inor chords, is as
dazzling to-day as it was when first sung. It has been said that the
work is singularly deficient in sustained choruses. That is true, if we
are comparing it with the choruses of Handel's oratorios. But Haydn's
style is entirely different from that of Handel. His choruses are
designed on a much less imposing scale. They are more reflective or
descriptive, much less dramatic. It was not in his way "to strike like a
thunderbolt," as Mozart said of Handel. The descriptive effects which
he desired to introduce into his orchestration made it necessary that he
should throw the vocal element into a simpler mould. Allowance must
be made for these differences. Haydn could never have written "The
Messiah," but, on the other hand, Handel could never have written "The
Creation."

The chief beauty of Haydn's work lies in its airs for the solo voices.
While never giving consummate expression to real and deep emotion, much
less sustained thought, they are never wanting in sincerity, and the
melody and the style are as pure and good as those of the best Italian
writing for the stage. With all our advance it is impossible to resist
the freshness of "With verdure clad," and the tender charm of such
settings as that of "Softly purling, glides on, thro' silent vales, the
limpid brook." On the whole, however, it is difficult to sum up a work
like "The Creation," unless, as has been cynically remarked, one is
prepared to call it great and never go to hear it. It is not sublime,
but neither is it dull. In another fifty years, perhaps, the critic will
be able to say that its main interest is largely historic and literary.
[See J. F. Runciman's Old Scores and New Readings, where an admirably
just and concise appreciation of Haydn and "The Creation" may be read.]

A New Work

After such an unexpected success as that of "The Creation," it was only
in the nature of things that Haydn's friends should persuade him to
undertake the composition of a second work of the kind. Van Swieten was
insistent, and the outcome of his importunity was "The Seasons." This
work is generally classed as an oratorio, but it ought more properly
to be called a cantata, being essentially secular as regards its text,
though the form and style are practically the same as those of "The
Creation." The libretto was again due to Swieten, who, of course,
adapted the text from James Thomson's well-known poem.

"The Seasons"

It would certainly have been a