The mood of demon humor finds a native medium in the tricks of new Gallic harmony.  Early in the prelude we hear the descending tone, a streak of sadness in the mirth.  Answering the first burst is a strange stroke of humor in the horn, and as if in

[Music:  (Tremolo 1st violins) (1st horn) (Clarinets doubled above in strings)]

serious balance, a smooth gliding phrase in the wood.  Now the first figure grows more articulate, romping and galloping into an ecstasy of fun.  A certain spirit of Till Eulenspiegel hovers about.

Out of the maze blows a new line in muted trumpets, that begins with the inverted triplet figure, and in spite of the surrounding bedlam rises almost into a tune.  At the height the strange jest of the horns reigns supreme.

From the mad gambols of the first figure comes a relief in sparkling calls of the brass and stirring retorts in pure ringing harmonies.  In the next episode is a fall into a lyric mood as the latest figure glides into even pace, singing amid gentlest pranks.  Most tuneful of all sounds is the answer in dulcet trumpet while, above, the first theme intrudes softly.

The heart of the idyll comes in a song of the clarinet

[Music:  (Cl. espressivo) (Pizz. strings with higher 8ve. of upper voice) (Wood and horn and strings) (Clar. and bassoons)]

against strange, murmuring strings, ever with a soft answer of the lower reed.

New invading sprites do not hem the flight of the melody.  But at the height a redoubled pace turns the mood back to revelling mirth with broken bits of the horn tune.  Indeed the crisis comes with a new rage of this symbol of mad abandon, in demonic strife with the fervent song that finally prevails.

The first theme returns with a new companion in the highest wood.  A fresh strain of serious melody is now woven about the former dulcet melody of trumpet in a stretch of delicate poesy, of mingled mirth and tenderness.—­The harmonies have something of the infinitesimal sounds that only insects hear.  With all virtuous recoil, here we must confess is a masterpiece of cacophonic art, a new world of tones hitherto unconceived, tinkling and murmuring with the eerie charm of the forest.—­In the return of the first prelude is a touch of the descending tone.  From the final revelling tempest comes a sudden awakening.  In strange moving harmony sings slowly the descending symbol, as if confessing the unsuccessful flight from regret.  Timidly the vanquished sprites scurry away.

IV.—­The first notes of the Finale blend and bring back the main motives.  First is the descending tone, but firm and resolute, with the following triplet in

[Music:  Allegro energico (Higher figure in strings & wood) (Wood, horns and lower strings) (Strings and wood)]

inversion of the Scherzo theme.

It is all in triumphant spirit.  From the start the mood reigns, the art for once is quite subordinate.  Resonant and compelling is the motive of horns and trumpets, new in temper, though harking back to the earlier text, in its cogent ending.  Splendid is