n
of the beneficent inventor of the Virgil Clavier. A year later he
returned to Pittsburg, where he has since remained. For awhile he was
conductor of a symphonic society and a choral union, which are no
longer extant. Since, he has devoted himself to teaching and
composition.

Of Foerster's piano compositions opus 11 is a "Valse Brillante," warm
and melodious. Opus 13 is a "Sonnet," based, after the plan of Liszt,
upon a lyric of Petrarch's, a beautiful translation from his "Gli
occhi di ch'io parlai si caldamente." It is full of passion, and shows
a fine variety in the handling of persistent repetition. Opus 18
couples two sonatinas. The second has the more merit, but both, like
most sonatinas, are too trivial of psychology and too formal even to
be recommended for children's exercises. "Eros" is a fluent melody,
with a scherzesque second part.

Opus 37 contains two concert etudes, both superb works. The first,
"Exaltation," is very original, though neither the beginning nor the
ending is particularly striking. The music between, however, has a
fervor that justifies the title. This etude is, like those of Chopin,
at the same time a technical study and a mood. The second, a
"Lamentation," begins with a most sonorous downward harmony, with
rushes up from the bass like the lessening onsets of a retreating
tide. Throughout, the harmonies and emotions are remarkably profound
and the climaxes wild. I should call it one of the best modern piano
compositions.

Twelve "Fantasy Pieces" are included in opus 38. They are short
tone-poems. The second, "Sylvan Spirits," is fascinating, and "Pretty
Marie" has an irresistibly gay melody. He has dedicated the six songs
of opus 6 to Robert Franz. These are written in a close unarpeggiated
style chiefly, but they are very interesting in their pregnant
simplicity. In two cases they are even impressive: the well-known
lyric, "Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome," and "Meeresstille." Opus 12 is
a notable group of three songs: "Mists" is superbly harmonious. Opus
25 includes "Ask Thou Not the Heather Gray," a rhapsody of the utmost
ingenuity in melody and accompaniment. It has a catching blissfulness
and a verve that make it one of the best American songs. Opus 28 is a
book called "Among Flowers." The music is in every case good, and
especially satisfactory in its emancipation from the Teutonism of
Foerster's earlier songs. The song "Among the Roses" has a beautiful
poem, which deserves the s