Wotan learned two things from Erda: (1) the cause for his existential fear, that the gods (man’s religious beliefs) are predestined to destruction by man’s advancement in knowledge; and (2), that though religious faith as a concept, as a claim on the power of the truth (Alberich’s Ring) is foredoomed, man’s religious longing for transcendent value will live on in the loving union of the artist-hero Siegfried and his muse of inspiration, Bruennhilde, i.e., in the Wagnerian music-drama to which they will give birth.
(#133 is in the family of love motifs stemming from an Embryo in Alberich’s vocal line: “(#25 & #39 Embryo) Has the third one, so true, betrayed me as well?”, which includes #25, #39, #40, #64b, #80b, #140, and perhaps #145)
Prelude: (#53/#91 [#91 can be heard beneath the other motifs throughout the Prelude] #83, #21 Modulating; #2; #54/#112 Modulating; #2/#1 Modulating; #45; #2 Chromatic Inversion; #97; #87; #21; #87; #21 Modulating: The Wanderer [Wotan] now enters. He strides resolutely to the mouth of a vault-like cavern in a rock at the front of the stage and takes up his position there, leaning on his spear, while calling into the mouth of a cave.)
Wanderer: Waken, Vala! [[ #133 ]] Vala, Awake! From lengthy sleep I awake you, slumberer! I call upon you! [[ #133 ]] Arise! Arise! From mist-clad [“Nebliger”] vault, from night-veiled depths arise! (#53>>) Erda! Erda! Eternal woman! (#2>>) From native depths rise up to the heights! (#2; #54) All knowing! Primevally wise! Erda! Erda! [[ #133 ]] Eternal woman! [[ #133 ]] Waken, awaken! You vala, (#21) awaken!
(#21; #87?: The vaulted cave begins to glow with a bluish light, in which Erda is seen rising very slowly from the depths. She appears to be covered in hoar-frost; hair and garments giving off a glittering sheen.)
Erda: (#97) Strong is the call of your lay, (#97) mighty the lure of its magic spell! From knowing sleep am I roused: (#87) who is it who drives my slumber away? (#87)
Wanderer: (#53) Your awakener am I, (#54/#2) and strains I sing (#54/#2) that all may wake whom heavy sleep enfolds. (#112) I roamed the world and wandered far (#2) to garner knowledge and (#92c or #71 Vari “Hero”?) gain primeval lore. (#38 vari >>; #19 Vari?) None is there wiser than you: (#38 Vari >>) to you is revealed what the depths conceal, what fills every hill and dale and moves through the air and water. Where men have life your spirit moves; (#140 Vari [a high string fanfare possibly heard in S.3.3 as Bruennhilde joyously commits to having sexual union with Siegfried and forgetting her fears?]) where brains are brooding your mind remains; all, it is said, is made known to you. [[ #133 ]] That I may now gain knowledge, [[ #133 ]] I wake you from your sleep. (#21 vari)
