While I can agree with you on most points I might ask you one thing: Were the composers of the German & Austrian Marching music anti-Semitic, just because their compositions were used by any SS-brass band ? No, they weren´t, as even the hornists of an SS-brass band or a fire guard band blew straight into the horn while the sounds escaped cracked quite often. There was a difference indeed, as the cracking horn player of the SS-brass band had to stand guard for another night perhaps, or if he cracked too often, he was transferred to the front troupes.
You cannot say, that the music influences politics, but I agree, that the right emphatic music can be abused & became abused often, to enthusiasm common people as well as people of high education. The world is some kind of irrational, special in the music or around the music. You also should consider - you did it to a greater extent already - that there is a big difference between anti Judaism (related to religion) and anti Zionism (a mere political issue). You also might consider, that despite of Wagners´s anti judaistic speeches & writings, many German speaking people of Jewish tradition became enthusiastic about Wagner´s artistic creation. Some of them became great interpreters of his art as singers or conductors (e.g. Levi). Hans Richter was an anti semite , but he had reason which you might understand if you read about the music politics at the Vienna Imperial Opera House around 1900 with all the intrigues which culminated by replacing Richter by Gustav Mahler. So it was just personal hate. We could discuss this topic for weeks, but it might be better to return to enjoy Wagner´s music. I enjoy reading the facsimiles of his scores in all their perfection, created by a most imperfect human being. ================================================================ -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jonathan West Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 10:13 AM To: The Horn List Subject: RE: [Hornlist] Wagner's anti-Semitism > As a human being, Wagner was a disgusting man. But what an artist. There lies the main issue. It seems to me that various points follow on from this. 1 _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] unsubscribe or set options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
