Wagnerianadj.n.

1873 All Year Round 5 July 225/1 The Wagnerian opera..presumes that the singer of average ability shall be capable of doing justice to the music.

1889 G. B. Shaw in Eng. Illustr. Mag. Oct. 49 Richter's great superiority to Herr Levi as a Wagnerian conductor.

1882 Hime Wagnerism 23 But the marriage of near relations was the custom in primitive times, say the Wagnerians. True, no doubt; that that does not make their customs fit subjects for the representations of Art.

1884 H. R. Haweis My Musical Life 671 Even Verdi had drunk deep, many portions of ‘Aida’ being quite Wagneresque.

1887 Contemp. Rev. Mar. 448 A number of Wagner caricatures, which really are very valuable documents in the history of Wagnerianism.

1897 G. B. Shaw in Sat. Rev. 13 Nov. 514/1 In ‘Hamlet’ he is quite enthusiastic about naturalness in the business of the stage, and makes Hamlet hold forth about it quite Wagnerianly.

1852 Punch 19 June 252/2 The infection called Wagnerism is spreading most rapidly throughout the musical profession.

1869 Daily News 20 Dec. Many of us may like to hear of anything, even in the shape of Wagnerism, which can hold its head in Paris by way of opposition to the prevailing taste for Offenbachanalian music.

1889 G. B. Shaw in Eng. Illustr. Mag. Oct. 49 Hero-worship of Wagner, or adept Wagnerism.

1891 Cent. Dict. Wagnerist.

1855 ‘G. Eliot’ in Fraser's Mag. July 50/2 Tannhäuser..is still the music of men and women, as well as of Wagnerites.

1883 Nation (N.Y.) 22 Feb. 166/3 Nor is there any reason why a Wagnerite should refuse to admire the operettas of Strauss.

1889 G. B. Shaw in Eng. Illustr. Mag. Oct. 55 Wagneritis (a disease not uncommon among persons who have discovered the merits of Wagner's music by reading about it, and among those disciples who know no other music than his).

1977 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 26 May 15/3 He recovered from his Wagneritis sooner than most worshippers.

1866 A. C. Swinburne Let. 26 Dec. (1959) I. 215 My art is at a discount here, but yours is idolized; you could Schumannize and Wagnerize among us to some purpose.

1882 Standard 13 Jan. It would, of course, be premature to affirm that the musical mind of England has become completely Wagnerised.

1891 G. Meredith One of our Conquerors I. xiii. 252 The Italians don't much more than Wagnerize in exchange for the loss of melody.