musicians of old

Chapter 632: Subsequent Ideological Influence

Recently, Fanning has been thinking about Wagner from his previous life on the Blue Planet much more often than usual.

After the awarding ceremony on the evening of April 4 and the interview with the Special Patrol Office, nothing seemed to have changed. He returned to Uvlancel and calmly and methodically advanced his plans in all aspects without telling anyone around him any unnecessary details of that night.

However, Fanning had to admit that, whether he was willing to admit it or not, the interview had a lasting impact on him.

And it is mainly ideological.

One of the most important influences was that a certain trend of thought or value was stimulated from his heart overnight in a "rebellious" or even "overcorrecting" way. Then, it merged with the "martyr" concept that was already in his artistic personality, producing a certain irreversible chemical reaction and crossing into a new realm.

"Siegfried is a three-act opera, the third act in Wagner's cycle of musical dramas, The Ring of the Nibelung."

Fanning lay on the sunny floor in the outermost living room of the Turner Hall, propped up a pillow, stretched his body, and looked through the opera lyrics he had memorized and written in his spare time after composing.

Looking up one meter away from you, you will see the tall, pure black "Boethius" seven-foot grand piano.

Recently, he often plays preludes, interludes or certain passages from Wagner's operas on it.

"In Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung, Siegfried is probably the most heroic one. Well, if I were to use an art term to describe it, the orchestral technique here should be described as "natural light": bright, brilliant, full of flowing vitality, rustic pastoral flavor, and open-ended positive development. Of course, the dramatic scenes in the opera, the protagonist's painful psychological struggle, and especially the description of the Valkyrie Brunhilde's awakening process, are still full of repression, suspense, and tension."

“The techniques and atmosphere are very suitable as references for my third movement.”

Fanning's mind was wandering. He thought that the period when Wagner's artistic creation set off a craze in the music world might be similar to the old industrial era in which he was currently living. Even the "Wagner Society" was established in the Vienna Conservatory of Music at that time.

Fans believe that "not since Orpheus (a Greek mythological figure) has the music of a musician had such a profound influence on the lives and art of generations"

Of course, Fanning was not like those fanatics at that time who worshipped Wagner himself wholeheartedly.

He focused more on Wagner's works and ideas.

"There's something about Wagner that's completely different from all the previous opera singers."

"In his operas, orchestral music, or the so-called 'pure music' or 'pure instrumental music', is elevated to an unusually high position, even higher than the epic text itself!"

"For Schopenhauer, music is 'the direct objectification and reproduction of the will that constitutes the whole world itself'; for Nietzsche, the birth of tragedy represents the awakening of the human spirit, and 'music occupies a dominant position in tragedy'; finally, for Wagner, music becomes everything, the soul of the whole art!"

"It was precisely to declare this relationship of 'ruling' and 'being ruled' that he ambitiously created the genre of 'musical drama'. In the musical drama The Ring of the Nibelung, which consists of four operas, during the 15-16 hours of total performance time, the orchestra dominates the entire play according to the absolute and perfect logic of the music itself, and each 'leading motive' runs through and dominates the behavior of all the characters."

"Well, since the status of pure music is so transcendent among all forms of truth, it would be too easy and ridiculous to ask people like Schopenhauer, Nietzsche and Wagner to answer questions like 'Do you think mystery leads art?'" Fanning recalled Mr. Wax's expression with inexplicable meaning at that time.

Moreover, he realized belatedly that in this life and the previous one, Teacher Anton and Wagner were the two people who had the most profound influence on his ideas about symphony composition (although Bach also had a profound influence, there were no symphonies in that era).

The former taught Fanning about brass instrumentation, organ-style sound thinking, tonal shifting techniques, wide interval writing, how to create long-lasting tension, and how to highlight the importance of the finale in the overall structure.

The latter enlightened Fanning with the idea that "a symphony should be all-encompassing", the harmonic language of the variable tone system, the huge structural ambition, and the preference for grand narratives.

Of course, there is something more important, which is the view on "pure music".

This neutralizes Fanning's attachment to "epics, legends and folk songs" and prevents him from falling into the other extreme of "playing with titles".

  You can also try to temporarily withdraw from the "chorus" when your fame is at its peak.

"It's a pity that I can't find anyone here to talk to me about Wagner."

"Sheeran is willing to listen to anything I say and can understand it, but she has more unconditional admiration and recognition, and less questioning, analysis and collision. Ms. Roy prefers to communicate in the latter way. These are all sharing experiences worth cherishing, but where should I start to explain what kind of person Wagner is? Should I start with the history of the development of opera and philosophy in the previous life?"

Fan Ning, who was lying by the French window, smiled helplessly, picked up the music book beside him and raised it above his head.

In the scherzo movement, after the lively D major horn theme, there is a salon-style waltz melody in B flat major, which are connected by a 5-bar transition phrase.

In the following development, Fanning used an extremely new counterpoint technique, and the instrumentation of the modulation part focused on the melancholy timbre of the French horn, and the low and dull woodwind and string groups responded.

It was all very much inspired by Wagner's Siegfried.

  However, Fanning is willing to write music with more layers, and each part is clearly divided by the changes in materials and short pauses.

"Carlon, it's 12 o'clock noon. You want me to remind you to go downstairs for lunch."

"Why are you lying on the floor writing again? You'll wear glasses after this!"

First there was a knock on the door, and then Xilan's voice came from outside the door. When she stepped to this side, she immediately began to blame gently and helplessly.

"Miss Secretary, the ground is really cool. I suggest you try it."

Fanning said, but he still got up and explained: "Well, I still sit at the piano or desk most of the time."

  Xilan rolled his eyes at him and reminded him:

"Don't forget your schedule for today. There will be four groups of guests who need to be met and discussed later."