ON THE PRESENT STATE OP THE OPERA IN LONDON. 233 



urge to a practical acquaintance with his value, in order to con- 

 vince them that, as an artist, as a creative genius, he stands as in- 

 dependent of the caprices of fashion as the master minds in the sis- 

 ter arts. The substitution of the songs mentioned in the course of 

 this article for the trash which Italian singing-masters usually re- 

 commend, will be eventually acknowledged as a manifest improve- 

 ment, and the exchange will become a subject for congratulation to 

 all parties. An opportunity of contrasting the gold of Mozart with 

 the dross of modern Italian scribblers would effectually disperse the 

 clouds of ignorance, and banish at once frivolous and bad taste. 

 Such an opportunity would, in all probability, prove effectual in 

 producing a reconciliation between the two parties who now divide 

 the musical world. The first of these parties consists of exclusive 

 admirers of mere science and artificial contrivance ; the second is 

 composed of advocates for the popular and easy of comprehension. 

 The favourite (cotemporary) composers of the former are Spohr and 

 Mendelsohn — of the latter, Rossini, Auber, and Strauss. The mu- 

 sic of Mozart, although eminently scientific, is yet capable of being 

 appreciated by the most uncultivated lover of sweet sounds : it is, 

 consequently, beyond any other, calculated to controvert the un- 

 founded, though widely spread, opinion that science excludes or is 

 opposed to whatever pleases the ear ; it, in fact, rather demonstrates 

 the converse proposition, viz., that it is only through the medium of 

 science that the art is rendered capable of imparting the highest and 

 most permanent gratification. o'samlO 



The student having been thus gradually led to examine the nleatis 

 by which the musician acquired so complete a mastery over the 

 minds of his hearers — ^having, as it were, paid involuntary homage 

 to science and ingenuity of contrivance in one composer — would feel 

 a greater inclination to extend his researches to others, than if he 

 had been at first compelled to listen to the more recondite efforts of 

 art. Place a fugue of Sebastian Bach, a symphony of Beethoven, 

 or an opera of Spohr, before one whose acquaintance with the art 

 (if it be worthy the name) has been limited to Bellini and Herz, 

 and it is more than probable that he will contract a lasting disgust 

 for scientific music. Were this injudicious course (too commonly 

 pursued by the advocates of science) reversed, by beginning with 

 Mozart, it might not be impracticable so far to improve the taste of 

 the most determined devotees to fashionable trash and '^ new music" 

 (most inappropriately so termed) as eventually to render them sen- 

 sible to the beauties of those masters who produce their effects 

 rather by the harmonic development of the parts collectively than 



VOL. VI. — NO. XX. GG 



