Wagner's Wedding March: A Musical Legacy

Richard Wagner's Bridal Chorus, more commonly known as Here Comes the Bride or Wedding March, is a song often played during the entrance of the bride at weddings. The song was made popular when it was used at the wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal of England, in 1858. However, Wagner was a noted anti-semite, and his music was embraced and promoted by the Nazi Party, which has made the song a controversial choice for weddings, especially for Jewish couples.

Wagner's Here Comes the Bride is commonly played during the bride's entrance at weddings

Wagner's "Here Comes the Bride" is commonly played during the bride's entrance at weddings. The song, also known as the "Bridal Chorus", is from the opera "Lohengrin", which premiered in 1850. Wagner also wrote the libretto for the opera. The "Bridal Chorus" is a march played as the bride walks down the aisle at many formal weddings in the Western world.

The song was popularised when it was used as the processional at the wedding of Victoria, the Princess Royal, to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858. Victoria was the daughter of Queen Victoria and was the first English princess to marry into a German family, setting a trend for royal intermarriage between the two nations that lasted until the end of World War I.

The "Bridal Chorus" is usually played on an organ without vocals. However, in the opera, it is sung by the bridal party after the wedding ceremony. The lyrics, in German, are as follows:

> 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!

Despite its popularity, Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" has been the subject of some controversy due to the composer's antisemitic views and his stated lack of respect for Jewish music. As a result, the song is rarely played at Jewish weddings. Some Christian churches also disagree with its use at wedding ceremonies because Wagner's operas were seen as "depicting pagan stories and themes".

Wagner's Bridal Chorus is often used in wedding processionals

Wagner's Bridal Chorus, also known as "Here Comes the Bride" or "Wedding March", is a march commonly played as the bride walks down the aisle at weddings. It was made popular when it was used as the processional at the wedding of Victoria the Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858.

The piece originates from Wagner's 1850 opera Lohengrin, where it is sung by the bridal party after the wedding of the characters Elsa and Lohengrin. In the opera, the marriage is doomed to fail. The chorus is sung by the women of the wedding party as they accompany the heroine Elsa to her bridal chamber. Although at most weddings the chorus is played on an organ without singing, in the opera, there are lyrics that accompany the music.

Despite the controversy surrounding Wagner and his music, the Bridal Chorus remains a popular choice for wedding processionals, particularly in Western weddings and church weddings.

Wagner's anti-Semitism makes some people uncomfortable with his music being played at weddings

The German composer Richard Wagner is known for his controversial figure during his lifetime, with his music often associated with Nazism and German nationalism. Wagner's essay "Das Judenthum in der Musik" ("Judaism in Music"), published in 1850, expressed his critical view of the influence of Jews in German culture and society. In the essay, Wagner wrote about the supposed ''Jewishness' in German art and explained the popular dislike of Jewish composers, specifically targeting Felix Mendelssohn and Giacomo Meyerbeer. He argued that Jewish musicians lacked a connection to the German spirit, resulting in shallow and artificial music. Wagner's writings, including this essay, have led to debates about how his ideas might have influenced Nazi Germany.

Wagner's anti-Semitic views have made some people uncomfortable with his music being played at weddings. His composition "Here Comes the Bride" or "Bridal Chorus" from the opera "Lohengrin" is commonly used as processional music for the bride's entrance at formal weddings in the Western world. However, some couples, especially Jewish couples, prefer to choose other music due to Wagner's anti-Semitic views and his stated lack of respect for Jewish music. There have been reports of churches and rabbis discouraging the use of Wagner's music at wedding ceremonies because of these reasons.

While some people may be uncomfortable with Wagner's music due to his anti-Semitism, others argue that enjoying his art does not mean endorsing his views. They believe that Wagner's personal beliefs should not diminish or invalidate his accomplishments as a composer. There are also debates about whether his anti-Semitic views significantly influenced his musical creations or were just a reflection of the widespread resentment toward Jews in Europe during his era.

Despite the controversy, Wagner's works have been performed by both Jewish and non-Jewish musicians since the 19th century, although some performances have caused public outcry. The decision to include his music in weddings or other events remains a personal choice, with some people uncomfortable with his anti-Semitism, while others separate the artist from their art.

Wagner's Bridal Chorus is sung by the bridal party after the wedding in his opera, Lohengrin

Wagner's Bridal Chorus, commonly known as "Here Comes the Bride", is a march played for the bride's entrance at many formal weddings. It is usually played on an organ without vocals, but in Wagner's 1850 opera, Lohengrin, the bridal party sings it after the wedding ceremony.

In the opera, the women of the wedding party sing these words as they accompany the heroine, Elsa, to her bridal chamber:

> 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!

Eight women then sing a blessing to a separate melody:

> As God hath blessedly consecrated you, We consecrate you to joy; Attended by love's bliss, Think long upon the present hour!

The chorus then repeats the first section, gradually proceeding offstage.

Wagner's Bridal Chorus became popular when it was used as the processional at the wedding of Victoria, the Princess Royal, to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858. However, it is worth noting that the marriage in the opera falls apart immediately after the wedding scene. Additionally, Wagner was notoriously anti-Semitic, and his work is rarely played at Jewish weddings.

Wagner's Bridal Chorus was made popular when it was used at the wedding of Victoria the Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858

Wagner's Bridal Chorus, more commonly known as "Here Comes the Bride", was made popular when it was used at the wedding of Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise, the oldest child of Queen Victoria, to Prince Frederick William of Prussia on January 25, 1858. The song was first composed as part of Wagner's opera Lohengrin in 1850. However, it was the 1858 royal wedding that is thought to have started the practice of playing music as the bride walks up the aisle. The princess, a patron of opera who loved the works of Mendelssohn and Wagner, chose the music for her ceremony. The Wagner chorus was played as Princess Victoria processed to the altar, and the Mendelssohn march was played as the newlywed couple recessed back up the aisle.

The wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal, and Prince Frederick was designed to align the fortunes of Europe's two most important powers: Great Britain and Germany's chief principality, Prussia. The royal wedding was a grand affair, taking place at the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in London, England. The bride wore a rich robe of white moire antique, adorned with three flounces of Honiton lace, and carried a bouquet of orange and myrtle blossoms, the latter being the bridal flower of Germany. The groom, son of the heir-presumptive to the Prussian throne, wore his military uniform. The ceremony was attended by members of both the Prussian and British royal families, including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the parents of the bride.

The use of Wagner's Bridal Chorus at the royal wedding popularized the song as a staple of Western wedding traditions. To this day, it is commonly played as the bride makes her entrance, though many couples now choose alternative songs for personal or political reasons. Wagner, who also wrote the libretto for Lohengrin, held antisemitic views, and some couples prefer to avoid his music due to his controversial beliefs. Nonetheless, the enduring popularity of the Bridal Chorus, or "Here Comes the Bride," is a testament to its association with joy and celebration.

Frequently asked questions