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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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I would be grateful for donations of any size, small or large, to help defray the cost (1) of maintaining this website, (2) and to finance my past and present research which produced my book posted here, Volume One of "The Wound That Will Never Heal," and my forthcoming revision of Volume One (to be submitted for publication), and completion of Volume Two on Wagner's six other canonic operas and music-dramas. I sacrificed at least seven years of paid employment and incurred debts to complete this project, and am currently unemployed, so I thank you in advance for any financial help you can provide. Your friend, Paul Heise.

[[#105]] The debt Mime claims Siegfried owes Mime

Sometimes known as “Mime’s Starling Song” - Siegfried finds Mime’s claim on him, Siegfried’s alleged debt to Mime, abhorrent and intolerable. Siegfried’s resistance to Mime’s claim expresses Wotan’s desperate desire for a hero freed from Wotan’s (egoistic, Mime-like) influence, who will nonetheless perform the action which the gods’ need (kill Fafner and take possession of Alberich’s Ring so Alberich can’t regain its power)

(#105 based on an embryo in Flosshilde’s vocal line while leading Alberich on in R.1: “Flosshilde: (#105 Embryo) Your piercing eyes, your bristling beard, might I always see and hold them. (#105 Embryo) May your prickly hair’s unruly locks flow round Flosshild’ forever!”; basis of #111 and #127)

“Mime: But again you refuse to listen! (He stands there, perplexed; then he goes to the kitchen by the hearth: #41 Duple Vari; #Voc?) No doubt you’d like some food. I’ll fetch the roast from the spit: or would you like to try the broth? I boiled it thoroughly for you.

 

(He offers Siegfried some food; without turning round, the latter knocks the pot and roast meat out of Mime’s hands: #104)

 

“Mime: (in a pitifully screeching voice: #41 duple Vari; #102 chromatic Vari) That’s the sorry wages of love! That’s the shameful reward for my cares! (#102 hint; [[ #105 ]] over #41 duple Vari) From a suckling babe I brought you up, warmed the little mite with clothes: food and drink I brought to you and tended you like a second self [“heutete dich wie die eig’ne Haut”]. And when you grew bigger I waited upon you; I made you a bed so you’d sleep more softly. I forged for you toys and a winding horn; (#103; #41 duple vari >>>) to give you pleasure I gladly toiled: with clever counsel I counseled you cleverly, with lucid lore I taught you wit. While, toiling and sweating, I sit at home, you roam around to your heart’s content: (#41 Duple Vari >>; #5 >>) Suffering torment for you alone, for you alone I suffer affliction and wear myself out, a poor old dwarf! And that’s my reward for the burdens I’ve borne, that the quick-tempered boy torments (sobbing) and abhors me!

 

(#102 Hint over #41 Duple Vari >>: Siegfried has turned around and looks calmly and questioningly into Mime’s eyes. Mime encounters Siegfried’s gaze and timidly tries to avert his eyes.)

 

Siegfried: (#104 Vari >>>; #? [Music conveying a “Nature” mood, as heard previously when Mime first said Siegfried should be grateful to him:]) Much, Mime, have you taught me and much from you have I learned; but what you most wanted to teach me, I never managed to learn: How I could ever abide you. (#104; (#105 Vari/#41 Duple Vari) Although you may bring me food and drink, I’m fed by my