Life of Mozart

GENERAL CRITIQUE. 273after the same realistic manner, as, among others, thedrawing of the swords in the first terzet, the flourish oftrumpets and cHnking of glasses in the third, the pipingand cannon reports in the war chorus (8), the beatingof the heart in Dorabella's air (28) suggested by the quaverson the oboe, and the general clinking of glasses in the lastfinale by the pizzicato of the violins.^^ These are all pleasingtouches, introduced without injury to more importantfeatures, but they do not reach to the same height of psychologicalcharacterisation which we are wont to admire inMozart's operas. Other devices of opera buffa are moreconstantly employed here than elsewhere, especially rapidityof speech ; but, on the other hand, there is no trace of anyattempt at imitating national peculiarities, even when thedisguises assumed might have given rise to it ; Mozart couldnot but feel that a musical disguise of the kind would verysoon fatigue the audience. The effort to cater to the tasteof the public goes hand in hand with submission to thedictates of the singers, and we find their influence far morevisible in " Cosi fan Tutte " than in "Figaro" or "DonGiovanni." There is an evident effort to please individualtaste in the concerted airs, and in the unusually light andpleasing melodies ; such concessions cause this opera, morethan any other, to resemble the best works of Italian masters.The peculiar qualities of Mozart's nature, his refinementand nobility of thought, his wealth of productivity, and hismarvellous technical knowledge, are as distinctly marked inthis opera as elsewhere. The planning, the construction,the grouping of parts, are so firm, so transparently clear,that we follow even the most complicated movements withease. The freedom and pliancy of the disposition of parts,where there occurs a combination of different characteristicmelodies, the easy dexterity displayed in the employment ofcontrapuntal forms, co-operate to excite and rivet the attentionof the hearer, without causing him any sense of effort.The quality, however, which delights us more than anyother in this opera is its delicate sense of beautiful sound,III.63 Cf. Gugler, Morgenblatt, 1856, No. 4, p. 81.