New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-25
Iectpres ON NIusic .

tsr Mr. DwIGHT's LECTURES mark an era IN
the musical history of New York; for although we
have had the opportunity OF hearing SO much fine
music, it is perhaps the first lime that we have had
q clear and wise assertion Of the dignity and com
pass Of the art. Those who regard 1t as something
too subtle to be discussed in lectures or in any other
way, will find that these are only expostons OF the
exact laws Of infinite analogy and correspondence,
which govern music as science, and farther, only
simple and sincere expression of the experience
wrought by it upon delicate and poetical mind 10
which music is the celestial expression of the sub
FINEST hope.
Mr. Dwight happily unites the characteristics OF
the three classes so well described in his first lecture
10 which music is either sentiment, science or recre
ation, SO that he shows himself wise lover and
sympathetic critic His course is so short, compri
sing only four lectures that he has been necessarily
restricted 10 bold sketching 10 convey his whole
impression. But it lies so accurately outlined in
his own mind that i, very beautifully presented 10
others.
The first lecture was devoted 10 the consideration
of the general character of music and more paricu
larly as an expression OF the religious sentiment
The doctrine held was that music is the truest, no.
bles, and fullest expression, and in the considera-
ton of this idea the mystery Of The Trinity which
recurs so constantly in Nature touched so that
in treating of music as soul mind and body-or soul
body and aw-the whole ground seemed TO be COW
cred. This WAS the plan announced for the remain
der OF the course music as science or law, as ex-
preston or soul, and as eject or body and as each
phase in the art had in the OF its history en-
loved an epoch of prominence and had its especial
priests-a consideration OF those eras with their
most distinguished masters naturally completed the
plan This lecture concluded with elaborate and
graceful analysis of Mozarts Mass in as an illus
,ration of what had preceded
The second lecture read on Monday evening last
was upon the scientific aspect and OF music. The
first part comprised close clear and beautiful state
ment Of the three-fod correspondence OF Emusic with
nature and art in every form in the course OF which
the perfec, skeleton of Theory was invested with
the fairest flesh OF eloquence. The second part was
sketch Of the life and character OF Sebastian Bach
whose genius illustrated the scientific age OF music
and who therefore became the tttest representative
of the lac in the classification above noticed. Thi;
was finely done and left upon the mind distinc
portrait of the grave and thorough master and good
citizen One fancies him with his broad, composed
face and solid figure treadng his way surely through
the crowds Of his city his cool, prompt percep
ton follows undismayed and ntelligibly the nrica
ces of the most complex fugue. The audience OF
this evening was doubled in numbers, and although
the lecture was nearly two hours long the silent at
,en,ion aud solid applause showed that the nteres
was sustained to the close when the Lecturer
/ promised not 10 hold bis audience so long again.
The lecture upon the expressive era in music il
Instrated by Beethoven and Mozart and the age o
effect. of which Paganin aud the modern Piano
composers are the examples we have not room st
speak of to-day-yet they were, rs the two hrst
excellent y.