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n the voices。 For example； the grand chorus； 〃Awake； thou that sleepest；〃 begins with a rapid crescendo of strings； introducing the full chorus on the word 〃Awake；〃 upon the dominant triad of D major； and after a couple of beats the voices are reinforced by the trombones； producing the most tremendous effect possible in such a crescendo。 Unfortunately； however； the brass asserted itself at this point so much more emphatically than the voices that the effect was almost to disjoin the latter portion of the chord from its beginning； and thus to dwarf the utterance of the word 〃Awake。〃 To us this effect was very disagreeable； and it was obviously contrary to the effect intended by the composer。 But with a weight of four or five hundred voices； the effect would be entirely different。 Instead of entering upon the scene as intruders； the mighty trombones would only serve to swell and enrich the ponderous chord which opens this noble chorus。 Given greater weight only； and the performance of the admirable Portland choir would have left nothing to be desired。
We cannot speak with so much satisfaction of the performance of the orchestra。 The instrumentation of 〃St。 Peter〃 is remarkably fine。 But this instrumentation was rather clumsily rendered by the orchestra； whose doings constituted the least enjoyable part of the performance。 There was too much blare of brass； whine of hautboy； and scraping of strings。 But in condonation of this serious defect； one must admit that the requisite amount of rehearsal is out of the question when one's choir is in Portland and one's orchestra in Boston； besides which the parts had been inaccurately copied。 For a moment； at the beginning of the orchestral lament； there was risk of disaster； the wind instruments failing to come in at the right time； when Mr。 Paine； with fortunate presence of mind； stopped the players； and the movement was begun over again；the whole occurring so quickly and quietly as hardly to attract attention。
In conclusion we would say a few words suggested by a recent critical notice of Mr。 Paine's work in the 〃Nation。〃 While acknowledging the importance of the publication of this oratorio； as an event in the art…history of America； the writer betrays manifest disappointment that this work should not rather have been a symphony；＇63＇ and thus have belonged to what he calls the 〃domain of absolute music。〃 Now with regard to the assumption that the oratorio is not so high a form of music as the symphony； or； in other words； that vocal music in general is artistically inferior to instrumental music； we may observe； first； that Ambros and Dommertwo of the most profound musical critics now livingdo not sustain it。 It is Beanquier； we think； who suggests that instrumental music should rank above vocal； because it is 〃pure music；〃 bereft of the fictitious aids of language and of the emotional associations which are grouped about the peculiar timbre of the human voice。＇64＇ At first the suggestion seems plausible； but on analogous grounds we might set the piano above the orchestra； because the piano gives us pure harmony and counterpoint； without the adventitious aid of variety in timbre。 And it is indeed true that； for some such reason as this； musicians delight in piano…sonatas； which are above all things tedious and unintelligible to the mind untrained in music。 Nevertheless； in spite of its great and peculiar prerogatives； it would be absurd to prefer the piano to the orchestra； and there is a kindred absurdity involved in setting the orchestra above that mighty union of orchestra； organ； and voices which we get in the oratorio。 When the reason alleged for ranking the symphony above the oratorio leads us likewise to rank the sonata above the symphony； we seem to have reached a reductio ad absurdum。
＇63＇ Now within two years； Mr。 Paine's C…minor symphony has followed the completion of his oratorio。
＇64＇ These peculiar associations are no doubt what is chiefly enjoyed in music； antecedent to a properly musical culture。 Persons of slight acquaintance with music invariably prefer the voice to the piano。
Rightly considered； the question between vocal and instrumental music amounts to this； What does music express？ This is a great psychological question； and we have not now the space or the leisure requisite for discussing it； even in the most summary way。 We will say； however； that we do not see how music can in any way express ideas； or anything but moods or emotional states to which the ideas given in language may add determination and precision。 The pure symphony gives utterance to moods； and will be a satisfactory work of art or not； according as the composer has been actuated by a legitimate sequence of emotional states； like Beethoven； or by a desire to produce novel and startling effects； like Liszt。 But the danger in purely instrumental music is that it may run riot in the extravagant utterance of emotional states which are not properly concatenated by any normal sequence of ideas associated with them。 This is sometimes exemplified in the most modern instrumental music。
Now； as in real life our sequent clusters of emotional states are in general determined by their association with our sequent groups of intellectual ideas； it would seem that music； regarded as an exponent of psychical life； reaches its fullest expressiveness when the sequence of the moods which it incarnates in sound is determined by some sequence of ideas； such as is furnished by the words of a libretto。 Not that the words should have predominance over the music； or even coequal sway with it； but that they should serve to give direction to the succession of feelings expressed by the music。 〃Lift up your heads〃 and 〃Hallelujah〃 do not owe their glory to the text； but to that tremendous energy of rhythmic and contrapuntal progression which the text serves to concentrate and justify。 When precision and definiteness of direction are thus added to the powerful physical means of expression which we get in the combination of chorus； orchestra； and organ； we have attained the greatest sureness as well as the greatest wealth of musical expressiveness。 And thus we may see the reasonableness of Dommer's opinion that in order to restrain instrumental music from ruining itself by meaningless extravagance； it is desirable that there should be a renaissance of vocal music； such as it was in the golden age of Palestrina and Orlando Lasso。
We are not inclined to deny that in structural beautyin the symmetrical disposition and elaboration of musical themesthe symphony has the advantage。 The words； which in the oratorio serve to give definite direction to the currents of emotion； may also sometimes hamper the free development of the pure musical conception； just as in psychical life the obtrusive entrance of ideas linked by association may hinder the full fruition of some emotional state。 Nevertheless； in spite of this possible drawback； it may be doubted if the higher forms of polyphonic composition fall so very far short of the symphony in capability of giving full elaboration to the musical idea。 The practical testimony of Beethoven； in his Ninth Symphony； is decidedly adverse to any such supposition。
But to pursue this interesting question would carry us far beyond our limits。 Whatever may be the decision as to the respective claims of vocal and instrumental music； we have every reason for welcoming the appearance； in our own country； of an original work in the highest form of vocal music。 It is to be hoped that we shall often have the opportunity to 〃hear with our ears〃 this interesting work； for as a rule great musical compositions are peculiarly unfortunate among works of art； in being known at first hand by comparatively few persons。 In this way is rendered possible that pretentious kind of dilettante criticism which is so common in musical matters； and which is often positively injurious； as substituting a factitious public opinion for one that is genuine。 We hope that the favour with which the new oratorio has already been received will encourage the author to pursue the enviable career upon which he has entered。 Even restricting ourselves to vocal music； there is still a broad field left open for original work。 The secular cantataattempted in recent times by Schumann； as well as by English composers of smaller calibreis a very high form of vocal music； and if founded on an adequate libretto； dealing with some supremely grand or tragical situation； is capable of being carried to an unprecedented height of musical elaboration。 Here is an opportunity for original achievement； of which it is to be hoped that some gifted and well…trained composer； like the author of 〃St。 Peter；〃 may find it worth while to avail himself。
June； 1873。
XIII。 A PHILOSOPHY OF ART。＇65＇
＇65＇ The Philosophy of Art。 By H。 Taine。 New York： Leypoldt &； Holt。 1867。
We are glad of a chance to introduce to our readers one of the works of a great writer。 Though not yet＇66＇ widely known in this country； M。 Taine has obtained a very high reputation in Europe。 He is still quite a young man； but is nevertheless the author of nineteen goodly volumes； witty； acute； and learned； and already he is often ranked with Renan； Littre； and Sainte…Be