Life of Mozart

ENSEMBLES.lOIments, but the musical matter would not differ essentiallyfrom that to which we are accustomed in solo airs. Theterzet in the second act is of this character ; a situation ora mood is maintained, and only variously mirrored in thevarious personages. Here, then, is the point of departurefor unity in the grouping of the whole ; and the ordinaryresources of musical construction, such as the repetition ofa motif in different places, the elaboration and combinationof the motifs, for the most part lend themselves to thesituation.The difficulty of the task increases in proportion as themusic forms part of the plot. We have an instance of thisin the duet between Susanna and Cherubino (Act II., 5),when the latter tries to escape, and finally jumps out of thewindow. The simple situation gives rise to an expression offear and disquiet in short, interrupted motifs, and the prevailingcharacteristic is an agitation almost amounting toaction in progress. The agitation, however, is so characteristicallyrendered by the music, that, while appearing toflow from an irresistible impulse, it is in reality only an effectof a definite musical formula fitly working out a given motif.The orchestral part forms a separate piece of music of veryvaried character.^^The terzet of the first act comes in the very middle of theaction (Act I., 7). Here we have not merely three personsof dissimilar natures thrown together, but atthe particularpoint in the plot their interests and sentiments are altogetheropposed, and each of them is influenced by different suppositions.The plot proceeds, however, and the discovery of thepage in the arm-chair gives a turn to affairs which changesthe position of each person present. We are struck in thefirst place with the striking, delicately toned musical expression,especially when the voices go together, as at the beginning,when the Count's anger :" Tosto andate e scacciate il33 The duet has undergone three unnecessary abbreviations in the printing.The sketch of a few bars to serve as an introduction to another duet has thesuperscription "Atto 2do, Scena 3, invece del Duetto di Susanna e Cherubino."This was apparently never continued.