Ex. 3-5: Der engel

The first of the Wesendonck Lieder (WWV 91), composed in 1857 while Wagner was at work on Tristan und Isolde. Two songs in the cycle — No. 3 "Im Treibhaus" and No. 5 "Träume" — are subtitled "Study for Tristan und Isolde." Both songs use musical ideas that later appear in the opera.

The poems are by Mathilde Wesendonck (1828–1902), wife of the wealthy businessman Otto Wesendonck, who was one of Wagner's most generous patrons. During the period these songs were composed, Wagner and Mathilde were involved in a love affair — a personal circumstance that likely influenced the creation of these works.

The poem recalls a childhood belief that angels come down from heaven to comfort a suffering heart.

Track 1 from the album Wagner: Lieder & Sonate für Mathilde Wesendonck by Anne Renouprez and Peter Tomek (2013)
Spotify