I got Emotional - Prelude & Liebstod from Tristan und Isolde - R. Wagner | Classical Music Reaction

[@philipadams5386]

When I was a music student, one of my tutors told me that the Prelude to Tristan and Isolde can be interpreted as a metaphorical depictation of an idealized sex act, from the uncertain and tender first touches, slowly and relentlessly building in passion and abandon until orgasm is reached, and finally dies away.

[@vrixphillips]

yup, the scene where the "Liebestod" theme is first sung as a duet between Tristan and Isolde before someone walks in and King Marke separates them is called "coitus interruptus" by some.

[@donfatale]

True, but as much as I'm a Wagnerian....from my own seduction/fumblings experiences the go-to piece is "Bimba dagli occhi" from Madame Butterfly. (Once you understand this you'll never listen to it the same way again). Che Gelida Manina likewise.

[@vrixphillips]

@@donfatale oh i'm sure. I actually haven't heard Mme Butterfly all the way through [yet!] but it's on the to-listen list. For me it's the finale of Salome ["Ah! Du wolltest mich nicht deinen Mund kussen lassen, Jokanaan!"] it's just so... disturbed and auto-erotic.

[@zalba5710]

The most well known sex deportation is the prelude to the Rosenkavalier

[@benaiah93]

The first notes are like taking a deep swig of the potion, and the “Tristan chord” signals the drugs kicking in

[@Balfour.]

The tradition goes that the very first chord of this piece, the Tristan chord, spawned modern music.

[@philipadams5386]

I remember when I first read the score to Tristan and Isolde in the library of my music college. Scrawled on the first page by another student was 'Destroyer of tonalty!"

[@pjkorab]

@@Alix777. well, the Tristan *chord* by ear is jus a simple minor6, so I'm sure many earlier composers used it abundantly (the Mozart example however does not, despite having a very similar 4-note melodic figure) - it's the harmonic context that is new in Tristan, because despite sounding like a G-sharp minor6 the 1st chord is actually a heavily augmented F major7. Wagner stretched the limits of tonality exactly because he stayed within it, yet made it sound like something else. The whole point of functional harmony is to create logical and *predictable* (to a degree of course) tensions and resolutions, yet Wagner made it quite unpredictable and at times completely illogical without breaking any cardinal rules.

[@jameswiglesworth5004]

really, can you explain what you mean by that?

[@AdoraVivos]

@@jameswiglesworth5004 The Tristan chord is famous because it was a groundbreaking moment in music history. In Wagner's time, most music followed strict conventional rules about harmony, meaning how chords were put together and resolved. If you listen to operas from before that time, even Wagner's own earlier works, you'll notice that the harmony usually establishes a clear tonal center or at least gives a clear sense of where the 'home' key is. The Tristan chord was revolutionary because it broke these norms. It's a complex chord that doesn't resolve in a predictable way, creating a sense of longing and unresolved tension. At least that's how Wagner used it, as a tool to venture into new harmonic territories. I'd even say this opened the door for composers to experiment more freely with harmony and gave way for atonality to fully develop later in 20th century. It's like Wagner showed musicians a new way to express emotions through music, which led to the development of modern music styles. So, while the chord itself might be simple and had been used before, its application in the context of 'Tristan und Isolde' was new, creating ambiguous harmonies that provided a fertile ground for unexpected musical contexts. This is what made it so influential. at least thats how I understand it, lol, also I wouldnt give all credit to the chord itself, however it is one if the main driving forces, and the fact he just opens a 4 hour opera on such unstable and ambiguous chord, oh lord! hope this helps lol

[@GreatCelestialTeapot]

Ah the power of Wagner, the absolute master of emotions. There are so many pieces of his that I find incredibly powerful. Bernstein is also a real master and the combination of Wagner's composition and Bernstein's conducting is absolutely magical. No one should ever feel the need to apologise for their emotional reactions, especially to art. Your emotional reaction just shows how deeply you are connected to the music you react to and that's a big part of why we all love watching your videos, the genuine reaction and the obvious love of the music. Another great video.

[@didi_mega_dudu]

I just watched the whole opera with my mom and now came back home to cry listening to this. Unfortunately this evoked the dread of losing my parents in the future. I don't know how I'm gonna survive that. Love is pain. Thank you for doing these reactions, at least I get the illusion of sharing the emotion of these pieces with someone. Wish I had a friend like you who understands classical music. Cosmic beauty.

[@philipadams5386]

Gidi, I am not surprised by your emotional reaction to this piece and to its performance. Two things make me say this. (1) I am very happy that you have discovered Wagner. He is a master at manipulating our emotions. In some ways, he is even dangerous, because he manipulates our dark and violent sides too, and it is glorious. (2) There was a very great singer called Christa Ludwig. She worked at her peak with both Herbert von Karajan and later Leonard Bernstein. (Herbert von Karajan was Bernstein's European rival.) Of Herbert von Karajan, Christa Ludwig said, 'There is nothing he does not know about music'; of Leonard Bernstein, she said, 'He IS music!'

[@Adeodatus100]

Tristan and Isolde, doomed lovers. The first time I heard a recording, a friend of mine walked in on me towards the end. I was crying so hard he said he thought maybe my family had been murdered. The Liebestod ("Love death") is the last few minutes of the opera. Please listen to a great soprano, such as Birgit Nilsson or Kirsten Flagstad, singing it - it's even greater than the instrumental version

[@Misha.K23040]

Trust me, I cried when I first heard this piece too...there's no climax like it in music

[@moko156]

This piece makes me cry too, very often... I recommend to you the 2nd movement of Bruckner's 7th symphony. A very moving adagio (the most moving of all music ever to me). Bruckner was a great admirer of Wagner.

[@Timagoras1]

I will never forget the day Leonard Bernstein died. I was driving to work when the morning news reported his death. That was the only time in my life that I cried tears over the death of someone I didn't know personally.

[@ymatsuda6406]

Beautiful piece and beautiful reaction. Getting emotional ....that's what excellent music do to us. Music could touch deep in our heart and soul where words can't describe.

[@miyamoto_max]

I have this first notes tattooed in my arm

[@Misha.K23040]

And I totally agree with your thoughts on Bernstein, he's an incredible figure and aside from being a legendary conductor (and composer and pianist), he was a great teacher of music that filmed a lot of TV episodes and lectures talking about different music. It's really extremely interesting and you should hear him discuss this piece and other pieces because even just talking, he has this same infectious energy and charisma.

[@rafafln]

Leonard Bernstein was one of the greatest orchestra conductors of the 20th century. Hugs from Brazil.

[@sashakindel3600]

The trouble with Wagner: there are lots of other great excerpts in this opera, but they can't be performed separately as neatly as these two can, and each of the acts they're embedded in are over an hour long. It's probably worth trying a whole act of a Wagner opera eventually, but it's a commitment. I can't promise you would remain riveted the whole time, but the highlights are worth a lot, and the parts that link them together contextualize them in ways that, I think, do heighten them even more.

[@ymatsuda6406]

Yes, indeed. I have to confess I fell asleep during the performance of Tannhauser because whole opera was too lengthy for me. But I love pretty much all of Wagner's preludes.

[@brumels1570]

Sure they can! I suggest the curse scene (see Nilsson's performance at the MET 100-year anniversary Gala), two excerpts in Act 2: (1) the frantic part where Isolde spots Tristan arriving; there is where Isolde can unleash 2 high Cs and (2) after their musical and suggestive "climax" there is the reflective Transfiguration (try Flagstad and Melchior's studio recording of this scene).

[@stevenklimecky4918]

Maybe an album of Wagner overtures and preludes? Or an album of orchestra except from the Ring Cycle?

[@SkyCloudSilence]

Best part of the day... sitting down with the Classical Fam for some great music! 💜🎶

[@RRMSwedberg]

There is a video here on KZbin of Jessye Norman singing the Liebestod with Herbert von Karajan conducting. Glorious. It's almost impossible to not have an emotional reaction to this piece. Enjoyed the reaction.

[@livianegidius9772]

Whatever that prelude is it is simply wonderful

[@perrin6]

Oh the agonies of love and lust...so perfectly captured and expressed by this incredible piece.

[@pjkorab]

I'm soooo happy you chose this exact performance of this piece - I think there is no better interpretation! I always get choked up listening to this - for me it's because of what it's about: Tristan and Isolde are teenage lovers, who can never get together due to external obstacles and are eventually united in death. The way that Wagner portrays that first, innocent, passionate, but uncertain and turbulent teenage love is unbelievable to me, makes me very nostalgic and puts tears in my eyes every time.

[@Joyera-y3v]

My favorite opera 😊😊

[@susanbryant6516]

As you talk about slow pieces being more likely to make you emotional, I’m going through my mind thinking of pieces that do the same for me, and I realize you are right about that

[@anthropocentrus]

Watching Bernstein conduct might be my favorite hobby 🫠And this series is incredible ( this is from his Harvard “Norton Lectures” which I full heart and blood recommend watching), you have “prelude a la apres midi dun faune” by Debussy (watch this one pls!, from this same series😊), which is one of my favorite videos…, also Mozart 40th symphony, also amazing, Berlioz Romeo and Juliet…among others…all amazing

[@071949]

Hi Daniel, I know what you mean...many years ago I put on a televised performance of the NY Phil w/ Bernstein conducting w/ the intent to use it as background while I read. *But* when it started I found it impossible to take my eyes off the maestro; there was just something compelling about his presence; the visage, the gestures, etc.

[@dmwalker24]

The tension created by that first chord builds throughout. Wagner lets the listener stew in their expectation of the resolution. Flirts with it. Implies it's right around the corner. It doesn't truly resolve for 4 hours, give or take. If someone asked me to point to one piece that gave rise to the sound of 20th century music, it would be the Prelude to Tristan. Ambiguous, tense, filled with frustration and longing, and yet so compelling, cohesive, and beautiful.

[@baishihua]

There is something very moving about someone becomes completely as one with the art, even for a brief moment. Almost like transcendence.

[@Coastal15]

Richard Wagner pure emotion words not required.

[@Brumairevideo]

You should try the Parsifal opening, you are diving in an ocean of emotions too, the last Wagner's opera before he died

[@JramLisztfan]

I’m not the biggest Wagner fan but the Tristan prelude is unbelievable. Liszt has a piano transcription of the Liebestod which is also fantastic.

[@leonpetrich5864]

We go through our lives, having to function at peak level in society all the time so we often don´t have the time or space in mind to feel something or explore the emotions we hold back. Thats where classical music comes in and helps us unlock all of those feelings. Just let it out, no reason to hide it, let it all go.

[@namquaster]

I love your reaction. Finally Wagner (please listen to the Tannhäuser Ouvertüre). You will appreciate this piece even more if you know the impact on the history of music it had and if you know a bit about the opera. I would suggest taking a look at the video "Stephen Fry - Tristan Chord" for a little background. And as already mentioned, you should listen to the piece with the singer. The DW Classical Music channel has a video of it with Barenboim conducting.

[@Casutama]

Somebody once said about Wagner that his music held heavenly moments and hellish half hours and, imo, if you're not very into opera *and* Wagner's music, that's probably true, but nevertheless, hearing the Prelude for the first time when I watched Tristan und Isolde five years ago counts as one of my life-changing music moments.

[@nerowolfe5175]

I believe that it was Mark Twain who quipped "Wagner's music is better than it sounds."

[@Brumairevideo]

The 2 oboes at the end represent the gathering of Tristan and Isolde from love to death

[@dralexandresousa]

Amazing. You should react to this piece sang by Jessye Norman and conducted by Karajan....

[@sashakindel3600]

I like Carlos Kleiber's recording with Margaret Price. At least, for these excerpts. I don't love René Kollo's Tristan, so when listening to the whole opera, one has to decide whether it's worth settling for him in exchange for all the things that are great about the recording. It usually is for me.

[@phulnelson]

Definitely listen to Jessye Norman sing the Liebestod. She controls it better than anyone else.

[@dralexandresousa]

@@sashakindel3600 Yeah. When you listen to Liebestot ONLY, anyone can sing like jessye. But for the whole opera, I totally agree.

[@nobumiau6472]

Karl Böhm Bayreuth 1966. Nilsson, Windgassen, Ludwig, Waechter, Talvela. It doesn't get any better than that. (in my opinion)

[@Bu-bo-Bu-bo]

@@nobumiau6472 Those who know know :) Nilsson is unbreakable.

[@adrianoargenziano3103]

La morte di Isotta, una delle pagine piu' intense ed emozionanti che siano state scritte, ogni volta che l'ascolto mi prende una stretta al cuore.

[@ModusVivendiMedia]

Tristan und Isolde is just about the only full-length opera I've been to live. (Opera isn't really my thing compared to orchestral and chamber music.) It's maybe 4 hours long, like most of Wagner's operas, slow-paced like this, and might feel like it drags at times ("concise" is not a word I would ever use to refer to his operas), but by the end the slow build-up of emotions is pretty overwhelming. This very popular pairing gives you the beginning and end of the opera (without singing), a condensing of the overall arc, but not everything in between. One of the big things to know about this piece is that the harmony never resolves for the entire 4 hours, until the very end. Before that it's always shifting and evading, to represent their inability to be together as they both wish, and it isn't until the very end that you get that satisfying cadence and resolution of harmony and feeling of repose and peace, because Isolde has now joined Tristan in death. (By the way, besides being very long-winded, Wagner was a notorious anti-semite, and I would assume racist, and his librettos are notoriously bombastic. But the music is often sublime.)

[@sashakindel3600]

Yeah, the only aspect of Wagner's librettos I vouch for is that they interact with the music in clever ways. Wagner operas stand almost completely on the strength of their music, and the librettos evaluated separately would probably leave most people cold.

[@aaronpolichar7936]

Bernstein was famous as a music educator and really connected with audiences. It's not surprising you have that reaction. "Liebestod" means "love-death" so thinking of love and of people who have passed away is not surprising either.

[@RC2214]

Black and White film feel for sure 🙂

[@anteb.k.8396]

Beautiful! Wagner is amazing! Try the ending of Parsifal!

[@GustavoHeras-if5cz]

Wagner music is emotion. ¡Guau!

[@eduardovieira7001]

You should hear Jessye Norman singing this!

[@myrondyal6117]

THIS US FROM THE "HARVARD LECTURES IN 1973 "NORTON LECTURES" THEY ARE ON KZbin....HOURS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF MUSIC UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THE 20TH CENTUREY. HE WAS VERY GIFTED ON EXPLAINING MUSIC AND ITS STRUCTURE!! MYRON DYAL

[@mvjonsson]

If you want something similarly emotional I would suggest Wotan's Farewell from Richard Wagner's Die Wahlkure (2nd opera of the cycle Des Ring des Nibelungen).

[@occultured9722]

By the way: Bernstein was not only a conductor and performing musician, but also a composer himself. Here is one of his lighter pieces, conducted of course by the maestro himself: the overture to his Broadway-Musical "Candide": kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJ-Yk5uAar6LbLc

[@KCJazzKeys]

Sounds like a bassoon jumped the gun just before the first "Tristan" chord. Lenny looked pissed.

[@nbixel]

Lohengrin by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Halász, and Gotterdammerung by Klaus Tennstedt, London Philharmonic Orchestra if you havent is peak Wagner, otherworldy, both on youtube

[@Bu-bo-Bu-bo]

14:46 THE GUY IS SMILING eheheh

[@jimschmitz4848]

Funny, you said you weren't admitting the emotional response in the title, and yet, there it is. Here's to more...

[@Brumairevideo]

Don't worry it happends to all who are listening this opera, because Wagner's miusic is bigger than us

[@heidiengleking9873]

You would be interested to know Wagner wrote this as a tribute to true live which he claimed he never experienced.

[@phil2u48]

The Liebestod MUST be sung.... love consumated in death...ethereal.

[@darthsidious8703]

Beautiful piece. I suggest listening to Beethoven Symphony 6. It is out of this world!

[@JramLisztfan]

Most underrated Beethoven symphony imo

[@darthsidious8703]

@@JramLisztfan besides the 4th yeah

[@trentturner2693]

Try Jessye Norman's Liebestod, Norman is a Queen.

[@sashakindel3600]

By the way, once you get to Mahler's third symphony, I'm sure you'll love the second movement for the harp.

[@brianbritchie8710]

Ah, at last some Wagner! :)

[@baritoneblazzin1965]

Nice reaction, but honestly, you should have reacted to this piece with the Soprano singing this.. would have been much more effective 😉

[@josevanderleigutierrezcond5861]

If you wanna have the same emotions react to Lohengrin overture...you won't regret ☺️

[@rexxmaster]

Listen to the real version with singing! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap-TZWWfmZh5f68

[@codonauta]

This prelude can be discribed as "the art of crescendo".

[@n.gerlach7334]

'Guys, make NEW things.' (Wagner)

[@brianbritchie8710]

But the Liebestod can only be fully appreciated with the singer IMO.

[@ftumschk]

Just goes to show how powerful the music is in a purely orchestral form.

[@GIDIREACTS]

Will check that one out

[@vrixphillips]

it's ok, I cried when I heard it the first time too [although I heard it with Waltraud Meier singing the Liebestod so it was v different!] If you want more intense, beautiful Wagner endings, you should look up Brunnhilde's Immolation Scene! It's.... probably Wagner at his MOST intense. Brunnhilde dies and starts ragnarok it's crazy, and so is the music.

[@miyamoto_max]

I think the voice recorder version of liebstod is more powerful

[@baritoneblazzin1965]

I agree... he should have reacted to a Soprano singing this.. it really captivates the emotion of it.

[@susanbryant6516]

It should read Liebestod, the Untertitel is written wrong…

[@BTinSF]

I wish you'd done this with the vocals, preferably by one of the great Wagnerian sopranos: Flagstaff, Nilsson, Behrens

[@welterwachen889]

I can warmly recommend the sung version by Jessye Norman.

[@welterwachen889]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2ebYa2egtJ8p68

[@abrahanaeoa733]

Te recomiendo que reacciones a la primera de las seis lecturas de "The Unanswered Question" de Leonard Bernstein, hechas en Harvard. Muy muy interesante su abordaje acerca de diferentes temas, de verdad sabe muchas cosas Bernstein, de seguro una de sus muchas pasiones era aprender. Ciencia, filosofía, historia, música ni se diga, y todo de una forma divulgativa muy accesible a todos. Te da una buena perspectiva de la música en general (barroco, clasicismo, romanticismo, impresionismo y el futuro) de todas las épocas y una reflexión acerca del futuro. Pone en tela de juicio a la misma tonalidad y cuestiona si esta durará para siempre o es que la atonalidad o el dodecafonismo llegarán a reemplazarla, en fin, muy interesante. Por cierto este preludio pertenece a la 4ta lectura "The Delights and Dangers of Ambiguity", donde Bernstein la analiza a profundidad y te hace ver las implicaciones que tuvo esta pieza en la evolución de la música.

[@Alex_LionComposer]

I'm not that much of a Wagner fan, but I challenge anyone not to cry during the Liebstod hahahaha

[@Alex_LionComposer]

​@@Alix777. Congrats? Go listen to Stockhausen

[@markthomas2577]

My favourite bit of Wagner ...... but I haven't heard Bernstein doing it. The Liebestod is quite, well ..... arousing ! But the Liebestod appears to be missing from this video, it's just the Prelude

[@stuf159]

No, it’s there. Just no singer.

[@ftumschk]

@@stuf159 Correct - it's the orchestral version. If Gidi heard the original _with_ the soprano, I think he'd die!

[@markthomas2577]

@@ftumschk exactly, it's the singing that's the sexy stuff !

[@adrianoargenziano3103]

Come sembra mancare? c'e' eccome, solo che non e' cantato.

[@ftumschk]

@@adrianoargenziano3103 The Liebestod's melodic line stands out more forcefully when it's being sung, as opposed to being passed meekly between woodwind instruments.

[@waffleman-]

Please react to Mahler 9 movement 1

[@eugenvonbismarck5029]

the liebestod isn't even sung by anyone, try karl boehm, brigton.

[@MrTantris1]

please, do not hear the whole opera, it is destroyed you, because it had one theme: Love. Love, poor love.