Danse Macabre 10: LOHENGRIN

The miracle of the Grail - Lohengrin is chosen to be the protector of the king's daughter Elsa of Brabant. Wall painting by Wilhelm Hauschild.

The Lohengrin legend is the continuation of the Parzival legend.

As the son of Parzival, Lohengrin is predestined for the life of a Grail knight. Through the "miracle of the Grail", he is elected to protect Elsa, a king's daughter who is in danger. Elsa's father, the King of Brabant, died without leaving a male heir. When he was on his deathbed, everyone around him swore to be true to his daughter Elsa. However, Count Telramund does not accept Elsa as ruler after the death of the king, and maintains that he promised the king he would marry Elsa and become king himself. Suddenly Lohengrin appears in shining armour on a boat drawn by a silver swan. He defends Elsa's rights in a duel with Telramund and defeats his opponent.

The swan knight of the Holy Grail then marries the king's daughter Elsa. Before Lohengrin takes his beautiful wife home, he reminds her of the vow to which he is bound by the order of knights to which he belongs: "You must never ask me where I come from, Elsa", he warns, "never. If you break this vow, I will be lost to you forever!" When their two children are already growing up, Elsa's curiosity is however so great that she asks the fatal question. The swan which brought Lohengrin reappears and takes him back to the Grail castle, so that he can fulfil his vow to help noble people in need.

Lohengrin's arrival, tapestry painting by A. V. Heckel, 1880/81.

The Bridal Chorus...

Treulich geführt ziehet dahin,
wo euch der Segen der Liebe bewahr'!
Siegreicher Mut, Minnegewinn
eint euch in Treue zum seligsten Paar.
Streiter der Tugend, schreite voran!
Zierde der Jugend, schreite voran!
Rauschen des Festes seid nun entronnen,
Wonne des Herzens sei euch gewonnen!
Duftender Raum, zur Liebe geschmückt,
nehm' euch nun auf, dem Glanze entrückt.
Treulich geführt ziehet nun ein,
wo euch der Segen der Liebe bewahr'!
Siegreicher Mut, Minne so rein
eint euch in Treue zum seligsten Paar.

Faithfully guided, draw near
to where the blessing of love shall preserve you!
Triumphant courage, the reward of love,
joins you in faith as the happiest of couples!
Champion of virtue, proceed!
Jewel of youth, proceed!
Flee now the splendour of the wedding feast,
may the delights of the heart be yours!
This sweet-smelling room, decked for love,
now takes you in, away from the splendour.
Faithfully guided, draw now near
to where the blessing of love shall preserve you!
Triumphant courage, love so pure,
joins you in faith as the happiest of couples!

IN A LIBRARY

A precious, mouldering pleasure 't is
To meet an antique book,
In just the dress his century wore;
A privilege, I think,

His venerable hand to take,
And warming in our own,
A passage back, or two, to make
To times when he was young.

His quaint opinions to inspect,
His knowledge to unfold
On what concerns our mutual mind,
The literature of old;

What interested scholars most,
What competitions ran
When Plato was a certainty.
And Sophocles a man;

When Sappho was a living girl,
And Beatrice wore
The gown that Dante deified.
Facts, centuries before,

He traverses familiar,
As one should come to town
And tell you all your dreams were true;
He lived where dreams were sown.

...by Emily Dickinson

Discourse du Wagner

One thing however is wanting to these gentlemen, without which they cannot be expected to achieve the needful reconstruction of the orchestras, nor to enforce the needful reforms in the institutions connected with them, viz., energy, self-confidence, and personal power. In their case, unfortunately, reputation, talent, culture, even faith, love and hope, are artificial. Each of them was, and is, so busy with his personal affairs, and the difficulty of maintaining his artificial position, that he cannot occupy himself with measures of general import--measures which might bring about a connected and consistent new order of things. As a matter of fact, such an order of things cannot, and does not concern the fraternity at all. They came to occupy the position of those old fashioned German masters, because the power of the latter had deteriorated and because they had shewn themselves incapable to meet the wants of a new style; and it would appear that they, in their turn, regard their position of to-day as merely temporary--filling a gap in a period of transition. In the face of the new ideals of German art, towards which all that is noble in the nation begins to turn, they are evidently at a loss, since these ideals are alien to their nature. In the presence of certain technical difficulties inseparable from modern music they have recourse to singular expedients. Meyerbeer, for instance, was very circumspect; in Paris he engaged a new flutist and paid him out of his own pocket to play a particular bit nicely. Fully aware of the value of finished execution, rich and independent, Meyerbeer might have been of great service to the Berlin orchestra when the King of Prussia appointed him "General Musikdirector." Mendelssohn was called upon to undertake a similar mission about the same time; and, assuredly, Mendelssohn was the possessor of the most extraordinary gifts and attainments. Both men, doubtless, encountered all the difficulties which had hitherto blocked the way towards improvements; but they were called upon to overcome these very difficulties, and their independent position and great attainments rendered them exceptionally competent to do so. Why then did their powers desert them? It would seem as if they had no real power. They left matters to take care of themselves and, now, we are confronted by the "celebrated" Berlin orchestra in which the last trace of the traditions of Spontini's strict discipline have faded away. Thus fared Meyerbeer and Mendelssohn whilst at Berlin: what are we to expect elsewhere from their neat little shadows?

Deja vu all over again...

Whoever cares to examine these speeches must admit at once that they are absolutely without content. Nowhere is there a new idea or an inspiring thought, no, not even an attempt at such. There is little in these speeches of that which makes our lives richer, of that which science investigates and discovers, of that which industry and ability create; of the people's sorrows and labors, of their peaceful work and modest achievement - of all that there is little in these speeches.

German pacifist Ludwig Thoma on the speeches of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Danse Macabre 10

LOHENGRIN

The Issue with No Name

Archive du Danse Macabre

IN A LIBRARY

Counterstream Radio!

Discourse du Wagner

Deja vu all over again...

Danse Macabre X