72 
No. I. of Handel's celebrated Meffiah. Abridzed 
and adapted for the Voice and Piano-forte, 
By 7}. Mazxzingbi. it 
This work is to be executed in the 
‘fame ftyle as that in which Mr. Mazzinghi 
‘has arranged the overtures of the fame 
great mafter, and is to be publithed in 
weekly Numbers. 
We mutt confefs that we received a 
foock on firft reading the title-page of this 
very delicate undertaking ; nor are we, 
on mature confideration, reconciled to the 
idea of abridging fo ecftablifhed and fo 
complete a work as that of the Mefhah. 
We are, however, inclined to concede 
much to a mufician of Mr. Mazzinghi’s 
merit and experience, and can allow our- 
felves to hope that he will take as little 
liberty with the text of his author as the 
nature of his plan will admit. - We are 
particularly led to this caution from ob- 
ferving, that ‘‘ Comfort ye my People,” 
and ‘* Every Valley fhall be exalted,”’ are 
tranfpofed one note iower than inthe eri- 
ginal ; of the neceffity for which tran{po- 
fition we mutt confefs ourfelves not fully 
aware, fince, as the mufic ftands im the 
original /rore, it does not exceed the ge- 
neral limits of the voice. 
Of the merit of the arrangement, and 
the art-with which the accompaniment is 
deduced from the feveral inftrumental 
parts, we can fpeak in terms of high com- 
mendation. The undertaking will be 
found truly convenient for thofe piano- 
forte performers who are not fufficiently 
advanced in the fcience to perform from 
the fcore ; and this accommodation is, in- 
deed, Mr. Mazzinghi’s avowed objeé in 
the publication, which avowal we quote 
from his advertifement prefixed to the 
work :—*< It fhould be confidered, that at 
leaft nine-tenths of piano-forte amateurs 
are precluded the fatisfa€tion of perform- 
ing this truly fublime mufic: to remedy 
fuch inconvenience, and at the requeft of 
feveral diftinguiflied amateurs, this work 
is prefented to the public.” 
Al Firfi Book of three Eafy Leffons for the Piano- 
forte. Compsfed for the Right Hon. Lady 
Charlotte Chelsondeley. By Ff. Mazxxinghi. 
When a mafter of acknowledged merit 
confults the progrefs of juvenile pupils 
rather than the extenficn of Wis protef- 
ficnal fame, by limiting his ideas to their 
comprebenfion and powers of executicn, 
much credit attaches to his zztemtioz, in- 
dependent of the intrixfic merit of his pro- 
ductions. Mr. Mezzinzhi obvioefly, in 
the prefent little work, fecks ho other 
Review of New Mufieal Publications: 
- five. 
[Aug.4, 
commendation than that of facilitating 
improvement; a merit which we moit - 
freely accord to him. The paffages: of 
this leffon are familiarly confiructed, and 
au effeét is produced at once alluring to 
the practitioner, and gratifying to the ge- 
neral ear. 
Peace, an Ode. Written by Robert Bloomfield, 
Author of the Farmer's Bay, Sc. Set te 
Mufic by William Cole. 
This ode comprifes an overture, two 
airs, one cuett, and two chorufles, be- 
fides fundry recitatives. Ona minute in- 
f{pection of the mufic, we do not difcover 
any traits of iuperior talent ; neither, in- 
deed, can we deny that paflages of fome 
merit frequently occur, and prove that 
Mr. Cole may, by induftry and experience, 
become a refpecétable compofer. The 
principal defects of the work-before us 
are tamenefs Of expreffion in the melodies, 
and awkward adjuitment in the harmonic 
parts. Simplicity is obvioufly aimed at 
throughout the compofition; but fimpli- 
city, in mufical as well as literary com- 
polition, may verge on baldnefs, or even 
meannefs: of this truth Mr. Cole does 
not, in every inftance, appear to have 
been fufficiently aware. We, however, 
cannot difmifs the article without recom- 
mending Mr. Cole to perfevere, nor with- 
out faying, that we find fufficient proofs — 
of ability to warrant much expectation 
from his future productions. In the 
words we find fome truly poetic ideas, 
aided by eafy verfification, but nothing 
that breathes the fpirit of originality, or 
that can add one fprig of bays to the 
Mii already earned by the FaRMER’s 
OY. 
A ColleZion of Glees for Three and Five Voices, 
_ compofed and infcribed to his Friend Charles 
Frederick Barnwell, Efq. ‘by Fofeph William 
Holder, iM. B. 
This colleétion confifts of five compo- 
fitions ; four for three voices and one for 
Simplicity is their predominant 
feature, both in their melody and harmo- 
nic conftru&tion. The ideas are always 
pleafing, and frequently original, while 
the parts move with an eafe and {mooth- 
ne(s of effect which befpeak much {kill 
in combination. ‘* The Fairies” is an ex- 
tremely pretty production—the ** Epi- 
taph” is tender and affeGting, and ** Ald 
you that will be Seamen,”” is bold and 
characteriftic, though not without the 
drawback of being, in fome degree, acoun- 
terpart to ** Ye Gentlemen of England,” 
‘by Dr. Calicott. 
Se-F0 
