DIE WALKURE

Leitmotifs
 Die Walkre, Act 1, Scene 1

ThestormwhichopensDie
Walkre,asWotan's
TheStorm resistancetodestiny(derived
d74,c30,w36 fromd73,withtherising
quintupletfrom
Alberich'sd15)

Thethunderasmasculine
Thunder spirit;
d46,m26,c27,w33 Donner;Gewitterzauber (rela
tedtod44andd45)

Siegmund
d35,m28,c31
Siegmundasheroschooledin
misfortune(related
melodically
tod70,d73andd74)

d35a

Sieglindeasheroineschooled
inmisfortune(atbar2;fits
Sieglinde
wellwithd35;
d36,m29,c32,w37
resemblesd8inverted,
ord1followedbyd4)

Thedrinkwhichunitesthe
destiniesofSiegmundand
TheDrink Sieglinde(development
d39 ofd35andd36;alovely
passage,butoccurstwiceonly
sohardlyqualifiesasamotif)
TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derivedfromd69)

d37a,c33

TheVolsungraceas
instrumentsofdestiny
(relatedtotheendofd70and
VolsungasDestiny ofd35,thethirdbarofd66,
d77,m31,c34,w72b theminorsixthleapofd76,
andthesemitonefall
ofd68herecancelledbythe
thirdnote;foreshadowsd88)
 Die Walkre, Act 1, Scene 2

HundingasSiegmund'sdark
Hunding
shadow(related
d60,m32,c35,w41
tod58,d62andd69)

Siegmund
d35,m28,c31
Siegmundasheroschooledin
misfortune(related
melodically
tod70,d73andd74)

d35a

Sieglindeasheroineschooled
inmisfortune(atbar2;fits
Sieglinde
wellwithd35;
d36,m29,c32,w37
resemblesd8inverted,
ord1followedbyd4)

TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derivedfromd69)

d37a,c33

TheVolsungraceas
instrumentsofdestiny
(relatedtotheendofd70and
VolsungasDestiny ofd35,thethirdbarofd66,
d77,m31,c34,w72b theminorsixthleapofd76,
andthesemitonefall
ofd68herecancelledbythe
thirdnote;foreshadowsd88)
 Valhallaasachievement,and
Valhallad63, asWotan'sgenuinelycreative
m8,c9,w10 thoughts(astablediatonic
versionofd8)

WoeorGrief
d68,m5,c4,w3

Woeorgrief,whether
acceptedor
not;Frohnmotif (thefalling
semitonerelatestod4;
d68a,c19 oppositeofd38)SeealsoGt
3/1Rheintchter"Siegfried!
Siegfried!"andGt2/3Hagen
"Hoiho!Hoiho!"

d68b

Thetragicbutheroicdestiny
oftheVolsungrace(minor
TragicVolsung
versionofd44linked
d66,m33,c36,w40
withd3,d42,d78and
perhapsd76)

Griefasacceptanceof
unavoidablesuffering
GriefAccepted
(semitonesbetweenbar1and
d81,c37
bar3,andbar5andbar6,are
reminiscentofd68)

Theswordastruemanhood
SwordasManhood
(derivesdirectlyfromd1;
d45,m27,c29,w51
closelyconnectedtod44)
 Die Walkre, Act 1, Scene 3

HundingasSiegmund's
Hunding
darkshadow(related
d60,m32,c35,w41
tod58,d62andd69)

Nothungasthepromised
orlongedfor
Nothung
sword;Schwertwart(deriv
d43,m27x,c40,w63
edfromd45;alsorefers
tod42a)
ThespearasWotan'swilful
authority,butalsohis
entanglementsand
Wotan'sSpear
inhibitions;Vertragsmotiv
d73,m9,c10,w11
(related
tod70,d79,d59andm56;lies
withind90c)

TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derived
fromd69)

d37a,c33

Theswordastrue
SwordasManhood manhood(derivesdirectly
d45,m27,c29,w51 fromd1;closelyconnected
tod44)

Thetragicbutheroic
destinyoftheVolsungrace
TragicVolsung (minorversion
d86,m33,c36,w40 ofd44linked
withd3,d42,d78and
perhapsd76)

Sieglindeasheroine
schooledinmisfortune(at
Sieglinded36,
bar2;fitswellwithd35;
m29,c32,w37
resemblesd8inverted,
ord1followedbyd4)
 Valhallaasachievement,
Valhalla andasWotan'sgenuinely
d63,m8,c9,w10 creativethoughts(astable
diatonicversionofd8)

Siegmund'ssongforthe
comingofspring,ashis
experienceoffulfilment
Siegmund'sLoveSong withSieglinde(related
d86,c38 tod26,d7andd37,buthas
anariacharacter
somewhatoutofplacein
theRing)

Renunciation
d76,m7,c8,w9
Renunciation,often
amountingtoacceptanceof
destiny;Entsagungsmotiv (r
d76a elatedtod68,therising
minorsixthand
subsequentfalltothetonic
aredistinctive;close
tod78)
d76b
 Die Walkre, Act 2, Scene 1

Theswordastrue
SwordasManhood manhood(derives
d45,m27,c29,w51 directlyfromd1;closely
connectedtod44)

Agitation
d69,m11,c14,w14
Agitation,includingboth
passionand
compassion;Flucht (extensi
onofd66,usesthesame
notesasd37)

d69a

TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derivedfromd69)

d37a,c33

TheValkyriesasthe
masculineelementin
WalkrenasAnimus
women;Walkrenritt(The
d47,m34,c49,w45b RideoftheValkyries,a
variantofd46)

ThespearasWotan'swilful
authority,butalsohis
entanglementsand
Wotan'sSpear
inhibitions;Vertragsmotiv (r
d73,m9,c10,w11
elated
tod70,d79,d59andm56;
lieswithind90c)
Walkren
d22,m35,c42,w45a

TheValkyriesasprimal
d22a energyin
action;Walkrenruf (relate
dtod20candtothe
inversionofd20b)

d22b

HundingasSiegmund'sdark
Hunding
shadow(related
d60,m32,c35,w41
tod58,d62andd69)

Mimeassmith,andforging
MimeasSmith generally;Schmiedemotiv (d
d50,m17,c17,w22 irectlyrepresentsthe
tappingofhammeronanvil)
TheRing TheRingasunderlying
d8,m6,w8 purpose

(chromaticmodification
ofd4andreturning
d8a
upwards;relatedtod7,and
thebasisofd13andd63)

d8b,c7

Promises
Thekeepingofpromises
m15,w17

Wotan'swill
WotanFrustrated frustrated;Unmuth (incorp
d70,m36,c44,w46 oratesd68,closetod73,the
complementofd79)

Alberich'scurseasan
TheCurse
expressionofdestiny(an
d13,m23,c23,w29
inversionofd8)
 Die Walkre, Act 2, Scene 2

Wotan'swill
WotanFrustrated frustrated;Unmuth (incorporates
d70,m36,c44,w46 d68,closetod73,thecomplement
ofd79)

TheCurse Alberich'scurseasanexpression
d13,m23,c23,w29 ofdestiny(aninversionofd8)

TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derivedfromd69)

d37a,c33

Siegfried'sheroismasacceptance
Siegfried'sHeroism
ofhisdestiny(related
d78,m39,c48,w53
tod13andd76)
WoeorGrief
d68,m5,c4,w3

Woeorgrief,whetheracceptedor
not;Frohnmotif (thefalling
semitonerelatestod4;opposite
d68a,c19 SeealsoGt3/1Rheintchter
"Siegfried!Siegfried!"andGt
2/3Hagen"Hoiho!Hoiho!"

d68b

Rheingold!Rheingold!(re
Rheingold! harmonisestheaddedsixth
d31,m4,c6,w7 ofd26;alsooccursintheminor
whereitisveryclosetod68)

TheRing
TheRingasunderlyingpurpose
d8,m6,w8

d8a
(chromaticmodificationofd4and
returningupwards;relatedtod7,
andthebasisofd13andd63)

d8b,c7

Valhallaasachievement,andas
Valhalla Wotan'sgenuinelycreative
d63,m8,c9,w10 thoughts(astablediatonicversion
ofd8)
 Erdaastheearthmotherand
Erdad3,
ancestralwisdom(minorform
m24,c25,w31
ofd2)

TheValkyriesasthemasculine
WalkrenasAnimus elementin
d47,m34,c49,w45b women;Walkrenritt(TheRideof
theValkyries,avariantofd46)

Giant'sStrength TheGiantsasbrutestrength
d58,m12,c11,w15 (relatedtod18)

m50(Wurmmotiv)isFafnerasa
m50
dragon(referstod61a)

Promises
Thekeepingofpromises
M15,W17

ThespearasWotan'swilful
authority,butalsohis
Wotan'sspear entanglementsand
D73,M9,C10,W11 inhibitions;Vertragsmotiv (relate
dtod70,d79,d59andm56;lies
withind90c)

Theswordastruemanhood
SwordasManhood
(derivesdirectlyfromd1;closely
d45,m27,c29.w51
connectedtod44)

Nothungasthepromisedor
Nothung longedfor
d43,m27x,c40,w63 sword;Schwertwart (derived
fromd45;alsoreferstod42a)

Siegmund
d35,m28,c31 Siegmundasheroschooledin
misfortune(relatedmelodically
tod70,d73andd74)

d35a
 Alberich'sobsessivewillasaforce
ofdestiny,theNibelung's
Alberich'sWill
hatred;Vernichtungsarbeit(harm
d15,m22,c24,w30
onicversionoftheopeningnotes
ofd13)

Thedownfallofthegods,backto
Downfall Mother
d4,m25,c26,w32 Nature;Gtterdmmerung(invers
ionofd3)

TheVolsungraceasinstruments
ofdestiny(relatedtotheend
ofd70andofd35,thethirdbar
VolsungasDestiny
ofd66,theminorsixthleap
d77,m11,c14,w14
ofd76,andthesemitonefall
ofd68herecancelledbythethird
note;foreshadowsd88)

Agitation
d69,m11,c14,w14
Agitation,includingbothpassion
and
compassion;Flucht (extension
ofd66,usesthesamenotes
asd37)

d69a
 Die Walkre, Act 2, Scene 3

TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derived
fromd69)

d37a,c33

Agitation
d69,m11,c14,w14
Agitation,includingboth
passionand
compassion;Flucht (extens
ionofd66,usesthesame
notesasd37)

d69a

Thetragicbutheroic
destinyoftheVolsungrace
TragicVolsung (minorversion
d66,m33,c36,w40 ofd44linked
withd3,d42,d78and
perhapsd76)

Theswordastrue
SwordasManhood manhood(derivesdirectly
d45,m27,c29,w51 fromd1;closelyconnected
tod44)

HundingasSiegmund's
Hunding
darkshadow(related
d60,m32,c35,w41
tod58,d62andd69)
 Erdaastheearthmother
Erda
andancestralwisdom
d3,m24,c25,w31
(minorformofd2)
 Die Walkre, Act 2, Scene 4

Destinyasthepowertowhich
allmustintheendsurrender
PowerfulDestiny
(thelasttwobarsofd83;an
d84,m38,w50
extensionofd68,referstothe
lasttwobarsofd70)

Relinquishment(reminiscent
Relinquishment ofd76invertingtheopening
d83,m37,c47 notes;closetod82;thelast
twobarsared84)

Valhallaasachievement,and
Valhalla asWotan'sgenuinelycreative
d63,m8,c9,w10 thoughts(astablediatonic
versionofd8)

TheValkyriesasthemasculine
elementin
WalkrenasAnimus
women;Walkrenritt(TheRide
d47,m34,c49,w45b
oftheValkyries,avariant
ofd46)

Agitation
Agitation,includingboth
d69,m11,c14,w14
passionand
compassion;Flucht (extension
ofd66,usesthesamenotes
asd37)

d69a
TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derivedfromd69)

d37a,c33

Theswordastruemanhood
SwordasManhood
(derivesdirectlyfromd1;
d45,m27,c29,w51
closelyconnectedtod44)

Thedownfallofthegods,back
Downfalld4, toMother
m25,c26,w32 Nature;Gtterdmmerung(inv
ersionofd3)
 Die Walkre, Act 2, Scene 5

TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derivedfromd69)

d37a,c33

Agitation
d69,m11,c14,w14
Agitation,includingboth
passionand
compassion;Flucht (extensio
nofd66,usesthesamenotes
asd37)

d69a

HundingasSiegmund'sdark
Hundingd60,
shadow(related
m32,c35,w41 tod58,d62andd69)

Theswordastruemanhood
SwordasManhood
(derivesdirectlyfromd1;
d45,m27,c29,w51 closelyconnectedtod44)

TheValkyriesasthe
masculineelementin
WalkrenasAnimus
women;Walkrenritt(The
d47,m34,c49,w45b RideoftheValkyries,a
variantofd46)
 ThespearasWotan'swilful
authority,butalsohis
entanglementsand
Wotan'sSpear
inhibitions;Vertragsmotiv (re
d73,m9,c10,w11 lated
tod70,d79,d59andm56;
lieswithind90c)

WoeorGrief
d68,m5,c4,w3

Woeorgrief,whether
acceptedor
not;Frohnmotif (thefalling
semitonerelatestod4;
oppositeofd38)See
d68a,c19 alsoGt3/1Rheintchter
"Siegfried!
Siegfried!"andGt
2/3Hagen"Hoiho!Hoiho!"

d68b

Thetragicbutheroicdestiny
oftheVolsungrace(minor
TragicVolsung
versionofd44linked
d66,m33,c36,w40 withd3,d42,d78and
perhapsd76)

Destinyasthepowerto
whichallmustintheend
PowerfulDestiny surrender(thelasttwobars
d84,m38,w50 ofd83;anextensionofd68,
referstothelasttwobars
ofd70)

Erdaastheearthmotherand
Erda
ancestralwisdom(minor
d3,m24,c25,w31 formofd2)
 Wotan'swill
WotanFrustrated frustrated;Unmuth (incorpor
d70,m36,c44,w46 atesd68,closetod73,the
complementofd79)
 Die Walkre, Act 3, Scene 1

TheValkyriesasthe
masculineelementin
WalkrenasAnimus
women;Walkrenritt(T
d47,m34,c49,w45b
heRideoftheValkyries,
avariantofd46)

Walkren
d22,m35,c42,w45a

TheValkyriesasprimal
energyin
action;Walkrenruf (re
latedtod20candtothe
d22a inversionofd20b)

d22b

Valhallaas
achievement,andas
Valhalla Wotan'sgenuinely
d63,m8,c9,w10 creativethoughts(a
stablediatonicversion
ofd8)

Erdaastheearth
Erda motherandancestral
d3,m24,c25,w31 wisdom(minorform
ofd2)
TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmund
andSieglinde(derived
fromd69)

d37a,c33

WoeorGrief
d68,m5,c4,w3
Woeorgrief,whether
acceptedor
not;Frohnmotif (the
fallingsemitonerelates
tod4;oppositeofd38)
SeealsoGt
d68a,c19 3/1Rheintchter
"Siegfried!
Siegfried!"andGt
2/3Hagen"Hoiho!Hoi
ho!"

d68b
TheRing TheRingasunderlying
d8,m6,w8 purpose

d8a (chromaticmodification
ofd4andreturning
upwards;relatedtod7,
andthebasis
ofd13andd63)
d8b,c7

Fafnerasinertia,asthe
backwardpullofthe
Fafnerd57,
unconscious;Schlange
m21,c22,w28 nwurm (related
tod18andm20)

Siegfried'sheroismas
Siegfried'sHeroism acceptanceofhis
d78,m39,c48,w53 destiny(related
tod13andd76)

Theswordastrue
SwordasManhood manhood(derives
d45,m27,c29,w51 directlyfromd1;closely
connectedtod44)

LoveasFulifllment Loveas
d90,c69,w73 fulfilment;Liebesgru

(connected
withd87,d88andd89,
d90a,m10,c12
moredistantly
withd69andd86;the
d90a(Liebesfesselung )
d90b,m60 issharedbyFrickaand
Brnnhilde

d90c,m41,w55b

Transformation
Transformation(related
t d88) W l
 tod88)Wolzogen
callsd91aLiebeserlsun
d91a,m40,c50 g
 Die Walkre, Act 3, Scene 2

Wotan'swill
WotanFrustrated frustrated;Unmuth (incorpor
d70,m36,c44,w46 atesd68,closetod73,the
complementofd79)

ThespearasWotan'swilful
authority,butalsohis
entanglementsand
Wotan'sSpear
inhibitions;Vertragsmotiv (r
d73,m9,c10,w11 elated
tod70,d79,d59andm56;
lieswithind90c)

Relinquishment(reminiscent
Relinquishment ofd76invertingtheopening
d83,m37,c47 notes;closetod82;thelast
twobarsared84)

WoeorGrief
d68,m5,c4,w3

Woeorgrief,whether
acceptedor
not;Frohnmotif (thefalling
semitonerelatestod4;
d68a,c19 oppositeofd38)See
alsoGt3/1Rheintchter
"Siegfried!
Siegfried!"andGt
2/3Hagen"Hoiho!Hoiho!"

d68b
 Erdaastheearthmotherand
Erda
ancestralwisdom(minor
d3,m24,c25,w31 formofd2)

TheValkyriesasthe
masculineelementin
WalkrenasAnimus
women;Walkrenritt(The
d47,m34,c49,w45b RideoftheValkyries,a
variantofd46)
 Die Walkre, Act 3, Scene 3

LoveasFulifllment
d90,c69,w73
Loveasfulfilment;Liebesgru
(connected
withd87,d88andd89,more
d90a,m10,c12 distantlywithd69andd86;
theendofd90arecallsd38,
andd90cisamodification
ofd73)
d90b,m60 d90a(Liebesfesselung)is
sharedbyFrickaand
Brnnhilde

d90c,m41,w55b

Wotan'swill
WotanFrustrated frustrated;Unmuth (incorpora
d70,m36,c44,w46 tesd68,closetod73,the
complementofd79)

Destinyasthepowertowhich
allmustintheendsurrender
PowerfulDestiny
(thelasttwobarsofd83;an
d84,m38,w50
extensionofd68,referstothe
lasttwobarsofd70)

Theinevitabilityofdestiny
UnavoidableDestiny (variantofd84;connected
d85 tod79andthence
tod73andd4)

TheValkyriesasthemasculine
elementin
WalkrenasAnimus
women;Walkrenritt(The
d47,m34,c49,w45b
RideoftheValkyries,avariant
ofd46)

Valhallaasachievement,and
Valhalla asWotan'sgenuinelycreative
d63,m8.c9,w10 thoughts(astablediatonic
versionofd8)
 ThespearasWotan'swilful
authority,butalsohis
entanglementsand
Wotan'sSpear
inhibitions;Vertragsmotiv (rel
d73,m9,c10,w11
ated
tod70,d79,d59andm56;lies
withind90c)

Relinquishment(reminiscent
Relinquishment ofd76invertingtheopening
d83,m37,c47 notes;closetod82;thelast
twobarsared84)

TheVolsungraceas
instrumentsofdestiny(related
totheendofd70andofd35,
VolsungasDestiny thethirdbarofd66,theminor
d77,m31,c34,w72b sixthleapofd76,andthe
semitonefallofd68here
cancelledbythethirdnote;
foreshadowsd88)

TheTwin'sLove
d37,m30,w38

TheloveofSiegmundand
Sieglinde(derivedfromd69)

d37a,c33

Thedownfallofthegods,back
Downfall toMother
d4,m25,c26,w32 Nature;Gtterdmmerung(in
versionofd3)

Alberich'scurseasan
TheCurse
expressionofdestiny(an
d13,m23,c23,w29
inversionofd8)
 Siegfried'sheroismas
Siegfried'sHeroism
acceptanceofhisdestiny
d78,m39,c48,w53
(relatedtod13andd76)

Theswordastruemanhood
SwordasManhood
(derivesdirectlyfromd1;
d45,m27,c29,w51
closelyconnectedtod44)

Magicsleepasregressionto
theunconscious(notethe
MagicSleep
progressionstothemediant;
d16,m42,c53
thefallingsemitonesrelate
tod68andhencetod4)

Brnnhildesinkingintothe
innocentsleepfromwhichshe
InnocentSleep
willawakeintowomanhood
d30,m43,c52,w56
(sameastheopening
ofd26andd27)

AmbivalentLoge
d21,m14,c21 Logeastheambivalenceof
primalenergy;flattery,
trickery(furtheraspects
ofd20,andalsorelated
tod15butmoredynamic)

d21a

Wotan'sgriefatpartingfrom
Wotan'sGrief Brnnhilde(reminiscent
d82,c54,w57 ofd66,d76andd81;related
tod17)

Renunciation
d76,m7,c8,w9

Renunciation,often
 amountingtoacceptanceof
destiny;Entsagungsmotiv (rel
d76a atedtod68,therisingminor
sixthandsubsequentfallto
thetonicaredistinctive;close
tod78)

d76b

LogeasFire
d20,m13,c15,w20

Logethegodoffireasprimal
d20a energy;Waberlohe(relatedto
theextremechomaticism
ofd16combinedwithrestless
energy)

d20b

d20c,c55