Walküre extracts - Wagner note

The following notes by Richard Wagner are reprinted from the programme for a concert of extracts from his operas sponsored by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in Munich on 11 December 1869

The Ride of the Valkyries

The scene represents a rocky mountain summit. Dark clouds fly past the rocks as though driven by the storm, lightening flickering in them; a Valkyrie on horseback appears, the body of a warrior slung over her saddle. More and more Valkyries enter in the same way, greeting each other with wild cries of joy from near and far. Eventually, they all find their way to the summit of what the saga will later identify as Brünnhilde’s Rock, putting their horses to grass and praising each other for the prizes they have brought. These prizes are the bodies of heroes slain in combat and picked up on the battlefield. They are taking them to Valhalla where they will be re-awakend by Wotan, the battle father, and splendidly entertained by the Valkyries as handmaidens.

Wotan’s Farewell and Magic Fire

The Valkyrie Brünnhilde, Wotan’s dearest handmaiden, had originally been ordered by him, the god of battle, to award Siegmund victory over Hunding. He later decided to sacrifice his favoured hero to higher considerations and had therefore taken back his order to the Valkyrie. She, moved by sublime compassion (and believing that this was what Wotan really wanted), dared to defend the man who had been entrusted to her protection. Angered by this, Wotan hunts out the disobedient Valkyrie in order to punish her. She seeks refuge on the Valkyries’ rock from the battle god in pursuit of her; he catches up with her here and, separated from the sisterly band of Valkyries, she submits herself to receiving her punishment. She is to be isolated on the rock, plunged into sleep and destined to be the wife of the first man who finds her and wakes her. Dismayed by the shame which threatens her, she pleads at least for a guarantee that she could never be made to belong to a cowardly braggart. He refuses to have any responsibility for what might happen to her in the future. She falls to her knees in despair; embracing Wotan’s knees, she beseeches him with a heartbreaking plea not to dishonour himself by disgracing one with whom he had been so intimately associated in the past: he could at least surround her, in her vulnerable sleep, with some terrifying obstacle; he should order a fire to blaze, to rage round the rock, its flaming tongue to lick and its burning teeth to bite the impudent coward who would dare to approach the dreadful rock. Deeply moved by this despairing plea, Wotan’s heart flares up with love for his dearest child; he draws her to himself and looks with sublime emotion into her eyes. He kisses her on both eyes, which remain closed from then on; she sinks gently backwards into his arms. He takes her to the mossy bank where she is to lie. Once more he looks into her face and closes her helmet; then his eyes linger sadly on her body which he finally covers with the Valkyrie’s long steel shield. He strides away, turns round once more and approaches with solemn decision a boulder which he touches with the point of his spear.