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Disturbing the Universe: Wagner's Musikdrama Paperback – September 11, 2021

by David Vernon (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 41 ratings
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The Amazon No. 1 Bestseller

'Engaging, wry and topical' — The Wagner Journal

'A rattling good read. Vivid, colourful ... A valuable addition to any Wagnerian's library – highly recommended.' — Paul Carey Jones

'A great and necessary addition to the Wagner literature. Clever and clear without being intellectually boring.' — Matthew Rose

'A sensational tome. A perfect introduction to Wagner's complex world, but also completely engaging for the lifelong Wagner nut.' — Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director: Colorado MahlerFest

Wagner’s art refuses to stand still, declines to play by the rules and will not observe any of the social graces.

What is it that makes Wagner so endlessly powerful? So influential, seductive and repellent? So simultaneously creative and destructive? And why does it continue to shock, thrill and disturb all those who encounter it?

In Disturbing the Universe, David Vernon probes – in his incisive, provocative style – each of Wagner's mature works individually, from Der fliegende Holländer to Parsifal. He unpacks and interrogates the exquisite networks Wagner created through the radical development of opera into musikdrama.

Written in spirited and enticing prose, this book will appeal to Wagner addicts and connoisseurs as well as to novices and sceptics. It invites us all to look anew at a timeless and controversial art.

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  1. Print length
    310 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    September 11, 2021
  4. Dimensions
    5 x 0.78 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1527299244
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1527299245
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. David Vernon is an academic and writer. He studied at Oxford University and Freie Universität Berlin, where he completed his doctorate on Shakespeare's tragicomedies, and taught English literature for many years in London. He lives in Edinburgh.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candle Row Press (September 11, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 310 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1527299244
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1527299245
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.78 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 41 ratings

About the author

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David Vernon

David Vernon

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David Vernon writes about literature and classical music, including on Shakespeare, Nabokov, Wagner, Mahler and, most recently, Beethoven. His next book, to be published in November 2024, will be on the symphonies and tone poems of Jean Sibelius, while future projects include a study of Yukio Mishima's novels.

He studied at Oxford University, before teaching English language and literature in China and Japan. After returning to Europe, he completed his doctorate on Shakespeare's tragicomedies at Freie Universität Berlin and taught for many years in London. He lives in Scotland.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
41 global ratings
The Universe Needed this Book!
5 Stars
The Universe Needed this Book!
Congratulations to Dr. Vernon on this highly enjoyable and informative book. "Disturbing the Universe" accompanied me on a recent trip to the deserts of California for a needed holiday, and I was thrilled to bring Dr. Vernon's colorful and illustrative tome along. A fantastic book about the inner-workings of Wagner musikdrama, while remaining light and adventurous. I couldn't recommend it more!
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Top reviews from the United States

Terry Hammond
5.0 out of 5 stars 🎹 Wagner still rules!
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
Wagner's art was the greatest discovery of my life. And this book is a great big love letter to Wagner. Bravo! I am on my second read-through.
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Dianne Bret Harte
5.0 out of 5 stars Musikdrama, a new, great word
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
Eighty-plus years ago I began to spend my weekly allowance to buy a Metropolitan Opera book for children, each one summarizing in beguiling pictures and prose a different opera. I understood and loved those books and they taught me a lot. While I’m far better versed in the art now than I was then, I’m overjoyed when I come upon a book that opens a new door and gives a new name to a beloved musical form in vibrant and totally approachable prose. This book is simply tops in every way: if only I‘d had it for my long-ago Wagner-appreciation course in college. Hooray, David Vernon!
5 people found this helpful
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Ken (Power Prime)
5.0 out of 5 stars The Universe Needed this Book!
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
Congratulations to Dr. Vernon on this highly enjoyable and informative book. "Disturbing the Universe" accompanied me on a recent trip to the deserts of California for a needed holiday, and I was thrilled to bring Dr. Vernon's colorful and illustrative tome along. A fantastic book about the inner-workings of Wagner musikdrama, while remaining light and adventurous. I couldn't recommend it more!
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Ken (Power Prime)
5.0 out of 5 stars The Universe Needed this Book!
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2021
Congratulations to Dr. Vernon on this highly enjoyable and informative book. "Disturbing the Universe" accompanied me on a recent trip to the deserts of California for a needed holiday, and I was thrilled to bring Dr. Vernon's colorful and illustrative tome along. A fantastic book about the inner-workings of Wagner musikdrama, while remaining light and adventurous. I couldn't recommend it more!
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4 people found this helpful
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Dan Jacobsen
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2023
The best introduction to Wagner's opera--what it is and why it matters--that I've read. Highly, highly recommended.
One person found this helpful
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Christopher Graver
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, can't-put-it-down window into Wagner and his operas
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2021
I'm so glad this book has been written! I spent my high school years twenty minutes from the Vienna opera house and got to see many of the revered old masters' works, but why I was drawn to Wagner's works, especially the long and intricate RIng cycle, has always been a mystery to me. Here's the explanation, in an exceptionally readable book that, without condescending, lets me see through Wagner's eyes, and feels at times like it even understands his heart. Each opera is given its own chapter, each building on the last, and each chapter has its own brief, intriguing title (that I'm sure will lead to disagreements in the opera community): "Subverting the Fairy Tale: Siegfried," or "The Illusion of TIme: Gotterdammerung."
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Dan Earle
5.0 out of 5 stars good read
Reviewed in Canada on February 16, 2022
Verified Purchase
Gives a thoughtful insight to work of Wagner. Need to be an appreciator of his work. Not for all. Try it.
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Paul Carey Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable addition to any Wagnerian’s library - highly recommended.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
David Vernon’s new book is an insightful journey through the operatic works of Richard Wagner, and a rattling good read. Vernon’s writing style is vivid, colourful and, most crucially, crystal clear. Meanwhile, his central theme - the unique, revolutionary nature of Wagner’s “musikdrama” - is convincing, compellingly and knowledgeably argued. The book takes each of Wagner’s mature works in turn and guides us through their varying natures, charting the development of Wagner’s ideas and aims over time. Vernon explicitly avoids dealing with too much of Wagner’s biographical details, except where they have a direct impact on the operas themselves; but despite clearly being an ardent Wagner fan, he doesn’t shy away from the more problematic aspects of the composer’s work when those moments arise. This book’s ideal reader might be someone who has dipped their toes into Wagner’s music and liked what they’ve heard, and now seeks a guide towards further understanding what lies deeper within the dramas themselves. But hardcore Wagner fans, not to mention those who make a living from performing his works, will also find a great deal into which to sink their teeth. Included at the end are pithy synopses of each opera, as well as suggestions for further reading which are well-judged and not too overwhelming. Overall, this is a valuable addition to any Wagnerian’s library - highly recommended.
6 people found this helpful
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J. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars A book to disturb the Wagner universe
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
Do we need another book on Wagner? Just when it seems we're in danger of becoming overloaded with books examining all aspects of the man and his art (some from very shaky foundations), along comes another one soon enough. But this fascinating new book thankfully doesn't seek to either place Richard Wagner on a pedestal and turn him into a religion, or knock him down and blame him for everything from the rise of atonality to the rise of the Nazis.

Perfect for both the newcomer to Wagner's art, wondering quite what it is that makes Wagnerians swoon so much over these unique achievements in music and drama, or the long-standing Wagnerite who will glean fresh and fascinating new insights into the musikdramas (as Dr. Vernon calls them, and explains why in his introduction).

Each of the ten canonical works are given a chapter each, with a concise summary of the plots provided as an appendix. Both the contents of the music and the drama are considered, with some history as to their background and composition. The uglier sides of Wagner's personality are not ignored or played down, but neither is he portrayed as the irredeemable monster in some of the more hysterical books on him. But in a refreshing change, Wagner the revolutionary socialist is shown to cast a longer shadow on the works than many previous authors have perhaps engaged with. Although Lohengrin was composed during Wagner's radical Utopian Socialist (as Marx might've called him) phase, until now I'd never considered those views to be especially present in the work until I'd read the chapter discussing it.

This is an excellent addition in what has been a good couple of years for Wagner literature. This can be placed alongside Alex Ross's recent book Wagnerism and the Cambridge Companion to Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen edited by Mark Berry and Nicholas Vazsonyi as bringing fresh insights into Wagner's works, an essential addition to any music lovers shelf. Absorbing reading, and with a lovely dedication to a very fine exponent of Wagner's art, Karita Mattila.
2 people found this helpful
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Ian WD3
3.0 out of 5 stars Well researched that adds to the Wagner story, but not referenced or indexed
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2022
Verified Purchase
This fine book is detailed and well researched - no doubt at all that it adds a great deal of "context" to the Wagner story. Dr Vernon is passionate and informed as to his subject.

However, like Dr Vernon's Mahler book 'Beauty and Sadness - Mahler's 11 Symphonies', there seems to be an issue - Dr Vernon does not reference his sources and fails to provide an index at the end of the book. This is unfortunate as referencing sources and providing an index can ensure the reader can go on and research further as well as being confident with the information thus read. I'm sure the information is true and reliable; but academic writers should have no problem in referencing sources and providing an index.

As with his Mahler book, should a revised edition be considered, may I suggest Dr Vernon provides a full referencing of sources and an index. By doing so, his books should receive full academic positioning.
7 people found this helpful
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Mr. Andrew Higgins
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Work!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 23, 2021
Verified Purchase
This one of the most interesting and insightful books I have read on the music dramas of r
Richard Wagner. Dr Vernon combines musical and textual analysis with a clear concise and very engaging exploration of these works which I believe will open them up to new audiences. For example his thoughts on the giant Fasolt as the first hero of the Ring got me to re-think this narrative of the Ring. He has an incredibly powerful and engaging prose style. I recommend listening to one of your fav recordings of each of Wagners works as you read Dr Vernon’s excellent and innovative analysis and thoughts. Highly recommend!
One person found this helpful
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