122 Review of Music. [JAN. 



is lively, stirring, and piquant; the en-harmonic modulations at the begin- 

 ning of page 2 are beautiful, and carry us into the opening subject again in a 

 most agreeable manner. 



No. 3 is the most striking air of the opera, and Auber has founded the whole 

 character of the music throughout, upon the singular tonic harmonies which 

 begin the symphony, and recur in the latter part of the song. The idea is at 

 once original and simple in construction. 



No. 4 has no pretensions, and but little merit. It is one of the ten thousand 

 French airs we constantly hear ground upon the organs at Paris. 



Nos. 5 and 6 belong to the same class as No. 4, and if we are not mistaken, 

 we have heard No. 6 many years ago. The first four bars, at all events, we 

 can swear to. 



No. 7 opens with a pretty sequence of 6ths, which gives an original turn to 

 an otherwise common-place melody. In one or two places the words are badly 

 accented, which render the song difficult to be sung in tune. 



No. 8 is the worst song in the opera, and can only bear listening to at all 

 with the French words. The translation completely destroys the character in- 

 tended by the composer, in the latter part particulary. 



The words are but the reader shall give an opinion 



" ' I'm thine,' she oft would say, 



' For ever thine,' 

 ' Other's love may fade away, 



But never mine.' 

 Yet she now leaves my heart to grieve 



And break with woe ; 

 I scarce her falsehood can believe 

 I lov'd her so." 



Loved her how ? The concerted mu s ic, which is probably not published, is 

 by far the best of the opera. The second act contains some descriptive music, 

 and the instrumentation throughout is excellent. Auber has certainly esta- 

 blished a new school of music in Paris a mixture of French and Italian but 

 nervous and spirited. We cannot but admire him ; for while he writes for po- 

 pularity, he never loses sight of design and construction in his works, and in 

 Fra Diavolo, particularly, he associates particular characters with particular pas- 

 sages. Thus the singular harmonies in No. 3 accompany the Brigand chief 

 throughout the opera. The arrangenient and adaptation of this opera is very 

 creditable to Mr. Rophino Lacey ; for it is no very easy matter to arrange an 

 opera, the principal part of which is performed in music, and to give all the 

 spirit of the original in a translated form. 



Ecco quelfiero istante. An Arietta, composed by Henry Smart. Cramer fy Co. 



The words of this song are selected from one of Metastasio's operas, and 

 and adapted by Mr. Smart very happily. The melody is flowing, and the har- 

 monies chosen with taste. At bar 2, line 2, page 3, the words "ti sovverrai" 

 might have been better accentuated, but it is a very trifling fault, 



Under the Walnut Tree. A Ballad ; the Words and Music by George Linley, Esq. 



Chappel. 



The Walnut Tree is a barren affair. It shews neither the blossoms of genius 

 nor the fruits of study. When its short season is past, not the kindliest spring 

 can ever revive it. 



Not go to Town this Spring, Papa. A Dialogue, the Words by T. Haynes 

 Bayly, Esq. Chappel. 



This dialogue can scarcely come under the head of Musical Criticisms. Its 

 principal attraction is the words, which are tacked upon a spurious sort of 

 melody. 



