Topic > Anti-Semitic tirades against Jews in the music of Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner was a composer and conductor of the 1800s in Germany. It was well known and had many popular orchestras and other forms of media. For most of his life, he was not involved in any controversy regarding his music or any idea of ​​racism towards anyone. However, in the 1850s it began to grow in popularity, but also experienced a rise in anti-Semitism. Whether his success and anti-Jewish words were directly linked or not, it stands to reason that he could partly thank his anti-Semitic ideas for his success, even finding himself as one of Hitler's favorite composers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay His career also influenced his opinions, as can be seen in his writings such as "Das Judenthum in der Musik". He believed that Jews who had succeeded in making music were responsible for his difficulties in the industry and failures in many forms of German art. He attacked many Jews, even those who helped him in his career. Somehow, Wagner still managed to live his life and even have Jewish friends and colleagues. Despite this, however, Wagner's music was still extremely controversial and was completely banned in Israel. This also led many people to discuss his ideas, scan his works for anti-Semitism, and, as time went on, even question whether the ban on his music made any more sense. Not all of Wagner's music was filled with bold, anti-Semitic, or obviously cruel lyrics. themes. His music wasn't bad at all, but the man behind the work certainly was. Because of this, people don't always agree on how his job should be handled. People have tried to play Wagner's music in Israel after the ban went into effect, however there are also protests and debates still going on to keep the music out. There are arguments that censorship as a whole is not the right thing to do, but there are also arguments that Israel should be a place where its work is absent and cannot be heard out of respect for the people affected by its anti - Semitism. This may seem more reasonable when specifically considering Holocaust survivors who may have even been forced to listen to his works as they were played in concentration camps. While music doesn't have the same connotations for everyone, for many people it is associated with terrible messages and memories and should not be played. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The scope of Wagner's works and ideas creates much debate. Some people believe that trying to discuss his work and messages is an act of revisionism and can in itself be seen as racist, others believe that his work is not intrinsically related to Nazism or the Holocaust as Wagner wasn't even I lived at the time. at the same time as Hitler, and that discussing it is necessary to properly manage it rather than ban it outright. Regardless of which side may approach the morally justified end of the scale, Wagner left a legacy of hatred and racism not only on himself, but also on his works. They have been reviled by many and for several years, and potentially many others, have been the subject of debate and censorship in Israel. Works Cited Mourby, A. (2000, July 21). Can we forgive him? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/friday_review/story/0,3605,345459,00.html.Richard Wagner. (2019, August 13). Extracted from/.