| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gambara by Honore de Balzac: "Ali arrives, the Koran prevails in every province (duet in D minor).
Mahomet places himself in the hands of his two fathers-in-law; he will
abdicate his rule and die in retirement to consolidate his work. A
magnificent sextette (B flat major). He takes leave of all (solo in F
natural). His two fathers-in-law, constituted his vicars or Khalifs,
appeal to the people. A great triumphal march, and a prayer by all the
Arabs kneeling before the sacred house, the Kasbah, from which a
pigeon is seen to fly away (the same key). This prayer, sung by sixty
voices and led by the women (in B flat), crowns the stupendous work
expressive of the life of nations and of man. Here you have every
emotion, human and divine."
Gambara |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart: I knew nothing of my mistake. In the interval the thief - murderer,
too, perhaps - must have come back, discovered my error, and taken
advantage of it to further his escape."
The inquisitive man looked at me from between narrowed eyelids,
ferret-like.
"Did any one on the train suspect you of having valuable papers?"
he inquired. The crowd was listening intently.
"No one," I answered promptly and positively. The doctor was
investigating the murdered man's effects. The pockets of his
trousers contained the usual miscellany of keys and small change,
while in his hip pocket was found a small pearl-handled revolver
The Man in Lower Ten |
