The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-10-25


ar,icls. from the Parlor Magazine, by Asahe |
Rude indeed were, doubtless, the first beginnings
of music as in other arts but the laws of melody
have been ever the same, and all known musical
instruments have been ever constructed upon the
same harmonic principles. Some, indeed, as the
sistrum, the drum, the cymbals, etc. have been
constructed for purposes of mere noise but the
harp and the reed the cithara and the flute, have
undergone no fundamental change during all the
improvements that have been made in their form
until the present hour
From all we can learn, we doubt not that cor
rect and powerful style of execution must have
been known and practised from the remotsst ages.
We do ourselves wrong when we appeal to those
children of yesterday, the Gtecians, for any thing
truly ancient. They were fan to travel in Egypt
and the East, and in order to learn the Orientnls
their Geometry and Astronomy, their Chronology
and their Metaphysics, their Music and their Poe.
try. Homef's fables are Hndoo while his pic
lures are Egyptian. And while the Grecian seem
evidently to have been rude and feeble constrlc
ton, there have been discovered among the Egyp |
tan monuments of the oldest date, figures of instu
ments OF form so perfect, that they have never |
yet been excelled. One Of these is harp ofabou |
the same number ofstrngs with the most improved |
now in use, and the position of the player Is IN
every respect what 1t should be were he able 10
realize all the effect of Bochsa
1t was in the sixth generation from Adam that
Jubal invented, or became famous for improvinE
musical instruments. The earth became filled
with violence His brother, Tnbal. Cain, invented
fsasting, between the clash of spears and swords
and the festive sounds of flutes and harps, the ne
Rod of four more generations became distinguished
for deprayity SO desperate as to require deluge
to wash out the stains of an evil, and prepare the
world for the settlement of better race. Tie
children OF Ham, the CyclSpeans, Amonians, Ma
earian, heroes, Neliade, Demons, or Cuseans, tf
ancient authors, soon, to the utmost of their power
restored the ancient arts while the descendants d
Shem and Japheth emerged only after long TIM
from rustic and obscure life to of opuenc.
and spendor; and their musical Instruments be-
came improved by slow degrees to state resem
bling those of their brethren in Egypt and the
East The Tyre of Orpheus, or Amphian, is said ID
have had, at first, but three or four strings; that
Mercury increased for their use to seven. Hyayr
rus the Phrygian, the son of Marsyas invented the
flute. The cithara, from three strings, became I'M
creased to many more by Lysander. Epigonius
made harp of fory-eight strings and net ONLY
taught his disciples TO play by the hand without
the hectrum, but united the flute and the harpin
the same performance. Simmicus invented a lyfs
Of ihlriy-five strings, Dodous enlarged the capu4
city OF the flute. by adding to its original four
holes several others. The SYrinx Of Pan, to this
day. consists of only seven eight reeds, its or !
ginal number Then there were trumpets, and
horns, and piccOlo flutes, and various Drums cyun-
bas, etc, for use in war. They also had the hy-
draulc organ, in which water had some action 10
us uknownt Thus much for the Greeks, tie
I'hraeians, the Phrygieas, and the people around
Them. The musical instruments of the Hebrew
Chaldeans, and Romans, appear to have possessed
character much like that Of the later Greek inven-
tIons; though they may have approached near
their originals of the Egyptian orchestra.
And when the barbarans from the North over
threw the Roman Empire, they were fain to az,
guire arts and sciences by no less slow degrees
than their predecessors. Still the Church mr.
served in her antiphonal chants the best specimens
she could draw from the music OF the ancient tenn
pies, and they continue to this day the most solid
and elevated, and devotional strains known. Be-
yond the Church, however, we shall find nothing
worthy of attention in their war chants and baG,
ehanalian roundelays until the period of the Refor-
nation, when the Gregorian Chants became varied
with the Motes Of Paeestrina, Bird, Tails and
Glbbons, that will remain forever classical and UNI
rlvaled by the Chorales OF Luther and his asso-
ciates. The organ became much improved and
counterpart soon reached its highest development
Other instruments grew in public favor, and en-
larged the circle of their effects in the hands of
successive performers. The violins cast off their
Irets for the perfect nonation of the fingers only
The numerous wars Of modern times have resulted
in little else than the improvement of military
bands. The opera and oratorio have cultivated
soo voice to high pitch of excellence while q e
grand and solemn ChOraes Of Germany and Enc.
land have prepared the way for the formation Of
choruses that can, TO extent interpret the ml.
sic Of Handel and his rivals in the nobest styles
ot musical design. The Sonatas of Corelli, Gem
iani, and Tartini haze led the way to vast i'm
provement in solo playing and orchestral manaps.
ment and SO to the production of the noble sinl,-
mas of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Spohr, ard
Mendessohn, and the almost superhuman effects If
Paganini and his imitators. The fire that warmed
the soul of Giardini, or Viott, has come to burn
among the SHOWS of Norway, and the name of o.
Bull stands at the head of long list, who's
amazing powers of execution would have once
earned them, in popular superstition, the rank Of
-archnnges. The organ has found Handel and a
Bach to interpret its stately and majestic com,
blnations; and the piano forte has become tbs
queen among instruments Originating the Orpbear
LYrel under the hands of Clement and Beethoven
Henri Herr, and Moschelles, De Meyer, and Liazt
and Mendelssohn.
The exhuming of Pompeii has enriched the ban,
with the trombones; the kettle drums with III,
trumpets and horns add force and fullness TIL,
flute, oboe and fagotto grow richer and more power
full in their cast, and the elaronet adds its hrns
mezzo-soprano to their mixture with the ouarteul
OF strings thus producing orchestra that 70
power and variety has probably never been rvalle,
IN any former time. Splendid as may have beei
me musical performances IN the temples theatre
OF even Tyre, Jerusalem, Babylon, Memphis, The
pes, carthage, Alexandria, or Rome that the poet
ielgn under the fables of mermaids and Sirens, o
Gree and Pan and Orpheus, yet there is nothing
On record 'hat can lead us to suppose they exceled
the richness and fullness the force and delicacv OF
our orchestra, that is ever ready at a moment .
hotlce 10 blow the magic horn or flute with ton es
SO hne that they seem those that fancy eigns ia
come from heaven, or to unite the breath Of the
organ with a thousand voices and the instrument
at once, when they will represent the ooncar,s
heard at the Creation the Red Sea, or the Mount
OF olives, at Gideon, or GAIA, or the Vale Of Elab
IN Jerusalem or Byzantium.
49, Still there is mingled with all this no sIL,
cause OF regret In the improvement Of Gbe
orchestra our modern authors have to a great ey
tent laid aside the study of vocal composition and
the instrumental school have degenerated from IN.
lSness and purity at. Of melody found in the work
Tefdf " the screams of Berloz. With the highe,
cultivation Of the voice also there is a CORE spond
ing depression Of popular taste for musical sent.
ment Crowds rush to the theatre to be excite,
with operate spectacles, and noise, with the tone
and wonderful execution of a Sivori, DeMeyer, o
Botesini, or the warbng of Maibran, Catalina
or Braham rather than delighted with lofty music
and pure melody. But when the times are wors
they must mend. Music has reached its utmos
declenslon in Europe, and we need not wonder thai
me pure spirit of Mendelssohn found itself wearied
OUT IN seeking concert of congenal spirits where
might rest and like the dove of old time, few
away 70 take refuge in the Ark of his forefathers
Deyona me sight and hearing of our vantes and
coEnoelts our low and groveing exhibitions Of
wmaa passes LOT music among the reckless or the