There is only one opera, _Hermione_, by +Max Bruch+, founded on _The
Winter's Tale_, and very little other music has been inspired by it,
though the story possesses great operatic possibilities.
+Engelbert Humperdinck's+ music for the Reinhardt production in Berlin,
September 15, 1906, is, as usual with his incidental music, perfectly
appropriate--not a superfluous note in it; and also as usual in these
productions, Shakespeare's Act i., Scene 1, is Reinhardt's. Before the
rise of the curtain an orchestra of wood wind, horns, and harp plays
soft and solemn music (called "Tafelmusik" in the score) behind the
scenes, and the orchestra continues till a fanfare of trumpets
announces the entrance of Leontes, Hermione, and their suite.
There is no more music until we come to Act iii., Scene 2, when, to
open the Court of Justice scene, we have a broad, dignified fanfare,
_quasi marcia_, scored for trombones, tuba, and drums, and part of this
is played at the end of the scene. This is the motive associated with
the Oracle.
At the end of Act iii., Scene 3, Time, a chorus, enters, and solemn
music plays during his speech, composed in the manner of the Oracle.
In the meantime, an act-change has been made, and without pause the
curtain rises on the fourth act; the music dying away as Polixenes and
Camillo speak, swelling up on their exit and running into the symphony
of Autolycus's song, "When daffodils begin to peer." This is very
beautifully set, and the composer adds the verse from the end of the
scene, which makes six verses {162} instead of five; but this is quite
legitimate, as the last verse is obviously part of the whole lyric,
though separated from the rest by some dialogue.
The music to open the fourth scene is called "Sunday Bells." I confess
I don't understand why it is introduced, unless it be to cover a
scene-change, and I can find no mention of bells or Sunday in the text;
but I am quite sure there is some good reason for this number, apart
from its own beauty. It is _pianissimo_, scored for very high tremolo
violins, celesta bells, and harp; and I should very much like to know
exactly what it means in its present position in the play.
Now comes a long and elaborate march of shepherds and shepherdesses,
beginning in march time, four in a bar; then the time changes to two in
a bar, and a very wild dance follows. Again the time changes, to
mazurka rhythm now, three in a bar, and a very graceful dance in this
time follows; finally we return to the fast two-in-a-bar passage, and
the whole dance finishes with a coda, during which the music gets
faster and faster to the end. The whole number makes a short ballet,
with plenty of rhythmic changes. It is most effective, as well as
being part of Shakespeare's plot.
Almost immediately comes Autolycus's song, "Lawn as white as driven
snow"; this also is very carefully set. The next number is very
interesting. It is a trio, sung by Autolycus, Dorcas, and Mopsa,
accompanied by a _bouche fermee_ male-voice chorus--not singing the
usual slow, sustained harmonies, but a quick four-part syncopated
rhythm. This is a very ingenious number. After a little dialogue
comes Autolycus's last song, "Will you buy any tape?" to a simple tune
with an elaborate accompaniment. The Satyrs' dance that follows is a
good example of strong but grotesque dance music in its first theme,
but the trio is sensuous and suave, and the number finishes with a
repetition of the first theme and a short but brilliant coda on the
same melody.
In the last scene of the fifth act we have music {163} again. Paulina
says, "Music, awake not; strike!" and very mysterious music is played
until Hermione moves; then occurs a fine theme for brass and strings,
while Hermione descends from the pedestal; after which, with a few
pauses, the music continues to the end, when the curtain falls very
slowly on Shakespeare's own last words. The melodrama music here is so
superlatively good that one hardly notices it, such is its absolute
Tightness. The situation, dramatically, is so strong that, though the
music also is very individual, it does not for a moment counteract the
strength of effect of the closing scene, but just helps it to a
complete finish. Rarely has Shakespeare been better served by his
acolytes.
{164}