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144 of 147 people found the following review helpful:
A fine book, 22 May 2008
As implied by the title, this collection probes deeply into Wagner's vast Ring piece. Accusations of anti-semitism make Wagner's Ring a sensitive area today, but it continues to offer pleasure to many. This is a masterful work of musical scholarship that deserves a place on any sturdy shelf. No doubt it will influence appreciation of Wagner's Ring for many years to come. Among the highlights is the revealing chapter on the many characters than Wagner has managed to cram into his Ring- from fearsome giants Fafner and Fasolt to dwarf-brothers Alberich and Mime. Also covered are the brass instruments that Wagner designed specifically for insertion within the Ring. There will always be those who are opposed to musical analysis (just the same as there will always be those who resort to juvenile humour, regarding the title). They may suggest that Wagner's Ring is 'violated' with excessive force of scholarship. For this reviewer, however, Wagner's Ring remains quite intact and is indeed tightened by the exploration. In short, this stimulating venture in and out of Wagner's Ring has resulted in a seminal, fluid output.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
Highly satisfying, 12 Jun 2008
Previous explorations of Wagner's vast Ring piece have been unfulfilling, but Di Gaetani is unafraid to thrust deeply and energetically into this dark and forbidding cavern. A highly satisfying exploration leading the reader to a positively biblical understanding of Wagner's Ring.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
A classic text on a classic piece, 9 Oct 2008
After so many years of tentative and superficial studies that barely begin to enter the deep and satisfying world of Wagner's Ring, it's fantastic to read a book that's unafraid to go straight to the bottom of it. Di Gaetani situates the Ring within its entire cultural context, even discussing the gross abuse meted out to it by Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in the classic Looney Tunes cartoon. Common criticisms of the piece revolve around the contention that large stretches of leitmotiv render the piece rather flaccid, making it difficult for Wagner to take the listener to a successful climax. Di Gaetani rips apart these arguments, showing how the sensitive listener can luxuriate in the Ring for the full fifteen hours without it losing its delicate structure. In an epilogue, the author notes the vastly increased freedom that composers have found after being shown the example of Wagner's Ring and the thousands of enthusiastic fans that have spent a lifetime enjoying it. Highly recommended.
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7 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
Disappointing, 18 Nov 2008
I am a great fan of other titles in the "Ring Penenetration" series, but this one was a real let down. For a start, it's a book, and there are barely any illustrations, let alone photographs. Also, Dick Wagner (Shades of Dirk Diggler?) does not seem to have been temperamentally suited to a passive role. Finally, though I loved the fat chicks with the strap-on horns, someone should have warned me at the start about the dwarfs!
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Painful to take, 23 Jun 2009
I was largely disappointed with this book. 'Penetrating Wagner's Ring' is by no means an easy feat to accomplish and the author's foray into this dark world is, at times, painfully received. There appears to be little thought given to approach, stabbing relentlessly at ideas in an attempt to cram in as much as possible.
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Hard to digest, 17 Jun 2009
It starts well by beautifully initiating us into the delicate textures encompassing Wagners Ring; then slowly stripping them bare to show a more stark analysis. Unfortunately, there are basic literary lapses. (As well as his shoddy exploration of the giant Fafner's serpent), these are most evident when the author rather crudely describes the forceful and abrupt exit of the vengeful Donner.
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