# Forget the overtures: beautiful moments of singing in Wagner



## Clairvoyance Enough (Jul 25, 2014)

More than once I've heard people say things like "Wagner is good until the screaming starts." I've been that person before and still become that person at certain points in his music dramas, I'm ashamed to admit. The purpose of this thread is to counter that misconception with a favorite moment of singing from his operas, however the following suggestions are off limits!

- Love duet and Liebestod from Tristan
- Donner summoning the thunderstorm from Rheingold
- The Notung song from Siegfried
- Siegmund's love song
- All choruses
- Meistersinger quintet

I'm only barring these because if this thread only gets a few responses I don't want it to be these usual suspects. It would be against the spirit of this thread if we all posted the same 3 or 4 moments (I might suggest some "cliches" myself on accident because I'm no Wagner expert). I'm familiar with large chunks of this music but I have a lot to discover. :tiphat:


----------



## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

The duet of Siegfried and Brünnhilde at the finale of Siegfried. 
And another duet of them in the prologue to Götterdämmerung.


----------



## Faustian (Feb 8, 2015)

Just a few off the top of my head:

Good Friday Music from Parsifal (forward to about 1:45 in this clip):






Walther's Prize song from Die Meistersinger:






Elisabeth's aria "Dich, teure Halle" from Tannhauser:


----------



## Faustian (Feb 8, 2015)

SiegendesLicht said:


> The duet of Siegfried and Brünnhilde at the finale of Siegfried.
> And another duet of them in the prologue to Götterdämmerung.


Ah yes, the duet at the beginning of Gotterdammerung is particularly ravishing!


----------



## Clairvoyance Enough (Jul 25, 2014)

I'm going to highlight a favorite moment from the 2nd act of Die Walkure, often overlooked by the other two. If you know nothing about the story I recommend you read the wiki summary of Act 2 for context, but it's not totally necessary. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Walk%C3%BCre#Act_2

TL;DR After an argument with his wife, Wotan has reluctantly agreed to murder his illegitimate son and in this scene his daughter is reassuring her loyalty and promising to help him. Libretto link http://www.rwagner.net/libretti/walkure/e-walk-a2s2.html

My favorite version of the scene. My favorite part of my favorite version starts at 4:00


----------



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)




----------



## Clairvoyance Enough (Jul 25, 2014)

Tristan and Isolde http://www.rwagner.net/libretti/tristan/e-tristan-a2s1.html






Magical aching heart tears at 2:30


----------



## Magnum Miserium (Aug 15, 2016)

The beginning of the Flieder-monologue.


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

From Gurnemanz's monologue, Act One, Parsifal.

Some of the most noble, beautiful music ever written.


----------



## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Brangane's Night Call
Love Duet from Lohengrin
"In fernem Land" from Lohengrin


----------



## EarthBoundRules (Sep 25, 2011)

The entire first scene of _Das Rheingold_. Yes, all of it.


----------



## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

*Rienzi*
Rienzi's prayer

*Tannhäuser)*
Elisabeth's prayer
The Hymn to the Evening Star

*Lohengrin*
Elsa's Dream
The Elsa / Ortrud scene in Act II

*Die Walküre*
Wotan's Farewell

*Meistersinger*
Wahn! Wahn! Überall, Wahn!

*Parsifal*
Vom Bade kehrt der König heim
Nur eine Waffe taugt


----------



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

EarthBoundRules said:


> The entire first scene of _Das Rheingold_. Yes, all of it.


Oh, yes, I really like the Rhinemaiden scene.
I second In Fernem Land as well


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

SimonTemplar said:


> *Rienzi*
> Rienzi's prayer
> 
> *Tannhäuser)*
> ...


I second those .


----------



## Eddy Rodgers K (Feb 12, 2017)

I have the line "Rheingold, rheingold," from the Rinemaidens stuck in my head.

I think the ending of Das Rheingold, when the maidens wail, is magnificent. I'm listening to it right now.


----------



## malvinrisan (Feb 17, 2017)

*Tannhäuser*
Entry of the guests

*Siegfried*
Forest Murmurs

*Götterdämmerung*
Act 3: Siegfried and the Rhinemaidens

*Meistersinger*
Am Stillen Herd


----------

