Thread by @Wagner2_0

#WednesdayWagner Light stuff today for your weekly pill of Wagnerian dope 🙂 Let's go with ... "Echoes of Tristan Chord" (part 3 and last). In this case: use of Tristan Chord (as it is or slightly modified) by other composers!
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#WednesdayWagner My point is not to dismiss the work of the WONDERFUL composers mentioned below, but on the contrary: to highlight that nothing is created from the void, and that the so-called "inspiration" is a precise intellectual work
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#WednesdayWagner First use of "Tristan Chord": Debussy's amazing "Prelude apres midi d'un faune". After a first melodic line (like in Tristan), the first chord that appears (called "Fauno chord") is indeed the "Tristan chord". Listen here the masterpiece: 

#WednesdayWagner In addition, the second chord is in both cases (Wagner and Debussy) a Dominant 7th chord, although not the same one. Look at the harmonic structures below and you will notice the resemblances:
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#WednesdayWagner Second case: The beginning of the marvellous "Salome" by Richard Strauss (the 'good' Strauss!): Just pay attention in the first 4 chords that can be listened below:


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#WednesdayWagner Did you notice the chromatic line that Wagner wrote in "Tristan und Isolde"? I am sure of that :) Another schema below. Although none of Strauss' chords is the Tristan one, the effect is clearly similar because of the chromatic melody
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#WednesdayWagner Third example: the very personal "Mystic chord" created by Alexander Scriabin. You can listen to this chord in this gorgeous piece that is created after this sound: 


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#WednesdayWagner The chord is formed by a series of Fourths, first ones augmented and diminished, and last ones perfect. Look at the first 4 pitches, which are so close to the Tristan Chord (indeed they form the "French sixth" in which the Tristan Chord resolves)

#WednesdayWagner Additionally, Scriabin even took an excerpt of Tristan love duet in act 2 to end his Piano Concerto Op. 20. Firstly listen to the Wagner fragment here between 8.32 and 8.53:  

#WednesdayWagner Now compare it with the closure of Scriabin's Piano Concerto, from 26.48 to 26.55 below: it's not exact, but the chords and the melodic line reminds one to another quite a lot: 

#WednesdayWagner Of course there are more examples of wonderful pieces after Wagner using the Tristan Chord, either as it is or with slight modifications. Because ... this was the chord that changed music history!! Enjoy all these creations 🙂
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