He fumbles at your Soul 1
As Players at the Keys
Before they drop full Music on－
He stuns you by degrees－
Prepares your brittle Nature 5
For the Ethereal Blow
By fainter Hammers－further heard－
Then nearer－Then so slow
Your Breath has time to straighten－9
Your Brain－to bubble Cool－
Deals－One－imperial－Thunderbolt－
That scalps your naked Soul－
When Winds take Forests in the Paws－13
The Universe－is still－
As Players at the Keys
Before they drop full Music on－
He stuns you by degrees－
Prepares your brittle Nature 5
For the Ethereal Blow
By fainter Hammers－further heard－
Then nearer－Then so slow
Your Breath has time to straighten－9
Your Brain－to bubble Cool－
Deals－One－imperial－Thunderbolt－
That scalps your naked Soul－
When Winds take Forests in the Paws－13
The Universe－is still－
(F.477/J.315)
[1] He:: the conductor of an orchestra. fumbles:: a description a conductor's hand gesture.
[2] Players:: a hint on the orchestra with music players.
[3] full Music:: a hint on the orchestra's different instruments.
[7] Hammers:: drums.
[13] Winds:: wind instruments. take Forests:: to build the atmosphere of forests.
Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. The fifth symphony in C minor－the work of his complete manhood,－seems distinctly to enunciate the story which was allotted him to tell; the story of genius struggling with nature for expression. In the first grand division is developed the limitation and prolubition which nature asserts to the aspirations of the spirit, and that blind struggle between the soul and fate, as of one in the folds of a snake. . . . the fears－the disappointment It is, as Beethoven himself said, "as if fate was knocking at the door." In the second movement is the morning landscape of a new era, whereon the beams of faith and hope are dawning through the cloudy bars of doubt and distrust, which circle the horizon. ─ Address Delivered before the Harvard Musical Association (1842)