ry to the story. The character of the queen, for
instance, is quite useless, and, in fact, disconcerting. The love
scene between the king and queen reminds one uncomfortably of Tristan
and Isolde, while a descending scale constantly used throughout the
work in the accompaniment incessantly suggests the "Samson and
Delilah" of Saint-Saens.

In spite of flaws, however,--flaws are to be had everywhere for the
looking,--Parker's work has its fine points. The struggle between the
demons and the singers of the sacred Latin Hymn has made excellent use
of the Tannhaeuser effect. The Cathedral scene shows Parker's resources
in the massive use of choruses to be very large. The barcarolling
billows of the river are ravishingly written, and the voice of the
child crying out is effectively introduced. The song the giant
Christopher sings through the storm is particularly superb.

_Frank van der Stucken._

[Illustration: FRANK VAN DER STUCKEN.]

On the bead-roll of those who have had both the ability and the
courage to take a stand for our music, the name of Frank van der
Stucken must stand high. His Americanism is very frail, so far as
birth and breeding count, but he has won his naturalization by his
ardor for native music.

Van der Stucken's life has been full of labors and honors. He was born
at Fredericksburg, Texas, in 1858, of a Belgian father and a German
mother. After the Civil War, in which the father served in the
Confederate army as a captain of the Texan cavalry, the family
returned to Belgium, where, at Antwerp, Van der Stucken studied under
Benoit. Here some of his music was played in the churches, and a
ballet at the Royal Theatre.

In 1878 he began studies in Leipzig, making important acquaintances,
such as Reinecke, Grieg, and Sinding. His first male chorus was sung
there, with great success. Of his fifth opus, consisting of nine
songs, Edvard Grieg wrote an enthusiastic criticism. After travelling
for some time, Van der Stucken was appointed kapellmeister at the
Breslau Stadt-Theatre. This was his debut as conductor. Here he
composed his well-known suite on Shakespeare's "Tempest," which has
been performed abroad and here. Here, also, he wrote a "Festzug," an
important work in Wagnerian style, and his passionate "Pagina
d'Amore," which, with the published portions of his lyric drama,
"Vlasda," has been performed by many great orchestras.

In 1883, Van der Stucken met Liszt, at Weimar, and under his auspi