Wagner’s musical genius bestrode the late nineteenth century and obsessed the early twentieth. Robert Gutman discusses Wagner’s achievement against the background of his life and ideas. His behaviour was, by any standards, appalling, his ideas often monstrous; nevertheless his operas, or ‘music-dramas’, were and are magnificent. His story makes fascinating reading, whether one is a devoted Wagnerite or not.

Published 1971, Pelican Book.

Binding of book is loose. Darkened back cover. Moderate shelfwear, creasing, fraying, several waterstains and scratches on covers of book. Heavy tanning and foxing on edges of book. Annotations in pencil, moderate foxing and several waterstains on insides of covers. Moderate foxing on certain pages.