During the years preceding the composition of Tristan and Isolde, Wagner's aesthetics underwent a momentous turnaround, principally as a result of his discovery of Schopenhauer. Many of Schopenhauer's ideas, especially those regarding music's metaphysical significance, resonated with patterns of
thought that had long been central to Wagner's aesthetics, and Wagner described the entry of Schopenhauer into his life as "a gift from heaven." Chafe argues that Wagner's Tristan and Isolde is a musical and dramatic exposition of metaphysical ideas inspired by Schopenhauer. The first part of the
book covers the philosophical and literary underpinnings of the story, exploring Schopenhauer's metaphysics and Gottfried van Strassburg's Tristan poem. Chafe then turns to the events in the opera, providing tonal and harmonic analyses that reinforce his interpretation of the drama. Chafe acts as an
expert guide, interpreting and illustrating most important moments for his reader. Ultimately, Chafe creates a critical account of Tristan, in which the drama is shown to develop through the music.
1. The Path to Schopenhauer
2. Tristan and Schopenhauer
3. Tristan and Gottfried von Strassburg I: Minne
4. Tristan and Gottfried von Strassburg II: Honor
5. The Desire Music
6. The Prelude: A Musicopoetic View
7. Tragedy and Dramatic Structure
8. The Two Death
Motives
9. Musicopoetic Design in Act One
10. Act Two, Scene One: Night and Minne
11. The Love Scene in Act Two: Transition and Periodicity
12. Tristan's Answer to King Mark: Moral and Philosophical Questions
13. Act Three: Musicopoetic Design
14. Love as Fearful
Torment
15. The Road to Salvation
Notes
Appendix
A: The original transition to "O ew'ge Nacht"
B: The original version of "O ew'ge Nacht"
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Eric Chafe is Professor of Composition at Brandeis University.
