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we doubt not will be strictly fulfilled, and say we entertain the firm belief,

"That to many persons it will be found to afford entertainment, not wholly unmixed with information, respecting a delightful science, which has been too frequently treated in a dry and repulsive manner that even the professional reader, who requires no guide in the formation of his opinions, will meet with matter illustrative of his art, with which he is not familiar-and that the taste and judgment of the amateur may be invigorated and informed, by perusing and comparing the sentiments of the ablest critics upon some of the most distinguished productions of ancient and modern times."

Grand Concerto for the Piano Forte, with Accompaniments for an Orchestra; composed by J. Moscheles. Op. 64. London. Chappell and Co.

Fantasia and grand Variations on the favourite Air "My lodging is on the cold ground," for the Piano Forte, with Orchestral Accompaniments, ad libitum, by F. Kalkbrenner. Op. 70. London. Chappell and Co.

The legitimate concerto is of all species of composition the best adapted to the display of the abilities of a composer, and of the acquirements of the performer. Its three movements afford scope for dignity, pathos, and brilliancy, and so elevated is its character that it may only be encountered by first-rate talent. All concertos, for whatever instrument they are written, are usually composed for the developement of the particular style of the artists' performance; this affords the student the means of comparison, of obtaining a knowledge of the peculiarities of different players, and even of tracing their progress in art and their powers of invention. Here then we have before us the latest works of two of the finest living piano-forte players, one of which has passed the ordeal of the first instrumental concert in the world. We do not however intend to enter into any comparison of their relative merits, for even were we to make so invidious an attempt, we should find it as impossible as unpleasant, since

140 NEW COMPOSITIONS BY KALKBRENNER AND MOSCHELES.

it is allowed by the best judges that never were talents and acquirements more dissimilar in their nature, however equal in excellence, as those of Mr. Kalkbrenner and Mr. Moscheles. Nor shall we enter into a strict analysis of the works themselves, but content ourselves with pointing out their leading features.

Mr. Moscheles' concerto, Op. 64, is in E major; its two first pages are for the whole orchestra, and embrace the principal points of the solo. The subject is contained in four bars and a half, and is forcible and impressive, which latter quality is heightened by the masterly way in which it is treated during the first page. The passetto is a sweet and graceful passage, and is first given by the clarinets. The power of contrast is admirably employed at the end of the tutti and beginning of the solo part. The latter gradually dies away in a rallentando passage, for which the ear has been gradually prepared, and the solo dashes in with the subject with double effect. The phrases of page 4 are simple in their construction, but capable of all the fire for which the finger of a Moscheles is so celebrated. Page 5 is more complicated; the passage beginning on the second bar of the fifth stave is the most remarkable. The whole of page 6, which introduces the passetto, gives ample scope for the cantabile style of performance, and is really refreshing after the brilliancy of the preceding pages. On page 7 however the plot begins to thicken, and demonstrates the power of the player. The cadence is less remarkable for novel passages than for the equality of finger it demands and will confer; it is in itself a fine piano forte exercise. It ends with a shake of twelve bars for the right hand, the other fingers and those of the left being employed in introducing the subject in various forms, and leads into a few very effective bars for the whole orchestra, which conclude the first part. second solo commences with the subject in G major, modulating into A flat, where it is again given in the treble, the base having a grand running passage, which is afterwards reversed, and leads into C, and thence into E, where after some arpeggio passages of great force, the orchestra again comes in with part of the opening, when we return to the passetto, the groundwork of which is retained, but has different riffioramenti and modulation. The cadence which works up this second division of the first movement is more decidedly in Mr. Moscheles' style, It chiefly consists of

The

double notes and triplets, whose rapidity and force can only be appreciated by those who have heard this distinguished performer. The effect with which he throws in the whole power of the left hand is exhibited in the passage beginning on the second bar of the first stave, page 19; the brilliancy of the shakes and the force of the base may be likened to the flash of lightning and the bursting of a thunder cloud.

The subject of the adagio is soothing and elegant, but it has more of the lightness of the andante than of the dignity and pathos which are so decidedly the characteristics of the adagio. There is not much complication in the movement, the passages of shakes in the 22d and 24th pages are the most remarkable. And here we may remark that the shake has perhaps undergone during the last twenty years as great a change in instrumental as in vocal music. Its simplicity is gone, and it is made a means for the display of difficult and cramped execution, rather than of pure and legitimate expression.

The subject of the rondo is the British Grenadier's March; the style of the movement is necessarily less bold and commanding than that of the allegro; but what it lacks in dignity it has in spirit and rapidity; the same epithets will apply to the nature of the execution required.

Difficult as it undoubtedly is, this concerto does not leave the student at such an immeasurable distance as do many of the works of this composer. The learner may here find food for the head and the heart as well as for the fingers, for the dignity of the art is supported by the employment of all the attributes of the great style, and whether it be considered as a theoretical composition, or as the vehicle of practical attainment, MIND is the presiding

power.

Mr. Kalkbrenner's fantasia is the production of great intellect and of immense mechanical power, and shows that the author has the art of invention and execution in equal excellence. It is somewhat singular, that however eminent a vocalist may become, he is seldom able to produce a good composition, or at least one that will enable him to display his finest attainments, while the instrumentalist depends on himself alone. None but a performer as great as himself can even imagine the difficulties which he invents and overcomes at one and the same moment, and we

142 NEW COMPOSITIONS BY KALKBRENNER AND MOSCHEles.

question whether Mr. Moscheles could exactly hit off the peculiarities of Mr. Kalkbrenner's execution and manner, or Mr. K. those of Mr. M.

If we may be allowed to estimate the work before us as the precise standard of Mr. Kalkbrenner's powers at the present moment, we should say he had added to his elasticity of finger and wrist. We draw this conclusion more especially from variations 5 and 6—the former consists of a repetition of the same note four times, at an immense velocity-the latter of octaves in triplets. The neat, rapid, and powerful execution of such passages are some of the peculiarities of this performer's manner, and the dignified yet pathetic character of the introduction, united with the delicacy of such passages as those in the second and third bar of the first stave, page 3, and staves 1 and 2, page 4, may be cited as another not less valuable quality. Mr. K. has given the theme with most of its original simplicity, (the harmony much enriched) until he arrives at the pause near the end, when he introduces a cadence, which is assuredly a satire on his good taste. We are also disposed to quarrel with him for terming the divisions of his piece variations. The subject does certainly occasionally appear, and this is all that can be said. It might with justice have been termed a fantasia, because this title implies few restrictions upon the imagination of the composer, we will allow it therefore to be only a mistake in terms; for when we look at the invention and construction of the whole piece, we are almost led to confess it matters little what such a splendid exhibition of the united efforts: of mind and industry be denominated.

THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

THIS Institution has formed the subject of more than one article in our publication. It has indeed, from its commencement, been an object of our earnest consideration, and we may truly say, of our anxious hope. For having recommended the establishment of a national school long before the Royal Academy began, upon the sincerest conviction of the utility of such a college of musical education, we may fairly be accounted to have spontaneously pre-engaged ourselves as its advocates, should the details of its management appear to promise those advantages which we anticipated from such a design. It was therefore with sincere regret that we perceived at the outset errors which threatened its very existence we commented freely upon them-we pointed out the parts that must be amended, and we fortified our argument by some calculations. These errors, it will be recollected we stated, lay chiefly in two particulars-first, in the magnitude of the establishment, and secondly in the danger to be apprehended from the introduction of so large a number of musicians into all the branches of the art, as the Academy would send forth by the scheme first promulgated. The first, if persevered in, would be found we predicted to crush the institution by its own weight-the last would necessarily produce not only great alarm and great opposition on the part of the profession, but would not less certainly create much misery, should the number of professors be too hastily or largely augmented.

Time, the grand test of all experiments, has borne out our reasoning with regard to the management of the establishment. The whole plan has been reduced, the number of pupils is lessened to one-half what was first proposed, extra-students have been excluded, and the dangers to be apprehended from overstocking the profession thus done away. One material alteration, however, attendant upon these changes has been in the sum paid by the parent for the education of his child, which has been faised to forty pounds per annum. All these circumstances have been stated in our previous articles, together with others which have hitherto had VOL. VII. NO. XXVI.-JUNE, 1825.

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