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Wagner’s middle stage output began with Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman, 1843), followed by Tannhäuser (1845) and Lohengrin (1850). These three operas are sometimes referred to as Wagner’s “romantic operas”.[154] They reinforced the reputation, among the public in Germany and beyond, that Wagner had begun to establish with Rienzi. Although distancing himself from the style of these operas from 1849 onwards, he nevertheless reworked both Der fliegende Holländer and Tannhäuser on several occasions.[n 14] These three operas are considered to represent a significant developmental stage in Wagner’s musical and operatic maturity as regards thematic handling, portrayal of emotions and orchestration.
The theme of triumphal music continues here at DWR.
Rousing finales are a continuation of the theme started last week with the excerpt from Tchaikovsky’s 4th symphony. Few bring it home as grandly and as majestically as Beethoven does.
In the vigorous finale, Tchaikovsky incorporates a famous Russian folk song, “In the Field Stood a Birch Tree”, as the secondary theme – firstly in A minor, the second time in B flat minor and then in D minor, which leads to the A-flat phrase of the first movement, with the ‘lightning bolts’, with cymbals added, being much louder. The coda is also vigorous and triumphant.


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