a of
singers, and, like Liszt's at Weimar, the centre of art influences. The
new work was "William Tell," which was first brought out in Paris in
1829. It was his last important effort. It met with only temporary
success, though it enjoys to-day a reputation almost equal to that of the
"Barber." His most celebrated work in sacred music is the "Stabat Mater,"
which, though written in operatic style and very brilliant in coloring,
has retained its place in popular favor, and is to-day as eagerly sought
for by artists and the public as it was in his own day. Among his other
sacred works is "Moses in Egypt,"--originally written as an oratorio for
the San Carlo in Naples, and brought out there in 1818, though
subsequently recast and provided with a revised libretto for the Paris
Grand Opera in 1827. The "Prayer" from this work has a world-wide
popularity. During the latter years of his life Rossini gave up
composition entirely,--in part because of the eventual failure of his
"William Tell,"--and enjoyed the fruits of his labors at his beautiful
villa in Passy. He died Nov. 14, 1868. His sacred works, besides those
already mentioned, are a few Italian oratorios, now unknown, three
choruses, "Faith, Hope, and Charity," the "Petite Messe Solenelle," a
"Tantum Ergo," a "Quoniam," and an "O Salutaris."

Stabat Mater.

The great Stabat Maters in the musical world are those of Palestrina,
Pergolesi, Haydn, Steffani, Clari, Astorga, Winter, Neukomm, Rossini, and
the one recently written by the Bohemian composer, Dvorak. Of all these
no one has been so popular as that of Rossini, nor made the world so
familiar with the text of the Virgin's Lamentation. After the failure of
"William Tell," Rossini abandoned opera-writing, though he had a contract
with the Grand Opera at Paris for four more works, and contemplated
taking up the subject of Faust. "William Tell" was his last work for the
stage; but before his absolute retirement he was to produce a work
destined to add to his fame. In 1832 his friend Aguado induced him to
compose a "Stabat Mater" for the Spanish minister, Don Valera, which was
not intended to be made public. Before its completion he fell ill, and
Tadolini wrote the last four numbers. The work was dedicated to Valera,
with the understanding that it should always be retained by him. Nine
years afterwards Valera died, and Rossini learned that his heirs had sold
the work to a Paris publ