Star.
London, England, 1831-09-05 00:00:00

HARMONICON, September.

This interesting monthly present to the musical
amateur continues to be conducted with the abi-
lity and liberality which we have had occasion so
often to notice. The following remarks on mu-
sical style and taste are excellent—we say excel-
lent, because they are founded on good sense, and
not the mystifications of technicology :
In order to form the taste upon the principles of
a purely vocal style, we must turn to those trea-
sures of melody which are discoverable in the
Italian and German operas of the latter half of the
last century—in Sarti, Gluck, Paesiello, Cimarosa,
and Mozart. Rossini is the author now earliest
put upon the music-desk—but indjudiciously ;
for, though he has composed here and there,
exquisite subjects, his novelties of air are made
up, too frequently, of surprising quaint or
instrumental phrases; and it is only in com-
pliance with the over-anxious desire of friends
to see improvement (as they imagine it) that
pupils are hurried into such extravagancies, before
they well know what song means. Music of this
kind accustoms the hearer not to look closely to the
union of sense with sound, but to be satisfied with
any words to any tune; and, consequently, to
lower the intellectual standard of the art. One
test of the genuine goodness and meaning of an
air, is its liability to be injured by additions or
decorations, at the will of the performer ; this is
seldom the case with compositions in the modern
school of the Italian music. With Mercandante,
Pacini, and others of that stamp, sing how you will
—decorate at pleasure—at pleasure add, omit, or
do what you list, and the music will sound not the
worse ; for we cannot spoil what is already bad, or
turn into nonsense that which has no meaning.
These composers are like bungling novel writers,
who shroud their imperfect ideas and half con-
ceptions under the obscurity of words, and palm
their own stupidity upon the reader. It would be
folly to institute any comparisons between the
crude notions of such pretenders, and the school of
Gluck and Mozart, whose crotchets and quavers, if
there were a language refined enough, it would be
no difficult matter to translate into words.

The following are additional and amusing ex.
tracts from this splendid periodical:

MUSICAL RIWARDS—PAST AND PRESENT.
—lt is said that for his Capuletti e Monteeeki,
Bellini received 2000 florins; for his Sinmanbults
the same ; and that for two new operas bespoken
for the autumn season, and the next Carnival, at
the Scala, he is to be paid 20,000 florins. If
our six German pianists, Bach, Haudel, Gluck,
Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, could peep out of
their graves, what would they think of such a
scale of remuneration
ANOTHER MUSICAL FAMILY !—An extraor-
dinary musical family of the name of Conski Las
been giving concerts in Limberg ; they consist of
a sister, Eugenia, who sings beautifully ; two
brothers, Antonio, and Appnllinarino, .excellei.t

—But to avoid the extremity of vulgarity in mu-
sical taste, the student must eschew the greater
part of English • songs— we mean thoso that are
born and die in a day ; they are renerally replete
with bad accent, bad harmony, and conanan me-
lody. The more popular the song, the worse it is
sure to be ;—there is ale ars some new fashion ia
the melody of songs, which strikes the fan:y fa: a
week or two, and is then thrown aside and forgotten
for ever. Except the airs of Mr. Bishop,
are hardly any of native produce calculated to have
a favourable influence upon the style ; and as
there exists at present no really English taste, the
less attention given to this class of music the better.
We fully agree in most of the principlss here laid
down, but do not allow that a song can become
very popular without possessing some intrinsic
merit. The critic who gives to Mr. Bishop alone
the credit of writing airs that do not vitiate the
taste, is imperfectly acquainted with the state of
music in England. Most that are produced here
(three out of four at least), are dull enough, e e
admit ; but when it is considered that many of
our performers make a practice of demanding a
douceur for introducing a song on the stage, anal
that audiences tolerate anything from a faveurito
singer, particularly a female one, it ought to ex-
cite no wonder that our theatrical airs are cont•
monly below mediocrity. We, however, eau
boast of a few composers, whose productions vin-
dicate us against the sweeping censure of' th.,
Transatlantic critic ; and this number is on Ow
increase, particularly in the class of amateurs, as
our pages will evince.—Editor.
Cllolft Or ST. PAUL'S CAT II EDA
members of the cathedral at its foundation were, a
bishop, thirty major canons, twelve minor canons,
and thirty vicars (vicars choral,) now reduced to
six, or, in point of fact, five. The deanery was
founded and endowed by Canute ; the dignitit s of
magister scholarum, precentor, or chanter, and
treasurer, were founded, or at least endowed, after
the Conquest. Hence it will appear, that
when the administration of the revenues of
of our cathedrals was in a purer state, thirty
voices were not thought too many for the due
performance of the duties of the Metropolitan Church
When, however, St. Paul's was rebuilt on a much
grander scale,—when music was become an art of
more importance, and the sacred compositions de-
manded greater skill and more power—then the
number of those to whom its execution was com-
mitted, who were expected to impart to it all the
majestic effect that it was calculated to produce,
was reduced to the number of five ! of which, ex-
perience justifies us in asserting, one, at least, out
of the set, is always incapacitated from assisting,
either by the effects of age, or front those dis-
qualifying colds to which singers are necessarily
more liable than persons of less delicate vocal or-
ganization ! Such is the provision made for the
performance of the choral service in this vast edifice
—the metropolitan cathedral of the British empire !
How, it may be asked, is the evil to he remedied!!
We, without hesitation, answer, let the revenues of
one of the good livings belonging to the church he
appropriated to the endowment of six or eight ad-
ditional vicars choral ; or, let the superior clergy
of the church tax their incomes for the bailie pur-
pose—they can well afford it. The disproportion
between the emoluments of the various members
was not so great formerly as at present, we are
inclined to believe; an opinion somewhat strength-
ened by our knowledge of the sums given by
Henry IV. to the different members of the cathedral,
for singing masses on the anniversary of the deaths
of his father, John, Duke of Lancaster, and of
Blanche, his mother; namely, to the dean 35 44 ;
to each of the principal canons, 20d ; to the petty
canons among the twelve, lOs ; to the cicala 411
8d among the six ; and to the choristers, 2s 6d
among the eight. Thus it appears that, accoruing
to that monarch's notion of an equitable distribu-
tion, the dean's share should be a fraction more
than as 4 to 1 compared to that of a vicar chola!,
while at the present moment it is, doubtless, as
about 20 to 1. We do not mean to contend in fa-
vour of the proportions authorized by the act of
Henry; modern circumstances justify a far wider
difference, but so great a disparity can hardly be
defended on any principle : either the dean's sa-
lary is too large, or the vicar choral's too small.
We will not close this article without expressing
our deep regret—a feeling which we entertain in
common with every disinterested lover of his coun-
try—that the salaries of any portion of the mem-
bers of our metropolitan cathedral should, in a mea-
sure, be made up from monies demanded for chew-
ing the church, from pence taken for admitting the
public to view that for which the public have paid,
and which, in point of right, belongs to the nation.
If such a practice, a practice of comparatively re-
cent date, were known only to ourselves, we ought
to blush at and abandon it; but when the ill fame
of so sordid an exaction is, to our disgrace, bruited
all over the civilized world, it is still more incum-
bent on those who have the power to correct the
abuse, to set about the task honestly and manfully,
and rescue the country not merely from the charge
of illiberality, but from the merited imputation of
the most paltry, contemptible meanness, the most
indefensible injustice.

M. Mounin has submitted to the French Aca-
demy a plan to prevent shipwrecks. His plan consists in
attaching to the sides of the ship leather bottles of a
large size inflated with air, which will keep the vessel
afloat, even should the keel, or aides, be driven in by coning
into contact with the rocks. This Is a good idea, but sm.
ceptible of improvement by substituting air vessels f
Hancock's Crioutchouc, a substance already applied to so
many useful purposes.
G itETNA GREEN.—On Wednesday last, a
young gentleman from Liverpool eloped with a ycung
from the suburbs of York. An attachment seems ti r
some time to have existed between this young couple, which,
however, met with the decided disapprobation of the lady',
friends, and she was accordingly removed to York, und. r
the idea of placing her beyond the reach of her lover. The
young gentleman followed her, again renewed his acquain.
mace, and succeeded, ultimately. in persuading the fair one
to join her fortunes to his by marrying him on Wednesday
morning, at a church adjacent. They proceeded to the
church, but they had delayed too lung, and the clergyman
refused to perform his office, alleging that it was five mi.
notes gone the hour, (12 o'clock), therefore he could no
legally marry them ; the amorous youth, determined not to
be foiled, returned to York, ordered a post-chaise, and be.
fore the elapse of an hour they were on their road to the
North. The young ladi, we understand, is heiress to a
very handsome fortune. They were accompanied by a younA
lady and gentleman, both reddest. of York, who are alio
expected to make a match of it beftwe they return. No
tiding. have as yet bees baud of tbe feel's% nor that
they paned through Think the day they eloped.

SPIRIT OF TUTS DATS.VOURNALS.
'i'i NI!, S.—The Refort77l3:rnade some progress on Sa-
turday, though we are afraid that its speed was scarcely rapid
enough to warrant the belief entertained by Lord Althorp,
that it would be able to leap the bar of the committee ar.d
spring into the house with all its amendments onWednesday.
We can scarcely say whether it carries less or more weight
than when it passed its tecond heat, but we are quite sure,
that, backed as it was by its friends in the country. it might'
ier.g ago have fin'-:!ed its course under a holder and less
scrupulous jock,.yship. To change the figure, we shall
let happy to see it ainin in presence of the Speaker and
the Mace, instead of toiling through that " Slough of
Despond," the C.,mmittee. resisted as it was at every
ucp Lt a l.ost of itreretted enemies, and perpetually obliged
:o slake dr the fresh burdens imposed upon it by its pre.
fritods. Its parliamentary supporters will he equally
.1- ligitted to be relieved from their nightly task, and to
recover the enjoyment of their Saturday holyday. A long
contest ut wools, or what the late I.ord Castlereazhe
ould have calla' " a field-d.ry," is threatened on the
bringing up of the Report hut as the tenancy at will,
the ~ivision of county clauses, ar.d some others, which we
are desirous of seeing altered, have been already amply
diseased. we are not aware of any grounds for a lengthened
tleta.e. The greater part of Saturday's sitting—the last'
Saturday, we hope. on which the committee will be required
to sit.—was most uselessly employed in discussing the 31st,
clause. already sufficiently discussed. The 324 clause was
avted to without a division ; and the remainder of the
ciatetes, though numerous, being of a regulamcntary, or exe-
ratter. rather than of an essential kind, need ..not occasion
any protracted deliberation. Before the discussion on the
reform bill commenced on Saturday, a conversation took
place on some proposed changes in the law far regulating
steam-boats. In making some observations on this subject
on a former occasion, we called for the enforcement of the
existing laws, and the establishment by trial of their instil-
ticiency, before we resorted to any new legislation. We see
I in any of the debates to which the subject has given
rise to alter our former views. . _ .

CHRONICLE.—There can he no doubt that, while the
demand for food in this country exceeds the native supply,
and foreign corn is excluded under heavy duties, till the
price in the home market attains a great height, the Land-
loots would pocket all that is now paid to the Parsons. But
the demand does not always exceed the native supply, and
hence we have glu!ted markets and bankrupt farmers. No
matter what the number of farmers or !mintier of farms;
the farmer's payments must be regulated by his receipts.
The profits of capital embarked in farming cannot differ
materially from the profits of capital employed in other
trades, for there is a tendency in capital always to find its
level. Now, in such a state of things, with tithes abolished,
the landlord could not pocket the burden in addition to his
rent. The whole question of tithes and rent is very much
romplicated by the restrictions on the trade in feed. Sup-
ra% ng, however, the empire to be dependent entirely on its
own resources, it is clear that the tithe must add to the
price of food, for the price must not only repay the ex-
pellee of labour, but a tenth of the produce given to the
'semen, before the cultivator can venture on fresh land.—
The poorest land taken into cultivation, if it pay only a
halfpenny an acre of rent, must pay the tenth of the produce,
end the tenth of the produce is added to the price of all food.
With respect to the min of our farmers by the importation
of corn, we wonder our contemporary did not also observe,
that it would take the potatoes front the Irish farmers, and
leave theta nothing. The Irish farmer lives tar more
meanly than the farmer of any country in the world without
exception, and yet we do not find that the heavy iatiporta-
tintiA from Ireland have reduced the English farmer to the
Irish level. \Fe repeat, however, that with a free trade in
food the tat-Aloft! caimot pocket the tithe, and that tithe-free
Lou' must conic dawn to the level of the others.
POST.—Nothing can be more revolting to one who has
watched the course of policy adopted by France than the
boast that is mede of the 41 admirable disinterestedness"
evinced by the Government of that !eountry for the last
thirteen months, and the assertion that "it is but fair that
cur armies should march when treaties arc to be carried
Seto effect, and our fleets sail when insolence is to be
chastised." Such language as this can only deceive the un-
%eery ; it may serve as a temporary disguise, hut it must ter-
minate in disgrace. The King of the French can scarcely be
said to have a will of his own, consequently all engagtments
with him are precarious. His Minister and the "movement
party" have for some time been playing at cross purposes,
and it is yet difficult to calculate the chances of victory.—
The latter urge the waging of war, no matter whether against
Holland, Ru sia, or Spain, because from war they anticipate
results which they have at heart; whilst the former flatten
and cajoles theist, under the hope of adding to his Royal Mu-
ter's popularity, and enabling him to consolidate his throne.
The war-hounds call for vengeance, not because it is due in the
quarter to which they wish to direct it, but because Europe
zeust be disturbed in order to ensure their own sus
cess, and the earlier hostilities commence the better.—
War is pronounced the moat promising expedient for
the extension of Republican principles, and Revolutionary
manifestations, wherever they may appear, must be backed
by the presence of a French naval or military force. Any
thing, every thing, that could create disorder and promote
Democratic or French ascendancy is welcomed at Paris ;
and hence was it that the Italian Carbonari were hugged and
carressed, the Spanish Refugees equipped and escorted to
the Pyrenees. and fleets at two several times sent into the
waters of the Tame. Two leading points of foreign po-
licy have in tact all along been observable in the con-
den of the French, viz. the annexation of lielgium and
the destruction of British common and influence in the
Peeineula, where besides they had humiliations to avenge.
The motives which took the last French fleet to Lisbon arc
now apparent ; - and it will greatly tend to elucidate the
further views of the projectors of tint expedition if
it should turn out, as our 111adeid correspondent insinuates
is the case, that the French diplomatists are endeavouring to
wove that the old family compact between Spain and France
is in existence, and, consequently, that the latter is entitled
to all its advantages. This new fan is transmitted to us in
a straight-forward manner; it is the topic of conversation in
the political circles in Madrid ; and its origin, we think,
ought to he enquired into.
LI ERA LD.—The governments of the principal states on
the continent have, by their criminal obsequiousness to the
las:dent and ferocious spirit of Russian ambition, incurred
heavy responsibily to their subjects, who are visited by
the dreadful pestilence which has tracked the barbarians al
the mirth in their desolating progress, *IA which now lays !
waste so many parts of Europe, and threatens so many more.
We du trot wonder that this scourge is considered by the
wordo of various ccuntries to be, like the plagues of Egypt
a frolicia/ visitation from Heaven for the attempted extorted.
nation of a whole people, whose only crime is the defence of
there rights which they had from God and nature, but
which imperial robbery had lung fixed upon as its prey.
—lt is likely that the disease called cholera naorbue—
because it resembles the Indian disease of that name in some
respecepssawould have worn itself out in Russia, ( where, after
ell that has been said, there is reason to believe it was gene-
rated), if it had not been for the atrocious invasion cat Poland
—A country whets: independence all the great powers of Eu-
rope had guaranteed by treaty, and then abandoned it to tire
wanton and unprincipled violence of that despot also, having
received the crown of this unhappy country as a constitu-
tional king,endetivoured to plunder it of every national right,
and to reduce it to the meet degrading subjection to his arbi-
trary will. Uet the barbarian power, which the nations that
pretend to be in love with the principles of order, and to
pay a great regard to the faith of treaties, allowed to direct
ite whole collected force against the existence of Poland,
has let loose a fury in Europe that seems arnica indeed
with a commiasion to destroy. If the rulers and their
witliens who have brought this calamity upon the
!whine we're only to suffer, it would be well ; but, alas !
tire peeple who are not partakers of their crime are involved
in their punishment. In this world the innocent frequently
suffer for the misdeeds of the guilty. The infatuation of
rulers is the destruction of their people—
" Quicquid delirant reges plectuntur Achivi."
It is not very honourably characteristic of our present
House of Commons that, while the malted chastisement
which the cruel and dastardly usurper of the throne of
Portugal has provoked at the hands of France excites sym-
pathy in the breasts of many of our Representatives, and is
made the subject of' frequent wailing, remonstrance, and
complaint in Parliament, not a voice is raised to express
the language of honest indignation at the nefarious
conduct of the Autocrat of Russia and Iris Allies to.
wards the roles. With the exception of the motion of
Colonel de Lacy Evans--which did hint great credit,
bas' which met with no support or sympathy—there has
human nothing said in Parliament, that we recollect, on the
?most iieenrious and inhuman violation of the rights of an
thaepetalent nation of which modern littrope, since the pre.
virus panition of Poland, affords any example. Yet n is
not a generous respect for the rights of humanity alone
which snould have prompted England and France rather to
have coerced the destructive ambition of Russia than to
have mischievously meddled in the quarrels of Delgium and

Holland ; it would have been for the interest of both nations
to have protected the independence of that kingdom of Po-
land to whose establishment they were contracting parties
Poland free, and detached altogether from the sovereignty
of the individual who occupies the throne of Russia, would
be a strong protection to France against invasion from that
quarter; and to England she would afford those facilities of
disposing of her merchandise which a great agricultural and
warlike country presents to a manufacturing one. Left
within the grasp of Russia, the resources of Poland would
facilitate the invasion of the former, while her territory
would, with jealous care, he interdicted to the mercantile
industry of the other. Thus both countries, in abandoning
great principles, bave abandoned their own particular interests.