e, which is Elizabeth's motive, and is frequently heard throughout
the work. An animated prelude which follows it introduces the opening
chorus ("Welcome the Bride"). A brief solo by Landgrave Hermann
("Welcome, my little Daughter") and another of a national character by
the Hungarian Magnate attending the bride intervene, and again the chorus
break out in noisy welcome. After a dignified solo by Hermann and a brief
dialogue between Ludwig and Elizabeth, a light, graceful allegretto
ensues, leading up to a children's chorus ("Merriest Games with thee
would we play"), which is delightfully fresh and joyous in its character.
At its close the chorus of welcome resumes, and the scene ends with a
ritornelle of a plaintive kind, foreboding the sorrow which is fast
approaching.

The second scene, after a short prelude, opens with Ludwig's hunting-song
("From the Mists of the Valleys"), which is written in the conventional
style of songs of this class, although it has two distinct movements in
strong contrast. As he meets Elizabeth, a dialogue ensues, including the
scene of the rose miracle, leading up to a brief chorus ("The Lord has
done a Wonder"), and followed by an impressive duet in church style ("Him
we worship and praise this Day"). The scene closes with an ensemble, a
duet with full choral harmony, worked up with constantly increasing power
and set to an accompaniment full of rich color and brilliant effect.

The third scene opens with the song of the Crusaders, an impetuous and
brilliant chorus ("In Palestine, the Holy Land"), the accompaniment to
which is an independent march movement. The stately rhythm is followed by
a solo by the Landgrave, bidding farewell to Elizabeth and appealing to
his subjects to be loyal to her. The chorus replies in a short number,
based upon the Hungarian melody which has already been heard. Elizabeth
follows with a tender but passionate appeal to her husband ("Oh, tarry!
oh, shorten not the Hour"), leading to a solo ("With Grief my Spirit
wrestles"), which is full of the pain of parting. A long dialogue follows
between them, interrupted here and there by the strains of the Crusaders,
in which finally the whole chorus join with great power in a martial but
sorrowful style. As it comes to a close, the orchestra breaks out into
the Crusaders' march,--a brilliant picture of the knightly pageant, the
time gradually accelerating as well as the force, until it reaches a
tremendous climax. The t