d to reflect the quiet and tender sentiment of the farewell in his
music, and has admirably succeeded. Poetic beauty is its most striking
feature, both in the instrumental parts, which are well sustained, and in
the vocal, which are earnest, expressive, and at times very pathetic, of
this pretty tone-picture.

GADE.

Niels W. Gade was born at Copenhagen, Oct. 22, 1817. His father was a
musical-instrument maker and intrusted his early education to the Danish
masters Wershall, Berggren, and Weyse. He made such good progress that he
soon entered the royal orchestra of that city as a violinist and began to
be known as a composer. His first important work, the overture
"Nachklaenge von Ossian," obtained a prize from the Copenhagen Musical
Union and also secured for him the favor of the King, who provided him
with the means for making a foreign journey. Prior to starting he sent a
copy of a symphony to Mendelssohn, which met with the latter's
enthusiastic approval. He arrived at Leipsic in 1843, and after producing
his first symphony with success, travelled through Italy, returning to
Leipsic in 1844, where during the winter of that year he conducted the
Gewandhaus concerts in the place of Mendelssohn, who was absent in
Berlin. In the season of 1845-46 he assisted Mendelssohn in the same
concerts, and after the latter's death became the principal director, a
post which he held until 1848, when he returned to Copenhagen and took a
position as organist, and also conducted the concerts of the Musical
Union. In 1861 he was appointed Hofcapellmeister, and was honored with
the title of Professor of Music. Since that time he has devoted himself
to composition, and has produced many excellent works, especially for
festivals in England and elsewhere. Among them are the cantatas "Comala,"
"Spring Fantasie," "The Erl King's Daughter," "The Holy Night," "Spring's
Message," "The Crusaders," and "Zion;" the overtures "In the Highlands,"
"Hamlet," and "Michael Angelo;" seven symphonies, and a large number of
songs and piano pieces, as well as chamber-music compositions.

Comala.

"Comala," one of the earliest of Gade's larger vocal works, was first
produced at Leipsic in March, 1843. Its subject is taken from Ossian, and
relates the tragedy of "Comala," daughter of Sarno, King of Innistore,
who had conceived a violent passion for Fingal, King of Morven. Her love