
Biliography
Katz, Jacob. The Darker Side of Genius: Richard Wagner's Anti-Semitism. Hanover and
London: University Press of New England, 1986.
Seaton, Douglass. Ideas and Styles in the Western Musical Tradition. Mountainview,
CA: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1991.
Stein, Leon. The Racial Thinking of Richard Wagner. New York: Philisophical Library
Inc., 1950.
Weiner, Marc A. Richard Wagner and the Anti-Semitic Imagination. Lincoln:
University of Nebraska Press, 1995.
Keywords:
douglass seaton states textbook that richard wagner like many artists time became
involved political uprisings that swept through europe revolutionary activities made
persona grata germany while this true what seaton fails mention short blurb about wagner
extreme hatred jewish people necessarily only radical ideas that caused fall from favor
many people also extreme anti semitism this paper will explore many instances wagner
anti semetic feelings both within life letters music often attributed will toward being part
organized jewish opposition this completely baseless accusation most presses were giving
press were owned controlled jews seem matter what really causing press hard feelings
always jews after being hissed tannhauser paris attributed french german jews letter otto
wesendonck april stated find worth effort pick paper read critism music critics british
press felt anyone with opinion their really understands anything would mingle with gang
becomes apparent never able take critism because wrote being from feel were even good
enough considered real germans also opposed several jewish musicians felix
mendelssohn bartholdy great german composer partly because beliefs could never
consider really worthy praise felt though followers mendelssohn somehow betraying true
german spirit however always feel about mendelssohn budding composer adored even
sent first symphony lost which probably part reason built dislike composer never
establish real relationship with however have such hard feelings until after death also
these hatred toward giacomo jacob meyerbeer these more unfounded than again always
disenchanted meyerbeer helped more ways than some attempts bring more publicity
failed which time attribute fact used fact hate meyerbeer later interestingly there liked
some ways when changing into racist later life conductor orchestra munich herman levi
indeed rabbi there suggestions insisted having levi conduct various performances
evidence proves otherwise inconsistant anti levi probably fact hateful admired
competence podium irritated once when wahnfried attempted persuade baptized christian
rabbi refused even went conduct munich because religion king ludwig responded
statement saying without there would munich orchestra mentioned such blatent racism
nauseating course irritated stayed scholars argue over wether semitism pertinent music
later does seem other reason written several instances quoted quite simply character
mime seigfried most semetic musical drama ring mime characterized eyes eyes poor
posture rough grating nasel high voice deceiving uses seigfried gain seigfried learns
himself representing real comparing himself mime foster father mother tried convince
once realized completely unlike seeing reflection water rejected repulsed contrast voices
most starts above goes higher while typically starts around timbre voice much different
from dark honest sounds voice beckmesser meistersinger nuremburg another heavily
semetic musical drama intended high nasel portrayed sing their voices general intended
point have large noses opinion used such high tenor parts show found effeminate used
incestual relationship sigmund siglinde represent feeling would rather have inbred
germany than influence while hatred surface until late life claims tension built over time
repeated offenses commited against denied claim himself which attributed concentrated
feared might preceding examples bigotry finest form interesting learn about especially
context must understand learn hate practice becoming fasionable nineteenth century
approached learning dislike does shine some light meaning behind late argueably best
works historical look into racial thinking will improve richard late works performed
biliography katz jacob darker side genius richard semitism hanover london university
england seaton douglass ideas styles western musical tradition mountainview mayfield
publishing company stein leon racial thinking york philisophical library weiner marc
semitic imagination lincoln university nebraska
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