{"product_id":"2940013008663","title":"The Midsummer Night: or, Shakespeare and the Fairies","description":"Scanned, proofed and corrected from the original hardcover edition for enjoyable reading. (Worth every penny spent!)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMany are acquainted with the representation of \"The Midsummer Night\" as arranged by Tieck with Mendelssohn's music, which obtained so much applause, and so long held command of the stage. With the exception of the tableaux at the beginning and end, which form, as it were, the outer frame, Tieck compressed the piece into one stage-scene, which remained unchanged throughout: it is a wood, seen by moonlight, in which the three groups, the fairies, the lovers, and the blockheads, appear first on the one side, then on the other. Fantastic chords, in the spirit of this green, moonlight night, mark the various changes: it is like a fugue, in which now one and now another voice rises above the rest. The tones and colors gracefully harmonize, we yield ourselves, idly dreaming, to be borne along by the serene melody of the piece with all its varied movements.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis effect would not be produced by the music and scenery alone, but the piece in itself is expressed with a heightened sensuousness by the arrangement; before we were acquainted with the representation, by the mere reading of the piece, we had the feeling of a green moonlit night, and heard the songs of the fairies. What passes in this night is a bright dream; the mortals are under the charm of the fairies, of Puck, of the moonlight, of the woodland solitudes. They dream or are dreamed about, it matters not which. A strong passion has driven them into the enchanted wood; they have forgotten it, another has taken its place, to vanish again in like manner; it is a mad chase after the impossible, and the more crazed they are, the more confident is their consciousness of being infinitely wise. The fairies make merry over the feelings which are sacred to these silly mortals, but they too suffer under the power of Venus; their queen fancies herself in love with a boor, on whom an ass's head has been set, and this dream of love is expressed as vividly as if it were real.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLeave out the coloring and pervading air of the piece, and the comedy would make only an ordinary impression. Indeed, whoever requires Tieck's scenery, in order to be sensible of the color and atmosphere of the play,to him the scenery would be no help. One can no more appreciate Shakespeare than Murillo or Rubens by the understanding alone. The harmonious intermingling of the coloring tones is as important in a work of art as the firmness of the drawing.","brand":"OGB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47121059741936,"sku":"2940013008663","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013008663_p0.jpg?v=1763575174","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013008663","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}