Karl Goldmark's 1886 opera Merlin can best be summed up as Wagnerian. In addition to the influence of Wagner, there are instances of an almost Mendelssohnian elegance and delicacy, as well as moments of a hale-and-hearty Slavic character. But it's Wagner's fingerprints that are virtually everywhere: in the text setting, the character of the musical gestures, the harmonies, the orchestration, the epic subject, the emotional intensity, the portentous tone, and the length. The difficulty is that Wagner's genius for memorable ...
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Karl Goldmark's 1886 opera Merlin can best be summed up as Wagnerian. In addition to the influence of Wagner, there are instances of an almost Mendelssohnian elegance and delicacy, as well as moments of a hale-and-hearty Slavic character. But it's Wagner's fingerprints that are virtually everywhere: in the text setting, the character of the musical gestures, the harmonies, the orchestration, the epic subject, the emotional intensity, the portentous tone, and the length. The difficulty is that Wagner's genius for memorable melody, astute characterization, musical and dramatic momentum, harmonic inventiveness, control of large musical forms, (and, yes), economy, is missing. Almost the whole of the opera, in fact, sounds like it might have been made up of scraps of music gathered from Wagner's cutting room floor. There's nothing wrong with Merlin -- Goldmark's craft and instincts are never in doubt, the Act Two love duet is lovely, and there are countless little felicities that grab the listener's...
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