# Tristan and Isolde: First time and sharing my experience.



## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Another thread similar to the one where I wrote down my experience watching the Ring for the first time, this will be in the same vain for T & I.

Since I haven't watched it yet my first question is what performance is best - that is availible on Youtube to watch with english subtitles? At the moment I am thinking of watching this performance conducted by Barenboim in 1983:


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

There is also this beautiful film uploaded by Tristan himself:
















Who cares if it is disturbing that they want to die when the music is so beautiful.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Sloe said:


> Who cares if it is disturbing that they want to die when the music is so beautiful.


That is not disturbing. Something like Richard Strauss' Salome is disturbing, this is majestically tragic and lovely.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

SiegendesLicht said:


> That is not disturbing. Something like Richard Strauss' Salome is disturbing, this is majestically tragic and lovely.


Some people think it is.

With Birgit Nilsson conducted by Pierre Boulez:


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Nice suggestions, but I will personally need to watch a performance with english subtitles, as I want to understand the story, not just listen to the music.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

JamieHoldham said:


> Nice suggestions, but I will personally need to watch a performance with english subtitles, as I want to understand the story, not just listen to the music.


Watch what you want I was just in inspired link mood.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

JamieHoldham said:


> Nice suggestions, but I will personally need to watch a performance with english subtitles, as I want to understand the story, not just listen to the music.


Start with the one you posted , you can always go further from there.


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Just started to watch Tristan und Isolde, the performance I originally linked for now, will post again as to my feelings once it is over


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

JamieHoldham said:


> Just started to watch Tristan und Isolde, the performance I originally linked for now, will post again as to my feelings once it is over


You can build up the suspense Jamie.....


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Just finished it, although I am very tired so I will put a detailed post up tommorow..

spoiler:








It's a extremely beautiful piece of art, it's much MUCH more than just "music".


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

JamieHoldham said:


> Just finished it, although I am very tired so I will put a detailed post up tommorow..
> 
> spoiler:
> 
> It's a extremely beautiful piece of art, it's much MUCH more than just "music".


The love duet for one ........stunning.


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

*Tristan und Isolde*
Here it is finally: in 3 parts, discussing the Prelude, then the Love Duet from Act 2, Liebestod and finally how I felt about the Opera overall. This is off tangient but related to the Opera in a way; the delay is partly because I have been finiking around doing online dating, and recently found someone nearby, similiar interests and seems like a really genuine (and beautiful) person, the intense desire of love which is featured and is such a prominent part of the storyline of Tristan und Isolde, I can now actually relate to, the desire to be loved and experience it, now I just need the Liebestod, without me being the knight in shining armor, and being stabbed by a the goon of a wealthy and powerful King 

Anyway...

Prelude:
Beginning with the Prelude, one of the best to a Opera ever created in my opinion - begins as you know with the longing motif, into the ambiguous Tristan chord, leading straight into the second motif of desire. These 3 elements are the focus for the entire work, longing and crying... desiring but never getting it as the Tristan chord repeats over and over, the desire motif being played dozens of times gives you the "desire" for the notes to resolve, all spread out through out the entire Opera.. the Prelude itself is a complex and neverending piece of art.. constant and unending harmony straight from the mind of the greatest pioneer of harmony - Wagner, the intense tension, desire and buildup makes this piece to be a very intimate experience of love in music form, for those that actually knows of love itself, the emotion, the feelings it expresses, and the struggles of finding but also keeping love is expressed in this piece to the highest point of music atonality and ambiguity. Quite simply - and not to be rude - it is the musical expression of m*sturbating (not Wagner's intention ) :lol:

Love Duet:
Onto the Love Duet, a extremely painful and tension ridden piece of the highest celestial beauty, the craving and desire the music expresses through this piece is as if you were a God, walking among the soft water crystal clouds of Earth, or you were in a dream of wanting to achieve something, but it slowly turns into a nightmare, and you can't, but back again and you desire, in this case, to love - this is what the Love Duet is, a expression and desire to love done so in a very poetic and dramatic way, so is the way of Wagner. Overall, one of my favourite parts of the entire opera, sublime in every sense.

Liebestod:
Ahh, the Love-Death scene of the final act.. as I jokingly said the Prelude is the musical form of m*asturbating, then the Liebestod is a orgasm. The reasoning for this is simple; the entire four hours of this opera is just a never ending tension of wanting to love and reach out to that person.. as the opera progresses, the desire for chords to resolve grows, and when the Liebestod finally comes and reaches the absolute climax of the work resolving the Tristan chord, you get a very powerful feeling best described as ecstacy, as the whole work slowly closes from there, quieter and quieter, slower and slower to the end.

The Opera overall:
Tristan und Isolde is a experience I will never forget, the power of love and how it is expressed in this piece through desire and longing, to the climax during the Liebestod, from start until finish this Opera is difficult in a way to listen to (in a good way), the unresolved cadences is almost like torture, but that makes the chord during the Liebestod all the more amazing to listen to. I don't know what else to say.. what can be improved upon? How can you improve such a high level of art and beauty in the form of music? I don't think you can.. and with that I rest my case, Tristan und Isolde is not just a groundbreaking Opera in terms of modern music and music theory, it is also a great Opera of the highest order, almost perfect in every way.

_J C HOLDHAM_


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Love Duet:


> Onto the Love Duet, a extremely painful and tension ridden piece of the highest celestial beauty, the craving and desire the music expresses through this piece is as if you were a God, walking among the soft water crystal clouds of Earth, or you were in a dream of wanting to achieve something, but it slowly turns into a nightmare, and you can't, but back again and you desire, in this case, to love - this is what the Love Duet is, a expression and desire to love done so in a very poetic and dramatic way, so is the way of Wagner. Overall, one of my favourite parts of the entire opera, sublime in every sense.


You are spot one.:tiphat:


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

So you liked it then?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> So you liked it then?


Take a wild guess :angel:


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Woodduck said:


> So you liked it then?


I didn't write a small essay for nothing! =P


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

It's good the first time, better the 10th


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> So you liked it then?


I felt Jamie's post was a bit ambiguous! I'd like to know how he really felt about it. :lol:


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Barbebleu said:


> I felt Jamie's post was a bit ambiguous! I'd like to know how he really felt about it. :lol:


I do like it! The story of the Opera presents itself clearly and beautifully, the music is out of this world as Wagner's music always is, the reason for the possible ambiguity in my answer is the fact that Tristan und Isolde is Wagners most experimental work, and what comes out of it is extreme chromaticism, therefore lots of tension in the music, and of course the amazing parts in the Love Duet and others where there is a really big buildup in the music which should lead straight to a major resolve in whatever the current home key is. It never happens, and that's what makes it so uneasy, restless and almost physically painful to listen to, for me - but this is what Wagner intended to express the desire for love, and the struggles that come along with it.

So I liked it, it's just difficult to listen to for a reason, that only a genius of the highest order could do. Wagner.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

JamieHoldham said:


> I do like it! The story of the Opera presents itself clearly and beautifully, the music is out of this world as Wagner's music always is, the reason for the possible ambiguity in my answer is the fact that Tristan und Isolde is Wagners most experimental work, and what comes out of it is extreme chromaticism, therefore lots of tension in the music, and of course the amazing parts in the Love Duet and others where there is a really big buildup in the music which should lead straight to a major resolve in whatever the current home key is. It never happens, and that's what makes it so uneasy, restless and almost physically painful to listen to, for me - but this is what Wagner intended to express the desire for love, and the struggles that come along with it.
> 
> So I liked it, it's just difficult to listen to for a reason, that only a genius of the highest order could do. Wagner.


I realised that Jamie. I was responding to Woodducks post and having a little gentle poke at your enthusiasm which is a great thing. Never lose your love for stuff that moves you.


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Barbebleu said:


> I realised that Jamie. I was responding to Woodducks post and having a little gentle poke at your enthusiasm which is a great thing. Never lose your love for stuff that moves you.


No offense 

Too much of anything is bad though, even enthusiasm.. you get consumed by what you love and get distracted from other things in your life


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

Sloe said:


> Some people think it is.
> 
> With Birgit Nilsson conducted by Pierre Boulez:


Coincidentally, the Brangaene in this production, Austrian contralto-mezzo soprano Hertha Töpper, is 93 years young today. Happy Birthday Hertha!

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

I've listened to the first act of a recommendation by DA, Bayreuth 1977 with Wenkoff and Ligendza. It is excellent so far. I'm very impressed with Wenkoff as Tristan. He sounds to me like Domingo with a better command of German. Ligendza is ok, if a little thin voiced in places, but so far so good. Looking forward to acts 2 and 3.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

JamieHoldham said:


> No offense
> 
> Too much of anything is bad though, even enthusiasm.. you get consumed by what you love and get distracted from other things in your life


Life is too short to waste it on "other things" - living for what you love is the most sensible way to spend it. Just sayin'. And great to see you enjoying Wagner so much :tiphat:


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

OperaDepot - 60% off everything for a week. Lohengrin is my target for today!


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