Chapter IV: Part III: The Era of Wagner

XI. WAGNER AND WAGNERISM 401

Periods of operatic reform; Wagner’s early life and
works--Paris: _Rienzi_, “The Flying Dutchman”--Dresden:
_Tannhäuser_ and _Lohengrin_; Wagner and Liszt; the
revolution of 1848--_Tristan_ and _Meistersinger_--Bayreuth;
“The Nibelungen Ring”--_Parsifal_--Wagner’s musico-dramatic
reforms; his harmonic revolution; the _leit-motif_
system--The Wagnerian influence.

XII. NEO-ROMANTICISM: JOHANNES BRAHMS AND CÉSAR FRANCK 443

The antecedents of Brahms--The life and personality of
Brahms--The idiosyncrasies of his music in rhythm, melody,
and harmony as expressions of his character--His works for
pianoforte, for voice, and for orchestra; the historical
position of Brahms--Franck’s place in the romantic
movement--His life, personality, and the characteristics of
his style; his works as the expression of religious
mysticism.

XIII. VERDI AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES 477

Verdi’s mission in Italian opera--His early life and
education--His first operas and their political
significance--His second period: the maturing of his
style--Crowning achievements of his third period--Verdi’s
contemporaries.

A NARRATIVE HISTORY OF MUSIC