MEET ME ON THE BARRICADES

tary horn announces the melancholy dominant theme of the first movement; then a sudden crescendo of violins, sharp and electric, followed by a fleeting solo oboe passage.

[This places Simpson in somewhat of a dilemma because he is now on the stand and in the woodwind section at the same time. He manages, however.]

Loud and clear the brasses relentlessly pursue the theme and soon amid spiralling vortices of sound, the movement comes to an end. A pause and then the second adagio movement, the theme of which is announced by the horns, repeated by the wood- winds and echoed by plucked strings. Now the music is precious, held to but a few instruments, now“‘it is full and harmonious, now discordant and angry. . . . And so to the climax of the symphony with its six suspended, crashing chords.

There is a thunderclap of applause.

Impossible! This is merely a rehearsal. [He smiles.] Yes, yes, of course he had forgotten. This is the actual performance.

He turns and faces the crowded hall, observes with secret joy that the ushers are marching down the aisles bearing expensive and complicated floral pieces. The auditorium is in an uproar. Luxurious women crowd about him, struggle with each other to reach

4