New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-14


The oldest eItant setting OF the
song was made by Robert John
son, composer for the theatre,
who was graduated a. Bachelor OF
Music from Oxford University in 1897,
in great likelihood bcfore "The Tenn
pest" was written. This may be a
small matter. but ought not 70 be
overlooked In the consideration OF n
masoue confessedly designed TO teach
its lesson by historical methods.
The next use OF a Shskespearian lyric
is made in an excerpt from Julius
Cesar"-the scene from Act ~, In
which Lucius. assed TO touch his in
strument a strain or two" TO tighten the
lesrt Of Bru.us, fall asleep while sing
ing. "The boy sings TO his Lutte" is the
stage direction, but the song is not
given. Mr.. Mackaye introduces a
stanza. Fear no more the frown O. the
great" from the duet sung by Gui-
derius and Arvirsgus in "Cymbeline.
The music OF the song, which begins
Fear no more the heat o. the sum- has
not been preserved. The song is dirge
Tor Imogen: Mr.. Msckaye must answer
for its introduction as solace Tor
Brutus. whose only comment upon his
boys music is that il was "a sleepy
tune"
The eighth inner scene In the masque
~ that in which Orlando comes upon
the Duke and his company in the for
est in "As You Like IT," and the song
is "Under the Greenwood Tree There
is a setting OF this exquisite song as
old as 1887. but Mr.. Farwell preferred
TO make one OF his own for two-psrt
mems chorus. We forbear 10 institute
a comparison. The next and last ex-
cerpt from the plays is from the scene
in "The Merry Wives Of Windsor" IN
which the company, invited 20 witness
Falstaf's discontinue in Windsor For
est, dance about the fat knight, pinch
him, burn him with their torches and
sing "Fie on sinful fantasy eto Con-
corning the music 10 which this chorus
was sung nothing is known; the other
songs in the comedy were sung to
familiar airs Mr.. Farwell has made
unsonal chorus out of it without
charm Of any kind 70 commend it. At
the end OF the masque the chorus of
Ariel's spirits repeats in song the last
words Of Prospero NOW Shakespeare
TO Miranda
1--WE are such stuff
As dreams are made on. and our little
life
is rounded with a sleep"
to music By MIR. Farwell. a brief
phrase harmonized for four voices.
"Setebos was O frightful horned god
Of the Pstagonians,' says Shake
spearian commentator, and traveller
who visited Patagonia about the time
when Shakespeare was born remarked
in his History OF Travaile" that the
natives "roared lyke DULLES and cryed
upon their great DEVIL Setebos to help
them" There is a great deal OF this
invoking of the great DEVIL" in the
masoue. II begins with 1t and the In
vacations are heard ever and anon to
the end.
There are only two illusions TO HIM
in "The Tempest" where Re Is called
the god OF Caliban's dam, but in the
masuue he is presented to the eye as
the idol within whose nav, instead of
e cloven. pine, Ariel was imprisoned,
and from which Prospero delivered
him. While the chorus Of evil invokes
Setebos the spirits Of Ariel invoke
Prospero, and so there is great deal
OF hymning with Mr.. Msckaye's words
and Mr.. Farwell's music. There 10 con-
siderable Characteristic force in both
the literal and musical elements;
Spirits Of Ariel:
"Prospero. Prospero'
Out Of our eartn-pain
Raise and array US
In splendor OF order!
Pour on our chaos
Prosperoi Prospero.
Peace to our earth pam.
Potcers OF Setebos:
"Setebos, Setebosl
Lord Of our earth -bsne,
Loose or his wrath way
The beast of thy jungle.
Pour on our pathway
Setebos. Setebos
Blood for thine earth-bsne!"
Such song is likely TO be a more ef-
iective ingredient in the Mosque than
the spoken dialogue, which 1t is safe
10 say will be heard by only small
fraction Of the audience. Other music
Of the same order. though not of the
same dynamic and intervsllic rudeness,
are the choruses sung by the spirits
when the cave Of Setebos is trans
formed into Prospero's theatre and the
Kings Francis ] of France and Henry
VIII clasp hands on the Field OF the
Cloth Of Gold. Another graceful
lyric, which invites good music I'VE do
not know what it has received), is the
song beginning Spring. the sweet
Spring, is the years pleasant king"
which Mr.. Msckaye borrowed for the
opening Of his third act from Thomas
Nash's comedy, Summers Last Will
and Testament brought out in A. d.
1000. There Is no indication OF the fact
in the book or music Of "Cslibsn," but