New-York tribune., 1901-09-22


A vision Of my lost one. with calm and radiant
He spake: and with the accents of that beloved
mighty thrill pass'd Ger me NV snirit did
rejeice. ~
Fear not" he said. 80 Judith. thou brave and
To save and bless thy people thou hast been set
For thou shalt slay the tvrant cen with tbv
And .he Cod who reigns above thee shall pro-
tect thee from all harm.
So deck thy form with jewels with flow'rs tby
brow adorn
Take not thy maidens with thee but go forth
To Asshurs camp betake thee, Let not thy
courage fall
Dshonor shall not harm thee howe'er the foe
aSSsil.
And when the hour cometh that sounds the
My spirit shall protect thee; beloved spouse,
FAREWELL
The vision passed. and with it my soul with
strength filled,
Ny spirit uplifted and every fear was stilled
Now. cen as i was hidden, to Asshurs camp
Ye shall not see my face again till Asshur is
laid low
This Is right royal poetry of the operate
stripe. but it serves Mr.. Chadwicks purposes
admirably, for. as Wagner made Senta's ballad
an eptome OF the entire opera OF THE Flying
Dutchman." so Mr.. Chadwick has made Judith's
narrative an epitome of his lyric drama. In its
musical investiture shall find the most sig
nhcant of the typical themes which he has
employed in his score. The action goes on.
The people, smitten with shame and contrition,
plead with Judith forego her purpose but
She persists in her determination, and they at
last give her godspeed and kneel in prayer for
her protection.
The second act. whose theatre is the camp of
Holofernes, opens with choral ensemble Sol
diers slorify their bloody deeds and acclaim their
deiueS and heroes, Raman. Bel Marduk.
Asshur. Baal. Nergal, Nebuchodonosor; Hebrew
captives bemoan their lot and camp followers
hout them. Holofernes enters and chants his
own puissance To him comes Achior to make
report Of his embassy. He advises Holofernes
TO conquer the Hebrews by leaving them to
thirst and temptation for that Jehovah could
be overcome only 10y craft For this blasphemy
he is thrown into chains. The Hebrew captives $
break out into expressions of amazement and G
pity as they observe the approach Judith; the l
soldiers praise her beauty. Holofernes is smit- :
ten with her charms, and bids her to feast with I
him at night. Judith consents but begs per a
mission TO pass through the line of sentneIs to
go down into the valley and pray midnight
anu noon. IT is granted. The scene changes; :
we are before the tent. where Judith presents
herself TO the sentinel; then within where !
Holofernes and his officers are discovered re-
clining on couches, female slaves pouring wine | l
Dancers invite Judith 10 join them; Holofernes
offers her a beside him; she declines all | I
and asks the boon of serving the Assyran cap I
tain alone This. too, is granted and the eli {
nactic scene is reached in the duet, in which !
Holofernes praises the Jewish Woman's beauty I
and sings his passion while she alternately fiat
ters. cajoles and plies him with wine c
HOlofernes Che is gradually overcome by the
Wine)-
Afar on the plains of the Tigris.
Where naught but the honey bee roams,
Shall blossom in jewels mine Iris,
Palm shaded meath crystalline domes.
Far off DER the meadows of flowers
That drink all the tints Of the vine.
The clouds shall drop pearls in their showers,
And the brooks shall run red with pure wine
Soft music shall watt from the towers
And perfumes their heayiness shed,
Through the golden ASsyrian hours
Where my fairest shall dream her bed.
Dreams Of love, dreams of bliss,
In the moonlights soft kiss.
Meanwhile he has given his enslaver rings
jewels and his sword with jewellcd hilt, worth
all Persia He sinks into a drunken sleep
Judith utters a prayer, takes the sword in
both hands and strikes HolOfernes three times
At the third stroke the head rolls away" Thus
of course in the book; not at the performance
of work as an Oratorio at Worcester. There
than Greek discretion viii be observed
for everything will be left to the imagination :
But if Mr. Chadwick realizes his hope Of