| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Padre Ignacio by Owen Wister: do. And while the voices are singing these operas, especially the old
ones, what harm is there if sometimes the priest is thinking of something
else? So there's my confession! And now, whether Trovatore is come or
not, I shall not allow you to leave us until you have taught all you know
of it to Felipe."
The new opera, however, had duly arrived. And as he turned its pages
Padre Ignacio was quick to seize at once upon the music that could be
taken into his church. Some of it was ready fitted. By that afternoon
Felipe and his choir could have rendered "Ah! se l' error t' ingombra"
without slip or falter.
Those were strange rehearsals of Il Trovatore upon this California shore.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs: her father's last experiment at Ithaca, although she
had for years known of his keen interest in the subject.
The girl became aware also of other subtle changes in
her father. He had long since ceased to be the jovial,
carefree companion who had shared with her her every
girlish joy and sorrow and in whom she had confided
both the trivial and momentous secrets of her
childhood. He had become not exactly morose, but
rather moody and absorbed, so that she had of late
never found an opportunity for the cozy chats that had
formerly meant so much to them both. There had been
The Monster Men |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: out these arms till you had recovered your ancient freedom;
but you are all recreants and dastards, and delight to live in
slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burthens,
take your houses over your heads, ravish your wives and daughters
before your faces. For me, I will make shift for one; and so,
God's curse light upon you all!
ALL.
We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade!
CLIFFORD.
Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth,
That thus you do exclaim you'll go with him?
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Massimilla Doni by Honore de Balzac: 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
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