SACRED MUSIC.

  1. SOLO ANTHEM, ‘Bow down thine ear,’ composed by THOMAS ATTWOOD, Esq., Composer to His Majesty’s Chapels Royal, &c. (A. Novello.)
  2. CHRISTIAN MELODIES, partly original, partly composed from the sacred Works of the most eminent Masters, and adapted by ΩΜΕΓΑ. (Seeley, Fleet Street.)
  3. SACRED MUSIC, consisting of an ANTHEM, PSALMS, CHANTS, &c. composed in Score for three and four Voices, with an Accompaniment by WILLIAM DORRELL. (Duff.)
  4. FOUR SACRED MELODIES, the Words by CHARLES V. INCLEDON; the Music by RAFFAELLE A. WALLIS. (Purday.)

MR. Attwood’s anthem is, in the strictest sense of the word, devotional, and suited to the service of the church, though the melodies and accompaniments are cast in a modern mould. The school is that of Mozart, influenced by habits early acquired in an English Protestant choir: for the author laid the foundation of his musical knowledge in the King’s Chapel, and finished an education thus happily begun, under the great musician of Saltzburg.

This anthem comprises two short movements; the first a larghetto in F, three-eight time; the second rather quicker, in common time, made up of verse and an alternating chorus for the usual voices. The whole composition is evidently the production of an accomplished musician, but the first movement will gain most suffrages; the clearness of the phraseology or rhythm, and the richness of the harmony—full, but not affectedly crowded—cannot fail to please all who possess a cultivated taste. Some, however, may perhaps think that words declaratory of so much wretchedness should have been set to sounds expressive of deeper distress; and we are willing to admit that the minor key, or some mixture of it, would have enforced the sentiment more strongly than an unbroken continuation of the major third. We likewise wish that the singer may always profit by the licence granted by the ad libitum, page 6, and reject the secular flourish set down in the small notes, which would not be quite in character in the chamber; most assuredly is unfitted for the church.

No. 2,—in a livery of fawn-coloured satin paper, on which are impressed, in glittering golden characters, the title and epigraph, surmounted by a blazing lyre and cross, the whole inclosed in a border of the same proud metal,—does not introduce itself with that humility, which, both in letter and spirit, the Christian religion inculcates: it proclaims a church superb, not simple, and addresses itself to the eye that loves gaud, rather than to the understanding which despises show. But we shall not quarrel with the author on account of his cover: anomalies in such things are too common to be matter of reproach. The richest clad book we ever opened was a Mazarin bible, and the text was nothing the worse for the magnificence of its clothing.

In a preface the author tells us that, ‘of all the liberal sciences, music is the most esteemed on earth, and is the only one that appears to have been admitted into heaven.’ This is comforting news for musicians, but not very consoling to geometricians, grammarians, &c. Ωμεγα (or great O, as Mr. Cobbett would translatingly call him) is more liberal of words than careful in the use of them; we, however, find some good sense mixed with a great deal of enthusiasm,—some valuable remarks amidst too much verbiage. Thus what he says in his introduction concerning the adaptation of sacred words to airs originally set to those of a ludicrous, nay sometimes of a loose kind, has our entire concurrence. ‘In a large collection of tunes designated as “Sacred Music,” appear sundry compositions dignified with the names of Handel, Mozart, &c.; and which consist of certain extracts from their profane works most unscientifically selected, and united to other extracts to eke out the metre. In one of these “compositions” is recognized the Sancho Panza of the Zauberflöte, singing one of the songs of Zion to the air of “Das klinget so herlich!” If such “Sacred Music” be not an insult to HIM in whose service it is designed to be employed, it is so to good sense and to right feeling,—it is so to the memory of the illustrious dead whose names it bears,—and it is so to that public upon whose credulity it would impose.’

This publication embraces between thirty and forty ‘Christian Melodies,’ as the compiler terms them, but they are, in fact, harmonies also for four voices, and originally so composed; for the ‘greater part were found in the oratorios, the masses, and other elaborate and similar works of their respective authors.’ Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Graun, and Hasse, are the composers chiefly selected from; and the editor has added a few of his own. Without having examined every one in the collection, but judging from those on which our attention has been carefully bestowed, we can venture to say that they have been made with a due regard to the fitness of the airs to the words, and that the harmonies, where they have been added, are correct and good.

This publication is rather novel in its appearance. The paper is extra-sized folio, and the whole fifty-two pages of music are printed from stone, the lithography having been executed by the editor’s own hand.

In No. 3, the Anthem has most claim to notice, both on account of extent and merit. It is for a soprano, and what is in choirs understood by the phrase, verse and chorus. The first movement is in F, three-four time; the melody is charmingly natural, but not common, the accompaniment delicate and free from all pedantry. The choral parts are well introduced and harmonious. A recitative leads to a full chorus in common time, the whole in the fugue style, though not in regular fugue, and perhaps more vocally effective on this very account. The words are set with great judgment—no conceits, no false accentuation, every part manifests good plain sense and correct taste.

The Psalm tunes are much like other compositions of the kind; they show no extraordinary exertion. The base accompaniment of a 5th in the last bar of the second is not altogether judicious; the 3rd in such a case is far preferable. We need hardly mention the omission of a D in the accompaniment, a few bars before, because it is most likely the fault of the engraver. The note is in the tenor, and doubtless was meant to appear in the organ part.

The Chants cannot boast of more new features than the Psalms; but, as a matter of taste, would not the C in the ninth bar of the first have been improved by a sharp? It now stands thus:—

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The modulation is into D minor, and surely C would have sounded better had it been sharpened.

The rounds are not entitled to much notice; and that the canon is flat and unprofitable, only proves that the composer has, fortunately for himself, no talent for dulness.

The Melodies, No. 4, display a goodly disposition both for air and graceful expression, but also show a great want of the creative power, and of experience. We recommend Mr. Wallis to go on writing for a while, but to destroy as fast as he writes. Practice may do much for him. If, too, the poet who is joined in this publication were to employ his thoughts more, and his pen less, for some time to come, he might, perhaps, produce something rather superior to the verses to which he here gives his name.