| 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: greatness her hands have built up; she loves Mahomet well enough to
sacrifice herself to his glory; she worships him as a god, without
criticising him,--without murmuring. Poor woman! His first dupe and
his first victim!
"What a subject for the /finale/ (in B major) is her grief, brought
out in such sombre hues against the acclamations of the chorus, and
mingling with Mahomet's tones as he throws his wife aside as a tool of
no further use, still showing her that he can never forget her! What
fireworks of triumph! what a rush of glad and rippling song go up from
the two young voices (first and second soprano) of Ayesha and Hafsa,
supported by Ali and his wife, by Omar and Abubekir! Weep!--rejoice!--
Gambara |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Stories From the Old Attic by Robert Harris: the question. "Or belikes the maiden is just shy," he thought.
So Sir Percival, seeing on another day the fair, delicate Arissa
using her footman's coat to clean the mud off her shoes, again
approached and asked: "Arissa, sweet one, won't you go out with
me sometime?"
Arissa generously gave Sir Percival a look that could have frozen
several pounds of choice lobster, and replied, "You must be kidding."
Sir Percival thought about this answer for a couple of days, and
still finding his inclination toward the gentle Arissa unchanged,
he thought to make a clarificatory attempt, just in case the maiden
did believe he had been kidding. Approaching her the next morning,
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