Wagner's Most Subtle Art: An Analytic Study of Tristan und Isolde [Revised] 0952797518, 9780952797517

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WAGNER’S MOST SUBTLE ART An analytic Study of Tristan and Isolde

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WAGNER’S MOST SUBTLE ART An analytic Study of Tristan und Isolde by Roger North

4

Mus.th. 2001. 143

Published 1996 by Roger North 24 Strand on the Green, London W4 3PH Printed by The Book Factory 35137 Queensland Road, London N7 7AH Revised edition 1999 ISBN 0 9527975 1 8

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

© Roger North 1996

Ill

Robert Andeison, who has recently reviewed'this'book'toflie magazine, Opera and to whom the author B much mdebted, has pointed out a number of errors in the music eXSermeim! accidentals. These have been corrected in this edition.

^

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^ wrong

IV

Explanation of signs and symbols used in the Music Examples Extent of motive or theme

1 on

Notes of motive when others intei^ene Motive with intervening note(s)

n orr

Motive with note displaced by an octave (8 often omitted) Incomplete motive

1 or r

Continuing theme or motive Motive at original pitch (not necessarily original octave, i.e. x2“)

(D

Motive at original second pitch (x2") a

Motive in original form

(a)

Motive in modified form Motive much modified, doubtful or far-fetched

((a)) (a)$

Motive in inversion

(a)Motive (a) (a) t/'or'Si

in retrograde

Motive in retrograde inversion Motive with leap only inverted

(X)

"liristan' chord at original pitch (x2")

•: j--

"B-istan' chord at original second pitch (x2")

T

'Tfistan' chord

(T) 5 I— T

—1

A

'Inverted' ''IHstan' chord (not always figured) Notes of 'Ti-istan' chord used melodically Major key

A mi Minor key (A)

Tbnic, home or central key

A or A Important key 123

Bar number fi:om beginning of act

[123-1] Page and bar number of Breitkopf miniature score ww str

Woodwind ± horns Strings

In the prelude diagram (p.28A) the two thick horizontal lines represent woodwind and strings respectively. In the other diagrams anything above the thick horizontal line indicates an utterance or event on the stage. Anything below takes place in the orchestra.

V

Preamble Tristan and Isolde is more than an opera; it is a philosophy, the philosophy of Schopenhauer’s Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung^ (The World as Will and Representation). In the middle of the middle

act hero and heroine sing together the words 'I myself am then the world', coalescing on the final word from harmony to a high unison over a fortissimo 'Tristan' chord (see p.316). The world they refer to is the World as Will - as my, THstan’s - my, Isolde’s - my, Wagner’s - my, the reader’s - my, the author’s will. But not our will, for individual beings exist only in the everyday perceived world, which is Schopenhauer’s World as Representation (see pp.440/1). Wagner must have been pleased to read that Schopenhauer considered that it was given only to the genius composer to 'reveal the innermost nature of the world' The "IHstan' chord indeed is the Will, but so in a broader sense is all the music, for it is the music that deals directly in the emotions. Schopenhauer considered it coiild do nothing else. 'For only the passions, the movements of the will, exist for it, and, like God, it sees only the heart'.^The particular aspect of the will with which the opera is mainly and most strongly concerned is sexual desire. The prelude’s opening is a typical Romantic lovers’ discourse (cf. Berlioz etc.), the man represented by cellos with a declamatory upward leap and a sighing fall, the woman by an immediately respofiding, slightly apprehensive oboe as top part of the woodwind’s 'Tlistan' chord of desire, whose underparts the cellos penetrate. All this is comparatively mild at the outset, which in Wagner’s words presents the 'first avowal of the gentlest tremour of attraction','* but the climax of the prelude, 'the mightiest onset'* is an orgasm, in which the lovers feverishly intertwine in combination with other upward-thrusting themes, all engorged with a heaving, four-times-sounding, crescendo to fortissimo 'Ilistan' chord, as the will to live of the unborn child asserts itself. 'What the will wills is always life'.^ Tristan, however is about dying too, more specifically about the will to die - there are 'Tristan'

chords in both the themes associated with death. This is not contradictory, for it is only the individual who dies, '...the satisfaction of the sexual impulse goes beyond the affirmation of one’s own existence ... it affirms life for an indefinite time beyond the death of the individual'.® So it is longing, yearning all the way. As a musical analysis this book mainly inhabits Schopenhauer’s World as Representation. It attempts to show what Wagner did musically to achieve this amazing work. In the final analysis nobody, not even Wagner can say precisely why one combination of notes is no more than that, while another, not much different is a sublime experience, although I think we can sometimes come fairly close. Even so there is still a great deal to be said about Wagner’s supreme craftsmanship, about Wagner, the psychologist, highly relevant to any musical analysis of a work in which drama and rnusic are so totally integrated and which probes the psyche in such depth, and about Wagner, the genius, the marksman who, in Schopenhauer’s definition, hits the target the others cannot even see. I must assume that the reader shares my enthusiasm for this great work and wishes to explore the musical means by which Wagner brought it about. To paraphrase Wagner’s remarks in praise of Liszt’s symphonic poems, the swift and steady slash of a sabre bears witness to its strong hilt, which however, we cannot easily see until the sword is put down. I propose to examine the hilt to show that it is as finely wrought as those less hidden of Bach, Mozart or Beethoven, all greatly admired by Wagner and all co-revealers of the world’s innermost nature.

^Tr.Payne.Dover N.Y.1969

^vol.Ip.260

\ol,IIp.449

®vol.ip.275

®vol.Ip.328.

'*see p.29

VI

English Itanslation A consequence of the meticulous care and uncanny accuracy with which Wagner sets each syllable of his text to the appropriate musical note is that for the purpose of this book a translation into English must retain the original German word order. This practise (which makes good English virtually impossible) is only departed from when the meaning in English would have been quite different. The Music Examples The music examples are in short score, the orchestra usually accommodated on two staves. I have tried to set down every note Wagner wrote including octave doublings and such details of the instrumentation as are compatible with clarity. On the few occasions where some simplification has taken place it is pointed out. The examples are therefore not arrangements for piano, but this shoul4 not discourage anyone from attempting to play them, as a little ingenuity can extend the pitch range well beyond the reach of two hands. Blank Pages Some pages are left blank so that text referring to a music example lies on the same or the opposite page.

Vll

CONTENTS Explanation of Signs and Symbols in the Music examples

page iv

Preamble

v I INTRODUCTION

1 /The Artof Ti-ansition' 2 Leitmotive and basic Motive 3‘ Symphonic Poems 4 Basic Motives in Tristan, Meistersinger & Parsifal ,1

1 1 •

3 3

II THE PRELUDE

1 General Structure

5

2 The opening Paragraph

2.1 The three basic Motives 2.3 Rhythm 2.5 Tonality .

6 8 13 14

2.2 Source in Berlioz etc. 2.4 Harmony 2.6 Instrumentation

9 13 16

3 The second Group of Themes or middle Section 3.1 The two Melodies 17 3.2 The Intermption 3.3 Resumption of Melodies, Tonic major Key Signature

16

19 20

4 The third Section

f 4.1 Diatonic 'Tristan' Chord

4.3 Thematic Fusion

5 The final Section

5.1 Double Phrases to triple

21 23 25

4.2 'Tristan' Chord’s Power

26

5.2 Towards C mi & Death?

30 31

6.2 Instrumental Duality

•

25 .

'

26

28

6 Summary

6.1 Tonality (Diagram)

The Young Sailor’s Song Isolde’s reaction Brangane’s Report Isolde’s Outburst 4.1 Back to Monteverdi

5 Brangane’s Concern 6 Conclusion 7 Summary 7.2 Tonality

“Ship & Sea” Thenle

“Hero Tristan” Motive

“Glance” Motive

“Anger/Humiliation” Figure

“Ship & Sea”

Waveform

“Ship & Sea” Development”

32 34 34 37

Isolde’s (Mother’s) Magic”

40 Music of physical State

40 43 44

Young Sailor’s Song (Reprise) 7.1 Themes & Motives • ■ Diagram

44

45

.

IV ACT I SCENE 2

1 Isolde’s dark Thoughts

1.1 Prelude’s opening (rep.) 1*.3 Prelude continued 1.4 Brangane goes aft

;

III ACT I SCENE 1

*

1 2 3 4

30

30

46 48 49

1.2 “Death-devoted” Isolde’s Parody “Ship & Sea” with Isolde’s Octaves

47 48 49

50

2.1 Verbal & Musical Minuet

52

54 57

Dual Tonality 3.2 Second Half of Song Definitive “Hero Tristan”

57 57

46

2 THstan’s & Brangane’s Polite Exchange “Glance” Emasculation

3 Kurvenal’s Chauvinist Song 3.1 First Half of Song 3.3 Themes

4 Summary

4.1 Structure and Tbnality Diagram

58 59

. 4.2 Motives and Themes

'

58

50 ’

54 58

vm CONTENTS V ACT I SCENE 3 (main Parti 1 Preparation for Isolde’s Story Leapless Motive a 1.1 Isolde echoes Tristan

2 Isolde’s Story first Part 2.2 Tantris

3 Isolde’s Story second Part 3.1 Accompaniment Figure

4 Brangane’s Calming Song

4.1 Calming sequential Motive c 4.2 First Section of Song 4.4 Second Sect. =Variant Prelude Recollections 4.7 The final Section Delay of Tonic

5 Summary

60 60 61

Inverted b 1.2 Emphatic cadences

66

The sick Tristan 2.3 Definitive “Glance”

Isolde’s Humiliation “Anger/Humiliation” 3.2 E mi/ma C ma/mi 72

64 67

77 78 80 81 84 84

1.1 Motive c both Ways up 1.2 More Prelude recollections “Death-Draught” Motive

77 79 81 83 84 QA OO

86

5.2 Motives and Themes

Kurvenal’s Disembarkation Instructions

•

Prelude’s Opening recalled again Isolde’s Reharmonisation “Love-Draught” Melody

89 90 90

2 Landfall

•

76

VI ACT I SCENE 3 (Conclusion) & SCENE 4 1 The Magic draughts

68

“Sick” & “Hero Tristan” 74

Music of Scene’s Start and Scene 1 Melody from b and c 4.3 Ironic“Glance”Motive 4.5 Third Section, Isolde 4.6 Falling Whole Tone Change of Metre

86 87

5.1 Structure and Tonality (Diagram)

60 62

The Sailors’ Calls

3 Isolde’s Reply 4 Resumption of Magic Draughts Dialogue

' 88

89 90

Jubilant Ship & Sea

Musical Pomposity

Eloquence of complex motivic Cross-reference 4.1 Isolde’s verbal and musical Mockery of Brangane 98 4.2 Important Note F 100 4.3 Link with Scene 5 103

106

Structure

5 Summary

5.2 Motives & Themes

5.1 Tonality Diagram

106

107

VII ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part) 1.1 The Strings’ Figure 108 Sequential Relationship to Opera’s Opening 1.2 “Revenge” c HO 1.4 Docked “Death-devoted” 114

2 Isolde’s Oath

120

2.1 Extended Triplet Figure

1.3 Laconic Tristan

108 112

“Sick Tristan” recalled 2.2 Staggered formal Determinants

122

115 123 126

Ironic “Glance”

3 Tiristan’s Response 4 The Atonement Drink 4.1 Arcane Associations Reverse Motive a 4.4 c with Suffix “Tfistan’s Honour”

108

Motive c to the Fore

1 The Confrontation

'

>

128 129 133 133

End of Scene 4 recalled 4.2 Bitter Irony 4.3 T’s Atonement Vow Semitonal c

129 132 133

Voices join “Glance”

13o 138

136

1 The Love Draught

Recap, of Prelude’s Opening & Climax 138 1.1 “Heart-Pain” Music

‘

IX

CONTENTS VIII ACT I SCENES (final Pam 2 The Arrival Further Recapitulation & Development of Prelude Music 2.1 “Confusion” Melody 140 2.2 “Jubilation” Figure 2.3 Confluence of Motives 147 Bobbing Sailors’ Calls 2.4 "Ifistan' Chord changes Worlds 3

Summary Structure and Tonality 3.1 Motives and Themes 152

138 146 147 148

* (Diagram)

152

152A/B

IX ACT I AS A WHOLE Structure and Ibnality (Diagram) 2 Growth and Development of Motives and Themes 1

r

2.1 Basic Motives as Leitmotives 2.2 Motived 2.4 The 'Tristan' Chord 2.6 “Hero Tristan” 2.8 “anger/humiliation” 2.10 “sick Tristan” etc.

Motive a 2.3 Motive c 2.5 “Ship & Sea” - Sailors’ Calls 2.7 The “Glance” 2.9 “Death-devoted”

155 159 161 163 165

155 157 160 162 164

' 154 154

X ACT II THE PRELUDE 1 The “Day” Motive 2 The “Torch”

2.1 Relationship to “sick Tfistan”

The Theme of “Isolde’s Waiting”

168 170

171

3 Opera Prelude recalled

'bbc Sequence'

“Bliss” Motive

•

173

XI ACT II SCENE 1 1 The Hunt 2 Brangane’s Warning

Music of 'Spies in the Night' 2.2 Isolde’s growing Impatience 2.3 Silence of the Night

178 184 191 193

2.1 The two Melots Extensive Dev. of “Tbrch” 2.4 Ext. Use of Dom. Ped.

, 187 191 194

3 Frau Minne - Opera Prelude'’s Opening again 3.1 “Frau Minne 1” 3.2 “FMl” embraces “D-dev” 3.4 Vocal Climax -

198 200 206

Shorter general “Love” 3.3 “FM2”- full general “Love” Expansive “Bliss”

198 203 206

4 The Torch put out

Orchestral Climax “Death-devoted” 4.1 Isolde’s Waiting 209 4.2 c as “Excitement” 4.3 Final Destination of Dom.Ped.213 White-hot “ Bliss” •

211 213

5 Summary

Stmcture and Tonality (Diagram) 5.1 The Prelude 214 5.3 Brangane’s Warning 215 5.5 Ti-ansition to Scene 2 215

5.2 The Hunt 5.4 Frau Minne 5.6 Motives and Themes

214 215 215

184

194

208 214 *

xn ACT II SCENE 2 (first Part)

1 Tristan’s Arrival

1.1 Breathless Disbelief c as “FM’s Revenge”

2 'The Light!'

“FM2” Transformed into “Torch” Return of “Day”

Musical high Temperature 219 1.2 Affirmation of C major 221 ■ 1.3 Triumphant “FM2” 225 229

2.1 Reverse inverted a 2.2 “Day’s” tonal Equivocation

231 233

3.2 Fb - Eb minor 9-8 3.4 F - Eb major 9-8

218 •

221 223 229 229

3 The Spiteful Day

3.1 Tonal Flux of Tagesprach 3.3 “Day” in Dim.& Stretto

225 230

232 235

X

CONTENTS

“Day” and “Hero Tristan” 4.2 Emphatic Cadence Figure 4.4 “Day” & “FM2” End of first 'Section' Unequivocal Modulations Key of A flat 5.3 More diminished “Days” Classical Cadences 5.5 End 2nd 'Sect' of Tagesprach

4 The Daylight Ti-istan 4.1 Tonal Turmoil 4.3 Oblique ref. to Isolde’s Story 4.5 The Tagesprach so far

5 Tlistan’s Day-Delusion

238 243 245 248 249 250 255

5.1 T’s Deep-in-Heart Image 5.2 More Tonal Stability “Excitement” Figure 5.4 Reverse “Day”

236 241 244 245

- 246 248 250 250 256

256

6 Isolde’s Solution

7

“Day” and “Frau Minne combined 256 Her Humiliation remembered Four Versions of a 258 6.2 Dissonance of Hate 6.1 Tagesprach Opening recalled 258 260 Pathetic “Day” 6.3 Clear “suffering” a 260 260 “Bliss’s” Tfendemess destroyed 6.4 Glaring “Day” again 260 263 6.6 Original a’s recall Drinking 6.5 Tonal Treachery resumed 262 263 Exciting Modulation 'Deception’s End’ “Day” 263 265 6.7 End of third 'Section' of Tagesprach Decline of “Day” D sharp (E flat) - E (F flat) 'My day would be accomplished' 7.1 Foretaste of Night Song 269 Precursor of b sequences 267 7.3 Two T Chords Precursor 271 7.2 'Tag' and G 270 & Gen.(hopeless)“Love” “Day” 8.1 “Frau Minne/Bliss” 274 8.2 Tristan’s Cb - Db - Eb “Wonderland of Night” Figure 8.3 Frightened “Day”, b Sequence and “Frau Minne” 8.4Reipitulations 280 8.5 Fourth'Section Coda

8 The Drink’s Deception

“Death-devoted”

More recapitulations

9.1 “Day”, b Sequence and “Death-devoted” 290 9.2 'Deception’s End' “Day” 292 9.4 Surprise “Tbrch”

10 Yearning for Holy Night

296 298

10.1 “Bliss” in A major 10.3 Faraway “Day”

11 Summary (Diagram)-

300 301

11.1 Tempo 11.3 Themes and Motives

IT

First Half 1.2 Subtle Rhythm 1.3 Falling Tone 1.5 First Climax 1.7 New broken 'Tristan' Chord 1.9 Second Climax 1.10 Anticipation ofJoy-Weave' 2.1 Night Song Material 2.3 Prominent Strand

Laughing/flickering Woodwind 288 290 Combined recollections

293

The TVvo (Three) 'Tristan' Chords 10.2 Prelude’s Concert Ending End of ibeYagesprach

297 299

11.2 Structure & Tonality 11.4 Time-Scale

300 302

SCENE 2

284

300

(second Part) 304

The Night Song

Brangane’s Watch Song

ACT II

272

275 277 281

8.6 'Night-devoted' 'Tristan' Chord 282 8..7 Tonality of Tagesprach 4th 'Section'

The Night-devoted

267

305 305 309 313 316 317

1.1 Wesendonck Song Hemiola 1.4 “Day” still active 1.6 2nd Half, Hemiola again 1.8 Incorporation of earlier Idea 'Tristan' Chord as the Will Two 'Tristan' Chords

305 305 307 310 313 316 317

320 326

Coda and Link 2.2 The 'Joy-Weave' Three cadential Progressions

321 326

329 333 335

3.1 The Two T Chords 3.3 4/4 Metre Falling Semitone

304

^

'Let the Day to Death be gi The Broken'T Chord Melody 3.2 Even Quavers 3.4 T’s triple E mi Question

1'

319 329 331 333 335

XI

CONTENTS 3.5 Unmighty “Death-devoted” New brokenTChord Continuation Instrumental Identity ^Motives c&a

335 336 337 341

3.6 Return of A flat 3.7 Little Word 'and' 3.8 Return of 4/4

336 337 341

4.2 Concertante Symmetry 4.4 Surging “Bliss”

342 346 348

Two 'Tristan' Chords 5.2 2nd Key established

349 357

Diatonic a with 'IKstan' Chord 6.3 Upward-thrusting b’s 6.5 Final Motive c

363 367 369 371

7.1 Tonality 7.3 The Scene as Whole

373 375

4 'So die we to be united'

Reflationship of Sterbelied to Opera’s Opening 4.1 Reprise B’s Watch etc. 345 4.3 Tagesprach recalled 347

5 '0 eternal Night' Tagesprach Tfempo

5.1 Night & Watch Songs 5.3 Step & broken Triad

349 352 359

6 'No more Tristan, no more Isolde'

'363 Motive c leads 6.1 Sterbelied’s Tonality condensed into 12 bars 6.2 Climactic “Bliss” 367 6.4 Excitement as Sc Start 370

7 Summary

Structure (Diagram) 7.2 Themes & Motives

372 373

342

349

363

.372

XIV ACTII SCENES 1 The Discovery i

?

Nightmarish Hunt Fanfare 376 4.1 Distorted “Isolde’s Waiting” 377 1.2 Echoes of Watch Song & Sterbelied 1.3 “Day” at Dawn 380

King Marke’s Reproach (first Part)

Bass Clarinet Figure “Glance” Derivation 2.1 Other thematic Relations 383 Obbligato B.Clarinet 383 Incredulous 7th 384 General “Love” ‘ 386

3 King Marke’s Reproach (second Part)

More Aria-like 388 Inverted c as “Tristan’s Dishonour” 388 3.3 “Glance” at hand 391 3.4 Three simultaneous musical Cross-References 3.5 Tfender Variant, Isolde

Melot’s Remedy

376 ♦

1.4 Slides, Melot’s Proof

377 381

Wotan Relationship 2.2 Marke’s 7th 2.3 Tristan day-haunted 2.4 Incomplete c “Death-devoted” Association

382 383 384 386 386

3.1 Refrain 3.2 Free Variation etc.

388 390

3.6 Expanded Refrain

392 3,95

376

382

'388

4 King Marke’s Reproach (final Pt.)

Return of Bass Clarinet Figure 397 Climax 4.1 Huge Expansion of a 398 4.2 “Heart-Pain” Music 4.3 Recollection of Brangahe’s Spies Warning 4.4 Wotan again 401 4.5 “Anger/Humiliation 4.6 Minor “FM2” 402 General “Love”(spumed) 4.7 Chrom.& diatonic b’s 403 4.8 Final Return of Refrain with Bass Clarinet Figure Sixteen Questions 403

5 TIistan’s Reply Return of Opera’s Opening 6 The Wonderland of Night

397 399 400 401 402 403

Incomplete c

Night Song Similarities 406 6.1 Formal Qualities “King Marke’s Land” 407 6.2 Relationship to Broken 'Tiistan' Chord & Opera’s Opening

397

‘

407 407

404 406

XU

CONTENTS

415

Tfistan & Melot

415 415 418 421

Potent original a Melot, Agent of the Day 7.3 b’s of Melot’s Desire 7.5 Final 6-note Figure

8 Summary

7.1 Rhythm - Slides 7.2 Relevant Tagesprach Passage 7.4 Ret.of D mi & inverted c

415 ' 417 418 ’

8.1 Motives & Themes

422

422 422 422A/B

Structure & Tonality (Diagram)

410 411 414 414

6.4 Echoes of the Night song Funereal Trumpet & Drums 6.7 The Kiss Descending'T Chords

409 411 413 • 414

6.3 Reordered a.Headless c 6.5 Broken 'Tristan' Chord Melody 6.6 Aug 6th & dom 7th Echoes of Scene 2

‘

XV ACT II AS A WHOLE

424 425 426

Structure (Diagram) Tonality Growth & Development of Motives & Themes 3.1 “Isolde’s Waiting” 3.3 Step & broken Triad 3.5 Hunt Fanfare 3.7 “Frau Minne 2” 3.9 The “Glance” 3.11 Cb-Db-Eb “W.of Night” 3.13 Broken 'Tristan' Chord 3.15 The Sterbelied Theme

426 427 429 429 430 431 432 434

The Basic Motives & the 'Tiistan' Chord 4.1 Motive a 4.3 Motive c

434 438

426 428 429 429 430 432 433

4.2 Motive b & the 'bbc Sequence' 4.4 The 'Tristan' Chord

435 439

434 440

5 Schopenhauer Prelude

3.2 The “Torch” 3.4 “Bliss” 3.6 “Frau Minne 1” 3.8 “Death-devoted” 3.10 The “Day” Motive 3.12 Two 'Tristan' Chords 3.14 The Falling Tone

XVI ACT III SCENE 1 (first Part) First Figure

1.1 Second Figure 1.2 Orchestration 1.3 Impassioned Harmony 1.4 Wesendonck Song'

The Shepherd’^s lUne

Rel.to Y.Sailor’s Song & Parsifal

The Shepherd & Kurvenal Thematic Opening 3.1 Return of Shepherd’s Tune

Tristan’s Awakening “Kareol” Preparation “Kareol” Theme i?i/jg-like Alliteration Motive c 4.5 Preparation & finaI“Kareol”

443 443 445 445

Diatonic Motives b Motive c & Inversion More overt Motive a SymmetriceJ Tonality 1.5 More integral Prelude

Halfb’s 443 443 445 445

442

446 446

2.1 Reordered a. Beheaded c

447

449 450

Return of Prelude Music

449

451 452 454 456 459

4.1 Tristan’s'T Chord Intermptions 4.2 “Kareol” & Shepherd’s Tune 4.3 “King Marke’s Land” 4.4 K’s Act I song recalled 4.6 Meistersinger Similarities

452 454 456 458 461

449 451

462

The Realm of the World’s Night

Act’s first Figure Modified * 462 5.1 Wonderland of Night Music recalled

THstan’s longing, burning Love

Musical forgetting Rephased a 6.1 T\vo/Three 'Tristan' Chords 465 First Climax 467

463

464 Return of Opera’s Opening 6.2 'Deception’s End '“Day” 6.3 Intense Harmony

464 467 468

Xlll CONTENTS Music of Act I Scene 1 6.5 Broken 'Tristan' Chord Melody Second Climax 6.7 Act II Prelude recalled 7

468 472 474 476

6.4 Sliding aug.Triads 6.6 Aug.Triads'Brain-Delusion' Tagesprach-s\zx\.mg “Day” 6.8 Key Areas

471 474 474 478

7.1 Tin early Act II 7.3 I’s Story & “FM2”

480 482 486

Knrvenal’s Assertion

Reiterated half-fc whole b 478 12 Expansiom of Opera’s.Start 481 , lA “Glance’s” Sword-drop now Melot’s Thrust

.

. Tristan praises Knrvenal

489

8

Rephased fe’s Biggest Climax yet 8.1 Tristan in Kurvenal’s Style 490 8.2 Act’s second fig.recalled 491

Relationship to Act’s Opening Meistersinger again “Honour”&“Dishonour ”c’s

489 490 491

Alternating Development 493 9.2 Demented Act’s 2nd fig. 495 “Glance” & “Bliss” invoked 497 Night Song’s falling Tbnes 4989.5 Tristan’s G to G flat of Shepherd’s Tune 9.6 Formal Function of Tune as in Act I

9.1 Three then Two 'Tristan Chords 9.3 End-of-Bar Triplet 9.4 End-of-Passage Triplet Bar

494 497 498

Summary

Structure & Tonality Themes & Motives

9 Tristan’s Suffering

10

10.1 The individual Sections

Diagram 501

493

499 500

501

501

XVII ACT III SCENE 1 (second PART) 1

1 2

The old, sad Tune

Associations for Tristan Fearful G flat 1.1 Thne briefly developed 506 Tristan wails with it 1.2 The Thne’s End 507 Yearning & dying? 1.3 Tune,“Day” & third 'Tristan' Chord arpeggio Figure

504

506 507 509

The Time & the distant Healer

Tristan takes its 2nd Figure 2.1 Thne &“sick Tristan” 510 2.2 Four Motives at once The “Death-draught” 512 Act I Sc.5 recalled 2.3 Tune,Three 'Tristan' Chords & Opera’s Opening Sequence

509

512 512 513

3 The terrible Drink i

Amazing Climax Potent Harmony The Tune, a Fixation Dissonant telescoped c 3.1 Two 'Tristan' Chords & “Heart-pain” Music 3.2 Different Combination of'Ihne,“Day”& arpeggio Figure 3.3 Act’s first Figure & “Day” 518 Rising augmented Triads 3.4 F sharp Bass to G flat 519 3.5 Polyphonic 'grievous, dreadful Pain'

4 i brewed it'

4.1 New calamitous Figure 4.2 Concurrent a&b

Shepherd’s Tune, dramatic & musical Catylist 523 Odd Key Signature 525 T. curses Drink & himself

515

515 515 517 518 521

521

523 525

5 KurvenaTs Distress

6

Tristan revives again The Figure in Diminution, then as before 5T The Figure & “Day” 527 Sharpward Key movement 527 52 E major Rheingold Quotation 528 5.3 Opera’s Opening Sequence as barely living Tristan 529 5.4 Musical Relations of Tristan’s Question 530 5.5 Figure crowns Sequence 530 5.6 Sweet “Love-draught” 531

526

'Eistan’s Vision of Isolde

532

6.1 Broken'TChord Melody 532 Tonality in long Tbrm 533 6.4 Countermelody from little Word 'and' Passage 6.5 'Ach Isolde!' Figure 539 6.7 Falling Tone 541

D sharp - E 6.2 Key of E major 6.3 Key Association 6.6 Musical Equivalent of a Sigh Feeling in Words

533 534 536 541 541

•

XIV

CONTENTS 7 The Ship Approaches

'542 7.1 Reiterated 6th 542 General “love” 544 Answer to Mournful Tune 545 7.5 “Arrival” Key 546 it Song’s Latter Melody 's philosophising 7.9 Act I Sc.4 recalled 550

Night Song’s Latter Melody 12 Shepherd’s Happy Tune 7.3 Reordered a lA Instrumental Problem

7.8 Shepherd’s Divisions

543 544 545 547 548 549 551

553

The Ship’s Arrival

The dangerous Reef

8.1 Night Song’s Latter Melody i Inversion & Stretto Resumption of Thne & Divisions 554 8.2 Anguished Semitones Joyful falling Semitones 557 8.3 Music of T’s Vision recalled 8.5 C major & Continuity 557 8.4 Attention to Note C

553 554 557 558

559

Kurvenal dispatched to fetch Isolde XVIII ACT III SCENE 2 (first Part)

Start of Scene 2

Tristan’s Excitement Metrical Distortion of Night Song’s Latter Melody 562 1.1 Staggering Figures: “FM2” 'Evo 'Tristan 'Chords Act I Figure 564 1.2 Distorted & developed Broken 'THstan' Chord Melody 565 1.3 C major still in Force 1-4 ‘A:h Isolde! 568 “Hero Tristan” Triplets 565 1.5 Ttears off his Bandage 569 Gentle Horn Music recalled 568 1.6 “Arrival” C with subsidiary A

571

Isolde’s Arrival & Tristan’s Death

The “Torch” 2.1 The “Torch”,“Death-devoted” & the Night Song’s Latter Melody Glance” Melody 573 2.2 Opera’s Opening Sequence

Summary

(Diagram) 3.1 Structure & tonality 3.3 The Act so far

573 573

576

3.2 Motives & Themes

576 579

560

577

XIX ACT III SCENE 2 (second Part) Shorter Gen. “Love”

1 Isolde Mourns

583

1.1 “Mourning” Theme’s Relationship to arpeggio Figure

2 First Episode

3 Second Episode 4 Second Return

2nd Figure

Step & Broken Triad

SterbeUed Music

Retroactive antipodal Statements More SterbeUed Music

“Bliss”

Final Return with original preceding Music

585 587 589

General “Love” “Love-draught”

Third Episode 4.1 Dev. of “Mourning” Theme

589 589

'582

New “Mourning” Theme

589 592

593

First Transfiguration Pre-echo

XX ACT III SCENE 3

Arrival of second Ship

Kurvenal’s Fury Shepherd’s Tune, “Kareol” Preparation & rephased h’s recalled 1.1 Need for Recapitulations, Thematic Material, Tonality 1.2 Arrivals of Helmsman, Brangane, Melot, Marke 1.3 “Love-draught Curse” Music 601 1.4 Bassless Melody Return of “Mourning” Theme

Climax of “Mourning” Theme Kurvenal dies 2.1 Rephased b’s in E 2.2 “Mourning” again

,

602 605 607 607

605 Marke mourns Kareol „c i Marke’s Music of Act II Sc.3

Brangane explains to & Marke questions Isolde Second Pre-echo in F 3.1 Mi 3rd up tonal Movement

596 596 599 599 602

610 613

Concentrated Opera’s Opening Third Pre-echo in Gb

605 607 607

61C 610 613

I

XV

CONTENTS 3.2 Marke’s Music of Brang^e’s Calming Song 3.3 Marke’s own Music 616

4

Fourth Pre-echo in G Wagner’s Name Isolde’s Ti-ansfiguration 4.1 Differences from Sterbelied 617 Orchestral main Melody 4.2 Similar Instrumentation 619 Isolde’s reverse a 4.3 Sterbelied Middle omitted 619 Large Tbmpo Difference 4.4 Isolde restates the Sterbelied’s full opening Phrase 4.5 Identical Position of Climax 620 Drawn-out “Bliss” First Root Position 6-5 620 4.6 Day & Night reconciled “Wonderland of Night” 623 4.7 “Ideal Love” E major Valkyrie Recollection 624 C sharp - B 4.8 Opera’s Opening recalled 626 4.9 Relation to other Acts’ Ends 4.10 Musical Summary 628 4.11 Supremacy of the Orchestra Musical Transfiguration 629

5 Summary

(Diagram) 5.1 Structure & Tonality

613 616 617 619 619 620 620 623 624 624 627 629

617

'630 630

5.2 Themes & Motives

!

631

XXI ACT m AS A WHOLE

t

1 'IHstan’s Act 2 Proportional structure :

3. Tonal Structure 4 Thematic Structure 5 Dramatic Structure 6 Themes & Motives

6.1 Act’s first figure 636 6.3 Act’s second Figure 637 6.5 “Kareol” 638 6.7 “Land of the World’s Night” 638 6.9 Two/Three 'Tristan' Chords 639 6.11 “Death-devoted” 640 6.13 The “Torch” 640 6.15 “Anger/Humiliation” 641 6.17 “Frau Minne 2” 642 6.19 Falling Tone 642 6.21 “Love-draught Cursp” 643 General “Love” 643 6.24 “Ach Isolde!” 644 6.26 Step & Broken IHad 644 6.28 Act I Figure 645 646 6.30 “Mourning” Theme 6.32 Marke’s Music of II3 647 6.33 Marke’s Music of Brangane’s Calming Song 6.34 Valkyrie Quotation 647

7 The Basic Motives & the 'Tristan' Chord 7.1 Motive a 7.3 Motive c

648 652

6.2 “Empty Sea” 6.4 Shepherd’s Time 6.6 “Our Hero Tristan” 6.8 “Day” 6.10 “Heart-pain” Music 6.12 Broken 'Tristan' Chord Melody 6.14 “Bliss” 6.16 “sick Tristan” • 6.18 Rephased b’s 6.20 “Death-draught” 6.22 Rhinegold Quotation 6.23 “Love-draught” Melody 6.25 Night Song’s Latter Melody 6.27 Shepherd’s Happy Tune 6.29 “Glance” Melody 6.31 Sterbelied Opening

637 637 638 638 640 640 641 641 642 643 643 643 644 645 645 646

6.35Cb-Db-Eb“W.ofNt.”

647 647

7.2 Motives b &c 7.4 The 'IHstan' Chord

649 652

634 634 634 635 636 636

648

XXII THE OPERA AS A WHOLE

1 Structure

Influence of Liszt Ternary Element 1.3 Ternary Element in Drama 1.5 The Opera’s Opening 1.7 Act start & end Figures b Sequence as Structure

653 654 655 656 657 658

1.1 The three Acts 1.2 Ifemary Element in Treatment 1.4 Actual overall Form 1.6 'bbc“bliss”'Sequence 1.8 Act II relived in Act III 1.9 Opera Prelude’s Climax

654 655 656 656 658 658

653

XVI

CONTENTS 1.10 Most powerful Recap. Isolde’s Transfiguration 2

Ibnality

2.1 Act I - Mi 3rd up Movement 2.3 Whole Tbne up Movement 2.5 The Tagesprach The Falling Tbne/semitone 2.8 A flat & B/C flat 2.10 Marke’s D minor 2.11 Act II’s central A flat F minor 2.14 Tonality - Conclusion

3 Harmony

3.1 Chromaticism 3.2 Enharmonic Equivalence 3.4 Counterpoint 3.6 Conclusion

4 Orchestration

4.1 Contrapuntal Textures

5 Musico-dramatic Technique 5.1 'Elucidating' - Motives 5.2 The Voice - Recitative 5.4 Irony 5.6 Narration

The Characters’Music

6

6.1 The young Sailor 6.3 Kurvenal 6.5 King Marke Isolde in Act I 6.9 T.& I.from the Drinking 6.11 T.& I. in Act II Sc.2 6.13 Tristan in Act III 6.15 Isolde Act III

658 659

1.11 Further Recapitulations 1.12 Conclusion

659 659

660 662 662 663 664 665 665 665

2.2 Key Association - C minor 2.4 Key Association - A major 2.6 A flat - The Night Song . 2.7 The Three/Two 'Tristan' Chords 2.9 Dual Tbnality - The Sterbelied The Wonderland of Night 2.12 Act III - Mi 3rd up Movement 2.13 Isolde’s Transfig. - A fiat/B

661 662 663 664 664 665 665

660

666

666

667 667 670 670

667 669 670 672

Resolution of Dissonance 3.3 Harmony in Act III 3.5 The 'Tristan' Chord

672

4.2 Dramatic Orchestration

673

Orchestral Evocation 5.3 Ensemble 5.5 Continuity 5.7 Action

674 676 677 679

6.2 Brangane 6.4 Meiot 6.6 The Shepherd - The Helmsman 6.8 THstan in Act I 6.10 Isolde Act II Scene 1 6.12 T.& I. in Act II Sc.3 6.14 The whole Tristan 6.16 The Whole Isolde

680 682 684 685 687 689 690 691

674 675 677 678 679 681 683 684 686 687 689 690

672 673

679

691

7 The Position of Tristan and Isolde in Wagner’s CEuvre 7.1 Principal Themes & Motives 693 7.2 The Effect on Wagner’s later Works 8

The Effect on other Composers & Music in General

Index

695

698 699

1 'The Art of 'Ransition'

INTRODUCTION

I INTRODUCTION 1 'The Art of Ransition' In 1859 Wagner wrote to Mathilde Wesendonck about his newly completed Tristan undlsolde:Such a degree of consistency and clarity in a structure which embraces every detail has never before been dreamed of. If you only knew to what extent the guiding principal has led me to musical ideas here of rhythm, harmonic and melodic development such as I could never hit on before, you would truly realise that... nothing worthwhile can be created unless it derives from sQch great principal motifs. Earlier in the same letter he had written;;..The specific fabric of my music...owes its construction above all to the highly sensitive feeling which directs me to interlink and interrelate every element of transition between the most extreme moods. I should now like to call my deepest and most subtle art the art of transition, for .the whole fabric of my art is built on such transitions.^ In view of the above and the immense volume of literature on Wagner it is surprising that so little analysis of the music of Tristan has been published. Alfred Lx)renz’sDa Geheimnis derForm bei Richard Wagner, vol.2, published in 1925 and, as with his volumes on Wagner’s other sjinphonic operas, still not translated into English, is the only book known to me which deals with the whole work in any detail. Lorenz is mainly concerned with skeletal form, numbers of bars per phrase, sentence, paragraph; binary, ternary structure etc. His book is extremely thorough and brilliantly penetrating, especially in pointing out Wagner’s recurring musico-dramatic procedures over long periods. He does not, however, go deeply into the organic growth of motives and themes and therefore tells us little about 'rhythm, harmonic and melodic development' or about Wagner’s 'most subtle art, the art of transition'. 5

Arnold Whittall writes in the Cambridge Opera Handbook on ParsifahGiven the huge amount of published writings on Wagner, it may seem implausible to claim that an adequate musicological and analytical study of any of his music dramas has yet to appear. But biography and background have been far better served than technical commentary.^ Since 1981 when that was written the situation vis-a-vis The Ring has improved, but Tristan, arguably the greatest, remains under-analysed musically, except for its beginning where the opposite is the case. There are of course many books which contain catalogues of leitmotives, but these are not analyses. 2 Leitmotive and basic Motive In The Ring which marked the beginning of his symphonic operatic style Wagner employed a cbnsistent and comprehensive leitmotive technique. Virtually all the motives and themes in The Ring are leitmotives. This seems to have led most commentators to assume every motive or theme that Wagner subsequently wrote to be a leitmotive and so give every one a name, thus inevitably chaining it to a particular extra-musical idea. A leitmotive is, in Wagner’s own phrase, a 'motive of remembrance', a motive which, having initially occurred at a particular moment in the drama, causes us to remember that moment whenever the motive recurs.

^Hesendonck-Briefe pp.188-9. Taken here from: Vagner - A documentary Study. Thames & Hudson, London 1975. ^Camb.U.P.1981

2 Leitmotive & Basic Motive

INTRODUCTION

Pointing out a leitmotive’s dramatic associations is instructive and (if correct) harmless. Naming it is another matter, since it inevitably oversimplifies and confines to one concept something which may relate to several or many. Worse, the motive tends to become that concept, to most people if not to the namer, and then serves merely as a label to identify the subject matter in hand, which is precisely what the music is not there to do. Unfortunately Wagner himself fell into the trap of identifying some of his leitmotives wiA their associations. Thus the “sword” motive in The Ring degenerates from its original grand idea in The Rhinegold to often little more than a musical stage property in the subsequent operas. The theme associated with the “renunciation of love”, however, remains a motive of remembrance, so that when it is sung by Siegmund in the first act of The Valkyrie to words dedicating himself to love, we remember the spurned Alberich doing the opposite for the sake of power and riches to Ae same music in The Rhinegold. If we identify the theme with the renunciation of love, which its name invites us to do, , then we are puzzled at its use apparently in the opposite sense, as many commentators have been. In point of fact in Tristan, Meistersinger and Parsifal Wagner uses leitmotives with considT erable circumspection, only very occasionally allowing a motive a single unequivocal association. A Leitmotive can never recur for purely musical reasons; but there are of course in music other functions for a motive, the most important of which is to unify, to bind together otherwise disparate elements of a musical work by being present in each. Familiar examples of this basic motive or germ are: the falling semitone with the stress on the upper note, which pervades Mozart’s G minor symphony Molto Allegro

1

\m —1— mcv—In—

-rf-

^•

1^-

3

Symphonic Poems

ODUCnON

the up a 3rd and back of Beethoven’s Eroica symphony I

II

Allegro con brio

Adagio assai

4 $lfz

11

>.

^

IV Allegro molto

III Allegro vivace

1

^fz

p

•

1

—6-----------

p -f-rTT=—T

1 r r r-1

Such a basic motive must be free to crop up anywhere or everywhere for purely musical reasons and can therefore only be a leitmotive in a particular version or variant of itself. A basic motive may also of course be part of a larger leitmotive. Most of The Ring leitmotives are of this nature. 3 Symphonic Poems Wagner’s symphonic operas are gigantic symphonic poems played by the orchestra while the singers act out the drama. The various themes in a symphonic poem need to be free to roam without those structural restraints of Classical sonata form which dictate when something like a new theme or a recapitulation should take place. Wagner uses all the techniques of sonata form, but reserves the right to develop, recapitulate etc. when he chooses or the drama dictates. With the structure freer in this respect it is more necessary to obtain coherence by ensuring that some or all of the themes and motives, while exhibiting an overt variety, nevertheless contain common elements. Liszt knew this when he invented the symphonic poem and Wagner followed his lead, but not until Tristan to the extent of basing the whole work on the opening 'poetic motive'. 4 Basic Motives in Tristan, Meistersinger & Parsifal All Wagner’s operas from The Rhinegold on are symphonic. Large sections of them will make coherent music with the voices left out. Isolde’s so-called Liebestod is sometimes played in this way. In each of Tristan, Meistersinger and Parsifal there are three basic motives out of which nearly every note of the opera issues. In Meistersinger none of the basic motives occurs in isolation and so has fortunately not acquired an extra-musical name, but with two of the Tristan basic motives this is not so and they are consequently encumbered with “suffering” and “longing”, names which, although both are frequent enough sentiments in this opera, can only do damage to the motives themselves. As we shall see the first can only be limited to “suffering” in certain versions of itself and although the second’s association with longing is undoubtedly correct and, at a deep level consistent (since that is what the whole opera is about) it is, however, often concerned on the surface with other matters. Thus some commentators have understandably but simplistically named it “Isolde’s magic”. Wagner had in fact composed the second motive in 1856 before even writing a draft scenario. Naming any motive, however appropriately, will obscure its musical function. If we must name these two motives, the names may not apply to all the forms they take. As basic motives together with a third, happily unnamed except in one or two of its disguises, they underlie the fabric of the whole work, undergoing all possible musical transformations and yet excitingly retaining their special relationship to one another as three words in one musical statement, a statement which

4

INTRODUCTION

Basic Motives

opens the prelude and recurs many times at vital moments in the succeeding drama. In act II this statement is gradually transformed into the 'love-death' music which ultimately ends the opera. I shall simply call the three basic motives a, b and c for identification and nothing else.

5

Geiifer^l Structure

t h e pr e l u d e

II THE PRELUDE .

'

1 General Structure

1854 Wagner wrote to Liszt of his ideas for a work in which 'this love shall well and truly gorge itself from beginning to end'. In Tristan and Isoldecertainly begins as he means to continue, where such passion rules we would not expect an overt Classical form, but truly powerful pieces of nfhsic can never be jerrybuilt.

‘III

The prelude is broadly ternary in structure, but also leans well over towards sonata form. Division into sections for the purpose of analysis is far from straightforward. Closer in many ways tb'the Baroque than to the Classical, phrase evolves from phrase often sequentially, themes overlap, are borrowed from section to section, developed and combined. The structural determinants of key, climax and theipatic change or recurrence rarely synchronise. Consequently any precise division is bound to be arbitrary, even contradictory. It is nevertheless necessary to do so in order to indicate in words the progress of the music. I have chosen to divide the prelude thus:1.

17 bars - A minor - The opening paragraph - at once seminal, "introductory and expository (i.e. to be recapitulated) - an element of 'first subject'.

2.

46 bars (17 to 63) - Alternating C (relative major) and E (dominant) -• both 'middle' . section and expansive cantabile 'second subject' group with its own ternary structure through being interrupted.at its exact centre by a short developmental passage (36 to 44).

^3. k 5.

'

' 4.

'

20 bars (63 to 82) - A (dominant pedal), C (dominant pedal), C, E flat minor (in which antipodal key the 'Tristan' chord is diatonic), A minor (tonic) - at once developmental^ recapitulatory and climactic. ■ * ‘ f 2314 bars (83 to 106) - A minor (tonic) - moving to C minor at. end for scene 1 - final section - at once recapitulatory and caudal. , ,

The two As of section 2’s A-B-A structure are similar in themes and keys and identical in their length of 19 bars, which is an important period in the piece. 19 bars from the end of section 2 is the climax at bar S3, and 19 bars on from there in bar 101 is the final restatement of the opening double phrase at its original pitch. There is no vagueness about a section being at once developmental and recapitulatory of recapitulatory and caudal. Wagner’s formal and tonal scheme is as strict as any Classical composer’s and stricter than most. The achievement of such a supremely climactic development/recapitulation and such a poignantly sorrowful post-climactic recapitulation/coda arises from the nature of the thematic material and Wagner’s unerring sense of its possibilities. The only inadequacy is in the words we have to use to describe these formal sections. Since the whole opera arises from section 1, these 17 bars must be examined closely. -

The opening Paragraph

THE PRELUDE -

2 The Opening Paragraph As the prelude begins we have an impression of an utterance of immense breadth, dignity and MthotiW. Here at the peak of his powers in 1857 is the greatest composer smre Bee*oven composing a work which represents the pinnacle of German Romanticism, lb von Bulow, who was not ^ven K. extravagant praise it was 'the pinnacle of all music to date'. It also represents the tno^ complete fusion of Aphony and opera. One is put in mind of fte opemng of Beethoven s fi« symphony with its cadences in three keys separated by silence. The sunilanties ate obvious, th differences more significant. Beethoven’s adagio molto introduction starts in F, the subdominant, passes throng C. the tonic to G, the dominant whence it returns to C, in which key shortly the allegro con bno first subject enters and the introduction is jettisoned. ,____ ftllpgrn con brio

AfiagipmoiiQ col 8 —>■

[ r.

1 --g —-—p—« F

)

K

*

} V

5

fip

4r

^ — ' -6 ) ((?

cresc f 1

(2. ^ -f'

r

[^

G

^

I

etc. leading to

P

—^ ( c)

Wagner’s equally tonally mobile opening paragraph starts in A minor, the tonic, rises through C the relative major to E, the dominant, where it dwells before climactically hurling iteelf back into the tonic. But here at bar 17 there is no change of tempo and a new theme sets off straight away, not in the tonic A minor, but in the relative major as what could quite reasonably be called a second subject. ih':-

.qinw and languishing 1

n- ] 1

(5) mi

(J)

------------- ^

[2-21 New theme

7

The opening I^aragraph

t h e pr e l u d e

Far from being jettisoned, Wagner’s opening paragraph is recalled in modified form at bars 36 and and in its entirety at the climax beginning in bar 80, to say nothing of its many appearances later in the opera. It is therefore expository and could be regarded as a first subject. 66

Using a tonally mobile passage as a subject means not only that on its first appearance it sounds like an introduction, but also that on being recapitulated it will sound like, a development. That however is in Classical terms. Wagner is concerned far more with Romantic passion than Classical order. Nevertheless order there is and not so unClassical. !

In this connection it is interesting how Tristan-\\k& is Haydn’s Representation of Chaos at the beginning of The Creation; Tristan-\]ke, in its chromaticism and even thematically in its last ten bars (see p.lO). Although it is a complete number Haydn calls it an introduction and his audience in 1797 ^would hear it as introductory to the rest of the work. They would be content to be darkly mystified .at the outset,- so long as Haydn let there be light in due course. la fact both Haydn’s introduction and K.LTir (A)mi

^ A-

±

(8)

textenslonl

^ ^ ^

-

^nnirp. ^-0-

It-*

(a)y *

___ El________

n

-(c) t

J

i

sea" thene (cf.sailor's song)

-(c)-( )-

“

se sails

L

etc. -------- 1

f

gelt das Schiff: the ship.

auf ru hi-ger See With a calm sea

-------------h-T-ri—i—h-T J K ' T __L

J

J

■et.

-(c)

und schnell and swift

—

rtf r

Et

Bsns,')lolas

Hornf D.Basses 8bI

I

"ship

(alt

vor before

^ 1 r —s1 ^ m r \ —j ____ — -------- (a) ) __ ____ A________ —u < . / m /«\ ______7R _J_ T__ 1 i«\ --------1 •) 200 \CLf A li e. fttit-f ' * »n.* •H5 [31-lljtp •x' ft L ^H p^pt ,1 '•IMU. U* 3 2■ » ini ^ ft 11 ^ \)i 3 / U' 1 ^ I P1 tr \f IL ft 1 w^ t ^ --n-^ 1 ***** * ^ 1 * '* •• * ** * ‘ / MCb))-* H(b))-j etc. their la - bouring breath

leave I to you winds

for

payment!

Isolde’s motive c of 202/3 is on station, capping the strings’ tempest of h’s. Between these extremities of this mini-aria Wagner only differs from his forbears and from his earlier 'number' opera style in that the orchestra carries more melodic weight than the, voice, whose line is clearly composed to fit with the orchestra rather than vice versa. , . • For half the 'aria' the orchestra is busy with several versiohs of motive b, spilling for two bars into the voice, which thereafter returns to the violence of the large intervals used in the preceding accompanied recitative. Motive b finally contracts back to the quavers of 200, the chromatic scale now much more clearly a series of b’s. With ra - ging storni infuriate the whirlpool! Drive from its sleep this dreaming Zu to-bender Stiir-me wli-ten dem Wirbel! Treibtaus dem Schlaf dies trau-mende

40

Back W Monteverdi

ACTI SCENE 1

sea, awaken in the deep its malevolent greedlShow 'it the boo-ty'that I offer!' Meet, weckt ausdemGrund seine grollende Gier! Zeigt ihmdie Beur te die ich ihm. bie - te! , h 1 • ———-r—— 1 K ------ ---# T—r rT ■f—I— > \ \ L 1/ ' ^ 1 L k 1 m 7 77 ■ n ^ ^ 1 m w tfH " J • • nr \ \ V5-\7 ^ •) r r -(c) c) $----- , 212 1— ^[p\] ^ /"ship and sea").^^) h fl 1 ------- 1 ^ I r 1 I 1 ■ 1 5^ _^ __ ^ 1 V 1 ' ' P IIP ^ J N 1 J1 m1 Li ^^ P w ' • M wKP h-----0 n • nP r r——' P tip 1 —i ^ a P nP\ ^ _________ Fx np r \ 11 . v>V7 r ir - ^ ' n ' tfr L L 1 LI_nr i J___ m—£^3=*"- 1—((h)) —1 ^ r_, -“I" ■ “T 7 T 7 T 7 T 7 1

T

Such a sequential treatment of b will engender an expectation of c made stronger by Isolde’s provision of it at 202/3 (p.39). But Wagner returns instead to the inverted c’s of the stormy contrapuntal version of “ship and sea”. Isolde has the beginning of a c, if between one sentence and the next. As is the case with many a traditional aria the music becomes more recitative-like as the typical aria ending approaches. 4.1 Back to Monteverdi Wagner’s 'aria' is vestigial, but the essential qualities are there. The prominence and importance of the orchestra however move it a little towards accompanied recitative, into and out of which it can pass with ease; a standard practice of Wagner’s from The Rhinegold onwards, and something which brought opera round full circle after two centuries to the effortless and often barely noticeable change from recitative to arioso and back of Monteverdi and Cavalli, whose operas Wagner did not know, since he believed that the earliest operas consisted of 'arias... to which 'texts' thrown together in a semblance of dramatic cohesion were added as underlay' ^ - something opera actually took well over half a century to become. 5 Brangane’s Concern

Music of physical State

An inevitable interrupted cadence at the end of Isolde’s 'aria' plunges us straight into Brangane’s response, in which she shows her great love for Isolde, who is prepared to sacrifice the whole ship’s company for her wounded pride. Brangane is only concerned for her mistress. Her response (55 bars long) starts, 'in extreme alarm', at Isolde’s furious tempo, which it gradually moderates, but never settles into any key for more than a bar or two until its last eight bars. A further two sequential treatments of motive b Brangane

(ge-)ahnt!

Poco a poco piu moderato ' Not a tear shed you for father and mother Nichteine Tra - ne weintest du Vater und Mutter;

Lady! l-sol-de! Herrin!

'’rMi

[39-1] 237

L

r

J

(aT

(a) i

c o n c er n

Whal has I._ L’s state on b^n hiding? leaving home.

Is.?Br.

Arioso (a)

Or;“ship&sea"

BRANGANE’S

(22)

e po r t

158

286

214

\

228

273

282

46 Isolde’s dark Thoughts

ACTI SCENE2

IV ACT I SCENE 2 1 Isolde’s dark Thoughts With the exposure of the rest of the ship’s deck by Brangane’s drawing back the curtain, we look aft at sailors busy with ropes etc, and in the stem knights and attendants sitting and Tlistan standing at the helm gazing out to sea with Kurvenal, his servant lounging at his feet; all this during the reprise of the unseen young sailor’s sotig. Isolde too is gazing stonily at Instan. She speaks of nothing biit him in this scene and most of the next. We are about to hear virtually all of the prelude’s opening music up to the fifth bar of the “glance” melody. 1.1 Reprise of the Prelude’s opening Music Starting as the sailor finishes, Isolde sings motive b four times in its customary rising sequence. At the third stage of this it arrives at its original pitch and takes up its original position as sequel to a (now on the cor anglais) with linking Tristan' chord as at the opening of the prelude, but with an overlap similar to that at the prelude’s climax (p.24).

Isolde [45-10] Mir

p p 310

Huted Violins and Violas

m

er-kor-en.

Forme destined — b----------1

Tf

mir

to me

ver-lor - en,

lost.

H

317 kiihn und feig!

noble and hale.

bold and ..cowardly!

i Cor I y @_ anglais

9^

hehr und heil.

# poco Jcresc

a+1-»

u-

9-s©cf. Prelude

It was only at the very end of the prelude that motive a was on the melancholy cor anglais. There an ominous timpani roll held the music to C minor, the key of 409 [58-6]I

. near I

Tris [61-9]

‘

'

-(b)—^

^ ((a))

J.. , iTr- Wo Trioion Tristan Gramt sie die lange Fahrt?

^

Irked her the long journey?

the bright one;(=Isolde)

(cf.53p.62)

nah' ich mich der Lichten,

^^

>442

Tris

l^^y commands, Was meiner Frau mir be - fehle.

vvas meiiiei i

•) 422 [59-9]

(@)4-

truly will I fulfU. treu-lich sei's er-fullt.

(a) that is my lady’s will,

g Then let lord Tristan to her go:

' So mbg' Herr Tristan zu ihr gehn:

das ist der Herrin Will*.

i >426' (a)$- F [60-2] _. . In whatever place I stand, Aufje - der Stelle wo ich steh'. 453 [62-5]

Ft*

m

truly

serve I her,

getreu -lich dieri ich ihr,

tWs

lady of Mgtesthonour

der Frau -en hbchster Ehr';

¥

After their two statements of the prelude’s 16th and 17th bars the orchestra do little more than accompany - for Brangane mainly clarinets and bassoons, for Tristan violas and cellos.

53

'King Marke’s Land'

^CTISCENE:2

Tristan ends some.60 bars of ultra-courteous procrastination with a fatuous rhetorical question.

In the next scene this to the same music will be relayed verbatim by Brangane to Isolde, who will at once Mlterly echo it. The music to the phrase 'Kbnig Markes Land' with its Phrygian cadence becomes something of a leitmotive symbolising both Tfistan’s service to king Marke and the concept of a^ land (see H 1762p.390, 1930/46p.406, 2042-5p.420,III 309p.463). At this point Brangane’s polite patience is exhausted. The tremolando violas and cellos, which accompanied Isolde at the start of the scene, return as Brangane questions Tfistan’s deliberate misunderstanding of her and then repeats in identical words and music Isolde’s imperious summons (see p.49).

s

ACT I SCENE 2 *

KurvenaTs Song

3 Kiirvenal’s Chauvinist Song

Dual 'Ibnalitv

-

Isolde’s summons led to the “ship and sea” theme as Brangtoe nervously ran the gauntlet of the

sailors Brangane’s reprise of it leads to a highly insolent jingoistic song from Kurvenal, its second part bellowed after Brangane as she indignantly retreats back to Isolde past the sailors who join in Kurvenal’s song starts in D minor, but spends only about 7 of its 50 odd bars in-that key seeming on a casual acquaintance to treat tonality with no more respect than Kurvenal accords Brangane and Isolde. It is however a highly organised song with a dual tonality of a very much more radical kind than that of the prelude. The key changes occur mostly phrase by phrase and the two eys Me not very close relatives as in the prelude (A minor and C), but are D (minor or major) and B

Sin^amipod^^ ^

^

®

phrase of the first half of the song (488 to 510) ends in an interrupted cadence, the tonic chord of the moment being replaced by its mediant or submediant, resulting in an oscill ation between the two keys or their dominants. 3.1 First Half of Song rpD. / '> Final Chord of Cadence Bars in one Key 54 5

Bars

Key of Phrase

488-90 491-93 493/95 495-97 497-501 501-03 504-05 50e-07 507-10

D minor B flat Bflat D (C minor E flat) (sequential step) Bflat E (1^ close in A minor) F (dom.of B flat) A (dom.of D) D D F F D minor aug. th on flat submediant 6

Allegro nnntrnppn Thus says he to Frau Das sage sie der Frau

m i 483

^^Trrir

I - solde! I - sold'!

2 1

3 3 2 2 2

Who Cornwall's Wer Korn -walls

* I

3 3

I

crown Kron'

f

and und

55 ^qr I SCENE 2

Kurvenal’s Song

56 ACTI SCENE

KurvenaFs Song

_ I

[^.urvenai

Sir

Morold crossed the sea to Cornwall, taxesto collect an Moroldzogzu Meereher, in Kornwall Zins zu Ha - ben; ein

Lbt3-3J r r —f—r . a 1

Isolde

it was, who ja war's, die

5

—«D)poco rail

747 I—"anger/hunlHatlon"

z:

I Ich

VI

\m^

sfe* 3a*

Moderatp dolce

0^

HM+Str^

kji

5

hs - ■ \

XL

HN ^[105-4]

secretly heim -

.oO

*

(cf.614p.64)

lich

caused my own shame! selbst die Schmach —\

(SL_|:-------------------—

^-----

J , 1 1 /ml: ^ m w 1_______________ ^__

1

c

•)

1 -TO

_____

^ r

1_______

n

it:

•

There is great beauty here. An entirely new, simple sequential continuation of the original opera-opening a with the original harmony, but with the A minor dominant 7th resolving on the submediant, F as it did at the end of the prelude’s opening paragraph (17p.l6). Wagner makes the F chord however a 6/3, in which form as a Neapolitan th in E minor in association with a leapless a it is an important feature of the “sick Tristan” theme, which it now ushers gently in. A wonderfully simple blend of old and new, but mainly of old firiends in new associations. 6

The returning “sick Tfistan” is now augmented, although the tempo is faster. It returns again a few bars later (762), this time haltingly, as Isolde similarly speaks again of her letting the sword fall. We know what made her. The woodwind (759) merely echo that knowledge.

71 Isolde’s Story

ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

I let it fall! liess ich's fal-len!

Now Nun

as vassal! dem Vassallen!

serve I dien ich

.....-—^44

:i_

----- 1 1---------("s

^61

ck Tristan") —

Ul(arco)

^---- ir-i

- _

P

» » 7*

J

1 > > V 1^* r—r /

■

4^=--i- ..—

p -

■0—=——

>

f

—

\fi~....

4

-9-----

plzi

Notice Isolde’s motive c, (757/8) at the thought of her wielding the avenging s\^ord. The one-flat key signature obtains for 55 bars (711-66), of which eight are in D minor (including 713/14p.69) and two (759/60) in E After Brangane’s short allusion to the treaty of friendship referred to above (p.69), Isolde’s anger, which now comes in waves, returns and with it a now surging ^‘anger/humiliation“.

72 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

■ Isolde’s A major Silence

During a lull in the storm of Isolde’s fury there is a second very lovely and very simple new look at old motives. A gentle melody made from a hitherto unused major diatonic form of a, lying here between a chromatic, leapless, original “suffering” a and a simple c, signifies Isolde’s silence about Ti:istan,.the enemy she nursed back to health, in contrast with Histan’s noising her qualities abroad, the latter represented by the already much-used major diatonic inverted a which is “our hero Histan”. Isolde

Is.

triumphant, hale and high minded sieg-prangend heil und hehr, ——

loud laut --------

[jg p p 0 -f"--------- rrP---------------- j-T hp A. _J^ rm . 1_____ •IcolS 1______________ f "nGPo Tristan* tr m -fl-ic O N M t P- J i/' ‘ • V ^ 1 * J J J F \ J • & ' 4 *- «

Tf

str 814/ ^•4-Tpt->-JLU 4V *y1* ----- T-

j j

_ ^ 9-------------------

1

*

f

-

---------------

■p-

and und

clear presents me: hell wies er auf mich

—^>----------- rr:----------------- K■9----- B---- -r----+ •f-7 H— --------------- 1----1- ---- ^—m M------- ----- ^-------- -- ---1 1 1 \a/ r_. ' 818

--w—1 —1-----

trn —I— ^*3--1---

■“t ----

' 'W p

y

M

r

d--7 #

W-W--- ^

P

ff

j

fp

Bsn

etc

■6

______ Z ----------- ^^---------p -^ 0 —

[115-3] C

3.1 Accompaniment Figure The motive c on the word 'revenge' is significant (cf.757/8p.71). THstan as we shall see is prepared to die for what he considers to be his honour. In Isolde’s eyes his death will be revenge for Morold. They will each make this association clear later on. The key of the “silence” melody is the very special and as yet rarely used A major, the key of Frau Minne, the love goddess (p.202), and of the lovely music leading to the Night Song (p.296). It is interrupted by “anger/humiliation”, which is closely followed by “our hero Tristan” in a bright E major with Isolde on a top B and then in C as quoted (814). The triplet figure can be seen in both examples. It runs almost continuously for 54 bars from 784 to 837, where it is in the highest part. We have not heard the last of it. The emphatic

73 Bright Tbnic major Cadence

ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

cadence which heralded Isolde’s story (p.62) requires an equally assertive finish. Wagner minimised his tonic ending to the first part (701p.68). Now he prepares for a bright tonic major conclusion to the whole. The mood this suggests is hardly in keeping with the agony, anger and humiliation of Isolde’s tale, but.Wagner brilliantly makes use of her penchant for bitter mockery. She assumes the imaginary role of Tlistan as salesman of some highly desirable Irish feminine merchandise with, no doubt, quite a bit of real estate thrown in. At first in B, the major dominant with the leap only of a (822), and then in G, the relative major with the final return of the “sick Ti-istan” (a without the leap). This soon turns to B again and thence to E, the tonic major for the long awaited big cadence.

- sol - de, she

is

yours!

74 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

.

E and C Tbnalities

etc

3.2 E minor/major - C major/minor Tonality On the face of it that would seem to be that, and most of the second part of Isolde’s story therefore to be a fmal, more extended episode in , the 'rondo'. But Isolde has not finished. Just as the ramparatively pntle, E minor ending of the first part was immediately followed'by her fury at 1, an his thousand-fold oath, a passage in C leading to a forceful forward pointing S,th“f h f f-Sure, so here, hard upon the powerful tonic majof tosh of her complete story, Isolde roundly curses THstan and screams for revenge and death TOe key IS Obscmed for a while with diminished 7ths, but it is definitely not E, major or minor Anger/humihahon is there (C and then D minorish) and a final, mightiest of all C minor cadence

75 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

E and C Tonalities

[122-4]

Revenge! Ra ■ ■ --------- che!

For the third time in the opera there has been an element of dual tonality, this time for a good dramatic reason. In the E minor of the first part of Isolde’s Story we see the pathetic, sick Tristan and the gentle, healing Isolde. This tonality has its E major conclusion in the second phrt, there representing the now healthy, king’s-bride-winning Tristan. The other tonality is that of the second part, where it is initial and final, C major for Isolde’s fury at Tristan’s oath-breaking, C minor for the demented, death-demandingTsolde of most of the opera so far. Each of the two tonalities has its own emphatic ending. The E major ending , coming after the filial restatement of the first part’s main theme, encloses most of the second part, making it a final, extended episode but the second part rejects this subjugation by appending its own even more forceful cadence and thereby enclosing the first part’s restatement. C is the stronger key in this act, and when it turns to minor, that settles it. Handel, if presented with these two conflicting emotions, would have undramatically had to repeat all of the first part after the second. Mozart, more loosely would have composed two arias. Wagner effectively fuses the drama with the musical form by making both themes and tonalities vie for supremacy. With Handel and Mozart nothing could override the structural function of tonality. Nor can it really with Wagner, but his 'arias' are sections within a larger symphonic movement, which allows much greater flexibility.

76 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

Brangane’s Calming Song 4 Brangane’s Calming Song

Recollection of Music of Scene’s Start and Scene 1 The descending 4 note semitonal figure which jBrst appeared in the bass at the start of the scene (541p.60) and out of which the “sick Tfistan” theme arose, has reappeared with slight modifications at various moments (629/32p.66, 842p/74). It is now hammered out on woodwind, trombones and strings (treble staff, lower part) as Brangane throws herself upon Isolde. On this appearance its last semitone is replaced by a falling 3rd which, with rising sequential treatment, restores a’s original rising minor th. 6

golden

lady!

77 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

“ Brangane’s Rhythm”

Once again Brangane has to pacify a demented Isolde, and so Wagner reminds us of the corresponding moment at the end of Isolde’s outburst in scene 1. Bars 869/70 recall the figure which accompanied Brangane starting in bar 232 together with a hint of the figure starting in 243, quoted on pages 40 and 41 respectively. The rhythm applied to b in 869 is Brangane’s special preserve (although it usually has three quavers at the end of the bar) and has been called “Brangane’s rhythm”. It was present extensively in her concerned response in scene 1 and it appeared three times as she reacted to Kurvenal’s song, the third of these being at the very beginning of this scene as she threw herself at Isolde’s feet (510p.55,520p.56,541p.60). Her 'Weh ach wehe!' then is reflected now at 873. Bar 870 is an exception to the rhythm’s application to motive b, which, with or without the rhythm, has a particular attachment to Brangane, although it can never of course become exclusively hers. . ' '' The key signature of three flats is an indication that Brangane will once again turn the music to her own calm E flat, the key of her original set fair report and of her final appeal for Isolde’s confidence at the beginning and end respectively of scene 1 (pp.36 & 42). It took Brangane over 40 bars then to settle back into that key after Isolde’s outburst. This time it takes half that number.' 4.1 Calming sequential Motive c

Melody from b &c

The motive c of 869/70 is echoed in 871/2 and then falls sequentially. It will continue to do so for a further 7 bars, calming down the music in the process. Motive c’s role here as 'righter' of the 'wrongs' of a and b, which it occupied at the outset of the prelude, will become progressively more important. Brangane, now believing- herself to be fully confided- in, is convinced that Isolde’s i^ominy is a delusion. What follows is her attempt to persuade Isolde of this in a song of great beauty.

78ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

Brangane’s calming Song 4.2 First Section of Song

The several gentle, “suffering” descending semitones of the “sick Tfistan” and the many violent rising and falliiig semitones of the repeated “anger/humiliation” motive give way to a melody built from the single rising semitone of motive b’s appoggiatura followed by the whole of b and then the single rising semitone and falling whole tone of c. These elements jointly express Brangane’s selfless love and desire for Isolde’s happiness. Sempre molto mosso

deceive, that you clearly neither see nor heai? Whatever Lord Tristan you to - ren,nicht hell zu sehnnochho - ren? Was ie Herr Tri - stan dir ----^ m hm—^........Ki ------------n—:------- ^ T—T—

owes ver-

---------'—

889

'--------------------/u\

892 (a)$------ 1 U j .......

.

i ^ 1 mtn

Hns

1.JJ

plzz

--

-50"^--------- ; -------------

]

TJ

r»—

Ir----

rl

1^=^^---------- p

Wagner’s treatment of vocal and orchestral melody lines is a study in itself. Usually the orchestra is the prime mover, with a vocal countermelody which only occasionally joins in unison with the orchestra. Here the two are in unison about as much as they are not. The music is square for Wagner, nearly all two or four bar phrases with much repetition, but the cracks do not show because voice and orchestra are artfully staggered. Brangane enters in unison with the orchestra-at the orchestra’s second bar, forming her own bar musical sentence out of mostly the same melody as the orchestra by carrying on into their ninth bar (891), by which time they have begun their repeat. The effect is strangely disturbing^ since we are invited to listen to two different phrase structures applied to one series of notes - as it were to occupy two different compartments on the same train. The 4 note accompaniment figure is a free variant of the earlier triplet figure, which we have not heard the last of. 8

79 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

Ironic “Glance” Motive

4.3 Ironic “Glance” Motive The repeat of the bar orchestral melody leads to a tiny development, in which the melody passes from G (4 bars 899-902) through C minor (4 bars 903-6) to A flat (4 bars 907-10) in which the irony of Brangane saying that Tlistan is resigning his birthright in procuring Isolde as queen is underlined* by the appearance of the “glance” motive in the inner parts, and finally to B flat (911) for 7 bars ( * for the voice) where the melody resumes its original form, but is given a cadence which concludes this first section of the song in the dominant and only now resolves the one-bar hiatus between orchestra andvoice. 8

6

(serves)

\

reward:

his

own

inheritance,

pure

and

rxDble,

renounces (he)

The inverted motive c of 902/3 as Brangane speaks of Tfistan’s faithful service to his uncle, is ironic too, although precognitive (see II 1758p.388 and text).

ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

"Second Section

4.4 Second Section

Variant of First Section

The second section is in essence a varied repetition of the first. After an unvaried statement of the melody an oboe gives forth what can at a pinch be regarded as a very free simplified version of it, but really amounts to a new melody. The falling 7th appears twice, the two rising scales in crotchets not at all, the falling whole tone not at all, and the harmony is different after the fourth bar. The first phrase has a touch of the “glance”.

I

* getting? gel-ten?

930 Oboe

Of noble Von ed -

race and gentle manner, ler Art ------- und mildem Mut,

(a)$-

-(c)-

‘ espress

ft

P

who (equals tWs man wer in power and I— splendour?)

■(alip—^ 936

fr

J- (b)'-

m 1131-10]

(*ishe [Marke] not worth your getting?)

Unvaried melody . aa 1

922

T7C ar espress

(sme tune as oboe)

I etc

W , t .f ^ r 930

The music is highly contrapuntal here, even to the extent of the bass clarinet talcing up the oboe’s tune in the bass. The remainder of the second section matches the latter part of the first, passing through three keys to, a final restatement of the melody with the same concluding cadence, but this time in the tonic (F) of this section. At about the same place are “glance” motives as Brangane refers to fi-istan [132-12].

81 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

4.5 Third Section

Third Section

Isolde

Prelude Recollections

Between the first two sections there were a few bars of musical gloom representing Isolde’s reaction to Brangane’s optimism. The clouds return as Isolde dominates the short third section. The music is 'federal', referring back by way of the start of scene 2 (p.46) to the opening paragraph of the prelude, the “glance” and the composite figure of the prelude’s interruption', whose motive b content (see p. 19) is here emphasised by the notes of Isolde’s 'unloved'. Compare her 'for me destined' (p.46). Wagner’s musical psychology is as brilliant as ever. This time we hear the “glance” first, underlining the one crucial fact that Brangane has not grasped. Wagner can make his point with the second phrase of the “glance” melody containing the motive c-derived 'feminine' falling whole tone (see p.lT), which has been a feature of Brangane’s song, which it therefore echoes. A 'THstan' chord imbued with the solemnity of trombones interrupts Brangane’s cadence and sets off the “glance” melody’s second phrase, which is in its original key and on a solemn blend of oboes, cor anglais and horns. Isolde concentrates on motive b’s appoggiatura, thus echoing the song’s prime motive.

that

most honoured

man

82 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

Prelude Recollections

The full 3 stage sequence of the prelude’s opening paragraph is there together with the final lead on to motive c, which here is semitonal and on the same notes as the first c in “death-devoted”. Motive a however is conspicuously absent until Isolde refers to her suffering (974), when we hear it in two guises over some potent orchestration, in which trombones emerge from behind low woodwind and louden to a chord of F flat, which becomes a Neapolitan th in E flat minor and, in association with the voice s leapless a, harks back to Isolde’s story where the key was a semitone higher (p.64). 6

83 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

Falling whole Tone

4.6 The falling whole Tbne The 'feminine' falling whole tone of the “glance’s” second phrase (960), which echoes, as has been stated, the recurrent c-derived falling whole tone of Brangane’s song melody (889/91/93p.78, 930p.80), is in its turn echoed by Isolde’^ 'sehen' and*'bestehen', both of which however are^ semi tones. Whole tones return for Brangane’s 'Arge?' and the long drawn-out woodwind’s E flat - D flat, which accompanies Brangane’s incredulous 'Ungeminnt?'. Since a passage in G flat is about to follow, we might consider this last falling whole tone to be a rather ordinary dominant preparation, were it not for four things:1) As the last of many echoes it is highly thematic. 2) The isolated two note figure treated in this gentle drawn-out manner over this chord in this key looks forward to the Night Song in the middle of act II and the moment when Isolde can feel herself the most completely loved by THstan (p.304). 3) Brangane’s incredulous 'Unloved?' 4) The initial harmony is a 6/5 original 'THstan' chord Brangane’s falling 7th is a strong feature of her song, particularly of its second melody which is about to follow. The E flat - F will appear as 6th of the scale to leading note in G flat (lOOOp.84) and finally very strongly as keynote to supertonic back in Brangane’s home E flat (1028p.85). Wagner wrote in his programme note to the prelude:'For his king the trusty vassal had wooed a maid he durst not tell himself he loved'.^ So he would certainly not tell Isolde. But to Brangane it is all so simple.

f

0

’Op.cit. see footnote p.29

84 ACT 1 SCENE 3 (main Part)

4.7 The final Section

Final Section

Change of Metre

Delay of Ibnic

In the final section of her song Brangane asks simply and beautifully, 'Where lives the man who would not love you on sight?' She returns, not to her original melody, but to the very free variant of it (i.e. the second melody) which appeared in the second section. This is itself varied by a change of metre from two to three ( J ) which allows it to flow more smoothly, simply and quickly (cf.930p.80).

B.Clar,Cell,D.B. (cf.9S6p.88)

happfly se

would not (die?) nicht ganz (verging?) The structure of this last section, is basically the same as that of the first two. The little development starts (as they did) a major 3rd up, which now is B flat, the dominant of the whole song. Wagner follows a square eight bars in that key with another eight in the antipodal A as Brangane contemplates the possibility of a man’s love for Isolde cooling. In these eight bars (the place where the inner part “glance” motives occurred in the other sections) Wagner again underpins the irony, but this time a repeated note reinforces the “glance” element in the melody itself.

1008 wins

[135-15]

r-(cf.;'glaqce")—I

Brangane

Doch, der dr er -ko - ren, Yet, Wmyou choose.

(sin.in fl)

1016

war er so kalt, were he so coli

If that should happen, she goes on, she would soon deal with it. For this we hear the final restatement of the melody plus cadence in the home, fireside warmth of her tonic E flat.

ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

End of Song

Lorenz has called the form of Brangane’s song one of the most artful (kunstvollsten) of the whole work^. I do not find it quite as ingenious as he does, but the parcel is certainly neatly wrapped. The four sections form an AABA structure, which is also the structure within the three A sections. The final section is prevented from being an obvious and undramatic da capo by using the free variant of the melody, changing the metre and saving up the tonic key until the very end.

^ Lorenz Op.cit. p.44 (see p.l)

86 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

Summary

5 Summary It is appropriate to summarise here rather than at the end of scene 3, since the beginning of scene 4 is an interruption in a dialogue which is to be resumed. 5.1 Structure and Tonality On account of the far greater length of the sections of this scene it is necessary for the sake of clarity to omit individual basic motives from the diagram. The thick, longer vertical lines represent the emphatic cadences (see pp.62,69,74/5). The 'rondo' form of the first part of Isolde’s Story with the “sick Tristan” and E minor as main theme and key can be clearly seen, as can the similar function of the “anger/ humiliation” figure in the second part. This figure’s basic C tonality is restricted to its first and last appearances, which are isolated from the centre by the emphatic cadences. The big E major cadence (840), following the return in that key of the “sick” and healthy Tlistan themes, coupled with the lack of such a cadence at the end of the first part, has the effect of turning all the preceding music of the second part into another 'episode' in the 'rondo' of the first part. What follows however reverses the situation. G minor with its death-wishing associations is trumps. There is of course no such conflict in Brangane’s Calming Song. Its neat parcelling is one reflection of this. M represents the initial melody, M' its free variant. The AABA overall structure as well as that of the individual sections can be seen. Brangane only ventures into the minor once, whereas Isolde’s section is exclusively in that mode. A bar of Brangane’s triple metre final section is equivalent in time to half a bar of the preceding music, the space taken by a bar is therefore halved. Brangane’s calm E flat tonality goes right back of course to her calm sea report at the start of the scene (p.36). That was in triple time and it is no coincidence that she concludes her calming song in that metre. This is the end of her role as pacifier. In act II she will warn as unavailingly as here, and in act III she will do very little. 5.2 Motives & Themes In the “sick Tristan” motive a has lost its initial leap, and yet, by careful preparation stemming from Brangane’s 'woe!' a itianages to retain its identity. This is an important mainstream development which will flow on to the end of the opera. Other carefully contrived fragmentations of already small basic motives are the isolation of h’s rising chromatic appoggiatura and c’s falling whole tone, both of which occur in Brangane’s Calming Song. Such abstraction is only feasible after the whole motives have been very extensively used. “Hooray for our (tax paying) hero Tristan”, which has just been bellowed out at the end of the previous scene as the most blatant of insults, permeates Isolde’s Story, often representing the now healthy THstan in juxtaposition with the “sick Tfistan”. Other 'federal' motives, themes or passages occur as episodes - the “glance” twice for obvious reasons in Isolde’s Story and, its second phrase only (containing c’s falling whole tone), in the third section of the calming song, where it heralds Isolde’s 'unloved'. The falling tone in conjunction with Brangane’s disbelief prompts the forward reference to the very much loved Isolde of act II’s Night Song.

87 ACT I SCENE 3 (main Part)

Summary (Diagram)

ACT I Scene 3 (main part) PREPARATION FOR ISOLDE’S STORY (65) AllegrD molto recit , >ecit B.fatls '^e' reports T's words "KjHa^e's 'Now I. rises

w

I

537

C

. -57

"anger“

702

"heroT"

---------^

■

D mi

-29

^ "glance"

Fmi d !’

(E)mi Gmi A mi

throws herself Draws her on Isolde. to couch. ■ (M) (C)

0etc

(

862

,

- mi A

BRANGANE'S c a l m in g

"anger.;;I (q )

J"glance"nel

(^mi Gmi Ci mi A BG mi mi

"anger"

Molto mosso 'What a delusion!'

'Sweet(etc)ladyl'

"sick Tristan"

"heroT",

ISOLDE’S STORY (SECOND PART) (160) AUs.srfl Moderate Hit Allepro Accel Meno mosso Allegro *Wsr6 Morold 'Woe' fall the B.'When truce I. , 'silence' '"She'll be a treasure"' etc. sword' was sworn alive...' ((D)i (a)

-36

21,

-

GAI> ABmi =

)mi

6B2

"anjer"

(ba)

(a) ——

Dmi B E.chromDl’ mi -81

*He swore' 'Now Tantris (c);I; hear'

©

(a)

PiumossQ

'looked into my eyes'

’Tantris'

"sick Tristan" "sick Tristan"

Cmi Dmi

(100)

Moderate

_____________________ "hero T"

“heroT"'

(a) D jchromatic

ISOLDE’S STORY (FIRST PART)

'Death to us both!'

"anger"

chromatic -30

(§)mi

-40

-62

(174)( equivalent to 146) l.'Unloved' B. ,' ?', 'Whatmancould etc. ( w i

i

;?

-

“Death-devoted”, a semitone down and again without its final motive c (or this time its third and fourth chords) sounds clear at 1450. Motive c has its own independent role in this scene and Wagner is saving up its semitonal version for Tfistan’s atonement vow just before the climax. The little “sick Tristan” accompaniment figure returned at 1436 (p.ll6) and has stayed on after the final statement of the “sick THstan” (1443), climbing higher and higher up to 1450, where it leads to some slower descending triplets. This should be compared with what in 1396 happened to the rhythmically similar accompaniment figure which started in 1392 (p.ll4). Unfortunately here in 1450 the triplet figure with, as we shall see, its significant continuation, has to contend with a forte trumpet over a fortissimo wind chord, and tends to get lost in spite of being way out on top, probably because the conductor has somehow to prevent the complete submersion of the rather low-lying voice.

119

Isolde’s Oath

ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

In reply to THstan, who asks what vow she swore, Isolde, among a plethora of “revenge” c’s, in effect names the motive, starting it on B flat, the only note on which it has not yet started (except E flat which never happens). The importance of the moment is emphasised by the return of the dominant timpani roll on F sharp with the chord completed low down on bassoons and tremolando cellos, against which the first three c’s are highly dissonant. The dominant pedal will return after four bar’s absence and then run for fourteen. What swore you. Madam?

Tristan Was schwurt ihr, Frau? [212-3]

Revenge for Morold! Ra chefuriMorrold!

"I * J

BL Piu vivo Trictnn Mndedyou that? ■_ Dare you taunt me? ."h Muht euch die? Wagstduzu hoh-nen? —f»— -0---- i J^ __i 1 1 1 lUlf ■ -F >-—4 • i 4—^ i4 —^1 strP ’j

^ ----- -1

■■

—

T

V7

p

-9----

THstan would have known of Isolde’s betrothal, and his 'minded you that?' is loaded with his undisclosed knowledge of her love for him (see p.l28). After her immediate, angry motive c 'dare you taunt me?' Isolde prefers to assume Ihstan’s ignorance. The episode in which she speaks of

12G

ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

Diatonic strings’ Figure

Morold lightens and sweetens her strings’ figure, passing it from strings to woodwind, where it becomes diatonic and uplifted. .i

Isolde’s clear, diatonic a, which echoes an octave higher the strings’ chromatic a of five bars earlier, is itself echoed eleven bars further on, flanked by a retrograde and an inverted a.

2.1 The extended Triplet Figure swore M , schwur Pii Bp

The triplet figure at 1486, which continues in that pattern for three bars, is clearly a new version of the accompaniment figure which was so prevalent in scene 3 and which has re curred recently (compare the triplet figures in 614 and 602 p.64). It is preparing the way for an important new motive

121 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)l

The extended Triplet Figure

(happily unnamed) born of the triplet figure and, by way of the strings’ figure, the “sick Ti-istan”. Wagner’s 'art of transition' is subtly at work. He could have used the “sick Ifistan” theme again for the several references back to that time which Isolde still has to make. The theme has however already had a considerable airing in this scene, and anything now more than a mere reference would interfere with the thematic hierarchy in which c is chief. Dramatically too we have a different Isolde from scene 3. Then, humiliated, frustrated and nearly out of control, but now in command and about to put things right. A new figure is therefore needed and Wagner provides this by fusing the “sick Tfistan” with its accompaniment. A powerful Neapolitan progression (Neapolitan harmonies were a feature of the “sick Tfistan”) leads to yet another dominant timpani roll on F sharp, over which the new motive appears nervously on violas.

Isolde

t

a maid, I Magd mich des

would dare. er-kuh - nen.

1490

-(a)-

srfz

str/

a: [220-1] tp

Poco piumoderato

Violas

Tinp.Sp

-cm tr

way. The new figure, which will from now on be called the extended triplet figure, will punc-' tuate Isolde’s words for the next ISOfiars or so. The Neapolitan progression which introduced it (1490-3) is a preparation twenty bars ahead of the final Neapolitan cadence of the B minor first part of this scene (1510-12 next example), although Wagner will not drop the key signa ture for a few bars yet.

Trtr

rp

"sick Tiistan" in Itit a sick and wounoea wounded m man, m SICK ana

The four note triplet figure is unchanged, an initial 7th having been nearly as frequent as a 6th. Conjunct with it the dotted rhythm scale differs mainly from the “sick Tristan” in the position of the “glance”-derived suspended repeated note. In this it relates more closely to the strings’ figure, the sequence of c’s tailpiece and to the “glance” itself. The triplet figure plus chromatic scale in 1450 (p.ll8) is a pre-echo, as is more distantly the figure in 1396 (p.ll4), going the other

T5F

R14 dP.64 614 .64 1432 P.116

Strings' Figure 1323 p.ioa

I

Tailpiece 5

mm

1333 P-llfl

"glance" Melody

20 p.17

122 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

IcnMo isoiae [222-1]

Staggered formal Determinants

in revenge he’dfaU to the _ chend schlU - ge der

il

1509

StP

(l

m

maa who from Isolde Mm had Mann, der I - solden ihn ab-ge-

J> J> MH,Str

I

I

r

p 9#

4 i

obtained, wann. te

1512 col8b‘^“^®"'‘®*'

figure

2.2 Staggered formal Determinants Musically nothing else has finished. All the earlier figures of the scene will be heard again. Wagner is staggering his formal determinants in order to combine coherence with continuous flow as he did in the prelude. From the dramatic point of view Isolde has now put THstan fully in the picture and from now on expects an active response. The tonality will waver until it settles into the C (major or minor) of the latter half of the scene. “Anger/humiliation”, reversing the just stated extended triplet figure’s original a falling semitones, returns briefly and leads, at first quietly, to the “death-devoted” chords, interestingly with reverse orchestration and the "Ihntris' rising 5th of 630 and 721 on the ''Il-istan'(falling 5th) notes of633and724(p.66).

Isolde

[223-31

Dein Los

yourself may you tell! nun sel-bermagstdudir sa -

.gen!

t 1514

"anger/hunll," ■

colBb

(cf.'Tintris/Tristan'p.SS) 'b'ra'ss"'~'~''w.................

■cf."death-devoted'u

The music then loudens to a passage which contrives, with the help of some woodwind double 3rds, to sound like a college brotherhood song. In fact it refers right back to Isolde’s ironic quotation in scene 3 (590p.62) of the music of THstan’s polite concern for her comfort on the long journey (414p.52) and is at the same time a variant of the new extended triplet figure (see 1512).

123

THstan’s Response

ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

, Whenthe men all Mm si^port, Ha riie Mannersich alMhm vertra -

who will now Tiistan

slay?

war muss nun Tri-Stan schlagen?

aen.

"our hero Tristan”

E

837 p.73

\J(

"death-devoted"

'v

^

1

\

'

---------- 1---- -----1-

4.

---

po

1295 p.lBZ

Isolde might well have used “our hero Tristan” at 1520 had she not other musical fish to fry. There is however in her final phrase a possible hint of that figure embroiled with “death-devoted”. 3 Tiistan’s Response

Ironic “Glance”

THstan’s response to all this is to offer that same sword to Isolde and invite her to use it on him now, without dropping it. The motive we hear before he speaks has not appeared up to now in this scene, since it refers to something Isolde has carefully concealed from him, the true reason she dropped the sword. Sl0\A/ B.Clar

Tristan

"glance"-

(pale & gloomy)

^ Morold to you meant so much, again take up the sword. War Morold dir so werth, num wiedernimmdas Schwert

s

1533

Qz

g

B.Clar

pizz I

i ((©))

Bsnsi ft

tJit

[226-4]

tat

-«b))

BE

Silence's lady makes me silent know I what she Mdes, laoo ich luii wassie wvaooic verschweig. .DesSweigens Herrin heist mich schweigen; fass

ALJC& ovveiyei id rici IIII iicioiiiiioii oui ivvci^ci i.

Tristan

fell jlhJ-niiT If *

j

1622

The gloomy “glance” motive on the bass clarinet has great irony. The taciturn Tiistan has revealed nothing to Isolde, whereas Isolde has revealed more than she knows, as THstan points out later, using the same notes (1621p.l28). His scalewise rising fi^p (see pp.111/12/13) is now expanded to five and six notes. That at 1533 with its three whole tones possibly harks back to the young sailor’s wondering where his Irish-child is, which also occurred twice (119p.32,300p.43).

124 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

Gentle Strings’ Figure

Isolde’s response is to ask sardonically what king Marke would say if she slew his trustiest knight. Ernest Newman considered that the soft and gentle version of the strings’ figure which precedes and accompanies her words tells us that Isolde feels less anger than her words suggest,^ but if this music expresses what she really feels, then she can feel no anger at all. Pq c o piu mosso

dH-------------------^ L n

•1 1540 str

jyp

Isolde

______________________ (b)------ 1

r strlnss flBUPe----- >-

^)

1

—

^

1

\ J1 ^

k.

» H

—(a)-^ 1

11 L\»H Mrv*'

1

j

1

r / 1 )> ■ A rr ^ ^ rJ------- — = — T ^^---------------■■w B mi [227-31

would trouble

your

lord:

1

/L M J •

-T rf i!r

—.—

what would

sorely I

V wie sorgt icn —=—— -------—J----- 1—1---------1— • 1546 ' ji.^ rrTIP --- -----------• J«V4J/ ■*1“—r—nc

il-----it” *1.. - Til J|-o Rt mi

long Marke

say.

(who)his land for him won, of all his trustiest man? Land ihm gewann, den al - ler treu' -sten Mann? ¥ A mi J

JOL

LText,triplet fin.-----».

’

1 [228-3]

I

PP

who this der Ur

k

[229-21

peace-pledge feh -de Pfand,

t

so faithfully brings to his hand? so treu ihm liefert zur Hand? —laK—I ^(a)

i f ¥

poo

1567

«--------0-- i----

I

I

hatf sie mit dir

m

I

nhich ent- sandt?

Isolde

[179-91 ’Newman, Hagner Nights, Putman 1949. Pan, London 1977

1276

(cf.1847p.88)

F

125 'Measuring Glance'

.ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

This is perhaps Isolde’s bitterest moment. Those eyes are on her again and she can no more use the sword now than she could before. If she knows that THstan knows this, then it only makes matters worse. The music is as sweet and persuasive as the manner in which she expresses these words. A clue lies in the graced rising 5th in 1570, which is there not just to give the rising inflexion of a question. There have been many questions, but only two with that musical ending. They were Brangane’s question and its bitter, mocking repeat by Isolde in scene 4 (see p.88). Wagner seems to be deliberately reminding us of that occasion where Brangane’s and Isolde’s music differs only superficially in spite of the utterly unlike feelings behind the words. There, as here, the music matches the manner of expression of the words by Isolde and is equally insincere. A measure of Isolde’s misery is in her belief that, in that devastating look, THstan was merely siting her up for a political marriage to his king. A halting version of the “sick Tlistan” appeared in scene 3 as Isolde referred to her present vassal status as a result of her dropping the sword (762p.71). There it was preceded by a powerful “glance” motive on woodwind with an accompaniment of strings nhanging to wind. The halting “sick Tlistan” reappears here and leads to seven “revenge” c’s in five bars loudening to a powerful “glance” motive, this time with reverse orchestration, cellos accompanied by wind changing to strings. Isolde sings 'Rache' again on a “revenge” c starting on B flat (see p.ll9).

[229-61

Accel That once I swung, when Daeinstich’s schwang, als mir

Sheathyour sword! Wahre dein Schwert!

Isolde •>1570 . ,

dir

1574

I------- "sick Tp Istan"

str p (cf.76Zp.71)

^4-11----a ^

---

—1

^^-------

-g4—> »

1

V >

revenge in my bosom struggled:

—(c) — cresc

tCt

♦—♦— Rail.

M^

--S------ rl—

-------- ____ o

what your measuring

glance

126 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

The Atonement Drink

_ At the reference to making king Marke a suitable bride Isolde returns to the music she used in scene 3 when imagining Tiristan recommending her (see p.73). Here it leads to another powerful “glance”, this time with unreversed orchestration.

The halting “sick Tfistan” returns to round off this little 25 bar subsection as Isolde invites Tfistan to drink atonement with her. ‘ 4 The Atonement .Drink

End of Scene 4 recalled

We last heard the “death-draughf’ motive at the beginning of the scene just after Tfistan had entered (1337p.lll)There it was in conjunction with the “revenge” c. Only a little before that, near the end of the previous scene, it accompanied, together with tremolando strings, the distraught Brangane’s 'O tiefstes Weh! O hochstes Leid!' in which she was echoing Isolde’s almost identical words and music of sixteen bars earlier (p.lOO). Tb Brangane’s echo Wagner added (at 1301) some rather crude, 'woeful' falling semitones in the oboe. Now, as Isolde signals to and impatiently urges on a hesitant and trembling - Brangane to prepare the draught, we hear, with tremolando strings throughout, the “death-draught” ominously on trombones and tuba in the following arrangement:1) at 1594 leading to the extended triplet figure, 2) at 1599 below Brangane’s 'woeful' oboe semitones and leading to four conjunct “revenge” c’s, 3) at 1604 two conjunct “death-draughts” with the tremolando strings giving an original second b leading to the sailors’ calls.

127 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

End of Scene 4 recalled

The “death-draught” was on trombones and bassoon at 1244 (pp.96/7), which was the occasion of Isolde’s second grasping of the death-draught flask in scene 4, but it was back in scene 3 at 1089 (p.91) that it sounded with tuba as well, when Isolde held up the bottle. It was almost immediately after that that we first heard the sailors’ calls. The motive b (which can also be seen in the tremolando strings spread over nine bars from 1594) was present on both of those occasions in 1244/5 and [149-2]. The highly chromatic harmony results latterly in a Change of key every bar. The first sailors’ calls, marking the landfall and creating an urgency, were some 500 bars ago, but now the ship is very near the land and the activity outside impinges much more often, with a consequent increase in tension. Those sailors’ calls at the end of scene 3 led from the C minor “death" key by way of a momentary tempestuous F minor “ship and sea” as Isolde reacted to the landfall, to the bright C major of Kurvenal’s instructions (pp.92/3). Here, halfway through the final scene, the calls lead fi-om the unsettled tonality of the first middle section of the scene, to the C minor “death’’ key of the second middle section, also by way of a momentary tempestuous F minor “ship and sea” as Ti-istan starts from his brooding to ask where they are.

128

ACT 1 SCENE 5 (first Part)

Arcane musical A^^ciations

The deeper of the two meanings to Isolde’s reply, 'Near our goal!' is rammed home by the full “death-devoted” theme, oyer which Isolde also asks if she shall obtain atonement and what has Tfistan to say. The indirect allusion to Tfistan’s reticence elicits from hiin-a cryptic statement, which is preceded by a new figure on the clarinet. . . . our goal! I®?"*® Near Hart am. Ziell '1613

Tristaashalll have atonement?What have you tome to 'say? Trjstan, gewinn'ich. Suhne? Was hast du mir zu.sa-gen? -m '----- ^(c)—^

■"death-devoted"

-----^(c)-

8

—

-

HK . '------ -fc)-

brass

is

[236-31

u

-I

-o-

TlBp.tr

know I what she hides, fass ich was sie yerschweig, Ql ^

hide I verschweig’ ich

1624'—«©)) l>n.

I

B.Clar

iI 1

■(a) ^ Clars

VP

what shedoes not know, was sie nicht fasst.

>

pizz

i

B.Clar

4.1 Arcane musical Associations The comparison between Tlistan’s melodic line here and earlier has already been made on page 123. Tl-istan is presumably speaking of his love for Isolde, of which, facing death, he can now tell himself (see p.83), but which his honour forbids him to reveal to her. The clarinet figure relates right back to Brangane’s reference to Isolde’s silent state in scene 1 (247p.41), but it also has much in common with the first part of the theme associated with Freia, the goddess of love in The Ring. On this figure’s repeat before and with Isolde’s bewildered response, there is a further affinity of its continuation with the other part of Freia’s theme.

129

General “Love” Motive

ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

Piu vivo Accel Your silence grasp I, you me elude. Isolde Dein Schweigen fass ich, weichstdu mir aus. i

[238-6]

Ho! he! ha! he! (etc)

cresc 1 Treia” rh---------- PHvi -f".—Rheingold sc. 4 1 1 ^1= -----------------------L— *

[610-41

The sphere of influence of Freia’s theme would not be expected to extend beyond the Ring cycle of operas, but, as Deryk Cooke has pointed out,^ the latter part of her theme is a sort of general “love” motive, which Wagner employs in Lohengrin andMeistersinger as well as extensively in The Ring. In all these operas love plays a major role, the major role in Tristan, where Wagner keeps his general “love” motive out of the main stream of the music, using it only fleetingly here and in two forms in the “Frau Miime” (another love goddess) music in act II (see p.202).

ijy fe n

[382-1]

r

r

Mr—rTr

Hr--------- ^ L3_

r —.[

r-i J—\

(cf.1631/2)

Here in the first act Wagner is making an arcane musical statement of what is in Tfistan’s and Isolde’s minds. The figure recurs later in a tortured form as the two convulsively clutch their hearts (1778p.l38). Similarly it recurred at the end of scene 1 when Isolde called for air, referring to her choking heart (p.42). 4,2 Bitter Irony

Reverse Motive a

The sailors’ calls impinge their urgency after a mere 22 bars absence and lead to a figure which we have not heard since it led to them at the end of scene 3, when Isolde first brandished the deathdraught bottle (1102p.92), Isolde now takes the full cup, to IHstan and points out (to another “death-devoted”) their imminent appearance before king Marke. This brings back the extended triplet figure as Isolde for the last time indulges hex penchant for bitter irony, imagining Tlistan’s words to his king, as she did in scene 3 (p.73), having recently recalled the music of that moment (1584p.l26).*

* Deryk Cooke. I Saw The Vorid End. GUP London I979i p,48f.f.

ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

wife . Weib ■* —1

f= N 1657

i-...

m

Reverse Motive a

winnest thou never. ge-wannst du nie. -------- ^----------V_: ------- -((a))-----__ 1

ktr—

--- P---

The key is the bright C major in which the act will end, and the nature of the music matches the mock-jocular manner in which Isolde expresses the supposed words of THstan about the gentle nature of this woman who, after he had sent her the severed head of her betrothed, nevertheless nursed him back to health, granting him both his life and later her country’s and her own dishonour in this marriage.

Here is a new chromatic reverse form of a, whose playful rhythm arises from the extended triplet figure with which it happily combines. The first to eighth notes of the latter suggest another (not reversed) chromatic a and these two chromatic “suffering” motives a indicate the anguish behind the music which is outwardly expressing the opposite. There is also a beheaded motive b in the rising semitones, the C sharp - D making the upward chromatic #4 -5 appoggiatura of an original second b. The jocular music stops abruptly as the imagined Tristan comes to Isolde’s request that he drink atonement. For this the “death-draught” returns for the first time in the drama with normally bowed (i.e. not tremolando) strings accompaniment and thus comparatively cool and gentle. The vocal line continues in a good-natured ihanner for a few bars, but the highly chromatic nature of the orchestral music, charged with “suffering” a’s inevitably raises the temperature,'and at the third stage of the sequence the strings once again tremble as the tuba enters with trombones and bassoon two bars later, the whole loudening to a powerful C minor cadence.

133L Double Irony

ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

atonement drinlc, thus she offered me ter grace, to expiate all Suh - ne-trank; den hot mir ih - re Huld, zu suh - nen al - le T-r-------------Z:_____ A i ,— __ f__ p— 1 ___ ■_F_ IT P L, 13 j T ji — 1 1 :------------------------- ^----- ---------------------------- ----------•>1685 ''—()— 1 ^(bj: 1c 1 # 1 U’* * : ■ -' iZ .. i u ^ It. 1 1 ffSQ nm vsv; ‘ 1 ^ 11----- ^----____ 9 ■ m _u__ i_c___f m • urn -ft • 9J ^V /f •

—

A

+Tuba U__ 9 «______ • _____

¥

-6

C resc

1 -7 P-& cd____

* ^

Bsns

7T

J. .J I... ■:_HZ__ 1 'J H9 1« ^ "1 ^ _^n fjj_ tilt i. ■ 1244P.36) J

J •

r

Molto animato guilL"

• Wagner r^ely puts dynamic indications in the solo voice part, so they ^e highly meaningful when he does. Isolde’s true feelings gradually come through, but she does not know what the atonement drink will turn out to be. The 'i's of this double irony are dotted by the motive b of “longing”.

132 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

Tiistan’s Atonement Vow

4.3 Tristan’s Atonement Vow The cadence set off a fast alia br^e tempo in which we hear some new sailors’ calls, temfying this time rather than joyful, since they are set against an orchestra soimding the woodwind/brass alternating “death-devoted” chords plus harum scarum strings.

Sailors

The “death-devoted” brass/woodwind alternating chords are on the original A flat and A three times, then step chromatically upward (still alternating) as far as E flat, forming (with the third A flat - A) two disjunct motives b, the former an original. Wagner missed a trick here. He could have had an original second b as well, had he made them conjunct. The new sailors’ calls which, with step (now in the orchestra) and 5th, are not unrelated to the old, suddenly animate Tfistan, who hurriedly shouts some anchoring orders (one hopes unheeded) and then snatches the cup from Isolde.' Tristan has never spoken for more than eight bars in this scene and not for much more in scene 2. His scalewise melodic line has nearly always moved upwards. There is only one example of as many as four notes downward against ten of four or more upward. This is not, I think, thematic, but his manner of expressing the words, gently, politely and without emphasis. He is about to express, if not to reveal his true feelings in the arioso that follows. After the first two phrases (unquoted) his melodic line is quite different, very much more forceful and rarely straying from the “deathly” C minor. The orchestra mainly merely accompany, but have three brief independent motivic statements of which the'first is the“‘angef/humiliation” figure. ‘ .

133 Tlistan’s Atonement Vow

ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

Motto animato

Tlistan is neither angry nor humiliated. The rising continuation the figure has here was its habitual continuation (some seven times) in the second part of Isolde’s Story in scene 3, and never since until now. Its first appearance then (its second in the opera) significantly preceded Isolde’s words, 'Now hear how a hero keeps his word!' (712p.69). The name of the figure has become a distraction. We are simply to remember that first appearance of it as a powerful, unchecked, growing figure. 4.4 Motive c with’Suffix

. Semitonal Motive c

,

,

. “Tristan’s Honour”

The second orchestral motivic statement introduces the second part of Tristan’s arioso, which is the atonement vow itself. The motive is the “revenge” c with additions stemming from Tfistan’s 'dass ganz ich heut’ genese' (1714). ■ -

134 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

Semitonal Motive c

The extra note on the beginning of the “revenge” c is unimportant, since Tristan only echoes the motive itself and its suffix. The first two notes of the suffix are of moment, as the six note figure so formed will play a large part in the second act and at the end of the opera. The motive c that T-istan sings is semitonal, whereas the “revenge” c always has whole tones. He will drink the poison, not in atonement, but for the sake of his honour which is incompatible with his love for Isolde. Death is the only remedy. THstan’s motives c are those of “death-devoted”, which will complete the whole passage. THstan’s first echo of the suffix reduces the final rising leap to a minor 3rd which, coming in that rhythm after several falling semitones, gives a distant echo of the “sick T-istan” with its “hero T-istan”-derived minor 3rd upturn. His second echo of the suffix retains a large final rising interval, but leaps down before it. These changes ensure a tension-increasing, steadily rising melodic contour, each phrase starting on a higher note, a process which continues over sixteen bars from the initial G to die A flat a 9th higher.

135 ACT I SCENE 5 (first Part)

The Atonement Drink

During the latter eight of these the tension is raised in two additional ways: the phrases are shortened by dropping the suffix and the intervals increased by altering the motive c, finally virtually beyond recognition. Simple inversion or reversal would not give the required larger interval, as would reversal from the third instead of the fourth note, which provides an echo of 'hochste Tfeu!' into the bargain. We cannot know which of Wagner’s minds performed the Trug des Herzens any more than which of Mozart’s did something very similar in his A major piano concerto. •Bit

Trictan

heart! Trug des Herzens!

Slow Dream of presentiment! Endless Traum der Ah-nungl Ew" -

ger

sorrow('s) Trau-er

only einz' - ger

MH [256-8]

consolation; oblivion’s goodly draught, Trost: Ver-ges-sensgut-ger Trank,

to you drink , dich trink

-----(a)-

(----- "death-devoted“ —> Ob,C.A (c)'

1743

I unflinching! ich son-der Wank!

-( )-

MN ''

E

m brass

m

m

strt

m

0&-

Tinp

arco I

pizz

Mozart K488,

I

12

3

4

2

*

3

4

1

m

31

For 'endless sorrow' an endless chromatic a would be more appropriate, and Wagner here inverts just the initial leap, giving in reverse the first two notes of the opera with a falling semitone after. Isolde has sung these two notes as the last of a complete reversed original a to the words 'this drink' (1246p.97). There is still a ghost of c in this phrase of Ttistan’s, its first note an octave displaced and its second note (F sharp) replaced by an anticipation of its third. ”, ■ The-arioso finishes with-“death-devoted” mainly in the orchestra, Tlistan^s final 'to you drink I unflinching' to a rdstafement of the music of 'this cup take I now' (1712p.l33), concluding also this section ofthe scene. • . * •

136 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

The Love Draught VIII ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

_

»

’

^

1 The Lhve Draught Recapitulation of Prelude’s Opening & Climax Tlistan tries to drink the whole cupful but Isolde wrests it from him. Here at the climax of the whole act is the most complete recapitulation of the opening of the opera. Wagner does not however go back at once to the hushed opening of the prelude, but for obvious reasons to its • climactic recapitulation. There the key was E flat minor, the original 'Tristan' chord a supertonic 7th moving to a dominant 9th. There were upward rushing violin scales, the “glance” motive, and an original motive a was frenziedly intertwined with h (p.24). Only the h is missing here, as it has been generally in this scene. The “longing” is to come in a moment.

- teyer! - ra

•

-

' ter!

I drink Ich trink

sie

to

you! dir!

137 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

First Interpolation

Apart from obviously recalling the very opening of the opera Isolde’s original motive a harks back to her f rh chstesLeid (1288p.l00) and from there back to her achwehemir! (749p.70)and Brang ne’s Weh ach wehe! (543p.6Q) in scene 3. At 1759 motive b returns from the wilderness as the music returns to bar 2 of the opera, instrumentation and all. This nearly happened at the prelude’s recapitulation (83p.27),. where in the following bar was added a dominant timpani roll, which is recalled here and continues into the following passage. The first two silences of the opening of the prelude were filled at the recapitulation by the “glance” motive (p;27), here by timpani rolls and tremolando lower strings leading to more extensive interpolations, in the first of which a ghostly diatonic b foreshadowing the start of act III is followed by the darkest of “death-devoteds”. The THstan chord at 1765 has no A flat, but this is its least important note (see pp.313/14,330). 1765

It is only the second half of “death-devoted” and transposed into A minor, but instead of the usual harmonisation, which in this key would have been a D minor (the third chord of the whole theme) followed by an original THstan chord, Wagner uses the A major second chord of the untransposed “death-devoted” and contrives to hint at the F minor third chord in the next bar. As “death-devoted” gives way to the original second a the expressions of the trembling pair change from death-defiance to the glow of love. The drug has stripped away all the complex considerations of pride, honour, revenge, humiliation etc. and left a single, burning desire. We can expect plenty of motive b from now on.

I

138 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

* “Heart Pain” Music 1.1 “Heart-Pain” Music

The second interpolation recalls the figure which attended Tristan’s mysterious 'silence’s lady' speech (1620p.l28). the first part of Freia’s theme has gone, but the general “love” motive is present, tortured into a larger falling interval as the-lovers convulsively clutch their hearts. The heart-pain connection with 283 (p.42) has already been mentioned.

In the thirteen bars from 1784 to 1797 the music is identical with the equivalent bars of the prelude except for the sweetening addition of the harp (1784 and from 1793) and the voices movingly joining in momentarily with the “glance” melody.

Further Recapitulation & Development of the Prelude Music With the whole opening paragraph and the “glance” melody now recapitulated, Wagner returns to the alia breve time and the faster tempo which obtained until Isolde had drunk the love-draught (1758p.l36). The music is the composite figure of the prelude’s interruption (36p.l9), here with a four-stage conjunct sequence leading by way of the motive c (once again at the top of a sequence and leading to other things) to happenings outside, this time all the men greeting king Marke.

139 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

The Arrival

The repeated figure in the orchestra at 1802 starts as c which then loses its head. In this context it is also felt as an inversion of the last three notes of the composite figure, a relationship that figure has of course always borne to c. The chromatic harmonising of this figure, pivoting around the horns’ held C and producing an F minor every other chord in a context of G major, suitably colours the rejoicing outside with the drama within, which now for a moment focuses upon a Brangane not a little concerned at what she has brought about. The violins feel the same. The rhagic draughts association with motive b overrides any woeful call for a.

endless

woe (instead of death!)

140 ACTi SCENES (final part)

The “Confusion” Melody

The dominant pedals of A and C (albeit both minor here) match those of bars 63 to 72 of the prelude (pp21/2). There is even a suggestion of the descending figure of those bars, tripled here through three octaves and rushing headlong downwards as the scales ran up then. 2.1 The “Confusion” Melody In the prelude Wagner employed an A major key signature for 28 bars (43 to 70), but only for the last eight of those was the music in that key, and then all over a dominant pedal. Here in scene 5 the A major signature is applied for seven bars of A major music over a dominant pedal. These will be immediately repeated in C, so again Wagner is matching those bars 63 to 72 of the prelude. In other respects however the music is different. The frenzied confusion of the lovers as they break from their embrace is attended by a syncopated melody which seems to have no idea where it is going.

141 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

Prelude’s Sequence matched

The “confusion” melody strings together motive b, the composite figure, a bit of the “love-draught”, the “Glance”, motive c and some more b’s leading to the change to C major and the whole melody again. The practice of inserting extra music in the gaps of the prelude’s opening is cohtinuing. The A and C dominant pedals in the prelude were themselves matching the A minor and C major of the first two double phrases (1 to 7p.l6). Here an original b (1820/21) initiates the A major melody, which ends with an original second b (1827/8) modulating and initiating the repeat in C. Thus the expectation of the third stage of the opening paragraph’s sequence is engendered. We are not disappointed.

142 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

Third Stage fc’s etc.

The original third b duly follows, sung by Tristan complete with its extra note and its upper octave echo now sung by Isolde, actualising the lovers’ discourse implied in the prelude (see text p.l6).

143 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

of men! How our hearts with heaving surge,

Syncopated half-fc’s

howeveiy sense joyfully

trembles!

The words,' Du mir verloren?' sung to motive b recall also Isolde’s 'Mir erkoren, mir verloren' to two b’s at the beginning of scene 2 (310p,46). Motive a took second place there, but asserted itself strongly. Here longing greatly exceeds anguish, and there are no complete a’s. A headless original a has more dramatic meaning now than it had unprominently in the tenor part of bars 10/111 and 12/13 (see pp, 14/16), although its head was to be found in another part in the previous bar. Here it has four statements, the latter two exposed by being given to Tiistan (1836-8), one on his own, the other in combination with Isolde’s b to start the only ensemble in act I. The syncopated reiteration of b’s last two notes (cf.l4/15p.l6), which lead once'again to c and the “glance” melody, is of course much faster than in the prelude and without silences or pauses. In this urgent form it will be taken up in the prelude to act II (II 43p.l73). The “glance’? melody, which is also syncopated, is carried on further than it has been since its original statement, through the Neapolitan 6th in D minor to a free 'heaving' and 'surging' (notice the dynamic markings in the voice parts) version of the modulation to E minor (1844-6 - cf.21p.l7). Originally this led on to E major and the “love-draught” melody. Here two high, ecstatic “glance” motives from Isolde with Tfistan in attendance will lead to that key, but the music will be a restatement with additions of bars 63 to 74 of the prelude’s third section. Wagner has twice already matched the dominant pedals of these bars of the prelude, but at most only hinted at anything else from them. They contained, it will be remembered, a restatement

144 ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

Prelude’s third Sectioh

of the opening paragraph at its original pitch, but were nevertheless more developmental than recapitulatory, since motive a was replaced by a new figure, and the two dominant pedals urged us to remount the front steps of the building, but not to re-enter. Here suppression of a is in order, as is step-mounting. The original keys of A and C are preceded by three bars of E. From here until the end of the scene the popiousness of the orchestration necessitates some simplification in the examples. ‘^

happiness se

- ges

glowing! Giij - hen!

leaps in my breast Jach in derBrust

145 “Love-Draught” Melody

ACT I SCENE 5 (final part)

The music here is closer to the opening paragraph of the prelude than it was in bars 72/3 (p.22), since the repeat of the third stage of the sequence is restored (1860 - cf.p.l6). Instead of the “glance” melody however there follow two hastening statements of the first three and a half bars of the “love-draught” melody (leaving off before the “death-draught” would have appeared). These are sung first by Isolde [284-1], then shared between the lovers and followed by a “glance” melody in diminution in the orchestra only. ® .

Tri-Stan! J

V ------------- X------r ■^r---------a-------------------- 6^ --------------^------7-,--- - * ^ itw------------------------ mm—p-----------------

r ^ ^ -wonnen!

1867^

)------ '

You by me won, you my only Du mir------ge -won-nen. du mir ein ____ k M hJ 'I J J i)J'itJ ..j-

i p__ m __ m___,.g. ^ #•1 —-t _____ ___ ^________ r " f" ^ir

: 1 - soi ••iove’yrdugnx" neiooy

del . J .V

m «j J. j m m r-tf----------- — j r — F "p ----F-----—F-------- r— PH ----- 1----- r pr r fF r p (a)h:— str.NH.Hp 1 —1 >• 1>. 4 ^ r-^--- ^

*)• ^ t' t; J —

------- O------

■1-----

____

_____ XT

...hi.

■P ■

J]

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1

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m

w

/ / i\ ■9-

m

ein

.W

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1

J p -----^ _i__ #----*

y

1

/

«|? r

P

P— • 1 ----J

J, ---- CL«-------

--- ;

t-------

The 9/6/4 chord at 1875 is held for two bars and we expect it to herald a huge C major cadence, But Wagner cleverly heads this off by sharpening the G, which converts the chord to a #4/2

146 ACT I SCENE 5.(final part)

The “Jubilatidn” Figure

dominant 7th of the supertonic as horns and woodwind add the sailors’ 'calls to the bustle of a new semiquaver figure and the curtains are drawn wide to reveal the whole ship and shoreward-waving ship’s company.

Bran O'ick.tte mantle, the crown jewels!

Schnell, den Mantel, denKonigschmuck!

Hapless ones! Up! Hear,where we Un sel - ge! Auf! Hdrt, wo wir

^ 1878 1------------- 1 +0b 0—4 h_J_____L__ :_1 .a• • M15ll mV 1 ■-JK------ --ai1 * ^ tZj i iSt____ P—0 E_ A_ P—V— E Pi1 1w— 9— J —^— w—t l^13 1 ^ m3I1 * ^ fm d• * 1 ]_i » w.1 P^ 7—m “— ^ ii 0_ —1 _1 J h,

f

Sun thou weepest eveiy evening Son - ne wei - nestje - denA - bend V-p fp --------- m 1=:::^ i 2=-s-------- k— — W■ J '"T dim ib^f coif

In Tristan it is the first chord of the “day” motive, which is associated with Tfistan’s angry railing at the day and the light that has been keeping him from Isolde. Since the day and the light represent frustration and the night and the darkness are for loving, so, syllogises Tristan, life is frustration and only in death can he and Isolde be truly united. This is the theme of the act and of course of the whole opera, in which act II is central in every possible way. The key is G minor. The melody, is virtually a broken G minor triad. There is no clinching F sharp, but no F either; no G minor chord, but no B flat chord either, and there is a G minor chord within the E flat major 7th. The key of B flat will follow in due course. Wagner has thus at the start of the second act matched the A minor to C movement at the start of the first. Havmg forcibly presented this figure, Wagner leaves it ringing in our ears (not to reappear for 666 bars) in order to attend to other matters. Dying away string tremolos lead to the music with which Wagner originally began this prelude before he decided to open with the crucial “day” motive.

169 ACT n PRELUDE

Theme of “Isolde’s Waiting’"

9 r¥“

(2nd tine 8va)

*P

> h

MM

17

etc

«-«■

7

I------ (S) $■ BiCler ------- (b)m

I

5 (cf.I 41BP.5Z)

k

#

+Bsn

m

a

(T)l "l8

»WT r •(c) cresc

#-#■ a—^

There is great delicacy in the orchestration. The apprehensive triplet accompaniment figure on the strings (divided second violins and violas) forms a truncated motive a, rather as did that of the “sick Tfistan” (see p.64 et seq.) Here the first note is to be found in the bass. The first four notes of the melody make an inverted a. But the A - B natural - C give a much stronger feeling of b, since they contain b’s rising appoggiatura. Two complete b’s using these notes occurred in the Tristan Brangane exchange in act I scene 2, Brangane’s 'my lady Isolde wishes to see you' (euch zu sehen) and Tristan’s 'soon approach I the fair one' (der Lichten -literally 'the light one') (410 and 442p.52). This is interesting since the music here in act II will accompany Isolde’s waiting for Tristan to come to her out of the night, she having just given the signal that the coast is clear. The chord in bars 10/11 and 14/15 is the 6/5 of the 'Tlistan' chord which is diatonic on the fourth degree of the B flat minor scale, as the original 'TKstan' chord was in C minor at the end of the act I prelude (102p.29). Here in the act II prelude the obtaining key is B flat major and the chord is either chromatic or the mode has momentarily changed; it is immaterial which. The three arrowed notes on the strong beats of 9/10 and 13/14 are the salient notes of an original 'Tlistan' chord whose fourth note would be there were the A flattened. This not highly significant fact is pointed out because the melody of the important Night Song halfway through the act will begin with a broken original 'THstan' chord, its notes similarly ordered (1123p.304). There having been several a’s and b’s, and a reiterated 6/5 'Tristan' chord, motive c duly takes its rightful place as the outcome of b in bar 18. the subsequent expansion of its 3rd to a 4th and the crescendo and accelerando conjunct sequential treatment of its latter three notes produce a far gentler version of the rising figure that occasionally continued the “anger/humiliation” motive (712p.69). In each case it clearly represents an increasing emotion, as the stage direction, 'with growing eagerness' (Verlangen) will confirm when this music takes its place as the lead up to the arrival of Tristan [403-6].

170

ACTII'PRELUDE.

The “Torch”

Wagner contrives to delay the arrival of the tonic chord until the twenty first bar. At this moment of natural relaxation - the melody marked calm (ruhig) - he also eases the tension in motive c by shifting its position in the bar, thereby removing the stress from its top note and the appoggiatura effect with it. The way is being carefully prepared for the next theme,.which enters at first (29) in combination with the existing music before being left on its own (33). ‘ ’ j 2 The “Torch”

Come prima

I

str^

21

P

-(c).

25

z

Hns^

mi CellosP caln I

I___ x_.

I---------(b)—()-

[313-11

---J

'--------- (a)$-

—((D)

I

Ms"!

27 ~cr

■r

Clar|

j ^

s

r / \

31

I

11

I

^

|((D) F» I

I I-

■'niTrfn minn-iirn?) , 1

m

(a+1)

~XJ~

j ^ n

T3“

j-H

TJ-

This and tthe following 12 ■pn bars repeated cP a tone higher - ^ 9— from bar 50 m

Z—=

str ■

''dlnZth

New figures are emerging. In bar 22 the shifted motive c, leading back down the notes of the chord to the repeat of the two bar phrase, gives rise to a five note figure (dashed bracket) which reappears in a different rhythm in the second bar of the new theme (30). Three of the actual notes of this figure (dotted bracket) are an echo (two octaves up) of the notes from bar 26. But it is the latter/o«r notes of the figure that are the most significant. This 6-5-3-1 figure, which in itself bears little or no real relationship to a, b or c, but will be made to do so when in use, will become a subsidiary figure in the Sterbelied and the 'Liebestod. It has appeared in act I scene 4 several times, but nearly always with a semitone step instead of a whole

171 The “Torch”

ACT II PRELUDE

tone and at a high speed, representing mostly Brangane’s terror (11219p.95,1309p.l04). Its triplet rhythm in the new theme clearly relates to the reiterated accompaniment figure which has been going on since bar 9, but so (mostly 'verticalised') do its notes as can be seen more easily in bar 22. The woodwind chords in bars 10/11 and 14/15 (p.l69) completely 'verticalise' the figure. 2.2 Relationship to the “sick Tristan” The new theme starts with a leapless original motive a, suggesting a source in act I scene 3. The initial A now comes at the end of the descending scale, preserving the 6th (in reverse) as an outline.

652p.67^

^

■SB27T

65174

4

i4’ K i

[83-1] etc

-

*

. [ ...I.. 0 00

[315-5]

rf L T

Isolde Curse (you, betrayer!) -&0^ [120-5] i 9-^ -r illn7th

^ 1 1 1 uo p.o V'-iM . fll„. 1 , ^ 1

[150-3]

9^t

Tv -9 ff

P

1 844p.74

Most tunes are made of scales, but the first phrases of the new theme and the “sick Tristan” each contain seven notes which are similarly stressed. Both have triplet accompaniment figures also with melodic similarities. The rising minor 3rd of the new theme reflects the “sick Tristan’s” latterly • acquired upturn, although here the stresses are opposite. We have seen above how this part of the new theme has arisen from what immediately preceded it, but we have also seen (p. 108/9) how Wagner’s art of transition brings to the surface themes whose source lies up country. The new theme has no repeated note and little of the dotted rhythm, but at the end of her story Isolde’s furious curse is accompanied by a “sick Tristan” stripped of these tender refinements, bringing it as close to the new theme in notes as it is removed firom it in mood. The diminished 7th harmony is mentioned, since the new theme is immediately repeated (33) with that harmony, and later a whole tone higher [317-2], which also happens with Isolde’s curse [120-5] [121-4]. Leading up to the 'stripped' “sick Tlistan” was the figure which, at the beginning of scene 3, had been the “sick Tristan’s” immediate begetter. This is quoted here as it appears at the end of the scene, showing that the continuation of the new theme also belongs to the same family.

172 ACT II PRELUDE

The “Torch”.

The dramatic associations between the two* themes are more tenuous: although in her story Isolde talks .almost entirely about THstan, the music is expressing her feelings^ her sympathy for the sick man in the past, her frustration, her humiliation and her scorn later. The prelude to act II is about Isolde’s impatient waiting for Tristan. The new theme is associated with the burning torch set up beside the door of her chamber to warn Tristan that the coast is not yet clear for their clandestine assignation. More specifically it concerns Isolde’s desire to put it out and the agony of not yet being ■ able to do so. ' • . . the prime basic motive of both the themes is of course the “suffering” a. Isolde’s suffering, such as it is here at the start of act II, is very different from the unloved humiliation of act I, and so of course is the music that goes with it and expresses it perfectly. It is the agony of having to wait for something wonderful. This theme and the motives to be associated with it are going to recur many times in the prelude and scene 1. They therefore need to be labelled, whereupon the usual problems arise. The new theme with its running quavers and especially its single, hastening triplet (also present in the “bliss” motive - 44p.opp.page) and succeeding melodic grouping of quavers in threes unable to wait to complete the ordained fours of the alia breve clearly expresses Isolde’s impatience; but this is the 'official' name of the previous figure (bar 9 onwards) probably because, when it takes its place in the drama, that word (Ungeduld) appears in the stage directions. The word however applies to the very end of the 32 bar passage (see p.210) and after a further figure has been added. It is not a leitmotive, but since it will need to be referred to several times it will be called here the theme of “Isolde’s waiting”, meaning in full: “Isolde’s awaiting the approaching Tristan.” The 'official' name of the new theme is' “Liebesruf’ (“call of love”), which is misleading, certainly in English. Importance has probably been attached to the appearance of the theme in its original form, orchestration and key as Isolde refers for the first time to her waiting lover (186p.l83). Her longest note there however is on the word, 'harrt' (’waits') accompanied by the impatient grouped-in-threes quavers, and the theme has already been stated three times during the scene. Newman’s rendering, “love’s longing” restricts its meaning further and is not aptly applied to the only motive b-less figure hereabouts. No name can of course do the theme justice, but I shall call it simply the “torch”, since that object symbolises the same thing and will share a simultaneous extinction.

173 ACT II PRELUDE

Opera Prelude recalled

3 Opera Prelude recalled

bbc Sequence

Motive of “Bliss”

The repeat of the “torch” leads to a clear reference to the echoed b’s and half-l>’s followed by c of bars 10 to 17 of the opera prelude. (repeated a tone higher 56+)

molto esoress

«(

-acr

^co a poco crescendo -(b)

43

"bliss" (b)-

I----- (c)-

-p

1

Wi,

------- 1——f-

:-----molto cresc

-----------

ililJz__ Ijb'rfe....- g ^---- —-------\j -

f

ffl

H>

t \a/

i

Fr J

P

The act I prelude’s octave-up woodwind’s echo of the strings is retained for the whole b’s and this is repeated a whole tone up, suggesting that prelude’s rising sequence. The first b is on its original notes. The harmony is not the 'Tristan' chord but a diminished 7th which does not change for b’s third note, nearly, but not completely removing any appoggiatura effect. The original harmony at this speed (about four times that of the opera prelude) would verge on the comic as would the retention of the woodwind echoes for the half-b’s. The sequence of motives b leading to c will occur many times in various guises eind will be called the bbc sequence. In absolute contrast to the lingering laments and wishes of the opera prelude’s opening, Isolde’s longing here can wait for nothing and hastens on (the single triplet has precisely this effect) to her anticipation of its fulfilment. This is the crucial step in the evolution of the music-which will end the opera. Motive c is'in its original position and climactic, the music having climbed chromatically up an octave as in the opera prelude. There c’s interrupted cadence set the stage for and and influenced the following, but separate “glance” melody. Here c is itself an ‘ integral part of the succeeding music.

ACT II PRELUDE

Milder Harmony of c

Again the new idea flows easily out of the music heard a few bars earlier.

Again it has roots in the soil of act I. For Tlistan’s atonement vow in scene 5 motive c acquired a suffix (gleaned from a few bars earlier), adding two more descending scalewise notes and a leap up (see p.l34). The two additional notes are present here, the latter one tied to a further descending pair whose harmony and position in the bar make them a reflection of c’s important descending whole tone. The continuation is sequential, melodically if not harmonically, but replaces motive c with the “glance’s” second phrase. The new harmony of c makes a big difference. Slow & languid

n

116

L

. ^ •• -- - - --_ _- _- _- -“TT*- 1-- ■'- - - mBK". — - ttC1i - —-J—r - - - r' sfx.

_ ■ [2-2] ^

4-3

VI

The original V - VI traditional interrupted cadence in A minor made the appoggiatura highly dissonant and administered the most agonismg stab precisely at the moment we had expected relief, but the 6 - 5 over a major chord is a very mild dissonance often associated with repose.

The subdominant chord after the dominant is relaxing, as is the plagal IV -1 cadence. The 4/3 leading note 7th (VII) is barely harmonically audible at this speed and in any case is in effect ah harmonic decoration of the cadence. An undecorated cadence with root position tonic chord will not be allowed in this context until only eighteen bars from the end of the opera (III 1681p.625).

’• 175 ACTIIPRELUDE

“Bliss” Motive

One of tHe 'connections between Trwton and Berlioz’ s Romeo and Juliet symjihdny mentioned on page 10 will now'beddme clearer. An ccstatic moment in Berlioz’s “Sc^ne d’Amou'r” contains Wagner’s motive c and the two 6-5’s over IV-Ib Harmony. '' '• . .

Bc t IIo z (R & J)

"Scene d’Amour" ■

Peters min.sc.

■

4'

Berlioz has a repeated note, weak to strong beat, Wagner a similarly placed tie. Ultimately Wagner’s tie will go, bringing the music closer to Berlioz, but also there will be a dotted rhythm which, together with the repeated note, will gather this motive too into the embrace of the “glance” (466p.207). Wagner’s music here is of course a lot faster than Berlioz’s, but it will be slower later. Romeo’s ecstacy is Wagner’s motive of “bliss” (Seligkeit), as yet only in prospect and in a great hurry. This transformation of the act I opening paragraph’s end will occur a semitone higher in Berlioz’s A major in the gently ecstatic music - 'slower and gradually ever slower' - leading to the Night Song which will itself be in A flat, the key of the “bliss” motive here (see p.296). The “bliss” motive runs straight into .a mounting figure (similar but not identical to the continuation of the “torch” - 3 Ip. 170) leading to a repetition a tone higher of bars 33 to 46 with identical orchestration except for a momentary appearance of trombones and timpani [317-2]. This will lead the music back to the general region of B flat, the tonic key of this prelude and of scene 1, which is at hand. Up to now there have been several upward changes of key, two of them in the 'bbc' sequence and most of therh by whole tones. The immediately following treatment of “bliss” will add more. Act I’s minor 3rd seems now to have been replaced by a whole tone. As in act I this will be reflected in the longer terrh (although not in the act as a whole) when scene I’s B flat shifts up a tone to scene 2’s initial C.

176 ACT n PRELUDE

Development of “Bliss” & “Tbrch”

Three and a half bars of contrapuntal development of the “bliss” motive (63 to66), which will latet represent the violence of Isolde’s.desire (144p.l82) produce in effect a 5-stage sequence of four scalewise diatonic descending notes rising by whoje tone steps. At,what would have been the sixth stage, lengthening the first note and making the other three chromatic turns the figure into the first bar of the “torch”, which strings and wind now hurl at each other and which will later accompany Isolde’s begging Brangane to put the torch out.

The identity of a leapless a with an inverted h was discussed on pages 60 and 61 together with Wagner’s undoubted association of descending semitones with suffering irrespective of their musical derivation. On page 65 it was noticed how Wagner deliberately (and rather crudely) played with this alb relationship. Here at bar 67 the four chromatically descending notes (inverted b’s) in strings/ wind octave alternation, reflect the similarly treated real b’s of eleven bars earlier ([318-2]=tone-up repeat of 39p.l73). The two figures will shortly be brought more directly into conflict (102p.l80). At bar 71 the “torch” is given over the tonic chord for the first time since its original entry at 29 (p.l70), and the resulting relaxation is continued by three progressively lower diminuendo statements of its second bar (next example) leading to curtain up and straight into scene 1 without a break. In comparison to that of act I the prelude to this act is tiny and forms a structural unit with scene 1. There will therefore be no summary at this point.

178 The Hunt

ACT II SCENE 1 XI ACT II Scene 1 1 The Hunt

The scene is the garden outside Isolde’s chamber on a lovely summer’s late evening. The burning torch is set up beside the open doorway, on the steps of which is Brangane, peering towards the sounds of a retreating hunt supplied by six backstage horns, recalling the last two notes of the bass clarinet and the repeated note triplets of bar 10 of the prelude (p.l69). Any other composer would have provided a major chord horn fanfare. Wagner’s chord is C minor which, in the key of the prelude and this scene is the supertonic. It is presented with marvellous effect over a dominant pedal (76).

"to rch" ------------------------- 1 Str,HH “ i “• nbi 1 tf 11>—h •cr----------- 1n------\T9KV----- V ^

----HH r

71

ff

str ■ » ::

¥ : Ji ^ h

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[321-21

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dim

117; •7 \

IJ

l\ r

96

1FJ.

*1

z 9

*

1

/

l|

B

uu

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9

1

m

:

CURTAIN ------ 5—1 _____ ■ I Js • __ L. _ m____ 1 ri J— Xr ” V.. h If-® 5^

ri

; zo 9

:

: 'J. _

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0£.

^ s*

:*

SCENE 1 Backstage

Horns ^(bells up)l

-61-,

it

Orch.HnsJiiip tr

F

This is a direct extension of Beethoven’s horn call at the start of the Tastoral' symphony finale.

179 The Hunt

ACT II SCENE 1 Allegretto

T'"i i’ll

±|Cl8r

dolce pp hhI

Horn(ioF)

Violas

* cJ *-------- i Cellos

r

r

---

r

ere sc

—^-----

r

LD 1• p-

f p*

0. p

p

The horn’s dissonant G in bar 5 is of course a suspension of the clarinet’s G, which will eventually resolve upwards onto A in bar 8 as will the viola’s G. But the point of having it is the beautiful sound of the two superimposed 5ths and the horn in F playing its ninth harmonic above the second and third harmonics in the cellos, instead of the commonplace call it would have been if the cellos had not entered or had simply played C and G. Beethoven’s ultimate chord is F, his tonic, Wagner’s is F too, but that is his dominant, and the 7th has been present all along. Wagner’s G, like Beethoven’s, ultimately resolves on A via C, but with a passing B flat, itself suspended to a strong beat. A diatonic motive a results. In the middle of his fanfare Wagner moves closer to Beethoven, temporarily dropping the 7th and presenting the two 5ths on two pairs of horns.

The fanfare’s opening returns at 92 and the dissonant G is again ultimately resolved, but this time downwards through G flat straight into the “torch” theme as Brangane looks anxiously into the chamber at the approaching Isolde. rrr^ ^-1------------------------------ — Ah ^ iM___________________J » m K / r M i^ fffl. JB. ^ 1 VP A fl Sf •) ^ • ^^ r r ^ -9 1 yy _ ' PI’ Vlas,B 96 1—"tor [324-4] dim Bsns

[Ti-------------- ^-------------1 1 I T773 3 ^--------------

-TY Pttf

11 -ffT: 99 I-

at 3B-3ZP.17B

1

j.

^ -p

1.^*! _ 1 i ^ ^ _____n____ ---------------- rwGK------------- 1n----------- an .. K ^_______________________________ ________________________ L__________ 1 » __ _ o CJ--------------------------

At 99 the “torch’s” second bar slips down a tone to its original key of bar 30 (p.l70) and is given its original continuation, which leads now to a direct conflict between b’s rising and the

180 ACT II SCENE 1

Hunt Fanfare v. “Tbrch”

“torch’s” falling semitones, longing and its frustration evident in a highly agitated Isolde who now enters. Isolde enters -

,

n .L

respfesT" 1 k. K

fmr____ uMi___ um ^

102 P

1 1

J—

T

TJl

S1 1 Hi -- • • • 1 —gJP—^

----- ^ f

1

t K, 1 : n—r; k".j.------------UJ' w -------------“P2-------- * ^ F—T'm nm

i-----^ -J

'

1

etc

StP,WM . bkgJ.

bkoJ.

-------- ^----T, 1*1^___ ■-------------------------------------------^,4-0-----------------------------------------------------;--------------------------------------------j----------------------- 1---------------------9--------'----- 1 p■ y • • d

P

cresc

)

■

This is a recapitulation of the b’s of 39 onwards (p. 173). It is also a tele scoping of the opera’s first three bars into one, only the initial note,^ A being omitted, although the bassoon has it throughout the previous bar (101) [324-9]. The b’s lead as before to c and “bliss”, but this time with three steps in the sequence .'matching the three steps of the act I prelude’s open ing paragraph, and putting “bliss” in B flat at once. Brangane, listening, can still hear the hunt and so can we. Isolde on the other hand, wishes it successfully away. As she listens the backstage horns give way to sul ponticello tremolando strings and then a gently flowing clarinet cantilena.

181 ACT II SCENE 1

Orchestral Landscape

The strings sul ponticello tremolando is rather different from their naturally played fingered tremolos at the start of the prelude (p.l68), which were not there when this music was composed and will not be restated until act HI (see p.476). The clarinet’s first two bars are not entirely unlike those of the bass clarinet at 9 (p.l69), but there is a more significant similarity to the clarinet figure (with tremolando strings accompaniment) which prefaces Tlistan’s 'lady of silence' utterance in act I (1620p.l28), which is also to do with a mistaken belief of Isolde’s (see also below p.l88). The notes double bracketed as ((c)) are not quite such, but the position of the falling step crowning the several motives b makes the passage another version of the very much in our minds bbc sequence. The second ((c)) is indicated for the different reason that the higher than expected G natural, in replacing the expected G flat, gives the effect of a small leap, a psychological diminished 3rd, which the fall back to F is not.

The clarinet cliinbs as shown, and then descends in statements of the “torch’s” second bar as in 73/4 (p.l78) to lead, as then, to the horn calls. This time though the horns are muted and in the orchestra, i.e. still in the distance but removed from the real to the ideal, to the mind, specifically Brangane’s, their only location, asserts Isolde. They are echoed by other woodwind as she speaks. You

are deceived

by the

leaves

sound, At the mention of rustling leaves the highly similar-sounding ponticello tremolandos return, but Wagner avoids crude imitation by making them encompass the “torch” theme with the aid of an oboe. He is in a pictorial mood; not a word escapes his brush.

182.

ACT II SCENE 1

“Bliss” Development again

Clarinets and bassoons (their triplets related to the horn fanfare) laugh with the leaves, and motive b obliges with a gentler wind than in act I scene 1 (cf.1200/12pp.39/40),

The violence of Isolde’s desire is marked by the vehement development of the “bliss” motive that occurred near the end of the prelude (63p.l76). It again climbs stepwise from D minor to B flat for the backstage horns to reappear as Brangane listens. This time they hand over in their fourth bar to the muted horns in the orchestra, who accom pany them a moment later (155) for the first time without the dominant pedal.

Wagner’s landscape is not yet complete. As Isolde again listens, rippling clarinet trem olos (based on the horn triplets) join the horns and then, as the backstage horns disappear, faster muted string tremolos are added on the same notes.

183

ACT H SCENE 1

'My own one waits'

We are listening to the sound of the spring, nineteen bars of it in a slowly descending sequence of 7th chords before any other instrlimantal figure enters. The keys relax 'Southwards' to D flat. How, asks Isolde, could she hear this gentle sound if the horns still brayed? (tosten noch Horner?). With the rippling as an accompaniment the “torch” returns on an oboe [336-4] with its original harmony and continuation but still in D flat, and then on violins with a slightly different continuation which leads back to the tonic, B flat. Here the rippling ceases as the flute recapitulates its original home key state ment of the “torch” theme and Isolde refers for the first time to her lover who waits in the silent night. Notice the impatient quavers grouped in threes accompanying the word 'harrt' (see p.l72).

9

The repeat of the “torch” with diminished 7th harmony (190 - cf.33p.l70) is also recapitul ated, but this time Wagner omits the full hhc sequence, jumping straight to the repeated half-b's of the tone higher repetition of 43/44 (p.l73 - see p.l76) and thence to the “bliss” motive, which is

184

ACT II SCENE 1

Brangane’s Warning

stated and then mixed with the “torch” as Isolde speaks of being kept from her beloved.

2 Brangane’s Warning

Music of 'Spies in the Night'

Isolde’s reference to her waiting lover draws from Brangane an extensive warning, prefaced musically by an urgent telescoping of the bbc sequence followed by a fragmented “bliss”.

The strings’ melodic line in 200/01 is, as far as the A, an exact inversion of the “torch”, still matching it in rhythm thereafter.

185

ACT II SCENE 1

'Spies in the Night'

The rhythm of the second bar of the “torch” is virtually the same as Brangane’s special rhythm as mentioned on page 77. When it is applied to trembling rising scales it invites comparison with 541 (p.60), 510 and 520 (pp.55/6) and 232 to 237 (p.40), all passages concerned with a worried Brangane, and all initially motive b. The minim wind chords with oboe on top are more important than they look, being the first of several sets of dark woodwind chords which accompany Brangane in alternation with the pizzicato tiptoe of 'spies in the night'. Bar 209’s augmented 2nd makes a doubtful b, and some chords go down, but see 226/8/47 (pp.186/7).

blind, think you the eyes of the world are blind to you? blin-det, wahnst du den Blick der Welt er-bid -detfureuch? rah /L s— k 1 Jf 1 U ,L—6 i $ ^ “5t •5 pizz ^ ' Neapolitan NH Sin 7- f f P

1

m* 1L___________ =_________ ------------I.

riw

J ^ r—r r-pa mi y etc .

Brangane’s warning provides a third break of more than a few bars in the tumbling mel e of “torch”, fe’s and “bliss”, the other two having been the sounds of the hunt at curtain up and of the stream just now. Each break injects its own mood into the prevailing impatient longing. Here the impatience is replaced by a gloomy foreboding. Since the ninth bar there have been either triplets or running quavers and sometimes both; now neither. The tonic key becomes minor (the basic key of this part of the scene) and then flattens to subdominant (E flat) minor by way of the Neapolitan chord in 210, of which there will be several more, adding to the seriousness of Brangane’s relating how Isolde’s state on arrival in the ship had not gone unnoticed.

186. 'One there was'

ACT II SCENE 1

One Neapolitan chord (F flat) becomes a new tonic in a momentary brightening and melting (223 to 225), and others made into painful major 7ths reinstate the E flat minor, as Brangane tells of Icing^ Marke’S kindly and sympathetic reaction. The woodwind chords have been temporarily trans ferred to strings. Wagner writes the whole passage in flats, but E major is easier to read than F flat.

Bran

sah,

goodly der giit'-ge

king, Kd -

ascribed it be - sorgt,

kindly mild

mg.

to the die

£ [343-9]

222 I&-

str p ^

pb=E

E^mi

I

pains of the long Mu - hen der Ian-gen

(B)

journey, your suffering loudly lamented: Fahrt, die du lit-test, laut be -klagt:

E

# ^ —

■9—W

226

(tf.2BS/3)

HH

¥

(c)

cresc

molto cresc

325

w

e I’

Fmi *

but , ein

I ich

one there was, Einz' -ger war's, IZZ

marked it well, (who fixed his eyes achtef es wohl, -on Tristan)

(a)< Hns(stopped,

* Neapolitan

38=

piu/(»inBb)

-rpi "tbor TT

ft str

t

U3: etc

T

(cf.Z85/6p.l8S)

A further telescoping of the bbc sequence can be seen at 226-8 and again (opposite page) at 247-51. The B flat minor 6/4 on 'Einz’ger war's' at 231 recalls the 6/4’s immediately before and on 'Spaher' at 205/6 (p.l85). Notice Brangane’s melodic line in each case. Her reverse a at 232 starts over a 'THstan' chord on stopped horns. This is as it should be, since the unreversed original a ended on a "IHstari' chord. The strings’ tremolando, which starts at 233, will continue (with two interruptions of two bars each) for some forty two bars. At first it accompanies Brangane’s telling of this malevolent THstan-watcher, whom she takes twenty bars to name.

187 Melot

ACT n SCENE 1 Poco rit A tgmpo Maliciously listening catch I Mm oftere Tiik-kisch lauschend treff' ich ihm oft:

[345-10]

pizir —

|_i_i

secretly you to der heimlich euch um-

Eb mi

(cf.2B7p.l85)

ensnare, of garnt, vor

249

Melot Me -lot

((c))

be seid

warned! ge - warnt!

'LJ'

^r~i =0

y !> ■ ■ b-gt H

Bmi

i plzz'

I—"torch"

3»-

r r¥‘f*r=

CelljBsn

What me auspicious makes to you him endears! Was mir ihn verdachtig, macht dirihn teuer!

The 'spies in the night' music of 207 (p.l85) returns for one bar at 244, but only the double basses are •>267 pizzicato. There are chromatic echoes :;v-i of the first three bass notes from Brangane (245/6) and a stopped horn (246/7). This figure will not reappear, Vlolasbf^fc J t although the horns’ and bassoons’ rhythm will be hinted at in 267/8 (compare also the dotted brackets); nor will the minim woodwind chords, Bsns,D,B. only suggested here by the tremolando strings at 247. Similarly moving harmony is however likely to occur anywhere in an alia breve movement. 2.1 ThetwoMelots [348-3]

pH

Brangane ends her warning by at last naming the spy on another 6/4, this time in the far-removed B minor, whose key signature will obtain for twenty three bars, although the music occupying them is tonally unsettled.

188 ACT II SCENE 1

Isolde’s Melot

Any fear of betrayal Brangane may have put into Isolde’s mind is at once dispelled at the mention of Melot, who, as THstan’s trusted friend is therefore the same to Isolde. Immediately the “torch” reappears, this time in the bass (twice: 252 - previous example, 255 below), and then, a few bars later (261) on a solo viola the gentle cantilena which the clarinet played as Isolde told Brangane that she was mistaken in still hearing the horns (126p.l80).

It is of course not Brangane who is mistaken. On both its appearances the cantilena is ironically expressing the rosy hue of Isolde’s spectacles. As before the cantilena descends by way of the second bar of the torch”. The hunting horns will follow too, but not for another eight bars, which contain the hint of the 'spies in the night' music (quoted above: 267p.l87) as Brangane speaks of her suspicions arising in particular from Melot’s apparent friendship for Ti-istan. The hunt itself will not be heard again. The horns in the orchestra (not muted now) begin the original diatonic fanfare (notice the G flats in 273 and 276 pulling towards the basic B flat minor of Brangane’s warning), but soon become chromatic as Brangane suggests who it is they are really hunting. ^

189 ACT II SCENE 1

decided, ’ a nobler prey schlossen, einem ed-lern Wild,

{B> mi)

'A nobler Prey'

than you imagine engages their hunting ’ sMi. als dein Wahnen meint, gilt ihre Ja gets , - list.

d

I’ mi= dt mi

ma

On Brangane’s 'edlern Wild' the horns are left on their own as the strings finish their forty two bar tremolando (see p.l86). The tonality flattens rapidly. C minor is suggested in 277, B flat minor ('German' augmented 6th) in the next bar and then D flat minor, which I have written in the identical C sharp minor for ease of reading and to show the second chord in 281 as what it is, a Neapolitan major 7th, which, if correctly spelt in flats would look like this.

*

f

1 —

_

It recalls the similat Neapolitan major 7ths at 227/9 (p.l86) where the harmony was however rising. In fact the harmony of Brangane’s warning fell as often as it ros,e.

190. ACT II SCENE 1

Rosy Echoes of the Hunt

There were woo4wind echoes of the hunting horns briefly at 135 (p.181) in the home B flat. Here at 283 they are echoed for the first time in a different key, in the D flat major of the rippling spring, whose tremolos are added (see 161 p. 183), and in the warmth of the dom inant major 9th chord. ’

The initial and main chord (i.e. sounding most of the time) of the horn fanfares has up to now been the supertonic (a minor chord) over a dominant pedal about two octaves below. Adding one note turns the whole into a dominant major 9th, whose major dominant chord component largely suppresses the minor feeling of the supertonic, replacing it with the opulent sensuousness of a chord containing all the harmonics of its bass up to the ninth. The string tremolos complete the luxuriant texture. At 287 some new triplet figures appear. There have been triplets around for most of the time since the ninth bar of the prelude (Wagner’s original beginning), they are part of the expression of Isolde’s impatience, which is now about to rise to a peak. The dotted bracketed horn figures in 287 and 288/9 are the reversal and inversion of the triplet figure from the end of the second bar of the “torch”. The latter end of the figure on flute and oboe in octaves bears little relationship either to what has gone before or to the basic motives. Wagner is sowing the seed of some music shortly to appear (384p.l98) whose genesis lies outside this opera.

191 ACTII SCENE 1

Isolde’s growing Impatience

2.2 Isolde’s growing Impatience

Extensive Development of the “Torch”

Isolde’s impatience is growing. 'Melot', she says 'looks after me better than you. He opens what you close'. The music moves into an extended version of the latter end of the prelude. (Ms friendsMp will you)

that ihm

opens he, off -net

P

-

-

The string tremolos have turned into a rich figuration, which gradually thins out. T\vo half- b’s precede a whole b+1 now invaded by the triplet fcompare (compare,b+1 ’s original rhythm: 10/llp.l4) before c and the “bliss” motive duly follow.

A second “bliss” at 296 jumps straight into its second phrase and is given the rising continuation it had on its first appearance at 46(p.l73), which led from the 5 key of A flat, through tortuous chromatic channels and a repeat of the “torch” theme to the home key and the end of the prelude. Here the process is the same, only with further to go, the starting key, G flat being as much again further 'South' of B flat.

m

*-

192 ACT II SCENE 1

Extensive “Torch” Development

i-j signal, ■Isolde 2ei - chert, 1

.1

r I * V(!T aJ '

^...

-

300 ,I- - - - - - - —“torch"—^

C3T

HM,str.treB/

t|0

O give '0 gib

Branga -ne!

t

P

^

the das

m ,— a>

* |.1>Q 70“

/

[354-2]

At 300 as Isolde begs Brangane to put it out, the “torch” returns on the same notes as at 50 (p.l73), its main two bars this time repeated entreatingly (notice the dynamics). After that just the first bar is thrown between strings and wind as at 67 (p.l76), except for the dynamics.

The feeling of recapitulation is stronger than at 71 (p.l78). Both moments are loud, climactic statements of the main theme over the home tonic chord, but at 71 there had been no previous such statement. The original statement (forty two bars earlier -29p.l70) had been gentle and on different notes. It received its recapitulation at 186 (p.l83), stealing back into the home key from the D flat of the spring. 308 is the recapitulation of 71, identical except in details, and the first appearance Of the home tonic chord as a tonic chord for over two hundred bars, during which the home key has been neither lost sight of - viz. the horn fanfare’s brief equatorial return at 274 (p.l89) between the two tonal hemispheres of two sharps and four flats - nor undermined - statements of the main theme have been essentially developmental (e.g. 255p.l88). There will be a final recapitulation when the torch is ultimately extinguished at 487 (p.209).

193 ACT II SCENE 1

The Silence of the Night

2.3 The Silence of the Night The continuation deals in the “torch’s” second bar as at 72 (p.l78), but very much more extensively repeated (thirty times instead of three) and with more beguiling harmony, as Isolde speaks longingly of the silence of the night.

Isolde

Already has poured she her silence Schon goss sie ihr Schwei -gen

Nacht.

313

PPMH

Hn

4 times

Cel

X

P

i

it VZ,Hn

(a)^

318

Hns

into grove and durch Main-------- und-

P—,4 iim i-4Jimes

VI

ik

m _

str-o

m tor

T t* ClaF------ a------------ :---------

[357-3]

B.Clap,Tinp.tr

str —

-0-Five bars after 71 (p.l78) the curtain was up and the horn fanfare began. Six bars after its 308 recapitul ation the horn triplet chords are just enough to remind us of the fanfare. They continue (with one 2-bar break) for twenty six bars. The home dominant pedal which lasted from 71 for for thirty one bars, here spans thirty two. The many repetitions in the orchestra - bars 314 and 318 occur nine and ten times - are in effect slow-moving harm onies to Isolde’s vocal line, which does not repeat itself. In this way Wagner manages to express both the poured-out stillness of the night and Isolde’s 'wonnigen Graus'.

rapturous won -

terror, ni - gen Graus.

-J-JV------ ^----------------------------------------- n----- -—^---------------- :---------------- 1 inmn' p p ^ p—-------------- r-------------- x-------------- 1 1

1

327 '

1

'1

----------------^--------------

^

ij. k. • 1* ML

1

IL_ 3

77—

^

'2.____________

s B

• nm 2

1

7--- 1

*1 n--------------- m—m !■—m------------ 1 1 o m m m m-----»— ---------------- 1---- 1--- 1-----r-------/ -------------- 1'

'•»— Latterly in the long repetitive passage the figure climbs and loudens, and the first bar of the “torch” makes a momentary appearance [360-5] as Isolde begs Brangane to put it out.

194 ACT II SCENE!

Extensive Dominant Pedal

2.4 Extensive Use of Dominant Pedal A dominant pedal by its very nature desires to resolve on the tonic, and the longer it remains the stronger the- desire. There have been about eighty four bars of home dominant pedal* in this scene so far and it has not resolved onto the tonic once; This is of course part of the expressiomof Isolde’s unsatisfied longing. At 340, as Isolde implores, 'Let my lover come!' the conventional Romantic cadence makes us feel, with Isolde, that the resolution is really about to happen.

r Vih

leave lass

11

-

the warning die warnende

m _______________________ u V

343

---U---

-

torch, Ziin-de,

,

h

i

l

UT____ M

—(©)-

1

:_____ _ - - • . C ___ y? r

tH

let lass

----------

f ------ F------- — w---------------P ^IlM'l----------H----------IJ H ■ ------------------ — -------------------------------

w

H

----------te)-

-fl ,1, U A—b

..

____L m---------1 tn rr

•/.... .................................1 ------ ¥------ *■--------------------

S' il

jfff-

0-

1

: •

E____________ ■ ________K_________ \____ _____ f ■ -■IT h-------wL w--- u LJ... ----------- -P-.-------------------------------------------

11 L I. rj Un

.--------

M—

i—

-

- n-----------------------------------------------------^-------------------------------

4—ZZ=

But of course it does not. The moment matches that at 194 (p.l84) when Isolde reproached Brangane for keeping her lover away. Brangane’s response then was the start of her warning (200 p.l84). Here at 342 the music is similar and simultaneously closes this section and leads to the next. 3 Frau Minne

Opera Prelude’s Opening again

At 200 (p.l84) a quiet, unexpected B minor 6/4 started a crescendo telescoped bbc sequence on tremolando strings. Here at 342 a loud unexpected diminished 7th interrupts Isolde’s cadence and sets off the first of two overlapping bbc sequences also on tremolando strings. For the first time in this act the c in this position is not the start of the ‘T)liss” motive. Brangane warns again, this time her anguish much more intense.

195 ACTII SCENE 1

Act I Climax recalled

Brangane’s top A on 'Wehe!' is the highest sung note yet in this act. Over a complete G minor 6/3 it carries frightful pain. Its great prominence connects it with the F - E - E flat of the next two bars to form an original “suffering” motive a, which is especially important because of what follows.

Bran

poor fool me!

wretched

draught!

A little slower That I

That

untrue

At 351 is the first direct quotation of act I music in this act. It is of course the motive b of the opera’s second bar, complete with original Tristan' chord progressing to A minor dominant 7th; but the recollection here is of its statement at the drinking of the love draught at I 1758 (p.l36), immediately after Isolde’s motive a sung up an octave at 1754. Notice also the rushing string scales. Brangane’s modified a here is also in the upper octave. The motive b at 1 1758 was (as in bar 2) for orchestra alone, but here Brangane, referring to 'that wretched (unseligen) draught', 'breaks' an original 'Tristan' chord over it, a new practice for the voice to be met with again in this act (see p.270). Brangane, who suffers both for Isolde and for herself, has perhaps a more leapful melodic line than the other characters. Notice the huge 10th from F to top A flat. The phrase is an extension of that at 11810 (p.l39) where, as here, she was bewailing her disobediant and foolish substitution of endless trouble for death. There “death-devoted” had been heard some forty three and sixty seven bars earlier, and its 'braking' qualities would not be welcome in a newly-resumed fast tempo expressing a manic urgency.

196 ACTIISCENEl

Tour/my Work'

Here on the other hand the tempo has just slowed a little and “death-devoted” has not appeared in this act at all. Another motive however precedes it as Wagner musically underlines Brangane’s 'your work' (i.e. the death draught) 'were then your death'.

Yet (your shame)

The “death-draught” motive usually ends on a dominant 7th, which will do as first chord of “death-devoted” instead of the usual A flat (equals G sharp) common chord. The viola figure starting at 362, chrom atically descending with triplet repeated notes, and entering as Brangane speaks of Isolde’s present shame and distress, is the ghost, the merest shadow of the “torch” and the hunting horns. It is only totally chromatic on its first appearance, and so its “suffering” motive a associations are as tenuous as is the relationship with shame of Isolde’s present emotions. Brangane matches her minim falling 5th on 'dein Werk' with a similar 4th on 'mein Werk' eight bars later. Isolde expands this to a 6th (372), echoed by a 7th in the orchestra (373/4), and then, says whose work it really is to an octave (376).

[368-2]

197 ACTII’SCENEI

Frau Minne

The mounting figure at 370 and 374 has occurred as part of the variable continuation of the “bliss” motive (299p.l91, 49p.l73). It could be said to be the double-speed offspring of the continuation at 18 (p.l69) of the prelude’s second figure, but it has appeared at the’faster speed more than once in act I, nearly always as a continuation of the “anger^umiliation” figure (I 712p.69, 849p.75,1718p.l33). In all these places it conveys a mounting of the emotion already expressed. It is in fact the musical eqivalent of someone drawing themself up for some important utterance; two examples from Isolde here, her incredulous 'Dein Werk?' and her emphatic 'Frau Minne'. The original motive b at 380 is a restatement of that at 351 (p.l95), which was preceded by an original a from Brangane in the upper octave with an interpolated extra note. Isolde does much the same here at 376. The orchestral statement of a is more apparent than at 348 where it was entangled with rushing scales.

198 ACT II SCENE 1

“Frau Minne 1” 3.1 “Frau Minne 1”

Shorter general “Love” Motive

The leitmotives of “longing” and of “Isolde’s (mother’s) magic”, both represented by b, finally came together in the drinking of the love draught at the climax of act I. Here in act II the fusion is made more complete as Isolde points out that the single power at work has been the hiiman-destinyTOntrollmg magic of the goddess of love, a power so great that its music transcends the confines of this opera. Motive b is given a new and beautiful flowing continuation.

The new continuation of the orig inal b contains the latter three notes of the original c, whose first note, F sharp, can be found in the harmony. There is a tele scoping of the act I prelude’s opening paragraph by removing all sequence and repetition. The four bar sentence so pro duced is treated sequentially however (385+). The tension of b is resolved at once by the same B to A appoggiatura falling whole tone (a sus pension really smce the B has been around for two bars), but instead of the original F major chord under it Wagner now has F sharp minor, making a far gentler dissonance and moving towards the special softer region of A major, which the music will not enter however for a while yet. A tele scoped pre-echo of 380 to 384 has been given at 288/9 (p.l90). harmonic progressions of course contain a 'pivot' note common to both chords, but with a different function in each. Wagner’s 7th chord progressions often have two 'pivot' notes In the original 'Ti-istan' chord progression they are G sharp and B. Frau Minne glides smoothly from key to key by piyotmg' over two, three or four chords. The G sharp and B, which in 382 have become the 3rd and 5th of the dominant 7th on E, duly become the 5th and 7th of one on C sharp in the next bar. Similarly the A and C of the diminished 7th of 386 will become successively root and 3rd of an A

199 •ACT II SCENE 1

Shorter general “Love” Motive

minor chord, 3rd and 5th of a dominant 7th on F and 5th and 7th of one on D resolving happily in G major, whose keynote subsequently becomes 3rd of E flat and then 5th of C (389/90 below). The single triplet in 384 recalls those of “bliss” and the “torch” whose step and two leaps, both inverted and octave-displaced, might be observed by some. The dotted bracketed three-note figure in 384 is the simpler form of Wagner’s general “love” motive, as mentioned ............' on page 129.

Among its many ram ifications in The Ring the contin uation of the Siegmund and Sieglinde “love” theme in The Valkyrie comes closest to the melody it gives rise to here.

The Valkyrie

I1

Siegmund fixes his gaze on Sieglinde

Solo Cello

It will be one of the basic motives of The Mastersingers, that most associated with the loving of Walther, but also reiterated to a fault by the serenading Beckmesser.

Walther expresses by gesture a longing question to Eva

The Mastersingers

I1

115 The day

see

I

a - dawn- ing,’

Interestingly the theme referred to by Wagner as the 'theme of rejoicing', which lends great power to the joyful ending of Siegfried, was first thought of as the Shepherd’s Happy Tune for act III of Tristan, before Wagner decided it was really Siegfried’s property, which as a love theme in The Ring it certainly is.^ Thematically Walther could have had it too, but he is more of a dreamer than the man of action this theme characterises.

Siegfried Siegfried

III 3

Sie ist mir

She is

e - wig, ist

mine for ever,

(37 bars fron end of opera)

is

mir

im - mer

Erb und

ever my inheritance

’See Westernhagen: The Forging of the king. pp.161-78. CUP London 1976

Ei _ aen

Fin

my owa

, one (and all)

200 ACT II SCENE 1

Frau Minne & “Death-devoted”

3.2 “Frau Minne” embraces “Death-devoted” As Brangane’s niusic led in a few bars to “death-devoted” ('dein Werk; 359p.l96), so does Isolde s, but the richly scored, blissfully gliding “Frau Minne” music embraces the dark theme with barely a pang.

Wagner’s handling of “death-devoted” here is as ingenious as it is effective. First, to the word, life’ (389) we hear (transposed) only the melody of its first half within the flowing ambience of harmonies 'pivoting' Schubert-like around the note G, and then, at the word, 'death' (391), the whole theme untransposed, with the habitual trumpets and trombones on the second chord and with the usual harmony up to the final motive c, which would normally take the music to the deathly C

ACT II SCENE 1

Isolde’s Presumption

minor; but here there is no "Ilistan' chord under the B. It is sounded instead with the E flat, two notes later, putting that note and its following D into their very first role as alto part of the original ''IHstan' chord progression. The original b of this progression starts a repeat of a few bars of the music from 381 (p.l98) with the melody now sung by Isolde. The preceding original a (393) is furnished by the violins witii an interpolated G (compare 348 to 350p.l95, also 376 to 381p.l97). Isolde’s broken chord melodic line in 390 and 392 is a simultaneous simplified form of the woodwind’s music, which is the hunting horn fanfare we heard a lot of earlier in the scene. This is relevant to 'life and death' and adds to the opulence of the scoring as also does “death-devoted’s” brass chord. The repeat leads yet again to “death-devoted”, but this time only its first phrase, which is transposed and has a different second chord as Isolde speaks of her presumption in taking the work of death into her own hands.

hands,

This time “Frau Minne’s” flow is almost suspended, but she can be heard waiting a little impatiently in the violins’ repeated F’s, and sails away again at 406.

202 ACT II SCENE 1

“Frau Minne 2”

For Brangane at 356 (p.l96) a single “death-devoted” was preceded by two “death-draughts” but only now is that motive sounded for Isolde, representing the instrument of the death-devoted pair whom Frau Minne has taken in forfeit. Wagner could simply have made the “death-draught” motive give way to the “love-draught” melody, but he is more subtle.

The Valkyrie I 1 Solo Cello 1 1 ------------- —^—

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^

K

^=3

1------------:—r ------ 1----------

tcaJi _____ ____ ^ . 1> yy_________ -----------------------------------------------» • » • _______U »L ,

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—

Siegmund gazes at Sieglinde (cf.43ep.285 - str)

203 ACT II SCENE 1

“Frau Minne 2”

At the sounding of the “death-draught” Frau Minne is temporarily halted. The B flat on trembling strings over a pedal A sounds ominous and the music moves towards the “deathly” C minor. It would not normally be desirable to destroy the dark quality of the “death-draught” by displacing its last note up an octave. Frau Minne however, in taking the matter into her own hands, might well do just that. The D - E flat - G of 416/17 are definitely an answer to the F sharp - G - A of four bars earlier (412/13), although Isolde’s C obscures them a little. On the loud C minor dominant 7th the woodwind take over from the frightened strings and, quietening, lead gently to the blissful A major. 3.3 “Frau Minne 2”

Fuller general “Love” Motive

Frau Minne’s second theme. Which enters here at 419 contains the fuller four-note general “love” motive, the property of Freia, The Ring’s love goddess (see pp.128/9). The Valkyrie quotation is of the “love” theme of Siegmund and Sieglinde and precedes the music quoted on page 199 in connection with Frau Minne’s first theme, whose simpler three-note general “love” motive (dashed brackets) forms part of the accompaniment to her second. Before Freia’s motive occurs in Frau Minne’s second theme there are six scalewise descending notes with a dotted rhythm and plus a rising minor 3rd, which relate it to many themes

204 “Frau Miime 2”

ACT II SCENE 1

and motives of this opera. The nearest of these in time is the “torch”, which opposes “Frau Minne 2” in being chromatic first and diatonic second. Nearer in rhythm are the “sick Histan” and the “glance”, of which the former has the minor 3rd and uses the same reverse a bass, but is entirely chromatic. Most relevant dramatically and a close relative by almost exact inversion is the “lovedraught” melody (it also has a rising minor 3rd if in the wrong place).

[382-11

P

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2:

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[360-51

2'

"torch" J336

[208-21

I

2

4’

It*-

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"sick Tristan"

4

r ^ r t i

I 1442

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2^145

,4-4J-----« 419

f---.

r4i^------------ f—r -frh LJ p

f•

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p

The A major key signature obtains for eleven bars, during which “Frau Minne 2” is con ventionally developed through related keys (mainly supertonic and subdominant) returning to A climactically (Isolde’s first top A in this act).

205 “F.M.2” developed

AUr II SCENE 1

^ The cadence (429/30) is of course interrupted with very much the same interruption as fiiushed the opera prelude’s opening paragraph and with the same appoggiatura B - A at 430 (cf.117 p.l6). The F chord this time, however, is a 7th, that of the home dominant of the scene. Its bass is the start of yet another long dominant pedal, of which there have been ninety six bars so far this act. A major was a digression as was Isolde’s tribute to Frau Minne from the main dramatic argument, to which Brangane now returns. Wagner is far from finished with Frau Minne’s second theme though. Its development continues very differently, faster, more agitated, with its triplet accompaniment simplified into a repetitive chromatic form and all coloured by the dominant pedal. The light of Isolde’s reason has been extinguished by the evil love-draught, says Brangane, and she makes her last appeal to Isolde not to put out the torch. Frau Minne’s second theme is chromatically tortured, turning finally into the second phrase of the “torch”.

310 torch

ttere

do not put it ou

^ [356-4]

i

ft

—

“Frau Minne’s” writhings have at 441 condensed into a repeated figure similar to the second bar of the “torch”, which was reiterated over a dominant pedal when Isolde spoke of the silence of the night (inset). But the actual turning into the “torch” is achieved by way of the leaping figure (444) which did the same for the clarinet cantilena at 130 (p.l80) and its solo viola restatement at 264 (p.l88), both associated with Isolde’s loveblinded beliefs. The dominant pedal leaves off at this moment and the music shines briefly in C major as Brangane implores, only to fall back to C minor for her despairing Neapolitan cadence.

206 ACT II SCENE 1

Vocal Climax-

There is no holding back Isolde now. “Frau Minne 2” returns at once at a faster tempo still. This time her second bar is reiterated, which gives her Freia’s support as well. The music dwells for four bars mostly on an augmented 6th in C minor and then twists round into A flat for another four bars before stating both bars of the theme in B for four bars more followed by just her first bar for yet another four. Sixteen bars in all and square indeed for Wagner.

9

3.4 Vocal Climax

Expansive “Bliss”

B major is the ultimate key of the opera, and the movement from A flat to B is an important feature of the Sterbelied and Liebestod. Isolde is heading for a tremendous climax. The repetitious “Frau Minne” music stops suddenly on a surprise, powerful E minor chord at the word, 'Nacht' (the first of several such on that word) to be capped by an even stronger A minor chord, whose A becomes the highest note of an augmented “bliss” motive in G.

207 ACT II SCENE I'

Expansive “Bliss”

(Frau Minne wills it)

Isolde

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dass

hell.......

—

sie dorten

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