Reviews
The Wagner Clan: The Saga of Germany's Most Illustrious and Infamous Family by Jonathan Carr
cleheny's review against another edition
4.0
Carr's history of the Wagner family is a genuinely interesting and enjoyable read, but it does suffer from the sheer scope of its topic. As each successive generation married and had children, the Wagner legacy--as carried on by his family--both grows and dissipates.
The early chapters detailing Wagner and Cosima's years together have the benefit of focusing on the couple and key figures in their life. Carr deftly illustrates how Cosima turned the admiration surrounding Wagner into a living cult that has survived Wagner's death for over 100 years. As each successive generation matures, Carr's tale naturally expands, but it is impossible to discuss each new addition to the family with equal (or close to equal) depth. Understandably, Carr focuses on some of the most dramatic personalities--the English children-in-law (Chamberlain and Winifred), Friedelind, and Wieland. Of those individuals that Carr covers in any depth, few are likeable.
In addition to learning more about certain branches of the family, such as Isolde and her children, I would have liked Carr to have spent more time on (1) the important period immediately following Wagner's death and Cosima's assumption of power at Bayreuth, (2) why Cosima froze out her daughters in favor of their brother, (3) how Bayreuth was re-established after WWII, and (4) the work that was, and is, performed at the Festival.
The early chapters detailing Wagner and Cosima's years together have the benefit of focusing on the couple and key figures in their life. Carr deftly illustrates how Cosima turned the admiration surrounding Wagner into a living cult that has survived Wagner's death for over 100 years. As each successive generation matures, Carr's tale naturally expands, but it is impossible to discuss each new addition to the family with equal (or close to equal) depth. Understandably, Carr focuses on some of the most dramatic personalities--the English children-in-law (Chamberlain and Winifred), Friedelind, and Wieland. Of those individuals that Carr covers in any depth, few are likeable.
In addition to learning more about certain branches of the family, such as Isolde and her children, I would have liked Carr to have spent more time on (1) the important period immediately following Wagner's death and Cosima's assumption of power at Bayreuth, (2) why Cosima froze out her daughters in favor of their brother, (3) how Bayreuth was re-established after WWII, and (4) the work that was, and is, performed at the Festival.
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