588 REPORT— 1891. 



form a true idea of the effect of its first performance three 

 hundred years ago in that most magnificent Sistine Chapel, 

 surrounded by the gorgeous ritual which the Church of Eome 

 knew so well how to use, yet you would agree that the music 

 is exceedingly beautiful. We will, however, sing two short 

 motetts of Palestrina's. They are less intricate by far than 

 the music of the mass, less noble in conception altogether, yet 

 they give a fair idea of the simplicity and purit\' of Palestrina's 

 style, for which he was no less conspicuous. 



After the death of Palestrina music continued to progress 

 with rapid strides towards perfection. Composers had not 

 only a most perfect and complete system of notation and scale 

 wherewith to work, but they had as models of harmony and 

 technical construction the most inspired compositions of 

 Palestrina, and it only remained for them to invent forms of 

 an equal elegance and beauty, yet of a distinctive character, 

 through which to express their thoughts and ideas. 



I have chosen for illustration by the choir specimens of 

 seven of these forms — viz., the madrigal, the oratorio, the 

 motett, the anthem, the national song, aiid the cantata. 



The madrigal, a species of part-song, was the earliest form 

 of secular vocal composition to attain a high degree of perfec- 

 tion. The name "madrigal " is Italian, but the first madrigals 

 were written by Flemish musicians. The Italians also excelled 

 as composers of madrigals later on. Palestrina wrote very 

 beautiful examples, as did also Festa, the composer of the 

 madrigal " Down in a llow'ry vale," just sung by the choir. 

 But English composers of the sixteenth and seventeenth cen- 

 turies are said to have excelled all others in the art of writing 

 madrigals, and I have chosen for illustration two very beautiful 

 specimens, " In going to my lonely bed," by Edwardes, and 

 •" Flora gave me fairest flowers," by Wilbye. 



By the end of the seventeenth century the madrigal was 

 succeeded by the glee, to which class of song belong " Hail, 

 smilmg morn," and " The red-cross knight." The glee, in 

 its turn, was succeeded by the modern part-song. 



Many of you, no doubt, read with interest a description of 

 a performance of the so-called "miracle" or " passion play " 

 given at Oberammergau last year. I need not now describe 

 these plays further than to say that they represented with 

 remarkable dramatic power and force the story of some of 

 the principal episodes in the life of our Lord. Such repre- 

 sentations are not of modern invention — they were in common 

 use before and during the time of Palestrina. 



I mentioned just now that Palestrina expired in the arms 

 of his friend St. Philip Neri : six years afterwards— z'.c, in the 

 year 1600 — the first oratorio ever composed was performed in 

 St. Philip's oratory ; hence the name " oratorio." 



