Richard WagnerMusic 1010Professor Craig FerrinBY SANEL KIBRIC

NOVEMBER 4TH, 2013

Agenda

Richard Wagner Biography

Composition History Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire

Listening Guide Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire

Bibliography

Richard WagnerBIOGRAPHY

Richard Wilhelm Wagner

Born on May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, Germany

Year 1813 has historical significance

Battle of Leipzig/ Battle of the Nations

Napoleon was defeated

Controversy over biological father

Karl Wagner, police officer

Ludwig Geyer, artist

”

“ “From an early age, Wagner had been interested in theater, drama, verse, and acting. While in his teens he became interested in music, and began studying and composing. His greatest inspiration came from the operatic reforms and ideas of Gluck, and from the German operas of Carl Maria von Weber.”

RICHARD WAGNER- MUSIC HISTORY

First play written at the age of fifteen

First composition written at the age of sixteen

Wagner’s early explorations

Early influences by the unorthodox composer Gluck

Wagner introduces the not so clear separation of arias and the recitative

Strives for the ‘Gesamtkuntwerk’ or total artwork

18 hours ‘Ring’

Four piece opera

Creation of the Bayreuth Festival in 1876

Dissonance- tension or clash, while searching for a solution

Chromaticism- creation of new tone combinations

Wagner’s Impact on the world of music and the opera

Composition History

WOTAN'S FAREWELL AND THE MAGIC FIRE

Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire

‘Das Ring der Nibelungen’ or ‘Ring’

Most famous Wagner’s opera, in four parts

‘Das Rheingold’ / The Rhine Gold

‘Die Walküre’ / The Valkyrie

‘Siegfried’

‘Götterdämmerung’ / Twilight of the Gods

Written between June 1854 & March 1856

First time performed on June 26, 1870 at the Royal Court and National Theatre in Munich, Germany

‘Gesamtkunstwerk- Das Ring der Nibelungen’

August 14, 1876 – the ‘Ring’ is performed for the first time as ‘total art’

Bayreuth Festival and the specifically designed festival hall

Toured Germany first, and then continued on a world tour

Bayreuth Festival still exists today playing only Wagner’s operas

Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire

God Wotan sings farewell to his daughter Brünnhilde

Brünnhilde believed to be acting in the best interest of her family

She tried to save her step brother Siegmund

God Wotan however is reminded of the rule of marriage

Siegmund was planning to rescue a women from an unhappy marriage

Wotan intervened by killing him

Brünnhilde’s punishment includes

turning into a mortal,

laying in sleep

being protected by a wall of fire

Listening Guide WOTAN'S FAREWELL AND THE MAGIC FIRE

Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire

0:01 the music begins, it is loud and the tempo is kept steady

0:10 at this point it gets louder and more instruments are introduced

0:21 the melody changes ever so slightly

The French horns are introduced, followed by violins

They are about to begin their dancing together on the ballroom floor

0:57 the texture of violins start out soft

Just as the bass starts its deep drone in the background

Finding the perfect melody between the two

Harmony continues with all instruments introduced in to a rhythm

Wotan's Farewell and the Magic Fire

1:43 Tempo changes at this point, but the tune repeats itself

2:10 The French horn takes over the lead

2:31 French horn is heard more loudly

2:50 Instruments are changing in perfect pitch

3:00 A balancing act, more than one chorus is achieved

3:40 Highlight of the performance, drama is expressed fully

4:13 The timbre softens with violins, the cello then changes the dynamics and the depth

4:43 It’s like the beginning of happy times, not wanting it to end

Wotan’s Farewell and the Magic Fire

6:10 A fine balancing act between form and harmony

6:38 Perfect harmony, soft peace

7:11 Sadness, bad news are delivered

7:20 more of the soft form reappears as if the last decision was made

7:55 The volumes drops, it appears that the story ends

8:13 the audience is recaptured, bringing back happiness and joy

8:31 an earlier melody is repeated

9:00 joy has returned

Wotan’s Farewell and the Magic Fire

9:32 The pitch increases but it goes back down

9:51 Sweeter and softer tune is introduced

10:27 Dramatic role is brought back a notion of something bad is done

11:09 Things have gotten better assemble has turned soft and cheery

11:23 Drum role was brought back and it’s gone with buzz frenzy

11:44 Happy is back it increases in volume softly with caution

11:50 Triangle plays like rain drops amongst biggest and most powerful

12:32 Happy moment reappears in very delicate form

Wotan’s Farewell and the Magic Fire

12:50 This part shows what the piece stands for it all

13:23 A mix of colors are brought as intro to two pieces combined

13:25 Third component of written story is introduced

14:38 It all end in delicate form

BibliographyRICHARD WAGNER & WOTAN’S FAREWELL & MAGIC FIRE

Bibliography

"Bayreuther Festspiele."

"Composer Bio: Richard Wagner - Indianapolis Opera.“

Die Walküre: Performance History.“

"Die Walküre." Richard Wagner: Wagner Operas and Music Dramas.

Encyclopedia Britannica- Gluck

Encyclopedia Britannica- Battle of Leipzig

PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013.

"Richard Wagner." Music History 102.

"Richard Wagner." Rhapsody.

"Watch Listen Learn." SF Symphony.