Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung": Companion Book

There has long been a need for a new English translation of the text of Wagner's Ring - a modern version, both reliable and readable yet truly reflecting the literary quality of the original. As Wagner emphasized, his words and music form an indissoluble unity, neither fully comprehensible without the other. Stewart Spencer, a lifelong devotee of Wagner and an editor of the journal of the Wagner society, is ideally qualified for such a task. The poem of The Ring bristles with difficulties: of interpretation and of rendition into English. Spencer's version, which exactly follows the original verse form, reads smoothly and idiomatically, yet is the result of prolonged thought and deep background knowledge. The German text is given in parallel, and Spencer also contributes footnotes and an introductory essay. Other specially commissioned essays discuss the cycle's musical structure, its philosophical implications, its medieval sources and Wagner's own changing attitude to its meaning. There is also a glossary of names, a review of audio and video recordings, and a select bibliography. Armed with this complement to Wagner's master-work, the newcomer can approach it without fear of being mystified, while for those already under its spell there are new ideas.Read More