beautious fair," a catch; "Blessed is he," a canon, and "Dull repining sons of care," a glee. In this year he

commenced bachelor of music, at Oxford. In 1786 he obtained two more medals from the Catch-Club; and upon the Glee-Club being established in 1787, he was appointed sub-secretary, Dr. Arnold having been named as president, and the celebrated Mr. Webbe as secretary. In this year he was admitted among the honorary members of the Catch-Club, and obtained two more medals. It was on this occasion that he exhibited an instance of unparalleled industry, for he composed and sent in no less than one hundred compositions for the prize! In 1789 he gained all the four medals, a circumstance unprecedented in the annals of the club. At this time he was elected joint organist of St. Paul's Covent Garden. He married in 1791, and in the following year accepted the situation of organist to the Asylum. In 1800 he was admitted to the rank of Doctor in music, by the university of Oxford, his exercise being a Latin Anthem. During the years 1804 and 1805 he was employed in writing his Musical Grammar," which was the last considerable effort of his mind."

"Shortly afterwards he succeeded Dr. Crotch as lecturer on music, at the Royal Institution. That appointment gave peculiar satisfaction to Dr. Callcott, and he was delighted at the idea of following up what his predecessors had so well begun :-but it was too late. The fatal injuries which his constitution had received from excessive exertion, now shewed themselves; and he was, all at once, rendered incapable of fulfilling any of his engagements."

The strong and general sympathy which Dr. Callcott's afflicting malady excited, and the generous ardour with which the public seconded the efforts of the most eminent professors to provide against any pecuniary evils that might arise from the unavoidable interruption of his professional labours, pronounced a panegyric upon him, both as a man and a musician, that language would have attempted in vain.

"After an absence of five years, we again had the pleasure to see him among us; altered, indeed, in some respects, yet still possessing those excellent and endearing qualities by which he had always been distinguished.- At the expiration of three years he was once more compelled to leave his home, to which he never returned. * * * * * In the spring of 1821, he was declared to be in imminent danger, and some of his nearest relatives hastened to attend him. * * * * He died on the 15th of May, and his remains were brought to Kensington, and privately interred in the church-yard of that place on the 23d of the same month*."

Basse, (deux Flutes et Cors ad libitum) par J. N. HUMMEL. Oeuvre 97. (Leipzig, au Bureau de Musique de C. F. Peters. Imported by all the dealers in Foreign Music.)

The Fantasia by M. Hummel is undoutedly a very clever production, whereon a great deal of study has been bestowed; it is a work that none but a master could have produced, and which only a master-hand should attempt to perform, for no other can impart to it that extemporaneous character, that fine wildness, without which it must prove" flat and unprofitable." Indeed we feel that we should not be going too far in asserting, that a fantasia,-such as the present,-ought to be confined to the author of it himself, who would always be able, by slight variations from the text, and a few free touches, to give the effect of spontaneousness to it, without which it is good for nothing. We openly confess our distaste for this species of music, unless really produced à l'improviso, it is then, if the effusion be not too long, very interesting, and sometimes elicits sparks of genius that are never struck out by labour, and which lose all their heat ere they can be penned down. Those compositions that, under the title of fantasia, Mozart, Steibelt, and others gave to the world, are more regularly constructed, and contain more definable subjects than this by M. Hummel, and though they take the same name, are very different in character: to such, of course, our observations are not meant to apply.

The work now under notice consists of twenty-six pages; it opens with a short, but a very good and expressive, slow movement, which, after nearly a page of arpeggios, breaks into an allegro con fuoco, the subject of which, and indeed of nearly all that follows, is this,

At the 12th page a very elegant larghetto is introduced, and extends to page 19, but before it arrives there it becomes rather tedious by its length: this passes into an allegro assai, wherein the foregoing motivo is renewed, though not much adhered to, and after a slight change or two in the time, the piece is brought to a termination.

The Variations for the piano-forte, No. 2 of this article, are very unlike the preceding, both in design and effect, though they also require a good performer to execute them. They are written to be accompanied by an orchestra, or, at least, by a quintett of stringed instruments, without which they cannot be given so as to render their author strict justice. The subject of them is a strikingly gay and brilliant air, which we presume is to be ascribed to M. Hummel, as nothing to the contrary appears. We here insert it, but excluding the tutti parts, which repeat each division of the melody.

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1. VARIATIONS to a theme in the opera of Jean de Paris, with a Grand Introduction by J. MAYSEDER, arranged for the Piano-Forte, Solo, by GELINEK. (Published by Boosey and Co., Importers of Foreign Music, Holles Street.)

2. VARIATIONS pour le Piano-Forte, sur la Quadrille favourite de sa Majesté L'Empereur Alexandre; composées par GELINEK. No. 85. (Clementi and Co.) The Introduction by Mayseder to the variations of the Abbe Gelinek, has much merit, being new, and written with great taste and knowledge; though we heartily wish that he had represented his musical ideas by less awful characters than double demisemiquavers,-which he has used with a lavish hand,-and had indicated the movement, either by an Italian term, or by the metronome, the latter we should have preferred; but neither one nor the other is employed, and the performer is left to guess at the author's intention, which we take to be

Largo. A short piece of ecclesiastical harmony, in the first page of this introduction, has afforded us much gratification, and may not be unacceptable to such of our subscribers as are admirers of ancient music :

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The Theme is a very popular melody, commencing like the well-known air of Mozart, "non piu andrai ;" we should not have liked it less had the plagiarism been continued, and the same air pursued. The variations are exceedingly shewy, but much too difficult for the nature of the composition: we willingly toil if a rich prize is to be the reward of our labour, but that industry is ill bestowed which merely enables us to vanquish a difficulty that need not have been encountered.

The Autocrat of all the Russias likes a gay, simple tune, if the subject of the variations, No. 2, be his favourite quadrille. From the same we are also enabled to guess, that an air need not be absolutely original to gain his affection, for the present is as antiquated as a

cotillon, in which form it appeared about the period when the emperor condescended to be born. It is, however, a very good lively theme for variations, and M. Gelinek has constructed eleven upon it, that are brilliant, exbilirating, full of display, and not very difficult of attain ment to a tolerable proficient on the piano-forte. If the whole be thought too long, two, or even three, of the variations may be omitted, without damage to the effect of the piece. Which these should be, must depend upon the taste of the performer, or the judgment of the master; we do not, in so weighty a matter, presume to dictate to either.

MOZART'S Celebrated SYMPHONY, in G minor, newly adapted for the Piano-Forte, with Accompaniments for a Flute, Violin, and Violoncello, by MUZIO CLEMENTI. No. 5. (Clementi and Co., Cheapside.)

We have, in a former number of this work, spoken of Mozart's symphony in G minor, as a chef d'œuvre, having generally found that the soundest musicians prefer it to his others. Where all are so excellent it is difficult, perhaps, rash, to select one for the purpose of giving it the pre-eminence; nevertheless we must join in opinion with the many whose judgments we value, and give the palm to the work now under review. Italian musicians, and the adherents of their school, tell us that Mozart's compositions are deficient in melody: we never knew them cite any example in proof, but if instances to the contrary were required, the four movements of this symphony would furnish some of a most undeniable nature. Mr. Clementi has adapted it with the same ability that he has shewn in the former numbers, and, by his judicious management, has placed it within the reach of many performers who would never have attempted it, had the arrangement been made by a musician less skilful and rienced than this highly-distinguished composer and performer.

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The first of these pieces is the Jaeger chor, or huutsmen's chorus, from the Freyschütz, one of the most ingenious compositions in that clever and original opera. It is preceded by an Introduction of two pages, and drawn out into seven variations that are not devoid of ingenuity. No. 2, is an easy rondo, formed upon rather a pleasing subject, and consisting almost entirely of flowing passages of quavers, in six-eight time. The rondo named L'Eloise, is cold and unmeaning; from the title, something very much the reverse was to be expected, but names are not always correct indices to qualities. The air by Rossini, No. 4, is light and pretty, and as it is extended to only five pages, the want of contrast in the amplification of it is not oppressive.

1. A Familiar VOLUNTARY for the ORGAN, Composed by J. C. NIGHTINGALE, Organist of the Foundling Hospital, No. 1. (Monro, and May, 11, Holborn-bars.) 2. A Ditto No. 2. Ditto Ditto.

2. Une offrande aux Sœurs, RONDO à la Quadrille, with an Accompaniment for the Flute, ad libitum. Composed by the same. (Published by John Gow and Son, 162, Regent Street.)

3. L'Eloise, INTRODUCTION and RONDO for the Piano Forte, op. 9. Composed by the same. (John Gow and Son.)

4. A Favourite Air of Rossini, arranged as a RONDO for the Piano-Forte, composed by the same. (John Gow and Son.)

From the style in which the above four pieces is composed, we are led to believe that Mr. Ling's experience has now taught him that simplicity of construction, and a moderate degree of ease, are absolutely necessary to music that is meant for general circulation. In such of his former publications as have passed under our notice, these qualities appeared to us to be too much neglected, and we hinted to him our opinion; if that has had any weight with him, we must, of course, feel flattered, while we hope and believe that he will not hereafter find cause to regret having been a little influenced by our observations.

We learn with much satisfaction, from many of our correspondents, that organ music is in great request at the present moment, on account of the daily increase in the number of performers on that noble instrument. From the commencement of the Harmonicon to the day when we received the two voluntaries now before us, not one composition for the organ had been sent us to review; nor do we find that any thing in this branch has lately been published in London, though several works of a superior order have appeared in Germany. There is, however, an abundant supply of music belonging to the class of which we are writing, to be had, though, if novelty, for novelty's sake, be the principal thing desired,-if musical productions be inversely as the productions of the sister arts of poetry and painting, and valuable only when new,-then indeed, a real scarcity must be confessed. But to those who think that age is no more an objection to good music than to a fine poem, or an exquisite picture,-to such persons Handel's works, parCorelli, Geminiani, and Martini, are inexhaustible sources of the scientific, the beautiful, and the sublime. Το these must be added that incomparable collection, Clementi's Practical Harmony, which is a library in itself, and embodies the best works of all the German composers for the organ, as well as most of those of Italy and France. As fashion has not yet assumed any cortrol over this department of the art, we may, without fear of reproach, venture to recommend the ancient compositions above-named, to such of our readers as have desired to have our opinion upon the subject of organ music. estimate of Mr. Nightingale's ability from these two voluntaries; they appear to be written for very general purposes, and ease in execution seems to be the chief point that their author has studied. They each consist of three short movements, in which the trumpet-stop, and swell, à la Stanley, are not forgotten. The second is by far the best, and contains a fugue, which, though very freely treated, has considerable merit, and possesses sufficient melody to please those who are not profound enough to understand its construction.

We do not think that it would be candid to form an

It would be unjust not to mention with praise the moderate price,-eighteen-pence,—at which `each of these voluntaries is published.