The Case of Wagner: A Musician's Problem

"‘The Case of Wagner’ is a critique of German composer Richard Wagner in which Friedrich Nietzsche makes a very public split with the musician. Nietzsche found himself at odds with Wagner's increasing involvement in the Völkisch movement and anti-Semitism. The critique of Wagner is something that is seen throughout Nietzsche's work. This was one of the last works authored by Nietzsche. It was followed by ‘Nietzsche contra Wagner’, also included in this edition, in which Nietzsche summarizes his criticisms of Wagner from his previous writings. Regarded as one of the most profound German philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) is popularly considered a cultural critic and philologist whose work exerted a scholarly influence on modern intellectual history. His intellectual works focus on widespread themes such as religion, morality, philosophy, and science. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth, a genealogical criticism of religion, and Christian morality. His body of work touched a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, music, tragedy, and culture, most of which drew inspiration from Greek tragedy. "