strongly accented chords for the wind instruments--four horns besides oboes and bassoons. But neither the character of Agenore nor the moralising words give any opening for pathos. The finale consists of a brilliant four-part tutti movement, which is repeated entire, or in part, several times; passages for single voices are inserted, alternating cleverly and with a pleasing effect. Mozart's evident longing to break loose from the fetters of conventionality and tradition is nowhere more apparent than in the accompaniment and in the orchestral movements, where we find a fulness and freedom of thought hitherto only shown in detached passages. Even when the old fashion is retained of employing only oboes and horns, there is an evident appreciation of the special powers of the instruments expressed, it may be, in a few notes. The orchestra has its own significance, and Mozart turns to account his intimate knowledge of the orchestra of opera seria. Trifling as these instrumental effects may appear, the main point, that instrumental music was henceforth to take an active part both in serious and comic opera, was one of great importance in the history of their development. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: Metastasio cites Justinian (XI., 10) and Curtius (IV., 3), who relate that Alexander set on the throne of Sidon a distant descendant of the royal house, Abdalonymus, who was living in poverty as a gardener, but who was worthy of the honour by reason of his beautiful form and noble mind.] [Footnote 2: The care with which Metastasio avoids this discordant name (un nome ipocondriaco) is characteristic. (Cf. Opp. post., II., pp. 12, 35.)] [Footnote 3: Metastasio, Opp. post., II., p. 34.] [Footnote 4: Cf. Grimm, Corresp. litt., VI., p. 17.] [Footnote 5: Metastasio, Opp. post., II., p. 33.] [Footnote 6: Metastasio, p. 31.] [Footnote 7: Metastasio, p. 34, cf. p. 4.] [Footnote 8: Metastasio, p. 30.] [Footnote 9: By Sarti, 1752; Jomelli, 1755; Hasse, Gluck (Metastasio, lett. V., p. 35), 1756; Guglielmi, 1767.] [Footnote 10: Metastasio himself counselled Farinelli to make this alteration. (Opp. post., II., p. 31.)] ==== MOZART BY DAVID WIDGER CHAPTER XII. SONGS. WE must here cast a glance at a number of separate songs composed by Mozart, either for insertion in operas or for performance at concerts. The earliest of them, composed for the two Licenze at Salzburg (p. 99), and those belonging to the first Italian journey, call for no special remark. Yet there occurs in the air composed at Rome, "Se tutti i mali miei" (183 K.), a change of key produced by enharmomic progression which deserves to be noticed:-- {BUFFO SONGS, 1775-76.} (231)