1874 saw the completion of the Ring Cycle, a series of four operas influenced by Germanic and Norse myths and folklore, by the German composer Richard Wagner. This was undoubtedly his most ambitious project, almost 15 hours in length and a work in which he had written the libretto (the text) as well as the music.

Political Background to the Work
The work was devised against a Europe of changing borders and great political instability. Against this backdrop of unrest Wagner also contributed to the revolutionary spirit, and for eleven years of his life he was forced to leave Germany and seek refuge elsewhere. Despite his so-called dubious extravagant lifestyle he very much summed up the spirit of the age. Furthermore, as an artist, he chose to represent this age by using symbolic stories that served to 'awake the national spirit of his country'. To achieve this aim he chose, as his initial stimulus, Nordic/North German myths and legends and interweaved them into a tapestry of all human emotions.

The themes of 'The Ring'
The operas are much more than a saga of the greed for gold and power (in the shape of the Ring), Gods and mortals, dwarfs and superheroes. It deals with magical beings such as giants. It features magical swords and curses. Its setting are monumental, with the first opera concluding with the Gods' entry into Valhalla and the final opera with the destruction of Valhalla, the home of the Gods.

It also acts as an allegory about the times in which Wagner lived. For example, one of the scenes features the workshops of the Nibelung, forging gold deep beneath the Earth, thus making parallels with the industrialisation of nineteenth century Europe. It also discusses relationships between people and delves deep into taboo subjects such as the relationship between brother and sister and possible incest (Siegmund and Sieglinde). In short, it offers the full gamut of life itself and in all its brilliant colour.

The Key musical features of the Ring and other Wagner work
Use of Leitmotiv: a Leitmotiv is literally a theme. In The Ring every character has a theme. There are also themes for inanimate objects, such as a sword or a ring. There are also themes for ideas, thoughts and emotions. Try to learn to recognise the themes to the ring itself, the Rhinemaidens, Siegfried and the Nibelungs for example. Listen to either 'Siegfried's Funeral March' or 'Siegfried's Rhine Journey' and try to pick out as many of the themes as possible.

Use of harmony: Wagner stretches harmonic ideas to their ultimate in both the Ring and in the opera he wrote in between the Ring operas called 'Tristan und Isolde'. The opening bars of this latter work are generally considered by many to herald the beginning of modern music. It lays the foundations for composers such as Debussy's and Delius's harmonic structures. One particular feature evident in much of Wagner's work is the ability to keep us on the 'edge of our seats' waiting for the harmonies to resolve.

Orchestration: the orchestral forces used for many of Wagner's works are vast. There are some instruments that he uses which were designed particularly for his use. Look at a score and consider what forces are used in his operas. Think also of the kinds of voices that might be needed too.

Stage directions: Wagner needed a particular type of stage for the particular forces needed in his operas. Due to Ludwig of Bavaria's patronage Wagner had a specially designed theatre built for him in the small German town of Bayreuth.