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!

Playlist

A masterpiece by Richard Wagner. Popular classical music.
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Procession to the Cathedral of Elsa, from Act II of the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner		Wagner’s masterpiece, Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral
2	Prelude to Act I from the music drama “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”Richard Wagner		Wagner’s masterpiece. The prelude to a music drama depicting the struggle between tradition and innovation.
3	Siegfried Idyll in E major, WWV 103 (1870)Richard Wagner		A beautiful idyll that Wagner composed as a gift for his wife
4	Faust Overture in D minor, WWV 59 (1839/40)Richard Wagner		Concert Overture Based on Goethe's Faust
5	Prelude to Act 3 of the music drama “Die Walküre,” “Ride of the Valkyries”Richard Wagner		Commentary on 'The Ride of the Valkyries' composed by Wagner
6	Liebestod (Love-Death) from the music drama Tristan und IsoldeRichard Wagner		The famous final scene of Tristan and Isolde
7	‘O du, mein holder Abendstern’ (Evening Star Song) from the opera TannhäuserRichard Wagner		Introduction to the beautiful arias from Wagner’s Tannhäuser
8	Concert Overture No. 1 in D minor, WWV 20Richard Wagner		An Introduction to Wagner’s Early Orchestral Works
9	Prelude to Act I from the opera “Lohengrin”Richard Wagner		A grand prelude that expresses the Holy Grail through music
10	Symphony in C major, WWV 29 (1832)Richard Wagner		Wagner’s hidden gem symphony
11	Bridal Chorus from the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner		Comparison of Wagner’s Wedding March and Mendelssohn’s
12	Concert Overture No. 2 in C major, WWV 27 (1832)Richard Wagner		Wagner’s masterful overtures, symphonies shining with talent
13	Siegfried IdyllRichard Wagner		Wagner’s heartwarming short piece, Serenity
14	Overture ‘Rule, Britannia’ in D major, WWV 42 (1837)Richard Wagner		Wagner's Patriotic Hymn Overture
15	Overture “Polonia” in C major, WWV 39 (1836)Richard Wagner		An overture imbued with a longing for Poland’s independence
16	From Act I of the music drama ‘Die Walküre’Richard Wagner		A masterpiece depicting the forbidden love of twin siblings
17	Sailors’ Chorus from the opera The Flying DutchmanRichard Wagner		The contrast between the cheerful chorus of Norwegian sailors and the Dutch ghost ship
18	Imperial March in B-flat major, WWV 104 (1871)Richard Wagner		A grand march celebrating the founding of the German Empire
19	Funeral March for Siegfried from the music drama Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)Richard Wagner		The music drama depicting the hero’s death, the final work of Wagner’s Ring.
20	Grand March from the opera TannhäuserRichard Wagner		A masterpiece of Romantic music depicting the song contest at Wartburg Castle.
21	Overture to the opera ‘Tannhäuser’Richard Wagner		The grand structure of the Tannhäuser Overture
22	Opera ‘Lohengrin’ – Elsa’s Procession to the CathedralRichard Wagner		Wagner’s Lohengrin: Premiere and Music
23	Bridal ChorusRichard Wagner		Promoting a matchmaking service with the Wedding March
24	Opera ‘Lohengrin’: Bridal ChorusRichard Wagner		A beloved wedding blessing classic composed by Wagner
25	Senta’s Ballad from the opera The Flying DutchmanRichard Wagner		The Maiden Who Saved the Dutch
26	Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from Act 2 of the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner		Characteristics of Elsa’s Bridal Chorus
27	Prologue to Act I from Die Meistersinger von NürnbergRichard Wagner		Wagner’s prelude is a famous wedding piece.
28	Prelude to Act I from the opera ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’Richard Wagner		The appeal of Wagner’s comic musical works
29	Prelude from the opera ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’Richard Wagner		The Song Contest and Love of the Mastersingers
30	“Ride of the Valkyries,” Act 3 from the opera The ValkyrieRichard Wagner		An explanation of Wagner’s famous Ride of the Valkyries
31	Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries, conducted by Karajan / Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (1951)Richard Wagner		Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner
32	Elegy in A-flat major, WWV 93Richard Wagner		The appeal of Wagner’s piano piece, Elegy
33	The Ring of the Nibelung: Götterdämmerung – Dawn and Siegfried’s Journey to the RhineRichard Wagner		Music festival for staging Wagner's Ring
34	Prelude to Act III from the opera ‘Lohengrin’Richard Wagner		Performance of the Prelude to Act 3 of Lohengrin
35	Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from the opera LohengrinWilhelm Wagner		Solemn music, beautiful melodies, and moving emotion
36	Prelude to Act I from the music drama ‘Tristan und Isolde’Richard Wagner		Portraying the tragic love of Tristan and Isolde
37	Music drama The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, Act I, Scene 3: “Begin!” And spring leads us into the forest (Walther)Richard Wagner		Nuremberg qualifying exam singing scene
38	From Act 2 of the music drama ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’: ‘Beckmesser’s Serenade’Richard Wagner		The Mastersingers of Nuremberg
39	“The Baptism of Love” from Act 3, Scene 4 of the music drama “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”Richard Wagner		Quintet from Act 3 of Die Meistersinger
40	From the music drama ‘Das Rheingold’Richard Wagner		Excerpts from the Prelude of The Ring of the Nibelung
41	Introduction from the music drama ‘Götterdämmerung’Richard Wagner		The scene in the prologue of Götterdämmerung where the three Norns sing of the past, present, and future.
42	From the music drama ‘Götterdämmerung’, Act 3: ‘Brünnhilde’s Self-Sacrifice’Richard Wagner		Brynhildr loses her beloved and sacrifices herself
43	“The Dutchman’s Monologue” from the opera “The Flying Dutchman”Richard Wagner		A Dutch person sings of a cursed fate
44	Overture to the opera “The Flying Dutchman”Richard Wagner		An operatic overture based on the legend of the Flying Dutchman
45	“Aria of the Hall of Song” from the opera TannhäuserRichard Wagner		Aria of Tannhäuser’s Hall of Song
46	Overture to the opera RienziRichard Wagner		Introduction to a Performance of the Rienzi Overture
47	Wotan’s Farewell and Magic Fire Music from the opera The ValkyrieRichard Wagner		A tattooed Russian baritone singer
48	Wedding March (Organ)Richard Wagner		There are various pieces titled “Wedding March,” but Wa—
49	Album Leaf for E. B. Kietz, WWV 64Richard Wagner		A calm, heartfelt piano piece that Wagner composed with friendship in mind
50	Albumblatt für F. B. Scott, WWV 108Richard Wagner		Introducing Wagner's gentle piano pieces
51	Prelude to Act III from LohengrinRichard Wagner		Bridal Prelude from Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan
52	Tannhäuser: OvertureRichard Wagner		Solemn music that evokes majestic nature
53	Zürich’s Viel Leiebchen WWV 88Richard Wagner		A short piano piece by Wagner.
54	Piano Sonata in A-flat major, WWV 85Richard Wagner		Wagner’s piano sonata, a masterpiece of delicate beauty
55	Polka in G major, WWV 84Richard Wagner		Wagner’s birthday-celebration polka, with a romantic tone.
56	Polonaise in D major, Op. 2, WWV 23bRichard Wagner		Introducing the charm of Wagner’s early piano pieces
57	Polonaise in D major, WWV 23aRichard Wagner		A gentle piano piece by Wagner
58	ValkyrieRichard Wagner		Wagner created the music drama
59	Ride of the ValkyriesRichard Wagner		The majestic music of the Prelude to ‘Die Walküre’
60	Grand Sonata in A major, Op. 4, WWV 26Richard Wagner		Introduction to Wagner’s youthful masterpiece sonata works
61	Fantasia in F-sharp minor, Op. 3, WWV 22Richard Wagner		The appeal of Wagner’s rare piano pieces
62	Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner		Grand and dramatic, like the Ride of the Valkyries…
63	Opera ‘The Valkyrie’Richard Wagner		In the late Romantic period, tonality collapsed and performance durations became longer.
64	Wedding MarchRichard Wagner		Wagner’s Wedding March is organ music
65	Arrival at the Black Swan (Album Leaf), WWV 95Richard Wagner		Wagner's mystically romantic piece
66	Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Act 1 (complete) — Nilsson / conducted by SoltiRichard Wagner		Expressing sorrow in Wagner's pastoral songs
67	Prelude to Die Meistersinger von NürnbergRichard Wagner		Resonant with a brilliant tone, Richard Wa...
68	Liebestod (Isolde’s Love-Death) from Tristan und IsoldeRichard Wagner		“Tristan und Isolde” is Richard …
69	Procession to Elsa’s CathedralRichard Wagner		Suffused with a majestic atmosphere, this work is from the opera 'Lo…
70	Ride of the Valkyries from the music drama The ValkyrieRichard Wagner		This work is the first of the music dramas The Ring of the Nibelung...
71	TannhäuserRichard Wagner		The Evolution of Wagner’s Opera Tannhäuser
72	Bridal Chorus from the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner		The Marriage Story of Lohengrin and Elsa
73	Tannhäuser: Grand MarchRichard Wagner		This piece was composed by Richard Wagner…
74	“Ride of the Valkyries” from the opera “Die Walküre”Richard Wagner		Valkyrie: An Orchestral Work Honoring the War Goddess
75	The Ride Of The ValkyriesRichard Wagner		A famous prelude composed by Wagner
76	From Act 3, Scene 5 of the music drama ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’Richard Wagner		Walter wins, performs the song of triumph
77	Prelude to Act I of the music drama ‘Parsifal’Richard Wagner		Prelude to Wagner's opera Parsifal
78	Winter Storms Have Passed from Act 1 of the music drama The ValkyrieRichard Wagner		Spring of the Valkyrie and Love Song
79	In Duchess M(ettenich)’s Album in C major, WWV 94Richard Wagner		A piano piece with Wagner’s gratitude
80	Piano Sonata in B-flat major, WWV 1, Op. 1Richard Wagner		Wagner's Early Piano Sonata