The National Orchestra of Wales
In the spring of 1869, on the shore of Lake Lucerne, was born Wagner's son, Siegfried, named after Wagner's great symbolical hero. Shortly afterwards, Siegfried's mother was greeted, on her birthday morning, with a specially-written and very beautiful piece of music, the Siegfried Idyll. A small orchestra had been secretly collected and rehearsed by Richter, who played the Trumpet part, whilst Wagner, sitting on the stairs, conducted.
All who are familiar with Wagner's great Trilogy, The Ring of the Nibelungs, will recognize in the Idyll many tunes from various parts of that work, tunes mostly connected with Siegfried and Brunnhilde. The melody which chiefly dominates the Idyll (it persists in the Strings in the first section) is the chief melody in the great love-duet.
The only tune used which does not occur in the Ring Trilogy is an old German cradle song.
A Pavane was originally a dance, of a slow, stately character. Its solemn nature makes it specially suitable for a memorial piece.
Ravel's Pavane is one of his best works, though on a small scale. Originally written for Pianoforte, it is also scored for a small Orchestra, consisting of the usual Woodwind (there is only one Oboe, however), two Horns, one Harp, and Muted Strings. The music is built round a slow, sustained melody, the first part of which is given out by Horn, the second part as a duet-Oboe and Bassoon. It is beautifully scored throughout.
