Don't be afraid of Wagner. He's not a Nazi

From : The Telegraph

Photo : http://www.samizdat.qc.ca/

The idea that Nazism can be traced back to a moment in 1905 when Hitler, aged 16, had some sort of epiphany after seeing 'Rienzi' in Linz is simply potty, says Simon Heffer.

One of the more tiresome criticisms offered about classical music is that it is "elitist". This brings with it the modern vogue insult of its being "inaccessible". At the most banal level, this is deemed to be because attending concerts, and particularly operas, is expensive (which is usually true), and that one has to wear either white tie or a tiara to join such an audience (which is rubbish). Yet classical music is available to all, free of charge once one has bought a wireless set, on Radio 3 every day of the year. One can hear it on the internet now from all over the world. CDs are relatively inexpensive, as any teenager will tell you. It is exciting to go to concerts, and even to dress up if one feels like it when doing so, but classical music is there for everyone. Any barriers, frankly, are self-inflicted.

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