The Portland daily press., 1878-06-22
Recent Publications.

Johnson's New Method of Thorough Base
Stockbridge) is book gotten up for the purpose
of selling the same. The author cannot even
write grammatical English; and why he called
this neao method, is a problem not readily
solved; for this small volume-which claims to
make thorough base clear and comprehensive
to the pupils of ordinary singing schools-con-
tans many superannuated errors, which arose
from the useless technicaities Of harmony in
it's early stages of development, and which
practical modern theory puts aside as useless
aud cumbersome. For example, Mr.. johnson
devotes chapter to the chord of the eleventh;
which although regularly enough formed from
caused by suspension, passing note, appoqia.
tara or preparation as the case may be; and
which one of these the eleventh is to be consd-
ered is easily enough determined by the mel
ody or figure of the passage in which it occurs
Again, Mr.. johnson revives the mistake as to
the rule of position of chords, saying that the
highest note determines the position and the
bass note the form of the chord. The position,
in point of fact, depends wholly upon the bass
note-for example, G in the bass denoting the
triad of G; E with the figure below it, the
second position of the same triad; and G, over
the figures GA, the third position of that triad.
The form of the chord may be close or dispersed.
bat is not denoted by figures, and does not
affect the harmonic structure. The same, of
course, holds good in regard to the positions of
the chords of the 7th and 9th, with their sever
al fgurings of the bass. These antiquated
mistakes of theory only serve to bswilder the
student of harmony, whose path is rarely made
over-plain. The truth is, as every practical
musician knows, that harmony is based upon
simple, natural laws, and may be taught
clearly and concisely, unsncumbsred By arbi-
trary bylaws. Talent and practice only can
complete the superstructure of which the fouH-
dation must be solidly laid. Sach work as
this Of Mr.. johnson can only discourage the
stadent, who with simples and bright instruc-
tiop, such might be given orally in all our pub
lie schools,we the study of harmony pursued
in them-would be in very short time able to
| appreciate the technical structure of fine music
thus increasing the enjoyment of it in mani
| fold degree.
A Modern Minister (New York: Harper
| Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony
| which came forth with heralding of mysterious
| blowing of its own trumpet as the great anony-
| NOUS leader of the series to be entitled the
| Cheveley Novels, is as elaborate failure as
human ingenuity will bs likely to attain. 1t is
an attempt at the portrayal of society; the can
vas is ouercrowded with figures whose affected
contortons of attitude make no impression save
| that of a confused, coarse, stupid aHd self
satisfied perform ance. The writer has some de.
scriptive power and sense, some of the music OF
ENTHUSIASTICALLY he describes everything
| at great length, with far-fetched and tiresome
conceits and metaphors, and his allitsratohs
and verbal effects would be ovsrdone for poetry
and are simply exasperating in prose. At the
outset the reader is afforded list sof dran'dtsS
| persong Of formidable length, and these per-
sonages are picked up, set in motion and al
lowed to run down, in genuine Jarley fashion.
To paint society, either in a spirit OF blame or
praise, there must be sympathstic quality
in the writer's mind-he must have
genuine love of his kind, and his very
scorn must be the result of his good
will. A Modern Minister would be
satirical if it were bright enough, but its
attempts in that line are so conventional and
made with such effort that the laugh Is turned
at, not with the writer. But the fault oi