massimilla doni-第13节

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it　has　borrowed；　with　nature；　whose　phenomena　it　expresses　in　every
detail？〃　the　Duchess　went　on；　in　an　undertone。　〃Art　here　reaches　its
climax；　no　musician　can　get　beyond　this。　Do　not　you　hear　Egypt　waking
up　after　its　long　torpor？　Joy　comes　in　with　the　day。　In　what
composition；　ancient　or　modern；　will　you　find　so　grand　a　passage？　The
greatest　gladness　in　contrast　to　the　deepest　woe！　What　exclamations！
What　gleeful　notes！　The　oppressed　spirit　breathes　again。　What　delirium
in　the　/tremolo/　of　the　orchestra！　What　a　noble　/tutti/！　This　is　the
rejoicing　of　a　delivered　nation。　Are　you　not　thrilled　with　joy？〃

The　physician；　startled　by　the　contrast；　was；　in　fact；　clapping　his
hands；　carried　away　by　admiration　for　one　of　the　finest　compositions
of　modern　music。

〃/Brava　la　Doni！/〃　said　Vendramin；　who　had　heard　the　Duchess。

〃Now　the　introduction　is　ended；〃　said　she。　〃You　have　gone　through　a
great　sensation；〃　she　added；　turning　to　the　Frenchman。　〃Your　heart　is
beating；　in　the　depths　of　your　imagination　you　have　a　splendid
sunrise；　flooding　with　light　a　whole　country　that　before　was　cold　and
dark。　Now；　would　you　know　the　means　by　which　the　musician　has　worked；
so　as　to　admire　him　to…morrow　for　the　secrets　of　his　craft　after
enjoying　the　results　to…night？　What　do　you　suppose　produces　this
effect　of　daylightso　sudden；　so　complicated；　and　so　complete？　It
consists　of　a　simple　chord　of　C；　constantly　reiterated；　varied　only　by
the　chord　of　4…6。　This　reveals　the　magic　of　his　touch。　To　show　you　the
glory　of　light　he　has　worked　by　the　same　means　that　he　used　to
represent　darkness　and　sorrow。

〃This　dawn　in　imagery　is；　in　fact；　absolutely　the　same　as　the　natural
dawn；　for　light　is　one　and　the　same　thing　everywhere；　always　alike　in
itself；　the　effects　varying　only　with　the　objects　it　falls　on。　Is　it
not　so？　Well；　the　musician　has　taken　for　the　fundamental　basis　of　his
music；　for　its　sole　/motif/；　a　simple　chord　in　C。　The　sun　first　sheds
its　light　on　the　mountain…tops　and　then　in　the　valleys。　In　the　same
way　the　chord　is　first　heard　on　the　treble　string　of　the　violins　with
boreal　mildness；　it　spreads　through　the　orchestra；　it　awakes　the
instruments　one　by　one；　and　flows　among　them。　Just　as　light　glides
from　one　thing　to　the　next；　giving　them　color；　the　music　moves　on；
calling　out　each　rill　of　harmony　till　all　flow　together　in　the
/tutti/。

〃The　violins；　silent　until　now；　give　the　signal　with　their　tender
/tremolo/；　softly　/agitato/　like　the　first　rays　of　morning。　That
light；　cheerful　movement；　which　caresses　the　soul；　is　cleverly
supported　by　chords　in　the　bass；　and　by　a　vague　/fanfare/　on　the
trumpets；　restricted　to　their　lowest　notes；　so　as　to　give　a　vivid　idea
of　the　last　cool　shadows　that　linger　in　the　valleys　while　the　first
warm　rays　touch　the　heights。　Then　all　the　wind　is　gradually　added　to
strengthen　the　general　harmony。　The　voices　come　in　with　sighs　of
delight　and　surprise。　At　last　the　brass　breaks　out；　the　trumpets
sound。　Light；　the　source　of　all　harmony；　inundates　all　nature；　every
musical　resource　is　produced　with　a　turbulence；　a　splendor；　to　compare
with　that　of　the　Eastern　sun。　Even　the　triangle；　with　its　reiterated
C；　reminds　us　by　its　shrill　accent　and　playful　rhythm　of　the　song　of
early　birds。

〃Thus　the　same　key；　freshly　treated　by　the　master's　hand；　expresses
the　joy　of　all　nature；　while　it　soothes　the　grief　it　uttered　before。

〃There　is　the　hall…mark　of　the　great　genius：　Unity。　It　is　the　same　but
different。　In　one　and　the　same　phrase　we　find　a　thousand　various
feelings　of　woe；　the　misery　of　a　nation。　In　one　and　the　same　chord　we
have　all　the　various　incidents　of　awakening　nature；　every　expression
of　the　nation's　joy。　These　two　tremendous　passages　are　soldered　into
one　by　the　prayer　to　an　ever…living　God；　author　of　all　things；　of　that
woe　and　that　gladness　alike。　Now　is　not　that　introduction　by　itself　a
grand　poem？〃

〃It　is；　indeed；〃　said　the　Frenchman。

〃Next　comes　a　quintette　such　as　Rossini　can　give　us。　If　he　was　ever
justified　in　giving　vent　to　that　flowery；　voluptuous　grace　for　which
Italian　music　is　blamed；　is　it　not　in　this　charming　movement　in　which
each　person　expresses　joy？　The　enslaved　people　are　delivered；　and　yet
a　passion　in　peril　is　fain　to　moan。　Pharaoh's　son　loves　a　Hebrew
woman；　and　she　must　leave　him。　What　gives　its　ravishing　charm　to　this
quintette　is　the　return　to　the　homelier　feelings　of　life　after　the
grandiose　picture　of　two　stupendous　and　national　emotions：general
misery；　general　joy；　expressed　with　the　magic　force　stamped　on　them　by
divine　vengeance　and　with　the　miraculous　atmosphere　of　the　Bible
narrative。　Now；　was　not　I　right？〃　added　Massimilla；　as　the　noble
/sretto/　came　to　a　close。

　　〃Voci　di　giubilo；
　　D'　in'orno　eccheggino；
　　Di　pace　l'　Iride
　　Per　noi　spunto。〃

（Cries　of　joy　sound　about　us。　The　rainbow　of　peace　dawns　upon　us。）

〃How　ingeniously　the　composer　has　constructed　this　passage！〃　she　went
on；　after　waiting　for　a　reply。　〃He　begins　with　a　solo　on　the　horn；　of
divine　sweetness；　supported　by　/arpeggios/　on　the　harps；　for　the　first
voices　to　be　heard　in　this　grand　concerted　piece　are　those　of　Moses
and　Aaron　returning　thanks　to　the　true　God。　Their　strain；　soft　and
solemn；　reverts　to　the　sublime　ideas　of　the　invocation；　and　mingles；
nevertheless；　with　the　joy　of　the　heathen　people。　This　transition
combines　the　heavenly　and　the　earthly　in　a　way　which　genius　alone
could　invent；　giving　the　/andante/　of　this　quintette　a　glow　of　color
that　I　can　only　compare　to　the　light　thrown　by　Titian　on　his　Divine
Persons。　Did　you　observe　the　exquisite　interweaving　of　the　voices？　the
clever　entrances　by　which　the　composer　has　grouped　them　round　the　main
idea　given　out　by　the　orchestra？　the　learned　progressions　that　prepare
us　for　the　festal　/allegro/？　Did　you　not　get　a　glimpse；　as　it　were；　of
dancing　groups；　the　dizzy　round　of　a　whole　nation　escaped　from　danger？
And　when　the　clarionet　gives　the　signal　for　the　/stretto/；'/Voci　di
giubilo/；'so　brilliant　and　gay；　was　not　your　soul　filled　with　the
sacred　pyrrhic　joy　of　which　David　speaks　in　the　Psalms；　ascribing　it
to　the　hills？〃

〃Yes；　it　would　make　a　delightful　dance　tune；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃French！　French！　always　French！〃　exclaimed　the　Duchess；　checked　in　her
exultant　mood　by　this　sharp　thrust。　〃Yes；　you　would　be　capable　of
taking　that　wonderful　burst　of　noble　and　dainty　rejoicing　and　turning
it　into　a　rigadoon。　Sublime　poetry　finds　no　mercy　in　your　eyes。　The
highest　genius；saints；　kings；　disasters；all　that　is　most　sacred
must　pass　under　the　rods　of　caricature。　And　the　vulgarizing　of　great
music　by　turning　it　into　a　dance　tune　is　to　caricature　it。　With　you；
wit　kills　soul；　as　argument　kills　reason。〃

They　all　sat　in　silence　through　the　/recitative/　of　Osiride　and
Membrea；　who　plot　to　annul　the　order　given　by　Pharaoh　for　the
departure　of　the　Hebrews。

〃Have　I　vexed　you？〃　asked　the　physician　to　the　Duchess。　〃I　should　be
in　despair。　Your　words　are　like　a　magic　wand。　They　unlock　the　pigeon…
holes　of　my　brain；　and　let　out　new　ideas；　vivified　by　this　sublime
music。〃

〃No；〃　replied　she；　〃you　have　praised　our　great　composer　after　your　own
fashion。　Rossini　will　be　a　success　with　you；　for　the　sake　of　his　witty
and　sensual　gifts。　Let　us　hope　that　he　may　find　some　noble　souls；　in
love　with　the　idealwhich　must　exist　in　your　fruitful　land；to
appreciate　the　sublimity；　the　loftiness；　of　such　music。　Ah；　now　we
have　the　famous　duet；　between　Elcia　and　Osiride！〃　she　exclaimed；　and
she　went　on；　taking　advantage　of　the　triple　salvo　of　applause　which
hailed　la　Tinti；　as　she　made　her　first　appearance　on　the　stage。

〃If　la　Tinti　has　fully　understood　the　part　of　Elcia；　you　will　hear　the
frenzied　song　of　a　woman　torn　by　her　love　for　her　people；　and　her
passion　for　one　of　their　oppressors；　while　Osiride；　full　of　mad
adoration　for　his　beautiful　vassal；　tries　to　detain　her。　The　opera　is
built　up　as　much　on　that　grand　idea　as　on　that　of　Pharaoh's　resistance
to　the　power　of　God　and　of　liberty；　you　must　enter　into　it　thoroughly
or　you　will　not　understand　this　stupendous　work。

〃Notwithstanding　the　disfavor　you　show　to　the　dramas　invented　by　our
/libretto/　writers；　you　must　allow　me　to　point　out　the　skill　with
which　this　one　is　constructed。　The　antithesis　required　in　every　fine
work；　and　eminently　favorable　to　music；　is　well　worked　out。　What　can
be　finer　than　a　whole　nation　demanding　liberty；　held　in　bondage　by　bad
faith；　upheld　by　God；　and　piling　marvel　on　marvel　to　gain　freedom？
What　more　dramatic　than　the　Prince's　love　for　a　Hebrew　woman；　almost
justifying　treason　to　the　oppressor's　power？

〃And　this　is　what　is　expressed　in　this　bold　and　stupendous　musical
poem；　Rossini　has　stamped　each　nation　with　its　fantastic
individuality；　for　we　have　attributed　to　them　a　certain　historic
grandeur　to　which　every　imagination　subscribes。　The　songs　of　the
Hebrews；　and　their　trust　in　God；　are　perpetually　contrasted　with
Pharaoh's　shrieks　of　rage　and　vain　efforts；　represented　with　a　strong
hand。

〃At　this　moment　Osiride；　thinking　only　of　love；　hopes　to　detain　his
mistress　by　the　memories　of　their　joys　as　lovers；　he　wants　to　conquer
the　attractions　of　her