| b. | The DEATH motif, associated with Isolde's desire for revenge in Act I. Strongly associative, it nearly always concludes with a half close in C minor. BLISS, at the first embrace of the lovers in Act II, but already anticipated in its Prelude. |
Example 8. Motifs and passages which accompany Tristan and Isolde’s initial “glance“ (after drinking the “love potion” near the end of Act I) and their subsequent illicit “night of love” (in Act II). These motifs form the basis for “musical memories” that the lovers will subsequently recall later in the music drama. Except for a handful of tonally associative themes (see below), most recurrences are freely transposed.
POTION / GLANCE | DEATH / BLISS | TRÄUME / DAY | SUN CONCEALED / HOLY NIGHT | REPOSE / DEATH SONG
| b. | The DEATH motif, associated with Isolde's desire for revenge in Act I. Strongly associative, it nearly always concludes with a half close in C minor. BLISS, at the first embrace of the lovers in Act II, but already anticipated in its Prelude. |