As for wagner, he disliked him and rejected any conexion between his ring and that of the operas. Remains particularly and surprisingly wellpreserved overall. Richard wagners fouropera cycle the ring of the nibelung is a classic in the world of opera. A superb new translation of one of the greatest nineteenth century poems. His major works include lohengrin, tannhauser, tristan and isolde, parzival and the four parts of the ring of the nibelung.
His own libretto to the operas, translated by andrew porter, is an intricate system of metric patterns, imaginative metaphors and alliteration. Craig russell, which follows the progression of wagners 4part opera cycle. The works are based loosely on characters from the norse sagas and the nibelungenlied. Book lists ring of the nibelung richard wagner opera. The wisdom of wagners ring of the nibelung pdf online. The ring cycle at southbank centre june july 2016 is made up of four fantastical operas that together tell the story of wagners epic music drama. I once tried to read a translation of the nibelungenlied, but it had so little to do with wagners epic that i lost interest. Wagner wrote many amazing musical pieces and many of them are available online on really good service offering free music for educational purposes. Good books and more for getting into richard wagners epic opera series. The story of wagners ring cycle sounds quite fantastic and strange, like a fairy tale. It is even possible for the orchestra to convey ideas that are hidden from the. Jun 28, 2016 the ring cycle at southbank centre june july 2016 is made up of four fantastical operas that together tell the story of wagners epic music drama. These books show the original german in parallel with the english, which is. The resulting study sheds fascinating new light on these musical masterpieces.
A superb new translation of the libretto to wagners ring cycle smiling in sorrow. In places, wagner tells the story with the orchestra, using leitmotifsfragments of melody that convey emotions and themes as they recur in varying contexts. This book reveals the resurgence of interest in saga and myth in wagner s day, and, in establishing an authoritative bibliography of wagner s nibelung reading, shows how contemporary editors, scholars, and poets influenced the shape of wagner s libretti. Contents the wagner cliche wagner the man the story wagners musicthe leitmotifs scenes from the ring return to wagner ring page return to my home page all the sound bites for these pages are taken from the bayreuth festival performance conducted by karl bohm philips 446 0572. A fine introduction to wagner and his operas for those with musical training. I understand some german but am still translating instead of thinking. In 1848 richard wagner began what would become the largest stage work of his career, the ring of the nibelung. With benno furmann, kristanna loken, alicia witt, julian sands.
The legend of sigurd and gudrun is a narrative poem by j. If tolkien did take anything from wagner, it was perhaps no more than the idea that something could be done with the idea of the ring of power, something more, and more laden with significance, than anything in an ancient source, but at the same time and very definitely not what wagner had done with it. The nibelung, alberich, steals the gold guarded by the rhinemaidens, with the intention of fashioning a ring which will give him limitless power. Now it becomes a classic in the world of comics in the ring, an epic story of life, death, love and betrayal. Wagners german was deliberately archaic and romantic. The legend of siegfried and brunhild, loosely based on characters from the norse sagas and the prechristian germanic heroic motifs outlined in the nibelungensaga. Odin is the leader of the norse gods and father of thor, balder, tyr, vidar, vali, bragi, heimdall and hod. To aid in understanding this complex and often contradictory work, a modernday prose translation of its four component operas is provided, as is an explanation of the nibelungs rings mythological background, wagners creative process. See the complete wagners ring of the nibelung series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. It is a powerful musicdrama on a grand scale, a full appreciation of which depends on an understanding of exactly what is being sung.
John deathridge is one of the worlds most respected experts on the life. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Both rings were round, and there the resemblance ceases. An important work for wagnerites and musical scholars. His own libretto to the operas, translated by andrew porter, is an intricate system of metric patterns, imaginative. First published in 1993, this acclaimed translation, which follows the verse form of the original. This book reveals the resurgence of interest in saga and myth in wagners day. Books by richard wagner author of the ring of the nibelung. Wagners story of gods and heroes, of giants and dwarfs, is not a fairy tale. The libretti of the four operas of wagners ring cycle were based on the german nibelung sagas. His model is none other than arguably the greatest stereo recording of the work that of sir georg solti and the vienna philharmonic for decca.
Wagner, by contrast, uses the ring to shine a light on various intense, confused, alltoohuman relationships. Craig russell sees the ring as a crucial evolutionary step in the development of superheroes as we know them today. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Wagner wrote the libretto and music over the course of about twentysix. The four operas of richard wagners epic opera cycle, the ring, are among the greatest and most influential works in the genre. The ring of the nibelung, wagners great cycle of operas exploring the origin of consciousness and the birth of the human world begins in the depths of the river rhine, and also in the depths of the unconscious, hearing the voice of the natural order from which human kind departed in the long distant past.
Ive discarded this book, and have since ordered the individual librettos from schirmer. Buy the ring of the nibelung by wagner, richard, armour, margaret isbn. Lord of the rings an imitation of wagners ring cycle. Wagner, by barry millington, princeton university, 1992. There had long been a need for a modern english translation of wagners ring. Sep 25, 2012 wagner wrote many amazing musical pieces and many of them are available online on really good service offering free music for educational purposes. The rhinegold, the valkyrie, siegfried, and twilight of the gods. Craig russells the ring of the nibelung written by the wagnerian on sunday, 16 june 20 4. Tolkien which adapts the niflung legends into alliterative verse. Richard wagner s fouropera cycle the ring of the nibelung is a classic in the world of opera. Wagner and ring of nibelungs many interesting facts. I sing of love the ring of the nibelung, wagners epic cycle. The chief faults of dramatic construction of which wagner was guilty in the ring of the nibelung are certain unduly prolonged scenes which are merely episodical that is, unnecessary to the development of the plot so that they delay the action and weary the audience to a point which endangers the success of the really sublime portions of. When the magic of the rings envelops you, give a thought to an icelander from long ago.
Wagner populates his german forests and rivers with mythological gods and faeries, and his human heroes are imbued with heroic courage and strength reminiscent of achilles and beowulf. In preparation for the task he composed an overview of the nibelung myth designed to lead to a drama. Now it becomes a classic in the world of comics in the ring, an epic story. It is often referred to as the ring cycle, wagners ring, or simply the ring. Nibelung article about nibelung by the free dictionary. The tarnhelm, wagners metaphor for that special product of the power of the human mind the ring, the imagination, initially served alberichs quest for worldly power, but was coopted by wotan and the gods, with the aid of loges cunning, to create and sustain the illusions which are the basis for religious belief, the basis for the. See the complete wagner s ring of the nibelung series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. In 20 the hobbit is forecast to arrive on the big screen. Richard wagner 1883 redefined opera and had an overwhelming impact on german and western culture. The ring of the nibelung by richard wagner goodreads. Enjoying wagners ring of the nibelung, by spreight jenkins, highbridge audio, 1996. While their music has been the subject of lengthy discussion and analysis, there has hitherto been little scrutiny of their libretti, which wagner wrote himself based on the german nibelung sagas. Tolkien, wagner, and the rings of power the imaginative.
There are seldom times a book will inspire aesthetic chills, and it happened several times when reading these libretti. The following list of the rings musical motifs, 178 in number, including musical notation, was provided by dr. Richard wagners most popular book is the ring of the nibelung. This book reveals the resurgence of interest in saga and myth. This accessible text guides novice and seasoned opera listeners alike through richard wagners renowned ring cycle. Richard wagner has 619 books on goodreads with 9321 ratings. Alberich belongs to a race of dwarfs called the nibelungs. It is the most comprehensive list currently available. In places, wagner tells the story with the orchestra, using leitmotifs fragments of melody that convey emotions and themes as they recur in varying contexts. The story comes, in a very general way, from the old norsegermanic legend of the nibelungenlied the song of the dwarves. Alberich forges the ring only after the rhine maidens turn away his advances. Ring of the nibelungs is a 2004 tv film directed by uli edel. However the after covering the book a couple of times i can enjoy the film without always stopping to read subtitles.
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