The Sun.
London, England, 1821-05-04 00:00:00

FOR TIIE SUN.

ON THE MUSICAL DISPUTES OF FRANCE.
In Italy, men never dispute respecting Music,
but only on the merits of Musicians. With re-
gard to the Art, all Italians are agreed on this
point, that theirs is the beet and the only good
Music; they are in the right, if dramatic and
concert singing are, and ought to be, one and the
same thing. The amateurs in that country,
therefore, who are still warmer enthusiasts than
those of France, may very well discuss the pre-
eminence of individual composers, but they never
dispute on scientific Music, on dramatic Music,
or on Music ad libitum, the most common of all.
The Germans in general like Italian singing,
but with reason they pride themselves on Ger-
man harmony. This taste, very reasonable of
itself, would put an end to all dispute-s, if the
most scientific harmony could always be united
to the most melodious airs, and if these two
parts of Music could be adapted to the stage,
without losing or abandoning some of their pe-
culiar merits.

In France they dispute on the pre-eminence
of composers, and to which of their master-pieces
the preference is to be given'; they dispute on
the excellence of the respective schools, on the
different kinds of musical science, on concert
singing, on operatical singing, on the system of
accompaniments, on the legitimacy of this or that
concord, and on the employment of such dis-
cords ; these contentions have continued a long
time, and apparently will never terminate ; and
would to God all disputes were confined to this
subject ! This difference of opinion which exists
among musicians and amateurs proves evidently
that in France there is no generally recognized
principle, and no fixed opinion on the music of
the drama. This is so true, that if you happened
to say the best music is that which gives most
pleastre to the greatest number of persons, you
will meet with many scientific men ready to
maintaid that this music is precisely the most
common and the worst.
The French may consider themselves as very
superior to the Germans and Italians, if the fre-
quency, duration, and ardour of their disputes
are proofs of superiority in taste and science :
they likewise carry off the palm from their rivals
in other respects,' for a German is never known
to despise Haydn or Mozart, or speak with con-
tempt of German harmony ; in Italy no person
ever extols the Orphei of Germany, or
:the Ain
phioris of France, at the expence of the Italian
Lini ; but in France it is in good ton, it is a
duty—nay, an obligation, to despise the French.
Do you wish to be thought an able connoisseur
Defame and pull to pieces all the French corn-
pdsers, and treat as fools those who applaud
them. When a dilettante journalist says to his
readers, 46 You are senseless beings to like the
g 'aud music of Cherubim and Mhul, or the
light of Gretry," they are indeed creatures de-
void of all taste who reply, " He is in the
right." I would advise no person to speak so
freely at the coffee-house d' ell' Arco, or at the
sherbet shop of Chiaia.
If discord prevails among the amateurs, it must
be confessed that the musicians ate accomplices
in spreading its firebrands. They have their
factions, their partizans ; and each of them has
his trumpeter, to extol the pre-eminence of his style
of music, in order to establish the superiority of
his talents : they furnish arguments to their pa-
negyrists, who would otherwise not know how
to set about praising them ; they originate, they
keep alive disputes ; they involve the question in
a hundred mazes ; they redouble the uncertainty
or indecision of the public, and a plain man;
seated in the pit, not daring to give way to the
impression on his mind, and fearful of being re-
garded as a fool, if he amuses himself contrary to
rule, waits the assent of his neighbours before he
ventures to avow that he has been gratified by
the performance.
But, on what do they dispute ? On nothing
yes, on nothing ; for it is not even a dispute
about words, as will presently be shewn ; the
object of these remarks being to prove the vanity
and the puerility of these discussions. If I make
it appear that all men are of the same opinion in
respect of music ; that all disputes, carried on
not for the love of truth, are only the chicaneries
or subterfuges of self-love, that all these kinds,
Italian, German, French, melodist, harmonist,
theorist, are terms void of meaning, and that all
musicians without exception acknowledge in
petto but one kind only, will it not hence be
evident that they are disputing about nothing ?
Very' well, to arrive at this conclusion, I only
,entreat a little patience, setting at defiance all
the subtleties of logic.
Have yea' ever heard a composers let him be
ever -so learned, contend that an agreeable air
was a fault in musit ?—No. Did ever'a melodist
mainitain there can be such a thing as'a well con-
ceived and regular air without harmony or with
vicious harmony ?—No. The melodist and bar-
monist united, have they ever presumed to say
that it is necessary to pervert words and give
them' a false expression ?—Doubtless, no. And
if you ask each of them in private what are the
qualities that constitute a master-piece, they will
tell you that the just expression of words, a mes
lodious air, and fine harmony, constitute a perfect
composition. They are of the same opinion as
to principles; and of what importance are the
proceedings of the schools to us if the musician of
thiY-or that sect does not reach perfection ? or
indeed if he doe's attain it ?
Being all of the same opinion, why do the
French dispute ? Why especially are they so
foolish as to dispute, quarrel, and fight for men
who understand one another very well, and pre-
tend to be at variance ? I will unveil the mask.
Nature has not distributed all her gifts to the
same artist with equal profusion. One man hav-
ing been endowed with the faculty of quick con-
ception and ready composition sets 'to music
beautiful airs with astonishing rapidity ; his only
difficulty is selection ; but it is very uncommon
indeed if this liberality' on the part of• nature
does not. make him father idle, presumptuous,
and impatient of all control. Certain of pleasing
without much exertion, Often disdains to ap=
ply to study principles appear to him arbitrary
conventions ; rules, clogs on genius ; and method