excellent choirs (the "_Choeurs de Saint-Guillaume_") there, and
organised splendid concerts of Bach's music with the aid of another
Alsatian, Albert Schweitzer, whose name is well known to musical
historians. The latter is director of the clerical college of St. Thomas
(_Thomasstift_), a pastor, an organist, a professor at the University of
Strasburg, and the author of interesting works on theology and
philosophy. Besides this he has written a now famous book,
_Jean-Sebastien Bach_, which is doubly remarkable: first, because it is
written in French (though it was published in Leipzig by a professor of
the University of Strasburg), and secondly, because it shows an
harmonious blend of the French and German spirit, and gives fresh life
to the study of Bach and the old classic art. It was very interesting to
me to make the acquaintance of these people, born on Alsatian soil, and
representing the best Alsatian culture and all that was finest in the
two civilisations.

The programme for the three days' festival was as follows:

Saturday, May 20th.

_Oberon Overture_: Weber (conducted by Richard Strauss).

_Les Beatitudes_: Cesar Franck (conducted by Camille Chevillard).

_Impressions d'ltalie_: Gustav Charpentier (conducted by Camille
Chevillard).

Three songs by Jean Sibelius, Hugo Wolf, Armas Jaernefelt (sung by
Mme. Jaernefelt).

The last scene from _Die Meistersinger_: Wagner (conducted by
Richard Strauss).

Sunday, May 21st.

_Cinquieme Symphonie_: Gustav Mahler (conducted by Gustav Mahler).

_Rhapsodie_, for contralto, choir, and orchestra: Johannes Brahms
(conducted by Ernst Muench).

_Strasburg Concerto in G major_, for violin (played by Henri
Marteau; conducted by Richard Strauss).

_Sinfonia domestica_: Richard Strauss (conducted by Richard
Strauss).

Monday, May 22nd.

_Coriolan Overture_: Beethoven (conducted by Gustav Mahler).

_Concerto in G major_, for piano: Beethoven (played by Ferruccio
Busoni).

_Lieder: An die enfernie Geliebte_: Beethoven (sung by Ludwig
Hess).

_Choral Symphony_: Beethoven (conducted by Gustav Mahler).

* * * * *

M. Chevillard alone represented our French musicians at the festival;
and they could have made no better choice of a conductor. But Germany
had delegated her two greatest composers, Strauss and Mahler, to come to
co