Exercise 1
These are the main musical ideas that create the leitmotifs.
Consider how these ideas reflect the characters or the emotions by making brief notes about each extract seen below. You may go back to the link at the beginning of this chapter to listen intently for the role of the orchestra and the orchestration here is so important. Notes on the first two extracts are given:
- The motif of the Meistersingers signifying traditions and their upkeeping.
- Tonality: the key of C major, a key Wagner deemed safe and steadfast. Diatonic.
- Melody: building up towards a climax on the note F; positive mood.
- Orchestration: plenty of brass instruments for a robust effect.
- Time signature: a steady 4/4 pulse.
- Rhythm: march-like, stable.
- Texture: homophonic; again, suggesting unity and strength.
- A motif that suggests a change is afoot, even in the case of the conservative Meistersinger.
- Tonality: C major, but with chromatic touches here and there making it slightly more unstable.
- Melody: descending, not ascending.
- Orchestration: solo wind instruments, such as flute and oboe.
- Texture: much more contrapuntal, less unified.
- Time signature: 4/4 but with a less pronounced pulse and notes tied over the bar lines.
- March of the Meistersingers
- Motif representing the artistic side and the aspirations of the Meistersingers
- This following theme comes as a climax and ending to the first part. Wagner himself referred to it as the Theme of Idealism. It seems as if it leads towards a perfect cadence but as was the case in Wagner’s work, not many of those are present until the very last bar.
- The theme of Eva and Walther’s love and their longing to be together. Notice the swelling in the dynamics.
- Walther’s song theme. Notice the contrast in the choice of key.
- Wagner called this theme the Spring motif. The tempo is much slower.
