154 



FINE ARTS. 

 MUSIC—VOCAL. 



The Crucifixion, an Oratorio, by Louis Spohr ; the English version, 

 by Edward Taylor. London : Cramer & Co. 



Spohr's genius is not fitted for the Oratorio. It is wanting in 

 the power, the dignity, the nerve, so remarkably characteristic of 

 the sacred works of Handel, Bach, Graun, and Beethoven. While 

 listening to the Last Judgment, or the Crucifixion, you admire, but 

 do not venerate ; on the contrary, your admiration of the Messiah 

 of Handel, or the Passionsmusik of Bach, is well nigh swallowed up 

 in veneration for their gigantic genius, and in wonder at the almost 

 unlimited controul they possess over your feelings. Had we the 

 requisite space, it would be interesting to compare this oratorio, not 

 with the Last Judgment, but with the master-pieces of the great 

 composers above-named, in order the more clearly to point out the 

 comparative littleness of the first. We say comparative, because, 

 although this oratorio, as such, is a failure, yet there are parts of it, 

 which, if not brought to this standard, but judged of by their in- 

 trinsic merits as music, must, we think, extort praise from the most 

 censorious. We may instance the opening chorus of disciples, which 

 is soft and beautiful as a serenade ; also the song and chorus, 

 '' Though all thy friends prove faithless," which is very pretty, but 

 far too light for the subject. The air sung by Peter, after he has 

 denied the Saviour, is a masterpiece of its kind, and admirably 

 expressive of the grief and contrition conveyed by the words — " he 

 went out and wept bitterly." The song of Judas Iscariot is equally 

 fine in another style. The trial scene is not at all to our taste. 

 The subject is the least possible adapted for music ; and what inte- 

 rest can there be in those long recitatives of the disciples — in the evi- 

 dence of the witnesses i^iven in triplets — in the ruthless yells of the 

 priests and the rabble, calling out for the crucifixion of the Saviour? 

 All these should be kept behind the scenes — they merely disgust by 

 being brought into view. It is unnecessary to point out any more 

 of the beauties or defects of this work ; it is well worthy the study, 

 though not the imitation, of every musician. On the whole, Mr. 

 Taylor richly deserves the thanks of the musical world for this per- 

 formance. 



1. / Contadiiii di Siena, Duet for Soprano and Contralto, arranged 

 from an Italian national melody, by Gabussi. — 2. Quando Canti 

 la Sera, Serenata, by Dessauer. T. Boosey. 



No. 1. In spite of certain crudities in the con]^position, the beauty 

 of the melody can hardly fail to render this du#t popular.— No. 2. 



