no mere formal scholastic piece of writing such as one might expect;
the preluding of David on his harp, the "javelin" episode, the
paroxysms of rage give to it rather the character of a free fantasia.
One word with regard to the paroxysm passages. We quoted above a
sentence from the preface respecting the violation of the rule
respecting consecutive consonances by certain "poet musicians."
Kuhnau, under this plural mask, was, as we have mentioned, certainly
referring to himself, for in another part of the preface he specially
calls attention to the consecutive fifths by which he depicts the
disordered mind of King Saul. This first movement, opening in G minor,
ends on the chord of G major. We now come to a movement (B flat)
entitled "The Refreshing Melody from David's Harp." The following is
part of David's soothing theme:--

[Music illustration]

At first it is not heard in its entirety. The sweet singer of Israel
plays it, or sometimes only the first two bars, in various keys, and
with varied harmonisation, as if watching the king and trying the
effect on him of different modulations. Besides in the principal key,
it appears several times, and in succession, in the relative minor,
then in the minor key of the supertonic. The key of the subdominant
enters with refreshing effect; after that, a return is made to the
principal key, which continues until the close of the movement.
Between each delivery of the theme, occur passages similar to the
following:--

[Music illustration]

as if to denote the restlessness of the king. And as the character of