Re: Ives Concord

[neil@thump.org]

On Wed, 4 Aug 1999, jerry and judy wrote:

> Wagner is (usually considered) extremely nationalistic and extremely
> programmatic.  Did Glenn really like Wagner's music?, simply admire it en
> toto?, or was it something else? (maybe its drama and theatrical
> allusions?)  I've never quite 'gotten' that connection.

I think he did like the music  very much. I always keep in the back of my
mind his words, "I heard Tristan at 15 and wept" (something like that ..).
Very Tolsoyan ! But none the less it must have made a huge impact. No
musical work has bowled me over so much either - i was insanely inlove
with it and can empathize with Gould there.

As for Wagner's massive ego and his unsavoury politics I'd be amazed if GG
had any sympathy at all. From all that I remember reading about Wagner he
was the artistic antithesis of Gould.

I wonder if he ever grew to love the other operas quite so deeply as
Capriccio for example ? Perhaps he felt a bit like I do that there's
tranches of wonderful music in Wagner but too many passages which are too
slow to hold my attention ?

Not sure. Maybe the answer is in a letter somewhere ? I can't recall
seeing one though.

Neil