Tristan And Isolde Essay

Wagner recreated the spirit of Greek tragedy by creating the perfect blend of Dionysiac music and Apolline myth. Greek tragedy was the microcosmic representation of life as it incorporated multiple arts at one time: poetry, instruments, music, costumes, dance and more. However, the era in which Wagner was harnessing his musical talents and artistic skills, the Christian religion had taken over the art community, to which Wagner clearly expressed his opposition as he states,
“In effect, this religion was, as it was bound to be, anti-art. The alienation of man from his own nature, especially his emotional nature; the all-pervading hypocrisy to which this gave rise throughout the Christian era; the devaluation of life and the world
It was what the audience wanted. The bourgeoisie and nobility did not want to waste their time watching stretched out storylines, but wanted basic entertainment-- something to take their mind off of the busy work days. Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde “represent[ed] an antithesis to the modern rationalism and decadence exemplified above all conventions of the Italian opera.” The incorporation of the English horn across the many preludes throughout the opera, for its pastoral association, and the improvisatory solos on top of the traditional bar forms and formal structure of orchestral music shows Wagner’s attempt to imitate a medieval design, “it broke down the rules of harmony, emancipated dissonance, unleashed atonality and set the foundations, four decades early, for the musical 20th century.” With its transgressive musical programme, full of chromatic chords, scales, harmonies, and the arduous demand from both musicians and singers, no wonder the reception of Tristan and Isolde had already been surrounded with doubt, expecting that it “could lead to its inevitable collapse.” In addition, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde was deemed physically dangerous, decreasing the amount of willing singers to take on the roles of the main protagonists, Tristan and Isolde. Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld, who played the role of Tristan, died just after four performances. Although, the opera could not have been the
The fracture in his self-confidence, one that he openly confesses, marks the first obstacle he must conquer-- his own doubt. Not only did he state that only a madman could have thought of creating Tristan und Isolde, but he confesses such a statement as he was writing the last act. The opera had not even attempted to be brought to life yet. One could tell when a composer was confident or not in his works. If the composer had deemed his opera insane, those in his inner circle and eventually the general audience would also be prone to feed off of the energy Wagner exuded. The more Wagner doubted himself and the future outcome of the production, the further he would have strayed from his initial line of sight. Either to compensate for sections in the opera that he does not seem fully satisfied with, or to adapt scenes and/or scores enough to seem fit for the current orchestra and actors to perform, Wagner would have done what he could, either mentally or through his works, to convince himself that his Tristan und Isolde was indeed a force to be reckoned