part, they are poor; sometimes quite trifling and inappropriate, and throughout, they want that noble simplicity and grandeur, which should characterize all music which is intended for public worship. Russell's voluntaries are more elaborate, and his fugues have more art and interest about them, but he is often most sadly deficient in chastity of style. If I have been rightly informed, this young man (who was one of our greatest players, and whose premature decease was a subject of lamentation with all who knew him) was much engaged at the theatres, and the "smell" of them may be said to have passed upon his compositions for the church. It is perhaps to his connexion with the "playhouse" that we must attribute the frivolous nature of some of his movements; and particularly the irreverent absurdity of introducing among them a POLACCA for the cornet stop!"

If we proceed to a consideration of the music which is played when the congregation leaves the church, we shall frequently discover the same deplorable neglect of propriety and decency which is too often found in the earlier parts of the service. Some imagine that any thing will do for a last voluntary-seeing that no one attends to it. This however is not exactly the case. Many are compelled to remain in the church for some time—as all cannot quit it at once-and during that time it is reasonable to suppose that they will listen to the organ. Then, if their thoughts have been properly employed in the business of the day, it is distressing to think, that all serious impressions and all good resolutions may be weakened, if not entirely dissipated, by "jigs from the organ loft."

Complaints of a disregard to the true nature of the musical service of our church, are not confined to the voluntaries only, but extend themselves to the manner in which the psalm tunes are played; and more particularly to the interludes which are sometimes introduced between each verse. Here I must once more observe, that the charge against our organists is of very long standing; for speaking to this point, Bedford says-" When the Clark names the psalm, the organist ought so to play the tune, that it may be plainly understood, and the interludes, that the congregation may know when to begin, and when to leave off. But now the notes are played with such a rattle and hurry instead of method, with such difference in the length of equal notes, to spoil the time

18

ORGANISTS, VOLUNTARIES, AND PSALM-TUNE SINGing. and displease a musician, and so many whimseys instead of graces, to confound the ignorant, that the design is lost, and the congregation takes their tune, not from the organ, since they do not understand it, but from the parish clark, or from one another; which they could better have done, if there was no organ at all. This makes many say, that the organs, as they are now managed, do spoil parochial singing. And it is very observable, that in most places, instead of reaping any advantage from the organ, then are the fewest tunes, and the worst performed by the whole congregation. If therefore the light that is in us be darkness, how great is that darkness? And if that which should direct us, increaseth the confusion, it is high time to think of a remedy.”

That your readers, Mr. Editor, may have some notion of the monstrous style in which psalm tunes were given out and played, about the time the above passage was written, I shall send you an extract from a curious work which has been long in my possession. It was printed for "I. Walsh, Servant in Ordinary to his Majesty," and bears the following title:-" The Psalms set full for the Organ or Harpsichord as they are plaid in Churches and Chappells in the manner given out; as also with their Interludes of great Variety, by Mr. Danl. Purcell, late Organist of St. Andrew's, Holbourn." This collection contains, among others, several tunes which are still in use, such as York, the 100th psalm, Canterbury, St. Mary's, &c. &c. From these, I shall select York, and the Old 100th Psalm; because they are generally known, and because some knowledge of the compositions appears necessary, even for a musician, and before he can fully comprehend the manner in which they were travestied, on giving out, by the organists whom Bedford condemns.*

With all their faults, our modern performers cannot surely be taxed with any thing so absurd as these specimens exhibit; indeed it is generally allowed that considerable improvement has lately taken place, in the performance of our psalmody. Still enough remains in the way of reformation, to exercise the vigilance and the patience of those, whose sense of duty should impel

See the examples and observe how completely the sense of the poetry must have been destroyed, by the ridiculous "interludes" which are thrust between each portion of the tune.

them to set about it. Let then the rulers and elders of our churches look well to the musicians who are employed therein. Let them not only consider the talents which a man may possess, but also his disposition to employ them faithfully and reverentially.

To this good end, not only professional ability, but moral character should be taken into serious consideration; and neither the infidel, nor the drunkard, nor the prophane swearer should be suffered to pollute the temple of the "Holy one of Israel:" for as well might we expect to "gather grapes from thorns," as to find in such persons that feeling of awe, which can alone insure a becoming performance of their duties.

In the conduct of some organists, much may be found, which is deserving of reprehension, though they may be free from any of the enormities just mentioned. For the introduction of a light and frivolous style, which is an insult to the majesty of the church, there can be no excuse, but such as vanity or base interest may dictate and those who have ability and fail to exert it to the promotion of God's glory and the edification of their fellow creatures, must not complain when they find themselves "come into condemnation" with the wise and good. I would entreat such persons to reflect, that "if in all our different actions we should aim at the glory of God, how sad it is to consider, that they who are thus concerned in his Church, which is the place of his immediate presence, have even there another design in view." When Jacob in his dream beheld the ladder from heaven, he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven. And when we consider that "the Church is the Church of God, and all which is said or done therein, ought to direct us in our way to heaven, it may justly make us the more uneasy, if any thing is admitted there, which should be unserviceable, or rather an hindrance to so great an end."

To this excellent passage, from Bedford, I shall not attempt to add a word; but beg leave to subscribe myself, Sir,

Your very humble and obedient Servant,

A LOVER OF THE ORGAN.

Rectory, Jan. 25, 1825.

SOME ACCOUNT OF A MUSICAL COMPOSITION,

IN FORTY-FIVE PARTS.

SIR,

TO THE EDITOR.

ECCE iterum Crispinus! Your prompt and polite attention to my apology for the Vocal Sonatinas, subjects you to the penalty of a similar obtrusion under the title superscribed. This exposition, Sir, is neither addressed to the mob called the world, nor to the learned few who soar above all consciousness of the lowlands of elementary instruction. The former class of readers will think the introduction to the subsequent exposition ridiculously puerile, and the latter will have the same opinion of the whole epistolary essay. Let both these impenetrable bodies therefore turn over the paper they will think wasted on an article confessedly dedicated to the majority who want musical information; and to the minority, whose hearts and heads are honourable to human nature, and eventually stamp that coin which is to be current ad seram posteritatem. The sordid occupation of degrading a sublime art for pelf, to pamper fashion, and to humour the vitiated taste of the million, is unhappily the Circean spell that has debased the highest talents; and consequently the public taste for music, at least for intellectual music, has been nearly stationary from the time of Handel, if it has not indeed rather retrograded since that "mighty master" flourished; and the publication of which I am about to give some account, is the forlorn hope of an uncounte nanced individual to steer between the Scylla and Charybdis of levity and extravagance that now divide the empire of the musical world. With this proem I enter on the introduction to my exposition, at the risk of incurring the imputation of egotistical impertinence. But incipe parve puer! When I was a very little boy I received those lasting impressions that most little boys do receive, and that cannot be altogether effaced when they become

* Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review, vol. 3, page 71,

great boys, and old boys. Sublime as are those intellectual pleasures which ought to become more and more estimable as we advance in life, the charms of mere sensation that illumine the age of innocence are to be faintly traced by reflection even in senility, where the heart is not totally petrified by secular politics; nor can philosophy always discover the foundations of these early impressions; for instance, the gilt figures on an Indian cabinet, the rotation of a wheel, and rows of lamps en perspectif, excited those agreeable sensations in my childhood, of which even now some faint flushes-veteris vestigia flammæ, remain; but the basis of these attractions is perhaps as dark a mystery as any in the whole terra incognita of metaphysics; and I have never got nearer to it than a vague reminiscence of school vacations. Those who smile or sneer at those recollections which the rude attrition of worldly cares has wholly obliterated, may yet find an apology for this retrospection in the Essays of Knox, who maintains that we ought to retain something of boyishness throughout life; and those who wonder what such prolegomena can have to do with the subject of this letter, are now to be informed that amongst these early impressions, as they relate to the writer of this article, may be reckoned the Cries of London; for cockneys, as well as clowns, have certain pure sources of enjoyment, that are by no means limited to "shady groves and purling streams." There may however be a spice of pride in this gratification, as it was thought there was in the late King's partiality to Handel's music; for as the German, patting the attentive prince on the head, said, "this boy shall make my music live ;" so, magnis componere parva, I remember my father giving me credit for my puerile imitations of these national melodies on which, and on similar speci mens of melodic simplicity, I have cultivated that style of musical composition exemplified in the Vocal Sonatinas; and of all remains of early impressions, these are to me the liveliest. Coarse and unmusical as most of these noises are, when near, they are all softened into agreeable sounds by distance; sounds that perhaps were not less pleasant to that arch-cockney Milton, who seems to allude to one of them in his lines

the bellman's drowsy charm

To bless the doors from nightly harm.

The watchman's bell is now transferred to the dustman, which,