r's Night") describing the moonlight scene about "Old Cro'
Nest." It is followed by the mystery motive announcing a weird alto solo,
"'Tis the Hour of Fairy Ban and Spell." It is the summons of the sentry
elf, ringing the hour of twelve, indicated in the score by the triangle,
and calling the fairies to confront the culprit. A stirring and blithe
instrumental introduction, followed by a short chorus ("They come from
Beds of Lichen green"), describes the gathering of the fays, retarded at
the close, and growing sombre as it is announced that "an ouphe has
broken his vestal vow." A tenor solo ("He has loved an earthly Maid")
tells the sad story of the guilty one who "has lain upon her lip of dew"
and "nestled on her snowy breast." They gather about to hear his doom,
and do not have to wait long; for the tenor song leads without break to a
barytone solo, in recitative form, by the Fairy King ("Fairy, Fairy, list
and mark"), pronouncing the penalties he must pay for his
transgression,--the catching of a drop from the sturgeon's silver bow to
wash away the stain on his wings, and the relighting of his flamewood
lamp by the last faint spark in the train of a shooting star.

A graceful chorus ("Soft and pale is the moony Beam") opens the second
part, picturing the scene upon the strand bordering the elfin land; and
the leaps of the sturgeon, followed by a tenor solo and recitative
describing the sorrow of the lonely sprite and his desperate effort to
push his mussel-shell boat down to the verge of the haunted land. The
alto, which does all the mystery work, goes on with the description of
the vain attempt of the river imps to wreck his frail craft, and his
discovery and pursuit of the sturgeon; then there is a pause. The full
chorus, in a quick movement, pictures the pretty scene of the sturgeon's
leap, the arch of silver sheen, and the puny goblin waiting to catch the
drop. The tenor recitative announces his success, and a full jubilant
chorus of the sprites ("Joy to thee, Fay! thy Task is done") bids him
hasten back to the elfin shore.

The third part opens with a full chorus, very animated in its progression
("Up to the Cope, careering swift"), describing the ride of the Fay past
the sphered moon and up to the bank of the Milky Way, where he checks his
courser to wait for the shooting star. In the next number, a short
recitative, the alto has a more grateful task; this time it is the
graceful sylphs of heaven who appear, we