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Masterpieces of Western Music

Humanities W1123 · Prof. Michael Thaddeus

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)


GLOSSARY

GESAMTKUNSTWERK: Wagner's name for the "complete work of art," an opera comprising multiple art forms (poetry, music, dance, the visual arts, etc.)

THROUGH-COMPOSED or DURCHKOMPONIERT: of an opera, set as a single musical number, without dialogue, recitative, or pauses between pieces or scenes

LEITMOTIF: in Wagner's operas, a recurrent orchestral theme symbolizing a person, place, or thing