siren-song (his own expression) while at the same time learning from
it and assimilating what was good therein. Wagner's vocal melody was
largely modelled on that of the Italians. Tristan itself was conceived
for Italian singers, and the part of Isolde was originally intended
for Mdlle. Tietjens. He even adopted Italian mannerisms, operatic
turns, trills, suspensions, cadences, and bravura tricks. We may
follow how these Italicisms appearing in all their banality in his
earlier works become more and more expressive as his style develops.

[Music: _Rienzi_, ACT V.
Du staerk-lest mich, du gabt mir ho-he Kraft]

[Music: _Tristan und Isolde_, ACT III.
Won . . . ne Kla-gend]

Cadences of the common Italian type with 6/4 chord or suspension swarm
in _Tannhaeuser_ and _Lohengrin_. In _Tristan_ they never have the
stereotyped character which they have in his earlier works.

[Music: _Lohengrin_, ACT II.
Ein Glueck dass oh-ne Reu]

The finer characteristics of Italian melody, that easy tunefulness
which seems to have sprung naturally and without effort out of the
mechanism of the vocal organs, is above all noticeable in the music of
his noblest creation, Bruennhilde.

[Music: _Walkuere_, ACT III. SCENE I.
O heh re-stes Wun-der]