Here's something you might be interested in.
Lohengrin arrives in the middle of the first act of Wagner's musical drama. Wagner claimed that he didn't write operas, he wrote musical dramas.
Sometimes I want to say to Wagner, "Whatever, dude."
Lohengrin has shown up to fight for the honor of a maiden. This is good, old-fashioned chivalry.
The story of Lohengrin originated in a few different places. One was as Parsfal's son in Wolfram von Eschenbach's epic poem Parsifal. The other was a group of chansons about the origins of Godfrey of Bouillon, the first ruler of the Crusader Kingdom in Jerusalem. Godfrey was one of the Nine Worthies. The Nine Worthies are a set of historic and mythic figures personifying chivalrous virtue.
All of this is to say that Lohengrin enters as a champion of justice and the personification of chivalry. Of course, his first task is to draw his sword and fight Telramund, the bad guy. This is justice through combat. Sometimes might does make right. I take that back -- most of the time, might makes right.
The music for Lohengrin's arrival begins quietly with the men singing, "Look, look." The section quickly develops with two eight-part men's choruses. The music is frantic as everyone is trying to catch a glimpse of the knight being borne up the river on a boat drawn by an enormous swan.
Once Lohengrin arrives, the music reverts to the ethereal high strings of the prelude. Lohengrin sings a farewell to his beloved swan, mostly unaccompanied and facing upstage. It is an intimate and rare moment. The audience is excluded, and the impression is that we are privileged to witness an interchange that we ought not to see.
Once the swan departs, the chorus sings a ravishing chorale about the purity and mystery of this swan knight. This music never fails to move me with its beauty and richness.
Regarding this clip: The opening music is the pedantic music of King Heinrich calling for a champion, followed by Elsa pleading for him to arrive. Lohengrin's entrance music begins around 3:30.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZsAY2ZAAE8&feature=related
Lohengrin arrives in the middle of the first act of Wagner's musical drama. Wagner claimed that he didn't write operas, he wrote musical dramas.
Sometimes I want to say to Wagner, "Whatever, dude."
Lohengrin has shown up to fight for the honor of a maiden. This is good, old-fashioned chivalry.
The story of Lohengrin originated in a few different places. One was as Parsfal's son in Wolfram von Eschenbach's epic poem Parsifal. The other was a group of chansons about the origins of Godfrey of Bouillon, the first ruler of the Crusader Kingdom in Jerusalem. Godfrey was one of the Nine Worthies. The Nine Worthies are a set of historic and mythic figures personifying chivalrous virtue.
All of this is to say that Lohengrin enters as a champion of justice and the personification of chivalry. Of course, his first task is to draw his sword and fight Telramund, the bad guy. This is justice through combat. Sometimes might does make right. I take that back -- most of the time, might makes right.
The music for Lohengrin's arrival begins quietly with the men singing, "Look, look." The section quickly develops with two eight-part men's choruses. The music is frantic as everyone is trying to catch a glimpse of the knight being borne up the river on a boat drawn by an enormous swan.
Once Lohengrin arrives, the music reverts to the ethereal high strings of the prelude. Lohengrin sings a farewell to his beloved swan, mostly unaccompanied and facing upstage. It is an intimate and rare moment. The audience is excluded, and the impression is that we are privileged to witness an interchange that we ought not to see.
Once the swan departs, the chorus sings a ravishing chorale about the purity and mystery of this swan knight. This music never fails to move me with its beauty and richness.
Regarding this clip: The opening music is the pedantic music of King Heinrich calling for a champion, followed by Elsa pleading for him to arrive. Lohengrin's entrance music begins around 3:30.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZsAY2ZAAE8&feature=related