ng the traditional musical form to
the needs of his poetic purpose. The work requires a considerable
amount of study for its finished performance, as well as a
knowledge and understanding of its source of inspiration. Heard
at its best it is a magnificent solo piece, only surpassed by the
composer's own two later sonatas, the _Norse, Op. 57_, and the
_Keltic, Op. 59_.

1. The first movement is notable for its variety of _tempo_ and
expression, every page containing new indications as to these in
the illuminating and characteristic English of the composer. He
has told us that the movement as a whole typifies the coming of
Arthur, and as such we may leave it. The traditional sonata form
is freely adapted to the poetic requirements of the movement, but
the result is rather ragged. The music itself, however, is deeply
inspired and full of fire. The simple, yet pathetic second
subject is recalled again in the slow movement.

2. The fanciful and "elf-like" _scherzo_ movement was suggested
to the composer by Dore's picture of a knight in a wood,
surrounded by mythological forest folk. The music is imaginative
and cleverly written, but MacDowell afterwards considered the
movement as a whole to be "an aside" from the general content of
the sonata. The present writer thinks that this _scherzo_ may be
omitted by a performer who satisfies himself that it is not an
essential part of the Arthurian concept of the whole. If the
sonata is played simply as programme music, however, it benefits
by the inclusion of this movement.

3. This movement is headed, _Tenderly, longingly, yet with
passion_, and is considered by many of the composer's admirers to
be one of his most beautiful inspirations. It is, according to
MacDowell himself, a musical representation of Guinevere,
Arthur's lovely queen. Quite independent of the rest of the
sonata, the movement is a tone poem of rare beauty, expressiveness
and passion, although the melody entering at its eleventh bar
connects it with the preceding movement.

4. The last movement represents the passing of Arthur. It is
strikingly suggestive of the closing days of the Arthurian drama,
the tragic note being often impressively struck, although not so
definitely as in the _Sonata Tragica_. The import of the movement
is satisfying to those who believe that the days of romance and
chivalry closed with the fall of Arthur and his knights, despite
the attempts in the Middle Ages to revive the past. The