New-York tribune., 1908-04-05
KING OLAF
Continued from eighth page of Part '.

battle-axe OF the image of the war god A stout
old pagan Ironbrand, attempts TO avert the de-
struction Of the idol and Is slain. He dies calling
on Odin. triumphant in the belief that Walhala's
doors Will open to him.
AS a blood atonenent Olaf weds Gudrun the
daughter OF Ironbrand. hut waking his bridal
night he beholds Gudrln standing at his bedside
with a drawn dagger. She had purposed to avengs
the death OF her father. but being detected reln-
quisles her intention. Olaf. however, parts with
her forever the morrow. The words of the
scene, which is set for soprano and tenor. soil and
chorus. is the eighth of The Musicians Tales" in
I-ongfellow. The next number is choral ballad
with the burdsn of Morse poetry which tells Of
how one-eyed gray-bearded guest came among
the people Of King Olaf. regaled them with tales
Of the and sagas old" and disappeared at
break OF day Go. Of Longfellow's Tales:
King Olaf crossed himself and said:
The 9ne-syet . st strangr a; E. was s. his wrath:
NJ. Ackworth contributes the next scene, the
cital Of which falls to sopranos soil and
a chorus OF women-the minstrel maids. The tale
scarcely justifes Carlyles estimate of Olaf. as "a
high. true and great human soul The king offers
himself in marriage 10 Sigrid Queen of Svitn-
iod. She consents TO become his If he will swear
his love 4 ling which Olaf had taken from
LADIES' temple for thus Odin his love.
He refuses. and Sigrid proclams her belief in the
existence Of the "Norland gods" and her contempt
for the slaves who the Southland god Olaf
rorgets his chyalry:
will give my body and solI 70 name
Ere bs 5sSe g, g. my S.I heaFt a. hfstnen i ,oo dame
Shall / buy thy land al the cost Of truth
Rudely spoken. this. but. if it in
sulting enough, he strikes the queen across the
cheek with his gauntlet. then flies. warned OF dan
ger BY the queens maders. Sigrid TO be
avenged upon him. The fifteenth OF Longfellow's
tales makes up the next scene. which is again
treated as a choral ballad. 1t is the pretty story
liz.
fed from the king Burislaf of Wendland, to whom
she had been betrothed for eight days. and came
70 King Ola-s court. Olaf became enamoured OF
her beauty and married her though it meant war
with King Svend. the Dane and King Burislav.
the Weno.'
l-ttis bird n III. ar
fbe sfes si.iep % Of Send the Dane
And the song ~ the sarrulous bird
In the streets of The the tow is heard
tioG Ana Re, TSpeatsa s . sF.in q. =. anp i1 again
A7G aee ep ava froh eaca o.hsr1
= love duet follows in the course Of which Thyri
procures promise from Olaf that he will Hrest her
domains from King Burislav. The words by
NJ Ackvorth. but Longfellow is drawn again
for choral recitative which tells how Queen Sisrid
becomes the bride OF King Svend, and ca joes him
into wsrlike enterprise against Olaf, that she
may have her revenge:
5ao5nlae A2a }a "GsPFs hen saa6asd as s6iis pride
over the waters vide
EInE OLAF sought he.
There is a sea battle described by the chorus and
Olaf is slain. The twenty-second Of LongfeIlows
Tales THE Nun of Nidaros. supplies the epiIogue.
AstIid. Olaf's mother kneeling prayer in the
convent OF Dronthem. hears voice in the darkness
wiihout which tells thai Olafs mission is to DO
acHI,., ed in the old manner. but tn love:
against hsT
Peace TJf
Patience Is powerful.
liz Ibat
eT y eF he
King OL4f' viii De performed under direc-
tiOI of Or. Frank bamTosch with i chorus OF hy-
hundred voices. the band of the New York Sym
hony Soc!eJ., Bratnlc Fine, soprano; Daniel Bed
doe. tenor, and Edward Evans. bass II r. il