Richard Wagner - Böcker

A superb new translation of one of the greatest nineteenth century poems: the libretto to Wagner's Ring cycleThe scale and grandeur of Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung has no precedent and no successor. It preoccupied Wagner for much of his adult life and revolutionized the nature of opera, the orchestra, the demands on singers and on the audience itself. The four operas-The Rhinegold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods - are complete worlds, conjuring up extraordinary mythological landscapes through sound as much as staging. Wagner wrote the entire libretto before embarking on the music. Discarding the grand choruses and bravura duets central to most operas, he used the largest musical forces in the context often of only a handful of singers on stage. The words were essential: he was telling a story and making an argument in a way that required absolute attention to what was said. The libretto for The Ring lies at the heart of nineteenth century culture. It is in itself a work of power and grandeur and it had an incalculable effect on European and specifically German culture. John Deathridge's superb new translation, with notes and a fascinating introduction, is essential for anyone who wishes to get to grips with one of the great musical experiences.

A superb new translation of the libretto to Wagner's Ring cycle'Smiling in sorrowI sing of love'The Ring of the Nibelung, Wagner's epic cycle of four musical dramas about primal envy, cosmic conflict, the search for glory, spectacular self-sacrifice, redeeming human love and the downfall of gods, revolutionized the nature of opera and conjured up an entire mythological world. It is also one of the greatest texts ever written for the lyric stage, where words are not an adjunct to the music, but an essential part of a transformative experience. John Deathridge's superb new facing page translation of the Ring libretto conveys the pungency and vitality of Wagner's words, reflecting the work's literary power while retaining its sense and dramatic energy. Translated with an introduction and notes by John Deathridge

Richard Wagner's vast Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle comprises four full-length operas (Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung) and is arguably the most extraordinary achievement in the history of opera. His own libretto to the operas, translated by Andrew Porter, is an intricate system of metric patterns, imaginative metaphors and alliteration, combining to produce the music in text.

Music examples and charts illustrate the analyses, and each essay is fully annotated by the editor. in some cases, the results of the original research by the editor or by others working in the field are published here for the first time. Much of the material has never before appeared in English.A score embodying the best available musical text.Historical background—what is known of the circumstances surrounding the origin of the work, including (where relevant) original source material.A detailed analysis of the music, by the editor of the volume or another well-known scholar.Other significant analytic essays and critical comments, exposing the student to a variety of opinions about the music.

Originally published in 1991, user charges and earmarked taxes are methods by which people pay directly for the services they recieve from government. As such they are frequently supported by those who oppose increased taxation, who argue that they are more like market transactions than traditional forms of taxation. This book explores the cogency of these arguments in the light of public choice analyses of political processes.

Originally published in 1991, user charges and earmarked taxes are methods by which people pay directly for the services they recieve from government. As such they are frequently supported by those who oppose increased taxation, who argue that they are more like market transactions than traditional forms of taxation. This book explores the cogency of these arguments in the light of public choice analyses of political processes.

Economics originated as a branch of the humane studies that was concerned with trying to understand how some societies flourish while others stagnate, and also how once-flourishing societies could come to stagnate. Over the major part of the 20th century, however, economists mostly turned away from these humane and societal concerns by importing mechanistic ideas from 19th century physics. This book seeks to show how that original humane and social focus can be renewed.The many particular topics the book examines can be traced to two central ideas. Firstly, that economic theory, like physics, requires two distinct theoretical frameworks. One treats qualities that are invariant across time and place; this is the domain of equilibrium theory. The other treats the internal generation of change in societies through entrepreneurial action that continually transforms the ecology of enterprises that constitutes a society. Secondly, economic theory is treated as a genuine social science and not a science of rationality writ large. The book also explores ways in which life in society is understood differently once economics is treated as a social science. The book will be useful to professional audiences who work with economic theory and who find that much of the hyper-formality that comprises economic theory these days fails to make reasonable contact with reality. It will also be of interest to sociologists, political scientists, and researchers in law, public policy, Austrian economics, evolutionary economics, institutional economics and political economy.

Economics originated as a branch of the humane studies that was concerned with trying to understand how some societies flourish while others stagnate, and also how once-flourishing societies could come to stagnate. Over the major part of the 20th century, however, economists mostly turned away from these humane and societal concerns by importing mechanistic ideas from 19th century physics. This book seeks to show how that original humane and social focus can be renewed.The many particular topics the book examines can be traced to two central ideas. Firstly, that economic theory, like physics, requires two distinct theoretical frameworks. One treats qualities that are invariant across time and place; this is the domain of equilibrium theory. The other treats the internal generation of change in societies through entrepreneurial action that continually transforms the ecology of enterprises that constitutes a society. Secondly, economic theory is treated as a genuine social science and not a science of rationality writ large. The book also explores ways in which life in society is understood differently once economics is treated as a social science. The book will be useful to professional audiences who work with economic theory and who find that much of the hyper-formality that comprises economic theory these days fails to make reasonable contact with reality. It will also be of interest to sociologists, political scientists, and researchers in law, public policy, Austrian economics, evolutionary economics, institutional economics and political economy.

Decode one of the most complex books in the Bible!Are you baffled by the Book of Revelation? Understand the purpose, key themes, and symbolism of the most fascinating book in the Bible with The Book of Revelation For Dummies, an easy-to-understand guide that will help you grasp the enduring messages of Revelation and apply them to your life. You will understand what Revelation says about the past, present, and future, and how it relates to the rest of the Bible. You will learn how this mysterious book of the Bible fits into a historical context. You’ll discover all kinds of interesting facts about the apostle John and learn about the details of his world. You will be able to choose a perspective for interpreting this book of the Bible and decipher the many haunting symbols. There is no need to read this reference guide from cover to cover; simply browse the table of contents or flip through the pages to find the answers and assistance that you need. Discover how to: Interpret the prophecy of the RevelationPlace it in historical contextUnderstand how it relates to other books in the BibleUnravel the details of the apostle John’s life and worldChoose a perspective for understandingSee the grander scheme of thingsComplete with lists of the ten most commonly asked questions about end times and the ten rules of thumb for interpreting scripture, The Book of Revelation For Dummies will help you understand and decode one of the most perplexing books in the Bible!

Author Mitch Anthony has been recognized as the voice of conscience for the financial services industry. For more than a decade, he has shown advisors how building authentic, genuine relationships can serve clients' best interests and build heathly—and financially successful—practices at the same time. In From the Boiler Room to the Living Room, Mitch examines where the financial services industry has failed in the past, and what it needs to do to restore trust at both the individual and industry levels. He teaches readers how to better understand the emotional significance of the money that clients entrust to their advisors and the struggles they face as they attempt to get "more life for their money." The book also discusses why venture philosophy, funding single moments, and rethinking one's purpose in life is more important to clients than net worth or asset allocation. Finally, it discusses how to develop dialogues that forge meaningful, long-term client connections—in other words, how to stop selling and start listening.

This book is a guide to Berg's second opera, Lulu, written in non-technical language and intended for those students and music lovers wishing to become familiar with one of the masterpieces of twentieth-century music. Jarman presents a clear and concise introduction to the musical language and to the intricate musical and dramatic structure of Berg's opera. The volume also examines the literary background, the genesis, composition, and tortuous posthumous career of the work. The final chapters survey the performance history and suggest a possible interpretation of this complex and challenging composition. An important feature of the book is the inclusion of source documents and critical responses to the opera. Illustrated with photographs from the premiere and from recent productions, the volume also includes a synopsis, bibliography, and discography.

Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes is one of the few operas of the last half-century to have gained a secure place in the repertory. Its appearance in 1945 shortly after the end of the war in Europe was a milestone in operatic history as well as in British music. But the origins of the work lie in the United States, where Britten and his friend Peter Pears (the first Grimes) spent the years 1939-42. In 1941 they read an evocative essay by the novelist E. M. Forster on the Suffolk poet George Crabbe (1754-1832); this precipitated Britten's decision to return to his native country, and sent them both to Crabbe's poem, The Borough, which gave them the idea for the plot they drafted together. This book opens with Forster's original essay and his later one on Crabbe and Peter Grimes. From there the reader can trace the history of the opera: in Donald Mitchell's annotated interview with the wife of the librettist, Montagu Slater; in Philip Brett's detailed study of the fascinating documents preserved in the Britten-Pears Library at Aldeburgh; and in his history of the work's stage presentation and critical reception. Hans Keller's remarkable synopsis, first printed in 1952, is complemented by a fine new analytical study by David Matthews of Act II scene 1, the crux of the opera.

This addition to the Cambridge Opera Handbooks series is also the first full-length study of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail. It aims to familiarize the reader with all aspect of the work: Mozart's writing of the opera and its literary antecedents, its plot, its musical structure, its reception and performance history. The reader will find much that is new in Thomas Bauman's study. He discusses the opera in relation to other Oriental operas, in the light of eighteenth-centruy apprehensions of the East, and as an attempt to reconcile the conventions of German opera in the early 1780s with Viennese taste and Mozart's own maturing operatic aesthetic. The text is well illustrated with pictures and music examples and a full discography lists the available recordings of the opera. This will be essential reading for all who have an interest in Mozart's operas, whether as student, scholar or opera-lover.

Few operas have had more written about them than The Magic Flute, yet few are as often exposed to misguided comment - or to idiosyncratic productions. This book sets out to provide a straightforward account of Mozart's last opera, exposing the half-truths and legends that have proliferated since its first production in 1791. In the first chapter a hitherto unsuspected source for the opening scene is presented and Branscombe reveals the complex relationship between the stories, essays and stage-works on which the plot is based. The second chapter studies the intellectual background, with special attention to Freemasonry. A detailed synopsis follows, then the history of the composition, based on documentary evidence and, in the case of the autograph score, the paper-types used. Chapter 5 examines the identity of the librettist and the qualities of his work, and chapter 6 is a detailed study (by Erik Smith) of Mozart's music and more generally of his late style. Chapter 7 covers the first performance, the cast, early reception, and then the rapid growth in the opera's fame; an outline history of productions concludes the chapter. Anthony Besch discusses the nature of the challenge to the director presented by Die Zauberflöte and suggests how the problems can be overcome. The book contains illustrations, a synopsis, bibliography and discography and will be of interest to music students, scholars and opera-goers.

This is a series of studies of individual operas written for the opera-goer or record-collector as well as the student or scholar. Each volume has three main concerns: historical, analytical and interpretative. There is a detailed description of the genesis of each work, the collaboration between librettist and composer, and the first performance and subsequent stage history. A full synopsis considers the opera as a structure of musical and dramatic effects, and there is also a musical analysis of a section of the score. The analysis, like the history, shades naturally into interpretation: by a careful combination of new essays and excerpts from classic statements the editors of the handbooks show how critical writing about the opera, like the production and performance, can direct or distort appreciation of its structural elements. A final section of documents gives a select bibliography, a discography, and guides to other sources. Each book is published in both hard covers and as a paperback.

This reprint is of the first English paperback edition of Richard Wagner's autobiography. This is a primary document of enormous importance for all Wagner enthusiasts, being virtually the sole source of information of the composer's childhood and youth. Written for Wagner's second wife, Cosima, and his patron, King Ludwig II, the autobiography runs from the composer's birth up to the eve of his fifty-first birthday in 1864. Given the intended readership and the circumstances of its composition it is hardly surprising that Wagner should either omit or distort facts from time to time: he does not linger over previous affairs, he portrays his relationship with his first wife, Minna, as a good deal more distant than it really was and he plays down his involvement in the Dresden uprising of 1849. Despite all this, the book presents a panoramic view of Wagner's times and contemporaries and offers a unique perspective on the operas themselves. This translation is of the complete edition published in Munich in 1963 and based on the manuscript in the Wagner Archives in Bayreuth. Wagner's slips of memory are noted, as are references to obscure names and events.

Caryl Emerson (a literary specialist) and Robert William Oldani (a music historian) take a comprehensive look at the most famous Russian opera, Modest Musorgsky's Boris Godunov. The result is both a historical study of a famous work and an interpretative piece of scholarship. The topics discussed include: the 'Boris Tale' in history; Karamzin's history and Pushkin's drama as literary sources; Musorgsky's innovations as a librettist and as a theorist of the sung Russian word; the strange story of the opera's composition and revision; its first productions at home and abroad; and an in-depth musical analysis. In the process, several often-met errors in Musorgsky scholarship are clarified and corrected. A final chapter speculates on the opera's themes of political murder, guilt and legitimacy - so important to Russian literary and national identity in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries - and the new role the 'Boris plot' and its composer might come to play in more recent phases of Russian cultural life.

Billy Budd, based on Herman Melville's nautical allegory, is one of Britten's most challenging operas. This comprehensive guide considers the work from both literary and musical viewpoints. Melville's novella is discussed, as is the interpretation given to the novella by the librettists E. M. Forster and Eric Crozier. A detailed synopsis guides the reader through the musical and dramatic action of the opera and in a chapter devoted to the music, Britten's distinctive technique of tonal symbolism is analysed to demonstrate the effectiveness of his musical response to the dramatic suggestions of Melville's story. The most important critical writings on Billy Budd are represented by an expanded version of Donald Mitchell's 1979 notebook on the opera. A final chapter charts the opera's stage history and fluctuating critical reception.

Bizet's Carmen is probably the best known opera of the standard repertoire, yet its very familiarity often prevents us from approaching it with the seriousness it deserves. This handbook explores the opera in a number of contexts, bringing to the surface the controversies over gender, race, class and musical propriety that greeted its premiere and that have been rekindled by the recent spate of film versions. Beginning with a study of the Mérimée story by Peter Robinson and an examination of the social tensions in nineteenth-century France that inform both that story and the opera, the book traces the latter through its genesis and reception. The central core of the book presents a close reading of the opera that offers new interpretive possibilities. The handbook concludes with discussions of four films based on the opera: Carmen Jones and the versions of Carmen by Carlos Saura, Peter Brook, and Francesco Rosi. The volume contains a bibliography, music examples, and a synopsis.

At once the most light-hearted and most disturbing of Mozart and Da Ponte's Italian comic operas, Così fan tutte has provoked widely differing reactions from listeners for more than two centuries. Bruce Alan Brown offers several paths towards a closer understanding of the work, providing a detailed account of the libretto's complex origins in myth, Italian literary classics, and contemporary theatre. The handbook also includes a discussion of the social and philosophical issues raised in Così and a chapter devoted to the opera's genesis reveals surprising new information on the role played by Mozart's rival Salieri. It contains a full synopsis, performance history, illustrations from key productions, and a bibliography.

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is Wagner's only mature comedy, and one of the richest and most profound in the history of music. This book presents an informative and stimulating study of an opera that occupies a particular place in music lovers' affections, yet always has more to reveal. John Warrack traces the evolution of the work from plans for a light comic opera, through all the drafts and the literary influences on them, into the eventual comedy; and he then studies the music in depth. He also gives an account of what Wagner found in the historical Mastersingers and their music. Lucy Beckett explores the influence of Schopenhauer on the work, and examines the complexity of its expressive methods. Michael Tanner suggests new ways of interpreting the opera's inner and outer worlds. There is a history of significant productions by Patrick Carnegy. The volume includes a full synopsis, bibliography and three appendices.

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is Wagner's only mature comedy, and one of the richest and most profound in the history of music. This book presents an informative and stimulating study of an opera that occupies a particular place in music lovers' affections, yet always has more to reveal. John Warrack traces the evolution of the work from plans for a light comic opera, through all the drafts and the literary influences on them, into the eventual comedy; and he then studies the music in depth. He also gives an account of what Wagner found in the historical Mastersingers and their music. Lucy Beckett explores the influence of Schopenhauer on the work, and examines the complexity of its expressive methods. Michael Tanner suggests new ways of interpreting the opera's inner and outer worlds. There is a history of significant productions by Patrick Carnegy. The volume includes a full synopsis, bibliography and three appendices.

Norma is by common consent the finest of the ten operas composed during Vincenzo Bellini's short career, representing his genius more comprehensively than is usually the case with any single work by an operatic composer. This 1998 handbook provides the biographical and cultural context of the opera. It gives a full synopsis and an examination of the music and poetry, which is rooted in the aesthetics of early nineteenth-century Italian opera. Professor Kimbell suggests something of the impression Norma has made on our imaginations and sensibilities in the 165 years since it was first produced in Milan in December 1831. He considers the great interpretations of the eponymous leading role. His discussion also embraces Bellini's work more generally by presenting some of the critical reactions to his music.

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Restructuring information in an XML document so that it works in other formats used to be a time-consuming ordeal involving lots of blood, sweat, and tears. Now XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) makes the process nearly instantaneous. Just provide an example of the kind of information you’d like to see, and XSLT does the rest. With XSLT you can effortlessly transform XML documents into virtually any kind of output, including other XML documents and HTML pages. But mastering XSLT can be tricky, especially if you’ve never worked with XML or HTML; and most books on the subject are written for people who have. Here comes XSLT For Dummies to the rescue! XSLT For Dummies is your ticket to quickly mastering XSLT—no matter what your prior programming experience. Writing in easygoing, plain English, XML pro Richard Wagner provides expert advice, step-by-step guidance, and tons of crystal-clear examples to help you harness the power of XSLT to transform documen ts. In no time you’ll: Understand how XSLT works with XSL and XPathExperiment with templates, stylesheets, and expressionsPerform HTML transformationsMaster XPath data types and functionsCombine XSLT stylesheetsExplore cool XSLT programming tricksXSLT For Dummies works from the ground up, starting with a practical introduction of the “X-Team”—XML, XSL, XSLT, and X-Path—and instructions on how to write a XSLT stylesheet. From there it quickly moves onward and upward through the whole range of important XSLT topics, including: Transforming with stylesheetsUnderstanding and using template rulesUsing XPath to locate nodes in XML documentsCombining XSLT stylesheets and adding processing instructionsDebugging XSLT transformationsTen XSLT processors available onlineIt doesn’t matter whether you’re a babe in the woods who can’t tell a “tag” from an element, or you’re an old pro at creating XML documents, XSLT For Dummies offers you a fun, easy way to explore and take full advantage of Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations.

Get to know the beliefs and practices inspired by Jesus ChristDiscover what it means to be a Christian and follow the gospelCurious about Christianity? This friendly guide helps you understand the basic teachings of the Christian faith, exploring the common ground that all Christians share, the differences among the major branches, the key events in Christian history, the key theological issues, and the many ways Christians live out their faith in today's world.The Dummies Way Explanations in plain English"Get in, get out" informationIcons and other navigational aidsTear-out cheat sheetTop ten listsA dash of humor and funDiscover how to: Express the core essentials of ChristianityAppreciate the life and teachings of JesusUnderstand why the Bible is central to the faithRespect the unique roles of the TrinityExplore controversial issues among the branches

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