, and in
1879 returned to London, where he engaged for a time in literary
pursuits. His abilities as a writer are very clearly shown in the
librettos to his works. In 1880 he was appointed conductor of the
orchestra at the Brighton Aquarium, and since that time he has devoted
himself to teaching and composition. His principal works are "In the
Black Forest," an orchestral suite, and "Evening on the Seashore," idyl
for orchestra (1876); the opera "Morte d'Arthur" (1877); the one-act
opera "Philomel" (1879); cantata, "The Cyclops" (1880); "Ossian," a
concert overture for orchestra, produced by the London Philharmonic
Society (1882); the cantata "Bridal of Triermain" (1886); and the opera
"Nordisa," founded upon a Norwegian subject and brought out with great
success in January, 1887 by the Carl Rosa opera troupe. Mr. Corder is one
of the most ambitious and promising of all the younger English composers,
and his music shows in a special degree the influence of Wagner. That he
has also literary talent of a high order is evinced by his contributions
to periodical literature and the librettos of his last two works,--"The
Bridal of Triermain" and "Nordisa."

The Bridal of Triermain.

"The Bridal of Triermain" was written for the Wolverhampton (England)
Festival of 1886, and was one of the most notable successes in the
festival performances of that year. The subject is taken from Walter
Scott's poem of the same name. The adaptation has been made in a very
free manner, but the main incidents of the poem have been carefully
preserved. Sir Roland's vision of the "Maid of Middle Earth;" the bard
Lyulph's recital of the Arthurian legend, which tells of Gyneth's
enchantment in the valley of St. John by Merlin, where she must sleep

"Until a knight shall wake thee
For feats of arms as far renowned
As warrior of the Table Round;"

the magic wrought by Merlin in the valley to delude Roland and thwart his
effort to rescue Gyneth; his daring entrance into the palace grounds; the
discovery of the Princess in the enchanted hall, and her final rescue are
the themes which the composer has treated. In arranging his libretto he
has, as has been said, made a free adaptation of the poem, sometimes
using verses entire, at other times changing the text and rearranging it
to suit the composer's musical demands, even at the expense of the
original beauty and symmetry of the work.

The cantata has no overture, but