massimilla doni-第14章

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genius；　that　here　there　must　be　no　variety　of　idea；　the　musician；
having　hit　on　his　leading　phrase；　has　worked　it　out　in　various　keys；
grouping　the　masses　and　the　dramatis　personae　to　take　up　the　theme
through　modulations　and　cadences　of　admirable　structure。　In　such
simplicity　is　power。

〃The　effect　of　this　strain；　depicting　the　sensations　of　night　and　cold
in　a　people　accustomed　to　live　in　the　bright　rays　of　the　sun；　and　sung
by　the　people　and　their　princes；　is　most　impressive。　There　is
something　relentless　in　that　slow　phrase　of　music；　it　is　cold　and
sinister；　like　an　iron　bar　wielded　by　some　celestial　executioner；　and
dropping　in　regular　rhythm　on　the　limbs　of　all　his　victims。　As　we　hear
it　passing　from　C　minor　into　G　minor；　returning　to　C　and　again　to　the
dominant　G；　starting　afresh　and　/fortissimo/　on　the　tonic　B　flat；
drifting　into　F　major　and　back　to　C　minor；　and　in　each　key　in　turn
more　ominously　terrible；　chill；　and　dark；　we　are　compelled　at　last　to
enter　into　the　impression　intended　by　the　composer。〃

The　Frenchman　was；　in　fact；　deeply　moved　when　all　this　united　sorrow
exploded　in　the　cry：

　　〃O　Nume　d'Israel；
　　Se　brami　in　liberta
　　Il　popol　tuo　fedel；
　　Di　lui　di　noi　pieta！〃

（O　God　of　Israel；　if　thou　wouldst　see　thy　faithful　people　free；　have
mercy　on　them；　and　on　us。）

〃Never　was　a　grander　synthesis　composed　of　natural　effects　or　a　more
perfect　idealization　of　nature。　In　a　great　national　disaster；　each　one
for　a　long　time　bewails　himself　alone；　then；　from　out　of　the　mass；
rises　up；　here　and　there；　a　more　emphatic　and　vehement　cry　of　anguish；
finally；　when　the　misery　has　fallen　on　all；　it　bursts　forth　like　a
tempest。

〃As　soon　as　they　all　recognize　a　common　grievance；　the　dull　murmurs　of
the　people　become　cries　of　impatience。　Rossini　has　proceeded　on　this
hypothesis。　After　the　outcry　in　C　major；　Pharoah　sings　his　grand
recitative：　/Mano　ultrice　di　un　Dio/　（Avenging　hand　of　God）；　after
which　the　original　subject　is　repeated　with　more　vehement　expression。
All　Egypt　appeals　to　Moses　for　help。〃

The　Duchess　had　taken　advantage　of　the　pause　for　the　entrance　of　Moses
and　Aaron　to　give　this　interpretation　of　that　fine　introduction。

〃Let　them　weep！〃　she　added　passionately。　〃They　have　done　much　ill。
Expiate　your　sins；　Egyptians；　expiate　the　crimes　of　your　maddened
Court！　With　what　amazing　skill　has　this　great　painter　made　use　of　all
the　gloomy　tones　of　music；　of　all　that　is　saddest　on　the　musical
palette！　What　creepy　darkness！　what　a　mist！　Is　not　your　very　spirit　in
mourning？　Are　you　not　convinced　of　the　reality　of　the　blackness　that
lies　over　the　land？　Do　you　not　feel　that　Nature　is　wrapped　in　the
deepest　shades？　There　are　no　palm…trees；　no　Egyptian　palaces；　no
landscape。　And　what　a　healing　to　your　soul　will　the　deeply　religious
strain　be　of　the　heaven…sent　Healer　who　will　stay　this　cruel　plague！
How　skilfully　is　everything　wrought　up　to　end　in　that　glorious
invocation　of　Moses　to　God。

〃By　a　learned　elaboration；　which　Capraja　could　explain　to　you；　this
appeal　to　heaven　is　accompanied　by　brass　instruments　only；　it　is　that
which　gives　it　such　a　solemn；　religious　cast。　And　not　merely　is　the
artifice　fine　in　its　place；　note　how　fertile　in　resource　is　genius。
Rossini　has　derived　fresh　beauty　from　the　difficulty　he　himself
created。　He　has　the　strings　in　reserve　to　express　daylight　when　it
succeeds　to　the　darkness；　and　thus　produces　one　of　the　greatest
effects　ever　achieved　in　music。

〃Till　this　inimitable　genius　showed　the　way　never　was　such　a　result
obtained　with　mere　/recitative/。　We　have　not；　so　far；　had　an　air　or　a
duet。　The　poet　has　relied　on　the　strength　of　the　idea；　on　the
vividness　of　his　imagery；　and　the　realism　of　the　declamatory　passages。
This　scene　of　despair；　this　darkness　that　may　be　felt；　these　cries　of
anguish；the　whole　musical　picture　is　as　fine　as　your　great　Poussin's
/Deluge/。〃

Moses　waved　his　staff；　and　it　was　light。

〃Here；　monsieur；　does　not　the　music　vie　with　the　sun；　whose　splendor
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　jo