[875W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 97]
[P. 97] “When Siegfried is lying alone under the tree amid the mysterious murmurings of the forest the melody that accompanies his awakening thoughts of his mother: … should reach us ‘as though from a distance’. But that effect will be created only if the crescendos are merely hinted at and their expression impersonal.” [875W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 97]
[876W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 101]
[P. 101] {FEUER} “Wagner said of the powerful orchestral piece opening the third act that here we have ‘Wotan’s last ride, which is yet another descent to the underworld’.” [876W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 101]
[877W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 103]
[P. 103] “Although he [Wotan] compels her [Erda] with his magic (‘she can only withdraw when he allows her to’, Wagner said) she is his superior in that it is from her lips that he hears the inexorable voice of his conscience which nothing can silence.” [877W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 103]
[878W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 103]
[P. 103] {FEUER} “Wagner expressly demanded that the Redemption theme [Dunning’s Motif 134; Millington’s Motif 49] as it enters after Wotan’s words, ‘Was in des Zwiespalt’s wildem Schmerze verzweifelnd eins ich beschloss, froh und freudig fuehre, frei ich nun aus’ [from Stewart Spencer’s translation of the Ring, P. 247-248: “Wotan: What I once resolved in despair, in the searing smart of inner turmoil, (134:) I now perform freely, in gladness and joy … “ ]: … should be taken ‘slightly faster’ than the preceding bars and that it should be ‘very brought out (sehr heraus)’, as he tersely put it. He once characterized the spiritual significance of this theme (whilst going through the work at the piano) by the statement: ‘It must sound like the proclamation of a new religion.’ “ [878W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 103]
[879W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 104]
[P. 104] “ ‘Without any passion’: this was Wagner’s instruction for the performance of the scene between the Wanderer and Siegfried. Every trace of pathos must be eliminated. In this dialogue we have Richard Wagner demonstrating to perfection his art of naturalistic representation in drama as well as in music. But his realism is of a very special kind. Like Goethe’s and Shakespeare’s its basis is a hidden metaphysical background. Thereby he rises far above common reality; we perpetually inhabit the sphere of elevated style.” [879W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 104]
[880W-{6-8/76} WRR, p. 105-106]
[P. 105] “In the powerful symphonic fresco, which depicts Siegfried striding through the sea of flames encircling Bruennhilde’s rock and transports us by the vividness of its imagery, it is not the brilliant tone-painting that [P. 106] should predominate, but – as the structure of the piece makes
