The only opera mentioned by Mr Barclay Squire that might have been
founded on this play is _Timone, Misantropo_, by the +Emperor Leopold
I.+, produced at Vienna in 1696. Leopold I., Emperor of the West, was
born in 1640, and educated by the Jesuits for the Church, and he
probably learned music from them. I have read fine biographies of him;
but though I find he was not a really good ruler, there is no mention
of his gifts as a musician. It would be interesting to discover a copy
of an opera, libretto by the King of Dramatists, music by the Emperor
of the West, King of Hungary and Bohemia; but with the exception of the
name and the date I can discover no record of the work at all: not even
a popular selection for the pianoforte--Leopold-Liszt!
In 1678, Thomas Shadwell produced his version of _Timon of Athens_,
under the title "The History of Timon of Athens, the Man Hater, made
into a play by Thomas Shadwell." Of the atrocities committed by the
adapter on Shakespeare in this version it is not easy to speak with
restraint. Suffice it to say that ten years after the production
Shadwell became Poet Laureate! The masque in Act i. is written
entirely by Shadwell, with music by +Henry Purcell+. Whether this work
comes legitimately within the scope of my theme I am not certain.
Undoubtedly the author and composer must have been under the influence
of, if not inspired by, Shakespeare: as we have so little music for
this strange play, I will therefore make a short analysis of the
masque. Julian Marshall, in his foreword to the Purcell {149}
Society's edition, says: "This work was not well calculated to inspire
the genius of Purcell. Written to order, and perhaps in some haste,
the score is slight in character and design." There are several
beautiful numbers.
The work consists of an overture and thirteen numbers. The first part
of the overture is taken from the "Trumpet Sonata," and is fairly
familiar to lovers of Purcell. The duet for two nymphs that follows is
preceded by a "Symphonie of Pipes" to imitate birds: this is played on
two flutes with a very pretty effect. The bass song, "Return,
revolting rebels," sung by Bacchus, has a fine bold melody; and a slow
trio in the minor is in strong contrast to the principal theme. The
best chorus is "Who can resist such mighty charms?", which, though
simple in construction, has some fine broad effects.
The last duet and chorus, for Cupid and Bacchus, is very bright and
melodious, composed in six-four time, and makes a merry end to the
masque. After the epilogue comes a "Curtain tune on a ground," for
strings only--by far the most interesting number in the piece. The
persistent use of the idiom of "false relation" throughout the whole
piece gives it a curious interest; and the contrapuntal and harmonic
devices are also quite elaborate. I should think there is more of the
real Timon in this one number than in all Shadwell's perversions.
{150}