The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-10 00:00:00

WILLIAM BYRDE,

A celebrated musician of the Elizabethan era, endeavours,
in the preface to his e.lition of "Psaulmes, Sonettes, and
Songes of Sadtlesie anti Pietie" (published in 1598), b)
the following reasons, whose amusing quaintness de-
prives them not in the least of their sound sense, to in-
duce persons to learn to sing:—
"Reasones brietlie sett downe by ye auctor to per-
suade everie one to learne to singe.

" 1. It is a knowledge easilie taught and quicidie
learned, when there is a good master and an apte
scholar.

" 2. The exercise of singinge is delightfulle to nature,
and good to preserve the healthe of man.
"3. It dothe strengthene all partes i f 3 e hearts anti
dothe open ye pipes. _

" 4. it is a singular good remedie for a stutteringc
and stammeringe in ye speeche.
" 5. It is the beste means to preserve a perfette pro-
nunciation and to make a good orator.
" 6. It is the only waye to knowe where nature bath
by-stowed ye benetytte of a goad voyce; whiche gifte is
sOe rare yt there is not one aworgste a thousand yt hath
it, and, in manie, yt excellunte gifte is loste because they
Want an arte toe expresse nature.
" 7. There is not anie musicke, of instruments what-
soever comparable to yt which° is made of ye voyces of
men, where ye voyces are good and ye same well sorted
and ordered.

" 8. The better ye voyee is the me ter it is to honour
and serve God therewith, and ye voyce of man is chieflie
t)e be employed toe yt end—Omnis Spiritus laudet
Dominurn.

' Since singynge is soe good a thinge,
I wish alle men woulde learne toe singe,' "

HANDEL.

During his journey to Dublin, whither he went in
order to superintend the production of his immortal
111essiuh, an amusing aneclote is related of him. De-
tained by adverse winds at Chester, and feeling indisposed
to write, he felt a wish to hear some of his music tried
over, and thereupon inquired if the town possessed any
zingers or choristers who could sing " at sight." Among
others that were recominel &d to him was a printer of
the name of Janson, of whom it was said that he could
"sing anything!" ‘• Ach! daat will do," exclaimed
Ilandel, very pleased at receiving such information. On
the trial of a chorus, however, the poor fellow could
make nothing whatever of it, and, becoming more and
more confused, committed so ma-iy egregious blunders
that Handel, who, had no incitemc nt to control himself;
Was soon in a towering passion, and, after swearing in as
Many languages as his acquirements could boast, cried
out in his usually ludicrous broken English, " You
sehroundel, tit you not tell me you could sing at soight?"
"Yes, sir," piteously responded the object or'his anger,
objurgatively, " And so I can, but not at first sight!"

ITAYDN
Used, in after life, to relate th© following whimsical
anecdote, not only for the amusement of others, but to
his own infinite delight. When he was about twenty years
old (1752) a manager of a theatre at Vienna was super-
intending the production of a a piece de circonstance, in
Which one of its dramatis persona' had to swim amid

" Mountainous waves that scattered high the foam,"
though these waves were but of canvass, and the crests
of foam only the effect of the scenepainter's scraping
knife, Haydn was engaged to compose the incidental
Music appropriate for the scene. Our composer was
exceedingly puzzled and had made several essays, but
Without producing the necessary effect, when the
13321 stager—a portly, lusty man, which rendered the
Whole affair more sublimely ridiculous—stretched hirtisclf
at full length upon some chairs placed parallelwise, and,
imitating by the seesawing of his arms and the gyration
°f his body, the motion of a person swimming, ex-
claimed with the greatest rapture—" See how I swim,
herr Haydn! look'here! look here,Herr Musickmeister!
ow I swim!" The composer, who was seated at the
harpsichord, immediately extemporised a movement in
Sx-eight measure, which suited exactly the gestures of
the emphatic impresario, wbo shouted in ecstacy," That's
it! that's it, my boy !" but giving, in an unfortunate
looment, a desperate plunge caliiulated, as he thought,
to increase the effect, the luckless redacteur lost his
balance, and kicking the chairs in all directions, fell
floundering like a megatherium on the floor. Haydn
laughed so heartily that he well nigh forgot his theme;
but he used to terminate his narration of this amusing
scene by adding that the music he wrote to this situation
Was the best received of the whole piece.