MUSIC ABROAD AND AT HOME.

BENGAL. A gentleman in the H. I. C. Service is employing his leisure in collecting original Indian airs, which he intends publishing with notes on the manners of the ancient poet-musicians. This is a subject teeming with unexplored matter, and will, we hope, attract the attention it deserves. From India we derive the custom of criers or heralds, who precede warriors or princes reciting their qualities. "The great Garus never appear in public without the utmost degree of pomp. Several bands of musicians precede them, playing on all the instruments of the country. Some of their officers take the lead, singing odes in their praise. The custom of having criers on such solemnities to make their proclamation of praise before all great personages when they appear in public, is common throughout all India. They repeat with a loud voice or sing the renown of their masters, with a long display of their illustrious birth, exalted rank, unbounded power and high virtues."-See Dubois' Description of People of India, p. 68.

MADRID.-The Spaniards laugh at the ideas of painters or travellers, when speaking or delineating Spanish customs, introducing the Fandango and the Bolero; these dances being scarcely known in Spain. They are as much forgotten as the Minuet and Gavotte are in England. The Domino noir has been produced, but it has been arranged as a musical comedy by Ventura de la Vega, and bears the title "La Seganda Dama duende." Spohr has fallen into two errors, viz. first, in giving the Bolero as a dance at the king's ball, and secondly, there has been no instance where the doors of the palace have been opened for a masked ball. The "Riego Hymn" has become the national anthem since the change in political affairs.

PARIS.-Paer has left an unfinished opera, entitled "Olind and Sofronie ;" the two first acts are perfected. The new opera by Helevy, entitled "The Sheriff," will shortly be produced in this capital. Meyerbeer's "Hugonotts" has been performed upwards of one hundred nights. The celebrated violoncellist, Batta, will shortly leave Paris on a musical tour through Germany.

NORMANDY.-In order to preserve the memory of their songs, the Normans employed characters called runstabach; these are the Runic letters, and to them were joined those which Ethicus had previously invented, and for which St. Jerome had furnished the signs.

(See Chateaubriand Sketches.)

We have been informed by an Amateur, that a MS. is in existence at Rouen containing some of these ancient Norman Melodies, which have never yet been given to the public in a printed form. There are other Musical Curiosities of a similar kind worth the search.

In the Harleian MSS. No. 1717, is a song or canticle, set to music, upon the advantage of the Crusade, by Benoit, the Norman Minstrel. It escaped the notice of Dr. Burney and Wharton.

POLAND.—There are no native composers of celebrity in Poland, and but one new opera was produced during the whole of last year. The representations in the chief Theatre during the year were 191; and at the Teatr Rozmuilosci 211, twenty-two new pieces were produced, principally tragedies. laskinski has recently published six volumes of dramatic pieces in Polish, the series will be completed in fifteen volumes, and contain seventy favourite dramas.

GOTHA. The new Theatre is now completed, and will shortly be opened for operatic performances.

BRUNSWICK. A Musical Festival was held in this town on the 16th August, the choir comprised upwards of 300 singers. The only novelty produced was a cantate by Liebau of Quedlingburg, which is described as very beautiful and pleasing.

Salzburg.—Ole Bull gave a brilliant concert on 11th July, the proceeds of which were added to the fund for building a monument to Mozart.

SUABIA. One of the most interesting spectacles took place at Biberach on the 15th July, the day appointed for the celebration of a great singing festival, to which more than 1000 singers were invited. Thirtyfour singing clubs from Wirtemberg and Bavaria contributed to this fete, and entered the little town attended by a band of music, and in carriages decorated with flags and flowers. The houses in the town were similarly decorated, and the residences of the poet Wieland, and the composer Knecht, bore emblematical inscriptions. At one o'clock they assembled in the market place, and sang several national airs. The afternoon and evenings performances, which would have been equally brilliant, were entirely suspended by most violent storms of rain, thunder and lightning.

PESTH.-Ole Bull lately purchased a very beautiful Cremona violin for 4000 francs, (1667.) in the inside it bears the following inscription: "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis, faciebat anno 1637."

BERLIN.-The Bayaderes have been performing at the principal Theatre with great eclat; and have consequently been the general theme of conversation. At Humboldt's suggestion, they visited professor Bopp, the celebrated oriental scholar, but their corrupted dialect was so totally different from the Sanscrit known by the learned professor, that conversation with them in their own tongue was impossible.

DRESDEN. The great attraction of the summer has been Signora Ungher; her performances in Donnizitti's "Anna Bolena," and Bellini's Norma," have excited the greatest admiration and surprise. She has left for Trieste, where she is engaged for the autumn.

VIENNA. A host of musical talent has visited this capital, at one time there were young Mozart, F. Schubert, and Goethe's uncle Walther von

Goethe, who has been engaged in the composition of an opera to be brought out in this town. Taglioni appeared for ten nights. The "Daughter of the Danube" was produced for her, but Adams' music was so much complained of, as well as the whole arrangement of the ballet, (particularly the inappropriate dresses) that it was withdrawn for the " Sylph," which met with enthusiastic applause. Mayerbeer's "Hugonotts" has also been produced under the title of "Die Ghibellinen vor Pisa," and has been enthusiastically received.

ITALY.-During the present year, eight new operas have already been produced. Of these, five were composed at Naples, two at Venice, and one at Genoa, but only one from this number can be said to have

fully succeeded, viz. " Ciarlatain," by Cammerano, a new composer. Among the new prima donnas, the following have been eminently successful: Streponi, Gabussi, Frezzolini, and Boldrini.

MESSINA.-The Prince Brancaforte has erected an immense organ upon a hill in his park near this city, which is supplied with wind by a windmill, and can be distinctly heard two or three miles distant.

GENOA. The new opera by Pietro Combi, entitled "Ginevra dì Moureale," was brought forward at the Great Theatre, but, with the exception of two or three pieces, found but little favour.

MILAN. Miss Kemble has been performing in Donizetti's " Lucia de Lammermoor" with great applause. A Mademoiselle Agnes Schebest has made a successful debût as Romeo.

NAPLES.-The extreme and unusual heat of the weather, during the spring and summer, has had a considerable effect upon the Theatres throughout Italy, they have been less visited. Rossini is still here, and engaged in writing a new opera for the Theatre S. Carlo, under the title of "Johann Von Montferrat." The libretto is by Ludwig Guarniccioli. Paganini is at Nismes, he continues in a very weak state, his voice is scarcely audible.

BOLOGNA.-The chief attractions of the summer have been the two sisters, Manzocchi, Almerinda and Eliza, and Dagnini, the new tenor. Mercadante, the composer, brought forward his opera "Elena di Feltre," which found so little favour in Genoa and Naples; here it was received with tumultuous, applause. Frezzolini, the prima donna, succeeded in enrapturing the audience, and has since performed with equal success in Donizetti's" Lucia di Lammermoor." The celebrated tenor, Antonio Poggi, has been appointed singer to the Emperor of Austria. F. Sampieri the composer has been elected honorary member of the Philharmonic at Florence.

CRETE.-A late traveller mentions a Sarcophagus at Arva in Crete. Sculptured on it one of the figures is a Bacchante playing on a Tympanum, an instrument common to the rites of both Dionysius and Rhea, and said by Euripides to have been an invention of the Corybantes.*

* Priests of Cybell or Rhea, the wife of Saturn,

It was made of an animal's skin stretched on a hoop like the cymbal, it was unknown to Homer's age, when the usage even of that earlier invention the flute, was confined to the Phrygiary, to whom its discovery is usually assigned, and who are said first to have employed it in the celebration of their mystic rites."—Pashley's Travels, vol. ii. p. 3.

This is a much more likely origin of the drum than that given by most of the Musical Historians.

Cretan Dance.-The dance and its accompanying song were commenced. The cyclic chorus exhibited, consisted of six women and as many men, each of whom held the hand of his neighbour. The coryphoeus favoured us by singing various poetical effusions as they danced.

It requires no great imaginative power to regard these dances of Cretan youths and maidens, as an image which still preserves some of the chief features of the Cnossian chorus of 3000 years ago. As songs are now sung by the peasants on these occasions, so, in ancient times, there was a hyporchem or ballad, with which the Cretans more than all other Greeks delighted to accompany their motions in the dance. (See a specimen of the songs.)-Pashley's Travels in Crete, vol. i. p. 246.

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While on the subject of Ancient Musical Instruments, we may mention that Dr. Burney, in his notice of Hebrew music, hazards the assertion that we have no authentic account of any nation, except the Egyptians, where music had been cultivated so early as the days of David and Solomon; the Greeks at that time having hardly invented their rudest instruments."-Vol. i. p. 255.

But in a notice of Arabian music, (Foreign Quarterly Review, No. 39, p. 108,) Thirty Musical Instruments are enumerated as invented by them. A late traveller alleges that the Bagpipe is unquestionably of Arabic origin. There are several treatises extant upon music by Arabian writers,† much older than the days of Solomon, proving incontestibly that the art, and even the science, was well understood by this extraordinary people.

LONDON. The period during which the Opera, Covent Garden, and Drury Lane Theatres remain closed, is always an interval devoid of interest. For as regards this metropolis, if we except the talent which Webster has drawn around him at the Haymarket, we might say the theatrical as well as musical talent were all out of town; but cheering prospects are before us.

Covent Garden has been entirely re-embellished, and the boxes hung with superb draperies. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews, the lessees, have engaged a very talented company, including Farren, Keeley, and many excellent comedians. The theatre opened on the 30th, with Shakspeare's comedy of " Love's Labour Lost." A long list of novelties are in active preparation, including a drama by Sheridan Knowles.

Drury Lane has not been behind its rival either in re-decoration or engagement of talent. Mr. W. J. Hammond has shown great judg

The work by Al Farabi (called the Arabian Orpheus) treating on the principles of the Art or Elements of Music, and the Kitab al Aguni, or great Collection of Songs, by Abulfaraji, a. D. 1226, are in the Library of the Escurial.

ment in securing the services of Macready and Ellen Faucit, as well as in engaging James Wallack. The theatre will be opened with a new piece of Douglas Jerrold's on the 16th (October) instant.

Lady

The Haymarket continues to draw crowded houses with the " of Lyons," and we hear a new play by Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer is in course of preparation.

The St. James's Theatre has been taken by Balfe in conjunction with Mr. Bunn, for the production of musical entertainments, and we have no doubt they will succeed.

The Adelphi opened its doors for the winter season on the 30th, with several attractive pieces.

The Promenade Concerts a la Musard will be shortly resumed at the English Opera House, which has again closed after a very short and unsuccessful career. These concerts will possess all the principal musical talent which so distinguished them last year, when Willy Harper, Negri, Richardson, and Baumann, drew such crowded houses. fident they will be rewarded with similar success.

We are con

The Sacred Harmonic Society at Exeter Hall will recommence their performances on the 4th instant with "Judas Maccabeus." We can cordially recommend this Society as one of the best conducted and well regulated in London, the low price of the admission tickets will always ensure a full attendance.

Society of Female Vocalists.-Her Majesty Queen Victoria has in the most gracious manner sent a donation of twenty pounds in aid of the gradually increasing fund of this praiseworthy association, which, as it includes nearly all the principal female vocalists who have so frequently administered to the gratification of the musical public, deserves, and we trust will receive abundant assistance from the nobility and wealthy

amateurs.

pa

The closing of the concert season enables us to bestow a few words upon the present state of music in England, interesting alike to the singer, composer, and amateur. In the first place, then, what is the tronage to be expected by the cultivated English musician, be he singer, composer, or performer? Royalty affords none. The nobility and gentry (with the exception of Earl Grosvenor, and one or two other families of distinction) none. The mania is for every thing foreign. Although we have the works of Purcell, Arne, Shield, Percy, Dibdin, Bishop, Callcot, Barnett, &c. &c., long the boast of musicians as men who adorned by their works the country of their birth, where, this season, have any of them been heard?-Echo answers, Where?

Although we have at this moment as much talent in England as there is existing on the continent, with this only difference,with them all the diamonds are polished and becomingly set, eagerly sought after, and appreciated; with us, many a gem of purest ray serene" finds no lapidary to polish its roughness, make the most of its brilliancy, or introduce it as a jewele of worthe to those who could estimate its value.

While

this is the case, and foreigners alone are patronized by the higher classes, real English music must sink (but most undeservedly) in public estimation.