[Sidenote:  Other forms for the Finale.]

If now the first two lines of this poem, which compose its refrain, be permitted to stand as the principal theme of a musical piece, we have in Mr. Bunner’s triolet a rondo in nuce.  There is in it a threefold exposition of the theme alternating with episodic matter.  Another form for the finale is that of the first movement (the Sonata form), and still another, the theme and variations.  Beethoven chose the latter for his “Eroica,” and the choral close of his Ninth, Dvorak, for his symphony in G major, and Brahms for his in E minor.

[Sidenote:  Organic Unities.]

[Sidenote:  How enforced.]

[Sidenote:  Berlioz’s “idee fixe."]

[Sidenote:  Recapitulation of themes.]

I am attempting nothing more than a characterization of the symphony, and the forms with which I associated it at the outset, which shall help the untrained listener to comprehend them as unities despite the fact that to the careless hearer they present themselves as groups of pieces each one of which is complete in itself and has no connection with its fellows.  The desire of composers to have their symphonies accepted as unities instead of compages of unrelated pieces has led to the adoption of various devices designed to force the bond of union upon the attention of the hearer.  Thus Beethoven in his symphony in C minor not only connects the third and fourth movements but also introduces a reminiscence of the former into the midst of the latter; Berlioz in his “Symphonie Fantastique,” which is written to what may be called a dramatic scheme, makes use of a melody which he calls “l’idee fixe,” and has it recur in each of the four movements as an episode.  This, however, is frankly a symphony with programme, and ought not to be treated as a modification of the pure form.  Dvorak in his symphony entitled “From the New World,” in which he has striven to give expression to the American spirit, quotes the first period of his principal subject in all the subsequent movements, and then sententiously recapitulates the principal themes of the first, second, and third movements in the finale; and this without a sign of the dramatic purpose confessed by Berlioz.

[Sidenote:  Introduction of voices.]

[Sidenote:  Abolition of pauses.]

In the last movement of his Ninth Symphony Beethoven calls voices to the aid of his instruments.  It was a daring innovation, as it seemed to disrupt the form, and we know from the story of the work how long he hunted for the connecting link, which finally he found in the instrumental recitative.  Having hit upon the device, he summons each of the preceding movements, which are purely instrumental, into the presence of his augmented forces and dismisses it as inadequate to the proclamation which the symphony was to make.  The double-basses and solo barytone