Product Description
This book explores the mythology, story, music, characters and language of Wagner's monumental work. At its heart is a concordance of the keywords in the four librettos, a powerful reference tool. The volume also includes a brief synopsis of each of the four operas, a presentation of the 145 principal musical motives in order of appearance, and a discussion of the characters and their relationships, listing their appearances and the musical motives associated with them.Amazon.com Review
It is said that more books have been written about Wagner'slife, operas, and theories of drama than about any other artist andhis oeuvre. One might ask why a writer would attempt yet anotherdiscourse on the Ring and Wagner's mighty labor in producingit. The answer might simply be that the very complexity and variety ofexisting sources provides an embarrassment of riches to the Wagnerianneophyte, while veteran Wagnerians with a couple of Ringperformances under their belts, and a few more in their CD libraries,may want a single volume that contains most of the information onemight otherwise have to pursue through half a dozen differentreferences.

Holman's approach to the work is refreshingly straightforward. Neithera professional musician nor a journalist--in real life, he's abanker--he brings insights to this work that have perhaps escapedthose who spend their entire lives working with music. While he givesa passing nod to Jungian interpretations of the text, and the manyself-indulgent realizations that have been seen on-stage during thepost-World War II period, his aim in analysis and explanation is todecipher Wagner's intention. For the neophyte, no method could bebetter calculated to begin understanding this epic. Both in hisdiscussion of the historical sources that inspired Wagner and in hiscareful rendering of the motivations of each character appearing inthe Ring, Holman is like a restorer of fine antique furniture,stripping off a century's accretion of sometimes ill-chosenvarnishes.

The no-nonsense attitude toward interpretation is carried overadmirably into the bibliography and discography. Not simply listingbooks and recordings, Holman makes cogent comments on the strengthsand weaknesses of the sources he discusses. Two examples are Holman'sapt observation on Robert Gutman's biography of Wagner, in which hepoints out that, at the end, "Gutman appears to lose hisgrip"; and in the discography and the excellent discussion of thevarious Ring recordings, including why the Solti/Deccarecording is the benchmark recorded performance. The most novelcomponent of the book is the concordance. More than an index, itpainstakingly catalogs each circumstance and context under which over160 significant characters, objects, or ideas occur in the entire textof the libretto. Most people think of a concordance as a tool forbiblical study, but considering the almost religious fervor Wagnerinspires in his admirers, perhaps the term is appropriate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Above average.
I found this book useful on many accounts when first enjoying the Ring, but I don't think it transcends the basic much in the way that it would appeal to a veteran of the Ring.It contains a scene by scene synopsis of the operas, but this is hardly adequate compared to a libretto.The character analysis, however, is helpful in that it details possible sources for each of the characters.In the end, I'm not sure if I would be as knowledgable in the Ring if I had never read this book, but I find I haven't used it very often as of late, which tells me it is not a very enduring read, though I still listen to the cycle itself regularly and dig up new topics and controversies when I can.Speaking of controversy, a testament to the book's lack of advanced Wagnerite materials is that it contains no essays or analysis of controversial material (such as the age-old controversy around why Siegmund sings the Renunciation of Love motif when he does).One of the best features of this book, however, is the section detailing each recording of the Ring.It contains a very indepth chart, for each recording supplying what each opera times in at, who is singing each part, and a small review for each of them.But then, this isn't entirely revolutionary when we have Amazon.com.In the end, I must confess that this is an excellent gift to give someone who is beginning to delve into the Ring (I graciously received this and the Solti Ring as a gift one Christmas), but not necessary for an advanced Wagnerite.

excellent and readable introduction to the Ring
The Ring is such a vast and complext work of art, it is impossible to say everything there is to be said in just one book.Novices to the Ring need a no-nonsense, down-to-earth introduction to help them pull together the various elements and get the most enjoyment of this tetralogy.Mr. Holman does an excellent job of explaining the important myths, motifs, elements without going into heavy jargon that could intimidate readers. He takes one of many many themes -- Woman's Worth -- and shows how Wagner uses music and drama and symbols to express this theme.I especially valued the concordance to the Ring. Mr. Holman's book is well-documented and researched.It has been valuable in my own research on the Ring.

A good synthesis
Even though this is written by and aimed at "nonmusicologists," this book nicely synthesizes the major Wagner viewpoints.The non-pedantic approach makes this very readable.I appreciate the opinions, whether Iagree or not.Perhaps because this is written by an interested amateur(though very widely-read and knowledgable), the opinions do not come offsounding like the reviewer who asserts as a fact that "the finestWagner performances are not from the studio but broadcasts from theMetropolitan Opera during the 30's and 40's when they had Flagstad,Traubel, Lehmann, Melchior" et al.Overall, a fine book to have asyou listen to the Ring in your living room or prepare for a full cycle atthe opera.

A Useful Resource
Those considering buying this book should be aware of what it is:aconcordance written by a non-specialist.Readers seeking interpretiveessays or reviews may be disappointed.

That point made, this book is awonderful tool to improve one's understanding of Wagner's Ring.Theconcondance lists the appearance of all the important themes, issues,emotions, and characters.This would be particularly useful for studentsor others anaylzing the work.The organization and presentation of thissection is clear.The addition of plot summaries, reviews of productions,and various discussions create a well-rounded volume.

The fact that thebook is written by a non-specialist is most refreshing:discussions ofcharacters, plot developments, and so forth are wonderfully lucid.Theyare insightful, without being burdened by some of the heavy jargon found insome works.Every page reveals the author's love and respect for hissubject.His reviews of stage productions and sound recordings areinformative and fresh.Here again, common senseprevails overmusicological jargon.

In short, this book gives a wealth of practicalknowledge about Wagner's vast opera cycle, and is a pleasure to read.

Avoid this book like the proverbial plague
More volumes have been written about Wagner and his RING than probably any other musical work. Given the complexity of the RING, prior books focus on an introduction for novices while others are more detailed for seasoned Wagnerites. Holman tries to combine both into one badly written, pedantic volume and succeeds only in being neither fish nor foul. Part of Holman's failure comes from an incomplete and superficial knowledge of the RING. Just because someone sits through a work, even one less complex than the RING, one does not become an expert. It takes an intellectual process that is beyond Holman's capacity. What he gives us is a useless and self-congratulating "bean-counting" of who is in what scene. What matters is not how many scenes in which Wotan appears. What's important is the dramatic reason for the appearances and how it propels the action to its inevitable conclusion. Recordings are important and Holman's prejudices here are absurd. Neophytes may be swayed by his blanket assertion that the Solti recording is "the" RING, which it most assuredly is not. If there are no definitive recordings of even one Beethoven symphony or Verdi's OTELLO, how much more impossible would it be to achieve the definitive in a far more encompassing work? Holman also has a prejudice against live recordings. Too bad for him because the finest Wagner performances are not from the studio but broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera during the 30's and 40's when they had Flagstad, Traubel, Lehmann, Melchior, Schorr, and Huehn under the batons of true Wagnerians like Bodanzky and Leinsdorf. Then there are the Bayreuth recordings of the 50's and 60's but Holman denegrates these as well. Such shallowness! Don't waste your money. I'm surprised a publisher like Amadeus would publish something so amateurish. If you really MUST have this, wait for it to show up on the $1 remainder table. It shouldn't take long. ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents composer Richard Wagner's formative ideas in a systematic and coherent manner and examines their development and evolution as reflected in his prose, poetry , letters, and music-dramas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Ring of Power
Not knowing much about Jungian psychology, except for what I remember from my Pysch 101 class, I found this book very easy to get into, given that I knew the basic story of both the Ring cycle and the mythology behind it. I appreciated the ability to see how these archetypes are introduced and challenged in the cycle. While it is a bit simplistic, as one other commenter wrote, it is such so that those who do not have a background in psychology can understand where Bolen is coming from in her approach of the text and music.

Bolen's Personal Ring
This is a very personal take on Der Ring.She states that she specifically avoided reading other books about the ring before completing her's so that the analysis would come from her and not be influenced by other sources.The analysis is based upon her training as a Jungian analyst and her experience with patients over the years.

On the plus side, we get a direct look at how a modern day Jungian sees the story and the symbols and how she relates them to her particular world view.There are headings like "Siglinde as Victim:The Psychology of Abuse" and "The Authoritarian Father and the Dysfunctional Family".She uses the characters and plot as a jumping off point to discuss particular aspects her brand of psychology.It is fairly stimulating and interesting.

However, because she makes no attempt to contextualize the story or to understand what Wagner's intentions were I don't feel the book actually illuminated the Operas for me.It's kind of like having a a Catholic priest explaining Buddhist iconography according to Catholic doctrine.No matter how great the analysis is, the original intent behind the work is lost because the artist and his mental world are not considered.Decontextualizing an artistic work might be a valid method of analysis of art, but for me it isn't a very satisfying one.

The other drawback to the book is the music isn't examined.Wagner made a point of telling people that half of the message was contained in the music.

In summary then, if you would like an interesting read about how a modern Jungian explains Der Ring without reference to Wagner or his time, then this book is for you.If you are looking to understand what Wagner was trying to communicate with Der Ring, then you should look elsewhere.

Basic Intro to Themes and Plot of Wagner's Ring
Jean Shinoda Bolen's book on Wagner is appropriately titled -with a complete absence of poetry, it is what it is.The only amendment I could propose would be to add the phrase "A Brief Introduction to" at the beginning.

Full disclosure -- I found Ms. Bolen's book after my first "work-through" of the Karajan recording of the complete Ring, and I was eager to delve deeper into Wagner's titanic opera.Bolen's work is fine, as far as it goes, but it doesn't go very far.

A brief book (around 200 pages, with very large type), "Ring of Power" restricts itself to the visual and textual aspects of Wagner's opera.Divided into four main chapters -- one for each of the operas of the Ring -- "Ring of Power" provides a brief plot synopsis of each opera followed by an exploration of some of the Jungian themes contained in the opera.The synopses are workmanlike and relatively thorough textual analyses, and I can safely say that I have a clearer picture of the action than after listening to the opera on CD.

The exploration of Jungian themes is a bit difficult to swallow at times.Bolen relates many of the ideas Wagner explores (sacrificing love for power, the problems of patriarchy, the insidious impact of child abuse, etc.) to her current practice as clinical psychologist (or some other mental health professional -- sorry, Ms. Bolen).It is rather jarring to juxtapose one of the most titanic, mythic operas to some of the "crises" Ms. Bolen witnesses in her practice, which seem just so mundane.Ms. Bolen defends her analogies and her theories as much as she needs to in this brief work, but even this solidly-written book cannot be considered to have the heft of actual "proof."

The most jarring omission from "Ring of Power" is a near-complete absence of any discussion of the role of music.We are talking opera here, and one of the defining works of the genre.Wagner's musical achievements in the Ring have been documented over and over, and Ms. Bolen virtually ignores this subject.The end result is that she reduces Wagner's Ring to a story -- a powerful one, to be sure, but an opera is so much more than its storyline.

For those, like me, who are new to this wonder that is Wagner's Ring, Ms. Bolen's book is a fine exploration of some of the basic plot points and themes.I am no student of Jung, so I really wasn't too jazzed about the analogies to Ms. Bolen's patients, although some were more interesting than others.However, the scope of this book is too limited for it to qualify as a suitable "companion" to the Ring or an exploration of all the ideas -- both textual and musical -- contained in this wondrous creation.

Donington redux, from a female point of view
While reading Donington's brilliant analysis of Wagner's Nibelungenring, I often feel that he has a blind spot for women's psychology and experiences. This is most evident in how all the female (as well as some male) characters are generally seen as mere aspects of the central, male psychology of Wotan. My question was, does this blindness come from Donnington, or from Wagner? To answer this question, I went looking for a woman's interpretation of the Ring, and I found Bolen's. In short, Bolen's book shows that Wagner's insight into female psychology goes further than what Donington reveals.

Bolen's background is in clinical psychology, and this colours her analysis. Where Donington sees the cast of the Ring as aspects of one single (male) psychology, Bolen sees it as a dysfunctional family ruled by a narcissistic patriarch. In a way she falls into a trap which is very similar to Donington's, as she reduces Wotan to a one-dimensional character whose relevance is only that of the guilty party in the dysfunction of the whole "family". However, the proof of the pudding is whether her analysis rings true, and for me she does shed new light on this story that has been with me for a long time.

As an example I will mention what is perhaps the most difficult part of the story to understand at a psychological level, Siegfried's betrayal of Brunhilde. In Bolen's analysis, Siegfried, having been brought up by Mime, has never experienced love, but merely the pretense of love. When he meets Brunhilde, he is therefore unable to understand the depth of emotion that she has for him. While he benefits from her love, he does not understand the degree to which his commitment to her is expected and required, since the only other "love" he has experienced was that of Mime, which contained no commitment at all. This makes Siegfried able to betray.

She then compares Siegfried's encounter with the Gibichungs to that of a social climber, noting how Siegfried, like Gunther and Gutrune, stand to gain in social standing by their association. Surrounded by members of a higher social class, to which he want to gain entry, Siegfried now also has the incentive to betray Brunhilde, which he does. To me, this way of looking at the story is refreshingly different from Donington's, yet based on a similar psychological foundations, and in no way in conflict with it.

Bolen is not a long-time "Ring-head" (to use her own phrase), the book appears to have been written rather soon after a powerful first encounter with Wagner's work. For instance, she makes a point of Gunther attempting to avert Hagen's murder of Siegfried --- something that I don't believe is in Wagner's text, but which may have been done at the particular Ring production she happened to see. The analysis is based almost entirely on the story and the libretto (and on Donington as well), and makes few references to the music. She does not have Donington's complete mastery of the text, the music and Wagner's biography (including factual errors like saying that the Ring was written in four years). What she does bring is a feminist viewpoint, as well as many convincing examples of modern day situations that may produce similar dysfunctions to the ones she sees in the Ring. Bolen's text does in no way replace Donningtons, but it makes a valuable companion to it, one that for me filled a gaping hole in that otherwise invaluable text. To me, this book opens up the parts of the Ring that is outside of my personal experience as a man, and I would imagine it might also be a good point of entry for women into the world of the Ring.

A simplistic interpretation, at best
This is the kind of book which would have some appeal to devotees of the typical 'feminist spirituality'. Unfortunately, her appeals to the 'ancient matriarchy' are ahistorical, and her analysis of the Ring itself simple. A book does not need to be intensely musical, but the opera itself is rather neglected. The story can be made to fit into the Jungian paradigm, but only by a very selective reading of the poetry, which neglects the richness of the Ring. If you have to go Jungian, go with Donington. Better yet, go with Deryck Cooke for an introduction. ... Read more

Product Description
But the greatest peril of all, is that which the author would incur by his frequent use of the word Communism, should he venture into the Paris of to-day with these art-essays in his hand; for he openly proclaims his adherence to this severely scouted category, in contradistinction to Egoism. (6) I certainly believe that the friendly German reader, to whom the meaning of this antithesis will be obvious, will have no special trouble in overcoming the doubt as to whether he must rank me among the partisans of the newest Parisian "Commune. ... Read more

Product Description
Sourcebooks MediaFusion and Naxos proudly present this fascinating biography of composer Richard Wagner. Acclaimed music writer Stephen Johnson follows Wagner’s development as man and composer, and sets out the experiences-the personal joys and sorrows as well as the broader cultural forces-that formed him and made him one of the most widely loved composers in classical music.

Wagner was an innovator both in harmony and in the structure of his operas, frequently applying themes or melodies to a particular character or event. He created his own version of the “Gesamtkunstwerk,” compositions in which the arts were brought together into a single unity.

Included are two CDs of carefully chosen Wagner pieces.

Readers also gain access to an exclusive website that offers new essays, the musical works in full and more. This revolutionary biography utilizes traditional and new media to provide a uniquely rounded portrait of the composer and his music. ... Read more

Product Description
This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1871 edition by C. F. W. Siegel, Leipzig. ... Read more

Product Description
This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1873 edition by E. W. Fritzsch, Leipzig. ... Read more

Product Description
This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1871 edition by C. F. W. Siegel, Leipzig. ... Read more

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Product Description
Ernest Newman's four-volume Life of Wagner, originally published between 1933 and 1947, remains a classic work of biography. The culmination of forty years' research on the composer and his works (Newman's first Study of Wagner was first published in 1899), these books present a detailed portrait of perhaps the most influential, the most controversial and the most frequently reviled composer in the whole history of western music. Newman was aware that no biography can ever claim to be complete or completely accurate: 'The biographer can at no stage hope to have reached the final truth. All he can do is to make sure that whatever statement he may make, whatever conclusion he may come to, shall be based on the whole of the evidence available at the time of writing.' In this aim he triumphantly succeeds. Volume 4 covers the years 1866 to 1883. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1914.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1904.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
Wagner and Brecht are seemingly opposed in their approach to drama, music, and visual representation, the former believing in the integration of these different elements in the "Gesamtkunstwerk", the other in their separation.However, they share common ground in their sophisticated use of leitmotivic networks, a bridging device for Wagner who builds onto its verbal and semantic foundation a unique and complex musical language.Both use the device to explain and evaluate a dramatic action as it unfolds, i.e. as a major form of perspectival commentary.Brown discusses the paradox that Wagner's theory can shed light on Brecht's dramatic practice, since Brecht's own thematical concerns focus almost exclusively on the gestic and disjunctive perspectives identified with epic theatre. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

1 0 out of 13...
Ten complete operas: Flying Dutchman, Tannhauser, Lohengrin, Tristan&Isolde, Meistersinger, Parsifal; and the series of four Ring operas: Rheingold, Walkure, Siegfried, Gotterdammerung :)

"Complete with English and German parallel texts and music of the principal airs."

My copy is the 1938 Crown edition, which is hardback in Red boards with gold-colored lettering and decoration on spine, 470 pp.

Some of the best music CD's of Wagner operas are older and cheaper budget sets which do not come packaged with booklets. Well then this volume will serve as a replacement translation text to read while listening...

Wagner's earliest 3 are missing, not having been considered important enough for inclusion: Die Feen, Rienze, Das Liebesverbot :(

Everything in one place
This is a nice collection of the libretti of the Wagner operas.It's nice to have everything in one place rather than multiple libretti.Only only complaint is the small print, which gets hard to read as I age. ... Read more