Latin stanzas appearing alongside the Danish version in the programme. The reviews were generally good. Writing in Dannebrog, Nanna Liebmann commented: "The young, talented composer, who yesterday evening also showed himself to be an energetic and assured conductor, has with this work indisputably risen many degrees in the judgment of the public. To a Latin text which depicts in short lines the stages of love in childhood, youth, manhood and old age, and finally ends as a hymn of praise in Heaven, Mr. Nielsen has written beautiful, natural and poetic music, which in its performance last evening could only have a directly appealing effect on the audience." Berlingske Tidende’s H.W. Schytte commented specifically on the Latin: "The odd idea that a Danish poem should be translated into Latin to inspire our young Danish composer and our Music Society choir of young ladies and gentlemen at a time when Latin is close to being abolished in the learned schools, was something to which we at first had difficulty reconciling ourselves. But we hastened to drive away these reflections and found the idea in the text acquired by the composer attractive and well suited to a sufficiently gifted composer. We did not quite grasp the little instrumental beginning. It seemed to us that there was nothing to grasp, but with the first chorus our attention was immediately captured, and gradually we let Latin be Latin and listened only to the music, which maintained an interest that during the 25 minutes the piece lasted rather grew than diminished, despite the fact that the Brahms section had already given us much to think about." Angul Hammerich writing in Nationaltidende was more effusive: "In his new choral work... (Nielsen) has become considerably more assured, more positive, more aware of his goals. He has therefore created a piece which as a work of art must be placed much higher than its predecessors." Charles Kjerulf in Politiken was highly critical of the Latin, asking why Nielsen: "wanted his thoughts and visions appareled in the shroud of a dead language." He continued: "Why on earth must this little true-born Dane Carl Nielsen, who just a few years ago appeared in an army band on Odense market-place, blowing the cornet or striking the triangle in military parades — why on earth does he need to have his feelings put into Latin to set a love-hymn to music? That is