Posted by Chuck Jackson on May 19, 2003 at 16:19:24:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: CBS TV is costing tuba players $ tonight posted by js on May 18, 2003 at 23:09:04:
I think we "see" things differently. If we look for the obvious, things may not be clearly definable, but if we look at the intent, things may clear up . Wagner's entire Nibelung is a paen to the Aryan way of life, in my opinion. That Hitler and his chief protagonist, Goebbels, took the idea one step farther indicates to me that enough of the story jibed with their idea of a super race as to infer it's anti-semtitism. Wagner most certainly, being the astute genius he was, cloaked the Anti-Semitism in nationalism, just as Hitler did some 60 years later. I don't disagree that Wagner was a genius, one only has to listen the the Prelude from Tristan to understand that. He was, however, a craven Anti-Semite. I will never condone the thought that he can be rehabilitated, but his music is stupendous. His politics were, to say the least, vile.
Chuck