Topmusicanswers
Donington (Wagner's 'Ring' and its Symbols, Faber, 1963) gives 91 motifs, ordered by their groupings and relationships. Mann (in his translation of the texts, for the Friends of Covent Garden, 1964) gives 73, numbered roughly in order of first appearance.
- How long is the full Ring cycle?
- What is one of the most crucial leitmotifs in the entire Ring cycle?
- What are leitmotifs in the operas by Wagner?
- How long is the Ring Cycle opera?
How long is the full Ring cycle?
Yes, the “Ring” cycle lasts 17 hours. But that's over several days, with days off between each of the four operas and long breaks after every act. By today's standards, Wagnerians are wimps.
What is one of the most crucial leitmotifs in the entire Ring cycle?
Whenever the sword, one of the most crucial elements in the “Ring,” is seen or discussed or even thought about, a brief martial, heroic melody peals out in the brass: the sword motive. It's like a musical name tag. The theme begins as an unspoken idea of Wotan, the king of the gods.
What are leitmotifs in the operas by Wagner?
One of Wagner's greatest gifts to music was the Leitmotif. Simply put, it's a musical signature designed to represent a character or theme in an opera, and he uses them throughout his operas. Modern film composers have since adopted the technique, and you'll find countless examples across many Hollywood scores.
How long is the Ring Cycle opera?
The cycle is a work of extraordinary scale. Perhaps the most outstanding facet of the monumental work is its sheer length: a full performance of the cycle takes place over four nights at the opera, with a total playing time of about 15 hours, depending on the conductor's pacing.
