New-York tribune., 1908-04-05
=" KING OLAF
Something about Sir Edzcard FL
gdr's CantatG.

At Carnegie Hall next Wednesday evening ne
Peoples Choral Union. which is now IN rs SIX
taenth year will perform Sir Edward t.igaT can
tata Scenes from the Saga OF King Oiaf SE
Edwards later works have been Elade familiar py
performances the concerts OF the Oratorlo SO
cfetv and by no small amount OF discussion out TINS
secular composition which contains the element "a
popularity which The Dream of Gerontius ana
its successors lack has had but single perform
ance in New York. and that under conditions not
calculated to attract much attention 70 T. Alns
Olaf" had its first American performance IN Car
nece Hall by the Brooklyn Oratorio Society on
ApriI % 1904 The work composed in 1895
for the North stafrordshire festival. and had is
first performance on October 80 OF tnat year al
Hanley Much Of the text OF the cantata IS IA
n7tIfar 70 American readers for It is drawn from
aThe Musicians Tale" IN LongfeiIOws Tales Of
Wavsfde Inn In the American poets scheme. the
stories (they in fact derived from the Helms
zrfneIa Saga are supposed TO be told BY the blue
eyed Norseman' who played fragments or old
Norwegian tunes on his violin interludes between
the tales II is highly probable that Ole Bull sat
for the picture OF the Morse story teller Less than
half OF the lines by Longfeilow, however the
remainder being from the pen Of H A AcN"oTlI'
who shaped the book for musical treatment. The
device followed seems 20 have been suggested BY
the composer The performers 70 be looked
upon a gathering OF slSalds all OF wnoIn take
part in the narration OF the and occasionally
al the more dramatic points, personify Tor the no
nent important cHardcter- EdCH sceiie -
preceded by a short recitativs. n which a SOLO
singer who may be identified with the chief s1aId.
calls upon the assembly either 70 recount or enact
the tale concerning the hero whose deeds theT are
celebrating. Thus after a choral Introduction
There Is wond-ous book etc, the chief skald
commands.
zIl Emgn 5o P2 r-. n. BE- as 9sst q rs R asHSsr
Sing words Of mighty Thor,
challenging the world 70 war
Immediately We are launched into the first scsns.
the chorus uniting in the challenge of Thor 20 the
GaIIIean. have it in LongfeAow-
an the God Thor.
an the Thurderer.
NJ fas-nezs ana fortress
Reign I forever. etc
A tenor solo. And King Olaf Heard the Cry"
introduces the hero and tells how he accepted the
challenge. THIS hero is Olaf Tryggveson. y no was
a king Of Norway about A =. ss5-l0t9- and mas
been celebrated in song and popular story ever
since. He grew up to manhood n Russia, Where
he lived IN exile. became viking and Tor years
ravaged the coasts of Europe down 10 Lands End
Pausiug once at the SciIIy Islands, he sought o1f
a hermit and was oy him converted 20 Christian
ity. Then ne returned TO the Norrhland- and atter
struggle made himself king Carlyle writes entnu-
sfasticaIIy about him; Though his kingdom was
the smallest OF the Morse three Olaf mad risen 20
2 -enov1, over all the Morse world. which neither
he Of Denmark nor ne OF Sweden could pretend 10
rival A ma gni1ceut, far shining man, more expert
in all bodily exercises. as the Morse called them
than any man had ever been before him or atte-
was Essentially defnab,e, too. II We look Wei
into him as wild bit of real he-oisrn such rude
gIise ard environment. 4 high. true and great
human soul. \ ioviaI burst Of laughter IN him
withaI a bright airy. wise way OF speech dressed
beautifully and with care. man admired ana
loved exceedingly BY those he liked, dreaded as
death bv those he did not Ike Il IS with the
deeds and adventures OF such man that the can
tata is concerned The first deed IS the forced and
violent conversion OF hIs subjects 70 Christianity
Il is the cd tale which meet with also among
other peoples, OF the he-O's destruction wiki MS
Continued on eighth page Of Part VI