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208 of 212 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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40 of 41 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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28 of 30 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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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
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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17 of 27 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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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Total Immersion in Wagner's Ring, 16 Sep 2009
This is a compilation of writings by those who have been touched and, in many cases, deeply affected by Wagner's Ring. Writings from the composer himself reveal his intense desire to challenge society with his Ring piece, along with his more ambitious aim to use it to lure foreign audiences. The book deals with all aspects of the Ring, from its tightness of structure through to its darker, more deeply concealed elements. Bravo to these talented writers for opening up Wagner's Ring on the international stage and helping us all to enjoy it.
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Hearts & Minds by Amanda Craig (Little, Brown), 23 Jan 2010
Hearts and Minds is a thought-provoking novel, set in contemporary London. It's centred on five very different characters: an illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe; a Russian teenager, trafficked into a brothel; a lonely young woman from New York, whose love-life has gone wrong; and an idealistic South African, teaching in a sink school. At the centre of the novel is a human rights lawyer, juggling her job and two lively children. When her au pair suddenly disappears , the lives of the characters begin to connect. Sounds depressing? Not a bit of it: this is an exciting and compassionate read. Amanda Craig has done her research, and knows what life is like for people like these, struggling for survival in an uncaring inner-city environment. I urge you to read it; it's one of those rare novels that stays in the mind long after the last page has been turned.
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0 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Fractured Ruth Dee, 23 July 2009
This book is extremely well written. It chronicles the life of one little girl who was sexually,physically and emotionally abused by all the significant adults in her life. Her way of surviving was to literally step out of her body and let one of her alters bear the fear and pain.The content is harrowing but it is written in such a way that one is able to focus on the subject matter while empathising with the authoress.It gives a valuable insight into Disassociative Identity Disorder which would be appreciated by mental health professionals as much as by the layman.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
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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