impossible for a free spirit like Weber's to stoop to any sort of imitation. It is in his own forcible and nervous style, but it possesses neither the concentration, novelty, nor variety of expression that mark the school to which (if to any) he may be said to belong. Weber's genius appears not of a kind to be confined to the narrower range of ideas necessary to writing for a single instrument; it is then cramped, and only gives a faint idea of what it is when unrestrained in its natural course. The rondeau is however adapted to afford most excellent practice to those who are not so far advanced in their pursuit as to render it rather a source of amusement than study.

Three Grand Sonatas for the Piano Forte; composed by Charles Ambrose. Royal Harmonic Institution.

The style of compositions for the piano forte has by degrees assumed a totally different character within the last few years. This change has been effected by a constantly increasing demand for novelty, occasioned by a more general diffusion of musical knowledge, and by the rapid advances made by the finest performers on the instrument in overcoming those difficulties which not many years ago would not have been attempted. Thus those passages and combinations which were then considered as ingenious and original, now appear to those who are too far advanced to consider the necessity of good practice, as common place and out of date. Yet to those to whom this consideration is an object, nearly the same lessons as were employed formerly to ground the piano forte player, are now used for the same purpose up to a certain period, and with equal success. Dussek is still recommended as one of the best masters for the study of beginners, and it is his style that Mr. Ambrose appears to have selected in some degree as a model for his own. If Mr. A. has disregarded the changes which we have remarked, and if his music does not possess enough variety to render it attractive to modern execution, it detracts but little from its more solid recommendations.

The introduction to the first sonata is spirited and ingeniously contrived, but the second, as a whole, is the best. The variations on "My love's like the red red rose," are original, and that in the minor is particularly good. The rondos to the first and last sonata are light and pleasing, and all three contain great recommendations, by combining most excellent practice with agreeable melody.

What is prayer; the poetry by Montgomery; the music by J. W. Holder, Mus. Bac. Oxon. London. Goulding, D'Almaine, and Co.

What is prayer; composed for three voices, by Samuel Webbe. London. Cramer, Addison, and Beale.

What is prayer; composed for a single voice, with an Accompaniment for the Piano Forte; by Wm. Horsley, Mus. Bac. Oxon. Organist of the Asylum, and Belgrave Chapel. London. Birchall and Co.

The casual conjunction of the poem, "What is prayer 2" with the name and circumstances of the wretched culprit, who from the enormity of his crimes, lately occupied so much of the public attention, has attracted towards this fine production of Mr. Montgomery's pious spirit a far greater share of regard than the pure and beautiful simplicity of the verses had attained; so true it is, that vice is often a help to virtue. But neither of the three composers whose productions lie before us are men to catch at a popular subject, merely because it has become popular; and we may safely pronounce, that neither of them would have grappled with it, especially under such circumstances, but from an intense feeling of its peculiar and intrinsic beauty, and even from a reverential hope of assisting to heighten the devotional sentiments it breathes. We cannot therefore regard these compositions as the common productions of the day.

If we interpret the lines aright, they are written to describe the

VOL. VII. NO. XXV.

self-communing of a devout mind upon one of the most interesting points of scriptural feeling and consideration.

If this our conception of the poem be the true notion, Mr. Horsley is not only the composer who has treated the subject most judiciously, but the only one of the three who has approached the real intentions of the poet. Mr. Holder's melody is not indeed without its merits, but his construction is that of a canzonet. He has frequently introduced a melismatic adaptation, and the accompaniments are so full as to injure the idea of the simplicity and purity, which is the very soul of the work. In short there is nothing-sui generis-nothing of the peculiarity which appertains to the words. Mr. Webbe's is disqualified at once, by its being polyodic. The solemnity is in character, but the effect is destroyed by the number and involution of the parts.

Mr. Horsley shews his idea in his instruction for its performanee, which is "slowly, and in a reciting manner throughout." His choice of the minor mode, his nearly syllabic construction, the sweetness and simplicity of his melody, and the sparing accompaniment, all mark, as we conceive the matter, his just conception no less than his judicious execution of this undertaking. The only part of the whole that we cannot be entirely pleased with is the triplet on the word "Majesty," which appears too light for its position.

We can hardly, however, imagine a more difficult task than to set these words. Indeed, had not Haydn's extraordinary canzonet, "She never told her love," taught us to consider no subject as impracticable, we should have said these are words which deny the power of musical expression; and though Mr. Horsley has succeeded up to a certain point-has succeeded indeed in a high degree-though there is just conception, melody, purity, deep feeling, and expression, in his composition, we can hardly persuade ourselves that the measure of his success is sufficient to justify the attempt.

Two "Melanges" on favourite Airs, from Weber's Opera of Der Freyschutz; composed for the Piano Forte, by J. P. Pixis. Clementi and Co.

Had Mr. Pixis chosen any other modern author than Weber, from whose compositions to select the materials for the groundwork of the pieces before us, we venture to hazard an opinion, that he would have been less successful than he has been in the present instance. It is in all cases a dangerous undertaking to turn vocal into instrumental music, particularly for the piano forte, where effects are so confined, and where consequently the most beautiful which can be produced by the voice, and which ought to characterize the music composed for it, can seldom or ever be imitated so nearly as to create a sufficient illusion in the mind of the hearer.

Weber's music however (particularly that of the Freyschutz) is allowed very generally to be more susceptible of instrumental than vocal effects, which attribute therefore renders it peculiarly adapted to Mr. Pixis's purpose, and this we must consider as the great foundation of the merits of his "Melanges." As a whole, the first is decidedly the best, both for the airs it contains and its ingenuity of construction. It opens with the first few bars of the adagio to the overture. For the conclusion, Mr. P. has substituted a few bars of his own, which are very 'good, and so consonant with the character of the rest, that we are not obliged to divest ourselves entirely of the old associations which eling about it. This leads to the first bars of the minor movement, which are connected by a few of Mr. P.'s own effective passages, with the conclusion of the beautiful sostenuto clarinet passage immediately preceding the sweet little air, now known to every one, which is then introduced, and concludes this part of the lesson.

The next air is the comic song of Kilian, the Peasant, which is very effectively carried into D flat major, and is concluded by a beautiful passage, preparing the mind by its melancholy cast, for the change which follows in the adagio, the air of "Softly sighs the voice of evening." Upon this the composer has written what

may be almost termed a variation. Throughout two pages he keeps the air constantly before us, in passages of well-varied expression, till after a smooth descent he suddenly forms an ingenious and effective contrast by the introduction of the first phrase of the celebrated Bacchanalian song in G major, and (after having modulated into the original key of B minor,) he gives us the whole of it in all its wonted ferocity. Here Mr. Pixis has displayed much ability. He has worked up a movement upon it, in the style of a fugue, which demonstrates great energy and originality, besides being well adapted to its subject, and it is concluded by the tremando, with the passage for the drum, that forms so principal a feature throughout the opera. The lesson is finished by an allegretto, in time, commencing with the waltz, and introducing alternately the other airs, which form the Melange, in a very ingenious and spirited manner. Here however Mr. Pixis has again succeeded best in his treatment of the Bacchanalian song, which, together with the opening, forms the chief attraction of the lesson.

In the second Melange the materials have been gathered from all parts of the opera, and are certainly strung together with great skill; yet it is neither so connected, nor so well calculated to please generally as the first. It commences with the chorus of spirits, at the opening of the incantation scene; to this is appended a passage, displaying great ability on the part of the composer, paving the way for the introduction of one of those indescribably original and characteristic traits, on which the whole of Der Freyschutz turns, but of which we can give the reader no better explanation, as no definite place is ascribed to it in the opera. On this Mr. P. has worked in the same effective manner as on the Bacchanalian song in the first Melange. The chorus of Bridesmaids is the commencing air, and forms the subject of two pages of difficult execution-then follows a part of the beautiful duet in the second act, between the two female characters, and this is succeeded by a hunting chorus of spirits from the incantation scene, which, from its peculiar wildness and dramatic character, we are inclined to think is here a little out of place. The Melange is well ended by the Jager chorus, in which forms the basis of a difficult movement in time.

These two lessons are great proofs of ingenuity and a lively