New-York tribune., 1903-01-25
CESAR FRANCK.

three parts the first of which dhe part selected by
Mr. Damroscfn fo1 performance is wholly instru-
mental The underlying poetica conceit OF the
whole is the beautiful fable freighted with etlca
symbolism which Apuleius gave TO literature IN lhe
second century Of the Christian era. Psyche- the
daughter Of a king arouses the envy of Venus
because Of her beauty and the goddesss anger De
cause of the feeling which that beauty inspires
among men. She resolves 10 punish her pre-
sunptuous mortal rival and sends Cupid as her
messenger of vengeance. But the God Of Love HIM
self falls victim TO the maidens charms The
spell which he had put upon her, however he
could not wholly dissipate- Hosts Of admirers still
follow Psyche but worthy man offers her mar
riase. Her parents consult the oracle of Apollo
who tells them that she is doomed to become the
wife Of a monster who lives upon a high noun
tain The maiden sees in this the punishment
raeted out by Venus, and offers herself as sacri-
fee Left alone by parents and friends, she climbs
the rocky sleeps and falls asleep in the wilderness
Thence come the zephyrs and carry her beau
riful garden. where unseen hands serve her sunptu-
ously in magnificent palace and the voices OF IN
visible singers ravish her ears with music Every
night she is visited by mysterious being who
lavishes loving gifts upon her, but forbds her TO
look upon his face and disappears before dawn.
The story. ii will be is built upon the ethcaI
conceit which is also at the bottom OF Lonengrin.
Psyches sisters. envious of her wonderful fortune
and great happiness fill her mind with wicked
doubt and distrust. A fatal curiosity seizes upon
her and one night she uncovers her lamp TO look
upon the form Of her doting companion Instead
Of the monster spoken Of by the oracle, she sees
the loveliest Of the imnortals. 1t is Cupid who lies
sleeping before her with snowy wings folded and
golden ringlets clustering about his shoulders
Anxious for q closer view Psyche leans over him;
but a drop Of hot oil falls from the lamp upon his
shining skin. The god swakes, and without q word
flies out of the window Palace and gardens dsap-
pear and Psyche is left alone to suffer After
wandering long in search Of the lost one she wins
the sympathy Of Ceres who advises her 10 seek
out Venus and offer reparation. She becomes the
slave of the goddess who imposes cruel tasks upon
her. But Cupid cannot bear 10 be separated from
her and goes 10 Jupiter. who intercedes with Venus
and wins her forgiveness. Then the supreme god
gives her immortality and she becomes forever the
wife Of Cupid.
Only the first part Of Cesar Franck's musical
paraphrase OF the legend will be performed at the
Philharmonic concert. but there be no harm.
and may be some good in printing here the pro-
gramme which prefaces the score:
PART /
PSYCHE ASLEEF-
Psyss sssPs in the dim t TesoP & 81 4s Da, 9E9ms or ths
world which she feels win be here suddenly The air
Sy zepSyTs SspS to the Gardens OF Eros
PART II.
THE GARDENS OF EROS
beautiful self, Psyche recnes on
queen Voices rnarmGT in her ear Of the power
us Ses wAes Sa X e e b spouse who Is even
nov approaching. Enchanted she listens 75s and
E On the face Of thy mystic lover thou must .sD neysF
Snf another voice Is now heard sweet YET clear it
voice Of Eros himself Psyche timid!y answers =:
radiance all IS happiness last forever will
PART III.
THE PUNIsHMENT-PsYCHEs sUFFERINGs AND
TEARS-APOTHEOSIS
Psyche has disregarded the warning punishment
!. VIII Eros pardon herr
ber syrfeS rnea Sureleg has
knoWn n1essureless bliss On nothing
f ..t ss5 s s f oad Os hs es love h he Ras
lost oreyes but a,en e s Sa hoe @ 70 choir, and
ss % ans ~ sns o Is death hat gone up to he
great Coo Love and he himself comes down to thee:
ass ss s - o se IN he arms Of her imoraI lover Psyche
glory siory: -''-
ward in Paris at the Opera Comque. May Z.
1855 and had sixty representations In the season.
Its book by Edward Blau, is free treatment OF
a legendary story which lives in the baIadry Of
Brittany. Between sixty and seventy years ago
III. Hersart &c Ia VilIenarque. native Breton.
wandered through his native province. and from
the lips Of peasants gathered the songs and bal
lads which he published IN ls4o under the title.
'Earxxx-Brez. Chants Populaires de Ia Bretagne.
recueilles at publies avec une Traducion Fran
csase, des Arguments. des Notes et les Melodies
or4einales par etc" From d peasant named
Thomas Penvean. NJ Vilemsrque recovered fraB-
rnents Of extremely old song which tells the
legend Of the subnersion OF the ancient Arnori-
can city OF Us. The catastrophe is supposed
have occurred about a. d. t4n. The story In brief
is that in the reign Of Grndion the Great his
capital city projected against the encroach-
Inents Of the by system of dkes. the secret
gatevsy OF which wss locked with key which he
always kept attached a chain which he
about his neck. One night his daughter, wishing
~ cro~n q banquet given in hsHor Of lover, stole