Lovely classics

A masterpiece by Richard Wagner. Popular classical music.

Representative, Elysion Philharmonic Orchestrasai-kisaragi
Heisei College of Music, Composition Course. Studied composition and conducting under Keizo Ideta, piano under Chinami Kira, and arts management under Takuma Konishi. With a focus on community and music, I work to revitalize my hometown of Saga Prefecture. While performing as a double bassist with wind ensembles and orchestras across Kyushu, I participated on double bass in the “Orchestra Without Borders” orchestra camp of the professional game and anime music ensemble Eminence Orchestra, held in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture in September 2012. During CAPCOM’s Kyushu Tour in 2016, I not only performed as an orchestra member but also served on the production staff. I currently serve as the managing representative for the game and anime performance groups Elysion Philharmonic Orchestra (Saga Prefecture) and Fukuoka Game Music Wind Orchestra (Fukuoka Prefecture), and handle conducting, arranging, and public relations.

We’ve put together a collection of masterpieces by Richard Wagner, the 19th-century German composer known as the “King of Music Drama”! He wrote the librettos for most of his own operas and was known not only as a composer but also as a man of letters, making him one of the figures who exerted broad influence across Europe in the latter half of the 19th century.

True to his title as the King of Music Drama, he wrote a great many music dramas; however, he also left works such as the Symphony in C major, as well as numerous piano pieces and songs.

Those familiar with wind bands may recognize Wagner’s name from “Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral.” This time, we’ve selected some of Wagner’s greatest works.

Please give them a listen!

Masterpieces by Richard Wagner: Popular Classical Music (71–80)

Piano Sonata in B-flat major, WWV 1, Op. 1Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner – Piano Sonata in B flat, Op. 1, WWV 21 (1/3)

Piano Sonata in B-flat major, WWV 1, Op. 1Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner’s Piano Sonata in B-flat major, WWV 1, Op.

1, is a work whose gentle, unadorned sonority stands apart from his resplendent music dramas and operas.

Composed in 1831 when he was just 18, it offers a glimpse of Wagner’s early talent as he was still forging his musical path.

While it contains few passages designed to dazzle with virtuosity, the richness of expression and passion that underlie his music breathe through its delicate melodic lines.

Marking the first steps of the young Wagner’s diverse musical explorations, this piece possesses a charm distinct from the grandeur of the music dramas he would later create, and it is recommended not only for piano enthusiasts but also for those who wish to experience Wagner’s music from a fresh perspective.

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In conclusion

As expected of someone called the King of Music Drama, he wrote an extraordinary number of music dramas—operas.

Just naming a few, like The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, Tannhäuser, and Lohengrin, reminds us how many of these works are Wagner’s.

Wagner not only composed the music but also wrote the librettos for his own operas by himself, and as a leading cultural figure who influenced not only the music world but European culture at large in the latter half of the 19th century, this is why he is known as the king of Romantic opera and music drama.

His works often combine a flamboyant style with the beauty, brilliance, and grandeur of the orchestra—qualities that captivate listeners and audiences alike.

Please continue to explore Wagner’s works, which will go on enchanting people of all kinds.

That concludes our presentation of works by Wagner, the King of Music Drama.