The Complete Opera Book Part 18

It is the cry of the wild horsewomen of the air, coursing through storm-clouds, their shields flashing back the lightning, their voices mingling with the shrieks of the tempest. Weirder, wilder joy has never found expression in music. One seems to see the steeds of the air and streaks of lightning playing around their riders, and to hear the whistling of the wind.

The accompanying figure is based on the Motive of the =Ride of the Valkyrs=:

[Music]

_Brunnhilde_, having leapt from rock to rock to the highest peak of the mountain, again faces _Wotan_, and with delightful banter calls to him that _Fricka_ is approaching in her ram-drawn chariot. _Fricka_ has appeared, descended from her chariot, and advances toward _Wotan_, _Brunnhilde_ having meanwhile disappeared behind the mountain height.

_Fricka_ is the protector of the marriage vow, and as such she has come in anger to demand from _Wotan_ vengeance in behalf of _Hunding_.

As she advances hastily toward _Wotan_, her angry, pa.s.sionate demeanour is reflected by the orchestra, and this effective musical expression of _Fricka's_ ire is often heard in the course of the scene. When near _Wotan_ she moderates her pace, and her angry demeanour gives way to sullen dignity.

_Wotan_, though knowing well what has brought _Fricka_ upon the scene, feigns ignorance of the cause of her agitation and asks what it is that hara.s.ses her. Her reply is preceded by the stern Hunding motive.

She tells _Wotan_ that she, as the protectress of the sanct.i.ty of the marriage vow, has heard _Hunding's_ voice calling for vengeance upon the Walsung twins. Her words, "His voice for vengeance is raised,"

are set to a phrase strongly suggestive of _Alberich's_ curse. It seems as though the avenging Nibelung were pursuing _Wotan's_ children and thus striking a blow at _Wotan_ himself through _Fricka_. The Love Motive breathes through _Wotan's_ protest that _Siegmund_ and _Sieglinde_ only yielded to the music of the spring night. _Wotan_ argues that _Siegmund_ and _Sieglinde_ are true lovers, and _Fricka_ should smile instead of venting her wrath on them. The motive of the Love Song, the Love Motive, and the caressing phrase heard in the love scene are beautifully blended with _Wotan's_ words. In strong contrast to these motives is the music in _Fricka's_ outburst of wrath, introduced by the phrase reflecting her ire, which is repeated several times in the course of this episode. _Wotan_ explains to her why he begat the Walsung race and the hopes he has founded upon it. But _Fricka_ mistrusts him. What can mortals accomplish that the G.o.ds, who are far mightier than mortals, cannot accomplish? _Hunding_ must be avenged on _Siegmund_ and _Sieglinde_. _Wotan_ must withdraw his protection from _Siegmund_. Now appears a phrase which expresses _Wotan's_ impotent wrath--impotent because _Fricka_ brings forward the unanswerable argument that if the Walsungs go unpunished by her, as guardian of the marriage vow, she, the Queen of the G.o.ds, will be held up to the scorn of mankind.

_Wotan_ would fain save the Walsungs. But _Fricka's_ argument is conclusive. He cannot protect _Siegmund_ and _Sieglinde_, because their escape from punishment would bring degradation upon the queen-G.o.ddess and the whole race of the G.o.ds, and result in their immediate fall. _Wotan's_ wrath rises at the thought of sacrificing his beloved children to the vengeance of _Hunding_, but he is impotent. His far-reaching plans are brought to nought. He sees the hope of having the Ring restored to the _Rhinedaughters_ by the voluntary act of a hero of the Walsung race vanish. The curse of _Alberich_ hangs over him like a dark, threatening cloud. The =Motive of Wotan's Wrath= is as follows:

[Music]

_Brunnhilde's_ joyous shouts are heard from the height. _Wotan_ exclaims that he had summoned the Valkyr to do battle for _Siegmund_.

In broad, stately measures, _Fricka_ proclaims that her honour shall be guarded by _Brunnhilde's_ shield and demands of _Wotan_ an oath that in the coming combat the Walsung shall fall. _Wotan_ takes the oath and throws himself dejectedly down upon a rocky seat. _Fricka_ strides toward the back. She pauses a moment with a gesture of queenly command before _Brunnhilde_, who has led her horse down the height and into a cave to the right, then departs.

In this scene we have witnessed the spectacle of a mighty G.o.d vainly struggling to avert ruin from his race. That it is due to irresistible fate and not merely to _Fricka_ that _Wotan's_ plans succ.u.mb, is made clear by the darkly ominous notes of Alberich's Curse, which resound as _Wotan_, wrapt in gloomy brooding, leans back against the rocky seat, and also when, in a paroxysm of despair, he gives vent to his feelings, a pa.s.sage which, for overpowering intensity of expression, stands out even from among Wagner's writings. The final words of this outburst of grief:

The saddest I among all men,

are set to this variant of the Motive of Renunciation; the meaning of this phrase having been expanded from the renunciation of love by _Alberich_ to cover the renunciation of happiness which is forced upon _Wotan_ by avenging fate:

[Music]

_Brunnhilde_ casts away shield, spear, and helmet, and sinking down at _Wotan's_ feet looks up to him with affectionate anxiety. Here we see in the Valkyr the touch of tenderness, without which a truly heroic character is never complete.

Musically it is beautifully expressed by the Love Motive, which, when _Wotan_, as if awakening from a reverie, fondly strokes her hair, goes over into the Siegmund Motive. It is over the fate of his beloved Walsungs _Wotan_ has been brooding. Immediately following _Brunnhilde's_ words,

What an I were I not thy will,

is a wonderfully soft yet rich melody on four horns. It is one of those beautiful details in which Wagner's works abound.

In _Wotan's_ narrative, which now follows, the chief of the G.o.ds tells _Brunnhilde_ of the events which have brought this sorrow upon him, of his failure to restore the stolen gold to the _Rhinedaughters_; of his dread of _Alberich's_ curse; how she and her sister Valkyrs were born to him by _Erda_; of the necessity that a hero should without aid of the G.o.ds gain the Ring and Tarnhelmet from _Fafner_ and restore the Rhinegold to the _Rhinedaughters_; how he begot the Walsungs and inured them to hardships in the hope that one of the race would free the G.o.ds from _Alberich's_ curse.

The motives heard in _Wotan's_ narrative will be recognized, except one, which is new. This is expressive of the stress to which the G.o.ds are subjected through _Wotan's_ crime. It is first heard when _Wotan_ tells of the hero who alone can regain the ring. It is the =Motive of the G.o.ds' Stress=.

[Music]

Excited by remorse and despair _Wotan_ bids farewell to the glory of the G.o.ds. Then he in terrible mockery blesses the Nibelung's heir--for _Alberich_ has wedded and to him has been born a son, upon whom the Nibelung depends to continue his death struggle with the G.o.ds.

Terrified by this outburst of wrath, _Brunnhilde_ asks what her duty shall be in the approaching combat. _Wotan_ commands her to do _Fricka's_ bidding and withdraw protection from _Siegmund_. In vain _Brunnhilde_ pleads for the Walsung whom she knows _Wotan_ loves, and wished a victor until _Fricka_ exacted a promise from him to avenge _Hunding_. But her pleading is in vain. _Wotan_ is no longer the all-powerful chief of the G.o.ds--through his breach of faith he has become the slave of fate. Hence we hear, as _Wotan_ rushes away, driven by chagrin, rage, and despair, chords heavy with the crushing force of fate.

Slowly and sadly _Brunnhilde_ bends down for her weapons, her actions being accompanied by the Valkyr Motive. Bereft of its stormy impetuosity it is as trist as her thoughts. Lost in sad reflections, which find beautiful expression in the orchestra, she turns toward the background.

Suddenly the sadly expressive phrases are interrupted by the Motive of Flight. Looking down into the valley the Valkyr perceives _Siegmund_ and _Sieglinde_ approaching in hasty flight. She then disappears in the cave. With a superb crescendo the Motive of Flight reaches its climax and the two Walsungs are seen approaching through the natural arch. For hours they have toiled forward; often _Sieglinde's_ limbs have threatened to fail her, yet never have the fugitives been able to shake off the dread sound of _Hunding_ winding his horn as he called upon his kinsmen to redouble their efforts to overtake the two Walsungs. Even now, as they come up the gorge and pa.s.s under a rocky arch to the height of the divide, the pursuit can be heard. They are human quarry of the hunt. Terror has begun to unsettle _Sieglinde's_ reason. When _Siegmund_ bids her rest she stares wildly before her, then gazes with growing rapture into his eyes and throws her arms around his neck, only to shriek suddenly: "Away, away!" as she hears the distant horn-calls, then to grow rigid and stare vacantly before her as _Siegmund_ announces to her that here he proposes to end their flight, here await _Hunding_, and test the temper of _Walse's_ sword.

Then she tries to thrust him away. Let him leave her to her fate and save himself. But a moment later, although she still clings to him, she apparently is gazing into vacancy and crying out that he has deserted her. At last, utterly overcome by the strain of flight with the avenger on the trail, she faints, her hold on _Siegmund_ relaxes, and she would have fallen had he not caught her form in his arms.

Slowly he lets himself down on a rocky seat, drawing her with him, so that when he is seated her head rests on his lap. Tenderly he looks down upon the companion of his flight, and, while, like a mournful memory, the orchestra intones the Love Motive, he presses a kiss upon her brow--she of his own race, like him doomed to misfortune, dedicated to death, should the sword which he has unsheathed from _Hunding's_ ash-tree prove traitor. As he looks up from _Sieglinde_ he is startled. For there stands on the rock above them a shining apparition in flowing robes, breastplate, and helmet, and leaning upon a spear. It is _Brunnhilde_, the Valkyr, daughter of _Wotan_.

=The Motive of Fate=--so full of solemn import--is heard.

[Music]

While her earnest look rests upon him, there is heard the =Motive of the Death-Song=, a tristly prophetic strain.

[Music]

_Brunnhilde_ advances and then, pausing again, leans with one hand on her charger's neck, and, grasping shield and spear with the other, gazes upon _Siegmund_. Then there rises from the orchestra, in strains of rich, soft, alluring beauty, an inversion of the Walhalla Motive.

The Fate, Death-Song and Walhalla motives recur, and _Siegmund_, raising his eyes and meeting _Brunnhilde's_ look, questions her and receives her answers. The episode is so fraught with solemnity that the shadow of death seems to have fallen upon the scene. The solemn beauty of the music impresses itself the more upon the listener, because of the agitated, agonized scene which preceded it. To the Walsung, who meets her gaze so calmly, _Brunnhilde_ speaks in solemn tones:

"Siegmund, look on me. I am she whom soon you must prepare to follow."

Then she paints for him in glowing colours the joys of Walhalla, where _Walse_, his father, is awaiting him and where he will have heroes for his companions, himself the hero of many valiant deeds. _Siegmund_ listens unmoved. In reply he frames but one question: "When I enter Walhalla, will _Sieglinde_ be there to greet me?"

When _Brunnhilde_ answers that in Walhalla he will be attended by valkyrs and wishmaidens, but that _Sieglinde_ will not be there to meet him, he scorns the delights she has held out. Let her greet _Wotan_ from him, and _Walse_, his father, too, as well as the wishmaidens. He will remain with _Sieglinde_.

Then the radiant Valkyr, moved by _Siegmund's_ calm determination to sacrifice even a place among the heroes of Walhalla for the woman he loves, makes known to him the fate to which he has been doomed.

_Wotan_ desired to give him victory over _Hunding_, and she had been summoned by the chief of the G.o.ds and commanded to hover above the combatants, and by shielding _Siegmund_ from _Hunding's_ thrusts, render the Walsung's victory certain. But _Wotan's_ spouse, _Fricka_, who, as the first among the G.o.ddesses, is guardian of the marriage vows, has heard _Hunding's_ voice calling for vengeance, and has demanded that vengeance be his. Let _Siegmund_ therefore prepare for Walhalla, but let him leave _Sieglinde_ in her care. She will protect her.

"No other living being but I shall touch her," exclaims the Walsung, as he draws his sword. "If the Walsung sword is to be shattered on Hunding's spear, to which I am to fall a victim, it first shall bury itself in her breast and save her from a worse fate!" He poises the sword ready for the thrust above the unconscious _Sieglinde_.

"Hold!" cries _Brunnhilde_, thrilled by his heroic love. "Whatever the consequences which Wotan, in his wrath, shall visit upon me, today, for the first time I disobey him. Sieglinde shall live, and with her Siegmund! Yours the victory over Hunding. Now Walsung, prepare for battle!"

_Hunding's_ horn-calls sound nearer and nearer. _Siegmund_ judges that he has ascended the other side of the gorge, intending to cross the rocky arch. Already _Brunnhilde_ has gone to take her place where she knows the combatants must meet. With a last look and a last kiss for _Sieglinde_, _Siegmund_ gently lays her down and begins to ascend toward the peak. Mist gathers; storm-clouds roll over the mountain; soon he is lost to sight. Slowly _Sieglinde_ regains her senses. She looks for _Siegmund_. Instead of seeing him bending over her she hears _Hunding's_ voice as if from among the clouds, calling him to combat; then _Siegmund's_ accepting the challenge. She staggers toward the peak. Suddenly a bright light pierces the clouds. Above her she sees the men fighting, _Brunnhilde_ protecting _Siegmund_ who is aiming a deadly stroke at _Hunding_.

At that moment, however, the light is diffused with a reddish glow. In it _Wotan_ appears. As _Siegmund's_ sword cuts the air on its errand of death, the G.o.d interposes his spear, the sword breaks in two and _Hunding_ thrusts his spear into the defenceless Walsung's breast. The second victim of _Alberich's_ curse has met his fate.

With a wild shriek, _Sieglinde_ falls to the ground, to be caught up by _Brunnhilde_ and swung upon the Valkyr's charger, which, urged on by its mistress, now herself a fugitive from _Wotan's_ anger, dashes down the defile in headlong flight for the Valkyr rock.

Act III. The third act opens with the famous "Ride of the Valkyrs," a number so familiar that detailed reference to it is scarcely necessary. The wild maidens of Walhalla coursing upon winged steeds through storm-clouds, their weapons flashing in the gleam of lightning, their weird laughter mingling with the crash of thunder, have come to hold tryst upon the Valkyr rock.

When eight of the Valkyrs have gathered upon the rocky summit of the mountain, they espy _Brunnhilde_ approaching. It is with savage shouts of "Hojotoho! Heiha!" those who already have reached their savage eyrie, watch for the coming of their wild sisters. Fitful flashes of lightning herald their approach as they storm fearlessly through the wind and cloud, their weird shouts mingling with the clash of thunder.

"Hojotoho! Heihe!--Hojotoho! Heiha!"

But, strange burden! Instead of a slain hero across her pommel, _Brunnhilde_ bears a woman, and instead of urging her horse to the highest crag, she alights below. The Valkyrs hasten down the rock, and there the wild sisters of the air stand, curiously awaiting the approach of _Brunnhilde_.

In frantic haste the Valkyr tells her sisters what has transpired, and how _Wotan_ is pursuing her to punish her for her disobedience. One of the Valkyrs ascends the rock and, looking in the direction from which _Brunnhilde_ has come, calls out that even now she can descry the red glow behind the storm-clouds that denotes _Wotan's_ approach.

Quickly _Brunnhilde_ bids _Sieglinde_ seek refuge in the forest beyond the Valkyr rock. The latter, who has been lost in gloomy brooding, starts at her rescuer's supplication and in strains replete with mournful beauty begs that she may be left to her fate and follow _Siegmund_ in death. The glorious prophecy in which _Brunnhilde_ now foretells to _Sieglinde_ that she is to become the mother of _Siegfried_, is based upon the =Siegfried Motive=:

[Music]

_Sieglinde_, in joyous frenzy, blesses _Brunnhilde_ and hastens to find safety in a dense forest to the eastward, the same forest in which _Fafner_, in the form of a serpent, guards the Rhinegold treasures.

_Wotan_, in hot pursuit of _Brunnhilde_, reaches the mountain summit.

In vain her sisters entreat him to spare her. He harshly threatens them unless they cease their entreaties, and with wild cries of fear they hastily depart.

In the ensuing scene between _Wotan_ and _Brunnhilde_, in which the latter seeks to justify her action, is heard one of the most beautiful themes of the cycle.