Apollo, at Paris. On the 30th of December, 1809, he was elected an associate of the Institution of France.

Among the numerous works of which we have given the list, there are many which have had general success, and which have been and are still performed in the principal theatres of Europe The following are among the comic operas :-La Frescatana, Le Due Contesse, Il Re Teodoro, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Il Furbo mal accorto, i). Anchise Campanone, La Modista raggiratrice, I Zingari in fiera, Dal Finto il vero, L'inganno felice, L'Arabo cortese, L'Amor contrastato, Il Tumburro notturno, La pazza per amore, L'Innocente fortunata, Il matrimonio inaspettato, La Serra Padrona, I Filosofi imaginari, Le gare generose, La Grotta di Trofonio. Among the serious operasLa diffatta di Dario, L'Elfrida, Il Pirro, La Nitteti, L'Antigono, Lucindu ed Armidoro, L'Olympiade, Il Demetrio, L'Andromaca, La Fedra, Catone in Utica, I giuochi d'Agrigento. Among the works for the church-La Passione, the mass for two choirs, the Te Deum, the motetts and funeral symphonies.

Although the cold and tiresome poem of Proserpine very much injured the success of the music in France, where, in the eyes of the public, the poem decides the success of an opera, M. Paisiello thinks that this work, translated into Italian, will increase those on which his reputation has been founded.

To complete the account M. Paisiello has thus rendered of himself, some remarks on the nature of his talents, and on those qualities which characterised him are merely necessary. To do this in few words, they are fertility of invention, an extraordinary and happy facility of finding subjects full both of nature and originality, a talent unique in developing them by the resources of melody, and embelfishing them by interesting details, an arrangement always full of fancy and learning, a taste, grace, and freshness of melody by which he has far surpassed all other composers, and has been a model to those who have laboured after him. His composition always very simple, and divested of all affectation of learning; is not only extremely correct, but exceedingly elegant, and his accompaniments always very clear, are at the same time brilliant and full of effect. With regard to expression, although simplicity seems to be its principal and ruling character, it is not less true that he knows perfectly how to introduce variety, to seize on the different methods of producing effect, and to pass from the comic, from the simple and un

affected to the pathetic, to the majestic, and even to the terrible, without losing that grace and elegance, from which it appears impossible for him to depart.

Such are the qualities which have obtained M. Paisiello the suffrages of all, both those of the public and of amateurs, as well as those of the learned and of masters.

No composer could at any time have been more universally ad mired, sought, applauded, and sung in all the nations of Europe, nor have better deserved the distinguished reception his works have every where met. No one has more enjoyed such universal success. Placed at the same time among the most delightful authors and among the finest classics, he has received the homage of his age, and has assured to himself that of posterity.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON BASS SINGING.

OUR two first numbers contained a detailed analysis of tenor and soprano singing, as exhibited in the highest examples this country has known during the memory of those of the present times. We shall now proceed towards the completion of the series, by some account of the progress of bass singing during the same period. But before we attempt to illustrate as heretofore, by character, it appears to be necessary to prefix some account of the changes which this department of public singing has undergone, as well as of the state in which we now find it.

At the commencement of this æra, the airs selected for basses 'in the principal concerts of the metropolis were principally from the works of HANDEL. After so much has been everywhere written upon the style of this master, it may seem superfluous to enter upon any remaks relative to what ought to be so thoroughly understood; but nevertheless a short notice is indispensible,

It is principally to be observed, that HANDEL wrote for particular singers, and was therefore compelled to adapt himself to their capacities; we shall have reason to perceive that similar circumstances operating upon other composers, have produced very singular and very contrary effects. His bass songs were written in a flowing and

powerful, but mechanical and heavy style. He endeavoured to infuse lightness by divisions rather than by melody, and the whole cast of these airs are suited to the ponderous and rough magnificence of genuine bass voices of great compass and strength, in the lower tones especially. HANDEL's bass songs of touching sentiment, of which Tears such as tender Fathers shed,* and How willing my paternal lovet are examples, though beautiful in point of melody to modern cars, seem wanting in the grace and tenderness which alone can enable bass voices to affect the hearer. They are too sombre. While on the contrary, such songs as Revenge Timotheus cries, Honor and arms, and See the raging flames arise, I though composed with prodigious energy in the declamatory parts, are somewhat coarse in effect from the dry, mechanical formation of the divisions of which they are so materially made up. These two species, however, give us the most forcible examples of the general manner in which our greatest genius thought it best to compose for this kind of voice. We beg to be understood now to speak generally, for there are particular instances which cannot be classed with either of these. Three of the airs in the Messiah stand alone. They mix both the cantabile and passages of division in a manner as extraordinary as full, rich, and expressive. But who may abide the day of his coming, is a melody abounding with very chaste and impassioned eloquence. The recitative and air, For behold darkness shall cover the earth, and The people that walked, are written in a style of curious, and we may say felicit ous adaptation, which has never been equalled, and will certainly never be surpassed. To crown the magnificence, grandeur, and solemnity of the part HANDEL has assigned to his bass in this the most inspired of his works, comes The Trumpet shall sound, a song of an expression so matchless and unearthly, that it conveys the language of the most awful prophecy which waits upon mortality, in sounds not less impressive and heart-piercing than the sacred words themselves. The minor movement is to our apprehension so infinitely simple, yet so imposing in its structure, that it always seems to us as if HANDEL had reached the utmost intensity of thought and feeling in the composition of the few bars which it contains. It is not at all below the latter part of I know that my Redeemer liveth, and we know of no task requiring more a sublime understanding of the whole combined

* Deborah. + Sampson. Alexander's feast.

Joshua.

eloquence of the art that is indispensible to the execution of this song. From this, perhaps the highest of all HANDEL's compositions for a bass, we may migrate to the beautiful and unique chromatic song in the Dettingen Te Deum, "Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin," as exhibiting a new and more interesting manner of pathetic writing. This and "When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man," (in the same piece) are almost the only instances of an approach to that style of writing for basses, which now prevails both in Italy, Germany, and England. Of the lighter manner of divison which we have spoken of above "The God of battle quits the bloody field," in Hercules, is a sufficient specimen. If we turn to his operas, "Sorge infausta," "Nasce al Bosco," and " Del minnacciar del vento," shew us the genius of these compositions.

Such was the school in which the bass singers from the time of HANDEL to the appearance of the works of HAYDN in this country were principally trained. They naturally became powerful, solemn, and what was then called scientific, but their execution would be grave rather than touching, mechanically strict and stately rather than airy or agile, or refined. DR. BURNEY, in his history of the commemoration of HANDEL, at Westminster Abbey, and the Pantheon, speaks only of the flexibility and compass of SIGNOR TASCA, who sung the bass parts. Those now living who heard him there, consider that his voice was rough but powerful, and his manner heavy. The very first bass singer of note we remember was MR. SALE, so long one of the gentlemen of the chapel, who had a sound voice, but whose manner would now be esteemed neither finished nor affecting. MR. MEREDITH,† of Liverpool, was the next in our recol

* There is in this oratorio one of HANDEL's finest bass songs " Õh Ĵove what land is this,” which we believe is almost unattempted since HANDEL's time. We never heard of but one instance where it was tried. This was at a provincial meeting by a provincial organist, who was so overpowed by the prodigious weight of accompaniment, that after a fruitless endeavour to sustain a few bars, he found himself completely overawed, and he sat down and left the song unfinished. "O God of truth," in Belshazzar, a song never sung, is amongst the most magnificent HANDEL ever wrote, and in a manner differing materially from his common writing for basses.

This singer made but one attempt in London, (at the Lent oratorios we be lieve, for we speak upon tradition,) when he was so overcome by his fears that he literally cried instead of sung amidst the hisses of the audience. He had notwithstanding, much merit, and was highly esteemed at Liverpool and other provincial meetings where he assisted. His figure was very large and uncouth, and his features hard and rugged.

T t

lection. The tone of his voice was by far the most interesting of any bass singer we ever knew, and his power was very great and imposing.. CHARLES BANISTER was there about the same period, the most in estimation at the theatres, and his voice and his style were alike powerful by nature and feeling, though rough and unpolished. He gave CARTER's very spirited description of a sea fight, "Stand to your guns my hearts of oak," with a corresponding animation.SHIELD Wrote "The Wolf" for him. It was a frequent custom with BANISTER to introduce a very few notes of his brilliant falsette into contrast with his low tones. He did this in the closing passage of the slow movement of The Wolf, and also in various parts of Capt. Macheath's songs in The Beggar's Opera.

The state of bass singing must be thus accounted at a low ebb, and DR. BURNEY, in his narrative of the commemoration, uses an expression, which amounts to an admission, that he considered this branch of vocal science to have sunk from its former level. Speak ing of "Nasce al Bosco" he says, "it was composed for MONTAGNANo, one of the most celebrated bass singers in HANDEL's service, when that specics of voice was more in fashion, and perhaps more cuttivated than at present." These recessions or intermissions of public opinion with respect to particular parts of science, their enjoyment or their application, makes up a portion of that interminable variety which it has pleased Divine Providence to implant in our own dispositions, as well as in the nature of all other things, to diversify and augment the lot of human happiness. About the very moment when the historian thus gives us to know that bass singers had probably fallen off from former excellence a performer was rising, who was to renew in a far greater degree the public regard towards this department, and a composer was about to give birth to a totally new mode of writing for the voice, which has contributed to place the hitherto dull and mechanical bass, nearly upon a level with the powerful, brilliant, and impressive tenor. The first of these was MR. BARTLEMAN, of whom it is our design to speak particularly, and in detail. The last is JOSEPH HAYDN, who has imparted to his airs for the bass, a character of grace, elegance, suavity, and cap

* BANISTER used to play Signor Arionelli in the farce of the Son in law, in a falsette throughout, and sung "Water parted from the seu," in imitation of the poor mutilated beings who were not then banished from our Italian Opera.ROSELLI who appeared in 1779 was the last of them.