I think this chord is quite clearly in the key of A minor. What makes it revolutionary is the fact that the Tonic is not presented before or after it. If the prelude had started with a big A minor chord and then the Tristan chord, we would look at it very differently
In fact, the A minor tonality is given only a moment (the 8th upbeat) while the appoggiatura F is 5 times as long (!) before 'resolving' to the E, the 5th of the chord, equally brief as the A. When the T chord comes we have no idea where we are.
The true magic about the chord - Wagner's genius stroke - is that, just as in his own life, torn between Minna and Cosima, and in the story, where Tristan is torn between his allegiance to his liege and his true love, this chord, when enharmonically spelled (F/B/D#/G# becomes F/Cb/Eb/Ab), is itself also duplicitous, transforming from the enigmatic, searching opening (French 6th?) to a strong, functional half-diminished 7th. Amazing!
“Better stolen than badly conceived”, Wagner must have thought. If invented by anyone, the credits for the Tristan-chord should go to Beethoven: composed in the year 1802, Piano Sonata No.18 in E-flat major, opus 31 no.3, first movement, bar 36: ruclips.net/video/whOU8XNgKFo/видео.html . Wagner ‘borrowed’ the chord roughly 55 (!) years later, including the idea of repeating it transposed a few bars later (though the transpositions do in fact differ by a semitone). As an inside joke, the avant-garde German composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann superimposes Beethoven’s version of the Tristan-chord with Wagner’s version, in his ‘anarchistic’ ballet score “Musique pour les Soupers de Roi Ubu” (1966): ruclips.net/video/9GO43MIA8gM/видео.html
Wagner got all his harmony from Liszt, who in turn got it from Chopin, the one nevertheless with the least revolutionary temperament of the three. Look at his preludes in A and E minor, the central section of the F minor Fantasy, the Polonaise Fantasie, the development section of the 1st movt of the B minor sonata, the late Mazurkas, the last movt of the B flat minor sonata, 4th ballade. Despite his relatively conservative mindset, and reverence of Bach and Mozart (because they "always respected eternal principles") over Beethoven he was the one who planted the seeds of the late romantic harmony ( also ways of using the piano which influenced all the major French and Russian piano composers after him) so much associated with Wagner and this prelude in particular.
Thank you! Very thorough study of the problem. Could you advice some books on rule of the octave and thorough bass ? And in general books that maybe Wagner studied theory and counterpoint with. I'd be very grateful .
I don't read music, nor do I have a working knowledge of Western music theory, but this explanation, as far as I can grasp it, makes sense to me. Nothing in Wagner's music has ever struck me as atonal. I can always sense a definite logical traditional pattern, even if I have no idea what it might be or even why he would have chosen the direction and tones of his music.
Ah Tristan - have deeply loved ever since my teens, the music is other-worldly and addictive!!! The Prelude and Liebestod in my top ten pieces of all time!!! I am going to try and record a version of the Liebestod some day!!! Love your musical analysis!!! 🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🙂🙂🙂🤗
Thanks Angela I really appreciate it, what are the other pieces in the top 10? Probably one of the most difficult questions you could ask a classical music enthusiast😂
@@Carl-FriedrichWelker here's my attempt at the Tristan chord a while ago, as a very poor sight reader who tends to play by ear!!! 🤣🤣🤣 ruclips.net/user/shorts9cZI14h6PXE?feature=share
@@Carl-FriedrichWelker 🤣🤣🤣🤣 it's my great pleasure to sit down and have a think about why my favourite pieces are my faves and will come back to you with my top ten!!! What about you?? What would you say are among your favourite pieces ever?? It's so awesome to be in a community where we all deeply love classical music!!! 🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🙂🙂🙂🤗
Thanks Carl, great video. What do you think about Jesper Bøje's Christiansen book "18th century continuo playing" as a resource to learn Thorough bass?
Unfortunately I have never heard of him. I'm not an expert in this continuo playing, not even close, but I heard the book from Emanuel Aloys Förster is one of the most frequent used to learn it. 🙌🏻
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It is a half cadence .... with a lot of other things
I think this chord is quite clearly in the key of A minor. What makes it revolutionary is the fact that the Tonic is not presented before or after it. If the prelude had started with a big A minor chord and then the Tristan chord, we would look at it very differently
totally agree👍🏻
In fact, the A minor tonality is given only a moment (the 8th upbeat) while the appoggiatura F is 5 times as long (!) before 'resolving' to the E, the 5th of the chord, equally brief as the A. When the T chord comes we have no idea where we are.
The true magic about the chord - Wagner's genius stroke - is that, just as in his own life, torn between Minna and Cosima, and in the story, where Tristan is torn between his allegiance to his liege and his true love, this chord, when enharmonically spelled (F/B/D#/G# becomes F/Cb/Eb/Ab), is itself also duplicitous, transforming from the enigmatic, searching opening (French 6th?) to a strong, functional half-diminished 7th. Amazing!
Resolution comes in the end. It is A major triad.
Love Bruckner, are you planning on covering any materials on him for his 200th birth year?
“Better stolen than badly conceived”, Wagner must have thought. If invented by anyone, the credits for the Tristan-chord should go to Beethoven: composed in the year 1802, Piano Sonata No.18 in E-flat major, opus 31 no.3, first movement, bar 36: ruclips.net/video/whOU8XNgKFo/видео.html . Wagner ‘borrowed’ the chord roughly 55 (!) years later, including the idea of repeating it transposed a few bars later (though the transpositions do in fact differ by a semitone). As an inside joke, the avant-garde German composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann superimposes Beethoven’s version of the Tristan-chord with Wagner’s version, in his ‘anarchistic’ ballet score “Musique pour les Soupers de Roi Ubu” (1966): ruclips.net/video/9GO43MIA8gM/видео.html
Wagner got all his harmony from Liszt, who in turn got it from Chopin, the one nevertheless with the least revolutionary temperament of the three. Look at his preludes in A and E minor, the central section of the F minor Fantasy, the Polonaise Fantasie, the development section of the 1st movt of the B minor sonata, the late Mazurkas, the last movt of the B flat minor sonata, 4th ballade. Despite his relatively conservative mindset, and reverence of Bach and Mozart (because they "always respected eternal principles") over Beethoven he was the one who planted the seeds of the late romantic harmony ( also ways of using the piano which influenced all the major French and Russian piano composers after him) so much associated with Wagner and this prelude in particular.
Thank you! Very thorough study of the problem.
Could you advice some books on rule of the octave and thorough bass ? And in general books that maybe Wagner studied theory and counterpoint with. I'd be very grateful .
I don't read music, nor do I have a working knowledge of Western music theory, but this explanation, as far as I can grasp it, makes sense to me. Nothing in Wagner's music has ever struck me as atonal. I can always sense a definite logical traditional pattern, even if I have no idea what it might be or even why he would have chosen the direction and tones of his music.
Exactly, it does sound very tonal🙌🏻
Ah Tristan - have deeply loved ever since my teens, the music is other-worldly and addictive!!! The Prelude and Liebestod in my top ten pieces of all time!!! I am going to try and record a version of the Liebestod some day!!! Love your musical analysis!!! 🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🙂🙂🙂🤗
Thanks Angela I really appreciate it, what are the other pieces in the top 10? Probably one of the most difficult questions you could ask a classical music enthusiast😂
@@Carl-FriedrichWelker ooooooooh now I'll have to have a think about that!!! 🤣🤣🤣
@@Carl-FriedrichWelker here's my attempt at the Tristan chord a while ago, as a very poor sight reader who tends to play by ear!!! 🤣🤣🤣
ruclips.net/user/shorts9cZI14h6PXE?feature=share
Sorry😂
@@Carl-FriedrichWelker 🤣🤣🤣🤣 it's my great pleasure to sit down and have a think about why my favourite pieces are my faves and will come back to you with my top ten!!! What about you?? What would you say are among your favourite pieces ever?? It's so awesome to be in a community where we all deeply love classical music!!! 🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🙂🙂🙂🤗
Cheers, Carl.
This meant absolutely nothing to me, but I am happy for you.
Thanks Carl, great video. What do you think about Jesper Bøje's Christiansen book "18th century continuo playing" as a resource to learn Thorough bass?
Unfortunately I have never heard of him. I'm not an expert in this continuo playing, not even close, but I heard the book from Emanuel Aloys Förster is one of the most frequent used to learn it. 🙌🏻
your content is amazing! one problem would be that ypu speak too fast bro XD
Hmm… From Wagner to the Secnd Viennese School?
Yes if I remember that correctly😂
Didnt lizst comr up with chord
How did this become Serial music?
Tristan is beautiful
Serial music is nihilistic
I don't understand what you mean with serial music but I agree it's beautiful😂
@Carl-FriedrichWelker
Serial music is highly organized music meaning nothing
The concept Boulez had in mind was indeed terrible, he had to bend the rules and this allowed him to make pretty nice works.
And now in English, please!
I want to see more of the terse, acerbic and unrepentant you in your videos as it depicts your unapologetic and entertaining character.
Thanks, I hope that's something good😂
@@Carl-FriedrichWelker it's very good!