bia al vento;" but the resemblance holds no further than the first phrase of the musical sentence, which is indeed the very same. The second is in time-somewhat uncommon in vocal music; and the structure of the air is also singular, from the frequent descent of a seventh, and the peculiarity of its accentuation. We should conjecture that the words were written to the melody, not the melody to the words. But however this may be, the result is original and pleasing, though such passages as we have pointed out, frequently employed, can hardly be said to be strictly vocal. It is curious that amateurs should so far exceed the profession as they have lately done in the production of ballads, and it may perhaps afford an enquiry worth making, whether this superiority be not derived from the force of general intellectual acquirements operating where particular science is in a good degree unessential? For if this be the cause, it will add another reason to the many already advanced, why the cultivation of general knowledge should be more earnestly pursued by musicians. The Beauties of Mozart, Handel, Pleyel, Haydn, Beethoven, and other celebrated Composers, adapted to the Words of popular Psalms and Hymns, for one or two Voices; with an Accompaniment and appropriate Symphonies for the Piano Forte, Organ, or Harp; by an eminent Professor. London. Leigh. We were lately compelled to animadvert on a publication which to us appeared remarkable for vulgarity, bad taste, and an irreverent application of popular musical themes to sacred subjects. At that time we were not aware how soon we should be obliged to resume the same irksome and disgusting task. But if we were to suffer the collection named at the head of this article to pass without notice and reprobation, we should little deserve the confidence of our readers, in those things which concern their musical pursuits. Having, we conceive, in the article just alluded to, sufficiently entered into the subject of the association between music and poetry, we shall not resume the discussion in this place: indeed the whole question may be reduced to a matter of plain fact, which it is in the power of any one to answer. Surely the most uninstructed person would laugh in our faces were we to ask him, seriously, whether "Moll in the Wad," "Tekeli," or "The Devil among the Tailors," gave him the idea of church music? And, if we ascend a little higher in the intellectual scale, can we suppose that they who are accustomed to associate certain airs with poetry of an amatory, or a Bacchanalian character, can all at once dissolve the association, and fancy the same airs appropriately applied, when they are used to celebrate the praises of our Almighty Creator, or to set forth the wonders of his mercy, displayed in all the mysteries and doctrines of our holy religion? For ourselves, without presuming to lay claim to a greater share of sanctity than our neighbours, we confess that we are shocked at the thought, and we consider it a duty, on an occasion like the present, to step forward and use our best endeavours to put down a nuisance which, otherwise, will soon become intolerable. 's Were we not influenced by more serious motives, we should consider it our duty, as musicians, to enter our protest against such a collection as we have here made by our "eminent professor." If, for the supply of our church service, or for the comfort and edification of those who choose to practice sacred harmony in the retirement and bosom of their families, it be indeed necessary to go to foreign opera writers, or to take up with the refuse of their street music, or if it be necessary that we should have sacred words adapted to old hacknied Scotch or Irish tunes, which we cannot hear without having our minds filled with subjects of a light or frivolous character-to say the least of some among them-if these things really be so, then, we must again repeat it, are our living English composers fallen below all that imagination can figure to itself, and we must never utter a syllable which has the most remote tendency to represent us as a people possessed of a spark of talent for music. To justify these remarks, some extracts from the work before us will be necessary, but we cannot afflict our readers nor ourselves with many. In page 1 we find an air by MOZART, which we bemany.-In lieve is taken from "The German Erato," a collection of ballads which, some years ago, was published in this country, with transla tions and imitations of the original poetry. In page 2 we have words which begin as follows: "Great Lord of Earth, and Seas, and Skies," arranged to a tripping siciliano movement, from MOZART'S Sonata. Op. 19. The "eminent professor," intending to be very impressive, at p. 4, has arranged words which begin "Hark! the solemn trumpet sounding," to HAYDN's song of the "Mermaid," "Come with me and we will go." We must not forget to observe, that to this hymn the “professor” has added a most felicitous introduction for the trumpet, and candour obliges us to say, that in our opinion, HAYDN never wrote any thing like it in all his life. The ear which our "professor" has for English versification, and his talents in adapting it to music, may be seen at p. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, by any one who can bring himself to take the trouble of examining them. "Wedded to divine songs," we have "La ci darem la mano," at p. 26 and at p. 34, "Di tanti palpiti." That we may not grow dull by these religious effusic is, we have the air of "Away with melancholy," at p. 38, and "For tenderness formed," at p. 40. But in the taste for judicious selection, the pious mind, and the reverential feeling of our " eminent professor," appear in all their lustre, at p. 44, where he fairly gives us the Tyrolese Waltz! and here we must take our leave of him. A sense of duty has dragged us thus far through this worthless publication, but it will drag us no further. Second Part of Clementi's Introduction to the art of playing on the Piano Forte, being an Improvement upon his work formerly called an Appendix, containing Preludes, Scale Exercises, National Airs, Variations, two masterly Fugues of Sebastian Bach, with other pleasing and instructive Pieces, calculated for the greatest improvement of the Student. The whole arranged and fingered by the Editor, Muzio Clementi. Op. 43. London. Clementi, Collard, Davis, and Collard. The long life of the learned editor of this work (for be it known to those scholars who are apt to look down upon musicians, that learned he certainly is, not only in his own particular science but in various literature) the long life of the learned editor has been a life of unremitting study, and his knowledge of the practical perfection of his own instrument, has never been exceeded, perhaps never equalled. It promises the most essential advantages to art, that such a man should employ the latest years of his existence in digesting the fruits of his experience into a complete code of elementary and general instruction-revising, altering and perfecting what he has published at an earlier period, and supplying whatever his most mature observation can furnish towards the completion of his grand design. In the volumes that make up the work before us, and in his most erudite performance, the Gradus ad Parnassum, we see the last hand put to his plan, and the result cannot fail to be excellent. We shall first enumerate the several parts of the book before us, and conclude with such remarks as may arise from the examination. PART FIRST. Nos. 1 and 5 are short preludes, in the key of C major. 5. The Dead March in Saul. 6. The De'il take the War, adapted by Scroeter; and Roslin Castle, with Variations, by Dussek, in which the Lass of Peaties' Mill is introduced. 10. Daily Practice, or Circular Scale Exercise, through every key major and minor.-This has been wrought with equal care and knowledge, and is considered by the first masters as one of the most excellent exercises ever written; both hands are equally employed, alternately or together, and the whole is admirably calculated to produce that degree of firmness and power so necessary to great performers on the piano forte; it runs through 14 pages. Page 24. An Exercise by Corelli. 25. A Short Prelude in A minor; a Gavotta by Corelli, in the same key. 26. A Scale Exercise in A minor. 28. Two Preludes in F major. 29. Giga by Corelli. 30. Scale Exercise in F major. 31. Prelude in D minor. 32. Scale Exercise in the same key. 33. Saraband by Corelli. 34. Allemanda by Corelli, which is an excellent exercise for the left hand. 35, 36, and 37. Three Preludes in G major. 37. Saw you my Father, arranged by Christian Bach. 42. Colemba Arietta alla negri, with Variations by Clementi. 44. Lesson by Handel, in G, followed by the Minuet in Samson. 46. Fugata by Handel, which is treated in a very beautiful manner. Andantino by Dussek. 50. Scale Exercise in E minor. 52. Prelude in the same key. Allegro by an unknown author, in a good style. 53. Presto, ditto. 56. Prelude Bb major, followed by two Variations on Lindor, by Clementi. 58. Lochaber, adapted by ditto. 59. Gavotta by an unknown author, in a pleasing style. 60. Scale Exercise in Bb major, which ends part the 1st. PART SECOND. 62. Prelude in G minor. Lesson by Scarlatti. |