The story of Bruch’s ‘Fair Ellen’ is laid at Lucknow, British India, and the story is founded on an incident said to have occurred during the famous siege of this city in 1857, when a Scotch girl, fair Ellen, heard, above the din of battle, the shrill bagpipes of the Macgregors in the far distance, as the relief party approached, playing ‘The Campbells are Coming.’ Her inspired words of hope and encouragement stirred the despairing defenders to renewed resistance, beating off the besiegers until rescue was at hand. The cantata, the text of which is Emanuel Geibel’s ballad of the same name, was written in 1869. It is of modest dimensions, embracing solos for soprano and baritone, and five chorus numbers. The music, following Bruch’s style, is rich in instrumentation, while the choruses are full of fine melody. The Scotch tune, ‘The Campbells are Coming,’ is introduced many times in the orchestral score, and at the close the composer makes a fine climax by broadening out the joyous march-melody into a devout hymn of thanksgiving. ‘The Cross of Fire,’ a dramatic cantata founded on incidents in Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Lady of the Lake,’ was composed in 1888 and is one of the finest of Bruch’s later choral works. It was an ancient custom in the Highlands of Scotland, when one clan declared war on another, to call the clansmen to arms by means of a ‘cross of fire.’ After solemn consecration at the altar, this war-signal was carried with all possible speed from post to post by noble messengers and in its wake the men-at-arms assembled. Bruch’s librettist, Heinrich Bulthaupt, opens the cantata at the point in Scott’s familiar poem where Norman, a noble Highlander, is proudly leading his bride Mary, a noble maiden, to a near-by mountain chapel to celebrate the wedding ceremony. The wedding train approaches the church to the festal sounds of organ and a wedding anthem. As the ceremony is about to begin, Angus, a messenger, rushes in with the cross of fire and hurriedly hands it to Norman with the chieftain’s command to bear it to the nearest post. Norman bids a heart-broken farewell to his bride and hurries off followed by his warriors. Poet and composer now describe the feelings of Norman on his rapid journey, battling between duty and love. The rising of the clan in response to the war-signal is given vivid portrayal. Then follows the best-known number of the cantata, the beautiful _Ave Maria_, in which the despairing Mary expresses her emotions at being left alone. The stirring war-song, ‘Clan Alpin! Clan Alpin!’ in which Norman rouses his warriors to a high pitch of bravery, is an impressive number, and Bruch with fine effect uses an old Scotch battle-song. The final number is a masterly concerted piece. Mary and her maidens anxiously watch the ebb and flow of battle from a neighboring hill-top. The cry goes up that Norman has fallen, but shouts of victory are soon heard, the valiant Norman appears and rapturously throws himself in Mary’s arms,