On the subject of Wagner -- and I think I may have told this story before, but that has never stopped me -- a great grand-uncle of mine was a composer of moderate stature from the US back in the day of Wagner. His name was Silas Pratt. Once, when visiting the US, Wagner met him and said "Ah Mr Pratt, you are the Wagner of America!", to which Silas Pratt replied "And you, Mr. Wagner, are the Pratt of Europe."
The winter evenings must simply fly by.
;-)