Thomas Nordquist

Due: January 11, 2021

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, “Liebestod”

Summary of the composition (1188)

This composition being with an A-flat chord played in the cellos and contrabass with tremolo being
played on the cello. The voice and bass clarinet play a two-measure motif with the trombones entering
with half notes in the last measure of the motif. The clarinet joins in with the motif as the violas join in
with tremolos with the cello. The trombones enter again as in the last motif before cutting off. The voice
continues singing on the off beat then back on the beat. The horns then enter with the third horn playing
the first measure of the motif before it moves and the violins passing it between the violin section for
three measures. The rest of the horns play half notes with a dotted eighth-sixteenth pattern. The voice
continues with the alternating off beat-on beat pattern before cutting off. The trombones enter with a
half notes moving in conjunct motion. The first horn plays in disjunct motion before ending conjunctly.
The woodwinds and horns enter again playing whole notes and half notes all moving in a conjunct
manner, while the violins then continue playing tremolos along with the violas. The cellos continue
playing quarter notes and dotted quarter-eighth noted in conjunct motion, while the harp enters with a
disjunct sixteenth notes and eight note runs. The voice then enters descending in a conjunct motion
before finishing the phrase in a disjunct motion. The music then changes to the key of B major and
continues with the contrabass and cello playing a F sharp, then descending in a conjunct motion. The
third and fourth horn enter with the two-bar motif from the beginning, then the motif is played by the
clarinets, while the bassoons enter playing half notes in a conjunct motion. The violas start playing
triplet figures in disjunct motion before the figure is moved and played in the violins. The triplet figure
stays within the violins, while the oboe, clarinets, and violins begin a new motif consisting of quarter
notes and dotted eighth-sixteenth patterns that move in conjunct motion. Meanwhile the voice moves in
a disjunct manner above the orchestra. The bassoon and contrabass enter with a conjunct ascending
bassline, while the horns play a counter melody. The cello then enters again, after being in unison with
the contrabass, with the original motif. The clarinet then comes in playing a new motif of eighth-
sixteenth note patterns that is passed around to the other sections. The triplet passage is now played
within the violas, while the original motif is passed around the cello and the clarinets being in unison
with the horns. The harp joins back in with a chord then with a run spelling out triads, while the oboe
plays an ascending half note passage in a conjunct motion. The flute and oboe join in with the first
measure of the first motif, with the oboe and clarinet playing a descending triad ending the phrase with a
conjunct motion. The first motif is then repeated by other sections in full, while the violas play a disjunct
phrase in sixteenth notes. The violins interject with the third motif, before ending the phrase with
tremolos along with the cellos, violas, and contrabasses. The oboes, clarinets, and English horn come in
playing a half note-dotted quarter-eighth note passage at a piano dynamic marking with a crescendo to
the next measure where they are joined by the horns, bassoons, and bass clarinet. The flute and voice
play the melody in unison, along with the first violin playing the phrase with tremolo, while a
countermelody is played in the cellos, bassoons, and third horn. The clarinet interjects into the melody,
while the harp continues playing runs that spell out different triads. The rest of the strings are playing
half notes with tremolo underneath the rest of the orchestra. The violas and first violins play a new motif
consisting of eighth-thirty-second-sixteenth note passage in a conjunct motion with a disjunct interval.
This new motif is then passed around the string section for the next five measures. The winds and the
other strings pass around a half note-eighth notes passage that descends in a conjunct motion. The voice
alternates between the two different passages before singing a quarter-eighth-dotted quarter-eighth
pattern in an ascending conjunct motion along with the violins. The rest of the strings play half notes
with tremolo before the third and fourth violins play a sixteenth note run with the first and second
violins finishing the run. The horns enter playing half notes, with the bassoon entering two beats after
them with a dotted quarter-eighth passage that is passed onto the English horn. The second and 3rd
bassoon enter with the bass clarinet descending in conjunct motion, while the flutes and oboes begin the
melody, with the violins joining them. The violas and cellos play an off-beat rhythm consisting of dotted
eighth notes throughout the measure in a disjunct manner. The rest of the sections play in conjunct
manner with dotted quarter-eighths, half notes, and quarter notes. The voice follows along with the
melody, though not singing the entire passage. The first violins, English horn, and third horn continue
with the melody\y, with the clarinet, first horn, and second violins being added. The first clarinet,
bassoons, and bass clarinet play a half note passage playing in a conjunct motion. The bassoons and bass
clarinet cut off after three measures, and the trumpets and trombones enter with the conjunct passage.
This passage is passed between the two groups while the melody is assed from the second and third
clarinet, English horn, and first horn to the flutes and first clarinet. The first horn, oboes, and second
flutes enter with a dotted quarter-eighth note pattern to a half not in a descending conjunct motion before
ascending in the same motion. The oboes and English horn join with the melody, with the other wind
voices playing chords in whole notes. The violins, violas, and cellos continue with the dotted eighth
patterns, while the voice sings a disjunct countermelody. The flutes, oboe, and English horn continue
playing a half note followed by two eighth notes and a dotted eighth-sixteenth pattern, while the other
voices continue to play whole note chords. The strings stop playing the dotted eighth figure and continue
with playing tremolo dotted half notes and quarter notes. The harp plays sixteenth note runs that spell
out triads. The first flutes, first oboes, and second clarinets enter with the last instance of the melody,
while the second oboes, second flutes, first clarinets, and horns play half notes in conjunct motion with
the bassoons playing whole notes underneath. The violins play the melody a measure after the other
voices, while the violas and cellos play pizzicato eighth notes on the down beats. The oboes and English
horn then play an ascending conjunct motion passage before playing whole notes with the rest of the
winds. The violas and cellos play half notes with tremolo with the violins playing whole notes. The
piece ends out with the orchestra playing a B major chord under a fermata that crescendos and
decrescendos before cutting off ending the piece.

Relevance to the current CH materials (68)

This composition is relevant to the current chapter materials in that they use plenty of extended tertian
chords and color tones. The harmonies seem to have a goal in mind and the extended tertian chords try
and delay the goal through giving more depth and more ways to resolve these chords. These extended
chords also are a reason of the unique harmonies that are present in this piece.

Opinion of the composition (34)

I enjoyed this piece. I personally like Wagner pieces, especially the operas. I really enjoyed that there
was a harmonic goal to this piece, and it is not just wandering around with no goal.

Composer biographic information (60)

Dates: Wagner was born on May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, Germany and died in February 13, 1883 in
Venice, Italy
Country of Origin: Wagner was born in Germany and was a German composer.
Two famous/representative pieces:
1. Tristan and Isolde (1865)
2. The Ring of the Nibelung (1896-76)
One interesting fact: Wagner invented leitmotifs that would arise naturally as expressive vocal
phrases and be developed by the orchestra (Britannica).
WCP1 WCP2 P1+P2= WCP3 WCP4 Total WC
>85 >65 >200 20-40 40-100 260-460

1188 68 1256 34 60 1350