Le Roi de Lahore by ; J. Massenet The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 19, No. 430 (Dec. 1, 1878), pp. 670+675 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3355665 . Accessed: 08/01/2015 19:28

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This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Thu, 8 Jan 2015 19:28:30 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 670 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1878.

against the invader. This the king promises; the priest REVIEWS. consentsto bless the union of Alim and Sita, and the act ends witha fervidwar-cry. The second act takes in the Le Roi de Lahore. en actes, de Louis place king's camp, where, cinq the absence of the which has out to Gallet et J. Massenet. [: Hartmann.] during army, gone battle,slaves dance and play. Sita, anxiousfor the result SOME timeago, beforethere was a thoughtof producing of the conflict,takes a superstitiousinterest in a game of Bizet's "Carmen" in this country, we directed the chess between two of her guard,and has a presentiment attentionof our readers to that remarkablework. We do of evil when " black" wins. She has not long to wait for not say, as regardsthis matter, post hoc, ergo propter hoc, but its confirmation;but meanwhile,influenced by the calm it is a fact,nevertheless, that the Opera was broughtout at beautyof the evening and herown happylove, she sings, Her Majesty's Theatre not long after. We accept the withher maid Kaled (mezzo-),in tender and charm- omen for M. Massenet's " Le Roi de Lahore," and shall ing strains of the joy which is hers. Here M. Massenet, not be at all surprisedif nextseason the second mostsuc- although suggestive of Gounod, is at his best, and has cessful recent productionof French dramatic composers produced music certain to be popular whereverheard. make its appearance on our stage. But now comes a dreadfulawakening from a pleasant It would be superfluousto informour readers who dream. The army,defeated and broken,rolls back in a M. Massenet is, and what claims his work presents tumultuousmass, throwingaway itsweapons, and declaring because he has writtenit. We knowsomething, at least, that the kingis slain and all lost. Seizingthe opportunity,. of his music in this country; we have had the man Scindia offersto take the place of the fallenmonarch, and amongst us, and experienceof both music and man has lead the soldiers-back to Lahore. He is accepted,but at excited a desire for more intimateacquaintance. Let us thatmomentA lim appears pale and wounded,reproacheshis then withoutfurther preface pass to the Opera which,by troopswith their cowardice, and offersto put himselfagain the way, is havingan enviablecareer of success even upon at theirhead in the field. The soldiersrefuse point-blank; the jealous stage of Italy. the kingmay go, they will not. Observingthis, Scindia The scene is laid in the "gorgeous East," what time informsthe monarchthat his reignhas ended,and his own some Mussulman conqueror threatens Lahore with fire day of revengecome; forhad he not loved Sita and been and sword; and the curtainfirst rises upon the space before deprivedof her? Infuriated,Alim bids one and another the temple of Indra, whitherflock crowds of people to arrestthe minister,but not a hand stirs; and the scene invoke the god's protection. These sing a charming,ex- closes as the warriorsmockingly bid theirwhilom leader pressive chorus, in which no special attemptis made at go on fightingif he likes it. Throughoutthis prolonged "'local colour," and are answered by the high priest, ensemble M. Massenet rarely flags. He is at times Timnour(bass), with reassuringwords. " If yourking will somewhatcoarse in his effects,but may plead the nature not fight,"he declares, "Indra will war upon the in- of the situationin excuse. We think,however, that the vaders." Thus comforted,the people enter the temple element of contrast is wanting, the want being made and leave Timourface to face withScindia (),the the more conspicuous by the fact that Sita stands doing chief ministerof state. Scindia has come to seek Sita no)thingwhile the fateof her loveris decided. Left alone (soprano),his niece,who residesin the temple,and whom togetherfor a time, Sita and Alirmsing an impassioned he would now removeto his own house at the biddingof duet-of comforton the one side, shame and agony on an unholypassion. Timourresists the demand; but when the other. The king'sdistress reaches its climaxwhen he he s informedthat a young man obtains secret admission hears the soldiersapproaching with cries of " To Lahore," to the temple and, as the lover of Sita, meets her in the and he dies as the armed rabble streamacross the stage. very shadow of the altar, his anger is roused, and he At the bidding of Scindia, Sita is carried away, and the willinglyconsents to an interviewbetween the uncle and curtainfalls as the body of the monarchis left alone on niece that the truthas to this mattermay be extorted. the plain. The duet forthe two men is highlydramatic and vigorous, The thirdact takes us to the Gardens of the Blessed in thoughmarked by the simplicityand naturalnessof style the Paradise of Indra; and a celestialmarch and chorus that characterisethe whole work. We now enter the of happyspirits, followed by a ballet, affordsthe mostcom- temple,and hear the priestessesin melodious,unaffected plete contrast to the strifeand tumult that have gone strainsencourage Sita to meether exaltedrelative. Their before. The ballet music, let us add, is ingenious,and littletwo-part chorus, with interspersed solos, is charming, includesa genuineHindoo melody,with fivevariations of and in M. Massenet's most pleasing style. Then follows the mostcharacteristic description. At its close Alim is a duet forthe ministerand his niece,wherein he pleads his seen approachingthe throneof the god. "Who are you love; but Sita, whosecharacter is one of delightfulnaiveti, thatsmile not ? " demandsIndra. Alimtells his story,and tells her uncle of the mysteriousintruder who has won her pleads to have his liferenewed for Sita's sake. The deities heart,and to whomshe must be faithful. Enraged at his thinkhim' a fool, but the request is grantednevertheless; " disappointment,the ministersounds the sacred gong i a and a solemn " incantation recitedby Indra, and re- reminiscenceof " Norma"), the priestsand people rushin, spondedto by the celestialchoir, confersagain the giftof and beforethem all Sita is denounced as faithlessto her humanlife. But Alimtis no longertobe King. He willre- vestal vows. In this scene M. Massenet shows consider- enterearth as a humbleman, but boundto Sita by a com- able dramaticpower. His music easilyadapts itselfto the mon fate,and doomedto die withher. Gladly the destiny varyingmolds of thecharacters concerned, and the climax is accepted,and his song ofjoy dominatesthe hymnof the is led up to with muchjudgment. Now comes a stormy spirits,with which the act closes. Here, also, M. Massenet and excitingensemble. Timourstirs up the wrath of the shows his love forbroad and strikingeffects. He is never multitude against the young girl, and is answered so happy as when using all the resourcesof voice and with a fierceclamour for her instant death. In the midst orchestra,but it mustbe owned that,apart from the desira- of it Sita speaks. She is willing to die, but pleads that bilityof greaterrelief, he does this well and never fails to there may be no stain upon her good name, forshe has hit the mark. not violated her sacred oath. As she concludes, the When the curtain next rises we see Alim asleep upon evening song of the priestesses rises from the depths of the steps of his own palace, and hear in the far distance the temple, and Scindia bids her join in it if she be inno- the celestial voices continuing their incantation. Presently cent, and reveal the name of her lover. This she refuses. the man restored from the dead wakes to the bliss of life, Again the people cry for her blood, and while they do so and also to a consciousness of his situation, for a group of a man, who emerges from a secret door in one of the officers discourse within earshot upon the splendour of pillars, exclaims, "No! Sita belongs to me. Let her Scindia's coronation. Then his thoughts turn to Sita; he live." It is the king! Tableau. A massive ensemble recalls the scene in the desert, and at last rushes towards follows in which the conflicting emotions of the actors the palace frantically exclaiming: " It is I, Sita, come to are expressed after the traditional manner and with great reclaim thee." In this solo there are some charming pas- effect. At its close, Timour reproaches the monarch with sages, but, for the most part, it is a little overdone and the profanityof his love, threatens him with divine ven- wanting in spontaneity. But now Scindia's coronation geance, and bids him expiate his offence by marching procession appears to the strains of a pompous march,

This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Thu, 8 Jan 2015 19:28:30 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1878. 675 and a sonorous chorus in unison. Elated, the and whose connection with social and even political new king anticipates his union with Sita in really events were here set forthwith striking force and gracefulas well as passionate periods,and then moves brilliancy. It was impossiblefor even the most sceptical towards the palace. But as he mounts the steps, to peruse this volume without feeling that music was Alim stands above him,calm and threatening. Stupefied not merely the plaything of the idle or the isolated with terrorhe, his guards, and the people shrinkback, art of undefinedemotions having no practical bearing whisperingtheir fear to each other in a most dramatic upon the intellectual developmentof man. We are chorus. Then the strangerspeaks in the name of Alim, speaking, let it be remembered,of twenty-fiveyears who will pardonthe usurperand leave him in possession ago. If since thenthe practical and educationalvalue of providedSita be restored. " Seize him,"exclaims Scindia, music has come to be moregenerally admitted, if even here but the guards again recoil as the intruderhaughtily and thereefforts are being made to includethe studyof its declares " I am Alim,your king." The prieststhereupon historyas an elementof musical education,the fact is to proclaim him a madman, and the people, takingup the no mean extentdue to the stimulatinginfluence of writings words,ask that mercymight be shown. An undulypro- such as Herr Riehl s masterlyessays. longed and very noisy finale ends at last by Timour The first volume of " Musikalische Charakterk6pfe" declaring that the deity had spoken throughthe insane being so n followed by a second, of equal meritand intruder,and that Sita must be given up. But at that interest,the authorhas himselfsupplied the standardby momentSita's train appears amid cries of " Behold, the which to measure the presentthird volume which forms queen," and a significantreference to the popularvoice on the subjectof ourreview. This standard,as we have seen, the part of Scindia bringsdown the curtain. is a veryhigh one; and if,therefore, our exactingdemands Once morewe are in the templeof Indra,whither Sita are not fullyrealised when we come to apply it in the has fledrather than enterthe nuptialchamber of her new presentinstance, it does not by any means followthat this lord, and whereshe intends to die ratherthan be unfaith-new seriesof character-studiesdoes not forma veryvalu- fulto the memoryof her love. In fervidstrains she calls able contributionto musico-historicalliterature. A writer upon the deityto receive her soul, and is about to put an of Herr Riehl's comprehensivegrasp of mindand critical end to life when the chantsof the priestessesarise from taste cannot fail to set new ideas in motionor to reviveold the depthsof the edifice. " It was at this timehe used to ones worthyof a resuscitation. Whateverof praise, there- appear," she muses, and Alim steps out of thepillar while fore,we may have to bestow or faultto findought to be the words are on her lips, but she sees him not. At last he meted out in a spiritof deferencedue to those who have calls her,is recognised,and all the bliss of the situation renderedexceptional service in the particularsphere of their then findsexpression in a duet of remarkableintensity and activity. In the firstplace, then, we miss in the new correspondingeffect. This ended,the loversare about to series of " character-portraits"almost throughoutthe escape by the secret door when Scindia appears on its veryelement which has distinguishedtheir predecessors; threshold. Now we see the heroic side of the woman's they appear no longerartistically arranged pictures; they character. Imperiouslyshe bids theusurper make way for have become more true to the indication contained on hisking, and notdare to lifthis blood-stainedhands against the title-page,being in fact" leaves froma sketch-book." them. For answer Scindia summonshis guardsand then, Many of these leaves, indeed, quite recall the peculiar despairing,Sita stabsherself. Folded in each other'sarms, charm possessed by the older volumes. Thus in " Zwei while the usurper stands by terror-stricken,the lovers deutsche Capellmeister" we have two most engaging renew theirglad song of happiness; the temple opens, parallel portraits,drawn fromlife, of representativetypes thereis a sound of celestialvoices, and in the distancecan of that interestingand meritorious,yet frequentlyunder- be seen the Gardens of the Blessed with Indra waitingto valued, musical being known as the German Capell- receive his children. As theydie togetherso togetherdo meister. Again, in " Der STingerdes deutschen Com- theirspirits approach the thronewhile the curtainfalls. mersbuchs" full justice is done to the genial composer We need not add much to this description. The reader of songs near akin to the Volkslied,Albert Methfessel; mustsee at once that " Le Roi de Lahore" has a highly althoughin the course of his characterisationthe author, dramaticand excitingstory, and that its capacityfor stage to our thinking,lays too much stress upon the merits effectis immense. True repose and contrast are both of the German Lied of some seventy years ago at the wanted, but the interestis never likely to flag in any expense of its modern representative,seeing that it is serious degreewhile the music,characterised by directness owing in the first place to Franz Schubert that the of purpose and a rare powerof expression,is always in German Lied has obtained the strong wings which accord withthe story,and oftencharming in its beauty. fitted it for its subsequent internationalflight. The Should " Le Roi de Lahore " be producedin London, we songs of Schulz and of Reichardt,for instance, are un- risklittle by predictingits success. doubtedlyinteresting from an antiquarianpoint of view, but theyhave servedtheir turn otherwise, and theirclaims MusikalischeCharakterkpfc. Ein kunstgeschichtliches.to a revivalare considerablyless strongthan are those of Skizzenbuchvon W. H. Riehl. Vol. III. the that of the G. period immediatelypreceding great lyrical [Stuttgart: J. Cotta, 1878.] singerjust referredto. In the sketches entitledrespec- JUsT twenty-fiveyears ago the world of amateursin tively " Viotti und das Geigenduett" and " Franz Krom- Germanywas most agreeablysurprised by the appearance mer," Herr Riehl's predilectionsfor chamber music, and of a volume bearing the somewhat awkward title of his special devotedness.in an executivesense, to the violin, " Musikalische Charakterkbpfe,"and containinga series have led to veryinteresting and instructiveanalyses of the of historicaland critical" sketches" of musical composers distinctivemerits of the two composersfor stringed instru- chieflyof the earlier romanticschools. Sketches they ments. The last mentioned," Franz Krommer,"will be in- were, inasmuchas the painterfrequently contented himself troducedfor the firsttime to the great majorityof readers; by givingmerely the scantyoutlines of individualportraits; yet he was the authorof no less than sixtyQuartetts and but by a masterlyarrangement of thehistorical background half as many Quintetts,most of them of considerable these outlines stood forthon the canvas with a boldness musicalvalue. Two more remainto be enumerated, " " essays and distinctnesswhich at once raised the sketches into the most important of the present series as regards subjects, the rankof picturescomplete in themselves. There were and the opening and concluding one respectively in the fewreaders thenwho did not feel that a new and striking volume. The former of these, entitled "Die beiden methodof treatingthe subjecthad been inaugurated. The Beethoven," is a double-faced portrait of the great intercommunicationand mutualinfluence existing between giant in music as represented by the two chief opposing music and social and morallife was here,for the firsttime parties of the present day; the one revering in him the perhaps, historicallyconsidered-if only on a very limited mightiest of symphonic tone-poets, the other professing to scale-by the light of composerswho use a German discern in the master's in of the human voice in (to" calling phrase) have helped to " make an epoch in the historyof the "Ninth Symphony" his deliberate abandonment of the art. Fascinated by a vivaciousyet solid discourse,the abstract instrumental music, and each claiming their por- reader was enabled to follow the rise and progress of trait of Beethoven to be the only correct one. Much certainphases ofmusical thought, to observetheir formation golden truth may be gathered from this thoughtful contri- into distinctschools, whose influenceupon generalculture bution to a controversy of which the end is as yet very

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