The New York herald., 1868-06-30
MUSICAL REVIEW.

Ithe character Of the composition aoes M, o,xavs
reflect credit on our musician =, ia orat,sviny IN
find what o great improyen an, Ga made in the en-
craving and general appear snce of musical publIca-
tons in America, judgr a from those before us for
review. The old style OF title page has been super.
seded by the most 1eeant and artistic designs. and
the music plates particularly clear and readable
Much space is -so saved in the latter and some OF
the pucilsherA conrrve to compress four measures
In every hi'e. cadenzas &C., Notwithstanding. This
gives Uniform and neat appearance to each page Of
music. the paper Is also better than that used
Formerly, and on the whole the sheet music
OF America at the present day viii COM
pare favorably with the best efYorts OF
Europe In the same line. or course there are some
exceptions to this rule, the general tendency Of
the publishers towards Improvement. or the
pieces suboinec the greater number are the work Of
Western composer. some of 'hcsa ale very credit
able far melody goes but betray the tyro in the
working M. There Is the invariabe variation OF a
semiquaver quadrupet and quaver for finsh, fc-
lowed by the commonplace tremolo or still more
hackncyed arpeggio OF the common chord Again.
those Western composers have great fondness for
crossing the hands on the slightest provocaton. 1t
Is the old CZerny school for beginners which every
boarding school hiiss trums away at. and OF which
the ''everlastng'' 'Maiden's Prayer is fair ex
ample.
J. l.. Peters publishes the following
"Goodby, OLD Home," song and chorus. W. $.
Commences like 'Good News from Home,' hut
IKE the majority of this composers works II be-
comes very tame and commonplace. The title page
Is very handsome, the inside Is not.
"Meco tn Vfeni." cavatina from Belllni's '.La
fav0rite air OF the great italian composer.
''The Mothers Prayer" song. j. r. Thomas; words
pest thoughts; full Of tenderness and Simple grace
and worthy to rank with Beautiful Isle OF the
MAY Blossoms" reverie. G. Kinkel. With some
puerile ideas to weaken it. This piece Is, however,
not devoid Of merit, and its marchke melody may
prove acceptable to beginners.
"Heavenward." vase Anceique vibre. very
BEAUTIFUL dreamy sort of waltz, of German proclivi-
ties however and one worthy OF the handsome Illus
"lnnnite JOY" religious meditation. c. Kinkel
pretty sort Of exercise, but entirely devoid of any
preliminary passages with which every concert pian-
ist opens grand fantasia.
mo Crown Without the Cross" J. r. Thomas.
The title page is the handsomest we have seen
on piece OF music In America. and the melody and
accompaniment correspond. The modulations and
changes are particularly beautiful
Tremaine publishes the following
"Ah Que Jaime les Militaires,n arranged from
Onenbach by Dr. Wetmore. very poor arrange
'Oh, Maggie: When the Sun Goes Down." song
and chorus. W. r. Johnston. charming song,
which recommends itself at once to the favorable
consideration Of every musician.
"Logan's Gathering" J. G. CLARK. campaign
ooue WulCu rear, VIII dsSelDie many lovers
Of music around the redoubtabe impeachment Man.
ager, for the music is commonplace in the extreme.
Lyon ~ Healy OF Chicago, publish the following
melody is good enough but the crossing of the hands
and the arpegglos in the accompaniment are exceed
ingy primitive.
"Lena," brilliant variations for the piano. S. G.
Pratt. A graceful and artistic network of arpeggio
and tremoo passages wound around very COM
mendable melody.
"Grand Marche Heroique.' S. G. Pratt. stirring
martial composition, out Of the hackneyed course
ha nVnnu Vun1Ir nd and tod
"Grant ana COfax," campaign song. W. Siebert.
Superior to most OF the trashy music which politics
can forth, and akin TO "JOhn Brown"
Boosey Il Co. publish one hundred dances for the
1ute in a small, neat and convenient form.