Scan 7
Musical Courier 1894-12-12: Vol 29 Iss 770, 1894
95 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 6. See the scan on archive.org.
1all at my feet, and have the power to torment and torture them!"
3"Invoke the devil!" dryly remarked the Colonel.
5"I don't believe in him!" she said. "Anyhow, he is too uncouth and frightful, your German devil; but I wish I could find some kind fairy who would give me some talisman or enchanting rod, to use for my revenge on this treacherous composer and his ungrateful, fickle associates."
7"But you forget," replied the Colonel, "that the fairies are also subject to the Demon, and have to pay him a tax and tribute. And what would you give to the Queen of the Fairies if you could obtain what you desire?"
9"What could I give her," answered Cuzzoni, "that she does not possess better than I? All I could do would be to sing for her gratis as long as she helped me."
11"You desire to be on her free list, and would return the compliment, if I understand you well," sneered the Colonel.
13"Exactly! but with all your astrology, and palmistry, and boastings, and your protestations of devotion to me, you are not sorcerer enough to find me a willing fairy."
15"Don't challenge me! don't provoke me, Signora Cuzzoni!" and he fixed his eyes sternly on her.
17"Oh, pshaw! you make me laugh with your bombast. Don't stare at me so; it hurts my eyes; now don't, please."
19Still he continued to magnetize her, and with a few passes of his hands over her head and face he caused her to fall back on her armchair motionless, but not senseless. Seizing her round the waist, he flew out with her through the window, over the roofs of the houses, over fields, hills and rivers, over villages and cities.
21"Where are we flying to?" she murmured.
23"To Eldon's Hills! To Fairyland! To merry England's Walpurgis Night!" he answered.
25Approaching their destination they espied a magnificent castle profusely illuminated within and without, and from every side sailing through the air toward the castle came fairies riding on golden pheasants or white doves, dryads on oak branches propelled by zephyrs, elves on gold vine leaves drawn by birds of paradise; from the lake below came naiads on dolphins journeying toward the castle; old men in blue robes seated in silver wagonettes drawn by white elks with gilded horns, hurrying toward the place of meeting on the common road.
27When they arrived at the castle the Colonel and Cuzzoni were admitted upon his giving a certain sign or password, and immediately ushered into the Grand Hall, a chamber of dazzling splendor and unsurpassed richness of decoration and appointments. Knights and ladies in gorgeous costumes, dancing and flirting, occupied the floor. In other halls refreshments were being served by dwarfs and goblins. In side rooms games were being played, and Signora Cuzzoni found herself in the midst of a festive scene such as might become the palace of a king.
29The Colonel introduced her to the hostess, the Queen of the Fairies, who welcomed her in the most cordial manner, and remarked that the Signora had come at a most fortunate time, as their Supreme Master's imperial delegate, His Grace Alastor, had just arrived on a tour of inspection and would be present at the fête that evening, and consequently the Diva would have an opportunity of being presented to him. In the meantime the Fairy Queen introduced her to the crème de society present—the most aristocratic of the 400—among others to Mrs. Pickel-nearest-Wind, to Mrs. Throw-the-Corn-Yard, to Mrs. Bessie Able-and-Stout, to Miss Over-the-Dick-with-It, and to Miss Wait-Upon-Herself; also to Mr. Pywacket, Mr. Peck-in-the-Crown, Mr. Sack-and-Sugar, Mr. Vinegar-Tom and to Mr. Greedigut-Grizzel. In the corners of the halls, however, standing humbly and modestly like poor relations of the house, Cuzzoni discovered King-Arthur, Merlin, Thomas of Edeldowne, the original author of "Tristan et Yseult"; Puck and others of that kind.
31Cuzzoni's observations were interrupted by the entrance of the delegate, Alastor, attended by a train of followers gorgeously clad in burlesque imitation of the robes of the clergy, and who were received by the assembled company with demonstrations and ceremonies mimicking the forms of the church. After the formal reception the evening concert began. Ossian played a solo on the harp, which was received in silence. Thomas Edeldowne recited extracts from "Tristan et Yseult," during which the women began to chatter and the men to doze. Cuzzoni was asked to sing, and rendered Händel's "Lascia che piango," which obtained from the audience only a succès d'estime, but when she gave a very common Venetian ditty, as sung by sailors in Venice, her hearers went into rapture and ecstasy.
33Colonel Irreleitner during the singing had buttonholed the Delegate and unfolded to him his scheme for getting possession of Cuzzoni's mind and body, and through her to drag down Händel to serve His Satanic Majesty, adding that she would be willing to make any sacrifice if she could obtain the mastery over Händel, his associates and Faustina Bordoni.
35Alastor approving of the plan, ordered Cuzzoni to be presented to him, and after complimenting her upon her voice in a most flattering manner, told her that the Colonel had informed him of her desire to be avenged upon Händel, and that he could gratify her wish on certain conditions.
37"Will you kindly name the conditions?" asked the prima donna.
39"Will you accept the Colonel here at my side as your spiritual husband and adviser?"
41"What do you mean by 'spiritual husband'?" queried Cuzzoni.
43"You shall have to imbibe or absorb his spirit only and mingle it with your own individuality."
45"I do not care to be married at all yet, and if ever I do take a husband, I must say I would prefer him to materialize; but if I can have revenge upon certain people I am willing to take the Colonel as my spiritual adviser, and even to swallow the devil's spirit if necessary.
47"Well, you will have the 'devil's spirit' in you if you perform the operation," said Alastor.
49"What do you mean? Is the Colonel a devil?" exclaimed Cuzzoni.
51"Not a full-fledged one, but he has declared his intention, and enjoys some of the civil rights and powers of one."
53"And what will become of his body if I drink his spirit?"
55"His body will remain here, motionless, until his spirit returns. He is willing to sacrifice himself to this extent for you."
57"How very kind of him!" she said, but mentally resolved that she would never play or sing the part of a female "Orpheus" to rescue him from the other world.
59All preliminaries having been completed, Alastor requested the Fairy Queen to give Cuzzoni away and the Colonel to stand at his left side.
61(The to be continued.)
63Berlioz's "Te Deum Laudamus."
65THOSE who have been present at any of the great festivals of the Roman Church, as celebrated in many of the foreign cathedrals, will remember the magnificent effect produced by the antiphony of the grand organ at the west end and the choir and smaller organ at the east. I recall one such occasion. It was at the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the great church of Ste. Sulpice was thronged with people, devout and intent on worship.
67For some time the choir behind the high altar had been singing, accompanied by a small organ and two or three double-basses; but there did not seem to be any special attention paid to their music, when, suddenly, the great organ in the west gallery burst out with an old melody: the choir and organ at the east responded; and again the west organ, the congregation, young and old, taking up the hymn. The wonderful effect of this antiphonal music explains why Berlioz seized upon means to produce it in his "Te Deum." No church that does not possess an organ at the west end can ever hope to produce this stirring antiphony. The antiphonal singing of Decani and Cantoris is utterly ineffective compared to it. one of two readings
68For some time the choir behind the high altar had been singing, accompanied by a small organ and two or three double-basses; but there did not seem to be any special attention paid to their music, when, suddenly, the great organ in the west gallery burst out with an old melody: the choir and organ at the east responded; and again the west organ, the congregation, young and old, taking up the hymn. The wonderful effect of this antiphonal music explains why Berlioz seized upon means to produce it in his "Te Deum." No church that does not possess an organ at the west end can ever hope to produce this soul-stirring antiphony. The antiphonal singing of Decani and Cantoris is utterly ineffective compared to it. one of two readings
70This work is to be performed at this Birmingham Festival; but although the Town Hall possesses a magnificent organ, the effect intended by Berlioz cannot possibly be produced, for organ and orchestra are at the same end. Again, the third choir of 600 children will no doubt have to be dispensed with, and although Berlioz recognized that it would be impossible to have such a choir on every occasion of performance, yet he agrees to its omission with a sigh of deep regret.
72The sixth number in this work has been described as Berlioz's highest flight; the "Judex crederis," a marvelous elaboration of a most adequate subject; one expressing the most awestruck conviction, "We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge," announced first by the organ, and then taken up by the basses and orchestra; attacked by voice after voice until all are joining in the mighty stream of sound.
74There is a lull at the words "O Lord, save Thy people;" a quiet and pleading subject is used, but the mutterings of the feelings of awe make themselves heard louder and louder, until the whole strength of choir and orchestra again emphasizes the "Judex crederis."
76The whole movement is brought to a close with a fanfare of cornets and trumpets. This is the most impressive and overwhelming part of the work, marked at the same time by sustained grandeur and vastness of conception.
78It has been remarked that whatever novel conceptions Berlioz had, it is quite certain that he was sure of his effects of instrumentation when he wrote them down. Schumann remarks that each composer's score has, in its very outward appearance to the eye, a characteristic individuality. Beethoven looks different on paper to Mozart, just as Dickens' prose looks different to Sir Walter Scott's. And Berlioz's score is not wanting in very marked individuality. To borrow a simile from painting, he does not employ smooth masses of color, graceful and continuous curves, but he puts here and there a touch, a dash of color just where it is wanted to produce the requisite effect.
80There are several passages of singular beauty; to mention the most prominent, I recall the setting of the word "Sanctus," which is sung in sustained chords by the divided sopranis of both choirs, accompanied by wood wind in arpeggi, violins and 'celli playing at the same time a hovering figure of quaint beauty. The effect of this passage must be startling in its originality.
82The way in which Berlioz concludes his movements is an illustration of the fact that the treatment of the coda reveals the genius.
84All composers of the Catholic Church seem to approach the subject of the Incarnation in a most reverential spirit, and to reserve their most solemn and appealing music for any part of the service in which this is touched upon. There is no exception to this rule in Berlioz's treatment of the words "When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the virgin's womb." To the solo tenor is given a most moving ad libitum passage, accompanied by the plaintive and veiled tones of the violas playing in octaves. The extraordinary crescendo passage in the movement, "Christe, rex Gloriae," should not be overlooked; the voices gradually rise to the utmost pitch of exultation.
86Berlioz, who, as we have seen already, recognized the immense effect of antiphony, succeeded in applying its principle in detail; as in the few bars at the beginning of the movement, "Dignare Domine," where the organ plays the same chord at the unaccented beat as the orchestra plays at the accented; if I remember rightly, a similar effect is produced in one of Saint-Saëns organ rhapsodies.
88There are no remarks upon the "Te Deum" in any of the musical dictionaries that I have seen; the following details are inserted in the preface to the excellent vocal score published by Stanley Lucas, Weber & Co. Berlioz was a great admirer of Napoleon Bonaparte and conceived the idea of a grand pageant in which Napoleon was to take part, to celebrate one of his victories. A "Te Deum" in Notre Dame was to be one of the functions, followed by a blessing of the flags at the altar. In the score the march to be played on the occasion is given.
90The work was not performed as originally intended; and not until the exhibition of 1855 was it heard, when it was performed in the large church of St. Eustache, in Paris, by a band and choir of over 900, including a choir of 600 children.
92It is stipulated in a note at the beginning of the score that the organ should be at the opposite end of the building; and to insure proper co-operation, the conductor is either to wield a baton communicating electrically with the organist, or there is to be another conductor in the organ loft who can follow the beat of the principal conductor and pass it on to the organist.
94After this performance it was laid aside for twenty-five years, and then given at Bordeaux, subsequently at Weimar and Vienna. Other performances have no doubt been given, and it would be satisfactory to know whether other attempts have been made on the scale intended by the composer.—A. J. Sainsbury, in the "Musical News."
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