Wagner - Tapa blanda

Whilst no one would dispute Wagner's ranking among the most significant composers in the history of Western music, his works have been more fiercely attacked than those of any other composer. His supposed personal defects have provoked intense hostility which has translated into a mistrust and abhorrence of his music. In his emphatic, lucid book Michael Tanner discusses why people feel so passionately for or against Wagner, in a way that they don't about other great artists. He lays out the arguments of Wagner's detractors and admirers, and challenges most of them. Tanner's fascination for the relationship between music, text and plot generates an illuminating discussion of the operas, in which he persuades us to see many of Wagner's best-known works afresh. His passionate and unconventional analyses are accessible to all lovers of music, be they listeners or performers.

"Focused and concise... wonderfully open-minded."
RUPERT CHRISTENSEN,' Sunday Telegraph'

"Almost as good as a ticket to Bayreuth."
STEPHEN MOSS, 'Guardian' Books of the Year

"A fine, intellectually sparking and always engaging little book – a welcome addition to any Wagner library."
HANS VAGET, 'Opera Quarterly'

"Though volumes have been written about the composer, Michael Tanner’s 'Wagner' breaks new ground."
ANTHONY O'HEAR, 'Daily Express'