Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Written by Nurel Javissyarqi
Translated by Agus B. Harianto

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, German May 22, 1813 who died at February 13, 1883. He is an influential composer, music theorist and writer, his best-known works are opera. His music is still frequently played is “Ride of the Valkyries” from Die Walküre also “Bridal Chorus” from Lohengrin. Wagner is a controversial figure because his innovation of music, drama also supporters of anti-Semitism thought. In the history of music, he was classified as composer of Romantic Era. His father was lowly municipal official, and died six months after his birth. At August 1814, his mother married with an actor named Ludwig Geyer. Geyer was rumored as Wagner’s real father, and he died when Wagner was six years old, and then her mother grew him up alone. (From http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wagner)

Although Wagner was especially writing operas, but in the symphonies music he should get his place as well. His influenced is in all forms. The Romantic music is the main event that we can not discuss without mentioning Wagner; if not, just set the genre than to explain the style and also the spirit in music. Tristan is a type of romantic hero in the music, like Werther and René. There is no other name more often appears in the programming of symphonies concerts of Wagner’s. Actually, the orchestra plays a key role in his plays. By incorporating new tools such as the tuba, he gives warm and deep sound. His orchestral style signifies his personality, we say “orchestra of Wagner’s” as we say “orchestra of Bruckner,” “orchestra of Brahms’. Symphonies fragments, in Wagner’s operas are truly a lot: we may say that he has written a symphony for each of his hero. So Wagner had perfected two genres: which is Prelude which brings us to the dramatic situation and overture to be symphonies synthesis of the opera. (J. Van Ackere, books of Musik Abadi (Eternal Music), translated by J. A. Dungga, Gunung Agung, Djakarta, n.d, the original book of it entitles Eeuwige Muziek, published by NV Standaard-Boekhandel, Antwerpen, Belgie)
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By listening to his music, it’s easier to know the character of a nation:
Is it soft sheathed by Japanese spirit, fierce like Russians, tough as strong as German. Has the power of clear such as France, the loudly Britain or the humming of wisdom of the East?

When I heard Richard Wagner’s music, I read the side of subtlety peculiar to be continued by the poet Nietzsche (1844-1900). There is seduction of trap that requires connoisseurs to be careful. If you do not want to move from your seat unnoticed, that where his drama is.

Wagner develops the sounds of maturity, fleet wings of angels frees the spirit from the snares of darkness.

A figure of a white warrior of horsemen. Became wild flying with rhythmic of poetic. Polite event amazed enemy’s eyes, fused into the fate of destruction.

The softness of Wagner’s music is as sharp as swords flash in jungle of warfare. Blood spattered as the waves breaks billow rolling into the steep hills of rock.

His passion was echoing to lunge possibility at the haughty wall of the time. Ancient rhythms are echoed, in order to achieve the willing of changes in the contents of universe.

It was having the heart as though without care; cold smiling, the steps of steel were violent. The feeling of victory will always support his escalated spirit.

The poet, Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867), had ever said: touch of the work of Wagner’s music is amazing, as if they’d seen a heavenly nature.

Superior soul of bravery emits the clear light to deal with the problem, be diligent to interpret twang of life. Transformed strains that were not merely breaths. But capable to raise the spirit of the deepest basis, so the gentle souls of angels are subjected to his intelligence.

Excellence of wisdom and the blowing of reasoning presumed the intention to be creatures, colored the imagination and flied expectations that stretches far. With the wing is still touching the ocean of human passion.

Mental forging in the field of change surpassed the cloud. He embraced suffer to sharpen daggers of feelings. The view was narrowing to the language of faith.

When his music stepped down the valley of the bitterness of fate, there are on the shoulders of honor. Dissatisfied by achievement of climbed up the hills, stepped up mountains of different repeated history.

While I was listening to music of Wagner “The Ride of the Valkyries” Die Walküre via You Tube, I sailed this writing.

Captured the painting of bravery in the fields of war, lighted up torches of morale of the troop. Burnt the camp of enemy, competing with the whole capabilities. Sharp eyes are gesture of sharing in the same struggle, flashes of weapon slashes certitude.

The event was covered by dark ridges, similar to destiny of the musical of immortality. Sometimes hard pounding hypnotizes the enemy. Screaming breaks ear drum of sky.

The cloud moved in crowded to be in great blackened, to support atmosphere of the living in the jungle of wilderness to be heartbroken to the female.

The knights with various strategy of experience, burnt the anger to decrease the enemy’s heart. And the howled of wolves yelled at the plate of arm and also severed legs.

Spurting blood wetted the dust, the bodies without life, collapsed one by one. The stench raised lust of flock of birds disturbed their sleep.

It seemed no regret contrite in the face, kept to sharpen the weapons of screaming to give offence to the enemy until the threshold of dying. It is hatred took over the over honor, rolled up in the unity of the color of war.

Then all of a fallen warrior spirit, endowed by their respective beliefs. Soared to drive the faith to levels beyond the noisy.

The stench incarnates to the fragrant of flowers. The blood flowing creates rivers for the sake of thirst wanderer, searches for values of the grandeur of understanding.

The living continues the struggle by returning to be diligence of expertise to interpret the life. Then the blast of consciousness would come in the early-morning to bloom the flowers.

The hatred would be replaced by love, envy is burnt by love. Brotherhood would be dissolved to understand the fitrah each other. The lover loves to increase the progress; the color of the wisest sky is missed by the nations on the earth.