nity of
the Hebrew religion and contrasting it with the sensuous and sensual
frivolity of the worshippers of Dagon. The choral prayer has for its
instrumental substructure an obstinate syncopated figure,

[figure: an musical score excerpt]

which rises with the agonized cries of the people and sinks with their
utterances of despair. The device of introducing voices before the
disclosure of visible action in an opera is not new, and in this case
is both uncalled for and ineffective. Gounod made a somewhat similar
effort in his "Romeo et Juliette," where a costumed group of singers
presents a prologue, vaguely visible through a gauze curtain. Meyerbeer
tried the expedient in "Le Pardon de Ploermel," and the siciliano in
Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" and the prologue in Leoncavallo's
"Pagliacci" are other cases in point. Of these only the last can be
said to achieve its purpose in arresting the early attention of the
audience. When the curtain opens we see a public place in Gaza in front
of the temple of Dagon. The Israelites are on their knees and in
attitudes of mourning, among them Samson. The voice of lamentation
takes a fugal form--

[figure: a musical score excerpt]

as the oppressed people tell of the sufferings which they have
endured:--

Nous avons vu nos cites renversees
Et les gentils profanants ton autel, etc.

The expression rises almost to the intensity of sacrilegious accusation
as the people recall to God the vow made to them in Egypt, but sinks to
accents of awe when they reflect upon the incidents of their former
serfdom. Now Samson stands forth. In a broad arioso, half recitative,
half cantilena, wholly in the oratorio style when it does not drop into
the mannerism of Meyerbeerian opera, he admonishes his brethren of
their need to trust in God, their duty to worship Him, of His promises
to aid them, of the wonders that He had already wrought in their
behalf; he bids them to put off their doubts and put on their armor of
faith and valor. As he proceeds in his preachment he develops somewhat
of the theatrical pose of John of Leyden in "The Prophet." The
Israelites mutter gloomily of the departure of their days of glory, but
gradually take warmth from the spirit which has obsessed Samson and
pledge themselves to do battle with the foe with him under the guidance
of Jehovah.

Now Abimelech, Satrap of Gaza, appears surrounded by Philistine
soldiers. He rails at the Israelites as slaves