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Goepp, Philip H., 1864-1936

"Symphonies and Their Meaning; Third Series, Modern Symphonies"


And yet there is a rare charm in these subtle turns; it is the secret
relevance that counts the most.
The fugue reaches a sturdy height with one of the first themes in lusty
horns, and suddenly falls into a pleasant jingle, prattling away in the
train of important figures, the kind that is pertinent with no outer
likeness.
[Music: _Grazioso_
(Strings, bassoons and horns)]
Everywhere, to be sure, the little rhythmic cadence appears; the whole
sounds almost like the old children's canon on "Three Blind Mice";
indeed the themal inversion is here the main tune. Then in the bass the
phrase sounds twice as slow as in the horns. There are capers and
horseplay; a sudden shift of tone; a false alarm of fugue; suddenly we
are back in the first placid verse of the rhythmic motive.
Here is a new augmentation in resonant horns and middle strings, and the
melodious extension. A former motive that rings out in high reed, seems
to have the function of concluding each episode.
A new stretch of fugue appears with new counter-theme, that begins in
long-blown notes of horns. It really is no longer a fugue; it has lapsed
into mere smooth-rolling motion underneath a verse of primal tune. And
presently another variant of graceful episode brings a delicious
lilt,--_tender, but expressive_.
[Music: _Grazioso_
_espressivo_
(Strings)]
With all the subtle design there is no sense of the lamp, in the gentle
murmur of quicker figure or melodious flow of upper theme.


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