Musical Biography; or, Memoirs of the Lives and Writings of the most eminent Composers und Writers who have flourished in the different Countries of Europe during the three last Centuries. In two Volumes, octavo. 1813. [From the British Review.] pp. 800. London. THAT which is merely an amusement, if it occupies the atten tion of the greater part of the community, can never be unworthy of notice; and viewing it in this light only, we should consider music as a subject demanding our attention. But its pretensions are much higher; and when we reflect that from the earliest ages it has been cultivated by every nation with which we are acquainted; that it has almost always formed a part of religious worship and liberal education; and that its principles are more immediately derived from nature than those of any other science, (for whatever may be the refinement of music, it must derive its beauty from the fundamental principles of harmony, which we derive from simple vibration;) we are inclined to give it a place more respectable than that which a mere amusement can claim, and regard it as intrinsically worthy of our attention. . It is for this reason that we now introduce to our readers "Musical Biography;" not as a complete history of the science, for that it does not profess to be, but as presenting a compenVol. IV. New Series. 56 dious view of the rise and progress of music. With respect ta Dr. Burney's history, although we believe that no one who ever read it wished that it had been less, yet we fear that its magnitude has deterred many from its perusal. In fact, the history of a science so universally cultivated as music must necessarily be somewhat voluminous: unless it is minute and particular it is worth nothing, and tends to confusion rather than to information; and in the case of music particularly, is incapable of compression, because so many of the materials from which it must be compiled are not easily to be met with or understood, and for that reason a closer examination and more copious extracts and explanations must be given. The work before us is, however, of no terrific magnitude, and contains, in short accounts of its professors, a chronological history of music from the beginning of the sixteenth century to the present time. These are arranged under the heads of their respective countries, and in general some account of their works is appended. It is impossible not to see how much the author, is indebted to Dr. Burney; a debt, however, which he acknowledges, and with which, to a certain extent, (though not perhaps to that to which our author has carried it,) we should find no fault, because we can point out no better source of information. Of course, this remark can only apply to the period which preceded the publication of Dr. Burney's last volume. Since that time our author has not had so good a guide; and although we do not mean to blame him for not having done what he has not professed to do, yet we cannot help regretting the want of a general history of music from that time. A period of twenty-four years has now elap sed since the fourth volume of Dr. Burney's history was published, as eventful, perhaps, as any which has preceded it. To say nothing more, during that time Haydn, Mozart, Piccini, and Gretry, have closed their labours, and materials of every description are not wanting. We know not whether we may ever expect a fifth volume from the pen of Dr. Burney, nor to whom else we can look for a continuation of his work, which shall be worthy of what has been already published. We are also particularly glad to introduce the work before us to our readers, because it is so seldom that we meet with publications on music which are likely to be generally interesting. Almost all the works on that subject, however acceptable or useful they may be to the student, have as few charms for the general reader, or even for most musical amateurs, as a German dictionary, or a table of logarithms. The truth is, that comparatively few of those who profess a love for music give themselves any trouble about the matter except as to the practice; and there are many who conceive, that the pleasure which they derive from it would be diminished by a knowledge of its principles, and who, congratulating themselves upon their possessing that mysterious faculty which is called having "an ear for music," look with indifference, if not with contempt, upon those means of acquiring knowledge which they deem it unnecessary to pursue. This phrase, which is so commonly used, and which is supposed to be very significant, appears to us to have little or no meaning. It is generally applied to those who are capable of distinguishing the intervals of melody and the consonances of harmony, in contradistinction to those whose organs are so defective that they cannot judge correctly of either. That such a distinction exists we do not dispute; but we are inclined to think, that what is termed a want of ear arises, in most cases, from a want of practice. That this correctness of ear does arise from practice and habit will appear if we consider how many persons, who, when they began could play out of tune without being at all conscious of it, have afterwards become sufficiently correct to join in a concert; and yet how different their accuracy is from that fastidiousness of ear which is agonized by the imperfection of an eschaton, and can only be acquired by long study of the scale; and we believe that half the amateur performers on the piano-forte in this country, who would feel much aggrieved if the accuracy of their ears were called in question, have no idea that their instrument is imperfect, or that there is such a word as temperament. All we mean by this is to reduce the mysterious faculty of intuitive musical enjoyment to its proper standard, and to place music in this respect on a footing with other sciences. It does not appear to us why it is more correct or rational to say, that an uninstructed person who derives satisfaction from hearing music has "an ear for music," than it would be to say, that the countryman who is amused by gazing at a sign-post has an eye for painting. He derives pleasure from the object which is presented to him; he is pleased with the colouring and imitation; he is in some degree qualified to judge of the execution; and his eye would be offended by any gross deviation from the rules of perspective or proportion. This will be generally allowed him; and we should be content if those who have an ear for music did not assume more than a proportionate degree of knowledge with respect to that science. But the misfortune is, that he who has "an ear for music" is supposed to have "a natural taste for music," and must support his pretensions by criticism; and cannot condescend to acquire the necessary qualifications for decision, because he conceives that nature has furnished him with a more infallible mode of judging. Thus his judgment is formed, not from any knowledge of the science, but by the union of common report with his own ral taste." There are some composers whose works are stamped 66 natu with such universal approbation that he cannot refuse his applause; while there are others whose compositions find their way to his heart at once; and he sits down contentedly, and confidently believing that the Messiah and the Battle of Prague are the finest compositions in the world, and that Haydn and Braham are the greatest composers that ever lived. We shall extract, To return, however, to the work before us. for the amusement of our readers, the account which is given of Mr. Thomas Mace. We have before observed that the author is under obligations to Dr. Burney, and the assistance which he has derived from his work is apparent in the following article ; but we extract the account which he has given, because it is more full than Dr. Burney's, and because the original work of Mr. Mace is now become scarce. He appears to have been a good-natured old enthusiast in music; and of his eccentricity the extract from his work will enable our readers to judge, while it may, perhaps, have the further effect of reconciling them to the present state of parochial psalmody, by showing them what it was in his day. We must, however, caution them not to form too unfavourable an opinion of the perfection at which the art of playing on keyed instruments had arrived in his time, from the facility with which this old gentleman seemed to think that a parish might be made to "swarm or abound with organists." The instrumental compositions which remain of Dr. Bull (who died the same year Mace was born) and his contemporaries prove, at least on the natural supposition that they were able to perform what they composed, that they were not deficient in hand, however they might want what some may think the more necessary qualifications of taste, elegance, and expression. that "Thomas Mace, one of the clerks of Trinity College, Cambridge, is distinguished among the writers on music by a work entitled, "Music's Monument, or a Remembrancer of the best practical Music, both Divine and Civil, that has ever been known to have been in the World;" published in folio, in 1676. "He was born in the year 1613; but under whom he was educated, or by what means he became possessed of so much skill in the science of music as to be able to furnish matter for the above work, he has no where informed us. We may collect from it that he was enthusiastically fond of music, and of a devout and serious disposition, though cheerful and good-humoured even under the infirmities of age and the pressure of misfortunes. His knowledge of music seems to have been chiefly confined to the practice of the lute, (his favouite in strument,) and to so much of the principles of the science as enabled him to compose for it. "As to the above book, a singular vein of dry humour runs through it, which is far from being disgusting, since it exhibits a lively portrait of a good-natured old man. The four first chapters are a eulogium en psalmody and parochial music; the fifth contains a recommendation of the organ for that purpose. The sixth chapter we shall transcribe as a specimen of the style and manner of the whole. How to procure an organist. "The certain way I will propose shall be this; namely, first, I will suppose you have a parish clark, and such an one as is able to set and lead a psalm, although it be never so indifferently. "Now this being granted, I may say that I will, or any musick master will, or many more inferiors, as virginal players, or many organ makers, or the like; I say, any of those will teach such a parish clark how to pulse or strike most of our common psalm tunes, usually sung in our churches, for a trifle, viz. twenty, thirty, or forty shillings, and so well that he need never bestow more cost to perform that duty sufficiently during his life. "This I believe no judicious person in the art will doubt of. And then, when this clark is thus well accomplished, he will be so doated upon by all the pretty ingenious children and young men in the parish, that scarcely any of them but will be begging now and then a shilling or two of their parents to give the clark, that he may teach them to pulse a psalm tune; the which any such child or youth will be able to do in a week or fortnight's time very well. "And then, again, each youth will be as ambitious to pulse that psalm tune in publick to the congregation, and no doubt but shall do it sufficiently well. "And thus by little and little the parish, in a short time, will swarm or abound with organists, and sufficient enough for that service. "For you must know, and I entreat you to believe me, that seriously it is one of the most easy pieces of performances in all instrumental music to pulse one of our psalm tunes truly and well, after a very little showing upon the organ. "The clark likewise will quickly get in his money by this means, "And I suppose no parent will grudge it him, but rather rejoice in it. "Thus you may perceive how easily and certainly these two great difficulties may be overcome, and with nothing so much as a willing mind. "Therefore, be but willingly resolved, and the work will soon be done. "And now again methinks I see some of you tossing up your caps, and crying aloud, we will have an organ, and an organist too; for 'tis but laying out a little dirty money, and how can we lay it out better than in that service we offer up unto God? And who should we better bestow it upon, if not upon him and his service?” "This is a very right and an absolute good, resolve; persist in it and you will do well, and doubtless find much content and satisfaction in your so doing. "For there lies linked to this an unknown and unapprehended great good benefit, which would redound certainly to all or most young children, who, by this means, would, in their minorities, be so sweetly |