Wagner
His compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration, and the elaborate use of leitmotifs—musical phrases associated with individual characters, places, ideas, or plot elements. His advances in musical language, such as extreme chromaticism and quickly shifting tonal centres, greatly influenced the development of classical music. His Tristan und Isolde is sometimes described as marking the start of modern music.
Wagner had his own opera house built, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, which embodied many novel design features. The Ring and Parsifal were premiered here and his most important stage works continue to be performed at the annual Bayreuth Festival, run by his descendants. His thoughts on the relative contributions of music and drama in opera were to change again, and he reintroduced some traditional forms into his last few stage works, including Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg).
Until his final years, Wagner's life was characterised by political exile, turbulent love affairs, poverty and repeated flight from his creditors. His controversial writings on music, drama and politics have attracted extensive comment, notably, since the late 20th century, where they express antisemitic sentiments. The effect of his ideas can be traced in many of the arts throughout the 20th century; his influence spread beyond composition into conducting, philosophy, literature, the visual arts and theatre.
Wagner
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER 'Jo ho ho hoe!'
GOTTERDAMMERUNG Seigfried's funeral music and Brünnhilde's Immolation
Broadcast recording from 1955
Total duration: 38:1
Boston Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Charles Munch
LISZT Les Préludes
WAGNER Parsifal: Prelude to Act I, Good Friday Spell
WAGNER Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act I, Liebestod
BRAHMS Hungarian Dances Nos. 5 & 6
Recorded 1925-28
Total duration: 61:46
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Alfred Hertz
MOZART Symphony No. 39
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2
BEETHOVEN Egmont Overture
WAGNER Lohengrin - Prelude
WAGNER Tristan und Isolde - Prelude and Liebestod
Live recordings, 1957
Total duration: 2hr 29:07
Orquesta Sinfónica de Venezuela
conducted by Jascha Horenstein
WAGNER A Faust Overture
Stereo studio recordings, 1957
Total duration: 77:46
Ferdinand Koch, tenor
Orchestra And Chorus of the Southwest German Radio (SWDR)
MAHLER Symphony No. 8 in E flat Major ("Symphony of a Thousand")
WAGNER Der fliegende Holländer - Overture
WAGNER Tannhäuser - Bacchanale
WAGNER Siegfried Idyll Siegfried Idyll
Live and studio recordings, 1959 and 1962
Total duration: 2hr 1:13
Jascha Horenstein, conductor
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
WAGNER Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Live broadcast performance, 1949
Total duration: 4hr 16:47
Hans Hotter
Günther Treptow
Annelies Kupper
Benno Kusche
Max Proebstl
Franz Klarwein
Karl Hoppe
Chor und Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper
Conducted by Eugen Jochum