Incomplete And Utter History Of Classical Music

RICHARD, THE GREAT, AND VIV THE REVOLUTION

1848 was THE year for revolution, more than any other year had been in recent history. In Paris, Louis Philippe had abdicated and the French National Assembly had elected the recendy escaped Louis Napoleon as President of the French Republic. In Vienna, Prince Metternich resigned during the first uprising, then, during a second, Emperor Ferdinand I decides to get out too, while the going is good, and nips to Innsbruck for a spot of skiing. A further, third uprising sees him abdicating fully in favour of his nephew, Franz Joseph. In Rome, Count Rossi, the papal premiere, is assassinated and Pope Pius gets out, sharpish. It's happening all over, too. Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Milan, Parma, Prague, the Isle of Sheppey©, Rome - all of them undergoing a massive period of Revolution, with a capital R. Er, and in bold. And italics. And underlined. I think I've made my point.

Come 1849, and Wagner himself is caught up in it all, too. He starts giving hardline, radical speeches, in support of the rebels, and even selling revolutionary pamphlets on the street. Can you imagine that? Bumping into Wagner on the street, trying to sell you a magazine? 'RW: Guten tag, Guvnor Buy a Grofi Issue? Pleb: Sorry? RW: Go on, buy a Grofi Issue, support the keinen Haus mensch…

…er, please? Pleb: Oh, J, er, I already bought one, Wagner, honest.

It's…at home. RW (tuts): Er, well, wass about du, squire? Buy a Grofi bsue? Come on, Grofs bsue, who'll take my last eins? What a strange concept. Anyway, as a result, when the revolt in Wagner's bit of the world, Dresden, eventually comes to nothing, Wagner is forced to flee to Zurich to escape prosecution. In fact, he's forced to stay in Zurich for thirteen years, until the heat dies down. Thirteen years! That must have been some heat. It was left to friends and champions, like Liszt, to keep Wagner heard in his native land. That's 1849's amazing turn of events. What about 1850, hmm?