[Music:  (Lowest woodwind)]

The sombre legend is, indeed, in a separate phase, its beauty now distorted in a feverish chase of voices on the main phrase.  It is all a second climax, of a certain note of terror,—­of fate.  In the midst is a dash of the rogue’s heartiest laugh, amid the echoes of the fearful chord, while the growing roar of the mob can be heard below.  Once again it rings out undaunted, and then to the sauciest of folk-tunes, leichtfertig, Till dances gaily and jauntily.  Presently, in a mystic passage, schnell und schattenhaft

[Music:  Leichtfertig (Strings reinforced by clarinets and horns)]

(like fleeting shadow) a phantom of the rogue’s figure passes stealthily across the horizon.

Etwas gemaechlicher, a graceful duet weaves prettily out of the Till motive, while the other roars very gently in chastened tones of softest horns.

[Music]

The first course of themes now all recurs, though some of the roguery is softened and soon trips into purest folk-dance.  And yet it is all built of the rascal theme.  It might (for another idle guess) be a general rejoicing.  Besides the tuneful dance, the personal phrase is laughing and chuckling in between.

The rejoicing has a big climax in the first folk-song of all, that now returns in full blast of horns against a united dance of strings and wood.  After a roll of drum loud clanging strokes sound threatening (drohend) in low bass and strings, to which the rascal pipes his theme indifferently (gleichgueltig).  The third time, his answer has a simulated sound (entstellt).  Finally, on the insistent thud comes a piteous phrase (klaeglich) in running thirds.  The dread chords at last vanish, in the strings.  It is very like an actual, physical end.  There is no doubt that the composer here intends the death of Till, in face of the tradition.

Follows the epilogue, where in the comfortable swing of the beginning the first melody is extended in full beauty and significance.  All the pleasantry of the rogue is here, and at the end a last fierce burst of the demon laugh.

"SINFONIA DOMESTICA."

The work followed a series of tone-poems where the graphic aim is shown far beyond the dreams even of a Berlioz.  It may be said that Strauss, strong evidence to the contrary, does not mean more than a suggestion of the mood,—­that he plays in the humor and poetry of his subject rather than depicts the full story.  It is certainly better to hold to this view as long as possible.  The frightening penalty of the game of exact meanings is that if there is one here, there must be another there and everywhere.  There is no blinking the signs of some sort of plot in our domestic symphony, with figures and situations.  The best way is to lay them before the hearer and leave him to his own reception.