The Complete Opera Book Part 14

CHARACTERS

WOTAN } _Baritone-Ba.s.s_ DONNER } G.o.ds _Baritone-Ba.s.s_ FROH } _Tenor_ LOGE } _Tenor_

FASOLT } Giants _Baritone-Ba.s.s_ FAFNER } _Ba.s.s_

ALBERICH } Nibelungs _Baritone-Ba.s.s_ MIME } _Tenor_

FRICKA } _Soprano_ FREIA } G.o.ddesses _Soprano_ ERDA } _Mezzo-Soprano_

WOGLINDE } _Soprano_ WELLGUNDE } Rhinedaughters _Soprano_ FLOSSHILDE } _Mezzo-Soprano_

_Time_--Legendary.

_Place_--The bed of the Rhine; a mountainous district near the Rhine; the subterranean caverns of Nibelheim.

In "The Rhinegold" we meet with supernatural beings of German mythology--the Rhinedaughters _Woglinde_, _Wellgunde_, and _Flosshilde_, whose duty it is to guard the precious Rhinegold; _Wotan_, the chief of the G.o.ds; his spouse _Fricka_; _Loge_, the G.o.d of Fire (the diplomat of Walhalla); _Freia_, the G.o.ddess of Youth and Beauty; her brothers _Donner_ and _Froh_; _Erda_, the all-wise woman; the giants _Fafner_ and _Fasolt_; _Alberich_ and _Mime_ of the race of Nibelungs, cunning, treacherous gnomes who dwell in the bowels of the earth.

The first scene of "Rhinegold" is laid in the Rhine, at the bottom of the river, where the _Rhinedaughters_ guard the Rhinegold.

The work opens with a wonderfully descriptive Prelude, which depicts with marvellous art (marvellous because so simple) the transition from the quietude of the water-depths to the wavy life of the _Rhinedaughters_. The double ba.s.ses intone E-flat. Only this note is heard during four bars. Then three contra ba.s.soons add a B-flat. The chord, thus formed, sounds until the 136th bar. With the sixteenth bar there flows over this seemingly immovable triad, as the current of a river flows over its immovable bed, the =Motive of the Rhine=.

[Music]

A horn intones this motive. Then one horn after another takes it up until its wave-like tones are heard on the eight horns. On the flowing accompaniment of the 'cellos the motive is carried to the wood-wind.

It rises higher and higher, the other strings successively joining in the accompaniment, which now flows on in gentle undulations until the motive is heard on the high notes of the wood-wind, while the violins have joined in the accompaniment. When the theme thus seems to have stirred the waters from their depth to their surface the curtain rises.

The scene shows the bed and flowing waters of the Rhine, the light of day reaching the depths only as a greenish twilight. The current flows on over rugged rocks and through dark chasms.

_Woglinde_ is circling gracefully around the central ridge of rock. To an accompaniment as wavy as the waters through which she swims, she sings:

Weia! Waga! Woge, du Welle, Walle zur Wiege! Wagala weia!

Wallala, Weiala weia!

They are sung to the =Motive of the Rhinedaughters=.

[Music: Weia Waga! Woge, du Welle, walle zur Wiege! Wagala weia!

wallala, weiala weia!]

In wavy sport the _Rhinedaughters_ dart from cliff to cliff. Meanwhile _Alberich_ has clambered from the depths up to one of the cliffs, and watches, while standing in its shadow, the gambols of the _Rhinedaughters_. As he speaks to them there is a momentary harshness in the music, whose flowing rhythm is broken. In futile endeavours to clamber up to them, he inveighs against the "slippery slime" which causes him to lose his foothold.

_Woglinde_, _Wellgunde_, and _Flosshilde_ in turn gambol almost within his reach, only to dart away again. He curses his own weakness in the =Motive of the Nibelungs' Servitude=.

[Music]

Swimming high above him the _Rhinedaughters_ incite him with gleeful cries to chase them. _Alberich_ tries to ascend, but always slips and falls down. Then his gaze is attracted and held by a glow which suddenly pervades the waves above him and increases until from the highest point of the central cliff a bright, golden ray shoots through the water. Amid the shimmering accompaniment of the violins is heard on the horn the =Rhinegold Motive=.

[Music]

With shouts of triumph the _Rhinedaughters_ swim around the rock.

Their cry "Rhinegold," is a characteristic motive. The =Rhinedaughters'

Shout of Triumph= and the accompaniment to it are as follows:

[Music: Rheingold!]

As the river glitters with golden light the Rhinegold Motive rings out brilliantly on the trumpet. The Nibelung is fascinated by the sheen.

The _Rhinedaughters_ gossip with one another, and _Alberich_ thus learns that the light is that of the Rhinegold, and that whoever shall shape a ring from this gold will become invested with great power. We hear =The Ring Motive=.

[Music]

_Flosshilde_ bids her sisters cease their prattle, lest some sinister foe should overhear them. _Wellgunde_ and _Woglinde_ ridicule their sister's anxiety, saying that no one would care to filch the gold, because it would give power only to him who abjures or renounces love.

At this point is heard the darkly prophetic =Motive of the Renunciation of Love=.

[Music]

_Alberich_ reflects on the words of the _Rhinedaughters_. The Ring Motive occurs both in voice and orchestra in mysterious pianissimo (like an echo of _Alberich's_ sinister thoughts), and is followed by the Motive of Renunciation. Then is heard the sharp, decisive rhythm of the Nibelung Motive. _Alberich_ fiercely springs over to the central rock. The _Rhinedaughters_ scream and dart away in different directions. _Alberich_ has reached the summit of the highest cliff.

"Hark, ye floods! Love I renounce forever!" he cries, and amid the crash of the Rhinegold Motive he seizes the gold and disappears in the depths. With screams of terror the _Rhinedaughters_ dive after the robber through the darkened water, guided by _Alberich's_ shrill, mocking laugh.

There is a transformation. Waters and rocks sink. As they disappear, the billowy accompaniment sinks lower and lower in the orchestra.

Above it rises once more the Motive of Renunciation. The Ring Motive is heard, and then, as the waves change into nebulous clouds, the billowy accompaniment rises pianissimo until, with a repet.i.tion of the Ring Motive, the action pa.s.ses to the second scene. One crime has already been committed--the theft of the Rhinegold by _Alberich_. How that crime and the ring which he shapes from the gold inspire other crimes is told in the course of the following scenes of "Rhinegold."

Hence the significance of the Ring Motive as a connecting link between the first and second scenes.

Scene II. Dawn illumines a castle with glittering turrets on a rocky height at the back. Through a deep valley between this and the foreground flows the Rhine.

The =Walhalla Motive= now heard is a motive of superb beauty. It greets us again and again in "Rhinegold" and frequently in the later music-dramas of the cycle. Walhalla is the abode of G.o.ds and heroes.

Its motive is divinely, heroically beautiful. Though essentially broad and stately, it often a.s.sumes a tender mood, like the chivalric gentleness which every hero feels toward woman. Thus it is here. In crescendo and decrescendo it rises and falls, as rises and falls with each breath the bosom of the beautiful _Fricka_, who slumbers at _Wotan's_ side.

[Music]

As _Fricka_ awakens, her eyes fall on the castle. In her surprise she calls to her spouse. _Wotan_ dreams on, the Ring Motive, and later the Walhalla Motive, being heard in the orchestra, for with the ring _Wotan_ is planning to compensate the giants for building Walhalla, instead of rewarding them by presenting _Freia_ to them as he has promised. As he opens his eyes and sees the castle you hear the Spear Motive, which is a characteristic variation of the Motive of Compact.

For _Wotan_ should enforce, if needful, the compacts of the G.o.ds with his spear.

_Wotan_ sings of the glory of Walhalla. _Fricka_ reminds him of his compact with the giants to deliver over to them for their work in building Walhalla, _Freia_, the G.o.ddess of Youth and Beauty. This introduces on the 'cellos and double ba.s.ses the =Motive of Compact=, a theme expressive of the binding force of law and with the inherent dignity and power of the sense of justice.

[Music]

In a domestic spat between _Wotan_ and _Fricka_, _Wotan_ charges that she was as anxious as he to have Walhalla built. _Fricka_ answers that she desired to have it erected in order to persuade him to lead a more domestic life. At _Fricka's_ words,

"Halls, bright and gleaming,"

the =Fricka Motive= is heard, a caressing motive of much grace and beauty.

[Music]

It is also prominent in _Wotan's_ reply immediately following. _Wotan_ tells _Fricka_ that he never intended to really give up _Freia_ to the giants. Chromatics, like little tongues of flame, appear in the accompaniment. They are suggestive of the Loge Motive, for with the aid of _Loge_ the G.o.d of Fire, _Wotan_ hopes to trick the giants and save _Freia_.

"Then save her at once!" calls Fricka, as _Freia_ enters in hasty flight. The =Motive of Flight= is as follows:

[Music]