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Table of Contents

Title Page
Dedication Page
General Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations for key references
Guide to abbreviations used in text
Allen Dunning's numbered Guide to the Ring's Musical Motifs
Detailed Table of Contents

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.

Alberich’s curse on his Ring. This represents the martyrdom of cultural heroes of religion and art in service to man’s illusion that he has transcendent value, heroes whose legacy only becomes part of our religio-artistic heritage after their death.

(#88 based on the first three notes of #53, and thus related to #1 and #2; related to #57b through #1; one of the family of heroic motifs growing out of the last three notes of #53, including #71, #77, #92, #95, and perhaps #152)

[[#89]] Siegmund’s resistance to the fated doom Bruennhilde heralded, for the sake of his love for his sister-bride, Sieglinde

Siegmund renounces the sorrowless youth eternal (Freia’s golden apples) which he would enjoy in the gods’ heavenly abode, Valhalla, in order to live and die for the sake of his earthly love for his mortal sister, Sieglinde. Siegmund knows

instinctively that the heavenly abode of the gods possesses no value in itself, but is merely an imaginary projection of our earthly bliss

(#89’s motival links, if any, not yet ascertained; but #89 seems to be musically kin to #177b)

[[#90ab]] Bruennhilde’s sympathy for – and heroic rebellion against Wotan in the service of – the Waelsung race, Siegmund, Sieglinde, and the yet-to-be-born Siegfried

(#90’s motival links, if any, not yet ascertained)

[[#91]] A Ride of the Valkyries Motif (illustrating their riding horses through the air)

A motif, purely descriptive, which represents the Valkyrie-sisters riding on horseback through the air to gather a host of slain heroes whom the Valkyries – as muses and angels of death – have inspired to martyrdom in unwitting service of Wotan’s futile longing to redeem the gods from Alberich’s curse on his Ring

(#91’s motival links, if any, not yet ascertained; it is perhaps best understood as one of the Motions of Nature)