How Wagner’s Preludes Transformed Opera Music Research Paper

Introduction

Great composers offer interesting novel ideas and concepts that improve the development of the music genres. Such masters as Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) have undoubtedly impacted the musical universe through their composing innovations. They provided future generations with multiple methods of musical expression, allowing the composer to affect the audience. However, apart from music, operas also include elements of drama to further impress the viewers. Although orchestra music is especially powerful, it can be significantly influenced by drama, enhancing the audiences’ impressions. This paper analyzes the impact of Richard Wagner’s (1813-1883) preludes, on the transformation of opera music, explaining how the composer introduced a novel method of composing opera music by analyzing the themes within the drama.

The idea to elaborate on the connection between music and dramaturgy was suggested by Richard Wagner, a brilliant composer from Leipzig. Wagner created several extremely successful operas or music dramas that demonstrated his composing genius and involved the elements of drama, poetry, music, and visual presentation¹. His work Tristan und Isolde prelude is one of the most powerful romantic tragedies that resolves in the lovers’ death. However, it also depicts Wagner’s brilliant use of leitmotifs, musical forms, and symbolism, through which the composer develops the storyline². His Tristan und Isolde Prelude and Love-Death, as well as Flying Dutchman sequence innovations, have transformed opera music, evolving the musical universe to a new era. In this paper, I will discuss Wagner’s trends in composing preludes and their impact on the musical world.

Wagner’s Ideas on the Future of the Opera

Richard Wagner was one of the most well-recognized composers of his time. Wagner is often praised for his complex compositions, which combined music and drama. Born in 1813, Wagner took inspiration from composers like Beethoven and Mozart, whose works he deeply studied and regarded as exceptional examples. Wagner focused on incorporating dramaturgy into operas³. Dramaturgy is understood as the analysis of dramatic composition, which attempts to efficiently represent the drama aspects on the stage⁴. Wagner’s music form became highly famous not only during his lifetime but even after centuries. The complexity of the Preludes and remarkable use of symphonic orchestra made Wagner’s works especially impressive and engaging for the viewer.

The composer had distinct views on how to progress the development of the opera genre. Wagner thought that operas should include poetry, music, drama, and visuals to engage the audience and convey the essence of the work⁵. This concept was named Gesamtkunstwerk – total work of art – and was used in the majority of his music dramas⁶. The composer utilized complex harmonies and leitmotifs to create associations between characters and plot elements. By developing specific musical motives for particular characters, Wagner established the necessary links between numerous elements of the work⁷. As a result, his music initiated a significant drama and supported the storyline.

Tristan and Isolde’s Prelude

Wagner’s concept becomes evident in Tristan und Isolde’s Prelude and Love Death sequences. These compositions portray dynamic events that transpired between Isolde deciding to kill herself and Tristan and the lovers’ deaths at the end of the opera⁸. Wagner wrote the Prelude as the introduction into the last parts of the music drama, allowing the listeners to understand the complexity of the following events. The music is engaging and emotional, and its form is very different from the Love Death sequence that ends the opera⁹. At the beginning of the opera, the knight Tristan brings Isolde to Cornwall as she is to marry his uncle, King Marke¹⁰.

However, offended by Tristan slaying her previous fiance, the woman intends to poison her and the knight’s drinks¹¹. This introduction is known as the Prelude, which includes several leitmotifs and outlines the core of the story.

In the Prelude, the music remains passionate and chromatic, but it never reaches a resolution¹². Wagner brilliantly uses several motives to create a sense of yearning and unfulfillment, an expectation that a cadence will appear later on¹³.

Nevertheless, none of the motives reach their expected ending, suggesting that the topic of the opera revolves around the absence of completion. Indeed, Tristan und Isolde focuses on a love story that is never actually fulfilled, and the lovers are able to reunite only in death¹⁴. This is a highly emotional and dramatic plot that must be supported by an appropriate introduction to engage the audience. For this reason, Wagner made the Prelude remarkably dramatic and distinctive. The music consistently develops throughout the Prelude, starting from the famous Tristan chord (F-B-D#-G#). Burkholder et al.¹⁵ explain that the sequence continues to introduce other motives, such as the “tender” motive e in A major or motive d with a descending and dotted rhythm¹⁶. The authors identify several motives in the Prelude, which are named motives a to d¹⁷. Each of the following motives incorporates aspects of previous music elements and consistently expands the tune.

There are notions of suspense and desire in the discussed Prelude. While Wagner uses major key and descending rhythms, he also includes dotted rhythms and chromaticism. The latter techniques represent longing and the need to be fulfilled by love, evident in Tristan und Isolde. However, the motives never reach a climax, just as Tristan and Isolde never achieve unity during their lives¹⁸. The dissonant chords are further combined to create a feeling of painful pleasure. In addition, the sequence is not frequently disrupted and continues growing. Such an approach to a musical opera introduction was novel for that time but proved to be highly successful.

It is also interesting that the motives from the Prelude often appear in other parts of the opera. These are known as leitmotifs and can be used to establish associations between musical parts and particular characters. For example, Wagner utilizes motives which are named a and b by Burkholder et al. ¹⁹ to illustrate Isolde’s feelings for Tristan. These motives’ scores are presented in Figure 1. Also, when the woman admits her feelings to the knight, we can hear motive d. Motive f is especially ominous and is often used to speak of danger, such as Isolde’s poison. The scores for these motives are given in Figures 2 and 3. The previously mentioned motive e is labeled as tender and also appears numerous times when situations in the opera are related to love.²⁰

The Prelude is passionate and emotional, and its motives are used in many instances during opera sequences. A perfect example of incorporating the Prelude’s elements into other sections is the moment when Tristan and Isolde drink from supposedly poisoned goblets. This is a very intense and suspenseful moment of the drama, and its resolution is highly important for future events. Isolde’s actions during this scene are supplemented by motives a and d, as well as the Tristan chord²⁴.

This combination symbolizes the woman’s passion for the knight who is unavailable to her and her acknowledgment of these feelings. Finally, the music reaches its climax as Tristan and Isolde fall in love because of the love potion. During this section, Wagner includes dissonant chords and false cadences, previously used for motive c. In addition, motive d is incorporated to illustrate Isolde’s desire for Tristan’s love²⁵. As the characters begin to sing, calling for each other, they use the notes from the introduced motives and support the musical form of the opera.

Overall, the Prelude is one of the most significant parts of the Tristan and Isolde opera. Wagner uses novel composing techniques and distinct motives that will be repeated in the future to create strong associations between particular events and their representation in the music²⁶. The Prelude was devised to be especially emotional to engage the viewer in the music and create a sense of suspense and unfulfillment. Wagner includes the motives from the Prelude in other parts of the work to signify particular themes.

Love Death as an example of Wagner’s Music Trends

The concluding sequence of Tristan and Isolde is a powerful musical sequence that ends the tragedy. The lovers are caught, and Tristan is mortally wounded. Isolde hurries to help her beloved, but she is too late, and Tristan dies in her arms²⁷. After the knight’s death, Isolde sings an emotionally charged song that reiterates her love. She is devastated by Tristan’s passing, and she expresses her pain by singing about him.

This sequence represents Isolde’s passion for her beloved and recapitulates the themes that were enacted previously in the opera. After completing the monologue, Isolde dies by Tristan’s side. The lovers become reunited in death, having never achieved complete unity during their lives. This perfectly corresponds with the initial problem raised by the Prelude. Tristan and Isolde’s desires for each other were unfulfilled, and even though they yearned for each other, they were never destined to be together. Only in death can their passion finally fully culminate.

The Love Death sequence sung by Isolde is often named Liebestod, the German word for the combination of love and death. Liebestod usually represents the death of love, as both Tristan and Isolde are now dead, and with them, their powerful feelings for each other²⁸. However, Wagner distinguished between the conclusion of the opera and Liebestod. He claimed that Liebestod is the music that is played when the potions are switched during the Prelude²⁹. This moment signifies how death is being replaced by love. Controversially, Tristan and Isolde’s love ultimately resolves in their death regardless of the change. The protagonists’ passing is predetermined from the very beginning of the opera. Motives of death, grief, as well as general unfulfillment, predict the ending of the drama. Therefore, Liebestod can be understood as the interconnectedness of love and death, where one is forever connected with the other.

A notion similar to Liebestod is present in the scene where Tristan sings during Act II. The knight says that he wants himself and Isolde to be forever united, even in death. Tristan also mentions that “Now may gracious death, yearningly, longed for Liebestod, banish fear”³⁰. After that, the lovers sing together, and the music of Liebestod is used here to illustrate their desire to be forever connected. Motives of grief and love are included in the musical sequence for this scene. For Tristan and Isolde, life is comprised of limitations and painful experiences that prevent them from loving each other or being together. However, in death, they could be united and free of the imposed rules.

Liebestod is formed of the motives that are already known to the audience. Grief and desire motives are connected here and included in Liebestod. This is known as recapitulation and is a significant aspect of Wagner’s work. The decision to maintain the motives appearance throughout the opera is an important solution for the musical form, but it is also deeply connected to the dramatic effect. Repeating sequences might manifest in various works, and late motives are often used by other composers³¹. However, Wagner’s recapitulation is more dramatic and emotional, as each of the repetitive elements is linked to specific feelings. In Liebestod, the composer combines the essence of love and death through grief and passion.

Isolde’s transfiguration is another incredibly powerful moment that concludes the opera. Wagner included the motives introduced in the Prelude to combine the feelings and meanings behind them. Each of the initial motives has its place in Isolde’s transfiguration, representing the problems encountered by the antagonists. In this sequence, hope, passion, desire, and love are interconnected and finally reach cadence³². Although initially transfiguration resembles the previously used sequences and recapitulates them, its impression and climax are highly important. The opera consistently moves from A-minor to C, and Isolde’s transfiguration opens with A-flat supported by F minor³³. However, as the melody develops, A-flat moves to B to conclude the transfiguration and provide cadence to the initial motives.

The very climax of Isolde’s transformation concludes the opera and allows for a sense of fulfillment, which is absent throughout the whole opera. Three E major 6-5’s and three b motives are matched with three Tristan chords, three a and three b motives that were introduced in the very beginning of the Prelude³⁴. Acts I and III are now united, and this union is further strengthened by referring to the ending of Act II. At the end of the opera, transfiguration, motive b, and Tristan chord are increased for two notes, as at the conclusion of the second act³⁵. By using these methods, Wagner excludes the previous pressure of yearning and longing for love, establishing peace and tranquility. This is achieved when Wagner hides motive a in lower harmony, but he highlights motive b and the Tristan chord.

Flying Dutchman: Applying Gesamtkunstwerk

Similar tendencies of connecting drama and music can be seen in other Wagner’s works. As an example, Flying Dutchman also possesses several strong traits that changed the perceptions of the opera. Especially important is the sense of unfulfillment, which Wagner uses to guide the viewer. The audience expects a climax during the opera, and the culmination is provided at the very end of the work. This fashion allows the composer to facilitate expectations and strengthen the impact of the music. A great instance is Senta’s theme from Flying Dutchman, which is first presented very slow and modest³⁶.

Nevertheless, the motives within the theme return numerous times during the drama, and they culminate in the concluding sequence. Such a sense of overarching coherence would be used in the future to prompt specific feelings from the viewers³⁷. In addition, this method forces the audience to wait for the climax, making it more desirable.

Another important detail is the connection between motives. As already explained, both Prelude and Liebestod in Tristan and Isolde have similar elements that unite them. A corresponding pattern is also in Flying Dutchman, where Senta’s theme is linked to the sailor’s chorus³⁸. Both compositions have oscillating figures on the fifth degree, as well as the same melodic descent³⁹. These combinations will later be used by Lizst, Strauss, Puccini, and other composers to develop unity in the work.

Overall Impact of Wagner’s Ideas

The need for unification is a great insight from Wagner. Consistent use of the same motives and overarching hierarchy would be later used by the followers of Wagnerism. These individuals would utilize similar methods and rely on Wagner’s ideas to present a unified and emotional musical opera⁴⁰. As the influence spread of Tristan and Isolde’s Prelude and Liebestod spread, more and more authors adopted these approaches.

Altogether, Love Death or Liebestod has tremendous meaning for Tristan and Isolde and the music world. Brilliant use of tension and fulfillment, as well as musical form and climax, resolves the initial lack of culmination to finalize the union of the lovers. The incredible impression of dramaturgy and music was noted by many composers who developed their ideas inspired by Wagner’s Love Death⁴¹. The musical world was never the same after Tristan and Isolde, as the musical language was now more developed for representing intricate feelings and tragedy⁴². New ways of expressing love, desire, and lack of fulfillment would be later adopted by composers who wanted to portray tragic events and facilitate emotional reactions from the audience.

Wagner’s ideas undoubtedly affected the future of music. During his time, he was able to revolutionize the approach to opera. Dramas became highly famous and were composed by numerous authors. For instance, the German opera was most significantly influenced by his brilliant use of recapitulation and motives. Richard Strauss used Wagner’s dramatic and musical ideas, attempting to impress the audience⁴³. Debussy used some of Wagner insights in his opera Pelléas and Melisande⁴⁴. Even today, some composers use Wagner’s methods for their scores when they need the viewer to focus on a specific problem development⁴⁵. Altogether, the composer’s genius was highly valuable not only for his age but even for the current musical environment.

Conclusion

Wagner incredibly used composing forms to create feelings of suspense and unfulfillment. Tristan and Isolde‘s Prelude and Love Death illustrate how the composer was able to create leitmotifs and incorporate them evenly into the opera to establish musical connections. While the Prelude defines the primary motives and introduces the problem of unfulfilled desires, Isolde’s transfiguration finally concludes the tension.

The climax is consistently interrupted right until the very end of the opera, and it is only achieved after both lovers have succumbed to death. Similarly, Senta’s theme in the Flying Dutchman also starts with motives that are developed later in the opera. The motives’ interconnectedness can be seen in both of the named operas. This combination of drama and music greatly impacted musical development and introduced new composing forms that supported the major theme. Indeed, it could be said that Wagner’s work transformed opera music, advancing the musical evolution to a new era.

Bibliography

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Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. Norton Anthology of Western Music. 7th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.

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Fauser, Annegret. Wagnerism: Responses to Wagner in Music and the Arts. London: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Grey, Thomas Spencer. “Wagner, the Overture, and the Aesthetics of Musical Form.” 19th-Century Music 12, no. 1 (1988): 3–22. Web.

Jablonsky, Stephen. “Wagner’s Harmonic Game Plan for the Composition of the Prelude to ‘Tristan Und Isolde.’” International Journal of Musicology 2 (2016): 165–195.

North, Roger. Wagner’s Most Subtle Art: An Analytic Study of “Tristan Und Isolde.” London: Bulletproof Books, 1999.

Polka, Brayton. “Liebestod: On Love and Death in Wagner’s ‘Tristan Und Isolde.’” International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 44, no. 2 (2013): 239–252.

Puri, Michael. “Review of Reading Opera Between the Lines: Orchestral Interludes and Cultural Meaning from Wagner to Berg, by Christopher Morris”. Music & Letters 85, no. 3 (2004): 462–466.

Ross, Alex. Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020.

Whittall, Arnold. “Wagner and 21st-Century Opera.” The Musical Times 149 (2008): 5–16. Web.

Wright, Lillianna. “Love With Excuse: Contextualizing Themes in Adaptations of The Legend of Tristan and Isolde.” Senior Honors Theses, Liberty University, 2021. Web.

Footnotes

1. Lillianna Wright, “Love With Excuse: Contextualizing Themes in Adaptations of the Legend of Tristan and Isolde” (Senior Honors Theses, Liberty University, 2021), 4.
2. Susan Broadhurst, “Hybridised Performance: Disruption and Deferment in Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde”, Body, Space & Technology 17, no. 1 (2018): 95.
3. Eric Thomas Chafe, The Tragic and The Ecstatic: the Musical Revolution of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde (London: Oxford University Press, 2008), 101.
4. Chafe, The Tragic and The Ecstatic, 101.
5. Peter Burkholder, Donald Grout, and Claude Palisca, Norton Anthology of Western Music. Volume 2. 7th ed. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2014). 747.
6. Alex Ross, Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2020), 390.
7. Chafe, 104.
8. Brayton Polka, “Liebestod: On Love and Death in Wagner’s ‘Tristan Und Isolde’”, International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 44, no. 2 (2013): 239.
9. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, Norton Anthology of Western Music, 748.
10. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, Norton Anthology of Western Music, 784.
11. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca 2014, 784.
12. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca 2014, 785.
13. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca 2014, 786.
14. Chafe, 110.
15. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca 2014, 786.
16. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca 2014, 787.
17. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca 2014, 787.
18. Stephen Jablonsky, “Wagner’s Harmonic Game Plan for the Composition of the Prelude to ‘Tristan Und Isolde’,” International Journal of Musicology 2 (2016): 169.
19. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, 789.
20. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, 785.
21. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, 785.
22. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, 785.
23. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, 785.
24. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, 789.
25. Burkholder, Grout, and Palisca, 790.
26. Stephen Jablonsky, “Wagner’s Harmonic Game Plan”, 172.
27. Broadhurst, “Hybridised Performance”, 99.
28. Broadhurst, 100.
29. Ross, Wagnerism, 78-79.
30. Polka, “Liebestod: On Love and Death”, 243.
31. Thomas Grey, “Wagner, the Overture, and the Aesthetics of Musical Form.” 19th-Century Music 12, no. 1 (1988), 4.
32. Roger North, Wagner’s Most Subtle Art: An Analytic Study of “Tristan Und Isolde” (London: Bulletproof Books, 1999), 93.
33. North, Wagner’s Most Subtle Art, 94.
34. North, Wagner’s Most Subtle Art, 94.
35. North, Wagner’s Most Subtle Art, 95.
36. Michael Puri, “Review of Reading Opera Between the Lines: Orchestral Interludes and Cultural Meaning from Wagner to Berg, by Christopher Morris”, Music & Letters 85, no. 3 (2004): 462.
37. Puri, “Review of Reading Opera Between the Lines”, 462.
38. Grey, “Wagner, the Overture, and Musical Form”, 5.
39. Grey, 5.
40. Ross, Wagnerism, 103.
41. Annegret Fauser, ‘Wagnerism’: Responses to Wagner in Music and the Arts (London: Cambridge University Press, 2008), 223.
42. Fauser, ‘Wagnerism’: Responses to Wagner, 223.
43. Fauser, 225.
44. Fauser, 225.
45. Arnold Whittall, “Wagner and 21st-Century Opera”, The Musical Times 149 (2008): 6.