Улісс
Chapter 1
Wagnerianmusic,thoughconfessedlygrandinitsway,wasabittooheavyforBloomandhardtofollowatthefirstgo-offbutthemusicofMercadante’sHuguenots,Meyerbeer’sSevenLastWordsontheCrossandMozart’sTwelfthMasshesimplyrevelledin,theGloriainthatbeing,tohismind,theacmeoffirstclassmusicassuch,literallyknockingeverythingelseintoacockedhat.HeinfinitelypreferredthesacredmusicofthecatholicchurchtoanythingtheoppositeshopcouldofferinthatlinesuchasthoseMoodyandSankeyhymnsorBidmetoliveandIwilllivethyprotestanttobe.HealsoyieldedtononeinhisadmirationofRossini’sStabatMater,aworksimplyaboundinginimmortalnumbers,inwhichhiswife,MadamMarionTweedy,madeahit,averitablesensation,hemightsafelysay,greatlyaddingtoherotherlaurelsandputtingtheotherstotallyintheshade,inthejesuitfathers’churchinupperGardinerstreet,thesacrededificebeingthrongedtothedoorstohearherwithvirtuosos,orvirtuosirather.Therewastheunanimousopinionthattherewasnonetocomeuptoherandsufficeittosayinaplaceofworshipformusicofasacredcharactertherewasagenerallyvoiceddesireforanencore.OnthewholethoughfavouringpreferablylightoperaoftheDonGiovannidescriptionandMartha,ageminitsline,hehadapenchant,thoughwithonlyasurfaceknowledge,forthesevereclassicalschoolsuchasMendelssohn.
