not positively decide that the intonation was faulty. The melody was then sung by itself, and though it seemed just what I have described, still it was not out of tune. It was again connected with the harmony, when the same disagreeable effect was produced upon the hearer. I shall now transcribe the passage.

I believe, Sir, there is no absolute standard or limit to which we can appeal in respect to harmonic combinations, but what the ear will or can not bear. But it is particularly hard upon the poor singer, who is to suffer the discredit of singing out of tune for the sake of enabling the composer to try such experiments. In this instance there is not only the harmony but the crude melody, which I cannot think even the vehemence and bitterness of the passion will justify.

The Musical Student has given examples from Haydn's masses, where ́ voices are employed in this injudicious manner, according with the theory laid down. My instance differs from his only in the fact that even a single voice cannot be employed upon such passages and accompanied by such harmonies, without entirely destroying the end of vocal music, and risking at the same time the reputation of the singer. How far the ear and the judgment may hereafter be tutored or indurated I will not pretend to decide, but I must venture to say that science goes too far when the effects are rendered so very doubtful, to speak in very measured terms of them.

People are apt to quote "the German school" as authority in these cases. Now, Sir, who and what constitute the German school of vocal music?-Graun, Haydn, and Mozart, of the elder time, and their masses and operas; Weber, Spohr, and Mayerbeer, and cum multis aliis of the present day. The former were all studious of melody, and if melody be not the property that has VOL. VIII. NO. XXIX.-1826.

E

altogether preserved their compositions, melody it is that has made them popular. And if we consider the texture of Weber's work that is to give him eternal fame, the immortal part will be found in the beautiful melody, and as much as in the imaginative combinations of the overture to "Der Freischütz. Of the vocal parts much is even now generally pronounced not to be vocal.

The taste for such passages as the one I quote is like that vitiation of the palate, which is wrought by chewing tobacco or eating olives. It is use reconciling us to disagreeable viands, not nature delighting in those which are pleasant in themselves. But Sir, I am wandering into extraneous matters, when I only meant to claim for the singer that care which his art and his powers alike require, and that he should not be subjected to the charge of singing out of tune by the construction of passages which confuse the ear and confound the judgment even of the most practised auditors. And for what?

31

ANALYSIS OF THE "STORIA DELLA MUSICA" OF THE PADRE GIAMBATTISTA MARTINI.

THE History of Music by the Padre Martini, in its present form is but little known, except to musical antiquarians, nor is it likely to attract much notice beyond their circle; for although it is not of a very distant date, yet its unfinished state and the subjects which it embraces render it now apparently so useless, as to induce but little examination. It is impossible however that a man of such profound erudition and research as the Padre Martini could have laboured during the entire period of his long life without elucidating facts worthy of attention, and making various remarks worthy of preservation. But since these are enveloped in much tedious though learned disquisition, and his work is written in a language that is not generally understood, we have undertaken an analysis with a view to present the best parts of this history in as clear a light as possible. "No History of Music," says Dr. Burney, “has been attempted in Italy since Bontempi's in 1695, except that of Padre Martini, which has been left unfinished. This learned father began his work on so large a scale, that even though the chief part of his life seems to have been dedicated to it, only three volumes were published before his decease."* The learned Doctor likewise observes that the Padre had intended to divide his work into five parts.

This will serve to give some idea of the extensive field entered upon by Martini, and the diffuseness of that part which is completed. The plan appears to have been, to give the history of the music of each particular age or people, followed by dissertations on the different points connected with the progress of the art during each age, or with the music of the country. The volumes published contain the History of the Music of the early Hebrews, Egyp tians, and other Eastern nations, and the Greeks, each being followed by three dissertations.

From the first portion but little interest or advantage can be expected, as the attempt must be all but hopeless to establish facts relative to any thing which took place at so distant a time,

*Burney, vol. 4, page 375.

and only by the assistance of the occasional references which are made to the topic in writings consecrated to a much more important subject. It will however at least serve to shew the immense and patient research of the learned father, and to convey some idea of the simple and apparently trifling sources from which all human knowledge springs. That which is chiefly to be admired in the style is, that he studiously avoids putting auy forced construction on the references which he draws from his vast stores of erudition; these enable him to go at once to the fountain head, A, and although he never fails to confirm his opinions by the most weighty authority, yet his conclusions are always obvious, and without attempting to establish too much, he is generally enabled to bring a train of corresponding circumstances to bear upon the point which he wishes to determine. At present however we have not entered into the heart of the work; what we have as yet analysed is almost entirely made up of the extensive researches of the antiquarian, brought into such form as is best adapted to the preservation of as much regularity as is possible in the compilation of a history from such scattered and slight materials; and the matter, considering the importance of the work and the evident inclination of the father to leave nothing unexamined, is terse and conclusive.

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CHAPTER I.

Of Music in General.

It is necessary to give a more complete analysis of the first chapter, perhaps, than of the subsequent ones, as it displays in some degree the plan which the Padre Martini intended to pursue. By music," says the learned Historian, "the Ancients comprehended not only that harmony which delights the ear, as it is now generally understood, but that which is produced by the just proportions of all created things. Thus they divided universal harmony into three species, mundane, human, and instru-` mental. The first comprehended the motions of the heavenly bodies, the union of the elements, and the changes of the seasons; the second alluded to the perfect agreement of the powers of the mind, the senses, and the various parts of the body, to the order of the arts and sciences, and to the aptness of the laws of every republic and kingdom; and the third to the grateful or agrecable combination of voices and instruments.

"This last kind of music, of which I here undertake to compile the history, having been instituted by náture, as we learn by daily experience, not only for the purpose of delighting the senses, but also for that of interesting and employing the intellect, it appears to me to be most convenient to adopt the division of the celebrated Spagnuolo Francesco Salinas, who divided music into three distinct species: music which is adapted to the delight of the senses alone; music which rouses and satisfies the intellect; and music which is calculated to affect both the understanding and the senses. Music which pleases the senses alone, is that which employs merely the organ of hearing, not affecting the intellect sufficiently to create perfect ideas. Such for instance is the melody of birds, the intervals of whose voices, although not subject to any known rules of harmony, are nevertheless apparent to the mind; whence their singing may be termed irrational. The second species, on the contrary, addresses itself solely to the intellect. Its harmony can only be appreciated by the understanding, and not by the ear, as it does not consist in the combination of sounds, but in the proportion of numbers, which are only comprehensible by the mind.

The last species, called instrumental, is capable of affecting both the ear and the understanding; the former by the natural melody of voices and sounds, and the latter by the just and harmonious proportions of the intervals between those voices and sounds. It is in this sense that music becomes most worthy of our consideration and remark.”

The Padre then selects the division of instrumental music adopted by Quintilian as most worthy of credit, and in most general use amongst the Ancients.

Into Physical, which Arithmetical & strictly
The first is the The- is divided into
Physical.

oretical Part, which is

Harmonical,.

divided into two parts: And into Artificial, Rhythmical,

which is divided into

Metrical.