124 Review of Music. [JAN. 



this country, in a Fantasia for several instruments and a voice. It was sung by 

 Mademoiselle Cinti, with some delightful variations, and produced a novel effect. 

 '1 his is but the Romaunt, extracted from the Fantasia, but it is very charming. 

 It is too well known to need criticism. 



Four Rondinos for the Piano-forte, composed by Charlss M'Korkdl. 

 Wessel and Co. 



The above little rondos are very creditable to Mr. M'Korkell. There is but 

 little difficulty and much elegance in them. Although they cannot boast of ori- 

 ginality of passages, progression, or harmonies, still the author has happily 

 availed himself of his reading of Hummel and Moschelles, and made an agreea- 

 ble melange. In No. 2 there is a nice bit of melody, well sustained by good 

 harmonies. No. 4 is the best; but we would advise Mr. M'Korkell to correct 

 a little oversight in the 6th and 7th bars of the introduction. 

 Hilarit^, Pclacca BriUiante, for the Piano-forte, composed by C. M. Von Weber. 



Wessel and Co. 



We never see the name of the ill-fated Weber but we blush for our country- 

 men we mean that portion of them who call themselves amateurs we blush 

 for them that they should have allowed him to remain in London without atten- 

 tion or patronage ; that they should have suffered him to announce only a single 

 concert, which they did not patronise. Never shall we forget his consterna- 

 tion upon entering the orchestre, and seeing but few, very few benches in the 

 room occupied. He was then very ill ; but the hope that this concert would 

 have produced a little annuity for his family buoyed him up. His cruel disap- 

 pointment hastened his end. How differently was Rossini treated here. The 

 nobility and the wealthy thronged to his concerts ; gold was showered upon 

 him ; he basked in the favour of the great. The name of Rossini was on every 

 tongue he was the idol of the drawing-room and the boudoir. Was it because 

 he was presuming and superficial ? There can be but one opinion. Weber 

 was modest, unassuming, and profound ; therefore the great would have nothing 

 to do with him. He met with the fate of genius : he lived neglected, and he 

 died in poverty ! But our veneration for his name, even engraven upon a title- 

 page, has power to touch our feelings, and has led us into a longer digression 

 than some of our readers will thank us for. 



We are not over-fond of polaccas. There is something mawkish and common- 

 place in their style usually; but the one before us is so unlike all other pieces of 

 that class, that we cannot but marvel at the ingenuity of the composer in avoid- 

 ing so successfully the oft-trodden path, and admire it as a composition. The 

 opening, which is bold and joyous, strongly reminds us of a passage in the over- 

 ture to Oberon, and immediately afterwards a cadence from the chorus of Turks, 

 in the second act of the same opera. There are, however, some awkward skips 

 which require a wide hand to perform cleverly. A cantabih tenuto follows, con- 

 taining a charmingly sustained melody, with a portion of its accompaniment 

 marziale, which gives it a singular but agreeable effect. It increases and seems 

 to tell a story the advance of a troop the return of a soldier and the "hila- 

 ritie" follows with the same stirring spirit as at the opening. There are then 

 some brilliant gambols, and the conclusion is military. We feel pleasure in com- 

 plimenting Mr. Wessel upon the correctness and neatness of the engraving, and 

 getting up of the whole of the above pieces. 



The Swiss Soldier. A Scena, composed by David Lee. A. L n e and Lee. 

 There is nothing new in this song. The movement with which it begins is 

 an evident imitation of the march and solo in the latter part of La Gazza Ladra. 

 Something good might have been made of the words, which have an effect about 

 them. The latter part of the " Fairest Flower" is likewise introduced. We 

 excuse Mr. D. Lee for stealing from his brother, but let him, in the name of 

 heaven, not extend his plagiarism beyond his family. 



The Gascon Vesper Bells. Composed by David Lee. A. Lee and Lee. 

 This is a pretty little song, but outrageously like Moore's " Hark ! the vesper 

 bell is ringing." By the way, how absurd it is of the music-sellers to have en- 

 graved upon songs that never have become popular, 4th, 5th, or 6th edition ; we 

 never heard of this song, yet there is the 7th edition modestly stuck upon it. 



