New-York tribune., 1901-09-22
MIR CUADWICk'S "JUDITH. "
THE STORY AND THE MUSIC OF THI
WORK To BE GIVEN AT THE WOI;CES-
TER FESTIVAL-SOME OF THE
TYPICAL THEMES AND
THEIR USE.

forward at the music festival in Worcester,
Mass this week, is a lyric drama founded
the apocryphaI story of Judith, which has so
often been the theme of painter and poet. The
composer of the music of the work is
George W. Chadwick conductor of the festival
and musical director of the New England Con-
servatory of Music. in Boston. Mr. Chadwick is
known to The Tribune's musical readers. His
dramatic cantata, THE Lily Nymph." which
was sung at Worcester some time ago, had a
previous performance at Carnegie Hall under the
direction of Mr. Frank Dessert. His overture,
'Melpomene," hOnored with a place on a
programme of the Philharmonic Society A
portion of one OF his symphonies was played at
the celebration of the fftieth anniversary OF
The Tribune. Mr.. Franz Kneisel and his ex-
cellent companions played one of his string
auartets in MendelssOhn Hail. and his songs
have been in the mouths of local singers for
years.
The author of the book is Mr.. William
Chauncy Langdon, a Of the late Rev Dr.
William Chauncy Langdcn. OF vermont
prominent clergyman Of the Protestant Ep'sco-
pal Church. The first five years of Mr. Lang
don's life were spent in Italy, he having leen
born in Florence while his father was repre-
senting his church with the Old CathoIIc, or
REFORM party during the Italian revolution
On the return of the family the lad pursued his
p
and Manlius n. Y. est Johns Military SchcoD.
He entered Cornel University in the fall OF 1883.
but followed DR.. Andrews to Brown, where he
was graduated in 1892 Since graduation he
has been teacher in Brown University Uni
versity Extension. Columbian University. Nor
wood School; this fall he goes TO I4awreuc vile
/ School He was one of the founders O. the
! dramatic club the Masque at Cornell, and Cf
the Operate club at Brown For the former he
/ wrote a comedy Instructor Pratt, of Cornell
! University" for the latter two comic oprre,,as.
Cupid. so and Eight Times Eight He also
! wrote farce. The Pin and the Pail" fey Brown
chapter OF the Psi Epsilon fraternity His first
effort in a serious way was sacred cantata-
I The Vision of the Throne" which falling under
the eye of Mr.. Chadwick led To the production
! of Judith
I Judith is in three acts. the scenes Of which
are laid respectively in Bethulia. the camp OF
Holofernes and outside the walls Of the He
brew city. The characters are Judith. HeZzo
soprano: Achior. tenor; Holofernes, bary'"ne'
Ozias. bass; a sentinel. tenor. The choruses
are supposed to be sung by Israelites in Beth
u.ia. captive Hebrews il the camp Of HO.oiernes'
I Assvrian soldiers and camp followers The prog
rrss of incident in the work is follows:
The Hebrew people (priests. soldiers and chill
dren) are gathered together IN the city OK
BethuIia bewaiIing the danger Threatened by
the hosts of Assyria that, led by HooterneS,
their captain are encamped in the valley below
the city. Ozias, priest, admonishes and en-
courages them to trust in Jehovah and reserve
their strength till the moment when His help
! shall appear The people scatter 10 their homes,
and Judith. who wears a widows garb. Is left
alone on the scene. She deplores the sinfulness
and faithessness of her people and Qrays
/ Jehovah to make her the instrument of their
| deIiverance. Her supplicatiOn ended. AChior,
messenger from HolOfernes. enters with guard
of Assyrian soldery. and calls upon Ozias and
the people, who have returned the scers
yield Holofernes, who will grant men women
and children their lives if they submit. but
wreak a terrible vengeance on them if they
| fuse Ozias firm in the faith. prOclams his
trust in Jehovah. and rejects the offer of peace.
No is the Assyrian embassy gone than
the people turn upon Ozias with reprOaches for
having sacrificed their wives and children.
doomed TO die of thirst:
| All hope is gone,
| The blazing sky pityinS raindrop shedsi
The parched cisterns warp beneath the sun!
| Ozias, water water! Or diei
| Ozias bids them wait for five days. IL at the
end Of that time Jehovah does not send deliver
ance Judah shall bend the head TO Asshur. He
commands an embassy to Holofernes beg for
| water and an armistice for five days; then. il
God not, to Asshur'S power they Will bow