Music History Monday: The Ultimate Fanboy: The Mad King, Ludwig II

Richard Wagner was among the least-athletic looking people to ever grace a composing studio or a conductor’s podium. Depending upon the source, he was between 5’ 3” and 5’ 5” in heights. His legs were too short for his torso, and his oversized square head was perched on an otherwise frail body. In his lifetime, an unknown wag referred to him as “that shovel-faced dwarf”, an unkind if not inaccurate description of the man. But despite his physical shortcomings, Wagner – believe it or not – could run like the wind for remarkable distances. These miracles of sustained athleticism were inspired by Wagner’s creditors and/or the law, from which Wagner was forced to flee on a regular basis. … See the full transcript along with photos and more — only on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/67715835 See the latest of Robert Greenberg's Great Courses Surveys on sale at https://robertgreenbergmusic.com/sale/