Richard Wagner

Lohengrin: Act II; Sc, 4: Solemn Procession to the Cathedral

Finished in 1848 and premiered in 1950 in Weimar, Germany, Richard Wagner's (1813-1883) LOHENGRIN tells a story of a tragic medieval German romance in the Knight of the Swan tradition. Elsa, a princess in Brabant, is rescued and wedded by a knight in shining armor who insists on remaining nameless. While everyone is familiar with the famous wedding march from the opera (commonly referred to today as "Here Comes the Bride"), "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" or "Solemn Procession to the Cathedral" is the actual wedding march, with Elsa and a long train of ladies proceeding slowly and ascending the steps of the cathedral, musically expressing Elsa's innocent yearning and growing expectation. This concert version for full orchestra has been arranged by Tom Kennedy. Instrumentation: 3.2+EH.2+BCl.3: 4.3.3.1: Timp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).