3797] 
REVIEW OF NEW MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS. 
2 
Best 
HE Shipwreck, a comic Opera, in two 
Ads, as performed at the Theatre Royal, 
Drury-lane, compofed by Doctor Araold, 8s. 
Longman and Broderip. 
The Shipwreck is certainly not among 
the happielt efforts of this pleafing com- 
pofer ; yet it comprifes fome excellent 
mufic, and is in a few inftances ftrongly 
attractive. The overture opens in D 
minor. Its fubje& is bold and nervous, 
and after about thirty bars of {pirited 
paffages in common time, leads us to our 
old acquaintance * Ceafe rude Boreas,” 
the air of which furnifhes the fecond 
movement, and from the propriety of 
its fituation, produces a forcible effect. 
The firft movement is then refumed, 
and carried into the opening chorus, to 
‘whieh, having no clofe of its own, it 
forms a kind of’ fymphony. This plan 
has frequently been adopted, but in few 
inftances with more fuccefs than in the 
prefent. The chorus poffeffes fome 
firiking ideas, and for the moft. part is 
mafterly conducted. ‘The paflages given 
in octaves are particularly animated, 
and the tranfition into 
the original key, highly judicious.— 
The firft air, ‘© Hope thou balm,” fang 
by Milfs Leak, is elegant in its ftyle, 
and highly finifhed in its accompany- 
ments ;—but we cannot allow ir the 
praife of originality. The fucceeding 
quartetto, though it opens with frivo- 
lity, contains fome well-conftruéted bars, 
and ts calculated to produce much ftage 
effect. ‘ O’er the ocean,” fung by Mr. 
Dignum, is an elaborate compofition, 
Much is attempted, and fomething is | 
certainly effected ; but we with the 
whole jong had been of more fimple 
conftruction ,; that more of air had pre- 
vailed, and lefs dependence been placed 
on the accompanyments. Come, buy 
- poor Sally's wooden ware,” fang by Mrs. 
Bland, is a pretty little ballad: and 
“€ On board the Valiant,” fung by Matter 
Walth,-is chara€teriftic ; and the follow- 
ing /efletto, in the midft of which is 
introduced an agreeable little glee for 
three of the voices, concludes the firft 
act with good effect. “ With a heart light 
and gay,’ fung by Mifs Leak, and 
which opens the fecond aét, is not pars 
ticularly ftriking for its melody or ex- 
preffion. ‘‘ In tbe courfe of my life,” fang 
by Mr. Bannifter, jun. poffeffes the me- 
rit of introducing at the end of each 
werfe a bar or two of fome old air, fuch - 
the major of 
as, *¢ When Britain firft at Heav'n’s com- 
mand,” and *¢ Ged fave the king,” fongs 
confiftent enough with the character of 
Harry Hawfer, who intimates, almoft at 
the fame breath, that he loves to be 
mafter, and that he likes to be reigned 
over. The hornpipe movement given to 
“When on the ocean,’ is particularly 
pleafing, and, together with the air of 
“ Ceafe rude Boreas,’ makes a gay and 
ftriking finale. 
Twelve Canzonets for the voice, with an Ac- 
companyment for the forte-piano, compofed 
by P. Stevenfon. 7s. 6d. Prefton and Son, 
It is with confiderable gratification 
that we enter upon this work: its me- 
rits are fo prominent, that we may free- 
ly indulge in the pleafure of praife, 
without danger of over-ftepping the de- 
ferts of the ingenious author. ‘Thete 
canzonets are (as the title fhould have 
expreffed. conipofed for a fingle voice. 
The firft ‘* Ad ! leave me, deareft fwain,’” 
isa fweetly fimple air, and tnough not 
ftrikingly novel, flows with a grace and 
fmoothnefs that greatly delights the ear. 
The melody of the fecond * Gy Zepbyr, 
and whifper the maid,’ is particularly 
eafy, natural, and expreflive; but we 
muft. object to the firft and fecond line 
ending in the key note. The third is 
not of equal merit ; but the fourth, “ F 
mark not eyes of heav' nly blue,” is fo 
truly elegant throughout, as to evince 
great polith of imagination. The fifth 
and feventh are of more common de- 
{ertption. The fixth “Sweet Zepbyr, 
tho’ midjt rofebuds playing,’ is beautifully 
conceived ; the ‘‘ dymg falls,” at the 
end of the fourth and fifth lines, the 
modulation into the relative minor, at 
‘* Soon, foon relieve,’ and the pafiages 
given tothe words ‘* Ab! whifper,” con= 
{pire to produce a moft impreflive ‘and 
charming effeét. But we muft notice, 
that the werd whether, in the fourth 
line, is falfely accented: the emphafis 
fhould, as in fpeaking, have been thrown 
on the jaf? fyllable, not the fecond. The 
eighth canzonet, * O would I ne'er had 
feen thee,” is uncommonly fimple, yet 
rich in effect. The ninth, though agree- 
able, is not prominent in excellence : 
but the tenth and eleventh, ** Ye valles 
to which £ complain,’ and “ Here’s the 
bow'r and here's the grove,”’ are given it 
an attractive and polifhed ftyle, while 
the twelfth, ‘* Dear is my little native 
vale,’ is highly attra¢tive, and accom- 
snodates 
