"A Toccata of Galuppi's," a dramatic monologue by the Victorian poet Robert Browning, tells a tale of music's transporting power. As he listens to a performance of a toccata (a virtuosic solo composition) by the 18th-century Italian composer Baldassare Galuppi, the poem's speaker is at first overwhelmed with romantic visions of Galuppi's time and place. Venice, he imagines, must have been a nonstop party for beautiful young lords and ladies. As a sad, warning note creeps into the music, however, the speaker begins to reflect that all those lovely youths are dead and gone now—and, even more uncomfortably, that so too shall he be, one day. Music, in this poem, has the paradoxical power to speak of death and transcend death at the same time. Browning first published this poem in the 1855 collection Men and Women.
|
Get
LitCharts
|
|
The Full Text of “A Toccata of Galuppi's”
I
1Oh, Galuppi, Baldassaro, this is very sad to find!
2I can hardly misconceive you; it would prove me deaf and blind;
3But although I take your meaning, 'tis with such a heavy mind!
II
4Here you come with your old music, and here's all the good it brings.
5What, they lived once thus at Venice where the merchants were the kings,
6Where Saint Mark's is, where the Doges used to wed the sea with rings?
III
7Aye, because the sea's the street there; and 'tis arched by . . . what you call
8. . . Shylock's bridge with houses on it, where they kept the carnival:
9I was never out of England—it's as if I saw it all.
IV
10Did young people take their pleasure when the sea was warm in May?
11Balls and masks begun at midnight, burning ever to midday,
12When they made up fresh adventures for the morrow, do you say?
V
13Was a lady such a lady, cheeks so round and lips so red—
14On her neck the small face buoyant, like a bellflower on its bed,
15O'er the breast's superb abundance where a man might base his head?
VI
16Well, and it was graceful of them—they'd break talk off and afford
17—She, to bite her mask's black velvet—he, to finger on his sword,
18While you sat and played Toccatas, stately at the clavichord?
VII
19What? Those lesser thirds so plaintive, sixths diminished, sigh on sigh,
20Told them something? Those suspensions, those solutions—"Must we die?"
21Those commiserating sevenths—"Life might last! we can but try!"
VIII
22"Were you happy?" —"Yes."—"And are you still as happy?"—"Yes. And you?"
23—"Then, more kisses!"—"Did I stop them, when a million seemed so few?"
24Hark, the dominant's persistence till it must be answered to!
IX
25So, an octave struck the answer. Oh, they praised you, I dare say!
26"Brave Galuppi! that was music; good alike at grave and gay!
27"I can always leave off talking when I hear a master play!"
X
28Then they left you for their pleasure: till in due time, one by one,
29Some with lives that came to nothing, some with deeds as well undone,
30Death stepped tacitly and took them where they never see the sun.
XI
31But when I sit down to reason, think to take my stand nor swerve,
32While I triumph o'er a secret wrung from nature's close reserve,
33In you come with your cold music till I creep through every nerve.
XII
34Yes, you, like a ghostly cricket, creaking where a house was burned:
35"Dust and ashes, dead and done with, Venice spent what Venice earned.
36"The soul, doubtless, is immortal—where a soul can be discerned.
XIII
37"Yours for instance: you know physics, something of geology,
38"Mathematics are your pastime; souls shall rise in their degree;
39"Butterflies may dread extinction—you'll not die, it cannot be!
XIV
40"As for Venice and her people, merely born to bloom and drop,
41"Here on earth they bore their fruitage, mirth and folly were the crop:
42"What of soul was left, I wonder, when the kissing had to stop?
XV
43"Dust and ashes!" So you creak it, and I want the heart to scold.
44Dear dead women, with such hair, too—what's become of all the gold
45Used to hang and brush their bosoms? I feel chilly and grown old.
The Full Text of “A Toccata of Galuppi's”
I
1Oh, Galuppi, Baldassaro, this is very sad to find!
2I can hardly misconceive you; it would prove me deaf and blind;
3But although I take your meaning, 'tis with such a heavy mind!
II
4Here you come with your old music, and here's all the good it brings.
5What, they lived once thus at Venice where the merchants were the kings,
6Where Saint Mark's is, where the Doges used to wed the sea with rings?
III
7Aye, because the sea's the street there; and 'tis arched by . . . what you call
8. . . Shylock's bridge with houses on it, where they kept the carnival:
9I was never out of England—it's as if I saw it all.
IV
10Did young people take their pleasure when the sea was warm in May?
11Balls and masks begun at midnight, burning ever to midday,
12When they made up fresh adventures for the morrow, do you say?
V
13Was a lady such a lady, cheeks so round and lips so red—
14On her neck the small face buoyant, like a bellflower on its bed,
15O'er the breast's superb abundance where a man might base his head?
VI
16Well, and it was graceful of them—they'd break talk off and afford
17—She, to bite her mask's black velvet—he, to finger on his sword,
18While you sat and played Toccatas, stately at the clavichord?
VII
19What? Those lesser thirds so plaintive, sixths diminished, sigh on sigh,
20Told them something? Those suspensions, those solutions—"Must we die?"
21Those commiserating sevenths—"Life might last! we can but try!"
VIII
22"Were you happy?" —"Yes."—"And are you still as happy?"—"Yes. And you?"
23—"Then, more kisses!"—"Did I stop them, when a million seemed so few?"
24Hark, the dominant's persistence till it must be answered to!
IX
25So, an octave struck the answer. Oh, they praised you, I dare say!
26"Brave Galuppi! that was music; good alike at grave and gay!
27"I can always leave off talking when I hear a master play!"
X
28Then they left you for their pleasure: till in due time, one by one,
29Some with lives that came to nothing, some with deeds as well undone,
30Death stepped tacitly and took them where they never see the sun.
XI
31But when I sit down to reason, think to take my stand nor swerve,
32While I triumph o'er a secret wrung from nature's close reserve,
33In you come with your cold music till I creep through every nerve.
XII
34Yes, you, like a ghostly cricket, creaking where a house was burned:
35"Dust and ashes, dead and done with, Venice spent what Venice earned.
36"The soul, doubtless, is immortal—where a soul can be discerned.
XIII
37"Yours for instance: you know physics, something of geology,
38"Mathematics are your pastime; souls shall rise in their degree;
39"Butterflies may dread extinction—you'll not die, it cannot be!
XIV
40"As for Venice and her people, merely born to bloom and drop,
41"Here on earth they bore their fruitage, mirth and folly were the crop:
42"What of soul was left, I wonder, when the kissing had to stop?
XV
43"Dust and ashes!" So you creak it, and I want the heart to scold.
44Dear dead women, with such hair, too—what's become of all the gold
45Used to hang and brush their bosoms? I feel chilly and grown old.
-
“A Toccata of Galuppi's” Summary
-
-
“A Toccata of Galuppi's” Themes
-
The Power of Music
- See where this theme is active in the poem.
-
Mortality and Meaning
- See where this theme is active in the poem.
-
-
Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “A Toccata of Galuppi's”
-
Before Line 1, Lines 1-3, Between Lines 3-4, Lines 4-6
I
Oh, Galuppi, Baldassaro, this is very sad to find!
I can hardly misconceive you; it would prove me deaf and blind;
But although I take your meaning, 'tis with such a heavy mind!
II
Here you come with your old music, and here's all the good it brings.
What, they lived once thus at Venice where the merchants were the kings,
Where Saint Mark's is, where the Doges used to wed the sea with rings? -
Between Lines 6-7, Lines 7-9, Between Lines 9-10, Lines 10-12
III
Aye, because the sea's the street there; and 'tis arched by . . . what you call
. . . Shylock's bridge with houses on it, where they kept the carnival:
I was never out of England—it's as if I saw it all.
IV
Did young people take their pleasure when the sea was warm in May?
Balls and masks begun at midnight, burning ever to midday,
When they made up fresh adventures for the morrow, do you say? -
Between Lines 12-13, Lines 13-15, Between Lines 15-16, Lines 16-18
V
Was a lady such a lady, cheeks so round and lips so red—
On her neck the small face buoyant, like a bellflower on its bed,
O'er the breast's superb abundance where a man might base his head?
VI
Well, and it was graceful of them—they'd break talk off and afford
—She, to bite her mask's black velvet—he, to finger on his sword,
While you sat and played Toccatas, stately at the clavichord? -
Between Lines 18-19, Lines 19-21, Between Lines 21-22, Lines 22-24
VII
What? Those lesser thirds so plaintive, sixths diminished, sigh on sigh,
Told them something? Those suspensions, those solutions—"Must we die?"
Those commiserating sevenths—"Life might last! we can but try!"
VIII
"Were you happy?" —"Yes."—"And are you still as happy?"—"Yes. And you?"
—"Then, more kisses!"—"Did
I
stop them, when a million seemed so few?"
Hark, the dominant's persistence till it must be answered to! -
Between Lines 24-25, Lines 25-27, Between Lines 27-28, Lines 28-30
IX
So, an octave struck the answer. Oh, they praised you, I dare say!
"Brave Galuppi! that was music; good alike at grave and gay!
"I can always leave off talking when I hear a master play!"
X
Then they left you for their pleasure: till in due time, one by one,
Some with lives that came to nothing, some with deeds as well undone,
Death stepped tacitly and took them where they never see the sun. -
Between Lines 30-31, Lines 31-33, Between Lines 33-34, Lines 34-36
XI
But when I sit down to reason, think to take my stand nor swerve,
While I triumph o'er a secret wrung from nature's close reserve,
In you come with your cold music till I creep through every nerve.
XII
Yes, you, like a ghostly cricket, creaking where a house was burned:
"Dust and ashes, dead and done with, Venice spent what Venice earned.
"The soul, doubtless, is immortal—where a soul can be discerned. -
Between Lines 36-37, Lines 37-39, Between Lines 39-40, Lines 40-42
XIII
"Yours for instance: you know physics, something of geology,
"Mathematics are your pastime; souls shall rise in their degree;
"Butterflies may dread extinction—you'll not die, it cannot be!
XIV
"As for Venice and her people, merely born to bloom and drop,
"Here on earth they bore their fruitage, mirth and folly were the crop:
"What of soul was left, I wonder, when the kissing had to stop? -
Between Lines 42-43, Lines 43-45
XV
"Dust and ashes!" So you creak it, and I want the heart to scold.
Dear dead women, with such hair, too—what's become of all the gold
Used to hang and brush their bosoms? I feel chilly and grown old.
-
-
“A Toccata of Galuppi's” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
-
Alliteration
- See where this poetic device appears in the poem.
-
Personification
- See where this poetic device appears in the poem.
-
Imagery
- See where this poetic device appears in the poem.
-
Repetition
- See where this poetic device appears in the poem.
-
Allusion
- See where this poetic device appears in the poem.
-
Apostrophe
- See where this poetic device appears in the poem.
-
-
“A Toccata of Galuppi's” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Galuppi, Baldassaro
- Misconceive
- Saint Mark's
- Doges
- Wed the sea with rings
- Shylock's bridge
- Carnival
- Masks
- Buoyant
- Afford
- Toccatas
- Stately
- Clavichord
- Thirds, Sixths, Sevenths, Octaves
- Plaintive
- Suspensions, Solutions
- Commiserating
- Dominant
- Brave
- Grave and gay
- Tacitly
- Nature's close reserve
-
- See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.
-
Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “A Toccata of Galuppi's”
-
Form
-
Meter
-
Rhyme Scheme
-
-
“A Toccata of Galuppi's” Speaker
-
-
“A Toccata of Galuppi's” Setting
-
-
Literary and Historical Context of “A Toccata of Galuppi's”
-
-
More “A Toccata of Galuppi's” Resources
-
External Resources
-
Men and Women — See images of an early edition of Men and Women, the collection in which this poem first appeared.
-
The Poem Aloud — Listen to the actor Alec Guinness reading the poem aloud.
-
More on Browning — Find a wealth of Browning resources at the Victorian Web.
-
A Galuppi Toccata — While no one has pinned down which of Galuppi's toccatas (if any) this poem refers to, this Toccata in F Major, a solo piece for the clavichord, offers a taste of the composer's style.
-
A Brief Biography — Learn more about Browning's life and work via the Poetry Foundation.
-
-
LitCharts on Other Poems by Robert Browning
-
Ask LitCharts AI:
The answer to your questions
Powered by LitCharts content and AI.
