The Ride of the Valkyries

It is hard to write briefly about a Wagner piece. This megalomaniac artist, was highly opinionated and decisive in every matter related to his music. He fought and struggled and wrote and spoke ill against everyone who did not think the same as him, and he is perhaps the best proof of a petty man who can be a great artist, and that there is no link between talent and personal morality.

In his operas, Wagner further developed the "leitmotif" (guiding motif) system, in which a musical motif is tied to an idea, a figure or an object. Every time the motif is played, it implies the idea or character it represents. In an opera by Wagner, music fully participates in the plot and reflects dramatic development, constituting a necessary component in this development and in presenting the story. In a way, Wagner was the first in art history to implement multimedia in a meaningful manner. The combination of arts in his operas is natural and sophisticated - just like the person behind them.

Note, that "The Valkyries" is only a small part of the opera cycle he created ("The Ring"), however it is indeed the most popular of his works, and, unlike his other work, many people can listen to it with some enjoyment. His other works are too "heavy", and a lot less pleasant on the ear. As Mark Twain once said about Wagner's music: "They tell me Wagner's music is better than it sounds...". Many praise his writing, yet not all of them are prone to listen to it.

A famous scene in the movie "Apocalypse Now", accompanied by the music of the "Valkyries", made this tune more familiar than ever. A new audience, broader than before, enjoying the helicopters circling to Wagner's sounds, decided to give it a chance, and purchased different recorded performances of this opera.