a way as to constitute agreeable and expressive melody. One great peculiarity of the solfeggi is, that though the passages are (as they should be) such as are commonly to be met with, and thus they lead on the student through the natural gradations, yet it is difficult to say whether they possess most of Italian or of English style. This arises, we are apt to believe, from their being drawn from the old and best Italian school, and from their limitation to pas sages necessary to elementary practice. Upon the whole, they are sensibly and ably constructed for the purpose of rendering the execution of almost every species of division familiar. As a pres paratory book, we know of none better. Mr. Duruset's elegant selection may be taken up with advantage subsequently. One of the greatest niceties for the exertion of the judgment in teaching, is, to determine where and when the practice of solfeggi ought to stop, and when the practice of songs should begin. We believe, in truth, Solfeggi practice to be always useful; but we are equally certain it ought to be combined with song-singing so soon as the technical manner is fixed, though not a moment before. Our readers, then, will gather from all we said, that Mr. Crivelli's book is clever and useful, and indicative of good principles of teaching. Such indeed is exactly our opinion, and to this we may add, that Mr. Crivelli is a sedulously attentive, an experienced, and an admirably-tempered instructor.

No. 1, Grand Trio for the Piano Forte, Violin, and Violoncello; composed by George Onslow. Op. 26.

No. 2, Ditto. Op. 27.

No. 3, Air with Variations for the Piano Forte. Op. 28. London. Boosey and Co.

The piano forte works of this composer are so much esteemed by musicians, both in England and on the Continent, that we are somewhat surprized-they have not met with a more extended notice from the literary musical press, which ought more especially to recognize the successful writings of amateurs, to which class

of practical musicians Mr. Onslow belongs. Indeed Mr. O. is no ordinary composer, for an opera from his pen is now running at Paris, and the overture was thought worthy the Philharmonic Society's performance. His style has evidently been formed in the German school, during a residence in that country; and although, to judge from the specimens before us, it is neither so matured nor so powerful as Hummel's, yet upon the whole it reminds us of the superior writings of that excellent composer, whilst it is sufficiently free from direct imitation to be termed almost original. Next to the beautiful trios of Beethoven and Hummel, these of Mr. Onslow's will be considered by the lovers of this species of conversational music as most worthy of their approbation. The 1st, Op. 26, consists of four movements, commencing with an allegro espressivo in C minor, triple time. The subject is not particularly striking, but it is well wrought through ten pages. The next movement is an adagio, which is much superior in its design to the allegro preceding. The marcato passages at bar 4 of the second staff, page 11, with the answer of the violoncello, indicate the master. At page 14 the third movement, is a minuet marked presto,-a most outrageous abuse by the way of the first term, which in the mind of every person signifies a slow dance, but Mr. Onslow only follows the "tyrant custom," since Haydn introduced the anomaly, every instrumental writer has submitted to the same contradiction in terms. Notwithstanding the quickness of this movement, there is a heaviness about it, from its length and being in C minor nearly throughout, (six pages) that does not contrast well with the previous adagio. The finale, an allegro agitato in 2-4 time, is decidedly the best movement in this trio. The subject is bold and free, and there is a spirit and energy about it that is very grateful to the performers. At page 22, after the double bar, staff the fourth, the composer sports with his subject like a genuine contrapuntist; the alternations between the piano forte and violin judiciously prepare the ear for a recurrence to the passetto given by the violoncello, which is pleasing and elegant: he then modulates into D flat, A flat, &c. with some spirited passages for the pianiste, into C major, page 24, last staff, and after introducing a passage which had been previously heard, at the second staff of page 21, with some extraneous matter he arrives at his original key, and proceeds with

the same spirit to the conclusion, the last line being a simple repetition of the subject with a few chords.

The next trio, Op. 27, is in G major; the first subject, an allegro grazioso, is of an elegant character, and displays much originality throughout; and without being difficult, it is showy and pleasing for the pianiste, while the parts for the violin and violoncello are within the scope of every respectable player. We have then an andante cantabile, a pleasing smooth air in

time, in the key of D, which we like for its simplicity and contrast. At page 11, after the double bar, the passage marked energetico, forms a relief to the smoothness of the air, and is well conceived. This continues until the 1st bar of staff three, page 12, where commences a variation in demisemiquavers for the piano forte, while the violin takes up the air. After some bars of relative modulation, we hear the air again in the left hand of the pianiste, and the movement (which in its general character strongly reminds us of the Cramer style) ends with an arpeggio on the chord of D. The next movements are a minuet and trio, the first in G minor, the second in Eb major. The only objection we should be inclined to make against these is, the want of sufficiently setting off the former movement. A minuet should be short, or like the sparkling ones of Beethoven, very beautiful; otherwise they are vapid and tiresome. The finale, an allegro in G, § time, is lively, pleasing, and full of replications between the different instruments; the conclusion is very well worked up.

The air, with variations, No.3, is a pleasing piece. The subject strongly resembles one of Steibelt's. There is no attempt at any thing new or uncommon in this piece, and the variations are all thrown into forms long in use. Of these we prefer the first, which moves chiefly in double notes: and the sixth, where the treble takes the air, while the base is employed upon a running passage, that is effective and graceful. The last too, No. 8, is showy, but not difficult. Altogether this is calculated for the moderate class of performers, to whose stock of new pieces it will not be an injudicious addition.

VOL. VII. NO. XXVI.-JUNE, 1825.

Ff

"Audivi Vocem de Cœlo," a Motel, composed on the lamented death of the Rev. T. Rennell, Vicar of Kensington, by William Horsley, Mus. Bac. Oxon. For the Author, by Welsh and Hawes.

This motet is in fact a choral canon, four in two; and whether we consider the subject, or the construction of it, is alike admirable as an expressive composition, and as a grateful tribute to the memory of a most excellent and worthy Divine, whose loss to his personal friends (amongst whom the composer held a place) will long be felt and lamented. To those who are at all acquainted with the excessive difficulty of writing good canons, it will be unnecessary to point out the merit of that before us, which is constructed in such a manner as to enable all the parts to move freely and harmoniously, while the sombre and ecclesiastical style that pervades the whole, assorts well with the solemnity of the subject. To have the full effect of this excellent canon there should be a plurality of voices to each part, all singing mezzo voce, excepting at the passages marked cresendo. During the present dearth of compositions in the church style, which formerly was the glory of the art, Mr. Horsley is performing an acceptable service to the lovers of such writing, in thus calling their attention to all that is sound and truly vocal in this sublime and dignified branch of music.

Ero, an Italian Cantata, by Signor Maestro Coccia. London. Cramer, Addison, and Beale.

Of all compositions for the chamber the cantata is the most noble. It was amongst the earliest of the attractive forms of vocal music, and it has continued to preserve its place and dignity even down to our own times. Indeed upon a strict examination it will be found that a vast majority of the songs which have obtained and preserved a high reputation are of this species.

If we are to esteem the definitions of Du Cange as worthy of regard in the light of critical authority, we derive the cantata from the church, for he considers it as equivalent to the word anthem, "with which," says Dr. Burney, "it is still synonimous in Germany." But the best musical critics of that country who have written since Dr. Burney, do not so consider it, as we shall hereafter shew. In truth the term has been applied to compositions for the church, to a species of oratorio, to very long and continued orchestral performances, and to the cantata in what we conceive to be its legitimate form-a monologue consisting of recitative and air. Choron thus speaks of it

"The cantata is a short lyric poem, which bears some resemblance to the ode, both in tone and style, although it does not partake of its precise and regular form. It is divisible into two parts, recitative and air. In general, cantatas contain three recitatives, each of which is followed by an air, which divides it into three parts. The first serves for the exposition of the subject, the second represents the principal scene, the third forms the conclusion, and terminates with some reflexion or sentiment more or less impassioned. The subject of the cantata ought to be familiar, and devoid of every sort of intricacy. It is not necessarily confined within the limits above stated; indeed some are known of much greater extent-such as The Seasons of Haydn. It will be easily seen, by what we have here advanced, that the cantata is as properly adapted to the chamber as the oratorio is to the church."

The cantata had its birth in Italy. Adami attributes its inven, tion to Giovanni Domenico Poliaschi Romano, a singer in the Pope's chapel, who printed several in 1618. The same author mentions the Cavalier Loreti Vittorij da Spoleto, in the same service, as having published cantate in 1622. Burney states that the first time he found "the term cantata used for a short narrative lyric poem, was in the Musiche varie voce sola del Sig. Benedetto Ferrari di Reggio, printed at Vienna 1638. Hawkins and others give the invention to Barbara Strozzi, a Venetian lady, who pub, lished vocal compositions under that title in 1653. If however Du Cange be correct in sating that the word cantata was used in the church as early as 1314, all that these researches prove, is the application of the term at several periods to distinct species of