the Buddhist saint’s refusal to attain total enlightenment and non-being, so that he can aid those lower on the scale of enlightenment by returning to the mundane world to encourage them in their journey towards the enlightenment which is in his grasp, by restoring lost paradise through music. And Wagner suggests here that this music is self-caused, a mystery which comes to us like supernatural grace with no preconditions. In this way Wagner, the music-dramatist, becomes, on his own view, an avatar of artistic enlightenment for others:
“New world structure: out of dhyana [paradise] and into the world again descend beings who, for former virtuous service, have received their reward in proper and full measure, in order now to re-enter the cycle of births for the achievement of still greater perfection. From the earth gushes sweet juice; with this, longing refreshes itself until it has imbibed fresh love of life: then the juice runs dry; rice sprouts forth unsown, satiety to abundance; then it comes to an end. Now one has to do one’s own planting, ploughing and sowing. Life’s torment begins: Paradise is lost. The music of the brahman world recalls it to the memory: it leads to truth. Who understands it? The milk that has flowed from no cow?” [738W-{5/68} BB, p. 148]
[T.P: J]
Siegfried now leaves Bruennhilde behind the protective ring of Loge’s fire, Alberich’s Ring and its power kept safe through her magic, as he makes his way to the Rhine on his quest for adventure. But what is his quest for adventure? It is his unwitting quest to offer modern man redemption from the angst caused by the failure of religious faith in the face of man’s advancement of knowledge. What follows is Siegfried’s famous Rhine Journey, aside from the ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ probably the most popular and often performed musical excerpt from the Ring:
(Siegfried’s Rhine journey: Siegfried leads the horse quickly to the rocky slope, while Bruennhilde follows. #150/#77/#148: ; #111 vari [in an even more emphatic vari] during the previous three bars Siegfried disappears with his horse down behind the rocky promontory, so that the audience can no longer see him; Bruennhilde thus stands suddenly alone at the top of the slope, gazing after Siegfried as he descends. #149 >>: [with what sounds like a #81-like grace-note twist at the end?]. Bruennhilde’s gesture shows that Siegfried has now disappeared from sight. #149 [sounding somewhat like #40 or #64?]. Siegfried’s horn is heard from below. #103: Bruennhilde listens. #103. #149: She steps further out on to the slope. she now catches sight of Siegfried far below her: (#103) she waves to him with a gesture of delight. Her joyful smile indicates that she can see the hero as he merrily goes on his way: #40b vari [expressing great tragedy]. #110 varis: [ Are these varis actually #145, “Love’s Resolution,” from the finale of S.3.3? They seem to merge with or transform into #103?]. #103 >> : At this point the curtain must be quickly lowered. #103 [in a
