From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Musikdrama
is a German word that means a unity of
prose
and music. Initially coined by
Theodor Mundt
in 1833, it was most notably used by
Richard Wagner
, along with
Gesamtkunstwerk
, to define his
operas
.
Usage
[
edit
]
Mundt formulated his definition explicitly in contrast to
intermezzo
, or a piece that sits in between dramatic entities. To this day,
Musikdrama
is associated with the works of Richard Wagner where poetry, music and stage performances were not arbitrarily combined. Wagner himself composed the music and
libretto
and was a consultant on the
stage design
and
choreography
. This all-encompassing art, or
Gesamtkunstwerk
, called on the
diegesis
of
Musikdrama
in order to further the immersive feel.
Wagner himself resisted calling his works
Musikdrama
, which would imply a drama "meant for music," like a libretto. Instead he wanted to put music at the service of the drama, which indeed in its original ancient Greek form was inseparable from music. Nevertheless, the term music drama has become accepted. A major characteristic of Musikdrama is its formal unity, without interruptions or smaller closed forms such as arias or duets. Recurring
leitmotifs
provide support and interpretation of the text, which progresses as in a spoken drama.
References
[
edit
]
- Riemann Musiklexikon
, Mainz 1967, Sachteil, p.605.
- Richard Wagner, "Uber die Benennung Musikdrama", in: Wagner, R.,
Gesammelte Schriften und Dichtungen
, Leipzig: Siegel 1907, vol. 9, pp. 303–306
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Complete operas
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Non-operatic music
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Writings
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Other opera
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Bayreuth Festival
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Wagner family
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Cultural depictions
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Named for Wagner
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Related
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