I do not believe that a single composition of Wagner will survive him.

—Music theorist Moritz Hauptmann, 1849

There is no law prohibiting to write when one has no ideas whatsoever. The work of Monsieur Wagner is therefore perfectly legal.

—National, 1850

Destitute of melody, extremely bad in harmony, utterly incoheret in form and inexpressive of any intelligible ideas whatever …

—W.H. Glover reviewing Tannhäuser in the Morning Post, 1855

References:

• “father of heavy metal”
• “a single composition”
• “no ideas whatsoever”
• “destitute of melody”