Page 188 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

186 COMPLETE ART WORK

of The Ring: he stopped composing
Siegfried (the “second day” of the
cycle) after completing a draft score
of the second act in 1857. He did
not return to it for seven years.
During the interim, Wagner
completed two very different works,
both of which were deeply inspired
by Schopenhauer’s philosophy—
specifically, its idea that relative
fulfillment could be achieved only
through renunciation. The first of
these new works was Tristan und
Isolde (completed in 1859, though
not performed in its entirety until
1865), an overtly philosophical and
sensuous work in which Wagner
pushed traditional harmony to cycle, bringing an even greater The English National Opera
its limits. The second work, Die harmonic richness to the third act performs “The Ride of the Valkyries”
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (“The of Siegfried and to the fourth opera, at Glastonbury Festival in 2004. The
master-singers of Nuremberg,” 1867), Götterdämmerung (“The twilight well-known piece comes at the start
of Act Three of Die Walküre.
was a comedy of unprecedented of the Gods”)—in which the Ring
dimensions—the final act alone is is finally returned to the Rhine
more than two hours long when Maidens, and Valhalla, home of the The theatre that Wagner built in
staged—that dealt with profound gods, collapses. Wagner completed the Franconian town of Bayreuth
issues, such as the place of art his final installment in November to stage The Ring in 1876 is in
within society, art’s relationship 1874, 25 years after first starting many ways as revolutionary as
with national identity, and the work on the project. the works it was built to stage.
balance to be struck between rule- It has a broad auditorium, with
based tradition and innovation. Festival theatre long rows of seats laid out to
When Wagner finally returned Upon completion of The Ring, resemble an ancient amphitheatre.
to his composition of The Ring, he Wagner decided that no existing The orchestra and conductor are
immediately applied the musical theatre would do to stage it and not visible to the audience, as
and philosophical lessons learned set about raising funds for a new their pit is sunk beneath the stage.
from his interim projects to the Festspielhaus (festival theatre). In an unprecedented step for the

Leitmotif musical fabric—specifically in
the orchestra—of the work was
The leitmotif (or “leading motif”) built from melodic fragments
technique is related to Berlioz’s that become associated with
idée fixe, a fixed idea or theme different characters, ideas,
I laid my plans on so important in a work, which he used in his or states of mind. From the
a scale, that it would be Symphonie fantastique. It is very first performances of The
impossible to produce this also related to other earlier Ring, attempts were made to
opera … at any lesser theatre. forms of “reminiscence motif,” a “decode” these leitmotifs and
Richard Wagner recurring set of notes signifying to interpret the orchestral
a character or their memories. writing as a commentary on
Motifs were utilized to a greater the drama. The technique
extent, and with unprecedented went on to be widely adopted—
sophistication, in Wagner’s The including, in the 20th century,
Ring, however, where the whole by film composers.

US_180-187_Wagner.indd 186 26/03/18 1:01 PM