Page:Rolland - A musical tour through the land of the past.djvu/140

128 music and Passions in the French style. Lastly, he ends with a profession of faith in favour of audacious harmonies, justifying himself by the example of the French, who applauded them.

Graun, somewhat piqued, replies. He protests that Telemann has been just a little spiteful in defending Rameau's recitative… "for," he says, "you attribute to him a very frivolous intention in claiming that the expression of the word infortuné should be tender. I think if the word were bienheureux, the expression would be equally proper. … To express resurrection by a 'rolling trill' is to me something quite novel… In all the resurrections of which there is mention in the Scriptures one does not find anywhere that anything has been 'rolled' … You think the musical phrase for l'arracher au tombeau magnificent. If the phrase said: mettre dans le tombeau it would be still better. … You find tenderness in à ce qu'il aime.' If it were à ce qu'il hait' it would be equally suitable. As for the supposed sublimity of the word même, I imagine a plaintive French howl, because it is necessary to utter two syllables on a high note, which is always shrill, even with the best singer. …"

And having noted certain defects of Rameau's: "My dear friend, it seems to me that you are a little too partial to this nation; otherwise you would not so readily overlook such capital defects, or that false rhetoric of which the music of 'the honour of France' is full."

Then, passing on to the criticisms addressed to himself:

"As for 'our Italian,' my dear friend, as a good