Title: Wagner Revisited
Author: Milton Brener
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1643613628
Pages: 194
Genre: History & Criticism/Arts & Photography
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

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Composer Richard Wagner once said, “Joy is not in things; it is in us.” In author Milton Brener’s novel Wagner Revisited, the controversy and history surrounding the composer is thoroughly explored and analyzed, and explores whether or not Wagner ever truly experienced that joy he spoke of within himself, and not of the things he surrounded himself with.

This book focuses heavily on three specific areas of the composer’s life. For those who don’t know, there is much controversy surrounding the German composer, including many claims of Antisemitism and racism as a whole. In Wagner Revisited, the author explores this topic thoroughly, including a heavy focus on the composer’s article Jewishness in Music in which he heavily criticized the Jewish people and their faith. The book explores his complex bigotry towards the Jewish faith and the mirroring fact that he was often friends with many people of Jewish descent, some to the point of becoming known as the best friends and closest allies in the music scene. The story also delves into the composer’s views on women and femininity as a whole, as one work in particular, Ring, sets up a debate on the author’s view of women and the true meaning of the work in particular.

The author does a brilliant job of bringing the inner workings of Richard Wagner’s mind to light. The way the author explores the writings of Richard and his wife Cosima, as well as other texts, to showcase the author’s mindset during interactions with those he surrounded himself with; expertly showcases a man at conflict with himself. Despite his negative and troubling viewpoint on Judaism and the Jewish people, he managed to take each man or woman of Jewish descent as an individual, praising them or befriending them despite his views of their heritage.

This is a book for anyone interested in the history of composing music, famous composers and history in general. It’s also a great read for anyone interested in philosophical discussions on racism and the contrast some people infamous for racists musings have when befriending the very people they so heavily judged. The author’s question of whether or not a person can be judged by words alone or by the actions they take will have readers enthralled as they delve deeper and deeper into this book. Viewing both the internal and external forces at work that influenced Wagner’s mindset, (an already emerging negative view by the German people on Jewish people, political views, etc.), this book navigates the complex mind of one of the world’s greatest yet most controversial composers of all time.

This is a fantastic read. Heavily focused on historical context and exploring a different view on the actions and mindset of this complex figure in history, the author displays an intriguing knowledge of the man behind the myth, and uses the composer’s own words and actions to delve into this man’s mindset in regards to the controversies that have surrounded him for decades. If you enjoy history, philosophical musings or the works of German composer Richard Wagner, then pick up your copy of Milton Brener’s book Wagner Revisited today.