“Here Comes The Bride”: The Bridal Chorus by Wagner

(This is a guest post – not by Duane)

A wedding almost wouldn’t be a wedding without some rendition of the bridal chorus by Wagner. It is more commonly known as “Here Comes the Bride.” Who isn’t familiar with the familiar strains usually played by an organ?It is estimated that 70 percent of the brides in the Western world have walked down the aisle with strains of the song playing. It is not to be confused with Felix Mendelsohns wedding march usually used as a recessional march. Fewer people are familiar with how the music came to be.

The bridal chorus actually hails from Wagner’s opera Lohengrin. It is the music of the third act. It was first performed in 1850. The person who performed the opera the first time was Franz Lizt who was Wagner’s father in law. Wagner was in exile during this time period.

Lohengrin tells the story of a struggle for a Dukedom in the 10th century. Telramund, a count, has appointed himself the rightful heir to the throne. There is a battle royale for the position.

Elsa is set to marry the victor of the fight between Telramund and his opponent. She has dreamed of a white knight. The white knight is victorious in the fight between Telramund and himself. Elsa has promised to marry him and she is ready to do so.

The strains of the wedding march begin at the start of the third act. It is a racuous victory march sung by a bridal chorus. The tune becomes more melodic later in the third act when it is time for the bride and the knight (Lohengrin) to consumate their love.Since the main chorus of the wedding march was played during the consumation of Elsa and Lohengrin (an ill fated match) it does not seem to be particularily appropriate for a wedding ceremony.Their match was almost an immediately failure. Elsa does what she has been asked not to do, and her beloved dies. She in turn dies from grief. It is kind of a inauspicious start to a marriage.

Wagner was said to be amused when this music made its way into churches and became widely popular with brides and grooms in the western world. It was first performed at the Royal wedding of Princess Victoria and Prussian Prince Frederick William in 1858.

Due to the royal wedding this made it into churches and became the theme and the music for a number of weddings. Brides in several churches have rebelled against using this music particuarlarily in the Catholic church. The march has rarely been used in Jewish ceremonies. It is probably safe to say the wedding March or bridal chorus may not be used as often in coming years and knowing the ill fated marriage of Elsa and Lohengrin it may be a good thing. However, the tradtion of the march is still popular and is one that a number of people like and use in their wedding ceremonies. “Here Comes the Bride” is a longstanding tradtion.

Here is an article in Wikipedia about the song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridal_Chorus

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If you would like to learn to play both the processional and the recessional wedding songs, click on the picture below:

Learn To Play Two Wedding Songs: The Processional & The Recessional

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