follows him too closely. However excellent the model, this is to be regretted, because Mr. Walmisley has shewn, in many instances, that he can think for himself and with effect. His works are distinguished by a smooth, sweet, and gentle flow. They are indicative of a pure and elegant mind, rather then of an imagination extraordinarily fertile or vigorous. They may be compared to sparkling rills that gurgle softly through flowers, rather than to mountain streams, which awe by their force and grandeur.

The present production is honourable, not only to the talents but to the industry of the author, for it is the most voluminous of any which has lately come under our view, and this will account for our taking but slight notice of some of its contents.

Among the glees we are particularly struck with "Hail beauteous stranger," which is acharming composition, and will, we have no doubt, take rank among the "legitimates" of the present day. The whole of it is conceived in a very happy manner, and it is not too long; a fault which may be imputed to some of the others in this collection. The counterpoint, with one or two exceptions, which are scarcely worth mentioning, and certainly not worth quoting, is clear and masterly, and gives us a high opinion of the author's science. We much admire the disposition of the parts, at page 113, to the words "When heav'n is filled with music sweet :" this passage, when well performed, must have an excellent effect; but the same may be said of the whole glee.

"Boy, I hate their empty shows," is, perhaps, the most spirited composition in the book. Though the poetry is translated from Horace we shall call it a pure anacreontic; in the composition of which Mr. W. seems to have had in his mind Battishill's famous glee, “Underneath this myrtle shade :" this appears more particularly in the last movement.

66

Reflected on the lake" is a composition quite differing in character. It has throughout a pensive tone, which is always interesting to the real lovers of harmony. We are very anxious to hear this glee, and "Hail beauteous stranger," well performed.

66

Among the lighter pieces contained in this volume, Love under friendship's vesture white" should be noticed; but we can hardly recommend it to be sung with Mr. W.'s cadence. Cadences at all times are excrescences; but in glees, especially those which

are of the legitimate tribe, the best of them are monstrosities. Mr. W.'s cadence, however, is poor in itself, and by its insertion he has shown more bad taste than we have discovered in any other part of his book.

As it is our province to find fault, though we rather delight to praise, we may object that " Hail meek-ey'd maiden," and "Daughters of Albion," are perhaps too lengthy, yet not without some highly pleasing passages. In the latter, [See page 48, bars 3 and 4,] Mr. W. should not have exhibited harmonic relations so false as the following:

*

her refreshing tears. tears refreshing tears

*

The trios are certainly not equal to the glees.

"I gazed with fond eye" is flowing and unpretending, but a little common place.

"Ye

When the spirited poem of Allan Cunninghame, "A wet sheet and a flowing sea," was first published in the London Magazine, we were particularly struck with its vigour and the properties that recommended it as a fit subject for music. It brought too to our remembrance Mr. Walmisley's former production, mariners of England," but we did not anticipate the pleasure of seeing it set by the same hand. There is a good portion of energy in the adaptation, but the several divisions want better connection. "There was once a gentle time" is the best of the three. But the observation made on the preceding trio will apply to this. The second or minor part is not happy; there is much labour in the modulation. The science of modulation is easy of acquirement, but the application of this knowledge is very difficult, because it requires an acquaintance with the springs of passion, and with the kindred sounds and changes that move them.

The first parts of Mr. Walmisley's Rounds are much too long. In a round, the leading part should rarely exceed eight or twelve bars, yet Mr. W. in "The moments past" gives us twenty-two, and in "Sweet is the breath of morn," twenty-four! The firstmentioned round is by far the best, but the effect of both is weakened by the circumstance just mentioned.

Although we perceive nothing remarkable for its boldness or -novelty in the canons, they must be esteemed at the same time very creditable to his skill and industry. The subjects of the double canons might perhaps have been with advantage more dissimilar—this circumstance is not sufficiently attended to by young composers. Those in three parts are the best, though they are too much alike in their structure. The selection of Sir W. Jones' elegant translation, beginning "On parent knees," does great credit to Mr. W.'s taste; at the same time it is to be regretted, that he did not set such beautiful words in a less artificial manner. The two parts which move in canon are ingeniously constructed, and considering the difficulty of the composition, the modulation is both free and effective-but in music, united with poetry which goes so directly to the heart, we would have had more nature and simplicity.

The counterpoint of this volume is highly creditable to Mr. W. There may indeed be some few errors, but they are so redeemed by the general excellence of the whole, that it would be invidious to point them out.

In Mr. Jolly's glees there is more force than in Mr. Walmisley's, but less invention. The commencement of the first, "Loud howls the wind," brings to our mind R. Cooke's glee of "Now the winds whistle." Mr. J. we believe, was a pupil of Mr. R. Cooke's. The concluding movement is expressive and highly pleasing, though it contains some passages which have been frequently used by preceding composers.

"Come Lucy" is a sweet pastoral composition, especially at the conclusion. Mr. J. does not appear to have read the poetry of his third glee with sufficient attention. He sends us back again at the end of the second line, when the sense is by no means concluded:

"He that loves a rosy cheek,

Or a coral lip admires."

Here Mr. J. has put a full stop, and has concluded the first part of his movement. This is not all, for, after the repetition, we do not come to the poet's moral inference

"As old time makes these decay,

So his flame must melt away,

till we have sung through almost three pages, in which the words VOL. VIII. No. xxx.-1826.

Ee

"Or from star like eyes, &c." are too often repeated. The same remark may be made on the last movement

"But a smooth and stedfast mind,

"Gentle thoughts and calm desires,"

Are lines which have no sense in them without a reference to those which follow. Mr. J. therefore should have made no repetition at the end of those lines, but connected the whole together. Young writers are apt to be careless in the management of their cadences. The perfect cadence should of course never be employed, but when the sense of the poetry is completed.

The fourth glee, "See how beneath the moon-beam's smile" is a pleasing composition; but here the words are too often repeated; a fault of which Mr. J. too frequently commits.

"Shall I wasting in despair," (the fifth glee) is one of the best in the book. It is in the ballad style, the music agreeing admirably with the antique cast of the poetry. The barring appears to us to be wrong, for as it now stands the cæsura is brought into the middle of the bar, whereas it ought always to appear at the beginning. This would have been avoided by commencing with the half-bar-thus,

D

Shall I wasting in despair.

The last glee, "Come fill the goblet," has much animation, and considering the trite nature of its subject, may be considered as original as any other in the collection. But should Mr. Jolly's claims to originality be disputed, his compositions bear marks of his acquaintance with the works of our best glee writers, and afford a great promise of future excellence. This we consider to be high praise, for who can be expected to be original at this time of day, in a species of writing so nearly exhausted insofar as melody, or even as novelty of construction is concerned. To select beautiful and striking subjects, and to support them with sound harmonies, to produce variety and effect by modulation, and to construct the parts so that they sing well, must

be the attributes sought, and to them both Mr. Jolly and Mr. Walmisley put in fair claims. We can but conclude as we began, by expressing our pleasure at this demonstrative proof, that there are still persons of condition and taste who support their countrymen in the endeavour to sustain that beautiful species of composition for which they have hitherto been so highly com mendable and commended.

Mozart's Six Grand Symphonies, newly adapted for the Piano Forte, with an Accompaniment for the Flute, Violin, and Violoncello; by Muzio Clementi. London. Clementi and Co. Beethoven's Grand Symphonies, arranged for the Piano Forte, with Accompaniments for the Flute, Violin, and Violoncello; by J. N. Hummel. Nos. 1 and 2. Chappell and Co.

No art has perhaps undergone more various changes, or has continued from its revival in the middle ages up to the present time, in such a constant state of progression, as music. The later improvements in the instrumental kind, both with respect to performance and composition, are alone sufficient to demonstrate the fact. The strongest proof of the gradual perfection of this branch is discoverable in the increasing estimation we have continual occasion to remark, and the foundation of this very general reception of instrumental music, is to be traced to the splendid productions of genius, that are now sent almost daily into the musical world; knowledge and fine taste are even more universally diffused by their reproduction in such various shapes, and when we see such men as Clementi and Hummel bending their fine talents to works like those before us, we compare them to philosophers who by microscopic observations, bring to common view, natural beauties known previously but to few.

The symphony is perhaps as strong an instance as can be cited of the rapidity and extent of the improvement of music within the last hundred years. In the beginning of the eighteenth century