Lawrence Gilman

(Joachim Raff: born in Lachen, on the Lake of Zurich, May 27, 1822; died in Frankfort-on-the-Main, June 25, 1882)

SYMPHONY No. 3, "IN THE WOODS": Op. 153

1. In the Daytime

IMPRESSIONS AND SENSATIONS

(Allegro)

2. At Twilight

(a) REVERY

(Largo)

(b) DANCE OF DRYADS

(Allegro assai)
(Poco meno mosso)

3. At Night

SILENT RUSTLING OF THE WOODS AT NIGHT. ENTRANCE AND EXIT OF THE WILD HUNT WITH FRAU HOLLE (HULDA) AND WOTAN. DAYBREAK

(Allegro)

Raff, an astonishingly prolific composer, wrote twelve symphonies,[115] of which "In the Woods" (Im Walde) is one of the two that have most conspicuously survived the winnowing processes of time.

Im Walde was composed at Wiesbaden in 1869. The programmatic bases of its different movements may be indicated as follows:

I. In the Daytime
IMPRESSIONS AND SENSATIONS (Allegro)

"The first movement represents in a general manner the feelings of a lover of nature in the forest on a summer day." The Introduction evokes the spirit of the woods "with the nameless charm of rustling branches and the glintings of sunlight." The mood is developed at length in its musical expression; the close "brings to its end this charming picture of the quiet surprises of the woodland in an autumn day."

II. At Twilight
(a) REVERY (Largo)

"After a short introduction [clarinet and horn]," comments Mr. George P. Upton, "the Largo begins with a beautiful and suggestive melody [strings]—the revery of the dreamer." Later, "the theme returns twice—the first time with heightened pastoral effect, the second time in much the same manner as when originally given out."

(b) DANCE OF DRYADS (Scherzo: Poco meno mosso)

Flutes announce the principal theme. This "is in reality a dance movement—the dance of the Dryads—but before its close the Revery motive of the Largo appears, and thus unifies the movement and completes the picture of the dreamer and his revery intruded upon by the dancing wood-nymphs."

III. At Night
SILENT RUSTLING OF THE WOODS AT NIGHT. ENTRANCE AND EXIT OF THE WILD HUNT WITH FRAU HOLLE AND WOTAN. DAYBREAK (Allegro)

A mysterious pianissimo theme for 'cellos and double-basses paints the darkness and solemnity of the forest night. The spectral approach of the Wild Hunt, [116] Dame Hulda [117] ("Frau Holle") and Wotan following in the train of the unholy crew, is announced by a strongly rhythmed theme in the strings, clarinets, and bassoons. The hunt draws near and passes in a tumultuous increasing and diminishing uproar of the orchestra; the fury of the chase dies away, and there is a sharply contrasted tone-picture of the dawn; a suggestion of the sunrise brings the end.

SYMPHONY No. 5, "LENORE": Op. 177

PART I. HAPPINESS IN LOVE

1. Allegro

2. Andante quasi larghetto

PART II. PARTING

3. MARCH TEMPO; Agitato

PART III. REUNION IN DEATH
(Introduction and Ballad After BÜrger's "LENORE")

4. Allegro

Of this symphony in three divisions (composed at Wiesbaden in 1872) only the last part, strictly speaking, is based on BÜrger's [118] celebrated ballad "Lenore." The first two parts illustrate phases of the experience of the two lovers which antedate the beginning of the story told by the poem.

In BÜrger's poem the maid Lenore laments the absence of her lover William, who has gone to war "on Prague's dread battle-field";

"Nor had he sent to tell
If he were safe and well." [119]

The war ends, yet still no tidings come from the missing swain. Lenore, frenzied by doubt and longing, utters blasphemies. But that night a horse and rider draw up at the gate, and a knock summons her to the door. It is William. He bids her "bind her dress" and mount upon his horse behind him,

"... for to-day I thee
A hundred leagues must bear,
My nuptial couch to share."

Lenore complies, though after some questioning, and they make off through the moonlight. The pace is wild and terrible. They pass a train of mourners bearing a coffin to the grave, but at the behest of the bewildering bridegroom the funeral party leaves the body and joins in the mad ride. The croaking of night birds is heard, and spectres are seen dancing about a gibbet.

"How all beneath the moonbeams flew,
How flew it far and fast!
How o'er their head the heavens blue
And stars flew swiftly past!
'Love, fear'st thou aught? The moon shines bright.
Hurrah! The dead ride quick by night!
Dost fear, my love, the dead?'
'Ah! speak not of the dead!'"

Finally, as day begins to break, they dash through an iron gateway into a graveyard. Then Lenore beholds a horrid transformation in her lover:

"The rider's jerkin, piece by piece,
Like tinder falls asunder.
Upon his head no lock of hair—
A naked skull, all grisly bare;
A skeleton, alas!
With scythe and hour-glass."

The "snorting charger" vanishes in flame; dreadful cries fill the air; in the moonlight grisly spirits are seen dancing, and howling as they dance:

"For hear! for hear! though hearts should break,
Blaspheme not, lest God's wrath thou wake!
Thy body's knell we toll,
May God preserve thy soul!"

PART I. HAPPINESS IN LOVE
Allegro
Andante quasi larghetto

The first movement of Raff's symphony ("Happiness in Love") portrays the felicity of the lovers before the departure of William for the wars. "Tenderness and longing speak out," changing to "anxiety and foreboding." "The second part of the movement is a delightful representation of the discourse of the lovers, in which it is not difficult to imagine William listening to the anxious expressions of Lenore and seeking to quiet her and allay her apprehensions."

PART II. PARTING
MARCH TEMPO; Agitato

"War has broken out, and the lover must take his departure." As from a distance, the march is heard, at first softly; it increases in volume and emphasis, coming nearer and nearer. There is an interruption (Agitato), "which graphically depicts the parting of the lovers [an impassioned dialogue between violins and 'cellos] and Lenore's grief and despair." The march is resumed, gradually diminishes, and dies away in the distance.

PART III. REUNITING IN DEATH
Allegro

This, as has been said, is the only portion of the symphony which is explicitly derived from BÜrger's poem. I quote Mr. George P. Upton's spirited commentary: "It opens with a plaintive theme ... suggestive of Lenore mourning for her lover as she wakes from troubled dreams. Then follows an intimation of her fate in a brief phrase for the trombones. The Trio[120] of the march tells the story of her despair, for the army has returned without her lover. Her blasphemy and the remonstrances of her mother are clearly indicated. The recurrence of the first theme lands up to a rhythmical figure for the viola, representing the tramp of the steed bearing the spectre bridegroom. The bell tinkles softly, and Lenore descends to meet her lover. Then the 'cellos take up the figure, retaining it to the close. The terrible ride begins. The bassoons and oboes carry on the dialogue between the spectre and his bride. One after another the constantly intensified and impetuous music pictures the scenes of the ride, the 'cellos and other strings keeping up their figure. A gloomy dirge tells us of the funeral train, and a weird theme in triple time of the spectres' dance about the gibbet, accompanied by wild cries of the night birds. More and more furious grows the ride until the graveyard is reached, when, after a moment of silence following the transformation, a chorale strain is heard, with a sad and tender accompaniment. The wretched maiden has at last found rest."