," Romberg's somewhat antiquated "Song of the Bell," Sullivan's
"Golden Legend," Randegger's "Fridolin," and Dudley Buck's "Don Munio"
and "Light of Asia." But besides such as these there are numerous other
works, not usually classed as cantatas, which clearly belong to the same
musical family; such as Berlioz's "Damnation of Faust," Brahms's
"Triumphlied," Mendelssohn's settings of various Psalms, Handel's "Acis
and Galatea" and "Alexander's Feast," Hofmann's "Melusina," Liszt's
"Prometheus," Rheinberger's "Toggenberg," Schubert's "Song of Miriam,"
Schumann's ballads and "Advent Hymn," and Weber's "Kampf und Sieg." These
and others of the same kin are drawn upon as illustrations and for
analysis in the pages which follow.

Considering the possibilities of the cantata, its adaptability to every
form of narrative, and the musical inducements it holds out, particularly
in these days, when a new opera or oratorio must be of extraordinary
merit to suit the public, it is somewhat remarkable that no more of them
are written. Mr. Charles Barnard has made this point very aptly and
forcibly in a short article printed in the "Century" for January, 1886,
in which he urges the cantata form of composition upon our writers, and
makes many excellent suggestions.[7] It is certainly an inviting field,
especially to American composers, among whom but three or four have as
yet produced works of this kind possessing real merit.

[1] Its first use is to be found in the opera of "Enea," performed at
Genoa in 1676. Before 1680 it was universally adopted.

[2] It is noteworthy that in this volume occur for the first time the
musical terms "adagio," "piu adagio," "affetuoso," "presto," and
"allegro." In the "Cantate da Camera a voce sola," published at
Bologna (1677) by Gio. Bat. Mazzaferrata, the terms "vivace,"
"largo," and "ardito" are also found for the first time.

[3] Geminiani used to relate that Franceschelli, a celebrated performer
on the violoncello at the beginning of this century, accompanied one
of these cantatas at Rome so admirably, while Scarlatti was at the
harpsichord, that the company, being good Catholics, and living in a
country where miraculous powers have not yet ceased, were firmly
persuaded it was not Franceschelli who had played the violoncello,
but an angel that had descended and assumed his shape.--_Burney's
History_, vol. iv. p. 169 (1789).

[4] Doctor Arbuthnot,