Musical Criticisms SHERRATT & HUGHES Publishers to the Victoria University of Manchester Manchester: 27 St. Ann Street London: 65 Long Acre [Illustration: AGED 26.] MUSICAL CRITICISMS BY ARTHUR JOHNSTONE WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR BY HENRY REECE AND OLIVER ELTON MANCHESTER AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS 1905 To Dr. Hans Richter in Memory of his Friend and Admirer Arthur Johnstone FOREWORD. The Editors desire to express their thanks to the Proprietors of the _Manchester Guardian_ for their permission to reprint the articles contained in this volume. They also wish to acknowledge the assistance they have received in compiling the memoir from the family of the late Mr. Arthur Johnstone and from his friends, and they are more particularly indebted to Professor Sidney Vantyn for the long correspondence he placed at their disposal. The letters quoted were for the most part written to Mr. Oliver Elton. CONTENTS. PAGE =Memoir= i. =Chapter I.--Bach= The Genius of Bach 1 Mass in B minor ("Hohe Messe") 3 The "St. Matthew Passion" 5 A minor Concerto for two Violins 8 =Chapter II.--Beethoven= Symphony No. 5 (C minor) 11 Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral") 13 Symphony No. 7 14 Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica") 16 Symphony No. 2 18 "Missa Solennis" 20 "Fidelio" 21 =Chapter III.--Berlioz= "Symphonie Fantastique" 24 "La Damnation de Faust" 27 The Centenary Celebrations 29 =Chapter IV.--Liszt= "Faust" Symphony 33 Pianoforte Concerto in E flat 36 =Chapter V.--Wagner= Overture, "Faust in solitude" 39 The "Ring" at Covent Garden (1903) 41 The Bayreuth Festival 51 "Parsifal" 53 The "Ring" at Bayreuth (1904) 56