When the orchestra had given out the three chords in C major, placed at the opening by the composer to announce that the overture will be sung—­for the real overture is the great movement beginning with this stern attack, and ending only when light appears at the command of Moses—­the Duchess could not control a little spasmodic start, that showed how entirely the music was in accordance with her concealed distress.

“Those three chords freeze the blood,” said she.  “They announce trouble.  Listen attentively to this introduction; the terrible lament of a nation stricken by the hand of God.  What wailing!  The King, the Queen, their first-born son, all the dignitaries of the kingdom are sighing; they are wounded in their pride, in their conquests; checked in their avarice.  Dear Rossini! you have done well to throw this bone to gnaw to the Tedeschi, who declared we had no harmony, no science!

“Now you will hear the ominous melody the maestro has engrafted on to this profound harmonic composition, worthy to compare with the most elaborate structures of the Germans, but never fatiguing or tiresome.

“You French, who carried through such a bloodthirsty revolution, who crushed your aristocracy under the paw of the lion mob, on the day when this oratorio is performed in your capital, you will understand this glorious dirge of the victims on whom God is avenging his chosen people.  None but an Italian could have written this pregnant and inexhaustible theme—­truly Dantesque.  Do you think that it is nothing to have such a dream of vengeance, even for a moment?  Handel, Sebastian Bach, all you old German masters, nay, even you, great Beethoven, on your knees!  Here is the queen of arts, Italy triumphant!”

The Duchess had spoken while the curtain was being raised.  And now the physician heard the sublime symphony with which the composer introduces the great Biblical drama.  It is to express the sufferings of a whole nation.  Suffering is uniform in its expression, especially physical suffering.  Thus, having instinctively felt, like all men of genius, that here there must be no variety of idea, the musician, having hit on his leading phrase, has worked it out in various keys, grouping the masses and the dramatis personae to take up the theme through modulations and cadences of admirable structure.  In such simplicity is power.

“The effect of this strain, depicting the sensations of night and cold in a people accustomed to live in the bright rays of the sun, and sung by the people and their princes, is most impressive.  There is something relentless in that slow phrase of music; it is cold and sinister, like an iron bar wielded by some celestial executioner, and dropping in regular rhythm on the limbs of all his victims.  As we hear it passing from C minor into G minor, returning to C and again to the dominant G, starting afresh and fortissimo on the tonic B flat, drifting into F major and back to C minor, and in each key in turn more ominously terrible, chill, and dark, we are compelled at last to enter into the impression intended by the composer.”