Symphonies and Their Meaning Part 15

The scene of the desert returns at the end of the movement.

In the second (_Allegro_, rising to _Molto allegro_, returning _allargando_) the Antar motive is seldom absent. The ending is in long notes of solo oboe and first violins. There is no trace of the fairy queen throughout the movement.

The third movement has phases of mighty action (as in the beginning, _Allegro risoluto alla Marcia_), of delicate charm, and even of humor.

The Antar melody plays in the clangor of big climax in sonorous tones of the low bra.s.s, against a quick martial phrase of trumpets and horns.

Again there is in this movement no sign of the fairy queen.

In the fourth movement, after a prelude, _Allegretto vivace_, with light trip of high flutes, a melody, of actual Arab origin, sings _Andante amoroso_ in the

[Music: (Arabian melody) _Andante amoroso_ (Eng. horn) (Ba.s.soon)]

English horn, and continues almost to the end, broken only by the dialogue of the lover themes. At the close a last strain of the Antar melody is followed by the fairy phrase and soft vanishing chord of harp and strings.

_"SCHeReZADE," AFTER "A THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS." SYMPHONIC SUITE_

Prefixed to the score is a "program," in Russian and French: "The Sultan Schahriar, convinced of the infidelity of women, had sworn to put to death each of his wives after the first night. But the Sultana Scherezade saved her life by entertaining him with the stories which she told him during a thousand and one nights. Overcome by curiosity, the Sultan put off from day to day the death of his wife, and at last entirely renounced his b.l.o.o.d.y vow.

"Many wonders were told to Schahriar by the Sultana Scherezade. For the stories the Sultana borrowed the verses of poets and the words of popular romances, and she fitted the tales and adventures one within the other.

"I. The Sea and the Vessel of Sindbad.

"II. The Tale of the Prince Kalender.

"III. The Young Prince and the Young Princess.

"IV. Feast at Bagdad. The Sea. The Vessel is Wrecked on a Rock on which is Mounted a Warrior of Bra.s.s. Conclusion."

With all the special t.i.tles the whole cannot be regarded as close description. It is in no sense narrative music. The t.i.tles are not in clear order of events, and, moreover, they are quite vague.

In the first number we have the sea and merely the vessel, not the voyages, of Sindbad. Then the story of the Prince Kalender cannot be distinguished among the three tales of the royal mendicants. The young prince and the young princess,--there are many of them in these Arabian fairy tales, though we can guess at the particular one. Finally, in the last number, the t.i.tle mentions an event from the story of the third Prince Kalender, where the vessel (not of Sindbad) is wrecked upon a rock surmounted by a warrior of bra.s.s. The Feast of Bagdad has no special place in any one of the stories.

The truth is, it is all a mirroring in tones of the charm and essence of these epic gems of the East. It is not like the modern interlinear description, although it might be played during a reading on account of the general agreement of the color and spirit of the music. But there is the sense and feeling of the story, _das Marchen_, and the romance of adventure. The brilliancy of harmony, the eccentricity and gaiety of rhythm seem symbolic and, in a subtle way, descriptive. As in the subject, the stories themselves, there is a luxuriant imagery, but no sign of the element of reflection or even of emotion.

_I._--The opening motive, in big, broad rhythm, is clearly the Sea. Some have called it the Sindbad motive. But in essence these are not very different. The Sea is here the very feeling and type of adventure,--nay, Adventure itself. It is a necessary part of fairy stories. Here it begins and ends with its rocking theme, ever moving onward. It comes in the story of the Prince Kalender.

The second of the main phrases is evidently the motive of the fairy tale itself, the feeling of "once upon a time," the idea of story, that leads us to the events themselves. It is a mere strumming of chords of the harp, with a vague line, lacking rhythm, as of musical prose. For rhythm is the type of event, of happenings, of the adventure itself. So the formless phrase is the introduction, the narrator, _Marchen_ in an Oriental dress as Scherezade.

The first number pa.s.ses for the most part in a rocking of the motive of the sea, in various moods and movements: _Largo e maestoso, Allegro non troppo,--tranquillo_. At one time even the theme of the story sings to the swaying of the sea.[A]

[Footnote A: We remember how Sindbad was tempted after each fortunate escape from terrible dangers to embark once more, and how he tells the story of the seven voyages on seven successive days, amid luxury and feasting.]

_II._--In the tale of the Prince Kalender Scherezade, of course, begins the story as usual. But the main thread is in itself another interwoven tale,--_Andantino Capriccioso, quasi recitando_, with a solo in the ba.s.soon _dolce e espressivo_,--later _poco piu mosso_, in violins.[A]

There is most of happenings here. A very strident phrase that plays in the bra.s.s _Allegro molto_, may be some hobgoblin, or rather an evil jinn, that holds the princess captive and wrecks the hero's vessel. The sea, too, plays a tempestuous part at the same time with the impish mischief of the jinn.

[Footnote A: In the old version the word "Calender" is used; in the new translation by Lane we read of "The Three Royal Mendicants." In certain ancient editions they are called "Karendelees,"--i.e., "miserable beggars." Each of the three had lost an eye in the course of his misfortunes. The story (of the Third Kalender) begins with the wreck of the prince's vessel on the mountain of loadstone and the feat of the prince, who shoots the brazen horseman on top of the mountain and so breaks the charm. But there is a long chain of wonders and of troubles, of evil enchantments and of fateful happenings.]

_III._--The third number is the idyll,--both of the stories and of the music. Here we are nearest to a touch of sentiment,--apart from the mere drama of haps and mishaps.[A] But there are all kinds of special events. There is no prelude of the narrator. The idyll begins straightway, _Andantino quasi allegretto_, winds through all kinds of scenes and storms, then sings again _dolce e cantabile_. Here, at last, the Scherezade phrase is heard on the violin solo, to chords of the harp; but presently it is lost in the concluding strains of the love story.

[Footnote A: The story, if any particular one is in the mind of the composer, is probably that of the Prince Kamar-ez-Zeman and the Princess Budoor. In the quality of the romance it approaches the legends of a later age of chivalry. In the main it is the long quest and the final meeting of a prince and a princess, living in distant kingdoms. Through the magic of genii they have seen each other once and have exchanged rings. The rest of the story is a long search one for the other. There are good and evil spirits, long journeys by land and sea, and great perils. It is an Arab story of the proverbial course of true love.]

_IV._--The last number begins with the motive of the sea, like the first, but _Allegro molto_, again followed by the phrase of the story teller. The sea returns _Allegro molto e frenetico_ in full force, and likewise the vague motive of the story in a cadenza of violin solo. Then _Vivo_ comes the dance, the pomp and gaiety of the Festival, with tripping tambourine and strings and the song first in the flutes.[A]

Presently a reminder of the sea intrudes,--_con forza_ in lower wood and strings. But other familiar figures flit by,--the evil jinn and the love-idyll. Indeed the latter has a full verse,--in the midst of the carnival.

[Footnote A: We may think of the revels of Sindbad before the returning thirst for adventure.]

Right out of the festival, rather in full festal array, we seem to plunge into the broad movement of the surging sea, _Allegro non troppo e maestoso_, straight on to the fateful event. There are no sighs and tears. Placidly the waves play softly about. And _dolce e capriccioso_ the siren Scherezade once more reappears to conclude the tale.

_RACHMANINOW. SYMPHONY IN E MINOR_[A]

[Footnote A: Sergei Rachmaninow, born in 1873.]

_I._--The symphony begins with the sombre temper of modern Russian art; at the outset it seems to throb with inmost feeling, uttered in subtlest design.

The slow solemn prelude _(Largo)_ opens with the

[Music: _Largo_ (Strings)]

chief phrase of the work in lowest strings to ominous chords, and treats it with pa.s.sionate stress until the main pace of Allegro.

[Music: _Espr_. (Violins) (Wood and horns)]

But the germ of prevailing legend lies deeper. The work is one of the few symphonies where the whole is reared on a smallest significant phrase. The first strain (of ba.s.ses) is indeed the essence of the following melody and in turn of the main Allegro theme. But, to probe still further, we cannot help feeling an ultimate, briefest motive of single ascending tone against intrinsic obstacle, wonderfully expressed in the harmony, with a mingled sense of resolution and regret. And of like moment is the reverse descending tone. Both of these symbols reappear throughout the symphony, separate or blended in larger melody, as princ.i.p.al or accompanying figures. Aside from this closer view that makes clear the tissue of themal discussion, the first phrase is the main melodic motto, that is instantly echoed in violins with piquant harmony. In the intricate path of deep musing we feel the mantle of a Schumann who had himself a kind of heritage from Bach. And thus we come to see the national spirit best and most articulate through the medium of ancient art.

The main Allegro melody not so much grows out of the Largo prelude, as it is of the same fibre and

[Music: _Allegro moderato_ 4 times _molto expr._ (Violins) (Wood with _tremolo_ strings) (Strings with clarinets and ba.s.soons)]

ident.i.ty. The violins sing here against a stately march of harmonies.

Such is the fine coherence that the mere heralding rhythm is wrought of the first chords of the Largo, with their descending stress. And the expressive melody is of the same essence as the original sighing motto, save with a shift of accent that gives a new fillip of motion. In this movement at least we see the type of real symphony, that throbs and sings and holds us in the thrall of its spirit and song.

Moments there are here of light and joy, quickly drooping to the darker mood. Following the free flight of main melody is a skein of quicker figures, on aspirant pulse, answered by broad, tragic descent in minor tones.

Milder, more tranquil sings now the second melody, a striking embodiment of the sense of striving ascent. Chanted in higher reeds, it is immediately

[Music: (Oboes and clarinets) (Violins) (Oboes and clar'ts) (Horns) (Ba.s.soons) _dolce_ (_Pizz._ strings)]

followed and accompanied by an expressive answer in the strings. On the wing of this song we rise to a height where begins the path of a brief nervous motive (of the first notes of the symphony) that with the descending tone abounds in various guise. As a bold glance at the sun is punished by a sight of solar figures all about, so we feel throughout the tonal story the presence of these symbols. An epilogue of wistful song leads to the repeated melodies.

The main figure of the plot that follows is the first melody, now in slow, graceful notes, now in feverish pace, though the brief (second) motive moves constantly here and there. A darkest descent follows into an Avernus of deep brooding on the legend, with an ascending path of the brief, nervous phrase and a reverse fall, that finally wears out its own despair and ends in a sombre verse of the prelude, with new shades of melancholy, then plunges into an overwhelming burst on the sighing phrase. Thence the path of brooding begins anew; but it is now ascendant, on the dual pulse of the poignant motto and the brief, nervous motive. The whole current of pa.s.sion is thus uttered in the prelude strain that at the outset was pregnant with feeling. At the crisis it is answered or rather interwoven with a guise of the second theme, in hurried pace, chanted by stentorian bra.s.s and wood in hallooing chorus that reaches a high exultation. To be sure the Russian at his gladdest seems tinged with sense of fate. So from the single burst we droop again. But the gloom is pierced by brilliant shafts,--herald calls (of bra.s.s and wood) that raise the mood of the returning main melody, and in their continuous refrain add a buoyant stimulus. And the verse of quicker figures has a new fire and ferment.

All absent is the former descent of minor tones. Instead, in solemn hush of tempest, without the poignant touch, the tranquil second melody returns with dulcet answer of strings. A loveliest verse is of this further song where, in a dual chase of tune, the melody moves in contained rapture. In the cadence is a transfigured phase of the ascending tone, mingled with the retiring melody, all woven to a soothing cadence.

But the struggle is not over, nor is redemption near. The dulcet phrases sink once more to sombre depth where there is a final, slow-gathering burst of pa.s.sion on the motto, with a conclusive ring almost of fierce triumph.

_II._--The second movement, _Allegro molto_, is a complete change from introspection and pa.s.sion to an

[Music: _Allegro molto_ (Insistent strum of strings) _Marcato_]