NOTICES OF NEW MUSIC.
Vanished Years.Song. By Seymour Smith.—A sympathetic, easy setting of the sad words by Helen M. Waitman. It is published in F and A flat.
The Violet and the Snowdrop.Song. By Ethel Harraden, with words by Gertrude Harraden.—A simple story, simply illustrated. The violin accompaniment, charming as it is, would have been much more so, had it been broken up a little more. There is no rest for it, and this destroys much of its effect. The same part has been transposed an octave for a violoncello. The song is within the compass of most singers—C to D, and not higher.
Two Melodiesfor violin and piano, by the same composer, Miss Harraden, meet all the requirements of the youthful amateur violinist. They are simple, effective, and melodious. As they are so evidently intended for young people, we are surprised that the violin part is neither fingered nor bowed.
Six Romances.For the pianoforte. By Sir George Macfarren.—If the others are as delightful as Nos. 4 (Lullaby) and 5 (Welcome), which we have before us, these romances are the most graceful and sympathetic works for the piano which this great theoretical master has given us.
Tarantella.In G minor. For pianoforte. By J. Hoffmann.—A very characteristic specimen of this phrenzied dance. The excitement is well sustained to the close.
Violanté.A Spanish Waltz. For piano. By Michael Watson.—Containing what Mr. Corder would call “distinct local colouring,” and developing a graceful subject. Is it because the melody is in Spanish that the title-page is in French?
Gavotte.In D. By Ariosti (1660-1730). Arranged by Edwin M. Lott for the piano.—An interesting relic by a man who, like Buononcini, was at the commencement of the eighteenth century a powerful rival to Handel in opera production, and who, like Buononcini, is now almost entirely forgotten.
Arpeggios.—An extremely useful collection of these technical passages. By Edwin M. Lott.—The arrangement of the arpeggios is founded on the well-known work of Charles Chaulieu, who taught the piano in London 1840-9.
Two Andantes, for the organ, by Walter Porter, are mild, harmless movements, containing many signs of the youthful amateur about them. Amongst others is the fact that the pedals are used without intermission from beginning to end, augmenting a want of contrast and variety already too apparent in both pieces.
Yellow Roseswe can recommend as a pretty ballad by Michael Watson. It is published in every necessary key.
Biondina, a ballad of a rather better order, by Weatherly, has been set to music by F. N. Löhr.
No other Dream.Song, for mezzo-soprano voice. By Joseph L. Roeckel.—Is also of the modern ballad type, and hardly attains to the usual merit of this composer’s songs.
Clairette.By Ernst J. Reiter.—A fascinating little dance for piano. The delicacy of subject and treatment suggests a lady’s composition in every page.
Bouquets de Mélodies.Pour violon, avec accompagnement de piano. Par Gustav Merkel.—We have received No. 1, a gavotte in C, a well-written trifle by this scholarly German organist and composer.
While we Dream.A song of moderate compass, possessing much musical feeling, and the originality that we are now led to expect from Mr. Addison. A curious, not very vocal, effect is produced by the diminished fourth, in the line, “At our feet long shadows lie.”
The Old See-Sawis a song of the conventional “Swing, swing” type, but brightly written, and likely to add to Miss Annie Armstrong’s reputation as a popular writer of small things.
A most important addition to the large number of teaching manuals already published is theChild Pianist, divided into grades and steps, and combining in a thoughtful and systematic way a little theory and a little practice, never forcing a child, and never letting the head get in front of the hands orvice versâ. Accompanying these steps with their capital duets for pupil and teacher, by J. Kinross, written after the manner of Lebert and Stark’s book, we have aTeacher’s Guide to the Child Pianist, an assistance to young teachers, and an essential explanation to the exercises and method. We cannot too highly estimate the care and management displayed by Mrs. J. S. Curwen, the authoress of these valuable works.
We do not generally notice dance music, but must mention with praise two compositions of this class by Evelyn Hastings, really charming and graceful as piano pieces, for littleentr’actesat readings, or between charades; they are theOnda Waltzand thePostscript Polka, the latter being especially happy in its construction.