Ride of the Valkyries
Prelude to the third act of Wagner's Die Walküre.
The Ride of the Valkyries is the popular name for the prelude to the first scene of the third and last act of *Die Walküre*, the second opera in Richard Wagner's *Der Ring des Nibelungen* cycle. It is one of Wagner's best-known pieces, often heard in a purely instrumental version as short as three minutes. The main theme, a leitmotif, was first written down by the composer on 23 July 1851. The preliminary draft for the piece was composed in 1854 as part of the opera's creation, with the full orchestration completed by the end of March 1856. In the opera itself, the "Ride" takes around eight minutes. It begins in the prelude to the third act, building up successive layers of accompaniment until the curtain rises on a mountain peak where four of the eight Valkyrie sisters of Brünnhilde have gathered to prepare for transporting fallen heroes to Valhalla. As the other four sisters join them, the familiar tune is carried by the orchestra while the Valkyries greet each other and sing their battle-cry. Apart from the song of the Rhinemaidens in *Das Rheingold*, it is the only ensemble piece in the first three operas of the *Ring* cycle. The complete opera *Die Walküre* was first performed on 26 June 1870 in Munich against Wagner's intent. By January 1871, Wagner was receiving requests for the "Ride" to be performed separately, which he considered an indiscretion and forbade. Despite this, the piece was printed and sold in Leipzig, prompting a complaint from Wagner to his publisher. After the first complete *Ring* cycle performance in Bayreuth in 1876, Wagner lifted the embargo and even conducted the piece in London on 12 May 1877, repeating it as an encore. The piece has been used outside opera, including in a 1941 German newsreel accompanying footage of Junkers Ju 52 airplanes approaching Crete, and in the 1979 film *Apocalypse Now*, where helicopters attack a Vietnamese village with the music playing from loudspeakers.
- composer
- Richard Wagner
- opera
- Die Walküre
- cycle
- Der Ring des Nibelungen
- full orchestration completed
- end of March 1856
Lore & Background
In the opera, the 'Ride' takes around eight minutes and begins in the prelude to the third act, building up successive layers of accompaniment until the curtain rises to reveal a mountain peak where four of the eight Valkyrie sisters of Brünnhilde have gathered. As they are joined by the other four, the familiar tune is carried by the orchestra while the Valkyries greet each other and sing their battle-cry. Apart from the song of the Rhinemaidens in Das Rheingold, it is the only ensemble piece in the first three operas of Wagner's Ring cycle.
Reader's Guide
The Ride of the Valkyries serves as the prelude to the final act of *Die Walküre*, the second opera in Wagner’s *Ring* cycle. Its central leitmotif was first noted by the composer in 1851, with a preliminary draft completed in 1854 and full orchestration finished by early 1856. In the opera, the piece lasts about eight minutes and builds layered orchestral textures before the curtain reveals a mountain peak where four Valkyrie sisters have assembled to transport fallen heroes to Valhalla. As the remaining four sisters join them, the orchestra carries the familiar melody while the Valkyries exchange greetings and sing their battle-cry. It is the only ensemble piece in the first three operas of the cycle, aside from the Rhinemaidens’ song in *Das Rheingold*. The complete opera premiered in Munich in 1870 against Wagner’s wishes. By early 1871, he received requests for separate performances of the “Ride,” which he forbade as an indiscretion, though the piece was printed and sold in Leipzig. Wagner continued to resist such performances until after the first complete *Ring* cycle in Bayreuth in 1876, after which he lifted the ban and even conducted the piece in London in 1877, repeating it as an encore. Outside the opera house, the piece gained iconic status through its use in a 1941 German newsreel accompanying footage of Junkers Ju 52 aircraft approaching Crete, and later in the 1979 film *Apocalypse Now*, where helicopters play it over loudspeakers during an attack. It also appears in films such as *8½*, *The Birth of a Nation*, and the animated *What’s Opera, Doc?*
Did You Know?
- The piece was printed and sold in Leipzig despite Wagner's initial prohibition of separate performances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ride of the Valkyries?
It is the orchestral prelude to Act III of Richard Wagner's opera Die Walküre, the second installment of his four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. The music paints the image of the Valkyrie warrior-maidens galloping across the sky on their horses.
What role does Ride of the Valkyries play in the opera?
It functions as the dramatic musical curtain-raiser for the third act, building kinetic energy before the singers take the stage. In concert settings it is often performed as a self-contained piece lasting roughly three minutes.
How does the Ride of the Valkyries scene end?
The prelude swells to a thunderous brass climax and then dissolves into the vocal music of Act III. Narratively, that act revolves around Wotan ordering Brünnhilde to be punished for shielding her sister Sieglinde against his will.
Why is Ride of the Valkyries so widely recognized?
Its driving, heroic brass melody has made it one of the most instantly identifiable passages in the entire classical repertoire. The excerpt has been reused in countless films, military parades, and popular-culture references, far beyond the concert hall.
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