(Vienna, October 13, 1781, to his father. Stephanie was the
author of the libretto of "Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail.")

39. "An aria has been written for Osmin in the first act....You
have seen only the beginning and end of it, which must be
effective; the rage of Osmin is made ridiculous by the use of
Turkish music. In developing the aria I have given him (Fischer,
a bass) a chance to show his beautiful low tones. The 'By the
beard of the Prophet' remains in the same tempo but has quicker
notes, and as his anger grows continually, when one thinks that
the aria is come to an end, the Allegro assai must make the best
kind of an effect when it enters in a different measure and key.
Here is the reason: a man who is in such a violent rage oversteps
all order, all moderation; he forgets himself, and the music must
do the same.

"Inasmuch as the passions, whether violent or not, must never be
carried in their expression to the verge of disgust, and music,
even in the most awful situations must not offend the ear but
always please, consequently always remain music, I have not
chosen a key foreign to F (i.e. the key of the aria), but a
related one,--not the nearest, D minor, but the more distant, A
minor. You know how I have given expression to Belmont's aria,
'O, wie angstlich, O wie feurig,'--there is a suggestion of the
beating heart,--the violins in octaves. This is the favorite aria
of all who have heard it,--of myself, as well,--and is written
right into the voice of Adamberger. One can see the reeling and
trembling, one can see the heaving breast which is illustrated by
a crescendo; one hears the lispings and sighs expressed by the