Rod's Ramblings
A podcast reminiscing about cultural events and how they affected this sixty something. Join me as we travel on a nostalgic journey through the cultural events that have shaped our lives. From classical composers, iconic music moments, rock stars and unforgettable TV shows. Let’s reminisce about how these events have influenced us all. Whether you’re a fellow baby boomer or just love a good story, Rod’s Ramblings offers a heartfelt, informative and entertaining look at the stories behind these great events. Cheers, Rod.
Rod's Ramblings
Harmonious Histories - Richard Wagner and his Ring Cycle Part 2- Die Walkure
Ever wondered how myth and music intertwine to create legends? On this episode of Rod's Ramblings, we unravel the fascinating world of Richard Wagner's "Die Walküre" and the Norse mythology that inspired it. Discover the legendary Valkyries, the fierce daughters of Odin and Freyja, who navigate themes of strength, love, and sacrifice. Join us as we explore the intriguing life of Wagner and the women who influenced his art, from his tumultuous relationship with Minna to the transformative role of Cosima Wagner. Through their stories of passion and betrayal, we expose the deep connections between Wagner’s personal dramas and his operatic genius.
But that's not all—our exploration extends beyond the opera stage. We unveil how these mythical figures have shaped modern culture, including their embodiment as symbols of empowerment in contemporary art and media. From the legendary Valkyries to the sleek Aston Martin Valhalla, witness the enduring impact of these timeless tales. As we continue our journey through Wagner's epic Ring Cycle, prepare to be captivated by the interplay of mythology and modernity. Tune in for a deep dive into the stories that have inspired artists and captivated audiences for centuries.
Hello there and welcome to Rod's Ramblings, a podcast reminiscing about cultural events and how they've affected this 60-something. Thank you for listening. Your support really is appreciated. In this Harmonious Histories series, I've been sharing stories with you that I've come across as a result of my discovery of classical music composers. In the last episode, I talked about one of the most famous operatic composers, richard Wagner and his legendary Der Ring des Nibelungen, concentrating on his early years, and the first opera in the cycle, das Rheingold, on his early years and the first opera in the cycle, das Rheingold. In this episode, I'd like to continue with the second opera in the cycle, die Valkyrie, also known as the Valkyrie. Over the next 25 minutes or so, I'll share stories with you from the Norse mythology that inspired Wagner to produce the work. Talk about three of the women that played the part of a Valkyrie in his life, give you my interpretation of the story behind the opera and, finally, how the Valkyrie have been used in other forms of media. We'll also listen to a couple of great pieces of music.
Speaker 1:The Valkyries played a big part in Norse mythology, being the daughters of Odin and Freyja, the chief god and goddess in the Norse pantheon. Odin and Freya, the chief god and goddess in the Norse pantheon. They were powerful female figures embodying the values of honour, bravery and sacrifice, often depicted as beautiful angelic beings wearing magnificent suits of armour and carrying dazzling weapons, they would descend from the heavens to the battlefield to choose the bravest and most skilled warriors who had fallen in battle. The chosen warriors, known as the Ein Echar, were then transported to Valhalla, where they would feast with and fight alongside the gods in preparation for the final battle of Ragnarok, a series of events and catastrophes that will ultimately lead to the end of the world.
Speaker 1:One of the most famous Valkyries in Norse mythology is Brunhilde, a shield maiden and warrior princess who appears in the Volsunga saga and the Nibelunga lead. Brunhilde was known for her beauty, strength and courage and was a central figure in many heroic legends. She was often depicted as a fierce warrior who rode into battle on a winged horse and wielded a sword with deadly skill. Another well-known Valkyrie is Sigrun, a figure from the poetic Edda who falls in love with the hero Helgi Hyodbadsen. Sigrun is a complex character who is torn between her duty as a Valkyrie and her love for Helgi. In the end, she chooses to forsake her immortality and join Helgi in death. Brunnhilde and Sigrun's tales illustrate the themes of strength, love, sacrifice and destiny that are central to the lore of the Valkyries.
Speaker 1:In the same way as women played a powerful and dramatic role in each of his operas, powerful women also played a dramatic and dramatic role in each of his operas. Powerful women also played a dramatic and significant role in his life. Like many great writers, we can assume that he based his characterisations upon people that he knew and used his own life experiences as the basis for the stories that ran through each of his epic tales, even though he was suspected of having many affairs, often with the wives of many of his creditors. There are three contenders for the real Valkyries in his life. They are Christine Wilhelmina Pläne, mathilde Wessendonck and Cosima von Bülow.
Speaker 1:His first significant relationship was with the German actress Christine Wilhelmina Pläne, who he called Minna, actress Christine Wilhelmine Pleiner, who he called Minna. They first met in 1834 whilst Minna was appearing as part of Heinrich Eduard Bethmann's Magdeburg Theatre Company during a summer season at Bad Laustadt, a spa resort near Halle in Germany. Wagner had arrived in Laustadt on the 1st of August to investigate the offer of a position as conductor of the Magdeburg company. He was unimpressed by the job offer and was due to return to Leipzig when he unexpectedly met Minna whilst looking for overnight lodgings. The 21-year-old Wagner was so taken by the young girl that he changed his mind and accepted the contract in order to pursue her, taking rooms directly beneath hers.
Speaker 1:Minna's relationship with Wagner was stormy. Wagner was jealous and possessive, and the couple had many disagreements, often playing out their tempestuous relationship in public. However, despite these disagreements, by the time the company returned to Magdeburg to open the season in October, wagner and Minna were lovers and by February of the following year Wagner wrote to his brother Alfred, informing him that he and Minna were engaged. To Wagner's fury, minna continued to be pursued by other suitors. In November 1835, she became dissatisfied with the Magdeburg troop, probably with Wagner as well, and left suddenly to take on a role at the Kongstadt theatre in Berlin. Wagner was wild with despair and implored her to come back, eventually proposing marriage. Minna agreed to return, but the arguments began again and when the season in Magdeburg ended, the couple went their separate ways, with Minna heading to Konigsberg to join the local theatre company and Wagner going to Berlin in search of work. Although there was a very active musical presence in Berlin. Our composer failed to find a suitable position and joined Minna in Konigsberg, accepting a menial position as a junior conductor. The couple were married in Tragolm Church on 26 November 1836, but rather than it being the happiest day of their lives, it was the opposite, with the couple allegedly arguing in front of the minister during the marriage service.
Speaker 1:Married life continued to be tumultuous. Their relationship was marked by frequent quarrels and infidelities on both sides. Wagner's extravagant lifestyle and debts caused significant strain, and Minna often struggled to support them financially through her acting career. The second lady who could play the role of the Valkyrie was Matilda Wessendonk, who came into Wagner's life in January 1852, when she and her husband Otto met the composer at a concert in Zurich. Wagner was living in exile in Zurich after a failed revolution in Saxony. He was fascinated by the French Social Democrats, the radical left, and hoped for their victory in France. The poverty, hopelessness and lack of success that he'd experienced had made him bitter, living on credit and rehearsing a Beethoven cycle cycle along with his own works with the Zurich Amateur Orchestra.
Speaker 1:The meeting with the Wessendonks was a turning point in Wagner's life in more ways than one. A friendship developed and Otto began to support him financially. This support included the funding of a three-day festival in May 1853 featuring only Wagner's works, and making a cottage on a plot of land by the side of Lake Zurich available to Wagner and Minna at a very reasonable rent. Unfortunately for Otto, the friendship between his newfound friend and his wife also developed romantically. Wagner became infatuated with Matilda, who was a poet and writer, although it's unclear whether their relationship was ever consummated. Wagner's infatuation inspired him to compose the Fessen Donklede, a set of five songs based on Matilda's poems. This affair also led Wagner to set aside his work on Dering des Nibelungen and begin composing Tristan and Isolde, which reflects his longing and emotional turmoil. On the 7th of April, wagner wrote a letter to Matilda declaring his love for her. However, the letter never reached the Wessendonck's residence and was found by Minna. This was the final nail in the coffin of the Wagner's marriage. Minna moved to Dresden to stay with her family and Wagner left Zurich for Venice. They subsequently lived apart for the last decade of their marriage. Minna passed away in 1866 while Wagner was in Geneva with yet another new partner, the third potential Valkyrie in Wagner's life, cosima von Bulow. Potential Valkyrie in Wagner's life, cosima von Bulow.
Speaker 1:Cosima was born on December 25, 1837, in Rome, italy, an illegitimate daughter to the famous Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt and his lover, the French countess Marie Dagou. She had two siblings an older sister, blandine Rachel, who went on to marry French Prime Minister Emile Olivier, and a younger brother, daniel, who died of tuberculosis. Although both parents played a significant role in shaping their children's early exposure to music and the arts, they were often absent from their lives due to constant touring throughout Europe. Liszt and Degout's relationship was very tempestuous. They never married, possibly because of de Gou never divorcing her first husband, count Louis Constant de Gou. And when it eventually broke down, liszt prohibited his children from seeing their mother, leaving them in the hands of his mother, hannah. As the family grew into adulthood, their father arranged for them to move to Berlin, where they were placed in the care of Baroness Franziska von Bulow. It was here that Cosima met the Baroness's son, hans, who was also a student of her father's. Their mutual love of music brought them together. They became romantically involved and married in August 1857 at Berlin's St Hedwig's Cathedral.
Speaker 1:Cosima's association with Wagner came about as a by-product of her marriage. Von Bulow was a great admirer of Wagner. The story goes that after seeing Liszt conduct the premiere of Wagner's Lohengrin at Weimar in August 1850, he abandoned his career in law and decided to dedicate his life to music. As a result of von Buloff's friendship with Wagner, hans and Cosimo became regular visitors to Wagner's house, and Cosimo's admiration of the maestro's work soon developed into a more physical infatuation. Although Hans and Cosimo would have three children together, their marriage was largely loveless and, in spite of a mutual respect for each other's musical abilities, they began to drift apart, and Cosima's infatuation with Wagner became more intense. This infatuation morphed into a physical relationship and very quickly Liszt's daughter and the operatic composer became lovers. Hans was understandably not thrilled with the love affair between his wife and friend and refused to agree to a divorce. It wasn't until Cosima gave birth to their third child that Hans finally agreed, allowing Cosima to become Wagner's second wife. Incidentally, did you know that Wagner and Cosima's three children were named Isolde, eva and Siegfried all three names from Wagner's operas?
Speaker 1:Cosima played an essential role in Wagner's legacy, managing much of his affairs and supporting the creation of his famous works, particularly the opera Parsifal and creation of the Beirut Festival. After Wagner's death in 1883, she dedicated herself to promoting his music and ensuring the festival's success. Cosima remained the custodian of Wagner's legacy until her own death in 1930. Before we talk about the opera itself, I'd like to play a piece of music by the composer, kristoffer Doherty Lefsen. Doherty Lefson Christopher was born in the south of Sweden, beginning his musical career playing guitar before graduating from Blecklinge Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in audio production. He has since made his name, producing music for commercials, tv shows, documentaries, trailers and much more. The piece that I've chosen is about another mythical legend, in this case Greek rather than Norse. This is Prometheus. The ¶¶.
Speaker 1:Thank you, thank you, thank you. So, in Varglas de Valkyr, we are drawn into a world of myth and magic, where fate intertwines the lives of gods and mortals. The narrative commences with Siegmund, a fugitive warrior, seeking refuge during a tempestuous night, leading him to the home of the warrior Hunding and his sorrowful wife Siglinde. As the story unfolds, we witness a poignant tale of love, betrayal and divine intervention that challenges the boundary of destiny. This powerful drama, filled with richly developed characters and profound themes, captivates audiences with its intense emotional resonance and timeless exploration of human desires and divine machinations. Here is my understanding of the story. Amidst the howling tempest and ferocious storm, siegmund, a warrior hunted and harried by unseen foes, seeks refuge in the lonely home of the absent warrior Hunding. It is here, in the dim and shadowed hall, that Siegmund's weary eyes fall upon Siglinde, hunding's distressed and sorrowful wife. With a vice roughened by despair and exhaustion, siegmund explains his plight. I am pursued by my relentless enemies, cursed by a fate most dire, I beseech you, grant me but a sip of mead to quench my parched throat and I shall trouble your home no longer. Siglinda, sensing the depth of his torment, implores him to stay, her voice soft and soothing. Stay noble stranger. This house is steeped in ill fortune. No misfortune you bring could worsen our state. Find solace here, if only for a brief respite. When Hunding returns, his gaze falls upon the weary Siegmund, though grudgingly. He offers the stranger shelter, as custom demands. But Sieglinde, her heart, increasingly enchanted by the enigmatic stranger, beseeches him to share his tale. Siegmund, shrouding his true identity, introduces himself as a Werwalt, meaning filled with woe. He begins to recount the tragic tale of his past, how he had once returned home to find his mother slain and his twin sister abducted. He spoke of the many years spent wandering with his father in search of his lost sister and their eventual separation. His voice grew heavy with sorrow as he recounted an earlier adventure the battle to defend a girl from a forced marriage. Alas, his weapon shattered in the fray and in the ensuing chaos, the bride perished. Fleeing from the wrath of those who pursued him, he had found refuge in Hunding's home. As Siegmund's tale draws to a close, hunding reveals himself as one of Siegmund's pursuers. Yet, bound by the laws of hospitality, he agrees to let Siegmund stay the night, but with a grim warning come the morning they must duel With Hunding's departure. Siegmund laments his misfortune and recalls his father's promise that a sword would appear in his greatest time of need. In a bold and dramatic twist, siglinde secretly drugs Hunding's drink, plunging him into a deep, untroubled sleep. She then reveals her own tale of woe her forced marriage to Hunding and the mysterious old man who had driven a sword into the trunk of an ash tree at their wedding feast. As she speaks, realisation dawns upon Siegmund. He is the hero destined to free the sword and rescue her. As soon as Sieglinde mentions the name Valsei, siegmund knows that he is her twin brother. With newfound determination, he effortlessly draws the sword from the tree and christens it Nothung, meaning needful, the weapon he requires for the impending battle with Hunding. In a fervent and passionate moment, siegmund embraces Sieglinde, calling her both his bride and his sister.
Speaker 1:The tale shifts to a rocky mountainside where Wotan, the king of the gods, stands with his Valkyrie daughter, brunhilde. He commands her to protect Siegmund in his forthcoming battle against Hunding. But soon Fricka, wotan's wife and the guardian of marriage, arrives, demanding that Siegmund and Siglinde be punished for their incestuous relationship. She knows that Wotan, disguised as Volsa, has fathered both Siegmund and Siglinde. Wotan protests, insisting that he needs a free hero to help him carry out his plans, but Frick encounters, declaring that Siegmund is no free hero but merely a pawn of Wotan. Reluctantly, wotan agrees that Siegmund must die.
Speaker 1:Siegmund and Siglinde flee Hunding's Hall and find themselves in a desolate mountain pass. Siglinde, overcome with guilt and exhaustion, faints. Brunelda appears and warns Siegmund of his inevitable death, clinging to the belief that his father's sword would ensure his victory. Siegmund refuses to heed her warning and the battle begins. Just as Siegmund begins to gain the upper hand, wotan intervenes. He shatters the sword, nothung with his spear, leaving Siegmund defenceless. Hunting strikes a fatal blow and Siegmund falls to his death. Wotan, grieving for Siegmund, watches as Brunnhilde escapes, with Siglinde clutching the fragments of Nothung. In his anger, he kills Hundung with a mere gesture before setting out in pursuit of his disobedient daughter.
Speaker 1:The opera ends with the Valkyries assembling on a mountain summit, each one carrying the soul of a fallen hero. When Brunhilde arrives, she is carrying Siglinde, who is alive, but on the run, the Valkyries, fearing Wotan's wrath, refuse to help. Brunhilde reveals that Siglinde is pregnant with Siegmund's child and names the unborn son Siegfried. Wotan arrives furious and passes judgment on Brunhilde. As punishment for her defiance, he strips her of her Valkyrie status, condemning her to mortal life and placing her in an enchanted sleep, vulnerable to any man who might come across her. Brunhilde pleads for mercy, reminding Wotan of her loyalty and the courage she saw in Siegmund. She even speaks of Wotan's true desire, recognising that he secretly wanted Siegmund's victory Moved. Wotan agrees to her final request to surround her with a circle of magical flame that only the bravest of heroes could pass. As Brunhilde falls asleep on the rock, wotan kisses her closed eyes and summons Logi, the god of fire, to ignite the flame. Wotan departs in sorrow, leaving behind a final decree Only one who is unafraid of his spear can cross the fire, and so the curtain falls, leaving us with the promise of a future hero who will one day break through the flame and fulfil the destiny set in motion by the gods. What an amazing story.
Speaker 1:I think this is a good place to have another piece of music no-transcript, namely graphic novels, films, tv and video games. The first occurrence of a Valkyrie in a graphic novel that I'm aware of was in November 1972, when the character Valkyrie was featured in Marvel Comics Defenders number four In the movies. The aforementioned Marvel comic book character is depicted by Tessa Thompson in the films Thor Ragnarok in 2017, 2017, avengers Endgame in 2019, thor, love and Thunder in 2022 and the Marvels in 2023. There is also a Valkyrie in Battle Beyond the Stars, which was made in 1980, and the Northman made in 2022. On TV, valkyries were featured in the Bugs Bunny and Alma Fudd version of Der Ring des Nibelungen, in the Merry Melodies cartoon what's Up Redock in 1957, and in an episode of Xena Warrior Princess called the Rheingold in 2000. In video games, valkyries are featured in Gauntlet, the Valkyrie Profile series, age of Mythology, odin's S Sphere, god of War and God of War Ragnarok. The aforementioned Marvel character Valkyrie features in various video games based on the Marvel comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Marvel Heroes and Lego Marvel's Avengers. The Valkyries have even played their part in the sale of high-performance i-spec sports cars.
Speaker 1:The Aston Martin Valkyrie, also known by its codenames as AMRB001 and Nebula, is a limited-production hybrid sports car collaboratively built by British automobile manufacturers Aston Martin, red Bull Racing, advanced Technologies and several other parties, aston Martin, red Bull Racing, advanced Technologies and several other parties. The original code name was Nebula, an acronym for Newey, red Bull and Aston Martin Lagonda. The name AMRB001 was chosen as the final code name and was decided since Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing had collaborated all throughout the project. Am stands for Aston Martin, rb stands for Red Bull and 001 is probably a reference to it being the first production of the car. In 2017, aston Martin revealed that the car would be named Valkyrie, after the Norse mythological figures According to Red Bull. The name was chosen to continue the tradition of V-nomenclature of Aston Martin's automobiles and to distinguish the vehicle as a high-performance car. The V was used as a distinguishing factor.
Speaker 1:The Aston Martin Valhalla, which is known as the son of Valkyrie, likewise has its origin in the mythological location Valhalla. Over the centuries, the lore of the Valkyries has continued to capture the imagination of artists, writers and storytellers. In addition to Wagner's magnificent epic, they have been portrayed in numerous works of art, literature and film. Often depicted as powerful and enigmatic figures, the Valkyries have also inspired countless modern interpretations, with many seeing them as symbols of female empowerment and strength. I hope you've enjoyed listening to my rumble about Wagner's second opera in his famous Ring Cycle and look forward to sharing the third and final instalments in future episodes. So until the next time on Rod's Ramblings, cheers and take care.
