ithout break, the Apostles' Hymn begins, tenors and basses in unison
("The Word is Flesh become") leading into the quartet of solo voices ("By
Faith Salvation comes, and by Peace, Consolation"). The chorus responds
antiphonally, and again the solo voices are heard in a lovely quartet
("He has said to all the Unhappy"), followed by a small choir of thirty
voices ("Blessed are the poor in Spirit"), at the end of which all the
voices are massed on the Apostles' Hymn, which closes in fugal form on
the words, "He like the Holy Ghost is one with the Father, an everlasting
Trinity," the whole ending in massive chords.

Mors et Vita.

The oratorio "Mors et Vita" ("Death and Life") is the continuation of
"The Redemption," and, like that work also, is a trilogy. It was first
performed at the Birmingham Festival, Aug. 26, 1885, under the direction
of Herr Hans Richter, the principal parts being sung by Mesdames Albani
and Patey and Messrs. Santley and Lloyd. Its companion oratorio, "The
Redemption," was dedicated to Queen Victoria, and itself to His Holiness
Pope Leo XIII. In his preface to the work, Gounod says:--

"It will perhaps be asked why, in the title, I have placed death before
life, although in the order of temporal things life precedes death.
Death is only the end of that existence which dies each day; it is only
the end of a continual 'dying.' But it is the first moment, and, as it
were, the birth of that which dies no more. I cannot here enter into a
detailed analysis of the different musical forms which express the
meaning and idea of this work. I do not wish to expose myself to the
reproach either of pretension or subtlety. I shall therefore confine
myself to pointing out the essential features of the ideas I have
wished to express,--that is to say, the tears which death causes us to
shed here below; the hope of a better life; the solemn dread of
unerring justice; the tender and filial trust in eternal love."

The composer further calls attention in his preface to the use of
representative themes, an illustration of which was also noted in "The
Redemption." The first one, consisting of four notes, presenting a
sequence of three major seconds, is intended to express "the terror
inspired by the sense of the inflexibility of justice and, in
consequence, by that of the anguish of punishment. Its sternness gives
expression both to the sentences of divine jus