On Arrangements of Wagnerian Operas

Regarding arrangements of Wagnerian operas. Why are preludes and postludes often added, and why are vocal parts sometimes omitted, despite the vocals being crucial melodies? The answers lie in Wagner's innovative compositional methods, which differed from those before him.

Reasons for Additions and Omissions

First, the reason why preludes and postludes had to be added is that Wagner did not employ the form of independent recitatives and arias with distinct beginnings and endings, but rather wrote in a continuous, uninterrupted form. Consequently, when attempting to extract an aria or chorus, there are no clear breaks, making it unavoidable to create "appropriate" beginnings and endings. However, Liszt, rather than creating entirely original material, ensured that Wagner's music was not compromised by utilizing themes from other scenes within the same work.

Furthermore, Wagner did not always have the voice sing only the melody; sometimes, the vocal line would intertwine as if it were part of the orchestra, while at other times, it would be a melody entirely surrendered to the ebb and flow of the music and emotion. It is also often observed that the orchestra carries significant melodic and harmonic importance. In such instances, where the musical importance of the vocal part is relatively low, Liszt prioritized the orchestral lines in his arrangements over the vocal lines.

Liszt's Arrangement of 'Isolde's Love-Death'

In 'Isolde's Love-Death' (Liebestod), Liszt meticulously transcribed not only the structure of the piece but also every single measure, including harmonies and rhythms, for the piano. He himself referred to this arrangement method as a 'piano score.' Nevertheless, many vocal parts are omitted, and the distribution between orchestra and voice is exquisite. Liszt's genius craftsmanship, evident in his frequent use of arpeggios and tremolos, allowed him to extract melodies from both vocal and orchestral lines, preserving the musical emotion while maintaining the orchestral sound.

Liszt's Choice of Aria

Liszt arranged only one piece from this opera, but he chose the aria sung at the opera's final climax.

Synopsis of 'Tristan und Isolde'

The synopsis is as follows:

• Tristan, nephew of King Marke of Cornwall, goes to fetch Isolde, who is to become the King's queen.
• On their return journey, they accidentally drink a love potion, and Tristan and Isolde fall in love.
• They continue to meet secretly after returning to the kingdom, but are discovered by the King, and Tristan is gravely wounded and returns to his homeland.
• Isolde follows Tristan, but he unfortunately dies in her arms.
• Isolde then sings of love-death in ecstasy and herself expires.

This piece is dramatic, as love is ultimately fulfilled through death.

Musical Significance of 'Tristan und Isolde'

It is said that Wagner's tragic love with Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of his friend, is projected onto 'Tristan und Isolde.' An unfulfilled, infinite longing is expressed through a continuous succession of chromatic harmonies. Furthermore, the 'Prelude to Act I' is well-known for its use of the Tristan chord, which changed music history and directly triggered the breakdown of tonality.