Richard Wagner was an extremely complex and highly unpleasant human being, yet his artistic creations represent the fullest musical and theatrical expression of German romanticism. Whether we can actually separate the man from his art has been hotly debated, and as James Conlon writes, “just because somebody creates beautiful music doesn’t mean that he is also a beautiful human being.”
Richard Wagner, 1876
Wagner was outspoken and held strong views on everything ranging from politics to art and race. He had strong beliefs about how music should function in society, and his political views were certainly inflammatory. His virulent anti-Semitic views, combined with his association with the German nationalist movements, cast a long shadow over his reputation.
Selected Wagner writings
On the occasion of Wagner’s passing on 13 February, let us offer some insight into his complex personal and artistic vision by exploring 10 of his most (in)famous quotes.
Richard Wagner: Tristan and Isolde, “Prelude and Liebestod”
“I believe in God, Mozart and Beethoven”
Here, Wagner is making a statement about the sacredness of music and the figures he believed embodied the pinnacle of artistic achievement. Wagner always viewed his artistic mission as something connected to a higher spiritual or divine purpose. He certainly viewed the act of composing as something that could transcend the earthly realm, comparable to a divine calling.
For Wagner, Mozart was a symbol of compositional purity and an ideal of musical clarity and brilliance. He certainly admired Mozart’s ability to capture profound emotion and drama in simple forms, but predictably, Wagner believed that he could do better.
Beethoven was Wagner’s musical god. He particularly admired Beethoven’s innovations in form and emotional depth, and he wrote extensively on Beethoven’s transition from classical symphonic structure to more dramatic and expansive works. For Wagner, the 9th Symphony was a musical revolution.
Richard Wagner: The Meistersinger, “Prelude”
“Music is the highest form of art. It is the art of arts”
This quote reveals Wagner’s deeply held belief in music’s unique power and transcendent nature. He viewed music as a direct emotional and intellectual experience transcending language and cultural barriers. Music was a primal and universal force that spoke directly to the soul.
Wagner frequently emphasised that music could express the innermost aspects of human experience. Music has the power to embody things like love, fear, longing, and heroism. For Wagner, music has the ability to express the inexpressible.
In addition, Wagner saw music as a transformative experience that had the potential to elevate the listener, who could reach the higher realms of emotional and spiritual experience. Music could alter the listener’s perception of time, space, and meaning, and it was the highest art form because it could incorporate and unify elements of other art forms. It was the complete package of artistic expression.
Richard Wagner: Die Walküre, “Ride of the Valkyries”
“The error in the art-genre of Opera consists herein: a Means of expression (Music) has been made the end, while the End of expression (the Drama) has been made a means.”
This Wagner quote is a critique of the way opera was traditionally conceived during his time, and it also reflects his revolutionary vision for the genre. In traditional opera, which predominated during his time, music had become the primary focus. The drama, the story or narrative, was treated merely as a vehicle to support the music.
In Wagner’s view, the structure of opera was unbalanced, with the emphasis placed on musical spectacle rather than the dramatic content. While music was crucial to his opera concept, Wagner saw it as a tool or the means to enhance and deepen the drama.
The central purpose of opera was the story and the emotional journey of the characters. As such, the drama, both in terms of plot and emotional expression, should be the primary goal or end of the performance, with music serving to underscore and elevate that narrative.
Richard Wagner: Lohengrin, “In fernem Land”
“Theatre is the most perfect synthesis between poetry, music, painting, dance, and architecture”
In this quote, Wagner expresses his ideal of the “Gesamtkunstwerk,” the “total work of art.” It is a vision where all artistic disciplines come together harmoniously to create a unified, immersive experience.
Wagner proposes that different artistic elements, music, poetry, painting, dance, and architecture, should not just coexist in a superficial way but should work together as an organic whole. Each element is to serve the drama, reinforcing and enhancing the emotional experience.
With each part playing its role to support the narrative, Wagner also focused on the theatre as an integrated space in terms of stage design. He was deeply invested in how the physical space could support the drama not just aesthetically but also acoustically. The tangible result of this contemplation was the construction of the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth.
Richard Wagner: Das Rheingold, “Entry of the Gods into Valhalla”
“I regard the Jewish race as the born enemy of pure humanity and everything that is noble in it”
Wagner’s 1850 essay “Judaism in Music” is a controversial and deeply anti-Semitic work that was a key part of his public and private expression of his hostility towards Jews. In one sense, the quote reflects a deeply entrenched 19th-century view that considered Jews to be racially inferior and morally corrupt.
Wagner believed that Jewish people could never fully assimilate into the broader cultural or spiritual community of Europeans. His idea of “pure humanity” was closely tied to his vision of German nationalism and the idea of a racially homogenous society, which he saw as superior to other ethnic and racial groups.
Wagner’s harshest criticism was aimed at Giacomo Meyerbeer, one of the most successful composers of the time. Wagner accused him of composing operas that were overly theatrical, superficial, and devoid of depth. Meyerbeer’s operas were overly commercial, pandering to popular tastes, and Wagner particularly resented Meyerbeer’s success. He suggested that it reflected the over-commercialization and the manipulation of arts by Jews.
Richard Wagner: Siegfried, “Notunt! Neidliches Schwert”
“The dear Lord might have done better to exclude women from his creation; they are awfully seldom of any use…”
Wagner’s quote is an example of his entrenched misogyny, revealing how deeply gendered attitudes shaped not only his personal philosophy but also his artistic creations. It also sheds light on his often-contradictory attitude towards women, on one hand idealizing them as objects of artistic inspiration and, on the other, vilifying them in his personal life, opinions, and writings.
Richard and Cosima Wagner (photograph by Fritz Luckhardt, 9 May 1872)
Some writers have suggested that Wagner’s relations with women were coloured by an acute mother fixation. His letters to his mother bordered on the incestuous, and later in his life, he was attracted only to attached women. An inveterate womaniser, Wagner never managed to resolve the confusion between the maternal and the erotic.
Wagner’s relationship with women and his views on gender have been the subject of intense scrutiny, especially in modern feminist critiques of his life and work. Some scholars argue that his operas reflect deep misogyny, while others claim that his female roles are actually progressive for his time. Ultimately, Wagner’s relationship and engagement with women is fraught with ambiguity, making him both a figure of admiration for some and a symbol of patriarchal oppression for others.
Richard Wagner: Parsifal, “Kundry’s Seduction”
“Joy is not in things; it is in us”
In this quote, Wagner suggests that true happiness or joy does not come from external possessions, experiences, or material wealth. Instead, it is an internal state of mind or emotional response that originates within ourselves.
In both his operatic works and philosophical musings, Wagner often emphasised the importance of internal emotional experiences in life and art. It mirrors his approach to art, where the external world or the characters’ actions become a vehicle for deep internal transformation and spiritual awakening.
Wagner’s quote encapsulates a central theme in his artistic and philosophical outlook. True joy and transcendent meaning do not reside in the external world but are found in emotional and psychological experiences. Joy is found in the capacity for deep emotional and spiritual engagement with life.
Richard Wagner: Siegried Idyll
“Imagination creates reality”
Wagner strongly believed in the transformative power of the human mind. This is particularly true in relation to art and the way we shape our perception of the world. Imagination was not just a mental exercise or a fanciful distraction.
For Wagner, imagination was a vital force capable of transcending the ordinary and creating new realities. He saw it as the central faculty in the creation of art, and his new mythological landscapes became infused with his own philosophical and social commentary.
Imagination, for Wagner, was not private but a powerful tool for societal and personal transformation. This was closely tied to his belief in the social function of art, as he thought it could radically change society by reshaping the consciousness of individuals. Imagination was a bridge to a higher, more profound reality.
Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung, “Brünnhilde’s Immolation Scene”
“I write music with an exclamation point!”
Wagner was notoriously egotistical and self-confident, and he saw himself as a revolutionary artist. He was convinced that his work would leave an indelible mark on the future of music and drama.
Seeing himself as a figure of monumental importance in the world of music, his grand ambitions extended beyond just composing. He actually saw himself as a cultural prophet, a visionary whose works would transcend the boundaries of music and philosophy.
Richard Wagner
Music was not simply an artistic pursuit for Wagner but a way of announcing his presence to the world. In other words, Wager was someone who demanded constant attention. He was not content to write music that would be politely appreciated or quietly admired; he wrote music that basically shouted at his listeners.
Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung, “Siegried’s death and Funeral march”
“Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them”
Let’s conclude with a much more fun quote. Richard Wagner did have some pretty harsh words for the trombone, and he did call it “the instrument of the devil. And while the above quote is often attributed to Wagner, there is no evidence that he actually said or wrote it.
It’s probably just one of those sayings that get passed down and become linked with him, partly because of his well-documented disdain for the instrument. His actual critiques of the trombone had more to do with the instrument’s tone and role in the orchestra.
The Trombone family (from the top: piccolo, soprano, also, tenor, bass, and contrabass
He felt that the trombone’s deep and brassy sound did not align with his vision of the ideal orchestral sound. In fact, he often complained that it was too loud and coarse for his music. However, he still found ways of incorporating it into his compositions where he felt it could serve his vision.
The Dilemma
Separating the composer from the person is almost impossible in the case of Richard Wagner. Of course, we understand that his revolutionary works possess intrinsic artistic value that can be evaluated independently of his personal prejudices.
However, his personal failings, specifically his antisemitism and his views of racial theories, are possibly woven into his operas as well. As a scholar wrote, “to compartmentalise his art from his life is a task that many find ethically challenging or intellectually dishonest given the inseparable nature of his ideology and his creativity.”
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