Life of Wilhem Richard Wagner

Wilhem Richard Wagner, known by Richard, was born in Leipzig, Germany on May 22, 1813. Richard Wagner led a contentious life and is known as one of the world’s most influential composers. He is also famous for his operas such as the four-part, 18-hour Ring Cycle and Tristan Isolde. Wagner led an influential life never losing confidence in himself from financial debt due to his operas not meeting success to being too sick to even compose his music. Richard Wagner is the perfect to example as to why a person should never give up. With Wagner’s perseverance and courage he became a very successful, widely known Romantic period musical icon.

Wagner was born into German decent and was the ninth child his family. His parents are Carl and Johanna Wagner. His father passed away when he was only six months old and Wagner was raised by his stepfather, Ludwig Geyer. At seven years old in 1820, Wagner began practicing the piano with lessons from a Latin teacher at Pastor Wetzel’s school. Wagner quickly caught on to playing the piano and by 1827, Wagner had written a piano transcription for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Not only was Wagner inspired by Beethoven but he was also inspired by Mozart and Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient. In 1831, Wagner joined the Studentenverbindung Corps Saxonia Leipzig at the University of Leipzig. Here Wagner impressed the cantor of Saint Thomas church and was given free music lessons. Not long after becoming a member of the the Studentenverbindung Corps Saxonia Leipzig, Wagner gained a position as a choir director in 1833. Also in 1833 Wagner completed his very first opera, “The Fairies”. Following the completion of his first opera, in 1834 Wagner met the love of his life who he would soon fall in love with, Minna P...

... middle of paper ...

...ard Wagner. Wagner was very passionate of Beethoven and his music and at the young age of fifteen he was writing keyboard and orchestral works that had Beethoven influence. Not only was Richard Wagner inspired by others but Wagner also inspired others himself. Wagner’s large operas help set the stage for film work. Wagner is known for contributing to the development of the structure of harmony. Schoenberg, Dvorak, and Bruckner are just a few that Richard Wagner has inspired with his music abilities and everything that he did.

Richard Wagner accomplished a lot in his lifetime spite all through all of his depressions and hardships. Wagner leaves behind a wonderful legacy of not only just music but also his writings and his operas. Richard Wagner had hard times in his life but still managed to push through and produce several operas that will be remembered forever.