Note 108 — Chapter XIII · HUNGARY AND BOHEMIA; SCANDINAVIA AND RUSSIA; ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

Elgar's "The Apostles" is the general title of a cycle of four works for voices and orchestra, of which Part II, named "The Kingdom," was completed and performed since the above was written. "The Kingdom" further discloses the remarkable individuality of Elgar's style, which in turn bespeaks the exalted spiritual nature of the man.

Each successive work that emanates from Elgar's pen emphasizes his monumental command of polyphonic structure in its largest dimensions, clothed meanwhile in the most realistic of orchestral garments. It would be going too far to aver that Elgar approaches Richard Strauss as an orchestrator; on the other hand, it will hardly be questioned that there are three prominently conspicuous composers of the present day who, having put themselves in close touch with the ideals of Richard Wagner and agreeing to a more or less degree with the tenets of Richard Strauss, stand forth as the recognized vancouriers in their respective countries for the most advanced phase of orchestral art:—Elgar, Debussy, MacDowell.