A masterpiece by Richard Wagner. Popular classical music.
We’ve put together a collection of masterpieces by Richard Wagner, the 19th-century German composer known as the “King of Music Drama”! He wrote the librettos for most of his own operas and was known not only as a composer but also as a man of letters, making him one of the figures who exerted broad influence across Europe in the latter half of the 19th century.
True to his title as the King of Music Drama, he wrote a great many music dramas; however, he also left works such as the Symphony in C major, as well as numerous piano pieces and songs.
Those familiar with wind bands may recognize Wagner’s name from “Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral.” This time, we’ve selected some of Wagner’s greatest works.
Please give them a listen!
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Masterpieces by Richard Wagner: Popular Classical Music (61–70)
Procession to Elsa’s CathedralRichard Wagner
Suffused with a solemn atmosphere, this work is a grand piece that depicts Elsa’s procession to the cathedral in the opera Lohengrin.
Beginning with a gentle woodwind melody and gradually gaining in strength, its structure leaves a deep impression on listeners.
Composed by Wagner in 1848, the piece, though part of an opera scene, enjoys great popularity as a standalone concert work.
It is often used in pivotal moments in films and dramas to evoke an air of majesty.
It’s a perfect choice to mark life’s important occasions, such as weddings and award ceremonies.
Ride of the Valkyries from the music drama The ValkyrieRichard Wagner
This piece is the prelude to Act III of the music drama Die Walküre, the First Day of the cycle The Ring of the Nibelung.
It is a rousing, heroic work, and it was used in the film Apocalypse Now, which depicts the Vietnam War, during the scene of U.S.
military helicopters in flight.
In that scene, the music is not merely background score; it is portrayed as being blasted at high volume from the helicopters to boost the soldiers’ morale and instill fear in the Vietnamese being attacked.
TannhäuserRichard Wagner
Richard Wagner was one of the most active and influential musicians in 19th-century Germany.
A composer renowned for his Romantic operas, he was also known as the “King of Music Drama.” One of Wagner’s best-known works as ballet music is Tannhäuser.
In Japan, it is known under the title “Tanhoiser,” and it has become a beloved standard in today’s ballet repertoire.
Although the piece is widely appreciated now, it was reportedly received very poorly at the time of its premiere.
Over time, however, it gradually attained its current standard status through revisions to the choreography.
Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries, conducted by Karajan / Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (1951)Richard Wagner
Ride of the Valkyries from The Valkyrie, a music drama by the German composer and conductor Richard Wagner, born in 1813.
The Valkyrie is one of the four independent music dramas that make up the cycle The Ring of the Nibelung.
Among them, the prelude to Act III, Ride of the Valkyries, is the most popular and is frequently performed.
Prelude from the opera ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’Richard Wagner
Although Wagner composed many operas based on myths and legends, this opera is unusual in that it takes history as its subject.
It tells the story of the real-life Meistersinger Hans Sachs as its protagonist.
There is a song contest in which the winner is granted the “right to propose to Eva.” Walter, who is in love with Eva, is given the “right to sing” at the contest and wins brilliantly, leading to Walter and Eva being united.
The prelude is bright and forward-driving, emblematic of an opera that unfolds as a lively, energetic human drama.
Bridal Chorus from the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner
It’s a piece you’ve probably heard at least once, as it’s often performed at weddings.
The story is set in the Duchy of Brabant and revolves around various intrigues concerning the throne.
This song is sung during the wedding ceremony of Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan, and Elsa, the princess of the Duchy of Brabant.
Scenes from Lohengrin are depicted inside Neuschwanstein Castle, which is said to have inspired Disneyland’s Cinderella Castle, and you can still see them today.
Tannhäuser: Grand MarchRichard Wagner
This piece was composed by Richard Wagner.
It is played in Act II of his opera Tannhäuser and the Singers’ Contest at Wartburg, which premiered in 1845, and it was written as the march for Tannhäuser, a knight of Wartburg Castle.
Beyond its liveliness, the march also conveys a sense of nobility, and it might make participants at a sports day feel as though they’ve become protagonists in a role‑playing game.
It’s a piece that lets you fully enjoy the extraordinary atmosphere of a sports festival.
