We
cannot help feeling the illusion of scene in the impersonal play of
natural sounds. Anon will come a shock of exquisite sweetness that must
have something of human. And then follows a resonant clash with spray of
colliding seas.
Here the story of the waves begins, and there are clearly two roles.
To light lapping and cradling of waters the wood sings the simple lay,
while strings discourse in quicker, higher phrase. The parts are
reversed. A shower of chilling wave (in gliding harps) breaks the
thread.
[Music: _Con anima_
(Highest and lowest figure in strings.
Middle voices in octaves of wood)]
Now golden tones (of horns) sound a mystic tale of one of the former
figures. The scene shimmers
[Music: (With rhythmic harps and strings)
(Flutes)
(Eng. horn) _espressivo_
(Strings)
(Horns)]
in sparkling, glinting waters (with harp and trilling wood and strings).
But against the soothing background the story (of English horn) has a
chill, ominous strain.
With the returning main song comes the passionate crisis, and we are
back in the mere plash and play of impersonal waves.
On dancing ripples, a nixie is laughing to echoing horns and lures us
back to the story.
[Music: (Strings with lower 8ve.)
(Cl.) _grazioso_ (Horns)]
Later, it seems, two mermaids sing in twining duet. In a warm hue of
light the horns sound a weird tale. It is taken up by teasing chorus of
lighter voices. In the growing volume sounds a clear, almost martial
call of the brass.
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