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Flat Pianoforte Sonata, Op. 26. The general char- acter of the Finale is from the first pretty clearly expressed, and as usual it is the Finale which is the first attacked. The first jotting for the second movement runs as follows : Minuetto.

but a second attempt comes much nearer to the object aimed at, and it is the well-known march which gives the composer the greatest trouble. Here again Nottebohm intervenes to destroy the illusions of the anecdote-hunter. The story ran that the march had its origin in Beethoven's annoyance at the popularity of another composition of similar purport by Paer. It now appears that the opera Achilles which contained Paer's March was performed for the first time in 1801, whereas Beethoven's Funeral March was written and ready by the middle of the year 1800. Be this as it may, the sketches show very plainly how little the first tentative efforts realised the massive grandeur of Beethoven's conception. By slow degrees the stately musical structure assumed its present proportions, and more laboriously even than usual the artist evolved from the refractory raw material that gorgeous piece of tone-colouring which, in spite of its having been written for the pianoforte, yet so palpably teems with orchestral effects that it might pass for a transcription.

Leonoea Young.

[Erralum, — In the first part of this article, p. 72, column 2d, line 48, the phrase ' Beethoven was not merely casting about for ideas ' is so obviously absurd, that the reader will scarcely require to be asked to delete the word ' merely.']

FLORID VOCAL MUSIC.

AT the present day florid vocal music is unquestionably not in vogue. One might even go so far as to assert that florid, when used in connection with vocal music, is to many musicians synonymous with trivial. By the leading composers of Germany, France, and England the is almost totally neglected. The same state of matters is to be found in Italy, so long the home of the aria di bravura. This is the case in the different styles of music, whether it be opera, oratorio, or cantata. We have only to compare the Messiah or Judas Maccabeus with the Elijah or the Rose of Sharon to find what might be called the typical difference in the treatment of the voice by the old and modern schools. The Messiah and Judas Maccabeus make great demands on the flexibility, as well as on the sustaining powers of the voice, whereas the Elijah and the Rose of Sharon contain only sustained singing througliout. Now in this vocalists have to a certain degree just cause for complaint. The great composers of the day write for the piano, violin, and 'cello in a manner calculated to show off the powers of execution of the performer, and to bring out the different beauties of the instrument ; but singers, it would almost seem, are not to be encouraged to display their skill, or the wonderful flexibility of which their matchless instrument is capable. This is a great pity, as the power of singing a beautiful cantabile depends so much on the elasticity of the voice. Flexibility is also of first importance if truly beautiful legato sing- ing is desired. The old Italian masters of singing- knew this. Benedetto Marcello (1686-1739), the celebrated composer of the Psalms, in his satire entitled II Teatro alia Moda, — ' The Theatre of the Day' — gives the following sarcastic advice to some singers of his time : ' The singer must be careful not to practise Solfeggi, as he might thus be in danger of acquiring a firm voice, just intonation, and the power of singing in tune, thing's useless in modern music. Would this sarcastic advice not be even more justifiable at the present day ? Yet it must be admitted that singers to a certain extent should lay the blame at their own door. This will appear if we strive to find out the reasons that in aU probability have led to this almost total abandonment of florid vocal writing. After con- sidering the subject, the writer has come to the conclusion that the neglect has been principally ascribed to three causes : — Firstly, to the influence of Richard Wagner, who, on account of his splendid genius and powerful individuality, has wielded an influence on the musicians and composers of his day perhaps never obtained by any composer of former times. Into Wagner's general treatment of the voice the writer does not propose to enter in the present article ; he only wishes to point out the lack of florid vocal music in any of Wagner's operas. His trenchant criticisms on the Italian School have also doubtlessly brought anything approaching the old a?-ia dag-ilita into disfavour with our rising composers, most of whom look up to Wagner as to their teacher and model.