Wagner Siegfried Idyll (1/2); Solti

Wilhelm Richard Wagner
Sir Georg Solti
Vienna Philharmonic

Wagner wrote this tender composition for chamber orchestra as a birthday gift to his second wife, Cosima, who was the daughter of the famous Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. It was composed around the time when he was nearing the completion of the score for his music drama Siegfried—one of the four operas in his operatic cycle The Ring—and after the birth of their first son together, Siegfried. The premier of Siegfried Idyll took place on the staircase of Tribschen—their home in Switzerland—on the morning of Christmas Eve in 1870, which was Cosima's 33rd birthday.

Wagner on Cosima, his new son, and his life: "She has borne to me a wonderfully beautiful and vigorous boy, whom I could boldly call `Siegfried'; he is now growing, together with my work, and gives me a new long life which has at last attained a meaning."

Cosima on the premier of Siegfried Idyll : "As I awoke, my ear caught a sound, which swelled fuller and fuller; no longer could I imagine myself to be dreaming: music was sounding, and such music! When it died away, Richard came into my room with the children and offered me the score of the symphonic birthday poem. I was in tears, but so were all the rest of the household. Richard had arranged his orchestra on the staircase, and thus was our Tribschen consecrated forever."

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[paulostroff99]

Lovely.TY mahlerite for posting this gem.

[mahlerite]

@paulostroff99

You're welcome,paulo!

[garfreed]

The original power couple! Richard and Cosima.

[mahlerite]

@garfreed

I forget if Hollywood dubbed them Richima or Cosichard.

[SkulliansTorontoPunx]

HAHAHAHAHAH BEST EPISODE OF CURB EVER

[Katicooooo]

Cool Birthday present...A musical piece for the ages..Today, a wife would be "Lucky" to get a $25,00 gift certificate for "Best Buys" ...

[Wranger243]

@DutchPetriot Actually I think he disapproved of Wagner's choosing to portray Germanic blood-myths rather than enlightenment themes.

[DutchPetriot]

Could we have an good argument about the relationship between Wagner and Nietzsche to fill up my time? Everyone supporting Wagner raise your hand, now everyone supporting Nietzsche raise your hand, very well, let the battle of the trolls begin !

[DutchPetriot]

@firestartertwistedfi When Nietzsche was 19 he fell in love with Wagners music. It would dominate the first half of his life. In the second half he despised Wagner and his music because of the christian and Nationalist influences and Wagners anti semitism.

[mintoo2cool]

probably the greatest gift a musician can give to his wife. Immortalizing his love for her in this lovely piece.

wahrscheinlich das größte geschenk, ein musiker kann seine frau zu geben. Immortalisierung seine liebe zu ihr in diesem schönen stück.

[bigmanpigman]

I'm here just for CYE. Later haters

[norastorgarlensiu]

Bizi-biziki pullita ahairea, Wagnerren bertze hainbat bezin, egi-egia erran.

[BGH122]

@Katicooooo But when one looks as terrifying and heartlessly soulless-eyed as Wagner one has to be awfully flashy.