Leitmotif

Leitmotif or "Leading Musical Motif" is a term for a series of ever-recurring, ever-changing musical themes that appear in the Ring cycle and are associated with narrative elements such as characters, places, objects, events, and ideas.

In theoretical essays such as "Opera and Drama" which predate the proper composition of the Ring, Wagner had posited the use of "malleable natural musical motives" and "basic musical motives" that will serve as "emotional moments of memory or of presentiment" - i.e. they either make us remember earlier appearances, or set-up future appearances. He also called them "melodic elements", "fundemental themes" and "principal motives."

Wagner's intention was that these motives and their variants would comprise the entirety of the score of the Ring, rather than having one or two "reminiscence themes" as was the practice in previous operas, such as Wagner's own Lohengrin, which has only a couple of themes that appear sporadically through the opera, and which do not undergo any major change.

Wagner will have sketched a couple of these themes on their own, before he got into the scoring process, what with the theme of the Valkyries having first been used in early drafts to score the Norn scene. Wagner originally designated the motives to appear in the vocal line, first, but during the composition a great many of them ended up appearing in the orchestra, and often early on in hidden "embryonic" forms that presage the first definitive appearance of the motive.

The term "leitmotiv" had become popularized during Wagner's lifetime, both in referring to his works and to the use of "reminiscence themes" by previous composers such as Carl Maria von Weber. It was ultimately canonized by Hans von Bulow, who wrote a menu of leitmotives for Wagner's own Bayreuth Newsletter. Wagner would later begrudingly refer to them as "so-called 'leitmotives'." Nevertheless, he did make indications as for the naming of a few of them, including the "redemption motive", "renounciation motive" and pointing out the development of what he described as the "Rhinedaughters' motive" to Bulow. He also told Cosima that the theme he gave to Sieglinde singing the praises of Brunhilde was concieved as "Glorification of Brunhilde" and "hymn for fallen heroes."

The definition of the leitmotif varies: where one commentator may list a single leitmotif, another comentator can break the same melodic phrase into several discrete parts and list them as individual motives, as well as several variants to create a much longer list of motives. Some commentators deem some of the motives to be "incidental." Therefore, the number of leitmotives identified in the score varies from some 67 motives (as identified by Millington), through 120 (as identified by Monte Stone) to as many as 261 (as identified by Stefan Mickisch). Most recent lists, such as those compiled by Paul Heise or Roger Scruton, sit at around 180 leitmotives.

The use of the motives is highly varied and becomes more sophisticated as the cycle continues into its second half, beginning with act three of Siegfried. The theme of Wotan's Spear is also used to denote the sanctity of contracts which Wotan's spear ensures, and also to denote the will of Wotan. They are also used to create parallels or make connections: the sword theme is used for Wotan being seized by the thought of a name for his new castle, not because it has anything to do with the sword, but so that we connect the sword back to Wotan as we hear its theme in the first act of the subsequent opera, Die Walkure. The Renounciation motif appears for Siegmund's pulling Notung out of the tree so as to create a parallel and thereby contrast with Alberich from the previous evening.

Indeed, some the motives subtly change their associative meaning in the second half of the Ring: the theme that was associated specifically with the Rhinegold, becomes in the Third Act of Siegfried a more generalized "joy" theme, recalling the joyous call of the Rhinedaughters for the gold. Occasionally, too, the themes seem to be used purely for affect: like the use of the Tarnhelm motive when Waltraute tells Brunhilde that Wotan returned home with the spear in splinters.

The leitmotives are interconnected and can be divided into sets and subsets of related and contrasting themes. All themes to do with nature, for instance, are related; and they oppose the themes associated with the Ring and the world of corruption, which are all related as well. As the Ring cycle continues, the motives become interwoven and confused with one another. They are also associated with certain orchestral colours, with the Valhalla motive closely associated with the Wagnertuben, while the sword is closely associated with the trumpet.

Leitmotif families

 * 1) Nature Themes: based on the major E-flat chord theme ("Primal Nature") heard in the beginning of the cycle. Through arpeggiations and changes of rhythm and chord, nature envelopes a large number of motives including the Rhine music, all of the Rhinedaughter material, all the music associated with the magic gold, descriptive music associated with both the Rhine and the forests around Neidhole, etc...
 * 2) Gods: A subset of the Nature family of themes are the themes associated with the Gods, including the music of Valhalla and the Valkyries.
 * 3) Heroism and Manhood: Nature themes featuring a falling octave are associated with heroism, starting with the sword theme and continuing with the themes of the Walsungs and Siegfried's and their banal counterpart, the Gibichungs.
 * 4) Corruption: This family of themes is associated with the Ring and the world of corruption, and directly opposed the nature themes. Its based on the diminished ninth chords that characterize the Ring theme.
 * 5) Authority: Based on the falling scale that forms the theme of Wotan's Spear, which is a tool of authority and pacts. It spans many themes including some of Hunding's material, Wotna's frustration, but also Wotan's love of his children and even some of the later love music in the cycle.
 * 6) Magic: Based on the Median chord relationship first introduced in Loge's fire music, but especially in the music associated with the Tarnhelm.
 * 7) Womankind: A couple of themes in the Ring, beginning with Fricka's desire for domestic bliss, feature a falling seventh interval which becomes associated with women and also forms Brunhilde's theme and the final redemption theme of the cycle.
 * 8) Love themes: Based on a three-note cell that becomes associated with Freia, the goodess of love. It appears in many variations and extensions, and also forms the love theme of Siegfried and Brunhilde's.