New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-24

we have only TO hear ''CaractacUs.' written toT
the I,eecs Festival Of 1895. and two overtUres'
..F'roissart" ian old work. and In the South
which had It's Erst performance at the Egar les
tivsl In London last month. TO count ourselves
wholly familiar with the compositions OF
musician who. thinking. is the most inter
esting OF living composers. not excepting Dr. Rich
ard Strauss. now occupied il commercial enter
prses n the United States.
king OLAF was composed n 1895 for the North
stanordshire Festival ana had its FIRST perform
ance on October so OF that year al Hanley. II was
preceded by The Light OF Life" shorter work
composed for the Worcester Festival 'Caracta-
Gus" followed It IN 1895 The Dream OF Geron-
tius" IN 1900 and the first two parts OF The APos-
ties" Ca that has yet been given 70 the world) in
1903 Much Of the text % King Olaf" is familiar
70 American readers. for It is drawn from The
Musicians Tale" in LongteIlow's Tales Of q
Tvsvsi6e Inn II the American peers scheme the
stories for which he went 70 the Heimskringla
Saga OF the Northland are supposed to be told by
s-the blue eyed Norseman,' who played fragments
OF old Norwegian tunes OF his violin as interluoes
between the tales. II is highly probable that Ole
Bull sat for the picture OF the Morse story teller.
and q little singular. considering how near the
suggestion was al hand, that DIT. Elgar did not
make use OF LongfeIows musical conceit the
more since he retained some OF the poets lines
which sllude to the ''blue eyed Norsemans" play
sne AT the end OF the cantats, recurring the
music o: his opening pages, the composer gives
setting 70 The lines;
;sT q nSsS s9 55s. tsf t Ssl
Thst with Sc cadence wild and sweet
Makes the long saga more complete.
Less than half OF the lines are BY Longfenow.
however. the remainder being from the pen Of H.
A Acworth. who shaped the book for musical
treatment. The device followed seems to have
been suggested by the composer. The performers
70 be looked upon as gathering OF skalas.
-Au IN turn take part n the narration OF the
Saga and occasionally. at the more dramatic
#-~q
character" Each scene IS preceded by short reel
tsttvs IN which q solo singer. who may be identi-
Gee with the chief s1ald. calls upon the assembly
either to recount or enact the tales concerning tho
hero whose deeds they are celebrating. Thus after
choral Introduction, There is a wondrous book"
etc. tho chief skald commands:
sumsn.a The Cod Of Thunder
Elm Who -yes re heey,ns asunder
chsusaEins de world 70 war.
Immediately we are launched into the first scene
the chorus uniting in the challenge Of Thor TO the
calnesn. SIS we have It IN Longfellow:
am am he n: % S94 G Gssf.
] the ThGndere-!
Here Is my NcrthlanG.
Rsisa / foser Si-I etc sss '''-1
tenor solo. And King Olaf heard the cry"
Introduces the hero and tells how he accepted the
challenge This hero is Olaf Tryggveson. who
was a King OF Norway about A D ss5-i050 and
has been celebrated IL popular song and story ever
he lived IL exile. became viking ard for years
raVEgeo the coasts OF Europe down to Lands End
Paus.ng once az the Scilly Islands he sought out
hermit and hy him converted 10 Christianity.
Thereafter he returned 70 the Northlsnd and after
q struggle mace himself King Carlyle writes en-
Enthusiastically ~ him: Though his kingdom was
TIE sraailes, the e1orse Three Olas had risen TO
a renown al the Morse world which neither
be OF Denmark nor he q Sweden could pretend
70 rival magnificent. far shining man; more
pert IN all bodily exercises. the Morse called
them. than any man hao ever been before him:
OF after Essentially dehnabie too 81 we
look wei into him. a wild BIT OF real heroism,
IN such rude guise and environment: q high true
and great human soul Jovial burst Of laughter
fn him. xithat bright airy. wise way OF speech;
dressed beautifully. and with care. man ad-
xnireo and loved exceedingly by those he liked.
dreaded as death by those he did not Ike" Il
is with his 1eeos and adventures OF such a man
th4s the cantath Is concerned. The FIRST deed is
the forced ano violent conversion OF his subjects
% carssfianfty Il is the old tale which we meet
with anns other peoples. also OF the hero's de-
strucr'on with his battleaxe OF the image Of thu
war goo stout old pagan. lombard attempts
20 avert the destruction OF the Idol sad Is slain.
Ee cies calling Odtn. triumphant in the belef
s,,t Yalbsll. o doors Ntn open 10 hin
An |. blood stonernent Olaf nOw Seds Gudrurrs
IN, oaughtef OF Ironbrard. bat waking on his
bridal night hs seholds GucrUn standing at ms
BEDSIDE with . drawn dagger She had purposeo
20 svsaFs the Death % her father. but being de-
tecfec reiinuuishes her Intention. Olaf however.
parts with her forever tho morrow The words
81 the scene which IL Get for soprano and tenor.
soH and choruh 10 the eighth OF the musicians
Tales in Lorgfsiiow. The next number IL choral
b,nnd With the burden COrzquse) o. Morse poetry
which tells OF how a one-eyed. gray -beardeo guest
came among the people Of King Olaf resalec them
win tales Of tho sss and ssgss old" and d;sSp-
y zrec at break Of Cay oso- vi Of Longfeliows
ts1sS1s
Esns OEs hlnAssH anc ss,e
y know that ncD tia B-sst 10 o~@d
Sure 10 ths triumph 81 fEgfh
~ q