William Ashton Ellis (1852-1919) abandoned his medical career in order to devote himself to his Wagner studies. Best known for his translations of Wagner's prose works and of Carl Friedrich Glasenapp's multi-volume biography of the composer, Ellis published in 1911 this English translation of Wagner's Familienbriefe, spanning the years 1832-74. An inveterate letter writer, Wagner was the youngest-but-one of ten children and Ellis describes the character of these letters to his sisters, his mother, his brother-in-law and his nieces as a reflection of the composer in the 'driest and most neutral…mehr
William Ashton Ellis (1852-1919) abandoned his medical career in order to devote himself to his Wagner studies. Best known for his translations of Wagner's prose works and of Carl Friedrich Glasenapp's multi-volume biography of the composer, Ellis published in 1911 this English translation of Wagner's Familienbriefe, spanning the years 1832-74. An inveterate letter writer, Wagner was the youngest-but-one of ten children and Ellis describes the character of these letters to his sisters, his mother, his brother-in-law and his nieces as a reflection of the composer in the 'driest and most neutral of lights', claiming that within the family it is impossible to be pretentious. An appendix by Glasenapp, giving brief biographical details of family members, is also included. Despite the stylistic idiosyncrasies of the translations, these letters remain of importance, capturing something of the tone of Wagner's prose style and shedding light on his extraordinary life.
Richard Wagner was a German composer and conductor of the 19th century. He was born in Leipzig in 1813 and began studying music at a young age. He later moved to Dresden, where he worked as a conductor and composer. Wagner is best known for his operas, which include Tristan and Isolde, The Ring of the Nibelung, and Parsifal. He was a controversial figure during his lifetime due to his unorthodox views on music and his involvement in revolutionary politics. Wagner was also a prolific writer and commentator on music, art, and politics. In addition to his autobiography, My Life, he wrote several essays on music theory and aesthetics. He is credited with developing the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk, or "total artwork," which incorporates music, drama, and visual elements into a unified whole.
