ine"). Leutold then appears, seeking Tell's protection,
and a very dramatic finale begins, closing with the arrest of
Melchtal, which leads to an ensemble of great power.

The second act opens with a double chorus of huntsmen and shepherds
("Qual silvestre metro intorne"), which is followed by a scena
preluding a charming romanza ("Selva opaco") sung by Mathilde. Its
mild, quiet beauty is in strange contrast with the remainder of this
great act. It is followed by a passionate duet with Arnold, a second
and still more passionate duet between Tell and Walter, which leads to
the magnificent trio of the oath ("La gloria inflammi"), and this in
turn is followed by the splendid scene of the gathering of the
cantons. For melodic and harmonic beauty combined, the spirited
treatment of masses, and charm and variety of color, this great scene
stands almost alone.

The last act opens with a duet between Mathilde and Arnold, which is
followed in the next scene by a march and chorus as the multitude
gathers in the square of Altorf, closing with a lovely Tyrolean chorus
sung by the sopranos and accompanied with the dance. The dramatic
scene of the archery follows, and then Arnold has a very passionate
aria ("O muto asil"). Some very vivid storm-music preluding the last
scene, and the final hymn of freedom ("I boschi, i monti") close an
opera which is unquestionably Rossini's masterpiece, and in which his
musical ability reached its highest expression. "Manly, earnest, and
mighty," Hanslick calls it; and the same authority claims that the
first and second acts belong to the most beautiful achievements of the
modern opera.

RUBINSTEIN.

Anton Gregor Rubinstein was born Nov. 30, 1829, at Weghwotynez in
Russia. His mother gave him lessons at the age of four, with the
result that by the time he was six she was unable to teach him
anything more. He then studied the piano with Alexander Villoing, a
pupil of John Field. In 1840 he entered the Paris Conservatory, where
he attracted the attention of Liszt, Chopin, and Thalberg. He remained
in that city eighteen months, and then made some professional tours,
in which he met with extraordinary success. In 1844 his parents
removed to Berlin, and he was placed under Dehn, the famous
contrapuntist, to study composition. From 1846 to 1848 he taught music
in Pressburg and Vienna, and then went back to Russia. For eight years
he studied and wrote in St. Petersburg, and at the end of that ti