t is with some trepidation that I offer, as a supplement to the precedingarticle, yet another list of motives in the Tetralogy. In mitigation I can only plead that this is my list and I offer it for what it might be worth. It was made by distillation and reconciliation of many lists provided by commentators on the four-part drama. I have included all of the motives identified by Dr. Allen Dunning (178), all of those listed by Wolzogen (90-91), all of those discussed in Sabor's Commentary (80), most of the motives discussed by Stone on hisRing Disc (124) and others gleaned from books respectively by Ernest Newman, Albert Lavignac, Spencer and Millington, Robert Donington, and more recently Roger Scruton (whose list includes most of the motives listed by Dunning). Not least, I have included all of the motives discussed by Deryck Cooke in his books and recordings. The resulting consolidated list includes around 84 musical motives (the same number that were described by Albert Lavignac, see below) that might be classified as "leading motives", just over 100 other motives that are incidental but nonetheless interesting, and a few from Dunning's list that in my view are not well-defined motives or trivial.
he names that I have chosen to provide in the column headedSuggested Name were variously selected from traditional names (some of them originating with Wolzogen) and from those given by later commentators such as Newman, Cooke, Holman, Stone and Sabor. In some cases I have combined names from different sources: for example, AD#71 I have calledSieglinde's Compassion. Several commentators have called this motif "Sieglinde" but to make it more specific I have taken "Compassion" from Lavignac. In a few cases I have been able to suggest a name that was used by Wagner himself, according to Porges or Cosima.
here is not enough space on this web-page for musical examples. The reader should be able to find examples in the sources that I have referenced in the tables below, namely:
AD: Dr. Allen Dunning's webpages are no longer online. Paul Heise has taken over Allen's material and included in hisWagnerheim. On this website Paul has published his book, in which he presents a consistently Feuerbachian interpretation of theRing.
SM: Stewart Spencer's and Barry Millington's translation and commentary onWagner's Ring of the Nibelung, pages 17-24Thematic Guide contains examples of the core Leitmotive. There is a general consensus among commentators that these are leading motives, although most commentators argue for a few more that are not universally accepted as "leading".
Cooke: Deryck Cooke'sAn Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen was recorded to accompany the Decca/Solti/VPO recording of the Tetralogy. Originally it was issued on LP's and it is now available as a CD set: Decca 443 581-2. Musical examples are provided in the booklet.
JKH: J.K. Holman'sWagner's Ring: A Listener's Companion and Concordance is an indispensable guide for everyone interested in the Tetralogy and it should be of enormous help to anyone experiencing the work for the first time. Chapter 3 is devoted to "The Music" and contains a discussion of 145 motives and motivic complexes. I find Holman's list rather eclectic but I have included most of his motives, and in some cases accepted his suggested names, in my own list below.
Stone: I have tried to identify in my list the motives as named by Monte Stone and included his names for them in a column of each table below. It might be difficult to find his interactive CDThe Ring Disc which although 20 years old, and no longer leading-edge technology, is still a useful study aid. The CD contains a very compressed, complete but monophonic version of the Solti/Decca/VPO recording which is synchronized with the vocal score. Each motif is identified as it appears and there is a reference guide to the motives, in which Monte presents a detailed and insightful analysis of each one.
Sabor: Rudolph Sabor's poetic translation of theRing poem (libretto) is in my view the best English translation of the work. In hisTranslation and Commentary (Phaidon Press, 5 volumes) Sabor provides a discussion of the leading motives prefacing each scene or act, and in the Commentary volume he presents a complete list of motives with musical examples and an analysis of the music. Sabor gave a short name (in English or German) to each of the leading motives (which in his list are a few more than S+M had listed). I have shown Sabor's name for each of his 80 leading motives in a column of each table below.
xamples of the leading motives (and some incidental motives too) can be found on YouTube: includingthis set of 98 musical examples from Jason Pano, which principally uses the names given to the motives by Rudolph Sabor andanother set with 127 examples, which uses more traditional names.
Das Rheingold
ome of the musical motives that are introduced inDas Rheingold will return in the later operas of the cycle. Limited space on this page does not allow me to continue the table immediately below into the later operas, so I have only shown in which scenes of the first opera the motives appear. To fill this gap, at the bottom of this page I have included the big table from the English translation of Albert Lavignac's book, which shows the occurrences of 84 motives through the entire cycle.
well as the return of motives heard earlier, later operas in the cycle present variants of motives first heard inDas Rheingold and new motives that Wagner developed from the material of this first opera, which is a kind of "exposition" for theRing.
ID
AD#
SM#
Cooke #
JKH#
Suggested name
M. Stone name
R. Sabor name
Sc. 1
Sc. 2
Sc. 3
Sc. 4
1
1
1a
5
1
Genesis
Nature Arpeggios
Genesis
*
2
2
1b
6
2
Nature
-
-
*
3
3
1c
7
3
River Rhine
Rhine
-
*
4
4
2
22
4
Woglinde's Lullaby
Rhinedaughters' Song
Innocence
*
*
5
-
-
-
5
Flosshilde's Warning
-
-
*
6
5
3
97, 36
7
Woe / Grief
Woe
Grief
*
*
*
*
7
-
-
-
-
"die Dritte, so traut"
-
Liebesnot (embryonic)
*
8
6
-
-
-
Alberich's Pursuit
-
-
*
9
7
-
165
6
Alberich on the rocks
Alberich
Alberich
*
*
10
8
-
-
-
Feminine Allure
-
-
*
11
-
-
-
-
Rhinedaughters' Mockery
Mockery
-
*
12
9
-
-
-
Alberich's Fury
Alberich's Fury
-
*
13
10
-
-
-
Rhinedaughters' Taunt
Rhinedaughters' Taunt
-
*
14
11
-
14
8
Shimmering
Water Murmurs
-
*
15
12
4
17
9
Gold
Gold Fanfare
Rhinegold
*
*
*
16
13
5b
26b, 29
10
Heiajaheia
Heiajaheia
-
*
*
*
*
17
14
-
-
-
Nature in Motion
-
-
*
18
15
5a
26a
11
Joy in the Gold
Joy
Joy
*
*
19
16
-
-
-
Adoration
Adoration
-
*
*
*
*
20
17
6
39, 40
12
World's Wealth
Ring (embryonic)
*
*
*
*
21
18
7
80
13, 59
Renunciation of Love
Love-Curse
Liebe-Tragik (1)
*
*
22
19
6
41, 42
-
Ring, definitive form
Ring (definitive)
Ring
*
*
*
*
23
20
8
57-61
14
Valhalla (complex)
Valhalla
Walhall + Crisis
*
*
*
24
21
9
63
24
Spear
Spear
Treaty
*
*
29
26
11
162
17
Giants
Giants
Giants
*
*
*
25
22
-
-
-
Love Longing
Love Longing
-
*
26
23
-
147
15
Love's Bond
Love's Enchantment
Enchantment
*
27
24
10a
93
16a
Freia
Freia (a)
Freia
*
*
*
28
25
10b
92
16b
"Flight"
Freia (b)
Liebesnot (definitive)
*
*
*
30
-
-
-
-
Deception
-
-
*
31
27
-
64
-
Irrevocable Law
-
-
*
32
28
12
65
19
Treaty with the Giants
Contract
Troth
*
*
33
-
-
66-68
18
Power of the Gods
-
-
*
34
-
-
93
20
Fasolt's Love Song
-
-
*
35
29
13
2
21
Golden Apples of Eternal Youth
Golden Apples
Golden Apples
*
*
36
30
-
-
22
Withering
-
-
*
37
31
-
-
23
Froh
-
-
*
38
32
-
-
-
Donner's Wrath
*
39
33
14b
-
25a
Loge
Loge (1)
Loge
*
*
*
40
34
-
-
25b
Flickering Flames
Loge (2)
-
*
41
35
14a
-
25c
Magic Fire
Loge (3)
-
*
42
36
-
-
26
Loge's Craft
-
-
*
43
37
-
84
27
Woman's Worth
Lovelessness
Liebe-Tragik (2)
*
*
*
44
38
-
-
-
Nature Weaving
-
-
*
45
39
-
95
-
Descent to Nibelheim
-
-
*
46
40
10b
99
-
Tragic Love
-
-
*
47
41
15
32
28
Nibelung Forging
-
Forge
*
*
*
48
-
-
-
-
Mime's Anguish
Mime's Wail
-
*
49
42
16
153
29
Tarnhelm
Tarnhelm
Tarnhelm
*
*
50
43
-
-
-
Transformation
-
-
*
51
44
17
-
-
Mime's Scheming
Brooding (1)
-
*
*
52
45
-
47,190
31
Power of the Ring
Tyranny
Gold's Dominion
*
*
53
46
-
53
33
Nibelung Hoard
Hoard
Treasure
*
*
54
47
-
-
-
Alberich's Rebellion
Alberich's Hubris
-
*
55
-
-
-
-
Arrogance of Power
Impudence
Arrogance
*
*
56
48
18
54, 55
32
Serpent
Dragon
Dragon
*
*
57
49
-
-
-
Toad
-
-
*
58
50
-
46
34
Resentment / Hatred
Angst
Nibelungen Hate
*
59
51
19
50
35
Alberich's Curse on the Ring
Alberich's Curse
Curse
*
60
52
-
-
-
Death Devoted
-
-
*
61
53
20
8,190
36
Erda
Erda
Erda
*
62
54
21
11
37
Downfall
Gods' Twilight
Götterdämmerung
*
63
55
22
18
38
Donner's Thunder
Donner
Thunder
*
64
56
-
19
39
Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow
*
65
57
23
21,122
40
Wotan's Grand Idea
Sword
Sword
*
66
58
-
123
53
Purpose of the Sword
Purpose of the Sword
-
*
67
59
5c
27, 28
41
Rhinemaidens' Lament
Rhinedaughters' Lament
-
*
Die Walküre
ome motives that were introduced inDas Rheingold also appear inDie Walküre. The table below shows when new motives are heard in this opera alone. Some of these "new" motives are really variants of those that were first heard inDas Rheingold.
ID
AD#
SM#
Cooke #
JKH#
Suggested name
M. Stone name
R. Sabor name
Prel Act1
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
68
60
-
70,175
43
Storm
Storm
Storm
*
*
*
69
61
-
-
-
Lightning
Lightning
-
*
70
62
24
71
44
Siegmund's Fatigue
Siegmund's Fatigue
Siegmund
*
71
63
25
72
45
Sieglinde's Compassion
Sieglinde
Sieglinde
*
*
72
64
26
94
46
The Basic Love Motive
Love
Liebesnot
*
*
*
73
65
-
-
-
Siegmund's Misfortune
Siegmund's Misfortune
-
*
74
66
27
106,107
47
Volsung Woe
Suffering
Wälsung Ordeal
*
*
75
67
28
1
48
Hunding
Hunding
Hunding
*
*
76
68
-
51
-
Hunding's Rights
Rules of the Game
Atonement
*
77
69
-
-
50
Maiden's Grief
-
-
*
78
-
-
-
-
Hunding's Suspicion
Hunding's Suspicion
-
*
79
70
-
117a
-
Infinite Sorrow of the Volsungs
Peace
-
*
80
71
29
117b
51
Volsung Race
Wälsung Motif
Wälsungen
*
*
81
72
-
-
55
Triumph
Recognition
-
*
82
73
-
108
56
Spring Song
Winterstürme Melody
-
*
*
83
74
-
-
58
Bliss
Bliss
-
*
*
84
75
-
-
57
Delight
Rapture
-
*
85
76
-
-
-
Entwining
-
-
*
86
-
23b
126,127
60
Nothung
Nothung
Nothung
*
*
87
77
30
116
61
Valkyries/ Brünnhilde
Valkyrie
Ride
*
*
88
78
31
-
62
Battle Cry
Battle Cry
Valkyrie Cry
*
*
89
-
-
-
-
Fricka's Rams
-
-
*
90
79
-
-
63
Fricka's Anger
Fricka
-
*
91
-
-
-
-
Fricka's Dignity
-
-
*
92
80
-
131
64
Fricka's Reproach
-
-
*
93
81
32a
73-77
65
Wotan's Frustration
Frustration
Wotan's Frustration
*
*
94
82
-
76
-
Wotan's Revolt
-
-
*
95
83
32b
181
66
Distress of the Gods
Gods' Distress
-
*
*
96
-
-
-
-
Nibelung Son
Son of Darkness
-
*
97
84
-
-
-
First Motive of Wotan's Anger
Wotan's Bitterness
-
*
98
85
-
-
67
Second Motive of Wotan's Anger
Wotan's Rage
-
*
*
99
86
-
-
68
Hunding's Pursuit
-
-
*
100
87
34
158-160
69
Fate
Fate
Fate
*
*
101
88
33
119
70
Annunciation of Death
Judgement
Death
*
*
102
-
-
-
-
Crisis
-
Crisis
*
*
103
89
-
-
-
Siegmund's Rebellion
Siegmund's Rebellion
Siegmund's Rebellion
*
104
90
-
-
71
Sympathy for the Volsungs
Brünnhilde's Compassion
-
*
105
-
-
-
-
Sieglinde's Dream
-
-
*
106
91
-
184
-
Riding
Ride
-
*
107
92
35
120
72
Siegfried the Hero
Siegfried
Siegfried
*
108
93
36
-
73
Glorification of Brünnhilde (RW)
Redemption
Assurance
*
109
94
-
-
-
Brünnhilde's Punishment
-
-
*
110
95
-
-
-
The Valkyries' Protest
-
-
*
111
-
-
-
-
Judgement of Brünnhilde
-
-
*
112
96
37
78
74
Brünnhilde's Reproach
Love's Triumph
Wotan's Child
*
113
-
-
79
75
Brünnhilde's Love for Wotan
-
-
*
114
97
38
156
76
Magic Sleep
Magic Sleep
Oblivion
*
115
98
39
25
77
Sleeping Brünnhilde
Assurance (inversion is Fear)
Sanctuary
*
116
99
-
109
78
Wotan's Love for Brünnhilde
Wotan's Sadness
Wotan's Farewell
*
117
100
-
151,152
-
Magic Fire (2nd version)
Magic Fire
Magic Fire
*
Siegfried
ome motives that were introduced inDas Rheingold orDie Walküre also appear inSiegfried. As a result of limitations of space here, in the table below I list only the new motives that appear in this opera.
ID
AD#
SM#
Cooke #
JKH#
Suggested name
M. Stone name
R. Sabor name
Prel Act1
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
118
101
-
44
79
Brooding
Brooding
Brooding
*
*
119
102
-
-
-
Mime's Failure
-
-
*
120
103
40
137
80
Siegfried's Horn Call (short)
Siegfried's Horn Call
Horn Call
*
*
*
121
104
41
-
81
Youthful Energy
Impatience
Adventure
*
*
*
122
105
-
167
82
Starling Song
Sob Story
Crocodile (tears)
*
123
106
42
110
84
Love in Nature
Love Longing (1)
Longing
*
*
124
107
-
-
83
Yearning for Knowledge
-
-
*
125
108
-
-
-
Who were my Parents?
-
-
*
126
109
-
-
-
Siegfried's Heritage
-
-
*
127
110
-
-
85
Adventure
Adventure (1)
Freedom
*
*
128
111
58
142,168
86
Siegfried's Mission
Adventure (2)
-
*
129
112
43
157
88
Wanderer's first motive
Wanderer (part 1)
Wanderer
*
*
*
130
113
44
-
-
Wanderer's second motive
Wanderer (part 2)
-
*
*
131
114
-
-
-
Wotan's Questions
-
-
*
132
115
54
66-68
-
The Power of the Gods
Spear Inversion
Authority
*
133
-
-
12
89
World Ash Tree, first version
-
-
*
134
116
-
-
-
Hallowed Contracts
-
-
*
135
117
-
-
-
Grovelling Mime
Mime's Cunning
Shuffle
*
*
136
118
-
-
-
Fearlessness
-
-
*
137
-
-
-
97
Siegfried as Smith
Labour
Action
*
138
119
-
127
60
Neidliches Schwert!
-
-
*
139
120
45
-
90
Smelting
Bellows (1)
-
*
140
121
-
-
-
Blowing the Bellows
Bellows (2)
-
*
141
122
-
-
-
Casting of the Sword
Hardened Steel (1)
-
*
*
142
123
-
-
-
Mime makes Soup
Hardened Steel (2)
-
*
143
124
-
-
91
Forging Song
Hammering Song
-
*
144
125
-
-
-
Siegfried's Praise of Nothung
-
-
*
145
126
46
163
92
Fafner as Dragon
Fafner
Fafner
*
*
*
146
127
-
-
93
The Free Hero
-
-
*
147
-
-
14-16
94
Forest Murmurs
Forest Murmurs
-
*
148
128
47
-
95a
Bird Songs
Woodbird Song (1)
Woodbird (1)
*
149
129
48
23,24
95b
Woodbird
Woodbird Song (2)
Woodbird (2)
*
*
150
130
-
-
-
Egoism / Egotism
-
-
*
151
131
-
-
96
False Flattery
-
-
*
152
132
-
-
-
Loneliness
-
-
*
153
-
-
-
98
Yearning for Love + Siegfried's Mission
-
-
*
154
133
-
-
100
Waking of Erda
-
-
*
155
134
49
148
101
Redemption (RW)
Bequest
Bequest
*
156
-
-
-
102
Ravens
-
-
*
157
135
-
-
-
Wotan teasing Siegfried
-
-
*
158
136
-
-
-
Wotan tries to stop Siegfried
-
-
*
159
137
64
-
-
Love's Confusion
-
-
*
160
-
-
-
-
Brünnhilde's Beauty
-
-
*
161
-
-
-
-
Devotion
-
-
*
162
138
-
-
-
Awakening Music 1 - Kiss
Awakening (1)
Revival
*
163
-
-
161
104
Awakening Music 2 - Sunlight
Awakening (2)
-
*
164
139
-
-
-
Greeting to the World
-
-
*
165
140
50
102
105
Love's Greeting
Love's Greeting
Hosanna
*
166
141
51
111
106
Jubilation
Jubilation
Jubilation
*
167
142
-
112
107
Idyll
Idyll
-
*
168
143
-
113
108
Treasure of the World
Love's Happiness
Liebesglück
*
169
144
-
-
-
Waving Waves
-
-
*
170
145
52
105
109
Love's Resolution
Laughing at Death
Liebesbund
*
Götterdämmerung
any of the leading (or principal) motives that were introduced in earlier operas also appear inGötterdämmerung, where Wagner has woven them into a rich tapestry of sound. In the table below I have only listed the new motives that appear first in this opera, some of which are variants of motives heard earlier in the cycle.
ID
AD#
SM#
Cooke #
JKH#
Suggested name
M. Stone name
R. Sabor name
Prol ogue
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
171
146
53
13
-
World Ash Tree, second version
-
-
*
172
147
54
169
-
Dawn
Dawn
-
*
173
-
-
-
111
Rope of Destiny
Weaving Music
-
*
174
148
55
-
112
Mature Siegfried
Hero
Hero
*
175
149
56
149
113
Brünnhilde as Mortal Woman
Brünnhilde
Brünnhilde
*
*
*
*
176
150
57
114
114
Heroic Love
Heroic Love
Consorts
*
*
*
177
-
-
-
117
Treachery
-
-
*
178
151
59
133
118
Hagen
Hagen
Hagen
*
179
152
60
121
119
Gibichung Race
Gibichung
Gibichungen
*
180
-
-
-
120
Gutrune's 1st motive
-
-
*
181
153
-
134
122
Plotting
Seduction
-
*
182
154
-
154c
121
Magic Potion or Forgetting
Magic Potion
Amnesia
*
*
*
183
155
59
132
124
False Friendship
-
-
*
*
184
156
61
135
125
Gutrune's 2nd motive/ Deception
Gutrune
Gutrune
*
*
*
185
157
62
-
126
1st motive of Blood-brotherhood
-
Bloodbrothers
*
*
186
158
63
145
127
2nd motive of Blood-brotherhood
Blood-brotherhood
-
*
187
159
-
52
128
Vow of Atonement
-
-
*
*
*
188
160
-
-
-
Pledge / Troth
-
-
*
189
-
-
-
-
Hagen's Watch
-
-
*
190
161
-
-
-
The Power of the Ring - Hagen version
-
-
*
191
162
-
-
129
Hagen's Envy
-
-
*
192
163
-
-
-
Brünnhilde's Query
-
-
*
193
-
-
-
-
Funeral Pyre
-
-
*
*
194
-
64a
-
131
Betrayal
Confusion (1)
Revenge
*
*
*
195
164
64b
-
130
Escape from the Gods
Confusion (2)
-
*
*
196
165
-
128
132
Honour
-
-
*
*
197
166
-
-
-
Hagen's Lovelessness
-
-
*
198
167
65
48
133
Murder
Conspiracy
Murder
*
*
*
199
168
66
170
134
Hagen's Day
Dawn
-
*
200
-
-
171
139
Vassals' Song
*
201
169
-
-
136
Gutrune's 3rd motive/ Greeting
-
-
*
*
201
170
-
38
137
Hagen's Rallying Cry
-
-
*
202
171
67
136
138
Gibichung Horn Call
Gibichung Horn Call
-
*
203
172
-
-
-
Gathering
-
-
*
204
-
-
-
140
Vassals' Greeting
-
-
*
205
173
-
139
141
Swearing of the Oath
-
-
*
206
174
-
-
143
Rhinemaidens' Lament - variant
-
-
*
207
175
-
174
-
Rhinemaidens Swimming
Rhinedaughters' Dance
-
*
208
176
-
-
-
Expectation
-
-
*
209
-
-
-
-
Remembrance
-
-
*
210
177
-
-
144
Siegfried's Death
Death Chords
-
*
211
-
-
-
145
Rest
-
-
*
212
178
-
193
-
Finale
-
-
*
Lavignac's Analysis of Returning Motives
lbert Lavignac in his invaluable reference workThe Music Dramas of Richard Wagner provided this table, showing the occurrences of 84 motives through the cycle. Please note that the names given to these motives by Lavignac, based on those provided earlier by Wolzogen, may differ from the names that I have used in the tables above and that, in a few cases, Lavignac gave the same name to a different motive. In the left margin I have tried to relate Lavignac's motives to Dunning's list.