Canon
Where to start with Wagner
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
StageDas Rheingold, WWV 86a — Opera
-
OrchestralSiegfried Idyll, WWV 103 — Symphonic poem
-
VocalWesendonck Lieder, WWV 91 — Songs
-
KeyboardAlbumblatt für Ernst Benedikt Kietz, "Lied ohne Worte", WWV 64
-
StageDie Walküre, WWV 86b — Opera
-
StageGötterdämmerung, WWV 86d — Opera
-
StageSiegfried, WWV 86c — Opera
-
StageDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 — Opera
-
StageParsifal, WWV 111 — Opera
-
StageTristan und Isolde, WWV 90 — Opera
-
OrchestralA Faust Overture, WWV 59
-
VocalAdieux de Marie Stuart, WWV 61 — Song
-
KeyboardAlbumblatt für Frau Betty Schott, WWV 108
-
OrchestralAmerican Centennial March, WWV 110
-
KeyboardAnkunft bei den schwarzen Schwänen, WWV 95
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Wagner's catalogueMost Popular
-
Ride of the Valkyries
-
Prelude to Tristan und Isolde
-
Liebestod (from Tristan)
-
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Overture
-
Tannhäuser Overture
Most Acclaimed
-
Tristan und Isolde (complete opera)
-
Parsifal
-
Die Walküre
-
Der Ring des Nibelungen (complete cycle)
-
Das Rheingold
Most Weird
-
Tristan und Isoldethe ”Tristan chord” in the opening bar has never been fully analyzed — it never resolves for 4 hours; the whole opera is one unresolved harmonic tension
-
Parsifalreligious music-drama; Act 1 takes 90 minutes to cover 30 minutes of plot; Wagner originally wanted it performed only at Bayreuth forever; the Prelude takes 12 minutes to go nowhere and arrives everywhere
-
Ring Cycle — Siegfried Act 2the Forest Murmurs scene — Siegfried lies under a tree listening to birds; 15 minutes of pure nature sounds in orchestral language
-
Das Rheingoldthe entire Ring prologue — 2.5 hours without intermission; begins with 136 bars of the same E-flat chord
-
A Faust Overturehis early work — Faust theme that preceded the entire Ring; rarely heard
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 49
- Stage
- ● Das Rheingold, WWV 86a — Opera
- ● Die Walküre, WWV 86b — Opera
- ● Götterdämmerung, WWV 86d — Opera
- ● Siegfried, WWV 86c — Opera
- Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 — Opera
- Parsifal, WWV 111 — Opera
- Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90 — Opera
- Das Liebesverbot, WWV 38 — Opera
- Der fliegende Holländer, WWV 63 — Opera
- Die Feen, WWV 32 — Opera
- Lohengrin, WWV 75 — Opera
- Rienzi, WWV 49 — Opera
- Tannhäuser, WWV 70 — Opera
- Orchestral
- ● Siegfried Idyll, WWV 103 — Symphonic poem
- A Faust Overture, WWV 59
- American Centennial March, WWV 110
- Columbus, WWV 37 — Overture
- Concert Overture no. 2, WWV 27
- Entreactes tragiques, WWV 25
- Huldigungsmarsch, WWV 97 — For military band
- Kaisermarsch, WWV 104
- König Enzio, WWV 24 — Overture
- Polonia, WWV 39 — Overture
- Rule Britannia, WWV 42 — Overture
- Symphony in C major, WWV 29
- Symphony in E major, WWV 35 — Version completed by Felix Mottl
- Trauermusik, WWV 73 — For band
- Vocal
- Wesendonck Lieder, WWV 91 — Songs
- Adieux de Marie Stuart, WWV 61 — Song
- Attente, WWV 55 — Song
- Beim Antritt des neuen Jahres 1835, for choir and orchestra
- Das Liebesmahl der Apostel, WWV 69 — Cantata
- Der Tannenbaum, WWV 50 — Song
- Der Worte viele sind gemacht, WWV 105 — Song
- Dors, mon enfant, WWV 53 — Song
- Faust Lieder, WWV 15 — Songs
- Les deux grenadiers, WWV 60 — Song
- Mignonne, WWV 57 — Song
- Tout n'est qu'images fugitives, WWV 58 — Song
- Keyboard
- Albumblatt für Ernst Benedikt Kietz, "Lied ohne Worte", WWV 64
- Albumblatt für Frau Betty Schott, WWV 108
- Ankunft bei den schwarzen Schwänen, WWV 95
- Elegy, WWV 93
- Fantasia in F sharp minor, WWV 22
- Piano Sonata in A flat major, WWV 85, "Eine Sonate für das Album von Frau Mathilde Wesendonck"
- Piano Sonata in B flat major, WWV 21
- Polka, WWV 84
- Polonaise, WWV 23a
- Züricher Vielliebchen-Walzer, WWV 88