e itself sometimes
relieved by plain accompaniment. The whole is an astonishing piece of
contrapuntal skill, apparently inexhaustible in its scientific
combinations, and yet never for an instant losing its deep religious
significance. Once more the orchestral part is full of agitation and even
savage energy in the "Confutatis maledictis," as it accompanies a
powerful double chorus, closing at last in a majestic prayer ("Oro
supplex et acclinis"), in which all the voices join in magnificent
harmony.

The "Lacrymosa" is the most elegant and poetically conceived movement in
the "Requiem." It begins in a delicate, graceful, and even sensuous
manner, which gradually broadens and strengthens, and at last develops
into a crescendo of immense power, reaching its climax on the words
"Judicandus homo reus." Then it changes to a plaintive prayer ("Huic ergo
parce Deus"), and closes in a cloud of gloom in the "Dona eis requiem."
The next number ("Domine Jesu Christe") is in pure church form, beginning
with a motet by chorus in solid harmony, which runs into a fugue on the
words "Ne absorbeat eas Tartarus," followed by a quartet of voices
regularly fugued, leading to another great fugue on the passage, "Quam
olim Abrahae," which closes the number in a burst of sacred inspiration.
The "Domine" is followed by the "Hostias," a lovely choral melody which
leads to the "Sanctus," a sublime piece of harmony closing with a fugued
"Hosanna." The "Benedictus," which follows it, is a solo quartet
plaintive and solemn in character, but full of sweet and rich melodies
magnificently accompanied.

The "Agnus Dei" closes the work, a composition of profound beauty, with
an accompaniment of mournful majesty, developing into a solemn, almost
funereal strain on the words "Dona eis requiem," and closing with the
fugue of the opening "Kyrie" on the words "Lux aeterna." "Written under
the inspiration of death" might well be inscribed on this great monument
of musical skill, this matchless requiem of awful majesty and divine
beauty. In its own unity, its perfection of form and design, its
astonishing skill, from the opening fugue of the "Kyrie" to its
repetition in the finale, may be found the proof that Mozart and no other
wrote the entire score, and that every thought and idea in it are the
inspired work of the dying master.

PAINE.

John K. Paine, one of the very few really eminent American composers, was
b