File spoon-archives/nietzsche.archive/nietzsche_1995/nietzsche_Nov5.95, message 29


From: "Hartwin Alfred Gebhardt" <hag-AT-iafrica.com>
Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 22:01:01 +0200
Subject:       Re: Music, Nietzsche, Rhythm


John Morgan writes:
 
> Besides, Nietzsche's musical tastes were rather bizarre and of questionable 
> taste...when trying to come up with a style of music with which to combat the
> rising Wagnerianism of his day, he suggested Bizet's "Carmen". While this is a
> delightful piece, Nietzsche may be the only music critic ever to put Bizet and
> Wagner in the same sentence. It's rather like opposing Benjamin Britten 
> or Philip Glass with 'Les Miserables' and 'Miss Saigon'. George Bernard 
> Shaw, in an essay on Nietzsche, said (not exact): "When attempting to oppose
> Wagner, what work did Nietzsche hold up as the highest achievement to which all
> other musicians should aspire? Verdi? Mozart's 'Don Giovanni'? No. 'Carmen'.
> That's right: Bizet's 'Carmen'. What can one expect of such a man?" 
> I see what Nietzsche was trying to say...opposing Bizet's lightness and 
> humor to Wagner's darkness and brooding. But he comes off seeming pretty 
> silly to anyone who knows music. 

Maybe this says more about N's views on what music should _do_, 
rather than his 'knowledge' of music? (Music should facillitate 
dancing, life, etc., rather than become some 'heavy' artform in and for 
itself. No matter whether a song is forgotten tomorrow, if it moves 
our feet today, that is enough.)

> I have asked this before, almost completely in vain, but I ask again: does
> anyone else on the list know the music of Wagner? I can't see how one could 
> completely understand Nietzsche's work without AT LEAST a knowledge of 
> Wagner's major works, considering how much of N.'s writing refers to Wagner.

I agree that 'knowing' Wagner would be helpful, but as to "completely 
understand Nietzsches work", I'm not so sure. (I refer to B Babich's 
comment re. this).
Personally, with only a little exposure to classical music (I have 
some Bizet, Rossini, Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, and that's it) I have 
to admit that especially opera holds no special interest. I stand to 
be enlightened, but Wagner's (neo?)baroque kitsch seems more the rule 
than the exception to me.

the happy Philistine
hg
hag-AT-iafrica.com


	--- from list nietzsche-AT-jefferson.village.virginia.edu ---

     ------------------

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005