The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-01-01
Musical Publications.

The remarks which we made some time age
with regard to new books issued in this country, cal
equally be applied to new music published in THU
city, Boston and Philadelphia. Our table Is literally
covered with values, quadrilles, pokas ballads
marches, quick-steps-dear music, cheap music
and music for the million'-whch more properly
could be called music for nobody" or music for
the lovers OF trash and nonsense. II is matter Of
no small surprise that there does not exist one
house largely and successfully engaged in
the music publishing business. Every music
seller publishes yearly certain quantity OF
pieces, for the purpose of exchanging with each
other, and making some show in their catalogues
in which they usually wrap up the music bought at
their respective stores.
In looking, however, over all the cata-
logues for the last few years, we find, with a
few exceptions, nothing but trash; and a peep
mo them must give an European musician still a
worse opinion OF the state of musical taste in Anne
rlca than really exists. The getting up is decent
enough engraving is neatly, although seldom
correctly done, and the tltle-pages frequently are
even very beautiful-but the paper is extremely
spongy and chalky, and few days takes all the
stiffness out of it, that it necessarily fall to
pieces. Is it impossible to manufacture in this
country such paper as is used by Schou in May
ence, by Breitkopf and Haertl in Leipzig, or even
like that of Simrock in Bonn, although Of inferior
quality? And when will American publishers leave off
the ridiculous custom Of lingering after the English
fashion, instead of making it from one to five, as
1t is done in Germany, Italy and France =! Is
thumb not finger and is it not strange that, in
marking music, America should have adopted the
custom of nation whose musical standing is below
hoe sc
more than an English reputation, or one composer of
note unless 1t be Bale, the Msfious author of the
Bohemian Girl, that modern Hai~-, VINO recent
ly has disturbed riucld temper OF the two critics,
beuer the individuals doing" the musical criti
csms OF the Courier and Express? The reprints of
European works generally, are mutilated in most
shocking manner. Whole pages are not unfrequent-
y left out, for fear that the additional charge OF a
shilling would drive the customer into foreign
music store 1t is, therefore, not to be wonderedat,
if teachers prefer going TO the foreign stores. and
prefer paying tre MORE and, very frequently, not
even that, instead Of giving their pupils mutilated
copies, full of mistakes, which will be unfit for
before they have got half through And even ifthey
would not mind all that can they get American edl-
hons of good pieces, ought they form their pupils
with the lucubrations of Holloway or Saroni
Notices of new musical publications-original or
be made very beneficial, if critically
and conscientously DONE They must consist of
more than the title pages and names of publishers,
as Is the general custom-more honoreu, however,
in the breach than in the observance-although 1t Is
Just the thing publishers generally require,
which, by the by, is not bad speculation on the
part of those gentlemen who, in exchange for one
or two copies, of the value of couple of shings,
get their music made known to the public. We in
tend giving notices, in future, OF all publications
which will deserve them-hat is if they good,
very bad-as a warning to those who, not being able
to Judge for themselves, generally rely upon the
commentator Of the music seller who never fails
to put into their hands the least saeable pieces Of his
catalogue.