massimilla doni-第15章

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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　feeling　for　her　people。　Here；　then；　you　will
find　delicious　languor；　the　glowing　sweetness；　the　voluptuous
suggestions　of　Oriental　love；　in　the　air　'/Ah！　se　puoi　cosi
lasciarmi/；'　sung　by　Osiride；　and　in　Elcia's　reply；　'/Ma　perche　cosi
straziarmi？/'　No；　two　hearts　in　such　melodious　unison　could　never
part；〃　she　went　on；　looking　at　the　Prince。

〃But　the　lovers　are　suddenly　interrupted　by　the　exultant　voice　of　the
Hebrew　people　in　the　distance；　which　recalls　Elcia。　What　a　delightful
and　inspiriting　/allegro/　is　the　theme　of　this　march；　as　the
Israelites　set　out　for　the　desert！　No　one　but　Rossini　can　make　wind
instruments　and　trumpets　say　so　much。　And　is　not　the　art　which　can
express　in　two　phrases　all　that　is　meant　by　the　'native　land'
certainly　nearer　to　heaven　than　the　others？　This　clarion…call　always
moves　me　so　deeply　that　I　cannot　find　words　to　tell　you　how　cruel　it
is　to　an　enslaved　people　to　see　those　who　are　free　march　away！〃

The　Duchess'　eyes　filled　with　tears　as　she　listened　to　the　grand
movement；　which　in　fact　crowns　the　opera。

〃/Dov'　e　mai　quel　core　amante/；〃　she　murmured　in　Italian；　as　la　Tinti
began　the　delightful　/aria/　of　the　/stretto/　in　which　she　implores
pity　for　her　grief。　〃But　what　is　the　matter？　The　pit　are
dissatisfied〃

〃Genovese　is　braying　like　a　stage；〃　replied　the　Prince。

In　point　of　fact；　this　first　duet　with　la　Tinti　was　spoilt　by
Genovese's　utter　breakdown。　His　excellent　method；　recalling　that　of
Crescentini　and　Veluti；　seemed　to　desert　him　completely。　A　/sostenuto/
in　the　wrong　place；　an　embellishment　carried　to　excess；　spoilt　the
effect；　or　again　a　loud　climax　with　no　due　/crescendo/；　an　outburst　of
sound　like　water　tumbling　through　a　suddenly　opened　sluice；　showed
complete　and　wilful　neglect　of　the　laws　of　good　taste。

The　pit　was　in　the　greatest　excitement。　The　Venetian　public　believed
there　was　a　deliberate　plot　between　Genovese　and　his　friends。　La　Tinti
was　recalled　and　applauded　with　frenzy　while　Genovese　had　a　hint　or
two　warning　him　of　the　hostile　feeling　of　the　audience。　During　this
scene；　highly　amusing　to　a　Frenchman；　while　la　Tinti　was　recalled
eleven　times　to　receive　alone　the　frantic　acclamations　of　the　house；
Genovese；　who　was　all　but　hissed；　not　daring　to　offer　her　his　hand；
the　doctor　made　a　remark　to　the　Duchess　as　to　the　/stretto/　of　the
duet。

〃In　this　place；〃　said　he；　〃Rossini　ought　to　have　expressed　the　deepest
grief；　and　I　find　on　the　contrary　an　airy　movement；　a　tone　of　ill…
timed　cheerfulness。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　she。　〃This　mistake　is　the　result　of　a　tyrannous
custom　which　composers　are　expected　to　obey。　He　was　thinking　more　of
his　prima　donna　than　of　Elcia　when　he　wrote　that　/stretto/。　But　this
evening；　even　if　la　Tinti　had　been　more　brilliant　than　ever；　I　could
throw　myself　so　completely　into　the　situation；　that　the　passage；
lively　as　it　is；　is　to　me　full　of　sadness。〃

The　physician　looked　attentively　from　the　Prince　to　the　Duchess；　but
could　not　guess　the　reason　that　held　them　apart；　and　that　made　this
duet　seem　to　them　so　heartrending。