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 grand workwhich I shall come
to hear again to…morrow with a fuller comprehension； thanks to you； of
its structure and its effectyou have frequently spoken of the color
of the music； and of the ideas it depicts； now I； as an analyst； a
materialist； must confess that I have always rebelled against the
affectation of certain enthusiasts； who try to make us believe that
music paints with tones。 Would it not be the same thing if Raphael's
admirers spoke of his singing with colors？〃
〃In the language of musicians；〃 replied the Duchess； 〃/painting/ is
arousing certain associations in our souls； or certain images in our
brain； and these memories and images have a color of their own； they
are sad or cheerful。 You are battling for a word； that is all。
According to Capraja； each instrument has its task； its mission； and
appeals to certain feelings in our souls。 Does a pattern in gold on a
blue ground produce the same sensations in you as a red pattern on
black or green？ In these； as in music； there are no figures； no
expression of feeling； they are purely artistic； and yet no one looks
at them with indifference。 Has not the oboe the peculiar tone that we
associate with the open country； in common with most wind instruments？
The brass suggests martial ideas； and rouses us to vehement or even
somewhat furious feelings。 The strings； for which the material is
derived from the organic world； seem to appeal to the subtlest fibres
of our nature； they go to the very depths of the heart。 When I spoke
of the gloomy hue； and the coldness of the tones in the introduction
to /Mose/； was I not fully as much justified as your critics are when
they speak of the 'color' in a writer's language？ Do you not
acknowledge that there is a nervous style； a pallid style； a lively；
and a highly…colored style？ Art can paint with words； sounds； colors；
lines； form； the means are many； the result is one。
〃An Italian architect might give us the same sensation that is
produced in us by the introduction to /Mose/； by constructing a walk
through dark； damp avenues of tall； thick trees； and bringing us out
suddenly in a valley full of streams； flowers； and mills； and basking
in the sunshine。 In their greatest moments the arts are but the
expression of the grand scenes of nature。
〃I am not learned enough to enlarge on the philosophy of music； go and
talk to Capraja； you will be amazed at what he can tell you。 He will
say that every instrument that depends on the touch or breath of man
for its expression and length of note； is superior as a vehicle of
expression to color； which remains fixed； or speech； which has its
limits。 The language of music is infinite； it includes everything； it
can express all things。
〃Now do you see wherein lies the pre…eminence of the work you have
just heard？ I can explain it in a few words。 There are two kinds of
music： one； petty； poor； second…rate； always the same； based on a
hundred or so of phrases which every musician has at his command； a
more or less agreeable form of babble which most composers live in。 We
listen to their strains； their would…be melodies； with more or less
satisfaction； but absolutely nothing is left in our mind； by the end
of the century they are forgotten。 But the nations； from the beginning
of time till our own day； have cherished as a precious treasure
certain strains which epitomize their instincts and habits； I might
almost say their history。 Listen to one of these primitive tones；the
Gregorian chant； for instance； is； in sacred song； the inheritance of
the earliest peoples；and you will lose yourself in deep dreaming。
Strange and immense conceptions will unfold within you； in spite of
the extreme simplicity of these rudimentary relics。 And once or twice
in a centurynot oftener； there arises a Homer of music； to whom God
grants the gift of being ahead of his age； men who can compact
melodies full of accomplished facts； pregnant with mighty poetry。
Think of this； remember it。 The thought； repeated by you； will prove
fruitful； it is melody； not harmony； that can survive the shocks of
time。
〃The music of this oratorio contains a whole world of great and sacred
things。 A work which begins with that introduction and ends with that
prayer is immortalas immortal as the Easter hymn； /O filii et
filioe/； as the /Dies iroe/ of the dead； as all the songs which in
every land have outlived its splendor； its happiness； and its ruined
prosperity。〃
The tears the Duchess wiped away as she quitted her box showed plainly
that she was thinking of the Venice that is no more； and Vendramin
kissed her hand。
The performance ended with the most extraordinary chaos of noises：
abuse and hisses hurled at Genovese and a fit of frenzy in praise of
la Tinti。 It was a long time since the Venetians had had so lively an
evening。 They were warmed and revived by that antagonism which is
never lacking in Italy； where the smallest towns always throve on the
antagonistic interests of two factions： the Geulphs and Ghibellines
everywhere； the Capulets and the Montagues at Verona； the Geremei and
the Lomelli at Bologna； the Fieschi and the Doria at Genoa； the
patricians and the populace； the Senate and tribunes of the Roman
republic； the Pazzi and the Medici at Florence； the Sforza and the
Visconti at Milan； the Orsini and the Colonna at Rome；in short；
everywhere and on every occasion there has been the same impulse
Out in the streets there were already /Genovists/ and /Tintists/。
The Prince escorted the Duchess； more depressed than ever by the loves
of Osiride； she feared some similar disaster to her own； and could
only cling to Emilio； as if to keep him next her heart。
〃Remember your promise；〃 said Vendramin。 〃I will wait for you in the
square。〃
Vendramin took the Frenchman's arm； proposing that they should walk
together on the Piazza San Marco while awaiting the Prince。
〃I shall be only too glad if he should not come；〃 he added。
This was the text for a conversation between the two； Vendramin
regarding it as a favorable opportunity for consul