Hitler and music in the third Reich Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Hitler and music in the third Reich - Essay Example This "Hitler and music in the third Reich" essay outlines the impact of Richard Wagner's music on Hitler and what that has to do with World War II. All his musical works were made on the assumption that they will be performed on the stage hence called â€Å"Musikdrama. He wrote all the scripts directly and added music to the scripts. Wagner generated a German epic saga combining music and drama in one unified art work. He took inspiration from German mythology and medieval literature. Wagner was motivated by the medieval myths and literature as Lohengrin, Tristan, Ring des Nibelungs (Das Rhinegold, Die Walkure, Gotterdammerung). Wagner brought plots and characters in medieval myths and literature to his music. The structure of the Ring cycle is complicated and has several topics. However, most of his operas’ topics are love stories. As Wagner accepted the subject of German myths, he also accepted religious elements. He extended this to the unique ritual that inspires nationalism. Wagner’s music drama shows the process of ritual when it is on the stage. This means that his music drama reveals strong religious character. Therefore, people cannot forget the scenes of his music drama easily, because of its strong ritual characteristic. Hitler was one of those people who could not forget Wagner’s strong and powerful opera. Wagner indicts the Jews and metaphorically links them to the characters in the operas. Wagner’s music dramas, made during the time when unification of Germany was taking place, reve al patriotic enthusiasm greatly. In Wagner’s Ring drama, there are a lot of metaphorical words that indicate Jewish characters. In Wagner’s ring opera, Nibelungs, the curse, demons, goblins, and the lust for gold refers to Jewish characters. Wagner casts the voices of Alberich and Mime in an abnormally high register and gives them tritons and other awkward internals to sing which made their voices creak, croak, and buzz. Wagner also used Jewish names for his evil characters. Wagner casts the voices of Alberich and Mime in an abnormally high register and gives them tritones and other awkward internals to sing which made their voices creak, croak, and buzz. Wagner also used Jewish names for his evil characters. In Wagner’s opera â€Å"Das Rheingold†, â€Å"gold-hungry† characters are very consonant with Wagner’s writings about how the Jews seek to control the world through their use of money (gold). In Lohengrin, there are inspirational words, such as those of King Henry to h is knights that wakened in them the primal urge of race and nationalism.   â€Å"Let the Reich’s enemy now appear.   We’re well prepared to see him near.