hich are supposed to transpire at evening, and
are therefore styled by the composer "night-scenes." Their arrangement,
which is very skilfully accomplished, is as follows:--

Scene I. In the chapel of St. George at Palos, Aug. 2, 1492. "The
squadron being ready to put to sea, Columbus, with his officers and crew,
confessed themselves to the friar, Juan Perez. They entered upon the
enterprise full of awe, committing themselves to the especial guidance
and protection of Heaven."

Scene II. On the deck of the Santa Maria. "Eighteen years elapsed after
Columbus conceived his enterprise before he was enabled to carry it into
effect. The greater part of that time was passed in almost hopeless
solicitation, poverty, and ridicule."

Scene III. The Vesper Hymn. "In the evening, according to the invariable
custom on board the admiral's ship, the mariners sang the Vesper Hymn to
the Virgin."

Scene IV. Discontent and Mutiny. "In this way they fed each other's
discontent, gathering into little knots, and fomenting a spirit of
mutinous opposition ... finally breaking forth into turbulent clamor."

Scene V. In distant Andalusia. "He compares the pure and balmy mornings
to those of April in Andalusia, and observes that they wanted but the
song of the nightingale to complete the illusion."

Scene VI. Land and Thanksgiving. "As the evening darkened, Columbus took
his station on the top of the castle or cabin, on the high poop of his
vessel, ranging his eye along the horizon, and maintaining an intense and
unremitting watch."

The cantata opens with a brief orchestral prelude of a sombre character
begun by the trombone sounding the Gregorian intonation, and leading to
the barytone solo of the priest ("Ye men of Spain, the Time is nigh"),
appealing to the crew to commit themselves to Heaven, to which the full
male chorus responds with ever-increasing power, reaching the climax in
the "Ora pro nobis." Twice the priest repeats his adjuration, followed by
the choral response, the last time with joy and animation as the flag of
Castile is raised and they bid farewell to the shores of Spain. A short
allegro brings the scene to a close.

The second scene is a bass aria for Columbus ("Eighteen long Years of
Labor, Doubt, and Scorn"), of a vigorous and spirited character, changing
to a solemn adagio in the prayer, "Lord of all Power and Might," and
closing with a few spirited phrases in the opening tempo. It is followed
by the Vesper Hym