THE MUSICAL MAGAZINE. MUSICAL

NO. I.

BOSTON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1839.

PROSPECTUS.

THE present period is believed to be particularly auspicious for the establishment of a periodical devoted to Music. The public have become so far awake to the importance of its cultivation, that the authorities of the city of Boston have introduced it, as a branch of common education, into the public schools. Throughout the northern and middle States, Music, in its moral and social importance, is evidently fast rising in the public regard.

Of all the Fine Arts, Music is the most attractive and pleasing; indeed, it is almost an universal favorite. It is also the most accessible. The cultivation of the voice, or the study and practice of some instrument, is within the means of every one; and they may be commenced in childhood, and continued at intervals of leisure, to the latest period of life, with decided benefit to health, and little sacrifice of time. Indeed, they furnish the means of relieving the tedium of unemployed leisure, by a most agreeable occupation. Music, too, is the most social of the Arts, and exerts the most softening and chastening influence upon the feelings. How important then is it, that its cultivation should be extended ; in order to modify that self-sufficiency which all allow to be a national characteristic; to redeem young men, if possible, from dissipated modes of spending their leisure; to bring the youth of both sexes together upon a ground which all classes regard as both

unexceptionable and altogether agreeable; and to spread through all ranks of society a far greater amount of social happiness.

To promote these important ends, is the object of the subscribers in proposing the publication of a musical periodical. They are well aware that the task will be arduous, if they must rely for its contents on the resources to be found in this country. There is comparatively no musical literature here. Probably ten volumes have never been published in the United States, that merit the appellation. But in Europe the case is far otherwise.

It is well known, that most of the first composers and masters of the various instruments, are, and have been, Germans. These have published many works on the science of music, and on musical instruments. Men of literary eminence, too, in that country, have written numerous treatises on Music as an Art, exhibiting it in every variety of view, and particularly developing its resources for human improvement. Such works, as well as musical periodicals, histories of Music, and biographies of musical men, are very abundant, both in Germany and France.

One of the editors, Mr. Hach, is a German, and will be regularly supplied not only from that country, but from France and England, with the musical periodicals and other valuable works on the subject, as they appear. Articles from the English works, and translations from the German, French, and Italian, will make up a large part of the contents of the Musical Magazine. By thus drawing largely from the countries where music has been most cultivated, it is believed that the work may be made particularly acceptable to the American public.

The subjects which will be found treated in the Musical Magazine are the following:

1. The Theory of Music, embracing the various departments of musical science.

2. Instrumental Music: essays thereon; together with descriptions. of the proper character of every musical instrument, as well the piano forte, and other parlor instruments, as the various instruments of the orchestra.

3. Vocal Music, in its several departments of solo-singing, chorussinging, and other combinations. This, and the preceding subject, will receive very particular attention.

4. History of Music, and of musical instruments.

5. Biographical and critical notices of eminent composers, performers, and authors in musical literature.

6. Criticisms of musical compositions, and musical performances. The method of criticism will be founded on the true principles of the art; and it will be conducted in that spirit of candor and moderation, without which criticism is worse than useless. Indiscriminate praise either disgusts him who is the subject of it, or makes him vain; and censure, without showing wherein the true principles of Music have been transgressed, is ungenerous, and may justly excite indignation. In the criticisms of the Musical Magazine, due credit will be given to whatever is commendable; and if errors are pointed out, the means of correcting them will, at the same time, be shown.

7. Musical tales, anecdotes, &c.

8. Poetry, both original and selected, may be expected occasionally; especially such as is suitable to be set to music.

9. Musical news will be collected, both from this hemisphere and the other.

10. Communications on the subject of Music will be thankfully received and inserted, always subject to the judgment of the editors. Indeed, this paper is intended as a medium for the discussion of musical subjects, and for the propagation of ideas and views for the promotion of the art among us.

Such is the general plan of the work. Some of the first members of the musical profession, and several literary men of high standing, have given the editors assurances of their aid; and they hope that their other arrangements will enable them to make the paper worthy of the patronage of the public.

The Musical Magazine will be issued every other Saturday, in a neat pamphlet of 16 octavo pages, at $3 per annum, in advance. H. THEODOR HACH,

T. B. HAYWARD.

THE ORATORIO.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.

THE word Oratorio is now very generally used without any fixed definition. By going into the history of this kind of Music, we shall best acquire a knowledge of its proper character.

We will begin by considering the original meaning of the word. It means prayer saloon, especially such as princes and the nobility built, in or near their palaces and castles; in short, all praying houses or rooms, otherwise called Chapels. They were under the supervision of the bishops, and private individuals were not allowed to build them, except by their special permission. At a later period, all the places where altars or images of the saints were erected, were called Oratorios. Prayer was therefore necessary to constitute an Oratorio.

When in the sixteenth century the pious Philip of Nery in Italy began to convert the people by spiritual discourses, he made use of all the means within his reach to make them interesting, and thus introduced, besides bodily penance, then still in vogue, music also in pious songs. He thus established, in 1574, a clerical order, the members of which were called fathers or priests of the Oratorio; who very soon built a prayer-house in Rome for their meetings. Music being the chief means of attracting the people to these meetings, it became common to say, "We are going to the Oratorio," even with those who went only to hear the music. Nevertheless, it is erroneous to say, as Castil Blaze does in his work, "de l'Opera en France," that Philip of Nery was the inventor of that species of music, which at a much later period was called Oratorio, though it existed much before his time. Equally erroneous is Castil Blaze's assertion, that the Oratorio was introduced by Nery, in imitation of the newly-invented Italian Opera, which had very soon become exceedingly popular. Both the Opera and the Oratorio had existed in fact long before that time, though not in form. Castil Blaze himself informs us, very correctly, that, as early as 1480, in Rome, on a transient stage, "The Conversion of St. Paul" had been enacted, which was in fact nothing else than an Oratorio.

The Oratorios evidently emanated from the ancient Mysteries, which used to be represented by pilgrims, and other Christian exhibiters, in the streets, churchyards, and churches; and which were connected with singing. The subjects were, the life, death, resurrection, and ascension, of Jesus Christ; the last judgment, &c.; which were represented in a very loose way. The whole music to these pantomimes and declamations consisted of intermixed popular melodies. There were other Mysteries in those times, in which dancing and singing were main points. Even the