Overture
Solti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Captain Walker
Didn't come home
His unborn child
Will never know him
Believe him missing
With a number of men
Don't expect
To see him again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Solti's song "Overture" in these few lines convey a deep sense of loss and grief that is not just personal but extends to the entire society. The persona in the song talks about Captain Walker, who left for war and never came back. This signifies the larger theme of warfare as a destroyer of homes, families, and societies. The persona then goes further to express the pain of not just losing Captain Walker, who was their loved one, but also explains the impact of this loss on Captain Walker's unborn child who will never get to know their father. This line shows the lasting damage that war inflicts on generations even after it ends. The next line where the singer says they believe him missing with a number of men denotes the helplessness of the situation as well as the acceptance of what has happened.

Overall, these lyrics paint a poignant and sorrowful picture of the human cost of war, and the loss of lives that can never be replaced.

Line by Line Meaning

Captain Walker
This line introduces the character, who is likely a military captain.

Didn't come home
The captain did not return home, implying that something may have happened to him.

His unborn child
The captain had a child on the way who had not yet been born.

Will never know him
The child will never have the chance to meet their father.

Believe him missing
People assume that the captain is missing, indicating that there is no confirmed information about what happened to him.

With a number of men
The captain was not alone when he disappeared, as he was with a group of other men.

Don't expect
The singer is warning the listener not to hold out hope for the captain's safe return.

To see him again
The artist believes it is unlikely that the captain will be found and returned alive.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: PETER TOWNSHEND

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Julia Nolte

12y↑26

when 12:58 hits. it overwhelms my soul and then the french horns come in at 13:44 i am blow away by the power of Wagner. cant ever get over it! artistry at it's finest.

Martin Gilderman

2y↑5

Solti is the best interpreter of Wagner. Er ist unglaublich.

Mike D

1y↑3

Fabulous. Solti was a genius.

Tony Ann

10y↑105

this is one of those pieces you never get tired of listening to . i've been listening to this everyday for about 2 months now, and its still one of my favorites , especially the climatical periods

Virginia Benson

8y↑2

+Tony Ann I never get tired of it, either...

矢部圭輔

6y↑2

I　think　me　too!

Ready-Adhesiveness40

5y↑4

Guilty as charged, a day without Tannhauser is like a day without sunshine. Pretty much music at it's finest, and a Solti-led overture's always a good bet for a top notch listen!

Will Gregory

2y↑2

Quite agree.

Steven Avakian

1y↑3

Rock on Solti and the orchestra! There is something about this performance that has me believing it is the most powerful, stirring, and favorite ending to any musical composition that I have ever heard

Jeff Schroeder

6y↑50

I might add that I was blessed to have seen this live.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

3y↑1

Which year what that?

John Whitehead

3y↑2

Saw Dutchman at Bayreuth and was really surprised at the end the zoftic Senya collapsed on the stage, instead of throwing herself off the cliff and the guy next to me stood up and cupped his mouth and let out a loud booo.

Gillian Kent

3y↑2

I did too. What an amazing evening!!

Dave Miller

@Marcus Tullius Cicero it looks about 79 or so to me. My guess

Ludmillia Jones

9y↑68

We tend to overlook the beauty of a perfectly together brass section. Wonderful performance.

Mr. Bill Thrower

5y↑9

Yeah, it sounds kind of weird hearing such absolute togetherness. It almost doesn't sound right to me.

Yves Smolders

1y↑1

@Mr. Bill Thrower the difference between a good and excellent ensemble is usually the brass. At least it is where my untrained ear hears the errors.

zamora1ify

4y↑10

Depois de ouvir uma abertura com tal intensidade, é absolutamente impossível ouvir o restante da obra logo na sequência. Tem que ir embora da sala de concerto, sentar num sofá confortável, tomar um vinho ou Jack Daniels e deixar a adrenalina baixar.

Taliesin

2y↑2

Superb.
Gott mit uns.

José Luis Fraga Martinez

2y↑7

Energía ritmo fuerza pasión temple ....lo tiene todo para ser una versión inolvidable!!!!! Grande Solti!!!!

santacruzada

10y↑11

Solti, Karajan y Tennstedtn los mejores directores en Wagner. Fantásticos.

Colette Busquet

2y↑1

yes...for me Tennstedt the first of the tree there is something more with him
a plus of saoul which deeply touches us 🎶💕

Jon Hannington-Holley

6y↑36

As we most frequently hear this as a concert piece, it's easy to forget that it is, indeed, the Overture (or Vorspiel) to Wagner's eponymous Opera, (or 'Music Drama', as Wagner preferred). Thus, it's easy to overlook how the music is supposed to build anticipation for the 'Opera'. It is to the composer's credit that the piece so readily stands up to concert performance: not all overtures do. And it is to Georg Solti's credit that he manages in this performance to convey the operatic atmosphere without diminishing its 'stand alone' quality.
I have listened to countless performances of the work; live as well as on YouTube, and find Wagner's interweaving of the elements of woodwind, strings and brass mesmerising. It was the first work of Wagner that I heard, as a teenager, and it unlocked for me the entire Wagner canon (something I apparently share with Stephen Fry! I do believe we both bought the same record!) I have long felt that no conductor 'gets inside the mind of Wagner' better than Georg Solti. He is renowned for his energetic conducting style, and his eager expressions, and it is patently obvious he is both passionate about the music and loves it.
On You-Tube, as elsewhere, there has been a great deal of controversy about Wagner the composer, but if you bother to listen, or, better still, enjoy the music, then here is not the place to have that discussion, and I shan't repeat any of it. However, it cannot be denied that he was passionate about his own music, and it is therefore fitting, in my opinion, that conductors and performers are too. Yet, his work is not all about loud brass and massed strings. There is little to compare with the opening of Tannhauser, where just clarinets and bassoons hold a plaintive melody; reprised later a couple of times. This is the very best performance in that respect - aside from live concerts, perhaps. Every other rendition I have found somehow 'blurs' that melody into a tuneful but composite amalgam, where the distinctive quality of that scoring - of those instruments - is lost. Wagner chose them for a reason, and only Solti, from every performance I have found, has enabled us to hear that reason.
It is clear this is not the best rendition technically, as it was recorded in a by-gone age, so the video is poor, and the sound is far from perfect. Yet, still, the sounds of individual instruments come through faithfully, and we can hear that delicate 'sampling' going around the orchestra, where themes are picked up, played with, and passed on, and where each instrument or group has its cameo slot, as well as contributing to the whole. Immaculate as many other performances are, and certainly other recordings, none seems to achieve what Solti has here. And the film crew and editors also knew the work: probably watching and filming numerous rehearsals, as I gather was Solti's style. So they are on the right instruments at the right time: none of the broad generalisation of other YouTube renditions, or endless close-ups of the conductor's earnest expression and almost nothing of the musicians performing it. We do get to see Solti's conducting: at times wildly enthusiastic; at others delicate and evocative. And we get to see that characteristic suppressed smile of satisfaction: very pleased with progress and thrilled with the music.
It is reported that he was the reverse of most conductors, who would be relaxed in rehearsal and stressful at performance. For him, the hard work was in the rehearsals, when he would be diligent and, at times, adopt a punishing schedule to make the performance all he wanted it to be. Then, when it came to the performance, he could afford to 'sit back and enjoy the music', relaxing into well-rehearsed routine and bringing out the best sound. And it shows. That was how Solti's style, his vigour, and his commitment brought Chicago SO from near obscurity to become a world-class entity that it remains.The performers seldom work harder then in some parts of this overture: it's visibly a serious 'work-out'! Yet they are totally committed, and thoroughly enjoying what they do and the sound they make. So can we. Of all the recordings I've found, this remains my absolute favourite, and I shall continue to revel in that haunting clarinet/bassoon opening, the luscious cellos opening for the strings, the delicate woodwind, the rich brass and measured timpani. Never mind the video: enjoy the music! After all, many YouTube offerings simply show a single background image throughout. This goes much better than that!

KIRK WOODRICH

4y↑2

well said , thanks

L B Murray

12y↑25

Sublissimo! The glorious sound of the Chicago symphony with Maestro Solti. This is undoiubtedly the best brass section ever to play tannhauser.

ernesto marzano

1y↑4

Esta extraordinaria obra, dirigida por el Maestro Solti, adquiere una sublime belleza.

Fleur Africaine

3y↑36

And compared to Karajan’s rigidly stoic presence, the fluidity of Solti’s movement is like a ballet dancer. Absolutely remarkable.

There Are No Shortcuts

3y↑1

aye, he knows the eyes and camera are on him

once you have cameras
it's a full body performance, not just about the music

Marcelo Ayerza

Is correct.

Screengraphy

2y↑3

Agreed, I was once devoted that version of Karajan despite the inner me found it "exhausting" until I found Solti version, both CSO and WPO. I listened to his version no less than 100 times now.

joan blake

2y↑1

@There Are No Shortcuts I beg to differ. Solti's conducting is VERY much about the music...the musical line, the interplay of each section of the orchestra and an ability to elevate the CSO to one of worlds greatest orchestras. Under Solti, the CSO won many Grammy awards. My god, listen to this and forget about Solti's body movements.

Enrico Langfordino

3y↑7

I am in awe of such wonderful music, and of instrumentalists. I do not play any musical instrument but by golly, I appreciate such heart-rending beauty.

Edward Doyle

5y↑21

I'm a trombone player. Any time I want to have a great trombone sound in my head, I come here and listen to this recording.

Adesor Cuppy

2y↑7

Tannhäuser, Solti, CSO’s Brass Section, Surreal sound! Certain things don’t repeat and come around again in art and culture. This was one of them! CSO and Solti, a match made in heaven.

Dave G

2y↑5

Simply breathtaking. Nothing compares to Solti / Chicago Symphony / Wagner Overtures.

Richard Coowart

12y↑3

they played it from their hearts - experiencing the music time after time it grew inside of them - look at their faces as they played - this performance is by far the best I have ever heard

Cristovam Souza

1y↑5

E uma viagem . Wagner grande compositor.... que orquestra que regente..

BassasaurusRex

12y↑1

Best brass section then now and ever. The trombone motif shortly after 2:30 is EXACTLY how it should be played. Far too many orchestras play it timid and soft so the violins are still dominant which is just nuts. A master orchestrator like Wagner wouldn't have called for 6 tombones in unison if he didn't want them to blast off like they do here. Brilliant piece, equally brilliant performance.

Hector Bravo

Pocas oberturas de ópera (y no sólo de Wagner) están tan bien construidas. Sólo un genio pudo hacer ésto.

Stephen Hager

Back in the glory days of the CSO! So many legendary players. This was the orchestra that inspired the widely read sports writer, William Barry Furlong to write his classic book, "A Season with Solti: A Year in the Life of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra".

Vanete Maria Rios de Moura Teixeira

2y↑2

Sublime esses metais! Wagner, que maravilha!

Virginia Benson

8y↑29

Solti is the best at this overture directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Karajan's rendition has a middle part that is liquid gold, but on the whole Solti's brass prevail.

Humberto Peña

1y↑3

Gracias por difundir estás obras y poder escucharlas hoy como ayer.

Marcelo Ayerza

2y↑3

La mejor presentacion de la obertura Tannhouser que he oído es de Solti.

Steven Allan

5y↑7

Never underestimate the majesty of Solti, ever able to play an orchestra as if it were a single instrument and with such passion.

klára erdélyi

1y↑5

Great, classical performance! Georg Solti was of Hungarian origin conductor. We are proud of him in Hungary, Greetings!

Dave Miller

1y↑1

Love back to you. I am american but have Hungarian blood

klára erdélyi

1y↑1

@Dave Miller Nice to hear it. Friendly greetings!

Kim Smith

12y↑3

A benchmark performance by Solti! Incredible Orchestra! Excellent video direction!

David Yates

2y↑3

What can one say that has not gone before. Having seen Solti live, this performance is quite simply superb.

William Huff

9y↑22

The orchestra members played as one, a musical task not easily done, I knew some the members of this Chicago orchestra as I was a principal flautist in a major orchestra myself( the Cleveland Orchestra). It is wonderful reading all your comments, Bill

winrx

I don't ever recall a principal flutist in the Cleveland Orchestra within the last 80 years being named "William" - that is unless you're writing under a pseudonym..... ; p

mark p

Looking at winrx's comment, William, I tried to find you in Donald Rosenberg's book 'The Cleveland Orchestra Story'. Who was your conductor and what were the dates? This was post Szell, right? Maazel? I'm trying to think why anyone would use a pseudonym if it's something to be so proud of as it indeed is!

1 More Replies...

Linda

2y↑2

Love the music that fills us with emotion ~

Nancy Liu

7y↑2

OMG, I listened to this when I was in high school four years ago, it was a music assignment that I need to memory. This music just suddenly popped up in my head and made me search for it. I finally found it!! This is an amazing piece! So beautiful!!

Humungus Erectus

7y↑6

i am a metal guitarist in a hard core metal band, but for the life of me,this music brings visions of red,green and white dragons being slayed by knights.. metal\M/

ester t.olivares

1y↑1

Uno de mis clásicos predilectos...Wagner 😍

leopard tiger

1y↑1

This melody is so popular in Germany, in dance halls in carneval festivals....

me mattia

3y↑3

This is perfection! Thank you for uploading.

Ruth K

12y↑2

Goosebumps-fest. Thank you, Sir Georg and Richard Wagner and IORITZgudari.

Daniel da Silva Cesar Junior

11y↑1

nao tem palavras para descrever tal obra maravilhoso!!!!

Keith Naylor

1y↑1

Magnificent. It must have come from heaven!

Petri Munzi

Ja es ist vom Himmel . Die Musik von Wagner ist eine besondere ,darauf verwies schon Rudolf Steiner. Siehe dazu etquest von youtube

1951GL

3y↑1

Magnificent orchestra - the Chicago brass section was never bettered and I'm sure Solti knew it!

Bearwolf Ex

11y↑1

It does not get better than this aside from being there. Thank you Chicago Symphony and Sir George.

Andrew Lee

2y↑5

Best rendition I heard.

stephanie roberts

4y↑1

I've seen most Wagner operas played at London's Royal Opera House, very blessed, sadly none at Bayreuth, and this piece never fails to make tears roll down my cheeks.. the pure majesty.. sigh.

Urbie4

12y↑3

Great stuff -- this is from the days of the vintage CSO low brass section: Friedman, Crisafulli, Kleinhammer, and Jacobs. Thanks for posting!

MARCO TULIO SENRA

8y↑36

Georg Solti is a SUPERB conductor , one the greatest of XX century and perfect for Wagner .

mydogskips2

8y↑6

The CD I bought called him the greatest Wagnerian conductor of the 20th century, and I agree.

Juan José Rodríguez Diaz

3y↑2

Magnifica e insuperable versión!!!

Augustini Machete

11y↑1

Good job! Obviously one of the best symphony orchestras in the world.

Mr. Bill Thrower

7y↑31

That brass section is 100% in-sync. I mean down to the mili-second and there's something strange about it. Such timing amongst humans is almost unnerving, it doesn't even sound right.

Franklin Padilla

ESPAÑOL: Esa sección de metales está 100% sincronizada. Quiero decir hasta el milisegundo. Simplemente hay algo extraño al respecto, tal sincronización entre los humanos es casi desconcertante. Ni siquiera suena bien.

A A

8y↑6

Mozart and Beethoven would've been seriously moved by this composition if they would've ever had the pleasure tho hear it. It doesn't get more soul crushing than this, I bow down in front of your eternal greatness Herr Wagner!

Willhelm von Nordbach

11y↑12

for me Sir Georg is THE conductor of Wagner (sorry von Karajan fans). brings powerhouse horns and booming percussion to every performance. check out his complete Tannhauser opera recording with the Vienna Philharmonic and the great Rene Kollo singing the title roll. also his Met Opera debute in 1960 doing Tannhauser with Hans Hopf in the title roll, Leonie Rysanek as Elisabeth, Hermann Prey as Wolfram von Eschenbach and Irene Dalis as Venus. it just may be the BEST Tannhauser cast EVER

Philip Walton

As with so much of Wager's music, it is incomprehensible that such music can come out of the mind of one person. Then again we have Beethoven

Be To

2y↑2

Sir Georg Solti was a Wagner Specialist all of his Wagner recordings are top level!!!

Carlos Felipe Requião

Maravilhosa apresentação. Tranquilizou Wagner

US-Bahn

3y↑2

Seeing the entire horn section raise their instruments for extra projection took my breath away.

Michael Fricke

2y↑2

Ich bekomme Gänsehaut beim zuhören, es wühlt mich emotional auf welch eine kraftvolle musik

UseTheRightBrain

2y↑1

Magnificent!!, impressive ensemble and Solti is mesmerizing; but lets face it, this composition will make anyone look good

Petri Munzi

Gottes Musik.
❤❤❤🌞❤❤❤🕊❤❤❤

11 22

12y

I'm not a big fan of Solti's but this has to be THE greatest Tannhauser overture.

studentjohn36

11y↑1

Pity the video producers didn't allow us to see the full extent of the microphone array used for pick-up here. It's fully 50 percent of the magic of experiencing this clip.

Marco Antonio Bravo Gálvez

4y↑1

La maravilla de la música en una de su más bella expresion

George Stradtman

3y↑2

I recoil at the mere mention of Richard Wagner, since his music was at the core of what passed for "culture" within the Third Reich. This piece, however, is filled with such sublime beauty that I can't help but be drawn to it.

John Wortham

11y↑3

I cannot tell F Major from a G note! But I can tell good music when I feel it!

Paolo

I think I saw this video on U-Matic video tape in the late 70s at the school my dad taught in. He brought me there after school hours to watch it. There may have been other orchestral excerpts from other Wagner operas as well, but I believe this is now the only remaining video of the Wagner recordings Solti did with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in the late 70's

Humphrey Reader

4y↑4

Years ago I heard this being used as the background music in a documentary about the 1980 Mount St Helens eruptions! Seemed to go with the scenery.

Maria Cristina Montanari

Meraviglia!❤

ERNESTO ENRIQUE CERVANTES ALVAREZ

1y↑1

Wonderful Solti !

Daniel da Silva Cesar Junior

11y

Isso é o que os anjos escutam no céu

guillermo jaramillo

11y↑1

que hermoso, todo perfecto en tiempo perfecto ¡¡¡¡ viva HERR WAGNER

Rachel Smith

11y↑4

This is awesome!! I LOVE this!!! The music has so much feeling!! And Chicago Symphony is the truly THE BEST at doing anything Wagner. They've played other stuff by Wagner too, and it all sounds the best I've ever heard. This is amazing. Thanks for the post!!

WilfGehlen

12y↑1

Amazing performance! Awe inspiring. You may also wish to view the same performance, without the glitches at 3:43, 9:38 and 14:07 in the upload by giannibodoar Tannhauser Aug 28, 2011. The applause is also not cut off so short.

elizabeth moron

11y↑1

Es la mejor interpretación del Tannhauser que he escuchado en youtube, este año se cumplen 200 años de nacimiento de Richard Wagner, un genio =D

vieira56

11y↑1

Loritz said the magic words,yes it must be in the favorits of GOD, very good performing.Thank you for sharing.

Maria Ines De Andrade Alcantara

🇩🇪🇦🇹🇩🇪🇦🇹🇩🇪🇦🇹🇩🇪🇦🇹COMO OS MESTRES GERMÂNICOS SÃO IMBATÍVEIS QUANDO SE TRATA DE MÚSICA NA SUA MAIS PURA E BELA ESSÊNCIA.!!!!!!!

Curt Jensen

11y

I couldn't imagine sir George conducting say.. Vivaldi or Bach.. some Händel perhaps - but in the late romantics he's at the top! From The Ring to The Planets! Wonderful stuff!

Jordi Panades Ribera

2y↑1

Magistral.

Ioritz Madariaga Goiri

12y↑2

@GuidaMargaridaCosta and @manny75586 thanks for your comments :) I always say to my friends that this version of Wilhelm Richard Wagner's overture to Tannhauser must be in God's iPod. experience makes knowledge, and those musicians performing a PERFECT Tannhauser Overture are the best example

Nina Thesman

4y↑1

😊 when the strings first come in, you just melt.

victor gallardo

3y↑4

Thre best interpretation i ve ever heard, Solti is an enormous Director

Lance Fraser

7y↑11

Lets not forget the conductor that made the CSO great prior to Solti taking the podium...............The awesome Fritz Reiner.

Frank Kolton

6y↑4

There were older musicians that said CSO's wonderful style of sound goes back to Frederick Stock. The first CSO concert I attended as a boy in the 50s was led by Fritz Reiner, I was enthralled.

Guy Moyer

2y↑1

It sounds like God put this orchestra together and gave it this conductor.

peter wolf

10y

Two of three most awesome performances of this piece are with the CSO. First Solti then Barenboim. The third is again Barenboim but with his Berliner Staatskapelle in 2002 I believe.

josep catala

Inmenso Wagner !!!!!!!!

Gabriel Moore

12y

AHH! So beautiful. Wonderful intonation....and WAY TO GO BRASS! dang that was cool!

TheJoyfulPianist

12y

How many of you are standing up at the end conducting passionately? What a glorious vocation.

Ana Fernandez

Precioso bello

Sérgio Braga

5y↑2

Wagner was a genius.

Alan Hilkene

Was there EVER composed a more exquisite orchestral piece?

Miguel Gondi

5y↑1

CUANDO ESTABA SOLTI AL FRENTE DE LA SNFONICA DE CHICAGO,ERA UNA MARAVILLA,EL QUE LO SUBSTITUYO A SOLT ERA SOS SO.

László Csabay

12y↑1

Ez egy remekmű, Solti György pedig egy zseni, Isten nyugosztalja.

beethoven2351

11y

Agreed. Superb production!

mafadigre

11y

magnifico !!!

Julia Nolte

11y

Damnit! what a genius! conductor and composer.

Richard Hemery

12y

This is brilliant, loved it, and Solti. For me, the 1960 Klemperer rendition is just a little better. At the end of Solti's, the strings and brass seem in competition, in Klemperer's they combine better. Could of course just be the recording mix. I got goosebumps listening to Solti conducting, but more goosebumps and tears with Klemperer! You decide for yourselves. (search Tannhauser Klemperer) Thanks for posting this.