The Wimshurst's Machine: Music

THE ALCHEMIST
(modern suite in 8 parts)

1-intro/infinite adventures
2-philosopher's stone
3-intermezzo: captured
4-prisoner
5-meditations
6-intermezzo: the torture machine
7-torquemada
8-the escape/finale

THE TELL TALE BEHIND THE TRACK
(Italiano in coda all'inglese)
THE ALCHEMIST
original story written by Duilio Chiarle
translation by Fabrizio B. Maracich

III) - INTERMEZZO: THE CAPTURE
“Open the door” one voice shouted. The alchemist was aware that his time was limited: he was soon to be arrested. His heart was racing, the crowd outside was shouting at an unbearable level. He knew that the stone shouldn’t be found by the soldiers, otherwise a guilty sentence was granted. Not to count his personal failure. The decision was made: he took the stone and swallowed it.
The guards were in moments after and took him away. He was dragged between the crowd that nothing knew about science or theology. “Burn him!”. These were the voices of his neighbors that so many times he helped and cured. “Burn him!” said the voices of the mothers that he helped to bear to the world a new life. “So this is the power of ignorance and superstition”, he thought.
He feared for his safety, the crowd was really upset, but the soldiers, even if with some difficulty, were able to escort him to the jail, using spears to keep the crowd at bay and to “drive” him in the right direction.

III) - INTERMEZZO: LA CATTURA
“Aprite!” urlavano i soldati alla porta. E l’alchimista sapeva che l’avrebbero presto catturato. Il cuore batteva forte. La folla in piazza urlava. L’alchimista capì che se avessero trovato la pietra sarebbe stato un fallimento ed una condanna. Allora, un attimo prima che la porta fosse sfondata, l’alchimista afferrò la pietra e l’inghiottì.
I soldati entrarono e lo arrestarono. Lo trascinarono tra due ali di una folla urlante che nulla sapeva di scienza e di teologia. “Al rogo!” urlavano i suoi vicini di casa che egli aveva tante volte curato. “Al rogo!” gridavano le massaie che aveva aiutato a partorire. Tanto poteva l’ignoranza e la superstizione.
Temette di essere linciato. Ma i soldati, sebbene a fatica, riuscirono a tradurlo in carcere a colpi di lancia.