sses in the
sixteenth century, at a port of the Riviera and on board of a Genoese and
Moorish galley at sea. The cantata opens with a joyous sailors' chorus
and the lament of the mothers and wives as the seamen weigh anchor and
set sail. The scene then changes to the sea. On board one of the galleys,
in the midnight watch, the Marinajo invokes the protection of Our Lady,
Star of the Sea, for the loved one left behind. The scene next changes to
the return of the fleet, triumphant in its encounters with the Moorish
vessels. The women throng to the shore, headed by La Sposina, to welcome
the sailors back, but the galley on board which her lover served is
missing. It has been captured by the Moors, and in a pathetic song she
gives expression to her sorrow. In the next scene we find him toiling at
the oar at the bidding of his Moorish masters. While they are revelling
he plans a rising among his fellow-captives which is successful. They
seize the galley and steer back to the Riviera, entering port amid
choruses of rejoicing. The cantata is full of charming melodies, the
instrumentation is Oriental in color, and the choruses, particularly the
closing ones, are very stirring.

The Golden Legend.

"The Golden Legend" was first produced at the Leeds Musical Festival,
Oct. 16, 1886. The story of the legend has already been told in the
description of Mr. Buck's cantata by the same name, which took the
Cincinnati Festival prize in 1880. The adaptation of Mr. Longfellow's
poem for the Sullivan cantata was made by Joseph Bennett, who while
omitting its mystical parts, except the prologue, has confined himself to
the story of Prince Henry and Elsie. All the principal scenes, though
sometimes rearranged to suit the musical demands of the composer, have
been retained, so that the unity of the legend is preserved.

The prologue, representing the effort of Lucifer and the spirits of the
air to tear down the cathedral cross, is used without change. The part of
Lucifer is assigned to the barytone voice, the spirits of the air to the
sopranos and altos, and the bells to the tenors and basses, the whole
closing with the Gregorian Chant. The orchestral accompaniment is very
realistic, particularly in the storm music and in the final number, where
the organ adds its voice to the imposing harmony. The first scene opens
with the soliloquy of Prince Henry in his chamber ("I cannot sleep"),
followed by a dramatic duet