ourselves with a nation whose qualities entitle them to the highest moral and intellectual respect, (for amongst these qualities stands conspicuous the national amour propre,) were we to assert that all Scotch music wants what is understood (at least among modern musicians,) by the word grace; and when we say that this term implies a certain smoothness, elegance, and polished suavity, which affects the heart while it pleases the ear, we should give the best general definition in our power, at the same time that we should make intelligible to our readers, the precise deficiency of Scotch melodies-for beyond melodies we know of nothing Scotch. These are wild, sprightly, animating, and sometimes pathetic, but the passion for jerks (derived probably from their dance tunes,) deforms almost every air, and constitutes that peculiarity which deprives their compositions of grace. Even in the theme and variations before us, there is something too much of this, but as a whole it is a lively and agreeable specimen of what may be done with such things. It cmbraces no difficulties, and will be found airy and amusing.

Preludes in a progressive style for the Piano Forte, Composed for the use of Young Ladies, by T. Latour. London. Chappell and Co.

Twenty-six Preludes or short Introductions in the principal Major and Minor Keys for the Piano Forte. Composed by J. B. Cramer. London. Chappel and Co. and Clementi and Co.

We have often enquired why a Piano Forte player should be indulged or should indulge himself with the liberty of running over the instrument before his regular performance commences? And it has been replied, that the prelude breaks the abruptness of an immemediate beginning, preserves a more attentive audience to the principal piece, and altogether acts like the symphony of a song. But this appears to us to be only a part, and not the most important part of the design, which is to bring the hand and fingers into play, as well as to exhibit what we may call extraneous powers of execution. Were a singer to go up and down the scale, or to flit through a dozen volatas, it would be thought mighty ridiculous, and yet the

same motive must be common to both, namely, a desire to bring the organs into exercise before the real onset. In point of fact, such preparation is most necessary to the singer, though the union of sense with the sound of the human voice forbids it. Custom is all powerful, and pianists must prelude. Custom cannot, however, give fancy and science to those who happen not to possess them, and it follows that although these preludes are by courtesy supposed to be extemporaneous flights of the ́ imagination, it not unfrequently happens, that they who can execute cannot compose. To obviate this otherwise insurmountable difficulty, authors have been ready to lend their aid, and memory may now supply the place of a deeper knowledge of the art.

MR. LATOUR Some time since, and MR. CRAMER very recently, have published preludes, in the keys most generally used. They differ in material points, and will, for that reason, both be found useful.

MR. LATOUR has divided his short outlines into the proportions of time, and they have all the regularity and rythm of distinct melodies. They generally confine the player within very narrow limitations as to compass, and the whole are defined and measured. They are, however, adapted to all the early stages of study, some of them being so plain, simple, and easy, that a child of a very few months standing would be able to execute them, and this property also makes them easier to get by rote. They are commonly very short, not consisting of more than from five to twenty bars, and in general there is more of modulation than in those of MR. CRAMER. It will be immediately seen, that the desire MR. LATOUR has enter tained of rendering his preludes pleasing to the ear and easy to commit to memory, has led him into an error fatal to their main design, namely, that of such things appearing to be an extemporaneous exercise, in which the fingers fly rapidly over the strings, and try them from the top to the bottom of the instrument, calling up, as it were the inspiration and fire that is to illuminate the future. A prelude is either this, or it is in nothing separable from the regular performance that succeeds.

MR. CRAMER has entertained the poetical notion we have fallen into, and has at once discharged his compositions from the restraints of bars, and his hands and his thoughts wander free over the whole extent of the instrument. He takes in almost every kind of passage,

those of regular ascent and descent, arpeggios, triplets, and quadruplets, alternating from hand to hand and from measure to measure, leaving the expression entirely to the feeling and command of the player. Though short, they are full of fire and fancy, and, in every sense, as well adapted to the purpose, as might be expected from a man of the supereminent genius and experience of Mr.Cramer. We have thus considered them according to their own design, but as exercises both these brief systems have their proper merits; Mr. LATOUR'S for beginners, and MR. CRAMER'S for the more advanced. Besides these advantages, such things are calculated to lead the mind to extemporaneous playing-of all musical attainments the one that most employs the faculties, and brings most delight to the possessor. By the practical application of these short sketches, the mind must be gradually drawn toward an independent disregard of technical memory, and the player can best learn to wish and to work his way to a larger field of liberty and excursion, accompanied by the highly pleasurable notion, that whatever is thus atchieved is his own. The strong impulse towards the knowledge of the science of harmony, which has been lately imparted to musical instruction, will have such a tendency, and it is perhaps its chiefest good, as it concerns individual gratification, for while there are thousands who are too indolent, too timid, or too diffident to commit their thoughts to paper, the same individuals, particularly those of the finest sensibility, will be enabled to partake unspeakable delight from the power they will thus enjoy-a power employed without labour, yet at every instant the fancy receives fresh additions of that gradual excitement, which engenders an intellectual temperament, perhaps of all others, the most favorable to human happiness, in the exertion of talents or accomplishment.

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The Peri pardoned, by Dr. John Clarke, of Cambridge.-London.

Power.

We part, for ever part, to night! recitative and air, by J. Macdonald Harris.-London. Power.

The Feast of Roses, by Henry R. Bishop.-London. Power.

Her Hands were clasped, recitative and air, by Thomas Attwood. London. Power.

MR. MOORE's poem of Lalla Rookh has furnished the words for these four songs, which on that account we class together. They also bear resemblance to each other, as being divided into recitative and air. We have placed them as we estimate them, proceeding from the worst to the best.

TO DR. CLARKE's recitative and air we can give very little commendation. There is scarcely a passage after the opening symphony of the recitative, that is not common-place, and even bordering on vulgarity. The division of the word "heaven" into a dissyllable, which in music it will rarely, if ever, bear, and the notation assigned to the word "harbinger," are of this description. The air too partakes of a coarse spirit of levity, and is, moreover, note for note like a song published about a dozen years ago by an amateur, beginning Nay take it, Patty." It is a little redeemed from this general character in the minor, but as a whole, it was not worth printing.

In MR. HARRIS's song, there is is more simplicity, nature, and feeling, and it makes no other pretensions. We may point out that the greater portion of the recitative is air, regularly measured by the accompaniment, and why it takes another name, we are are at a loss to divine. This song is more creditable to the talents of the author than "the Peri pardoned."

MR. BISHOP's recitative begins with one of his usual beautiful and attractive symphonies, and these are continued throughout. There is in it a good deal of Italian sweetness and elegance. The air reminds us powerfully of some of the Irish melodies, though we cannot summon to our recollection which. The feast of roses is about equal to the middle strain of MR. BISHOP's compositions, neither rising to the best nor sinking to the worst of them. It is not deficient in taste, and it is in the fashion of the day.

MR. ATTWOOD's song is in the soundest style, and is the most original of the four. The interrupted cadence at the close of the recitative leads very pathetically to the following larghetto, which is conducted from D minor to F, with considerable effect. This movement is sweet and plaintive. The entire composition has more originality than belongs to the generality of modern songs, although perhaps it cannot be said to be very felicitously conceived, or to flow in a very rich vein. The whole air is aided materially by the changeful modulation of the accompaniment, which is masterly throughout.

Grecian Air, with Variations for the Piano Forte; by Samuel Webbe, jun.—London.

The theme upon which this lesson is founded was presented, as appears by the title, by VISCOUNTESS ASHBROOK, to the pupils at MESSRS. LOGIER'S, WEBBE, and KALKBRENNER's academy, as an exercise in harmony, and their bass is appended. There is internal as well as prima facie evidence, that we owe Mr. WEBBE'S composition to this circumstance, for it is, we think, manifest that the author had a design not only to produce variations, but variations of such a nature as should declare his own ability as a harmonist, and provide an exercise for his scholars of a kind to task at one and the same time their manual dexterity and their knowledge as theorists.

The air itself is exceedingly plain-so plain indeed as to be bald, and it wants those features which, by a strong impression upon the fancy or the feelings, are generally held to be best fitted for the subject of such a composition. It will be no wonder then if it is less prominent than we are accustomed to find the air, for though MR. WEBBE has endeavoured to preserve to it its place and dignity, there is unfortunately so little intrinsic force, that it necessarily falls into secondary importance. If we were to regard the subject therefore, in any other light than it has probably been taken, we should be compelled to consider the choice an injudicious one.

Bat modulation and harmony seem to have been the leading ob jects in MR. WEBBE's contemplation, by making those which are