The San Francisco call., 1899-12-25

EllZaDetnan time was not uOue OF eA-
preston beftting high thought or dig
nifty. There were many who, like Lord
Bacon, regarded the English common
speech as a packhorse never 10 be immor-
tai as the Latin Pegasus would be i'm
mortal. And SO prose-writing, not then
looked on as the art II is now, was not
fit for the expression OF exalted senu-
ment. When Shakespeare has anything
not worthy Of poetic expression he puts
II into prose, following the opinion OF mis-
time.
There is another reason for his doing
this. Prose-even rhythmical prose such
as Shakespeare writes-gave the effect OF
contrast, of shade after light. II played
the part Of the recitative in the opera
In the first act of LAS You Like It. for
instance, the scene of the orchard. in Oil
ver's house. Orlando begins his exposition
in a low key:
As remember. Adam. Il was upon this fash
ion bequeathed me by will but poor thousand
crowns. and. as thou sayest, charged my
brother. on his blessing. TO breed me well' and
there begins my sadness.
The scene flows on, exposing the motive
Of the play until 1t closes with the bar
gain between Oliver and the wrestler The
light comedy Of the second scene is in
prose, too; but the prose Is more musical
than that of the first scene. Cadences
chase one another link and interlink:
Rosalind. Now. Hercules. be thy speed.
young mani"
strong fellow by the leg!
(They wrestle.)
Rosalind. 20. excellent young mani
Celia. IF 1 had a thunderbolt in mine eye.
l could tell you who should down"
After Charles the Westler is borne away
the Duke Frederick opens, in verse, the
serious business:
60 thou art a gallant youth:
I would thou hadst told me OF another father
And love-a singing Cupid wreathed
with ferns and forest fiowers-begtns TO
play the lyrical accompaniment. Rosalind
sings:
did you call. sir7
Sir. You have wrestled well and overthrowu
More than your enemies
And Orlando cries, or rather sings in
the sweetest tenor, at the end Of the
scene:
From tyrant duke unto tyrant brother
But heavenly Rosalind.'
Unseen reed instruments seem TO fill out
the line with fugue on fugue. Scene
opens with light dialogue In prose:
Celia. why. cousin! why. Rosalind! Cupid
have mercy not a word!
Rosalind. Not one TO throw at a dog"
The measured music begins with the en-
trance. of the duke. with his eyes full OF
anger" The maidens are exiled; but be-
fore they are driven from the court comes
the exquisite and pathetic duo:
For by this heaven, at our sorrows pale
Say what thou canst, I'll 20 along with thee
The 'leit-motif' OF act . ought 10 be
given by the reeds and strings and be as
simple and sylvan as the 'Amaryllis"-
that old French air which Theodore
Thomas orchestra used 10 give so ef-
fectively:
Here feel but the penalty OF Adam
The seasons difference: as the icy fang
And churlish Gliding of the winters wind"
1t is a quartet. and the strands of
twined harmony sound is in every phrase
OF this verse music:
And this. our life. exempt from public haunt.
FINDS tongues in trees. books in the running
brooks
Sermons in stones and good in everything"
Amiens strikes I'm with:
Happy is your grace"
= And after the invitation of the Duke
Senior TO the hunt. the music sinks into
the exquisite phrases of the First Lord:
The melancholy jacques. grieves at that.
To-day my lord OF AmIens and myself
Did steal behind him as he lay along
Under an oak, whose antique root peeps out
Upon the brook that brawis along this WOOD. -
We all know the rest, or ought to know
II, by heart. The duo between Orlan ando
and Adam is so pathetic and noble thai
II must have solemn musical Cadence
And He that doth the ravens feed.
Yea. providentially caters for the sparrow,
Be comfort 70 my Gge.
Scene is made up OF recitative light
comedy prose and the lyrical movement
of the duo between Corin and Silvius:
''Ol thou didst then ne'er love so heartiIvt
III thou remembers 81 not the slightest foliv
That ever love did make thee run into
Thou hast not loved:
or II thou hast not sat as 1 do now,
Wearing thy hearer In thy mistress praise
Thou hast not loved.
or IL thou hast not broke from company
Abruptly as my passion now makes me
Thou hast rot loved"
Compare the repeated cadence
Thou hast not loved"
with the repeated cadences in the fifth
act, scene p -A'4
(Enter Silvius and Phebe)
Phebe. Youth. you have done me much IN
EentleneEs A
To show the letter that writ to you"
Rosalind. Il care not II have: IL Is nv s,,,d,,
To seem despiteful and ungentle TO Won. N'
You are there followed by a faithful shenb.-s.
Look upon him. love him; ne worships yoI, ~
This is the prelude. How few reader.
are conscious of the musical form of The
trio that follows: 'ie
'tis to love- ''N'ii "hat
silvius. 1T Is TO be all made Of sighs and
tears. and so am for Phebe.' ~"u