The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-11

the hnAi. 20 tho ppera Whom orc~sion
oders for = long speech tina composer
WRITES IN czt.nd'd m"lody hut such
melodies arr not humorous, nor are they
forced into undue prpmin"nC" IN tho s"n-
eral plan
There IL some en ,lnvm-nt nf the solo
voices M the formal harmony nj ensemble
or concerted number hut only IN the one
or two passing fragments which develop
naturally in the action ri tn" play AMI in
the conclusion IN other PLACES the IT,
fusion ot general conversation ~ at g.
tempted The Orch''stration - designed
to furnish "A larg,' back ground of shifting
color. and to this end the composer en-
ploys formidable array Of Instruments
The scor,. calls for a piCcolo. three flutes,
three obo.s, English horn. three clarinets
bass clarinet. three bassoons. contra has.
soon. four horns. three frlmpsss, fo,r
trombone-, two harps. glockensDiel. ce-
lesia. bass drum. cymbals, tambourine,
triangle. fonica IAN arrangement OF bells
IN II. D. and h, the first b being that below
the treble s'leb and the usual body III
strings. The instruments arc here named
a. they stand on tn" rag. 81 Mr. Prc-
rln' : s.orc. The composer divides his
strings into small bodies very frequently.
s"Nonds IN groups or three solo Niolins.
sometimes cue and sometimes two. are
al-p required
In addition to thus great Use uf insiru-
mental tints Mr. Pucrini has enriched
the orchestral tone painting by the ON
ployment Of extended compound rhythm~.
by many unexpected and even startling
changes OF rhythm. and by some peculiar
treatment OF perrussiN" effects For
example. in the stress II the exciting
second act he utilities his sonoro'is bells
merely to increase IN. compie1lty of the
orchestral tints and To add n deep poign
ancy to the accents There L. nothing
in tn. situation that refers tn hcii-. and
they are not employed a. they usually
ar" III opera. namely to provide sound
heard i'm the play They are here intro
imCed solely a. AN orchestral factor. and
with no small dramatic effect
The composer has gon. further IN this
Nork than in any of its predecessors
n IN. employ ment Of what are called
modern harmonies But Mr. Puccini
las n musical plan Il his own His themes
littnnlr as the tunes Vt Verdi Bur thu.
lafion IL such that tho musical
background is crowded With the tonali-
les So dear 20 the advanced school Of
The chord OF the dimin-
shed seventh sinks into the state Of a
aid and shopworn commonplace The
AR feeds upon clashing SECONDS. upon
nnths. augmented fifths. upon whole
one progressions. and occasionally upon
groups which sound As II ttsy might
Icst lie played upon a piano with che Nat
i the hand
Intense point and ncisiyeness is thus
given ~ some themes which might other
\ Use appear 20 be tawdry The building
II rh. plan is most skilful. Everything
s done with a certain distin g,iished indi-
which belongs tn Mr. Puccini
Novel To the ear as his latest manner
Gems. it is still Italian. Nor should
lie understood that there il IN HIS fun .
ideas anything far forward
Il -Tosca- or Butterfly II is in his
harmonic and instrumental treatment
hat he has made his steps, and these
teps he undoubtedly regarded a. called
or by the nature Of his new undertaking
The composer has made Use nf rep
eS.ntativ. themes in much the same
manner a. he did in has -Tosca, though
n this work the themes are somewhat
pora elaborate and some attempt has
cen made to give some Of them a local
z racial color He has themes for every
ne even the Indian. Bully Jdekrubb1
hese themes are iterstsd and reiterated
throughout the score IN IN. familiar