In this presentation, pianist Charles Manning improvises “Bridal Chorus” (in German: “Treulich gefuhrt”) by the prolific German opera composer, Richard Wagner (1813-1883). Composed in 1850, “Bridal Chorus” is from the opera “Lohengrin,” considered to be one of the three “Romantic operas” by Wagner. In the beginning of Act III, “Bridal Chorus” is sung by the women of the wedding party following the ceremony.
Famously known as “Here Comes the Bride,” the “Bridal Chorus” is commonly played as a wedding processional, and is often paired with the “Wedding March” by Felix Mendelssohn as the recessional. After Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Victoria, used the “Bridal Chorus” for her wedding to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858, the piece became very popular for many weddings in Western countries. The “Bridal Chorus” is considered to be one of the most celebrated of all wedding marches.
