resume the triumphant style of the opening chorus with
increased power and enthusiasm.

HOFMANN.

Heinrich Karl Johann Hofmann was born Jan. 13, 1842, at Berlin. In his
younger days he was a scholar at the Kullak Conservatory, and studied
composition with Grell, Dehn, and Wueerst. Prior to 1873 he devoted
himself to private instruction, but since that time he has been engaged
exclusively in composition. Among his works which first attracted public
attention by their intrinsic excellence as well as by the knowledge of
orchestration which they displayed, were an "Hungarian Suite" and the
"Frithjof Symphony." Among his piano compositions are the following
four-handed pieces, which have been remarkably popular: "Italienische
Liebesnovelle," "Liebesfruehling," "Trompeter von Saeckingen,"
"Steppenbilder," and "Aus meinem Tagebuch." His choral works are
"Nonnengesang," "Die Schoene Melusine," "Aschenbroedel," and "Cinderella."
Among his operas are "Cartouche" (1869), "Armin" (1878), and "Annchen von
Tharau" (1878). He has also written several works for mixed chorus and
maennerchor, piano pieces, songs, duets, a violoncello concerto, piano
trios and quartets, and a string sextet.

Melusina.

The beautiful story of Melusina has always had an attraction for artists
and musicians. Moritz von Schwind, the painter, has illustrated it in a
cycle of frescos; Julius Zellner has told it for us in a series of
orchestral tone-pictures; and Mendelssohn has chosen it as the subject of
one of his most charming overtures. The version which Hofmann uses in his
cantata entitled "The Fable of the Fair Melusina" (written in 1875) runs
as follows: Melusina, the nymph of a beautiful fountain in the Bressilian
forest, and Count Raymond have fallen in love with each other. They
declare their passion in the presence of her nymphs, and plight their
troth. Melusina engages to be his dutiful wife the first six days of the
week, but makes Raymond promise never to inquire or seek to discover what
she does on the seventh, which, she assures him, shall "never see her
stray from the path of duty." On that day she must assume her original
form, half fish and half woman, and bathe with her nymphs. Raymond
promises, calls his hunters, introduces his bride to them, and the
wedding cortege moves joyfully on to the castle. In the second part
Raymond's mother, Clotilda, and her brother, Sin