Rossini on Wagner
Rossini / Le Hanneton, July 4, 1867.
Some scholars have theorized that Rossini retired from composing operas after Guillaume Tell because he disliked the direction opera was going and the kinds of things he had to write in order to maintain his popularity. He became really upset with Wagner’s music. Two of his comments are very well known:
Wagner has lovely moments but awful quarters of an hour.
One cannot judge ‘Lohengrin’ from a first hearing, and I certainly do not intend to hear it a second time.
Those were his polite comments. Once he was talking with a singer about Wagner’s music when he decided to demonstrate what it sounded like. Opening the piano, he sat heavily on the keyboard and said, “There! That’s the music of the future.”
Indeed, that is Wagner some music pops up occasionally in between the surging and the gushing.
Back in the middle 70s, I heard about a poll of classical music lovers’ ten favorite composers and ten least favorite. Wagner came in second to Beethoven on the favorite list and second to Schoenberg on the least favorite list. I side with Brahms and Hanslick. It looks like you do, too.
Rossini’s music, to me, is far superior to Wagner’s. The William Tell Overture slays anything ever written by Wagner… in my opinion.
the greatest fan of Richard Wagner is without a doubt Richard Wagner
If you put your comment in past tense, it’s probably right, even though the conductor von Bulow loved Wagner’s music that he forgave Wagner for stealing his wife! About 50 years ago, I came across a poll of American concert audiences that listed the ten favorite and least favorite composers. The most favorite composer was Beethoven. Wagner ranked second. The least favorite composer was Schoenberg. Wagner ranked second.
A pupil of the maestro came to visit. As he entered he heard some awful piano playing. Finding Rossini at the keyboard he exclaimed « this is awful, maestro, what is it? » « Wagner » but maestro , objects the pupil, the score is upside down! » « well I tried right side up, but it was worse! »
LOL