The Wedding March: Wagner's Masterful Musical Legacy

Richard Wagner's Bridal Chorus from the 1850 opera Lohengrin is commonly known as Here Comes the Bride or The Wedding March. It is often played for the bride's entrance at weddings throughout the Western world. However, the term wedding march can refer to any piece in march tempo accompanying the bride's entrance or exit.

Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus' is from his 1850 opera 'Lohengrin'

Wagner's Bridal Chorus, more commonly known as "Here Comes the Bride", is from his 1850 opera Lohengrin. In the opera, the chorus is sung by the women of the wedding party as they accompany the heroine, Elsa, to her bridal chamber. The lyrics to the song are:

> Treulich geführt ziehet dahin,

> Wo euch der Segen der Liebe bewahr’!

> Siegreicher Mut, Minnegewinn

> Eint euch in Treue zum seligsten Paar.

> Streiter der Tugend, schreite voran!

> Zierde der Jugend, schreite voran!

> Rauschen des Festes seid nun entronnen,

> Wonne des Herzens sei euch gewonnen!

> Duftender Raum, zur Liebe geschmückt,

> Nehmt euch nun auf, dem Glanze entrückt.

> Treulich geführt ziehet nun ein,

> Wo euch der Segen der Liebe bewahr’!

> Siegreicher Mut, Minne so rein

> Eint euch in Treue zum seligsten Paar.

In English, this translates to:

> Faithfully guided, draw near to where the blessing of love shall preserve you!

> Triumphant courage, the reward of love, joins you in faith as the happiest of couples!

> Champion of virtue, proceed!

> Jewel of youth, proceed!

> Flee now the splendour of the wedding feast, may the delights of the heart be yours!

> This sweet-smelling room, decked for love, now takes you in, away from the splendour.

> Faithfully guided, draw now near to where the blessing of love shall preserve you!

> Triumphant courage, love so pure, joins you in faith as the happiest of couples.

Wagner's Bridal Chorus was popularised when it was used at the wedding of Victoria, the Princess Royal, and Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858. It is now a staple of weddings in the Western world, though it is rarely played at Jewish weddings due to Wagner's antisemitic views.

Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus' is usually played without singing

Wagner's Bridal Chorus, also known as "Here Comes the Bride" or "Wedding March", is a piece of music from the opera Lohengrin, written by German composer Richard Wagner in 1850. It is commonly played for the bride's entrance at formal weddings in the Western world.

Although the piece is sung in the opera, it is usually played on an organ without singing at weddings. The original German lyrics, which begin with "Treulich geführt ziehet dahin, wo euch der Segen der Liebe bewahr!", are replaced with English lyrics such as "Here comes the bride, all dressed in white".

The tradition of playing Wagner's Bridal Chorus at weddings is believed to have started at the wedding of Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise, Queen Victoria's oldest child, to Prince Frederick William IV of Prussia on January 25, 1858. The piece was performed as the princess processed to the altar, and its use at this royal wedding popularized it for weddings thereafter.

While Wagner's Bridal Chorus is commonly played at weddings, it has also faced criticism and controversy. Some Christian churches disagree with its use due to the opera's depiction of pagan stories and themes, while many Jewish couples avoid it because of Wagner's antisemitic views and lack of respect for Jewish music.

Despite this, Wagner's Bridal Chorus remains a popular choice for wedding processional music, often evoking instant associations with a bride walking down the aisle. Its simple, memorable melody has made it one of the most recognizable pieces of wedding music worldwide.

Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus' is rarely played at Jewish weddings

Wagner's Bridal Chorus, also known as "Here Comes the Bride", is a march played for the bride's entrance at many formal weddings throughout the Western world. It is from the 1850 opera Lohengrin, written by German composer Richard Wagner.

Wagner was a notorious antisemite. He held the belief that Jewish people lacked artistic skill, passion, and sophisticated musical expression. His music was celebrated by Nazi ideologists as a promotion of "Aryan cultural greatness". As a result, the Bridal Chorus is rarely played at Jewish weddings.

Jewish weddings usually feature more traditional Hebraic songs, so a song like 'Here Comes The Bride' would probably never be played anyway. However, Wagner's antisemitic views and the adoption of his music by the Nazis are likely bigger factors in the song's absence from Jewish weddings.

Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' was composed in 1842

Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" in C major was composed in 1842 as part of his suite of incidental music (Op. 61) for Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream". It is one of the most well-known pieces from this suite and is frequently used at weddings in Western countries, typically as a recessional. Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" was first used in a wedding ceremony in 1847 when Dorothy Carew married Tom Daniel in England. However, it gained widespread popularity in 1858 when it was played at the wedding of Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise, the eldest child of Queen Victoria, to Prince Frederick William of Prussia. Queen Victoria was a patron of opera and a great admirer of Mendelssohn's music, and her choice of music for the royal wedding set a precedent for future nuptials.

Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" is often paired with the Bridal Chorus or Here Comes the Bride from Richard Wagner's 1850 opera "Lohengrin". Wagner's piece is typically played as the bride enters, while Mendelssohn's march accompanies the newlywed couple's exit. While the "Bridal Chorus" is commonly associated with weddings, it was not originally composed as a stand-alone wedding piece but as part of the opera, where it is sung by the women of the wedding party after the ceremony as they accompany the bride to her chamber.

The use of both Mendelssohn's and Wagner's marches in the 1858 royal wedding popularized the practice of a full choral processional from the church entrance to the altar, accompanied by music. While the "Wedding March" and "Bridal Chorus" remain popular choices for wedding music, couples today often branch out and choose alternative pieces for personal or political reasons. For example, Wagner's antisemitic views and lack of respect for Jewish music have led many Jewish couples to opt for different music.

Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' was first played at a wedding in 1847

Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" in C major, written in 1842, is one of the most well-known pieces from his suite of incidental music for Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". While it is commonly used as a recessional at weddings in many Western countries, it was first played at a wedding in 1847.

The first known instance of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" being used at a wedding was on June 2, 1847, at St Peter's Church, Tiverton, England. It was performed by organist Samuel Reay for the wedding of Dorothy Carew and Tom Daniel. However, it did not become popular at weddings until 1858 when it was selected by Victoria, The Princess Royal, for her marriage to Prince Frederick William of Prussia.

Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" is often paired with the "Bridal Chorus" from Richard Wagner's opera "Lohengrin", which is played for the bride's entrance. Wagner's piece, also known as "Here Comes the Bride", was made popular at the 1858 royal wedding and is now commonly used at weddings in the Western world.

Mendelssohn, a German composer, was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Hamburg in 1811. He became a well-known child prodigy, studying advanced musical theory at a young age. He wrote his first symphony for a full orchestra at age 15 and mastered multiple languages as a child. Mendelssohn died in 1847 at the age of 38 after suffering a series of strokes following the death of his sister, Fanny.

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