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58-731: The building, originally of the 15th century, was purchased by the Am Rhyn family in the 18th century. The external appearance dates from about 1800. Wagner lived in the villa from April 1866, leasing it from Colonel Walter am Rhyn. He completed here the operas Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Siegfried , and worked on Götterdämmerung . Franz Liszt 's daughter Cosima joined him, and Eva and Siegfried, children of Wagner and Cosima, were born here. After Cosima's divorce from Hans von Bülow , she and Wagner were married in Lucerne in 1870. On 25 December of that year Wagner's composition Siegfried Idyll

116-430: A Flieder -tree ( syringa or lilac-tree) before Sachs's. Apprentices are closing the shutters. Scene 1 The apprentices sing joyfully about St. John's Day, also called Midsummer Day , and its accompanying garlands of flowers and ribbons ("Johannistag! Johannistag!"). David informs Magdalena of Walther's failure. In her disappointment, Magdalena leaves without giving David the food she had brought for him. This arouses

174-553: A ballet . The autograph manuscript of the opera is preserved in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum . Wagner's autobiography Mein Leben ( My Life ) described the genesis of Die Meistersinger . Taking the waters at Marienbad in 1845 he began reading Georg Gottfried Gervinus ' Geschichte der deutschen Dichtung (History of German Poetry). This work included chapters on mastersong and on Hans Sachs. I had formed

232-427: A concert in the gardens of the villa, conducted by Arturo Toscanini . It included music by Wagner. In five rooms of the ground floor there is an exhibition about the life and works of the composer, showing historical photographs, paintings, memorabilia and original manuscripts. There is the bronze bust of Wagner by Fritz Schaper , and the composer's Erard grand piano, made in 1858. Cultural events may take place in

290-427: A confusing lecture on the mastersingers' rules for composing and singing. (Many of the tunes he describes were real master-tunes from the period.) Walther is confused by the complicated rules, but is determined to try for a place in the guild anyway. Scene 3 The first mastersingers file into the church, including Eva's wealthy father Veit Pogner and the town clerk Beckmesser. Beckmesser, a clever technical singer who

348-698: A half hours, not counting two breaks between acts, and is traditionally not cut. With Hans von Bülow conducting, it was first performed on 21 June 1868 at the National Theater in Munich , today home of Bavarian State Opera . The story is set in Nuremberg in the mid-16th century. At the time, Nuremberg was a free imperial city and one of the centers of the Renaissance in Northern Europe. The story revolves around

406-403: A historically well-defined time and place rather than in a mythical or legendary setting. It is the only mature Wagner opera based on an entirely original story, and in which no supernatural or magical powers or events feature. It incorporates many of the operatic conventions that Wagner had railed against in his essays on the theory of opera: rhymed verse, arias , choruses , a quintet , and even

464-611: A lesson of his own. Gervinus' book also mentions a poem by the real-life Hans Sachs on the subject of Protestant reformer Martin Luther , called "Die Wittenbergisch Nachtigall" (The Wittenberg Nightingale). The opening lines for this poem, addressing the Reformation , were later used by Wagner in Act III Scene 5 when the crowd acclaims Sachs: " Wacht auf, es nahet gen den Tag; ich hör' singen im grünen Hag ein wonnigliche Nachtigall. " (Awake,

522-524: A particularly vivid picture of Hans Sachs and the mastersingers of Nuremberg. I was especially intrigued by the institution of the Marker and his function in rating master-songs ... I conceived during a walk a comic scene in which the popular artisan-poet, by hammering upon his cobbler's last, gives the Marker, who is obliged by circumstances to sing in his presence, his come-uppance for previous pedantic misdeeds during official singing contests, by inflicting upon him

580-492: A result of reading Schopenhauer's ideas about the role of music, Wagner re-evaluated his prescription for opera, and included many of these elements in Die Meistersinger . Although Die Meistersinger is a comedy, it also elucidates Wagner's ideas on the place of music in society, on renunciation of Wille ( Will ), and on the solace that music can bring in a world full of Wahn (delusion, folly, self-deception). It

638-499: A sad tale of Tristan and Isolde. Hans Sachs was clever and did not want anything of King Marke's lot.") Having completed the scenario , Wagner began writing the libretto while living in Paris in 1862, and followed this by composing the overture . The overture was publicly performed in Leipzig on 2 November 1862, conducted by the composer. Composition of Act I was begun in spring of 1863 in

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696-462: A say in the matter, Pogner agrees that Eva may refuse the winner of the contest, but she must still marry a mastersinger. Another suggestion by Sachs, that the townspeople, rather than the masters, should be called upon to judge the winner of the contest, is rejected by the other masters. Pogner formally introduces Walther as a candidate for admission into the masterguild. Questioned by Kothner about his background, Walther states that his teacher in poetry

754-475: A symbolic coat of arms as a frontispiece to the first volume. This showed a vulture ( German : Geier ) holding a shield with the constellation of The Plough ( Wagen ); thus referring both to Wagner's natural father Carl and to his beloved stepfather, Ludwig Geyer. This was later the source for Nietzsche's taunt (in a footnote in his 1888 book The Case of Wagner: A Musician's Problem ), that Wagner might have been Jewish , as 'a Geyer (vulture)

812-711: Is Wahn which causes the riot in Act II – a sequence of events arising from a case of mistaken identity, which can be seen as a form of self-delusion. Commentators have observed that in his famous Act III monologue Wahn, Wahn, überall Wahn (Madness! Madness!, Everywhere madness!), Sachs paraphrases Schopenhauer's description of the way that Wahn drives a person to behave in ways that are self-destructive: in Flucht geschlagen, wähnt er zu jagen; hört nicht sein eigen Schmerzgekreisch, wenn er sich wühlt ins eig'ne Fleisch, wähnt Lust sich zu erzeigen! driven into flight he believes he

870-411: Is a very difficult song to interpret and sing. Beckmesser, his confidence restored by the prospect of using verses written by the famous Hans Sachs, ignores the warning and rushes off to prepare for the song contest. Sachs smiles at Beckmesser's foolishness but expresses hope that Beckmesser will learn to be better in the future. Mein Leben (Wagner) Mein Leben ( German for " My Life ")

928-412: Is almost an Adler (eagle)'. Both 'Geyer' and 'Adler' were common Jewish surnames, although Ludwig Geyer was not in fact Jewish. However, as Nietzsche was at the time one of the very few who had read Mein Leben and had been a close associate of the composer, many assumed (as Nietzsche doubtless intended) that Wagner had revealed a Jewish paternity in the autobiography, which was not the case. Over

986-426: Is amongst the most readable of Wagner's prose writings, generally free of the complex syntax that is typical of his theoretical works. His frequently tempestuous career, friendships and controversies make for a racy and often surprisingly frank account. However, [t]he subjective quality [...] emerges most clearly [...] in the casual and sometimes condescending tone [Wagner] adopts towards contemporaries [...], and it

1044-404: Is engaged to anyone. Eva and Walther have fallen in love at first sight, but she informs him that her father, the goldsmith and mastersinger Veit Pogner, has arranged to give her hand in marriage to the winner of the guild's song contest on Saint John's Day ( Midsummer's Day ), tomorrow. Eva's maid, Magdalena, gets David, Hans Sachs's apprentice, to tell Walther about the mastersingers' art. The hope

1102-427: Is for Walther to qualify as a mastersinger during the guild meeting, traditionally held in the church after Mass, and thus earn a place in the song contest despite his utter ignorance of the master-guild's rules and conventions. Scene 2 As the other apprentices set up the church for the meeting, David warns Walther that it is not easy to become a mastersinger; it takes many years of learning and practice. David gives

1160-470: Is hunting, and does not hear his own cry of pain: when he tears into his own flesh, he imagines he is giving himself pleasure! Following the completion of Tristan und Isolde , Wagner resumed work on Die Meistersinger in 1861 with a quite different philosophical outlook from that which he held when he developed his first draft. The character of Hans Sachs became one of the most Schopenhauerian of Wagner's creations. Wagner scholar Lucy Beckett has noted

1218-422: Is intercepted by Magdalena, who informs her that Beckmesser is coming to serenade her. Eva, determined to search for Walther, tells Magdalena to pose as her (Eva) at the bedroom window. Scene 5 Just as Eva is about to leave, Walther appears. He tells her that he has been rejected by the mastersingers, and the two prepare to elope. However, Sachs has overheard their plans. As they are passing by, he illuminates

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1276-516: Is no point in finishing it. Sachs tries to convince the masters to let Walther continue, but Beckmesser sarcastically tells Sachs to stop trying to set policy and instead, to finish making his (Beckmesser's) new shoes, which are overdue. Raising his voice over the masters' argument, Walther finishes his song, but the masters reject him and he rushes out of the church. Evening. On the street corner by Pogner's and Sachs's houses. A linden tree ( tilia or lime-tree or basswood) stands outside Pogner's house,

1334-415: Is present in the attacks on other composers of the age, above all on Meyerbeer. Nonetheless, the book is a major source for both Wagner's life and for the world of music and culture in which he began his career. The final section of the book, covering 1861 to 1864, was not completed until 1880. However, Wagner and Cosima had already determined to print a few copies for private circulation. The first volume

1392-535: Is reading a large book. Lost in thought, he does not respond as David returns from delivering Beckmesser's shoes. David finally manages to attract his master's attention, and they discuss the upcoming festivities – it is Saint John's day, Hans Sachs's name day . David recites his verses for Sachs, and leaves to prepare for the festival. Alone, Sachs ponders last night's riot. "Madness! Madness! Everywhere madness!" ( Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn! ) His attempt to prevent an elopement had ended in shocking violence. Nevertheless, he

1450-442: Is resolved to make madness work for him today. Scene 2 Sachs gives Walther an interactive lesson on the history and philosophy of music and mastersinging, and teaches him to moderate his singing according to the spirit (if not the strict letter) of the masters' rules. Walther demonstrates his understanding by composing two sections of a new Prize Song in a more acceptable style than his previous effort from Act I. Sachs writes down

1508-421: Is restored as abruptly as it was broken. A lone figure walks through the street – the nightwatchman, calling out the hour. Prelude, a meditative orchestral introduction using music from two key episodes to be heard in act 3: Sachs's scene 1 monologue "Wahn! Wahn!" and the "Wittenberg Nightingale" quasi-chorale sung by the townspeople to greet Sachs in scene 5. Scene 1: Sachs's workshop As morning dawns, Sachs

1566-465: Is the autobiography of the composer Richard Wagner , covering the years from his birth in 1813 to 1864. On 17 July 1865 in Munich , Wagner began dictating Mein Leben to his then mistress Cosima von Bülow, whom he married in 1870. King Ludwig II of Bavaria asked him to write the memoir in a letter dated 28 May 1865: You would cause me inexpressible happiness if you were to give me an account of your intellectual and spiritual development and of

1624-431: Is unenthusiastic about Beckmesser, who appears to be the only eligible contestant. She hints that she would not mind if Sachs, a widower, were to win the contest. Though touched, Sachs protests that he would be too old a husband for her. Upon further prompting, Sachs describes Walther's failure at the guild meeting. This causes Eva to storm off angrily, confirming Sachs's suspicion that she has fallen in love with Walther. Eva

1682-498: The French horn at the premiere, despite his often-expressed dislike of Wagner, who was present at many of the rehearsals. Wagner's frequent interruptions and digressions made rehearsals a very long-winded affair. After one 5 hour rehearsal, Franz Strauss led a strike by the orchestra, saying that he could not play any more. Despite these problems, the premiere was a triumph, and the opera was hailed as one of Wagner's most successful works. At

1740-535: The Viennese suburb of Penzing , but the opera in its entirety was not finished until October 1867, when Wagner was living at Tribschen near Lucerne . These years were some of Wagner's most difficult: the 1861 Paris production of Tannhäuser was a fiasco, Wagner gave up hope of completing Der Ring des Nibelungen , the 1864 Vienna production of Tristan und Isolde was abandoned after 77 rehearsals, and finally in 1866 Wagner's first wife, Minna , died. Cosima Wagner

1798-464: The city's guild of Meistersinger (Master Singers), an association of amateur poets and musicians who were primarily master craftsmen of various trades. The master singers had developed a craftsmanlike approach to music-making, with an intricate system of rules for composing and performing songs. The work draws much of its atmosphere from its depiction of the Nuremberg of the era and the traditions of

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1856-605: The cobbler replies that he has to finish tempering the soles of the shoes, whose lateness Beckmesser had publicly complained about (in Act I). Sachs offers a compromise: he will be quiet and let Beckmesser sing, but he (Sachs) will be Beckmesser's "marker", and mark each of Beckmesser's musical/poetical errors by striking one of the soles with his hammer. Beckmesser, who has spotted someone at Eva's window (Magdalena in disguise), has no time to argue. He tries to sing his serenade, but he makes so many mistakes (his tune repeatedly places accents on

1914-501: The contents. Cosima herself was worried about some of the revelations in Mein Leben – in a letter to the King she wrote: Had I not constantly begged him to say everything, however painful it might be, there is quite a lot he would not have set down. I was bold enough to assert that you too would have asked him to do it, and so he plunges deep into a sea of unedifying memories. This is despite

1972-405: The dawn is drawing near; I hear, singing in the green grove, a blissful nightingale) In addition to this, Wagner added a scene drawn from his own life, in which a case of mistaken identity led to a near-riot: this was to be the basis for the finale of Act II. Out of this situation evolved an uproar, which through the shouting and clamour and an inexplicable growth in the number of participants in

2030-467: The derision of the other apprentices, and David is about to turn on them when Sachs arrives and hustles his apprentice into the workshop. Scene 2 Pogner arrives with Eva, engaging in a roundabout conversation: Eva is hesitant to ask about the outcome of Walther's application, and Pogner has private doubts about whether it was wise to offer his daughter's hand in marriage for the song contest. As they enter their house, Magdalena appears and tells Eva about

2088-447: The end of the first performance, the audience called for Wagner, who appeared at the front of the Royal box, which he had been sharing with King Ludwig. Wagner bowed to the crowd, breaking court protocol, which dictated that only the monarch could address an audience from the box. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is scored for the following instruments: on-stage Nuremberg , towards

2146-430: The external events of your life as well. Wagner was indebted to the king, who had rescued him from a life of exile and financial embarrassment in the previous year. At around the same time in 1864, Wagner had heard the news of the death of his professional nemesis, the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer . The book therefore ends on a 'triumphant' note with the exaltation of Wagner at the death of his supposed 'enemy.' The book

2204-580: The fact that Wagner, in dictating to Cosima, had watered down some of his past, particularly his love life and his involvement in the 1849 Revolution in Dresden . An extra copy of volumes 1 to 3 struck off by the Basel printer was acquired by the American collector Mrs. Burrell in 1892, and she was so surprised by what she read that she suspected it of being a forgery. Following a suggestion by Nietzsche, Wagner included

2262-460: The master-singer guild. One of the main characters, the cobbler-poet Hans Sachs, is based on a historical figure, Hans Sachs (1494–1576), the most famous of the master-singers. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg occupies a unique place in Wagner's oeuvre. It is the only comedy among his mature operas (he had come to reject his early Das Liebesverbot ) and is also unusual among his works in being set in

2320-543: The middle of the sixteenth century. Prelude Scene 1: Interior of Katharinenkirche (St. Catherine's Church) in Nuremberg, Saint John's Eve or Midsummer 's Eve, June 23 After the prelude, a church service is just ending with a singing of Da zu dir der Heiland kam (When the Saviour came to thee ), an impressive pastiche of a Lutheran chorale , as Walther von Stolzing, a young knight from Franconia , addresses Eva Pogner, whom he had met earlier, and asks her if she

2378-545: The new verses as Walther sings them. A final section remains to be composed, but Walther postpones the task. The two men leave the room to dress for the festival. Scene 3 Beckmesser, still sore from his drubbing the night before, enters the workshop. He spots the verses of the Prize Song, written in Sachs's handwriting, and infers (erroneously) that Sachs is secretly planning to enter the contest for Eva's hand. The cobbler re-enters

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2436-510: The prospect of becoming a suitor for Eva's love – is also deeply Schopenhauerian. Sachs here denies the Will in its supposedly most insistent form, that of sexual love. Wagner marks this moment with a direct musical and textual reference to Tristan und Isolde : Mein Kind, von Tristan und Isolde kenn' ich ein traurig Stück. Hans Sachs war klug und wollte nichts von Herrn Markes Glück. ("My child, I know

2494-490: The remarkable similarity between Wagner's Sachs and Schopenhauer's description of the noble man: We always picture a very noble character to ourselves as having a certain trace of silent sadness... It is a consciousness that has resulted from knowledge of the vanity of all achievements and of the suffering of all life, not merely of one's own. (Schopenhauer: The World as Will and Representation ) The other distinctive manifestation of Sachs's character – his calm renunciation of

2552-427: The room and Beckmesser confronts him with the verses and asks if he wrote them. Sachs confirms that the handwriting is his, but does not clarify that he was not the author but merely served as scribe. However, he goes on to say that he has no intention of wooing Eva or entering the contest, and he presents the manuscript to Beckmesser as a gift. He promises never to claim the song for his own, and warns Beckmesser that it

2610-470: The rumours of Walther's failure. Eva decides to ask Sachs about the matter. Scene 3 As twilight falls, Hans Sachs takes a seat in front of his house to work on new shoes for Beckmesser. He muses about Walther's song, which has made a deep impression on him ( Was duftet doch der Flieder , known as the Flieder Monologue). Scene 4 Eva approaches Sachs, and they discuss tomorrow's song contest. Eva

2668-423: The salon on the ground floor, such as chamber concerts in which Wagner's grand piano is played. Die Meistersinger von N%C3%BCrnberg Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg ( German: [diː ˈmaɪstɐˌzɪŋɐ fɔn ˈnʏʁnbɛːɐk] ; "The Master-Singers of Nuremberg"), WWV 96, is a music drama , or opera, in three acts, by Richard Wagner . It is the longest opera commonly performed, taking nearly four and

2726-426: The signal to begin ( Fanget an! ), Walther launches into a novel free-form tune ( So rief der Lenz in den Wald ), breaking all the mastersingers' rules, and his song is constantly interrupted by the scratch of Beckmesser's chalk on his chalkboard , maliciously noting one violation after another. When Beckmesser has completely covered the slate with symbols of Walther's errors, he interrupts the song and argues that there

2784-437: The street with his lantern, forcing them to hide in the shadow of Pogner's house. Walther makes up his mind to confront Sachs, but is interrupted by the arrival of Beckmesser. Scene 6 As Eva and Walther retreat further into the shadows, Beckmesser begins his serenade. Sachs interrupts him by launching into a full-bellied cobbling song, and hammering the soles of the half-made shoes. Annoyed, Beckmesser tells Sachs to stop, but

2842-400: The struggle soon assumed a truly demoniacal character. It looked to me as if the whole town would break out into a riot...Then suddenly I heard a heavy thump, and as if by magic the whole crowd dispersed in every direction...One of the regular patrons had felled one of the noisiest rioters ... And it was the effect of this which had scattered everybody so suddenly. This first draft of the story

2900-486: The wrong syllables of the words) that from the repeated knocks Sachs finishes the shoes. David wakes up and sees Beckmesser apparently serenading Magdalena. He attacks Beckmesser in a fit of jealous rage. The entire neighborhood is awakened by the noise. The other apprentices rush into the fray, and the situation degenerates into a full-blown riot. In the confusion, Walther tries to escape with Eva, but Sachs pushes Eva into her home and drags Walther into his own workshop. Quiet

2958-578: The years, and particularly after Wagner's death, Cosima attempted to recall all the copies that had been distributed. Many of these were apparently burnt by Cosima. The first generally published edition did not appear until 1911, possibly to quell the rumours which had grown about the contents; this was cut and adapted by the Wagner family to cover up indiscreet comments or actions by Wagner which appeared discreditable. The first complete public edition appeared in 1963 (in German). The edition translated by Andrew Gray

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3016-465: Was Walther von der Vogelweide whose works he studied in his own private library in Franconia, and his teachers in music were the birds and nature itself. Reluctantly the masters agree to admit him, provided he can perform a master-song of his own composition. Walther chooses love as the topic for his song and therefore is to be judged by Beckmesser alone, the "Marker" of the guild for worldly matters. At

3074-578: Was dated "Marienbad 16 July 1845". Wagner later said, in Eine Mitteilung an meine Freunde (1851) (A Communication to my Friends) that Meistersinger was to be a comic opera to follow a tragic opera, i.e. Tannhäuser . Just as the Athenians had followed a tragedy with a comic satyr play , so Wagner would follow Tannhäuser with Meistersinger : the link being that both operas included song-contests. In 1854, Wagner first read Schopenhauer , and

3132-454: Was expecting to win the contest without opposition, is distressed to see that Walther is Pogner's guest and intends to enter the contest. Meanwhile, Pogner introduces Walther to the other mastersingers as they arrive. Fritz Kothner the baker, serving as chairman of this meeting, calls the roll. Pogner, addressing the assembly, announces his offer of his daughter's hand for the winner of the song contest. When Hans Sachs argues that Eva ought to have

3190-450: Was first performed on the stairs of the villa. Wagner moved to Bayreuth in 1872, planning to build a theatre. Apart from occasionally being rented during the summer, the house afterwards stood empty. In 1931 the house and surrounding parkland were purchased from the Am Rhyn family by the City of Lucerne. The villa was opened as a museum in 1933. In 1938, the first Lucerne Festival began with

3248-472: Was later to write: "When future generations seek refreshment in this unique work, may they spare a thought for the tears from which the smiles arose." The premiere was given at the Königliches Hof- und National-Theater , Munich, on 21 June 1868. The production was sponsored by Ludwig II of Bavaria and the conductor was Hans von Bülow . Franz Strauss , the father of the composer Richard Strauss , played

3306-526: Was printed in 1870 in an edition of fifteen. Volumes 2 and 3 were printed in 1872 and 1875, in editions of eighteen copies. Wagner recruited the young Friedrich Nietzsche to act as proof-reader and to see the book through a press in Basel . Volume 4 was printed in 1880 in Bayreuth . There was no intention to distribute the book beyond a small circle of trusted friends; for this reason, rumours began to grow regarding

3364-525: Was struck by the philosopher's theories on aesthetics . In this philosophy, art is a means for escaping from the sufferings of the world, and music is the highest of the arts since it is the only one not involved in representation of the world (i.e. it is abstract). It is for this reason that music can communicate emotion without the need for words. In his earlier essay Oper und Drama (Opera and Drama) (1850–1) Wagner had derided staples of operatic construction: arias, choruses, duets, trios, recitatives, etc. As

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