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    The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie - The Ring of the Niblung - Volume I - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham
    The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie - The Ring of the Niblung - Volume I - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham
    The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie - The Ring of the Niblung - Volume I - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham
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    The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie - The Ring of the Niblung - Volume I - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

    By Richard Wagner and Arthur Rackham

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    ‘The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie’ was written by the German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883). The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas, and are here translated into English by Margaret Armour. The chief components include ‘The Rhinegold’ – the prelude, ‘The Valkyrie’ – the first day of the trilogy, ‘Siegfried’ – the second day of the trilogy, and ‘The Twilight of the Gods’ – the third day of the trilogy. Initially establishing his reputation as a romantic composer, Wagner revolutionised opera through his concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk (‘total work of art’), by which he sought to synthesise the poetic, visual, musical and dramatic arts.

    The edition of ‘The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie’ is accompanied throughout by a series of dazzling colour and black and white illustrations – by a master of the craft; Arthur Rackham (1867-1939). One of the most celebrated painters of the British Golden Age of Illustration (which encompassed the years from 1850 until the start of the First World War), Rackham’s artistry is quite simply, unparalleled. Throughout his career, he developed a unique style, combining haunting humour with dream-like romance. Presented alongside the text, his illustrations further refine and elucidate Wagner’s captivating storytelling.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRead Books Ltd.
    Release dateJan 27, 2016
    ISBN9781473365230
    The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie - The Ring of the Niblung - Volume I - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham
    Author

    Richard Wagner

    Richard Wagner is the former editor of Ad Astra, the journal of the National Space Society. He lives in Northhampton, Massachusetts.

    Read more from Richard Wagner

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      Book preview

      The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie - The Ring of the Niblung - Volume I - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham - Richard Wagner

      List of Illustrations

      Raging, Wotan

      Rides to the rock!

      Like a storm-wind he comes!

      The frolic of the Rhine-Maidens.

      The Rhine-Maidens teasing Alberich.

      Mock away! Mock away!

      The Niblung makes for your toy!

      Seize the despoiler!

      Rescue the gold!

      Help us! Help us!

      Woe! Woe!

      Freia, the fair one

      The Rhine’s pure-gleaming children

      Told me of their sorrow.

      Fasolt suddenly seizes Freia and drags her to one side with Fafner

      The Gods grow wan and aged at the loss of Freia.

      MIME, howling.

      "Ohé! Ohé!

      Oh! Oh!"

      Mime writhes under the lashes he receives.

      Alberich drives in a band of Nibelungs laden with gold and silver treasure.

      Ohé! Ohé!

      Horrible dragon,

      O swallow me not!

      Spare the life of poor Loge!

      FAFNER.

      "Hey! Come hither,

      And stop me this cranny!"

      Erda bids thee beware.

      Fafner kills Fasolt.

      To my hammer’s swing

      Hitherward sweep

      Vapours and fogs!

      Hovering mists!

      Donner, your lord, summons his hosts!

      The Rhine’s fair children,

      Bewailing their lost gold, weep.

      SIEGLINDE

      "This healing and honeyed

      Draught of mead

      Deign to accept from me."

      SIEGMUND

      Set it first to thy lips.

      Hunding discovers the likeness between Siegmund and Sieglinde.

      Sieglinde prepares Hunding’s draught for the night

      Siegmund the Wälsung

      Thou dost see!

      As bride-gift

      He brings thee this sword.

      Brünnhilde.

      Fricka approaches in anger.

      Brünnhilde slowly and silently leads her horse down the path to the cave.

      Father! Father!

      Tell me what ails thee?

      With dismay thou art filling thy child!

      Brünnhilde stands for a long time dazed and alarmed.

      Brünnhilde with her horse, at the mouth of the cave.

      BRÜNNHILDE

      "I flee for the first time

      And am pursued:

      Warfather follows close.

      .....................

      He nears, he nears, in fury!

      Save this woman!

      Sisters, your help!"

      There as a dread

      Dragon he sojourns,

      And in a cave

      Keeps watch over Alberich’s ring.

      The ride of the Valkyries.

      WOTAN.

      "Appear, flickering fire,

      Encircle the rock with thy flame!

      Loge! Loge! Appear!"

      As he moves slowly away, Wotan turns and looks sorrowfully back at Brünnhilde.

      The sleep of Brünnhilde.

      Biography

      of

      Arthur Rackham

      Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 – 6 September 1939) was one of the most celebrated artists of the British Golden Age of Illustration; an artist who still delights both young and old over a century later. The ‘Golden Age’ lasted from the latter quarter of the nineteenth century until just after the First World War and marked an amazing upsurge in the popularity, abundance and quality of illustrated works. Improvements in printing technology allowed publishers to produce lavish colour illustrations for the first time, a development which enabled Rackham to embark on the most prolific and prosperous creative work ever enjoyed by an English illustrator. Whether producing whimsical children’s images or murkier, foreboding drawings for adults, Rackham’s unique style of illustration was incredibly sought after. He eventually contributed to over 150 books, magazines and periodicals.

      Rackham was born in London as one of twelve siblings, the third surviving child of Annie and Alfred Rackham. After a brief sojourn in Australia due to poor health, he spent his early education at the prestigious City of London School. Rackham won a couple of prizes for drawing during his school days, but showed little of the imaginative genius which marked his adult representations. Immediately after leaving school, Rackham started work as a clerk at the Westminster Fire Office which financed his burgeoning artistic studies at the Lambeth School of Art. By 1892 however, Rackham left this somewhat banal clerking job and began reporting and illustrating for a number of London newspapers; ‘distasteful hack work’ as he described it. During this period Rackham contributed occasional illustrations to magazines such as Scraps and Chums, efforts decidedly indicative of an artist in search of a style. His first book illustrations were for To the Other Side, a travel guide and now particularly rare book, and the Dolly Dialogues; published in 1893 and 1894 respectively. These publications marked the beginning of Rackham’s long and illustrious career.

      The first book illustrated specifically on commission was The Zankiwank and the Bletherwitch (1896), which marked the flowering of Rackham’s lighter side. Whilst not the fantastical work of Rackham’s later career, it presages the exuberant frivolity which was to become a significant element of his work. The real turning point came in 1900 however, when Rackham met the portrait painter Edith Starkie. She was to be ‘his most stimulating, severest critic’ and future wife. Starkie helped Rackham expand his artistic range; moving away from simpler techniques of pure line drawing, towards intricate washes of colour. This shift could not have come at a more fortuitous moment, as technological advances in the printing process meant that Rackham’s images could be photo-mechanically reproduced, thus removing the traditional middle-man of the engraver. This allowed Rackham to display his talent for line as well as his expert appreciation of the three-colour printing process; producing the luxurious colours and lavish details which made his reputation. The images were then pasted (‘tipped in’) after the final book was printed, and whilst this was quite an expensive process, the results helped create the new ‘gift book’ market.

      The first widely distributed ‘gift book’ was Rip van Winkle, published in 1905. It contained 51 colour plates – all drawn by Arthur Rackham, firmly establishing him as the ‘leading decorative illustrator of the Edwardian period.’ Rackham created each plate by first painstakingly drawing his subject in a sinuous pencil line before applying an ink layer. He then used layer upon layer of delicate watercolours, reminiscent of the Art Nouveaux aesthete to build up the romantic yet calmly ethereal results on which his reputation was constructed. Most recognisable, in retrospect, is the good natured calmness of the drawings, conveying a non-threatening yet exciting thrill to their audience. Another practice established with Rip Van Winkle was for Rackham to promote each book with an exhibition at the Leicester Galleries in London. J.M Barrie attended this display, and was so impressed by Rackham’s work that he asked him to illustrate Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.

      This was to be Rackham’s next commercial success, becoming the ‘outstanding Christmas gift-book of 1906’ and of course, one of the most beloved children’s books of all time. By this point Rackham was at his artistic peak, offered so many commissions that he frequently had to decline. The decision he most regretted was failing to illustrate the first edition of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows, turned down in order to complete A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Shakespearean drawings were a great accomplishment though. Published in 1908, Rackham’s biographer has argued that his ‘gnarled trees and droves of fairies, have represented the visual reality of the Dream for thousands of readers. Here he excelled especially in landscape, and in reconciling dream and reality, giving himself to the luxury of rich detail with a rare generosity.’ This publication was followed in rapid succession by three other books for adults; Udine (1909) The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie (1910) and Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods (1911). Many suggest that Rackham’s best illustrations can be found in these dramas.

      After the First World War, Rackham started producing work for the American market, illustrating a variety of books including, Where the Blue Begins by Christopher Morley (1925), Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1928), and Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1935). In his last decade, Rackham’s career continued to be productive, but his greatest triumph came in 1936. After Rackham had unfortunately declined to illustrate The Wind in the Willows, he was given a final chance in his twilight years. Taking up the offer with relish, Rackham experienced great difficulty in completing the work; exhausted and in failing health, he insisted that every detail must be right, down to the last oars in Rattie’s boat. With great labour he worked and reworked the drawings to his eventual satisfaction. The end result was a masterpiece of children’s illustration and a beautiful reminder of the innocence and sensibilities of the Victorian age.

      Rackham died from cancer in 1939 at his home in Limpsfield, Surrey. He has become one of

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