BENEDETTO MARCELLO, a noble Venetian, whose family is mentioned by all the historians of Venice, was born in the month of July, 1686. His father, Agostino Marcello, was a senator; his mother, Paolina, was of the honourable family of Capello, being the daughter of Girolamo Capello, and aunt of Pietro Andrea Capello, ambassador from the States of Venice to the courts of Spain, Vienna, and Rome, and who also was resident in England in that capacity about the year 1743.

His elder brother, Alessandro, had attained a great knowledge in natural philosophy and mathematics; and Benedetto, after having been instructed in classical literature, and having gone through a regular course of education under proper masters, was committed to his tuition. Alessandro lived at Venice, and had in his house a weekly musical meeting, in which his own compositions were frequently performed; being a man of genius and rank, his house was the resort of most of the strangers that came to visit the city. The Princes of Brunswick, when at Venice, were invited to one of the musical performances; and Benedetto, at that time very young, being present, they took particular notice of him. In the hearing of Alessandro, they asked him, among other questions, what were the studies that most engaged his attention; "O," said his brother, "he is a very useful little fellow to me, he fetches my books and papers, and this is fittest employment for him." The boy was nettled at an answer which reflected as much upon his supposed want of genius as his youth. He, therefore, resolved to apply himself to some particular study, and soon fixed upon that of music. His principal instructors were Gasparini and Antonio Lotti.

In the year 1716, the birth of the first son of the Emperor Charles the Sixth was celebrated at Vienna with great magnificence; and on this occasion a serenata composed by Benedetto Marcello was performed there with great applause.

Marcello's compositions are very numerous. Two of his cantatas, Il Timeteo and La Cassandra, have been much admired. He wrote also a mass which is highly celebrated. This was performed for the first time in the Church of Santa Maria della Celestia, on occasion of the daughter of his brother taking the veil in that monastery. He likewise set to music the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the Miserere, and the Salve. These, with many other sacred compositions, he gave to the Church of VOL. III.

Santa Sophia, aud was himself at the pains of instructing the singers in the manner in which they were to be performed.

In the year 1724, appeared the first four parts of a Paraphrase of the Psalms, in Italian, by Giustiniani, set to music for one, two, and three voices, by Marcello; and in the course of the two following years four more parts, including in the whole the first fifty psalms, were published. In the prefatory address of the poet and composer, the nature of the work is explained. Of the paraphrase they state, that the original text is as closely followed as possible, and that the verse is of various metres and without rhyme. Of the music it is observed, that as the subject required the words and sentiments to be clearly and properly expressed, it is for the most part adapted to two voices only. The writer says, however, that it may and ought to be sung by a great number of voices, agreeably to the practice mentioned in the sacred writings, of psalms and hymns being sung by many companies and choruses. There are introduced into the work several of the most ancient and best known intonations of the Hebrews, which are still sung by the Jews, and are a species of music peculiar to that people. These, (which, for want of a better word, we must call chants) he says, he has sometimes accompanied according to the artificial practice of the moderns; as he has also done by certain cantilenas of the ancient Greeks. The latter, he informs us, he has interpreted with the utmost diligence; and by the help of Alypius and Gaudentius, has reduced them to modern practice.

In

To those mysterious and emphatic sentences, in which the royal prophet has denounced the terrors of divine justice, Marcello has adapted a peculiar kind of music, a modulation, as he calls it, in the madrigalese style, with a commixture of the diatonic and chromatic genera. doing this, he compares his labours to those of a pilot, who, in a wide and tempestuous ocean, avails himself of every wind that may conduct him to his port, yet, in a long and dangerous voyage, is constrained to vary his course.

A few brief directions for the performance of the several compositions, and a modest apology for the defects of the work, conclude this preface; which, though written under the influence of strong prejudices, contains an ingenious and learned dissertation on the subject of poetry and music.

Χ

For a character of the work we must refer to the numerous letters and testimonies of eminent musicians and others, which accompany it. In these it is stated, that some of the music had been adapted to German words, and performed, with great applause, in the Cathedral Church of Hamburgh; that the Russians had translated the paraphrase into their language, adapting it to the original music of Marcello; that, at Rome, the compositions were held in the highest estimation by all who professed to understand or to love music; and that at the palace of Cardinal Ottoboni, there was a musical assembly once a week, in which some of the works of Corelli and one of the psalms of Marcello made constantly a part of the entertainment.

When the news of Marcello's death arrived at Rome, the Pope, as a public testimony of respect for his memory, ordered a solemn musical service to be performed on a day appointed for the usual assembly. The room was hung with black, and the performers and all other persons present were in mourning.

Mr. Charles Avison, organist of Newcastle, has celebrated the above work of Marcello in a tract, entitled an Essay on Musical Expression; and he issued proposals for publishing, by subscription, an edition of it revised by himself. The execution of this design devolved, however, upon Mr. John Garth of Durham, who adapted to the music suitable words from our own prose translation of the psalms; and, by the assistance of a numerous subscription, the work was completed and published in eight folio volumes. Several specimens of his psalms are to be found in Stevens's Sacred Music; and parts of his fourth and seventh psalms, as arranged for keyed instruments, are inserted in Dr. Crotch's Selections.

From the extent of his studies, it might be supposed that Marcello devoted himself wholly to a life of ease and retirement. This, however, was not the case; for he held several honourable posts in the state, and, as a zealous and active magistrate, was ever ready to contribute his share of attention and labour towards the support of that government under which he lived. He was, for many years, a judge in one of the Councils of Forty; but from thence he was removed to the charge of proveditor of Pola, and afterwards was appointed to the office of chamberlain or treasurer of the city of Brescia. He died at this place in the year 1739, and was buried in the Church of the Minor Observants of St. Joseph's of Brescia.

Marcello left behind him, in manuscript, a Treatise on Proportions, another on the Musical System, and a third on the Harmonical Concords, with a great number of poetical compositions.

His printed works inserted in the Dutch catalogues were, VI Sonate à Violoncello solo e Basso continuo, Opera Prima;" "XII Sonate à Flauto solo e Basso continuo, Opera Seconda;" and "VI Sonate à tre, due Violoncelli, o due Viole da Gamba, e Violoncello o Basso continuo," called "Opera Seconda."

Mr. Avison has asserted that the psalms of Marcello contain the most perfect assemblage of the grand, the beautiful, and the pathetic in music, that had ever been known; yet there have not been wanting men of sound judgment and great skill, who assert that their general levity renders them more adapted to private entertainment than the service of the church. That they abound in evidences of a fertile imagination, improved to a high degree by study, all persons must allow; but whoever

will contemplate that style of music which, in the purest ages, has been thought best adapted to excite devout affections, and understands what is meant in music by the epithets sublime and pathetic, will be apt to entertain a doubt whether these epithets can, with greater propriety, be applied to them than to many less celebrated compositions.

OF THE MUSIC, DANCES, AND COSTUME OF THE SCOTCH.

ALTHOUGH, with the exception of some few districts, the inhabitants of the mountains of Scotland have long mingled with other nations, and though in the course of these latter years, many points of belief, of manners, and of traditions, which were peculiar to them, have disappeared in consequence of their extended intercourse; yet with respect to their music, dances, and costume, the Celts possess original monuments, and types of the olden time, which, according to all the chances of probability, will never lose their primitive character. Hence the national airs which they have been accustomed to sing, either on domestic occasions, or on their march against the foe, their dances which tend to give them their extreme agility, and their costume, so remarkable for its grace and convenience, will most likely survive when their language and their physiognomical structure shall have been either lost, or changed in their mixture with other people.

As long as the ear shall continue to be charmed, and the heart to be warmed, by the magic of melody, so long will the music of the Celts continue to claim its admirers. Added to which, it has this peculiarity, that it cannot be combined with the learned theories of our composers; its gamut being defective in the intervals of the major fourth and seventh, and not admitting of any harmonic accompaniment, stamps it with that character of simplicity which proves it to be the true music of nature, and, as such, the sure favourite of those who judge of music by their feelings, and not according to the rules of science. Another very remarkable character of this music, is its great ductibility, by means of which the performer can at pleasure communicate to his hearers the sentiment, the passion, by which he is animated. The mountaineer, whether he sadly follow the funeral of his friend, traverse the narrow defiles of his mountains, skim over the smooth surface of his lakes, or march proudly against the enemy, causes us to recognise, in the different airs which he sings on each occasion, something that partakes of the nature of the situation, something, according to his subject, powerfully expressive either of grief, of melancholy, or of resistless valour. Be it either graceful, complaining, playful, or warlike, the moment that it receives a peculiar character, no variation can give a new feature to it.

Between the Reel, the original dance of the Scotch, and the Waltz, a German dance, which may equally be considered as original, there exists nearly the same difference as between the two respective kinds of music. The Reel is light, gay, and energetic, and preserves its native character in spite of the strange innovations which have been attempted to be introduced into it: the Waltz is more voluptuous, full of art and contrivance, and has nothing of the vigour and simplicity of the Reel.

When we behold the Scotch giving a loose to the pleasure of this favourite dance, we are at once induced

to believe that their very hearts and souls possess something of the liberty and freedom displayed in its movements; whilst those who take a pleasure in the multiplied gesture and soft evolutions of the Waltz, lead the spectator to conclude, from the very opposite reason, that their ideas and their conduct are in some measure in accordance with the same.

The other European dances are composed of figures and combinations taken from the Reel; the country dance, for instance, is but a modification of it, and much less ingenious than the original, since the majority of the dancers remain for the greater part inactive. The Waltz, it is true, has also served as the type of the national dances of some of the countries of Europe.

- The Scotch costume does not possess less grace, elegance, and simplicity than their music and their dance. By this costume I do not mean that fantastical dress which the caprice of certain strangers has been pleased to designate by that name, but such as it is still seen in the families of the mountaineers, who have lost nothing of their ancient inheritance. The kilt, which has been unworthily mutilated in the service of the English army, bears scarcely any relation to the original tunic, harmoniously diversified by a variety of colours. It is the same with respect to the bonnet, some vestiges of which are still to be found among the Biscayans, and which has been so perverted in its form as to resemble the cap worn by the Prussian grenadiers; a medley scarcely less strange and discordant, than would be a simple Gaelic air interpolated by German harmony. A FRENCH TRAVELLER.

HAYDN'S LAST APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC.

To the Editor of the HARMONICON.

SIR, As the great object of your valuable journal is to afford the public correct details of the history of the art, and authenticated anecdotes of the great musicians who have raised it to its present importance in the scale of human attainments, you will oblige me by giving an early place to the following observations. In the extracts which you made in your number for June last, from Mr. Crosse's interesting account of the grand music meeting at York, is a statement that Haydn's last appearance in public, on occasion of the performance of his sublime oratorio of the Creation, took place in the A mistake is here made in dates; it was on the 27th of March, 1809, that this interesting circumstance in the history of the art occurred, and which preceded Haydn's death by exactly two months. The following are the correct particulars of this fact, as I collected them from the German journals of that period, for the purposes of my Biographical work.

year 1805.

During the winter of 1809, numerous meetings had been held of all the principal amateurs in Vienna, who assembled every Sunday evening, to execute the works of the best masters. On these occasions more than 1500 persons met in the great hall of the city, all eager either to enjoy the best of music, or to take a part in its performance. As a worthy termination to this series of concerts, it was determined to give the Creation of Haydn.

This

Though the venerable composer had not quitted his retreat for nearly two years, yet some of his more intimate friends were fortunate enough to prevail upon him to attend on this occasion. When it was known that he had given his assent, there was not a lover of music in this most musical of towns who did not crowd anxiously to the spot, in order to obtain an entrance. was the evening of the 27th of March, 1809. For several hours before the arrival of the illustrious man, the hall was crowded to excess. A triple row of elevated seats occupied the centre of the room, on which were seen the first artists of the place, waiting to receive their venerable master, among whom might be noticed a Salieri, a Girowetz, a Hummel, &c. A more elevated spot was left vacant to receive Haydn.

The moment the signal of his approach was given, one individual feeling, a kind of moral electricity, communicated itself to every soul present. The Princess Esterhazy, at the head of several ladies of distinction, went to the door to receive him. The illustrious old man was carried in an arm chair to the place destined for him, amidst a tumult of acclamation, intermingled by a salute of trumpets, and of the whole orchestra. The Princess Esterhazy was seated on his right, and on his left the author of Les Danaïdes.

Haydn, who had not anticipated such a triumphant scene, was quite overcome, and could express his feelings only in interrupted words:-" Never," said he, "did I experience such delight as this!-were I but permitted to breathe my last at this moment, then should I be sure of entering happy into another world!"

At this moment, the signal was given by Salieri, who directed the orchestra. At the piano was Kreutzer, Clementi was first violin, and Madam Fischer, and MM. Wainmuller, Radichi, and the very elect of the amateurs of Vienna, commenced the execution of the most beautiful work of Haydn's genius, with an enthusiasm and a force of expression caught from the presence of the master, and inspired by the occasion. Every virtuoso seemed to surpass himself; the audience participated in the enthusiasm of the moment, and experienced emotions which justly rank among the noblest of our nature; many a handkerchief was seen waving, but more were moist with the tear that had glistered in many a bright eye. Unable to give utterance to his feelings, Haydn could but bow, and raise his hands to heaven, in token of his gratitude.

The exquisite sensibility that had directed this fête had also foreseen that it might prove too great an effort for the weakness of age. The persons who were to carry him out, therefore, made their appearance at the end of the first act. The ladies and all around joined in entreating him to retire, and he was borne forth with the same triumphant acclamation that had greeted his entrance. There was, however, this difference of feeling in the latter case, that, at the moment he was seen to disappear at the end of the hall, it appeared to each spectator as if he had bade them the last farewell. This presentiment was too just. Haydn re-entered his retreat, and existed no longer for this world, on the 31st of May following.

I have the honour to be,

Sir, &c. &c. &c.

FAYOLLE.

THE PRESENT STATE OF MUSIC IN SPAIN.

As it but rarely happens that we receive original communications from Spain, or even indirect information respecting the state of the fine arts in that ill-fated country at the present period, we trust that the following particulars, translated from a foreign journal, that pledges itself for their authenticity, will not prove unacceptable to our readers.

*

Extract from a private letter, dated Madrid, Dec. 1824. Allow me now to speak to you on musical subjects; and though the pupil here addresses his master, it may be fairly supposed, that the latter will be pleased to receive a perfectly faithful account of the state of the art in this country.

The office 1 hold leaves me leisure enough to keep up an intercourse with the principal artists of this city, and to frequent the musical assemblies, but these take place very rarely. Though I am but an amateur, yet you will laugh, when I tell you, that I pass here for a performer (virtuoso) of the second rank, and for a musical judge of the first. I should never have dreamt that my exceedingly humble pretensions as a player on the flute, and particularly on the flageolet, would procure me the honour to play duets almost daily with the king, and sometimes with the Infant of Spain. I have also been obliged to compose for these most high personages, as well as for other amateurs and friends, a great many Waltzes, Sonatas, Preludes, &c.

The taste of the Spanish public requires, of all things, subjects that are merely pleasing, somewhat like those of the elder Pleyel. Upon the whole, instrumental

music is much less liked than vocal music, and boleros.

The native composers are, generally speaking, extremely insignificant. Spain can boast of but one good composer-Carnicer. He at present directs the Opera of the capital, and has acquired considerable fame by several works written in the style of Rossini, without, however, attaining to the high genius of his prototype. The productions of the other composers do not often exceed the limits of waltzes, country-dances, variations, and the like; and whatever is produced as original in church music is very shallow, and deficient in knowledge

of harmony.

Though the Spanish genius is not, or seems not, capable of giving birth to any musical works of importance, yet the old adage is illustrated here, that it is easier to find fault with what is done, than to do better: the Spaniard has a decided passion for criticism and satire; whether just or not is the same thing, so that he may vent his spleen.

Rossini is raised here into "the highest heaven of invention;" and his principal operas, to be candid, are tolerably performed in this city, as well as in Barcelona, both places having very respectable singers, both male and female, the orchestra consisting partly of natives, and partly of Italians. Rossini ranks in Spain far above Mozart, of whose works they know nothing but a few piano-forte pieces, and some quartetts. It would, indeed, be a desirable, but a very arduous undertaknig, to introduce into Spain the best works of this divine composer. Among the instrumental performers of note resident here, I name to you, above all others, a first-rate pianoforte player, Madame Medeck, of Russian origin, and *We have printed in Italics whatever is written so in the original.

brought up in the Conservatory of Music at Paris. Her husband, a native of Germany, is a good violoncellist, and possessed of profound acquirements in harmony. His compositions are, however, of too serious a character to please the taste of the "gay world" of Madrid. This clever couple came here from Valencay, and were afterwards received in the King's chapel. But, a few months ago, both lost their places, and they now support themselves by giving instructions. A grand piano-forte of six octaves, which they had procured at a great expense from Vienna, passes for the very best in the kingdom. In their house one hears, from time to time, selections of German music by Mozart, Himmel, Dussek, Klengel, Cramer, Kalkbrenner, &c., which are here considered to be great rarities, since foreign printed combeing smuggled into the country.-A Portuguese pianopositions can, strictly speaking, be only obtained by forte player, Bomtempo, is perhaps known to you by his compositions in the Portuguese taste. Besides him, we have some other good pianists, and particularly good organists, yet who would probably, in our country (Germany), pass only for artists of the second rank.

We have also three good violin-players, neither of whom, however, at all equals Kreutzer, Kode, and others of more modern reputation. We have likewise au excellent violoncellist, though considerably inferior to such performer on the hautboy.-The harp is little played men as Romberg and Duport; and, lastly, one solitary here, as there is much want of a well-qualified master we have, however, a host of guitar-players of the very for that instrument. To make up for these deficiencies, first excellence. The guitar is indeed the hobby of the Spaniards, in the learning of which they frequently employ much more time than would be requisite to make heard difficulties executed on the guitar, that I had only an excellent violin-player. It was here that I first been in the habit of hearing mastered on the pianoforte. But, notwithstanding, they excite in every one, save a Spaniard, but a very short-lived interest.

I was rather surprised to meet in this city with three very skilful female players on indeed, that one cannot hear their performance without very skilful female players on the flute; so skilful pleasure. Yet to my taste, beautiful women were not created to be accomplished on an instrument so entirely

masculine.

THE FITZWILLIAM MUSIC.

THE University of Cambridge, among other magnificent collections of works connected with the Fine Arts, possesses the rare and valuable manuscript music collected by the Earl Fitzwilliam during his residence in Italy. It consists of a numerous collection of the music, principally sacred, of Palestrina, Pergolesi, Carissini, Durante, Leonardo Leo, Jomelli, Clari, Padre Martini, and other classical composers of the Italian school, and contains compositions which have never yet been published, and which, even in manuscript, are extremely rare. We learn that the University has most liberally granted to the well-known organist and composer, Mr. Vincent Novello, permission to publish such parts of this music as he may think will prove most gratifying to the admirers of the Ancient school. As the productions of the early masters are, for the most part, written for comparatively few instruments, it is Mr. Novello's intention to publish the full score of the pieces he selects, exactly as

they were intended to be performed by the composers, with the important and useful addition, however, of an arranged accompaniment for the organ or piano-forte, for the accommodation of those not used to play from score. In this age when music seems rapidly sinking into triviality, it is highly gratifying to see this attention paid to the great pillars and founders of the art, of whose works it may be said, as of the works of another great master of the human passions, "they are not of an age, but for all time." We at the same time feel assured, that there is no person better qualified for so delicate and difficult a task as Mr. Novello, it being a department of the art to which he has long usefully devoted his attention; and as the work is to be brought forward under the immediate patronage of the Chancellor and University of Cambridge, we can have no doubt of the success of the undertaking.

THE AFFAIR OF THE HEART.

A WORK has just appeared at Paris, entitled, "Particulars relative to the Consecration of the Heart of Gretry, or an Historical Sketch of the Facts that transpired in the Action brought by the city of Liege against his Nephew, Flamand Gretry" which is followed by the arguments employed in justification, and which were laid at the feet of his Majesty Charles X. This sketch is embellished with different views by distinguished artists; a fine portrait of Gretry, after Isaby; of fuc similes, &c.; with the following epigraph taken from Gresset:

La noirceur masque en vain le poison qu'elle verse;
Tout se sait, tôt ou tard, et la verité perce;

Par eux-mêmes, souvent, les méchans sont trahis. All the public prints have teemed of late with accounts of the trial relative to the heart of Gretry, and of the statements which M. Flamand has drawn up in justification of his conduct, which were intended to have been offered to the city of Liege, but of which M. Flamand seems to have changed the destination. Several of the Cours Souveraines have returned verdicts in favour of Gretry's townsmen, and the reason of these decrees not being carried into effect is, that M. Flamand has referred his cause to the Council of State, which has not yet pronounced a definitive sentence. So far, no censure attaches to the nephew of Gretry. He is anxious that the heart of his uncle should not be transported into a foreign land; and, under this view of the question, the whole of France cannot but offer up one united vow that his pious resistance may obtain a complete triumph. But there is another point, relative to which we cannot excuse him; and that is, the style of the documents which he has just published. The shade of Gretry will, on more than one occasion, have reason to feel indignant at the tone which he assumes, and above all at the kind of diatribe which he launches against the gentlemen professionally employed by his opponents. That he should refute the arguments of his adversaries, that he should oppose reason to sarcasm, nothing is more natural: but let him not transform himself into a gladiator; let not the tomb of Gretry be converted into an arena, where the worst passions of our nature are brought into sanguinary conflict. Genuine good feeling will never borrow the language of the bar to justify its pious sorrows; all it has

In the HARMONICON, Vol. II. page 88, will be found some par

ticulars of this extraordinary trial.

to do is to expose facts, in order to excite the sympathy of every generous mind.

The misguided zeal of M. Flamand Gretry sometimes hurries him into details, which are not without their pleasantry. Let us hear the words in which the writer describes his conduct after an audience at the Cour Royale, in which M. le President Seguier had ordered that the decrees of this court should be carried into execution, notwithstanding the opposition of M. le Préfet de Police.

"Figure to yourself, if possible," exclaims M. Flamand Gretry, "what were the feelings that overwhelmed my shuddering spirit, when I heard these two frightful decrees, which were hurled like a thunderbolt against me! Suddenly, leaving all my papers upon the bench before me, I dashed like one distracted through the double folding doors of the tribunal, and rushed to find the Prefect of Police, in order to give him instant notice of what had passed, and warn him of the danger that loured over his head. This magistrate, actuated by a laudable zeal for the powers of his office, and the respect due to its decrees, immediately gave me an order to carry to M. le Maire d'Enghien. Happy at being the bearer of such an order, but seized with a horrible fear of not arriving in time at the Hermitage, with bewildered brain and haggard eye, like some wretch who has escaped from the hands of justice, I rushed out upon the Phice, I driver gazed at me in astonishment, not knowing what sprung into the first cabriolet that presented itself; the to do. All the words I could utter were: On, on!'Where, Sir?'-'I will tell you'—' But where am I to take Sir? On, I say, on!'-' But good God, Sir, you, where?' I will tell you-it is an affair of the heart...."" We will not extend our quotation farther, this will be quite sufficient to prove that M. I'lamand Gretry is never more merry than when he is sad.

pro

The author has swelled his volume with all verbal cesses, pleadings, opinions, decrees, and ordinances to which his dispute with the city of Liege gave occasion. It is true that this is not the most amusing part of the work, but, by way of making some amends, he has embelbellished his memoir with several very pretty lithographic and two fac similes of the celebrated composer's writing. designs, a portrait of Gretry, which is a perfect likeness, These ornaments may serve to rescue for awhile M. Flamand's book from oblivion.

YORKSHIRE AMATEUR MEETING.

THE rapid progress of music in England may be inferred from the following account, which exhibits a taste and judgment in selection, that puts to the blush some of the most fashionable private concerts, performed by professors, that the metropolis has witnessed during the season now terminating.

The seventeenth annual meeting of the Yorkshire Amateurs of Music was held at Leeds, at the latter end of June last, and very numerously attended by gentlemen from all the principal towns of the county. These meetings deservedly excite great attention in the musical world. The first concert took place on Wednesday morning in the Music Hall, when about 560 tickets were disposed of, and the room was quite filled: the perCamidge. The band consisted of forty-seven persons, formances were ably led by Mr. White, assisted by Dr.