The Operas of Richard Wagner
German 495/Fall 2004/Tuesday-Thursday, 11:00 – 12:15/Three Credits
Willkommen! Obwohl wir meistens auf deutsch reden werden, wollte ich dass die Kursbeschreibung jedem Studenten unbedingt klar sein wird. Aus diesem Grund ist sie nun weiter auf englisch verfasst.
Office: Kenan Auditorium (KA) 203 (from main entrance, upstairs to the right)
Office phone: 910/962-3890; E-Mail: Salwenb@uncw.edu (note: not uncwil)
Office Hours: By appointment. Simply talk to me after any class, call, or email me to make a time.
This course will be devoted principally to the operas of the great German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883). To those of you not familiar with opera, this may sound a bit specialized. Never fear, however! Although of course we will deal to a reasonable extent with musical particulars, musical background is not required.
For those of you who have heard opera, I would say for the moment that with Wagner, things work out a bit differently from what you might expect. To live through a Wagner opera is a little bit like what Jimi Hendrix said about his shows: Wagner is an “experience.” His works are of great length and emotional range, deal with archetypal characters, and at their strongest reach remarkable peaks of intensity.
If it is feasible, I am hoping to arrange for everyone to see one full opera on video during the course of the semester. Of course this is not the same as witnessing such a work in the theatre, but it will give you an idea of the impact, and why Wagner has such an intensely dedicated audience. Even with the excerpts to be heard in class, you should get a sense of this.
The other reason to dedicate a course to Wagner is the extent of his influence. This is first of all musical; alongside Beethoven, Wagner was the most influential composer of the 19th century, and in fact continued to affect composers into the 20th century. Alongside music, Wagner was influential in theories of stagecraft, and played a direct role in the life of Nietzsche. For students of German culture, Wagner can be an engrossing study. We will put his life into the currents of the times in Germany as the course unfolds.
Required Text: The Wagner Operas, by Ernest Newman. ISBN: 0691027161. Paperback.
The framework for the course will be Wagner’s 10 principal operas. The above text will be our constant companion as we hear the works. (For UNCW students, it will be on library reserve. Call number MT 100.W2.N53) Newman, despite no longer being “current,” is the biographer and commentator that every later writer on Wagner must reckon with, and his book is nearly ideal for our purposes. Of the operas, we will spend the greatest part of our time on the composer’s magnum opus, the four-part Ring des Nibelungen.
Along with this book, it is my hope (and reasonable assumption) that the music library at each institution has CD recordings of all the operas, and that these will be put on reserve at each library for the duration of the term. I will assign excerpts for listening, taking care to make the excerpts easy to find no matter which recording you have.
Normally CDs come with a booklet containing the full text of the opera. In order for you to understand what is going on as you listen, you will need to follow the text. (Even native German speakers will probably not understand everything that is sung without some help from the printed version.) In general I will discuss the texts in German, so I suggest that someone in each location bring to class the libretto of the opera under consideration.
Some libraries may have a separate book with the opera texts. This is fine too. (We have it at UNCW. The call number is ML 49.W14.A2, and it is on reserve).
The other reading I would like to assign right away is for becoming generally acquainted with the composer, his works, and his life. For this, I would like everyone to familiarize themselves with his biography in MGG (short for the definitive music encyclopedia in German, Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart). The new edition has not reached Wagner yet, but any music library should have the previous edition. You may also consult the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, which is the definitive music reference in English. However, I would prefer, where possible, that you use German texts, especially as I have chosen a basic text that is in English.
The other text, which we will use sparingly, is that of Wagner prose writings. Again, libraries should have these. At UNCW, the German original is at call number ML 410.W1 A1. A volume in English is number ML 410.W1 A135. Both are on reserve. Wagner’s original German is difficult, so it may be helpful to use the two side by side.
Periodically I may assign other readings in modest quantity.
The general language of class instruction will be German. I will endeavor to find out something about each student’s level and previous study in the first class or two, so as to adapt as needed to what I assume will be varying language capability. Now and again, depending on class needs, I may explain or review in English. In general, however, we will be speaking German. When it comes time for you students to speak, simply bear in mind that the idea here is not grammatical perfection, but meaningful expression. If your speech is slow, do your best to formulate your thoughts somewhat before raising your hand, and then simply go ahead!
This touches on the general subject of oral participation. I especially value discussion and the expression of individual ideas. The distance format may require some adjustment, especially in a second language, but you are still in a regular classroom. Feel free to speak up to ask questions, voice opinions, and even to have sensible disagreement. Wagner remains controversial in more ways than one, and I want this aspect to be part of our class interaction.
Until I see the situation in the class, I want to hold my plans about tests flexible. My plan at the moment is to have two tests aside from the final, at about the 1/3 and 2/3 points in the semester. What form these will take I will work out as we proceed. Assume for the moment that at least some essay writing in German will be involved.
There will be one paper for the semester, to deal with any Wagner-related topic. Pick something that interests you to examine more closely, or to pursue differing viewpoints on (controversy). Length about three pages, double-spaced, in German if at all possible. Three or more reference sources (at most one from the internet), with the standard citations and bibliography. Planned due date is Monday, 22 November.
I will give equal weight to each of the three tests and your paper. The numerical result will then be significantly tilted by your oral participation, with grades rising or falling as much as two levels (B- to B+, for example) over the range of minimal to excellent participation. Again, I will be responding to the quality of your thoughts rather than to the quality of your grammar.
Regarding attendance, please try to be in class faithfully. Classes will regularly deal with material that is not immediately traceable to a reading you have done. Continuity is interrupted when people fall behind. I will take attendance at every class, but will not deduct for absences (you are old enough to take responsibility for yourselves). I do, however, notice excellent attendance (two or fewer absences) in the form of rounding up final grades that are already near the next grade level. So in all ways, attending class is positive.
Live Music.
If actual Wagner performances take place in your area, then we will try to arrange for attendance. For UNCW students, there is such an opportunity. The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra will perform on Saturday, 25 September, at 8:00 P.M. in Kenan Auditorium. Free student tickets are available. They will play the overture to Rienzi – an early work, but still an excellent one.
And finally, communication in general.
The distance learning format calls for a bit of good-natured flexibility. In class, please do let either me or your classroom technician know if you need an adjustment. This would typically relate to the sound level of the music, or the visibility of something I am writing. I want everyone to be able to see and hear!
Regardless of your location, please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions or need help. My phone number and email address are at the top of the syllabus. One- or two-step factual questions can usually be handled via email. More elaborate questions are best handled on the phone. We can set up a phone appointment by email, and the speak directly at mutual convenience. Of course, you are welcome to ask questions in class too. But if you need more attention than is readily possible there, then we can communicate individually.