The Choruses of Sophocles's Antigone; dedicated to Ids Majesty the

King of Prussia. The Music by FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTROLDT.

Tins work—a study of some of the greatest effects that are to be pro- duced from a double chorus and powerful orchestra—appears to justify the success which has attended its progress from theatre to theatre in Germany : and, at a time when first-rate opera-singers are scarce, as well as composers abounding in original vocal melody, we should think the adoption of this new style of dramatic entertainment calcu- lated to relieve theatrical speculators front many of their present diffi- culties without diminishing aught of the public satisfaction. It is sel- dom that we meet in one artist vocal and histrionic powers of the highest kind,—a deficiency which, since the loss of MALutiteri, has been very sensibly felt on the boards of our great theatres. But even the possession of this rara avis entails many evils. An enormous nightly salary paid to one syren depresses the individual fortunes of the company, and prevents the minor characters of opera from being so well supported as they should be. M. VALABREQUE'S plan for a concert or opera—" My wife and three or four puppets "—will never do in the long run, though well enough adapted for the nonce. Then there are temptations to which the highly-paid singer easily gives way, which are most injurious to music,—first, that of subserving the bad taste of the multitude for the treasury's sake; and next, of patronizing puny composition to the end that the popularity gained may be as exclu- sively the singer's own and as little shared with composer as may be. Under such circumstances, a manager and a singer may gain money, but while the standard of taste rests with the uncultivated crowd the art makes no progress. Supposing, however, the lyric drama remodelled and established on true principles, schools for that profession set up, the subordinate cha- racters of opera elevated, and all the artists employed prepared to con- tribute their due relative proportion to the general success,—supposing that intelligible and fitting libretti were thought necessary to opera,— still one thing would be needful—a composer. We know there are who think this one of the easiest acquisitions in life : and it certainly de- pends on the standard of an opera whether it is so or not. The natu- ralization here of foreign models of modern opera has made the art of composing in that style known to more musicians than care to contend for the honours of it. BALFE, ROOKE, RODWELL, &c. stand at no great distance from contemporary men ; and if the great theatres are never changed into bazaars until talent of their calibre shall be wanting, the wand of Time may leave them untransmuted. Even AUBER, who has contributed the greatest number of prettinesses to the evanescent opera of the day, has been ridiculed by the Germans for the facility of his plan. He composes, according to them, a certain number of dance-tunes, to which his characters jerk in the words of the libretto ; and an opera is made. This estimate of the composer's labour has a wide and true application in modern art. On this plan, there never is and there never will be a want of composers. But let us suppose that it is endeavoured to replace the lyric drama in its "high and palmy state "—to acquire a new Don Juan, Figaro, Eidetic', or .Der Freischutz—and we believe the veriest Quixote in behalf of modern dramatic genius would not expect to answer such an object in a search throughout the world. Yet to this point we must return, on the right march to improvement. Dramatic composers, in common parlance, are those who write for the theatre; hence, MOZART and the late Mr. SANDERSON who composed for the Surrey are in the same category. But surely a striking distinction should be observed; and in strictness of expression we should not in every case confound the composer for the theatre with the dramatic mu- sician. In fact, the history of the stage for a long period proves the rare appearance of a real master of that art. For though we have had many successful operas, made so by the favourable opinion of pit, boxes, and gallery, they have somehow, after "fretting their hoar," scarcely bequeathed their names to memory. Since, then, thejndgments formed on conventional prepossessions and popular turns of melody have been so continually reversed by time, to the detriment of all dramatic pro-

gress and improvement, it would seem advisable to correct this fallacious test of merit in the lyric drama, to withdraw attention from the favour- ite song or singer, and fix it upon truth of situation and sentiment, action and declamation, illustrated by the harmony of single and double choruses and the rich effects of an orchestra. A new standard of judgment would thus be erected, and hearers as yet unexercised in har- mony and orchestral effect would see by degrees more of the scope and detail of the musical drama. Though the present impression of effect produced would still decide the verdict of the house, it would be less likely to be wrong ; the management of the chorus and orchestra with regard to effects being almost always the most serious occupation of the musician, and one in which he seldom fails. And if this be less a work of genius-than the production of the finest melody, it is still one of delightful taste, and may most beneficially fill up those voids in the ex- istence of the musical drama when the rare idiosyncracy of the native melodist is to seek. We are sanguine that an audience prepared for the entrance of a fine chorus or noble symphony by corresponding action and spoken declamation, would not long remain unimpressed by this powerful agency. Scenery and decoration might still lend their accus- tomed aid : but the idols of audiences being removed, and their atten tion directed to masses of the stage instead of the solo-singers, they must of necessity improve.

In the conviction that the reformation of the lyric stage must be the work of musicians—that it must result from the agency of their minds upon audiences, and not the reverse as seems to have been long fancied— we have seen with great pleasure, as a means to this end, adaptations of

certain Greek plays of SOPHOC.LES and Eurtigings, aided by choral and instrumental music. The sentiments of the ancient drama are of that

universal application which best fits them to popularize the simple and noble effects of choral music. The union of fine acting and spoken de- clamation with music must not only have the advantage of novelty, but will always serve as an unerring index to the character of the music. Two arts long disjoined may now again mutually aid one another.

Before we notice this classical effort of MENDELSSOHN in detail, it will be necessary to recall the argument of Antigone. Eteocles and

Polynices, sons of (Edipus King of Thebes, agreed to reign alternately : this compact is, however, broken by the former ; and Polynices bringing an Argive army to support his claim, the two brothers fall in battle by each other's hand. Creon, their nearest male relative, ascends the throne, and forbids the rites of sepulture to the body of Polynices. His sister Antigone, detected in the attempt to inter her brother, is condemned to die by incarceration in the cavern of a rock.

Tiresias, the blind seer, shows the sequent ills which will attend the injustice of Creon ; and prevails upon him to bury Polynices. The

tyrant endeavours to atone for his error ; but too late—it causes the death of his son Htemon and his wife Eurydice ; and his self-reproaches conclude the tragedy. The chorus consists of nobles and councillors of Thebes ; consequently it is a male double chorus of tenors and basses for strophe and antistrophe.

Of the probable success of an adaptation of this work for the English theatre, wanting the drama itself we can only form a conjecture : yet from the classical simplicity of the subject, and the novel effects and

energy of the music, that conjecture is highly favourable. MENDELS- soars has entered on this new path in composition with the enthusiasm

which is his delightful characteristic, but not with less judgment and sense of propriety. He has laid aside his great powers in counterpoint and in church-music, to which all solemn composition as it were natu- rally tends, to express himself as the scene leads him in the large and

simple utterance of the antique drama. The massive and imposing style of GLUCK. appears before us in the andante maestoso of the intro-

duction in C minor,—a fine and bold piece of harmony ; but in the suc- ceeding allegro appassionato, with its two times going together—triplets and common time—a newer epoch of dramatic music is indicated. In the midst of this piece, so finely adapted for orchestral effect, the cur- tain rises.

We will now indicate the-principal characteristics of the seven num- bers of which this work consists.

No. 1, "Orb of Helios, thou whose light." A majestic tune in C, delivered in powerful unison by tenors and basses, forms the subject of this chorus ; which is descriptive of the conflict of the brothers, and is coloured by the reflections of the multitude. On the repetition by the second chorus, there is a beautiful moving accompaniment ; to which a complete novelty succeeds—a recitative delivered by the two choruses in unison ; and the whole is wound up in a fine spirited passage of eight- part harmony. Grandeur and triumph of character are admirably pre- served throughout this movement. No. 2, in A, 6-8, " Wonders of nature we scan." This is a mild and sweet reflective chorus in unison in the first strophe ; but when

taken up by the second chorus, diversified by a most elegant ac- companiment. The second strophe gives place to a subject in F sharp minor, which is afterwards treated as a double chorus in harmony. The recitative in -double -chorus at the conclusion, which accompanies the appearance of Antigone after interring Polynices, seems as though it would be powerfully effective delivered by well-trained singers.

No. 3,-in F major, "How happy they who, blest by Fate, ne'er tasted evil," opens with a solo from the coryphmus of the chorus ; to which the double chorus responds in harmony. The concluding cadence, for the voices alone, is _most beautiful At the second strophe, " Who can brave or assail thee, Jove," an allegro con fuoco in F minor commences ; in which we may anticipate glorious effects of the orchestra.

No. 4, Hymn to Eros, in G. This is a four-part song for voices alone, relieved only by an occasional chord from the orchestra. The descend- ing crotchets in the tenor of the second bar of introductory symphony recall not inappropriately the religious style of Been. A processional movement in G minor, and a good deal of melodramatic music ac- companying- speech, (another novelty,) concludes this number. Parts of the instrumentation here—the flutes in thirds, for instance—may remind one of the incantation in the Freischutz. The uncommonly fine employment of pedal notes at page 39 and 47 is, however, exclusively

DIENDELSSOHN'S.

No. 5 is exceedingly original and fine. After some melodramatic music accompanying speech, the first strophe begins with a sort of legendary ballad in unison, in E minor, " Royal Danad long lived in a tower." In the second strophe, the time is accelerated, the in- strumental base moves in octaves with the unison of the voices, pedal notes staccato form the interior of the harmony, and a clashing chord fills up the intervals of the vocal phrases. This arrangement aids a tale of mystery and terror here in progress. Though the design is quite new, there is a something which connects it in the mind with the grave- digging scene in Fidelio.

No. 6, Hymn to Bacchus, in D, 3-4. A double chorus, sometimmt in four, at others in eight-part harmony. There is a martial Han- delian dignity in the first movement. The orchestra, in groups of four semiquavers in one part and sestolets in another, accompanying the long notes of the voices, " Hear us, Bacchus," produces a mag- nificent effect. The succeeding movement in B minor is, however, the most extraordinary portion of this chorus. The wild cries and re- sponses of the two choirs, the rapid whirl of the triplets for the violins, and the madness and ecstacy which reign throughout, form a tree Bacchic inspiration. No. 7 opens with a sort of funeral march in C minor. Creon enters bearing the dead body of his son ; and the chorus appropriately ac- company the orchestra. Mournful and impassioned melodramatic music now depicts the exaggerated woes of Creon : but towards the end the music enters upon another strain, embodying beautifully the consolatory philosophy of the Greek drama. This drop of sweetness 111ENDELSSOHK has not suffered to escape in the chorus alla breve, page 75 ; but he has produced it chiefly in the concluding chorus, "Tie wisdom that sees the way to be blest." We could almost have taken this in another notation for the work of PURCELL ; the honied and lovely change to the major at the words "When erring men corrected grow sage," being so truly in his feeling—so tender, pathetic, and appropriate. If we say that MENDELSSoHN by turns reminds us of all the honoured names in music, it is to express the most admirable characteristic of his comprehensive musical genius and profound learning. This new work, full of serious purpose, is a fresh example of devotion to his art ; and its success here, we cannot but think, would be a powerful means to the improvement of the lyric theatre.