“Those persons who might be interested in a study of the details of the picture, will see ... the hero groaning in the toils which he cannot break, and ...  Omphale mocking the vain efforts of Hercules.”

The versions of the story differ slightly.  After the fulfilment of his twelve labors Hercules is ordered by the oracle to a period of three years’ service to expiate the killing of the son of King Eurytus in a fit of madness.  Hermes placed him in the household of Omphale, queen of Lydia, widow of Tmolus.  Hercules is degraded to female drudgery, is clothed in soft raiment and set to spin wool, while the queen assumes the lion skin and club.

In another version he was sold as slave to Omphale, who restored him to freedom.  Their passion was mutual.  The story has a likeness to a similar episode of Achilles.

The spinning-wheel begins Andante in muted strings alternating with flutes and gradually hurries into a lively motion.  Here the horn accents the spinning, while another thread (of higher wood) runs through the graceful woof.  A chain of alluring harmonies preludes the ensnaring song, mainly of woodwind above the humming strings, with soft dotting of the harmony by the horns.  The violins, to be sure, often enforce the melody.

[Music:  Andantino (Fl. and muted violins) Grazioso (Strings, muted)]

In the second verse, with fuller chorus, the harp adds its touches to the harmony of the horns, with lightest tap of tonal drum.  Later a single note of the trumpet is answered by a silvery laugh in the wood.  Between the verses proceeds the luscious chain of harmonies, as with the turning of the wheel.

Now with the heavily expressive tones of low, unmuted strings and the sonorous basses of reed and brass (together with a low roll of drum and soft clash of cymbals) an heroic air sings in low strings and brass, to meet at each period a shower of notes from the harp.  The song grows intense with the

[Music:  (Wood and trem. violins doubled above) (Horns) espress. e pesante (Cellos, basses, bassoons and trombone, doubled below)]

added clang of trumpets and roll of drums,—­only to succumb to the more eager attack of the siren chorus.  At last the full effort of strength battling vainly with weakness reaches a single heroic height and sinks away with dull throbs.

In soothing answer falls the caressing song of the high reed in the phrase of the heroic strain, lightly, quickly and, it seems, mockingly aimed.  In gently railing triumph returns the pretty song of the wheel, with a new buoyant spring.  Drums and martial brass yield to the laughing flutes, the cooing horns and the soft rippling harp with murmuring strings, to return like captives in the train at the height of the gaiety.

CHAPTER VII

CESAR FRANCK

The new French school of symphony that broke upon the world in the latter part of the nineteenth century had its pioneer and true leader in Cesar Franck.[A] It was he who gave it a stamp and a tradition.