10 Richard Wagner Quotes on Music

Richard Wagner quotes on music

1. The error in the art-genre of Opera consists herein: a Means of expression (Music) has been made the end, while the End of expression (the Drama) has been made a means.

2. Music has taken a bad turn; these young people have no idea how to write a melody, they just give us shavings, which they dress up to look like a lion's mane and shake at us... It's as if they avoid melodies, for fear of having perhaps stolen them from someone else.

6. Certain things in Mozart will and can never be excelled.

9. The Jews have never produced a true poet. Heinrich Heine reached the point where he duped himself into a poet, and was rewarded by his versified lies being set to music by our own composers. He was the conscience of Judaism, just as Judaism is the evil conscience of our modern civilization.

10. I believe in God, Mozart, and Beethoven.

13. I know absolutely nothing about music.

14. I write music with an exclamation mark!

17. Wagner's music is better than it sounds - Mark Twain

18. Wagner has great moments but dull quarter hours - Rossini

19. Every time I listen to Wagner, I get the urge to invade Poland - Woody Allen