New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-21
CINCINNATI FESTIVAL.
THIRD DAY.

and second nights, O brilliant concert In when
there vsua no lack indeed Of elevation and soleul-
nity. though the prevailing characteristic was AMI
mated dramatic movement The selections were as
follows; o.,..,
Prize composition" Scenes from LODGfelOT's G1Gs s
Ms "a B. Norton, Mr. j: Harvey. Mi Gij JT
Orchestra, Organ. psr,,oz
oyertqre Observation-Disclosures ng Act
ee'00i MI. sberwin' Miss Norton, Miss Cranoh
Sig Campapipi Mr. Rudolphsen, Mr. Whit
ney. Orchestra
The prize cantata has the great advantage Oh
ooet,cal and interesting text. Dir. Buck was at
tracted long ego by 1.-THE Golden Legend as SUD-
iect for musical illustration, and when 'ho Pr'Lo
was offered for competition by the Cinclnpat' NiuS
cal Festival Association he had already prepared
tbo lbretto and made some progress with the score
His work, therefore. was not written 10 com,
mand." but it is the product of purely musica'
mnulse. Longfellows beautiful poem is full OF IN
spirng ideas Its pages glow with devotion and with
love. spiritual mystery, sensuOus charm, JOY ana
sorrow. the solemn prayer, the tragic sacnnce' the
shifting scenes of romantic journey, the deep sig
nificance of O highly emotional legend'-the COM
poser finds in it all these moving themes ne 'u'e
"a botb lyrical and dramatic 1t is full OF lle anu
oo,ion and the verso is almost melody itself. MI
Ruck has arranged the text with Longfellows sane
+;on. The Latin song, ave, color Vipl
clari.n has been translated by Mr. T. -
Steaman. No other change has been mado
in the poem except the compression VI
some sections and the omission OF othoiS'
The cantata introduces first LHcter ana his ahges'
then the wretched Prince Henry, with whom Ine
tempter discusses "the only remedy that ren'a'pS
for his nameless ills, the blood thaI nowS III
naiden,s veipsn; Elsie who offers the sacrlhce OF
T1:lrvr IN SalprnO. with cpiSO0lCal
,ncidents of the road; the triumph of love and de-
yotion over the wiles of the Devil; the triumphant
rotnrn TO the castle of Vautsberg and the eplogue'
ONLY four principal characters are represented
Ellie soprano) Prince Henry tenor, LucgeT toari-
tone, F,iar Paul (bass The voices of Bertha, Mar
and GsttlieJ join Elsie in the Evening Song The
chorus personates spirits of good and evil Oells'
pilgrims, monks, sailors, attendants
Tn the treatment Of this allurng subject, Mr.
J,uck steps we'll In advance of his previous works'
His style is mature and well-defned. His fancy Is
alert. His powers Of expression are ample. his
melodies are graceful and fluent. His mastery OF
voices and of Instruments is firm. His coorinG,
both orchestral aud vocal, shows taste and SKILL lie
ia strongly dramatic In the external arrangement
of his work, the division into scenes the attenuation
Of aria duo chorus ETC.. and the general contour OF
the melodies, he makes no striking departure from
the standard forms, but the internal struc-
tnre shows nm unmistakable tendency toward
the modern school of composition. Tho
work is based upon the exposition, development,
contrast and conflict of two principal themes which
renresent respectively the power Of evil and the
mower of good They are treated as Wagner treats
his "leading motives" They recur from time to
time now In the vocal parts. anon in the orchestra
as the progress Of the story calls into play the lnu
ences which they represent. Independent SUD-
iects spring up around them In Deahtlui
Variety, and the leading motives themselves
are shown in many lights and under many changes
ot form: but the fundamental idea of the struggle
between these two principles persists. until the re-
ljgious sentiment triumphs at the end. Thus with
the greatest diversity of incident the work preserves
an impressive unity of purpose. and moves steadily
on with perfectly definite PLAN
"Tbe Golden Legend" opens with an instrument
fall prologue founded upon the poets description OF
Lucifer and his spirits. trying to tear down
the cross on the spire of Strasburg Cathe-
drol. A storm accompanies this scene. but the
composer has wisely refrained from the hackneycd
device of initiating tempest with the Hddles and
the brass. He represents rather in tho agitated
measures the state Of mental disturbance which Is
the real subject Of the poem. The Lucifer Theme
appears at the ninth bar, detained by the loud
voices of trumpets, trombones, and the bass tuba
and after this has been developed at sufficient
length, the opposing theme enters. Gregorian
chant which symbolizes the spirit OF religious deVo-
ton The voices of LHcfer aud the evil spirits arc
soon heard in the chorus; second chant, by
male chorus takes up the song OF the bells and an
exceedingly animated number Is brought to close
by the hymn of the choir within the church accom-
panied by the swelling organ. The next scene, In
Producing Prince Henry and the third which Is
dialogue between the Prince and LucJer with
chorus Of invisible spirits at the Close are both
notable for the combinations Of Characteristic mo-
tiyes-those already identified with L~cifer and
others significant of the melancholy and
unrest of Henry. When the Prince &C.
cents the Devils elixir, the Lucifer Theme
reaches It's climax, and is given out with all
the force of the full orchestra. This fine scene Il
followed by something in very different strain
n charming unaccompanied quartet 1.-THE Evening
Song), which is one Of the gems OF the work
Flses prayer is o delicious bit of grace and tender
mesa and then We have one of Mr. Bucks strong
est orchestral pieces the Pilgrimage to SalernO. II
Is built upon two themes, O vigorous phrase II
which the tramp Of marching feet Is lndl
Gated in an irresistible rhythm, and the
Pilgrims Hymn, borrowed from the ancient music
of the church. The march at first Is interposed be-
tween the verses of the hymn but after each
theme mas D6eu tTeaVou oopdAaOOiJ WV WV ~'>
used together with splendid effect. 1t is by the
orchestra likewise that Mr. Buck represents thu
scene IN the monastery where the abbot breaks IL
mon the revels of the disorderly monks; ant
here he makes an ingenious aud strlklnl
use of the Gregorian theme first healC
in the instrumental Prologue There is brilian
employment of "Ieading motives" again-Henry
Luolfer, Elsie in the ensemble scene at Salerno
and il is the Gregorian Theme which introduces ant
undergraduates the Eplogue Wherein after the evi
principle has been conquered, the chorus sings tn
beauty of holiness, of selfforRetfulness Of lowli
ness" in melody whose elegant form matches vel
with the noble text.
The success Of the prize composition was mos
emphatic. Everything in it was most hearth!
npplauded. The Monks Revel was highly relshe'