The very grandiloquent word, ‘inspiration.’ led us to hope that we should find M. Reissiger under the immediate influence and auspices of Phœbus; that we should meet with flights of imagination, efforts of genius, such as can only be expected under favour of a god—or, at least, of a Muse; but on looking at these darling rondos, we soon perceived that neither Apollo nor any of the Nine had taken any trouble in the matter, and that the inspirations boasted of were at the best but mere dreams, brought about by the fumes of mum, or German beer. These, we grant, are pretty, unaffected, easy pieces, prudently short, and will make a little variety in the modern repertory, where, in truth, we find little else than opera airs in every form except a new one.
No. 4 is—what shall we say?—it is Mr. Gödbe’s version of a march now enjoying the full tide of military popularity. Of course, every publisher puts forth his own edition, and the present is a very easy one, with a page of appropriate introduction.
DUETS, PIANO-FORTE.
- C. M. WEBER’s Grand JUBILEE OVERTURE, arranged by CHARLES CZERNY. (Wessel and Co.)
- RONDEAU, à 4 mains, sur des Thêmes favoris, composé par FRANÇOIS HÜNTEN. Op. 55. No. 1. (Cramer, Addison, and Beale.)
- Ditto No. 2.
The Jubilee Overture is well known to our readers as a grand military piece, a réjouissance, in which the clamourous shouts of joy are chiefly intended to be expressed, and what is called science, as being out of place, is not to be looked for. M. Czerny has done it justice in his arrangement, and not exacted too much from the performers, though he could not make the upper part easy; but he has rendered the whole effective, if placed in proper hands.
No. 2 is Carafa’s ‘Aure felici,’ and No. 3 is another air by the same, converted into very agreeable, short, and comparatively easy duets.