The Newtown bee., 1893-02-24
Washington. A SPIRITED CANTATA.
Joan of Arc. by A. R. Gaul.-TO be Sung by the Washington Gles Club.

The cantata, "Joan of Arc," by A. R. Gaul, which will be rendered next week Thursday, March ?, by the Washington glee club, assisted by soloists from New York and Meriden, will be interesting from dramatic and historical point of view, as we'll as musically. Around few characters in history have so much po- etry and sentiment gathered, as around the Maid of Orleans" the simple peas ant girl of Domremy. Painters have de- picted her, sculptors have carved her, great poets and dramatists have
 SUNG HER PRAISES
 and told her story. and now the musician has joined his art to the poets to tell the tale once more. No one who has seen Bastien LePage's great picture of Jeanne D'Arc can ever forget the strange ex- pression In the wonderful eyes, as she gazes on "her visions" nor the attitude of intense listening with which she heark- ems to "her voices" In Gaul's cantata,
 
 are heard far In the distance calling Joan to her mission, as if to presage all that the future has in store. Then the music suddenly
 CHANGES TO A LIVELY
 movement, as the peasant youths and maidens of Domremy celebrate with song and dance" the first of May. Lack of space forbids a detailed account of the plot, but the main events of loans ca reer are touched on-her departure from home followed by Philip, her peasant lover, who, by the way, Is the only tic- titious character iu the work, her inter- view with Sir Robert de Bandricourt, the governor of YancOuleurs, who, impress cd by her appearance, promises her his aid. She is then clad in armour and pro- vided with a banner, sword and steed, and she Journeys on to besieged Orleans, by roads full of peril,
 SLEEPING AT NIGHT in the woods. As she passes Glen she is hailed by the populace with shouts of joy and enters Orleans without hindrance from the English, who are paralyzed with superstitious fear. Here again she Is greeted with acclamations by the peo- pie. The next day the siege is raised, the French men-at arms singing a spirit ed battle chorus, in which the populace, men and women, join; the English fly from the ramparts, the French with Joan at their head in hot pursuit. After the victory all crowd into the cathedral where a beautiful Ave Maria is sung.
 OTHER VICTORIES FOLLOW but the hour of reversal arrives. At Compiegne, Joan by the cowardly de- sertion of some of her own side, is cap tured by the enem.' and the populace la ment her loss .and cry "Shame on the caitiffs who left her alone to her fate" At Rouen, where she Is to be executed, Joan laments her fate and longs for home, but Is comforted by her 'voices," who promise her blissful entrance into Para disc. In the final chorus the youths and maidens of Domremy, who are again eel ebrating the May festival, are rebuked by Philip and others, who come to tell the sad story of her death, after which all join in
 ,~ SOUNDING THE PRAISES
 of her deeds which "shall live in the land forevermore." The introduction of Phil ip, the lover, is of course an act of poetic license, which finds some support, how ever, In a tradition of rejected suitor and also In the example of Lebeiller, who in his drama "Die Jungfrou von Orle- ans," greatly enhances the dramatic pow CT and interest of the plot, by his inven- ton of the noble English lover, Lionel. Perhaps in this brief outline enough has been said to show the scope and va riety of the work. The bright dance music, the solemn Ave Maria, the "spir- 1t voices" march to the battle, the sad minor laments at her death, etc., give great variety to the choruses.
 THE SOLOS ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL and as varied In style as the choruses. Rev Dr Parker's church in Hartford, sings the part of "Joan," Mir Robinson of New York, "Sir Robert de Baudri- court" also "Jean de Noodonpont." Raymond W. Smith of Newark, another member of the Mendelssohn glee club of New York takes the part of Philip. The concert will be given in the Congrega- tional church and reserved seats can be obtained from either postoffice here.
 LAST YEAR
 when the oratorio was rendered, all, or nearly all, the best seats in the body of the house and the "Gunnery gallery'' were sold before the night. No doubt the same will he true this year, and those wishing the best seats should not wait till the day of the concert. The seats un- der the galleries are not as good for a proper hearing of chorus work. As re- served seat costs no more than mere ad- mission, 50 cents, it will certainly pay to secure good one in advance.
 .THEsERvTcEs AT THE DEPOT.
 The Sunday evening services of the Episcopal church, held in the Town hall,