A Guide to the Ring of the Nibelung, the Trilogy of Richard Wagner details from sapnaonline

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...has promised him in time of need: and as he calls, looks toward the ash tree again, where, lighted by a sudden flaring up of the fire on the hearth, he sees a sword hilt sticking out--and then again the Sword Motive is sonorously proclaimed (p. 39, syst. 2). Sieglinde returns and tells Siegmund of a sword she wishes he might win for himself, and as she speaks, is heard the Victorious Cry of the Volsungs united with the Sword Motive (p. 44, syst. 1). XXXV. VICTORIOUS CRY OF THE VOLSUNGS m She relates how an old man once thrust a sword to its hilt into the ash tree which none could ever withdraw, and again the Valhalla motive is heard (p. 44, syst. 4), since the old man is none other than Wotan. The Sword Motive and the Victorious Cry accompany her outburst of yearning and Siegmund's avowal of his love. Follows the long love song of the two, a broad, passionate, and heroic melody, in which the Love Motive (xxxi) the Valhalla Motive, the Flight Motive (p. 58, syst. 1), the Heroic theme with the Sword Motive (p. 67, syst. 1), the Freia Motive (p. 61, syst. 2 and 4), are mingled. Finally, in the height of his exaltation, Siegmund springs up, seizes the sword hilt, and pulls it from the tree trunk, in triumph. The Victorious Cry of the Volsungs, the Sword Motive, the motive of Compact (p. 70, syst. 4), accompany this glorious scene, one of the most thrilling that Wagner has created. The orchestral finale is developed from Sieglinde's Love Motive, with splendid and tumultuous passion. We return in the second act to the company of the gods. The prelude is built upon a strange distortion of the Sword Motive in nine-eight rhythm and minor harmonies, united with the Flight Motive, which goes over into the closely related Cry of the Valkyrie (p. 79,...