The Brown Book

Diary Entry of April 26, 1868

Overview

Wagner sets out a ten-volume plan for an edition of his writings. The arrangement brings together autobiographical material, criticism, theoretical essays, dramatic poems, and the Ring.

Content

Sunday, April 26:

Order for Complete Edition of my Writings

Vol. I — Biographical Sketch (Zeitung für die elegante Welt.) Two Novellen: A Pilgrimage to Beethoven The End of a Musician in Paris. A Happy Evening Virtuoso and Artist Rossini’s ‘Stabat mater’. Concerning German Music. Performance of Der Freischütz in Paris. Halévy’s ‘La Reine de Chypre’. 4 sketches: ‘The Saracen Woman.’ ‘The Mines at Falun.’ ‘Wieland the Smith.’ ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’

Vol. II — Oration at Weber’s grave. Programmes: III 9th Symphony. — Eroica. — Coriolanus. — Quartet in C sharp minor. — Tannhäuser Overture, Flying Dutchman. — Preludes to Lohengrin, Tristan, Mastersingers. — Agape of the Apostles. The Wibelungen — —The Nibelung myth. — Siegfried’s Death (first draft) — Poems: To King Friedr. Aug. — At Weber’s grave. —

Vol. II - I(b) Art and Revolution. (c) (d) Art and Climate. The Art-work of the future.

Vol. IV - Opera and Drama.

Vol. V - Sketch for Reorganization of Dresden Court Theatre. — Address to Orchestra. —

II(a) Letter to Liszt (concerning Goethe Foundation) I(a) Letter to Brendel (about music journal.) II(b) A Theatre in Zürich. II(c) The Viennese Court Opera Theatre. Foreword to The Nibelung’s Ring. II(d) Report on Munich Music School. IIl(e) German Art and German Politics.

Vol. VI - III From the Foreword to the 3 Opera poems. Dedication of Lohengrin to Liszt. III(c) To Marie Wittgenstein about Liszt. III Spontini’s Death (Rossini) — Judaism in Music. III(d) The Overture to Gluck’s Iphigenia in Aulis. III Concerning the performance of Tannhäuser. — Concerning the performance of Flying Dutchman. III(a) Letter to Berlioz III(b) ‘Music of the Future’ to Monsieur Villot. Report of Paris Performance of Tannh: (in Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung.)

Vol. VII — Poem to King of Bavaria. — Invitation to Performance of Tristan. (?IID) Ludwig Schnorr. — Poem. ‘Above the Abyss’. (?) Music (with reference to Schopenhauer.) (?) On Conducting. F. Hiller. — H. Riel. —

What is German? On State and Religion. —

Vol. VIII The Flying Dutchman. Tannhäuser. Lohengrin. Tristan and Isolde. The Mastersingers.

Vol. IX The Nibelung’s Ring.

Vol. X Reminiscences from my Life. (From the Biography.)