It is impossible to mention in a brief essay all the great workers in symphonic forms.  One Titanic spirit, Johannes Brahms, (1833-1897) who succeeded in striking the dominant note of musical sublimity amid modern unrest, is reserved for our final consideration.  Of him Schumann said, “This John is a prophet who will also write revelations,” and he has revealed to those who can read that high art is the abiding-place of reason, that it is moreover compounded of profundity of feeling yoked with profundity of intellectual mastery.  Dr. Riemann writes of him, “From Bach he inherited the depth, from Haydn, the humor, from Mozart, the charm, from Beethoven, the strength, from Schubert, the intimateness of his art.  Truly a wonderfully gifted nature that was able to absorb such a fulness of great gifts and still not lose the best of gifts—­the strong individuality which makes the master.”

Wonderful is the power of instrumental music, absolute music without words, that may convey impressions, deep and lasting, no words could give.  All hail to the memory of Johannes Brahms, who has reminded us of its true mission and delivered a message that will ring through the twentieth century.

[Transcriber’s Note:  In the caption for the illustration featuring Ms. Nordica, the spelling of her first name was corrected from “Lilian” to “Lillian.”]