P2-3: A Multidimensional Approach to Opera Analysis: Harmony, Tempo, and Dramatic Interaction in Wagner's Siegfried
Pascal Schmolenzky, Stephanie Klauk, Rainer Kleinertz, Christof Weiß, Meinard Müller
Subjects: Digital musicology ; Rhythm, beat, tempo ; Systematic musicology ; Harmony, chords and tonality ; Music signal processing ; Computational musicology ; MIR fundamentals and methodology ; Musical features and properties
Presented Virtually
4-minute short-format presentation
Richard Wagner's four-opera cycle "Der Ring des Nibelungen" presents unique challenges for music analysis due to its scale, structural complexity, and intricate relationship between music and drama. While harmony plays a central role, additional factors such as tempo, instrumentation, and leitmotifs significantly contribute to formal organization. This study combines computational and musicological approaches to analyze "Siegfried", the third opera in the Ring cycle, focusing on Act III. By integrating symbolic score data, annotated recordings, and libretto information, we visualize harmonic progressions, tempo variations, and dramatic interactions to reveal large-scale structural developments in Wagner's music. Our interdisciplinary analysis highlights the role of tonal stability and instability, tempo contrasts, and character interactions in shaping form. More broadly, this study demonstrates how computational methods can complement traditional musicological analysis, offering a structured framework for studying complex operatic works. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of Wagner's compositional techniques and pave the way for further research integrating computational tools into opera analysis.