The Press.
London, England, 1858-11-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS,_ NOVEMBER 6,1858.

NittsilLETS.
Letters to Brother John. By E. Johnston, M.D.—Simpkin
and Marshall.
The church Bate Question.— Seeley and Co.
MUSIC.
Oh! for the Breezy Shore.—Uocke and Son.
,Eighty-one Pari.4o7lgB and Chorales. By Najell and Pfeiffer.
—J. A. Novello.
fifty Metrical Anthems for the Organ or Harmonium. Rev.
J. Powell Metcalf.—J. A Novello.
Treatise on Modern Instrumentation and Orchestration.
By Hector Berlioz.—J. A. Novello.
Four Psalm*. Set to Music, by Felix Mendelssohn Bar-
tholdy.—J. A. Novello.
Hsadel's Coronation and Funeral Anthems. Arranged by
Vincent Novello.—J. A. Novello.
Hamilton's Modern Instructions for the Pianoforte.—R.
Cocks and Stn.
Hamilton's Modern Instructions for Singing.—R. Cocks
and Son.

Jusital gtbitig.

London : Boosey

The .Harmonium Museum.
and Sons.
Tim above publication consists of one hundred
pieces of a sacred and secular character, selected
from the works of the most celebrated compo-
sers; arranged for the harmonium by Rudolf
Nordmann, and preceded by a descriptive notice
of the instrument by Henry Smart, the well-
known composer and musical critic. To all ad-
mirers of the harmonium—and they are already
very numerous in this country, although the in-
strument is still a novelty—these clever, tasteful,
and thoroughly appropriate arrangements will
doubtless prove highly acceptable, and more
especially as the volume which contains them is
got up in Messrs. Boosey's best style, and sold at
a price within the means of almost every class of
amateurs. Amongst the most powerful attrac-
tions of the " Harmonium Museum " we must
place the elegant and instructive preface by Mr.
Henry Smart, which includes not only an accu-
rate history and description of the instrument,
but likewise all necessary directions as to how it
should be played.

I Saw Her in the Violet-time. Ballad. By R.
Story. Set to Music by Edwin H. Prout,
London: Boosey and Sons.

IF a curious association of violets, bees, falcons, 11
linnets, " this world's air," and glory that
"eve hath never seen," with a maiden in her
prime, who is called to Heaven before her time,
could render verses poetical, the above lyric
would be worthy of our greatest bards. Un-
happily, however, the most extraordinary images
ever conjured up by feverish aspirations are of
no use at all, unless they rest upon the solid
basis of common sense. Scribendi recte sapere
est et principium, et fans. Has our author
ever heard of this Horatian precept ? If not, let
him procure a copy of the famous " Art of
Poetry." It will be of service to him in many
ways. The music of " I Saw Her in the Violet-
time" is fully equal to the words.

Daybreak. Song. By Longfellow. Set to
Music by M. W. Balfe. London : Boosey
and Sons.

Tiiis song is in Mr. Balfe's usual popular style,
and may be ranked with his other well-known
settings of the charming lyrics of Longfellow.
It is in the key of C, and seems destined for a
mezzo-soprano, or high baritone voice. There is
nothing difficult in it, either to sing or play ; and
this fact, combined with the attraction of the
com poser's name, will doubtless insure a ready
sale.

Angels are Watching us. Duet. Words by J
E. Carpenter ; music by Stephen Glover.
London : Robert Cocks and Co.

ENGLAND has many composers of much larger
merit than Mr. Stephen Glover, but not one,
perhaps, whose " chamber music " is more
generally admired, or who is more frequently
employed by publishers. Indeed, we know of
one very curious evidence of his popularity.
Some years ago a certain music-seller of London,
finding that his customers were growing tired of
seeing the name of Stephen Glover upon nearly
every piece of music offered to their notice, and
fearing that his grand " Cheval de Bataille "
might be made the subject of ostracism for being
Popular, as Aristides was for being just suddenly

translated the composer's surname into French,
calling him " Gantier," with the prefix of " Felix "
as a Christian name, and an emblem of his won-
derful success ! The ci-devant Stephen Glover
did not, however, improve as a musician in the
least under his foreign appellation, and that it
did not render him particularly " happy " may
be readily inferred from the fact that he very soon
afterwards returned to his original English
name, which he has very properly retained ever
since, despite all the terrors of impending
ostracism. We trust that the public will con-
tinue to accept Mr. Stephen Glover as he is, and
that banishment may now be considered out of
the question altogether, for he is really a most
inoffensive artist, and writes more smoothly
and correctly than most composers of his class.
The piece immediately under notice may be
taken as a fair specimen of Mr. Stephen Glover's
merits, and has every chance of becoming. as
popular as his other productions. The voices
(two sopranos or mezzo-sopranos) move generally
in thirds and sixths, and the pianoforte accompa
niment presents no difficulties whatever to per-
formers of average proficiency. The verses by
Mr. Carpenter are fanciful, flowing, and at the
same time reasonable.

St. Cloud Waltzes. By Charles Lyon. London :

Boosey and Sons.
HERE is music adapted to the meanest capacity,
as is likewise the following " Lord Lovell's
Waltz," composed by Mr. Henri Laurent (who
ought to know better), and published, like the
" St. Cloud " inspirations, by Boosey and Sons.

Gems selected from the Works of the Great
Masters, and arranged expressly for the
Piano. By G. F. West. London : Robert
Cocks and Co.

THE numbers before us-18 and 20—are devoted
respectively to Handel's "Comfort ye my people,"
from The Messiah, and the " Gloria " from
Haydn's Ist Mass. Mr. West has done his work
in many respects carefully and well, and we are
disposed to encourage anything which may tend
to increase the popularity of the great masters in
this country ; but Mr. West should remember
that each key has a special character and colour,
that genuine masters do not make choice of one
without sufficient reason, and that consequently
transpositions of their works cannot possibly be
tolerated by anybody having pretensions to classic
sentiment or purity of taste.

Harper's Cazonet, " Truth in Absence." Tran-
scribed for the Pianoforte by Brinley Richards.
London : Robert Cocks and Co.
_ _ _

- -
THE above is a very favourable specimen of Mr.
Brinley Richards's well-known ability as an
arranger for the pianoforte. It combines bril-
liancy with simplicity, and much "effect" may
be produced with a moderate amount of digital
dexterity. This " transcription "is therefore just
the thing to delight our young lady amateurs,
and can scarcely fail to become as popular in
the drawing-room as any other piece del genre
from the experienced pen of Mr. Brinley
Richards.

Rounds and Canons. Edited and adapted to
English words by William Hills. London :
Robert Cocks and Co.
THESE are capital things in their way, and worth
all the mawkish ballads with which the press
teems put together. They are tuneful, jolly,
amusing little part-songs, and musicianly withal.
We therefore cordially recommend them to the
notice of our readers. The price of each number
(twopence !) is fabulously low.

EIGHT THOUSAND COPIES of Miss Charlesworth's
new work, "The Ministry of Life," have been sold,
we hear, within a fortnight from the day of publica-
tion. This lady's last work, " Ministering Chil.lren,"
has now reached a circulation of forty-five thousand
copies.
MR. W. BLAGROVE, a well-known member of the
best London bands, a talented performer, and brother
of our most eminent English violinist, died suddenly
on Monday night, just as he was about entering
Drury lane Theatre to fulfil his duties in the
orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Alfred Mellon.

usa.

1091

DRURY LANE THEATRE.

THE only novel'y at the 'hove theatre during the
past week was the revive of Wallace's Maritana,
which is not only a bettetopera than Herr Flotow's
Martha, Out possesses, n addition, the advantage
of being the work of an Eiglish composer, and there-
fore far more appropriati to the stage of a theatre
professedly opened for tle'exbibition of native talent.
The performance of thiswell.known work, which was
given only last year at tie Lyceum, with nearly the
same cast, needs little criticism.
Miss Louisa Pyne, the most accomplished and
charming singer on tie English stage, did ample
justice to the music of the Gitana, and acted with all
the graceful archnew, and quiet humour, which
usually distinguish hr histrionic efforts in comic
opera. Miss Louisa Pyne's beautiful rendering of
" Scenes that are brightest," elicited as usual a rap-
turous encore, and a similar honour was gained as oil
former occasions by Mr. W. Harrison for his execu-
tion of "There is t flower that bloomed'," which
calls into requisitioi the best part of his voice, and
to which he impartsthe genuine sentimentality of the
modern English naiad. Mr. W. Harrison, moreover,
acted with remarkalle spirit anu point as the famous
Don Ccesar De Began. _ .

Miss Susan Pyre's impersonation of the page
Lazariilo was again characterized by intellige:.ce and
good taste, and slat was particularly successful in her
rendering of the pretty little song " Alas, thos3
chimes." The pats of the Marquis and Marchioness
de Montifiore were ably filled by Mr. Honey and
Miss Marian Prescott; but we can award no praise
whatever to the vain efforts of Messrs. Ferdinand
Glover and J. G Patey, I's Don Josi and the King
of Spain. Both gentlemen possess vocal means
certa►nly, and the former is more promising than the
latter; but it is aot yet time for either of them to
court criticism aid look for fame upon the boards of
one of our great national theatres. The opt ra is not
very splendidly got up," as the phrase goes, but as
the management could not reasonably cc tint upon a
very long run for so well known a wcrk, we presume
it was considered inexpedient to incur much expense.
The excellent band and chorus, which may be
reckoned amongst the greatest attractions of the
present Drury Lane English Opera, were all that
could be wished, under the guidance of Mr. Alfred

LYCEUM THEATRE.
M. JULLIEN'SI CONCERTS.
M. JULLIEN commenced his twentieth, and, according
to the announ"ements, his last series of so•cslled
" Promenade Concerts " on Monday evening last, at
the Lyceum Theatre, to a crowded house, as in for-
mer years. The concert wes materially damaged,
indeed at times totally suspended, by the scenes of
silly and ruffianly outrage by means of which a cer-
tain number of "fast young gents" seek annual dis-
tinction at the concerts of the vivacious and philoso-
phical Prince of Polkas. Vainly did the great master
of the revels address the factious rioters ; vainly did
he enunciate in his own peculiar manner those great
truths to which all the sages of the earth have bowed,
—vainly did he appeal to the many-headed
monstet's sympathies with the great masters of
music—threaten to leave the country that very even-
ing if further interrupted—and exclaim bitterly to his
tormentors, "What you make dere is very mise-
rable !" M. Jullien was preaching in the desert. As
be justly observed, a number of persons ban come
there expressly to "do a noise ;" and they did it,
to the very great annoyance of the majority of the
audience. If it be really true that M. Jullien is
about to leave us for the extraordinary tour de-
scribed in his advertisements, and which we should
imagine would occupy many years, and prove very
trying to his constitution, even without the wise men
and literati (generally very quarrelsome people) who,
it appears, are to follow in his train as so many corn.
ponent parts of that "universal harmony" the
attainment of which is the professed object of his
journey, why, we are really sorry for it, because, with
all his eccentricities, M. Jullien is a clever man, and
has undoubtedly contributed largely to the populari-
zation of good music in this country.
The concerts during the past week have been
of a highly attractive character, and the famous
chef d'orcheatre has been substantially rewarded for
his spirit and talent by crowded and delighted
audiences. His own contributions, consisting of a
new waltz, called " Fern Leaves," the " Jetty Treffz
Quadrille," and the " Fcikell G slop," three novelties,
and, like all Jullien's less pretentious music, light,
tuneful, orchestrally effective, eminently dansanfe in
character, have been well received, and promise to
become popular as his other compositions of a similar
kind.
As " star " soloists we have had the accomplished
and captivating Miss Louisa finning, a young