The Paradox of Wagner and Modernism

WSNC Member Paul Dachslager will present the talk “The Paradox of Wagner and Modernism”

Wagner was an important proponent of early modern culture, but when these values became more extreme and more fully realized in the twentieth century, the popularity of his music was undermined. Wagner’s life provides examples of some of the prominent elements of early modern culture like the validation of the emotions and popular sovereignty. Wagner helped the trend toward greater subjectivity and catharsis which is largely triumphant today. The rising status of the emotions by the early twentieth century undermined the popularity of Wagner’s higher level, more mental or “heavy” music.