Que votre Majesté juge de la patience qu'il me faut pour vivre avec un être aussi fantastique !-Ne vouloit-il pas aussi que j'osasse reprocher à Votre Majesté cet exces de bonté qui fait le sujet de mon orgueil et de ma gloire? Moi, Madame, vous reprocher un défaut ! Le beau defaut! Votre Majesté ne s'en corrigera de sa vie. 'On dit qu'il faut tout passer aux Génies; je dois au mien le bonheur de vous plaire, et je lui pardonne ses caprices. Daignez, Madame, recevoir mes foibles dons. Vous fûtes de tout temps destinée à regner sur un peuple libre; les enfans du genie ne le sont pas moins que le Peuple Britannique; libres surtout dans leurs hommages, ils se plaisent à entourer votre trone. Vos vertus, vos talens, vos bienfaits seront à jamais presens à ma memoire; partout ou je vivrai, je me regarderai comme le sujet de Votre Majesté. Je suis avec le plus profond respect, A Londres, ce 18 Janvier, 1765. If, as a composer, our accomplished countryman cannot be ranked with Mozart, his productions nevertheless amply justify the promise of his early attainments. Musical fancy, like poetical imagination, is a specific gift, not always possessed in the highest degree by those who have the ear, the passion, the skill, and the science required in a great musician. Young Crotch's precocious talent shewed itself in accuracy of ear, in musical memory, and in an aptitude for executing harmony, rather than in invention, the distinguishing characteristic of Mozart's genius. But Dr. Crotch's oratorio of Palestine is admitted to be the finest musical production that has appeared from any English composer during the last fifty years. The overture, in particular, is a chef d'œuvre. We recollect being present at the first public performance; and seldom have we seen the attention of a musical audience so strongly fixed and sustained to the last. An eminent composer of our acquaintance, (than whom we could not, perhaps, name a higher authority in sacred music,) confessed to us, that he went to the performance with a book in his pocket, expecting the time to pass heavily; so little did he anticipate from the bold attempt of one who, at that time, had produced nothing of importance in sacred music, and who had betrayed, in some of his opinions, a very imperfect acquaintance with the church music of the Continent. But the Overture surprised and delighted him: its richness, grandeur, and appropriateness entitle it, indeed, to rank as a composition of the highest order. The same science and exquisite propriety of character pervade the whole oratorio; and though our learned Critic thought the Overture the finest thing, the book never came forth from his pocket. The chorusses, 'Reft of thy Sons', and 'Let Sinai tell', are admirably effective. Among the songs, the Writer of the Article in the Harmonicon fixes on the Recitative and Air, 'Is this thy place, sad city?' and 'Ye Guardian Saints', and another air for a bass voice, 'Oh, fruitful now no more', as the most pleasing; but the most popular piece in the Oratorio is the quartett, 'Lo! 'star-led chiefs',- one of those happy conceptions that occur 'but seldom even to the greatest composers'. Dr. Crotch displayed his correct taste and feeling in selecting such a poem as Heber's Palestine for the subject of his composition. The Lectures on Music now given to the public are (as indeed lectures addressed to amateurs, rather than to students, must be) of a popular cast, being designed not to expound the science of music, but to improve the taste. The study of the science is, however, strongly recommended by the Author to every lover of the art. Dr. Crotch takes occasion incidentally to give his opinion on the much controverted subject of tuning, and he is decidedly in favour of the equal temperament. I have also the satisfaction', he says, 'of finding that my opinion is supported by the known practice of Sebastian Bach, who 'tuned his own instruments according to this system.' Against two such authorities, it would be the height of presumption to oppose an individual opinion; but we may just remark, that Dr. Crotch's main argument takes it for granted, what some may be inclined to dispute, that nothing is gained, under the unequal temperament, by the specific character and effect of the less perfect, as well as of the more perfect keys. Dr. Crotch's opinions on musical literature are marked by thorough knowledge, fine discrimination, and exquisite taste; and as musical taste is neither universal nor very prevalent, the publication of these Lectures will be a useful service rendered to the public, if, although they cannot communicate accurate perceptions, they impart correct information and clear notions; thereby giving a check to dogmatism, pretence, and prejudice, which are apt, more especially in the uncertain matters of taste, to prevail in an inverse proportion to comprehensive knowledge. The following remarks are well deserving of attention. Every style of music has its votaries and champions, both writers and critics, who, like true knights of old, contend that the idol of their admiration shall not only receive the honour due, but be allowed to be unrivalled, pre-eminent, and perfect. A few can be touched only by the grave solemnity of the church style. The oratorios of Handel are with more the chief source of delight. The modern Italian opera is by many accounted the only school for vocal melody. Some prefer a glee to all other music; the concert sinfonia is sufficient for others; while the compositions of the day for the piano-forte, is all the music that is known to many. As all styles are thus praised, so all are condemned. Accordingly, we read and hear continually of the dry and pedantic strains of the church, the tedious heaviness of the oratorio, the trifling puerility of the opera, the excruciating dissonance of the German sinfonia, and the affectation and extravagance of instrumental music for the chamber. How, indeed, can musicians in general acquire the essential requisites of an author or a critic? They generally find that the cultivation of any one branch of the art precludes all attention to the others. Mere performers are seldom better judges of the music they execute, than actors are of dramatic writings; and, like them, generally form their judgement from the reception which their own part meets with from the public. I have more than once heard some of the worst singers of the lowest styles of music seriously call the song which had just obtained for them the applause of a tasteless audience, the finest that was ever written! Performers, however, both instrumental and vocal, are sometimes possessed of good taste; but it is necessarily confined to the style of music to which they have been most accustomed. The choir singer may be consulted about the merits of an anthem; but he is seldom fond of any modern, and especially instrumental, music. An Italian opera-singer will speak correctly of the productions of his own country, but he does not relish the music of the German school; nor are foreigners in general judges of ancient music. And if it is thus with musicians, what can we expect from the man whose sole qualification for being a critic is having an ear for music? He may be pleased when hearing it; he may be fond of it, and refreshed by it after fatigue; he may like to be lulled to sleep by it: and the artless murmurs of the Eolian harp will answer the purpose as well as the noblest of scientific productions, which, indeed, would rather keep the true lover of music awake, by arresting and rivetting his attention. This same self-constituted critic, when awake, may find his imagination fired by powerful effects, strong contrasts, and sudden transitions; he may be deeply affected by pathetic expression; but the delicate refinements of taste escape him, and all that is scientific and learned is unregarded or despised: he frequently prefers the worst music, "for" (says the lecturer already quoted *) "it is the lowest style only of arts, whether of painting, poetry, or music, that may be said, in the vulgar sense, to be naturally pleasing. The higher efforts of these arts, we know by experience, do not affect minds wholly uncultivated. This refined taste is the consequence of education and habit." The good composer must not, therefore, write for the majority of hearers; he must not be discouraged by the inattention or censures of the public. Let him look to Sebastian Bach, "who" (says his biographer) never worked for the crowd, but always had in his mind an ideal perfection, without any view to approbation. He sung only for himself and the Muses." Were the majority always in the right, why are the Battle of Prague and Pleyel's Concertante, which they so much admired, now passed into oblivion to make way for similar trash? Were the majority always wrong, we should thus have another rule for determining our own opinions. But they are not to be trusted. And when I attend public concerts, and hear, as is too frequently the case, the undeserved *Sir Joshua Reynolds.' 66 applause bestowed on some new trifle, I am tempted to apply to them what Sir Joshua Reynolds says of the public exhibitions of paintings, "Popularity always accompanies the lower styles of painting. I mention this, because our exhibitions, while they produce such admirable effects, by nourishing emulation and calling out genius, have also a mischievous tendency, by seducing the painter to an ambition of pleasing the mixed multitude of people who resort to them." Certainly, however, it is the wish of the composer to please, if possible, all hearers-both the discerning few, and the unpretending multitude. He would, if he could, acquire both immediate and lasting fame. He would, if possible, have all men on his side. He therefore argues with them, and endeavours to persuade them to adopt his opinions, when he cannot agree to theirs. These endeavours are not usually crowned with success. A lasting reputation is seldom acquired quickly. It is by a slower process, by the prevailing commendation of a few real judges, that true worth is finally discovered and rewarded. The opinions of acknowledged critics accumulate in time, and are compacted into a mass that irresistibly bears down before it all the opposition of false taste and ignorance. Hence, the artist who lives unnoticed and neglected, often, after death, acquires immortal fame. Marcello, who was at first too highly extolled, and afterwards as much undervalued, has found his true level among the great classical composers. The Prince of Venosa was hailed as the brightest of the rising luminaries, then suddenly went down, and was no more remembered. "Giant Handel" was driven by "the Goddess of Dulness " "to the Hibernian shore," but is now placed highest in the temple of Fame. The prevalence of true taste would have altered all these cases, by immediately determining the merits of the candidate. But it is said that the taste of the critic should even equal that of the composer; as, in the sister art, "whatever speculative knowledge is necessary for the artist, is equally and indispensably so to the connoisseur." + pp. 17-22. Dr. Crotch is of opinion, that the public taste of this nation, in reference to music, is in a gradual state of improvement, while the art itself is on the decline. For the grounds of this judgement, we must refer our readers to the volume itself. After an introductory chapter, from which the above citation has been made, the Lecturer treats, in chapter II., of the three styles of music; the sublime, the beautiful, and the ornamental; in chapter III. on musical expression; and in chapter IV. on the rise, progress, and decline of the art. Chapter V. is occupied with a brief notice of the most distinguished composers in various titles: and the last contains some brief observations on the present state of musical taste in this nation. As a specimen of the Author's criticisms, we insert his remarks upon his favourite, Handel. 崇。 'Pope.' + Sir Joshua Reynolds.' George Frederic Handel may be called the idol of the English school, as the last-mentioned composer (Graun) was of the Berlin: both died in 1759. Handel's worth is estimated upon the principles already so often detailed. He did not exceed all others in any one particular style. Bird, Palestrina, Gibbons, and Bach, were more sublime. Purcell was more extraordinary and pathetic. Pergolesi and Hasse were more beautiful. Dominico Scarlatti, and all modern composers, are more ornamental. But if that composer is to be declared the greatest, who, like Raffaelle in the sister art, was great in all styles, not, however, suffering the beautiful or the ornamental to predominate, about six candidates only present themselves: Purcell, Leo, Pergolesi, Graun, Hasse, and Handel. If the last-mentioned is the greatest of these, we know the result. To form his style, he quoted and imitated all the great masters. He wrote in every style. He did not, indeed, compose what we properly call church music, in which the voices are accompanied only by the organ; but all those choruses in which the accompaniments are merely replicates, moving in unisons and octaves to the voice parts, may be considered as such. He could scarcely equal, and was therefore not expected to exceed, the great masters of this style. His organ fugues are on natural and interesting subjects, admirably treated, and are inferior only to those of Bach. In chamber music, his instrumental trios were superior to those of Corelli. They shew, however, that he was aiming at a higher walk of the art; for they contain subjects better adapted for overtures and full choruses, to which he afterwards applied them. His solos for the flute and violin, on the plan of Corelli, are pleasing. His vocal duets, though inferior, as to vocal melody, to the great Italian composers of his day, are superior in variety of style and boldness of effect. His Suite de Piéces pour le Clavecin, on the plan of Mattheson's, are greatly superior in harmony and science both to them and to the more ornamental productions of Dominico Scarlatti, Alberti, and Paradies. The fugues are particularly good. As a composer of concert music, our Author was excelled by none of his day. His organ concertos are not the best of his works, though some of the movements are admirable. His twelve grand concertos for stringed instruments only, and those called the oboe concertos, from their containing concertante passages for the oboe and fagotti, are all interesting, and some of them (as the first, fifth, and eleventh of the former, and the second and fourth of the latter,) are immortal productions. Handel's operas, though less known than his oratorios, contain fewer vulgar and boisterous melodies, and more that are in the true Italian style of the day. The same difference, however, existed between the German and Italian schools, as has been so remarkable ever since. The vocal melodies of Hasse, Porpora, Veracini, Pescetti, and Bononcini, were more light and beautiful; but, for force, variety, design, invention, harmony, and instrumental effect, Handel was greatly superior to all his contemporaries. His overtures were, like the other similar productions of the day, on the plan of Lulli, consisting of an introduction and fugue. He seems one of the first who introduced wind instruments into the score, and to have added a final air of the minuet kind, as to Berenice, Fa |