The Ride Of The Valkyries
History about the Piece: Ride of the Valkyries is listed below .
The Ride Of The Valkyries” is the popular term for the prelude to Act III of Die Walküre, the second of the four operas by German composer Richard Wagner that comprise The Ring of the Nibelungs (German Der Ring des Nibelungen). The Ring of the Nibelungs is a sequence of four musical dramas based on the Norse saga, which concerns the turbulent family history of a race of gods and their pursuit of a magical golden ring. It began as a single opera focusing on the death of Siegfried but grew into a vast cycle of four operas comprising Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried and Die Gotterdammerung (The Twilight of the Gods).
Wagner’s intention for The Ring was to create a “Gesamtkunstwerk,” a total work of art that fuses elements of music, drama, poetry, and stagecraft into an indivisible whole. It was a more ambitious piece of musical theater than any other devised up to that time and it arguably remains the most influential contribution by any composer to opera.
The entire cycle was completed in 1874, and the first complete performance of The Ring took place in 1876 at the Bayreuth Festival in a theater especially designed for the production by Wagner. The opera was an immediate success.
Richard Wagner devised the Wagner Tuba, a cross between the French Horn and Sax horn to enrich the harmonies for The Ring. Other composers have since written for the instrument, include Anton Bruckner, whose Symphony No. 7 utilizes four of them in memory of Wagner during the slow movement.
The main theme for “The Ride Of The Valkyries” itself was first written down on a loose sheet of paper by Wagner on July 23, 1851 and was fully orchestrated by the end of the first quarter of 1856. It introduces the third act, which starts with the Valkyries, warrior maidens raised by the god Wotan, riding back from battle before they gather on a mountaintop.
2. Watch this short Video provided by the Metropolitan Opera.
Ride of the Valkyries (opens in a new window) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeRwBiu4wfQ
Answer These questions here on the Discussion Board:
3. What feelings did you get by Watching this excerpt of the Opera? Why?
4. Stage, Setting, and Singers: On the stage the Valkyries began the song ‘riding’ a part of the set, What do you think that was supposed to mimic or seem like?
5. What instruments do you hear that are leading the melody of the piece?
6. What is a leitmotif? Would you want to go see an opera like this? why or why not?
7. Within a week, comment on a classmates discussion.
“The Ride Of The Valkyries” is the popular term for the prelude to Act III of Die Walküre, the second of the four operas by German composer Richard Wagner that comprise The Ring of the Nibelungs (German Der Ring des Nibelungen). The Ring of the Nibelungs is a sequence of four musical dramas based on the Norse saga, which concerns the turbulent family history of a race of gods and their pursuit of a magical golden ring. It began as a single opera focusing on the death of Siegfried but grew into a vast cycle of four operas comprising Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried and Die Gotterdammerung (The Twilight of the Gods).
Wagner’s intention for The Ring was to create a “Gesamtkunstwerk,” a total work of art that fuses elements of music, drama, poetry, and stagecraft into an indivisible whole. It was a more ambitious piece of musical theater than any other devised up to that time and it arguably remains the most influential contribution by any composer to opera.
The entire cycle was completed in 1874, and the first complete performance of The Ring took place in 1876 at the Bayreuth Festival in a theater especially designed for the production by Wagner. The opera was an immediate success.
Richard Wagner devised the Wagner Tuba, a cross between the French Horn and Sax horn to enrich the harmonies for The Ring. Other composers have since written for the instrument, include Anton Bruckner, whose Symphony No. 7 utilizes four of them in memory of Wagner during the slow movement.
The main theme for “The Ride Of The Valkyries” itself was first written down on a loose sheet of paper by Wagner on July 23, 1851 and was fully orchestrated by the end of the first quarter of 1856. It introduces the third act, which starts with the Valkyries, warrior maidens raised by the god Wotan, riding back from battle before they gather on a mountaintop.
Special thanks to: https://www.songfacts.com/facts/richard-wagner/the-ride-of-the-valkyries Youtube Video:
Special Credit and Thanks to Met Opera
Richard Wagner (composer) James Levine (conductor) Die Walküre, WWV 86B Jonas Kaufmann Deborah Voigt Eva-Maria Westbroek Metropolitan Opera House, New York, United States
Sample Solution
When watching this excerpt of the opera, Ride of the Valkyries, I felt a sense of awe and power. This is due to the music which is intense and full of energy – as well as being evocative in its use of brass instruments combined with thundering cymbals. The powerful nature of this composition also creates an atmosphere that is both majestic and heroic; thus further intensifying these feelings.
The lyrics themselves can also be seen to contribute towards this overall impression. They convey notions of triumph and victory which are emphasized by their strong melody; making them sound almost like a battle cry – something that further adds to the sense of grandeur that permeates throughout the piece. Furthermore, it could be argued that certain phrases within these lyrics have religious connotations such as “Onward! Onward!” which could evoke a feeling reverence or divine intervention.
Finally, one cannot overlook how impactful this opera’s visuals are having on viewers. From start finish, each image serves amplify mood created by music itself while providing additional context behind what we hear – for instance when we see Valkyrie maidens descending from above during their iconic flight sequence it reinforces idea heroism present throughout whole piece.
