Representations
Most of the themes, motives, and musical examples that were discussed in the preceding chapters have a somewhat abstract dramatic concept associated with them. In the Ring there are additional bits of music that seem to be more direct in their dramatic associations. Some of these themes can be grouped as music that represents some sort of activity or action. One of the first examples of this type of music is heard during Scene 1 of Das Rheingold when Alberich’s pursuit of the Rhine Daughters is interrupted by his sneezing. Wagner uses the horns to reinforce the action of Alberich’s sneezing while the clarinets and bassoons play music, if one listens with some imagination, that suggests his sneezing is like the braying of an ass. Could this be a musical comment on Alberich’s wooing?
A little later in Scene 1 Wagner uses musical dissonance again to accompany the Rhine Daughters’ laughter at the pathetic efforts of their suitor.
Music-Rhine Daughter's Laughter
There are several examples where Wagner uses rhythmic sound to portray an activity. During the transition music from Scene 2 to Scene 3 of Das Rheingold Wagner’s score specifies 18 anvils grouped by pitch and stage location to play different rhythms depicting the smithing of the Nibelungs (example not shown – Das Rheingold pg. 157-160 mm 4-2). The composite sound effect of this rhythm will be incorporated into the actual Nibelung Motive. Later on in Scene 4, when Fafner kills his brother by pummeling him to death with his staff, Wagner writes out the exact rhythm shown in the next example, for the tympani to play. Similarly in the third musical drama, Siegfried, Wagner directs the exact rhythms that he wants Mime and Siegfried to hammer out on the anvil in with their respective smithing efforts.
There is a nice combination of rhythm and melody on the horns during Die Walküre Act I – Scene 1 that accompanies Siegmund’s tale of his youth in the wild with his father. While the horn section plays horn calls he tells how he and his father upon returning from a hunt found their home destroyed. The triplet figures on the horns suggest not only hunting calls, but hint at a relationship between the Neidings and Hunding. This music is developed further in Siegmund’s narrative as he explains how he and his father become hunted themselves.
Another example of a combination of rhythm and melody from Die Walküre is describe by some commentators as the Riding Motive. It is introduced by the bassoons, horns, and cellos in the opening music of Act II. The upward interval skips with their syncopated rhythm that is passed from instrument to instrument is suggestive of a galloping action. Initially associated with Brunnhilde and her horse Grane, this motive recurs in the famous prologue to Act III from which the next example is taken. It is better known in the concert hall as The Ride of the Valkyries. In Siegfried the Riding Motive becomes associated with Wotan in Act II – Scene 1 and the famous prologue to Act III, which will be discussed in the Combinations chapter.
There is a large group of themes that are representational of activities of the natural world. In Scene 1 of Das Rheingold when the sunlight breaks through the water to illuminate the gold the violins play an oscillating theme that can be considered as an independent theme that has several subsequent variations. It is labeled the Shimmering Motive.
Preparatory to Donner’s summoning of the mists and clouds in Scene 4 of Das Rheingold Wagner expands on the basic Shimmering Motive by dividing the string section into many parts, each of which play a rapid variation of this motive. This pattern is incorporated into the music of the Rainbow Bridge (see Nature chapter). An example from Die Walküre of Wagner’s use of this music as an introduction and accompaniment is when the doors of Hunding’s house fly open to reveal a moonlit spring night and set the stage for Siegmund’s song Winter Sturme.
In Act II of Siegfried and the famous Forest Murmurs Music this Shimmering Motive is combined with the melody of the Nature Motive and played by the cellos.
There is some wonderful storm music in Wagner’s Ring. When Donner strikes his hammer to dispel the clouds with a flash of lightning the orchestra builds up to a loud chord and then the cellos and basses portray the rumbling of the thunder as it fades into the distance.
In the opening storm music for Die Walküre the woodwinds play some accompanying accents in sequential octaves while the cellos are playing the Storm Motive (see Spear chapter).
These accents are developed further, in a second example from Die Walküre, into a theme that might be considered to be representational of lightning flashes. These accented rhythms are finally incorporated into Fricka’s Motive (see Sword chapter). Just before Fricka’s entrance Wotan describes the approaching confrontation with Fricka as ‘the old storm’. These storm flashes are repeated in Act II – Scene 5 when they awaken Sieglinde.
And of course there is a further development of this theme as Wotan storms off in rage at the end of Act II – Scene 2 of Die Walküre. This musical theme is repeated again when the angry god makes his entrance in Act III – Scene 2 searching for Brunnhilde.
A subgroup of these representation themes are associated with animals. When Siegfried leads a bear into the cave to harass Mime the bass and contrabass tubas play a simple two note pattern that represents the bear’s growl.
Many composers have used instruments of the orchestra to represent bird song and the Ring contains some wonderful examples of this art. In fact the Woodbird is an actual character in the drama and has its own themes. When Siegfried has finally chased Mime off in Act II of Siegfried he sits down and takes in the tranquility of the forest around him. The audience is treated to a series of bird calls, which Wagner is said to have modeled on actual bird song. The first is played by the oboe and it is answered by a second on the flute. The flute’s melody is probably derivative of the music that was heard in Act I (see Siegfried chapter) when Siegfried is calmed by his experience in the forest. Next the clarinet takes up a melody. This melody on the clarinet will become incorporated into the vocal lines of the Woodbird, once Siegfried gains comprehension of bird song via the blood of the dragon. It probably should be considered as a free standing motive. Although it is not the main theme of the Woodbird (see Rhine Daughters chapter), this melody is incorporated into the music for the finale of Act II. Lastly the flute plays a different bird call to end the example.
Music-Bird Call I Music-Bird Call II Music-Bird Call III
One final bit of bird music is associated with the excited fluttering of Siegfried’s new counselor as they prepare to find Brunnhilde’s Rock.
Two final examples of representation in the Ring complete this chapter. Another compositional technique is to have the orchestra build a slow crescendo or have the music modulate upwards in pitch to generate increasing dramatic tension. Wagner uses both of these techniques. After we hear the music from the example labeled Wotan’s Storm above and just before Wotan makes his angry entrance in Act III – Scene 2 of Die Walküre the bassoons, contrabass tuba, cellos, and contrabass play an ascending chromatic scale to facilitate dramatic tension and rising fear in the Valkyries and Brunnhilde.
A variation in this technique recurs in Act I – Scene 2 of Siegfried when Wotan, as the Wanderer, makes his wager with Mime and proposes a riddling game of wits with the god’s head as high stakes in this game. Note how the passage begins with a falling interval that is reminiscent of some of Loge’s music (see Ring chapter – Loge’s Counsel) and suggests Wotan’s underlying trickery.
