The Tristan Chord Revealed

0:00 Introduction with Loki
1:22 Wagner - a colossal figure
1:58 Tristan und Isolde - his most famous achievement
2:21 Historical context: Revolution in Dresden
3:31 Rethinking opera
3:42 The Ring Cycle and the invention of the Leitmotif
4:05 Wagner’s influence on literature
4:38 Wagner interrupts work on the Ring Cycle
5:27 A philosophical explanation of Tristan & Isolde
6:21 The objective and the subjective
6:42 Tristan and Isolde’s dilemma
7:34 The potion reveals pure subjectivity
8:24 The most dramatic end to any operatic act!
8:49 Act 3 is one of the most amazing things...
9:03 Context: what does the Tristan chord represent?
9:52 No one had ever begun a piece of music like this before
10:40 Orchestration and symbolism
12:00 The sound is enigmatic
12:43 continuing phrases
13:39 Tonality is being outlined very systematically
15:13 It tends to be explained out of context
15:49. Wagner’s teachers, Partimento and the Rule of Octave
19:49 Harmonising a descending A minor scale bass line
20:23 Augmented 6th chords
21:11 The French 6th plus an appoggiatura
21:57 Transforming convention: a definition of genius
22:58 Wagner’s use of the chord throughout the opera
24:18 Tristan & Isolde is the seed of modernity
25:26 The final resolution of the chord at the end of the opera
25:47 Later developments: Debussy and Stravinsky
27:59 Tristan opens a new realm of possibilities
28:31 Reading through the opening of the Tristan Prelude at the piano

This video is a deep dive into Wagner’s Tristan chord, the most famous and enigmatic harmonic event in history.

Matthew King explains the chord from a number of perspectives, and helps to put this microcosm of Wagner’s genius into a broader dramatic and historical context, with some discussion of Wagner’s development, and a quick survey of subsequent literary and musical events that occurred under the spell of Tristan und Isolde.

Friedrich Nietzsche, who in his younger years was a close friend of Wagner’s, wrote that, for him, "Tristan and Isolde is the real opus metaphysicum of all art... insatiable and sweet craving for the secrets of night and death. . . it is overpowering in its simple grandeur". In 1868 he wrote about the effect of the Prelude: "I simply cannot bring myself to remain critically aloof from this music; every nerve in me is a-twitch, and it has been a long time since I had such a lasting sense of ecstasy as with this overture". Long after his split with Wagner, he still admired Tristan und Isolde: "Even now I am still in search of a work which exercises such a dangerous fascination, such a spine-tingling and blissful infinity as Tristan — I have sought in vain, in every art."

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#wagner #tristanchord #themusicprofessor

[ftumschk]

Despite being a Wagner/Tristan nut for around 40 years, there's always something new to learn. This video certainly lived up to that tradition. Fascinating!

[target]

Sir, what a profound, entertainingly presented analysis of all the different implications that made the opera so important in music history. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. As a 76-year-old German, I have kept my whole life at a distance from Wagner and his music because it was abused by the Nazis for their demagogy. It is ironic that an British professor, open up a German's understanding of Wagner. Thank you!

[patriciajarrard]

That opening was what turned me into a Wagner fan. When the opening of Tristian and Isolde is played, I find myself closing my eyes and mentally floating with the music.

[saschabakker]

More Tristan content please!! Such a fascinating opera for so many reasons. Thank you for your excellent videos and dedication to accessible music education!

[callmejeffbob]

There is a famous quote about Wagner sometimes attributed to Mark Twain but actually originated with another 19th century humorist named Bill Nye:
"‘Wagner’s music, I have been informed, is really much better than it sounds.'”

[PianoDanny]

As a fellow music educator, I’d like to say I’m loving your enthusiasm and ability to share your love of the music without getting bogged down in the complexity!

[thormusique]

Excellent video, thanks! And yes, I for one would love to see a series on Tristan. Cheers!

[darrenjurme]

Yes please to a mini-series on Tristan & Isolde! 🙏🏼 🥂

[mstalcup]

Thanks for the information regarding how Wagner was taught composition. I love the analysis of the Tristan chord as a French sixth chord with an appoggiatura leading to the dominant. The fascinating link between Wagner, Debussy, Shönberg, and Stravinsky is certainly evident in your presentation.

[Blimey]

Very insightful video. I'm hoping for the follow-up video, or videos!

[_Helm_]

Said this before but once more: thank you for being a great educator and for conveying this enthusiasm and knowledge about classical music to those of us that know less about it but still love it

[annakimborahpa]

Yes, you broke the Wagner code.
1. With the appoggiatura G# of the Tristan Chord resolving upward to A, then it's harmonic function can be understood as a form of the Subdominant in the key of A Minor, labeled either as F7 b5 or a B7 b5/F.
2. In jazz theory, the first two measures would be referred to as an incomplete ii - V progression in the key of A minor since the Tonic i chord is not arrived at. Unresolved ii - V progressions abound in jazz harmony that accompany simple melodies.
3.Therefore, in the key of A Minor, Tristan's opening measure 1 = Subdominant function and measure 2 = Dominant function. The Tristan chord can also be considered as V of V in the key of A Minor using Figured Bass analysis.

[josepmcomajoncoses]

Superb talk. I wish I could put more "likes" :) the whole opera never ceases to fascinate! Please sure, do more videos about it, not just the beginning!!!

[thomasdeansfineart]

Thank you so much for this professor! My first encounter with this music was a live concert featuring a performance of the Prelude/Liebstod (sung by Birgit Nilsson) when I was 14. It was life-changing, and nothing was ever the same again. My composition professor at university ranked Wagner right after God, but he never taught the cultural history of the work. Please carry on with more! Some 14-year-old is waiting to discover your talks! 🙏🙏

[wolfram]

Seconding the motion for a follow-up video ;)

Thank you so much for this one!

[richardscoates]

Thank you. I look forward to your next talk .

[simonragnarson]

I would love more Wagner, maybe do a rundown of the transformation music from Parsifal , which is obviously so touched by Tristan. And even imo a successful attempt at imbedding the syntax developed in Tristan into a tonal context ( functionally speaking) every human alive should have heard it at least once. This was delightful!

Wow! I loved how you showed how the Tristan chord came from French and Italian augmented 6th chords!

[SebastianChiat-rmdk]

Thank you for making such informative, detailed videos

[worldnotworld]

They say "talking about music is like singing about football." That is incorrect, and this is fantastic!