pendage. Such references will of necessity be imperfect; but they will call attention to the subject, suggest important hints for improvement, and lead to further inquiries and observations. It will not answer for singers to become servile copyists in such matters. They should learn of themselves to make the necessary discriminations; and be careful at all times to avoid undue extremes. SECTION II. SET PIECES, SENTENCES, ANTHEMS, AND MOTETS. Our remarks upon the remaining pieces of church music shall be very brief. 1. Set pieces. We embrace under this head such hymns as, having been supplied with a special chorus, require always a particular tune; and such as from their varied character have received a piece of music consisting of several connected strains, adapted to the successive stanzas. Of the former kind, are such as,— "All hail the power of Jesus' name." requiring music not easily transapplied to other words. Of the latter kind, are the class of hymns referred to in the former section, as embracing great varieties of sentiment requiring corresponding changes in the music. Different movements applied to the several stanzas of such hymns, form a species of composition which is often highly effective. Witness the great popularity of "Denmark," "Cambridge," and the "Dying Christian," for nearly a century past. Pieces of this kind are becoming more numerous than formerly. They have not always been composed in a devotional style, or confined to purposes strictly religious. 2. Sentences. These, if composed in a simple devotional style, and properly performed, are found to prove very effective. They are founded upon some striking text of Scripture; and receive some portion of the text as a significant appellation. The pieces, "I was glad"-"The Lord is in his holy temple "— "I will arise "--"The Lord will comfort Zion," &c., have long been familiar to musicians; and there is this in favor of such pieces, that being short and simple, they are less liable than some others to be perverted to purposes of musical display. They are, general, neither elaborate nor long; but are designed to breathe the true spirit of devotion. in III. Anthems. These are of various kinds, founded generally upon a selection of Scripture passages. The shortest anthems differ nothing from sentences except in one particular. They have "a beginning, a middle, and an end," like literary productions; while sentences have more the character of fragments or extracts. Next in length to these are such as are used in ordinary occasions with considerable success. "I heard a voice from heaven"-" Praise God in his holiness"-"Enter not into judgment," are among the favorable specimens. Such anthems are more elaborate than the preceding, and for devotional purposes are perhaps the most useful of any class. To the above may be added the verse, solo and full anthems of the cathedral service, many of them splendid compositions, yet ill adapted to the more ordinary purposes of devotion, especially where musical science is but little cultivated. These productions from the hand of Purcel, Croft, Green, Boyce, &c., are but little known in this country; and anthems far inferior as to professional merit have often been preferred to them. The Anthem is of English invention, embracing, as we have seen, much diversity of character, as well as of musical skill. The constant employment of fugue and imitation, and verbal and musical, repetitions, with little reference to illustration of the sacred text, may be mentioned as objectional features in the older specimens of the anthem. These, however, were the sins of a former age, rather than specific errors in design. A better style is beginning to appear. Kent's "Hear my prayer," with less of professional merit than many others, may be regarded as an effective specimen of cathedral anthems, inasmuch as the whole arrangement of the music is strictly in keeping with the sacred text. IV. Motets. These are of various lengths, more elaborate than short anthems, and composed in a higher style. The shorter motets have some general resemblance to the serious glee, witness Clarke's "Come, pilgrim, come," originally "Come, Ossian, come," as a serious glee. The longer motets of the distinguished masters are as fine subjects for study and practice, in the higher walks of cultivation, as can well be imagined. Beyond this, we see nothing in them which can be commended to the Christian vocalist. Other species of church-music might be mentioned; but the foregoing must suffice. Most of those which have been referred to in this section, have been more or less liable to abuse from being made the frequent subjects of musical display. Performed as they often are in the exhilarating concert-room, they very naturally become connected with undevout associations. This is doubtless one reason why their influence is not more deeply devotional. The sermon or the hymn that has oftenest been read for literary purposes, is not generally the one which will afford us the most assistance in the hours of solemn worship. This is not a sufficient reason why such pieces should be laid aside. They should be selected with more discrimination, and used with stricter reference to their religious character. CHAPTER XIV. THE DRAMATIC STYLE. THE dramatic style did not originate in the later days of musical refinement. It was cultivated in ancient times, and in the early ages of modern civilization. Its existing forms and distinctions, however, are comparatively of modern date. These we shall notice briefly, as they relate to the opera and the oratorio. SECTION I. OF THE OPERA. The most refined species of dramatic music is that of the opera. Poetry, painting, music, dancing, and acting, are all combined in this kind of representation. The subject is secular; the poet furnishes an appropriate plot as the ground-work of the fabric; the painter presents to the eye the real objects of dramatic representation; and the musician adds his finishing touches by applying those strong and peculiar associations, for which his art is so eminently distinguished. The poet and the painter while copying from na |