David Cozy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I'd appreciate it if someone, perhaps the participants in the Wagner Wars,
>would let me know what they consider to be the best biography of Wagner (in
>English).

Of course ERNST NEWMAN's biography is the classic work, but keep in mind
that it is written in the 30ies, a time before the major criticism on
Wagner fell, what somehow is an advantage.  A good work from another aera
- the 60ies is Robert W Gutmans "Rickard Wagner - The Man, his Mind and his
Music" (Secker & Warburg ISBN 436189305 for the English version).  Both
those books should be easy to find.  Avoid Marc Weiner's "Rickard Wagner
and the antisemitic Imagination" if you don't can take a great distance to
a biograpers biased wiew.  You should also try to find old biographies, as
they are not so raving about Wagners "bad" sides, and with that feel much
more objective.

Mats Norrman
[log in to unmask]