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Title Page
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Abbreviations for key references
Guide to abbreviations used in text
Allen Dunning's numbered Guide to the Ring's Musical Motifs
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The Ring

Introduction


References
Appendix I
Appendix I I

Key Colour Coding

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(#55: Donner disappears completely in a thundercloud which grows increasingly dense and black. The blow of his hammer is heard striking the rock. A brilliant flash of lightning issues now from the cloud, followed by a violent clap of thunder. Froh has vanished with him in the cloud.)

 

Donner: (invisible) Brother, this way! Mark out the way for the bridge!

 

(The cloud suddenly lifts, revealing Donner and Froh: [[ #56 ]]: from their feet a rainbow bridge of blinding radiance stretches out across the valley to the castle, which now glints in the glow of the evening sun.)

 

Froh: (to the gods, indicating with outstretched hand the path which the bridge has taken over the valley.) The bridge leads to the stronghold, light yet firm to the foot. Tread undaunted its terrorless path!

 

(Wotan and the other gods are lost in speechless astonishment at the glorious sight.)”

[[#56]] “Rainbow Bridge” over the Rhine to Valhalla

The Rainbow Bridge is the evolutionary bridge of transition from nature to human culture.

(#56 in the family of Nature motifs, variations on the Primal Nature Motif #1 and Rhine Motifs #2 and #3, which include #12)

[See #55 for #56’s dramatic context]

[[#57ab]] “Wotan's Grand Idea” of redemption from Alberich’s curse on his Ring

Commonly known as the “Sword Motif” - Wotan’s grand idea of redemption from Alberich’s curse on his Ring is to produce a race of heroes who can redeem Valhalla’s gods (religious faith) from Alberich’s threat to make all men as conscious as he is of the objective truth, by restoring lost innocence. These Waelsung heroes are to inherit a sword made by Wotan, whose motif #57 incorporates the Primal Nature Motif #1, and therefore represents the innocent time before the Fall.

(#57a based on the octave drop when Erda, during her prophecy of the gods' doom, said that (#53) All things that are, (#Octave Drop) end!; #57b based on #1; related to other Nature arpeggios like #12 and #56; related through #1 to #53 and #54, and