(Hugo Wolf: born in WindischgrÄz, Steiermark, Austria, March 13, 1860; died in Vienna, February 22, 1903) "PENTHESILEA," SYMPHONIC POEM [189] This symphonic poem is based on the tragedy of like name by Heinrich von Kleist.[190] The action of Von Kleist's drama is, in outline, as follows: The Amazons, under the leadership of their queen, Penthesilea, go forth to attack the Greeks besieging Troy, hoping that they may celebrate at Themiscyra, with the young men whom they shall capture, the Feast of Roses. The law of the Amazons requires that only those whom they have overcome in conquest may celebrate with them at the festival; therefore, when Penthesilea encounters in battle the surpassingly beautiful Achilles, she perforce attacks him, for she is ravished by love of him. He bests her in the fight, but she is rescued by her sister warriors. Achilles learns that, should he permit her to overcome him, he might possess her. He plans to engage her single-handed, and allow her to conquer him. Penthesilea's suspicions are aroused; she becomes convinced of his trickery. Her consuming love is transformed into consuming and vengeful hate. She slays him, and, together with her hounds, rends his flesh and exults lustfully in his blood. When her frenzy—which is as the frenzy of Wilde's "Salome"—is at last appeased, she stabs herself and sinks upon the body of her lover. Dr. Kuno Francke finds in the figure of the Amazon queen an image of Kleist's own soul—"a soul," he writes in his History of German Literature, "inspired with titanic daring, driven by superhuman desire, bent on conquering Eternity. When the conviction first dawned upon Kleist that the whole of truth is beyond human reach, all life henceforth seemed worthless to him. When Penthesilea, instead of vanquishing the beloved hero, is overcome by him, even his love is hateful to her. The ideal which she cannot fully and without reserve make hers she must destroy. The god in her having been killed, the beast awakes. And thus, immediately after that enchanting scene where the lovers, for the first time and the last, have been revelling in mutual surrender and delight, she falls like a tigress upon the unsuspecting and weaponless man; with the voluptuousness of despair, she sends the arrow through his breast; she lets the hounds loose upon him as he dies, and together with the hounds she tears his limbs and drinks his blood, until, at last, brought back to her senses, and realizing what she has done, she sinks into the arms of death—a character so atrocious and so ravishing, so monstrous and so divine, so miraculous and so true, as no other poet ever has created." Although Wolf's symphonic poem is not provided with a programme, there are in the score explanatory titles for its main (connected) divisions. These titles have been annotated in German as follows (the translation is that published in the programme books of the Chicago Orchestra in April, 1904, at the time of the first American performance of the work):[191] "I
"THE DEPARTURE OF THE AMAZONS FOR TROY "Amid great tumult the fierce warriors prepare to set out on their campaign, Penthesilea in command—as is symbolized by her personal motive, which will be heard above the clashing of weapons and the shrieking of war-cries. In exultation the army assembles, the queen dashing to the front to lead in the march, which begins with a flourish of trumpets. A contrasting intermediary section leads to a resumption of the march movement, the latter dying away as the Amazons, having reached their destination, go into night encampment—as represented by the subdued rolls of the kettle-drums, with which the movement concludes.
"II
"PENTHESILEA'S DREAM OF THE FEAST OF ROSES "As she slumbers, Penthesilea's dreams carry her beyond the battle impending to the prize which awaits her after the victory. Over mysterious arpeggios in the violas, the flutes, oboes, and violins begin a melody in which one recognizes Penthesilea, transformed into a gentle, loving woman. The dream-picture becomes more and more vivid, until all of a sudden the sleeper awakens. "III
"COMBATS, PASSIONS, FRENZY, ANNIHILATION "Once aroused, Penthesilea is the ferocious warrior again; challenged by the foe, she rides forth to battle. But straightway a conflict of the emotions is suggested by the interweaving of two motives—one being mentioned as denoting Penthesilea's determination to conquer, and the other as expressive of the yearnings of her heart; their combined development—descriptive of their struggle for supremacy—mounting presently to a full-orchestra climax, from which the motive of 'yearning' emerges in certain wood-wind instruments over a subdued tremolo of the violas. But the desire for conquest soon gains the upper hand again, leading to a dramatic climax which brings to notice the motive of annihilation in the trombones—opposed by the violins and wood-wind with a distorted version of the Penthesilea motive. The tumult subsides through a picturesque diminuendo, beautified by an expressive viola solo and leading to the reappearance of Penthesilea, now tranquillized and gentle. But this mood does not last long; the orchestra, passing from animation to agitation, shortly setting up a great shriek of anguish; following which a chromatic flourish leads to a repetition of 'The Departure of the Amazons.' But now Penthesilea goes not forth to any common struggle, nor does any dream of happiness beckon her from beyond the victory. Revenge and destruction are now her only purpose. With redoubled ferocity the situation mounts to its tragic climax, which culminates in a frightful screech. Then a pause; her anger spent, the unhappy queen appears once more, her face no longer disfigured with passion, but glowing with yearning and love. Thus, in ecstasy and anguish, her young life goes out in a sigh."
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