New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-28

But his threats are nnheeded by the triumphant
Uofdn The treasure which by Albcrichs command tho
Niblungs have carried to the top OF tho mountains,
the god destnes for Ftcid's ransom; the Ring he is
| determined to make his own.
| The clouds lowering on the peaks of the hills now
begin TO dsperse. The tender chords Of Freias mo-
tive announce the approach Of the lovely goddess
full of hope TO be released from the Opprcssos
| who accompany her. Iirkd, DOnnGr, and IRON also
appear to witness the desired event. and the paying
of the ransom is Mt once begun. According to Gus
tom iInnemorial the prisoner Is placed between two
huge poles and the intervals filed up with gold,
which thus completely hides her from sight The
| whole treasure is thus consumed, and yet a chink
remoins uncovered through which the giants espy
| their victim. To fill il mp UoiaN unwingly yields
the tarn-hemet, but when mt last the Ring Is de-
mantcd for the purpose he stcrnly refuses to
part with it. The giants threaten to break off the
bargain. and the utmost CONSERVATION rcigns among
tho gods when from the innerInOst reccsscs of the
| mountain rises the mysterious form OF Erfhd. the
panthcstic symbol Of tho universe, the timcless and
| spacelcss mother Of god and man. In the melody
which accompanies her words recognize the
gradual rising Of the waves in the orchestral prelude,
significant circumstance establishing the affinity Of
the pimeva sOurccsof the world. In measured words
of gravcst import she warns Joian of the danger
threatening nm through HIS wrongful utSue. ~
last the god H. overcome; as Er,ha disappears from
his sight he with sudden effort throws the Ring to
the giants, and the jubiant notes of the orchestra
announce tho release Of Frcia and the joy OF the
gods II remains to point out the Gno psychological
use TO which the dingmOtivcs turned in this
scere While Uodn il still under the power of the
gold the Ring-moive (No. 81 in the orchestra paints
the struggle Of his soul his moral effort in parting
with the Ring is powerfully expressed by the Bond
motive, which in manner connects bis act with the
moral order of the world OF which he is the guardian
and representative. Ertha's warning was not III
vain as The gods now experience with silent amaze
ment For 10 sooner have the giants got hold of the
Fling, than they begin to grldgc its possession TO
each other In the ensuing quarrel fajacr kills his
brother TG,oN. md tears the Ring from his dying
grasp. The musical conception Of this extremely
powerful scene is founded on combination of the
Rng-motivc (No. 81. and the formula of AibeicPs
curse (No. Gl-the former being representative of
the irresistible attraction Of the gold, the latter of
its bancful power.
We now come to one OF those pieces Of graphically
descriptive music which no less than the accents of
human passion cvincc Wagners dramatic vocation
Donnar the god of thunder collects the mists
ing the mountains into a black cloud, which with q
stroke of his hammer he dispcls INTO brilliant light
ming The gathering of the thunderstorm up to the
forsgmo Of the actual outbreak IL rendered by the
wild rlythms Of the trplets and scnqnayers in the
strings. When the fury Of the storm is expended
the wind instruments commence quot, long-drawn
melody in q fat, which indicates the rainbow
thrown by Froh over the valley. On tins rainbow,
as on bridge the gods now enter Walhal, the
splendid palace built by the giants. Calm JOY and
conicntmcnt have returned To their bcSoms; only
Uoian lingcrs his heart is heavy with thoughts of
Erihd's warning and the curse attaching to the gold
which at least temporarily has been his own. Sud
denly We hear al energetic theme in the orchestra :
M fVoca Score 2ED