The Complete Opera Book Part 19

It is the =Motive of Brunnhilde's Pleading=, which finds its loveliest expression when she addresses _Wotan_ in the pa.s.sage beginning:

[Music: Thou, who this love within my breast inspired.]

_Brunnhilde_ is _Wotan's_ favourite daughter, but instead of the loving pride with which he always has been wont to regard her, his features are dark with anger at her disobedience of his command. He had decreed _Siegmund's_ death. She has striven to give victory to the Walsung. Throwing herself at her father's feet, she pleads that he himself had intended to save _Siegmund_ and had been turned from his purpose only by _Fricka's_ interference, and that he had yielded only most grudgingly to _Fricka's_ insistent behest. Therefore, when she, his daughter, profoundly moved by _Siegmund's_ love for _Sieglinde_, and her sympathies aroused by the sad plight of the fugitives, disregarded his command, she nevertheless acted in accordance with his real inclinations. But _Wotan_ is obdurate. She has revelled in the very feelings which he was obliged, at _Fricka's_ behest, to forego--admiration for _Siegmund's_ heroism and sympathy for him in his misfortune. Therefore she must be punished. He will cause her to fall into a deep sleep upon the Valkyr rock, which shall become the Brunnhilde-rock, and to the first man who finds her and awakens her, she, no longer a Valkyr, but a mere woman, shall fall prey.

This great scene between _Wotan_ and _Brunnhilde_ is introduced by an orchestral pa.s.sage. The Valkyr lies in penitence at her father's feet.

In the expressive orchestral measures the Motive of Wotan's Wrath mingles with that of Brunnhilde's Pleading. The motives thus form a prelude to the scene in which the Valkyr seeks to appease her father's anger, not through a specious plea, but by laying bare the promptings of a n.o.ble heart, which forced her, against the chief G.o.d's command, to intervene for _Siegmund_. The Motive of Brunnhilde's Pleading is heard in its simplest form at _Brunnhilde's_ words:

Was it so shameful what I have done,

and it may be noticed that as she proceeds the Motive of Wotan's Wrath, heard in the accompaniment, grows less stern, until with her plea,

Soften thy wrath,

it a.s.sumes a tone of regretful sorrow.

_Wotan's_ feelings toward _Brunnhilde_ have softened for the time from anger to grief that he must mete out punishment for her disobedience.

In his reply excitement subsides to gloom. It would be difficult to point to other music more touchingly expressive of deep contrition than the phrase in which _Brunnhilde_ pleads that _Wotan_ himself taught her to love _Siegmund_. It is here that the Motive of Brunnhilde's Pleading a.s.sumes the form in the notation given above.

Then we hear from _Wotan_ that he had abandoned _Siegmund_ to his fate, because he had lost hope in the cause of the G.o.ds and wished to end his woe in the wreck of the world. The weird terror of the Curse Motive hangs over this outburst of despair. In broad and beautiful strains _Wotan_ then depicts _Brunnhilde_ yielding to her emotions when she intervened for _Siegmund_.

_Brunnhilde_ makes her last appeal. She tells her father that _Sieglinde_ has found refuge in the forest, and that there she will give birth to a son, _Siegfried_,--the hero for whom the G.o.ds have been waiting to overthrow their enemies. If she must suffer for her disobedience, let _Wotan_ surround her sleeping form with a fiery circle which only such a hero will dare penetrate. The Motive of Brunnhilde's Pleading and the Siegfried Motive vie with each other in giving expression to the beauty, tenderness, and majesty of this scene.

Gently the G.o.d raises her and tenderly kisses her brow; and thus bids farewell to the best beloved of his daughters. Slowly she sinks upon the rock. He closes her helmet and covers her with her shield. Then, with his spear, he invokes the G.o.d of fire. Tongues of flame leap from the crevices of the rock. Wildly fluttering fire breaks out on all sides. The forest beyond glows like a furnace, with brighter streaks shooting and throbbing through the ma.s.s, as _Wotan_, with a last look at the sleeping form of _Brunnhilde_, vanishes beyond the fiery circle.

A majestic orchestral pa.s.sage opens _Wotan's_ farewell to _Brunnhilde_. In all music for ba.s.s voice this scene has no peer. Such tender, mournful beauty has never found expression in music--and this, whether we regard the vocal part or the orchestral accompaniment in which the lovely =Slumber Motive=:

[Music]

As _Wotan_ leads _Brunnhilde_ to the rock, upon which she sinks, closes her helmet, and covers her with her shield, then invokes _Loge_, and, after gazing fondly upon the slumbering Valkyr, vanishes amid the magic flames, the Slumber Motive, the Magic Fire Motive, and the Siegfried Motive combine to place the music of the scene with the most brilliant and beautiful portion of our heritage from the great master-musician. But here, too, lurks Destiny. Towards the close of this glorious finale we hear again the ominous muttering of the Motive of Fate. _Brunnhilde_ may be saved from ignominy, _Siegfried_ may be born to _Sieglinde_--but the crushing weight of _Alberich's_ curse still rests upon the race of the G.o.ds.

SIEGFRIED

Music-drama in three acts, by Richard Wagner. Produced, Bayreuth, August 16, 1876. London, by the Carl Rosa Company, 1898, in English. New York, Metropolitan Opera House, November 9, 1887, with Lehmann (_Brunnhilde_), Fischer (_Wotan_), Alvary (_Siegfried_), and Seidl-Kraus (_Forest bird_).

CHARACTERS

SIEGFRIED _Tenor_ MIME _Tenor_ WOTAN (disguised as the WANDERER) _Baritone-Ba.s.s_ ALBERICH _Baritone-Ba.s.s_ FAFNER _Ba.s.s_ ERDA _Contralto_ FOREST BIRD _Soprano_ BRuNNHILDE _Soprano_

_Time_--Legendary.

_Place_--A rocky cave in the forest; deep in the forest; wild region at foot of a rocky mount; the Brunnhilde-rock.

The Nibelungs were not present in the dramatic action of "The Valkyr,"

though the sinister influence of _Alberich_ shaped the tragedy of _Siegmund's_ death. In "Siegfried" several characters of "The Rhinegold," who do not take part in "The Valkyr," reappear. These are the Nibelungs _Alberich_ and _Mime_; the giant _Fafner_, who in the guise of a serpent guards the Ring, the Tarnhelmet, and the Nibelung h.o.a.rd in a cavern, and _Erda_.

_Siegfried_ has been born of _Sieglinde_, who died in giving birth to him. This scion of the Walsung race has been reared by _Mime_, who found him in the forest by his dead mother's side. _Mime_ is plotting to obtain possession of the ring and of _Fafner's_ other treasures, and hopes to be aided in his designs by the l.u.s.ty youth. _Wotan_, disguised as a wanderer, is watching the course of events, again hopeful that a hero of the Walsung race will free the G.o.ds from _Alberich's_ curse. Surrounded by magic fire, _Brunnhilde_ still lies in deep slumber on the Brunnhilde Rock.

The _Vorspiel_ of "Siegfried" is expressive of _Mime's_ planning and plotting. It begins with music of a mysterious brooding character.

Mingling with this is the Motive of the h.o.a.rd, familiar from "The Rhinegold." Then is heard the Nibelung Motive. After reaching a forceful climax it pa.s.ses over to the Motive of the Ring, which rises from pianissimo to a crashing climax. The ring is to be the prize of all _Mime's_ plotting. He hopes to weld the pieces of _Siegmund's_ sword together, and that with this sword _Siegfried_ will slay _Fafner_. Then _Mime_ will slay _Siegfried_ and possess himself of the ring. Thus it is to serve his own ends only, that _Mime_ is craftily rearing _Siegfried_.

The opening scene shows _Mime_ forging a sword at a natural forge formed in a rocky cave. In a soliloquy he discloses the purpose of his labours and laments that _Siegfried_ shivers every sword which has been forged for him. Could he (_Mime_) but unite the pieces of _Siegmund's_ sword! At this thought the Sword Motive rings out brilliantly, and is jubilantly repeated, accompanied by a variant of the Walhalla Motive. For if the pieces of the sword were welded together, and _Siegfried_ were with it to slay _Fafner_, _Mime_ could surrept.i.tiously obtain possession of the ring, slay _Siegfried_, rule over the G.o.ds in Walhalla, and circ.u.mvent _Alberich's_ plans for regaining the h.o.a.rd.

_Mime_ is still at work when _Siegfried_ enters, clad in a wild forest garb. Over it a silver horn is slung by a chain. The st.u.r.dy youth has captured a bear. He leads it by a bast rope, with which he gives it full play so that it can make a dash at _Mime_. As the latter flees terrified behind the forge, _Siegfried_ gives vent to his high spirits in shouts of laughter. Musically his buoyant nature is expressed by a theme inspired by the fresh, joyful spirit of a wild, woodland life.

It may be called, to distinguish it from the Siegfried Motive, the =Motive of Siegfried the Fearless=.

[Music]

It pervades with its joyous impetuosity the ensuing scene, in which _Siegfried_ has his sport with _Mime_, until tiring of it, he loosens the rope from the bear's neck and drives the animal back into the forest. In a pretty, graceful phrase _Siegfried_ tells how he blew his horn, hoping it would be answered by a pleasanter companion than _Mime_. Then he examines the sword which _Mime_ has been forging. The Siegfried Motive resounds as he inveighs against the weapon's weakness, then shivers it on the anvil. The orchestra, with a rush, takes up the =Motive of Siegfried the Impetuous=.

[Music]

This is a theme full of youthful snap and dash. _Mime_ tells _Siegfried_ how he tenderly reared him from infancy. The music here is as simple and pretty as a folk-song, for _Mime's_ reminiscences of _Siegfried's_ infancy are set to a charming melody, as though _Mime_ were recalling to _Siegfried's_ memory a cradle song of those days.

But _Siegfried_ grows impatient. If _Mime_ really tended him so kindly out of pure affection, why should _Mime_ be so repulsive to him; and yet why should he, in spite of _Mime's_ repulsiveness, always return to the cave? The dwarf explains that he is to _Siegfried_ what the father is to the fledgling. This leads to a beautiful lyric episode.

_Siegfried_ says that he saw the birds mating, the deer pairing, the she-wolf nursing her cubs. Whom shall he call Mother? Who is _Mime's_ wife? This episode is pervaded by the lovely =Motive of Love-Life=.

[Music]

_Mime_ endeavours to persuade _Siegfried_ that he is his father and mother in one. But _Siegfried_ has noticed that the young of birds and deer and wolves look like the parents. He has seen his features reflected in the brook, and knows he does not resemble the hideous _Mime_. The notes of the Love-Life Motive pervade this episode. When _Siegfried_ speaks of seeing his own likeness, we also hear the Siegfried Motive. _Mime_, forced by _Siegfried_ to speak the truth, tells of _Sieglinde's_ death while giving birth to _Siegfried_.

Throughout this scene we find reminiscences of the first act of "The Valkyr," the Walsung Motive, the Motive of Sympathy, and the Love Motive. Finally, when _Mime_ produces as evidence of the truth of his words the two pieces of _Siegmund's_ sword, the Sword Motive rings out brilliantly. _Siegfried_ exclaims that _Mime_ must weld the pieces into a trusty weapon. Then follows _Siegfried's_ "Wander Song," so full of joyous abandon. Once the sword welded, he will leave the hated _Mime_ for ever. As the fish darts through the water, as the bird flies so free, he will flee from the repulsive dwarf. With joyous exclamations he runs from the cave into the forest.

The frank, boisterous nature of _Siegfried_ is charmingly portrayed.

His buoyant vivacity finds capital expression in the Motives of Siegfried the Fearless, Siegfried the Impetuous, and his "Wander Song," while the vein of tenderness in his character seems to run through the Love-Life Motive. His harsh treatment of _Mime_ is not brutal; for _Siegfried_ frankly avows his loathing for the dwarf, and we feel, knowing _Mime's_ plotting against the young Walsung, that _Siegfried's_ hatred is the spontaneous aversion of a frank nature for an insidious one.

_Mime_ has a gloomy soliloquy. It is interrupted by the entrance of _Wotan_, disguised as a wanderer. At the moment _Mime_ is in despair because he cannot weld the pieces of _Siegmund's_ sword. When the _Wanderer_ departs, he has prophesied that only he who does not know what fear is--only a fearless hero--can weld the fragments, and that through this fearless hero _Mime_ shall lose his life. This prophecy is reached through a somewhat curious process which must be unintelligible to anyone who has not made a study of the libretto. The _Wanderer_, seating himself, wagers his head that he can correctly answer any three questions which _Mime_ may put to him. _Mime_ then asks: "What is the race born in the earth's deep bowels?" The _Wanderer_ answers: "The Nibelungs." _Mime's_ second question is: "What race dwells on the earth's back?" The _Wanderer_ replies: "The race of giants." _Mime_ finally asks: "What race dwells on cloudy heights?" The _Wanderer_ answers: "The race of the G.o.ds." The _Wanderer_, having thus answered correctly _Mime's_ three questions, now put three questions to _Mime_: "What is that n.o.ble race which _Wotan_ ruthlessly dealt with, and yet which he deemeth most dear?"

_Mime_ answers correctly: "The Walsungs." Then the _Wanderer_ asks: "What sword must _Siegfried_ then strike with, dealing to _Fafner_ death?" _Mime_ answers correctly: "With _Siegmund's_ sword." "Who,"

asks the _Wanderer_, "can weld its fragments?" _Mime_ is terrified, for he cannot answer. Then _Wotan_ utters the prophecy of the fearless hero.

The scene is musically most eloquent. It is introduced by two motives, representing _Wotan_ as the Wanderer. The mysterious chords of the former seem characteristic of _Wotan's_ disguise.

The latter, with its plodding, heavily-tramping movement, is the motive of _Wotan's_ wandering.

The third new motive found in this scene is characteristically expressive of the _Cringing Mime_.

Several motives familiar from "The Rhinegold" and "The Valkyr" are heard here. The Motive of Compact so powerfully expressive of the binding force of law, the Nibelung and Walhalla motives from "The Rhinegold," and the Walsungs' Heroism motives from the first act of "The Valkyr," are among these.

When the _Wanderer_ has vanished in the forest _Mime_ sinks back on his stool in despair. Staring after _Wotan_ into the sunlit forest, the shimmering rays flitting over the soft green mosses with every movement of the branches and each tremor of the leaves seem to him like flickering flames and treacherous will-o'-the-wisps. We hear the Loge Motive (_Loge_ being the G.o.d of fire) familiar from "The Rhinegold" and the finale of "The Valkyr." At last _Mime_ rises to his feet in terror. He seems to see _Fafner_ in his serpent's guise approaching to devour him, and in a paroxysm of fear he falls with a shriek behind the anvil. Just then _Siegfried_ bursts out of the thicket, and with the fresh, buoyant "Wander Song" and the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless, the weird mystery which hung over the former scene is dispelled. _Siegfried_ looks about him for _Mime_ until he sees the dwarf lying behind the anvil.

Laughingly the young Walsung asks the dwarf if he has thus been welding the sword. "The sword? The sword?" repeats _Mime_ confusedly, as he advances, and his mind wanders back to _Wotan's_ prophecy of the fearless hero. Regaining his senses he tells _Siegfried_ there is one thing he has yet to learn, namely, to be afraid; that his mother charged him (_Mime_) to teach fear to him (_Siegfried_). _Mime_ asks _Siegfried_ if he has never felt his heart beating when in the gloaming he heard strange sounds and saw weirdly glimmering lights in the forest. _Siegfried_ replies that he never has. He knows not what fear is. If it is necessary before he goes forth in quest of adventure to learn what fear is he would like to be taught. But how can _Mime_ teach him?

The Magic Fire Motive and Brunnhilde's Slumber Motive familiar from Wotan's Farewell, and the Magic Fire scene in the third act of "The Valkyr" are heard here, the former depicting the weirdly glimmering lights with which _Mime_ has sought to infuse dread into _Siegfried's_ breast, the latter prophesying that, penetrating fearlessly the fiery circle, _Siegfried_ will reach _Brunnhilde_. Then _Mime_ tells _Siegfried_ of _Fafner_, thinking thus to strike terror into the young Walsung's breast. But far from it! _Siegfried_ is incited by _Mime's_ words to meet _Fafner_ in combat. Has _Mime_ welded the fragments of _Siegmund's_ sword, asks _Siegfried_. The dwarf confesses his impotency. _Siegfried_ seizes the fragments. He will forge his own sword. Here begins the great scene of the forging of the sword. Like a shout of victory the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless rings out and the orchestra fairly glows as _Siegfried_ heaps a great ma.s.s of coal on the forge-hearth, and, fanning the heat, begins to file away at the fragments of the sword.

The roar of the fire, the sudden intensity of the fierce white heat to which the young Walsung fans the glow--these we would respectively hear and see were the music given without scenery or action, so graphic is Wagner's score. The Sword Motive leaps like a brilliant tongue of flame over the heavy thuds of a forceful variant of the Motive of Compact, till brightly gleaming runs add to the brilliancy of the score, which reflects all the quickening, quivering effulgence of the scene. How the music flows like a fiery flood and how it hisses as _Siegfried_ pours the molten contents of the crucible into a mould and then plunges the latter into water! The glowing steel lies on the anvil and _Siegfried_ swings the hammer. With every stroke his joyous excitement is intensified. At last the work is done. He brandishes the sword and with one stroke splits the anvil from top to bottom. With the crash of the Sword Motive, united with the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless, the orchestra dashes into a furious prestissimo, and _Siegfried_, shouting with glee, holds aloft the sword!

Act II. The second act opens with a darkly portentous _Vorspiel_. On the very threshold of it we meet _Fafner_ in his motive, which is so clearly based on the Giant Motive that there is no necessity for quoting it. Through themes which are familiar from earlier portions of the work, the _Vorspiel_ rises to a crashing fortissimo.