DECKER BROTHERS. GRAND, Square and Upright Pianos ARE MATCHLESS. HIGHEST HONORS. U. S. Centennial Commission, INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, PHILADELPHIA, 1876. The UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION MASON & HAMLIN REPORT. "The MASON & HAMLIN ORGAN COMPANY'S 33 Union Square, New York. cxhibit of Reed Organs and Harmoniums shows instruments of the FIRST BANK in the several A. F. GOSHORN, Director General. J. L. CAMPBELL, Secretary. Chairman of Judges: H. K. OLIVER. J. SCHIEDEMAYER, SIR WILLIAM THOMPSON, F. A. P. BARNARD, ED. FAVRE PENET. THE PUBLISHERS, BELIEVING THE DEMAND Music teachers whose specialty is the teaching of Singing Classes, and who have not charge of choirs, have expressed a preference for books containing an Instructive Course, with abundance of Exercises, simple Songs in one, two, three or four parts, Glees, etc., and a little Sacred Music. In short, they wish and need just what THERE IS NO BOOK ITS EQUAL. IT STANDS is to be used in Singing School, and make no direct preparation for singing in church. THEY BELIEVE THE PUBLIC WILL APPRECIATE FIRST AND FOREMOST, AS ITS SALES OF HUN- For the accommodation of such teachers, TRACTIVE, THOROUGH AND SUCCESSFUL. IT 18 CONSIDERED BY ALL FAIR JUDGES TO BE THE The X Piano Taboret, PATENTED APRIL 4th, 1871. AWARDED ΤΟ L. POSTAWKA & CO., Cambridgeport, Mass. The United States Centennial Commission announces the following as the basis of an Award to LOUIS POSTAWKA & CO., Cambridgeport, Mass., for PIANO STOOL. REPORT: For Ingenuity of Construction, and firmness and immovability, when in use. [SEAL.] A. T. GOSHORN, Director-General. J. R. HAWLEY, President. Attest: J. L. CAMPBELL, Secretary. ~ "We think the Stool one of the best ever offered to the public. STEINWAY & SONS, New York." For Sale by all First-Class Pianoforte and Furniture 930-13 CHAS. H. DITSON. Dealers. OLIVER DITSON. JOHN C. HAYNES. CHAS. H. DITSON & CO. (Successors to Mason Bros. and Firth, Son & Co.) MUSIC PUBLISHERS AND DEALERS IN Sheet Music, Music Books, AND MUSICAL MERCHANDISE, No. 711 Broadway, New York. A DICTIONARY OF MUSICAL TERMS. The Organist's Reliance. New York Branch of Oliver Ditson & Co. Edited by J. STAINER, M. A., Mus. Doc. of Magdalen College, Oxford, and W. A. BARRETT, Mus. Bach., St. Mary's Hall, Oxford. It does not need the above array of titles to convince us, that this is a work of unusual erudition and merit. Although there are multitudes of short definitions, the prevailing character of the work is that of a collection of treatises on important musical subjects. All of them are well written, the style is clear and easily understood, and there are abundant musical and picture illustrations. The treatise on the human farynx(vocal chords &c.) covers a dozen pages, and has many cuts illustrating different portions About as many pages are devoted to the human ear, the article also containing engravings. The human hand also, is minutely described in its relation to fingering. Ancient instruments nicely pictured, the various parts of organs well described, and a great deal of useful information about composition imparted. It will be noticed that the present collection occupies entirely different ground from that Wholesale and Retail Dealers in Sheet Music, filled by the "Album." This is all easy music. Vol. 1. Contains Music for Church Service. Vol. 2. Contains Music for Home Entertainment. Of the arrangement of the numbers in Vol. 1. No. 6 will serve as a specimen. It has: A Chorus from the Mount of Olives. (4pages) A 66 A A 66 A ........ 66 66 Communion 66 (2 66 OLIVER DITSON & Co., Boston. Our stock of Sheet Music, Music Books, Musical Instruments, etc., is the largest and most complete in the North West. Our connection with Messrs. O. Ditson & Co., enables us to furnish their publications to Western Dealers, at net Boston Prices, In addition to the publications of Messrs. O. Ditson & Co., we keep on hand and furnish al Music and Music Books published in America, together with a choice stock of Foreign Music. 1794-3m WHOLE NO. 932. BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 1877. For Dwight's Journal of Music. Translated from the German of CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH Bach the forms of his great organ pieces, and DANIEL SCHUBART, Musician and Poet. 1739-1791. BY NATHAN HASKELL DOLE, Goddess of Music, on pinions of azure, VOL. XXXVI. No. 20. and the proper distrust of too large a use of Bach only assigned to the organ chords from a The proper plaee for the oratorio is the church, though in England, its modern home, its character was somewhat changed by Handel, and it was, I think unfortunately, transferred to the concert room. Recent revivals in St. Cam'st thou from Heaven 'mong mortals to dwell. Paul's cathedral and elsewhere have shown us Then did'st thou touch the chords Of grief too deep for words, And sweet tears followed pain, And hearts grew light again. Goddess of Music, on pinions of azure, what a powerful means of creating religious Cam'st thou from Heaven, 'mong mortals to dwell. vals. The Te Deum and Jubilate by Henry Purcell, in D. used upon such occasions here, In England the orchestral anthem held its Hanplace at the Chapel Royal for a while. del, when chapel-master to the Duke of Chandos at Cannons, wrote a number of anthems and some services, scored as his oratorios were for strings, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, and drums; though in the concert room he sometimes used flutes, horns, and other less common instruments. Though invented in Germany about 1604, that most valuable instrument, the clarinet, (which being played with a single reed, nevertheless springs from the chalumeau as the oboe family did), appears first in the scores of some of Bach's church cantatas, and it found no place in the English orchestra be Cam'st thou from Heaven, 'mong mortals to dwell. in accordance with a fashion which has pre-fore about 1780. Then up to Heaven the Goddess rose, And joined the blissful choir of those With mighty power she touched the Organ keys, In majesty supernal, vailed far too long, a figured bass part. By the end of the seventeenth century a great school of church orchestration had arisen in Italy, and one which, to my mind, offers excellent models to the church composer. This group of illustrious Italians included Carissimi, Durante, Clari, and Leo, and following these were Pergolesi, Martini, Jomelli, and others. These men were great contrapuntists, yet writ Like Ocean's waves, with Hallelujahs rolled, Their instrumental parts display great inven- Goddess of Music, on pinions of azure, On the Employment of the Orchestra in Church Music. BY E. H. TURPIN. (From the London Musical Standard.) (Concluded from Page 354.) It is interesting to note, that in the middle of the sixteenth century instrumental compositions were taking definite forms. Fantasias were first written when instrumental harm ony came into use, sometimes for cornets, but generally for viols. From such brief and simple pieces were developed in Italy the "Sonata di Chiesa" and the Sonata di camera." The sonats of the church was distinguished from its worldly neighbor by a graver style, and consisted of short slow movements intermingled with fugues. These compositions were at first written only for stringed instruments, and they date back to about 1630. It is a matter of surprise that the sacred or church symphony should have but one modern representative, the introduction to Mendelssohn's "Lobgesang." The general want of orchestral means in churches, bass of the organ, their coloring was sedate, To Bach, to whom it is now time to turn, we Orchestral use eontinued to flourish in the Roman Church, especially in Austria, some parts of Italy and Germany, and in Belgium; in fact hardly a single Mass was written without orchestral accompaniments. How different has been the musical treatment of the Communion Services of the English and German Lutheran churches! The scores of the Masses of the great German composers from Haydn's time were based upon those of the Italian school immediately preceding the labors of the father of the modern orchestra. The combinations and the peculiarities of Bach's scores were neither reproduced nor imitated, and the low pitched flutes and oboes were speedily disused and forgotten. Haydn generally employed the complete group of strings, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, and drums. It is curious to observe the marked absence of the flutes from the church orchestra after Bach's time until quite recently, though the instrument was fairly cultivated elsewhere. In the interesting score of Haydn's Fourth Mass we find the organ specially employed in the not very dignified duty of imitating the absent flute, pretty groups of demisemiquavers being thus inserted in the "Et incarnatus est." This is almost the only special use Haydn made of the organ. Mozart usually had to write for churches with but limited means. His church scores include two violin parts, bassi, oboes, trumpets, and generally drums. The viola is often missing, and the clarinets are usually absent. Handel's skill in making the most of two violins has been commented upon, but for artistic work in this direction, he must give place, I think, to Mozart. His remarkable treatment of the two parts is specially seen in the complete harmony produced, the sonorous distribution of the chords, and great mastery over the technicali tet " ties of the violin. Two of Mozart's church scores deserve special notice. That of the moSplendente Te Deus," which is written for full orchestra, including the flutes, clarinets, and probably for the first time in modern church music the long banished trombones. The noble Requiem Mass is scored for the full set of strings, two corni di bassetti, or tenor clarinets, two fagotti, two trombe, three tromboni, and tympani. I am not going to enter into the question of the authorship of certain parts of this sublime work, but my conviction is that only Mozart could have conceived the poetical effects of the score. Everyone remembers the remarkable trombone obbligato part in the "Tuba mirum," the first solo for the instrument ever placed on paper, I believe. This is only one feature of many. It is less satisfactory to note that Mozart lent his great powers to an abuse of the church orchestra. The employment of artists in the private chapels did lead naturally to special performers being specially written for. In Mozart's Twelfth Mass, the authorship of which, however, is disputed, we note his efforts to display not only the principal singers but the oboist, witness the Benedictus. I do not wish to say that individual excellencies are not to be utilized, but I protest against the obvious display of mere executive skill in a church score. The subdued and poetical violin obbligato to be found in one of Mozart's motets, it is only fair to point to, as showing how well he knew how to judiciously avail himself of real artistic worth. ously excluding the flutes. One movement Paul." It is unnecessary to say that its pecu- son. The real home of the oratorio is the church. Spohr was greatly struck with the effect of his own work "The Last Judgment " when heard thus. In England the Oratorio did not appear in church until late in the last century, when a number of festival meetings were instituted or held as separate events. But in these cases the Oratorio was too much regarded from the entertainment point of sight. We owe a large debt of gratitude to Mr. Barnby, Dr. Stainer, and others who have assisted in the late Bach revivals, in placing the Oratorio in its true position as a meditative and uplifting form of service music. I sympathize with those who deplore the extinction of our old village church orchestras: for notwithstanding their incompleteness and defective execution, they might, with care, have been of use in paving the way towards a better recognition of orchestral use. It is a matter of curiosity that the clarinet, so recently introduced into England, should so soon have found its way into the country church bands. The clarinet, however, is a pre-eminently useful instrument, and its tone being more subdued and less piquant than that of the oboe, it is a more satisfactory accompaniment to the voice. Very little orchestral church music was produced in this country during the first half of the present century. Attwood wrote for the coronation of George the Fourth an effective anthem, admirably scored for the complete modern orchestra. Coronations and Royal Weddings seem always to have been celebrated I must once more turn to with orchestral use. France to notice the remarkable score of M. Gounod's fine Grand Mass written in 1853. The orchestral use has been for ages only occasional in France. Grand Mass is still cele brated there with only the unison Plain Song. at times relieved by an indulgence in a little of the old feeble faux bourdon:" accompanied, however, generally by bass brass instruments, and otherwise by a number of violoncelli and Beethoven viewed the Mass from his own secontrabassi for the most part used in the univerely conscientious point of sight. The indeOf course the chancel and nave organs cently noisy "Kyries and other jubilantly are employed in these services. An orchestral mass is there a distinct musical service, and is set solemn passages of Haydn and Mozart find The no places in his scores; though we may fairly regarded as a specially artistic display. protest that his setting of the "Dona nobis great church scores of Cherubini, written for Among much of interest must be noticed the pacem" is in both his Masses over-strained and his adopted country, are of interest. He em-poetical restoration of that ancient instrument, over-orchestrated. The score of the Mass in Cployed the full orchestra, but was sparing in the harp. Its employment in the work I am is for full orchestra, without the trombones. the use of brass. The March written for the speaking of to the words "Et vitam venturi It is a model score, for the colors are every- Coronation of Charles the Tenth is a favorite sæculi," is a stroke of genius, even though one where carefully subordinated; and though one instance of his broad, simple, earnest manner allows it is quite a French attempt to realize or two brief solo passages are given to the clar- of orchestrating for the church. The only prevailing and orthodox notions of the celestinet and other instruments, there is nowhere a brass instruments here employed are two horns, ial music. One of the many good things Dr. and that instrument favored of France, the Stainer has done for the art was the re-introophicleide. The scores of his Requiem Mass- duction of the orchestra into St. Paul's Cathe es are extremely picturesque, not to say dra-dral at the Sons of Clergy" Festival of 1873. He then, too, attempted to solve the rather ner and an absence of restless love of tone difficult question as to the use of the orchestra change, only realized by the master who knows in chanting. The experiment was, I think, juwhat to leave undone as well as what to do. diciously confined to the "Glorias" of the Cherubini's string parts are splendid models to Psalms. It is not desirable that instruments church composers of solid, elegant writing. I should be used with the organ for chanting, add with regret that Cherubini also neglected the words being rendered more indistinct by instrumental additions, and the players' difficulties in following the recitations are not slight. But it is possible effectively to use the orchestra in the Psalm "Glorias." The band in many ways can be grandly employed in accompanying hymn tunes, and where processional and recessional hymns are used, certain of the wind instruments, as in olden times, can with advantage attend the choristers. Bach's oratorios are now rapidly taking their places in church. Haydn's "Seven Last Words" has been heard satisfactorily in Manchester Cathedral under Mr. Pyne, the organist, and at St. Peter's, Bayswater, under the direction of Mr. F. M. Lott. the organ. too marked display of individuality. The There is in the library of the Roman church, as elsewhere, a strange want of appropriate instrumental movements corresponding with the organ voluntaries. There is in this direction great scope for composers. The custom abroad, as here at present, is the use of Symphony movements for such purposes, and I am sorry to add even marches and opera overtures. Haydn's pathetic movements originally written for strings only, and afterwards remodelled as the Oratorio "The Seven Last Words," must be mentioned as the almost solitary contribution to the stores of instrumental church music made in modern times. These touching adagios were written to be played during a Good Friday meditative service in Seville Cathedral. During Advent and Lent the Roman Church denies herself the use of instrumental music, at least during Mass. However, several settings of the grand old hymn "Stabat Mater Dolorosa" should be mentioned. That of Pergolesi, for two voices only, is scored for strings with an "ad libitum" figured bass. Haydn and others, setting this same hymn, employed larger orchestral means. I need not say that Rossini's popular but very theatrical setting was scored for an orchestra of the largest size, and was written for a wealthy Spanish Monastery. The oratorio of the church became the property of the Protestant branch, but was almost completely neglected from the time of Bach, until its revival in Mendelssohn's "St. Orchestral use has found utterance at St. Stephen's, Lewisham, St. James's, Hatcham, and many other churches. a master would have given us thoughts worthy of the instrument. Schubert wrote several fine masses. These were scored for bands of the calibre which Mozart had to write for. One indeed has, like Purcell's "Te Deum," only two trumpets to represent the wind department. It is curious to notice also, as in Mozart, the absence of the viola in several works, and the nearly equal skill with which Schubert makes two violins cover almost the ground usually taken up by three upper string parts. This composer's first church score is the Mass in E flat, written for full orchestra, including trombones, but curi Some few years ago Dr. Sullivan experimented at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, with trumpets and trombones; the same instruments had, indeed, been previously used with the organ in one or two provincial towns. Among a now goodly number of orchestral services mention must be made of useful and highly effective settings of the evening canticles by Dr. Stainer, Mr. Gadsby, Mr. E. Prout (who has also contributed a fine organ concerto to the store of instrumental music available in church), and very recently by Mr. H. J. Stark. Mention must also be made of a communion service by Mr. W. S. Hoyte. Lately we have had in the way of accompanying Plain Song, bold attempts to in 1 troduce masses of modern valve brass instruments. Such a return to the old cornet and sack but practices may have some good results; but it is not the solution of the church orchestra question. Only a judicious use of the full orchestra, wisely tempered by the organ, can realize the artistic conception of a complete and perfect musical service. There are two difficulties not to be passed over: these are tuning of instruments, and their position in church. Strings bring the most serious tuning difficulties with them, and are played with what, in church, looks like an unseemly amount of action. With discreet artists the tuning difficulty may be greatly reduced; especially if such care is backed by a little firmness on the part of the director. If the music is really to be satisfactorily rendered, the instruments must be tuned first, before entering church; and then tried with, it should be, as little ostentation as possible after the players have taken their places. In ancient times both singers and players occupied in great churches, as in great halls, the minstrel gallery, which in church, however, was usually placed on one side of the chancel. There are three ways of facing the difficulty of position satisfactorily. One is to place the orchestra out of sight. another to boldly fix the orchestra with the choir; and, if surplices are the rule, to surplice the instrumentalists; and another, and common position abroad, is that of the western gallery with the organ, in which position the players are but little seen, having the congregation in front of them. For many reasons I prefer to see the orchestra placed with the choir in the chancel. One serious point must not be overlooked, if orchestral use is to be encouraged; that is, the importance of making the players actually take part in the service, and not, so to speak, play outside it. took place, last night, at the College Hall, in Shaw Street, and afforded great delight to a very large audience. With the exception of a few organ performances by the indefatigable Mr. Jude, the programme consisted entirely of Purcell's anthems, and these were rendered with great ability by the small but well drilled and vocally powerful chorus of the new society, assisted by several soloists in the verse parts, which give to many of Henry Purcell's anthems, in performance, all the interest and majesty of oratorio music of the highest elass. Before the concert commenced, Mr. W. L. Rushton introduced the enterprise in a brief speech, in which he bore testimony to the zeal of the learned and enthusiastic conductor, Mr. Jude, and to the earnest studies of the members of the society, thus creating anticipations which it is satisfactory to say were not disappointed. After Mr. Jude had performed Sir George Elvey's spirited Festal March, the first anthem, "Rejoice in the Lord Alway," was taken. It is for three voices and chorus, and was sung with good effect, the verses being sus tained by Messrs. J. L. and T. J. Hughes and Mr. C. W. Robinson. Description must be very close to convey any idea of the magical and angelic beauty of Purcell's cathedral music, which, if one closes one's eyes, seems to rear above and around in a fairy fabric all the muchloved memories of those matchless scenes of architectumost only a point here and there can be noted-for instance, the delicious repetition in the "Rejoice" anthem of the words “Again I say rejoice," and the musical phrase to which they are set. Simple as is the resource, ral beauty with which such strains are associated. At the effect is a thing to dream of. In the second anthem, "O God, Thou art my God," was afforded a fine specimen of Purcell's fuller style, and the same observation applies to the "Be merciful unto me, O God." But probably the work which told best in the first part was the anthem for two voices and chorus-composed to. celebrate the preservation of the Duke of York in a storm"They that go down to the sea in ships." There is a bold rolling organ introduction. Then comes a descriptive solo by the bass voice, and next a duet between alto and bass in three movements. Some portions of this duet are quaint, but as a whole it is delightfully melodious, and the parts are wonderfully, as it were, written for each other. One of Purcell's happiest thoughts is at the words, "So that the waves thereof are still," where one of the singers holds on a prolonged note while the others come in softly and distinctly with the word "still." The concluding chorus is exuberant in its realization of unclouded gratitude and joy. In the course Sir Robert Stewart's concert fantasia in D minor with of the first part of the programme, Mr. Jude rendered great facility and variety, and the choice of it did as much honor to him as the justice of his execution did to its sterling merits. We may at once sum up Mr. Jude's solo performances by recording his thorough rhythmical and singer-like success in Sterndale Bon nett's Barcarole from the 4th Concerto, and an equally remarkable rendering of the extract, "Whosoever drinketh," from the same composer's "Woman of SaBennett's music with the purest fountains of sacred melody. Notwithstanding differences of church discipline, and types of religious feeling which have in one direction tended towards the orchestra, and in the other sanctioned the use of "the organ alone, there has ever been a yearning for the use of all instruments in the grandest acts of public worship, and a strong belief that such worship must be the highest type we can offer of that complete and final worship which shall be heard in the song of the Redeemer. Orchestral use should be the rule, not only at festivals, but on every Sunday in the Cathe-maria "an episode which goes far to rank Sir Sterndale drals and principal churches. In no case should instruments be employed, however, otherwise than in a subordinate sense; thus it is first rec essary to greatly strengthen our choirs. The custom of introducing into small churches complete orchestras without either sufficient voices or strings, is to be earnestly deprecated, as liable to turn a solemn act before God into an exciting revel of vulgar sounds. Now the religious world is awakening to a better estimate of the real value of worship music, let our composers bestir themselves, and with a deep sense of responsibility and a complete knowledge of the effects of orchestral coloring on the hearts and souls of men, raise up a noble school of orchestral church music. Such music should be unfettered in style, yet grandly contrapuntal in detail; vivid in expression, yet ever reserved in manner. To this end the strings should be chiefly relied upon, and the organ must be specially written for. It may be urged that a composer finds his hands full enough in handling only the orchestra; but the successful writer of church music must learn to place the king and emperor side by side, as the high conditions to be fulfilled in worship music are only to be realized by perfectly combining the emotional life and splendid colors of the orchestra with the calm majesty and abiding solemnity of the organ, and by subordinating both these vast powers to the fitting and reverent expression of the words of life, which expression must now, and for ever, spring from hearts and voices. THE PURCELL Concert at LIVERPOOL. The inaugural concert of the Liverpool Sacred Harmonic Society The second part of the programme, however, was to witness the great achievement of the night. "O sing unto the Lord" had not only the advantage of being the finest, and at the same time the most popular anthem of the list, but that of being given in the solo verses with special sweetness and point, particularly by Mrs. Hobart, who has a very charming voice, and an artistic manner of using it. It was imperatively encored, and repeated throughout. This anthem is almost a sacred drama, or at least a very elaborate scene of musical triumph, on the most magnificent scale: and its vartety is not less striking than its power. The passage for the four voices, in which the words "telling of his salvation from day to day" are so wonderfully treated, is a marvel of masterly simplicity, or of simple elements scientifically combined into a perfect expression of sentiment; but perhaps even this yields in beauty to the duet between the air and the alto, "The Lord is great," the piquant sweetness of which may be remembered and longed for, bart particularly distinguished herself; and her partner, but cannot be described. It was in this that Mrs. Hothe alto, though nervous, sang in very excellent spirit, and made many points very suitably. The basso had a good voice, but his singing decidedly lacked finish. Indeed, if the concert of last night left anything conspicuously to be desired, it was that one might hear the same music given with the splendid power with which Purcell in his conceptions evidently endowed the singers of his bass parts. The concert concluded with the exquisitely poetical "My beloved spake," embodying some of the most beautiful images drawn rom nature in the Song of Solomon. What could be more thrilling than the by the buoyant," The flowers appear? half-mournful, "The rain is over and gone,' followed must have had a dramatic musical faculty such as few have rivalled him in, though he never strayed from the mimicry of lesser sacred lyrists.—Liverpool Daily Post. delicate suggestiveness of music proper into the antic The composer The Guerzenich Concerts at Cologne. It is a great advantage for a concert when the first number is so selected that, with constant very ly increasing strength, it drives before it the prose of everyday thoughts, and, at one stroke, throws the public into an exalted musical frame of mind. This consideration, probably, decided the selection of the Euryanthe Overture; for, if any overtures ever forced their way by their splendid and heroic nature into the musical heart, Weber's overtures do so, especially when performed in the fiery and spirited manner by which our orchestra, under Hiller's guidance, have rendered them their own. But the following number, "Palm-Sonntag-Morgen" (" Palm Sunday Morning,") by Ferdinand Hiller, for sopra. no, female chorus, and orchestra, scarcely required to have the way thus prepared for it. It conquers by itself, thanks to its unforced, flowing, natural melody. Hiller's peculiar talent for combining the various tone-colors, more especially of women's voices, requires no special acknowledgment here: numerous creations of his in this branch of the art are lovingly remembered by everyone fond of music. Whenever we hear one of them, our senses are captivated afresh. To pass from the composer to the solo player. Hiller now seated himself at the piano, and played Mozart's Pianoforte Concerto in D minor (completed on the 10th February, 1785, and entered as Op. 54). Considered in reference to the pianoforte technics of the present day, Mozart's Concertos are, it is true, almost child's play, for Mozart did not strive after technical difficulties-they would have ob-, scured in him beauty of form and clearness of thought; but it requires, nevertheless, a thorough master, a truly musical mind, capable of appreciat ing Mozart, to convey to us all the poetry of Mozart's language. Hiller possesses this qualification in the highest degree; he possesses, also, technically, the precise gift which Mozart needs in those who play his concertos; a quiet, steady hand, under these reasons we know no better interpreter of Mowhich the quick passages "flow like oil." For zart's Concertos. than Ferdinand Hiller; with his soft touch the notes sing. The cadences in the first movement and the third were extemporized. We have often fought against the pedantry of cadences -but we like cadences of this description; they are tributes to the purport of the tone-language, and not to purportless virtuosity. That the liveliest gratitude rewarded the master for his performance is a fact we need not mention; the public here congratulate themselves beforehand whenever Hiller seats himself at the piano. Mdme. Anna Regan-Schimon, from Leipsic, took part as soloist in Hiller's work, but not so audibly her efforts. It was not till she now sang in really and distinctly as to enable us to form an opinion of solo vocal compositions, without any chorus to drown her notes, that her good qualities were fully apparent. She first gave an aria, "Zephyretten, leicht gekleidet," from Mozart's Idomeneo, then a Canzone of the last century, and. lastly, two songs, "Nachklingen" and Vergiss mein nicht "-very pretty pictures of feeling by Heinrich Hofmann. Any one of us in Cologne hearing the name of Anna Regan thinks at once of Schubert's "Haideröslein," with which the lady once transported us at the Ullmann Concerts, and immediately we heard the first note of the present Mdme. Regan-Schimon, we immediately recognized her who was once simply Anna Regan. Still the same voice, small, and. in its thinness, almost sylph-like, but clear, crystaline, and pure as a bell-only with a tendency, formerly not characteristic of it, towards a warmer vibrato, a fact which does not strike us as a step in the wrong direction. There is something especially naïve and almost childlike in the quality of Mdme. Schimon's organ, and when she sings German songs as she does sing them, with a slight tremor in her voice, we feel under the influence of a particular spell. Mdme. Regan-Schimon knows nothing of over-powering pathos, or of demoniacal fervor; she merely looks at you with her mild, gazelle eyes. But her gentle glance discourses an eloquent language. Even the sunniest picture, however, is not free from shade. When vociferous applause demanded more, and the "Haideröslein" probably floated like a coveted prize before the eyes of all present, Mdme. Regan-Schimon sang-a Romance by Victor Massé, the new musical genius of the French, very pleasing, with a great deal about “soupirer" and "aimer," but not a German song, possessing soul" which one could understand. Why this mixing up of the Cologne Gürzenich and a Parisian salon? In the First Part of the Concert we must yet mention as a concerted piece a Chorus of Druids, from Sacchini's unfinished opera, Arrviero ed Evelina. Antonio Maria Gasparo Sacchini was born in 1734, at Puzzuoli, near Naples, and died in 1786, at Paris, where he was highly esteemed as the principal composer for the Italian Opera. He was a pupil of "Immediately we heard," a Cockneyism for " as soon as we heard." Durante's, aud subsequently, as long as he was attached to the Conservatory of St. Maria of Loretto, at Naples, Cimarosa's master. Though he belonged exclusively to the Neapolitan school founded by Scarlatti, which gave undue prominence to the cantilena in Italian opera, as known to us at the present day, we cannot fail to recognize in Sacchini's works the German influence of Gluck. The choral piece: "Milde, süsse Harmonie, does honer to its opening words, while it is marked by such nobility of treatment, and so free from Italian manner, that it might, without offence, be inserted at the present day in a high mass. Such music was formerly called operatic! To conclude the concert there was a new Symphony, No. 2. in C minor, by Carl Reinecke the director of the Leipsic Gewandhaus Concerts, a musician who, as teacher in the Cologne Conservatory in the years 1852-1854, is well known to, and esteemed by all the older musical amateurs in this city. From Cologne. Reinecke went as MusicalDirector to Barmen, thence to Breslau, and finally to Leipsic, to enter upon the duties e at present fulfils there. On hearing the Symphony, we were involuntarily struck by the thought that there must be some sort of a programme at the bottom of it. We afterwards learned that we were correct in our surmise. In the preface to his score, Reinecke says that the latter owes its existence to his having read a drama, Hacon Jarl, by Oehlenschläger. Though, as he informs us, he had no wish to write absolute programme-music, it would, he adds, perhaps facilitate our comprehension of the work if we inscribed the first movement: "The Hero: Hacon Jarl; " the second (Andante, B major): "Thora; " the third (Intermezzo): "In Obin's Grove;" and the fourth (Alla breve, C major); "Olufs Victory," These titles sufficiently explain a great deal; but we would fain ask why was not the requisite information printed with the programme? It was certainly the interest of the composer to render the comprehension of his work as easy as possible for the public. The third movement and the fourth convey, it is true, their meaning pretty clearly, but that a hero stood sponsor for the first, and a woman for the second-a picture in Brahms's manner-is not so selfevident. The Symphony, however, is the clever production of a clever musician. It is masterly in form. nay, a perfect model, though, perhaps, not particularly original as regards the thoughts. The way in which the motives are carried out is in the highest degree captivating: we recognize a master exercising full sway over the language of music and never at a loss for the proper expression. In our public, the Symphony found appreciative hearts. London Musical World, (from the Kölnische Zeitung.) * Woman as a Musician.* * Music, though in one sense a mathematical abstraction, and based on exact science, outward manifestation of the inward soul; it is the | an's voice certainly united in the chants and hymns greatest assistance to her son in making his famous like other arts, is wholly original and self-existent. I shall now endeavor to sketch the share of woman-which art history has until now neglected to point out, fully and separately-in this gradual, historical development of music to the point of preeminence where we find it in our own day. Wom From "Woman as a Musician: an Art-Historical Study," by FANNY RAYMOND RITTER. Read before the Centennial Congress, in Philadelphia, of the "Association for the Advancement of Woman." Published in pamphlet form by Edward Schuberth & Co., New York. sometimes for years, the return of her father, But, though woman's share in the authorship of It is well known that the subtle vein of feeling in regard to women, which permeates Celtic and Arabic folk song, was in part appropriated by the troubadours during the epoch of the crusades. Without pursuing this part of my subject further at present (which I have already treated in a series of essays "On the music and poetry of the trouba dours," originally published in the New York Weekly Review, and shortly to appear in collected form), I must observe the remarkable fact that a number of ladies of rank, wives, sisters, or daughters of troubadours, generally, became trouveresses, as they were called. Marie de France, and Clara d'Anduse, were among the most famous of these. In spite of the narrow educational resources then open to ladies even of the highest rank, and the restricted circle of their lives, we find, in the poetry of the trouveresses, as much apparent truthfulmess and impassioned depth of feeling as in that of the troubadours, though betraying more negligence of treatment; while their melodies evince a greater want of finish and clearness of form than do those of the troubadours. Among the minstrels, followers of the troubadours, a few songstresses, generally the wives or daughters of minstrels, were trained From some of the old minstrel ballads it is possible to sing their male companions' songs by rote. to form an idea of the characters of these women; in a song by Colin Muset, a minstrel who flourished in the 13th centtury, he mentions his settled home, cook, groom, valet, etc., and represents his wife and daughter as industriously engaged in spinning, on his return from one of his tours; but the language with which they greet him, and which he doubtless copied from life without reflection, betrays uneducat ed minds, and commonplace habits of thought and action. By a singular contradiction, though the church forbade women, throughout mediæval times, and by |