incidental: the governing mood is signified in the tremendous exordium
with which the work opens, and which is sustained, with few
deviations, throughout the work. Deirdre he has realised exquisitely
in his middle movement: that is her image, in all its fragrant
loveliness. MacDowell has limned her musically in a manner worthy of
comparison with the sumptuous pen-portrait of her in Standish
O'Grady's "Cuculain": "a woman of wondrous beauty, bright gold her
hair, eyes piercing and splendid, tongue full of sweet sounds, her
countenance like the colour of snow blended with crimson."

In the close of the last movement we are justified in seeing a
translation of the sublime tradition of Cuchullin's death. This it is
which furnished MacDowell with the theme that he celebrates in the
lines of verse which I have quoted above. I believe that he was
planning an orchestral setting of this scene; and that, had he lived,
we should have had from him a symphonic poem, "Cuchullin."

The manner of the hero's death is thus described by Standish O'Grady:
"Cuculain sprang forth, but as he sprang, Lewy MacConroi pierced him
through the bowels. Then fell the great hero of the Gael. Thereat the
sun darkened, and the earth trembled ... when, with a crash, fell that
pillar of heroism, and that flame of the warlike valour of Erin was
extinguished.... Then Cuculain, raising his eyes, saw thence
northwards from the lake a tall pillar-stone, the grave of a warrior
slain there in some ancient war. With difficulty he reached it and he
leaned awhile against the pillar, for his mind wandered, and he knew
nothing for a space. After that he took off his brooch, and removing
the torn bratta [girdle], he passed it round the top of the pillar,
where there was an indentation in the stone, and passed the ends under
his arms and around his breast, tying with languid hands a loose knot,
which soon was made fast by the weight of the dying hero; thus they
beheld him standing with the drawn sword in his hand, and the rays of
the setting sun bright on his panic-striking helmet. So stood
Cuculain, even in death-pangs, a terror to his enemies, for a deep
spring of stern valour was opened in his soul, and the might of his
unfathomable spirit sustained him. Thus perished Cuculain ..."

Superb as this is, it is paralleled by MacDowell's tone-picture. That,
for nobility of conception, for majestic solemnity and pathos, is a
musical performance which measures up to the