Essence of Tonality / The Parsifal Christ-Experience

HERMANN BECKH (1875-1937) studied Law and later Sanskrit, becoming Professor of Oriental Studies at the University of Berlin. A master of ancient and modern languages, he wrote extensively on religious and philosophical subjects, including Buddhism, Indology, Christianity, Alchemy and Music. In 1911, he heard a lecture by Rudolf Steiner and was inspired to join the Anthroposophical Society, where he soon became a valued co-worker. In 1922, he helped found The Christian Community, a movement for religious renewal. His many books are gradually being translated from the original German and published in English.

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• Part 1: THE ESSENCE OF TONALITY – Author’s Prefaces – Translator’s Preface – Postscript – Part 2: THE PARSIFAL=CHRIST=EXPERIENCE – Translator’s Preface – Introduction: ‘Richard Wagner and Christianity’ – Chapter I: The Christ-Mystery in the Prelude to Parsifal – Chapter II: The Drama of the Christ-Experience in Parsifal – Scene 1. The Swan – Scene 2. The Walk to the Grail Castle – Scene 3. Amfortas and the Grail – Scene 4. The Gesture towards the Heart—Parsifalshakes his Head – Scene 5. Parsifal in Klingsor’s Realm: Awakening to Knowledge – Scene 6. Kundry-Herodias: ‘There His gaze fell upon me.’ – Scene 7. The Redeeming Gaze of Christ: Karfreitagszauber – Appendix I: From Scene 2, The growth of the Gaze Motif in the transition music of Act I (The Walk to the Grail Castle) – Appendix II: From Scene 6, Kundry-Herodias: ‘I looked at Him—and laughed …’ – Appendix III: Twilight of the Gods and Resurrection: Wagner’s Mythological Wisdom by Emil Bock – Appendix IV: King Ludwig II of Bavaria on the 70th anniversary of his death by Rudolf Frieling