Verdi vs. Wagner

I've always thought that Liszt viewed Wagner as someone who had much greater potential compared to himself. I don't think Wagner received any lessons from Liszt, but he was definitly influenced by his tone poems, for example in Siegfried.

Did Wagner take lessons at all? Wasn't he self taught or something? I remember that Verdi was barely educated in music, he even called himself the least educated among composers. He must have been proud of it.

If we are talking opera Wagner and Verdi,
i prefer Puccini

Originally Posted by darkwonderer18

I've always thought that Liszt viewed Wagner as someone who had much greater potential compared to himself. I don't think Wagner received any lessons from Liszt, but he was definitly influenced by his tone poems, for example in Siegfried.

Did Wagner take lessons at all? Wasn't he self taught or something? I remember that Verdi was barely educated in music, he even called himself the least educated among composers. He must have been proud of it.

Oh no, the complete Verdi quote is "Of all composers, past and present, I am the least learned. I mean that in all seriousness, and by learning I do not mean knowledge of music." He studied music from young and was always knew a lot about music theory. What he meant by being learned is experience with music itself and absorbing the music of others.

Very nice analysis M Is D. You've inspired me to start one of my own...then I remembered it involved me actually having to know *something* about music.