massimilla doni-第18章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
on his throne； by declaring the death of every first…born son in
Egypt； singing that strain of vengeance which augurs thunders from
heaven； while above it the Hebrew clarions ring out。 But you must
clearly understand that this air is by Pacini； Carthagenova introduces
it instead of that by Rossini。 This air； /Paventa/； will no doubt hold
its place in the score； it gives a bass too good an opportunity for
displaying the quality of his voice； and expression here will carry
the day rather than science。 However； the air is full of magnificent
menace； and it is possible that we may not be long allowed to hear
it。〃
A thunder of clapping and /bravos/ hailed the song； followed by deep
and cautious silence； nothing could be more significant or more
thoroughly Venetian than the outbreak and its sudden suppression。
〃I need say nothing of the coronation march announcing the
enthronement of Osiride； intended by the King as a challenge to Moses；
to hear it is enough。 Their famous Beethoven has written nothing
grander。 And this march； full of earthly pomp； contrasts finely with
the march of the Israelites。 Compare them； and you will see that the
music is full of purpose。
〃Elcia declares her love in the presence of the two Hebrew leaders；
and then renounces it in the fine /aria/； /Porge la destra amata/。
（Place your beloved hand。） Ah！ What anguish！ Only look at the house！〃
The pit was shouting /bravo/； when Genovese left the stage。
〃Now； free from her deplorable lover； we shall hear Tinti sing； /O
desolata Elcia/the tremendous /cavatina/ expressive of love
disapproved by God。〃
〃Where art thou； Rossini？〃 cried Cataneo。 〃If he could but hear the
music created by his genius so magnificently performed；〃 he went on。
〃Is not Clarina worthy of him？〃 he asked Capraja。 〃To give life to
those notes by such gusts of flame； starting from the lungs and
feeding in the air on some unknown matter which our ears inhale； and
which bears us heavenwards in a rapture of love； she must be divine！〃
〃She is like the gorgeous Indian plant； which deserting the earth
absorbs invisible nourishment from the atmosphere； and sheds from its
spiral white blossom such fragrant vapors as fill the brain with
dreams；〃 replied Capraja。
On being recalled； la Tinti appeared alone。 She was received with a
storm of applause； a thousand kisses were blown to her from finger…
tips； she was pelted with roses； and a wreath was made of the flowers
snatched from the ladies' caps； almost all sent out from Paris。
The /cavatina/ was encored。
〃How eagerly Capraja； with his passion for embellishments； must have
looked forward to this air； which derives all its value from
execution；〃 remarked Massimilla。 〃Here Rossini has； so to speak； given
the reins over to the singer's fancy。 Her /cadenzas/ and her feeling
are everything。 With a poor voice or inferior execution； it would be
nothingthe throat is responsible for the effects of this /aria/。
〃The singer has to express the most intense anguish；that of a woman
who sees her lover dying before her very eyes。 La Tinti makes the
house ring with her highest notes； and Rossini； to leave pure singing
free to do its utmost； has written it in the simplest； clearest style。
Then； as a crowning effort； he has composed those heartrending musical
cries： /Tormenti！ Affanni！ Smanie！/ What grief； what anguish； in those
runs。 And la Tinti； you see； has quite carried the house off its
feet。〃
The Frenchman； bewildered by this adoring admiration throughout a vast
theatre for the source of its delight； here had a glimpse of genuine
Italian nature。 But neither the Duchess nor the two young men paid any
attention to the ovation。 Clarina began again。
The Duchess feared that she was seeing her Emilio for the last time。
As to the Prince： in the presence of the Duchess； the sovereign
divinity who lifted him to the skies； he had forgotten where he was；
he no longer heard the voice of the woman who had initiated him into
the mysteries of earthly pleasure； for deep dejection made his ears
tingle with a chorus of plaintive voices； half…drowned in a rushing
noise as of pouring rain。
Vendramin saw himself in an ancient Venetian costume； looking on at
the ceremony of the /Bucentaur/。 The Frenchman； who plainly discerned
that some strange and painful mystery stood between the Prince and the
Duchess； was racking his brain with shrewd conjecture to discover what
it could be。
The scene had changed。 In front of a fine picture； representing the
Desert and the Red Sea； the Egyptians and Hebrews marched and
countermarched without any effect on the feelings of the four persons
in the Duchess' box。 But when the first chords on the harps preluded
the hymn of the delivered Israelites； the Prince and Vendramin rose
and stood leaning against the opposite sides of the box； and the
Duchess； resting her elbow on the velvet ledge； supported her head on
her left hand。
The Frenchman； understanding from this little stir； how important this
justly famous chorus was in the opinion of the house； listened with
devout attention。
The audience； with one accord； shouted for its repetition。
〃I feel as if I were celebrating the liberation of Italy；〃 thought a
Milanese。
〃Such music lifts up bowed heads； and revives hope in the most
torpid；〃 said a man from the Romagna。
〃In this scene；〃 said Massimilla； whose emotion was evident； 〃science
is set aside。 Inspiration； alone； dictated this masterpiece； it rose
from the composer's soul like a cry of love！ As to the accompaniment；
it consists of the harps； the orchestra appears only at the last
repetition of that heavenly strain。 Rossini can never rise higher than
in this prayer； he will do as good work； no doubt； but never better：
the sublime is always equal to itself； but this hymn is one of the
things that will always be sublime。 The only match for such a
conception might be found in the psalms of the great Marcello； a noble
Venetian； who was to music what Giotto was to painting。 The majesty of
the phrase； unfolding itself with episodes of inexhaustible melody； is
comparable with the finest things ever invented by religious writers。
〃How simple is the structure！ Moses opens the attack in G minor；
ending in a cadenza in B flat which allows the chorus to come in；
/pianissimo/ at first； in B flat； returning by modulations to G minor。
This splendid treatment of the voices； recurring three times； ends in
the last strophe with a /stretto/ in G major of absolutely
overpowering effect。 We feel as though this hymn of a nation released
from slavery； as it mounts to heaven； were met by kindred strains
falling from the higher spheres。 The stars respond with joy to the
ecstasy of liberated mortals。 The rounded fulness of the rhythm； the
deliberate dignity of the graduations leading up to the outbursts of
thanksgiving； and its slow return raise heavenly images in the soul。
Could you not fancy that you saw heaven open； angels holding sistrums
of gold； prostrate seraphs swinging their fragrant censers； and the
archangels leaning on the flaming swords with which they have
vanquished the heathen？
〃The secret of this music and its refreshing effect on the soul is； I
believe； that of a very few works of human genius： it carries us for
the moment into the infinite； we feel it within us； we see it； in
those melodies as boundless as the hymns sung round the throne of God。
Rossini's genius carries us up to prodigious heights； whence we look
down on a promised land； and our eyes； charmed by heavenly light； gaze
into limitless space。 Elcia's last strain； having almost recovered
from her grief； brings a feeling of earth…born passions into this hymn
of thanksgiving。 This； again； is a touch of genius。
〃Ay； sing！〃 exclaimed the Duchess； as she listened to the last stanza
with the same gloomy enthusiasm as the singers threw into it。 〃Sing！
You are free！〃
The words were spoken in a voice that startled the physician。 To
divert Massimilla from her bitter reflections； while the excitement of
recalling la Tinti was at its height； he engaged her in one of the
arguments in which the French excel。
〃Madame；〃 said he； 〃in explaining this gr
