Of Mr. Horncastle’s glee, composed purposely for this work, we will only say, that we have deemed it worthy of being associated with the music of this Number; and that if it had not been set in a light and simple manner, the composer would not have expressed the words in their true spirit.
MARCH, 1833.
MEMOIR OF C. F. ZELTER.
THE name of the subject of the present memoir, though celebrated in Germany, particularly in Prussia and the Northern States, is almost wholly unknown in this country. It was first heard of in England, in consequence of the visits of M. Mendelssohn Bartholdy, whose brilliant genius and rapidly rising fame, naturally led to an inquiry respecting the school in which he was brought up; when it appeared that he owed his musical knowledge to M. Zelter. The renown of the disciple was reflected on the master, and we became anxious to obtain a sight of some of his compositions; when, after a long and diligent search, we were fortunate enough to meet with a MS. (unpublished) scena by him, which at once announced the great ability of the author, the aria whereof, adapted from the original score, will be found in our present number.
Gerber, in his biographical lexicon, gives a lengthened memoir of M. Zelter, to which we are indebted for the following account; though we have discarded much which, if not savouring of prolixity, would at least prove uninteresting to English readers. M. Zelter was what here is frequently denominated an architect, though he modestly called himself a master-builder. He was during the greater part of his life a dilettante; but when he accepted an office, he certainly became a professor.
CARL FRIEDRICH ZELTER was born at Berlin, in 1758. His father, a Saxon, had him instructed during his childhood and youth in various elegant, as well as useful, acquirements. Engaged in the cultivation of his mind, for which purpose he attended the Joachimsthal College, he had already attained his seventeenth year, when he was articled to his father’s business, that of a builder. Hitherto he had not shown much inclination for music, and had manifested but little attention to the instruction he received on the piano-forte and organ, from a Berlin organist.