and Black-eyed Susan, and we must confess that we have been driven to straits, as great as Dr. Crotch in his specimens, to combat these enemies of our musical faith; if however this be "in the old English style," why then Mr. James Hook, of Vauxhall memory, or any other Mr. that can put the plainest possible ditty together, can write in this manner; even Mr. Alex. D. Roche, whose ballad has the more nationality because his "Mistress is the Sea." "Say what can hapless woman do ?"—nothing at all with such patch-work as this, we are compelled to reply. Take for example the second stanza: Forbid to rove where fancy strays, Each blooming sweet must wither; It appears to be in vain that we hang, draw, and quarter, about every three months, some murderer of the King's English; necessity or the organ of destructiveness still drives others to a similar fate. Mr. Moore's very beautiful ballad ought not to be found in such company, but we are got almost to the bottom ofour selected heap. This we believe to be a composition of Mr. Pio Cianchettini's very early youth, and is, if we mistake not, the very same melody which Mr.Moore has introduced into the last number of his National Airs, to the words-" Too plain, alas, my doom is spoken." We prefer this version and this adaptation, in which the changes heighten the passion. It is in all respects what we have termed it above, "a very beautiful ballad." She sung, but afraid of her own sweet voice, a Song, written by Oh! touch that Harp, a Cavatina, composed by J. Blewitt. London. Chappell. The first song is literally a mediocre production; such an one indeed as without any positive fault has yet no positive excellence. Mr. Klose's ballad, without containing a single novel combination, is yet very agreeable. The movement of the two verses is prettily contrasted by the acceleration of the second, and it will be found altogether effective. Mr. Blewitt's cavatina, or rather cantata, to which it comes nearest, though in truth it belongs to neither class, aims at more than it attains. It is obviously written for a voice of a limited compass, and to bring into prominent service a particular portion of the scale of the singer, but it does not appear to us to be happy either in the conception or the execution. Journal Hebdemodaire, or Weekly Journal of the latest and most admired Vocal and Piano Forte Music, by the most eminent foreign Composers, forming an agreeable assemblage of short, pleasing, and not difficult compositions. London. Boosey and Co. We have often had sufficient cause to remark that the foreign composers excel our own in elegant trifles, particularly in vocal trifles. The object of this publication seems to be to collect and concentrate the best and latest productions of the lighter kind of Italy, Germany, and France, and to give them in the original and in many instances with an English translation. Each weekly number consists of a sheet of music, upon which are closely but clearly printed one or two romances, or songs, or duets, and two or three marches, waltzes, or other like compositions. The price to subscribers for twenty-six of these sheets, forming a volume, is one pound. The selection appears to be well made, and they who seek novelty and variety will find ample satisfaction, for besides the works of great and well known composers, there are many whose names we never heard of in any other way. The publication began we believe in 1824. Two volumes are before us. 121 OBITUARY. On Monday, June 5, 1826, died Carl Maria Freyherr Von Weber. When this celebrated musician arrived in this country, he was labouring under pulmonary consumption, which, judging from the state of the body after death, must have at that time made very fatal advances. He continued however to fulfil his public engagements, and to prosecute his private studies with equanimity and even cheerfulness, though continnally exposed to the suffering occasioned by the distressing languor and difficulty of breathing which attend this fatal disorder. He had even fixed to leave England on his return to Germany, and his departure was to have taken place on Wednesday, June 7, when on the morning above named he was found dead in his bed, at the house of his friend, Sir George Smart, whose guest he had been since his residence in this country. His friends who could but perceive the continual danger to which his life was exposed, though they did not anticipate so sudden a close, were apprehensive that the journey should precipitate his end, and urged him to wait the hope of better health; but he was naturally anxious to return to his wife and children, whom he had kept in entire ignorance of his growing indisposition. He went to bed in his usual state, except perhaps that his spirits were more than commonly firm in the near approach of his much wished for departure-at seven o'clock he was found a corpse. Under such circumstances, the propriety of a medical investigation of the causes of death was evident. The body was opened, and the following certificate drawn up and published. "On opening the body of C. M. Von Weber, we found an ulcer on the left side of the larynx, the lungs almost universally diseased and filled with tubercles, of which many were in a state of suppuration, with two vomicæ, one about the size of a common egg, the other smaller, which was a quite sufficient cause of his death. T. TONCKEN, M.D. CHARLES F. FORBES, M.D. Great Portland Street, 5th June, five o'clock. No sooner was the event known, than a very ardent desire to do honour to the memory of so distinguished a man, manifested itself. Some of the principal music-sellers were the first movers, and it was no less earnestly followed up by the eminent professors generally. A public funeral was suggested, and a committee of the following gentlemen was immediately formed: Messrs. Moscheles Braham Attwood Sir J. A. Stevenson T.D'Almaine Messrs. S. Chappell T. Preston Jas. Power. At the early meetings of this committee it was determined not only to make the funeral public, but to perform Mozart's requiem upon a scale equal to the solemnity and dignity of the occasion, and to draw from the performance the means of assisting to raise a monument to the deceased. The intention was no sooner made known, than offers of gratuitous services flowed in from all quarters. Most of the Philharmonic Society-the entire Band of Covent Garden Theatre signified their wishes to assist, and every thing seemed to promise the fairest issue to a design so honourable to the country, to the promoters, and to him whose memory and whose merits it was their hope to aid in perpetuating. To this end the following appeal was put into very general circulation: "The Committee for conducting the funeral of the late Baron Von Weber beg leave to inform the musical public, that the ceremony will take place on Friday, the 16th instant. Any gentlemen wishing to attend as mourners will please to make immediate communication to the secretary. The personal expences of each individual so attending will be one pound, eleven shillings, and six-pence. A subscription is opened for the erection of a monument to the memory of the deceased; and tickets of admission to the funeral ceremony can be obtained only by subscribers to the monument to the amount of one guinea and upwards. A funeral service on an unprecedented scale of grandeur will be performed, aided by the first vocal and instrumental talent of the metropolis. Leader, Mr. F. Cramer-Conductor, Mr.Attwood. THOS. D'ALMAINE, Honorary Secretary. Committee Room, Argyll Rooms, June 12, 1826. N.B.-Each mourner will be required to furnish himself with gloves. Books are opened, and subscriptions for the monument will be received at the following music warehouses: Mr. Chappell's, 135, New Bond-street Messrs. Goulding and D'Almaine's, Soho-square Mr. Power's, 34, Strand Mr. Preston's, 71, Dean-street, Soho Mr. Willis's, 55, St. James's-street And by the Treasurer, at the Argyll-rooms." The design seemed to meet very general approbation, and a considerable number of names were entered as subscribers to the monument. M. Von Weber was of the Catholic faith, and an application was made to have the interment take place at Moorfields Chapel. An unexpected obstacle here however occurred. This beautiful building was erected by subscription, and owing (as we have understood) to the failure of one of the principal benefactors who had stipulated to defray certain expences, a part of the expence yet remains unliquidated. The chapel is therefore, if not the absolute property of the subscribers, at least in their occupation. On this ground it was deemed impracticable by the Catholic hierarchy to allow of the admission by tickets, and at the same time it was signified (we cannot perceive on what just ground) that no more than twenty musicians could be allowed to be added to the choir.* Under this unexpected circumstance, it was presumed that the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's Cathedral would grant the use of their church, which would add so much to the magnitude, splendour, and dignity of the ceremony, that the proposal was eagerly adopted. The Dean received it with the utmost attention-a chapter was called expressly-but there being no precedent for the introduction of instrumental music beyond the organ, nor of the performance of any music but such as it is customary to use in the funeral service of the Church of England, * We can easily imagine that the Catholic Clergy would feel themselves placed in an awkward dilemma between the rights of the subscribers to the chapel and the request of the committee. But surely the pewholders could hardly have refused to relinquish their rights for the morning, when the accomplishment of an object which may almost be called national, was at stake.Upon all occasions, private (in this case we may be pardoned for calling them insignificant) privileges ought to give way to public calls. |