Lies and Epiphanies

Well-cited, the book reads like a crime novel, and each of the five accounts is told as a story . . . Walton delves into the field of inspiration and influence, inherently muddy with speculation, clad with the best possible armor of research and inquiry. * MUSIC REFERENCE SERVICES QUARTERLY *
An illuminating read where one is transported back to the lives and times of composers who were, and still are regarded as the greats in Germanic music. * STRINGENDO *
Chris Walton's engaging study is concerned instead with inspiration in its engendering aspect. Having laid a variety of myths to rest, he is cautious about going too far: 'we should also be prepared to regard apparent mendacities [. . . ] as allegories that allow us alternative, symbolic points of access to an understanding of complex, barely understandable phenomena' (p.133). These are wise words with which to conclude this excellent and elegantly written study. * WAGNER JOURNAL *
His theme is the seeking out of the conflicts and ironies that arise when musicians attempt to negotiate between their blessedly non-conceptual chosen medium and the real world in which they attempt to lead their lives. Walton takes understandable pleasure in cutting these giants of artistic endeavour down to size. At the same time, he avoids strenuously moralistic debunking. * MUSICAL TIMES *
Chris Walton offers a fascinating exploration of the stories his chosen composers -- German Romantics from Wagner to Strauss -- have told about inspiration. His conclusion is powerful, even moving, but no less important are his portraits of these still-looming figures. -- -- Paul Griffiths, author of The Substance of Things Heard: Writings about Music
If we are unsurprised to learn that Wagner lied about the sources of his inspiration in order to intensify the pseudo-religious aura of his work, we may be disappointed to discover that Berg was significantly more friendly to Austrofascism than has been generally recognized, or that Richard Strauss repeatedly reinvented himself to best profit from the ruling power -- whether the Kaiser, Hitler, or the Americans. In this important book, Walton debunks the myths of inspiration invented by composers and their canonizers in the contexts of power and money. -- -- Timothy L. Jackson, Distinguished University Research Professor of Music, College of Music, University of North Texas