Wagner's Ring: A Listener's Companion & Concordance

By J.K. Holman

Book Overview

This book explores the mythology, story, music, characters, and language of Wagner's monumental work. At its heart is a concordance of the keywords in the four librettos, a powerful reference tool. The volume also includes a brief synopsis of each of the four operas, a presentation of the 145 principal musical motives in order of appearance, and a discussion of the characters and their relationships, listing their appearances and the musical motives associated with them.Published at $34.95
Our last copies available at $17.49

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1574670700
• ISBN13: 9781574670707
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Amadeus
• Length: 442 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

For broadening one's understanding of a timeless classic

Wagner's Ring, written and compiled by J.K. Holman, is an exhaustive listener's companion to the Wagnerian cycle of operas, intended to specifically delineate the subtle nuances of the musical plot. From mythological sources of the Ring operas to a full English translation of each character's lines to a close look at how the opera is stage, Wagner's Ring takes the reader through every possible aspect of the opera short of actually listening to it and seeing it performed. An excellent reference for broadening one's understanding of a timeless classic, Wagner's Ring is a strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library operatic music history and reference collections.

excellent and readable introduction to the Ring

The Ring is such a vast and complext work of art, it is impossible to say everything there is to be said in just one book. Novices to the Ring need a no-nonsense, down-to-earth introduction to help them pull together the various elements and get the most enjoyment of this tetralogy. Mr. Holman does an excellent job of explaining the important myths, motifs, elements without going into heavy jargon that could intimidate readers. He takes one of many many themes -- Woman's Worth -- and shows how Wagner uses music and drama and symbols to express this theme. I especially valued the concordance to the Ring. Mr. Holman's book is well-documented and researched. It has been valuable in my own research on the Ring.

A Useful Resource

Those considering buying this book should be aware of what it is: a concordance written by a non-specialist. Readers seeking interpretive essays or reviews may be disappointed.That point made, this book is a wonderful tool to improve one's understanding of Wagner's Ring. The concondance lists the appearance of all the important themes, issues, emotions, and characters. This would be particularly useful for students or others anaylzing the work. The organization and presentation of this section is clear. The addition of plot summaries, reviews of productions, and various discussions create a well-rounded volume.The fact that the book is written by a non-specialist is most refreshing: discussions of characters, plot developments, and so forth are wonderfully lucid. They are insightful, without being burdened by some of the heavy jargon found in some works. Every page reveals the author's love and respect for his subject. His reviews of stage productions and sound recordings are informative and fresh. Here again, common sense prevails over musicological jargon.In short, this book gives a wealth of practical knowledge about Wagner's vast opera cycle, and is a pleasure to read.

The Master of Bayreuth himself would approve.

My recent trip to the Met for Wagner's epic tale was greatly enhanced by Holman's insights. No would-be Ringmeister should be without it. Wagner's "Ring" cycle can be daunting to even the well initiated. The four-opera, 18-hour tale takes us from the watery pianissimo beginnings of the world itself to its fiery, fortissimo end. In between there's no shortage of high adventure, murder, forbidden love, treachery and greed - and that's just among those in the audience! But Holman deftly avoids the usual heavy-handedness and technicalities as he guides us through the complex tale with entertaining plot summaries and cogent explanations. His analysis of the work's many gods, mortals, dwarfs, heldentenors and their musical themes is masterful. An added bonus is the extensive concordance which lets the reader quickly look up references to more than 160 key words or names from the dramas. Your snobby musical friends will be very impressed! They probably think a concordance is a ballet aboard an SST. You could spend years perusing the hundreds of volumes and millions of words that have been written about the "Ring" in its 120 years of life. But why? Just read Holman's book and get a life! The Master of Bayreuth himself would approve.