,,the ,standard ,oratorios ,,their ,,stories1 ,,their ,,music1 ,,and ,,their ,,composers ,a ,handbook ,,by ,,george ,p4 ,,upton ,,chicago ,a4 ,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,and ,,company #ahic ,copyright ,by ,a4 ,c4 ,mc,clurg and ,co4 ,a4,d4 #ahhf4 ,,preface4 ,the ,standard ,oratorios is intended as a companion to the ,standard ,operas2 and with this purpose in view the compiler has followed as closely as possible the same method in the arrangement and presentation of his scheme4 ,the main object has been to present to the reader a comprehensive sketch of the oratorios which may be called standard1 outlining the sacred stories which they tell1 and briefly indicating and sketching their principal numbers1 accompanied in each case with a short biography of the composer and such historical matter connected with the various works as is of special interest4 ,the compiler has also included in his scheme a sketch of the origin and development of the ,oratorio as illustrated in its three principal evolutionary stages1 together with descriptions of several works which are not oratorios in the strict sense1 but at the same time are sacred compositions written upon a large scale and usually performed by oratorio societies1 such as ,bach's ,passion ,music and ,magnificat1 ,berlioz's1 ,mozart's1 and ,verdi's ,requiems1 ,mendelssohn's ,hymn of ,praise1 ,handel's ,dettingen ,te ,deum1 ,schumann's ,paradise and the ,peri1 and ,rubinstein's ,tower of ,babel4 ,as in the case of the ,standard ,operas1 the work has been prepared for the general public rather than for musicians1 and as far as practicable1 technical terms have been avoided4 ,description1 not criticism1 has been the purpose of the volume1 and the various works are described as fully as the necessarily brief space allotted to each would allow4 ,the utmost pains have been taken to secure historical and chronological accuracy1 inasmuch as these details are nearly always matters of controversy4 ,the favor which has been so generously accorded to the ,standard ,operas leads the compiler to believe that the ,standard ,oratorios will also be welcomed by those who enjoy the sacred music of the great masters1 and that it will prove a valuable addition to other works of musical reference4 ,g4 ,p4 ,u4 ,chicago1 ,september1 #ahhf4 ,,contents4 ,,page ,,preface #c ,,the ,,oratorio #i ,,bach #ca ,christmas ,oratorio #cc ,the ,saint ,matthew ,passion #ci ,the ,magnificat in ,d #dh ,,beethoven #ea ,the ,mount of ,olives #ec ,,bennett #fj ,the ,woman of ,samaria #fb ,,berlioz #fh ,the ,requiem #gj ,,brahms #gh ,the ,german ,requiem #hj ,,costa #hb ,eli #hd ,,dvorak #ij ,the ,stabat ,mater #ib ,,gounod #if ,the ,redemption #ih ,mors et ,vita #ajf ,,handel #aad ,israel in ,egypt #aag ,saul #abe ,samson #acb ,the ,messiah #adj ,judas ,maccabaeus #adi ,the ,dettingen ,te ,deum #aee ,,haydn #aei ,the ,creation #afb ,the ,seasons #agj ,,liszt #agg ,legend of the ,holy ,elizabeth #ahj ,christus #ahf ,,macfarren #aia ,st4 ,john the ,baptist #aic ,,mackenzie #aih ,the ,rose of ,sharon #aii ,,mendelssohn #bjf ,st4 ,paul #bjh ,hymn of ,praise #bac ,elijah #bah ,christus #bbi ,,mozart #bcd ,requiem #bcf ,,paine #bde ,st4 ,peter #bdf ,,rossini #bea ,stabat ,mater #bec ,,rubinstein #beh ,tower of ,babel #bfj ,paradise ,lost #bfd ,,saint-,,saens #bfg ,christmas ,oratorio #bfi ,,schumann #bga ,paradise and the ,peri #bgc ,,spohr #bhj ,last ,judgment #bhc ,,sullivan #bij ,the ,prodigal ,son #bib ,the ,light of the ,world #bid ,,verdi #cja ,manzoni ,requiem #cjc ,,sacred ,,music ,,in ,,america #cji ,,appendix #cbi ,,the ,,standard ,,oratorios4 ,,the ,,oratorio4 ,the oratorio in its modern form is a musical setting of a sacred story or text in a style more or less dramatic4 ,its various parts are assigned to the four solo voices and to single or double chorus1 with accompaniment of full orchestra1 sometimes amplified by the organ4 ,like the opera1 it has its recitative1 linking together and leading up to the various numbers4 ,the origin of the word is to be found in the oratory1 or place of prayer1 where these compositions were first performed4 ,crescimbeni1 one of the earliest musical writers1 says3 ,the oratorio had its origin from ,san ,filippo ,neri1#a who1 in his chapel1 after sermons and other devotions1 in order to allure young people to pious offices1 and to detain them from earthly pleasures1 had hymns1 psalms1 and such like prayers sung by one or more voices4 ,in tracing its evolutionary stages1 its root will be found in the moralities1 mysteries1 and miracle-plays of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries1 which were instituted for the purpose of impressing ,biblical events in symbolical form upon the early converts to the ,christian ,church4 ,these representations were entirely dramatic in character1 and their subjects1 though always sacred1 were often grotesquely treated1 and sometimes verged on buffoonery4 ,among the actors1 ,god1 ,christ1 ,satan1 ,mary1 and the angels nearly always appeared2 later1 the various virtues and vices were personified4 ,the representations were usually given in the streets or in fields1 and sometimes on the water4 ,the highest dignitaries of the ,church did not disdain to act in these plays1 nor did their promoters hesitate at times to reduce the exhibition to the level of a ,punch-and-,judy show by the introduction of puppets cleverly manipulated4 ,the earliest of these miracle-plays in ,england were performed by the various ,london ,companies4 ,the ,tanners1 for instance1 produced the ,fall of ,lucifer4 ,the ,drapers played the ,creation1 in which ,adam and ,eve appeared in their original costume1--apparently without giving offence4 ,the ,water-,drawers naturally chose the ,deluge4 ,in the scene describing the embarkation of ,noah's family1 the patriarch has a great deal of trouble with his wife1 who is determined not to go aboard4 ,she declares that if her worldly friends are left behind1 she will stay and drown with them1 and he can ,rowe forth away when thou liste1 ,and get thee another wif4 ,noah expostulates with her in vain1 grows furiously indignant1 and bids her ,come in1 wif1 in twenty devill ways1 ,or alles stand thee without4 ,her friends the gossips entreat her to remain with them1 and have a carousal over a pottel full of malmsey2 but at last ,shem makes a virtue of necessity and forces her into the ark1 as the following scene shows3-- ,in faith1 moder1 in ye shall1 ,whither you will or noughte4 ,,noe4 ,well me wif into this boate4 ,she gives him a box on the ear4 ,haue you that for thee note4 ,,noe4 ,a le ,mary this whote1 ,a childre methinks my boate remeues1 ,our tarrying here heughly me grieues4 ,she is forced into the ark4 ,the earliest of these representations1 so far as has been discovered1 dates back to the twelfth century1 and is known as the ,feast of ,asses4 ,in these exhibitions1 ,balaam1 superbly habited and wearing an enormous pair of spurs1 rode a wooden ass1 in which the speaker was concealed4 ,the ass and the devil were favorite characters4 ,the former sometimes appeared in monkish garb and brayed responses to the intonations of the priests1 while the latter1 arrayed in fantastic costumes1 seems to have been the prototype of clown in the pantomime4 ,as late as #aghc the buffoonery of this kind of exhibition continued4 ,an ,english traveller1 describing a mystery called the ,creation which he saw at ,bamberg in that year1 says3-- ,young priests had the wings of geese tied on their shoulders to personate angels4 ,adam appeared on the scene in a big curled wig and brocaded morning-gown4 ,among the animals that passed before him to receive their names were a well-shod horse1 pigs with rings in their noses1 and a mastiff with a brass collar4 ,a cow's rib-bone had been provided for the formation of ,eve2 but the mastiff spied it out1 grabbed it1 and carried it off4 ,the angels tried to whistle him back2 but not succeeding1 they chased him1 gave him a kicking1 and recovered the bone1 which they placed under a trap-door by the side of the sleeping ,adam1 whence there soon emerged a lanky priest in a loose robe1 to personate ,eve4 ,the buffoonery and profanity of the early exhibitions1 however1 gradually wore away when the ,church assumed the monopoly of them and forbade secular performances4 ,among the earlier works ,burney cites the following3-- ,the ',conversion of ,st4 ,paul1' performed at ,rome1 #addj1 as described by ,sulpicius1 has been erroneously called the first opera1 or musical drama4 ',abram et ,isaac suo ,figliuolo1' a sacred drama 7azione sacra71 'showing how ,abraham was commanded by ,god to sacrifice his son ,isaac on the mountain1' was performed in the ,church of ,st4 ,mary ,magdalen in ,florence1 #addi4 ,another on the same subject1 called ',abraham and ,sarah1' 'containing the good life of their son ,isaac1 and the bad conduct of ,ishmael1 the son of his handmaid1 and how they were turned out of the house1' was printed in #aeef2 ',abel e ,caino1' and ',samson1' #aeed2 ',the ,prodigal ,son1' #aefe2 and ',la ,commedia ,spirituale dell' ,anima' 7',the ,spiritual ,comedy of the ,soul'71 printed at ,siena1 without date1 in which there are near thirty personifications1 besides ,saint ,paul1 ,saint ,john ,chrysostom1 two little boys who repeat a kind of prelude1 and the announcing angel1 who always speaks the prologue in these old mysteries4 ,he is called l'angelo che nunzia1 and his figure is almost always given in a wooden cut on the title-page of printed copies4 ,here1 among the interlocutors1 we have ,god the ,father1 ,michael the archangel1 a chorus of angels1 the ,human ,soul with her guardian angel1 memory1 intellect1 free-will1 faith1 hope1 charity1 reason1 prudence1 temperance1 fortitude1 justice1 mercy1 poverty1 patience1 and humility2 with hatred1 infidelity1 despair1 sensuality1 a chorus of demons1 and the devil4 ,none of these mysteries are totally without music1 as there are choruses and laudi1 or hymns1 that are sung in them all1 and sometimes there was playing on instruments between the acts4 ,in a play written by ,damiano and printed at ,siena1 #aeai1 according to ,crescimbeni1 at the beginning of every act there was an octave stanza1 which was sung to the sound of the lyra viol by a personage called ,orpheus1 who was solely retained for that purpose2 at other times a madrigal was sung between the acts1 after the manner of a chorus4 ,it was not until the time when ,san ,filippo ,neri began his dramatization and performance of ,biblical stories1 such as ,the ,good ,samaritan1 ,the ,prodigal ,son1 and ,tobias and the ,angels1 accompanied with music written by his friend ,giovanni ,animuccia1 that the term ,oratorio came to be accepted as the distinctive title of these sacred musical dramas4 ,his productions were very crudely and hastily arranged1 his only purpose having been to render his service attractive4 ,after his death1 however1 in #aeie1 his work was continued by ,emilio del ,cavaliere1 a ,roman composer1 who produced the first real oratorio which had as yet appeared4 ,it was entitled ,la ,rappresentazione dell' ,anima e del ,corpo 7,the ,soul and the ,body71 and was first performed in ,february1 #afjj1 in the oratory of the ,church of ,santa ,maria della ,vallicella at ,rome4 ,burney assigns to it the credit of being the first sacred drama or oratorio in which recitative was used4 ,the characters were ,time1 ,human ,life1 the ,world1 ,pleasure1 the ,intellect1 the ,soul1 the ,body1 and two youths who were to recite the prologue4 ,the orchestra was composed of a double lyre1 a harpsichord1 a large or double guitar1 and two flutes4 ,the composer has left some curious instructions for the performance of his work2 among them the following3-- ,pleasure1 an imaginary character1 with two companions1 are to have instruments in their hands1 on which they are to play while they sing and perform the ritornels4 ,il ,corpo1 the ,body1 when these words are uttered1 ',si che hormai alma mia1' etc41 may throw away some of his ornaments1 as his gold collar1 feather from his hat1 etc4 ,the ,world1 and ,human ,life in particular1 are to be gayly and richly dressed2 and when they are divested of their trappings1 to appear very poor and wretched1 and at length dead carcases4 ,the ballet played a prominent part in all the early oratorios1 and the composer has also left detailed instructions for its guidance4 ,during the ritornels the four principal dancers accompanied them in a ballet enlivened with capers1 and at the close of the performance stanzas were sung1 alternating with dances to be executed sedately and reverentially4 ,emilio del ,cavaliere was followed by a long line of ,italian oratorio composers who contributed to amplify and enrich this form of composition4 ,among the earliest of these writers were ,carissimi1 ,stradella1 ,scarlatti1 ,mazzocchi1 ,federici1 ,pistocchi1 ,caldara1 and ,colonna4 ,carissimi perfected the recitative and invested the music with more importance1 giving it something like equal rank with the dramatic character of the composition4 ,it was during his time that the personage known as ,historicus was introduced1 who continued the action with explanatory passages between the numbers1--a modern illustration of which may be found in the ,narrator1 as used by ,gounod in his ,redemption4 ,carissimi employed this expedient1 and made it very effective4 ,it is also claimed that he was the first to introduce the cantata as a form of church music1 and the accompaniment of violins in motet performances4 ,his most famous oratorios are ,jephte1 ,abraham et ,isaac1 ,le ,jugement ,dernier1 and ,judicium ,salomonis4 ,of the first named1 ,hawkins says3 ,it consists of recitative1 airs1 and chorus2 and for sweetness of melody1 artful modulation1 and original harmony1 is justly esteemed one of the finest efforts of musical skill and genius that the world knows of4 ,stradella1 whose romantic history is familiar to every one1 is chiefly remembered by his attachment for ,hortensia1 the vengeance of the ,venetian lover which followed them so long1 and the song which saved the composer's life from the assassins4 ,this song was from his own oratorio1 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 first performed in the ,church of ,st4 ,john ,lateran at ,rome4 ,burney1 who examined the score1 says3 ,the recitative is in general excellent1 and there is scarce a movement among the airs in which genius1 skill1 and study do not appear4 ,he also observes that this oratorio is the first work in which the proper sharps and flats are generally placed at the clef4 ,scarlatti1 born in #afei1 was a composer of great originality1 as well as versatility4 ,he has left1 in addition to his numerous operas and cantatas1 several oratorios1 the most famous of which are ,i ,dolori di ,maria sempre ,vergine1 ,il ,sagrifizio d' ,abramo1 ,il ,martirio di ,santa ,teodosia1 and ,la ,concezzione della beata ,vergine4 ,he gave to the oratorio more breadth1 boldness1 and dignity of style1 improved the form of the aria1 made the accompanied recitative more dramatic1 and developed the treatment of several instruments1 among them the trumpet1 whose real beauty and effect he was the first to bring out4 ,mazzocchi is chiefly known by his oratorio1 ,querimonia1 produced in ,rome in #afca1 which is said to have drawn tears from all who heard it4 ,federici wrote two oratorios1 ,santa ,cristina1 and ,santa ,caterina de ,sienna1 in both of which interstitial accompaniment is used for the first time2 that is1 the violins1 instead of accompanying the voice1 repeat portions of the melody in short symphonies4 ,pistocchi was one of the most prominent stage-singers of his time1 and established a school of singing at ,bologna4 ,his most famous oratorio is entitled ,maria ,vergine addolerata1 and is without overture or chorus4 ,burney notes that in the close of this work degrees of diminution of sound1 such as piano1 piu piano1 and pianissimo1 are used for the first time4 ,caldara wrote a large number of oratorios1 mostly adapted to the poetry of ,zeno and ,metastasio1 which are said to have been delightful productions4 ,colonna1 who was a contemporary of ,stradella1 but not so famous1 has left one oratorio1 ,st4 ,basil1 which is highly praised4 ,bononcini also1 who afterwards became a rival of ,handel in ,england1 wrote several oratorios before he went to that country1 the best of which is entitled ,san ,girolamo della ,carita4 ,the conclusion of this period brings us to the second stage in the evolution of the oratorio2 namely1 the passion-music1 which may be regarded as the connecting link between the earlier form as developed by the ,italian composers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries1 and the oratorio as it appeared after it had felt the mighty influence of ,handel4 ,the passion-music was the direct outgrowth of the passion-play4 ,it portrayed the passion of ,christ4 ,its earliest forms are found in the ,passio secundum ,matthaeum by ,stephani1 a ,nuremberg composer who flourished in the sixteenth century2 in a hymn-book published in #aegc by ,keuchental2 and in ,selenica's hymn-book1 which appeared in #aehg4 ,heinrich ,schuetz1 however1 was the first to establish the passion-music in genuine oratorio form4 ,he was born in #aehe1 and died in #afgb4 ,the pupil of an ,italian master1 the famous ,gabrielli of ,venice1 he retained the ,italian forms1 but added to them his native ,german force and solidity4 ,his most prominent work1 ,die ,auferstehung ,christi1 first performed at ,dresden in #afbc1 where he was chapel-master to the ,elector ,george ,i41 is regarded as the foundation of the ,german oratorio4 ,the passion-music was usually assigned to three priests1 one of whom recited or intoned the part of ,jesus1 the second that of the evangelist1 and the third the other parts1 while the chorus served for the turbae1 or people4 ,in ,schuetz's music1 however1 the narrative is given to a chorus of evangelists1 the accompaniment being performed by four viole di gamba and organ4 ,there is also a wide departure from all his predecessors in the entire absence of dramatic action4 ,his first work was followed by another1 entitled ,die sieben ,worte ,christi 7,the ,seven ,words of ,christ71--a subject which ,haydn subsequently treated with powerful effect1--and four different compositions on the passion of our ,lord4 ,in these works are to be found the real germs of the modern oratorio2 they were preparing the way for ,handel and ,bach4 ,johann ,sebastiani succeeded ,schuetz1 and in #afgb published a passion-music1 in which the narrative appears in recitative form and solidly harmonized chorales are used1--with this peculiarity1 that only the treble was sung1 the other voices being taken by the strings4 ,in #afgc still another passion1 written by ,theile1 was produced at ,luebeck4 ,from this time until #agjd there appears to be a gap in the sequence of works of this kind4 ,in the latter year1 however1 two more were produced1 which made a sensation all over ,germany1 ,the ,bleeding and ,dying ,jesus1 by ,reinhard ,keiser1 and the ,passion nach ,cap4 #ai ,s4 ,johannis by ,handel4 ,in the former1 cantatas were substituted for the narrative and chorales1 one of the numbers being in the nature of a love-song1--an innovation upon the established forms which brought down upon the composer the indignation of the critics both in the pulpit and out of it4 ,the passion-music of ,handel was but a weak prelude to the colossal works which were to follow from his pen4 ,between #agje and #agah several other passions appeared1 written by ,keiser1 ,handel1 ,telemann1 and ,mattheson1 preparing the way for the two composers who above all others were destined to develop the chorale and make it not only the foundation1 but the all-pervading idea of their passions2 they were ,carl ,heinrich ,graun and ,johann ,sebastian ,bach4 ,the former's greatest work1 ,der ,tod ,jesu1 was produced in ,berlin in #agee1 and was a revelation in the matter of chorale treatment4 ,nothing which had preceded it could equal it in musical skill or artistic handling4 ,but there was one coming greater than ,graun1 the father of modern music1 ,johann ,sebastian ,bach4 ,if all the music written since ,bach's time should be lost1 says ,gounod1 it could be reconstructed on the foundations which he laid4 ,besides his ,christmas ,oratorio1 ,bach wrote five passion oratorios1 two of which1 the ,st4 ,john and ,st4 ,matthew1 have been published and are still performed4 ,of these two1 the ,st4 ,matthew was conceived on the grander scale4 ,in this sublime masterpiece1 the early oratorio reached its highest form in ,germany4 ,it contains a narration delivered by an evangelist1 solo parts for the principal characters1 arias1 choruses1 double choruses1 and chorales1 the congregation joining in the latter1 in which the composer not only reveals an astonishing dramatic power in the expression of sentiment and the adaptation of his music to the feeling and situation of the characters1 but also a depth and accuracy of musical skill and invention which have been the despair of composers from that time to this4 ,with ,bach1 the passion-music accomplished its purpose1 and we now enter upon the third and last stage of the evolution of oratorio4 ,it is a new form1 and the change leads us to a new country4 ,we have examined the sacred dramas1 with their musical setting1 in ,italy1 and the passion-music in ,germany2 and now comes the oratorio in ,england1--the oratorio as we know it and hear it to-day4 ,handel was its great originator4 ,he began his ,english career as an operatic writer2 but he soon tired of setting music to the trivial subjects so common in opera1 which1 as he himself declared1 were not suited to a composer advancing in years4 ,there were other inducements1 however1 which led him to turn to the oratorio1 and among them one of the most powerful unquestionably was his disgust with the cabals which were organized against him by ,italian rivals4 ,esther was his first ,english oratorio1 and it made a great success4 ,it was followed by ,deborah and ,athalia4 ,his vigorous dramatic power and close musical scholarship were never more apparent than in these works4 ,they aroused such an enthusiasm that from this time forth 7#agcg7 he devoted himself exclusively to this species of composition4 ,he wrote in all seventeen ,english oratorios4 ,in #agci he produced ,saul1 one of the most dramatic of his sacred works1 and the colossal ,israel in ,egypt4 ,in #agda he began ,the ,messiah1 the most sublime of all his oratorios and one of the profoundest works of human genius in music4 ,it still holds its place upon the stage as one of the grandest expressions of human aspiration and divine truth1 and no ,christmas is complete without its performance4 ,other works followed it1 among them ,samson1 ,joseph1 ,belshazzar1 ,judas ,maccabaeus1 ,joshua1 and ,theodora1 which ,handel considered his best work2 but none of them equalled ,the ,messiah1 in which his genius reached its climax4 ,of those last named1 only ,samson and ,judas ,maccabaeus still hold their place in the modern repertory1 though the other oratorios mentioned contain many of his most effective numbers4 ,while ,handel was writing in ,england1 the oratorio languished in ,germany4 ,hasse1 ,porpora1 and ,fux produced several oratorios1 but they have not left an impression upon the world4 ,handel died in #agei4 ,it was not until #agih that a successor appeared worthy to wear his mantle4 ,that successor was ,joseph ,haydn1 whose greatest work1 ,the ,creation1 rivals ,the ,messiah in its popularity4 ,he was in his seventieth year when he produced it1 as well as his delightful work1 ,the ,seasons2 but ,papa ,haydn1 as his countrymen love to call him1 preserved the freshness of youth to the very last4 ,the melodies of his old age are as delicious as those of his youth4 ,both these oratorios are exquisite pictures of nature1 as well as of human and divine love4 ,they were inspired by ,handel's oratorios 7which he heard for the first time when he visited ,london in #agia71 and when first performed aroused as great enthusiasm1 though they are not cast in the same heroic mould as are ,the ,messiah and ,israel in ,egypt4 ,they are characterized rather by grace1 sweetness1 and elegance of form1 and by pure1 healthy music4 ,haydn was a master of instrumentation1 as he had shown years before in the string quartet1 of which he was the creator1 and in his almost innumerable symphonies1--he being the originator of the modern symphony4 ,he had had the advantage of a magnificent orchestra while in service at ,prince ,esterhazy's1 and the results are seen in the orchestral resources which he employs in his oratorios4 ,during this period several ,italian oratorios by ,salieri1 ,zingarelli1 and ,cimarosa appeared1 as well as oratorios in the same style by the ,german composers ,himmel and ,winter4 ,in #ahjc ,beethoven wrote his only oratorio1 ,christ on the ,mount of ,olives4 ,this production has not attained to the popularity of his instrumental works or of his single opera1 ,fidelio1 in part because it is not in pure oratorio form1 and in part because of its wretched libretto4 ,schubert1 contemporary with ,beethoven1 also undertook an oratorio on the subject of ,lazarus2 but it was never completed1 and the fragment even was not heard until #ahfc4 ,the first really successful oratorio of the present century was ,das juengste ,gericht 7,the ,last ,judgment71 by ,spohr1 which was produced under his own supervision at ,erfurt in #ahab4 ,this oratorio1 however1 the work of his earlier years1 was but the prelude to his masterpiece1 ,die letzten ,dinge 7,the ,last ,things71 which is now commonly known as ,the ,last ,judgment1 and was first performed at ,cassel in #ahbf4 ,nine years later he brought out ,des ,heiland's letzte ,stunden 7,the ,saviour's ,last ,hours1 now known as ,calvary71 and still later1 ,the ,fall of ,babylon1 which he produced for the first time in ,england in #ahdc2 but neither of these are constructed upon the grand proportions which characterize ,die letzten ,dinge1 or so well illustrate the profound musical knowledge of the great violinist4 ,contemporary with ,spohr was ,schneider1 an unusually prolific writer1 who produced no less than sixteen oratorios in a period of twenty-eight years1 in addition to a large number of operas4 ,though his oratorios were very popular at the time1 but one of them has survived1 the ,weltgericht1 written in #ahai4 ,among other contemporaries were ,lindpaintner1 whose ,abraham was very successful1--though this composer is now remembered only by his orchestral pieces1--and ,klein1 who brought out two oratorios1 ,jephthah 7#ahbh7 and ,david 7#ahcj71 which were greatly admired1 though they are now almost unknown4 ,spohr had easily held his place in the first rank of the oratorio composers of his time1 but was eclipsed when ,mendelssohn appeared1 as were all his contemporaries4 ,this gifted composer had studied ,handel and ,bach very closely4 ,in #ahbi he brought out the latter's ,st4 ,matthew passion-music after it had lain concealed for an entire century4 ,he aroused enthusiasm for the two old masters both in ,germany and ,england4 ,his ,st4 ,paul1 first produced at ,duesseldorf in #ahcf1 was greeted with acclamations of enthusiasm1 and still holds its place in the popular regard4 ,ten years later his greatest work1 ,elijah1 was performed in ,england4 ,though widely different in form and treatment from ,the ,messiah1 it shares equally with that work in the enjoyment of popular favor4 ,its numbers are almost as familiar as household words1 through constant repetition not only upon the oratorio stage1 but in the concert-room and choir-loft4 ,in the presentation of the personalities concerned in the progress of the work1 in descriptive power1 in the portrayal of emotion and passion1 and in genuine lyrical force1 ,elijah has many of the attributes of opera1 and some critics have not hesitated to call it a sacred opera4 ,indeed1 there can be no question that with costume1 scenery1 and the aids of general stage-setting1 its effect would be greatly enhanced4 ,mendelssohn began still a third oratorio1 ,christus1 but did not live to complete it4 ,his ,lobgesang 7,hymn of ,praise71 a symphony-cantata1 is usually given as an oratorio1 though it is not in the genuine oratorio form4 ,contemporary with him and since his death numerous oratorios have been written1 more or less inspired by his work2 but ,elijah and ,st4 ,paul still remain unsurpassed4 ,robert ,schumann gave the world a delightful oratorio with a secular subject1 ,paradise and the ,peri4 ,numerous ,english composers have produced meritorious works1 among them ,sterndale ,bennett1 whose ,woman of ,samaria is thoroughly devotional4 ,in ,germany1 ,hiller1 ,rheinthaler1 and others have made successful essays in this form of musical art4 ,in ,france1 ,massenet and ,saint-,saens have written short one-part oratorios1 and ,gounod has constructed two1 ,the ,redemption and ,mors et ,vita1 upon the old classical form1 so far as division is concerned1 and is now at work upon a third1 of which ,joan of ,arc is the theme4 ,in ,the ,tower of ,babel and ,paradise ,lost1 ,rubinstein has given us works which are certainly larger in design than the cantata1 and are entitled to be called oratorios4 ,in our own country1 ,professor ,paine1 of ,harvard ,university1 has written one oratorio1 ,st4 ,peter1 which commands attention for its scholarly work and musical treatment4 ,mendelssohn and ,spohr1 however1 represent the nineteenth century of oratorio as ,haydn1 ,handel1 and ,bach did the eighteenth4 ,who will take the next step forward in the twentieth1 and give to this noblest form of musical art still higher expression8 ,before closing this sketch1 it will not be out of place to refer briefly to the ,requiem1 ,te ,deum1 ,stabat ,mater1 and ,magnificat1 since illustrations of these musical forms appear in the body of the work4 ,requiem is the name given to the ,missa pro ,defunctis 7,mass for the ,dead71 and comes from the first word of the ,introit1 ,requiem aeternam dona eis1 ,domine4 ,its musical divisions are as follows3 7#a7 ,introit2 7#b7 the ,kyrie2 7#c7 the ,gradual and ,tract1--,requiem aeternam and ,absolve ,domine2 7#d7 the ,sequence or ,prose1--,dies ,irae2 7#e7 ,offertorium2 7#f7 ,sanctus2 7#g7 ,benedictus2 7#h7 ,agnus ,dei2 7#i7 ,communio1--,lux aeterna4 ,the most famous requiems are ,palestrina's1 written for five voices1 but left incomplete 7#aeie72 ,vittoria's1 for six voices1 written for the funeral of the ,empress ,marie1 widow of ,maximilian ,,ii4 7#afje72 ,colonna's1 for eight voices 7#afhd72 ,mozart's great masterpiece 7#agia72 ,cherubini's in ,c minor1 written for the anniversary of the death of ,louis ,,xvi41 #agic1 and a second for three male voices 7#ahcf72 ,berlioz's ,messe des ,morts2 ,verdi's ,manzoni ,requiem1 and ,brahms' ,german ,requiem4 ,though an integral part of the ,roman service1 appointed for a special day in commemoration of the dead1 the ,requiem is also employed for the anniversaries of distinguished persons who have passed away1 as well as for funeral occasions4 ,the ,stabat ,mater1 or ,lamentation of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 the well-known ,latin hymn on the ,crucifixion1 is one of the most familiar numbers in the ,roman ,missal4 ,it is appointed to be sung at ,high ,mass on the ,friday in ,passion ,week1 and also on the third ,sunday in ,september4 ,on ,thursday in ,holy ,week it is also sung in the ,sistine ,chapel as an ,offertorium4 ,the poem was written by the monk ,jacobus de ,benedictis in the thirteenth century1 and is regarded as one of the finest of mediaeval sacred lyrics4 ,grove says of it3 ,several readings are extant2 the one most frequently set to music being that which immediately preceded its last revision in the ,roman ,office-,books4 ,there are also at least four distinct versions of its plain-chant melody1 apart from minor differences attributable to local usage4 ,it has always been a favorite hymn with the composers4 ,the most famous settings are those of ,josquin des ,pres2 two by ,palestrina1--the first1 which is the most effective1 for a double choir of eight voices1 and the second for a triple choir of twelve voices2 that by ,pergolesi for soprano and contralto2 ,haydn's1 which is in his peculiarly melodious style2 ,steffani's for six voices2 those by ,clari1 ,astorga1 ,winter1 ,racimondi1 ,vito1 ,lanza1 ,inzenga1 and ,neukomm2 ,rossini's1 which is the best known of all2 and ,dvorak's1 written in #ahha1 which is one of the ,bohemian composer's finest efforts4 ,few hymns have been so variously treated1 and1 it may be added1 few in the ,roman service are more popular4 ,the ,te ,deum ,laudamus is another familiar hymn4 ,its origin is doubtful1 though it is usually credited to ,saint ,ambrose4 ,l',estrange1 in his ,alliance of ,divine ,offices1 says3 ,the ,te ,deum was made by a bishop of ,triers1 named ,nicetius1 or ,nicettus1 about the year #ejj1 which was almost a century after the death both of ,saint ,ambrose and ,saint ,augustine4 ,bingham1 in his ,antiquities of the ,church1 says3 ,the ,benedictines1 who published the works of ,saint ,ambrose1 judge him not to have been the author of it2 and ,dr4 ,cave1 though at one time he was of a different judgment1 and ,bishop ,stillingfleet1 concur in the opinion that the ,te ,deum was not the composition of ,saint ,ambrose1 or of him and ,saint ,augustine jointly4 ,hawkins also says3 ,the zeal of ,saint ,ambrose to promote psalm-singing is in nothing more conspicuous than in his endeavors to reduce it into form and method2 as a proof whereof1 it is said that he1 jointly with ,saint ,augustine1 upon occasion of the conversion and baptism of the latter1 composed the hymn ,te ,deum ,laudamus1 which even now makes a part of the liturgy of our ,church1 and caused it to be sung in his church at ,milan4 ,but this has been discovered to be a mistake4 ,this1 however1 is certain1--that he instituted that method of singing known by the name of the ,cantus ,ambrosianus1 or ,ambrosian ,chant1 a name1 for aught that now appears1 not applicable to any determined series of notes1 but invented to express in general a method of singing agreeable to some rule given or taught by him4 ,in spite of controversy1 however1 the ,te ,deum is still and will always be known as the ,ambrosian ,hymn4 ,the original melody is very ancient1 but not so old as the hymn itself4 ,it is thoroughly familiar in the ,roman ,church1 though the number of settings for ,church use is almost endless4 ,the early composers harmonized it in various forms4 ,it has also borne a conspicuous part on festival occasions4 ,the most celebrated ,te ,deums of this character1 arranged for solos1 chorus1 organ1 and orchestra1 are those of ,sarti1 to commemorate ,prince ,potemkin's victory at ,otchakous2 of ,graun1 to celebrate the battle of ,prague2 of ,berlioz1 for two choirs2 of ,purcell1 for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day2 of ,dr4 ,blow and ,dr4 ,croft1 with accompaniments of two violins1 two trumpets1 and bass2 and the magnificent ,utrecht and ,dettingen ,te ,deums of ,handel4 ,among those by contemporary writers are ,macfarren's1 written in #ahhd1 and ,sullivan's1 commemorating the recovery of the ,prince of ,wales4 ,the ,magnificat1 or ,song of the ,virgin1 is part of the vesper service of the ,church1 and has been treated by all the old ,church composers of prominence both in plain chant and in polyphonic form4 ,in the ,english cathedral service it is often richly harmonized1 and ,bach1 ,mozart1 ,handel1 ,mendelssohn and others have set it in oratorio style with complete orchestral accompaniment4 #a ,born at ,florence in the year #aeae1 and famous as the founder of the ,congregation of the ,fathers of the ,oratory4 ,,bach4 ,johann ,sebastian ,bach1 the most eminent of the world's organ-players and contrapuntists1 was born at ,eisenach1 ,march #ba1 #afhe1 and was the most illustrious member of a long line of musicians1 the ,bach family having been famous almost from time immemorial for its skill in music4 ,he first studied the piano with his brother1 ,johann ,christoph1 and the organ with ,reinecke in ,hamburg1 and ,buxtehude in ,luebeck4 ,in #agjc he was court musician in ,weimar1 and afterwards was engaged as organist in ,arnstadt and ,muehlhausen4 ,in #agjh he was court organist1 and in #agad concert-master in ,weimar4 ,in #agah he was chapel-master to the ,prince von ,koethen1 and in #agbc was appointed music-director and cantor at the ,st4 ,thomas ,school in ,leipsic1--a position which he held during the remainder of his life4 ,he has left for the admiration of posterity an almost endless list of vocal and instrumental works1 including chorales1 motets1 magnificats1 masses1 fugues1 and fantasies1 especially for organ and piano1 the ,christmas ,oratorio1 and several settings of the passion1 of which the most famous are the ,st4 ,john and ,st4 ,matthew1 the latter of which ,mendelssohn introduced to the world in #ahbi1 after it had slumbered an entire century4 ,his most famous instrumental work is the ,well-tempered ,clavichord1--a collection of forty-eight fugues and preludes1 which was written for his second wife1 ,anna ,magdalena ,bach1 to whom also he dedicated a large number of piano pieces and songs4 ,his first wife was his cousin1 ,maria ,barbara ,bach1 the youngest daughter of ,johann ,michael ,bach1 a composer of no common ability4 ,by these two wives he had twenty-one children1 of whom the most celebrated were ,carl ,phillipp ,emanuel1 born in #agad1 known as the ,berlin ,bach2 ,johann ,christoph ,friedrich1 born in #agcb1 the ,buecheburger ,bach2 and ,johann ,christian1 born in #agce1 who became famous as the ,london ,bach4 ,large as the family was1 it is now extinct4 ,bach was industrious1 simple1 honest1 and ,god-fearing1 like all his family4 ,he was an incessant and laborious writer from necessity1 as his compensation was hardly sufficient to maintain his large family1 and nearly all his music was prepared for the service of the church by contract4 ,the prominent characteristics of his work are profound knowledge1 the clearest statements of form1 strength of logical sequences1 imposing breadth1 and deep religious sentiment4 ,he was a favorite of ,frederick the ,great1 who upon one occasion made all his courtiers stand on one side and do homage to the illustrious composer4 ,there is but one ,bach1 said the monarch4 ,with all ,bach's amiable qualities1 it is said that he had a hasty temper4 ,while playing one day1 ,goerner1 the organist at ,st4 ,thomas1 struck a false chord2 whereupon ,bach flew at him in a passion1 tore off his wig and threw it at him1 exclaiming3 ,you ought to have been a cobbler1 instead of an organist6 ,notwithstanding this infirmity of temper1 he was a deeply religious man1 and inscribed upon every one of his principal compositions ,s4 ,d4 ,g41 to the glory of ,god alone4 ,he died ,july #bh1 #agej1 and was buried at ,leipsic2 but no cross or stone marks the spot where he lies4 ,his last composition was the beautiful chorale1 ,wenn wir in hoechsten ,noethen sein1 freely translated1 ,when my last hour is close at hand1 as it was written in his last illness4 ,the only record of his death is contained in the official register3 ,a man1 aged #fg1 ,m4 ,johann ,sebastian ,bach1 musical director and singing-master at the ,st4 ,thomas ,school1 was carried to his grave in the hearse1 ,july #cj1 #agej4 ,the ,christmas ,oratorio4 ,the ,christmas ,oratorio was written by ,bach in #agcd1 the subject being taken from texts in ,luke and ,matthew pertaining to the nativity4 ,it is not1 as its name would suggest1 a work to be performed at a single hearing1 but a composition divided into six parts of divine service1 arranged for the three days of ,christmas1 ,new ,year's ,day1 ,new ,year's ,sunday1 and the ,epiphany1 each part being a complete cantata for each day1 and all linked together by chorales which give it a unity of subject and design4 ,like ,wagner's ,ring der ,nibelungen1 it was given in instalments1 each part separate and complete in itself1 and yet combining to illustrate a given subject in its entirety4 ,it is not an oratorio in the modern sense2 but the justification of its appellation as such is to be found in ,bach's own title1 ,oratorium ,tempore ,navitatis ,christi4 ,as the entire six parts are very rarely given1 a general review of their character will better suit the reader's purpose than a detailed review of each4 ,when it has been performed in this country1 only the first two parts have been given2 while in ,england1 though it has been presented entire1 the performance is usually confined to the first three1 which contain a complete story4 ,the entire vocal score embraces no less than sixty-four numbers1--which in itself constitutes a sufficient reason for abridgment4 ,in the first three parts the connecting narratives1 recited by the evangelist1 are assigned to tenor and bass1 and declare the events associated with the birth of our ,lord1--the journey to ,bethlehem1 the birth in the manger1 the joy of ,mary1 and the thanksgiving over the advent of the ,lord1--the choral parts being sung by the shepherds4 ,the fourth part1 that for ,new ,year's ,day1 relates the naming of ,jesus1 and follows his career in a grand expression of faith and hope4 ,the fifth part illustrates the visit of the three kings1 the anxiety of ,herod when he hears of the advent of the ,lord1 and the assurances given him to allay his fears4 ,in the sixth section the visitors depart to frustrate ,herod's designs1 and choruses of rejoicing over the final triumph of the ,lord close the work4 ,in his voluminous life of ,bach1 ,spitta makes an exhaustive analysis of the various parts1 an abridgment of which will be of interest in this connection4 ,the only variation from the particular character of each section is to be found in the introduction of the first chorale in ,part ,i4 at the close of ,part ,,vi41 in the form of a brilliant choral fantasia4 ,in the first three the ,christmas feeling prevails most vividly2 this is effected in great measure by the chorales which are interspersed in far greater numbers than in the last three1 and which are almost all familiar ,christmas hymns4 ,most of them are simply set in four parts1 with highly ingenious applications of the church modes4 ,the first and second parts close with chorales1 but in the third the opening chorus is repeated at the close4 ,part ,,iv4 has least of the character of church festival music4 ,the ,biblical matter consists of a single verse from the ,gospel of ,saint ,luke1 ii4 #ba1 which relates the circumcision and naming of ,jesus4 ,not much material could be worked out of this1 and ,bach has almost entirely set aside all adjuncts from the liturgy4 ,no ,christmas hymn1 indeed no true chorale1 is introduced in it4444 ,this section1 therefore1 bears more strongly the stamp merely of a religious composition2 it is full of grace and sweetness1 and can only have derived its full significance for congregational use from its position in context with the rest of the work4 ,parts ,v4 and ,,vi41 devoted to the history of the three kings1 are in no respect inferior to the first three4 ,the lyrical choruses are full of artistic beauty and swing4 ,the cantata character is more conspicuous here than in the first three sections1 and the specially ,christmas feeling resides more in the general tone of the music than in the chorales4 ,bitter1 in his life of ,bach1 gives the following interesting sketch of the origin of some of the numbers contained in the work3-- ,in some parts of this music ,bach borrowed from former compositions of his own1 especially from a ',drama per ,musica1' dedicated to the ,queen of ,poland1 and a drama entitled ',the ,choice of ,hercules1' composed in #agcc for a ,saxon prince4 ,the old hymn-tune1 ',o ,haupt voll ,blut und ,wunden1' composed ,a4,d4 #afjj 7by ,hans ,geo4 ,hassler to a secular tune71 and used by ,bach five times to different words in the ',matthaeus-,passion1' is again used in this oratorio to the words of ,paul ,gerhard's ,advent hymn1 ',wie soll ich dich empfangen1' and to the hymn of triumph1 ',nun seid ihr wohl gerochen1' at the end of the last part4 ,as this tune was familiar to the hearers in connection with a hymn for ,passion ,week1 its adaptation to ,advent and ,christmas hymns seems intended to express a presentiment at the time of ,christ's birth of his future sufferings4 ,the same tune is now used in the ,german ,church to a number of different hymns1 especially to ',herzlich thut mich verlangen' and ',befiehl du deine ,wege1' and is in some tune-books called by one or other of these names4 ',befiehl du deine ,wege' is one of the hymns to which ,bach has set it in the ',matthaeus-,passion4' ,in the first part of the oratorio we find two verses of ,luther's ,christmas hymn1 ',gelobet seist du ,jesu ,christ2' first1 the verse beginning ',er ist auf ,erden kommen arm1' to the tune ,luther composed for it1 and the verse ',ach1 mein herzliebes ,jesulein1' to the tune 7also of ,luther's composition71 ',von ,himmel hoch da komm ich her4' ,this last-mentioned tune is also used twice in the second part1 to the words ',schaut hin1 dort liegt im finstern ,stalle1' and ',wir singen dir in deinem ,heer1' arranged differently each time4 ,the chorales1 ',jesus1 richte mein ,beginnen1' in the fourth part1 and ',dein ,glanz all ,finsterniss verzehrt1' in the fifth part1 are probably ,bach's own compositions4 ,the first two parts of the work are the only ones which need special notice for the purposes of the oratorio-goer4 ,the first part opens with a brilliant prelude1 introduced by the drum1 which ,bach1 like ,beethoven1 sometimes treated as a solo instrument4 ,it preludes the narrative bidding ,zion prepare to meet her ,lord1--a simple1 touching melody1 followed by the chorale1 ,how shall ,i fitly meet ,thee and give ,thee welcome due1 set to the old passion-hymn1 ,o ,haupt1 voll ,blut und ,wunden1--a solemn and even mournful melody1 which at first appears incongruous in the midst of so much jubilation4 ,it is the same melody which ,bach frequently uses in different harmonic forms in his ,st4 ,matthew ,passion4 ,it is introduced here in the midst of the ,christmas festivity for a special purpose4 ,bitter gives it the following significance3-- ,we see the ,angel of ,death unveil his pale face1 bend over the cradle of the ,lord1 and foretell his sorrows4 ,the ,child hears the song which one day1 sung to other words1 will be his death-song4 ,the composer's evident intention was to impress the hearer with the fact that the object of the divine advent on earth was the passion of our ,lord4 ,at the close of the work the same chorale appears1 but it has another meaning4 ,it is there an exultant expression of ,christ's victory over sin and death4 ,as the chorale dies away1 the narrative is resumed1 leading up to another chorale1 ,for us to earth he cometh poor1 combined with an orchestral symphony and bass recitative4 ,the next number is a bass aria with trumpet accompaniment1 ,lord ,almighty1 ,king all glorious1 and is followed by a chorale set to the words of ,martin ,luther's ,christmas hymn1 which also occurs in other parts of the work1 differently harmonized to suit the nature of the situation1 with which the first part closes4 ,the second part opens with one of the most delightful instances of ,bach's orchestration1 a pastoral symphony1 with which the ,thomas orchestra have made audiences familiar in this country4 ,like the symphony of the same style in ,handel's ,messiah1 it is simple1 graceful1 and idyllic in character1 and pictures the shepherds watching their flocks by night on the plains of ,bethlehem4 ,at its conclusion the evangelist resumes his narrative1 followed by the chorale3 ,break forth1 ,o beauteous1 heavenly ,light1 preluding the announcement of the angel1 ,behold1 ,i bring you ,good ,tidings4 ,it is followed by the bass recitative1 ,what ,god to ,abraham revealed1 ,he to the ,shepherds doth accord to see fulfilled1 and a brilliant aria for tenor1 ,haste1 ye ,shepherds1 haste to meet ,him4 ,the evangelist gives them the sign1 followed by the chorale which closed the first part1 in another form1 ,within yon ,gloomy ,manger lies4 ,the bass recitative1 ,o haste ye then1 preludes the exquisite cradle-song for alto1 ,sleep1 my ,beloved1 and take ,thy ,repose1--a number which can hardly be excelled in the sweetness and purity of its melody or in the exquisiteness of its instrumentation4 ,this lovely song brings us to the close1 which is an exultant shout from the multitude of the heavenly host1 singing1 ,glory to ,god in the highest4 ,the ,saint ,matthew ,passion4 ,the passion-music of ,bach's time1 as we have already seen1 was the complement of the mysteries of ,mediaeval days4 ,it portrays the sufferings of ,christ1 and was performed at church festivals1 the congregation taking part in the singing of the chorales1 which were mostly familiar religious folk-songs4 ,it was a revival of the sacred drama in musical form1 and the immediate precursor of the modern oratorio4 ,bach wrote five passions1--the ,st4 ,john1 probably written in #agbc1 and first performed in the following year2 another1 which has been lost1 in #agbe2 the ,st4 ,matthew1 in #agbi2 the ,st4 ,mark1 in #agca2 and the ,st4 ,luke1 in #agcd4 ,of these only two are now known1--the ,st4 ,john and ,st4 ,matthew2 of which the latter is incomparably the greatest4 ,macfarren1 in his sketch of the ,matthew ,passion1 says that the idea of this form of composition was first suggested to ,bach by ,solomon ,deyling1 who filled an important church position in ,leipsic when the composer went there to assume his duties as cantor of the ,st4 ,thomas ,school1 his purpose being to introduce into the ,reformed ,church a service which should be a counter attraction to the ,mass as performed in the ,roman ,church4 ,it was produced for the first time at the afternoon service on ,good ,friday1 #agbi1 but was not heard again until the young ,mendelssohn revived it in ,berlin1 ,march #ab1 #ahbi4 ,it was frequently repeated in ,germany and aroused extraordinary enthusiasm1 and still keeps its place in the festival oratorio repertory1 the necessary additional accompaniments having been furnished by ,robert ,franz4 ,the passion is written in two parts1 between which the sermon intervened in old times4 ,it includes portions of chapters xxvi4 and xxvii4 of the ,gospel according to ,saint ,matthew1 the remainder of the text being composed of hymns furnished to ,bach by ,christian ,friedrich ,henrici1 who wrote under the pseudonym of ,picander1 and1 it is said1 was assisted in the compilation by the composer himself4 ,the dramatis personae are ,jesus1 ,judas1 ,peter1 ,pilate1 the ,apostles1 and the ,people1 or ,turbae1 and the narrative is interpreted by reflections addressed to ,jesus1 forming two choruses1 ,the ,daughter of ,zion and ,the ,faithful1 as ,picander calls them4 ,they are sometimes given by the chorus1 and sometimes by single voices4 ,the chorales are selected from those which were in common use in the ,lutheran ,church1 and were familiar therefore to the congregations which sang the melody1 the harmony being sustained by the chorus and instruments4 ,the ,gospel text is in recitative form throughout1 the part of the evangelist1 or narrator1 being assigned to a tenor voice1 while those of the persons incidentally introduced are given to other singers4 ,in the dialogue1 wherever the words of ,jesus occur1 the accompaniment is furnished by a string quartette1 which serves to distinguish them from the others1 and invests them with a peculiar gentleness and grace4 ,the incidental choruses1 sung by the ,people and the ,apostles1 are short and vivacious in character1 many of them being in madrigal form4 ,the chorales1 fifteen in number1 as has already been said1 were taken from the ,lutheran service4 ,one of them1 which ,bach also liberally used in his ,christmas ,oratorio1 beginning1 ,acknowledge me1 my ,keeper1 appears five times in the progress of the work1 forming the keynote of the church sentiment1 and differently harmonized on each occasion4 ,another1 ,o ,blessed ,jesus1 is twice used1--once where the ,saviour announces that he will be crucified after the ,feast of the ,passover1 when the whole congregation sings it1 and again in the scene at ,gethsemane1 sung by select choirs4 ,the whole work is written for double chorus1 the two choruses singing the harmony of the chorales1 accompanied by the instruments1 while the congregation sing the tune in unison4 ,they display to the utmost the breadth1 richness1 ingenuity1 and power of ,bach in this form of writing4 ,the reflective portions of the work1 the text written by ,picander1 are composed of arias introduced by recitative1 with the first part repeated in the close2 of arias accompanied by chorus2 and of single choruses constructed in the most massive manner4 ,speaking of the melodies in these portions of the work1 ,spitta says1-- ,the grades of feeling traversed by ,bach in the solo songs of the ',st4 ,matthew ,passion' are all the more impressive because every sentiment of joy in its various shades is wholly excluded2 they are all based on the emotion of sorrow4 ,the most fervent sympathy with the sufferings of the ,son of ,man1 rising to the utmost anguish1 childlike trustfulness1 manly earnestness1 and tenderly longing devotion to the ,redeemer2 repentance for the personal sins that his suffering must atone for1 and passionate entreaties for mercy2 an absorbed contemplation of the example offered by the sufferings of ,jesus1 and solemn vows pronounced over his dead body never to forsake or forget him1--these are the themes ,bach had to treat4 ,and he has solved the difficult problem as if it were child's play1 with that inexhaustible wealth of resource which was most at his command precisely when he had to depict the sadder emotions4 ,in no other of his works 7unless it be in the ',christmas ,oratorio'7 do we find such a store of lovely and various solo airs1 nor did ,bach even ever write melodies more expressive and persuasive than those of the arias in the ',st4 ,matthew ,passion4' ,as we have said1 the music is arranged for double chorus1 and each chorus has its own orchestra and its own organ accompaniment4 ,the double orchestra is composed of oboes1 flutes1 and stringed instruments4 ,drums and brass instruments are not used1 the sentiment of the work1 in ,bach's estimation1 not being fitted for them1 sweetness and expressiveness of tone rather than power being required4 ,as ,spitta says1 sorrow is the characteristic of the work4 ,it has no choruses of rejoicing1 no paeans of praise1 not even a hallelujah at its close4 ,the first part opens with a reflection sung by double chorus1 ,come1 ye ,daughters1 weep for ,anguish1 the first exhorting believers to weep over the sinful world1 the second responding with brief interrogations1 and at last taking part in the sorrowful strains of the first4 ,interwoven with these is an independent instrumental melody1 the whole crowned with a magnificent chorale sung by the sopranos1 ,o ,lamb of ,god all blameless6 followed by still another1 ,say1 sweetest ,jesus1 which reappears in other parts of the work variously harmonized4 ,the double chorus and chorales form the introduction1 and are followed by recitative and a chorale1 ,thou dear ,redeemer1 and a pathetic aria for contralto1 ,grief and ,pain1 relating the incident of the woman anointing the feet of ,jesus4 ,the next number is an aria for soprano1 ,only bleed1 ,thou dearest ,heart1 which follows the acceptance by ,judas of the thirty pieces of silver1 and which serves to intensify the grief in the aria preceding it4 ,the scene of the ,last ,supper ensues1 and to this number ,bach has given a character of sweetness and gentleness1 though its coloring is sad4 ,as the disciples ask1 ,lord1 is it ,i8 another chorale is sung1 ',tis ,i6 my ,sins betray me4 ,recitative of very impressive character1 conveying the divine injunctions1 leads up to a graceful and tender aria for soprano1 ,never will my ,heart refuse ,thee1 one of the simplest and clearest1 and yet one of the richest and most expressive1 melodies ever conceived4 ,after further recitative and the chorale1 ,i will stay here beside ,thee1 we are introduced to the scene in the ,garden of ,gethsemane1 which is characterized by a number of extraordinary beauty and strength in its construction4 ,it is introduced by a short instrumental prelude1 ,zion1 represented by the tenor voice1 and the ,believers by the chorus1 coming in after a few bars and alternating with extraordinary vocal effect4 ,it calls for the highest dramatic power1 and in its musical development is a web of wonderful harmonies such as we may look for only in the works of the mighty master of counterpoint4 ,it fitly prepares the way for the two great movements which close the first part1 an aria for soprano and alto1 ,alas6 my ,jesus now is taken1 and a double chorus1 ,ye ,lightnings1 ye ,thunders6 ,the two solo voices join in a lament of a most touching nature1 accompanied by the chorus exclaiming in short1 hurried phrases1 ,let ,him go6 ,hold6 ,bind ,him not6 until at last the double chorus bursts in like a tempest1 accompanied with the full power of the instruments1 expressing the world's indignation at the deed which is to be committed1 in the words3-- ,ye lightnings1 ye thunders1 in clouds are ye vanished6 ,burst open1 ,o fierce flaming caverns of hell6 ,ingulf them1 destroy them in wrathfullest mood6 ,oh1 blast the betrayer1 the murderous brood6 and the first part concludes with a chorale1 ,o ,man1 bewail thy great ,sin6 ,the second part1 originally sung after the sermon1 opens with an aria for contralto1 full of the deepest feeling1 ,alas6 now is my ,jesus gone1 and one of the most beautiful numbers in the oratorio1 wherein ,zion1 or the ,church1 mourns her great loss4 ,the trial scene before ,caiaphas and the threefold denial of ,peter follow1 leading up to the beautiful aria for alto1 with violin obligato1 ,oh1 pardon me1 my ,god6 ,macfarren1 in his admirable analysis1 says of this aria1-- ,the deep1 deep grief of a tormented conscience finds here an utterance which fulfils the purport and far transcends the expression of the words4 ,one might suppose the power of the artist to have been concentrated upon this one incident1 so infinite is its beauty1--one might suppose ,bach to have regarded the situation it illustrates as more significant than others of man's relation to ,deity in his sense of sin and need for mercy1 and as requiring1 therefore1 peculiar prominence in the total impression the oratorio should convey4 ,if this was his aim1 it is all accomplished4 ,the penitential feeling embodied in the song is that which will longest linger in a remembrance of the work4 ,the soft tone of the contralto voice1 and the keenness of that of the violin1 are accessories to the effect which the master well knew how to handle2 but these judicious means are little to be considered in comparison with the musical idea of which they are the adjuncts4 ,the work now rapidly progresses to its beautiful finale4 ,the soprano recitative in response to ,pilate's question1 ,he hath done only good to all1 the aria for soprano1 ,from love unbounded1 the powerful contralto recitative1 ,look down1 ,o ,god1 the chorale1 ,o ,head all bruised and wounded6 the contralto aria with chorus1 ,look where ,jesus beckoning stands1 and the peaceful1 soothing recitative for bass1 ,at ,eventide1 cool ,hour of ,rest1 are the principal numbers that occur as we approach the last sad but beautiful double chorus of the ,apostles1 ,around ,thy ,tomb here sit we weeping1--a close as peaceful as the setting of the sun2 for the tomb is but the couch on which ,jesus is reposing1 and the music dies away in a slumber-song of most exalted beauty4 ,this brief sketch could not better close than with the beautiful description which ,mr4 ,dwight gives of this scene in the notes which he prepared when the work was performed at the ,triennial ,festival of the ,handel and ,haydn ,society of ,boston3-- ,how full of grief1 of tender1 spiritual love1 of faith and peace1 of the heart's heaven smiling through tears1 is this tone-elegy6 ,so should the passion-music close1 and not with fugue of praise and triumph like an oratorio4 ,how sweetly1 evenly1 the harmony flows on1--a broad1 rich1 deep1 pellucid river1 swollen as by countless rills from all the loving1 bleeding1 and believing hearts in a redeemed humanity6 ,how full of a sweet1 secret comfort1 even triumph1 is this heavenly farewell3 ,it is 'the peace which passeth understanding4' ',rest ,thee softly' is the burden of the song4 ,one chorus sings it1 and the other echoes ',softly rest2' then both together swell the strain4 ,many times as this recurs1 not only in the voices1 but in the introduction and frequent interludes of the exceedingly full orchestra1 which sounds as human as if it too had breath and conscious feeling1 you still crave more of it2 for it is as if your soul were bathed in new life inexhaustible4 ,no chorus ever sung is surer to enlist the singers' hearts4 ,the ,magnificat in ,d4 ,the ,magnificat in ,d--known as the ,great ,magnificat1 to distinguish it from the smaller--is considered one of the grandest illustrations of ,bach's genius4 ,it was composed for ,christmas ,day1 #agbc4 ,spitta says3-- ,the performance of the cantata ',christen1 aetzet diesen ,tag1' with its attendant ',sanctus1' took place during the morning service1 and was sung by the first choir in the ,nikolaikirche4 ,in the evening the cantata was repeated by the same choir in the ,thomaskirche2 and after the sermon the ,hymn of the ,virgin was sung1 set in its ,latin form1 and in an elaborate style4 ,for this purpose ,bach wrote his great ',magnificat4' ,for the occasion of this festival he expanded the ,biblical text into four vocal numbers2 but in describing the work it is only necessary to give it as it is now generally sung4 ,the work is written for a five-part chorus1 with organ and orchestral accompaniment4 ,after a concerted introduction1 foreshadowing the general character of the music1 it opens with the chorus1 ,magnificat anima mea1 in fugal form1 worked up with that wonderful power of construction for which ,bach is so renowned among all composers4 ,it is followed by an aria for second soprano 7,et exultavit spiritus meus3 in ,deo salutari meo71 which is in the same key and has the same general feeling as the opening chorus1 that of ,christmas rejoicing4 ,it in turn is followed by an aria for first soprano 7,quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae71 of which ,spitta says3 ,scarcely ever has the idea of virgin purity1 simplicity1 and humble happiness found more perfect expression than in this ,german picture of the ,madonna1 translated as it were into musical language4 ,it leads directly to the chorus which takes up the unfinished words of the soprano 7,omnes generationes71 each part overlaying the other as it enters1 and closing in canon form in grave and colossal harmony4 ,its next number is an aria for bass 7,quia fecit mihi magna71 of a simple and joyous character4 ,it is followed by a melodious duet for alto and tenor 7,et misericordia71 with violin and flute accompaniment1 setting forth the mercy of ,god1 in contrast with which the powerful and energetic chorus 7,fecit potentiam7 which succeeds it1 is very striking in its effect4 ,two beautiful arias for tenor 7,deposuit potentes de sede7 and alto 7,esurientes implevit bonis7 follow1 the latter being exquisitely tender in its expression1 and lead to the terzetto 7,suscepit ,israel puerum suum3 recordatus misericordiae suae71 arranged in chorale form1 and very plaintive and even melancholy in style4 ,its mourning is soon lost1 however1 in the stupendous five-part fugue 7,sicut locutus est7 which follows it and which leads to the triumphant ,gloria1 closing the work1--a chorus of extraordinary majesty and power4 ,spitta1 in his exhaustive analysis of ,bach's music1 says of this ,magnificat3-- ,it is emphatically distinct from the rest of ,bach's grand church compositions by the compactness and concentrated power of the separate numbers1--particularly of the choruses1--by the lavish use of the means at command1 and by its vividly emotional and yet not too agitating variety4 ,it stands at the entrance of a new path and a fresh period of his productivity1 at once full of significance in itself and of promise for the future development of the perennial genius which could always re-create itself from its own elements4 ,,beethoven4 ,a general sketch of the life and musical accomplishments of ,beethoven has already appeared in the companion to this work1 ,the ,standard ,operas4 ,in this connection1 however1 it seems eminently fitting that some attention should be paid to the religious sentiments of the great composer and the sacred works which he produced4 ,he was a formal member of the ,roman ,church1 but at the same time an ardent admirer of some of the ,protestant doctrines4 ,his religious observances1 however1 were peculiarly his own4 ,his creed had little in common with any of the ordinary forms of ,christianity4 ,a writer in ,macmillan's ,magazine some years ago very clearly defined his religious position in the statement that his faith rested on a pantheistic abstraction which he called ,love4 ,he interpreted everything by the light of this sentiment1 which took the form of an endless longing1 sometimes deeply sad1 at others rising to the highest exaltation4 ,an illustration of this in its widest sense may be found in the choral part of the ,ninth ,symphony4 ,he at times attempted to give verbal expression to this ecstatic faith which filled him1 and at such times he reminds us of the ,mystics4 ,the following passages1 which he took from the inscription on the temple of the ,egyptian goddess ,neith at ,sais1 and called his creed1 explain this3 ,i am that which is4 ,i am all that is1 that was1 and that shall be4 ,no mortal man hath lifted my veil4 ,he is alone by ,himself1 and to ,him alone do all things owe their being4 ,with all this mysticism his theology was practical1 as is shown by his criticism of the words which ,moscheles appended to his arrangement of ,fidelio4 ,the latter wrote at the close of his work3 ,fine1 with ,god's help4 ,beethoven added3 ,o man6 help thyself4 ,that he was deeply religious by nature1 however1 is constantly shown in his letters4 ,wandering alone at evening among the mountains1 he sketched a hymn to the words1 ,god alone is our ,lord4 ,in the extraordinary letter which he wrote to his brothers1 ,carl and ,johann1 he says3 ,god looks into my heart4 ,he searches it1 and knows that love for man and feelings of benevolence have their abode there4 ,in a letter to ,bettina von ,arnim1 he writes3 ,if ,i am spared for some years to come1 ,i will thank the ,omniscient1 the ,omnipotent1 for the boon1 as ,i do for all other weal and woe4 ,in ,spohr's album his inscription is a musical setting of the words1 ,short is the pain1 eternal is the joy4 ,in a letter to the ,archduke ,rudolph1 written in #ahag1 he gives no uncertain expression to his divine trust4 ,he says3 ,my confidence is placed in ,providence1 who will vouchsafe to hear my prayer1 and one day set me free from all my troubles2 for ,i have served him faithfully from my childhood1 and done good whenever it was in my power4 ,so my trust is in him alone1 and ,i feel that the ,almighty will not allow me to be utterly crushed by all my manifold trials4 ,even in a business letter he says3 ,i assure you on my honor--which1 next to ,god1 is what ,i prize most--that ,i authorized no one to accept commissions from me4 ,his letters indeed abound in references to his constant reliance upon a higher ,power4 ,the oratorio1 ,christ on the ,mount of ,olives1 six sacred songs set to poems of ,gellert1 the ,mass in ,c written for ,prince ,esterhazy1 and the ,grand ,mass in ,d written for the ,archduke ,rudolph1 one of the grandest and most impressive works in the entire realm of sacred music1 attest the depth and fervency of his religious nature4 ,the ,mount of ,olives4 ,beethoven wrote but one oratorio1 ,christus am ,oelberg 7,christ on the ,mount of ,olives74 ,that he had others in contemplation1 however1 at different periods of his life is shown by his letters4 ,in #ahji he wrote to ,freiherr von ,hammer-,purgstall1 a famous ,oriental scholar1 appointing an interview for the discussion of the latter's poem on the subject of the deluge1 with reference to its fitness for treatment as an oratorio4 ,again1 in #ahbd1 he writes to ,vincenz ,hauschka1 of ,vienna1 that he has decided to write an oratorio on the text furnished by ,bernard1 the subject being ,the ,victory of the ,cross4 ,this work1 however1 owing to his extreme physical sufferings at that period1 was never begun1 and the world thereby has suffered a great musical loss2 for1 judging from his great ,mass in ,d1 no one can doubt how majestic and impressive the ,victory of the ,cross would have been1 as compared with the ,mount of ,olives1 written in his earlier period1 and before any of his masterpieces had appeared4 ,the ,mount of ,olives was begun in #ahjj1 and finished during the following year4 ,beethoven never remained in ,vienna during the summer4 ,the discomforts of the city and his intense love for ,nature urged him out into the pleasantly wooded suburbs of the city1 where he could live and work in seclusion4 ,upon this occasion he selected the little village of ,hetzendorf1 adjoining the gardens of the imperial palace of ,schoenbrunn1 where the ,elector1 his old patron1 was living in retirement4 ,trees were his delight4 ,in a letter to ,madame von ,drossdick1 he says3 ,woods1 trees1 and rocks give the response which man requires4 ,every tree seems to say1 ',holy1 ,holy6' ,in the midst of these delightful surroundings he found his favorite tree1 at whose base he composed the larger part of the oratorio1 as well as his opera ,fidelio4 ,schindler says3 ,a circumstance connected with both these great works1 and of which ,beethoven many years afterwards still retained a lively recollection1 was1 that he composed them in the thickest part of the wood in the park of ,schoenbrunn1 seated between the two stems of an oak1 which shot out from the main trunk at the height of about two feet from the ground4 ,this remarkable tree1 in that part of the park to the left of the ,gloriett1 ,i found with ,beethoven in #ahbc1 and the sight of it called forth interesting reminiscences of the former period4 ,the words of the oratorio were by ,huber1 the author of ,winter's ,unterbrochene ,opferfest1 and were written1 with ,beethoven's assistance1 in fourteen days4 ,that more time and attention were not given to the text was probably regretted by both poet and composer many times afterwards4 ,the first performance of the work in its entirety took place at ,vienna1 ,april #e1 #ahjc1 at the ,theater an der ,wien1 upon which occasion the programme also included the ,symphony in ,d 7second7 and the ,piano ,concerto in ,c minor1 the latter executed by himself4 ,the oratorio was received with enthusiasm1 and was repeated three times during that year4 ,the libretto of the work is unquestionably defective in the most salient qualities which should characterize the text of an oratorio1 even to the degree of extravagance and sensationalism4 ,it fails to reflect the sorrowful character of the scene it depicts1 and the dramatic requirements which it imposes are often strained1 and sometimes border on the grotesque4 ,the theatrical style of the narrative was deplored by ,beethoven himself at a subsequent period4 ,marx1 one of the keenest of critics1 says of the work3-- ,the poet had no other aim but that of making verses for a composer2 the latter1 no other motive than the ordinary creative impulse prompting him to try his powers in a different and important sphere4 ,the result on both sides could not therefore be other than phrases1 although the better of the two proceeded from the composer1 and that composer was ,beethoven4 ,to conceal or palliate this would be derogatory to the reverence which we all owe to ,beethoven2 he stands too high to be in need of extenuation4 ,this is ,marx's judgment2 and yet it must be said that the world for the most part has found more in the ,mount of ,olives than he has4 ,the oratorio is written for three solo voices 7,jesus1 ,peter1 and a ,seraph71 chorus1 and orchestra4 ,the narrative opens with the agony in the garden1 followed by the chant of a ,seraph reciting the divine goodness and foretelling the salvation of the righteous4 ,in the next scene ,jesus learns his fate from the ,seraph1 yields himself to approaching death1 and welcomes it4 ,the ,soldiers enter in pursuit1 and a tumult ensues as the ,apostles find themselves surrounded4 ,peter draws his sword and gives vent to his indignation2 but is rebuked both by ,jesus and the ,seraph1 and together they conjure him to be silent and endure whatever may happen4 ,the ,soldiers1 discovering ,jesus1 rush upon him and bind him4 ,the ,disciples express their apprehension that they too will suffer2 but ,jesus uncomplainingly surrenders himself1 and a chorus of rejoicing completes the work4 ,from this brief sketch the artificial and distorted manner of treating the solemn subject will be evident4 ,the score opens with an adagio introduction for instruments which is of a very dramatic character1 and1 unlike nearly all of the sacred music of that time1 is noticeable for the absence of the fugue4 ,barbedette1 the great ,french critic1 pronounces it the chef-d'oeuvre of introductions1 and a masterpiece in the serious style4 ,the first number is a recitative and aria for tenor1 sung by ,jesus 7,all my ,soul within me shudders71 which1 notwithstanding the anomaly of such a scene in such surroundings1 is simple and touching in expression4 ,the ,seraph follows with a scene and aria 7,praise the ,redeemer's ,goodness71 concluding with a brilliant and jubilant obligato with chorus 7,o triumph1 all ye ,ransomed74 ,the next number is an elaborate duet between ,jesus and the ,seraph 7,on me then fall ,thy heavy ,judgment71 which is still more anomalous than the scene and aria with which ,jesus opens the work4 ,in a short recitative passage1 ,jesus welcomes death2 and then ensues one of the most powerful numbers in the work1 the chorus of ,soldiers in march time 7,we surely here shall find ,him71 interspersed with the cries of the ,people demanding his death1 and the lamentations of the ,apostles4 ,at the conclusion of the tumult a dialogue ensues between ,jesus and ,peter 7,not unchastised shall this audacious ,band71 which leads up to the crowning anomaly of the work1 a trio between ,jesus1 ,peter1 and the ,seraph1 with chorus 7,o1 ,sons of ,men1 with ,gladness74 ,the closing number1 a chorus of angels 7,hallelujah1 ,god's ,almighty ,son71 is introduced with a short but massive symphony leading to a jubilant burst of ,hallelujah1 which finally resolves itself into a glorious fugue1 accompanied with all that wealth of instrumentation of which ,beethoven was the consummate master4 ,in all sacred music it is difficult to find a choral number which can surpass it in majesty or power4 ,the ,english versions of the ,mount of ,olives differ materially from the ,german in the text4 ,numerous efforts have been made to avoid the incongruity of the original narrative1 but with poor success4 ,it was first produced in ,england in #ahad by ,sir ,george ,smart during the ,lenten oratorios at ,drury ,lane1 the ,english version of which was made by ,arnold1 at that time manager of the ,king's ,theatre4 ,still later it was produced again1 and the adapter compromised by using the third person1 as ',jehovah1 ,thou1 ,o ,father1' saith the ,lord our ,saviour4 ,two other versions were made by ,thomas ,oliphant and ,mr4 ,bartholomew1 but these were not successful4 ,at last the aversion to the personal part of ,jesus led to an entirely new text1 called ,engedi1 the words of which were written by ,dr4 ,henry ,hudson1 of ,dublin1 and founded upon the persecution of ,david by ,saul in the wilderness1 as described in parts of chapters xxiii41 xxiv41 and xxvi4 of the first book of ,samuel4 ,the characters introduced are ,david1 ,abishai1 and the ,prophetess1 the latter corresponding to the ,seraph in the original4 ,the compiler himself in his preface says3-- ,so far as was possible1 the author has availed himself of ,scripture language1 and ,david's words have been taken 7almost wholly7 from the ,psalms generally attributed to him1 though of course not in regular order1 as it has invariably throughout been the writer's first object to select words adapting themselves to the original music in its continually varying expression1 which could not have been done had he taken any one psalm as his text4 ,how far the author has succeeded1 he must leave to others to determine4 ,the substituted story has not proved successful1 principally because the music1 which was written for an entirely different one1 is not adapted to it4 ,the latest version is that of the ,rev4 ,j4 ,troutbeck1 prepared for the ,leeds festivals1 in which the ,saviour is again introduced4 ,,bennett4 ,william ,sterndale ,bennett1 one of the most gifted and individual of ,english composers1 was born at ,sheffield1 ,april #ac1 #ahaf4 ,his musical genius displayed itself early1 and in his tenth year he was placed in the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 of which in his later years he became principal4 ,he received his early instruction in composition from ,lucas and ,dr4 ,crotch1 and studied the piano with ,cipriani ,potter1 who had been a pupil of ,mozart4 ,the first composition which gained him distinction was the ,concerto in ,d minor1 written in #ahcb1 which was followed by the ,capriccio in ,d minor4 ,during the next three years he produced the overture to ,parisina1 the ,f minor ,concerto1 and the ,naiades overture1 the success of which was so great that a prominent musical house in ,london offered to send him to ,leipsic for a year4 ,he went there1 and soon won his way to the friendship of ,schumann and ,mendelssohn4 ,with the latter he was on very intimate terms1 which has led to the erroneous statement that he was his pupil4 ,in #ahdj he made a second visit to ,leipsic1 where he composed his ,caprice in ,e1 and ,the ,wood ,nymphs overture4 ,in #ahdb he returned to ,england1 and for several years was busily engaged with chamber concerts4 ,in #ahdi he founded the ,bach ,society1 arranged the ,matthew ,passion music of that composer1 as well as the ,christmas ,oratorio1 and brought out the former work in #ahed4 ,the previous year he was offered the distinguished honor of the conductorship of the ,gewandhaus concerts at ,leipsic1 but did not accept4 ,in #ahef he was appointed conductor of the ,philharmonic ,society1 and filled the position for ten years1 resigning it to take the head of the ,royal ,academy of ,music4 ,in the same year he was elected musical professor at ,cambridge1 where he received the degree of ,doctor of ,music and other honors4 ,in #aheh his beautiful cantata1 ,the ,may ,queen1 was produced at the ,leeds ,festival1 and in #ahfb the ,paradise and the ,peri overture1 written for the ,philharmonic ,society4 ,in #ahfg his oratorio1 or1 as he modestly terms it1 sacred cantata1 ,the ,woman of ,samaria1 was produced with great success at the ,birmingham ,festival4 ,in #ahgj he was honored with a degree by the ,university of ,oxford1 and a year later received the empty distinction of knighthood4 ,his last public appearance was at a festival in ,brighton in #ahgd1 where he conducted his ,woman of ,samaria4 ,he died ,feb4 #a1 #ahge1 and was buried in ,westminster ,abbey with distinguished honors4 ,his musical ability was as widely recognized in ,germany as in ,england1--indeed his profound musical scholarship and mastery of problems in composition were more appreciated there4 ,mr4 ,statham1 in an admirable sketch1 pronounces him a born pianist1 and says that his wonderful knowledge of the capabilities of the piano1 and his love for it1 developed into favoritism in some of his concerted music4 ,a friend of the composer1 recalling some reminiscences of him in ,fraser1 says that his music is full of beauty and expression1 displays a remarkable fancy1 a keen love of ,nature1 and at times true religious devotion1 but that it does not contain a single note of passion4 ,his only sacred music is the short oratorio1 ,the ,woman of ,samaria1 and four anthems3 ,now1 my ,god1 let1 ,i beseech ,thee1 ,remember now thy ,creator1 ,o that ,i knew1 and ,the ,fool hath said in his ,heart4 ,it has been well said of him3 ,in his whole career he never condescended to write a single note for popular effect1 nor can a bar of his music be quoted which in style and aim does not belong to what is highest in musical art4 ,the ,woman of ,samaria4 ,the ,woman of ,samaria1 a short1 one-part oratorio1 styled by its composer a sacred cantata1 was first produced at the ,birmingham ,festival1 ,aug4 #bg1 #ahfg2 though one of his biographers affirms that as early as #ahdc he was shown a chorus for six voices1 treated antiphonally1 which ,bennett himself informed him was to be introduced in an oratorio he was then contemplating1 and that this chorus1 if not identical with ,therefore they shall come1 in ,the ,woman of ,samaria1 is at least the foundation of it4 ,the work is written for four solo voices1 chorus1 and orchestra4 ,the soprano takes the part of the ,woman of ,samaria1 the other parts being impersonal4 ,the music for the contralto is mainly declamatory4 ,tha tenor has a single aria1 while the bass1 with one exception1 has the part of ,narrator1 the words of our ,saviour being attributed to him and invariably introduced in the third personal form1--which is a striking proof of the devotional spirit of the composer1 as in all other instances1 after the announcement by the ,narrator1 the ,woman sings her own words4 ,the chorus1 as in the passion-music of ,bach1 has the reflective numbers and moralizes on the various situations as they occur1 except in one number1 ,now we believe1 where it declaims the words as a part of the narrative itself4 ,the text for chorus is selected from appropriate parts of the ,scriptures which are in keeping with the events forming the groundwork of its reflections4 ,the story is taken from the fourth chapter of the ,gospel according to ,saint ,john1 and follows literally the narrative of the journey of the ,saviour into ,samaria1--his rest at ,jacob's well1 his meeting with the woman who came thither to draw water1 and the conversation which followed2 the only interruptions being the reflections1 not only by the chorus1 but also by the contralto and tenor1 these episodes being taken mostly from the ,prophecies and ,psalms4 ,the oratorio opens with a brief instrumental introduction and chorale 7,ye ,christian ,people1 now rejoice7 for sopranos alone1 the melody of which first appeared in the ,geistliche ,lieder1 issued at ,wittenberg in #aece4 ,the words are a translation of the old hymn1 ,nun freut euch1 lieben ,christen ,g'mein1 to which the tune was formerly sung in ,germany4 ,the treatment of this chorale1 by combining it with the instrumental movement in opposing rhythms1 shows the powerful influence which the composer's close study of ,bach had upon him4 ,its effect in introducing the scenes which follow reminds one of the grace before the feast4 ,it dies away in slow and gentle numbers1 and then follows the opening recitative of the oratorio proper 7,then cometh ,jesus to a ,city of ,samaria71 sung by the contralto1 and leading up to an arioso chorus 7,blessed be the ,lord ,god of ,israel71 the words taken from the ,gospel of ,saint ,luke4 ,the next number is a very graceful and artistic combination1 opening with recitative for contralto1 bass1 and soprano1 leading to an adagio solo for bass 7,if thou knewest the ,gift of ,god71 and ending with a closely harmonious chorus in the same rhythm 7,for with ,thee is the ,well of ,life71 the words from the ,psalms4 ,the dialogue between ,jesus and the ,woman is then resumed1 leading to a solo by the latter 7,art ,thou greater than our ,father ,jacob874 ,the question is sung and repeated in declamatory tones constantly increasing in power and expressive of defiance4 ,bennett was a bitter opponent of ,wagner2 but in the unvocal and declamatory character of this solo1 and in the dramatic force he has given to it1 to the sacrifice of melody1 he certainly ventured some distance in the ,wagnerian direction4 ,the next number1 the reply of ,jesus 7,whosoever drinketh71 sung1 as usual1 by the bass voice1 is in striking contrast with the question4 ,instead of full orchestra1 it has the accompaniment of the strings and first and second horns only1 reminding one of ,bach's method of accompanying the part assigned to ,jesus in his ,st4 ,matthew ,passion4 ,this number is followed by a spirited fortissimo chorus 7,therefore with ,joy shall ye draw ,water71 sung to the full strength of voice and orchestra4 ,after the dialogue in which ,jesus acquaints the ,woman with the incidents of her past life1 the contralto voice has an exquisite solo 7,o ,lord1 ,thou hast searched me out71 full of tenderness and expression1 in which the opening phrase is repeated in the finale and gains intensity by a change of harmony4 ,the dialogue1 in which the divine character of ,jesus becomes apparent to the ,woman1 is resumed1 and leads to a beautifully constructed chorus in six parts 7,therefore they shall come and sing71 followed by an impressive and deeply devotional quartet for the principals1 unaccompanied 7,god is a ,spirit71--to which an additional interest is lent from the fact that it was sung in ,westminster ,abbey upon the occasion of the composer's funeral4 ,a few bars of recitative lead to a chorus in close1 solid harmony 7,who is the ,image of the ,invisible ,god71 with organ accompaniment only1 which in turn1 after a few more bars of recitative for contralto and soprano1 is followed by the chorus 7,come1 ,o ,israel71 sung pianissimo and accompanied by entire orchestra4 ,the next number1 as the oratorio is now performed1 is one which has been introduced4 ,it is a soprano aria1 ,i will love ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 which was found among the composer's manuscripts after his death4 ,the preface to the revised edition of the oratorio has the following reference to this number3-- ,in justification of so bold a step as the introduction of a new number1 it is interesting to point out that the composer felt the ,woman of ,samaria ought to sing a song of conversion in the portion of the cantata in which the new air is placed4 ,it is clear from the original preface#b that he thought of her as an impulsive woman who would naturally be carried from worldliness into the opposite extreme of religious devotion4 ,the introduction of the air also gives more importance to the soprano part and relieves the succession of choral movements in the close of the work4 ,the remaining numbers are the beautiful chorale1 ,abide with me1 fast falls the ,eventide2 the chorus1 ,now we believe1 one of the most finished in the whole work2 a short tenor solo 7,his ,salvation is nigh them that fear ,him71--the only one in the oratorio for that voice2 the chorus1 ,i will call upon the ,lord2 and the final imposing fugue1 ,blessed be the ,lord ,god of ,israel4 ,the last number is a fitting close to a work which is not only highly descriptive of its subject throughout1 but also full of feeling and devotional reverence4 #b ,with regard to the ,woman of ,samaria herself1 it will be plainly seen that the composer has treated her as a secular and worldly character1 though not without indications here and there of that strong intuitive religious feeling which has never been denied to her4 ,this feeling is especially shown when she says3 ',i know that ,messias cometh2 when ,he is come ,he will tell us all things4' ,also1 towards the end of the narrative1 where she passionately exclaims to the ,samaritans3 ',come1 see a man who told me all the things that ever ,i did3 is not this the ,christ8'--,original ,preface4 ,,berlioz4 ,hector ,berlioz1 one of the most renowned of modern ,french composers1 and an acute critic and skilful conductor as well1 was born1 ,dec4 #aa1 #ahjc1 at ,la ,cote ,st4 ,andre1 in ,france4 ,his father was a physician1 and intended him for the same profession4 ,he reluctantly went to ,paris and began the study of medicine2 but music became his engrossing passion1 and medicine was abandoned4 ,he entered the ,conservatory as a pupil of ,lesueur1 and soon showed himself superior to all his masters1 except ,cherubini1--which aroused a strong opposition to him and his compositions4 ,it was only after repeated trials that he took the first prize1 with his cantata1 ,sardanapale1 which entitled him to go to ,italy for three years4 ,on his return to ,paris he encountered renewed antipathy4 ,his music was not well received1 and he was obliged to support himself by conducting at concerts and writing articles for the press4 ,as a final resort he organized a concert tour through ,germany and ,russia1 the details of which are contained in his extremely interesting ,autobiography4 ,at these concerts his own music was the staple of the programmes1 and it met with great success1 though not always played by the best of orchestras1 and not always well by the best1 as his own testimony shows2 for his compositions are very exacting1 and call for every resource known to the modern orchestra4 ,the ,germans were quick in appreciating his music1 but it was not until after his death that his ability was conceded in ,france4 ,in #ahci he was appointed librarian of the ,conservatory1 and in #ahef was made a member of the ,french ,academy4 ,these were the only honors he received1 though he long sought to obtain a professorship in the ,conservatory4 ,a romantic but sad incident in his life was his violent passion for ,miss ,smithson1 an ,irish actress1 whom he saw upon the ,paris stage in the role of ,ophelia1 at a time when ,victor ,hugo had revived an admiration for ,shakspeare among the ,french4 ,he married her1 but did not live with her long1 owing to her bad temper and ungovernable jealousy2 though after the separation he honorably contributed to her support out of the pittance he was earning4 ,among his great works are the opera1 ,benvenuto ,cellini2 the symphony with chorus1 ,romeo and ,juliet2 ,beatrice and ,benedict2 ,les ,troyens1 the text from ,virgil's ,a,eneid2 the symphony1 ,harold in ,italy2 the symphony1 ,funebre et ,triomphale2 the ,damnation of ,faust2 a double chorused ,te ,deum2 the ,symphony ,fantastique2 the ,requiem2 and the sacred trilogy1 ,l',enfance du ,christ4 ,berlioz stands among all other composers as the foremost representative of programme music1 and has left explicit and very detailed explanations of the meaning of his works1 so that the hearer may listen intelligently by seeing the external objects his music is intended to picture4 ,in the knowledge of individual instruments and the grouping of them for effect1 in warmth of imagination and brilliancy of color1 and in his daring combinations and fantastic moods1 which are sometimes carried to the very verge of eccentricity1 he is a colossus among modern musicians4 ,he died in ,paris1 ,march #h1 #ahfi4 ,the ,requiem4 ,ferdinand ,hiller writes in his ,kuenstlerleben3 ,hector ,berlioz does not belong to our musical solar system2 he does not belong to the planets1 neither to the large nor to the small4 ,he was a comet1 shining far1 somewhat eerie to look at1 soon again disappearing2 but his appearance will remain unforgotten4 ,the ,requiem 7,messe des ,morts7 exemplifies ,hiller's words4 ,it is colossal1 phenomenal1 and altogether unique4 ,it is not sacred1 for it never came from the heart4 ,it is not solemn1 though it is a drama of death4 ,it is a combination of the picturesque1 fantastic1 and sublime1 in a tone-poem dedicated to the dead4 ,in #ahcf ,berlioz was requested by ,m4 de ,gasparin1 ,minister of the ,interior1 to write a requiem commemorating the victims of the ,july ,revolution2 but the work was not given to the public until #ahcg1 when it was sung at the ,invalides in memory of ,general ,damremont and the soldiers killed at the siege of ,constantina4 ,it was subsequently asserted by ,berlioz that ,cherubini had conspired with others in the ,conservatory to prevent its performance and to secure that of his own1 by virtue of the precedence which his position gave him4 ,the charge1 however1 must have been a mere fancy on his part1 as he had already written a letter to ,cherubini1 saying3-- ,i am deeply touched by the noble abnegation which leads you to refuse your admirable ,requiem for the ceremony of the ,invalides4 ,be convinced of my heartiest gratitude4 ,the work embraced ten numbers3 ,i4 ,requiem and ,kyrie 7,requiem aeternam dona eis72 ,,ii41 ,,iii41 ,,iv41 ,v41 and ,,vi41 including different motives taken from the hymn1 ,dies ,irae2 ,,vii4 ,offertorium2 ,,viii4 ,hostias et ,preces2 ,,ix4 ,sanctus2 ,x4 ,agnus ,dei4 ,it will be observed that the composer has not followed the formal sequences of the ,mass1 and that he has not only omitted some of the parts1 but has also frequently taken license with those which he uses4 ,this may be accounted for in two ways4 ,first1 he was not of a religious nature4 ,hiller1 in the work already quoted1 says of him3 ,of his ,catholic education every trace had disappeared4 ,doubts of all sorts had possession of him1 and the contempt of what he called 'prejudice' bordered on the monstrous4 ,berlioz believed neither in a ,god nor in ,bach4 ,second1 it is evident from the construction of the work throughout that it was his purpose simply to give free rein to his fancy and to express1 even at the risk of being theatrical1 the emotions of sublimity1 terror1 and awe called up by the associations of the subject4 ,this he could not have done with a free hand had he been bound down to the set forms of the ,mass4 ,after a brief but majestic instrumental introduction1 the voices enter upon the ,requiem1--a beautiful and solemn strain4 ,the movement is built upon three melodies set to the words1 ,requiem aeternam1 ,tu decet ,hymnus1 and the ,kyrie1 the accompaniment of which is very descriptive and characteristic4 ,the ,kyrie is specially impressive1 the chant of the sopranos being answered by the tenors and basses in unison1 and the whole closing with a dirge-like movement by the orchestra4 ,the ,dies ,irae is the most spirited as well as impressive number of the work4 ,it is intensely dramatic in its effects1 indeed it might be called theatrical4 ,berlioz seems to have fairly exhausted the resources of instruments to produce the feeling of awful sublimity and overwhelming power1 even to the verge of the most daring eccentricity and1 as one prominent critic expressed it1 terrible cataclysms4 ,the first part of the ,dies ,irae will always be remarkable for the orchestral arrangement4 ,after the climax of the motive1 ,quantus tremor est futurus1 there is a pause which is significant by its very silence2 it is the hush before the storm4 ,suddenly from either angle of the stage or hall1 in addition to the principal orchestra in front1 four smaller bands of trombones1 trumpets1 and tubas crash in with overwhelming power in the announcement of the terrors of the day of judgment4 ,the effect is like that of peal upon peal of thunder4 ,at its culmination the bass voices enter in unison upon the words1 ,tuba mirum1 in the midst of another orchestral storm1 which is still further heightened by an unusual number of kettledrums4 ,from the beginning to the close1 this part of the ,dies ,irae is simply cyclopean2 words cannot describe its overwhelming power4 ,it is a relief when the storm has passed over1 and we come to the next verse 7,quid sum miser71 for the basses and tenors1 though mostly for the first tenors4 ,it is a breathing spell of quiet delight4 ,it is given in the softest of tone1 and is marked in the score to be sung with an expression of humility and awe4 ,it leads to the andante number 7,rex tremendae majestatis71 which is sung fortissimo throughout1 and accompanied with another tremendous outburst of harmonious thunder in crashing chords1 which continues up to the last eight bars1 when the voices drop suddenly from the furious fortissimo to an almost inaudible pianissimo on the words ,salve me4 ,the next verse 7,quaerens me7 is an unaccompanied six-part chorus in imitative style1 of very close harmony4 ,the ,dies ,irae ends with the ,lachrymosa1 the longest and most interesting number in the work4 ,it is thoroughly melodic1 and is peculiarly strengthened by a pathetic and sentimental accompaniment1 which1 taken in connection with the choral part against which it is set1 presents an almost inexhaustible variety of rhythms and an originality of technical effects which are astonishing4 ,its general character is broad and solemn1 and it closes with a return to the ,dies ,irae1 with full chorus and all the orchestras4 ,this finishes the ,dies ,irae section of the work4 ,the next number is the ,offertorium1 in which the voices are limited to a simple phrase of two notes1 ,a alternating with ,b flat1 which is never varied throughout the somewhat long movement4 ,it never becomes monotonous1 however1 so rich and varied is the instrumentation4 ,the ,hostias et ,preces1--sustained by the tenors and basses1 a very solemn and majestic movement1--displays another of ,berlioz's eccentricities1 the accompaniment at the close of the first phrase being furnished by three flutes and eight tenor trombones1 which one enemy of the composer says represents the distance from the sublime to the ridiculous4 ,the ,sanctus1 a tenor solo with responses by the sopranos and altos1 is full of poetical1 almost sensuous beauty1 and is the most popular number in the work4 ,it closes with a fugue on the words ,hosanna in ,excelsis4 ,the final number is the ,agnus ,dei1 a chorus for male voices1 in which the composer once more employs the peculiar combination of flutes and tenor trombones4 ,in this number he also returns to the music of the opening number1 ,requiem aeternam1 and closes it with an ,amen softly dying away4 ,thus ends the ,requiem1--a work which will always be the subject of critical dispute1 owing to its numerous innovations on existing musical forms and the daring manner in which the composer has treated it4 ,the following sketch of the first performance of the ,requiem1 taken from ,berlioz's ,autobiography1 will be found interesting in this connection4 ,it is necessary to preface it with the statement that the director of the ,beaux-,arts had insisted that ,habeneck should conduct the work4 ,as ,berlioz had quarrelled with the old conductor1 and had not been on speaking terms with him for three years1 he at first refused2 but subsequently consented1 on condition that he should conduct at one full rehearsal4 ,berlioz says3-- ,the day of the performance arrived in the ,church of the ,invalides1 before all the princes1 peers1 and deputies1 the ,french press1 the correspondents of foreign papers1 and an immense crowd4 ,it was absolutely essential for me to have a great success2 a moderate one would have been fatal1 and a failure would have annihilated me altogether4 ,now1 listen attentively4 ,the various groups of instruments in the orchestra were tolerably widely separated1 especially the four brass bands introduced in the ',tuba mirum1' each of which occupied a corner of the entire orchestra4 ,there is no pause between the ',dies ,irae' and ',tuba mirum1' but the pace of the latter movement is reduced to half what it was before4 ,at this point the whole of the brass enters1 first altogether1 and then in passages1 answering and interrupting1 each a third higher than the last4 ,it is obvious that it is of the greatest importance that the four beats of the new tempo should be distinctly marked1 or else the terrible explosion which ,i had so carefully prepared1 with combinations and proportions never attempted before or since1 and which1 rightly performed1 gives such a picture of the ,last ,judgment as ,i believe is destined to live1 would be a mere enormous and hideous confusion4 ,with my habitual mistrust1 ,i had stationed myself behind ,habeneck1 and1 turning my back on him1 overlooked the group of kettledrums1 which he could not see1 when the moment approached for them to take part in the general melee4 ,there are perhaps one thousand bars in my ,requiem4 ,precisely in that of which ,i have just been speaking1 when the movement is retarded and the wind instruments burst in with their terrible flourish of trumpets2 in fact1 just in the one bar where the conductor's motion is absolutely indispensable1--,habeneck puts down his baton1 quietly takes out his snuffbox1 and proceeds to take a pinch of snuff4 ,i always had my eye in his direction1 and instantly turned rapidly on one heel1 and1 springing before him1 ,i stretched out my arm and marked the four great beats of the new movement4 ,the orchestras followed me each in order4 ,i conducted the piece to the end1 and the effect which ,i had longed for was produced4 ,when1 at the last words of the chorus1 ,habeneck saw that the ',tuba ,mirum' was saved1 he said3 ',what a cold perspiration ,i have been in6 ,without you we should have been lost4' ',yes1 ,i know1' ,i answered1 looking fixedly at him4 ,i did not add another word4444 ,had he done it on purpose8444 ,could it be possible that this man had dared to join my enemy1 the director1 and ,cherubini's friends1 in plotting and attempting such rascality8 ,i don't wish to believe it 444 but ,i cannot doubt it4 ,god forgive me if ,i am doing the man injustice6 ,the success of the ',requiem' was complete1 in spite of all the conspiracies--cowardly1 atrocious1 officious1 and official--which would fain have hindered it4 ,,brahms4 ,johannes ,brahms1 one of the most eminent of living ,german composers1 was born at ,hamburg1 ,may #g1 #ahcc4 ,his father was a double-bass player in the orchestra in that city1 and devoted his son at a very early age to his own profession4 ,his first piano teacher was ,cossell2 but to ,eduard ,marxsen1 the ,royal ,music ,director1 he owes his real success as a composer4 ,brahms remained in ,hamburg until #ahec1 when he went upon a concert-tour with ,remenyi1 the eccentric and somewhat sensational ,hungarian1 who has been a familiar figure upon the ,american concert-stage4 ,he remained with him1 however1 but a very short time1 for in ,october of that year they parted company4 ,brahms had attracted the notice of ,liszt and ,joachim2 and it may have been through their advice that the musical partnership was dissolved4 ,in any event1 soon after leaving ,remenyi he went to ,duesseldorf and visited ,schumann4 ,it was the latter who announced him to the world in such strong words as these3-- ,in following with the greatest interest the paths of these elect ,joachim1 ,naumann1 ,norman1 ,bargiel1 ,kirchner1 ,schaeffer1 ,dietrich1 and ,wilsing1 ,i thought that after such forerunners there would1 and must at last1 all on a sudden appear one whose mission it would be to utter the highest expression of his time in an ideal manner1--one who would attain mastery1 not by degrees1 but1 like ,minerva1 would at once spring completely armed from the head of ,cronion4444 ,may the highest genius give him strength for that of which there is hope1 as in him dwells also another genius1 that of modesty6 ,we bid him welcome as a strong champion4 ,the next year 7#ahed7 appeared his first works1--three sonatas1 a trio1 scherzo for piano1 and three books of songs4 ,after a visit to ,liszt at ,weimar1 he settled down as chorus-conductor and music-teacher at the court of ,lippe-,detmold1 where he remained a few years4 ,during this period he devoted himself assiduously to composition4 ,after leaving ,detmold1 he successively resided in ,hamburg1 ,zuerich1 and ,baden-,baden1 though most of his time has been spent in ,vienna1 where he has directed the ,singakademie and the concerts of the ,gesellschaft der ,musikfreunde4 ,schumann's prophecy has been made good2 ,brahms is to-day one of the most eminent of living musicians4 ,among his most famous compositions are a ,funeral ,hymn for chorus and wind-band2 the ,german ,requiem2 ,triumphlied1 for double-chorus and orchestra2 ,schicksallied1 for chorus and orchestra2 five symphonies2 variations on a theme of ,haydn1 for orchestra2 the ,tragic and ,academic overtures2 and several trios1 quartets1 quintets1 sextets1 concertos1 and sonatas4 ,the ,german ,requiem4 ,the ,german ,requiem1 so called1 is not a requiem in its sentiment1 nor in any sense a religious service4 ,the poem is full of consolation for the mourner1 of assurances of joy hereafter1 of warnings against the pomps and vanities of the world1 and closes with the victory of the saints over death and the grave4 ,it might with more propriety be called a sacred cantata4 ,the work has seven numbers1--two baritone solos and chorus1 soprano solo and chorus1 and four separate choruses4 ,it was first performed at ,bremen on ,good ,friday1 #ahfh1 and in #ahgc was first heard in ,england4 ,it was also given at the ,cincinnati festival of #ahhd1 under ,mr4 ,thomas's direction4 ,the opening chorus 7,blessed are they that go mourning7 is beautifully written1 and is particularly noticeable for the richness of its accompaniment4 ,in the ,funeral ,march1 which follows1 a very graphic resemblance to the measured tread of the cortege is accomplished by the use of triple time4 ,in this1 as well as in numerous other instances1 the composer cuts loose from ordinary methods1 and in pure classical form and by the use of legitimate musical processes achieves what others seek to effect by sensuous or purely imitative music4 ,the third number 7,lord1 make me to know the ,measure of my ,days on ,earth7 opens with a baritone solo1 followed by two choral fugues1 which are solidly constructed1 though they are extremely difficult to sing1 and call for a chorus of unusual discipline and intelligence4 ,the fourth1 for chorus 7,how lovely is ,thy ,dwelling-place1 ,o ,lord of ,hosts71 is in striking contrast with its predecessor1 being a slow movement1 and very melodious in style4 ,the fifth 7,ye now are sorrowful1 grieve not71 for soprano solo and chorus1 shows the composer's unusual power as a song-writer1 as well as his melodious attractiveness when melody answers his purpose4 ,in the next number1 set for chorus with baritone solo responses 7,here on ,earth we have no continuing ,place1 we seek now a heavenly one71 the character of the music changes again1 and the resurrection of the dead is pictured in fugal passages of tremendous power and difficulty4 ,after the storm comes the calm again in the finale 7,blessed are the ,faithful who in the ,lord are sleeping71 which contains a reminiscence of the opening number1 and closes the work in a gentle1 but deeply serious strain4 ,it was the ,german ,requiem which first made ,brahms famous2 it confirmed all that ,schumann had said of him4 ,its great difficulties require an extraordinary chorus and orchestra2 but when these can be had1 the power and beauty of the work will always be conceded4 ,,costa4 ,michael ,costa1 the eminent conductor and composer1 was born at ,naples1 ,feb4 #d1 #ahaj4 ,having displayed musical aptitude at a very early age1 he was placed in the ,royal ,academy of ,music4 ,before his twenty-first year he had composed several works1 among them a mass for four voices1 a ,dixit ,dominus1 three symphonies1 an oratorio1 ,la ,passione1 the ballet music to ,kenilworth1 and the operas1 ,il ,delitto punito1 ,il ,sospetto funesto1 ,il carcere d' ,ildegonda1 and ,malvina1--the last for the ,san ,carlo at ,naples4 ,in #ahbi he was sent to ,england by his master ,zingarelli to conduct one of the latter's compositions at ,birmingham2 and that country thereafter became his home4 ,the next year he was engaged at the ,king's ,theatre1 now known as ,her ,majesty's1 as piano-master1 and two years later became the musical director4 ,he was the first to bring the band to its proper place1 though he had to make a hard fight against the ballet1 which at that time threatened to absorb both singers and orchestra1 and to sweep the musical drama from the stage4 ,he succeeded1 however1 and did much also to improve the composition of the orchestra4 ,while holding this position he wrote the ballets1 ,une heure a ,naples and ,sir ,huon for ,taglioni1 and ,alma for ,cerito1 the beautiful quartet1 ,ecco quel fiero istante1 and the operas ,malek ,adhel for ,paris in #ahcg1 and ,don ,carlos for ,london in #ahdd4 ,he remained at ,her ,majesty's ,theatre for fifteen years1 during which time he did a great work for singers and band1 and reduced the ballet to its proper rank4 ,in #ahdf he left his position and went to the new ,italian opera at ,covent ,garden1 where he remained for a quarter of a century1 absolute in his musical supremacy and free to deal with all works as he pleased1 among them those of ,meyerbeer1 at that time the most prominent composer in the operatic world2 for ,wagner as yet was scarcely known4 ,it is to ,costa that ,meyerbeer owes his ,english reputation4 ,in the same year 7#ahdf7 he took the direction of the ,philharmonic orchestra1 and two years later that of the ,sacred ,harmonic ,society1 which he held until his death1 and as conductor of which he also directed the ,handel festivals4 ,in #ahdi he was engaged for the ,birmingham festivals1 and also conducted them until his death4 ,in #ahed he resigned his position with the ,philharmonic1 and his successor1 for a brief time only1 was ,richard ,wagner4 ,his oratorio1 ,eli1 was composed for the ,birmingham ,festival of #ahee1 and his second oratorio1 ,naaman1 for the same festival in #ahfd4 ,in #ahfi he was knighted1 and shortly afterwards1 when his ,eli was produced at ,stuttgart1 it won for him the royal order of ,frederick from the ,king of ,wuertemberg4 ,he also had decorations from the sovereigns of ,germany1 ,turkey1 ,italy1 and the ,netherlands1 in recognition of his musical accomplishments4 ,in #ahga he returned again to ,her ,majesty's ,opera in the capacity of director of the music1 composer1 and conductor2 but a few years ago he again dissolved his connection with it1 and devoted himself entirely to the private management and public direction of the ,sacred ,harmonic ,society1 with which he was identified for over thirty years4 ,he died in ,april1 #ahhd4 ,eli4 ,the oratorio of ,eli1 the text taken from the first book of ,samuel1 and adapted by ,william ,bartholomew1 was first performed at the ,birmingham ,festival1 ,aug4 #bi1 #ahee1 under ,costa's own direction1 with ,mesdames ,viardot and ,novello and ,messrs4 ,sims ,reeves and ,carl ,formes in the principal parts4 ,the characters are ,eli1 ,elkanah1 ,hannah1 ,samuel1 the ,man of ,god1 ,saph the ,philistine warrior1 ,hophni and ,phinehas the sons of ,eli1 and the ,priests and ,philistines as chorus4 ,the story is not very consistent in its outlines1 and is fragmentary withal1 the narrative of the child ,samuel being the central theme1 around which are grouped the tribulations of ,elkanah and ,hannah1 the service of ,eli the priest1 the revels of his profligate sons1 and the martial deeds of the ,philistines4 ,the overture opens with a pianissimo prelude for organ in chorale form1 followed by an orchestral fugue well worked up1 but very quiet in character4 ,indeed1 the whole overture is mostly pianissimo4 ,in striking contrast follows the opening recitative for bass 7,blow ye the ,trumpet71 which is the signal for those instruments1 and introduces the first chorus 7,let us go to pray before the ,lord71 beginning with a soft staccato which gradually works up to a jubilant climax on the words ,make a joyful ,noise4 ,a tenor solo for ,elkanah is interwoven with the chorus1 which closes with broad1 flowing harmony4 ,the next number1 a bass air with chorus 7,let the ,people praise ,thee71 is somewhat peculiar in its construction4 ,it begins with the air1 which is slow and tender1 and at the close the chorus takes it in canon form4 ,then ,eli intones benedictions in chorale style1 and the chorus responds with ,amens in full harmony at the end of each1 making a very impressive effect4 ,it is followed by a very elaborate chorus 7,blessed be the ,lord71 closing with a fugue on the word ,amen1 which is very clear and well worked up4 ,the next number is the sorrowful prayer of the barren and grieving ,hannah 7,turn ,thee unto me71 which is very expressive in its mournful supplication1 and splendidly contrasted with her joyous song after the birth of ,samuel1 of which mention will be made in its proper connection4 ,eli rebukes her1 and a dialogue ensues1 interrupted by the tender chorus1 ,the ,lord is good4 ,the dialogue form is again renewed1 this time by ,elkanah and ,hannah1 leading to a beautiful duet between them 7,wherefore is thy ,soul cast down874 ,the character of the music now changes as we enter upon a long drinking-chorus1 with solos by the two revellers1 ,hophni and ,phinehas 7,for everything there is a ,season74 ,the change from the seriousness of the preceding numbers is very abrupt1 and the music of the chorus is decidedly of the conventional ,italian drinking-song character4 ,eli appears and rebukes them1 and after a cantabile aria 7,thou shouldst mark ,iniquities71 a short chorus of ,levites1 for tenors and basses1 ensues1 introducing a simple1 but well-sustained chorale for full chorus 7,how mighty is ,thy ,name74 ,at this point the ,man of ,god appears1 rebuking the ,levites for their polluted offerings4 ,his denunciations are declaimed in strong1 spirited phrases1 accompanied by the chorus of the people 7,they have profaned it71 beginning in unison4 ,the scene now changes to the camp of the ,philistines1 where ,saph1 their man of war1 shouts out his angry and boisterous defiance in his solo 7,philistines1 hark1 the ,trumpet sounding74 ,it is followed by a choral response from the ,philistines 7,speed us on to fight71 which is in the same robust and stirring style1 though the general effect is theatrical and somewhat commonplace4 ,combined with it is a choral response by the priests of ,dagon1 of an ,oriental character4 ,after this clash of sound follows an air of a sombre style by ,eli 7,hear my ,prayer1 ,o ,lord71 the introduction and accompaniment of which are very striking4 ,the ,man of ,god once more appears1 announcing the approaching death of ,eli's sons to a weird1 sepulchral accompaniment of the reeds and trombones1 and leading up to a very effective duet between them 7,lord1 cause ,thy ,face to shine upon ,thy ,servant74 ,another chorale ensues 7,o make a joyful ,noise71 and after a brief recitative ,hannah has a most exultant song1 overflowing with love and gratitude at the birth of ,samuel 7,i will extol ,thee1 ,o ,lord74 ,the first part closes with a brief recitative between ,hannah and ,eli1 preluding a fugued chorus 7,hosanna in the highest71 built up on two motives and one of the most elaborate numbers in the oratorio4 ,the second part opens with a chaste and lovely melody1 the morning prayer of the child ,samuel 7,lord1 from my ,bed again ,i rise71 followed with some pretty recitative between the child and his parents1 and an unaccompanied quartet1 set to the same choral theme that was heard in the organ prelude to the overture4 ,the next number is the long and showy instrumental march of the ,israelites1 followed by two very striking choruses1--the first 7,hold not ,thy ,peace and be not still1 ,o ,god7 of which appeals for divine help against the enemy1 and the second1 an allegro 7,o ,god1 make them like a ,wheel71 leads into a fugue 7,so persecute them71 which is very energetic in character1 and closes with the martial hymn1 ,god and ,king of ,jacob's ,nation1 sung to the melody of the preceding march4 ,the oratorio abounds in contrasts1 and here occurs another1 the evening prayer of ,samuel 7,this ,night ,i lift my ,heart to ,thee71--a pure1 quiet melody1 gradually dying away as he drops asleep1 and followed by an angel chorus for female voices with harp accompaniment 7,no ,evil shall befall thee71 the effect of which is very beautiful1 especially in the decrescendo at the close4 ,a messenger suddenly arrives1 announcing the defeat of ,israel by the ,philistines1 upon which the chorus bursts out with one of the most telling numbers1 both in the voice parts and the descriptiveness of the accompaniment 7,woe unto us1 we are spoiled674 ,some very dramatic recitative between ,samuel and ,eli follows1 after which the ,levites join in the chorus1 ,bless ye the ,lord1 opening with the tenors and closing in four parts1 with the call of ,eli intervening 7,watchmen1 what of the ,night874 ,a long recitative by ,samuel 7,the ,lord said71 foreshadowing the disasters to the house of ,eli2 an air by ,eli 7,although my ,house be not with ,god72 a funeral chorus by the ,israelites 7,lament with a doleful ,lamentation72 further phrases of recitative announcing more defeats of ,israel1 the capture of the ark1 the death of ,eli and his sons1 and an appeal by ,samuel to blow the trumpet1 calling a solemn assembly to implore the pity of the ,lord1--prepare the way for the final chorus 7,blessed be the ,lord71 closing with a fugue on the word ,hallelujah4 ,the oratorio was first given in this country by the ,boston ,handel and ,haydn ,society1 ,feb4 #ae1 #aheg1 under the direction of ,carl ,zerrahn1 with ,mr4 ,thomas ,ball as ,eli and also as ,saph1 ,mr4 ,wilde as the ,man of ,god1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,r4 ,adams as ,elkanah1 ,mrs4 ,long as ,hannah1 and ,miss ,hawley in the contralto part of ,samuel4 ,writing of that performance1 ,mr4 ,dwight1 the careful and discriminating critic1 summed up the work as follows3 ,as a whole1 ',eli' is a noble and impressive oratorio4 ,the composition is learned and musician-like1 and generally appropriate1 tasteful1 dignified1 often beautiful1 and occasionally grand4 ,it is by no means a work of genius1 but it is a work of high musical culture1 and indicates a mind imbued with the best traditions and familiar with the best masters of the art1 and a masterly command of all the modern musical resources1 except the 'faculty divine1'--which1 we may be permitted to say1 is not included in modern musical resources4 ,the characterization of the oratorio1 however1 is thoroughly pertinent and complete4 ,it is somewhat remarkable that a work so excellent and having so many elements of popularity should not be given more frequently in this country4 ,,anton ,,dvorak4 ,anton ,dvorak1 the ,bohemian composer who has risen so suddenly into prominence1 was born at ,muelhausen1 near ,prague1 ,sept4 #h1 #ahda4 ,his father combined the businesses of tavern-keeper and butcher1 and young ,dvorak assisted him in waiting upon customers1 as well as in the slaughtering business4 ,as the laws of ,bohemia stipulate that music shall be a part of common-school education1 ,dvorak learned the rudiments in the village school1 and also received violin instruction4 ,at the age of thirteen he went to work for an uncle who resided in a village where the schoolmaster was a proficient musician4 ,the latter1 recognizing his ability1 gave him lessons on the organ1 and allowed him to copy music4 ,piano-lessons followed1 and he had soon grounded himself quite thoroughly in counterpoint4 ,at the age of sixteen he was admitted to the organ-school at ,prague1 of which ,joseph ,pitsch was the principal4 ,pitsch died shortly after1 and was succeeded by ,kreyci1 who made ,dvorak acquainted with the music of ,mozart1 ,beethoven1 and ,mendelssohn4 ,the first orchestral work which he heard was ,beethoven's ,ninth ,symphony1 during its rehearsal under ,spohr's direction4 ,in #ahfj1 being then in his nineteenth year1 he obtained an engagement1 with the meagre salary of #abe a year1 as violinist in a band that played at cafes and dances4 ,two years later he secured a position in the ,bohemian ,opera-,house at ,prague1 then under the direction of ,mayer1 where he remained until #ahga1 in which year he left the theatre and devoted himself to teaching1 with the prospect of earning #bej a year4 ,these were hard days for the young musician2 but while he was thus struggling for a bare subsistence he continued writing compositions1 though he had no prospect of selling them or of having them played4 ,one writer remarks on this point3 ,it is far from difficult to compare him in this respect with that marvellous embodiment of patience and enthusiasm1 ,franz ,schubert2 only1 more fortunate than the ,viennese master1 the ,bohemian has lived to receive his reward4 ,between these two men another point of resemblance appears4 ,neither can be charged with pushing or intriguing himself into prominence4 ,schubert had plenty of artistic ambition1 but of personal ambition none2 while the quality he so entirely lacked cannot be accredited to ,dvorak1 who spent the best part of his life in the enjoyment of merely local fame4 ,about this time he wrote his ,patriotic ,hymn and the opera ,koenig und ,koehler4 ,the latter was rejected after an orchestral trial2 but he continued his work1 undaunted by failure4 ,shortly after this he received the appointment of organist at the ,adelbert ,church1 ,prague1 and fortune began to smile upon him4 ,his symphony in ,f was laid before the ,minister of ,instruction in ,vienna1 and upon the recommendation of ,herbeck secured him a grant of #bjj4 ,when ,brahms replaced ,herbeck on the committee which reported upon artists' stipends1 he fully recognized ,dvorak's ability1 and not only encouraged him1 but also brought him before the world by securing him a publisher and commending him to ,joachim1 who still further advanced his interests by securing performances of his works in ,germany and ,england4 ,since that time he has risen rapidly1 and is now recognized as one of the most promising of living composers4 ,among his works which have been produced during the past few years are the ,stabat ,mater1 the cantata ,the ,spectre ,bride1 three operas in the ,czechist dialect1 three orchestral symphonies1 several ,slavonic rhapsodies1 overtures1 violin and piano concertos1 an exceedingly beautiful sextet1 and numerous songs4 ,the ,stabat ,mater4 ,dvorak's ,stabat ,mater was written in #ahge4 ,it was sent to the ,austrian ,minister of ,instruction1 but was not deemed worthy of the grant of #bjj which the composer had expected4 ,its merit was subsequently recognized by ,brahms and ,joachim1 and the latter secured a hearing of it in ,london in #ahhc4 ,it immediately made its composer famous4 ,the ,philharmonic ,society invited him to ,london1 and the work was given with great success at the ,albert ,hall1 and later at the ,worcester and ,hereford festivals4 ,it was in ,england indeed that his celebrity was established1 and for that country all his new works are now written4 ,the ,stabat ,mater is written for soli1 chorus1 and orchestra1 and comprises ten numbers4 ,the first is the quartet and chorus1 ,stabat ,mater dolorosa1 and carries the old ,latin hymn as far as the ,quis est homo4 ,after an orchestral introduction which gives out the principal motives on which the number is based1 the vocal quartet begins4 ,the materials of which it is composed are very simple1 but they are worked up with great technical skill4 ,the general effect is tragic rather than pathetic1 as if the composer were contemplating not so much the grief of the ,virgin ,mother at the foot of the ,cross as the awful nature of the tragedy itself and its far-reaching consequences4 ,the second number is the quartet ,quis est homo4 ,after a short introduction1 the theme is taken by the alto1 followed by the tenor and bass1 and lastly by the soprano1 the general structure growing more elaborate at each entrance4 ,after the second subject is introduced a splendid climax is reached1 and in the coda the voices whisper the words vidit suum to an accompaniment of wind instruments in sustained and impressive chords4 ,the third number1 ,eia ,mater1 is built up on an exceedingly brief motive1 which is augmented with surprising power in choral form4 ,it is a work of scholarly skill1 and yet is full of charm and grace1 and will always commend itself even to the untutored hearer by its tenderness and pathetic beauty4 ,the fourth number1 ,fac ut ardeat cor meum1 for bass solo and chorus1 like the third is most skilfully constructed out of small materials1 and has a fine contrast between the solo and the chorus1 which at its entrance is assigned to the female voices only1 with organ accompaniment4 ,the fifth number is the chorus ,tui nati vulnerati1 which is remarkable for the smooth and flowing manner in which its two subjects are treated4 ,the sixth number1 ,fac me vere tecum flere1 for tenor solo and chorus1 is very elaborate in its construction4 ,a stately theme is given out by the tenor1 repeated in three-part harmony by male voices1 the accompaniment being independent in form2 the subject then returns1 first for solo1 and then for male voices1 in varying harmonies4 ,after a brief vocal episode the subject reappears in still different form1 and1 followed by the episode worked up at length in a coda1 brings the number to its close4 ,the seventh number1 ,virgo1 virgonum praeclara1 for full chorus1 is marked by great simplicity and tenderness1 and will always be one of the most popular sections of the work4 ,the eighth number1 ,fac ut portem1 is a duet for soprano and tenor1 responsive in character1 and constructed on very simple phrases presented in varying forms both by the voices and orchestra4 ,the ninth number1 ,inflammatus et accensus1 is one of the most masterly in the whole work4 ,it is an alto solo composed of two subjects1 the first very majestic1 and the second pathetic in character1 forming a contrast of great power and beauty4 ,the tenth and closing number1 ,quando corpus morietur1 for quartet and chorus1 is constructed substantially upon the same themes which appeared in the ,stabat ,mater1 and closes with an ,amen of a massive character1 exhibiting astonishing contrapuntal skill4 ,one of the best ,english critics says of the whole work3-- ,the ',stabat ,mater' approaches as near to greatness as possible1 if it be not actually destined to rank among world-renowned masterpieces4 ,it is fresh and new1 while in harmony with the established canons of art2 and though apparently labored and over-developed in places1 speaks with the force and directness of genius4 ,,gounod4 ,charles ,francois ,gounod was born in ,paris1 ,june #ag1 #ahah4 ,his fame has been made world-wide by the extraordinary success of his opera ,faust1 and yet more than almost any other operatic composer of modern times he has devoted himself to sacred music4 ,his earlier studies were pursued in ,paris at the ,conservatory1 under the tuition of ,paer and ,lesueur1 and in #ahci the receipt of the ,grand ,prix gave him the coveted opportunity to go to ,italy4 ,in the atmosphere of ,rome religious influences made a strong impression upon him4 ,he devoted himself assiduously to the study of ,palestrina1 and among his first important compositions were a mass performed at the ,church of ,san ,luigi dei ,francesi in #ahda1 and a second1 written without accompaniment1 which was given in ,vienna two years later4 ,on his return to ,paris1 religious ideas still retained their sway over him1 and he became organist and conductor at the ,missions etrangeres4 ,he even contemplated taking orders1 and attended a theological course for two years4 ,in #ahdf he became a pupil at the ,seminaire2 but at last he gave up his priestly intentions and devoted himself wholly to musical composition1 though he has been1 if not a devotee1 a religious enthusiast all his life1 and that too in the midst of a peculiarly worldly career4 ,it was about this period that he wrote his ,messe ,solenelle in ,g1--the first of his compositions that was ever produced in ,england4 ,it was cordially received1 and he was universally recognized as a promising musician4 ,for many years succeeding this event he devoted himself mainly to secular music1 and opera after opera rapidly came from his pen1--,sappho 7#ahea72 ,nonne ,sanglante 7#ahed72 ,le ,medecin malgre lui 7#aheh72 ,faust1 his greatest work1 and one of the most successful of modern operas 7#ahei72 ,philemon et ,baucis 7#ahfj72 ,reine de ,saba 7#ahfb72 ,mireille 7#ahfd72 ,la ,colombe 7#ahff72 ,romeo et ,juliette 7#ahfg72 ,cinq ,mars 7#ahgg71 and ,polyeucte 7#ahgh74 ,notwithstanding the attention he gave to opera and to much other secular music1 he found ample time for the composition of sacred works4 ,in #aheb1 while in ,paris1 he became conductor of the ,orpheon1 and for the pupils of that institution he composed two masses4 ,he has also written a great number of pieces for choir use which are very popular1 and deservedly so1 particularly the beautiful song ,nazareth4 ,among his larger works are a ,stabat ,mater1 with orchestral accompaniment2 the oratorio ,tobie2 a ,de ,profundis and an ,ave ,verum2 and the two oratorios1 ,the ,redemption1 performed at ,birmingham in #ahhb1 and ,mors et ,vita1 brought out at the same place in #ahhe4 ,the composer is now engaged upon the scheme of a new oratorio1 the career of ,joan of ,arc being its subject4 ,it may be said in closing this sketch1 which has been mainly confined to a consideration of his sacred compositions1 as his operatic career has been fully treated in ,standard ,operas1 that in #ahgc he wrote the incidental music to ,jules ,barbier's tragedy1 ,jeanne d',arc1 which may have inspired his determination to write an oratorio on the same subject4 ,the ,redemption4 ,the ,redemption1 a ,sacred ,trilogy1 is the title which ,gounod gave to this work1 and on its opening page he wrote3 ,the work of my life4 ,in a note appended to his description of its contents he says3-- ,it was during the autumn of the year #ahfg that ,i first thought of composing a musical work on the ,redemption4 ,i wrote the words at ,rome1 where ,i passed two months of the winter #ahfg-fh with my friend ,hebert1 the celebrated painter1 at that time director of the ,academy of ,france4 ,of the music ,i then composed only two fragments3 first1 ',the ,march to ,calvary' in its entirety2 second1 the opening of the first division of the third part1 ',the ,pentecost4' ,twelve years afterwards ,i finished the work1 which had so long been interrupted1 with a view to its being performed at the festival at ,birmingham in #ahhb4 ,it was brought out1 as he contemplated1 in ,august of that year1 and the production was a memorable one4 ,it was first heard in this country in the winter of #ahhc-hd under ,mr4 ,theodore ,thomas's direction1 and was one of the prominent works in his series of festivals in the latter year4 ,gounod himself has prefaced the music with an admirably concise description of the text and its various subjects4 ,of its general contents he says3 ,this work is a lyrical setting forth of the three great facts on which depends the existence of the ,christian ,church4 ,these facts are1--first1 the passion and the death of the ,saviour2 second1 his glorious life on earth from his resurrection to his ascension2 third1 the spread of ,christianity in the world through the mission of the ,apostles4 ,these three parts of the present trilogy are preceded by a prologue on the creation1 the fall of our first parents1 and the promise of a redeemer4 ,the divisions of the work are as follows3-- ,prologue4--,the ,creation4 ,part ,i4--,calvary4 ,part ,,ii4--,from the ,resurrection to the ,ascension4 ,part ,,iii4--,the ,pentecost4 ,the prologue comprises the ,mosaic account of the creation and fall of man1 involving the necessity of divine mediation1 the promise of redemption1 and the annunciation of the mystery of the incarnation of the ,holy ,virgin4 ,after a brief instrumental introduction1 descriptive of chaos1 the tenor ,narrator announces the completion of creation in recitative1 followed by a similar declamation from the bass ,narrator announcing the fall of man1 the tenor ,narrator answering with the announcement of the ,redeemer's advent 7,but of the ,spotless ,lamb71 in which we have for the first time a genuine ,wagnerian leit motif1 which runs through the music of the oratorio whenever allusion is made to the divine atonement4 ,this typical melody is heard nine times1--three times in the prologue1 twice in the scene of the crucifixion1 once in our ,saviour's promise to the thieves on the cross1 once in his appearance to the holy women1 and twice in the ascension4 ,it is first given out as a violin solo1 and at the close of the tenor recitative is repeated by all the strings1 leading to the mystic chorale1 ,the ,earth is my ,possession1 to be sung by a celestial choir of twenty-eight voices4 ,at its close the typical melody is introduced in responsive form between flute and clarinet4 ,to the first1 the angelic message of the annunciation1 ,gounod has affixed the title1 ,ave1 gratia plena2 and to the second1 the reply of ,mary1 ,fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum4 ,the first part includes the march to ,calvary1 which is divided into six separate numbers1 yet so connected as to make a single musical series1--the crucifixion1 ,mary at the foot of the cross1 the dying thieves1 the death of ,jesus1 and the confession of his divinity by the centurion4 ,it opens with the story of the condemnation of the ,man of ,sorrows by ,pilate1 told by the bass ,narrator1 the words of ,jesus himself1 however1 being used invariably in the first person1 and sung by the baritone voice1 as when he says1 ,if my ,deeds have been evil1 immediately following the bass recitative4 ,after another monologue by the ,narrator1 ensues the march to the cross1--an instrumental number which is brilliant in its color effects and somewhat barbaric in tone4 ,without any break1 the sopranos enter with the words1 ,forth the ,royal ,banners go1 set to a melody from the ,roman ,catholic liturgy2 after which the march is resumed4 ,the bass ,narrator tells the story of the women who followed lamenting1 interrupted by a semi-chorus of sopranos singing the lament1 and by the words of ,jesus1 ,ye ,daughters of ,israel1 weep not for me4 ,again the march is heard1 and the sopranos resume 7,forth the ,royal ,banners go74 ,the tenor ,narrator recites the preparation for the crucifixion1 accompanied by very descriptive music1 and followed by a stormy chorus of the ,people 7,ha6 thou that didst declare71 and the mocking cries of the priests 7,can he now save himself871 sung by a male chorus4 ,in a pathetic monologue ,jesus appeals for their pardon1 which leads to an elaborate concerted number for chorus or quartet1 called ,the ,reproaches4 ,a conversation ensues between ,jesus and ,mary1 followed by the quartet1 ,beside the ,cross remaining1 in canon form1 preluding the chorale1 ,while my ,watch ,i am keeping1 at first sung by ,mary1 and then taken up by the full chorus1 accompanied by organ1 trombones1 and trumpets4 ,the next scene is that between ,jesus and the two ,thieves1 which also leads to a chorale 7,lord ,jesus1 thou to all bringest ,light and ,salvation74 ,this number contains the last touch of brightness in the first part4 ,immediately the bass ,narrator announces the approach of the awful tragedy4 ,the gathering darkness is pictured by a vivid passage for strings and clarinet1 succeeded by the agonizing cries of the ,saviour4 ,the bass ,narrator declares the consummation of the tragedy1 and then with the tenor ,narrator describes the throes of ,nature 7,and then the ,air was filled with a ,murmur unwonted71 the rending of the veil of the ,temple1 the breaking of the rocks1 the earthquake1 and the visions of the saintly apparitions4 ,the last number is the conviction of the centurion1 followed by a short chorale 7,for us the ,christ is made a ,victim availing74 ,the second part includes the announcement of the doctrine of the resurrection by the mystic chorus1 the appearance of the ,angel to the ,holy ,women at the sepulchre1 that of ,jesus to them while on the way to ,galilee1 the consternation of the ,sanhedrim when it is learned that the tomb is empty1 the meeting of the ,holy ,women and the ,apostles1 the appearance of ,jesus to the latter1 and his final ascension4 ,it opens with a chorus for the mystic choir 7,saviour of ,men71 followed by a short pastorale with muted strings and leading to a trio for the three ,women 7,how shall we by ourselves have ,strength to roll away the ,stone874 ,their apprehensions are removed by the tenor ,narrator and the message of the ,angel interwoven with the harp and conveyed in the beautiful aria1 ,why seek ye the ,living among the ,dead8 ,jesus at last reveals himself to the ,women with the words1 ,all hail6 ,blessed are ye ,women1 accompanied by the typical melody1 of which mention has already been made4 ,the three ,women disappear on the way to convey his message to the ,disciples1 and the scene changes to the ,sanhedrim1 where1 in a tumultuous and agitated chorus for male voices 7,christ is risen again71 the story of the empty tomb is told by the ,watchers4 ,the bass ,narrator relates the amazement of the priests and elders1 and their plot to bribe the guard1 leading to the chorus for male voices 7,say ye that in the ,night his ,disciples have come and stolen him away71 at the close of which ensues a full1 massive chorus 7,now1 behold ye the ,guard1 this1 your ,sleep-vanquished ,guard71 closing with the denunciation in unison 7,for ,ages on your ,heads shall ,contempt be outpoured74 ,the tenor and bass ,narrators in duet tell of the sorrow of the ,disciples1 which prepares the way for a lovely trio for first and second soprano and alto 7,the ,lord he has risen again74 ,the next number is one of the most effective in the whole work1--a soprano obligato solo1 accompanied by the full strength of chorus and orchestra1 to the words3 ,from thy love as a ,father1 ,o ,lord1 teach us to gather ,that life will conquer death4 ,they who seek things eternal ,shall rise to light supernal ,on wings of lovely faith4 ,in the close the effect is sublime1 the climax reaching to ,c in alt with the full power of the accompanying forces4 ,then follows a dialogue between the ,saviour and his ,apostles1 in which he gives them their mission to the world4 ,the finale then begins with a massive chorus 7,unfold1 ye ,portals everlasting74 ,the celestial chorus above1 accompanied by harps and trumpets1 inquire1 ,but who is he1 the ,king of ,glory8 ,the answer comes in a stately unison by the terrestrial chorus1 ,he who ,death overcame4 ,again the question is asked1 and again it is answered2 whereupon the two choirs are massed in the jubilant chorus1 ,unfold6 for lo the ,king comes nigh6 the full orchestra and organ sounding the ,redemption melody1 and the whole closing with a fanfare of trumpets4 ,the third part includes the prophecy of the millennium1 the descent of the ,holy ,ghost to the ,apostles1 the ,pentecostal manifestations1 and the ,hymn of the ,apostles4 ,the latter is so important that the composer's own analysis is appended3-- ,this division of the third part of the work1 the last and one of the most highly developed of the trilogy1 comprises seven numbers1 and gives a summary of the ,christian faith4 #a4 ,the ,apostles first proclaim the three great doctrines of the ,incarnation of the ,word1 his eternal generation1 and his continual presence with his ,church4 ,this first number is written in a style which is intended to recall the form and rhythm of the chants called ',proses' in the ,catholic liturgy4 #b4 ,quartet and ,chorus4 ',by faith salvation comes1 and by peace consolation4' #c4 ,chorus4 ,his power manifested by miracles4 #d4 ,quartet4 ',o come to me1 all ye that are sad and that weep4' #e4 ,semi-,chorus4 ,the ,beatitudes4 #f4 ,repetition of the theme of ,no4 #a1 with the whole choir1 the orchestra1 and the great organ4 #g4 ,final ,coda4 ,glorification of the ,most ,holy ,trinity throughout all ages4 ,this part of the oratorio1 after a short instrumental prelude1 opens with a brief chorus 7,lovely appear over the ,mountains71 followed by a soprano solo1 the only distinct number of that kind in the work1 set to the words1 ,over the barren ,wastes shall ,flowers have possession1 at its close the chorus resuming in unison1 ,lovely appear over the ,mountains4 ,the next number is ,the ,apostles in ,prayer1 an instrumental sketch1 followed by the ,narrators relating the descent of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,without break1 the ,apostles' ,hymn begins1 tenors and basses in unison 7,the ,word is ,flesh become7 leading into the quartet of solo voices 7,by ,faith ,salvation comes1 and by ,peace1 ,consolation74 ,the chorus responds antiphonally1 and again the solo voices are heard in a lovely quartet 7,he has said to all the ,unhappy71 followed by a small choir of thirty voices 7,blessed are the poor in ,spirit71 at the end of which all the voices are massed on the ,apostles' ,hymn1 which closes in fugal form on the words1 ,he like the ,holy ,ghost is one with the ,father1 an everlasting ,trinity1 the whole ending in massive chords4 ,mors et ,vita4 ,the oratorio ,mors et ,vita 7,death and ,life7 is the continuation of ,the ,redemption1 and1 like that work also1 is a trilogy4 ,it was first performed at the ,birmingham ,festival1 ,aug4 #bf1 #ahhe1 under the direction of ,herr ,hans ,richter1 the principal parts being sung by ,mesdames ,albani and ,patey and ,messrs4 ,santley and ,lloyd4 ,its companion oratorio1 ,the ,redemption1 was dedicated to ,queen ,victoria1 and itself to ,his ,holiness ,pope ,leo ,,xiii4 ,in his preface to the work1 ,gounod says3-- ,it will perhaps be asked why1 in the title1 ,i have placed death before life1 although in the order of temporal things life precedes death4 ,death is only the end of that existence which dies each day2 it is only the end of a continual 'dying4' ,but it is the first moment1 and1 as it were1 the birth of that which dies no more4 ,i cannot here enter into a detailed analysis of the different musical forms which express the meaning and idea of this work4 ,i do not wish to expose myself to the reproach either of pretension or subtlety4 ,i shall therefore confine myself to pointing out the essential features of the ideas ,i have wished to express1--that is to say1 the tears which death causes us to shed here below2 the hope of a better life2 the solemn dread of unerring justice2 the tender and filial trust in eternal love4 ,the composer further calls attention in his preface to the use of representative themes1 an illustration of which was also noted in ,the ,redemption4 ,the first one1 consisting of four notes1 presenting a sequence of three major seconds1 is intended to express the terror inspired by the sense of the inflexibility of justice and1 in consequence1 by that of the anguish of punishment4 ,its sternness gives expression both to the sentences of divine justice and the sufferings of the condemned1 and is found in combination throughout the whole work1 with melodic forms which express sentiments altogether different1 as in the ',sanctus' and the ',pie ,jesu' in the ',requiem1' which forms the first part4 ,it is first heard in the opening chorus1 and for the last time in the quartet of the third part4 ,the second melodic form1 expressive of sorrow and tears1 by the change of a single note and the use of the major key is made to express consolation and joy4 ,the third1 says ,gounod1 by means of threefold superposition1 results in the interval of an augmented fifth1 and announces the awakening of the dead at the terrifying call of the angelic trumpets1 of which ,saint ,paul speaks in one of his epistles to the ,corinthians4 ,the oratorio is divided into a prologue and three parts1 the ,latin text being used throughout4 ,the first part is entitled ,mors1 and opens with the prologue1 which is brief1 followed by the ,requiem1 interspersed with texts of a reflective character commenting upon the sentiment4 ,the second part is entitled ,judicium 7,judgment71 and includes 7#a7 ,the ,sleep of the ,dead2 7#b7 ,the ,trumpets at the ,last ,judgment2 7#c7 ,the ,resurrection of the ,dead2 7#d7 ,the ,judge2 7#e7 ,the ,judgment of the ,elect2 7#f7 ,the ,judgment of the ,rejected4 ,the third part is entitled ,vita1 and includes the vision of ,saint ,john1 the text being taken from the ,apocalypse2 the work closing with an ,hosanna in ,excelsis1 exulting in the glorious vision of the heavenly ,jerusalem4 ,the prologue1 which is sustained by the chorus and baritone solo1 declares the terrors of death and the judgment4 ,the chorus intones the words1 ,it is a ,fearful ,thing to fall into the ,hands of the ,living ,god1 and in this phrase is heard the chief motive1 heavily accented by the percussion instruments1--the motive which typifies death both of the body and of the unredeemed soul4 ,immediately after follows the baritone voice1 that of ,jesus1 in the familiar words1 ,i am the ,resurrection and the ,life4 ,the chorus repeats the declaration1 and the ,requiem ,mass then begins1 divided into various sections1 of which the ,dies ,irae is the most important2 this in turn subdivided in the conventional form4 ,after an adagio prelude and the intonation of the ,requiem aeternam1 an interpolated text occurs 7,from the ,morning ,watch till the ,evening71 set as a double chorus without accompaniment1 in the genuine ,church style of the old masters4 ,it leads directly to the ,dies ,irae1 in which the death motive already referred to frequently occurs4 ,it is laid out in duets1 quartets1 and arias1 with and without chorus1 very much in the same tempo and of the same character of melody4 ,the verse1 ,ah6 what shall we then be pleading8 for quartet and chorus1 is remarkable for its attractive melody4 ,it is followed by a soprano solo and chorus 7,happy are we1 with such a ,saviour7 of a reflective character1 which gives out still another very tuneful melody4 ,the hymn is then resumed with the verse1 ,faint and worn1 thou yet hast sought us1 for duet and chorus1 which is of the same general character4 ,the next verse1 ,lord1 for ,anguish hear us moaning1 for quartet and chorus1 is very effective and elaborate in its construction1 particularly as compared with that immediately following 7,with the ,faithful deign to place us71 a tenor solo of a quaint and pastoral character4 ,the next number for chorus 7,while the wicked are confounded7 affords still another striking contrast1 being in the grandiose style and very dramatic1 closing with phrases for the solo voices expressive of submission and contrition4 ,up to this point the ,dies ,irae has been monotonous in its sameness of general style2 but the next verse 7,day of ,weeping1 ,day of ,mourning7 is a beautiful and thoroughly original number of very striking effect4 ,it leads directly to the offertory 7,o ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,king of ,glory71 which is composed of a chorus for eight parts1 a soprano solo 7,but1 ,lord1 do thou bring them evermore71 a chorus 7,which once to ,abraham71 and a second chorus 7,sacrifice of ,prayer and ,praise74 ,the soprano solo is a delightful melody1 sung to a delicate accompaniment of the strings1 with occasional chords on the harp1 and based upon the beautiful second typical motive1 which the composer styles ,the ,motive of ,happiness4 ,the chorus1 ,which once to ,abraham1 is set in fugue form1 which is the conventional style among composers with this number2 but1 as in ,the ,redemption1 whenever ,gounod employs the fugue form1 he drops it as soon as the four voices have fairly launched themselves4 ,the next number is the ,sanctus1--a beautiful tenor aria with chorus1 full of that sweetness which is so characteristic of ,gounod4 ,it is followed by the quartet1 ,mighty ,saviour1 ,jesus blest1 which is deeply religious in character2 the lovely soprano solo and chorus1 ,agnus ,dei2 and the chorus1 ,lord1 forever let ,light ,eternal4 ,the first part is rounded off with an epilogue1 an interlude for full orchestra and organ1 based upon the first and second typical melodies1 forming a consistent and stately finale to this part of the work4 ,the second part is peculiar for the prominence which the composer assigns to the orchestra4 ,it opens with a well-sustained1 gentle adagio movement1 entitled ,the ,sleep of the ,dead1 which at times is somewhat harshly interrupted by the third typical melody1 announcing the awakening of the dead at the terrifying call of the angelic trumpets4 ,this is specially noticeable in that part of the prelude called ,the ,trumpet of the ,last ,judgment1 in which the trombones1 trumpets1 and tubas are employed with extraordinary effect4 ,still a third phrase of the prelude occurs1--,the ,resurrection of the ,dead1--which is smooth and flowing in its style1 and peculiarly rich in harmony4 ,a brief recitative by baritone 7,but when the ,son of ,man7 intervenes1 immediately followed by another instrumental number1 entitled ,judex 7,the ,judge71--one of the most effective pieces of orchestration in the oratorio1 based upon the motive which indicates the tempering of justice with mercy1 given out by the strings in unison4 ,it preludes a short chorus 7,sitting upon the ,throne71 the previous melody still continuing in the orchestra4 ,the ,judgment of the ,elect follows1 pronounced by the baritone voice in recitative1 and leading directly to the soprano solo1 ,the ,righteous shall enter into ,glory eternal1--the most exquisite solo number in the work1--followed by an effective chorale 7,in ,remembrance everlasting74 ,then follows ,the ,judgment of the ,rejected1 consisting of baritone solos and chorus1 closing the second part4 ,the third part celebrates the delights of the celestial city as pictured in the apocalyptic vision of ,saint ,john1 and is in marked contrast to the gloom and sombreness of the ,requiem music1 as well as the terrors of the ,judgment4 ,it is bright1 jubilant1 and exultant throughout4 ,the title of the prelude is ,new ,heaven1 ,new ,earth4 ,the baritone intones the recitative 7,and ,i saw the ,new ,heaven71 which is followed by another delightful sketch for the orchestra 7,celestial ,jerusalem71--a most vivid and graphic picture of the subject it describes4 ,the remaining prominent numbers are the ,sanctus chorus1 the celestial chorus 7,i am ,alpha and ,omega71 and the final chorus 7,hosanna in ,excelsis71 which closes this remarkable work4 ,the weakest part of the oratorio is the ,requiem1 which suffers from the monotony of its divisions1 especially when compared with the treatment of requiems by the great composers who have made them a special study4 ,as compared with the ,redemption1 however1 it is more interesting1 because it is more melodious and less cumbered with recitative4 ,it is also peculiarly noticeable for the free manner in which the composer uses the orchestra1 and the skill with which the typical melodies are employed1 as compared with which the solitary ,redemption motive seems weak and thin4 ,both works are full of genuine religious sentiment1 and taken together cover almost the entire scope of human aspiration so far as it relates to the other world4 ,no composer has conceived a broader scheme for oratorio4 ,though ,gounod does not always reach the sublime and majestic heights of the old masters in sacred music1 yet the feeling manifested in these works is never anything but religious2 the hearer is always surrounded by an atmosphere of devotion4 ,,handel4 ,george ,frederick ,handel was born at ,halle1 in ,lower ,saxony1 ,feb4 #bc1 #afhe1 and1 like many another composer1 revealed his musical promise at a very early age1 only to encounter parental opposition4 ,his father intended him to be a lawyer2 but ,nature had her way1 and in spite of domestic antagonism triumphed4 ,the ,duke of ,saxe-,weissenfels recognized his ability and overcame the father's determination4 ,handel began his studies with ,zachau1 organist of the ,halle cathedral4 ,after the death of his father1 in #afig1 he went to ,hamburg1 and for a time played in the orchestra of the ,german opera4 ,it was during his residence in that city that he wrote his first opera1 ,almira 7#agje74 ,in the following year he went to ,italy1 where he remained several months under the patronage of the ,grand ,duke of ,florence4 ,during the next two years he visited ,venice1 ,rome1 and ,naples1 and wrote several operas and minor oratorios4 ,in #agji he returned to ,germany1 and the ,elector of ,hanover1 subsequently ,george ,i4 of ,england1 offered him the position of ,capellmeister1 which he accepted upon the condition that he might visit ,england1 having received many invitations from that country4 ,the next year he arrived in ,london and brought out his opera of ,rinaldo1 which proved a great success4 ,at the end of six months he was obliged to return to his position in ,hanover2 but his ,english success made him impatient of the dulness of the court4 ,in #agab he was in ,london again1 little dreaming that the ,elector would soon follow him as king4 ,incensed with him for leaving ,hanover1 the ,king at first refused to receive him2 but some music which ,handel composed for an aquatic fete in his honor brought about the royal reconciliation4 ,in #agah he accepted the position of chapel-master to the ,duke of ,chandos1 for whom he wrote the famous ,chandos ,te ,deum and ,anthems1 the serenata ,acis and ,galatea1 and ,esther1 his first ,english oratorio4 ,in #agbj he was engaged as director of ,italian opera by the society of noblemen known as the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 and from that time until #agdj his career was entirely of an operatic character4 ,opera after opera came from his pen4 ,some were successful1 others failed4 ,at first composer1 then director1 he finally became impresario1 only to find himself confronted with bitter rivalry1 especially at the hands of ,buononcini and ,porpora4 ,cabals were instituted against him4 ,unable to contend with them alone1 he formed a partnership with ,heidegger1 proprietor of the ,king's ,theatre1 in #agbi4 ,it was broken in #agcd1 and he took the management of ,covent ,garden4 ,the ,italian conspiracies against him broke out afresh4 ,he failed in his undertaking1 and became a bankrupt4 ,in eight years he had lost #ea1jjj in ,italian opera4 ,slanders of all sorts were circulated against him1 and his works were no longer well received4 ,in the midst of his adversity sickness overtook him1 ending with a partial stroke of paralysis4 ,when sufficiently recovered1 he went to the ,continent1 where he remained for a few months4 ,on his return to ,london he brought out some new works1 but they were not favorably received4 ,a few friends who had remained faithful to him persuaded him to give a benefit concert1 which was a great success4 ,it inspired him with fresh courage2 but he did not again return to the operatic world4 ,thenceforward he devoted himself to oratorio1 in which he made his name famous for all time4 ,he himself said3 ,sacred music is best suited to a man descending in the vale of years4 ,saul and the colossal ,israel in ,egypt1 written in #agdj1 head the list of his wonderful oratorios4 ,in #agda he was invited to visit ,ireland4 ,he went there in ,november1 and many of his works were produced during the winter and received with great enthusiasm4 ,in ,april1 #agdb1 his immortal ,messiah was brought out at ,dublin4 ,it was followed by ,samson1 ,joseph1 ,semele1 ,belshazzar1 and ,hercules1 which were also successful2 but even in the midst of his oratorio work his rivals did not cease their conspiracies against him1 and in #agdd he was once more a bankrupt4 ,for over a year his pen was idle4 ,in #agdf the ,occasional ,oratorio and ,judas ,maccabaeus appeared1 and these were speedily followed by ,joshua1 ,solomon1 ,susanna1 ,theodora1 and ,jephtha4 ,it was during the composition of the last-named work that he was attacked with the illness which finally proved fatal4 ,he died ,april #ad1 #agei1 and was buried in ,westminster ,abbey4 ,during the last few days of his life he was heard to express the wish that he might breathe his last on ,good ,friday1 in hopes of meeting his good ,god1 his sweet ,lord and ,saviour1 on the day of his resurrection4 ,the wish was granted him2 for it was on ,good ,friday that he passed away1 leaving behind him a name and fame that will be cherished so long as music retains its power over the human heart4 ,israel in ,egypt4 ,israel in ,egypt1 the fifth of the nineteen oratorios which ,handel composed in ,england1 was written in #agch4 ,the ,exodus1 which is now the second part1 was written between the #ast and the #aath of ,october1 and was superscribed1 ,moses' ,song1 ,exodus1 ,chap4 xv41 begun ,oct4 #a1 #agch2 and at the close was written1 ,fine1 ,oct4 #aa1 #agch4 ,it is evident from this that the work was at first written as a cantata1 but that ,handel on reflection decided that the plagues of ,egypt would not only be a good subject1 but would also prove a logical historical introduction to the second part4 ,four days later he began the first part1 and finished it on the #ast of ,november1--the composition of the whole of this colossal work thus occupying but twenty-seven days4 ,it was first performed as ,israel in ,egypt1 ,april #d1 #agci1 at the ,king's ,theatre1 of which ,handel was then manager4 ,it was given the second time ,april #aa1 with alterations and additions1 the alterations having been made in order to admit of the introduction of songs4 ,the third performance took place ,april #ag1 upon which occasion the ,funeral ,anthem1 which he had written for ,queen ,caroline1 was used as a first part and entitled1 ,lamentations of the ,israelites for the ,death of ,joseph4 ,during the lifetime of ,handel the oratorio was only performed nine times1 for in spite of its excellence1 it was a failure4 ,for many years after his death it was produced in mutilated form2 but in #ahdi the ,sacred ,harmonic ,society of ,london gave it as it was originally written and as we know it now1 without the ,funeral ,anthem or any of the songs which had been introduced4 ,the text of the oratorio is supposed to have been written by ,handel himself1 though the words are taken literally from the ,bible4 ,schoelcher says3 ,the manuscript does not contain any of the names of the personages4 ,nevertheless1 the handbook1 which includes the extracts from ,solomon for the first parts1 has in this part the names of personages 7,high ,priest1 ,joseph1 ,israelite woman1 ,israelite man71 as if the composer wished to throw it into a dramatic form4 ,the words in their ,biblical simplicity form a poem eminently dramatic4 ,the first part opens with the wail of the ,israelites over the burdens imposed upon them by their ,egyptian taskmasters1 and then in rapid succession follow the plagues1--the water of the ,nile turned to blood1 the reptiles swarming even into the king's chambers1 the pestilence scourging man and beast1 the insect-cloud heralding the locusts1 the pelting hail and the fire running along the ground1 the thick darkness1 and the smiting of the first-born4 ,then come the passage of the ,red ,sea and the escape from bondage1 closing the first part4 ,the second part opens with the triumphant song of ,moses and the ,children of ,israel rejoicing over the destruction of ,pharaoh's host1 and closes with the exultant strain of ,miriam the prophetess1 ,sing ye to the ,lord1 for ,he hath triumphed gloriously2 the ,horse and his ,rider hath ,he thrown into the ,sea4 ,israel in ,egypt is essentially a choral oratorio4 ,it comprises no less than twenty-eight massive double choruses1 linked together by a few bars of recitative1 with five arias and three duets interspersed among them4 ,unlike ,handel's other oratorios1 there is no overture or even prelude to the work4 ,six bars of recitative for tenor 7,now there arose a new ,king over ,egypt which knew not ,joseph7 suffice to introduce it1 and lead directly to the first double chorus 7,and the ,children of ,israel sighed71 the theme of which is first given out by the altos of one choir with impressive pathos4 ,the chorus works up to a climax of great force on the phrase1 ,and their ,cry came up unto ,god1 the two choruses developing with consummate power the two principal subjects1--first1 the cry for relief1 and second1 the burden of oppression2 and closing with the phrase above mentioned1 upon which they unite in simple but majestic harmony4 ,then follow eight more bars of recitative for tenor1 and the long series of descriptive choruses begins1 in which ,handel employs the imitative power of music in the boldest manner4 ,the first is the plague of the water turned to blood1 ,they loathed to drink of the ,river1--a single chorus in fugue form1 based upon a theme which is closely suggestive of the sickening sensations of the ,egyptians1 and increases in loathsomeness to the close1 as the theme is variously treated4 ,the next number is an aria for mezzo soprano voice 7,their ,land brought forth ,frogs71 the air itself serious and dignified1 but the accompaniment imitative throughout of the hopping of these lively animals4 ,it is followed by the plague of insects1 whose afflictions are described by the double chorus4 ,the tenors and basses in powerful unison declare1 ,he spake the ,word1 and the reply comes at once from the sopranos and altos1 ,and there came all ,manner of ,flies1 set to a shrill1 buzzing1 whirring accompaniment1 which increases in volume and energy as the locusts appear1 but bound together solidly with the phrase of the tenors and basses frequently repeated1 and presenting a sonorous background to this fancy of the composer in insect imitation4 ,from this remarkable chorus we pass to another still more remarkable1 the familiar ,hailstone ,chorus 7,he gave them ,hailstones for ,rain71 which1 like the former1 is closely imitative4 ,before the two choirs begin1 the orchestra prepares the way for the on-coming storm4 ,drop by drop1 spattering1 dashing1 and at last crashing1 comes the storm1 the gathering gloom rent with the lightning1 the fire that ran along upon the ground1 and the music fairly quivering and crackling with the wrath of the elements4 ,but the storm passes1 the gloom deepens1 and we are lost in that vague1 uncertain combination of tones where voices and instruments seem to be groping about1 comprised in the marvellously expressive chorus1 ,he sent a ,thick ,darkness over all the ,land4 ,from the oppression of this choral gloom we emerge1 only to encounter a chorus of savage1 unrelenting retribution 7,he smote all the ,first-born of ,egypt74 ,chorley admirably describes the motive of this great fugue3-- ,it is fiercely ,jewish4 ,there is a touch of ,judith1 of ,jael1 of ,deborah in it1--no quarter1 no delay1 no mercy for the enemies of the ,most ,high2 ',he smote4' ,and when for variety's sake the scimitar-phrase is transferred from orchestra to voices1 it is admirable to see how the same character of the falchion--of hip-and-thigh warfare1 of victory predominant--is sustained in the music till the last bar4 ,if we have from ,handel a scorn-chorus in the ',messiah1' and here a disgust-chorus1 referred to a little while since1#c this is the execution1 or revenge chorus1--the chorus of the unflinching1 inflexible1 commissioned ,angels of the ,sword4 ,after their savage mission is accomplished1 we come to a chorus in pastoral style 7,but as for ,his ,people1 ,he led them forth like ,sheep71 slow1 tender1 serene1 and lovely in its movement1 and grateful to the ear both in its quiet opening and animated1 happy close1 after the terrors which have preceded it4 ,the following chorus 7,egypt was glad71 usually omitted in performance1 is a fugue1 both strange and intricate1 which it is claimed ,handel appropriated from an ,italian canzonet by ,kerl4 ,the next two numbers are really one4 ,the two choruses intone the words1 ,he rebuked the ,red ,sea1 in a majestic manner1 accompanied by a few massive chords1 and then pass to the glorious march of the ,israelites1 ,he led them through the ,deep1--a very elaborate and complicated number1 but strong1 forcible1 and harmonious throughout1 and held together by the stately opening theme with which the basses ascend4 ,it is succeeded by another graphic chorus 7,but the ,waters overwhelmed their ,enemies71 in which the roll and dash of the billows closing over ,pharaoh's hosts are closely imitated by the instruments1 and through which in the close is heard the victorious shout of the ,israelites1 ,there was not one of them left4 ,two more short choruses1--the first1 ,and ,israel saw that ,great ,work1 which by many critics is not believed to be a pure ,handel number1 and its continuation1 ,and believed the ,lord1 written in church style1 close this extraordinary chain of choral pictures4 ,the second part1 ,the ,song of ,moses1--which1 it will be remembered1 was written first1--opens with a brief but forcible orchestral prelude1 leading directly to the declaration by the chorus1 ,moses and the ,children of ,israel sang this ,song1 which1 taken together with the instrumental prelude1 serves as a stately introduction to the stupendous fugued chorus which follows 7,i will sing unto the ,lord1 for ,he hath triumphed gloriously2 the ,horse and his ,rider hath ,he thrown into the ,sea74 ,it is followed by a duet for two sopranos 7,the ,lord is my ,strength and my ,song7 in the minor key1--an intricate but melodious number1 usually omitted4 ,once more the chorus resumes with a brief announcement1 ,he is my ,god1 followed by a fugued movement in the old church style 7,and ,i will exalt ,him74 ,next follows the great duet for two basses1 ,the ,lord is a ,man of ,war1--a piece of superb declamatory effect1 full of vigor and stately assertion4 ,the triumphant announcement in its closing measures1 ,his chosen ,captains also are drowned in the ,red ,sea1 is answered by a brief chorus1 ,the ,depths have covered them1 which is followed by four choruses of triumph1--,thy ,right ,hand1 ,o ,lord1 an elaborate and brilliant number2 ,and in the ,greatness of ,thine ,excellency1 a brief but powerful bit2 ,thou sendest forth ,thy ,wrath2 and the single chorus1 ,and with the ,blast of ,thy ,nostrils1 in the last two of which ,handel again returns to the imitative style with wonderful effect1 especially in the declaration of the basses1 ,the ,floods stood upright as an ,heap1 and the ,depths were congealed4 ,the only tenor aria in the oratorio follows these choruses1 a bravura song1 ,the ,enemy said1 ,i will pursue1 and this is followed by the only soprano aria1 ,thou didst blow with the ,wind4 ,two short double choruses 7,who is like unto ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 and ,the ,earth swallowed them7 lead to the duet for contralto and tenor1 ,thou in ,thy ,mercy1 which is in the minor1 and very pathetic in character4 ,it is followed by the massive and extremely difficult chorus1 ,the ,people shall hear and be afraid4 ,once more1 after this majestic display1 comes the solo voice1 this time the contralto1 in a simple1 lovely song1 ,thou shalt bring them in4 ,a short double chorus 7,the ,lord shall reign for ever and ever71 a few bars of recitative referring to the escape of ,israel1 the choral outburst once more repeated1 and then the solo voice declaring1 ,miriam the prophetess took a timbrel in her hand1 and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances2 and ,miriam answered them1 lead to the final song of triumph1--that grand1 jubilant1 overpowering expression of victory which1 beginning with the exultant strain of ,miriam1 ,sing ye to the ,lord1 for ,he hath triumphed gloriously1 is amplified by voice upon voice in the great eight-part choir1 and by instrument upon instrument1 until it becomes a tempest of harmony1 interwoven with the triumph of ,miriam's cry and the exultation of the great host over the enemy's discomfiture1 and closing with the combined power of voices and instruments in harmonious accord as they once more repeat ,miriam's words1 ,the ,horse and his ,rider hath ,he thrown into the ,sea4 #c ,the second chorus1 ,the ,plague of the ,water turned to ,blood1 and the loathing of the ,egyptians4 ,saul4 ,the oratorio of ,saul was written by ,handel in #agch4 ,he began it1 says ,schoelcher1 on the #c;d of ,july1 and finished it on the #bgth of ,september2 thus occupying eighty-six days4 ,this1 however1 is evidently an error1 as ,rockstro says3 ,the score1 written in a thick quarto volume1 on paper quite different from that used for the operas1 is dated at the beginning of the first chorus1 ,july #bc1 #agch4 ,the next date is ,august #bh1 at the end of the second part1 and the last1 at the end of the work1 ,september #bg1--which would give two months and four days as the time in which it was written4 ,but even this period1 short as it is1 seems brief when compared with that devoted to the composition of ,israel in ,egypt1 which ,handel began four days after ,saul was completed1 and finished in twenty-seven days4 ,it has already been said1 in the analysis of the last named-work1 that in ,january1 #agci1 ,handel took the ,king's ,theatre in the ,haymarket1 his purpose being to give oratorios twice a week4 ,saul was the first of the series2 and in this connection the following advertisement1 which ,schoelcher reprints from the ,london ,daily ,post of ,jan4 #c1 #agci1 will be of interest3-- ,we hear that on ,tuesday se'en night the ,king's ,theatre will be opened with a new oratorio composed by ,mr4 ,handel1 called ',saul4' ,the pit and boxes will be put together1 the tickets delivered on ,monday the #aeth and ,tuesday #afth 7the day of performance71 at half a guinea each4 ,gallery #es4 ,the gallery will be opened at #d2 the pit and boxes at #e4 ,to begin at #f4 ,the first performance took place as announced1 and the second on the #bc;d1 with several new concertos on the organ1--which instrument also plays a conspicuous part in the oratorio itself1 not only in amplifying the accompaniment1 but also in solo work4 ,in #agdj it was performed by the ,academy of ,ancient ,music in ,london1 and in #agdb in ,dublin4 ,selections were also given from it in the great ,handel ,commemoration at ,westminster ,abbey in #aghd1 and in #ahdj it was revived by the ,sacred ,harmonic ,society of ,london1 since which time it has occupied an important place in the oratorio repertory4 ,the story closely follows the ,biblical narrative of the relations between ,david and ,saul4 ,the words have been attributed both to ,jennens and ,marell2 but the balance of evidence favors the former1--a poet who lived at ,gopsall4 ,the overture1 marked ,symfonie in the original manuscript1 is the longest of all the ,handel introductions4 ,it is in four movements1 the first an allegro1 the second a largo 7in which the organ is used as a solo instrument71 the third an allegro1 and the fourth a minuetto4 ,it is an exceedingly graceful and delicate prelude1 and makes a fitting introduction to the dramatic story which follows4 ,the characters introduced are ,saul1 king of ,israel2 ,jonathan1 his son2 ,abner1 captain of the host2 ,david2 the apparition of ,samuel2 ,doeg1 a messenger2 an ,amalekite2 ,abiathar1 ,merab1 and ,michal1 daughters of ,saul2 the ,witch of ,endor2 and the ,israelites4 ,the very dramatic character of the narrative admirably adapts it to its division into acts and scenes4 ,the first act is triumphant in its tone and expressive of the exultation of the ,israelites at their victory over the ,philistines4 ,the second gives a story of the passions1--,saul's jealousy of ,david1 the love of ,michal1 and the ardent friendship between ,david and ,jonathan4 ,the last act is sombre in its character1 opening with the weird incantations of the ,witch1 and closing with ,david's grief over ,saul and ,jonathan4 ,the first scene opens in the ,israelitish camp by the valley of ,elah1 where the people join in an ,epinicion1 or ,song of ,triumph1 over ,goliah and the ,philistines4 ,it is made up of a chorus 7,how excellent ,thy ,name1 ,o ,lord71 which is a stirring tribute of praise2 an aria 7,an ,infant raised by ,thy ,command71 describing the meeting of ,david and ,goliah2 a trio1 in which the ,giant is pictured as the monster atheist1 striding along to the vigorous and expressive music2 and three closing choruses 7,the ,youth inspired by ,thee1 ,how excellent ,thy ,name1 and a jubilant ,hallelujah71 ending in plain but massive harmony4 ,the second scene is in ,saul's tent4 ,two bars of recitative prelude an aria by ,michal1 ,saul's daughter1 who reveals her love for ,david 7,o godlike ,youth674 ,abner presents ,david to ,saul1 and a dialogue ensues between them1 in which the conqueror announces his origin and ,saul pleads with him to remain1 offering the hand of his daughter ,merab as an inducement4 ,david 7whose part is sung by a contralto7 replies in a beautiful aria1 in which he attributes his success to the help of the ,lord alone4 ,in the next four numbers the friendship of ,jonathan and ,david is cemented1 which is followed by a three-verse hymn 7,while yet thy ,tide of ,blood runs high71 of a very stately character1 sung by the ,high ,priest4 ,in a few bars of recitative ,saul betroths his daughter ,merab to ,david2 but the girl replies in a very powerful aria 7,my ,soul rejects the ,thought with ,scorn71 in which she declares her intention of frustrating the scheme to unite a plebeian with the royal line4 ,it is followed by a plaintive but vigorous aria 7,see with what a scornful ,air71 sung by ,michal1 who again gives expression to her love for ,david4 ,the next scene is entitled ,before an ,israelitish ,city1 and is prefaced with a short symphony of a jubilant character4 ,a brief recitative introduces the maidens of the land singing and dancing in praise of the victor1 leading up to one of ,handel's finest choruses1 ,welcome1 welcome1 ,mighty ,king1--a fresh1 vigorous semi-chorus accompanied by the carillons1 in which ,saul's jealousy is aroused by the superiority of prowess attributed to ,david4 ,it is followed by a furious aria1 ,with ,rage ,i shall burst1 his ,praises to hear4 ,jonathan laments the imprudence of the women in making comparisons1 and ,michal suggests to ,david that it is an old malady which may be assuaged by music1 and in the aria1 ,fell ,rage and black ,despair passest1 expresses her belief that the monarch can be cured by ,david's persuasive lyre4 ,the next scene is in the ,king's house4 ,david sings an aria 7,o ,lord1 whose ,mercies numberless71 followed by a harp solo2 but it is in vain4 ,jonathan is in despair1 and ,saul1 in an aria 7,a ,serpent in my ,bosom warmed71 gives vent to his fury and hurls his javelin at ,david4 ,the latter escapes2 and in furious recitative ,saul charges his son to destroy him4 ,the next number is an aria for ,merab 7,capricious ,man1 in ,humor lost71 lamenting ,saul's temper2 and ,jonathan follows with a very dramatic recitative and aria1 in which he refuses to obey his father's behest4 ,the ,high ,priest appeals to ,heaven 7,o ,lord1 whose ,providence7 to protect ,david1 and the first part closes with a powerful chorus1 ,preserve him for the ,glory of ,thy ,name4 ,the second act is laid in the palace1 and opens with a powerfully descriptive chorus 7,envy1 ,eldest-born of ,hell674 ,in a noble song 7,but sooner ,jordan's ,stream1 ,i swear7 ,jonathan assures ,david he will never injure him4 ,in a colloquy between them1 ,david is informed that ,saul has bestowed the hand of the haughty ,merab on ,adriel1 and ,jonathan pleads the cause of the lovely ,michal4 ,saul approaches1 and ,david retires4 ,saul inquires of ,jonathan whether he has obeyed his commands1 and in a simple1 sweet1 and flowing melody 7,sin not1 ,o ,king1 against the ,youth7 he seems to overcome the wrath of the monarch1 who dissembles and welcomes ,david1 bidding him to repel the insults of the ,philistines1 and offering him his daughter ,michal as a proof of his sincerity4 ,in the second scene ,michal declares her love for ,david1 and they join in a rapturous duet 7,o fairest of ten thousand fair71 which is followed by a chorus in simple harmony 7,is there a ,man who all his ,ways74 ,a long symphony follows1 preparing the way for the attempt on ,david's life4 ,after an agitated duet with ,michal 7,at ,persecution ,i can laugh71 ,david makes his escape just as ,doeg1 the messenger1 enters with instructions to bring ,david to the ,king's chamber4 ,he is shown the image in ,david's bed1 which he says will only enrage the ,king still more4 ,michal sings an exultant aria1 ,no1 let the ,guilty tremble1 and even ,merab1 won over by ,david's qualities1 pleads for him in a beautiful aria1 ,author of peace4 ,another symphony intervenes1 preluding the celebration of the feast of the new moon in the palace1 to which ,david has been invited4 ,jonathan again interposes with an effort to save ,david's life1 whereupon ,saul1 in a fresh outburst of indignation1 hurls his javelin at his son1 and the chorus bursts out in horror1 ,oh1 fatal ,consequence of ,rage4 ,the third act opens with the intensely dramatic scene with the ,witch of ,endor1 the interview being preluded by the powerful recitative1 ,wretch that ,i am6 ,the second scene is laid in the ,witch's abode1 where the incantation is practised that brings up the ,apparition of ,samuel4 ,the whole scene is very dramatic1 and the instrumentation powerful1 although the effect1 vigorous as it is1 is made simply by oboes1 bassoons1 and strings1 instead of by the brass instruments which other composers employ so vigorously in similar scenes4 ,this scene closes with an elegy foreboding the coming tragedy4 ,the third scene opens with the interview between ,david and the ,amalekite who brings the tidings of the death of ,saul and ,jonathan4 ,it is followed by that magnificent dirge1 the ,dead ,march1 whose simple yet solemn and majestic strains are familiar to every one4 ,the trumpets and trombones with their sonorous pomp and the wailing oboes and clarinets make an instrumental pageant which is the very apotheosis of grief4 ,the effect of the march is all the more remarkable when it is considered that1 in contradistinction to all other dirges1 it is written in the major key4 ,the chorus1 ,mourn1 ,israel1 mourn thy ,beauty lost1 and the three arias of lament sung by ,david1 which follow1 are all characterized by feelings of the deepest gloom4 ,a short chorus 7,eagles were not so swift as they7 follows1 and then ,david gives voice to his lament over ,jonathan in an aria of exquisite tenderness 7,in sweetest ,harmony they lived71 at the close of which he joins with the chorus in an obligato of sorrowful grandeur 7,o fatal ,day1 how low the ,mighty lie674 ,in an exultant strain ,abner bids the ,men of ,judah weep no more1 and the animated martial chorus1 ,gird on thy ,sword1 thou ,man of ,might1 closes this great dramatic oratorio4 ,samson4 ,the oratorio of ,samson was written in #agda1 and begun immediately after the completion of ,the ,messiah1 which was finished ,september #ad of that year4 ,the last chorus was dated ,october #bi2 but in the following year ,handel added to it ,let the bright ,seraphim and the chorus1 ,let their celestial ,concerts4 ,the text was compiled by ,newburgh ,hamilton from ,milton's ,samson ,agonistes1 ,hymn on the ,nativity1 and ,lines on a ,solemn ,musick4 ,the oratorio was first sung at ,covent ,garden1 ,feb4 #ah1 #agdc1 the principal parts being assigned as follows3 ,samson1 ,mr4 ,beard2#d ,manoah1 ,mr4 ,savage2 ,micah1 ,mrs4 ,cibber2 ,delilah1 ,mrs4 ,clive4 ,the aria1 ,let the bright ,seraphim1 was sung by ,signora ,avolio1 for whom it was written1 and the trumpet obligato was played by ,valentine ,snow1 a virtuoso of that period4 ,the performance of ,samson was thus announced in the ,london ,daily ,advertiser of ,feb4 #ag1 #agdc3-- ,by subscription4 ,at the ,theatre ,royal in ,covent ,garden1 to-morrow1 the #ahth inst41 will be performed a new oratorio1 called ,sampson4 ,tickets will be delivered to subscribers 7on paying their subscription money7 at ,mr4 ,handel's house in ,brooke ,street1 ,hanover ,square4 ,attendance will be given from nine o'clock in the morning till three in the afternoon4 ,pit and boxes to be put together1 and no person to be admitted without tickets1 which will be delivered that day at the office in ,covent ,garden ,theatre at half a guinea each2 first gallery #es42 upper gallery1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,the representation was greeted with extraordinary enthusiasm1 and ,samson soon became so popular that many had to be turned away2 notwithstanding which1 the ill-natured ,horace ,walpole could write1 in a letter dated ,feb4 #bd1 #agdc3-- ,handel has set up an oratorio against the opera1 and succeeds4 ,he has hired all the goddesses from the farces1 and the singers of roast beef from between the acts at both theatres1 with a man with one note in his voice1 and a girl without ever an one2 and so they sing and make brave hallelujahs1 and the good company encore the recitative if it happens to have any cadence like what they call a tune4 ,the text1 as we have said1 was adapted from ,milton by ,hamilton1 who says in his preface to the handbook1 or libretto3-- ,that poem indeed was never divided by ,milton into acts or scenes1 nor designed for the stage1 but given only as the plan of a tragedy with choruses1 after the manner of the ancients4 ,but as ,mr4 ,handel had so happily introduced here oratorios1 a musical drama1 whose subject must be scriptural1 and in which the solemnity of church music is agreeably united with the most pleasing airs of the stage1 it would have been an irretrievable loss to have neglected the opportunity of that great master's doing justice to this work2 he having already added new life and spirit to some of the finest things in the ,english language1 particularly that inimitable ode#e of ,dryden's which no age nor nation ever excelled4 ,the characters introduced are ,samson2 ,micah1 his friend2 ,manoah1 his father2 ,delilah1 his wife2 ,harapha1 a giant of ,gath2 ,israelitish woman2 priests of ,dagon2 virgins attendant upon ,delilah2 ,israelites1 friends of ,samson2 ,israelitish virgins2 and ,philistines4 ,after a brilliant overture1 closing1 like that to ,saul1 with a minuet movement1 the scene opens before the prison in ,gaza1 with ,samson blind and in chains4 ,his opening recitative1 setting forth his release from toil on account of the feast to ,dagon1 introduces a brilliant and effective chorus by the priests with trumpets 7,awake the ,trumpet's lofty ,sound71 after which a ,philistine woman in a bright1 playful melody invites the men of ,gaza to bring ,the merry ,pipe and pleasing ,string2 whereupon the trumpet chorus is repeated4 ,after the tenor aria 7,loud is the ,thunder's awful ,voice71 the chorus recurs again1 showing ,handel's evident partiality for it4 ,the ,philistine ,woman has another solo 7,then free from ,sorrow71 whereupon in a pathetic song 7,torments1 alas67 ,samson bewails his piteous condition4 ,his friend ,micah appears1 and in the aria1 ,o ,mirror of our fickle ,state1 condoles with him4 ,in answer to his question1 ,which shall we first bewail1 thy ,bondage1 or lost ,sight8 ,samson replies in a short1 but exquisitely tender aria1 ,total ,eclipse3 no ,sun1 no ,moon1 all dark amidst the ,blaze of ,noon1--a song which brought tears to the eyes of the blind ,handel himself when he listened to it long afterwards4 ,the next chorus 7,o first-created ,beam7 is of more than ordinary interest1 as it treats the same subject which ,haydn afterwards used in ,the ,creation4 ,it begins in a soft and quiet manner1 in ordinary time1 develops into a strong allegro on the words1 ,let there be ,light1 and closes with a spirited fugue on the words1 ,to ,thy dark ,servant ,life by ,light afford4 ,a dialogue follows between ,manoah and ,micah1 leading up to an intricate bravura aria for bass 7,thy glorious ,deeds inspired my ,tongue71 closing with an exquisite slow movement in broad contrast to its first part4 ,though comforted by his friends1 ,samson breaks out in furious denunciation of his enemies in the powerfully dramatic aria1 ,why does the ,god of ,israel sleep8 ,it is followed up in the same spirit by the chorus1 ,then shall they know1--a fugue on two vigorous subjects1 the first given out by the altos1 and the second by the tenors4 ,samson's wrath subsides in the recitative1 ,my genial ,spirits droop1 and the first act closes with the beautifully constructed chorus1 ,then round about the starry ,throne1 in which his friends console him with the joys he will find in another life4 ,the second act1 after a brief recitative1 opens with an aria by ,manoah 7,just are the ,ways of ,god to ,man71 in which he conjures ,samson to repose his trust in ,god4 ,it is followed by the beautiful prayer of ,micah 7,return1 return1 ,o ,god of ,hosts71 emphasized by the chorus to which it leads 7,to ,dust his ,glory they would tread71 with which the prayer is interwoven in obligato form4 ,from this point1 as ,delilah appears1 the music is full of bright color1 and loses it sombre tone4 ,in a short recitative1 she excuses her misdeed1 and then breaks out in an aria of sensuous sweetness1 ,with plaintive ,notes and am'rous ,moan1 thus coos the ,turtle left alone4 ,its bewitching grace1 however1 makes little impression upon ,samson1 who replies with the aria1 ,your ,charms to ,ruin led the ,way4 ,in another enticing melody1 ,my ,faith and ,truth1 ,o ,samson1 prove1 she seeks to induce his return to her house1 and a chorus of ,virgins add their entreaties4 ,a last effort is made in the tasteful and elegant aria1 ,to fleeting ,pleasures make your ,court2 but when that also fails1 ,delilah reveals her true self4 ,samson rebukes her warbling charms1 her trains and wiles1 and counts this prison-house the house of liberty to thine2 whereupon a highly characteristic duet ensues 7,traitor to ,love74 ,an aria for ,micah follows 7,it is nor ,virtue1 ,valor1 ,wit71 leading up to a powerful dissertation on masculine supremacy in a fugued chorus which is treated in a spirited manner1 and in which we may well fancy that the woman-hating composer gave free rein to his spite3-- ,to man ,god's universal law ,gave power to keep his wife in awe4 ,thus shall his life be ne'er dismayed1 ,by female usurpation swayed4 ,the giant ,harapha now appears1 and mocks ,samson with the taunt that had he met him before he was blind1 he would have left him dead on the field of death1 where thou wrought'st wonders with an ass' jaw4 ,his first number 7,honor and ,arms scorn such a ,foe7 is one of the most spirited and dashing bass solos ever written4 ,samson replies with the majestic aria1 ,my ,strength is from the living ,god4 ,the two solos reach their climax in the energetic duet between the giants1 ,go1 baffled ,coward1 go4 ,micah then suggests to ,harapha that he shall call upon ,dagon to dissolve those magic spells that gave our hero strength1 as a test of his power4 ,the recitative is followed by an impressive six-part chorus 7,hear1 ,jacob's ,god7 in the true church style4 ,its smooth1 quiet flow of harmony is refreshing as compared with the tumult of the giants' music which precedes1 and the sensuousness of the chorus 7,to ,song and ,dance we give the ,day7 which follows it4 ,the act closes with the massive double chorus 7,fixed in ,his everlasting ,seat7 in which the ,israelites and ,philistines celebrate the attributes of their respective deities and invoke their protection1 and in which also the composer brings out with overwhelming effect the majesty and grandeur of ,god as compared with the nothingness of ,dagon4 ,the third act opens with a dialogue in which ,harapha brings the message to ,samson that he must repair to the feast of ,dagon to delight the ,philistines with some of his feats of strength4 ,upon ,samson's refusal1 ,harapha sings the threatening aria1 ,presuming ,slave6 ,the ,israelites invoke the protection of ,god in the spirited chorus1 ,with ,thunder armed1 closing with a prayer which changes to wild and supplicating entreaty4 ,samson at last yields in a tender1 pathetic aria 7,thus when the ,sun71 which seems to anticipate his fate4 ,in a song of solemn parting 7,the ,holy ,one of ,israel be thy ,guide71 accompanied by the chorus 7,to ,fame immortal go71 his friends bid him farewell4 ,the festivities begin1 and in an exultant chorus 7,great ,dagon has subdued our ,foe7 the ,philistines are heard exulting over ,samson's discomfiture4 ,micah and ,manoah1 hearing the sounds1 are filled with anxiety1 and the latter expresses his solicitude in the tender aria1 ,how willing my paternal ,love4 ,but the scene suddenly changes4 ,in a short1 crashing presto the coming destruction is anticipated4 ,the trembling ,israelites express their alarm in the chorus1 ,hear us1 our ,god1 and appeal to ,heaven for protection4 ,a ,messenger rushes upon the scene and announces that ,samson is dead and has involved the destruction of his enemies in the general calamity4 ,micah gives expression to his grief in the touching aria1 ,ye ,sons of ,israel1 now lament1 followed by the ,israelites in a sorrowful wail1 ,weep1 ,israel1 weep4 ,a funeral march1 in the major key1 intervenes1 full of tender expression of sorrow1--for which1 after the first two representations ,handel substituted the ,dead ,march from ,saul2 and both marches are now printed in the scores for general use4 ,as at first written1 the oratorio closed with the effective chorus and solo1 ,bring the ,laurels2 but1 as has been already said1 a year afterwards ,handel made a different ending4 ,manoah calls upon the people to cease their lamentation1 and the funeral pageant is followed by the magnificent trumpet aria1 ,let the bright ,seraphim1--a song worthy only of the greatest artists1 both with voice and instrument1--and the equally magnificent chorus1 ,let their celestial ,concerts1 which closes the great oratorio with triumphant exultation4 #d ,john ,beard1 a quondam chorister of the ,chapel ,royal1 under ,bernard ,gates1 and afterwards the greatest ,english tenor singer of his day1 achieved one of his brightest triumphs in the part of ,samson4 ,his history was romantic4 ,in #agcb he married the ,lady ,henrietta1 daughter of ,james1 ,earl of ,waldegrave1 and widow of ,lord ,edward ,herbert1 second son of the ,marquis of ,powis4 ,in #agei he took as his second wife ,charlotte1 daughter of ,john ,rich1 the harlequin4--,rockstro4 #e ,alexander's ,feast2 or1 the ,power of ,music4 ,the ,messiah4 ,the ,messiah represents the ripened product of ,handel's genius1 and reflects the noblest aspirations and most exalted devotion of mankind4 ,among all his oratorios it retains its original freshness1 vigor1 and beauty in the highest degree1 in that it appeals to the loftiest sentiment and to universal religious devotion1 and is based upon the most harmonious1 symmetrical1 and enduring forms of the art4 ,it was begun on the #bb;d day of ,august1 #agda4 ,the first part was concluded ,august #bh1 the second1 ,september #f1 the third1 ,september #ab1 and the instrumentation1 ,september #ad4 ,it is an illustration of ,handel's almost superhuman capacity for work1 that at the age of fifty-six he should have written his masterpiece in twenty-three days4 ,the text was taken from the literal words of ,scripture1 and the libretto arranged by ,charles ,jennens1 who1 singularly enough1 was not satisfied with the music which has satisfied the world4 ,in a letter written at that time1 he says3-- ,i shall show you a collection ,i gave ,handel1 called ',messiah1' which ,i value highly4 ,he has made a fine entertainment of it1 though not near so good as he might and ought to have done4 ,i have with great difficulty made him correct some of the grossest faults in the composition2 but he retained his overture obstinately1 in which there are some passages far unworthy of ,handel1 but much more unworthy of the ',messiah4' ,for two or three years prior to the appearance of the ,messiah1 ,handel had been harassed by cabals set on foot by rival opera-managers in ,london1 who1 by importing ,italian singers1 drew off the patronage of the nobility1 and ultimately succeeded in reducing him to the condition of an insolvent debtor4 ,while in this wretched plight an invitation came to him from the ,duke of ,devonshire1 then ,lord ,lieutenant of ,ireland1 to visit ,dublin4 ,he eagerly accepted it1 and in the correspondence which passed between them promised to contribute a portion of whatever might accrue from his music to charitable institutions1 and also agreed to give an oratorio for the benefit and enlargement of poor distressed prisoners for debt in the several marshalseas of the city of ,dublin4 ,he left ,london early in ,november1 arriving in that city1 after many delays1 on the #ahth4 ,on the #bc;d of ,december he began a series of six musical entertainments1 which was completed ,february #aj4 ,his success was so great that he was induced to begin a second series ,february #ag1 a fortnight before the close of which appeared the following advertisement3-- ,for the ,relief of the ,prisoners in the several ,gaols1 and for the ,support of ,mercer's ,hospital1 in ,stephen's ,street1 and of the ,charitable ,infirmary on the ,inn's ,quay1 on ,monday1 the #abth of ,april1 will be performed at the ,musick ,hall in ,fishamble-street1 ,mr4 ,handel's new ,grand ,oratorio1 called the ,messiah1 in which the ,gentlemen of the ,choirs of both ,cathedrals will assist1 with some ,concertos on the ,organ by ,mr4 ,handel4 ,the first rehearsal took place on the #hth of ,april1 in the presence of a most ,grand1 ,polite1 and ,crowded ,audience1 as we are informed by ,faulkner's ,journal4 ,the same paper1 referring to the first public performance1 which took place on ,tuesday1 ,april #ac1 #agdb1 says3-- ,at the desire of several persons of distinction1 the above performance is put off to ,tuesday next4 ,the doors will be opened at eleven1 and the performance begins at twelve4 ,many ladies and gentlemen who are well-wishers to this noble and grand charity1 for which this oratorio was composed1 request it as a favor that the ladies who honor this performance with their presence would be pleased to come without hoops1 as it would greatly increase the charity by making room for more company4 ,gentlemen were also requested to come without their swords4 ,in this way1 it is said1 the stewards were able to seat seven hundred persons in the room instead of six hundred4 ,the principal parts in the performance were assigned to ,signora ,avolio1 ,mrs4 ,cibber1 and ,messrs4 ,church and ,ralph ,roseingrane2 and ,mrs4 ,cibber's delivery of the aria ,he was despised is said to have been so touching that ,dr4 ,delany1 the companion of ,swift1 exclaimed1 as she closed3 ,woman1 for this be all thy sins forgiven4 ,the ,messiah was performed thirty-four times during the composer's life1 but never upon a scale commensurate with its merits until the ,handel ,commemoration at ,westminster ,abbey in #aghd1 when the largest choir and band that had ever assembled before1 with the renowned ,madame ,mara at the head of the soloists1 first gave the ,messiah to the world in accordance with the grand ideal of the composer4 ,the orchestra was composed as follows3 ,first violins1 #dj2 second violins1 #dg2 tenors1 #bf2 first oboes1 #ac2 second oboes1 #ac2 flutes1 #f2 violoncellos1 #ba2 double-basses1 #ae2 bassoons1 #bf2 double-bassoon1 #a2 trumpets1 #ab2 trombones1 #f2 horns1 #ab2 kettledrums1 #c2 double-kettledrum1 #a3 total1 #bdb4 ,the choir was made up as follows3 ,sopranos1 #fj1 of whom #de were choir-boys2 counter-tenors 7altos71 #dj2 tenors1 #hc2 basses1 #hd3 making the entire number of singers #bfg4 ,of the performance of the band upon this occasion1 ,burney quaintly says3-- ,dante in his ,paradiso imagines nine circles1 or choirs1 of cherubs1 seraphs1 patriarchs1 prophets1 martyrs1 saints1 angels1 and archangels1 who with hand and voice are eternally praising and glorifying the ,supreme ,being1 whom he places in the centre1 taking the idea from ,te ,deum laudamus1 where it is said3 ',to ,thee ,cherubim and ,seraphim continually do cry1' etc4 ,now1 as the orchestra in ,westminster ,abbey seemed to ascend into the clouds and unite with the saints and martyrs represented on the painted glass in the west window1 which had all the appearance of a continuation of the ,orchestra1 ,i could hardly refrain1 during the performance of the ,allelujah1 to imagine that this ,orchestra1 so admirably constructed1 filled1 and employed1 was a point or segment of one of these celestial circles4 ,and perhaps no band of mortal musicians ever exhibited a more respectable appearance to the eye1 or afforded a more ecstatic and affecting sound to the ear1 than this4 ,he is equally enthusiastic over the chorus2 and of ,madame ,mara's singing of the aria1 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 he says3-- ,her power over the sensibility of the audience seemed equal to that of ,mrs4 ,siddons4 ,there was no eye within my view which did not 'silently a gentle tear let fall1' nor1 though long hackneyed in music1 did ,i find myself made of stronger earth than others4 ,the oratorio is divided into three parts4 ,the first illustrates the longing of the world for the ,messiah1 prophesies his coming1 and announces his birth2 the second part is devoted to the sufferings1 death1 and exaltation of ,christ1 and develops the spread and ultimate triumph of the ,gospel2 while the third is occupied with the declaration of the highest truths of doctrine1--faith in the existence of ,god1 the surety of immortal life1 the resurrection1 and the attainment of an eternity of happiness4 ,the first part opens with an overture1 or rather orchestral prelude1 of majestic chords1 leading to a short fugue1 developed with severe simplicity and preparing the way for the accompanied recitative1 ,comfort ye ,my ,people1 and the aria for tenor1 ,every ,valley shall be exalted1 which in turn leads to the full1 strong chorus1 ,and the ,glory of the ,lord shall be revealed1--the three numbers in reality forming one4 ,the prophecy is announced1 only to be followed by the human apprehension in the great aria for bass 7,but who may abide the ,day of ,his coming71 written in the ,sicilian pastoral style1--a form of which1 ,burney affirms1 ,handel was very fond4 ,the aria leads to the exquisitely constructed number1 ,and ,he shall purify1 a fugued chorus closing in simple harmony4 ,once more the prophet announces1 ,behold1 a ,virgin shall conceive1 followed by the alto solo1 ,o ,thou that tellest1 which preludes a chorus in the same tempo4 ,the next aria 7,the ,people that walked in ,darkness71 with its curious but characteristic modulations1 leads to one of the most graphic fugued choruses in the whole work 7,for unto us a ,child is born71 elegantly interwoven with the violin parts1 and emphasized with sublime announcements of the names of the ,messiah in full harmony and with the strongest choral power4 ,the grand burst of sound dies away1 there is a significant pause1 and then follows a short but exquisite ,pastoral ,symphony for the strings1 which with the four succeeding bits of recitative tells the message of the ,angels to the ,shepherds on the plains of ,bethlehem4 ,suddenly follows the chorus of the heavenly hosts 7,glory to ,god71 which is remarkably expressive1 and affords sharp contrasts in the successive clear responses to the fugue4 ,the difficult but very brilliant aria for soprano1 ,rejoice greatly1 the lovely aria1 ,he shall feed ,his ,flock1 originally written entire for soprano1 in which ,handel returns again to the pastoral style1 and a short chorus 7,his ,yoke is easy71 close the first part4 ,the second part is the most impressive portion of the work4 ,it begins with a majestic and solemn chorus 7,behold the ,lamb of ,god71 which is followed by the aria for alto1 ,he was despised1--one of the most pathetic and deeply expressive songs ever written1 in which the very key-note of sorrow is struck4 ,two choruses--,surely ,he hath borne our ,griefs1 rather intricate in harmony1 and ,with ,his ,stripes we are healed1 a fugued chorus written a capella upon an admirable subject--lead to the spirited and thoroughly interesting chorus1 ,all we like ,sheep have gone astray1 closing with an adagio of great beauty 7,and the ,lord hath laid on ,him the ,iniquity of us all74 ,this is followed by several short numbers1--a choral fugue 7,he trusted in ,god71 the accompanied recitative 7,thy ,rebuke hath broken ,his ,heart71 a short but very pathetic aria for tenor 7,behold and see if there be any ,sorrow71 and an aria for soprano 7,but ,thou didst not leave ,his ,soul in ,hell71--all of which are remarkable instances of the musical expression of sorrow and pity4 ,these numbers lead to a triumphal shout in the chorus and semi-choruses1 ,lift up your ,heads1 ,o ye ,gates1 which reach a climax of magnificent power and strongly contrasted effects4 ,after the chorus1 ,let all the ,angels of ,god worship ,him1 a fugue constructed upon two subjects1 the aria1 ,thou art gone up on high1 and the chorus1 ,the ,lord gave the ,word1 we reach another pastoral aria of great beauty1 ,how beautiful are the ,feet4 ,this is followed by a powerfully descriptive chorus 7,their ,sound is gone out into all ,lands71 a massive aria for bass 7,why do the ,nations71 the chorus1 ,let us break their ,bonds asunder1 and the aria1 ,thou shalt break them1 leading directly to the great ,hallelujah ,chorus1 which is the triumph of the work and its real climax4 ,it opens with exultant shouts of ,hallelujah4 ,then ensue three simple phrases1 the middle one in plain counterpoint1 which form the groundwork for the ,hallelujah4 ,these phrases1 seemingly growing out of each other1 and reiterated with constantly increasing power1 interweaving with and sustaining the ,hallelujah with wonderful harmonic effects1 make up a chorus that has never been excelled1 not only in musical skill1 but also in grandeur and sublimity4 ,after listening to its performance1 one can understand ,handel's words3 ,i did think ,i did see all heaven before me1 and the great ,god himself4 ,this number closes the second part4 ,it is worthy of note in this connection that when the oratorio was first performed at ,covent ,garden1 ,london1 in #agdc1 the whole audience1 with the ,king at its head1 arose during the singing of the ,hallelujah and remained standing until it was finished1--a custom which is still observed1 not only in ,england1 but also in this country4 ,if the oratorio had closed at this point it would not have disturbed the unities2 but ,handel carried it into a third part with undiminished interest1 opening it with that sublime confession of faith1 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1--an aria which will never be lost4 ,it is followed by two quartets in plain counterpoint with choral responses1 ,since by ,man came ,death1 and ,for as in ,adam all die1 in which the effects of contrast are very forcibly brought out4 ,the last important aria in the work 7,the ,trumpet shall sound71 for bass with trumpet obligato1 will always be admired for its beauty and stirring effect4 ,the oratorio closes with three choruses1 all in the same key and of the same general sentiment1--,worthy is the ,lamb1 a piece of smooth1 flowing harmony2 ,blessing and ,honor1 a fugue led off by the tenors and bassos in unison1 and repeated by the sopranos and altos on the octave1 closing with full harmony on the words for ever and ever several times reiterated2 and the final1 ,amen chorus1 which is treated in the severest style1 and in which the composer evidently gave free rein to his genius1 not being hampered with the trammels of words4 ,other oratorios may be compared one with another2 the ,messiah stands alone1 a majestic monument to the memory of the composer1 an imperishable record of the noblest sentiments of human nature and the highest aspirations of man4 ,judas ,maccabaeus4 ,the oratorio of ,judas ,maccabaeus was written in thirty-two days1 between ,july #i and ,aug4 #aa1 #agdf1 upon the commission of ,frederic1 ,prince of ,wales1 to celebrate the return of the ,duke of ,cumberland from ,scotland after the decisive victory of ,culloden1 ,april #af1 #agdf4 ,the words were written by the ,rev4 ,thomas ,morell1 ,d4,d41 a learned ,greek scholar of that time1 the plot being taken from the narrative of the exploits of the ,jewish deliverer contained in the first book of ,maccabees and in the twelfth book of ,josephus' ,antiquities of the ,jews4 ,in his dedication1 ,dr4 ,morell says3-- ,to ,his ,royal ,highness ,prince ,william1 ,duke of ,cumberland1 this faint portraiture of a truly wise1 valiant1 and virtuous commander as the possessor of the like noble qualities is1 with the most profound respect and veneration1 inscribed by ,his ,royal ,highness' most obedient and most devoted servant the author4 ,to what extremes of adulation even a doctor of divinity may go1 is well shown in ,schoelcher's pithy comment3 ,this is addressed to a man who pitilessly murdered as many prisoners after the battle as his courage had slain enemies during the combat4 ,it is but just to the composer1 however1 to say that the great success of this oratorio had little to do with the political causes which led to its composition4 ,it was first performed at ,covent ,garden1 ,april #a1 #agdg1 and was repeated six times that year4 ,handel himself conducted it thirty-eight times with ever growing popularity1 to which the ,jews contributed greatly1 as it glorified an episode in their national history4 ,the characters represented are ,judas ,maccabaeus2 ,simon1 his brother2 an ,israelitish ,messenger2 and ,israelitish ,men and ,women4 ,the story may be gathered from the following summary of the plot as prepared for the ,birmingham ,festival of #ahfa3-- ,part ,i4--,lamentations for the death of ,mattathias 7the father of ,judas ,maccabaeus and ,simon71 by whom the ,jewish people had been roused to resist the cruelties and oppressions of ,antiochus ,epiphanes1 the ,syrian king1 in his attempt to suppress their religion and liberties4--,the divine favor invoked4--,judas recognized as leader4--,appeal to the patriotism of the people1 and their response4--,the value of liberty4--,preparations for war4--,pious trust in ,god1 and heroic resolve to conquer or die4 ,part ,,ii4--,celebration of the victories gained over the armies of ,apollonius1 the governor of ,samaria and ,seron1 the ,deputy ,governor of ,coelesyria1 and the valor of ,judas4--,renewal of war by a division of the ,syrian array from ,egypt1 under ,gorgias1 and the despondency it occasions among the ,israelites4--,judas again arouses the failing courage of the people1 and they set out to meet the enemy4--,those who remain behind utter their detestation of the heathen idolatries1 by which the sanctuary at ,jerusalem had been desecrated1 and their determination only to worship the ,god of ,israel4 ,part ,,iii4--,feast of the dedication at ,jerusalem1 after ,judas and his followers had recovered and restored the sanctuary1 and re-established the liberties of his country4--,return of ,judas from his final victory over ,nicanor and his confederates4--,celebration of peace1 and national thanksgiving4 ,the first scene introduces the ,israelitish ,men and ,women lamenting the death of the father of ,judas in the sorrowful chorus1 ,mourn1 ye afflicted ,children1 which1 after a duet for soprano and tenor1 is followed by still another chorus in a similar strain 7,for ,zion ,lamentation make71 but much more impressive1 and rising to a more powerful climax4 ,after a brief and simple soprano solo 7,pious ,orgies71 the chorus sings the prayer1 ,o ,father1 whose ,almighty ,power1 closing with a characteristic fugue on the words1 ,and grant a ,leader4 ,after a short recitative1 ,simon 7bass7 breaks out in the heroic and sonorous aria1 ,arm1 arm1 ye brave1 which has always retained its popularity1 notwithstanding its antique bravura4 ,it is followed by the chorus in the brief1 but stirring number1 ,we come in bright array4 ,five arias1 a duet1 and two choruses1 nearly all of which are now omitted in performances1 being of the same general character1 and mainly apostrophes to liberty1 lead to the great chorus closing the first part1 ,hear us1 ,o ,lord4 ,it is intricate in its construction1 but when properly sung resolves itself into one of the most vigorous and impressive choruses ,handel has written4 ,the second part opens with the ,israelites celebrating the return of ,judas from the victories over ,apollonius and ,seron4 ,an instrumental prelude1 picturing the scenes of battle1 leads directly to the great chorus1 the best in the work1 ,fallen is the ,foe4 ,the triumphant declaration is made over and over with constantly increasing energy1 finally leading to a brilliant fugue on the words1 ,where warlike ,judas wields his righteous ,sword2 but interwoven with it are still heard those notes of victory1 ,fallen is the ,foe1 and the response1 ,so fall ,thy ,foes4 ,the ,israelitish ,man sings a vigorous tribute to ,judas 7,so rapid thy ,course is74 ,the triumphant strain1 ,zion now her ,head shall raise1 is taken by two voices1 closing with the soprano alone2 but before her part ends1 the whole chorus takes it and joins in the paean1 ,tune your ,harps1 and the double number ends in broad1 flowing harmony4 ,in a florid number 7,from mighty ,kings he took the ,spoil7 the ,israelitish ,woman once more sings ,judas's praise4 ,the two voices unite in a welcome 7,hail ,judaea1 happy ,land71 and finally the whole chorus join in a simple but jubilant acclaim to the same words4 ,the rejoicings soon change to expressions of alarm and apprehension as a ,messenger enters and announces that ,gorgias has been sent by ,antiochus to attack the ,israelites1 and is already near at hand4 ,they join in a chorus expressive of deep despondency 7,oh1 wretched ,israel72 but ,simon1 in a spirited aria 7,the ,lord worketh ,wonders71 bids them put their trust in ,heaven1 and ,judas rouses their courage with the martial trumpet song1 ,sound an ,alarm1 which1 though very brief1 is full of vigor and fire4 ,after the departure of ,judas to meet the foe1 ,simon1 the ,israelitish ,man1 and the ,israelitish ,woman follow each other in denunciation of the idolatries which have been practised by the heathen among them1 and close with the splendid chorus1 ,we never will bow down to the rude ,stock or sculptured ,stone1 in which vigorous repetitions of the opening phrase lead to a chorale in broad1 impressive harmony1 with which is interwoven equally vigorous repetitions of the phrase1 ,we worship ,god alone4 ,the third part opens with the impressive prayer1 ,father of ,heaven1 from ,thy eternal ,throne1 sung by the ,priest4 ,as the fire ascends from the altar1 the sanctuary having been purified of its heathen defilement1 the ,israelites look upon it as an omen of victory and take courage4 ,a ,messenger enters with tidings of ,judas's triumph over all their enemies4 ,the ,israelitish ,maidens and ,youths go out to meet him1 singing the exultant march chorus1 ,see the ,conquering ,hero comes1 which is familiar to every one by its common use on all occasions1 from ,handel's time to this1 where tribute has been paid to martial success and heroes have been welcomed4 ,it is the universal accompaniment of victory1 as the ,dead ,march in ,saul is of the pageantry of death4 ,it is very simple in its construction1 like many others of ,handel's most effective numbers4 ,it is first sung as a three-part chorus1 then as a duet or chorus of ,virgins1 again by the full power of all the voices1 and gradually dies away in the form of an instrumental march4 ,the chorus did not originally belong to ,judas ,maccabaeus1 but to ,joshua1 in which oratorio it is addressed to ,othniel when he returns from the capture of ,debir4 ,handel frequently made transfers of that kind1 and this was a permanent one2 for the celebrated chorus is now unalterably identified with the work in which he placed it1 and in which also the setting is still more imposing4 ,a very elaborate chorus 7,sing unto ,god71 a florid aria with trumpet solo for ,judas 7,with ,honor let ,desert be crowned71 the chorus1 ,to our ,great ,god1 a pastoral duet with exquisite accompaniment 7,o ,lovely ,peace71 and a ,hallelujah in the composer's customary exultant style1 close this very brilliant and dramatic oratorio4 ,the ,dettingen ,te ,deum4 ,on the #bgth of ,june1 #agdc1 the ,british army and its allies1 under the command of ,king ,george ,,ii4 and ,lord ,stair1 won a victory at ,dettingen1 in ,bavaria1 over the ,french army1 commanded by the ,marechal de ,noailles and the ,duc de ,grammont4 ,it was a victory plucked from an expected defeat1 and aroused great enthusiasm in ,england4 ,on the ,king's return1 a day of public thanksgiving was appointed1 and ,handel1 who was at that time ,composer of ,musick to the ,chapel ,royal1 was commissioned to write a ,te ,deum and an anthem for the occasion4 ,the original score1 a large folio volume in the ,royal ,collection1 is headed ,angefangen ,juli #ag1 #agdc4 ,there is no date at the end2 but as the beginning of the ,dettingen ,anthem is dated ,july #cj1 it is probable that the ,te ,deum was finished between the #agth and #cjth4 ,both works were publicly rehearsed at the ,chapel ,royal1 ,whitehall1 on the #ahth and #beth of the ensuing ,november1 and formed part of the thanksgiving services on the #bgth at the ,chapel ,royal of ,st4 ,james1 in the presence of the ,king and royal family4 ,the ,dettingen ,te ,deum has been universally considered as one of the masterpieces among ,handel's later works4 ,never was a victory more enthusiastically commemorated in music4 ,it is not a ,te ,deum in the strict sense1 but a grand martial panegyric1 and1 as ,rockstro says3-- ,it needs no great stretch of the imagination to picture every drum and trumpet in the realm taking part in the gorgeous fanfare of its opening chorus1 while the whole army1 with the ,king at its head1 joins the assembled nation in a shout of praise for the escape which was so unexpectedly changed into a memorable victory4 ,schoelcher1 in his reference to this work1 notes that ,handel set the hymn of ,st4 ,ambrose to music five different times in thirty years1 and always with new beauty and fresh color1 though it is somewhat remarkable that he gave each time a plaintive character to the verse1 ,to ,thee all angels cry aloud1--a fact also observed by ,burney1 who says3-- ,there is some reason to suspect that ,handel1 in setting his grand ,te ,deum for the peace of ,utrecht1 as well as in this1 confined the meaning of the word 'cry' to a sorrowful sense1 as both the movements to the words ',to ,thee all angels cry aloud' are not only in a minor key1 but slow and plaintive4 ,burney further says1 speaking of its performance at the great ,handel ,commemoration in ,westminster ,abbey in #aghd3-- ,as it was composed for a military triumph1 the fourteen trumpets1 two pairs of common kettledrums1 two pairs of double drums from the ,tower1 and a pair of double-bass drums made expressly for this occasion1 were introduced with great propriety2 indeed1 these last drums1 except the destruction1 had all the effect of the most powerful artillery4 ,the ,te ,deum contains eighteen short solos and choruses1 mostly of a brilliant1 martial character1 the solos being divided between the alto1 baritone1 and bass4 ,after a brief instrumental prelude1 the work opens with the triumphant1 jubilant chorus with trumpets and drums1 ,we praise ,thee1 ,o ,god1 written for five parts1 the sopranos being divided into firsts and seconds1 containing also a short alto solo leading to a closing fugue4 ,the second number 7,all the ,earth doth worship ,thee7 is also an alto solo with five-part chorus of the same general character4 ,it is followed by a semi-chorus in three parts 7,to ,thee all ,angels cry aloud71 plaintive in style1 as has already been observed1 and leading to the full chorus 7,to ,thee ,cherubim and ,seraphim71 which is majestic in its movement and rich in harmony4 ,the fifth number is a quartet and chorus 7,the glorious ,company of the ,apostles praise ,thee71 dominated by the bass1 with responses from the other parts1 and followed by a short full chorus 7,thine adorable1 true1 and only ,son74 ,the seventh number is a stirring bass solo with trumpets 7,thou art the ,king of ,glory71 leading without break into a stately choral enunciation of the same words4 ,the eighth is a slow and plaintive bass solo1 usually sung by a tenor 7,when ,thou tookest upon ,thee to deliver ,man71 followed by a grave and impressive chorus 7,when ,thou hadst overcome the ,sharpness of ,death74 ,the next number is a trio for alto1 tenor1 and bass 7,thou sittest at the ,right ,hand of ,god71 closing with a beautiful adagio effect4 ,a fanfare of trumpets introduces the next four numbers1 all choruses1 set to four verses of the hymn3-- ,we therefore pray ,thee1 help ,thy servants3 ,whom ,thou hast redeemed with ,thy precious blood4 ,make them to be numbered with ,thy ,saints3 in glory everlasting4 ,o ,lord1 save ,thy people3 and bless ,thine heritage4 ,govern them3 and lift them up forever4 ,day by day3 we magnify ,thee3 ,and we worship ,thy ,name6 ever1 world without end4 ,in this group of choruses the art of fugue and counterpoint is splendidly illustrated1 but never to the sacrifice of brilliant effect1 which is also heightened by the trumpets in the accompaniments4 ,an impressive bass solo 7,vouchsafe1 ,o ,lord7 intervenes1 and then the trumpets sound the stately symphony to the final chorus1 ,o ,lord1 in ,thee have ,i trusted4 ,it begins with a long alto solo with delicate oboe accompaniment that makes the effect very impressive when voices and instruments take up the phrase in a magnificent outburst of power and rich harmony1 and carry it to the close4 ,,haydn4 ,joseph ,haydn1 the creator of the symphony and the stringed quartet1 was born at ,rohrau1 a little ,austrian village on the river ,leitha1 ,march #ca1 #agcb4 ,his father was a wheelwright and his mother a cook1 in service with ,count ,harrach4 ,both the parents were fond of music1 and both sang1 the father accompanying himself upon the harp1 which he played by ear4 ,the child displayed a voice so beautiful that in his sixth year he was allowed to study music1 and was also given a place in the village church-choir4 ,reutter1 the capellmeister of ,st4 ,stephen's1 ,vienna1 having heard him1 was so impressed with the beauty of his voice that he offered him a position as chorister4 ,haydn eagerly accepted it1 as it gave him opportunities for study4 ,while in the service of ,st4 ,stephen's he had lessons on the violin and piano1 as well as in composition4 ,when his voice broke1 and his singing was of no further value1 he was thrown upon the tender mercies of the world4 ,fortune favored him1 however4 ,he obtained a few pupils1 and gave himself up to composition4 ,he made the acquaintance of ,metastasio1 ,porpora1 and ,gluck4 ,his trios began to attract attention1 and he soon found himself rising into prominence4 ,in #agei1 through the influence of a wealthy friend and amateur1 he was appointed to the post of musical director and composer in the service of ,count ,morzin1 and about this time wrote his first symphony4 ,when the ,count dismissed his band1 ,prince ,paul ,anton ,esterhazy received him as his second capellmeister1 under ,werner4 ,when the latter died1 in #agff1 ,haydn took his place as sole director4 ,his patron1 meanwhile1 had died1 and was succeeded by his brother ,nicolaus1 between whom and ,haydn there was the utmost good feeling4 ,up to this time ,haydn had written thirty symphonies1 a large number of trios1 quartets1 and several vocal pieces4 ,his connection with the ,prince lasted until #agij1 and was only terminated by the latter's death4 ,but during this period of twenty-eight years his musical activity was unceasing2 and as he had an orchestra of his own1 and his patron was ardently devoted to music1 the incentive to composition was never lacking4 ,anton succeeded ,nicolaus1 and was generous enough to increase ,haydn's pension2 but he dismissed the entire chapel1 and the composer took up his abode in ,vienna4 ,he was hardly established before he received a flattering proposition from ,salomon1 the manager1 to go to ,england4 ,he had already had many pressing invitations from others1 but could not accept them1 owing to his engagement at ,esterhazy4 ,now that he was free1 he decided to make the journey4 ,on ,new ,year's ,day1 #agia1 he arrived in ,london4 ,success greeted him at once4 ,he became universally popular4 ,musicians and musical societies paid him devoted attention4 ,he gave a series of symphony concerts which aroused the greatest enthusiasm4 ,he was treated with distinguished courtesy by the royal family4 ,oxford gave him the honorary degree of ,doctor of ,music4 ,the nobility entertained him sumptuously4 ,after a year of continuous fetes1 he returned to ,germany1 where he remained two years1 during a portion of which time ,beethoven was his pupil4 ,in #agid he made his second journey to ,england1 where his former successes were repeated1 and fresh honors were showered upon him4 ,in #ahjd he was notified by ,prince ,esterhazy that he was about to reorganize his chapel1 and wished him for its conductor again4 ,haydn accordingly returned to his old position1 where he remained during the rest of his life4 ,he was already an old man1 but it was during this period that his most remarkable works were produced1 among them the ,austrian ,national ,hymn 7,gott erhalte ,franz den ,kaiser71 the ,seven ,words1 the ,creation1 the ,seasons1 and many of his best trios and quartets4 ,he died ,may #ca1 #ahji1 a few days after the occupation of ,vienna by the ,french1 and among the mourners at his funeral were many ,french officers4 ,funeral services were held in all the principal ,european cities4 ,honored and respected all over ,europe1 he was most deeply loved by his own countrymen1 who still affectionately speak of him as ,papa ,haydn4 ,the ,creation4 ,haydn was sixty-five years of age when he undertook the great work of his life4 ,it was begun in #agif1 and finished in #agih4 ,when urged to bring it to a conclusion more rapidly1 he replied1 ,i spend much time over it1 because ,i intend it to last a long time4 ,shortly before his final departure from ,london1 ,salomon1 his manager1 brought him a poem for music which had been compiled by ,lydley from ,milton's ,paradise ,lost1 for use by ,handel1 though the latter had not availed himself of it4 ,haydn took it with him to ,vienna1 and submitted it to the ,baron van ,swieten1 the ,emperor's librarian1 who was not only a very learned scholar1 but also something of a musician and composer4 ,the ,baron suggested that he should make an oratorio of it1 and to encourage him1 not only translated the text into ,german1 but added a number of arias1 duets1 and choruses1 particularly those of the descriptive kind4 ,several of the nobility also guaranteed the expenses of preparation and performance4 ,his friend ,griesinger writes3-- ,haydn wrote ',the ,creation' in his sixty-fifth year with all the spirit that usually dwells in the breast of youth4 ,i had the good fortune to be a witness of the deep emotions and joyous enthusiasm which several performances of it under ,haydn's own direction aroused in all listeners4 ,haydn also confessed to me that it was not possible for him to describe the emotions with which he was filled as the performance met his entire expectation1 and his audience listened to every note4 ',one moment ,i was as cold as ice1 and the next ,i seemed on fire1 and more than once ,i feared ,i should have a stroke4' ,on another occasion ,haydn remarked3 ,never was ,i so pious as when composing ',the ,creation4' ,i knelt down every day and prayed ,god to strengthen me for the work4 ,that he sought this inspiration in his old age more than once1 we may infer from another remark to ,griesinger3 ,when composition does not get on well1 ,i go to my chamber1 and with rosary in hand say a few aves1 and then the ideas return4 ,it was first performed in private at the ,schwartzenberg ,palace1 ,april #bi1 #agih2 and ,bombet1 the celebrated ,french critic1 who was present1 says in one of his letters3 ,who can describe the applause1 the delight1 the enthusiasm of this society8 ,i was present1 and ,i can assure you ,i never witnessed such a scene4 ,the flower of the literary and musical society of ,vienna were assembled in the room1 which was well adapted to the purpose1 and ,haydn himself directed the orchestra4 ,the most profound silence1 the most scrupulous attention1 a sentiment1 ,i might almost say1 of religious respect1 were the dispositions which prevailed when the first stroke of the bow was given4 ,the general expectation was not disappointed4 ,a long train of beauties1 to that moment unknown1 unfolded themselves before us2 our minds1 overcome with pleasure and admiration1 experienced during two successive hours what they had rarely felt1--a happy existence1 produced by desires1 ever lively1 ever renewed1 and never disappointed4 ,the first public performance was given at the ,national ,theatre1 ,march #ai1 #agii1 ,haydn's name-day1 and the next by the ,tonkuenstler ,societaet4 ,on the #ith of ,march he conducted it at the palace of ,ofen before the ,archduke ,palatine ,joseph of ,hungary4 ,its success was immediate1 and rivalled that of ,the ,messiah4 ,it was performed all over ,europe1 and societies were organized for the express purpose of producing it4 ,in ,london rival performances of it were given at ,covent ,garden and the ,king's ,theatre during the year #ahjj4 ,the oratorio opens with an overture representing chaos4 ,its effect is at first dull and indefinite1 its utterances inarticulate1 and its notes destitute of perceptible melody4 ,it is ,nature in her chaotic state1 struggling into definite form4 ,gradually instrument after instrument makes an effort to extricate itself1 and as the clarinets and flutes struggle out of the confusion1 the feeling of order begins to make itself apparent4 ,the resolutions indicate harmony4 ,at last the wonderful discordances settle1 leaving a misty effect that vividly illustrates the ,spirit of ,god moving upon the face of the waters4 ,then1 at the fiat of the ,creator1 ,let there be ,light1 the whole orchestra and chorus burst forth in the sonorous response1 ,and there was ,light4 ,a brief passage by ,uriel 7tenor7 describes the division of light from darkness1 and the end of chaos1 introducing a fugued chorus1 in which the rage of ,satan and his hellish spirits1 as they are precipitated into the abyss1 is described with tremendous discords and strange modulations2 but before it closes1 the music relates the beauties of the newly created earth springing up at ,god's command4 ,raphael describes the making of the firmament1 the raging of the storms1 the flashing lightning and rolling thunders1 the showers of rain and hail1 and the gently falling snow1 to an accompaniment which is closely imitative in character4 ,the work of the second day forms the theme of ,the ,marvellous ,work1 for soprano obligato with chorus1--a number characterized by great joyousness and spirit4 ,this leads to the number1 ,rolling in foaming ,billows1 in which the music is employed to represent the effect of water1 from the roaring billows of the boisterous seas1 and the rivers flowing in serpent error1 to the limpid brook1 whose murmuring ripple is set to one of the sweetest and most delicious of melodies4 ,this leads the way to the well-known aria1 ,with ,verdure clad1 of which ,haydn himself was very fond1 and which he recast three times before he was satisfied with it4 ,it is followed by a fugued chorus 7,awake the ,harp71 in which the ,angels praise the ,creator4 ,we next pass to the creation of the planets4 ,the instrumental prelude is a wonderful bit of constantly developing color1 which increases in splendor bright1 until the sun appears4 ,it is followed by the rising of the moon1 to an accompaniment as tender as its own radiance2 and as the stars appear1 the ,sons of ,god announce the fourth day1 and the first part closes with the great chorus1 ,the ,heavens are telling1 in which the entire force of band and singers is employed in full1 broad harmony and sonorous chords1 leading to a cadence of magnificent power4 ,the second part opens with the aria1 ,on mighty ,pens1 describing in a majestic manner the flight of the eagle1 and then blithely passes to the gayety of the lark1 the tenderness of the cooing doves1 and the plaintiveness of the nightingale1 in which the singing of the birds is imitated as closely as the resources of music will allow4 ,a beautiful terzetto describes with inimitable grace the gently sloping hills covered with their verdure1 the leaping of the fountain into the light1 and the flights of birds1 and a bass solo in sonorous manner takes up the swimming fish1 closing with the upheaval of ,leviathan from the deep1 who disports himself among the double-basses4 ,this leads to a powerful chorus1 ,the ,lord is great4 ,the next number describes the creation of various animals2 and perhaps nothing that art contains can vie with it in varied and vivid description4 ,it begins with the lion1 whose deep roar is heard among the wind-instruments4 ,the alertness of the flexible tiger is shown in rapid flights by the strings4 ,a presto ingeniously represents the quick movements of the stag4 ,the horse is accompanied by music which prances and neighs4 ,a quiet pastoral movement1 in strong contrast with the preceding abrupt transitions1 pictures the cattle seeking their food on fields and meadows green4 ,a flutter of sounds describes the swarms of insects in the air1 and from this we pass to a long1 undulating thread of harmony1 representing the sinuous trace of the worm4 ,this masterpiece of imitative music is contained in a single recitative4 ,a powerful and dignified aria1 sung by ,raphael 7,now ,heaven in fullest ,glory shone71 introduces the creation of man1 which is completed in an exquisitely beautiful aria 7,in ,native ,worth 7 by ,uriel1 the second part of which is full of tender beauty in its description of the creation of ,eve1 and closes with a picture of the happiness of the newly created pair4 ,a brief recitative 7,and ,god saw everything that ,he had made7 leads to the chorus1 ,achieved is the glorious ,work1--a fugue of great power1 superbly accompanied4 ,it is interrupted by a trio 7,on ,thee each living ,soul awaits71 but soon returns with still greater power and grandeur1 closing with a ,gloria and ,hallelujah of magnificent proportions4 ,the third part opens with a symphonic introduction descriptive of the first morning of creation1 in which the flutes and horns1 combined with the strings1 are used with exquisite effect4 ,in a brief recitative 7,in rosy ,mantle appears7 ,uriel pictures the joy of ,adam and ,eve1 and bids them sing the praise of ,god with the angelic choir1 which forms the theme of the succeeding duet and chorus 7,by ,thee with ,bliss72 to which the answering choir replies with a gentle and distant effect1 as if from the celestial heights1 ,forever blessed be ,his ,power4 ,again ,adam and ,eve in successive solos1 finally uniting1 join with the choir in extolling the goodness of ,god2 and as they close1 all take up the beautiful and majestic paean1 ,hail1 bounteous ,lord6 ,almighty1 hail6 ,as the angelic shout dies away1 a tender1 loving dialogue ensues between ,adam and ,eve1 leading to the beautiful duet1 ,graceful ,consort1 which is not only the most delightful number in the work1 but in freshness1 sweetness1 and tenderness stands almost unsurpassed among compositions of its kind4 ,after a short bit of recitative by ,uriel 7,o happy ,pair71 the chorus enters upon the closing number 7,sing the ,lord1 ye ,voices all71 beginning slowly and majestically1 then developing into a masterly fugue 7,jehovah's ,praise forever shall endure71 and closing with a ,laudamus of matchless beauty1 in which the principal voices in solo parts are set off against the choral and orchestral masses with powerful effect4 ,haydn's last appearance in public was at a performance of the ,creation1 which took place in #ahjh1 when it was given in ,italian under the direction of ,salieri4 ,dies says of this remarkable scene3-- ,on alighting from the ,prince's carriage1 he was received by distinguished personages of the nobility and by his scholar1 ,beethoven4 ,the crowd was so great that the military had to keep order4 ,he was carried1 sitting in his arm-chair1 into the hall1 and was greeted upon his entrance with a flourish of trumpets and joyous shouts of ',long live ,haydn6' ,he occupied a seat next his ,princess1 the ,prince being at court that day2 and on the other side sat his favorite scholar1 ,fraeulein ,kurzbeck4 ,the highest people of rank in ,vienna selected seats in his vicinity4 ,the ,french ambassador noticed that he wore the medal of the ,paris ,concert des ,amateurs4 ',not only this1 but all the medals which have been awarded in ,france1 you ought to have received1' said he4 ,haydn thought he felt a little draught2 the ,princess threw her shawl about him1 many ladies following her example1 and in a few moments he was completely wrapped in shawls4 ,poems by ,collin and ,carpani1 the adapter of the text1 were presented to him4 ,he could no longer conceal his feelings4 ,his overburdened heart sought and found relief in tears4 ,when the passage1 ',and there was ,light1' came1 and the audience broke out into tumultuous applause1 he made a motion of his hands towards heaven1 and said1 ',it came from thence4' ,he remained in such an agitated condition that he was obliged to take his leave at the close of the first part4 ,as he went out1 the audience thronged about him to take leave of him1 and ,beethoven kissed his hand and forehead devoutly4 ,his departure completely overcame him4 ,he could not address the audience1 and could only give expression to his heartfelt gratitude with broken1 feeble utterances and blessings4 ,upon every countenance there was deep pity1 and tearful eyes followed him as he was taken to his carriage4 ,he lived but a short time longer1 but long enough to witness the success of his scholar1 ,beethoven1 in the same year4 ,the ,seasons4 ,the ,seasons1 written two years after ,the ,creation1 was ,haydn's last oratorio4 ,the music was composed between ,april1 #agih1 and ,april1 #ahja4 ,it is not an oratorio in the strict sense of the term1 as it partakes of the form and qualities1 not only of the oratorio1 but also of the opera and cantata4 ,the words were compiled by ,baron van ,swieten from ,thomson's well-known poem of ,the ,seasons1 but it was a long time before he could persuade ,haydn to undertake the task of composing an oratorio on the subject4 ,his old age and infirmities made him averse to the work4 ,he was greatly annoyed by the text1 and still more so by its compiler1 who insisted upon changes in the music which ,haydn testily declined to make4 ,he was frequently irritated over the many imitative passages1 and it was to relieve his own feelings and vary the monotony of the sentiment that he introduced the rollicking bacchanal chorus in the third part4 ,he expressed his feelings to a friend in the remark3 ,my head was so full of the nonsensical stuff that it all went topsy-turvy1 and ,i therefore called the closing fugue the 'drunken fugue4' ,notwithstanding his many objections1 when once he started1 he worked hard1--so hard1 indeed1 that this continuous labor induced brain-fever and intense suffering1 and he never entirely rallied from its effects4 ,a weakness followed1 which constantly increased4 ,to one friend he remarked3 ,the ',seasons' have brought this trouble upon me4 ,i ought not to have written it4 ,i have overdone2 and to another3 ,i have done2 my head is no longer what it was4 ,formerly ideas came to me unsought3 ,i am now obliged to seek for them2 and for this ,i feel ,i am not formed4 ,it is a sad picture1 that of the old composer sitting down to work in his seventieth year1 distrustful of his own powers1 with an uncongenial text before him2 but no indications of age or weakness are to be found in this music1 which from its first note to the last is fresh1 original1 bright1 and graceful1--a treasure-house of ideas to which subsequent composers have gone time after time when they would write of ,nature or attempt to picture her moods4 ,the ,seasons was first performed at the ,schwartzenberg ,palace1 ,vienna1 ,april #bd1 #ahja1 and was repeated on the #bgth and on the #ast of ,may4 ,on the #bith of ,may ,haydn himself conducted it in public at the ,redoutensaal1 for his own benefit4 ,though some of the critics disparaged it1 and ,beethoven was not overpleased with it1 it met with a great popular success1 and ,haydn himself was delighted with the work that had cost him so much trouble4 ,bombet1 the ,french critic1 who was present at the first performance1 says of it3-- ,the best critique that has been given of the work is that which ,haydn himself addressed to me when ,i went to give him an account of the performance of it in the ,palace ,schwartzenberg4 ,the applause had been universal1 and ,i hastened out to congratulate the author4 ,scarcely had ,i opened my lips when the honest composer stopped me3 ',i am happy to find that my music pleases the public2 but ,i can receive no compliment on this work from you4 ,i am convinced that you feel yourself that it is not the ,creation2 and the reason is this3 in the ,creation the actors are angels2 here they are peasants4' ,the work is divided into four parts1--,spring1 ,summer1 ,autumn1 and ,winter1--and the characters introduced are ,simon1 a farmer2 ,jane1 his daughter2 ,lucas1 a young countryman and shepherd2 and a chorus of ,country ,people and ,hunters4 ,a vivacious overture1 expressing the passage from winter to spring1 and recitatives by ,simon1 ,lucas1 and ,jane1 who in turn express their delight at the close of the one season and the approach of the other1 lead to the opening chorus 7,come1 gentle ,spring1 ethereal ,mildness1 come71--a fresh and animated number1 which is familiar to every one4 ,simon trolls out a pastoral aria 7,with ,joy the impatient ,husbandman71 full of the very spirit of quiet1 peace1 and happiness1--a quaint melody which will inevitably recall to opera-goers the ,zitti1 ,zitti from ,rossini's ,barber of ,seville1 the essential difference between the two pieces being that in the latter the time is greatly accelerated4 ,this aria is followed by a trio and chorus 7,be propitious1 bounteous ,heaven71 a free fugue1 in which all beseech a blessing upon the sowing of the seed4 ,the next number is a duet for ,jane and ,lucas1 with chorus 7,spring her lovely ,charms unfolding71 which is fairly permeated with the delicate suggestions of opening buds and the delights of the balmy air and young verdure of spring4 ,as its strains die away1 all join in the cheerful fugued chorus1 ,god of ,light1 which closes the first part4 ,after a brief adagio prelude1 the second part1 ,summer1 opens with a charming aria by ,simon 7,from out the ,fold the ,shepherd drives71 which gives us a delightful picture of the shepherd driving his flock along the verdant hillside1 then leaning upon his staff to watch the rising sun4 ,as it appears1 it is welcomed by trio and chorus with the exultant shout1 ,hail1 ,o glorious ,sun6 ,as noon approaches1 the music fairly becomes radiant4 ,a series of recitatives and arias follow1 bringing out in a vivid and picturesque manner the oppressive1 exhaustive heat and the longing for rest and shade1 leading at last to an ominous silence as the clouds begin to gather and the sky darkens4 ,a short recitative prepares the way4 ,a crash of thunder is heard upon the drums3 it is the prelude to the storm-chorus 7,hark6 the deep tremendous ,voice71 which has been the model for nearly all the storm-descriptions written since ,haydn's time4 ,it is worked up to a tremendous climax of tumult and terror1 of pouring rain1 flashing lightning1 and pealing thunder4 ,at last the tempest dies away1 and in the trio and chorus1 ,now cease the ,conflicts1 night comes on1 with its song of the quail1--which ,beethoven subsequently utilized in his ,pastoral ,symphony1--the chirp of the crickets1 the croaking of the frogs1 the distant chime of the evening bells1 and the invocation to sleep4 ,of the frog episode1 ,nohl says3-- ,he particularly disliked the croaking of the frogs1 and realized how much it lowered his art4 ,swieten showed him an old piece of ,gretry's in which the croak was imitated with striking effect4 ,haydn contended that it would be better if the entire croak were omitted1 though he yielded to ,swieten's importunities4 ,he declared afterwards1 however1 that the frog passage was not his own4 ',it was urged upon me1' he said1 'to write this ,french croak4 ,in the orchestral setting it is very brief1 and it cannot be done on the piano4 ,i trust the critics will not treat me with severity for it4 ,i am an old man1 and liable to make mistakes4' ,after a quaintly melodious prelude the third part opens with a terzetto and chorus 7,thus ,nature ever kind rewards71 an invocation to virtue and industry1 and a quaintly sentimental duet 7,ye gay and painted ,fair74 ,the next number1 an aria by ,simon 7,behold along the dewy ,grass71--which gives us a picture of the hunter and his dog pursuing a bird1--prepares the way for the great hunting chorus 7,hark6 the ,mountains resound71 one of the most graphic and stirring choruses of this description ever written4 ,the whole scene1--the vales and forests resounding with the music of the horns1 the finding of the quarry1 the flying stag outstripping the wind1 the pack at fault1 but starting in again as they find the scent1 the tally-ho of the hunters1 the noble animal at bay1 his death1 and the shouts of the crowd1--are all pictured with a freshness and genuine out-door feeling which seem almost incredible considering ,haydn's age4 ,this remarkable number is separated from its natural companion1 the bacchanalian chorus1 by a recitative extolling the wealth of the vintage4 ,this chorus 7,joyful the ,liquor flows7 is in two parts1--first a hymn in praise of wine1 sung by the tippling revellers1 and second1 a dance tempo1 full of life and beauty1 with imitations of the bagpipe and rustic fiddles1 the melody being a favorite ,austrian dance-air4 ,with this rollicking combination1 for the two movements are interwoven1 the third part closes4 ,a slow orchestral prelude1 expressing the thick fogs at the approach of winter1 introduces the closing part4 ,in recitative ,simon describes the on-coming of the dreary season1 and ,jane reiterates the sentiment in the cavatina1 ,light and ,life dejected languish4 ,in ,lucas's recitative we see the snow covering the fields1 and in his following aria1 ,the ,traveller stands perplexed1 a graphic tone-picture of the wanderer lost in the snow is presented4 ,at last he espies the friendly light in the cottage4 ,melodious voices greet his ears1 and as he enters he beholds the friendly circle1 the old father telling over his stories of the past1 the mother plying the distaff1 the girls spinning1 and the young people making the night merry with jest and sport4 ,at last they join in a characteristic imitative chorus 7,let the ,wheel move gayly74 ,after the spinning they gather about the fire1 and ,jane sings a charming love-story 7,a wealthy ,lord who long had loved71 accompanied by chorus4 ,simon improves the occasion to moralize on the sentiment of the seasons in the aria1 ,in this1 ,o vain1 misguided ,man1 impressing upon us the lesson that ,nought but ,truth remains2 and with a general appeal to ,heaven for guidance through life1 this quaint and peaceful pastoral poem in music draws to its close4 ,it was the last important work of the aged ,haydn1 but it has all the charm and freshness of youth4 ,,liszt4 ,franz ,liszt1 the most eminent pianist of his time1 who also obtained world-wide celebrity as a composer and orchestral conductor1 was born at ,raiding1 ,hungary1 ,oct4 #bb1 #ahaa4 ,his father was an accomplished amateur1 and played the piano and violoncello with more than ordinary skill4 ,he was ,in his ninth year ,liszt played for the first noblemen encouraged him to continue his studies1 and guaranteed him sufficient to defray the expenses of six years' tuition4 ,he went to ,vienna at once and studied the piano with ,czerny1 besides taking lessons in composition from ,salieri and ,randhartinger4 ,it was while in that city that his first composition1 a variation on a waltz of ,diabelli1 appeared4 ,in #ahbc he went to ,paris1 hoping to secure admission to the ,conservatory2 but ,cherubini refused it on account of his foreign origin1 though ,cherubini himself was a foreigner4 ,nothing daunted1 young ,liszt continued his studies with ,reicha and ,paer1 and two years afterwards brought out a one-act opera entitled ,don ,sancho1 which met with a very cordial reception4 ,the slight he had received from ,cherubini aroused popular sympathy for him4 ,his wonderful playing attracted universal attention and gained him admission into the most brilliant ,parisian salons4 ,he soon became known as the wonder-child1 and was a favorite with every one1 especially with the ladies4 ,for two or three years he made artistic tours through ,france1 ,switzerland1 and ,england1 accompanied by his father1 and everywhere met with the most brilliant success4 ,in #ahbg the father died1 leaving him alone in the world2 but good fortune was on his side4 ,during his stay in ,paris he had made the friendship of ,victor ,hugo1 ,george ,sand1 ,lamartine1 and other great lights in literature and music1 and their influence prepared the way for his permanent success4 ,notwithstanding that he was in many senses a ,bohemian and a man of the world1 he had a strong religious tendency4 ,for a time he became deeply interested in the doctrines of ,saint-,simon2 but his adherence to that system did not last long4 ,he speedily returned to the ,roman ,church1 and some years afterwards went to ,rome1 at the suggestion of the ,pontiff took orders1 and set himself about the work of reforming the church music1--a task1 however1 which he soon abandoned2 too many obstacles stood in his way4 ,he expected to become ,capellmeister at the ,sistine ,chapel2 but1 as he himself said3 ,i was thwarted by the lack of culture among the cardinals2 and besides1 most of the princes of the ,church were ,italian4 ,the ,abbe was soon in ,germany again1 where he resided until the close of his life4 ,from #ahci to #ahdg he travelled from one city to another1 arousing the most extraordinary enthusiasm2 his progress was one continued ovation4 ,in #ahdi he went to ,weimar and accepted the post of conductor at the ,court ,theatre4 ,he made ,weimar the musical centre of ,europe4 ,it was there that his greatest compositions were written1 that the school of the music of the future was founded1 and that ,wagner's operas first gained an unprejudiced hearing2 and it is from ,weimar that his distinguished pupils1 like ,von ,buelow1 ,tausig1 ,bendel1 ,bronsart1 ,klindworth1 ,winterberger1 ,reubke1 and many others date their success4 ,in #ahei he resigned his position1 and after that time resided at ,rome1 ,pesth1 and ,weimar1 working for the best interests of his beloved art1 and encouraging young musicians to reach the highest standards4 ,few men of this century have had such a powerful influence upon music1 or have done so much to elevate and purify it4 ,his most important works were the ,divina ,commedia and ,faust symphonies1 the twelve symphonic poems1 the six ,hungarian rhapsodies1 the ,graner ,mass1 the ,hungarian ,coronation ,mass1 and the oratorios ,christus and ,the ,legend of the ,holy ,elizabeth4 ,besides these he wrote a large number of orchestral pieces1 songs1 and cantatas1 and a rich and varied collection of pianoforte solos1 transcriptions1 and arrangements4 ,he died ,july #ca1 #ahhf4 ,the ,legend of the ,holy ,elizabeth4 ,the oratorio1 ,legend of the ,holy ,elizabeth1 was written in #ahfd1 and first produced ,aug4 #ae1 #ahfe1 upon the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ,conservatory of ,pesth-,ofen4 ,the text is by ,otto ,roquette1 and was inspired by ,moritz von ,schwind's frescos at the ,wartburg representing scenes in the life of the saint4 ,a brief allusion to her history will still further elucidate the story which ,liszt has treated so powerfully4 ,she was the daughter of ,king ,andreas ,,ii4 of ,hungary1 and was born in #abjg4 ,at the age of four she was betrothed to ,ludwig1 son of the ,landgrave ,hermann of ,thuringia1 whom she married in #abbj4 ,after his death1 in #abbg1 she was driven from the ,wartburg and forced to give up the regency by her cruel and ambitious mother-in-law4 ,after long wanderings and many privations she retired to ,bamberg1 where her uncle1 the bishop1 dwelt2 but shortly afterwards her rights were restored to her4 ,she renounced them in favor of her son1 ,hermann ,,ii41 and died in #abca4 ,four years later she was canonized at ,marpurg by order of ,pope ,gregory ,,ix4 ,her life was devoted to the relief of the poor and suffering4 ,the characters introduced in the oratorio are ,saint ,elizabeth1 ,landgrave ,ludwig1 ,landgrave ,hermann1 ,landgravine ,sophie1 a ,hungarian ,magnate1 the ,seneschal1 and the ,emperor ,frederick ,,ii4 ,the last three roles are usually assigned to ,ludwig1 thus reducing the number of solo-singers to four4 ,the work is laid out in two parts1 each having three scenes corresponding in subjects with ,von ,schwind's six frescos4 ,the first describes the arrival of ,elizabeth at the ,wartburg1 and the welcome she receives4 ,in the second she is married1 and her husband1 ,ludwig1 has succeeded to the throne4 ,his devotion to knight-errantry leads him from home4 ,during his absence a famine breaks out1 and ,elizabeth in her devotion to the sufferers impoverishes herself and incurs the wrath of her mother-in-law1 the ,landgravine ,sophie4 ,while carrying a basket of bread and wine one day to the victims of the scourge1 she is met by her husband1 who has unexpectedly returned4 ,amazed at the absence of her attendants1 he questions her1 and she excuses herself with the plea that she has been gathering flowers4 ,doubting the truth of her statement1 he snatches the basket from her4 ,she confesses her falsehood2 but upon examining the basket it is found to be full of roses4 ,the ,lord has performed a miracle4 ,overcome with remorse for doubting her1 ,ludwig begs her forgiveness1 and the two join in prayer that the ,lord may continue ,his goodness to them4 ,the third scene opens at ,schmalkald1 on the borders of ,thuringia1 where ,ludwig has assembled his knights and nobles who are to accompany him to the ,holy ,land4 ,they declare their allegiance to ,ludwig as their leader1 and he calls upon them also to swear fealty to his wife4 ,after a sad farewell ,ludwig rides away at the head of his ,crusaders4 ,the fourth scene opens with the news of ,ludwig's death4 ,the ,landgravine claims the castle as her inheritance1 compels ,elizabeth to abandon the regency1 and drives her out in the midst of a furious storm4 ,in the fifth scene we find her at a hospital which she has founded1 and notwithstanding her own troubles and sufferings still ministering to others in like affliction4 ,this scene closes with her death1 and in the last we have the ceremonies of her canonization at ,marpurg4 ,the first scene opens with a long orchestral introduction1 working up to a powerful climax1 and based mainly upon a theme from the old church service1 which is ,elizabeth's motive1 and is frequently heard throughout the work4 ,an animated prelude which follows it introduces the opening chorus 7,welcome the ,bride74 ,a brief solo by ,landgrave ,hermann 7,welcome1 my little ,daughter7 and another of a national character by the ,hungarian ,magnate attending the bride intervene1 and again the chorus break out in noisy welcome4 ,after a dignified solo by ,hermann and a brief dialogue between ,ludwig and ,elizabeth1 a light1 graceful allegretto ensues1 leading up to a children's chorus 7,merriest ,games with thee would we play71 which is delightfully fresh and joyous in its character4 ,at its close the chorus of welcome resumes1 and the scene ends with a ritornelle of a plaintive kind1 foreboding the sorrow which is fast approaching4 ,the second scene1 after a short prelude1 opens with ,ludwig's hunting-song 7,from the ,mists of the ,valleys71 which is written in the conventional style of songs of this class1 although it has two distinct movements in strong contrast4 ,as he meets ,elizabeth1 a dialogue ensues1 including the scene of the rose miracle1 leading up to a brief chorus 7,the ,lord has done a ,wonder71 and followed by an impressive duet in church style 7,him we worship and praise this ,day74 ,the scene closes with an ensemble1 a duet with full choral harmony1 worked up with constantly increasing power and set to an accompaniment full of rich color and brilliant effect4 ,the third scene opens with the song of the ,crusaders1 an impetuous and brilliant chorus 7,in ,palestine1 the ,holy ,land71 the accompaniment to which is an independent march movement4 ,the stately rhythm is followed by a solo by the ,landgrave1 bidding farewell to ,elizabeth and appealing to his subjects to be loyal to her4 ,the chorus replies in a short number1 based upon the ,hungarian melody which has already been heard4 ,elizabeth follows with a tender but passionate appeal to her husband 7,oh1 tarry6 oh1 shorten not the ,hour71 leading to a solo 7,with ,grief my ,spirit wrestles71 which is full of the pain of parting4 ,a long dialogue follows between them1 interrupted here and there by the strains of the ,crusaders1 in which finally the whole chorus join with great power in a martial but sorrowful style4 ,as it comes to a close1 the orchestra breaks out into the ,crusaders' march1--a brilliant picture of the knightly pageant1 the time gradually accelerating as well as the force1 until it reaches a tremendous climax4 ,the trio of the march is based upon a religious melody which was sung in the time of the ,crusaders2 but the remainder follows the ,gregorian intonation4 ,the chorus once more resumes its shout of jubilee1 and the brilliant scene comes to an end4 ,so vividly colored is this music that one can well fancy the sorrowful ,elizabeth as she stands gazing at the band of knights1 with ,ludwig at their head1 slowly riding away1 pennons fluttering in the breeze1 and lances and mail glittering in the sunlight4 ,in the fourth scene a slow and mournful movement1 followed by an allegro ominous and agitated in style1 introduces the ,landgravine ,sophie1 the evil genius of the ,wartburg4 ,the tidings of the death of ,ludwig have come1 and with fierce declamation she orders ,elizabeth away from the castle4 ,the latter replies in an aria 7,o ,day of ,mourning1 ,day of ,sorrow7 marked by sorrowful lamentation4 ,sophie again hurls her imprecations1 and a very dramatic dialogue ensues1 which takes the trio form as the reluctant ,seneschal consents to enforce the cruel order4 ,once more ,elizabeth tenderly appeals to her in the aria1 ,thou too art a ,mother4 ,sophie impatiently and fiercely exclaims1 ,no longer tarry6 ,the scene comes to an end with ,elizabeth's lament as she goes out into the storm1 which is vividly described in an orchestral movement1 interspersed with vocal solos4 ,these have little bearing upon the subject-matter1 however1 which is mainly described by the band with overwhelming power4 ,the fifth scene opens with a long declamatory solo by ,elizabeth1--full of tenderness and pathos1 in which she recalls the dream of childhood1--closing with an orchestral movement of the same general character4 ,it is followed by the full chorus 7,here 'neath the ,roof of ,want71 which after a few bars is taken by the sopranos and altos separately1 closing with chorus again and soprano solo 7,elizabeth1 thou holy one74 ,the death-scene follows 7,this is no earthly ,night74 ,her last words1 ,unto mine ,end ,thy ,love has led me1 are set to music full of pathos1 and as she expires1 the instrumentation dies away in peaceful1 tranquil strains4 ,a semi-chorus1 which can also be sung by three solo voices 7,the ,pain is over71 closes the sad scene1 the ritornelle at the end being made still more effective by the harps1 which give it a celestial character4 ,the last scene opens with an interlude which gathers up all the motives of the oratorio1--the ,pilgrim's ,song1 the ,crusaders' ,march1 the ,church ,song1 and the ,hungarian ,air1 and weaves them into a rich and varied texture for full orchestra1 bells1 and drums1 forming the funeral song of the sainted ,elizabeth1--the same effect1 and produced in the same manner1 which ,wagner subsequently used with such magnificent power in the dirge of ,siegfried4 ,it is followed by a solo from the ,emperor1 ,i see assembled round the ,throne1--a slow and dignified air1 leading to the great ensemble closing the work1 and descriptive of the canonization of ,elizabeth4 ,it begins as an antiphonal chorus 7,mid ,tears and ,solemn ,mourning71 the female chorus answering the male and closing in unison4 ,once more the ,crusaders' ,march is heard in the orchestra as the knights sing1 ,o ,thou whose ,life-blood streamed4 ,the church choir sings the chorale1 ,decorata novo flore1 the ,hungarian and ,german bishops intone their benedictions1 and then all join in the powerful and broadly harmonious hymn1 ,tu pro nobis ,mater pia1 closing with a sonorous and majestic ,amen4 ,christus4 ,christus1 oratorio1 with texts from the ,holy ,scriptures and the ,catholic ,liturgy1 as ,liszt entitles his work1 was finished in #ahff4 ,at the outset the composer selected the ,hymn of ,praise and ,pater ,noster from ,ruechert's ,evangelical ,harmony2 and upon these and one or two other detached numbers for a background1 he built up a series of religious events connected with the offices of the ,church according to the ,vulgate and its ,liturgy4 ,these events are laid out in three divisions1--,the ,christmas ,oratorio1 ,after ,epiphany1 and ,the ,passion and ,resurrection2 the separate parts of which are as follows3 7#a7 ,the ,introduction4 7#b7 ,pastoral and ,vision of the ,angels4 7#c7 ,stabat ,mater speciosa4 7#d7 ,song of the ,shepherds in the ,manger4 7#e7 ,the ,anointing of the three ,kings4 7#f7 ,hymn of ,praise4 7#g7 ,pater ,noster4 7#h7 ,the ,establishment or ,foundation of the ,christian ,church4 7#i7 ,the ,storm on the ,lake4 7#aj7 ,the ,entry into ,jerusalem4 7#aa7 ,tristis est anima mea4 7#ab7 ,stabat ,mater dolorosa4 7#ac7 ,easter ,hymn4 7#ad7 ,resurrection of ,christ4 ,the motive of the work is announced in ,saint ,paul's words to the ,ephesians3 ,but speaking the truth in love1 may grow up into him in all things1 which is the head1 even ,christ4 ,the long instrumental introduction is constructed upon a theme representative of a text from ,isaiah1 ,resound1 ye ,heavens above1 many times repeated1 and leading to a pastoral which prepares the way for the angelic announcement to the shepherds4 ,this announcement is made in the simple collect music by a soprano solo1 and replied to by a female chorus1 first accompanied by string quartet1 and then by full orchestra1 and leading to the full chorus1 ,gloria in excelsis1 a series of mighty shouts1 closing with a stately ,hallelujah and a return of the orchestra to the pastoral movement4 ,the next division is the old ,latin hymn1 ,stabat ,mater speciosa1 the ,virgin at the cradle of our ,lord1--a six-part chorus in church style1 accompanied by the organ1 with solo variations interspersed through it1 and characterized by a lofty feeling of devotion1 especially in the ,inflammatus and the majestic final ,amen4 ,the remaining numbers of the first part are entirely instrumental1 including the ,shepherd's ,song at the ,manger1 a pastoral full of beautiful effects1 and the ,three ,holy ,kings1 a march which is majestic in its style and broad in its rhythm1 and full of characteristic color4 ,the two numbers close the part in a brilliant and jubilant manner4 ,the second part opens with the ,seligkeiten 7,hymn of ,praise71 a grand declamatory solo for baritone1 accompanied by a six-part chorus1 which1 like the next number1 was written by ,liszt in his younger days and utilized in its present setting4 ,the hymn is accompanied by organ throughout1 and is followed by the ,pater ,noster1 also with organ1--a fervent1 almost passionate1 offering of prayer by the precentors and congregation1 closing with a mighty ,amen4 ,in the next number--the founding of the ,church 7,tu es ,petrus71 beginning with male chorus--the orchestra resumes its work4 ,the voices move on in stately manner until the words1 ,simon1 son of ,jona1 lovest thou me8 are reached1 when the full chorus comes in with imposing effect4 ,of this number1 ,nohl says in his fine analysis of ,christus3-- ,the perishable1 sinful world in all its aspects is here contrasted with an undoubting faith in an everlastingly constant higher ideal1 to give it this name4 ,that it is the spirit of the subject1 not its mere perishable husk1 is shown by the nature of the melody1 which rises to the most powerful expression of the final victory of this spirit of love4 ,now again the full orchestra joins the double chorus2 for the world1 the whole world1 is meant4 ,the next scene1 entitled ,the ,wonder1 is purely instrumental1 and is a marvellous picture of the storm upon the lake1 which ,nohl also characterizes with reference to its inner meanings3-- ,the ninth scene is a marvel4 ',the storms rage in contention1'--not the storms of the sea1 but the storm of desires to which the weak of faith are exposed4 ,it is not the outward marvel or superstition that is to be strengthened1 but the faith of human nature in itself and its higher power and destiny4 ,hence the actual inner tranquillity when1 after the raging orchestral tumult1 'a great stillness' succeeds ,christ's words1 which is ingeniously introduced with the motive of the ',seligkeit1' because such inner purity alone bestows upon mankind effective power over the savage forces of the world4 ,the ,entrance into ,jerusalem1 a graphic instrumental prelude1 introduces a ,hosanna for full chorus1 followed by a ,benedictus for mezzo-soprano with chorus1--a splendidly constructed number1 which closes the second part in a style full of beauty and majesty4 ,the third part opens with the sorrowful scene1 ,tristis est anima mea1 ,christ's sad words in the walk to ,gethsemane1--an unutterably pathetic solo1 with an accompaniment which is a marvel of expressive instrumentation4 ,the next number is the old ,middle-,age hymn1 ,stabat ,mater dolorosa1 in which ,liszt has combined voices and instruments in a manner1 particularly in the ,inflammatus1 almost overpowering4 ,solos1 duets1 quartets1 choruses1 orchestra1 and organ are all handled with consummate skill4 ,it has been aptly characterized as having the dimensions of the ,last ,judgment in the ,sistine ,chapel4 ,after the great hymn is ended1 another begins4 ,it is the old ,easter song1 ,o ,filii et ,filiae1 written to be sung by boys with harmonium1--a joyous1 sunny chorus1 dispersing the gloom of the ,stabat ,mater4 ,the last scene1 ,the ,resurrection1 is a powerful and massive chorus1 full of mighty accords1 typical of the final triumph of ,christianity1 and closing with a majestic ,amen built up on the opening motive of the original introduction4 ,it is1 says ,nohl1 a cycle of scenes such as only the victorious mastery of the subject by inward perception can give1 and such as only the artist can draw who dominates all the conditions apart like a king1 and has reconciled his soul with the absolute truth and power of the ,eternal4 ,,macfarren4 ,george ,alexander ,macfarren1 one of the most prominent of modern ,english composers1 was born in ,london1 ,march #b1 #ahac4 ,he began the study of music in #ahbg under the tuition of ,charles ,lucas4 ,two year's later he entered the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 and in #ahcd became one of its professors4 ,the latter year dates the beginning of his career as a composer1 his first work having been a symphony in ,f minor4 ,during the next thirty years his important works were as follows3 overture ,chevy ,chase 7#ahcf72 ,devil's ,opera1 produced at the ,lyceum 7#ahch72 ,emblematical ,tribute on the ,queen's ,marriage and an arrangement of ,purcell's ,dido and ,a,eneas 7#ahdj72 editions of ,belshazzar1 ,judas ,maccabaeus1 and ,jephthah1 for the ,handel ,society 7#ahdc72 opera ,don ,quixote 7#ahdf72 opera ,charles ,,ii4 7#ahdi72 serenata ,the ,sleeper ,awakened1 and the cantata ,lenora 7#ahea72 the cantata ,may ,day1 for the ,bradford ,festival 7#ahef72 the cantata ,christmas 7#ahei72 the opera ,robin ,hood 7#ahfj72 the masque ,freya's ,gift and opera ,jessy ,lea 7#ahfc72 and the operas ,she ,stoops to ,conquer1 ,the ,soldier's ,legacy1 and ,helvellyn 7#ahfd74 ,about the last year his sight1 which had been impaired for many years1 failed4 ,his blindness did not however diminish his activity4 ,he still served as professor in the ,royal ,academy1 and dictated compositions1--indeed some of his best works were composed during this time of affliction4 ,in #ahgc appeared his oratorio1 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 which met with an enthusiastic reception at the ,bristol ,festival of that year4 ,in #ahge he was elected professor of music at ,cambridge1 to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of ,sterndale ,bennett1 and in the same year was also appointed principal of the ,royal ,academy of ,music4 ,in #ahgf his oratorio ,the ,resurrection was performed at the ,birmingham ,festival1 and in #ahgg the oratorio ,joseph at ,leeds1 besides the cantata ,the ,lady of the ,lake at ,glasgow4 ,grove catalogues his other compositions as follows3 a cathedral service1 anthems1 chants1 psalm-tunes1 and introits for the ,holy ,days and ,seasons of the ,english ,church 7#ahff72 ,songs in a ,cornfield 7#ahfh72 ,shakspeare ,songs for ,four ,voices 7#ahfj-fd72 songs from ,lane's ,arabian ,nights1 and ,kingsley's and ,tennyson's poems2 overtures to ,the ,merchant of ,venice1 ,romeo and ,juliet1 ,hamlet1 and ,don ,carlos2 symphonies1 string quartets1 and a quintet2 a concerto for violin and orchestra2 and sonatas for pianoforte alone1 and in combination with other instruments4 ,as lecturer1 writer1 and critic1 ,sir ,george ,macfarren also holds a high place1 among his important works being ,rudiments of ,harmony 7#ahfj71 and six ,lectures on ,harmony 7#ahfg72 also ,analyses of ,oratorios for the ,sacred ,harmonic ,society 7#ahec-eg71 and of orchestral works for the ,philharmonic ,society 7#ahfi-ga71 besides numerous articles in the musical dictionaries4 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist4 ,the oratorio ,st4 ,john the ,baptist was first produced at the ,bristol ,musical ,festival in #ahgc4 ,the libretto was written by ,dr4 ,e4 ,g4 ,monk1 and is divided into two parts1--the first styled ,the ,desert1 and the second ,machaerus1 to correspond with the localities where the action is supposed to take place4 ,the incidents described are ,john's preaching to the people1 the baptism of ,christ1 and the events which begin with ,herod's feast and close with the execution of the ,prophet4 ,one of the best of the ,english critics1 speaking of the libretto1 says3-- ,john is thus shown in his threefold capacity1 as the herald of the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 as the uncompromising champion of righteousness1 and as the witness of truth even unto death4 ,nothing could be more simple or more definite than this1 and the discreetness it evinces is shown also by the manner in which the characters are treated4 ,john1 of course1 is the central figure4 ,he stands out clothed with all the noble attributes accredited to him in the ,bible1--'stern and inflexible in his teaching1 yet bowing before him whose message he had to promulgate4' ,a halo of grandeur surrounds the ascetic of the desert as he hurls anathemas upon the corruptors of ,israel2 or as1 in the true spirit of the ancient prophets of his race1 he rebukes ,herod under the roof of that monarch's palace4 ,no greater hero could a musician wish for as a source of inspiration1 or as a means of exciting interest4 ,next to ,john stands the weak and voluptuous ,king1--a contrast as marked in character as in outward circumstance4 ,the impulsive temperament of ,herod is well brought out4 ,one instant he resents ,john's boldness1 and significantly exclaims1 ',if ,i command to kill1 they kill2' the next he trembles before his rebuker1 and promises to amend his life4 ,the rashness of the fatal vow to ,salome1 and the bitter but unavailing repentance to which it led1 are also put well forward1 while in matters of detail extreme care is taken to make the contrast of ,prophet and ,king as great as circumstances permit4 ,the part of ,salome1 who is the only other dramatic person1 contains no more amplification of the ,bible narrative than was exacted by the necessities of musical treatment4 ,in structure1 the libretto is partly dramatic1 partly narrational1 the dramatic form being employed in all the chief scenes2 and as little use is made of ',greek chorus1' the story marches without the halting rendered necessary by efforts to 'improve' its incidents as they arise4 ,the overture1 which is very dramatic in character1 is followed by a powerful fugued chorus 7,behold6 ,i will send ,my ,messenger71 a part of which is set to organ accompaniment4 ,the ,narrator 7contralto7 recites the coming of the ,prophet1 in the orchestral prelude to which is a phrase borrowed from an old church melody which ,mendelssohn also used in his ,reformation ,symphony1 and which serves throughout the work as the motive for the ,prophet1 in the genuine ,wagner style4 ,saint ,john is introduced in a rugged and massive baritone solo 7,repent ye1 the ,kingdom of ,heaven is at hand71 accompanied by very descriptive instrumentation4 ,a dramatic scene ensues1 composed of inquiries as to the ,prophet's mission by the ,people1 a short chorus by the latter 7,what shall we do then87 which is very melodic in style1 and the resumption of the dialogue form1 set to a very skilful accompaniment4 ,this scene is followed by a characteristic aria for the ,prophet1 ,i indeed baptize you with ,water4 ,the story is once more taken up by the ,narrator1 who describes the baptism of ,christ4 ,the words1 ,this is ,my ,beloved ,son1 are given to a female choir1 with exquisite accompaniment by the violins and harps4 ,a song for the ,narrator 7,in the ,beginning was the ,word7 follows1 and leads to the chorus1 which closes the first part1 the words taken from the first verse of ,psalm civ41 and the melody borrowed from the familiar old tune ,hanover1 which the composer has worked up with great skill and effect4 ,the second part opens in ,herod's palace with the rebuke of the ,monarch by the ,prophet4 ,in this scene1 as well as in others1 the composer draws a strong contrast in the music assigned to the two1 the one being strong and stern1 the other sensuous1 in style4 ,in the duet1 where ,herod confesses the error of his ways1 the voices unite in a genuine religious strain4 ,the ,narrator is once more introduced1 and describes the feast given by the ,monarch to the ,galilee estates1 followed by a jubilant chorus of ,nobles 7,o ,king1 live forever671 set to a brilliant accompaniment1 calling for the most ample orchestral resources4 ,the next number is a chorus for male voices 7,lo6 the ,daughter of ,herodias cometh in1 she danceth671 set to a dance rhythm with tambourines1 the themes being bits of ,oriental melodies skilfully treated4 ,we then have the banquet-scene1 the admiration of the ,nobles for ,salome's beauty1 ,herod's oath1 and ,salome's joy expressed in a showy song 7,i rejoice in my youth74 ,then follows the dramatic scene of ,salome's request1--a concerted number of great force in its treatment4 ,herod sings a mournful aria 7,alas6 my ,daughter1 thou hast brought us very low74 ,the ,narrator explains how the ,king was compelled to keep his word1 and is followed by the ,nobles in a stirring chorus 7,lo6 the ,wrath of the ,king is as a ,messenger of ,death74 ,the scene now changes to the dungeon1 where the ,prophet sings his farewell song 7,a ,man can receive nothing71 accompanied by orchestra and organ4 ,the final tragedy is told by the ,narrator1 and the work closes with two reflective numbers1--the beautiful unaccompanied quartet1 ,blessed are they which are persecuted1 and the chorus1 ,what went ye out into the ,wilderness for to see8 ,the above-mentioned critic1 who was present at its first performance1 says of the work3-- ,it is a strange thing that ,john the ,baptist has not often attracted the notice of musical composers in search of a subject4 ,no more remarkable personage1 with one great exception1 figures in ,bible history than he whom the ,master described as 'more than a prophet4' ,his striking appearance1 stern asceticism1 wrathful denunciation of 'wickedness in high places1' and tragic fate1--not to speak of his relation to ,one whose shoes he professed himself unworthy to loose1--throw his form into bold relief1 and mark him as of heroic proportions4 ,yet1 save that he holds a subordinate place in a very limited number of works1 among which is ,sir ,julius ,benedict's ',st4 ,peter1' the great forerunner has been passed over till now4 ,at length1 however1 in that 'fulness of time' which ever brings forth the best results1 the ,man and his ,life have found a musical illustrator4 ,there is now an oratorio of ',john the ,baptist1'--a work worthy its theme1 and to which the stamp of enthusiastic approval has been affixed by the unanimous verdict of an audience competent to judge4 ,,mackenzie4 ,alexander ,c4 ,mackenzie1 one of the very few successful ,scotch composers1 was born at ,edinburgh in #ahdg4 ,his father was a musician2 and recognizing his son's talent1 sent him to ,germany at the age of ten4 ,he began his studies with ,ulrich ,eduard ,stein at ,schwartzburg-,sonderhausen1 and four years later entered the ducal orchestra as violinist4 ,he remained there until #ahfb1 when he went to ,england to study the violin with ,m4 ,sainton4 ,in the same year he was elected king's scholar of the ,royal ,academy of ,music4 ,three years later he returned to ,edinburgh and established himself as a piano-teacher4 ,the main work of his life1 however1 has been composition1 and to this he has devoted himself with assiduity and remarkable success4 ,grove catalogues among his works3 ,cervantes1 an overture for orchestra2 a scherzo for ditto2 overture to a comedy2 a string quintet and many other pieces in ,,ms42 pianoforte quartet in ,b1 op4 #aa2 ,trois ,morceaux pour ,piano1 op4 #ae2 two songs1 op4 #ab2 besides songs1 part-songs1 anthems1 and pieces for the piano4 ,this catalogue1 however1 does not include his two most important works1--a ,scotch ,rhapsody1 introduced into this country by the ,theodore ,thomas orchestra1 a composition of great merit1 and the oratorio1 ,the ,rose of ,sharon1 which has been received with extraordinary favor wherever it has been performed4 ,the ,rose of ,sharon4 ,the ,rose of ,sharon1 a dramatic oratorio founded on the ,song of ,solomon1 the words selected from the ,scriptures and arranged by ,joseph ,bennett1 was first brought out at the ,norwich ,festival1 ,england1 ,oct4 #af1 #ahhd1 under the direction of the composer1 and was subsequently performed in ,london by the ,sacred ,harmonic ,society4 ,its first performance in ,scotland took place at ,glasgow1 ,dec4 #h1 #ahhe1 under the auspices of the ,glasgow ,choral ,union1 ,madame ,albani1 ,miss ,hilda ,wilson1 ,mr4 ,edward ,lloyd1 and ,mr4 ,watkins ,mills being the principal vocalists4 ,one notice of this performance says3 ,the enthusiastic reception of the work on this occasion was beyond all description2 the composer was recalled after each part with cheers that must have made his heart leap with delight4 ,at the first performance at ,norwich he was showered with flowers by the chorus1 while the whole audience rose and greeted him with prolonged cheering4 ,in speaking of the text1 its compiler says3-- ,in adopting for the purposes of this oratorio a reading of the ',song of ,songs' upon which ,ewald and ,renan substantially agree1 the compiler of the libretto favored no controversial opinion4 ,he simply saw in the ingenious commentaries of the learned ,hebraists suggestions for a story of unconquerable love1 capable of expression in the language of the ,bible4 ,for the arrangement of incident the compiler is alone responsible4 ,in some respects it departs widely from the original poem1--which opens1 for example1 in ,jerusalem1--and gives only in narrative the events that occupy part one of the oratorio4 ,in taking a story from a canonical book of ,holy ,scripture1 the compiler could not ignore its spiritual significance4 ,he has1 therefore1 introduced a prologue suggesting the parabolic character of the drama1 and an epilogue which points its moral4 ,the characters are the ,rose of ,sharon1 designated throughout the work as the ,sulamite 7soprano72 a ,woman 7contralto72 the ,beloved 7tenor72 and ,solomon 7baritone72 the chorus representing ,officers of the ,court1 ,princes1 ,nobles1 ,villagers1 ,elders1 and ,soldiers4 ,the story1 briefly told1 is one of the power of love4 ,the ,beloved and ,solomon are both in love with the ,sulamite1 and the king tears her from the former to be the favorite among the women of the harem4 ,amid all the splendors of the palace and the luxuries heaped upon her by her passionate admirer she remains true to the ,beloved1 is ultimately restored to him1 and returns to the vineyards of ,sulam4 ,the work is divided as follows3 ,prologue2 ,part ,i4 ,separation2 ,,ii4 ,temptation2 ,,iii4 ,victory2 ,,iv4 ,reunion2 ,v4 ,epilogue4 ,the motto of the oratorio is ,love is strong as death1 and unconquerable as the grave4 ,this motto has its musical theme as well as each of the three principal characters1 and they are invariably used with great skill and effect4 ,the ,woman acts the part of ,narrator1 and after a brief orchestral prelude she is heard declaring the meaning and spiritual significance of the story in the prologue3 ,we will open our mouth in a parable2 ,we will utter dark sayings of old1 ,which we have heard and known1 ,which our fathers have told us2 ,we will not hide them from our children1 ,that the generation to come may know them1 ,who shall declare them to their children4 ,this is a great mystery2 but we speak concerning ,christ and his ,church4 ,the oratorio opens in the vineyard of ,sulam as the ,vine-dressers come forth to their labor4 ,the orchestral part begins with the melody of the ,vineyard ,song 7,we will take the ,foxes71 and serves to introduce their chorus1 a joyous pastoral 7,come1 let us go forth into the ,field74 ,as they disappear1 the voice of the ,beloved is heard singing a tender and passionate appeal beneath the ,sulamite's lattice 7,rise up1 rise up1 my ,love7 as he urges her to join him1 ,for lo6 the winter is past2 the rain is over and gone4 ,her reply follows from within her chamber1 full of love and adoration1 and closing with the ,vineyard ,song 7,we will take the ,foxes1 the little ,foxes that ravage the ,vines74 ,she descends from her chamber and joins the ,beloved1 and their voices unite in a delightful duet 7,come1 ,beloved1 into the ,garden of ,nuts74 ,once more the chorus of the ,vine-dressers is heard1 and at its close1 after an intermezzo descriptive of the joys of a spring morning1 the scene changes to ,lebanon4 ,a short alto solo announces the coming of ,solomon1 and the pastoral music is followed by a brilliant and stately processional march1 accompanied by chorus 7,god save the ,king674 ,solomon beholds the ,sulamite1 and pours forth his admiration in a rapturous song 7,thou art lovely1 ,o my ,friend1 as ,thirza74 ,the ,princes and ,nobles also testify to their admiration of her beauty4 ,a very dramatic scene ensues1 in which the ,beloved and the ,sulamite seek to escape out of the caves of the lion and from the haunt of the leopard4 ,she is brought back by an elder1 and again ,solomon pleads his cause in a passionate declamation 7,unto my charger in ,pharaoh's stud ,i would compare thee1 ,o my friend74 ,she replies1 ,my ,beloved is to me a nosegay of myrrh1 and clings to her lover1 who once more seeks to escape with her2 whereupon she is seized and placed in one of the king's chariots1 and the cavalcade moves off to the brilliant strains of the cortege music1 accompanied by the chorus4 ,the second part1 ,temptation1 introduces us to ,solomon's palace1 where the ,sulamite is alone1 pining for her lover4 ,the scene opens with the psalm1 ,the ,lord is my ,shepherd1 set to a simple1 charming melody1 full of the spirit of devotion1 but entirely disconnected with the general texture of the work4 ,as the touching strain comes to an end1 the ,women of the court enter1 insidiously plead the cause of ,solomon1 tempt her with his luxuries1 and seek to shame her love for the ,beloved4 ,kings' daughters shall be among thine honorable women2 thy clothing shall be of wrought gold2 thou shalt be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework1 with gladness and rejoicing shalt thou be brought and enter into the king's palace1 sings one of the ,women2 but the ,sulamite remains loyal1 and only answers3 ,my ,beloved pastures his flocks among the lilies4 ,my ,beloved is mine1 and ,i am his4 ,the temptation is interrupted by the procession of the ark passing in the street below to the glad acclaim of the people 7,make a joyful ,noise unto the ,lord1 all ye ,lands71 and a brilliant march4 ,successively the ,maidens of ,jerusalem with timbrels1 the ,elders1 the ,shepherds and ,vine-dressers1 the ,soldiers1 the ,priests bearing the sacred vessels pass by1 singing tributes of praise to the ,lord2 and as the ,levites appear bearing the ark1 and ,solomon comes in sight with all his retinue1 the entire chorus triumphantly repeat ,god save the ,king6 ,the brilliant procession passes from view4 ,the ,women once more appeal to the ,sulamite2 but she still loyally declares3 ,my ,beloved pastures his flocks among the lilies2 lo6 ,solomon in all his glory is not arrayed like one of these4 ,the third part1 ,victory1 opens with an orchestral prelude picturing the sleep of the ,sulamite1 with her women watching about her4 ,the voice of the ,beloved is heard without the chamber1 ,open to me1 my ,sister1 my ,bride4 ,it reaches her in a dream1 and in fancy she replies to him1 clothes herself1 and searches for him in the streets2 but when she accosts the watchmen1 they are so rude that her fright awakes her4 ,she is still a prisoner in the palace1 and the ,women about her announce the coming of ,solomon4 ,he pleads his cause in a passionate song 7,ere the ,day cool and the ,shadows flee away72 and she replies with another protestation of her constancy in the solo1 ,lo6 a ,vineyard hath ,solomon at ,baal-hamon4 ,the situation1 which is very dramatic in its treatment1 is heightened by a duet and by the mocking chorus of ,women2 but above them all still sings the brave ,sulamite1 ,my ,beloved is mine1 and ,i am his4 ,the fourth part brings us back again to the vineyards of ,sulam4 ,it opens with a melancholy chorus of the ,vine-dressers 7,o ,lord1 be gracious unto us71 lamenting her absence4 ,it is followed by a bass solo 7,thus saith the ,lord7 and a chorale in full broad harmony4 ,at last the victorious ,sulamite is seen coming up from the valley leaning on the arm of the ,beloved4 ,all join in a powerful and exultant chorus of gratitude and joy 7,sing1 ,o ,heavens1 and be joyful1 ,o ,earth74 ,a rapturous duet ensues between the ,sulamite and the ,beloved1 and then all join in the spirited finale3-- ,for the flame of ,love is as fire1 ,even the fire of ,god4 ,many waters cannot quench it1 ,neither can floods drown it4 ,yea1 ,love is strong as death1 ,and unconquerable as the grave4 ,,mendelssohn4 ,felix ,mendelssohn ,bartholdy1 the son of a ,berlin banker1 was born at ,hamburg1 ,feb4 #c1 #ahji1 and1 unlike almost all other composers1 was reared in the lap of luxury4 ,every advantage which wealth could procure he enjoyed1 with the result that he became highly educated in the other arts as well as in music4 ,his teachers in music were ,zelter and ,ludwig ,berger1 and he made such progress that in his ninth year he appeared in public as a pianist in ,berlin1 and afterwards in ,paris4 ,the first of his compositions to attract general notice were the overture to ,shakspeare's ,midsummer ,night's ,dream and the little opera ,the ,marriage of ,camacho1 which were brought out in ,berlin in #ahbg4 ,after several concert tours1 in which he met with great success1 he resided for some time in ,duesseldorf4 ,in #ahce he went to ,leipsic as director of the famous ,gewandhaus concerts1--which are still given in that city4 ,two years later he married ,cecile ,jeanrenaud1 the beautiful daughter of a minister of the ,reformed ,church in ,frankfort1 and shortly afterwards went to ,berlin as general director of church music4 ,in #ahdc he returned to his former post in ,leipsic1 and also took a position in the newly established ,conservatory1 where he spent the remainder of his days in company with his family1 to whom he was closely attached4 ,he has left a large and rich collection of musical works1 which are favorites the world over4 ,his three great oratorios are the ,hymn of ,praise1 catalogued as a symphony-cantata1 ,st4 ,paul1 and ,elijah4 ,the last is specially interesting1 as it marked a new departure from the conventional forms of oratorio1 and gave the widest scope to the dramatic elements1--to such a degree1 in fact1 that it might with propriety be styled a sacred opera4 ,besides these oratorios1 his exquisite music to the ,midsummer ,night's ,dream1 which is familiar the world over1 and his stately dramatic music to ,antigone1 he has left five symphonies1 of which the ,scotch1 the ,italian1 and the ,reformation are best known2 four exquisite overtures1 ,ruy ,blas1 ,calm ,sea and ,prosperous ,voyage1 ,hebrides1 and ,melusina2 the very dramatic cantata1 ,the ,walpurgis ,night2 a long list of beautiful songs for one or more voices2 the incidental music to ,racine's ,athalia2 a very large collection of sacred music1 such as psalms1 hymns1 anthems1 and cantatas2 several beautiful trios and other specimens of chamber-music2 and the lovely ,songs without ,words1 which are to be found upon almost every piano1 the beauty and freshness of which time has not impaired4 ,mendelssohn never wrote a grand opera1 owing to his fastidiousness as to a libretto2 though he finally obtained one from ,geibel1 on the subject of the ,loreley1 which suited him4 ,he had begun to write it1 and had finished the finale to the first act1 when death interrupted his work1 ,nov4 #d1 #ahdg4 ,mendelssohn was a man of remarkable beauty1 and his character corresponded to his charm of person4 ,he had a liberal education1 was a man of broad culture1 a clever artist1 and a very skilful writer1 as is shown by his volumes of letters from ,italy and ,switzerland4 ,possessed of these graces of mind and person1 and having all the advantages that wealth could bestow1 he lacked those incentives which in other composers have brought out the deepest1 highest1 and most majestic forms of musical expression4 ,his music is a reflex of his life2 grace1 elegance1 culture1 and finish are its characteristics4 ,st4 ,paul4 ,st4 ,paul1 the first of ,mendelssohn's oratorios1 was begun in ,duesseldorf and finished in ,leipsic in the winter of #ahce1 the composer being then in his twenty-sixth year4 ,he first applied to ,marx to write the text2 but the invitation was declined1 on the ground that the chorales were unsuited to the period of the narrative4 ,mendelssohn then consulted with his friends ,fuerst and ,schubring1 and the libretto as it now stands represents their joint compilation4 ,its three principal themes are the martyrdom of ,saint ,stephen1 the conversion of ,saint ,paul1 and the apostle's subsequent career4 ,one of the clearest statements of the general character of the work is that given by ,lampadius2 he says3-- ,the main thought which runs through the whole work is too high and broad to be linked by the tie of a personal interest to any single man4 ,it is the glorification of ,christianity1 with its humility1 its joy in living and dying for the ,lord1 in contrast with the blind self-righteousness of ,judaism and the mere sensuous morality of the heathen schools4 ,it is the contrast1 or rather the struggle1 of the last two with the former1 and the victory of the light and love of the ,gospel1--the light eternal1 the love divine4 ,this thought is made incarnate in the persons of ,stephen1 ,paul1 and ,barnabas1 and it is concentrated at that point which is really the central point of interest to the oratorio1--the conversion of ,saint ,paul4 ,the work was written upon a commission given by the ,cecilien ,verein of ,frankfort in #ahca2 but it was not produced until ,may #bb1 #ahcf1 on the occasion of the ,lower ,rhine ,festival at ,duesseldorf4 ,the principal parts were sung by ,madame ,fischer-,achten1 ,mademoiselle ,grabau1 ,herren ,schmetzer and ,wersing1 the latter artist taking the part of ,paul4 ,the second performance was given at ,liverpool1 ,oct4 #c1 #ahcf2 and between the two performances ,mendelssohn revised the work and cut out fourteen numbers4 ,after a long and expressive overture for orchestra and organ1 the first part opens with a strong and exultant chorus 7,lord6 ,thou alone art ,god74 ,it is massively constructed1 and in its middle part runs into a restless1 agitated theme 7,the ,heathen furiously rage74 ,it closes1 however1 in the same energetic and jubilant manner which characterizes its opening1 and leads directly to a chorale 7,to ,god on ,high71 set to a famous old ,german hymn-book tune1 ,allein ,gott in der ,hoeh' sei ,ehr1 which is serenely beautiful in its clearly flowing harmony4 ,the martyrdom of ,stephen follows4 ,the basses in vigorous recitative accuse him of blasphemy1 and the people break out in an angry chorus 7,now this ,man ceaseth not to utter blasphemous ,words74 ,at its close ,stephen sings a brief but beautiful solo 7,men1 ,brethren1 and ,fathers672 and as the calm protest dies away1 again the full chorus gives vent to a tumultuous shout of indignation 7,take him away74 ,a note of warning is heard in the fervent soprano solo1 ,jerusalem1 thou that killest the ,prophets2 but it is of no avail4 ,again the chorus hurls its imprecations more furiously than before 7,stone him to death74 ,the tragedy occurs4 ,a few bars of recitative for tenor1 full of pathos1 tell the sad story1 and then follows another beautiful chorale of submission 7,to ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 ,i yield my ,spirit74 ,saul's participation in the tragedy is barely touched upon4 ,the lament for ,stephen is followed by the chorus1 ,happy and blest are they1 which is beautifully melodious in character4 ,saul now appears1 breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the apostles4 ,his first aria 7,consume them all7 is a bass solo which is fiery in its energy4 ,it is followed by the lovely arioso for alto1 ,but the ,lord is mindful of ,his own1--fitting companion to the equally beautiful ,o rest in the ,lord from ,elijah1 and much resembling it in general style4 ,then occurs the conversion4 ,the voice from heaven 7,saul1 ,saul1 why persecutest thou ,me87 is represented1 as was often done in the passion-music1 by the soprano choir1 which gives it peculiar significance and makes it stand out in striking contrast with the rest of the work4 ,a forcible orchestral interlude1 worked up in a strong crescendo1 leads to the vigorous chorus1 ,rise up6 arise6 in which the powerful orchestral climax adds great strength to the vocal part4 ,it is a vigorously constructed chorus1 and is followed by a chorale 7,sleepers1 wake6 a ,voice is calling71 which still further heightens the effect by its trumpet notes between the lines4 ,at the close of the imposing harmony the music grows deeper and more serious in character as ,saul breathes out his prayer1 ,o ,god1 have ,mercy upon me2 and again1 after the message of forgiveness and mercy delivered by ,ananias1 more joyful and exultant in the bass solo with chorus 7,i praise ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 my ,god71 ,saul receives his sight1 and straightway begins his ministrations4 ,a grand reflective chorus 7,o great is the ,depth of the ,riches of ,wisdom71 strong and jubilant in character1 and rising to a powerful climax1 closes the first part4 ,the second part opens with the five-part chorus1 ,the ,nations are now the ,lord's1--a clear fugue1 very stately and dignified in its style1 leading1 after a tenor and bass duet 7,now all are ,ambassadors in the ,name of ,christ71 to the beautifully melodious chorus1 ,how lovely are the ,messengers that preach us the ,gospel of ,peace1 and the equally beautiful soprano arioso1 ,i will sing of ,thy great ,mercies4 ,after the chorus1 ,thus saith the ,lord1 and a second tumultuous chorus expressive of rage and scorn 7,is this ,he who in ,jerusalem71 another chorale occurs 7,o ,thou1 the true and only ,light71 in which the ,church prays for direction4 ,the tenor recitative announcing the departure of ,paul and ,barnabas to the ,gentiles1 followed by the tenor and bass duet1 ,for so hath the ,lord ,himself commanded1 bring us to the scene of the sacrifice at ,lystra1 in which the two choruses1 ,the ,gods themselves as ,mortals1 and ,o be gracious1 ye ,immortals1 are full of genuine ,greek sensuousness and in striking contrast with the seriousness and majestic character of the harmony in the ,christian chorus 7,but our ,god abideth in ,heaven7 which follows4 ,once more the ,jews interfere1 in the raging1 wrathful chorus1 ,this is ,jehovah's ,temple4 ,in a pathetic tenor aria 7,be thou faithful unto ,death7 ,paul takes a sorrowful leave of his brethren1 and in response comes an equally tender chorus1 ,far be it from thy ,path4 ,two stately choruses 7,see what ,love hath the ,father1 and ,now only unto ,him7 close the work4 ,hymn of ,praise4 ,the ,lobgesang 7,hymn of ,praise7 was written at ,leipsic in #ahdj1 the occasion which gave birth to it being the fourth centennial celebration of the art of printing4 ,the musical features of the festival were intrusted to ,mendelssohn1 the ceremonies occupying two days1 ,june #bd and #be of the above year4 ,on the evening of the #bc;d there was a performance of ,lortzing's opera1 ,hans ,sachs1 written for the occasion4 ,on the morning of the #bdth there was a service in the church1 followed by the unveiling of the statue of ,guttenberg in the public square1 and an open-air performance of the composer's ,festgesang for two choirs1 with trombone accompaniment1 ,david conducting one choir1 and ,mendelssohn the other4 ,in the afternoon of the #beth the ,hymn of ,praise was given for the first time in ,st4 ,thomas's ,church1 preceded by ,weber's ,jubilee ,overture and ,handel's ,dettingen ,te ,deum4 ,lampadius1 who was present at the performance1 says3-- ,the work called out the greatest enthusiasm1 which could hardly be repressed within bounds even by the fact that the audience were seated within the walls of a church4 ,after the first duet a subdued whisper of applause ran through the edifice and betrayed the suppressed delight of the listeners4 ,on one of the evenings following1 a torchlight procession was made in honor of the great composer4 ,mendelssohn1 who then lived in ,lurgenstein's ,garden1 appeared at the window1 his face lighted up with joy4 ',gentlemen1' he said in his neat1 quiet way1 with a sensible trembling of the voice1 'you know that it is not my manner to make many words2 but ,i heartily thank you4' ,a loud ',hoch6' three times shouted1 was our reply4 ,its next performance was at ,birmingham1 ,sept4 #bc1 #ahdj1 ,mendelssohn himself conducting4 ,after this performance it was considerably changed1 and the whole scene of the watchman was added4 ,the idea occurred to him after a sleepless night1 during which1 as he informed a friend1 the words1 ,will the night soon pass8 incessantly came into his mind4 ,the title given to the ,hymn of ,praise1 a symphony-cantata1 was first suggested by his friend ,carl ,klingemann1 of ,london1 as will be seen by the following interesting extract from a letter written by ,mendelssohn to him1 ,nov4 #ah1 #ahdj3-- ,my ',hymn of ,praise' is to be performed the end of this month for the benefit of old invalided musicians4 ,i am determined1 however1 that it shall not be produced in the imperfect form in which1 owing to my illness1 it was given in ,birmingham2 so that makes me work hard4 ,four new pieces are to be added1 and ,i have also much improved the three sets of symphonies1 which are now in the hands of the copyist4 ,as an introduction to the chorus1 ',the ,night is passed1' ,i have found far finer words in the ,bible1 and admirably adapted to the music4 ,by the by1 you have much to answer for in the admirable title you hit on so cleverly2 for not only have ,i sent forth the piece into the world as a symphony-cantata1 but ,i have serious thoughts of resuming the first ',walpurgis ,night' 7which has been so long lying by me7 under the same cognomen1 and finishing and getting rid of it at last4 ,it is singular enough that at the very first suggestion of this idea ,i should have written to ,berlin that ,i was resolved to compose a symphony with a chorus4 ,subsequently ,i had not courage to begin1 because the three movements were too long for an introduction2 and yet ,i never could divest myself of the impression that something was wanting in the shape of an introduction4 ,now the symphony is to be inserted according to my original intention1 and the piece brought out at once4 ,the text to the ,hymn of ,praise is not in narrative form1 nor has it any particular dramatic significance4 ,it is what its name indicates1--a tribute of praise4 ,lampadius says the composer undertook to show the triumph at the creation of light over darkness4 ,with his pious and believing heart he could easily enter into that theme1 and show with matchless power and skill the closing-in of those ancient foes1 and the victory of light when darkness cowered and ignobly shrank away4 ,the expression of delight over this victory is very well brought out1 not only in the music1 but also in the arrangement of the ,scriptural texts1 which begin with exhortations of praise1 and appeals to those who have been in distress and affliction to trust the ,lord4 ,the tenor1 who may be regarded as the ,narrator1 calls upon the ,watchman1 ,what of the night8 ,the response comes that the night has passed4 ,in exultation over the victory1 once more the text ascribes praise to the ,lord4 ,all that has life and breath sings to ,his name4 ,the symphony is in three parts1 beginning with a maestoso movement1 in which the trombones at once give out the choral motive1 ,all that has life and breath sing to the ,lord1--a favorite theme of ,mendelssohn4 ,this movement1 which is strong and energetic in character1 is followed by an allegretto based upon a beautiful melody1 and to this in turn succeeds an adagio religioso rich in harmony4 ,the symphony clearly reflects the spirit of the cantata1 which follows4 ,the opening chorus 7,all that has ,life and ,breath7 is based upon the choral motive1 and enunciates the real hymn of praise4 ,it moves along in a stately manner1 and finally leads without break into a semi-chorus1 ,praise thou the ,lord1 ,o my ,spirit1 a soprano solo with accompaniment of female voices4 ,the tenor in a long dramatic recitative 7,sing ye ,praise1 all ye redeemed of the ,lord7 urges the faithful to join in praise and extol ,his goodness1 and the chorus responds1 first1 the tenors1 and then all the parts1 in a beautiful number1 ,all ye that cried unto the ,lord4 ,the next number is an exquisite duet for soprano and alto with chorus 7,i waited for the ,lord74 ,it is thoroughly devotional in style1 and in its general color and effect reminds one of the arias1 ,o ,rest in the ,lord from ,elijah1 and ,the ,lord is mindful of ,his own from ,st4 ,paul4 ,this duet is followed by a sorrowful1 almost wailing tenor solo1 ,the ,sorrows of ,death had closed all around me1 ending with the piercing1 anxious cry in recitative1 ,watchman6 will the ,night soon pass8 set to a restless1 agitated accompaniment and thrice repeated4 ,like a flash from a cloud comes the quick response of the chorus1 ,the ,night is departing1 which forms the climax of the work4 ,the chorus is beautifully constructed1 and very impressive in its effect4 ,at first the full chorus proclaims the night's departure2 it then takes the fugal form on the words1 ,therefore let us cast off the works of darkness1 which is most effectively worked out4 ,in the finale the male voices are massed on the declaration1 ,the ,night is departing1 and the female voices on the response1 ,the ,day is approaching2 and after alternating repetitions all close in broad1 flowing harmony4 ,this chorus leads directly to the chorale1 ,let all ,men praise the ,lord1 sung first without accompaniment1 and then in unison with orchestra4 ,another beautiful duet1 ,my ,song shall alway be ,thy ,mercy1 this time for soprano and tenor1 follows1 and prepares the way for the final fugued chorus1 ,ye ,nations1 offer to the ,lord1 a massive number1 stately in its proportions and impressive in its effect1 and closing with a fortissimo delivery of the splendid choral motive1 ,all that has ,life and ,breath4 ,notwithstanding that the choral part is brief as compared with the ,st4 ,paul and ,elijah1 there are many critics who are inclined to pronounce the ,hymn of ,praise ,mendelssohn's greatest work4 ,in its combination of the symphony and the voice parts1 the one growing out of the other and both so intimately connected1 it stands almost alone4 ,some critics have condemned ,mendelssohn for imitating ,beethoven's ,choral ,symphony1 though in that colossal work the chorus is not only subordinate to the symphony1 but is even trifling in length as compared with it1 and very inferior in style4 ,while in ,mendelssohn's work the symphony is subordinated to the choral part1 and serves only as an introduction to it1 they are yet conventionally connected2 but in ,beethoven's work the chorus was the product of necessity1 as the idea could not have been developed without it4 ,the instruments had gone as far as possible2 the voices must speak4 ,elijah4 ,elijah1 the most admired of all ,mendelssohn's compositions1 was finished in #ahdf4 ,the plan of the work was first considered in #ahcg1 and was discussed with his friend ,klingemann in ,london4 ,during the next year he had frequent consultations with another friend1 ,schubring1 as to the preparation of the book1 and many of the passages were selected and scenes sketched out2 but it was not until #ahdj that he really began to put it into shape4 ,we learn by a letter that in #ahdb he was still at work upon the book itself4 ,two years later he received an invitation to conduct the ,birmingham ,festival of #ahdf2 and it was evidently at that time he decided to prepare the work for that occasion4 ,we learn by another letter that on the #bc;d of ,may1 #ahdf1 the entire first part and six or eight numbers of the second part were sent to ,london to a ,mr4 ,bartholomew1 who was engaged translating the text into ,english4 ,that ,mendelssohn himself was pleased with his work is evident from his own words1 written to a friend after he had finished the first part3 ,i am jumping about my room for joy4 ,if it only turns out half as good as ,i fancy1 how pleased ,i shall be6 ,by the latter part of ,july the entire oratorio was in the hands of ,mr4 ,bartholomew1 and on ,august #ah ,mendelssohn himself arrived in ,london and immediately began the rehearsals4 ,the work was first performed on the #bfth at ,birmingham1 coming between ,haydn's ,creation on the #beth1 and ,handel's ,messiah on the #bgth1 the latter oratorio being followed by ,beethoven's ,mass in ,d4 ,a correspondent who was present writes3-- ,how shall ,i describe what to-day has been in the ,music ,hall8 ,after such an intense enjoyment it is a hard task to express one's feelings in cold words4 ,it was a great day for the festival1 a great day for the performers1 a great day for ,mendelssohn1 a great day for art4 ,four da-capos in the first part1 four in the second1 making eight encores1 and at the close the calling out of the composer1--are significant facts when one considers that it was the rigid injunction of the ,committee that the public should not testify its approval by applause4 ,but the enthusiasm would be checked by no rules2 when the heart is full1 regulations must stand aside4 ,it was a noble scene1 the hall filled with men1 the galleries gay with ladies1 like so many tulip-beds1 added to the princely music and their thundering bravas4 ,mendelssohn himself on the day after the performance writes to his brother in ,berlin3-- ,no work of mine ever went so admirably the first time of execution1 or was received with such enthusiasm by both the musicians and the audience1 as this oratorio4 ,it was quite evident at the first rehearsal in ,london that they liked it1 and liked to sing and play it2 but ,i own ,i was far from anticipating that it would acquire such fresh vigor and impetus at the performance4 ,had you only been there6 ,during the whole two hours and a half that it lasted1 the large hall1 with its two thousand people1 and the large orchestra were all so fully intent on the one object in question that not the slightest sound was to be heard among the whole audience1 so that ,i could sway at pleasure the enormous orchestra and choir1 and also the organ accompaniments4 ,how often ,i thought of you during the time6 more especially1 however1 when 'the sound of abundance of rain' came1 and when they sang and played the final chorus with furore1 and when1 after the close of the first part1 we were obliged to repeat the whole movement4 ,not less than four choruses and four airs were encored1 and not one single mistake occurred in the first part2 there were some afterwards in the second part1 but even these were but trifling4 ,a young ,english tenor#f sang the last air with such wonderful sweetness that ,i was obliged to collect all my energies1 not to be affected1 and to continue beating time steadily4 ,notwithstanding his delight with the performance1 he was not satisfied with the oratorio as a whole4 ,he made numerous changes and re-wrote portions of the work1--indeed there was scarcely a movement that was not retouched4 ,it is interesting to note in this connection that the beautiful trio1 ,lift thine ,eyes1 was originally a duet1 and very different in character4 ,the first performance of the work in ,london took place ,april #af1 #ahdg1 when it was given by the ,sacred ,harmonic ,society4 ,her ,majesty and ,prince ,albert were in attendance2 and after the performance the ,prince sent to ,mendelssohn the score which he had used in following the music1 with the following tribute written in it3-- ,to the noble artist who1 surrounded by the ,baal-worship of corrupted art1 has been able by his genius and science to preserve faithfully1 like another ,elijah1 the worship of true art1 and once more to accustom our ear1 lost in the whirl of an empty play of sounds1 to the pure notes of expressive composition and legitimate harmony2 to the great master who makes us conscious of the unity of his conception through the whole maze of his creation1 from the soft whispering to the mighty raging of the elements4 ,written in token of grateful remembrance by ,albert4 ,buckingham ,palace1 ,april #bd1 #ahdg4 ,the text was mainly compiled from the ,first ,book of ,kings1 and was translated1 as has been said1 by ,mr4 ,bartholomew4 ,hiller says that the idea of the oratorio was first suggested by the verse in the nineteenth chapter1 ,behold1 the ,lord passed by1 and that ,mendelssohn1 while reading it1 remarked to him1 ,would not that be splendid for an oratorio8 ,the prominent scenes treated are the drought prophecy1 the raising of the widow's son1 the rival sacrifices1 the appearance of the rain in answer to ,elijah's appeal1 ,jezebel's persecution of ,elijah1 the sojourn in the desert1 his return1 his disappearance in the fiery chariot1 and the finale1 which reflects upon the meaning of the sacred narrative4 ,the scenes themselves indicate the dramatic character of the oratorio4 ,in this respect1 indeed1 ,mendelssohn may almost be said to have created a new school of oratorio construction4 ,elijah could be placed upon the stage with scenery1 costume1 and properties as a sacred opera1 and make a powerful impression1--almost as much so1 indeed1 as ,rossini's ,moses4 ,mendelssohn's own testimony on this point is interesting4 ,in a letter written ,nov4 #b1 #ahch1 to ,pastor ,julius ,schubring1 who was assisting him in the preparation of the book1 he says3-- ,i figured to myself ,elijah as a grand1 mighty prophet1 such as we might again require in our own day1--energetic and zealous1 but also stern1 wrathful1 and gloomy2 a striking contrast to the court myrmidons and popular rabble1--in fact1 in opposition to the whole world1 and yet borne on angel's wings4444 ,i am anxious to do justice to the dramatic element1 and1 as you say1 no epic narrative must be introduced4444 ,i would fain see the dramatic element more prominent1 as well as more exuberant and defined1--appeal and rejoinder1 question and answer1 sudden interruptions1 etc4 ,again1 on the #fth of ,december1 he writes3-- ,in such a character as that of ,elijah1 like every one in the ,old ,testament 7except1 perhaps1 ,moses71 it appears to me that the dramatic should predominate1 the personages should be introduced as acting and speaking with fervor1--not1 however1 for ,heaven's sake1 to become mere musical pictures1 but inhabitants of a positive1 practical world such as we see in every chapter of the ,old ,testament2 and the contemplative and pathetic element1 which you desire1 must be entirely conveyed to our apprehension by the words and the mood of the acting personages4 ,the introduction to the oratorio is prefaced by a brief but very impressive recitative1--,elijah's prophecy of the drought2 leading directly to the overture1 a sombre1 despairing prelude1 picturing the distress which is to follow as the curse settles down upon the streams and valleys4 ,at last the suffering is voiced in the opening chorus 7,help1 ,lord71 which1 after three passionate appeals1 moves along in plaintive beauty1 developing phrase after phrase of touching appeal1 and leading to a second chorus1 with duet for two sopranos 7,lord1 bow ,thine ,ear to our ,prayer71 the choral part of which is an old ,jewish chant1 sung alternately by the male and female voices in unison4 ,it is followed by ,obadiah's lovely tenor aria1 ,if with all your ,hearts1 full of tenderness and consolation4 ,again the ,people break out into a chorus of lamentation 7,yet doth the ,lord see it not71 which at the close develops into a chorale of graceful and serene beauty 7,for ,he the ,lord our ,god74 ,then follows the voice of an ,angel summoning ,elijah to the brook of ,cherith1 leading to the beautiful double quartet1 ,for ,he shall give ,his ,angels ,charge over thee1 the melody of which is simple1 but full of animation1 and worked up with a skilful effect4 ,again the ,angel summons ,elijah to go to the ,widow's house at ,zarephath4 ,the dramatic scene of the raising of her son ensues1 comprising a passionate song by the mother 7,what have ,i to do with thee87 and the noble declaration of the prophet1 ,give me thy ,son1 and closing with the reflective chorus1 ,blessed are the ,men who fear ,him4 ,in the next scene we have the appearance of ,elijah before ,ahab1 and the challenge of the ,priests of ,baal to the sacrifice on ,mount ,carmel1 set forth in vigorous recitative1 accompanied by short choral outbursts4 ,at the words of ,elijah1 ,invoke your forest gods and mountain deities1 the ,priests of ,baal break out into the stirring double-chorus1 ,baal1 we cry to thee1 which is fairly sensual and heathenish in its rugged1 abrupt melodies1 as compared with the ,christian music4 ,at its close ,elijah bids them call him louder1 for he is a god2 he talketh1 or he is pursuing4 ,again they break out into a chorus of barbaric energy 7,hear our ,cry1 ,o ,baal71 in the intervals of which ,elijah taunts them again and again with the appeal1 ,call him louder4 ,the ,priests renew their shouts1 each time with increasing force1 pausing in vain for the reply1 and closing with a rapid1 almost angry expostulation 7,hear and answer74 ,then follows the calm1 dignified prayer of the prophet 7,lord ,god of ,abraham71 succeeded by a simple1 but beautiful chorale 7,cast thy ,burden upon the ,lord74 ,it is the moment of quiet before the storm which is to come4 ,he calls for the fire to descend upon the altar1 and a chorus of passionate energy replies1 ,the ,fire descends from ,heaven1 accompanied by imitative music1 and closing with a brief movement in broad harmony4 ,in fierce recitative ,elijah dooms the ,priests of ,baal to destruction1 and after a short choral reply sings the bass aria1 ,is not ,his ,word like a ,fire8--a song of extraordinary difficulty1 and requiring a voice of exceptional accuracy and power for its proper performance4 ,a lovely arioso for alto 7,woe unto them7 follows ,elijah's vigorous declamation4 ,these two arias are connecting links between the fire chorus and the rain scene which ensues4 ,obadiah summons ,elijah to help the ,people1 and ,elijah replies in an exquisite little andante passage1 repeated by the chorus 7,open the ,heavens and send us ,relief74 ,then follows a dialogue-passage between the prophet1 the ,people1 and the ,youth1 whom he bids look toward the sea1--the most striking features of which are the responses of the ,youth and the orchestral climax as the heavens grow black and the storm rushes louder and louder4 ,as the deluge of rain descends1 the thankful ,people break out into a passionate shout of delight 7,thanks be to ,god71 heard above the tempest in the orchestra4 ,at first it is a brief expression of gratitude4 ,the voices come to a pause1 and ,elijah repeats the tribute of praise4 ,then all join in a surging tumult of harmony1 as fresh and delightful as was the pouring rain to the thirsty land1 voices and instruments vying with each other in joyful acclamations1 until the end is reached and the first part closes4 ,the second part opens with a brilliant soprano solo 7,hear ye1 ,israel71 beginning with a note of warning1 and then with trumpet obligato developing into another melody of an impetuous and animated description 7,i1 ,i am ,he that comforteth74 ,the solo leads to the magnificent chorus1 ,be not afraid1 in which1 after a short pause1 the entire force of voices1 orchestra1 and organ join in the sublime strain1 sweeping on in broad1 full harmony4 ,there is a pause of the voices for two bars1 then they move on in a strong fugue 7,though ,thousands languish and fall74 ,at its close they are all merged again in the grand announcement1 ,be not afraid1 delivered with impetuosity1 and ending with the same subject in powerful chorale form4 ,the scene which follows is intensely dramatic4 ,the prophet rebukes ,ahab and condemns the ,baal worship4 ,jezebel fiercely accuses ,elijah of conspiring against ,israel1 and the ,people in sharp1 impetuous phrases declare1 ,he shall perish1 leading to the chorus1 ,woe to him6 ,after a few bars for the instruments1 ,obadiah1 in an exquisite recitative1 counsels him to fly to the wilderness4 ,in the next scene we behold ,elijah alone1 and in a feeble but infinitely tender plaint he resigns himself4 ,it is hard to conceive anything grander and yet more pathetic than this aria1 ,it is enough1 in which the prophet prays for death4 ,a few bars of tenor recitative tell us that1 wearied out1 he has fallen asleep 7,see1 now he sleepeth beneath a juniper-tree in the wilderness1 and there the angels of the ,lord encamp round about all them that fear ,him74 ,it introduces the trio of the ,angels1 ,lift thine ,eyes to the ,mountains1 sung without accompaniment1--one of the purest1 loveliest1 and most delightful of all vocal trios4 ,an exquisite chorus 7,he watching over ,israel7 follows1 in which the second theme1 introduced by the tenors 7,shouldst thou1 walking in ,grief71 is full of tender beauty2 the trio and chorus are the perfection of dream-music4 ,at its close the ,angel awakes ,elijah1 and once more we hear his pathetic complaint1 ,o ,lord1 ,i have labored in vain2 oh1 that ,i now might die6 ,in response comes an aria of celestial beauty1 sung by the ,angel 7,oh1 rest in the ,lord71 breathing the very spirit of heavenly peace and consolation1--an aria of almost matchless purity1 beauty1 and grace4 ,firmly and with a certain sort of majestic severity follows the chorus1 ,he that shall endure to the end4 ,the next scene is one of the most impressive and dramatic in the oratorio4 ,elijah no longer prays for death2 he longs for the divine presence4 ,he hears the voice of the ,angel3 ,arise now1 get thee without1 stand on the mount before the ,lord2 for there ,his glory will appear and shine on thee4 ,thy face must be veiled1 for ,he draweth near4 ,with great and sudden strength the chorus announces3 ,behold6 ,god the ,lord passed by4 ,with equal suddenness it drops to a pianissimo1 gradually worked up in a crescendo movement1 and we hear the winds rending the mountains around2 but once more in pianissimo it tells us the ,lord was not in the tempest4 ,the earthquake and the fire pass by1 each treated in a similar manner2 but the ,lord was not in those elements4 ,then1 in gentle tones of ineffable sweetness1 it declares1 ,after the fire there came a still1 small voice1 444 and in that still1 small voice onward came the ,lord2 and onward sings the chorus in low1 sweet1 ravishing tones to the end3 ,the ,seraphim above ,him cried one to the other1 ,holy1 holy1 holy1 is ,god the ,lord6--a double chorus of majestic proportions4 ,once more ,elijah goes on his way1 no longer dejected1 but clothed with the strength of the ,lord4 ,his aria1 ,for the ,mountains shall depart1 prepares us for the final climax4 ,in strong accents the chorus announce1 ,then did ,elijah the prophet break forth like a fire2 his words were like burning torches2 he overthrew kings2 he stood on ,sinai and heard the vengeance of the future on ,horeb4 ,then comes a significant pause4 ,the basses begin1 ,and when the ,lord would take him away2 another brief pause1 and the full chorus pictures in vivid color the coming of the fiery chariot and the whirlwind by which he was caught up into heaven4 ,the picturesqueness and dramatic intensity of this splendid chorus can hardly be described in words4 ,one more tenor aria 7,then1 then shall the ,righteous shine7 and a brief soprano solo introduce the chorus1 ,behold ,my servant4 ,a beautiful quartet 7,oh6 come1 every one that thirsteth7 follows1 and the massive fugue1 ,and then shall your ,light break forth as the ,light of the ,morning1 closes this great masterpiece4 #f ,mr4 ,lockey was the tenor on this occasion2 the part of ,elijah was sung by ,standigl4 ,christus4 ,christus1 which ,mendelssohn intended as the third in the series with ,elijah and ,st4 ,paul1 was left unfinished4 ,the words were written by the ,chevalier ,bunsen and given to the composer in #ahdd1 before he began ,elijah4 ,with his customary fastidiousness1 he altered and rearranged the text1 and it was not until #ahdg1 after ,elijah was finished1 that he touched the music4 ,at this time he was in delicate health1 and had not recovered from the shock of his sister's death4 ,he sought consolation for his troubles and relief for his ailments among the mountains of ,switzerland4 ,part of his time was devoted to mountain-rambling1 and the remainder to work upon ,christus and the opera ,loreley1 neither of which he lived to finish4 ,it is interesting to note in this connection that before ,mendelssohn settled upon ,christus1 the subject of ,saint ,peter occupied his attention1 although he still had the former in view for later consideration4 ,in a letter to his friend ,schubring1 written at ,bingen-on-the-,rhine1 ,july #ad1 #ahcg1 he says3-- ,i wish to ask your advice in a matter which is of importance to me1 and ,i feel it will therefore not be indifferent to you either1 having received so many proofs to the contrary from you4 ,it concerns the selection of a subject of an oratorio which ,i intend to begin next winter4 ,i am most anxious to have your counsels1 as the best suggestions and contributions for the text of my ',st4 ,paul' came from you4 ,many very apparent reasons are in favor of choosing ,st4 ,peter as the subject1--,i mean its being intended for the ,duesseldorf ,musical ,festival at ,whitsuntide1 and the prominent position the feast of ,whit ,sunday would occupy in this subject4 ,in addition to these grounds1 ,i may add my wish 7in connection with a greater plan for a later oratorio7 to bring the two chief apostles and pillars of the ,christian ,church side by side in oratorios1--in short1 that ,i should have a ',st4 ,peter' as well as a ',st4 ,paul4' ,another extract from the same letter will show the keenness with which he analyzed his themes4 ,he writes3-- ,i need not tell you that there are sufficient internal grounds to make me prize the subject2 and far above all else stands the outpouring of the ,holy ,ghost1 which must form the central point or chief object4 ,the question1 therefore1 is whether the place that ,peter assumes in the ,bible1 divested of the dignity which he enjoys in the ,catholic or ,protestant ,churches as a martyr1 or the first ,pope1 etc41--whether what is said of him in the ,bible is alone and in itself sufficiently important to form the basis of a symbolical oratorio4 ,for1 according to my feeling1 the subject must not be treated historically1 however indispensable this was in the case of ',st4 ,paul4' ,in historic handling1 ,christ must appear in the earlier part of ,st4 ,peter's career2 and where he appears1 ,st4 ,peter could not lay claim to the chief interest4 ,i think1 therefore1 it must be symbolical2 though all the historical points might probably be introduced1--the betrayal and repentance1 the keys of ,heaven given him by ,christ1 his preaching at ,pentecost1--not in an historical1 but prophetic light1 if ,i may so express myself1 in close connection4 ,the project was never carried out2 but the deep earnestness with which ,mendelssohn considered it shows how thoughtfully he must have devoted himself to the scheme which took its place4 ,neither his letters nor his biographers throw much light upon the history of ,christus4 ,lampadius says3 ,the oratorio was laid out upon a grand scale4 ,it was to be in three parts1--the career on earth1 the descent into hell1 the ascent to heaven4 ,this plan must have been subsequently changed1 for the fragments of the oratorio are included in two parts1 though they entirely pertain to the earthly career4 ,there are in all eight complete numbers1--three from the first part1 and five from the second4 ,the first part opens with a soprano recitative 7,when ,jesus our ,lord was born in ,bethlehem71 leading to a strong trio for tenor and two basses 7,say1 where is he born871 the question of the ,wise ,men from the ,east4 ,the chorus replies1 ,then shall a ,star from ,jacob come forth1 closing with the old ,german chorale1 ,wie schoen leuchtet der ,morgenstern 7,how brightly shines the ,morning ,star671 in plain1 flowing harmony4 ,the fragments of the second part are in the form of the passion-music1 and include five tenor recitatives1 narrating the dialogue between ,pilate1 the ,elders and the ,people1 and his final order1 ,take ye him and crucify him1 for ,i cannot find a fault in him1 and several short1 angry choruses of the ,jews1 accusing ,jesus and calling for his death1 leading to a beautiful chorus for mixed voices 7,daughters of ,zion1 weep71 and closing with an effective chorale for male voices in the genuine ,bach style3-- ,he leaves his heavenly portals1 ,endures the grief of mortals1 ,to raise our fallen race4 ,o love beyond expressing6 ,he gains for us a blessing1 ,he saves us by redeeming grace4 ,when thou1 ,o sun1 art shrouded1 ,by night or tempest clouded1 ,thy rays no longer dart2 ,though earth be dark and dreary1 ,if1 ,jesus1 thou art near me1 ',tis cloudless day within my heart4 ,,mozart4 ,johann ,chrysostomus ,wolfgang ,amadeus ,mozart1 one of the most remarkable musical geniuses the world has produced1 and the only one of his contemporaries whose operas still hold the stage with unimpaired freshness1 was born at ,salzburg1 ,jan4 #bg1 #agef4 ,he was the son of ,leopold ,mozart1 the ,salzburgian ,vice-,capellmeister1 who gave him and his sister ,nannerl their earliest instructions in music1 and with such good results that the children travelled and gave concerts with great success4 ,before he was seven years of age1 he had composed several pieces for piano and violin1 his earliest having been written at the age of five6 ,at twelve he became court capellmeister in ,salzburg4 ,after his musical travels he went to ,vienna1 and there began his real period of classic activity1 which commenced with ,idomeneus1 reached its culmination in ,don ,giovanni1 and closed with the ,requiem1--the swan-song of his wonderful life4 ,in his brief life ,mozart composed more than fifty great works1 besides hundreds of minor ones in every possible form of musical writing4 ,his greatest compositions may be classed in the following order3 ,idomeneus 7#aghj72 ,entfuehrung aus dem ,serail 7#agha72 ,figaro's ,hochzeit 7,the ,marriage of ,figaro71 7#aghe72 ,don ,giovanni 7#aghg72 ,cosi fan tutti1 ,zauberfloete 7,the ,magic ,flute71 and ,titus 7#agij72 and the ,requiem 7#agia1 the year of his death74 ,the catalogue of ,mozart's works is an immense one1 for his period of productivity was unusually long4 ,from the age of five to his death1 there was not a year that was not crowded with his music4 ,besides his numerous operas1 of which only the more famous are given above1 he wrote a large number of symphonies 7of which the ,jupiter is now the best known71 sonatas1 concertos for all kinds of instruments1 even to musical-glasses1 trios1 quartets1 quintets1 and sextets for all possible combinations of instruments1 marches1 fugues1 masses1 hymns1 arias of extraordinary brilliancy1--many of them written for his sister-in-law1 ,aloysia ,weber1 to whom at one time he was engaged1--liturgies1 cantatas1 songs1 and ballads1 and indeed every form of music that is now known4 ,his style was studied by ,beethoven1 and so closely imitated that the music of his first period1 if published without autograph1 would readily be attributed to ,mozart4 ,his style was so spontaneous and so characteristic that it has been well said there is but one ,mozart4 ,the distinguishing trait of his music is its rich melodic beauty and its almost ravishing sweetness4 ,his melody pours along in a bright1 unbroken stream that sometimes even overflows its banks1 so abundant is it4 ,it is peculiarly the music of youth and spring-time1 exquisite in form1 graceful in technique1 and delightful in expression4 ,it was the source where all his immediate successors went for their inspiration1 though it lacked the maturity1 majesty1 and emotional depths which were reached by such a ,titan as ,beethoven4 ,old as it is1 and antiquated in form1 especially as compared with the work of the new schools1 its perennial freshness1 grace1 and beauty have made it immortal4 ,the ,requiem4 ,mozart's ,requiem was written in ,vienna in #agia and was left in an unfinished state by the composer1 who made suggestions and gave instructions as to its completion even upon his death-bed2 it was literally his swan-song4 ,no work by any composer has given rise to more romantic stories or more bitter discussion4 ,it was long the popular belief that the ,requiem was commissioned by a dark1 mysterious stranger1 whose appearance impressed ,mozart with the conviction that he was a messenger of death2 more than this1 that he himself had been poisoned1 and that he was writing his own death-song1 upon the order of some supernatural power4 ,there was some foundation for the belief1 as the commission was given in a very mysterious manner1 and ,mozart's health at that time was so delicate that he had had several premonitions of death4 ,in his gloomy spirits he even said to his wife that he was writing his own requiem4 ,the actual circumstances attending the commission1 though they do not bear out the romantic versions of the story-tellers1 are yet of extraordinary interest4 ,the author of the commission was one ,count von ,walsegg1 living in the village of ,stuppach1 whose wife had died early in #agia4 ,he was an amateur musician of vast ambitions and small accomplishments1 and had conceived the idea of purchasing a requiem anonymously from ,mozart and passing it off as his own work4 ,in pursuance of his scheme he despatched his steward1 named ,leutgeb1 a tall1 solemn1 mysterious looking person1 with an anonymous letter to ,mozart1 who at that time was in absolute poverty1 asking for the music and requesting him to name his own price1--stipulating1 however1 that he should make no effort to discover the identity of his patron4 ,the unsuspicious ,mozart accepted the proposition1 after consulting with his wife4 ,he was about to begin work upon it at once1 when he received a commission to write the opera of ,clemenza de ,tito1 in honor of the ,emperor ,leopold's coronation4 ,this occupied him several weeks1 and when it was completed he decided upon a visit to ,baden4 ,at the moment he was about to get into the carriage1 the mysterious stranger again appeared and inquired about the progress of the ,requiem4 ,mozart excused himself1 and replied that as soon as he returned he would begin the work2 and the stranger went away satisfied4 ,mozart came back to ,vienna in ,september2 and after the completion of the ,magic ,flute1 and its first performance1 ,nov4 #cj1 #agia1 he devoted himself assiduously to the ,requiem1 though it served only to increase his gloom4 ,one day he remarked to his wife3 ,i well know that ,i am writing this requiem for myself4 ,my own feelings tell me that ,i shall not last long4 ,no doubt some one has given me poison2 ,i cannot get rid of the thought4 ,it is now known that this suspicion was only the result of his morbid thoughts2 but when it was publicly uttered1 most unjust accusations were made against his rival1 ,salieri1 embittering the old composer's life until its close4 ,as the work progressed1 his gloom increased4 ,the day before his death1 ,nohl says1 he desired the score to be brought to him in bed1 and he sang his part1 taking the alto voice4 ,benedict ,shack took the soprano1 his brother-in-law1 ,hofer1 the tenor1 and ,gerl the bass4 ,they had got through the various parts to the first bars of the ',lacrymosa1' when ,mozart suddenly burst into tears and laid aside the score4 ,his sister-in-law has left an account of his last moments4 ,she writes3 ,as ,i approached his bed1 he called to me3 ',it is well you are here2 you must stay to-night and see me die4' ,i tried as far as ,i was able to banish this impression2 but he replied3 ',the taste of death is already on my tongue1 ,i taste death2 and who will be near to support my ,constance if you go away8' ,suessmayer his favorite pupil was standing by the bedside1 and on the counterpane lay the ',requiem1' concerning which ,mozart was still speaking and giving directions4 ,he now called his wife and made her promise to keep his death secret for a time from every one but ,albrechtsberger1 that he might thus have an advantage over other candidates for the vacant office of capellmeister to ,st4 ,stephen's4 ,his desire in this respect was gratified1 for ,albrechtsberger received the appointment4 ,as he looked over the pages of the ',requiem' for the last time1 he said1 with tears in his eyes3 ',did ,i not tell you ,i was writing this for myself8' ,mozart's widow1 after his death1 fearing that she might have to refund the money advanced for the work1 induced ,suessmayer1 who was thoroughly familiar with ,mozart's ideas1 to complete it4 ,he did so1 and the copy was delivered to ,count von ,walsegg1 who did not hesitate to publish it as his own4 ,suessmayer1 however1 had kept a copy1 and after completion published it2 and in a letter to the publishers set up a claim to the instrumentation of the ,requiem1 ,kyrie1 ,dies ,irae1 and ,domine1 and to the whole of the ,sanctus1 ,benedictus1 and ,agnus ,dei4 ,the publication of ,suessmayer's letter provoked a controversy which has raged from that day to this4 ,the ablest critics and musicians in ,europe have taken part in it4 ,nearly all of them have defended ,mozart's authorship2 but after half a century's discussion it still remains in doubt how far ,suessmayer participated in the completion of the work as it now stands4 ,the bulk of the evidence1 however1 favors the theory that ,suessmayer only played the part of a skilful copyist1 in writing out the figurings which ,mozart had indicated1 carrying out ideas which had been suggested to him1 and writing parts from the sketches which the composer had made4 ,one of the most pertinent suggestions made in the course of this controversy is that of ,rockstro1 who says3-- ,some passages1 though they may perhaps strengthen ,suessmayer's claim to have filled in certain parts of the instrumentation1 stand on a very different ground to those which concern the composition of whole movements4 ,the ',lacrymosa' is quite certainly one of the most beautiful movements in the whole ',requiem'--and ,mozart is credited with having only finished the first eight bars of it6 ,yet it is impossible to study this movement carefully without arriving at ,professor ,macfarren's conclusion that 'the whole was the work of one mind1 which mind was ,mozart's4' ,suessmayer may have written it out1 perhaps2 but it must have been from the recollection of what ,mozart had played or sung to him1 for we know that this very movement occupied the dying composer's attention almost to the last moment of his life4 ,in like manner ,mozart may have left no ,urschriften 7sketches7 of the ',sanctus1' ',benedictus1' and ',agnus ,dei1'--though the fact that they have never been discovered does not prove that they never existed1--and yet he may have played and sung these movements often enough to have given ,suessmayer a very clear idea of what he intended to write4 ,we must either believe that he did this1 or that ,suessmayer was as great a genius as he2 for not one of ,mozart's acknowledged masses will bear comparison with the ',requiem1' either as a work of art or the expression of a devout religious feeling4 ,in this respect it stands almost alone among instrumental masses1 which nearly always sacrifice religious feeling to technical display4 ,after an introduction1 which gives out the subject of the opening movement1--a slow1 mournful1 solemn theme1--the first number begins with the impressive strain1 ,requiem aeternam dona eis1 which gradually brightens in the phrase1 ,et ,lux perpetua1 and reaches a splendid burst of exultation in the ,te decet hymnus1 of which ,oublichieff1 the ,russian critic1 says3 ,one seems to hear the voice of an archangel1 and ,saint ,cecilia herself with her organ sounding a fugued accompaniment which the most laborious efforts of mortals never could have power to reach4 ,after a repetition of the ,requiem aeternam1 the number closes with the ,kyrie eleison1 a slow and complicated fugue1 which is sublime in its effect1 though very sombre in color1 as befits the subject4 ,the next number is the ,dies ,irae1 written for chorus in simple counterpoint1 and very dramatic in its character1 the orchestral part being constantly vigorous1 impetuous1 and agitated1 and reaching intense energy on the verse1 ,quantus tremor est futurus1 the whole presenting a vivid picture in tones of the terrors of the last judgment4 ,in the ,tuba mirum the spirit of the music changes from the church form to the secular4 ,it is written for solo voices1 ending in a quartet4 ,the bass begins with the ,tuba mirum1 set to a portentous trombone accompaniment2 then follow the tenor 7,mors stupebit71 the alto 7,judex ergo71 and the soprano 7,quid sum miser74 ,this number is particularly remarkable for the manner in which the music is shaded down from the almost supernatural character of the opening bass solo to the beauty and sweetness of the soprano solo4 ,from this extraordinary group we pass to the sublime chorus1 ,rex tremendae majestatis1 once more in the church style1 which closes with the prayer1 ,salva me1 in canonical form4 ,with rare skill is this last appeal of humanity woven out of the thunder-crashes of sound in the judgment-music4 ,the ,dies ,irae is followed by the ,recordare1 written1 like the ,tuba mirum1 as a quartet for solo voices4 ,the vocal parts are in canon form and are combined with marvellous skill1 relieved here and there with solos in purely melodic style1 as in the ,quaerens me1 while the orchestral part is an independent fugue1 with several subjects worked up with every form of instrumental embellishment1 the fugue itself sometimes relieved by plain accompaniment4 ,the whole is an astonishing piece of contrapuntal skill1 apparently inexhaustible in its scientific combinations1 and yet never for an instant losing its deep religious significance4 ,once more the orchestral part is full of agitation and even savage energy in the ,confutatis maledictis1 as it accompanies a powerful double chorus1 closing at last in a majestic prayer 7,oro supplex et acclinis71 in which all the voices join in magnificent harmony4 ,the ,lacrymosa is the most elegant and poetically conceived movement in the ,requiem4 ,it begins in a delicate1 graceful1 and even sensuous manner1 which gradually broadens and strengthens1 and at last develops into a crescendo of immense power1 reaching its climax on the words ,judicandus homo reus4 ,then it changes to a plaintive prayer 7,huic ergo parce ,deus71 and closes in a cloud of gloom in the ,dona eis requiem4 ,the next number 7,domine ,jesu ,christe7 is in pure church form1 beginning with a motet by chorus in solid harmony1 which runs into a fugue on the words ,ne absorbeat eas ,tartarus1 followed by a quartet of voices regularly fugued1 leading to another great fugue on the passage1 ,quam olim ,abrahae1 which closes the number in a burst of sacred inspiration4 ,the ,domine is followed by the ,hostias1 a lovely choral melody which leads to the ,sanctus1 a sublime piece of harmony closing with a fugued ,hosanna4 ,the ,benedictus1 which follows it1 is a solo quartet plaintive and solemn in character1 but full of sweet and rich melodies magnificently accompanied4 ,the ,agnus ,dei closes the work1 a composition of profound beauty1 with an accompaniment of mournful majesty1 developing into a solemn1 almost funereal strain on the words ,dona eis requiem1 and closing with the fugue of the opening ,kyrie on the words ,lux aeterna4 ,written under the inspiration of death might well be inscribed on this great monument of musical skill1 this matchless requiem of awful majesty and divine beauty4 ,in its own unity1 its perfection of form and design1 its astonishing skill1 from the opening fugue of the ,kyrie to its repetition in the finale1 may be found the proof that ,mozart and no other wrote the entire score1 and that every thought and idea in it are the inspired work of the dying master4 ,,paine4 ,john ,k4 ,paine1 one of the very few really eminent ,american composers1 was born at ,portland1 ,me41 ,jan4 #i1 #ahci4 ,he studied the piano1 organ1 and composition with ,kotzschmar in that city1 and made his first public appearance as an organist1 ,june #be1 #aheg4 ,during the following year he went to ,germany and studied the organ1 composition1 and instrumentation with ,haupt and other masters in ,berlin4 ,he returned to this country in #ahfa and gave several concerts1 in which he played many of the organ works of the best writers for the first time in the ,united ,states4 ,shortly after his return he was appointed instructor of music in ,harvard ,university1 and in #ahgf was honored with the elevation to a professorship and given a regular chair4 ,he is best known as a composer1 and several of his works have been paid the rare compliment of performance in ,germany1 among them his ,mass in ,d and all his symphonies4 ,the former was given at the ,berlin ,singakademie in #ahfg1 under his own direction4 ,among his principal compositions are the oratorio ,st4 ,peter2 the ,mass in ,d2 the ,centennial ,hymn1 set to ,whittier's poem and sung at the opening of the ,philadelphia ,centennial ,exhibition2 the overture to ,as ,you ,like ,it2 ,the ,tempest1 in the style of a symphonic poem2 the symphony in ,c minor and ,spring symphony2 besides numerous sonatas1 fantasies1 preludes1 songs1 and arrangements for organ and piano4 ,his larger orchestral works have been made familiar to ,american audiences by ,mr4 ,theodore ,thomas's band1 and have invariably met with success4 ,his style of composition is large1 broad1 and dignified1 based upon the best classic models1 and evinces a high degree of musical scholarship4 ,st4 ,peter4 ,st4 ,peter1 ,mr4 ,paine's only oratorio1--and from the highest standpoint it may be said the only oratorio yet produced in this country1--was written in #ahgb-gc1 and first performed at ,portland1 ,me41 in ,june of the latter year1 under the composer's own direction4 ,the solos were sung by ,mrs4 ,wetherbee1 ,miss ,adelaide ,phillipps1 ,mr4 ,george ,l4 ,osgood1 and ,mr4 ,rudolphsen4 ,it was again produced with great success at the third ,triennial ,festival of the ,boston ,handel and ,haydn ,society1 ,may #i1 #ahgd1 with ,mrs4 ,j4 ,houston ,west1 ,mr4 ,nelson ,varley1 ,miss ,phillipps1 and ,mr4 ,rudolphsen in the principal parts4 ,the establishment of ,christianity1 illustrated by the four principal scenes in the life of ,st4 ,peter1 forms the subject of the oratorio4 ,it is divided into two parts1 and these are subdivided as follows3 ,part ,i4 ,the ,divine ,call2 ,the ,denial and ,repentance4 ,part ,,ii4 ,the ,ascension2 ,pentecost4 ,the overture1 a short adagio movement expressive of the unsettled spiritual condition of the world prior to the advent of ,christianity1 leads directly to the opening chorus1 ,the ,time is fulfilled1 which develops not only this subject1 but also a second1 ,repent1 and believe the glad ,tidings of ,god1 in a masterly manner4 ,the chorus1 written in a very noble style1 is followed by the tenor recitative1 which describes the divine call of our ,lord to ,simon and ,andrew as ,he walked by the ,sea of ,galilee4 ,it prepares the way for a soprano aria 7,the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon me7 which announces the glad tidings they are commissioned to deliver4 ,twelve male voices1 representing the ,disciples1 accept the call in the chorus1 ,we go before the ,face of the ,lord1 which is beautifully accompanied by and interwoven with the full chorus1 closing with the smoothly flowing chorale1 ,how lovely shines the ,morning ,star4 ,then ensues the first dramatic scene4 ,to the question of the ,saviour1 ,who do men say that ,i am1 the twelve male voices first reply1 followed by ,peter in a few bars of very effective recitative1 ,thou art the ,christ4 ,a tenor arioso1 declaring the foundation of the ,church upon this rock1 is followed by a noble and exquisitely chaste bass aria for ,peter 7,my ,heart is glad and my ,spirit rejoiceth71 the scene ending with the powerful chorus1 ,the ,church is built upon the ,foundation of the ,apostles and ,prophets4 ,the next scene1 ,the ,denial and ,repentance1 opens with the warning to ,peter that he will deny his ,lord1 and his remonstrance1 ,though ,i should die with thee1 which is repeated by the ,apostles4 ,these brief passages are followed by a very pathetic aria for tenor 7,let not your ,heart be troubled7 and a beautifully worked-up quartet and chorus 7,sanctify us through ,thy ,truth74 ,a contralto solo announces the coming of ,judas with a great multitude1 leading ,jesus away to the ,high ,priest1 and is followed by the very expressive chorus1 ,we hid our ,faces from him4 ,the scene of the denial is very dramatic1 the alternating accusations of the servants and the denials of ,peter being treated with great skill2 it closes with a very effective contralto recitative1 illustrating the sad words3 ,and while he yet spake1 the cock crew4 ,and the ,lord turned1 and looked on ,peter2 and he remembered the word of the ,lord1 and he went out and wept bitterly4 ,an orchestral interlude follows1 in the nature of a lament1 a minor adagio full of deep feeling4 ,it is followed by an aria for ,peter 7,o ,god1 my ,god1 forsake me not71 which is cast in the same strain of lamentation as the orchestral number which precedes and really introduces it4 ,at its close a chorus of ,angels1 sopranos1 and altos1 with harp accompaniment 7,remember1 remember from whence thou art fallen71 is heard warning ,peter1 augmented on the introduction of the second subject 7,and he that overcometh shall receive a ,crown of ,life7 by the full chorus4 ,this chorus is followed by a beautiful aria for alto 7,the ,lord is faithful and righteous to forgive our ,sins72 and then a massive chorus1 which is fairly majestic 7,awake1 thou that sleepest71 closes the first part4 ,the second part opens with a chorus 7,the ,son of ,man was delivered into the ,hands of sinful ,men71 which tells the story of the crucifixion1 not only with great power1 but also with intense pathos1 ending with the chorale1 ,jesus my ,redeemer lives1 which invests the sad narrative with tender and consolatory feeling4 ,the ascension scene is accompanied by graceful and expressive recitatives for tenor and bass1 followed by a tenor arioso 7,go ye and teach7 and a short soprano recitative 7,and he lifted up his ,hands71 leading to the full melodious chorus1 ,if ye then be risen4 ,the next number is an impressive soprano solo 7,o ,man of ,god71 in which ,peter is admonished to put on the whole armor of ,god and fight the good fight4 ,a beautifully written quartet 7,feed the ,flock of ,god7 closes the scene of the ascension4 ,the last scene opens with a tenor solo describing the miracle of ,pentecost1 set to an extremely vigorous and descriptive accompaniment4 ,it is followed by the chorus1 ,the ,voice of the ,lord1 which is one of the most effective in the whole work1 though not constructed in the massive style of those which close the two parts4 ,a contralto recitative links this chorus to its successor1 ,behold6 are not all these who speak ,galileans8 ,after a brief soprano recitative1 ,peter has another vigorous solo 7,ye ,men of ,judaea71 which is as dramatic in its style and almost as descriptive in its accompaniment as the opening tenor solo of this scene4 ,a reflective aria for alto 7,as for ,man7 follows it1 and bass and tenor recitatives lead up to the eagerly questioning chorus of the people1 ,men and ,brethren4 ,the answer comes from ,peter and the ,apostles1 ,for the ,promise is to you4 ,an intricate chorus 7,this is the ,witness of ,god71 closing with a chorale 7,praise to the ,father71 leads to the finale1 which comprises the chorus1 ,beloved1 let us love one another1 written for bass solo1 tenors1 and basses 7the ,disciples71 and full chorus2 an effective duet for soprano and tenor 7,sing unto ,god72 and the final majestic chorus 7,great and marvellous are thy ,works74 ,,rossini4 ,gioachino ,antonio ,rossini1 the father of the modern ,italian school of opera1 was born ,feb4 #bi1 #agib1 at ,pesaro1 in the ,romagna4 ,his father was an accomplished musician1 and his mother a professional singer1 so that he was brought up in a musical atmosphere4 ,even as a boy he sang with his mother in the theatre4 ,he first studied with ,mattei1 and later with ,martini4 ,his first opera1 ,demetrio e ,polibio1 was brought out at ,rome in #ahab1 and before he had concluded his life-work1 more than forty of his operas had been given in almost every part of ,europe1--a crowning result of labor and contemporaneous fame not often enjoyed by composers4 ,his ,tancredi1 which was produced for the first time at ,venice in #ahac1 was the opera which made him famous1 and its remarkable success spread his reputation far and wide4 ,in #ahae appeared ,l' ,italiana in ,algeri and ,aureliano in ,palmira2 in #ahaf1 ,elisabetta1 ,otello1 and his splendid work ,the ,barber of ,seville1 which1 though his masterpiece1 is said to have been written in fourteen days2 in #ahag1 ,la ,cenerentola1 ,la ,gazza ,ladra1 and ,armida2 and in #ahai1 ,ricciardo e ,zoraide1 ,la ,donna del ,lago1 and many others4 ,from #ahae to #ahbb ,rossini was under the management of the impresario ,barbaja in ,naples1 who had much difficulty in keeping him to the work of composition1 his facility in writing often leading him to defer work until it was the very eve of performance4 ,in #ahbc1 under the auspices of ,barbaja1 and with the assistance of the prima donna1 ,colbran1 whom ,rossini married about this time1 his opera ,zelmira and others of his works were given with such brilliant success as to raise his aspirations for a wider and more promising field of labor4 ,in the year #ahbc he went to ,paris and ,london1 finally settling in the former city1 where he not only began a new grand opera1 but also gave himself to the study and development of orchestral music and the encouragement of artists4 ,his home was the ,mecca of singers1 and1 like ,liszt's at ,weimar1 the centre of art influences4 ,the new work was ,william ,tell1 which was first brought out in ,paris in #ahbi4 ,it was his last important effort4 ,it met with only temporary success1 though it enjoys to-day a reputation almost equal to that of the ,barber4 ,his most celebrated work in sacred music is the ,stabat ,mater1 which1 though written in operatic style and very brilliant in coloring1 has retained its place in popular favor1 and is to-day as eagerly sought for by artists and the public as it was in his own day4 ,among his other sacred works is ,moses in ,egypt1--originally written as an oratorio for the ,san ,carlo in ,naples1 and brought out there in #ahah1 though subsequently recast and provided with a revised libretto for the ,paris ,grand ,opera in #ahbg4 ,the ,prayer from this work has a world-wide popularity4 ,during the latter years of his life ,rossini gave up composition entirely1--in part because of the eventual failure of his ,william ,tell1--and enjoyed the fruits of his labors at his beautiful villa in ,passy4 ,he died ,nov4 #ad1 #ahfh4 ,his sacred works1 besides those already mentioned1 are a few ,italian oratorios1 now unknown1 three choruses1 ,faith1 ,hope1 and ,charity1 the ,petite ,messe ,solenelle1 a ,tantum ,ergo1 a ,quoniam1 and an ,o ,salutaris4 ,stabat ,mater4 ,the great ,stabat ,maters in the musical world are those of ,palestrina1 ,pergolesi1 ,haydn1 ,steffani1 ,clari1 ,astorga1 ,winter1 ,neukomm1 ,rossini1 and the one recently written by the ,bohemian composer1 ,dvorak4 ,of all these no one has been so popular as that of ,rossini1 nor made the world so familiar with the text of the ,virgin's ,lamentation4 ,after the failure of ,william ,tell1 ,rossini abandoned opera-writing1 though he had a contract with the ,grand ,opera at ,paris for four more works1 and contemplated taking up the subject of ,faust4 ,william ,tell was his last work for the stage2 but before his absolute retirement he was to produce a work destined to add to his fame4 ,in #ahcb his friend ,aguado induced him to compose a ,stabat ,mater for the ,spanish minister1 ,don ,valera1 which was not intended to be made public4 ,before its completion he fell ill1 and ,tadolini wrote the last four numbers4 ,the work was dedicated to ,valera1 with the understanding that it should always be retained by him4 ,nine years afterwards ,valera died1 and ,rossini learned that his heirs had sold the work to a ,paris publisher for two thousand francs4 ,he at once claimed the copyright and brought an action1 in which he was successful4 ,he then composed four new numbers in place of those written by ,tadolini1 and sold the work complete to the publisher1 ,troupenas1 for six thousand francs4 ,the latter sold the right of performance for a limited time to the ,escudiers for eight thousand francs1 and they in turn sold it to the ,theatre ,italien for twenty thousand4 ,its first complete performance was at the ,salle ,ventadour1 ,jan4 #g1 #ahdb1 ,grisi1 ,albertazzi1 ,mario1 and ,tamburini taking the principal parts4 ,a brief but brilliant orchestral prelude leads to the opening chorus1 ,stabat ,mater dolorosa1 arranged for solos and chorus1 and very dramatic in style1 especially in its broad1 melodious contrasts4 ,it is followed by the tenor solo1 ,cujus ,animam1 which is familiar to every concert-goer1--a clear-cut melody free of embellishment1 but very brilliant and even jubilant in character1 considering the nature of the text4 ,the next number 7,quis est ,homo71 for two sopranos1 is equally familiar4 ,it is based upon a lovely melody1 first given out by the first soprano1 and then by the second1 after which the two voices carry the theme through measure after measure of mere vocal embroidery1 closing with an extremely brilliant cadenza in genuine operatic style4 ,the fourth number is the bass aria ,pro peccatis1 the two themes in which are very earnest and even serious in character1 and come nearer to the church style than any other parts of the work4 ,it is followed by a beautifully constructed number 7,eia ,mater71 a bass recitative with chorus1 which is very strong in its effect4 ,the sixth number is a lovely quartet 7,sancta ,mater71 full of variety in its treatment1 and closing with full1 broad harmony4 ,after a short solo for soprano 7,fac ut ,portem71 the climax is reached in the ,inflammatus1--a brilliant soprano obligato with powerful choral accompaniment4 ,the solo number requires a voice of exceptional range1 power1 and flexibility2 with this condition satisfied1 the effect is intensely dramatic1 and particularly fascinating by the manner in which the solo is set off against the choral background4 ,a beautiful unaccompanied quartet in broad1 plain harmony1 ,quando ,corpus1 leads to the showy fugued ,amen which closes the work4 ,unquestionably the ,stabat ,mater is one of the most popular of all the minor sacred compositions2 and the secret lies on the surface3 it is to be found in the delightful and fascinating melodies1 which are strewn so thickly through it1 as well as in the graceful bravura1 which was so characteristic of ,rossini1 and which when delivered by accomplished artists is very captivating to a popular audience4 ,as to its sacred form1 it is as far from the accepted style of church music as ,berlioz's or ,verdi's requiems4 ,indeed1 ,rossini himself remarked to ,hiller that he wrote it in the mezzo serio style4 ,in connection with this matter one or two criticisms will be of interest4 ,rossini's biographer1 ,sutherland ,edwards1 says3 ,the ',stabat ,mater' was composed1 as ,raphael's ,virgins were painted1 for the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 which at once accepted it1 without ever suspecting that ,rossini's music was not religious4 ,the remark1 however1 would be more pertinent were it not for the fact that the ,church itself has not always been a good critic of its own music1 or a good judge of what its music should be1 as ,liszt discovered when he went to ,rome full of his purposes of reform in the musical service4 ,heine1 in a letter to the ,allgemeine ,zeitung in #ahdb1 replying to certain ,german criticisms1 went so far as to say1-- ,the true character of ,christian art does not reside in thinness and paleness of the body1 but in a certain effervescence of the soul1 which neither the musician nor the painter can appropriate to himself either by baptism or study2 and in this respect ,i find in the ',stabat' of ,rossini a more truly ,christian character than in the ',paulus' ',st4 ,paul' of ,felix ,mendelssohn ,bartholdy1--an oratorio which the adversaries of ,rossini point to as a model of ,christian style4 ,it will hardly be claimed1 however1 even by ,heine's friends1 that this sweeping statement is either just to ,mendelssohn or true of ,rossini4 ,perhaps they will also concede that ,heine was not a very good judge of ,christianity in any of its aspects1 musical or otherwise4 ,the veteran ,moscheles in one of his letters criticizes the work very pertinently4 ,he says1-- ,it is1 as you may imagine1 a model of 'singableness' 7if ,i may say so72 but it is not sufficiently church music to my taste4 ,his solitary fugue is clumsy4 ,the criticisms on the work are very various4 ,some agree with me2 but the majority delight in the captivating ,italian phrases1 which ,i admire too1 but which ,i cannot think are in the right place4 ,he might have added1 ,because they are the phrases of ',semiramide1' ',tancredi1' and the ',barber4' ,there is scarcely a number of the ,stabat ,mater which might not be detached from it and reset in one of ,rossini's operas without doing violence to whatever of the real religious style it may be supposed1 or was intended1 to have4 ,the ,stabat ,mater music would be captivatingly beautiful in any setting4 ,,rubinstein4 ,anton ,gregor ,rubinstein was born1 ,nov4 #cj1 #ahbi1 at the village of ,wechwotynetz1 in ,russia4 ,his parents1 who were in moderate circumstances1 moved to ,moscow during his infancy1 and in that city he received his first musical instruction4 ,his mother gave him lessons at the age of four1 with the result that by the time he was six she was unable to teach him anything more4 ,he then studied the piano with ,alexander ,villoing1 a pupil of ,john ,field4 ,his first composition appeared in his twelfth year1 and soon his songs and two and four hand piano-pieces began to attract the attention of musicians4 ,in #ahdj ,villoing took him to ,paris and placed him in the ,conservatory1 where he attracted the attention of ,liszt1 ,chopin1 and ,thalberg4 ,he remained in that city eighteen months1 devoting himself to unremitting study1 and then made some professional tours1 in which he met with extraordinary success1 particularly in ,england4 ,from that country he went to ,holland and ,sweden1 everywhere meeting with an enthusiastic reception4 ,in #ahdd his parents removed to ,berlin1 and he was placed under ,dehn1 the famous contrapuntist1 to study composition1 his brother ,nicholas being a companion in his work4 ,the father dying in #ahdf1 the mother and ,nicholas returned to ,russia1 leaving ,anton alone4 ,during the next two years he taught music in ,pressburg and ,vienna1 and in the latter part of #ahdh went back to ,russia4 ,about this time he received an honorary musical appointment from the ,grand-,duchess ,helene4 ,for eight years he studied and wrote in ,st4 ,petersburg1 and at the end of that time had accumulated a mass of manuscripts destined to make his name famous all over ,europe1 while his reputation as a skilful pianist was already world-wide4 ,he visited ,england again in #aheg1 and the next year returned home and settled in ,st4 ,petersburg1 about which time he was made ,imperial ,concert ,director1 with a life-pension4 ,at this period in his career he devoted himself to the cause of music in ,russia4 ,his first great work was the foundation of the ,conservatory in the above city in #ahfb1 of which he remained principal until #ahfg4 ,he also founded the ,russian ,musical ,society in #ahfa1 and in #ahfi was decorated by the ,czar4 ,in #ahgj he directed the ,philharmonic and ,choral ,societies of ,vienna1 and shortly afterwards made another tour1 during which1 in #ahgb1 he came to this country with the eminent violinist ,wieniawsky1 as will be well remembered4 ,his visit here was marked by a succession of ovations4 ,no other pianist ever achieved such a wonderful success1 not only among musicians1 but among the people of all classes4 ,musicians were astounded at his remarkable knowledge1 while musical and unmusical people alike were carried off their feet by the whirlwind-style of his playing4 ,it was full of grace1 nobility1 breadth1 and dignity2 but it combined with these qualities a fire1 an intensity1 and a passion which sometimes invested the piano with orchestral effects1 and again transformed it into an instrument that wept1 laughed1 sang1 and danced4 ,his power was irresistible and electric4 ,as a composer he ranks very high4 ,his greatest works are the ,ocean ,symphony1 ,dramatic ,symphony1 and a character sketch for grand orchestra called ,ivan the ,terrible2 his operas1 ,children of the ,heath1 ,feramors1 ,nero1 ,the ,maccabees1 ,dimitri ,donskoi1 and the ,demon2 the oratorios ,paradise ,lost and ,tower of ,babel2 and a long and splendid catalogue of chamber1 salon1 and concert music1 besides some beautiful songs which are great favorites in the concert-room4 ,the ,tower of ,babel4 ,the ,tower of ,babel1 a sacred opera1 as ,rubinstein entitles it1 was written in #ahgj1 the text1 which is somewhat of a travesty on sacred history1 by ,julius ,rodenberg4 ,an ,english critic very pertinently says3 ,one item alone in all the multitude of details crowded by ,herr ,rodenberg into his canvas has any foundation in fact4 ,he adopts the theory that there really was a tower of ,babel1 and all the rest he founds on conjecture4 ,in point of fact1 the anachronisms are numerous enough to make the text almost a burlesque4 ,nimrod1 the mighty hunter1 is made the chief builder of the tower1 which is supposed to be in process of erection as an insult to the ,deity4 ,abraham appears upon the scene 7many years before he was born71 and rebukes ,nimrod for his presumption2 whereupon the hunter-king orders the shepherd1 as he is called1 to be thrown into a fiery furnace1 after the manner of ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego4 ,the angels watch over the patriarch1 and he comes out of the fire unharmed4 ,some of the people standing by ascribe the miracle to ,baal1 some to ,dagon1 some to ,ashtaroth1 and a few to ,jehovah1 and at last get into a quarrel with each other4 ,nimrod interposes his authority1 and orders them to their work on the tower again4 ,soon the heavens cloud over1 and a storm is seen approaching4 ,abraham prophesies destruction1 and ,nimrod orders him to be seized and hurled from the summit of the tower2 but before his commands can be executed1 a thunderbolt strikes it and crumbles it into a heap of shapeless stones4 ,while ,abraham exults over the destruction1 the dispersion of the three races1 the ,shemites1 ,hamites1 and ,japthides1 occurs4 ,nimrod laments over the result of his folly1 and at last acknowledges the authority of the ,divine ,power1 and thus the story ends4 ,the dramatis personae are ,nimrod 7bass71 ,abraham 7tenor71 ,master ,workman 7baritone71 four ,angels 7boys' voices71 the choruses by ,nimrod's followers1 the ,people1 ,angels1 and ,demons4 ,the overture is a confused1 formless number1 indicating the darkness4 ,in the beginning there is no clear musical idea2 but at last the subject assumes definite form as the dawn breaks and the ,master ,workman announces the sunrise and calls the ,people to their work1 in the recitative1 ,awake6 ye ,workers1 awake6 ,the summons is followed by the chorus1 ,to work1 in which the vocal part is noisy1 broken1 and somewhat discordant1 representing the hurry and bustle of a crowd of working-men1--with which1 however1 the orchestra and organ build up a powerful theme4 ,the song of the ,master ,workman is also interwoven1 and the chorus is finally developed with great vigor and splendid dramatic effect4 ,nimrod now appears1 and in a triumphant outburst 7,stately rises our ,work on high7 contemplates the monument to his greatness now approaching completion4 ,abraham rebukes him 7,how1 ,mortal1 canst thou reach ,his ,presence874 ,the scene at this point is full of dramatic vigor4 ,nimrod hurls imprecations at ,abraham1 followed by strongly contrasting choruses of the angry ,people and protecting ,angels1 which lead up to the mixed chorus of the ,people1 indicating the confusion of tongues as they severally ascribe the escape of ,abraham from the furnace-fire to ,baal1 ,dagon1 ,ashtaroth1 and ,jehovah1 and closing with tumultuous dissension1 which is quelled by ,nimrod4 ,the effect of the ,angels' voices in the hurlyburly is exceedingly beautiful1 and the accompaniments1 particularly those of the fire-scene1 are very vivid4 ,nimrod's order to resume work on the tower is followed by the angelic strain1 ,come on6 let us down to ,earth now hasten4 ,once more the ,builders break out in their barbaric chorus1 ,to work1 followed by the portentous outburst of the ,people1 ,how the ,face of ,heaven is o'ershadowed6 ,in a vigorous solo ,abraham replies1 ,no6 'tis not ,vapor nor ,storm-clouds that gather4 ,there is a final controversy between ,abraham and ,nimrod1 and as the latter orders the patriarch to be thrown from the tower1 the storm breaks1 and amid the shrieks of the chorus 7,horror6 horror7 and the tremendous clangor of organ and orchestra on the theme already developed in the opening1 the tower is destroyed4 ,the tumultuous scene is followed by ,nimrod's lament 7,the ,tower whose lofty ,height was like my ,state71 a bass aria of great power1 and reaching a splendid climax4 ,abraham1 in an exultant strain 7,the ,lord is strong in ,might71 proclaims ,god's purpose to scatter the people4 ,the most picturesque scene in the work now occurs1--the dispersal of the ,shemites1 ,hamites1 and ,japthides1 typified by orchestral marches and choruses of a barbaric cast4 ,the stage directions at this point indicate that the three choruses must be sung behind the scenes1 while dissolving views present to the audience the emigration of the three great human races1--an effect which is also made in the last act of ,goldmark's ,queen of ,sheba4 ,the first chorus1 that of the ,shemites1 which is sung in unison1 is taken from some of the ancient music in the ritual of the ,jewish ,synagogue1 that used on the eve of the ,day of ,atonement4 ,the other two choruses are also ,oriental in color and rhythm1 and give a very striking effect to this part of the work4 ,the chorus of ,angels 7,thus by ,almighty ,power of ,god7 proclaims the completion of the work1 and two long solos by ,abraham and ,nimrod lead up to the final choruses of the ,angels1 ,people1 and ,demons1 worked up in very powerful style1 and in the finale uniting the themes which originally introduced the chorus of the ,people and the ,angels1 and the subject of the darkness in the overture4 ,the tableau is thus described in the stage directions3 ,the stage is divided into three horizontal compartments4 ,in the middle is the earth2 in the upper is the throne of the ,almighty1 surrounded by all the heavenly powers2 in the lower1 hell1 ,satan seated on his throne1 surrounded by all the infernal deities4 ,paradise ,lost4 ,the oratorio ,paradise ,lost was first produced in ,vienna in #ahei by the ,gesellschaft der ,musikfreunde1 a choral organization conducted by ,rubinstein during his stay in that city4 ,like ,the ,tower of ,babel1 it is entitled by the composer a sacred opera1 though it is in genuine oratorio form1 and usually classed as such4 ,the text is a very free transcription from ,milton4 ,the work is divided into three parts2 but as the second is usually the only part given by oratorio societies1 our sketch will be principally confined to that4 ,the first part mainly concerns the defeat of ,satan's forces by the legions of ,heaven1 and is remarkable for its vigorous instrumental treatment4 ,the second part is devoted to the creation1 and is composed principally of choruses introduced by a few bars of recitative1 invariably for the tenor1 who acts the part of narrator4 ,the first seven of these describe the creation of the earth4 ,after a characteristic introduction1 the tenor declares ,chaos1 be ended6 whereupon the ,angels sing a glowing tribute to light 7,upspringing1 the darkened ,air broke forth into radiant ,brightness74 ,again the tenor and chorus in a brief number describe the firmament4 ,the third chorus 7,fierce raged the ,billows7 pictures the division of land and water with great vigor1 accompanied by imitative instrumentation which indicates ,rubinstein's skill as a water-painter quite as clearly as his great ,ocean ,symphony4 ,in the fourth and fifth choruses the music vividly tells the story of the creation of the trees and plants and the appearance of the stars in the firmament4 ,the sixth 7,gently beaming1 softly streaming71 in which the ,angels rejoice in the soft radiance of the moon1 is short1 but exceedingly tender and beautiful4 ,in the seventh 7,all around rose the ,sound of the ,strife of ,life71 we have a description of the awakening of life characterized by extraordinary descriptive power4 ,this group of choruses1 each one thoroughly fresh1 original1 and picturesque in its description1 brings us up to the creation of man1 which is the finest portion of the whole work4 ,it begins with a long tenor recitative1 ,in all her ,majesty shines on high the ,heaven1 reaching a fine crescendo at the close 7,and lo6 it was ,man74 ,the ,angels reply with their heavenly greeting1 ,hail to ,thee1 ,o ,man4 ,a short dialogue follows between ,adam and the ,narrator1 and the ,angels renew their greeting1 this time to ,eve4 ,this leads up to a lovely duet between ,adam and ,eve 7,teach us then to come before ,thee71 which is very gracefully constructed1 and tenderly melodious in character4 ,the final number is a chorus of the ,angels 7,clear resounded the ,trumpets of ,heaven71 beginning in broad1 flowing1 jubilant harmony1 then developing into a fugue on the words ,praise the ,almighty ,one1 built up on a subject full of exultation and grandeur1 and closing with a ,hallelujah delivered with mighty outbursts of power4 ,the third part is devoted to the fall of ,adam and ,eve and their banishment from ,eden1 closing with the announcement of the ultimate salvation of mankind4 ,both the ,almighty and ,satan appear in this part1 the former's music being sung by the tenor voice2 though1 curiously enough1 the latter's music is much the more attractive4 ,,saint-,,saens4 ,charles ,camille ,saint-,saens1 famous as composer1 pianist1 and critic1 was born in ,paris1 ,oct4 #i1 #ahce4 ,he began his musical studies at a very early age4 ,in his seventh year he took piano lessons of ,stamaty and studied harmony1 and in his twelfth was a student at the ,conservatory1 where he took two organ prizes2 though he failed on two occasions in his competition for the ,prix de ,rome4 ,his first symphony appeared in #ahea1 and was performed with success4 ,in #ahec he was appointed organist of the ,church of ,st4 ,merri1 and five years later secured a like position at the ,madeleine1 which he filled with high honor for nineteen years1 finally resigning in favor of ,theodore ,dubois4 ,in #ahfg he was awarded a prize for his cantata ,les ,noces de ,promethee by the ,paris ,international ,exhibition1 and the next year he was received with distinguished honor at the ,artists' ,meeting in ,weimar1 both as pianist and composer4 ,his operatic career began about this time4 ,la ,princesse jeune appeared in #ahgb1 and ,le ,timbre d',argent in #ahgg2 but neither was successful4 ,his next work was the sacred drama ,samson et ,dalila1 produced at ,weimar in the latter part of #ahgg2 followed by ,etienne ,marcel at ,lyons in #ahgi4 ,in addition to his operas he has written several cantatas1 among them ,the ,deluge and ,la ,lyre et la ,harpe1 composed for the ,birmingham ,festival of #ahgi2 three symphonies2 four symphonic poems1 ,la ,rouet d',omphale1 ,phaethon1 ,danse ,macabre1 and ,la ,jeunesse d',hercule2 a large number of concerted pieces with orchestra1 songs and romances1 as well as chamber-music and compositions for piano and organ4 ,his sacred music includes the following works3 mass for four voices1 ,requiem ,mass1 ,oratorio de ,noel1 ,tantum ,ergo1 the ,nineteenth ,psalm for solos1 chorus1 and orchestra1 and many minor pieces for choir use4 ,he has been a prolific writer1 but his fame thus far rests upon his instrumental music4 ,he has travelled much as a virtuoso in ,russia1 ,spain1 ,germany1 and ,england1 conducting his own compositions1 and also giving piano and organ recitals1 in which he has met with great success4 ,he also ranks high as a musical critic1 and many of his contributions to the ,parisian press have been collected1 with a view to publication in a separate volume4 ,of late he has obtained considerable notoriety by his controversial articles on the ,wagner question1--in which1 however1 national prejudice sometimes has been more apparent than cosmopolitan judgment4 ,as a composer1 he is unquestionably more learned than are any of his native contemporaries1 and he has made a closer study of ,bach than even ,gounod has4 ,his descriptive powers are very strong1 as is evidenced by the symphonic poems which ,mr4 ,thomas has introduced into this country4 ,they even go to the verge of the sensational2 but1 on the other hand1 the study of his ,oratorio de ,noel and of his transcriptions from ,bach will show that he is a master of counterpoint and thematic treatment4 ,christmas ,oratorio4 ,noel1 ,saint-,saens' ,christmas oratorio1 in dimensions hardly exceeds the limits of a cantata1 but musically is constructed in oratorio style4 ,its subject is the nativity1 combined with ascriptions of praise and a final exultant hallelujah4 ,the work is short1 but very effective1 and is written for five solo voices and chorus1 with accompaniment of strings and organ1 and the harp in one number4 ,it opens with a pastoral symphony of a very melodious character4 ,the first number is the recitative1 ,and there were ,shepherds1 including the angelic message and the appearance of the heavenly hosts1 the subject being divided among the tenor1 alto1 soprano1 and baritone1 and leading up to the first chorus 7,glory now unto ,god in the highest71 which is quite short1 but beautifully written4 ,the next number is an aria for mezzo-soprano 7,firm in ,faith71 which is very simple1 but graceful in its melody4 ,the fourth number is a tenor solo and chorus 7,god of all71 written in the church style1 followed by a soprano and baritone duet 7,blessed1 ever blessed71 which is very elaborate in its construction1 and highly colored4 ,the next number is the chorus1 ,wherefore are the ,nations raging1 which is intensely dramatic in its effect1 especially for the manner in which the voice-parts are set off against the agitated accompaniment4 ,the contrasts also are very striking1 particularly that between the tumultuous opening of the chorus and its tranquil close in full harmony on the words1 ,as it was in the ,beginning4 ,the next number is a lovely trio for tenor1 soprano1 and baritone 7,thou art from first to last71 with harp accompaniment throughout1 which gives to it an extremely graceful and elegant effect4 ,it is followed by a quartet 7,alleluia71 in which the theme is introduced by the alto4 ,the ,alleluia is then taken up by all four parts 7soprano1 mezzo-soprano1 alto1 and baritone71 in full1 rich harmony1 the alto closing the number alone in a very effective adagio passage4 ,the next number is a quintet and chorus1 the prelude to which is a repetition of parts of the opening pastoral4 ,it is also utilized in the voice parts4 ,the number is very elaborate in its construction and development1 and is followed by a short final chorus 7,raise now your ,song on high7 in simple church style4 ,short as the work is1 it is very beautiful1 and full not only of genuine service music1 but also of graceful conceits and delicate fancies1 both in the voice parts and the accompaniments4 ,,schumann4 ,robert ,schumann1 one of the greatest of musicians1 and one who1 had his life been spared1 would probably have stood at the head of all composers since ,beethoven and ,schubert1 was the son of a bookseller1 and was born at ,zwickau1 in ,saxony1 ,june #h1 #ahaj4 ,in his earliest youth he was recognized as a child of genius4 ,his first teacher in music was ,baccalaureus ,kuntzsch1 who gave him piano instructions4 ,it was while taking these lessons that he attended a concert given by ,moscheles4 ,the playing of the great teacher aroused his musical ambition1 and first inspired him to become a musician4 ,his father recognized his talent very early1 but his mother was opposed to his ambition4 ,in deference to her wishes1 he began the study of law1--with the full determination1 however1 to make music his vocation2 and in this he ultimately succeeded1 through the influence of ,wieck1 whose daughter1 ,clara1 he subsequently married1 and who is still a skilful pianist and famous teacher4 ,he studied the piano with ,wieck until his right hand was injured4 ,in #ahcj1 in which year his artistic career really opened1 he began the theoretical study of music in its groundwork1 first with ,director ,kupsch in ,leipsic1 and later with ,heinrich ,dorn1 and at the same time entered upon the work of composition4 ,his opus ,no4 #a was the so-called ,abegg ,variations1 dedicated to a young lady1 ,meta ,abegg1 whom he had met at a ball in ,mannheim4 ,in the same year1 #ahcj1 he composed a toccata4 ,in #ahca his famous ,papillons and other piano works appeared4 ,schumann was not only a musician1 but an able critic and graceful writer2 and in #ahcd1 with ,schunke1 ,knorr1 and ,wieck1 he founded the ,neue ,zeitschrift fuer ,musik1 which had an important influence upon musical progress in ,germany1 and in which the great promise of such musicians as ,chopin and ,brahms was first recognized4 ,he married ,clara ,wieck in #ahdj1 after much opposition from her father2 and in this year appeared some of his best songs1 including the three famous cycluses1 ,liederkreis1 ,woman's ,life and ,love1 and ,poet's ,love1 which now have a world-wide fame4 ,in the following year larger works came from his pen1 among them his ,b major symphony1 overture1 scherzo1 and finale in ,e major1 and the symphony in ,d minor4 ,during this period in his career he also made many artistic journeys with his wife1 which largely increased the reputation of each4 ,in #ahdc he completed his great romantic oratorio1 ,paradise and the ,peri1 set to ,moore's text1 and many favorite songs and piano compositions1 among them the ,phantasiestuecke and ,kinderscenen1 and his elegant piano quintet in ,e flat4 ,in #ahdd1 in company with his wife1 he visited ,st4 ,petersburg and ,moscow1 and their reception was a royal one4 ,the same year he abandoned his ,zeitschrift1 in which ,florestan1 ,master ,raro1 ,eusebius1 and the other pseudonyms had become familiar all over ,germany1 and took the post of director in ,duesseldorf1 in the place of ,ferdinand ,hiller4 ,during the last few years of his life he was the victim of profound melancholy1 owing to an affection of the brain1 and he even attempted suicide by throwing himself into the ,rhine4 ,he was then removed to an asylum at ,endenich1 where he died ,july #bj1 #ahef4 ,the two men who exercised most influence upon ,schumann were ,jean ,paul and ,franz ,schubert4 ,he was deeply pervaded with the romance of the one and the emotional feeling of the other4 ,his work is characterized by genial humor1 a rich and warm imagination1 wonderfully beautiful instrumentation1 especially in his accompaniments1 the loftiest form of expression1 and a rigid adherence to the canons of art4 ,paradise and the ,peri4 ,schumann's secular oratorio1 ,paradise and the ,peri1 was written in #ahdc1 and first performed at the ,gewandhaus1 ,leipsic1 ,december #dth of that year1 under the composer's own direction4 ,its first performance in ,england was given ,june #bc1 #ahef1 with ,madame ,jenny ,lind-,goldschmidt in the part of the ,peri1 ,sterndale ,bennett conducting4 ,the text is taken from the second poem in ,moore's ,lalla ,rookh1 and was suggested to ,schumann by his friend ,emil ,flechsig1 who had translated the poem4 ,this was in #ahda2 but he did not set it to music until two years later4 ,the text required many changes1 and these he made himself4 ,the principal additions are a chorus for ,the ,spirits of the ,nile1 the chorus of ,houris1 the ,peri's solo1 ,banished1 the quartet1 ,peri1 'tis true1 the solo1 ,sunken was the ,golden ,orb1 and the final chorus4 ,it has also been suggested that he availed himself of still another translation1 that of ,ollker's1 as many of the changes agree with his text4 ,it is difficult to define the exact form of the work1 though it is nearly always classed as a secular oratorio1 principally because of the introduction of the narrator1 after the style of the passion-music4 ,in other respects it resembles the cantata4 ,reissmann1 in his ,life of ,schumann1 says on this point1-- ,it seems right that he should have retained the most primitive form of the oratorio1 that of the passion-music4 ,the poem has no genuinely dramatic course2 there was not the smallest intrinsic or extrinsic reason to dramatize it more fully4 ,even with treatment such as that of the ',walpurgisnacht1' it must have lost much of its picturesque development ,the only proper way to treat the subject1 therefore1 was to retain the original epic form1 and to introduce a narrator in the style of antique oratorio1 who should relate the facts in a few simple words up to the point where they seem to demand a more dramatic setting4 ,von ,wasielewski also discusses the same point3 ,the narrator is evidently copied from the evangelist in ,bach's passion-music2 but by no means with a like necessity4 ,unquestionably the latter shared the conviction of his day1 that not only the substance1 but the words1 of the biblical dogma were sacred4 ,schumann's case was not at all similar4 ,he had before him1 in the poem to be set to music1 a work of art which1 although once remodelled1 would still permit every formal change required by aesthetic considerations4 ,how easy1 for example1 it would have been to abolish the narrator1 as destructive of unity6 ,had the narrative passages been omitted1 it would unquestionably have enhanced the interest and perhaps relieved the monotony and wearisomeness of some parts of the work4 ,unlike the usual manner in which the narrator's part is treated1--as a mere recitative link between numbers1--,schumann invests it with the same importance as the acts and events themselves1 and treats it melodically1 so that the relief which comes from contrast is lacking4 ,the oratorio is written in three parts1 for solo voices1 chorus1 and orchestra1 the principals being the ,peri 7soprano72 the ,angel 7alto72 the ,king of ,gazna 7bass72 a ,youth 7tenor72 the ,horseman 7baritone72 and the ,maiden 7soprano74 ,the choruses are sung by ,indians1 ,angels1 ,houris1 and ,genii of the ,nile1 and the part of ,narrator is divided among the various voices4 ,the story follows that of the original poem4 ,the ,peri1 expelled from ,paradise1 stands at its gate weeping to think her recreant race ,should e'er have lost that sacred place4 ,the angel who keeps the gate of light promises she shall be re-admitted if she brings the gift that is most dear to ,heaven4 ,the ,peri goes in quest of the gift1 first to ,india1 where she procures the last drop of blood shed by the hero who resisted the tyrant ,mahmoud1 and takes it with her to the gate2 but the crystal bar moves not4 ,she continues her quest1 and from the pestilential plains of ,egypt she takes back the last sigh of the maiden who sacrificed herself to her love for the youth who stole out to die alone4 ,but still the crystal bar moves not4 ,at last1 in the vale of ,baalbec1 she finds the gift1--the tear of a repentant sinner1--which secures her admission4 ,after a brief orchestral introduction1 the ,narrator 7alto7 tells the story of the disconsolate ,peri at the gate1 and introduces her in the first solo 7,how blest seem to me1 vanished ,child of ,air71 a tender1 beautiful melody1 characterized by romantic sentiment4 ,the ,narrator 7tenor7 introduces the ,angel1 who delivers her message to the ,peri 7,one ,hope is thine71 to which the latter replies in a sensuous melody1 full of ,oriental color 7,i know the ,wealth hidden in every ,urn74 ,the tenor ,narrator introduces at this point a quartet 7,o beauteous ,land71 in which the two trebles1 tenor1 and bass alternate1 followed by the full1 powerful chorus1 ,but crimson now her ,rivers ran4 ,a weird march1 fairly barbaric in its effect1 indicates the approach of the tyrant of ,gazna1 and introduces the stirring chorus of the ,indians and ,conquerors 7,hail to ,mahmoud74 ,the tenor ,narrator describes the youthful warrior standing alone beside his native river and defying the tyrant4 ,once more the chorus shouts its greeting to ,mahmoud1 and then ensues a dialogue in recitative between the two1 leading up to the youth's death and a double chorus of lamentation 7,woe1 for false flew the ,shaft74 ,the tenor ,narrator describes the flight of the ,peri to catch the last drop of blood shed for liberty2 and then all the voices join with the soprano solo in a broad1 strong1 exultant finale 7,for ,blood must holy be71 which is one of the most effective numbers in the work4 ,the second part opens in the most charming manner4 ,the tenor ,narrator pictures the return of the ,peri with her gift1 leading up to the ,angel's solo 7,sweet is our welcome71 which preludes a brief choral passage for sixteen female voices4 ,after the ,narrator's declaration of her disappointment1 the scene changes to ,egypt1 and in a dainty1 delicate three-part chorus the ,spirits of the ,nile are invoked not to disturb the ,peri4 ,her lament is heard 7,o ,eden1 how longeth for thee my ,heart671 and the ,spirits now weave a gentle1 sympathetic strain with her song4 ,a long tenor narration follows 7,now wanders forth the ,peri sighing71 describing the pestilence brooding over the ,egyptian plains1 the music to which is very characteristic4 ,the scene of the maiden dying with her lover is full of pathos1 and contains two exquisite numbers1--the narrative solo for mezzo-soprano 7,poor ,youth1 thus deserted71 and the dying love-song of the ,maiden 7,o let me only breathe the ,air1 ,love74 ,the scene closes with a sweet and gentle lament for the pair 7,sleep on71 sung by the ,peri1 followed by the chorus1 which joins in the pathetic farewell4 ,the third part opens with a lovely chorus of ,houris 7,wreathe ye the ,steps to ,great ,allah's ,throne71 interspersed with solos and ,oriental in its coloring4 ,the tenor narration 7,now ,morn is blushing in the ,sky71 which is very melodious in character1 introduces the ,angel1 who in an alto solo 7,not yet7 once more dooms the ,peri to wander4 ,her reply 7,rejected and sent from ,eden's ,door7 is full of despair4 ,the narration is now taken by the baritone in a flowing1 breezy strain 7,and now o'er ,syria's rosy ,plain71 which is followed by a charming quartet of ,peris 7,say1 is it so874 ,once more the baritone intervenes1 followed by the ,peri2 and then the tenor ,narrator takes up the theme in a stirring description of the boy nestling amid the roses1 and the passion-stained horseman at the fountain4 ,the alto proclaims the vesper call to prayer1 and the tenor reflects upon the memories of the wretched man as he sees the child kneeling4 ,the solo baritone announces his repentance1 followed by a quartet and chorus in very broad1 full harmony 7,o blessed ,tears of true ,repentance674 ,the next number is a double one1 composed of soprano and tenor solos with chorus 7,there falls a ,drop on the ,land of ,egypt74 ,in an exultant1 triumphant strain 7,joy1 joy forever1 my ,work is done671 the ,peri sings her happiness1 and the chorus brings the work to a close with the heavenly greeting1 ,oh1 welcome 'mid the ,blessed6 ,the third part is unquestionably long and wearisome1 and taxes not only the voices of the singers1 but also the patience of the hearers4 ,the first and second1 however1 contain some beautiful gems1 and the orchestral work is very rich in its coloring4 ,taken all in all1 however1 it is a severe treatment of a fanciful subject4 ,,spohr4 ,louis ,spohr1 one of the world's greatest violinists1 and a composer of world-wide fame1 was born at ,brunswick1 ,april #be1 #aghd4 ,like all great musical geniuses1 his ability was displayed very early4 ,he began to play the violin in his fifth year1 and to compose for that instrument before he was in his teens4 ,after studying the rudiments with several teachers1 the ,duke of ,brunswick induced ,franz ,eck1 a recognized master of the violin1 to give him instruction4 ,spohr remained with him two years1 and accompanied him on his travels to ,russia1 studying1 composing1 and learning much by his observation of ,eck's playing4 ,in #ahje he was appointed leader of the band of the ,duke of ,gotha1 and began writing orchestral works1 his compositions before that time having been mainly for the violin4 ,his first opera1 ,die ,pruefung1 also appeared about this time4 ,in #ahjg he made a very successful tour through ,germany1 and another in #ahji1 arousing great enthusiasm by his admirable playing4 ,in that year also occurred the first musical festival in ,germany1 which was conducted by ,spohr at ,frankenhausen1 in ,thuringia4 ,in #ahaa another was held1 for which he wrote his first symphony4 ,in #ahab his first oratorio1 ,das juengste ,gericht1 appeared2 but after two performances of it he was greatly dissatisfied1 and laid it aside4 ,in the fall of that year he made his first public appearance in ,vienna1 and achieved such success that he was offered and accepted the leadership of the band at the ,theater-an-der-,wien4 ,he remained there only three years1 however1 and then resumed his professional tours in ,switzerland and ,italy4 ,in #ahah he was appointed conductor of the opera at ,frankfort1 where he remained for two years1 during which time he brought out his operas ,faust and ,zemire and ,azor4 ,in #ahbj he went to ,england for the first time1 and played many of his compositions in the ,philharmonic concerts4 ,his ,english visit was a very successful one1 and on his journey back to ,germany he stopped in ,paris1 where also he met with an enthusiastic welcome4 ,he finally settled down at ,dresden1 where ,weber was then busy with the preparations for the performance of his ,freischuetz4 ,during his stay there1 ,weber had been offered the post of ,hofkapellmeister to the ,elector of ,cassel2 but not being in a position to accept it1 he recommended ,spohr1 and the latter obtained the appointment ,jan4 #a1 #ahbb1 where he remained the rest of his days1 as it was a life-office4 ,during this year he finished his opera ,jessonda1 one of the most successful of all his vocal works4 ,four years later he conducted the ,rhenish ,festival at ,duesseldorf and brought out his second oratorio1 ,die letzten ,dinge 7,the ,last ,things74 ,in #ahca he completed his ,violin ,school1 which has ever since been a standard work4 ,his most important symphony1 ,die ,weihe der ,toene 7,the ,consecration of ,sound71 was produced at ,cassel in #ahcb1 and his third oratorio1 ,des ,heiland's letzte ,stunden 7,calvary71 at the same place in #ahce4 ,four years later he went to ,england again1 and produced his ,calvary at the ,norwich ,festival with immense success1 which led to his reception of a commission to produce ,the ,fall of ,babylon for the ,festival of #ahdb4 ,his last opera1 ,the ,crusaders1 was written in #ahdd1 but did not meet with a permanent success4 ,from this time until #aheg he was engaged in making tours and producing the works of other composers1 among them those of ,wagner1 whose ,tannhaeuser he brought out in #ahec1 in spite of the ,elector's opposition4 ,in #aheg he was pensioned1 and two years later died4 ,he was born a musician and died one1 and in his long and honorable life he was always true to his art and did much to ennoble and dignify it1 notwithstanding the curious combinations in his musical texture4 ,he never could understand or appreciate ,beethoven4 ,he proclaimed himself a disciple of ,mozart1 though he had little in common with him1 and he declared ,wagner the greatest of all living composers1 on the strength of his ,flying ,dutchman alone4 ,as a performer1 he was one of the best of any period4 ,the ,last ,judgment4 ,spohr wrote two oratorios upon the same subject1--,das juengste ,gericht 7,the ,last ,judgment7 and ,die letzten ,dinge 7,the ,last ,things72 but the latter is now universally entitled ,the ,last ,judgment1 and the former was shelved by the composer himself shortly after its performance4 ,his autobiography gives us some interesting details of each4 ,after a concert-tour to ,hamburg1 ,spohr returned to ,gotha1 and found there a letter from ,bischoff1 the ,precentor of ,frankenhausen1 informing him that he had been commanded by the ,governor of ,erfurt to arrange a musical festival there in celebration of the birthday of ,napoleon1 ,august #ae4 ,he invited ,spohr to assume its direction and to write an oratorio for the occasion4 ,previous to this a poet in ,erfurt had offered him the text called ,the ,last ,judgment1 and ,spohr determined to avail himself of it4 ,he writes1-- ,i sent for the libretto and set to work at once4 ,but ,i soon felt that for the oratorio style ,i was yet too deficient in counterpoint and in fugueing4 ,i therefore suspended my work in order to make the preliminary studies requisite for the subject4 ,from one of my pupils ,i borrowed ,marpurg's ',art of ,fugue-writing1' and was soon deeply and continuously engaged in the study of that work4 ,after ,i had written half a dozen fugues according to its instruction1 the last of which seemed to me very successful1 ,i resumed the composition of my oratorio1 and completed it without allowing anything else to intervene4 ,according to a memorandum ,i made1 it was begun in ,january1 #ahab1 and finished in ,june4 ,in this connection ,spohr tells the following humorous story3-- ,one of the solo-singers alone1 who sang the part of ,satan1 did not give me satisfaction4 ,the part1 which was written with a powerful instrumentation1 ,i gave1 by the advice of ,bischoff1 to a village schoolmaster in the neighborhood of ,gotha who was celebrated throughout the whole district for his colossal bass voice4 ,in power of voice he had indeed quite sufficient to outroar a whole orchestra2 but in science and in music he could by no means execute the part in a satisfactory manner4 ,i taught and practised him in the part myself1 and took great pains to assist him a little4 ,but without much success2 for when the day of public trial came1 he had totally forgotten every instruction and admonition1 and gave such loose to his barbarian voice that he first of all frightened the auditory1 and then set it in roars of laughter4 ,it is clear from ,spohr's remarks that he was satisfied with the choruses and fugues1 but not with the solo parts of ,jesus and ,mary1 which were in the florid cantata style of that day4 ,he subsequently determined to re-write them2 but when about to begin1 he says1 it seemed to me as though ,i could no longer enter into the spirit of the subject1 and so it remained undone4 ,to publish the work as it was1 ,i could not make up my mind4 ,thus in later years it has lain by without any use being made of it4 ,thirteen years afterwards he wrote ,die letzten ,dinge1 now so well known as ,the ,last ,judgment4 ,he says in one of his letters1-- ,in the same year #ahbe ,councillor ,rochlitz1 the editor of the ',leipsic ,musical ,journal1' offered me the text of an oratorio1 ',die letzten ,dinge1' to compose for1 which ,i received with great pleasure1 as my previous attempt in that style of art1 ',das juengste ,gericht1' by no means pleased me any longer1 and therefore ,i had not once been disposed to perform a single number of it at the meeting of our ,society4444 ,the whole work was finished by ,good ,friday #ahbf1 and then first performed complete in the ,lutheran ,church4 ,it was in the evening1 and the church was lighted up4 ,my son-in-law1 ,wolff1 who had been long in ,rome1 proposed to illuminate the church as at ,rome on ,good ,friday1 with lights disposed overhead in the form of a cross1 and carried out his idea4 ,a cross fourteen feet long1 covered with silver-foil and hung with six hundred glass lamps1 was suspended overhead in the middle of the church1 and diffused so bright a light that one could everywhere clearly read the text-books4 ,the musicians and singers1 nearly two hundred in number1 were placed in the gallery of the church1 arranged in rows one above the other1 and for the most part unseen by the auditory1 which1 amounting to nearly two thousand persons1 observed a solemn stillness4 ,my two daughters1 ,messrs4 ,wild1 ,albert1 and ,foeppel1 together with an amateur1 sang the soli1 and the performance was faultless4 ,the effect was1 ,i must myself say1 extraordinary4 ,the title of the work is clearly a misnomer1 as well as a mistranslation1 for it contains nothing of the terrors of the ,last ,judgment1 but1 on the other hand1 is graceful and elegant in style4 ,the affixing of this title to it is said to have been the work of ,professor ,taylor1 who arranged it for the ,norwich festival of #ahcj1 and supposed he was preparing the earlier oratorio1 ,das juengste ,gericht4 ,the title has now become so indissolubly connected with it that no effort has been made to change it4 ,in the first part the text is confined to ascriptions of praise4 ,the solo1 ,blessing1 honor1 glory1 and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne1 and unto the ,lamb forever1 conveys the meaning of the whole first part2 while the second part is confined to those portions of the ,apocalypse which describe the terrible signs of the last day1 concluding with visions of the new heaven and a hallelujah4 ,and yet ,malibran1 in her biography of ,spohr1 calls the oratorio a musical copy of ,michael ,angelo's ,last ,judgment1--showing that more than one person has confounded the two oratorios4 ,the work opens with a very long overture of a grave and majestic character1 in limits far beyond those usually found in oratorio4 ,it is followed by the striking chorus1 ,praise ,his awful ,name1 which is beautifully written1 and contains impressive soprano and bass solos4 ,some brief tenor and bass recitatives lead to the second number1 a short chorus 7,holy1 holy1 ,lord ,god of ,hosts71 in which the voices have no accompaniment except the horns4 ,three phrases of recitative for soprano and tenor lead to the next chorus 7,all ,glory to the ,lamb that died71 a grand number1 which is familiar to nearly every lover of oratorio music4 ,the next number is one of the most striking in the work4 ,a short tenor recitative introduces the tenor solo and chorus1 ,blessing1 honor1 glory1 and power1 beginning with a tranquil and smoothly flowing solo1 the chorus opening in the same manner1 then developing into an admirably written fugue1 and closing in the same serene style as it opened4 ,a very dramatic and picturesque scene follows1 comprising the tenor recitative 7,and lo6 a mighty ,host71 with a very striking accompaniment descriptive of the mighty host of all nations and people that stood before the throne and the ,lamb1 and the exquisite quartet and chorus 7,lord ,god of ,heaven and ,earth7 which close the first part4 ,the second part opens with an orchestral symphony which heralds the signs and portents of the ,day of ,judgment in graphic style4 ,it is followed by a long bass recitative with intensely dramatic accompaniment3-- ,the day of wrath is near4 ,the ,almighty shall reveal ,his power4 ,the reaper's song is silent in the field1 ,and the shepherd's voice on the mountain4 ,the valleys then shall shake with fear1 ,with dread the hills shall tremble4 ,it comes1 the day of terror comes6 ,the awful morning dawns6 ,thy mighty arm1 ,o ,god1 is uplifted4 ,thou shalt shake the earth and heavens4 ,they shall shrivel as a scroll ,when ,thou in wrath appearest4 ,the text indicates the dramatic nature of the subject1 and it is treated with a force and vigor that are in striking contrast with the tenderness and serenity1 at times rising to exultation1 that characterize the remainder of the work4 ,this recitative leads to the very pathetic duet for soprano and tenor1 ,forsake me not in this dread hour1 which is a gem of beautiful melody1 followed by the response of the chorus in unison1 ,if with your whole ,hearts4 ,after a short tenor recitative1 another strong chorus ensues 7,destroyed is ,babylon71 with an agitated and powerful accompaniment1 which continues for some time after the voices cease1 once interrupted by the tenor proclaiming ,it is ended1 and then coming to a close in a gentle pianissimo effect4 ,a tender1 melodious quartet and chorus 7,blest are the ,departed7 follows4 ,the soprano voice announces the new heaven and earth4 ,a short tenor recitative 7,behold6 ,he soon shall come7 and the quartet response 7,then come1 ,lord ,jesus7 prepare the way for the final massive chorus 7,great and wonderful are all ,thy ,works71 which begins with a few bars of full harmony1 then develops into a vigorous fugue1 which1 after choral announcements of hallelujah1 is followed by another fugue 7,thine is the ,kingdom71 closing with a tumultuous ascription of praise1 and ,amen4 ,the solo parts in the oratorio are always short and of a reflective character4 ,it is peculiarly a choral work1 of which1 with one or two exceptions1 the predominant traits are sweetness1 tenderness1 and grace4 ,in these exceptions1 like the great chorus1 ,destroyed is ,babylon1 with its wonderful accompaniments1 it reaches a high strain of sublimity4 ,,sullivan4 ,the great popularity which ,arthur ,seymour ,sullivan has enjoyed for a few years past1 growing out of his extraordinarily successful series of comic operettas1 beginning with ,the ,sorcerer 7#ahgg71 which first caught the public fancy1 and ending with ,the ,mikado 7#ahhe71 has almost overshadowed the permanent foundations upon which his reputation must rest2 namely1 his serious and sacred music4 ,he was born in ,london1 ,may #ac1 #ahdb4 ,his father1 a band-master and clarinet-player of distinction1 intrusted his musical education at first to the ,rev4 ,thomas ,hilmore1 master of the children of the ,chapel ,royal4 ,he entered the ,chapel in #ahed and remained there three years1 and also studied in the ,royal ,academy of ,music under ,goss and ,sterndale ,bennett during this period1 leaving the latter institution in #aheh1 in which year he went to ,leipsic4 ,he remained in the ,conservatory there until #ahfa1 when he returned to ,london and introduced himself to its musical public with his music to ,shakspeare's ,tempest1 which made a great success4 ,the enthusiasm with which this was received and the favors he gained at the hands of ,chorley1 at that time musical critic of the ,athenaeum1 gave him a secure footing4 ,the cantata ,kenilworth1 written for the ,birmingham ,festival1 the music to the ballet ,l',ile enchantee1 and an opera1 ,the ,sapphire ,necklace1 were produced in #ahfd4 ,in #ahff appeared his first symphony1 which has been played not only in ,england1 but also in ,germany1 and an overture1 ,in ,memoriam1--a tribute to his father1 who died that year4 ,the next year his overture ,marmion was first performed4 ,in #ahfi he wrote his first oratorio1 ,the ,prodigal ,son1 in #ahgc ,the ,light of the ,world1 and in #ahhj ,the ,martyr of ,antioch2 the first for the ,worcester1 the second for the ,birmingham1 and the third for the ,leeds festivals4 ,the beautiful ,overture di ,ballo1 so frequently played in this country by the ,thomas orchestra1 was written for ,birmingham in #ahgj1 and the next year appeared his brilliant cantata ,on ,shore and ,sea4 ,on the #aath of ,may1 #ahfg1 was first heard in public his little comic operetta ,cox and ,box4 ,it was the first in that series of extraordinary successes1 really dating from ,the ,sorcerer1 which are almost without parallel in the operatic world1 and which have made his name and that of his collaborator1 ,gilbert1 household words4 ,he has done much for sacred as well as for secular music4 ,in addition to his oratorios he has written numerous anthems1 forty-seven hymn-tunes1 two ,te ,deums1 several carols1 part-songs1 and choruses1 and in #ahgb edited the collection of ,church ,hymns with ,tunes for the ,christian ,knowledge ,society4 ,he received the honorary degree of ,doctor of ,music from ,cambridge in #ahgf1 and from ,oxford in #ahgi1 and in #ahhc was knighted by the ,queen4 ,the ,prodigal ,son4 ,the ,prodigal ,son1 the first of ,sullivan's oratorios1 was written for the ,worcester ,festival in ,england1 and performed for the first time ,sept4 #h1 #ahfi4 ,it is a short work1 comprising but eighteen numbers1 and very melodious in character4 ,in his preface to the work the composer says1-- ,it is a remarkable fact that the parable of the ,prodigal ,son should never before have been chosen as the text of a sacred musical composition4 ,the story is so natural and pathetic1 and forms so complete a whole2 its lesson is so thoroughly ,christian2 the characters1 though few1 are so perfectly contrasted2 and the opportunity for the employment of local color is so obvious1--that it is indeed astonishing to find the subject so long overlooked4 ,the only drawback is the shortness of the narrative1 and the consequent necessity for filling it out with material drawn from elsewhere4 ,in the present case this has been done as sparingly as possible1 and entirely from the ,scriptures4 ,in so doing1 the ,prodigal himself has been conceived1 not as of a naturally brutish and depraved disposition1--a view taken by many commentators1 with apparently little knowledge of human nature1 and no recollection of their own youthful impulses1--but rather as a buoyant1 restless youth1 tired of the monotony of home1 and anxious to see what lay beyond the narrow confines of his father's farm1 going forth in the confidence of his own simplicity and ardor1 and led gradually away into follies and sins which at the outset would have been as distasteful as they were strange to him4 ,the episode with which the parable concludes has no dramatic connection with the former and principal portion1 and has therefore not been treated4 ,in reality there are but six of the eighteen numbers concerned with the narration of the parable4 ,the remainder moralize upon the story and illustrate its teaching4 ,after a short1 simple orchestral prelude1 an opening chorus1 beginning with soprano solo 7,there is ,joy in the ,presence of the ,angels of ,god71 and containing also alto and bass solos1 gives the key to the whole work in reflective style1 as it proclaims the rejoicing in heaven over the one sinner that repenteth4 ,at its conclusion the parable begins with tenor recitative and solo1 ,a certain man had two sons1 in which the ,prodigal asks for his portion of goods4 ,in a bass aria preceded by recitative1 the father gives him good advice1 ,honor the ,lord1 and presumably his portion also1 as the soprano recites in the next number that he took his journey into a far country1 and there wasted his substance in riotous living4 ,thereupon follows a very melodious and vivacious chorus 7,let us eat and drink2 to-morrow we die71 in which the tenor has an important part4 ,the response to the bacchanal comes in the next number1 a brief chorus beginning with the alto recitative1 ,woe unto them4 ,one of the gems of the work1 a pretty alto song1 ,love not the ,world1 intervenes at this point4 ,at its conclusion the narrative is resumed4 ,after an effective prelude by orchestra1 the soprano recitative relates the famine and the experiences of the ,prodigal among the swine1 leading up to a pretty aria 7,o that thou hadst hearkened74 ,the tenor follows with an expressive aria 7,how many hired ,servants of my ,father's74 ,the narrative again halts to give place to a very taking chorus 7,the ,sacrifices of ,god71 after which we have the return and reconciliation 7,and he arose and came to his ,father71--a very dramatic duet for tenor and bass1 followed by the vigorous and exultant bass aria 7,for this my ,son was dead7 of the father4 ,the parable ends here2 but the music goes on moralizing upon and illustrating the theme in four effective numbers1--the chorus1 ,o that ,men would praise the ,lord1 which is the longest and best constructed in the work2 the recitative and aria for tenor1 ,come1 ye ,children2 the unaccompanied quartet1 ,the ,lord is nigh2 and the final chorus1 ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 art our ,father1 closing with a ,hallelujah in full1 broad harmony4 ,the ,light of the ,world4 ,sir ,arthur ,sullivan's second oratorio1 ,the ,light of the ,world1 is laid out upon a much larger scale in every way than ,the ,prodigal ,son4 ,it was written for the ,birmingham ,festival of #ahgc1 was given for the first time on the #bgth of ,august4 ,the purpose of the work1 as the composer explains in his preface1 is to set forth the human aspects of the life of our ,lord upon earth1 by the use of some of the actual incidents in his career which bear witness to his attributes as preacher1 healer1 and prophet4 ,to give it dramatic force1 he says1-- ,the work has been laid out in scenes dealing respectively1 in the first part with the nativity1 preaching1 healing1 and prophesying of our ,lord1 ending with the triumphal entry into ,jerusalem2 and in the second part1 with the utterances which1 containing the avowal of himself as the ,son of ,man1 excited to the utmost the wrath of his enemies1 and led the rulers to conspire for his betrayal and death2 the solemn recital by the chorus of his sufferings1 and the belief in his final reward2 the grief of ,mary ,magdalene at the sepulchre2 and the consolation and triumph of the ,disciples at the resurrection of their ,lord and ,master4 ,the first part has four scenes1 ,bethlehem1 ,nazareth1 ,lazarus 7which might more appropriately have been entitled ,bethany71 and ,the ,way to ,jerusalem4 ,the scenes of the second part are laid entirely in ,jerusalem4 ,bethlehem includes the message of the angels to the shepherds1 their visit to ,mary1 the nativity1 the warning by the angel to ,mary and ,joseph of ,herod's design1 the lament and consolation of ,rachel in ,rama1 and the promise of ,god's blessing upon the child4 ,in ,nazareth we have a scene representing ,christ in the synagogue reading from ,isaiah and declaring himself the object of the prophecy1 his expulsion by the incredulous crowd of listeners1 and his exhortations to his disciples1 when left alone with them1 to bear their persecutions with meekness4 ,lazarus describes the journey to ,bethany and our ,lord's assurances to the bereaved sisters that their brother shall rise again4 ,the ,way to ,jerusalem scene is indicated by its title1--the entry of the ,lord into the city amid the hosannas and exultant acclamations of the people4 ,in the second part1 we have the discourse concerning the sheep and the goats1 the interview between the ruler and the people1 and the former's anger with ,nicodemus1 the sufferings and death of ,christ1 and the resurrection and joy of the disciples as they glorify ,god and sing the praises of their risen ,master4 ,the work opens with a prologue chorus 7,there shall come forth a ,rod out of the ,stem of ,jesse71 at the close of which the ,bethlehem scene begins4 ,it is preluded with a quiet but effective pastoral movement for the orchestra1 a tenor recitative 7,there were ,shepherds abiding in the ,field71 and a contralto solo announcing the heavenly message to the ,shepherds1 which lead up to a spirited ,gloria by the sopranos and altos1 followed by a chorus of the ,shepherds 7,let us now go even unto ,bethlehem7 for male voices4 ,a ,shepherd1 in brief recitative passages1 declares to ,mary1 ,blessed art thou among ,women1 followed by the soprano solo1 ,my ,soul doth magnify the ,lord4 ,after the ,virgin's expression of thanks1 the ,shepherds join in the chorus1 ,the whole ,earth is at rest1 which is peculiarly striking in its contrasts4 ,a short recitative by the ,angel1 warning ,mary to flee into ,egypt1 is followed by a very sombre chorus 7,in ,rama was there a ,voice74 ,at its close1 the tenor is heard in a tender aria 7,refrain thy ,voice from weeping71 leading to a chorus full of spirited harmony1 and rising to a very effective climax 7,i will pour ,my ,spirit71 which closes the scene4 ,the ,nazareth scene opens with a baritone solo 7,the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon me71 in which ,jesus declares himself in the synagogue as the object of the prophecy from ,isaiah which he has been reading4 ,the ,jews answer in a very dramatic chorus 7,whence hath this ,man his ,wisdom874 ,again ,jesus interposes with the declaration1 ,a prophet is not without honor save in his own country2 whereupon the people break out in a still more dramatic chorus 7,is not this ,jesus871 set to a very effective accompaniment4 ,for the third time ,jesus declares himself1 followed by the stirring1 furious chorus1 ,why hear ye him8 ,a tender and at times fervid solo 7,lord1 who hath believed our ,report87 leads to a very effective quintet 7,doubtless ,thou art our ,father74 ,after another brief baritone solo 7,blessed are they71 we come to the chorus1 ,he maketh the ,sun to rise1 which is one of the most beautifully written in the work1 and closes the scene4 ,the third scene1 ,lazarus1 begins with the description of the mournful journey to ,bethany1 the arrival among the kindred and friends1 who are trying to comfort the bereaved sisters1 and closes at the still unopened grave4 ,it includes a duet between tenor and baritone1 the former a ,disciple1 the latter ,jesus1 whose music is invariably sung by the baritone voice2 a solo for alto 7,weep ye not for the ,dead71 with a sombre orchestral prelude1 and accompanied by a chorus in its close2 a dialogue between ,martha and ,jesus 7,lord1 if thou hadst been here72 a short but very beautiful chorus 7,behold how he loved him672 the baritone solo1 ,said ,i not unto thee2 and a final chorus of great power 7,the ,grave cannot praise thee74 ,the last scene of the first part1 ,the ,way to ,jerusalem1 is very brilliant throughout1 and is in cheerful contrast with the general sombreness of the preceding numbers4 ,it opens with a brief dialogue between ,jesus and a ,disciple 7,master1 get thee out1 and depart hence71 which leads to a charming three-part chorus for children's voices 7,hosanna to the ,son of ,david71 with a prominent harp part in the accompaniment1 and worked up to a fine climax4 ,a brilliant soprano solo 7,tell ye the ,daughter of ,zion7 intervenes1 followed by a short dialogue between ,jesus and a ,pharisee1 which leads to the vigorous chorus of the ,disciples1 ,blessed be the ,kingdom4 ,after another baritone solo 7,if thou hadst known1 ,o ,jerusalem7 the children's hosanna is repeated1--this time with the power of the full chorus2 and the first part comes to a close4 ,the first part opens with a prelude of a few bars2 but the second begins with a long overture1 very effectively written1 and intended1 as the composer himself says1 to indicate the angry feelings and dissensions caused by the ,lord's presence in ,jerusalem4 ,at its close the baritone1 in one of the most forcible solos assigned to this part 7,when the ,son of ,man shall come in his ,glory71 discourses the parable of the sheep and goats4 ,the wondering chorus of the ,people1 ,is not this he whom they seek to kill8 follows1 and then ensues a somewhat tedious scene4 ,a ,ruler argues with the ,people1 contemptuously asking if ,christ shall come out of ,galilee4 ,the ,people remain unconvinced1 however4 ,nicodemus then strives to reason with the ,ruler1 with the natural effect of making him very angry4 ,all this leads up to an effective female chorus 7,the ,hour is come74 ,in a very tender and pathetic solo 7,daughters of ,jerusalem7 ,jesus sings his farewell4 ,the incidents of the crucifixion are avoided1 as the work is intended only to illustrate the human career of ,jesus4 ,the rest of the story is told in narrative form2 an unaccompanied quartet 7,yea1 though ,i walk7 and a powerful1 but gloomy chorus1 describing ,christ's sufferings 7,men and ,brethren71 bring us to the sepulchre4 ,the scene opens with the plaint of ,mary ,magdalene1 ,where have they laid him8 and the response of the ,angel1 who tells her ,christ has risen1 which is followed by a six-part unaccompanied chorus 7,the ,lord is risen74 ,a short tenor solo 7,if ye be risen with ,christ7 leads directly to the final chorus 7,him hath ,god exalted71 which is worked up in fugal form with much spirit4 ,,verdi4 ,giuseppe ,verdi1 the greatest of living ,italian opera composers1 was born at ,roncale1 ,oct4 #i1 #ahac4 ,like many another musician1 he sprang from humble and rude beginnings1 his parents having kept a small inn and notion store in the little ,italian village4 ,his musical talent displayed itself very early4 ,in his tenth year he was appointed organist in the place of ,baistrocchi1 the master with whom he had been studying at ,busseto4 ,through the generosity of his patron1 ,m4 ,barezzi1 he was sent to ,milan1 where he was refused admission to the ,conservatory1 on the ground that he showed no special aptitude for music6 ,nothing daunted1 the young composer1 acting on the suggestions of the conductor of ,la ,scala1 studied composition and orchestration with ,m4 ,lavigne1 himself a composer of no mean ability4 ,in #ahcc ,verdi returned to ,busseto1 and five years later went back to ,milan1 where he began his wonderfully successful career as an operatic composer4 ,his first opera1 ,oberto ,conte di ,s4 ,bonifacio1 appeared in #ahci1 and was followed by a series of operatic works that have achieved world-wide success and placed their composer at the head of all contemporary ,italian writers4 ,the most important of them are3 ,nabucco 7#ahdb72 ,i ,lombardi 7#ahdc72 ,ernani 7#ahdd72 ,attila 7#ahdf72 ,macbeth 7#ahdg72 ,i ,masnadieri 7#ahdg72 ,luisa ,miller 7#ahdi72 ,rigoletto 7#ahea72 ,il ,trovatore 7#ahec72 ,la ,traviata 7#ahec72 ,the ,sicilian ,vespers 7#ahee72 ,the ,masked ,ball 7#aheg72 ,the ,force of ,destiny 7#ahfb72 ,don ,carlos 7#ahfg72 ,aida 7#ahga74 ,in the last-named opera1 ,verdi departs from the purely ,italian school of operatic writing and shows the unmistakable signs of ,wagner's influence upon him4 ,now1 in his seventy-third year1 comes the intelligence that he has completed still another opera1 on the subject of ,othello1 which will soon be placed in rehearsal in ,paris4 ,in the interval between ,aida and ,othello he wrote the ,manzoni ,requiem1 a ,pater ,noster for five voices1 and an ,ave ,maria for soprano solo4 ,he has also written several marches1 short symphonies1 concertos for piano1 minor church compositions1 a stringed quartet1 a ,stabat ,mater1 the choruses to ,manzoni's tragedies1 and numerous songs and romances for the drawing-room4 ,with his wife1 ,madame ,strepponi1 he has spent a very quiet life in his villa at ,s4 ,agato1 looking after his farming operations1 to which of late years he has given more attention than to music4 ,in a letter addressed to the ,italian critic1 ,filippi1 he writes3 ,i know very well that you are also a most distinguished musician and devoted to your art3 444 but ,piave and ,mariani must have told you that at ,s4 ,agato we neither make nor talk about music1 and you will run the risk of finding a piano not only out of tune1 but very likely without strings4 ,he has been overwhelmed with decorations and honors1 but has studiously avoided public life and the turmoil of the world4 ,in #ahff he was elected a member of the ,italian ,parliament from ,busseto1 but sent in his resignation shortly afterwards2 and in #ahge was appointed senator by the ,king1 but never took his seat4 ,his fame is indissolubly connected with his music1 and in the pursuit of that art he has become one of the most admired composers of his time4 ,the ,manzoni ,requiem4 ,the history of ,the ,manzoni ,requiem is of more than ordinary interest4 ,shortly after ,rossini's death1 in #ahfh1 ,verdi conceived the idea of a requiem in his memory1 to be written by many hands1 which should be performed in the cathedral of ,bologna on each centenary of the composer's death1 but upon no other occasion and at no other place4 ,the project met with favor4 ,the work was laid out in thirteen numbers and assigned to thirteen ,italian composers1 ,verdi taking the ,libera me1 which was to be the last number in the work4 ,each of the composers finished his task2 but when the parts were joined in a complete requiem they were found to be so dissimilar in treatment1 and the whole work so incoherent and lacking in symmetry and unity1 that the scheme went no further4 ,m4 ,mazzucato1 of ,milan1 who had examined the work1 was so impressed with the ,libera me that he wrote to ,verdi urging him to compose the entire requiem4 ,about this time 7#ahgc7 ,alessandro ,manzoni1 the founder of the romantic school in ,italian literature1 died1 and was universally mourned by his countrymen4 ,the requiem which had been intended for ,rossini was now written by ,verdi for his friend1 the great ,italian patriot and poet1 the immortal author of ,i promessi ,sposi1 and the ,libera me was transferred to it4 ,it was performed for the first time at ,milan1 ,may #bb1 #ahgd1 the anniversary of ,manzoni's death1 with ,teresa ,stolz soprano1 ,maria ,waldmann alto1 ,giuseppe ,capponi tenor1 and ,ormondo ,maini bass1 a chorus of a hundred and twenty voices1 and an orchestra of a hundred and ten4 ,it was next given in ,paris1 in the following month1 under the composer's direction and since that time has been frequently given in ,europe and in the ,united ,states4 ,the mass is divided into seven parts1 with solos1 choruses1 and full orchestra1 as follows3 ,no4 #a4 ,requiem and ,kyrie 7quartet and chorus74 #b4 ,dies ,irae2 thus divided3 ,dies ,irae 7chorus72 ,tuba ,mirum 7chorus72 ,liber scriptus 7chorus and fugue72 ,quid sum miser 7trio for soprano1 alto1 and tenor72 ,rex tremendae 7quartet and chorus72 ,recordare 7duo for soprano and alto1 and chorus72 ,ingemisco 7solo for tenor72 ,confutatis 7solo for bass72 ,lacrymosa 7quartet and chorus74 #c4 ,domine ,jesu1 offertory1 by quartet4 #d4 ,sanctus 7fugue with double chorus74 #e4 ,agnus ,dei 7duet for soprano and alto1 and chorus74 #f4 ,lux aeterna 7trio for alto1 tenor1 and bass74 #g4 ,libera me 7solo for soprano1 chorus1 and final fugue74 ,the ,requiem opens1 after a few measures of prelude1 with the chorus chanting the appeal for rest sotto voce1 the effect being carried as pianissimo as possible until the basses1 by an abrupt change of key1 give out the theme of a fugue 7,te decet hymnus71 written in pure religious style4 ,the introductory ,requiem is repeated1 and leads to the ,kyrie1 the theme of which is stated by the tenor1 and in turn taken up by the other soloists1 the chorus shortly joining1 a double sextet interwoven with it1 and the whole closing pianissimo1 as the ,requiem opened4 ,the second part1 the ,dies ,irae1 is in strong contrast with the first1 and is more broadly and dramatically worked up1 and with freer accompaniment4 ,the opening chorus is one of startling power4 ,the tenors and basses open the number1 immediately followed by the four parts announcing the ,day of ,wrath in high1 sustained notes1 while the second sopranos1 altos1 and tenors accompany them with immense sweeps of sound that rise and fall like the waves4 ,there are nine numbers in this part which have been already specified1 the most effective of them being the adagio trio 7,quid sum miser7 for soprano1 alto1 and tenor1 upon which ,verdi has lavished his melodious inspiration4 ,the trio is continually interwoven with the chorus shouting fortissimo the ,rex tremendae majestatis1 until it takes another form in the prayer1 ,recordare1 a duet for soprano and alto in ,verdi's best operatic vein4 ,a very effective tenor solo1 ,ingemisco1 followed by a very solemn and majestic bass solo1 ,confutatis1 lead to the stirring measures of the ,day of ,wrath again1 and close this part in an ensemble of immense power1 both vocal and dramatic4 ,the offertory 7,domine ,jesu7 is a quartet with three motives1--the first andante1 the second allegro1 and the third adagio in ,gregorian form1 the three themes being admirably worked up and accompanied4 ,the ,sanctus 7the fourth part of the mass7 is a very impressive allegro double chorus1 followed by the ,agnus ,dei1 a duet for soprano and alto which is full of melodious inspiration1 illustrated with charming instrumental color2 it is the gem of the mass1 and one of the happiest numbers ,verdi has ever scored4 ,the sixth part is the ,lux aeterna1 a trio for alto1 tenor1 and bass which is very dramatic in setting2 and this leads to the ,libera1 the final division and the climax of the work4 ,it is in its general effect a soprano obligato with chorus4 ,after a monotone recitative and solo1 the ,dies ,irae is repeated1 likewise the ,requiem aeternam 7which forms the introduction of the mass71 and closes with a fugue of majestic proportions that finally ends in the same pianissimo effect as characterizes the opening of the work4 ,thus much of the work in detail4 ,it remains to look at this mass as a whole4 ,the first thought that will strike the listener is its utter dissimilarity to any other of ,verdi's works1 except ,aida4 ,like that opera1 it is in his latest style1--an attempt to show the world that he can write something besides melodies4 ,hence we find more decided contrapuntal effects1 the canon and fugue forms1 and even the plain1 serious style of the early devotional music of the ,church in the days of ,gregory and ,palestrina4 ,the second thought is that this mass1 although it has had ,papal approval1 is not so much a mass as it is a dramatic threnody in memory of a loved friend4 ,as compared with the masses of ,beethoven1 ,mozart1 ,haydn1 and the other early mass-writers1 it has not their conventional form1 their regular sequence of setting1 their coherence of spirit and sentiment4 ,there are wide divergences in it from the old beaten track4 ,but it may be said1 on the other hand1 that while the traditions are violated1 ,verdi does not so far lose sight of the devotional character of his work as to descend to the light1 tripping1 and sometimes fantastic measures of ,rossini in the ,stabat ,mater4 ,von ,buelow very nearly hit the truth in saying that ,the ,manzoni ,requiem is an opera in ecclesiastical costume4 ,the dramatic element is its strong feature1 and the inexhaustible resources of the composer's invention strike the hearer as one of the chief characteristics4 ,the first six parts seem to have included nearly all that can be done1 and you wonder if the last part1 the ,libera me1 will not fall tamely2 when to your surprise it proves to be the grand culmination of the work1 and presents1 with its solo and chorus and imposing fugue1 an ensemble of effect1 a richness of instrumentation1 a severe and almost classical form of composition1 and a dramatic intensity and passion that sweep the whole range of power1 from a fortissimo tutte forza1 down to the faintest whisper of a pianissimo4 ,it bursts upon you like the thunder1 and dies away in the still small voice that whispers the requiem of everlasting rest4 ,,sacred ,,music ,,in ,,america4 ,the following sketch of the rise and progress of sacred music in ,america may prove of interest to the reader as a supplement to the history of the ,oratorio and of the numerous illustrations of that class of compositions contained in the body of the book4 ,ritter1 ,gould1 ,hood1 and other church-music historians have been freely consulted to make the sketch as complete as possible4 ,the psalmody of the ,protestant church was first arranged and brought into use in the course of the sixteenth century1 through the efforts of the reformers in ,germany and particularly of ,martin ,luther1 who was extremely fond of music1 and wrote a quaint discourse on the art4 ,in #aebd he published a collection of hymns which also comprised a few versified psalms4 ,these were set to music in four parts1 as he says for no other reason than because of my desire that the young1 who ought to be educated in music as well as in other good arts1 might have something to take the place of worldly and amorous songs1 and so learn something useful and practise something virtuous1 as becometh the young4 ,i would be glad to see all arts1 and especially music1 employed in the service of ,him who created them4 ,zwingle1 ,cranmer1 ,calvin1 and ,knox were also zealous advocates of psalm-singing2 and during the same century ,tye1 ,tallis1 ,bird1 and ,gibbons did a great work for ecclesiastical music in ,england4 ,at the time of the ,reformation in ,england the ,puritans proved themselves zealous musical reformers4 ,they reduced singing to the severest simplicity4 ,they had no sympathy with elaborate arrangements4 ,organs1 choir-books1 and choir-singers were objects of their special antipathy4 ,one of these iconoclasts says3 ,this singing and saying of mass1 matins1 or even-song is but roryng1 howling1 whisteling1 mummying1 conjuring and jogelyng and the playing of orgayns a foolish vanitie4 ,latimer in #aecg notified the convent at ,worcester3 ,whenever there shall be any preaching in your monastery all manner of singing and other ceremonies shall be utterly laid aside4 ,in #aefb it was proposed that the psalms should be sung by the whole congregation1 and that organs should be no longer used4 ,in the ,confession of the ,puritans 7#aega7 they say3 ,concerning the singing of the psalms1 we allow of the people's joining with one voice in a plain tune1 but not in tossing the psalms from one side to the other1 with intermingling of organs4 ,an appeal was made to ,parliament against the singing of the noble cathedral music by chanting choristers disguised1 as are all the rest1 in white surplices1 some in corner caps and silly copes1 imitating the fashion and manner of ,antichrist the ,pope1 that man of sin and child of perdition1 with his other rabble of miscreants and shavelings4 ,sternhold1 who was groom of the robes to ,henry ,,viii4 and afterwards groom of the bed-chamber to ,edward ,,vi41 was one of the most zealous of these reformers4 ,in connection with ,hopkins1 a clergyman and schoolmaster1 he versified a large number of the psalms and published them4 ,they were printed at first without music1 but in #aefb they appeared with the notes of the plain melody under the following title3 ,the whole ,book of ,psalms1 collected into ,english metre by ,t4 ,sternhold and ,j4 ,hopkins and others1 conferred with the ,ebrue1 with apt notes to sing them withal4 ,imprinted by ,john ,day4 ,in this work there was but one part1 the air1 and each note was accompanied by its name2 but a few years later the psalms appeared set to music in four parts4 ,they were the work of ,william ,damon1 and his book bore the title3 ,the ,psalms of ,david to ,english ,metre1 with notes of ,four ,parts set unto them1 by ,wm4 ,damon1 to the ,use of the ,godly ,christians1 for recreating themselves1 instead of fond and unseemly ballads4 #aegi4 ,in #aeii there appeared a very ambitious work in folio form1 so arranged that four persons might sing from it1 and bearing the title3 ,the ,psalms of ,david in ,metre1 the ,plain song being the common ,tune1 to be sung and played upon the ,lute1 ,orpharion1 ,citterne1 or ,bass-viol1 severally or together2 the singing ,part to be either ,tenor or ,treble to the instrument1 according to the ,nature of the ,voice1 or for ,four ,voices2 with ,ten ,short ,tunes in the end1 to which1 for the most part1 all ,psalms may be usually sung2 for the ,use of such as are of mean ,skill1 and whose ,leisure least serveth to practice4 ,by ,richard ,allison1 ,gent41 ,practitioner in the ,art of ,music4 ,notwithstanding its formidable title1 the work was not highly esteemed at the time4 ,in #afba1 ,thomas ,ravenscroft1 ,bachelor of ,music1 published an excellent collection of psalm tunes1 many of which are still in use4 ,in his preface he says1 by way of advice3 #a4 ,that psalms of tribulation be sung with a low voice and long measure2 #b4 ,that psalms of thanksgiving be sung with a voice indifferent1 neither too loud nor too soft1 and neither too swift nor too slow2 #c4 ,that psalms of rejoicing be sung with a loud voice and a swift and jocund measure4 ,his preface closes with the pious wish that all his patrons after death may join in the ,quire of ,angels in the ,heavens4 ,the date of the ,ravenscroft collection brings us to the time of the ,pilgrims4 ,when they loaded the ,mayflower with their homely household furniture1 spinning-wheels1 and arms of defence1 and set out upon their long and uncertain voyage to find a friendly shore where they might worship ,god in their own fashion1 the psalm-book was not forgotten4 ,they brought with them a version made by ,henry ,ainsworth of ,amsterdam1 in which the notes set above the words were of lozenge shape4 ,for twenty years it was in exclusive use1 though the ,salem ,church did not abandon it until #affg1 and the ,plymouth ,church retained the old favorite until #afib4 ,the ,sternhold and ,hopkins collection had also found its way over1 but it was used only at ,ipswich and in its vicinity4 ,in #afdj appeared the ,bay ,psalm ,book1 issued from the ,cambridge press4 ,it was prepared by an association of ,new ,england divines1 most prominent among whom were ,thomas ,welde1 ,richard ,mather of ,dorchester1 and ,john ,eliot of ,roxbury1 the famous ,indian missionary4 ,being new1 it was at once regarded as an innovation4 ,the churches were soon in a wrangle1 not only over the contents of the new collection1 but as to the methods of singing4 ,some were opposed to singing altogether1 while others insisted that only ,christian voices should be heard4 ,at no time were the colonists very learned in music4 ,in the edition of the ,bay ,psalm ,book printed in #afih1 the following concise directions appear3-- ,first1 observe how many note-compass the tune is next the place of your first note1 and how many notes above and below that1 so as you may begin the tune of your first note1 as the rest may be sung in the compass of your and the people's voices1 without ,squeaking above or ,grumbling below4 ,for the better understanding of which take note of the following directions3 ,of the eight short ,tunes used to four lines only1 whose measure is to eight syllables on the first line1 and six on the next2 and may be sung to any ,psalms of that measure4 ,oxford ,tune4 ,litchfield ,tune4 ,to ,psalms ,consolatory4 ,low ,dutch ,tune4 ,york ,tune4 ,winsor ,tune4 ,to ,psalms of ,prayer1 ,confessions1 and ,funerals4 ,cambridge ,short ,tune to peculiar ,psalms1 as #ba1 #bd1 #cc1 #gj1 #hf1 first metre1 #aad1 #acb4 ,those six short tunes1 in tuning the first notes1 will bear a cheerful high pitch2 in regard to their whole compass from the lowest note1 the highest is not above five or six notes4 ,st4 ,david's ,tune4 ,martyrs ,tune4 ,to ,psalms of ,praise and ,thanksgiving4 ,these two tunes are eight notes compass above the first note1 and therefore begin the first note low4 ,of five long tunes following3 ,hackney ,tune--#aai ,psalm ,tune1 second metre4 ,these two tunes begin your first note low1 for the compass is nine notes1 and eight above the first note of the tune4 #ajj ,psalm ,tune4 ,this one tune begin your note indifferent high1 in regard you are to fall your note lower than your first pitch note4 #aac ,psalm ,tune1 and #adh ,psalm ,tune4--,these two tunes begin your first note low1 in regard the ,tune ascends eight notes above it4 ,the turmoil in the churches was settled for a time by ,rev4 ,john ,cotton1 who issued a tract entitled ,singing of ,psalms a ,gospel ordinance1 or a ,treatise wherein are handled these four ,particulars3 ,i4 ,touching the duty itself4 ,,ii4 ,touching the matter to be sung4 ,,iii4 ,touching the singers4 ,,iv4 ,touching the manner of singing4 ,in this tract the author says3-- ,for the first ,question we lay downe this conclusion for a ,doctrine of ,truth3 ,that singing of ,psalms with a lively voyce1 is an holy duty of ,god's worship now in the day of the ,new ,testament4 ,when we say1 singing with lively voyce1 we suppose none will so farre misconstrue us as to thinke we exclude singing with the heart2 for ,god is a ,spirit1 and to worship him with the voyce without the spirit1 were but lip-labour2 which 7being rested in7 is but lost labour1 or at most profitted but little4 ,concerning the second ,question we hold and believe that not only the ,psalms of ,david1 but any other spirituall song recorded in the ,scripture1 may lawfully be sung in ,christian ,churches4 #b;d4 ,we grant also that any private ,christian who hath a gifte to frame a spirituall song1 may both frame it and sing it privately for his own private comfort1 and remembrance of some special benefit or deliverance4 ,nor do we forbid the private use of any instrument of ,music therewithall1 so that attention to the instrument does not divert the heart from attention of the matter of song4 ,whether women may sing as well as men3 ,for in this point there be some that deale with us as ,pharaoh delt with the ,israelites1 who1 though he was at first utterly unwilling that any should go to sacrifice to the ,lord in the ,wilderness1 yet being at length convinced that they must goe1 then he was content that the men should goe1 but not the women4 ,so here1 some that were altogether against singing of ,psalms at all with lively voyce1 yet being convinced that it is a morall worship of ,god warranted in ,scripture1 then if there must be a ,singing1 one alone must sing1 not all 7or if all7 the men only1 and not the women4 ,and their reason is3 ,because it is not permitted to a women to speake in the ,church1 how then shall they sing8 ,much less is it permitted to them to prophecy in the ,church4 ,and singing the ,psalms is a kind of ,prophecying4 ,peace1 however1 was of short duration4 ,fresh quarrels arose4 ,the early colonists were good fighters4 ,they quarrelled over the question whether one should sing or the whole congregation2 whether women as well as men should sing2 whether pagans should be allowed to lift up their voices2 and whether the scanty stock of tunes should be enlarged4 ,learning a tune by note1 without having previously heard it1 was almost a mortal offence1 and at last something like a compromise was effected in some of the churches1 where alternate singing by rote and rule satisfied both parties4 ,the ministers added to the general confusion with a flood of circulars on the subject4 ,several of them issued a tract entitled ,cases of ,conscience about singing ,psalms1 in which they ask3-- ,whether you do believe that singing ,psalms1 ,hymns1 and ,spirituall ,songs is an external part of ,divine ,worship1 to be observed in and by the assembly of ,god's people on the ,lord's ,days1 as well as on other occasional meetings of the ,saints for the worshipping of ,god4 ,whether you do believe that singing in the worship of ,god ought to be done skilfully8 ,whether you do believe that skilfulness in singing may ordinarily be gained in the use of outward means by the blessing of ,god4 ,is it possible for ,fathers of forty years old and upward to learn to sing by rule2 and ought they to attempt at this age to learn8 ,do you believe that it is ,lawful and ,laudable for us to change the customary way of singing the psalms8 ,whether they who purposely sing a tune different from that which is appointed by the pastor or elder to be sung are not guilty of acting disorderly1 and of taking ,god's name in vain also1 by disturbing the order of the sanctuary4 ,rev4 ,thomas ,symmes1 of ,bradford1 ,mass41 also issued a tract in which he contended for rule-singing4 ,on this point he says3-- ,the total neglect of singing psalms by many serious ,christians for want of skill in singing psalm-tunes4 ,there are many who never employ their tongues in singing ,god's praises1 because they have no skill4 ,it is with great difficulty that this part of worship is performed1 and with great indecency in some congregations for want of skill2 it is to be feared singing must be wholly omitted in some places for want of skill if this art is not revived4 ,i was present in a congregation where singing was for a whole ,sabbath omitted for want of a man able to lead the assembly in singing4 ,the declining from and getting beside the rule was gradual and insensible4 ,singing-schools and singing-books being laid aside1 there was no way to learn1 but only by hearing of tunes sung or by taking the run of the tunes1 as it is phrased4 ,the rules of singing not being taught or learnt1 every one sang as best pleased himself2 and every leading-singer would take the liberty to raise any note of the tune1 or lower it1 as best pleased his ear1 and add such notes and flourishes as were grateful to him2 and this was done so gradually as that but few if any took notice of it4 ,one ,clerk or ,chorister would alter the tunes a little in his day1 the next a little in his1 and so one after another1 till in fifty or sixty years it caused a considerable alteration4 ,john ,eliot1 who was having famous success with the ,indians1 particularly in teaching them psalm-singing1--for ,dr4 ,mather says their singing was most ravishing1--made a long contribution to the general discussion1 which contains the following ,lamentation3-- ,that musick1 which in itself is concord1 harmony1 melody1 sweetness1 charming even to irrational creatures1 cheers the spirits of men1 and tends to raise them in devotion1 and in the praises of ,god1 and was instituted by ,god as a means of divine worship1 which is a terrour to evil spirits1 the delight of the holy ,angels1 and will be everlasting imployment of those ,seraphim and the glorified ,saints1 should be an occasion of strife1 debate1 discord1 contention1 quarelling1 and all manner of disorder4 ,that men1 the only creatures in the lower creation that are accomplished with reason and apt organs to praise ,god with1 should improve them so to dishonour him2 and that instead of an angelick temper in man1 which they are capable of1 and is required of them1 and especially in this matter1 there should be rather a cynick disposition and an improvement of such noble ,organ to bark1 snarl at1 and bite one another2 that instead of one heart and one voice in the praises of our ,glorious ,creator and most bountiful ,benefactor1 there should be only jangle1 discord1 and sluring and reviling one another1 etc41 this is1 and shall be1 for a lamentation4 ,the essay closes with the following exhortation3 ,whatever our thoughts are as to the mode or vocal part1 whether the old or the new way 7as it is called7 be most pleasing to us1 it would be our wisdom and a manifestation of our ,christianity to deny ourselves and our own obstinate wills1 which are apparently the chief cause of our contention in these things1 and condescend 7at least7 so far one to the other as to keep time1 i4e4 to begin and end the lines all together1 which if we did1 there would not in most of the tunes commonly sung be so wide a difference as is by some imagined1 many of the lines being near alike2 if we all sincerely endeavour to exercise grace in ,singing1 and to perform the vocal part in the best manner we could1 our service would be accepted of ,god4 ,and ,i doubt not but regular singing would have a better relish with the most of our people and be comply'd with1 and so our differences would end in a good and lasting union1 and our jars and discords in a sweet and delightful concord and harmony4 ,so let it be3 ,amen4 ,at last harmony was restored1 and a serious effort was made to introduce better singing1 in which the college at ,cambridge took a leading part4 ,in #agab1 ,rev4 ,john ,tufts1 of ,newbury1 issued a book of twenty-eight tunes1 so arranged by appending letters to the notes1 as ,f for ,fa1 ,s for ,sol1 etc41 that the learner may attain the skill of singing them with the greatest ease and speed imaginable4 ,these tunes were reprinted in three parts from ,playford's ,book of ,psalms4 ,in #agba1 ,rev4 ,thomas ,walter1 of ,roxbury1 ,mass41 issued a new book1 also compiled from ,playford1 which was highly commended by the clergy4 ,the ,english singing-books by ,tansur and ,williams were reprinted by ,thomas ,bailey1 at ,newburyport1 ,mass41 and had a large circulation4 ,in #agfa1 ,james ,lyon1 of ,philadelphia1 published a very ambitious work1 called ,urania1 or a choice collection of ,psalm ,tunes1 ,anthems1 and ,hymns1 which was compiled from the ,english books4 ,the edition1 however1 was a small one1 and was issued in such an expensive manner that it ruined the unfortunate author4 ,in #agfd appeared another collection1 made by ,josiah ,flagg1 who was a composer himself as well as band-master4 ,its title reads3 ,a ,collection of the best ,psalm ,tunes in two1 three1 and four parts1 from the most approved authors1 fitted to all measures and approved by the best masters in ,boston1 ,new ,england2 the greater part of them never before printed in ,america4 ,engraved by ,paul ,revere1 printed and sold by him and ,jos4 ,flagg4 ,about the same time ,daniel ,bailey1 of ,newburyport1 ,mass41 published ,a new and complete ,introduction to the ,grounds and ,rules of ,music1 in two ,books2 and in #agfi1 the ,american ,harmony1 reprinted from ,english collections4 ,up to this period1 or1 more strictly1 to the year #aggj1 no ,american composers had contributed to ,new ,england psalmody4 ,though numerous singing-books had appeared1 they were compiled from the ,english collections and reprinted4 ,the first composer of church music in ,america was ,william ,billings1 born at ,boston1 ,oct4 #g1 #agdg4 ,he was the son of poor parents1 and followed tanning for an occupation4 ,gould1 in his ,history of ,church ,music1 says of him3-- ,billings was somewhat deformed in person1 blind in one eye1 one leg shorter than the other1 one arm somewhat withered1 with a mind as eccentric as his person was deformed4 ,to say nothing of the deformity of his habits1 suffice it1 he had a propensity for taking snuff that may seem almost incredible1 when in these days those who use it are not very much inclined to expose the article4 ,he used to carry it in his coat-pocket1 which was made of leather2 and every few minutes1 instead of taking it in the usual manner1 with thumb and finger1 would take out a handful and snuff it from between his thumb and clenched hand4 ,we might infer from this circumstance that his voice could not have been very pleasant and delicate4 ,this uncouth and eccentric tanner was the father of ,american church music1 and of ,american choirs1 concerts1 and singing-schools as well4 ,he wrote his first tunes on the boards of the tannery as he tended the bark-mill4 ,he was a zealous patriot2 and as ,governor ,samuel ,adams was not only a still more zealous patriot1 but devotedly attached to music1 the two became warm friends and at one time sang together in a choir1 evidently much to the distress of ,adams1 as his companion had a stentorian voice4 ,his association with ,adams led him to the composition of songs of a patriotic and religious character1 one of which1 set to the tune known as ,chester1 played an important part in rousing the martial spirit of the colonists4 ,it runs as follows3-- ,let tyrants shake their iron rod1 ,and slavery clank her galling chains2 ,we'll fear them not1 we'll trust in ,god2 ,new ,england's ,god forever reigns4 ,the foe comes on with haughty stride1 ,our troops advance with martial noise2 ,their veterans flee before our arms1 ,and generals yield to beardless boys4 ,that the tanner had a sly humor of his own is demonstrated by the following instructions appended to one of his anthems which was performed in a concert3-- ,we've met for a concert of modern invention2 ,to tickle the ear is our present intention2 ,the audience seated1 expect to be treated ,with a piece of the best4 ,and since we all agree ,to set the key on ,e1 ,the author's darling key ,he prefers to the rest1 ,the bass take the lead1 ,and firmly proceed2 ,let the tenor succeed1 etc4 ,in #aggj his first compositions appeared in a work of one hundred and eight pages entitled ,the ,new ,england ,psalm ,singer2 or ,american ,chorister4 ,containing a number of ,psalm ,tunes1 ,anthems1 and ,canons4 ,in four and five parts4 7,never before published47 ,composed by ,william ,billings1 a native of ,boston1 in ,new ,england4 ,matt4 xii4 #af1 ',out of the mouth of ,babes and ,sucklings hast thou perfected ,praise2' ,james v4 #ac1 ',is any merry1 let him sing ,psalms4' ',o1 praise the ,lord with one consent1 ,and in this grand design ,let ,britain and the ,colonies ,unanimously join4' ,boston3 ,new ,england4 ,printed by ,edes and ,gill4 ,in the preface to this work he quaintly says3-- ,to all ,musical ,practitioners4 ,perhaps it may be expected by some1 that ,i could say something concerning rules for composition2 to these ,i answer that ,nature is the best ,dictator1 for all the hard dry studied rules that ever were prescribed will not enable any person to form an ,air any more than the four and twenty letters1 and strict ,grammatical rules will qualify a scholar for composing a piece of ,poetry1 or properly adjusting a ,tragedy without a ,genius4 ,it must be ,nature2 ,nature must lay the ,foundation1 ,nature must give the ,thought4 ,but perhaps some may think ,i mean and intend to throw ,art entirely out of ,question4 ,i answer by no ,means1 for the more ,art is displayed1 the more ,art is decorated4 ,and in some sorts of composition there is dry ,study requir'd1 and ,art very requisite4 ,for instance1 in a ,fuge4 ,but even there ,art is subservient to ,genius1 for ,fancy goes first1 and strikes out the ,work roughly1 and ,art comes after and polishes it over4 ,but to return to my ,text3 ,i have read several ,authors' ,rules on ,composition1 and find the strictest of them make some ,exceptions1 as thus1 they say that two #hvos or two #eths may not be taken together rising or falling1 unless one be ,major and the other ,minor2 but rather than spoil the ,air1 they will allow that ,breach to be made1 and this ,allowance gives great ,latitude to young ,composers1 for they may always make that ,plea1 and say1 if ,i am not allowed to transgress the ,rules of composition ,i shall certainly spoil the ,air1 and cross the ,strain that ,fancy dictated4 ,and indeed this is without dispute1 a very just ,plea1 for ,i am sure ,i have often and sensibly felt the disagreeable and slavish ,effect of such ,restraint as is here pointed out1 and so ,i believe every ,composer of ,poetry as well as ,musick1 for ,i presume there are strict ,rules for ,poetry1 as for ,musick4 ,but as ,i have often heard of a ,poetical ,license ,i don't see why with the same propriety there may not be a musical ,license1 for ,poetry and ,musick are in close ,connection1 and nearly allied besides they are often assistants to each other1 and like a true friend often hide each other's feelings4 ,for ,i have known a ,piece of ,poetry that hath neither ,rhime nor ,reason in it1 pass for tolerable good sense because it happened to be set to an excellent ,piece of ,musick1 and to get ,respect rather for its good ,fortune in falling into such respectable company than for any ,merit in itself3 so likewise ,i have known and heard a very indifferent ,tune often sung and much caress'd1 only because it was set to a fine ,piece of ,poetry1 without this recommendation1 perhaps it would not be sung twice over by one ,person1 and would be deemed to be dearly bought only at the expense of ,breath requisite to perform it4 ,for my own part1 as ,i don't think myself confined to any ,rules for ,composition laid down by any that went before me1 neither should ,i think 7were ,i to pretend to lay down rules7 that any who comes after me were any ways obligated to adhere to them any further than they should think proper2 so in fact ,i think it is best for every composer to be his own learner4 ,therefore upon this consideration1 for me to dictate1 or pretend to prescribe ,rules of this ,nature for others1 would not only be very unnecessary but also a very great piece of ,vanity4 ,his second work was the ,singing ,master's ,assistant1 an abridgment and revision of his first4 ,his humor again crops out in the following extract from its preface3-- ,kind reader1 no doubt you remember that about ten years ago ,i published a book entitled ',the ,new ,england ,psalm-,singer2' and truly a most masterly performance ,i then thought it to be4 ,how lavish was ,i of encomium on this my infant production6 ',welcome1 thrice ,welcome1 thou legitimate ,offspring of my brain1 go forth my little book1 go forth and immortalize the name of your ,author3 may your sale be rapid and may you speedily run through ten thousand ,editions1' said ,i1 ',thou art my ,reuben1 my first born2 the beginning of my ,strength1 the ,excellency of my ,dignity1 and the ,excellency of my power4' ,but to my great mortification ,i soon discovered it was ,reuben in the sequel1 and ,reuben all over2 ,i have discovered that many pieces were never worth my printing or your inspection4 ,it is the duty of ,christians to praise ,god publicly by singing of psalms together in the congregation1 and also privately in the family4 ,in singing of psalms the voice is to be audible and gravely ordered2 but the chief care must be to sing with understanding and with grace in the heart1 making melody unto the ,lord4 ,that the whole congregation may join therein1 every one that can read is to have a psalm-book1 and all others not disabled by age or otherwise are to be exhorted to learn to read4 ,but for the present1 where many in the congregation cannot read1 it is convenient that the minister or some fit person to be appinted by him and the other ruling officers1 do read the psalms line by line1 before the singing thereof4 ,billings's other publications were ,music in ,miniature1 ,psalm ,singers' ,amusement1 ,suffolk ,harmony1 and ,continental ,harmony4 ,though the crudest of musical works1 for he was entirely unacquainted with harmony and musical rules1 they had an immense influence4 ,he was the pioneer1 and the path he cleared was soon crowded with his successors4 ,the most prominent of these were ,andrew ,law1 born at ,cheshire1 ,conn41 in #agdh1 who published many books and taught in most of the ,new ,england ,states2 ,jacob ,kimball1 born at ,topsfield1 ,mass41 in #agfa1 who published the ,rural ,harmony2 ,oliver ,holden1 of ,charlestown1 ,mass41 who published the ,american ,harmony1 ,union ,harmony1 and ,worcester ,collection1 and wrote the favorite tune ,coronation2 ,samuel ,holyoke1 born at ,boxford1 ,mass41 in #agga1 author of the ,harmonia ,americana and ,columbian ,repository2 ,daniel ,reed1 born at ,rehoboth1 ,mass41 in #ageg1 who published the ,american ,singing-,book and ,columbian ,harmony2 ,jacob ,french1 born at ,stoughton1 ,mass41 in #aged1 who issued a work entitled ,harmony of ,harmony2 ,timothy ,swan1 born at ,suffield1 ,conn41 in #ageg1 who published ,federal ,harmony and ,new ,england ,harmony1 and wrote the familiar tunes ,poland and ,china2 ,john ,hubbard1 who wrote many anthems and treatises on music2 ,dutton1 of ,hartford1 ,conn41 who issued the ,hartford ,collection1 and wrote the tune of ,woodstock2 ,oliver ,shaw1 born at ,middleborough1 ,mass41 in #agii1 who was totally blind1 but became a very successful teacher and composer4 ,gould says that his compositions were truly original1 and one of them1 ,there's ,nothing ,true but ,heaven1 was repeated night after night by the ,boston ,handel and ,haydn ,society4 ,the era of psalm composers was followed by that of the singing-school teachers1 who exerted a mighty influence upon sacred music and musical taste4 ,at the same time numerous societies were organized1 among them the ,handel and ,haydn ,society of ,boston1 which was born ,april #bj1 #ahae1 and still exists1--a vigorous growth from the little gathering which gave its first concert on ,christmas1 ,dec4 #be1 #ahae1 singing the first part of ,the ,creation and selections from ,handel's works1 and was pronounced by an enthusiastic critic of that time the wonder of the nation4 ,the great singing-teachers were ,thomas ,hastings of ,washington1 ,conn41 ,lowell ,mason of ,mansfield1 ,mass41 ,nathaniel ,d4 ,gould of ,chelmsford1 ,mass4 ,still later came ,george ,f4 ,root1 ,woodbury1 ,dyer1 ,bradbury1 ,ives1 ,johnson1 and others1 whose labors1 both as composers and teachers1 are familiar to all lovers of sacred music even at this day4 ,the old-fashioned singing-school1 however1 has disappeared4 ,the musical convention still survives in rural places4 ,the great festivals1 oratorio societies1 the modern concert stage1 even the opera1 have all had their effect upon sacred music4 ,the paid choir of professional musicians marks a long departure from the robust ,puritan psalm-singers2 its music is equally remote from the jingling tunes of ,billings which tickled the ears of the colonists4 ,,appendix4 ,the following chronological list is intended to present to the reader a statement of the more important sacred music which has been written during the last two centuries1 with its composers and dates1 for the purposes of reference4 ,allegri ,miserere 7#afcj74 ,arne ,abel 7#agee72 ,judith 7#agfd74 ,bach ,st4 ,john ,passion 7#agbj72 ,magnificat in ,d 7#agbc72 ,st4 ,matthew ,passion 7#agbi72 ,christmas ,oratorio 7#agcd74 ,barnby ,rebekah 7#ahgj74 ,beethoven ,mount of ,olives 7#agii-ahja72 ,mass in ,c 7#ahjg72 ,mass in ,d 7#ahbb74 ,benedict ,st4 ,cecilia 7#ahff72 ,st4 ,peter 7#ahgj74 ,bennett ,woman of ,samaria 7#ahfg74 ,berlioz ,grande ,messe des ,morts 7#ahcg72 ,l',enfance du ,christ 7#ahed74 ,brahms ,german ,requiem 7#ahfh74 ,costa ,eli 7#ahee72 ,naaman 7#ahfd74 ,cusins ,gideon 7#ahga74 ,crotch ,palestine 7#ahab72 ,captivity of ,judah 7#ahcd74 ,david ,moses on ,sinai 7#ahdf74 ,dvorak ,stabat ,mater 7#ahge74 ,goldschmidt ,ruth 7#ahfg74 ,gounod ,messe ,solenelle 7#ahej72 ,tobie 7#ahgj72 ,redemption 7#ahhc72 ,mors et ,vita 7#ahhe74 ,graun ,the ,death of ,jesus 7#agee72 ,prague ,te ,deum 7#agef74 ,handel ,first ,passion ,oratorio 7#agjd72 ,la ,resurrezione 7#agjh72 ,il trionfo del ,tempo 7#agjh72 ,utrecht ,te ,deum 7#agac72 ,second ,passion ,oratorio 7#agaf72 ,esther 7#agbj72 ,deborah 7#agcc72 ,athalia 7#agcc72 ,saul 7#agch72 ,israel in ,egypt 7#agch72 ,messiah 7#agda72 ,samson 7#agdb72 ,joseph 7#agdc72 ,dettingen ,te ,deum 7#agdc72 ,belshazzar 7#agdd72 ,occasional ,oratorio 7#agde72 ,judas ,maccabaeus 7#agdf72 ,alexander ,balus 7#agdg72 ,joshua 7#agdg72 ,solomon 7#agdh72 ,susanna 7#agdh72 ,theodora 7#agdi72 ,jephtha 7#agea74 ,haydn ,stabat ,mater 7#agga72 ,return of ,tobias 7#aggd72 ,mariazeller ,mass 7#aghb72 ,imperial ,mass 7#agig72 ,the ,creation 7#agif-ih72 ,te ,deum 7#ahjj72 ,the ,seasons 7#ahjj72 ,the ,seven ,words 7#ahja74 ,hiller ,the ,destruction of ,jerusalem 7#ahci74 ,horsley ,gideon 7#ahfj74 ,kiel ,requiem 7#ahfb72 ,christus 7#ahff74 ,klein ,job 7#ahbj72 ,jephthah 7#ahbh72 ,david 7#ahcj74 ,lassus ,penitential ,psalms 7#aefe72 ,vigiliae ,mortuorum 7#aefe74 ,leslie ,immanuel 7#ahec72 ,judith 7#aheh74 ,liszt ,graner ,mass 7#ahed72 ,hungarian ,coronation ,mass 7#ahef72 ,legend of ,saint ,elizabeth 7#ahfd72 ,christus 7#ahff74 ,macfarren ,john the ,baptist 7#ahgc72 ,the ,resurrection 7#ahgf72 ,joseph 7#ahgg74 ,mackenzie ,rose of ,sharon 7#ahhd74 ,marx ,moses 7#ahej74 ,massenet ,mary ,magdalen 7#ahgc72 ,eve 7#ahge72 ,the ,virgin 7#ahgi74 ,mendelssohn ,psalm cxv 7#ahcj72 ,psalm xcv 7#ahce72 ,st4 ,paul 7#ahcf72 ,hymn of ,praise 7#ahdj72 ,elijah 7#ahch-df72 ,christus 7#ahdd-dg72 ,lauda ,sion 7#ahdf74 ,meyerbeer ,god and ,nature 7#ahaa74 ,mozart ,coronation ,mass 7#aggi72 ,mass in ,c 7#aghj72 ,mass in ,g 7#aghe72 ,mass in ,b 7#agia72 ,ave ,verum 7#agia72 ,requiem 7#agia74 ,neukomm ,mount ,sinai 7#ahcj72 ,david 7#ahcd74 ,ouseley ,st4 ,polycarp 7#ahed72 ,hagar 7#ahgc74 ,paine ,st4 ,peter 7#ahgc74 ,palestrina ,papae ,marcelli ,mass 7#aefc72 ,stabat ,mater 7#aehi72 ,requiem 7#aeia74 ,pergolesi ,stabat ,mater 7#agcf74 ,pierson ,jerusalem 7#aheb74 ,randegger ,psalm cl 7#ahgb74 ,reinthaler ,jephta 7#ahef74 ,rossini ,moses in ,egypt 7#ahah72 ,stabat ,mater 7#ahcb-da72 ,messe ,solenelle 7#ahfd74 ,rubinstein ,tower of ,babel 7#ahgj72 ,paradise ,lost 7#ahgf74 ,schneider 7,fr47 ,the ,judgement of the ,world 7#ahai72 ,paradise ,lost 7#ahbd72 ,pharaoh 7#ahbh72 ,christ the ,child 7#ahbi72 ,gideon 7#ahbi72 ,gethsemane and ,golgotha 7#ahch74 ,schubert ,lazarus 7#ahbj74 ,schumann ,paradise and the ,peri 7#ahdc72 ,advent ,hymn 7#ahdh72 ,mass and ,requiem 7#aheb74 ,schutz ,passions' ,music 7#affe74 ,spohr ,the ,last ,judgment 7#ahab72 ,the ,last ,things 7#ahbf72 ,calvary 7#ahcc72 ,fall of ,babylon 7#ahdj74 ,stanford ,the ,three ,holy ,children 7#ahhe74 ,sullivan ,the ,prodigal ,son 7#ahfi72 ,light of the ,world 7#ahgc72 ,martyr of ,antioch 7#ahhj74 ,verdi ,manzoni ,requiem 7#ahgd72 ,pater ,noster and ,ave ,maria 7#ahhj74 ,vogler ,magnificat and ,stabat ,mater 7#aggg74 ,wagner ,das ,liebesmahl der ,apostel 7#ahdc74 ,winter ,pilgrimage to ,calvary 7#agib72 ,stabat ,mater 7#ahje74 ,,index4 ,ainsworth1 ,henry1 #cac4 ,albrechtsberger1 #bci4 ,allison1 ,richard1 #cab4 ,appendix1 #cbi4 ,astorga1 #bec4 ,athalia1 #ba4 ,bach1 #ai-ba1 #bd1 #bf1 #cj1 #fa1 #fe1 #bfi1 #bge2 life of1 #ca4 ,bailey1 ,daniel1 #cbj4 ,bailey1 ,thomas1 #cbj4 ,bay ,psalm ,book1 #cac1 #cad4 ,beethoven1 #bc1 #ia1 #afa1 #agd1 #bah1 #bai1 #bce1 #bcf1 #bhb1 #cjg2 life of1 #ea4 ,belshazzar1 #bb4 ,benedict1 #bje4 ,bennett1 ,sterndale1 #bf1 #bjj1 #bgd1 #bij2 life of1 #fj4 ,berlioz1 #bg1 #cj1 #bei2 life of1 #fh4 ,billings1 ,william1 #cba-cbf4 ,blow1 ,dr41 #cj4 ,bononcini1 #ag1 #aae4 ,bradbury1 #cbh4 ,brahms1 #bg1 #ib1 #bgb2 life of1 #gh4 ,caldara1 #ag4 ,carissimi1 #ae4 ,cherubini1 #bg1 #fh1 #ga1 #agh4 ,chopin1 #beh1 #bgb4 ,christmas ,oratorio 7,bach71 #bj1 #cc4 ,christmas ,oratorio 7,saint-,saens71 #bfi4 ,christus 7,liszt71 #ahf4 ,christus 7,mendelssohn71 #be1 #bbi4 ,cimarosa1 #bc4 ,colonna1 #ag1 #bg4 ,costa1 #hb4 ,cotton1 ,john1 #cad4 ,creation1 #acf1 #afb4 ,croft1 ,dr41 #cj4 ,damon1 ,william1 #caa4 ,das juengste ,gericht1 #bc1 #bhc1 #bhf4 ,deborah1 #ba4 ,der ,tod ,jesu1 #bj4 ,des ,heilands letzte ,stunden1 #bd4 ,dettingen ,te ,deum1 #aee4 ,die ,auferstehung ,christi1 #ai4 ,die ,sieben ,woerte ,christi1 #ai4 ,dutton1 #cbg4 ,dvorak1 #bec2 life of1 #ij4 ,dyer1 #cbh4 ,eli1 #hd4 ,elijah1 #be1 #bah4 ,eliot1 ,john1 #cac1 #cah4 ,emilio del ,cavaliere1 #ad1 #ae4 ,engedi1 #eh4 ,esther1 #ba4 ,fall of ,babylon1 #bd4 ,federici1 #ag4 ,flagg1 ,josiah1 #cbj4 ,french1 ,jacob1 #cbg4 ,fux1 #bb4 ,gabrielli1 #ah4 ,german ,requiem1 #bg1 #hj4 ,gluck1 #afj4 ,gould1 ,nathaniel ,d41 #cbh4 ,gounod1 #ae1 #bj1 #bf2 life of1 #if4 ,graun1 #bj1 #cj4 ,gretry1 #agd4 ,habeneck1 #ge1 #gf1 #gg4 ,handel1 #ag1 #ah1 #ai1 #bj1 #ba1 #bb1 #bd1 #bf1 #cj2 life of1 #aad4 ,handel and ,haydn ,society1 #cbg4 ,hasse1 #bb4 ,hastings1 ,thomas1 #cbh4 ,haydn1 #ai1 #bb1 #bc1 #bf1 #bh1 #hj1 #acf1 #bec1 #cjg2 life of1 #aei4 ,heine1 #bef1 #beg4 ,hiller1 #bf1 #gj1 #bbb1 #bef1 #bgc4 ,himmel1 #bc4 ,holden1 ,oliver1 #cbf4 ,holyoke1 ,samuel1 #cbf4 ,hubbard1 ,john1 #cbg4 ,hymn of ,praise1 #be1 #bac4 ,israel in ,egypt1 #ba1 #bc1 #aag4 ,italian oratorio composers1 #ae ,ives1 #cbh4 ,joachim1 #gh1 #ib4 ,johnson1 #cbh4 ,joseph1 #bb4 ,joshua1 #bb1 #aed4 ,judas ,maccabaeus1 #bb1 #adi4 ,keiser1 ,reinhard1 #ai1 #bj4 ,kimball1 ,jacob1 #cbf4 ,la ,rappresentazione dell' ,anima e del ,corpo1 #ad4 ,last ,judgment1 #bc1 #bhc4 ,latimer1 #caj4 ,law1 ,andrew1 #cbf4 ,legend of the ,holy ,elizabeth1 #ahj4 ,light of the ,world1 #bid4 ,liszt1 #gh1 #bef1 #beh2 life of1 #agg4 ,lyon1 ,james1 #cbj4 ,macfarren1 ,george ,a41 #cj2 life of1 #aii4 ,mackenzie1 #aia4 ,magnificat 7,bach71 #dh4 ,magnificats1 #bf1 #cj4 ,martin ,luther1 #cji4 ,mason1 ,lowell1 #cbh4 ,massenet1 #bf4 ,mattheson1 #bj4 ,mazzocchi1 #ag4 ,mendelssohn1 #bd1 #be1 #bf1 #cj1 #fj1 #bef1 #beg2 life of1 #bjf4 ,messe des ,morts1 #bg1 #ga4 ,messiah1 #ba1 #bc1 #be1 #ci1 #adj4 ,meyerbeer1 #hc4 ,mors et ,vita1 #bf1 #ajf4 ,moscheles1 #beg1 #bga4 ,mount of ,olives1 #bc1 #ec4 ,mozart1 #cj1 #fj1 #bhb1 #cjg2 life of1 #bcd4 ,mysteries and miracle-plays1 #aj1 #aa1 #ab4 ,neukomm1 #bec4 ,oratorio1 its origin1 #i2 in ,england1 #ba2 in ,germany1 #bb2 oratorios of the present century1 #bc-bf4 ,paine1 #bf1 #bde4 ,palestrina1 #bg1 #bh1 #if1 #bec1 #cjg4 ,paradise and the ,peri1 #be1 #bgc4 ,paradise ,lost1 #bf1 #bfd4 ,passion ,music1 #ah1 #ai1 #bj4 ,pistocchi1 #ag4 ,playford's ,psalms1 #cbj4 ,porpora1 #bb1 #aae1 #afj4 ,prodigal ,son1 #bib4 ,protestant ,psalmody1 #cji4 ,psalmody in ,england1 #caj4 ,puritan reforms1 #caj4 ,ravenscroft ,collection1 #cab4 ,redemption1 #bf1 #ih4 ,reed1 ,daniel1 #cbg4 ,remenyi1 #gh4 ,requiem 7,manzoni71 #bg1 #cjc4 ,requiem 7,mozart71 #bcf4 ,requiems1 #bf1 #bg4 ,rheinthaler1 #bf4 ,richter1 ,jean ,paul1 #bgc4 ,root1 ,george ,f41 #cbh4 ,rose of ,sharon1 #aib4 ,rossini1 #bbb1 #cjc1 #cjg2 life of1 #bea4 ,rubinstein1 #bf2 life of1 #beh4 ,sacred dramas1 #ac1 #ad4 ,sacred ,music in ,america1 #cji4 ,saint-,saens1 #bf1 #bfg4 ,salieri1 #bc1 #afh1 #agg4 ,samson1 #bb1 #aca4 ,sarti1 #cj4 ,saul1 #ba1 #abe4 ,scarlatti1 #af4 ,schneider1 #bd4 ,schubert1 #bc1 #ia1 #bgc4 ,schumann1 #be1 #fj1 #gh1 #gi1 #ha2 life of1 #bga4 ,schuetz1 #ah4 ,seasons1 #bb1 #agj4 ,sebastiani1 #ai4 ,shaw1 ,oliver1 #cbg4 ,spohr1 #bc1 #bf1 #eb1 #ia2 life of1 #bhj4 ,st4 ,john ,passion1 #bj4 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 #bja4 ,st4 ,matthew ,passion1 #bj1 #bd1 #ci4 ,st4 ,paul1 #be1 #bjh4 ,st4 ,peter1 #bf1 #bdf4 ,stabat ,mater 7,dvorak71 #bh1 #ib4 ,stabat ,mater 7,rossini71 #bh1 #bec4 ,stabat ,maters1 #bg4 ,stephani1 #ah4 ,sternhold and ,hopkins1 #caa1 #cac4 ,stradella1 #af1 #ag4 ,sullivan1 #cj1 #bij4 ,swan1 ,timothy1 #cbg4 ,symmes1 ,thomas1 #cag4 ,tansur and ,williams1 #cbj4 ,te ,deums1 #bh1 #bi4 ,telemann1 #bj4 ,thalberg1 #beh4 ,the ,bleeding and ,dying ,jesus1 #ai4 ,theile1 #ai4 ,theodora1 #bb4 ,thomas1 ,theodore1 #hj1 #ii1 #aib1 #bdf1 #bfi1 #bia4 ,tower of ,babel1 #bf1 #bfj4 ,tufts1 ,john1 #cai4 ,verdi1 #bef2 life of1 #cja4 ,victor ,hugo1 #fi1 #agh4 ,vittoria1 #bg4 ,von ,buelow1 #agi1 #cjg4 ,wagner1 #fe1 #hc1 #agi1 #ahf1 #bfh1 #bhb4 ,walter1 ,thomas1 #cbj4 ,weber1 #bha4 ,weniawski1 #bei4 ,winter1 #bc4 ,woman of ,samaria1 #bf1 #fb4 ,woodbury1 #cbh4 ,zingarelli1 #bc4 ,,upton',s ,,musical ,,handbooks4 ,,uniform ,,in ,,style4 ,i4 ,the ,standard ,operas4 ,their ,plots1 their ,music1 and their ,composers4 ,a ,handbook4 #abmo1 yellow edges1 #a4ej2 extra gilt1 gilt edges1 #b4jj4 ,,ii4 ,the ,standard ,oratorios4 ,their ,stories1 their ,music1 and their ,composers4 ,a ,handbook4 #abmo1 yellow edges1 #a4ej2 extra gilt1 gilt edges1 #b4jj4 ,,iii4 ,the ,standard ,cantatas4 ,their ,stories1 their ,music1 and their ,composers4 ,a ,handbook4 #abmo1 yellow edges1 #a4ej2 extra gilt1 gilt edges1 #b4jj4 ,,iv4 ,the ,standard ,symphonies4 ,their ,history1 their ,music1 and their ,composers4 ,a ,handbook4 #abmo1 yellow edges1 #a4ej2 extra gilt1 gilt edges1 #b4jj4 ,,the ,,standard ,,operas4 ,their ,plots1 their ,music1 and their ,composers4 ,by ,george ,p4 ,upton1 author of ,woman in ,music1 etc41 etc4 #abmo1 flexible cloth1 yellow edges #a4ej ,the same1 extra gilt1 gilt edges #b4jj ,mr4 ,upton has performed a service that can hardly be too highly appreciated1 in collecting the plots1 music1 and the composers of the standard operas1 to the number of sixty-four1 and bringing them together in one perfectly arranged volume4444 ,his work is one simply invaluable to the general reading public4 ,technicalities are avoided1 the aim being to give to musically uneducated lovers of the opera a clear understanding of the works they hear4 ,it is description1 not criticism1 and calculated to greatly increase the intelligent enjoyment of music4--,boston ,traveller4 ,among the multitude of handbooks which are published every year1 and are described by easy-going writers of book-notices as supplying a long-felt want1 we know of none which so completely carries out the intention of the writer as ',the ,standard ,operas1' by ,mr4 ,george ,p4 ,upton1 whose object is to present to his readers a comprehensive sketch of each of the operas contained in the modern repertory4444 ,there are thousands of music-loving people who will be glad to have the kind of knowledge which ,mr4 ,upton has collected for their benefit1 and has cast in a clear and compact form4--,r4 ,h4 ,stoddard1 in ,evening ,mail and ,express 7,new ,york74 ,the summaries of the plots are so clear1 logical1 and well written1 that one can read them with real pleasure1 which cannot be said of the ordinary operatic synopses4 ,but the most important circumstance is that ,mr4 ,upton's book is fully abreast of the times4--,the ,nation 7,new ,york74 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 post-paid1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,the ,,standard ,,cantatas4 ,their ,stories1 their ,music1 and their ,composers4 ,a ,handbook4 ,by ,george ,p4 ,upton4 #abmo1 #cfg pages1 yellow edges1 price1 #a4ej2 extra gilt1 gilt edges1 #b4jj4 ,in half calf1 gilt top #c4be ,in half morocco1 gilt edges #c4ge ,in tree calf1 gilt edges #e4ej ,the ,standard ,cantatas forms the third volume in the uniform series which already includes the now well known ,standard ,operas and the ,standard ,oratorios4 ,this latest work deals with a class of musical compositions1 midway between the opera and the oratorio1 which is growing rapidly in favor both with composers and audiences4 ,as in the two former works1 the subject is treated1 so far as possible1 in an untechnical manner1 so that it may satisfy the needs of musically uneducated music lovers1 and add to their enjoyment by a plain statement of the story of the cantata and a popular analysis of its music1 with brief pertinent selections from its poetical text4 ,the book includes a comprehensive essay on the origin of the cantata1 and its development from rude beginnings2 biographical sketches of the composers2 carefully prepared descriptions of the plots and the music2 and an appendix containing the names and dates of composition of all the best known cantatas from the earliest times4 ,this series of works on popular music has steadily grown in favor since the appearance of the first volume on the ,operas4 ,when the series is completed1 as it will be next year by a volume on the ,standard ,symphonies1 it will be1 as the ,new ,york ',nation' has said1 indispensable to every musical library4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 post-paid1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,biographies ,,of ,,musicians4 ,,life ,,of ,,liszt4 ,with ,portrait4 ,,life ,,of ,,haydn4 ,with ,portrait4 ,,life ,,of ,,mozart4 ,with ,portrait4 ,,life ,,of ,,wagner4 ,with ,portrait4 ,,life ,,of ,,beethoven4 ,with ,portrait4 ,from the ,german of ,dr4 ,louis ,nohl4 ,in cloth1 per volume 4#ge ,the same1 in neat box1 per set #c4ge ,in half calf1 per set #ab4jj ,of the ,life of ,liszt1 the ,herald 7,boston7 says3 ,it is written in great simplicity and perfect taste1 and is wholly successful in all that it undertakes to portray4 ,of the ,life of ,haydn1 the ,gazette 7,boston7 says3 ,no fuller history of ,haydn's career1 the society in which he moved1 and of his personal life can be found than is given in this work4 ,of the ,life of ,mozart1 the ,standard says3 ,mozart supplies a fascinating subject for biographical treatment4 ,he lives in these pages somewhat as the world saw him1 from his marvellous boyhood till his untimely death4 ,of the ,life of ,wagner1 the ,american 7,baltimore7 says3 ,it gives in vigorous outlines those events of the life of the tone poet which exercised the greatest influences upon his artistic career4444 ,it is a story of a strange life devoted to lofty aims4 ,of the ,life of ,beethoven1 the ,national ,journal of ,education says3 ,beethoven was great and noble as a man1 and his artistic creations were in harmony with his great nature4 ,the story of his life1 outlined in this volume1 is of the deepest interest4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,music-,,study ,,in ,,germany4 ,by ,amy ,fay4 ,eighth edition4 #abmo1 #ceb pages4 ,price1 #a4be4 ,one of the brightest small books we have seen is ,amy ,fay's ',music-,study in ,germany4' ,these letters were written home by a young lady who went to ,germany to perfect her piano-playing4 ,they are full of simple1 artless1 yet sharp and intelligent sayings concerning the ways and tastes of the fatherland4444 ,her observation is close and accurate1 and the sketches of ,tausig1 ,liszt1 and other musical celebrities are capitally done4--,christian ,advocate 7,new ,york74 ,it is bright and entertaining1 being filled with descriptions1 opinions1 and facts in regard to the many distinguished musicians and artists of the present day4 ,a little insight into the home life of the ,german people is presented to the reader1 and the atmosphere of art seems to give a brightness and worth to the picture1 which imparts pleasure with the interest it creates4--,dwight's ,journal of ,music4 ,the intrinsic value of the work is great2 its simplicity1 its minute details1 its freedom from every kind of affectation1 constitute in themselves most admirable qualities4 ,the remarkably intimate and open picture we get of ,liszt surpasses any picture of him heretofore afforded4 ,it is a charming picture1 strong1 simple1 gracious1 noble1 and sincere4--,times 7,chicago74 ,in delicacy of touch1 vivacity and ease of expression1 and general charm of style1 these letters are models in their way4 ,the pictures which she gives of the various masters under whom she studied have the value that all such representations possess when they are drawn from life and with fidelity4--,graphic 7,new ,york74 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 post-paid1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,the ,,surgeon',s ,,stories ,by ,z4 ,topelius1 ,professor of ,history1 ,university of ,finland4 ,translated from the original ,swedish1 comprising-- ,times of ,gustaf ,adolf1 ,times of ,battle and ,rest1 ,times of ,charles ,,xii41 ,times of ,frederick ,i41 ,times of ,linnaeus1 ,times of ,alchemy4 ,in cloth1 per volume1 #ge cents4 ,the same1 in box1 per set1 #d4ej4 ,these stories have been everywhere received with the greatest favor4 ,they cover the most interesting and exciting periods of ,swedish and ,finnish history4 ,they combine history and romance1 and the two are woven together in so skilful and attractive a manner that the reader of one volume is rarely satisfied until he has read all4 ,of their distinguished author the ,saturday ,review1 ,london1 says1 ,he enjoys the greatest celebrity among living ,swedish writers2 and ,r4 ,h4 ,stoddard has styled them the most important and certainly the most readable series of foreign fiction that has been translated into ,english for many years4 ,they should stand on the shelves of every library1 public and private1 beside the works of ,sir ,walter ,scott4 ,the ,graphic1 ,new ,york1 says3 ,topelius is evidently a great romancer1--a great romancer in the manner of ,walter ,scott4 ,at moments in his writing there is positive inspiration1 a truth and vivid reality that are startling4 ,the ,sun1 ,philadelphia1 says3 ,we would much prefer teaching a youth ,swedish history from the novels of ,topelius than from any book of strict historical narrative4 ,the ,standard1 ,chicago1 says3 ,the series as a whole deserves a place with the very best fiction of the present time4 ,the scenery is new to most readers2 the historical period covered one of transcendent interest2 the characters1 the incidents1 the narrative style in each story are of the sort to carry the reader straight through1 from beginning to end1 unwearied1 and ready1 as each volume closes1 to open the next in order4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 post-paid1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,familiar ,,talks ,,on ,,english ,,literature4 ,a ,manual embracing the ,great ,epochs of ,english ,literature1 from the ,english conquest of ,britain1 #ddi1 to the death of ,walter ,scott1 #ahcb4 ,by ,abby ,sage ,richardson1 ,fourth edition1 revised4 ,price #a4ej4 ,the ,boston ,transcript says3 ,the work shows thorough study and excellent judgment1 and we can warmly recommend it to schools and private classes for reading as an admirable text-book4 ,the ,new ,york ,evening ,mail says3 ,what the author proposed to do was to convey to her readers a clear idea of the variety1 extent1 and richness of ,english literature4444 ,she has done just what she intended to do1 and done it well4 ,the ,new ,york ,nation says3 ,it is refreshing to find a book designed for young readers which seeks to give only what will accomplish the real aim of the study2 namely1 to excite an interest in ,english literature1 cultivate a taste for what is best in it1 and thus lay a foundation on which they can build after reading4 ,prof4 ,moses ,coit ,tyler says3 ,i have had real satisfaction in looking over the book4 ,there are some opinions with which ,i do not agree2 but the main thing about the book is a good thing2 namely1 its hearty1 wholesome love of ,english literature1 and the honest1 unpretending1 but genial and conversational1 manner in which that love is uttered4 ,it is a charming book to read1 and it will breed in its readers the appetite to read ,english literature for themselves4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 post-paid1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,tales ,,of ,,ancient ,,greece4 ,by the ,rev4 ,sir ,g4 ,w4 ,cox1 ,bart41 ,m4,a41 ,trinity ,college1 ,oxford4 #abmo1 cloth1 price1 #a4be4 ,written apparently for young readers1 it yet possesses a charm of manner which will recommend it to all4--,the ,examiner1 ,london4 ,it is only when we take up such a book as this that we realize how rich in interest is the mythology of ,greece4--,inquirer1 ,philadelphia4 ,admirable in style1 and level with a child's comprehension4 ,these versions might well find a place in every family4--,the ,nation1 ,new ,york4 ,the author invests these stories with a charm of narrative entirely peculiar4 ,the book is a rich one in every way4--,standard1 ,chicago4 ,in ,mr4 ,cox will be found yet another name to be enrolled among those ,english writers who have vindicated for this country an honorable rank in the investigation of ,greek history4--,edinburgh ,review4 ,it is doubtful if these tales--antedating history in their origin1 and yet fresh with all the charms of youth to all who read them for the first time--were ever before presented in so chaste and popular form4--,golden ,rule1 ,boston4 ,the grace with which these old tales of the mythology are re-told makes them as enchanting to the young as familiar fairy tales or the ',arabian ,nights4'444 ,we do not know of a ,christmas book which promises more lasting pleasures4--,publishers' ,weekly4 ,its exterior fits it to adorn the drawing-room table1 while its contents are adapted to the entertainment of the most cultivated intelligence4444 ,the book is a scholarly production1 and a welcome addition to a department of literature that is thus far quite too scantily furnished4--,tribune1 ,chicago4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,short ,,history ,,of ,,france1 ,,for ,,young ,,people4 ,by ,miss ,e4 ,s4 ,kirkland1 author of ,six ,little ,cooks1 ,dora's ,house-keeping1 c4 #abmo1 cloth1 price1 #a4be4 ,a very ably written sketch of ,french history1 from the earliest times to the foundation of the existing ,republic4--,cincinnati ,gazette4 ,the narrative is not dry on a single page1 and the little history may be commended as the best of its kind that has yet appeared4--,bulletin1 ,philadelphia4 ,a book both instructive and entertaining4 ,it is not a dry compendium of dates and facts1 but a charmingly written history4--,christian ,union1 ,new ,york4 ,after a careful examination of its contents1 we are able to conscientiously give it our heartiest commendation4 ,we know no elementary history of ,france that can at all be compared with it4--,living ,church4 ,a spirited and entertaining sketch of the ,french people and nation1--one that will seize and hold the attention of all bright boys and girls who have a chance to read it4--,sunday ,afternoon1 ,springfield 7,mass474 ,we find its descriptions universally good1 that it is admirably simple and direct in style1 without waste of words or timidity of opinion4 ,the book represents a great deal of patient labor and conscientious study4--,courant1 ,hartford 7,conn474 ,miss ,kirkland has composed her ',short ,history of ,france' in the way in which a history for young people ought to be written2 that is1 she has aimed to present a consecutive and agreeable story1 from which the reader can not only learn the names of kings and the succession of events1 but can also receive a vivid and permanent impression as to the characters1 modes of life1 and the spirit of different periods4--,the ,nation1 ,new ,york4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,laurel-,,crowned ,,tales4 ,abdallah2 or1 ,the ,four-,leaved ,shamrock4 ,by ,edouard ,laboulaye4 ,translated by ,mary ,l4 ,booth4 ,rasselas1 ,prince of ,abyssinia4 ,by ,samuel ,johnson4 ,raphael2 or1 ,pages of the ,book of ,life at ,twenty4 ,from the ,french of ,alphonse de ,lamartine4 ,the ,vicar of ,wakefield4 ,by ,oliver ,goldsmith4 ,the ,epicurean4 ,by ,thomas ,moore4 ,picciola4 ,by ,x4 ,b4 ,saintine4 ,an ,iceland ,fisherman4 ,by ,pierre ,loti4 ,other volumes in preparation4 ,handsomely printed from new plates1 on fine laid paper1 #abmo1 cloth1 with gilt tops1 price per volume1 #a4jj4 ,in half calf or half morocco1 #b4ej4 ,in planning this series1 the publishers have aimed at a form which should combine an unpretentious elegance suited to the fastidious book-lover with an inexpensiveness that must appeal to the most moderate buyer4 ,it is the intent to admit to the series only such tales as have for years or for generations commended themselves not only to the fastidious and the critical1 but also to the great multitude of the refined reading public1--tales1 in short1 which combine purity and classical beauty of style with perennial popularity4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,the ,,book-,,lover4 ,a ,guide to the ,best ,reading4 ,by ,james ,baldwin1 ,ph4,d4 ,sixth edition1 #afmo1 cloth1 gilt top1 #bja pages4 ,price1 #a4jj4 ,in half calf or half morocco1 #b4ge4 ,of this book1 on the best in ,english ,literature1 which has already been declared of the highest value by the testimony of the best critics in this country1 an edition of one thousand copies has just been ordered for ,london1 the home of ,english ,literature1--a compliment of which its scholarly western author may justly be proud4 ,we know of no work of the kind which gives so much useful information in so small a space4--,evening ,telegram1 ,new ,york4 ,sound in theory and in a practical point of view4 ,the courses of reading laid down are made of good books1 and in general1 of the best4--,independent1 ,new ,york4 ,mr4 ,baldwin has written in this monograph a delightful eulogium of books and their manifold influence1 and has gained therein two classes of readers1--the scholarly class1 to which he belongs1 and the receptive class1 which he has benefited4--,evening ,mail and ,express1 ,new ,york4 ,if a man needs that the love of books be cultivated within him1 such a gem of a book as ,dr4 ,baldwin's ought to do the work4 ,perfect and inviting in all that a book ought outwardly to be1 its contents are such as to instruct the mind at the same time that they answer the taste1 and the reader who goes carefully through its two hundred pages ought not only to love books in general better than he ever did before1 but to love them more wisely1 more intelligently1 more discriminatingly1 and with more profit to his own soul4--,literary ,world1 ,boston4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,we ,,two ,,alone ,,in ,,europe4 ,by ,mary ,l4 ,ninde4 ,illustrated from ,original ,designs4 #abmo1 #cdh pages1 price1 #a4ej4 ,the foreign travels which gave rise to this volume were of a novel and perhaps unprecedented kind4 ,two young ,american girls started for the grand tour with the father of one of them1 and he being compelled to return home from ,london they were courageous enough to continue their journeyings alone4 ,they spent two years in travel1--going as far north as the ,north ,cape and south to the ,nile1 and including in their itinerary ,st4 ,petersburg and ,moscow4 ,miss ,ninde's narrative is written in a fresh and sprightly but unsensational style1 which1 with the unusual experiences portrayed1 renders the work quite unlike the ordinary books of travel4 ,it is a narrative told so naturally and so vividly that the two gentle travellers do not seem to be alone1 but to have taken at least the reader along with them4444 ,it is filled with so many interesting glimpses of sights and scenes in many lands as to render it thoroughly entertaining4--,the ,congregationalist1 ,boston4 ,as the work of a bright ,american girl1 the book is sure to command wide attention4 ,the volume is handsomely bound and copiously illustrated with views drawn1 if we mistake not1 by the author's own fair hands1 so well do they accord with the vivacious spirit of her narrative4--,times1 ,troy1 ,new ,york4 ,in these days when letters and books about travels in ,europe have become generally monotonous1 to say the least1 it is absolutely refreshing to get hold of a bright1 original book like ,we ,two alone in ,europe4444 ,the book is especially interesting for its fresh1 bright observations on manners1 customs1 and objects of interest as viewed through these young girls' eyes1 and the charming spice of adventure running through it4--,home ,journal1 ,boston4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,the ,,humbler ,,poets4 ,a ,collection of ,newspaper and ,periodical ,verse4 #ahgj to #ahhe4 ,by ,slason ,thompson4 ,crown #hvo1 #dei pages1 cloth1 gilt top4 ,price1 #b4jj4 ,in half calf or half morocco1 #d4jj4 ,the publishers have done well in issuing this volume in a style of literary and artistic excellence1 such as is given to the works of the poets of name and fame1 because the contents richly entitle it to such distinction4--,home ,journal1 ,boston4 ,the high poetic character of these poems1 as a whole1 is surprising4 ,as a unit1 the collection makes an impression which even a genius of the highest order would not be adequate to produce4444 ,measured by poetic richness1 variety1 and merit of the selections contained1 the collection is a rarely good one flavored with the freshness and aroma of the present time4--,independent1 ,new ,york4 ,mr4 ,thompson winnowed out the chaff from the heap1 and has given us the golden grain in this volume4 ,many old newspaper favorites will be recognized in this collection1--many of those song-waifs which have been drifting up and down the newspaper world for years1 and which nobody owns but everybody loves4 ,we are glad for ourselves that some one has been kind and tender-hearted enough to take in these fugitive children of the ,muses and give them a safe and permanent home4 ,the selection has been made with rare taste and discrimination1 and the result is a delightful volume4--,observer1 ,new ,york4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,life ,,of ,,abraham ,,lincoln1 ,by the ,hon4 ,isaac ,n4 ,arnold4 ,with ,steel ,portrait4 #hvo1 cloth1 #dga pages4 ,price1 #a4ej4 ,in half calf or half morocco1 #c4ej4 ,it is decidedly the best and most complete ,life of ,lincoln that has yet appeared4--,contemporary ,review1 ,london4 ,mr4 ,arnold succeeded to a singular extent in assuming the broad view and judicious voice of posterity and exhibiting the greatest figure of our time in its true perspective4--,the ,tribune1 ,new ,york4 ,it is the only ,life of ,lincoln thus far published that is likely to live1--the only one that has any serious pretensions to depict him with adequate veracity1 completeness1 and dignity4--,the ,sun1 ,new ,york4 ,the author knew ,mr4 ,lincoln long and intimately1 and no one was better fitted for the task of preparing his biography4 ,he has written with tenderness and fidelity1 with keen discrimination1 and with graphic powers of description and analysis4--,the ,interior1 ,chicago4 ,mr4 ,arnold's ,life of ,president ,lincoln is excellent in almost every respect4444 ,the author has painted a graphic and life-like portrait of the remarkable man who was called to decide on the destinies of his country at the crisis of its fate4--,the ,times1 ,london4 ,the book is particularly rich in incidents connected with the early career of ,mr4 ,lincoln2 and it is without exception the most satisfactory record of his life that has yet been written4 ,readers will also find that in its entirety it is a work of absorbing and enduring interest that will enchain the attention more effectually than any novel4--,magazine of ,american ,history1 ,new ,york4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,,the ,,aztecs4 ,their ,history1 ,manners1 and ,customs4 ,from the ,french of ,lucien ,biart4 ,authorized translation by ,j4 ,l4 ,garner4 ,illustrated1 #hvo1 #cdj pages1 price1 #b4jj4 ,the author has travelled through the country of whose former glories his book is a recital1 and his studies and discoveries leaven the book throughout4 ,the volume is absorbingly interesting1 and is as attractive in style as it is in material4--,saturday ,evening ,gazette1 ,boston4 ,nowhere has this subject been more fully and intelligently treated than in this volume1 now placed within reach of ,american readers4 ,the mythology of the ,aztecs receives special attention1 and all that is known of their lives1 their hopes1 their fears1 and aspirations finds record here4--,the ,tribune1 ,chicago4 ,the man who can rise from the study of ,lucien ,biart's invaluable work1 ,the ,aztecs1 without feelings of amazement and admiration for the history and the government1 and for the arts cultivated by these ,romans of the ,new ,world is not to be envied4--,the ,advance1 ,chicago4 ,the twilight origin of the present race is graphically presented3 those strange people whose traces have almost vanished from off the face of the earth again live before us4 ,their taxes and tributes1 their marriage ceremonies1 their burial customs1 laws1 medicines1 food1 poetry1 and dances are described4444 ,the book is a very interesting one1 and is brought out with copious illustrations4--,the ,traveller1 ,boston4 ,m4 ,biart is the most competent authority living on the subject of the ,aztecs4 ,he spent many years in ,mexico1 studied his subject carefully through all means of information1 and wrote his book from the view-point of a scientist4 ,his style is very attractive1 and it has been very successfully translated4 ,the general reader1 as well as all scholars1 will be much taken with the work4--,chronicle ,telegraph1 ,pittsburg4 ,sold by all booksellers1 or mailed1 on receipt of price1 by ,a4,c4 ,mc,c,l,u,r,g ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,cor4 ,wabash ,ave4 and ,madison ,st41 ,chicago4 ,transcriber's ,notes to the ,electronic ,edition ,in the name ,dvorak1 the caron over the ,r and the diacrit over the ,v have been omitted4 ,on the other hand1 an accent has been consistently applied to the a4 ,the publisher's catalog and ads were moved to the back of the book1 and assigned arbitrary page numbers4 ,in the original1 they were not numbered4 ,the 7few7 footnotes were moved to chapter ends2 in the original they were in page footers4