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From The Musical Times of 1902

Time seems so to impress on the cultured musician the artistic value of the brilliant series of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, that a peculiar sense of anxiety is felt when a new opera [Merrie England] is produced at the Savoy Theatre. Not unnaturally great hopes were entertained that the collaboration of Captain Basil Hood and Mr. Edward German would result in a work of distinction. The former ‘hath a pretty wit’ and considerable experience of stage-craft, and the latter has given us music instinct with English idiom, and notably ‘Three dances’ (Henry VIII.), which have carried his name round the world. Captain Hood was certainly happy therefore in selecting such a typical English subject as the gallantries of the courtly days of the Virgin Queen, and one of the greatest artistic merits of the opera is the perfection of accord which exists between the libretto and the music. The libretto itself is somewhat slight in construction. Practically, the story comes to an end at the close of the first act, and although it is ingeniously prolonged, one cannot but feel that the subsequent incidents have been devised to meet musical requirements, rather than being the inevitable consequences of what has gone before. The witticisms, albeit frequently of an intellectual character, are not so numerous as might have been expected, and consequently while the book excites esteem, it does not engender a desire to indulge in superlatives.

The lyrics are very neatly turned, and contain poetical passages and lines of genuine humorous character. Most of them have been very happily set, and all of them with musicianly skill by Mr. Edward German. In the first act the quintet, ‘Love is meant to make us glad,’ is most charming in its daintiness and finish. There is a fine breezy and manly ring in the setting of ‘Who were the yeomen of England?’ and Elizabeth’s solo, ‘Oh, peaceful England,’ with its stately minuet, refrain, and pianissimo finale is a beautiful number. The humorous in music, of which Sir Arthur Sullivan was such a master, is not conspicuous in Mr. German’s score, but it is apparent in a song and chorus, ‘King Neptune sat on his lonely throne,’ and in a subsequent male quartet, ‘We are four men of Windsor,’ the latter being very cleverly written.

In the second act the witch’s song ‘Cat, cat, where have you been?’ is quaint; the duet ‘It is the merry month of May’ possesses Mendelssohnian grace; the music trips delightfully in ‘When Cupid first this old world trod,’ and the finale is effectively worked up. Although in some places Mr. German has written somewhat too generously for the brass, the orchestration is most finished and skilful, and numerous artistic touches appeal to the ear of the musician. The opera was well: cast, Miss Louie Pounds as the Witch, Miss Joan Keddie as the May Queen, and Miss Agnes Fraser as Bessie, were admirable exponents of their respective characters, and Miss Brandram as Queen Elizabeth in a pronounced farthingale was a host in herself. Mr. Henry Lytton’s embodiment of Essex, and Mr. Robert Evett’s impersonation of Raleigh, were conceived and carried out in traditional Savoy manner. On Mr. Walter Passmore, as usual, devolved the chief humours of the evening, and his quaint comicalities contributed in no small degree to the success of the production. The composer conducted on the first night, and, with Captain Hood, received, on their appearance before the curtain, the most cordial signs of the unanimous satisfaction of the audience.

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Two concerts, conducted by distinguished foreign musicians, have been amongst the more noteworthy musical events. First, we have had Mascagni here [Vienna], to conduct a performance of Rossini’s ‘Stabat Mater,’ and then we had Massenet, with his oratorio ‘Maria Magdalena.’ Rossini’s work was almost a novelty here, so completely had it disappeared from both church and concert-room. Nor does it conform to our ideas of truly sacred music. There was a large and what is called ‘fashionable’ audience, eager to see the composer of ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ conduct, but the performance itself was inadequate, and the Italian solo vocalists he had brought with him unequal to their task. Excellent in every respect was, on the other hand, the production of the oratorio by Massenet, whose operas ‘Manon’ and ‘Werther’ have long been favourites at our Hoftheater. As in these, so likewise in ‘Maria Magdalena,’ the composer shows himself an expert master in writing effectively for both voices and instruments; his music is easily understood by everyone, without stirring any of the deeper emotions. Massenet, moreover, proved himself an excellent conductor on the occasion, and has been greatly felicitated and honoured during his stay here.

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All the details of the music for the approaching Coronation of King Edward the Seventh and Queen Alexandra are now practically settled, Sir Frederick Bridge having submitted his complete scheme, which has been ‘entirely approved of.’ The music embodies works of English Cathedral writers covering no less a period than five centuries, beginning, as it does, with Tallis and Merbecke, and including the names of Orlando Gibbons, Purcell, Handel, Wesley, Smart, Sullivan, and Stainer. The music specially composed for the occasion consists of the Processional Anthem, ‘I was glad,’ by Sir Hubert Parry; an Introit, ‘Be strong and play the man,’ by Sir Walter Parratt, Master of the Musick to the King, to be sung immediately after the Crowning ceremony; and the Homage Anthem, ‘Kings shall see, and arise,’ by Sir Frederick Bridge, which will be sung during the time the Peers are doing homage to His Majesty.

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Professor Hugo Riemann, the distinguished Leipzig musical savant, greatly interested a numerous audience by a discourse on Japanese music, recently delivered by him at the Grassi Museum. The lecturer was supported by admirable illustrations of Japanese melodies, played by Miss Ko Koda, of Tokio, on the Koto, a national instrument with thirteen strings. Herren Nesslar (pianist) and Malz (violinist) also contributed to the musical programme. Miss Ko Koda was formerly a pupil of Professor Joachim.