Ursprungsmythen der Musik: Der Fall Wagner

During the century between 1750 and 1850, the cultural discussion in the field of religion, general history, history of the arts and aesthetics was deeply concerned with a demythologisation and secularization process, which is considered to characterize the turn to modernity. Despite the general and gradual affirmation of the idea of progress, the historical model of decadence maintains a distinctive importance in Aesthetics. In this perspective, the problem of the origin, be that of culture and society, of language, of music or that of poetry, still remains at the core of the philosophical speculation, establishing a “difference of value” between what is before and beyond history, and the realm of historical achievements.
In order to understand the use of mythic narrative and the consequential re-mythologisation of the discourse regarding the origin of poetry and music, two different models are illustrated: one based on the Essai sur l’origine des langues by Rousseau and one on Oper und Drama by Wagner. Moreover, a brief comment of Siegfried’s II, 2 highlights the use of the ironic de-mythologisation of the traditional tale of the origin of music, and of its re-mytologisation through the use of leitmotiv.
In conclusion, the paper suggests that the discourse on the origin moves from a “plénitude première” conceived as a norm both for society and the artist (Rousseau) to a mythical foundation of modern art based on the self-asserting role of the artists (Wagner).