218 ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE OPERA IN LONDON. 



ducing my readers to explore these neglected works, and with the 

 view of preserving beauties so exquisite from oblivion, as well as of 

 affording an opportunity of testing the correctness of the foregoing 

 arguments, I give a list of specimens which, although scanty, may 

 awaken a desire for further research. The list might have com- 

 menced from an earlier period, but the plaintive and tender songs of 

 Hasse, &c., are not easily to be procured, whereas most of the fol- 

 lowing pieces may be purchased at any foreign music-shop in Lon- 

 don. 



C Piu non ho la dolce speranza. — Aria. 



Sacchini < Resta ingrata. — Aria. 



l^Je ne vous quitte point.* — Arietta. 



r Dolce speranza in seno. — Trio. 

 ^ jSe perdo il mio bene. — Cavatina. 



trUGLiELMi "S La mia tenera agnellina.-.DMe«o. 



(^ Si ti leggo al volto.t — Aria. 



TLungi del caro bene. — Cavatina. 

 « J Ah non sai. — Aria Carra7iged by Dr. Crotch). 



J Amplius lava me. — From a Mass (arranged by 



(^ Novello). 



i Ho perduto il mio bene. — (Arranged by Dr. 



Paisiello K Clarke). 



( Saper bramate. 



r, C Dunque mio bene. — Duetto, 



ZiNGARELLi ... I Q^^^ adorata.-^rm. 



Florio Se mi credi amato bene. — Duetto. 



These specimens (all of which are within the compass of private 

 performance) will demonstrate how slender is the claim which Bel- 

 lini possesses to the appellation of a simplifier of melody ; and small 

 indeed must be his chance for immortality when we have witnessed 

 the oblivion which has successively overwhelmed the most popular 

 composers of Italy, who each in his day was, like him, the idol wor- 



• (Edipe h Colone^ the opera from which the above exquisite melody is se- 

 lected, was originally performed at Paris : the opera abounds in similar mor- 

 ceaux, and is worthy the attention of the student, as furnishing an idea of the 

 state of dramatic music at that period. 



f I do not think that any author, either ancient or modern, has produced 

 a more simple, clear, and eloquent motivo than the part of this song begin- 

 ning at Deh respirnr lasciate mi. 



