Musical Analysis of Wagner’s Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
Musical Analysis of Wagner’s *Liebestod* from *Tristan and Isolde*
Rhythm
The piece is in a regular rhythm, binary, with a 4/4 time signature (four beats per measure, with the quarter note as the unit). However, the alternating strong and weak accents that characterized Classical and early Romantic music are less evident here. Rhythmic regularity is not abandoned, but Wagner relegates it to the background, making it only faintly perceptible. This lack of a sharp distinction between strong and weak accents is balanced with extreme subtlety and complexity in rhythmic detail. This complexity is derived from the polyphonic fabric of different motifs, each equipped with its own rhythmic scheme. Examples:
- The descending motif of a double-dotted quarter note, sixteenth note, quarter note, which appears with variations from the start, as opposed to the ascending melodic motif in cellos, violas, and horns.
- The motif of two dotted quarter notes and an eighth note that stands out in the cellos from measures 120 to 122.
- The motif introduced by clarinet and violas from measure 126, composed of a quarter note, dotted eighth note, sixteenth note, and two eighth notes.
The fluid design, initiated by the violas in measure 123 and picked up later by the cellos, is based on a sixteenth rest, a sixteenth note, and a triplet of sixteenth notes. Another fundamental rhythmic component in Wagner’s music is the “rubato,” i.e., the relaxation of the tempo in constant “accelerandos” and “ritardandos.” The conductor must interpret these according to the spirit and momentum of the work, although they are not always clearly marked. Broadly speaking, Wagner suggests that the tempo should begin very moderately, and soon after, “always very calm.”
Melody
Wagner has abandoned the traditional melody style, with symmetrical periods separated by cadences. In its place, we find the “infinite melody.” This melody is formed by combining several leitmotifs, whose appearance is determined by the unfolding drama as each character is associated with an object, a feeling, or an idea. The dominant leitmotif in this passage is the “song of death,” which had already appeared in the great love duet of the second act. Wagner develops this motif, progressing towards the higher register through chromatic harmonies, bringing the excitement to the extreme limit. The “grupetto” motif of thirty-second notes, which appears on the woodwind instruments from measure 130, is also taken from the duet. It is later repeated by the voice, though with longer values, constituting the only melismatic moment in an otherwise virtually syllabic vocal line.
Texture
The texture is based on both the polyphonic interplay of various motifs and the intensely chromatic harmony. From a polyphonic perspective, we have, on the one hand, the infinite melody developed by the soprano and, on the other, several leitmotifs, very concise and concentrated, reduced to a few notes but well-characterized. These include the great “song of death” mentioned above. It is important to note that in Wagner’s mature style, the voice plays a role perfectly comparable to any other instrument in the vast orchestral fabric. From the perspective of harmony, the whole passage is characterized by the abundance of complex color changes, constant shifts in tone, and vague progressions. In this type of harmony, modulations are formed by half-tone steps in various notes of the chord. The sense of tonality is thus weakened.
Timbre
Wagner increased his staff compared to early Romanticism. String passages have up to nine staves, dividing the parts of first violins, second violins, violas, and cellos, plus double basses. In the woodwind section, the usual flutes, oboes, and clarinets are joined by the bass clarinet. The English horn is not listed at the beginning of this passage. In the brass section, we find four horns and three trombones. In addition, a harp, whose sound effects in cascades of arpeggios are typically among the most Romantic of the score, along with the tremolo of the strings. Timpani are present at the end of the score. Wagner’s orchestral color is very rich. Often the same motif appears doubled in different timbres, obtaining especially nuanced and sumptuous tones. It is, in short, a kind of timbre filling comparable to the glazing technique in painting of the time, by which the color is enriched and nuanced by the superposition of layers.
Form
We are in a scene from a musical drama. Within the general continuity of the music, seemingly without caesuras, Wagner uses the leitmotif technique to achieve unity and formal cohesion. These motifs, generally brief and focused, can, as we have seen, be combined polyphonically, developed harmoniously, and form the famous “endless melody.” The leitmotif technique provides a framework or “net” as the basis of musical form, replacing the architectural principle of balance between the parts. Theoretically, there is a complete correspondence between the symphonic fabric of the leitmotifs and the dramatic development. It is, therefore, important to consider the action taking place here: Isolde’s release through death, stripped of her individuality, opens the way for the merger with the Absolute, of which Tristan is now part. Before concluding this scene (even if the fragment is recorded for review), two important leitmotifs are still heard: “Nirvana” or “union with the All” and, right at the end, the “cause of desire” with which the work began, often repeated over the same note, and that in the final resolution for the first time in a perfect cadence.
Genre
Scenic or dramatic music.
Artistic Period
Romanticism, second half of the 19th century.
Title
Liebestod, final scene of the third act of *Tristan and Isolde*.
Author
Richard Wagner.