st the
harmony given, in which the preceding chord is resolved, would be
intolerable. Surely, the composer intended a pronounced _rallentando_
on the latter half of the bar, and a carrying of the voice by a
_portamento_ to the last note. Thus:

[Music: tu regnes dans mon coeur!]

In the edition of the immortal air in the opera of _Xerxes_,
universally known as the "Largo of Handel," also revised and edited by
d'Indy, may be noticed the following:

[Music: Non v'oltraggino mai la cara pace, ne giunga a profanarvi
austro rapace!]

Of course, every operatic conductor knows that the chord in the
orchestra must be played "after the voice," as the technical phrase
has it. But not every pianist or organist is familiar with this usage,
and the effect would be very disagreeable if given as written. It
should be performed thus:

[Music: Non v'oltraggino mai la cara pace, ne giunga a profanarvi
austro rapace!]

Besides, why claim that a certain edition is "revised and edited,"
when all the care and musical knowledge seem to have been expended on
the harmonies only? Surely, the voice-part in these classics is not
without its need of elucidation.

An edition of _The Messiah_, revised for performance, can scarcely be
called accurate when such defects as the following occur:

"And [fermata symbol over "they"] they ---- [breath symbol] were
sore afraid."

The following is the authentic mode of performing the phrase:

"And [fermata symbol over dash] ---- [breath symbol] [slur symbol
and "sombre" over the following words] they were sore afraid."

In the same edition for the solo singers occurs: ("Behold and see"):

[Music: If there be any sorrow like un_to_ His sorrow.]

But by a slight syllabic rearrangement, the disagreeable accent on the
last syllable of "un-_to_" is avoided, and the accent placed on the
word "His," to which it belongs, while the composer's music remains
untouched.

[Music: like unto _His_ sorrow.]

Again, in the same air occurs:

[Music: (as printed)

like un_to_ His sorrow.

(should be sung)

like unto _His_ sorrow.]

While recognizing the benefits conferred by some of these specially
prepared editions, there remains still more to be accomplished in this
direction before the work is complete. A flood of light has been
thrown on the dark and nebulous places of the instrumental classics by
various distinguished and highly competent musicians. It is sincerely
to be hoped