lection of pretty passages strung together, and supported by a wellarranged accompaniment. There is less originality in it, than in the last mentioned composition. No. 1, The Vocal Magazine, consisting of Canzonets, Madrigals, Songs, Duetts, Trios, Quartetts, Glees, &c. composed by Joseph Kemp. To be continued Monthly. Mr. Kemp has here undertaken an arduous task, if he means to trust entirely to his own invention, for the support of this work. He proposes to furnish a monthly number:-now to supply a con. stant succession of good compositions, requires a fertility of invention, and a versatility of talent, which it rarely fails to the lot of one man to possess. Every composer is more or less of a mannerist; in a miscellaneous publication; therefore, which is to be the sole production of one man, we must expect to find similar ideas, and similar passages, frequently recurring. However dif ferent in the titles, however divided into songs, glees, and duetts, still the same style will prevail throughout. If then the task be difficult, no mean praise ought to be awarded to him who performs it well. The first composition of this number, is a song, of which the melody is simple and plaintive, some of the passages are novel, and the accompaniment is judiciously arranged. The next, which Mr. Kemp, we don't know why, calls a madrigal, we must regard as merely inserted to fill up a certain quantity of paper; fortunately it occupies only one page. The duett which follows is easy and flowing, the parts in general sing well together. and te modulation is neatly managed. Mr. Kemp has supposed both his singers to possess a compass of nearly two octaves, which of course will prevent his duett from becoming a general favourite; by a little alteration he might have easily obviated this objection. The well known ballad of Barbara Allen which concludes the first number, is set in G minor. Mr. Kemp has here very successfully imitated the old ballad style; he has expressed the sentiment of the words in a very correct and appropriate melody, supported by a simple and judicious accompaniment.-On the whole we are inclined to think well of Mr. Kemp: as a composer he is correct, and frequently original,-how he will be able to support this undertaking his future numbers must discover: he has our wishes for its success. A new Overtur for the Piano Forte, in which is introduced, the favourite Air of Mounseer Nong-tong-paw, Dedicated to the Honourable Miss Georgina Lygon. Composed by Mr. Latour. We really have played this overture twice through, in order to find something in it to praise, but alas "tis all in vain." It is a very meagre composition indeed, not even the elegant air of Mounseer Nong-tong-paw has been able to give us a favourable opinion of it. Petite Fantaisie, et la Contrariante, pour le Piano Forte. Dedieé a Lady Emily Percy, par Louis Von Esch. This is by no means one of M. Von Esch's best productions; to say the truth it is not worthy of him; it possesses neither the elegance nor the originality of many of his compositions. If his aim be merely profit, he may do well to publish every thing that he writes, but if he desire also to acquire fame, he had much better publish such only of his compositions as are really good. The Damask Rose, A Favorite Ballad, written by J. B. Orme, Esq. Composed and respect fully dedicated to Mr. Braham, by T. Purday. If this song be a fair specimen of Mr. Purday's abilities as a com poser, we can assure him that he has completely mistaken his talent. As far as we can judge from the composition before us, he has not a single requisite for the task he has undertaken. That which he designs for the melody of his song, is in fact no melody at all, it is a collection of unmeaning passages strung together without taste or judgment. His bass is very ill arranged, and in the second part of the song we have two staring fifths between the bass and treble. We would sincerely advise Mr. Purday to give up all thoughts of ap pearing again in print, at least till he has gained a few more correct ideas of composition. Poor Stolen Mary, By Mr. E. Button; set to Music by F. H. Barthelemon, with an Accom paniment for the Harp or Piano Forte. Mr. Barthelemon is not a voluminous composer, but his productions are not on that account the less estimable. He is always correct, and generally rises far above mediocrity. The ballad before us, although simple, is highly expressive, and the accompaniment is managed in a scientific and masterly manner. We have no doubt of its becoming popular. "Lucinda and Henry." Written by Mr. E. Button, set to Music by J. Birch. The principal fault of this song is want of connection. Instead of changing the time and character of his melody every few bars, Mr. Birch would have succeeded much better, if he had kept throughout to one style, and left it to the discretion of the singer to make such slight and occasional variations in the time and expression, as the sentiment of the words dictated. Throughout the song there is a fresh direction to the singer every two or three bars: we don't admire such perpetual prompting; it bespeaks a barrenness in the composition to need such constant artificial support. Some pas. sages in the song are good, and we doubt not, with a little more experience, that Mr. Birch may become a respectable composer. The Passions, in a series of Ten Songs, for the Voice and Piano Forte, written and composed by Mr. Dibdin. Perhaps no man at present living has contributed so long and so much to the entertainment of the public as Mr. Dibdin. He is a rare instance of a man uniting in himself no mean degree of talent both as a poet and a musician. His compositions as a poet have a degree of point and originality peculiarly his own, and his musical productions display abundant marks of genius and correct taste. Indeed, considering the number and variety of his VOL. I. songs, it is surprising how many good ones he has written. We hail his re-appearance in public with sincere pleasure, and rejoice that although he has laid aside the character of a public performer, he is still disposed to contribute his share to our amusement. The songs before us profess to delineate some of the passions. In several of them Mr. Dibdin has succeeded, in some we think he has failed. Those on Love, Friendship, and Chearfulness, we think decidedly the best; they possess more originality, and more care has been bestowed upon them than some of the others. The second song on Mirth is certainly very poor; we should guess it to have taken exactly as much time in composing as it would in copying. The words of all the songs are easy, spirited, and like all Mr. Dibdin's former productions strictly moral. A few trifling inaccuracies of composition appear, in some of the songs, which Mr. Dibdin would do right to correct. Dr. Haydn's Symphonies, arranged as Quintettos, for a Flute, two Violins, Tenor and Violoncello, with an adaptation or thorough Bass for the Piano Forte, by Dr. Hague, Professor of Music, in the University of Cambridge. This is the second number of this work; it contains three of the most admired Symphonies of Haydn; all the effect that could be given in a work of this nature is here collected into five parts which, with the addition of the Piano Forte part, printed separately, seem complete; since Dr. Hague has considered the latter a substitute for horns, oboes, drum, double bass, &c. while the other instruments are employed in maintaining some essential subject or point. The piano-forte gives an orchestral effect, and sums up the harmony and contrivance of the whole. The fingering, which is marked to some of the most difficult passages in the violins and violoncello part, shews Dr. Hague's knowledge of the instruments, and must prove acceptable to those who may be in need of such assistance. We understand that this publication will consist of twelve of Haydn's symphonies, all different to those published by Mr. Salomon-which with Mr. Salomon's, must make a valuable chamber collection of that great Composer's instrumental works. +++ We are happy to learn that a new edition of Morley's madrigals and canzonets, is about to be published by a gentleman at Oxford, from manuscripts in the Bodleian library. No complete edition of this excellent Composer's works has appeared since their original publication in 1593. To all admirers of this kind of music, therefore, the present work will be a valuable acquisition. Dr. Clarke, of Cambridge, is preparing for publication a collection of twelve manuscript glees. From the present productions of this author, and especially from some MS. glees which have fallen under our notice, we are inclined to expect a valuable addition to our vocal harmony. Dr. Callcott's Musical Essays will appear in the course of this year. (Notices of musical publications will be thankfully received, and inserted in this department of our work.) THE DRAMA. ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE. -Shakspeare. THE CURFEW, BY THE LATE JOHN TOBIN, ESQ. Author of the Honeymoon. THE Honeymoon was quite a novelty in the modern drama; a comedy in blank verse, written in the style of our elder bards, and possessing sufficient bustle, humour, and interest, to please every description of auditors. The present play is built upon the same model ; but it is of a tragic cast, and has much less merit, as a drama, than the Honeymoon, though in point of language it is equal, if not superior to that production. The title it bears of the Curfew, has little to do with the incidents: it merely marks the time and scene of action, and any other time and scene might have been selected, without materially affecting the interest of the piece. As the play is printed, the author shall tell some of his story in his own language, which, since it is its best recommendation, we shall not grudge the space it will occupy: Baron. I am not native of this isle, But born in Normandy. I wedded there, long since, an English lady Possess'd of such a woman, for no cause, But the excess of her perfections, Compared with my weak merits to deserve them- To sudden jealousy; in which dark mood, Containing nought but this "Look to your wife." Which circumstantially disclos'd my shame, The time, when I might find, in mine own chamber, Think with what pangs I waited for that hour When, as advis'd, I did surprise my wife I stabb'd the woman: her companion fled, In the wide bosom of the ocean perish'd. My wife was spotless-that same precious villain— In a last letter, closed this scene of horror With these emphatic words, which, as I read them, Many may be inclined to think, with us, that the husband is but a silly sort of a gentleman, and that the wife was tolerably lucky in getting on board a vessel, considering that she had received a deep wound, and that the fusion of blood was probably pretty abundant; but she is in truth a very extraordinary lady, as you shall see anon. The vessel was wrecked, and all on board perished, except herself and son, who floated together on "the guardian waves which bore their trembling burden" to the English coast. She had before been dagger-proof, and now appears to have been one of those who are not born to be drowned, though some time afterwards she was very near being hanged for a sorceress. She has been fortunate enough to save a little money from the wreck, and with this buys a cottage. Here, with her son, she has lived for a number of years. The villagers look upon her as a witch (what would they have said if they had seen her riding on the guardian waves?) and the boy, when he is grown up, joins a band of robbers, who had taken up their abode in a neighbouring forest. Their captain, Fitzharding, is the villain who had excited the Baron's groundless jealousy, and who not having quite done with him, follows him from Normandy to England, and there lies in wait to execute upon him some signal vengeance, in requital for his having been branded on the shoulder, by the Baron's orders, for shewing some symptoms of insubordination and mutiny, while serving under him as a soldier. Such is the con |