164 
striking; and Mr. Mavius has expatiated 
upon it with taste and fancy, From the 
turn or cast of the passages, we should 
suppose that Mr. M. is a free and facile: 
pianist ; at any rate, he,evidently under- 
stands the genius of the instrument for 
which he writes, and in the present in- 
stance, has studied its character and 
capabilities. 
A National Rondo, composed for the 
Piano-forte ; by H. G. Nixon, Or- 
ganist to the Bavarian Embassy. 13.64. 
This is one of a number of little com- 
positions characteristic of the style of 
the music of different countries, and 
consists of a Neapolitan air, the features 
of which, if not fascinating, are agrec- 
able. Mr. Nixon must be allowed the 
praise of having made the most of his 
subject. The easy and natural manner 
in which he digresses from, and returns 
to his subject, is creditable to his taste, 
and the general prevalence of his ar- 
peggio-bass is judicious and recommen- 
datory. 
“ Oh, Lady ! touch thy Lute again.” An 
admired Ballad ; written by W. By- 
grave, Esq., composed by S. Nelson, 
and sung by him at the Nobility’s Con- 
ceris. 1s. 6d. Evans. 
Of this ballad we cannot speak in 
terms of high commendation. The air 
is neither remarkable for its novelty nor 
its beauty. The only merit it possesses 
is that of being consistent with Mr. By- 
grave’s words, which, both poetically 
and mechanically, are as poor as any 
that we have read for a long time. 
THE DRAMA. 
The temporary closure of the two 
winter theatres has hitherto been to- 
lerably well compensated by the new 
pieces produced, and the talents en- 
gaged in the Haymarket, and in the 
Strand, At the first of these, the co- 
medy (in three acts) of Married and 
Single, from the French of MM. Waff- 
lard and Fulgence ; together with the 
opera of The Alcaid, or Secrets of Office, 
from the pen of Mr. Kenney, and 
other well-chosen dramas, have afford- 
ed scope for the best abilities, histrionie 
and vocal, of a very good company ; 
especially for the exertions of Liston, 
Farren, Miss Paton, Miss Chester, Mrs. 
Chatterly, Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs, Glover, 
and Madame Vestris. If of the music 
of The Aleaid we cannot speak in 
terms that will elevate Mr. Nathan as a 
New Music and the Drama. 
(Sept. 5, 
composer, we are justified in saying, 
that the spirit, taste and judgment with 
which the greater part of the songs were 
executed, made considerable atonement 
for the defect of the composition, and 
that nothing was wanting to the perfec- 
tion of the performance, but a better 
band. We are so sensible of Mr. 
Morris’s liberality and good sense, 
that we are at a loss to account for 
the orchestral deficiency of his other- 
wise so well-appointed theatre. Such 
Things Are, the Beggars Opera, Syl- 
vester Daggerwood, the Marriage of 
Figaro, Lover's Quarrels, and Sweet 
hearts and Wives, will scarcely ever 
be more judiciously and strikingly re- 
presented than they have lately been at 
the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket. 
At the Lyceum, the principal, if not 
only attractions, have been the German 
Opera of Der Freischiitz, written by 
Kind, founded on a story in the “ Tales 
and Romances of the Northern Nations,” 
and set to music by Weber, of all whose 
compositions it is indisputably the best. 
The productions of this master, a na- 
tive of Eutice in Holstein, conductor of 
the music of the King of Saxony, and 
the Institutor and Director of the Ger- 
man Opera of Drésden, have long been 
admired for their beauty, vivacity, and 
force of effect. Their prominent praise 
is, that instead of being addressed to the 
ear only, they appeal to the feelings of 
the heart, and that while they are more 
than ordinarily agreeable to the external 
sense, they work upon the imagination, 
and by a kind of magic influence, illus- 
trate and heighten all the effect intended 
by the author. This is peculiarly the cha- 
racter of the music of Der Freischiitz ; 
and Braham, Miss Povey, and Miss _ 
Noel (from the Bath theatre) have amply 
availed themselves of the opportunity it 
afforded them for the display of their 
talents. The conjoint result of the se- 
veral merits of the writer, the com- 
poser, and the performers of this opera, 
has been continually crowded houses, 
and those repeated bursts of applause 
which, as springing from the excited 
feelings of the audience, constitute the 
highest eulogium that can he bestowed 
upon a composer. We are glad to see 
the character of this little summer the- 
atre raised by its spirited and meritorious 
exertions, two of the present instances 
of which would, perhaps, have been suf- 
ficient to effect the purpose—its pos- 
session of the attractions of Braham, 
and Miss Stephens. 
NEW 
