Parsifal Suite

Parsifal surely contains some of Wagner’s greatest orchestral writing, yet there is little orchestral-only material currently available for concert performance. I therefore set about constructing an orchestral suite that would give us more time to settle into the music of Parsifal.  The result is forty-five minutes of continuous music from the opera.  My priority was to stitch the music together wherever possible using original Wagner. 

From the opening prelude, we move to Act 3 Scene 1, where a brief passage for slow unison strings depicts Parsifal at the holy spring, thrusting his spear into the ground and praying before it.  There follows a portion of the Good Friday Music for gentle woodwinds and strings, as Parsifal admires the beauty of the wood and meadow, which are glowing in the morning light.  The sound of midday bells begins Wagner’s own transition to Scene 2, as the forest scene dramatically transforms into the mighty hall of the castle of the Grail.  The knights process in from both sides, carrying the wounded Amfortas and the coffin of Titurel.  We move to the Act 3 prelude, followed by the prelude to Act 2, “Klingsor’s Magic Castle”.  Next, the scene change from Act 1, in which Gurnemanz leads Parsifal through the rocky walls and (as in Act 3) the forest magically transforms into the great hall of the Grail.  We return to Act 3 for a brief bridge passage (for timpani, hushed brass, and pizzicato strings), which accompanies the ominous figure of Parsifal as he emerges from the forest fully covered in black armour.  This passage navigates us to the final scene, and the opera’s natural conclusion. Parsifal holds aloft his holy spear, with which he has healed Amfortas.  He takes the Grail, which glows brighter and brighter, and swings it in blessing.  “Miracle of supreme salvation!"

© Andrew Gourlay

The "Parsifal Bells" (deep bells in c, g, a and e) may be produced by a synthesiser, as typical in many performances of Parsifal, or by a combination of acoustic instruments. It is suggested the that a percussionist plays the bells on a stand-alone sampler machine fully pre-loaded with an effective reproduction of the bells that is available to hire.