Roy Ellefsen wrote:

>There may indeed be some symbolism to be found in Wagner's Ring.  I suppose
>that if one searches he can find moral insight in Tosca too, but these
>works have not survived on their symbols or their insights.  They survive
>because of glorious music.

The Ring does have some glorious music in it, but (let's face it) there
are long, somewhat less-than-glorious stretches in it.  It is a simple
fact that the whole Ring is a heck of a lot longer than Tosca (and even
the component parts are longer).  I don't think the Ring would have survived
on just its music.  At the end of the 20th century, if we were paying
attention only to the music, we would be remembering it as a stupendous
failed attempt at a work of art, and would only be listening to the
bon-bons: Ride of the Valkyries, Forest Murmurs, Funeral March, Spring
Song, etc.  So the fact that the whole thing is now and then produced and
recorded indicates to me that Wagner's whole concept of the work is in
fact getting through to some of us, including the plot, which seems so
ridiculous to so many people, and the symbolism/psychology, which so many
people just don't perceive at all.

Yes, whatever its detractors may say, there is more to the Ring than the
music, after all.

Jon Johanning // [log in to unmask]