nomalous than the scene
and aria with which Jesus opens the work. In a short recitative passage,
Jesus welcomes death; and then ensues one of the most powerful numbers in
the work, the chorus of Soldiers in march time ("We surely here shall
find Him"), interspersed with the cries of the People demanding his
death, and the lamentations of the Apostles. At the conclusion of the
tumult a dialogue ensues between Jesus and Peter ("Not unchastised shall
this audacious Band"), which leads up to the crowning anomaly of the
work, a trio between Jesus, Peter, and the Seraph, with chorus ("O, Sons
of Men, with Gladness"). The closing number, a chorus of angels
("Hallelujah, God's Almighty Son"), is introduced with a short but
massive symphony leading to a jubilant burst of Hallelujah, which finally
resolves itself into a glorious fugue, accompanied with all that wealth
of instrumentation of which Beethoven was the consummate master. In all
sacred music it is difficult to find a choral number which can surpass it
in majesty or power.

The English versions of the "Mount of Olives" differ materially from the
German in the text. Numerous efforts have been made to avoid the
incongruity of the original narrative, but with poor success. It was
first produced in England in 1814 by Sir George Smart during the Lenten
oratorios at Drury Lane, the English version of which was made by Arnold,
at that time manager of the King's Theatre. Still later it was produced
again, and the adapter compromised by using the third person, as
"'Jehovah, Thou, O Father,' saith the Lord our Saviour." Two other
versions were made by Thomas Oliphant and Mr. Bartholomew, but these were
not successful. At last the aversion to the personal part of Jesus led to
an entirely new text, called "Engedi," the words of which were written by
Dr. Henry Hudson, of Dublin, and founded upon the persecution of David by
Saul in the wilderness, as described in parts of chapters xxiii., xxiv.,
and xxvi. of the first book of Samuel. The characters introduced are
David, Abishai, and the Prophetess, the latter corresponding to the
Seraph in the original. The compiler himself in his preface says:--

"So far as was possible, the author has availed himself of Scripture
language, and David's words have been taken (almost wholly) from the
Psalms generally attributed to him, though of course not in regular
order, as it has invariably throughout been the writer's first object
to se