V780.-1 VAULT THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA te r 8r Br - i ENDOWED BY THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES V780.1 A958e Music Library This book must not be taken from the Library building. JEf 2 4 ' Sa 'fl^M^b Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/essayonmusicalexOOavis This book must not be taken from the Library building. A N LIBRARY UNIV. OF NORTH CAROLINA ESSAY O N MUSICAL EXPRESSION. By CHARLES AVISON, Organijl in Newcastle, So ben, cVera Meftier da Virtuofi La Mufica una Volta \ e f'tmparavano^ Tra gt huomini i piu grandi, ei piu famofi* So che Davidde, e Socrate cantavano 5 E che de /'Arcade, il Greco, e lo Spartano D'altra Scienza alpar la celebravano* Se y che fit dt Miracolifeconda, E che fapea ritor T Anime a Lete, Bench efujfero quafi in fu la Sponda* Salvat. Rosa. Sat. L LO'NDO Ni Prmted for C. Davis, oppofite Graf $-Inn -Gat t> ixiHoIborn. MDCCLIL CONTENTS PART I.. SEC T. L. t~)N the Farce and, Effect of Music M Page i„ SEC T. IL On the Analogies between Musi,c and Painting 23- *L- A itj A, A A A if! A -♦• **■ <*' -♦■ -*■ ■ -*■ tJb A A A*A ^afc A A itt it. if* AA A A. A A A t^'V : ♦ ♦ '«T ^ IS* + '♦ ■ V V 'V - '* 4- ■ V ♦ «■

j< v 'J' vf '}• *i* %* *p 5' "Jp v 'I 1 v 'J* w "J" 9 '¥ '•' t 1 '* * 1* 9 v w ttttttt PART III. On Musical Expression, as it relates /(?/&Performer. SECT. I. On the exprejjive Performance of Musie in general 89, SECT. II. On the exprejfke Performance cf Music in Parts 112. ADVER- ADVERTISEMENT. A S there are feveral mufical jLIl Terms, which will frequently occur in the Courfe of this Efiay, and which are not always fufficiently at- tended to} it may therefore be ne- ceflary, for the Sake of thofe who are not particularly converfant in Mufic, to explain them according to their moft general Acceptation. And firft, the Term Melody may be defined the Means or Method of ranging jingle mufical Sounds in a re- gular Progreflion, either afcending or defcending, according to the efta- blifhed Principles. HARMONT, ADVERTISEMENT. HARMONT, is the Method of ranging two or more concording mu- fical Sounds, or the agreeable Union of them in feveral Parts, when fung or played together. As therefore a con- tinued Succeffion of Jingle mufical Sounds produces Melody, fo does a continued Combination of thefe pro- duce Harmony. MODULATION, is the Effeft of Jingle > or concording mufical Sounds, fucceeding one another in an arbitrary but agreeable Progreffion, ; paffing from one Key to another, and therefore doth: as well relate to combined, as to Jingle mufical Sounds. • , - i By the Word Key, is meant, a regu- lar Succeffion of any eight natural Notes, the loweil Note being confider- ed as the Principal, is therefore called the. ADVERTISEMENT. the Key-Note j all the other Notes in that Key being fubordinate to it. CADENCES in Mufic, are the fame as Stops in Speaking, or Writing, being, in like Manner, the proper Ter- minations, either of a Part, or of the whole of a Compofition. The Term SubjeB, (or Fugue or Air) is, in a mufical Senfe, what the Word SubjecS likewife implies in Writing. The Term Air, in fome Cafes, includes the Manner of hand- ing or carrying on the Subject. PASSAGES in Mufic, are alfo ike Sentences or Paragraphs in Writ- ng. This laft Term hath fometimes oeen ufed to denote Graces, or extempo- re Flourijhings only. But in this latter Senfe we fhall never confider it, the brmer Definition being more ftridtly juft, .ADVERTISEMENT. juft, according to its original Accepta- tion, and therefore more applicable tc the Intention of this Effay. Music is faid to be in Score, whet* all the Parts are diftindtly wrote and fet under each other, fo as the Eye, at one View, may take in all the varioitt Contrivances of the Compofer. AK [ * 3 AN E S S A Y O N Musical Expression. PART L SECT. I. On the Force and Effeffs of Music, AS the public Inclina&on for Mufic feems every Day ad- vancing, it may not be amifs^ at this Time, to offer a few Obferva- tions on that delightful Art , fuch Ob- fervations, I mean, as may be chiefly, applicable to the prefent Times ; fuch. B as 2 An Essay ^ as may tend to corred: any Errors that have arifen, either in the Compofition, or the Practice of Mufic. I f we view this Art in it's Founda- tions, we fhall find, that by the Con- stitution of Man it is of mighty Ef- ficacy in working both on his Imagi- nation and his Paffions. The Force of Harmony, or Melody alone, is won- derful on the Imagination. A full Chord ftruck, or a beautiful Succeffion of Jingle Sounds produced, is no lefs ravifhing to the Ear, than juft Symme- try or exquifite Colours to the Eye. The Capacity of receiving Pleafure from thefe muiical Sounds, is, in Faft, a peculiar and internal Senfe -, but of a much more refined Nature than the external Senfes : For in the Pleafures arifing from our internal Senfe of Harmony, there is no prior Uneafinefs neceffary, Musical Expression. 3 neceflary, in order to our tailing * them in their full Perfection ; neither is the Enjoyment of them attended either with Languor or Difguft. It is their peculiar and eflential Property, to divert the Soul of every unquiet Paf- fion, to pour in upon the Mind, a filent and ferene Joy , beyond the Power of Words to exprefs, and to fix the Heart in a rational, benevolent, and happy Tranquillity. But, though this be the natural Effect of Melody or Harmony on the Imagination, when fimply considered ; yet when to thefe is added the Force of Mufical Exprejjion, the Effedt is greatly increafed ; for then they afliime the Power of exciting all the moil: agreea- ble Paflions of the Soul. The Force of Sound in alarming the Paflions is prodigious. Thus, the Noife of Thun- der, the Shouts of War, the Uproar B 2 of 4 An E s s a y on of an enraged Ocean, ftrike us with Terror : So again, there are certain Sounds natural to Joy, others to Grief, or Defpondency, others to Tendernefs and Love ; and by hearing thefe, we naturally fympathize with thofe who either enjoy or fuffer. Thus Mufic, either by imitating thefe various Sounds in due Subordination to the Laws of Air and Harmony, or by any other Method of Affociation, bringing the Objects of our Paffions before us (es- pecially when thefe Objects are de- termined, and made as it were vifibly, and intimately prefent to the Imagina- tion by the Help of Words) does na- turally raife a Variety of Paffions in the human Breaft, fimilar to the Sounds which are expreffed : And thus by the Mufician's Art, we are often carried into the Fury of a Battle, or a Tem- peft, we are by turns elated with Joy, or funk in pleaiing Sorrow, roufed to Courage, Musical Expression. £ Courage, or quelled by grateful Ter- rors, melted into Pity, Tendernefs, and Love, or tranfported to the Re- gions oT Blifs, in an Extacy of di- vine Praife. But beyond this, I think we may venture to aiTert, that it is the peculiar Quality of Mufic to raife the Jhciable and happy Pajjions, and to fubdue the contrary ones, I know it has been ge- nerally believed and affirmed, that it's Power extends alike to every Affection of the Mind. But I would offer it to the Confideration of the Public, whe- ther this is not a general and funda- mental Error* I would appeal to any Man, whether ever he found himfelf urged to Afts of Selfiihnefs, Cruelty, Treachery, Revenge, or Malevolence by the Power of mufical Sounds ? Or if he ever found Jealoufy, Sufpicion, or Ingratitude engendered in his Breaft B 3 either 6 An Essay on either from Harmony or Discord ? I believe no Inftance of this Nature can be alledged with Truth. It mufl be owned, indeed, that the Force of Mufic may urge the PaJJions to an ex- cefs, or it may fix them on falfe and improper Objects, and may thus be pernicious in it's Effects : But ftill the Paffions which it raifes, though they may be mijied or excejjive, are of the benevolent and fecial Kind, and in their Intent at leaft are difinterefted and noble *, As * Left the two Paffions above-mentioned, of TVr- ror and Grief, mould lie thought an Exception to this Rule, it may not be improper to remark as to the firft, that the Terror raifed by Mufical Exprejfion, is always of that grateful Kind, which arifes from an Jmpremon of fomething terrible to the Imagination, but which is immediately diffipated, by a fubfequent Conviction, that the Danger is entirely imaginary : Of the fame Kind is the Terror raifed in us, when we ftand near the Edge of a Precipice, or in Sight of a tempeftuous Ocean, or, are prefent at a tragical Repre- Musical Expression* 7 A s I take this to be the Truth of the Cafe, fo it feems to me no difficult Matter to affign a fufficient Reafon for it : We have already feen that it is the natural Effect of Air or Harmony to throw the Mind into a pleafurable State : And when it hath obtained this State, it will of courfe exert thofe Powers, and be fufceptible of thofe Paffions which are the moft natural and agreeable to it. Now thefe are altogether of the benevolent Species; inafmuch as we know that the contrary Affections, fuch as Anger, Revenge., Reprefentation on the Stage : In all thefe Cafes, as in that of mufical Expreffion, the Senfe of our Security mixes itfelf with the terrible ImpreiTions, and melts them into a very fenfible Delight. As to the fecond Inftance, that of Grief, it will be fufficient to ob- ferve, that as it always has fo me thing of the focial Kind for it's Foundation, fo it is often attended with a Kind of Senfation, which may with Truth be called pleafing, B 4 Jealoufy, 8 An E s s a y en jealoufy 3 and Hatred, are always at- tended with Anxiety and Pain : Where- as all the various Modifications of Love, whether human or divine, are but fo many Kinds of immediate Happinefs. From this View of Things therefore it neceffarily follows, that every Species of mufical Sound muft tend to difpel the malevolent Paffions, becaufe they are painful - y and nourifli thofe which are benevolent, becaufe they avefika/ing. The moft general and ftriking In- ftance of the Power of Mufic, per- haps, that we know of, is that related of the Arcadians by Polybius, in the fourth Book of his Hiftory ; which, as it exprefsly coincides with the Sub- ject in queftion, I fhall venture to give the Reader entire. This judicious Hiftorian, fpeaking of the Cruelties exercifed upon the Cyncethians Musical Expression. 9 Cyjicethians by the Mtolians^ and the little Compaffion that their Neighbours had fhewn them; after having de- fcribed the Calamities of this People, abhorred by all Greece^ adds the fol- lowing Remarks : "As the Arcadians are efteemed " by the Greeks ', not only for the " Gentlenefs of their Manners, their " Beneficence and Humanity towards " Strangers, but alfo for their Piety " to the Gods ; it may not be amifs " to examine, in few words, with re- " gard to the Ferocity of the C\m- " thians, how it is poffible, being in- " conteftible Arcadians from their " Origin, they are become fo much " diftinguifhed by their Cruelty, and " all Manner of Crimes, from the " other Greeks of this Time. I be- " lieve, it can only be imputed to i( their having been the firft and folc B 5 " Peo- io An Essay '^ ." People of all the Arcadians^ who " were eftranged from the laudable " Inftitutions of their Anceftors, " founded upon the natural Wants of * c all thofe who inhabit Arcadia. cc The Study of Mufic (I mean that the one confifting of Boys, the % other of their young Men, who, B 6 "to ' An E s say on to the Mufic of Flutes, dance in their Theatres with great Emula- tion, celebrating thofe Games which take their Names from each Troop. Even in their AfTemblies and Par- ties of Pleafure, the Arcadians di- vert themfelves lefs in Converfation, or relating of Stories, than in fing- ing by Turns, and inviting each o- ther reciprocally to this Exercife. It is no Difgrace with Them, to own their Ignorance of other Arts: But they cannot deny their Ability in Singing, becaufe, at all Events, they are neceffitated to acquire this Talent \ nor, in confeffing their Skill, can they exempt themfelves from giving Proofs of it, as That would be deemed amongft them a particular Infamy. Befides this, at the Care and Expence of the Pub- lic, their Youth are trained in Dancing and military Exercifes, " which <« Musical Expression. 13 " which they perform to the Mufic " of Flutes; and every Year give " Proof of their Abilities in the Pre- " fence of their Fellow-Citizens. " Now it feems to me, that the firft Legiflators, in forming fuch " kind of Eftablkhments, have not " had any Defign of introducing " Luxury and Effeminacy ; but that " they have chiefly had in View the " Way of living among the Area- " dians y which their manual and toil- " fome Exercifes rendered extremely " laborious and fevere ; and the au- Burette. Memoir es de Litterature, tirez des Regifires de V Academie Roy ale des Irtfcript'vons it Belles Lettres. Tom. feptieme, whence the above Fragment of Polybius is tranflated. In the fifth, feventh, and eleventh Vols, of the Holland Edition of this Collection, the Reader will find feveral entertaining and curious Tracls on the Subject of Mufic 1 8 An E s s a y on having referred to feveral Authorities among the Greeks on this Head, par- ticularly to the Relation of Polybius above quoted, proceeds thus.-- " In * the Greek Republics the Magistrates c were extremely embarrafled. They c would not have the Citizens apply c themfelves to Trade, to Agriculture, c or to the Arts ; and yet they would c not have them idle. They found 1 therefore, Employment for them in c gymnaftic and military Exercifes* c and none elfe were allowed by their c Inftitution. Hence the Greeks muft c be confidered as a Society of Wreffc- c lers and Boxers. Now thefe Ex- c ercifes having a natural Tendency c to render People hardy and fierce, c there was a Necefiity for tempering c them with others that might c foften their Manners. For this Pur- c pofe, Mufic, which influences the 1 Mind by Means of corporeal Or-. " gans, . ce Musical Expression. 19 gans, was extremly proper. It is a " kind of Medium between the bodily " Exercifes that render Men fierce p and hardy, and fpeculative Sciences <£ that render them unfociable and " four. It cannot be faid that Mufic f;2 Essa Y 671 cc ceive a fenfible Difference in their iC Cuftoms and Manners. In fhort, " the Exercifes ufed by the Greeks ex- " cited only one Kind of Paffions, viz. " Fiercenefs, Anger, and Cruelty. cc But Mufic excites them all; it is able " to infpire the Soul with a Senfe' of ■" Pity, Lenity, Tendernefs, and Love. " Our moral Writers, who declaim " fo vehemently againft the Stage, " fufficiently demonftrate the Power " of Mufic over the Soul. " I f the Society above-mentioned " were to have no other Mufic than " that of Drums and the Sound of " the Trumpet, would it not be more " difficult to accomplifh this End, " than by the more melting Tones of * { fofter Harmony ? The Antients " were therefore in the Right, when " under particular Circumftances they " pre- Musical Expression. 21 cc preferred one Mode to another in " Regard to Manners. "But fome will afk, why mould I fliould Mufic be pitched upon pre- 1 • ferable to any other Entertainment ? I It is, becaufe of all fenfible Plea- " fures there is none that lefs corrupts « the Soul." * The Fad the Baron fpeaks of, feems to confirm what is here faid on the Power of Mufic : for we fee that Mufic was applied by the Greeks to awaken the nobler Paffions only, fuch as Pity, Lenity, Tendernefs, and Love. But mould a State apply Mufic to give a Roughnefs of Manners, or in- fpire the contrary Paffions' of Hard- heartednefs, Anger, and Cruelty, it would certainly mifs it's Aim ; not- * Spirit of Laws, Vol. I. p. $6. " withftand- 22 A Essay w withftanding that the Baron feems to fuppofe the contrary. For he hath not alledged any Inftance, or any Kind of Proof in Support of his Suppoli- tion. It is true, as he obferves in the fecond Paragraph, that the Sound of Drums or Trumpets, would have a different Effedt from the more melting Tones of fofter Harmony : Yet ftill, the Paffions raifed by thefe martial Sounds ore of the foetal Kind : They may excite Courage and Contempt of Death, but never Hatred or Cruelty. SECT. Musical Expression. 23 SECT. II. On the Analogies between Music n?id Pa 1 n t 1 n g. F^ROM this fhort Theory wc fhould now proceed to offer a few Obfervations relating to Compo- fition. But as mufical Compofition is known to very few befides the Profef- fors and Compofers of Mufic them- felves \ and as there are feveral Re- femblances, or Analogies between this Art and that of Paintings which is an Art much more obvious in it's Princi- ples, and therefore more generally known ; it may not be amifs to draw out fome of the moft ftriking of thefe Analogies; and by this Means, in fome Degree at leaft, give the com- mon 24 An E s s a y on mon Reader an Idea of mufical Com pofition. The chief Analogies or Refem- blances that I have obferved between thefe two noble Arts are as follow : ijl, They are both founded in Geometry, and have Proportion for their Subject. And though the Un- dulations of Air, which are the im- mediate Caufe of Sound, be of fo fubtile a Nature, as to efcape our Ex- amination ; yet the Vibrations of mu- fical Strings or Chords, from whence thefe Undulations proceed, are as ca- pable of Menfuration, as any of thofe vifible Objecfts about which Painting is converfant. 2dly, A s the Excellence of a Pic- tare depends on three Circumftances, Defign, Colouring, and ExpreJJion; fo in Musical Expression. 25 in Mufic, the Perfection of Composi- tion arifes from Melody, Harmony z and Exprejjion. Melody, or Air, is the Work of Invention, and therefore the Foundation of the other two, and di- rectly analagous to JDefign in Painting. Harmony gives Beauty and Strength to the eftablifhed Melodies, in the fame Manner as Colouring adds Life to a juft Defign. And in both Cafes the Expreffion arifes from a Combination of the other two, and is no more than a ftrong and proper Application of them to the intended |ubjecl. 3 <://}', A s the proper Mixture of Light and Shade (called by the Ita- lians Chi aro-Of euro) has a noble Effect in Painting, and is indeed efTential to the Compofition of a good Picture ; fo the judicious Mixture of Concords and Difcords is equally efTential to a C mufical 26 An E s s a y on mufical Compofition : As Shades are neceffary to relieve the Eye, which is foon tired and difguffed with a level 'Glare of Light ; fo Difcords are ne- ceffary to relieve the Ear, which is otherwife immediately fatiated with a continued, and unvaried Strain of Har- mony. We may add (for the Sake of thofe who are in any Degree acquaint- ed with the Theory of Muiic) that the T reparations, and Refolutiom of Dif- cords, refemble the foft Gradations from Light to Shade, or from Shade to Light in Fainting. ji+hly, As in Painting there are ; three various Degrees of Diftances! eftablifhed, viz. the Fore-Ground, the intermediate Part, and the Off-Skip \. fo in Mufic there are three different Parts flriftly fimilar to thefe, viz. the Eafs (or Fore-Ground), the Tenor (or intermediate), and the Treble (or Off- Skip). Musical Expression. 27 Skip), In Confequence of this, a mu- fical Compofition without its Bafs, is like a Landfcape without its Fore- Ground ; without its Tenor it refem- bles a Landfcape deprived of its inter- mediate Part; without its Treble it is analagous to a Landfcape deprived of its Diftance, or Off-Skip. We know how imperfeft a Pidlure is, when de- prived of any of thefe Parts 5 and hence we may form a judgment of thofe who determine on the Excellence of any mufical Compofition without feeing or hearing it in all its Parts, and underftanding their Relation to each other. 5^/6/y, A s in Painting, efpecially in the nobler Branches of it, and particu- larly in Kiftory-Painting, there is a principal Figure which is moft re- markable and confpicuous, and to which all the other Figures are refer- C 2 red 28 An E s sa y on red and fubordinate ; fo in the greater Kinds of mufical Compofition, there is a principal or leading Subjeffi or Suc- ceffion of Notes, which ought to pre- vail, and be heard through the whole Compofition ; and to which,, both the Air and Harmony of the other Parts ought to be in like Manner referred and fubordinate. 6thly> So again, as in painting a Groupe of Figures, Care is to be had, that there be no Deficiency in it 5 but that a certain Fulnefs or Roundnefs be preferved, fuch as Titian beautifully compared to a Bunch of Grapes) fo in the nobler Kinds of mufical Com- pofition there are feveral inferior Sub- jects, which depend on the Principal : And here the feveral Subjects (as in Painting, the Figures do) are as it were tofujiain and fupport each other : And it is certain that if any one of thefe be taken Musical Expression. 29 taken away from a fkillfulCompofition, there will be found a Deficiency high- ly difagreeable to an experienced Ear. Yet this does not hinder but there may be perfedt Compofition in two, three, four, or more Parts, in the fame Manner as a Groupe may be perfecS though confuting of a fmaller, or greater Number of Figures. In both Cafes, the Painter or Mufician varies his Difpofition according to the Num- ber of Parts, or Figures which he in- cludes in his Plan. Jthly, A s in viewing a Pi&ure, you ought to be removed to a certain Di- ftance, called the Point of Sight, at which all its Parts are feen in their juft Proportions ; fo in a Concert there is a certain Diilance, at which the Sounds are melted into each other, and the various Parts ftrike the Ear in their proper Strength and Symmetry. To B 3 ftand 5 30 An Essay on ftand clofe by a Baflbon, or Double- Bafs when you hear a Concert, is jufl as if you fhould plant your Eye clofe to the Fore-Ground when you view a Pi&ure ; or, as if in furveying a fpa-* cious Edifice, you fhould place 'your- felf at the Foot of a Pillar that fup- ports it* Lafily, The various Styles in Paint- ing — - the grand — the terrible — the graceful — the tender — the paffionate — the joyous— have all their refpec- tive Analogies in Mufic. — And we may add, in Confequence of this, that as the Manner of handling differs in Painting, according as the Subjedt va- ries ; fo in Mufic there are various In- ftruments fuited to the different Kinds of mufical Compofitions, and parti- cularly adapted to and exprefRve of its feveral Varieties. Thus, as the rough handling is proper for Battles, Sieges, Musical Expression. 31 Sieges, and whatever is great or terri- ble 3 and, on the contrary, the fofter handling, and more finiihed Touches, are expreffive of Love, Tendernefs, or Beauty : So in Muiic, the Trum- pet, Horn, or Kettie-Drum, are moffc properly employed on the firft of thefe Subje&s, the Lute or Harp on the laft. There is a mort Story in the Tatler, * which illustrates this Analogy very prettily. Several eminent Painters are there reprefented in Pidture as MunV cians, with thofe Instruments in their Hands which moft aptly reprefent their refpedive Manner in Painting. * No. 153. C 4 PART 32 An Essay on PART II. On Musical Composition. SECT. I. On the too ckfe Attachment to Air, and Negkc~i o/Harmony. TPIESE Obfervations being prc- mifed for the Sake of thofe yy\\o are not particularly converfant in the Theory of Muficj let us now proceed to confider this Art with re- gard to its Compofition. We have already obferved that there are, properly fpeaking, but three Cir- cumftances on which the worth of any mufical Compofition can depend. Thefe are Melody, Harmony, and Ex- frejjion. When thefe three are united in Musical Expression. 33 in their full Excellence, the Compe- tition is then perfect : If any of thefe are wanting or imperfedt, the Compo- fition is proportionably defective. The chief Endeavour, therefore, of the fkill— ful Compofer muft be, " to unite all " thefe various Sources of Beauty in " every Piece; and never fo far re- " gard or idolize any one of them, as " to defpife and omit the other two/' Several Examples will hereafter be given of confiderable. Mailers, who, through an exceffive. Fondnefs for one of thefe, have facriflced the reft, and have thus fallen fhort of that Perfec- tion and Variety which a corredt Ear demands,. The firft Error we ffiali note is ? . where the Harmony, and confequent- ly the Expreflion, is neglected for ths C 5 Saks: 34 -An E ssay on Sake of Air, or rather an extravagant Modulation. The prefent fafhionable Extreme of running all our Mufic into one fingle Part, to the utter Neglect of all true Harmony, is a Defect much more ef- fential than the Neglect of Modulation only, inafmuch as Harmony is the very Balis of all mufical Compofition. As in the Work of Harmony chief- ly, the various Contrivances of a good Compofition are laid out, and diftin- guiihed, which, with a full and per- fect Execution in all the Parts, produce thofe noble Effeds we often find in grand Performances : So, we may con- fider the Improvement of Air, as the Bufinefs of Invention and Tafte. But if we may judge from the ge- neral Turn of our modern Mufic (I fpeak Musical Expression. 35 fpeak not of the Englifi only) this due Regard, as well to a natural Succef- fion of Melodies, as to their harmo- nious Accomplifhments, feems gene* rally negle&ed or forgotten. Hence That Deluge of unbounded Extrava- ganzi y which the unfldlful call Inven- tion, and which are merely calculated to (hew an Execution without either Propriety or Grace *. In thefe vague and unmeaning Pieces, we often find the bewildered Compofer either ftruggling with the Difficulties of an extraneous Modula- tion, or tiring the moft confummate C 6 Patience * They that live remote from the Capital of Arts, have no other Proofs of the Geniufes of our Mafters refiding there, but from their Competitions : And many of thefe, when ftript of their ornamental Performances, and fubmitted to the Teft of unpre- judiced Hearers, ought to= have more fubfrantial Beauties, to claim an univerfal Approbation. 36 A Essay ow Patience with a tedious Repetition of fome jejune Thought, imagining he can never do enough, till he has run through every Key that can be crowd- ed into one Movement - y till at Length all his Force being exhaufted, he drops into a dull Clofe ; where his languid Piece feems rather to expire and yield its laft, than conclude with a fpirited and well-timed Cadence. Thus we ftrive rather to furprize than pleafe the Hearer : And as it is eafier to difcern what is excellent in the Performance than Compofition of Mufic; fo we may account, why many have been more induftrious to improve and diftinguifh themfelves in the Praffice than the Study of this Science. To this filly Vanity we may attri- bute that ftrange Attachment to certain unmeaning Musical Expression. 37 unmeaning Compofitions, which many of our fluent Performers have pro- feffedj their chief Ambition being, to difcover zfwift, rather than ajudi- cious or graceful Hand. That Per- formers of this Tafte have fo much in their Power, is at once the Misfor- tune and Difgrace of Mulic : For whatever Merit a Compolition may- have in other Refpe&s, yet if from a due Regard to the Conftrudtion of the Harmony and Fugues, all the Parts be put upon a Level, and by that Means, their fupreme Pride and Pleafure of a tedious Solo be not admitted, it is with them a fufficient Reafon of condemn- ing the whole. The Generality of our mufical Virtuofi are too eafily led by the Opi- nions of fuch Maftersj and where there is no real Difcernment, Preju- dice and Affectation will foon affume the 38 An Essay on the Place of Reafon. Thus, through the inordinate Vanity of a few leading Performers, a difproportionate Fame hath been the Lot of fome very indif- ferent Compofers, while others, with real Merit have been almoft totally un- known. It may be worth confidering, from whence this falfe Tafte hath had it's Rife. And 1/?, It may perhaps be af- firmed with Truth that the falfe Tafte, or rather the total want of Tafte in thofe who hear> and who always af- fume to themfelves the Privilege of judging^ hath often produced this low Species of Mufic. For it muft be owned that this Kind of Competition is apt, above all others, at firft hearing to ftrike an unfkilful Ear -, and hence the Mafters have often facrificed their Art to the grofs Judgment of an inde- licate Audience. But Musical Expression. 39 But idly, It hath often had its Rife from the Compofer's beftowing his La- bour and Attention on fome trifling and unfruitful Subjedt, which can ne- ver allow of an eafy and natural Har- mony to fupport it. For however pleafing it may feem in its Air, yet if it is not capable of admitting alfo a pleafing Accompanyment, it were much better laid aiide than carried in- to Execution. On this Account it is, that many Fugues are unfiifferably te- dious : Their barren Subjefts afford- ing no Variety in themfelves, are there- fore often repeated entire -, or tranf- pofed, or turned topfey-turvey, info- much that little elfe is heard through- out the whole Piece. ydly, Another Source, and per- haps the moft general, is that low Idea of Compofition, wherein the Subjed: or 40 An "Ess ay on or Air is no fooner led off, than it is immediately deferted, for the Sake of fome ftrange unexpected Flights, which have neither Connection with each other, nor the leaft Tendency to any Defign whatever. This kind of random Work is admirably calculated , for thofe who compofe without Abili- tieSy or hear without Difcernment , and therefore we need not wonder that fo large a Share of the Mufic that hath of late appeared, fhould fall under this Denomination.. How different from the Conduct of thefe fuperficial Adventurers in Mu- fic, i& that, of the able and experi*| enced Compofer, who, when he hath exerted his Fancy on any favourite Subject, will referve his Sketch, till at j ! his Leifure, and when his Judgment is free, he can again and again correct; j diminifh, or enlarge his Plan , fo that. | ! Musical Expression. 41 that the whole may appear, though fe- verely ftudied, eafy and natural as if it flowed from his firft Attempt *. Many extempore Thoughts, thrown out in the Fire and Strength of Imagination, have flood this critical Review, and filled the happy Author with uncom- mon Tranfport. 'Tis then he gains frefh Vigour, and renews his Toil, to range and harmonize the various Me- lodies of his Piece -f*. * ■ ut fibi quivis Speret idem : fudet multum, fruftraque laboret Aufus idem: tantum feriesjun&uraque pollet ; Such Fi&ion would I raife, as all might hope to imitate with Eafe j Yet while they ftrive the fame Succefs to gain ; Should find their Labour, and their Hopes are vain: Such Grace can Order and Connexion give ; Hor. Art. Poet. ver. 240. Francis. f Corelli employed the greatefl Part of his Life in revifing and correcting his Works, which the many grand and beautiful Contrivances in his Har- mony may fufficiently evince. It 42 An Ess a y on I t may be proper now to mention, by way of Example on this Head, the mcft noted Compofers who have erred in the Extreme of an unnatural Mo- dulation 5 leaving thofe of ftill inferior Genius, to that Oblivion, to which they are defervedly deftined. Of the firft and loweft Clafs, are Vivaldi, Tessarini, Alberti, and Loccatelli, whofe Compofitions being equally defective in various Har- mony and true Invention, are only a fit Amufement for Children ; nor in- deed for thefe, if ever they are in- tended to be led to a pft Tafte in Mufic. Under the fecond Clafs, and rifing above thefe laft mentioned in Dignity, as they pay fomewhat more of Re- gard to the Principles of Harmony, may Musical Expression. 43 may be ranked feveral of our modern Compofers for the Opera. Such are Hasse, Porpora, Terradellas, and Lampugniani. Though I mult take the Liberty to fay, that befides their too little Regard to the Princi- ples of true Harmony, they are often defective in one Senfe, even with Re- gard to Air 3 I mean, by an endlefs Repetition of their Subject > by wearing it to Rags, and tiring the Hearer's Patience. O f the third and higheft Clafs of Compofers who have run into this Extreme of Modulation, are Vinci, Bononcini, Astorgo, and Pergo- lese. The frequent Delicacy of whofe Airs is fo ftriking, that we al- moft forget the Defedt of Harmony under which they often labour. Their Faults are loft amidft their Excellen- cies 3 and the Critic of Tafte is almoft tempted 44 dn Essay on tempted to blame his own Severity In cenfuring Compofitions, in which he finds Charms io powerful and com- manding. However, for the Sake of Truth, it muft be added, that this Tafte, even in Its moft pardonable Degree, ought to be difcouraged, becaufe it feems na- turally to lead to the Ruin of a noble Art. We need only compare the pre- fent with paft Ages, and we (hall fee a like Cataftrophe in the Art of Paint- ing. " For, while the Mafters m this " fine Art confined the Pencil to the " genuine Forms of Grace and Great- the next Thing that offers itfelf is the very reverfe of this. I mean, the too fevere At- tachment of the Ancients * to Har- mony, and the Neglect of Modula- tion. The old Mafters in general dis- cover a great Depth of Knowledge in the Conft ruction of their Harmony. Their Subjects are invented and carried * By the Ancients are meant thofe who lived from the Time of Palestina to the Introduction of mo- dern Operas. on Musical Expression. 47 on with wonderful Art; to which they often add a confiderable Energy and Force of Expreffion : Yet we muft own, that with Regard to Air or Modulation, they are often defec- tive. Our old Cathedral Mufic is a furricient Proof of this : Here we ge- nerally find the more finking Beau- ties of Air or Modulation give Way to a dry Rule of Counterpoint : Many •an elaborate Piece, by this Means, in- ilead of being folemn, becomes for- mal ; and while our Thoughts, by a natural and pleafing Melody, fhould he elevated to the proper Objects of our Devotion, we are only ftruck with &n Idea of fome artificial Contrivances in the Harmony. Thus, the old Mufic was often con- trived to difcover the Compofer's Art^ as the modern is generally calculated to 48 A Essa y on to difplay the Performer's Dexterity, Yet, I would by no Means be thought to include all the old Mailers in this Cenfure : Some of them have carried mufical Compofition to That Height of Excellence, that we need think it no Difgrace to form our Tafte of Court* ter point on the valuable Plans they have left us. Numbers of thefe in- deed have fallen, and defervedly, into, Oblivion 3 fuch, I mean, who had on-! ly the cold Affiftance of Art without' Genius to affift them. But there are; others of this Clafs, who, although the early Period in which they wrote, naturally expofed them to the Defeat here noted ; yet the Force of their Genius, and the wonderful Conftruc- tion of their Fugues and Harmony, hath excited the Admiration of all fucceeding Ages. And here we fhall find that the Compofers of this Clafs will naturally fall into three different Musical Expression. 49 different Ranks, in the fame Manner as thofe we have already ventured to characterize in the preceding Section. Among thefe, Palestina, the firft not only in Point of Time * but of Genius too, deferves the high Title of Father of Harmony. And the Style of our great old Mafter Tallis f , evidently mews he had ftudied the Works of this great Compofer, who lived to fee his own Syftem of Har- mony take Root, and flourifli in many Parts of Europe ; but more efpecially in Italy, where he was immediately fucceeded by feveral eminent Mailers, among whom, perhaps, Allegri, may be efleemed the Chief 5 whofe. * Palestina lived at Rome, in the Time of Leo the Tenth ; the Period, at which all Arts revived. t Tallis was Chapel -Mailer in Henry the Eighth's Time. D Compo- 5 and Son to the Scarlatti here mentioned, mayjuftly be ranked among the great Matters of this Age. The Inven- tion of his Subjecls or Airs, and the beautiful Chain of Modulation in all thefe Pieces, are peculiarly his own : And though in many Places, the fineft Pajfages are greatly difguifed with capricious Duvijtons, yet, upon the whole, they are original and mafterly. •f- We cannot form an adequate Idea of the Ge- nius of this Mafier from his Concertos for the Harp- fichord alone,, though excellent in their Kind ; but from his Operas chiefly, which as yet, I believe, are bat little known in England. As in this Species of Compofition, the Undertak ing is great and extenfive, fo the Compofer's Skill or Inability, will, in Proportion, be diflinguifhed. Hence it is we are inftantly charmed with the hap- py Talent of Ram eau, His Chorujfes, Airs, and Duetts, Musical .Expression. 53 To thefe we may juftly add our il- 1 nil r iou s Handel; in whofe man 1 y Style we often find the nobleft Har- monies ; and thefe enlivened with fuch a Variety of Modulation, as could hardly have been expected from one who hath fapplyed the Town with mufical Entertainments of every Kind, for thirty Years together £. These Duetts, are finely adapted to the various Subje&s they are intended to exprefs. In the firft, he is noble and (hiking : In the latter, chearful, eafy, and flowing ; and, when he would footh, mod expremVely tender. Betides, among thefe are interfperfed a Variety of Dances, and other infirumental Pieces, which agree- ably relieve the Ear from too fevere an Attention to the vocal, and, therefore, render thefe Operas of Rameau more complete and entertaining, than ma- ny others of Character that may excel them only in fome particular Circumltance. J The celebrated Lulli of France, and the eld Scarlatti at Rome, may be confidered in the fame D 3 Light 54 <*& Essa y on These feem to be the principal Au- thors, worthy the Attention of a mu- iical Enquirer, who have regarded the harmonic Syjiem and the Conftruction of Light with Handel. They were both voluminous Compofers, and were not always equally happy in commanding their Genius. Yet, upon the whole, they have been of infinite Service in the Progrefs of Mufic : And if we take away from their numerous Works, all that is indifferent, there will ftill enough lemain that is excellent, to give them a diftinguilhed Rank. It is pretty remarkable, that the three Mailers here mentioned, have, perhaps, enjoyed the higheft local Reputation, having all been the reigning Fa- vourites among the People, in the feveral Countries where they refided : and thence have been regarded as ftanding Models of Perfection to many fucceed- ing Compofers. The Italians feem particularly indebted to the Variety and Invention of Scarlatti ; and France has produced a Rameau, equal, if not fuperior to L'ully. The EngHJh t as yet, indeed, have not been Musical Expression. 55 of Fugues as the principal Object of their Care ; while at the fame Time, they have regarded the Circumftance of Modulation fo far as to deferve a very high Degree of Praife on this Account, though not the higheft. been fo fuccefsful : But whether this may be owing to any Inferiority in the Original they have chofe to imitate, or to a want of Genius, in thofe that are his Imitators (in dilHnguiming, perhaps, not the mod excellent of his Works) it is not neeefTary here t? determine. D 4 SECT. 56 An Essay on SECT. III. . On Musical Expression, fo far as it relates to the Com- poser. SO much concerning the two Bran- ches of Mafic, Air and Harmo- ny : Let us now confider the third Gircumftance, which is Expreffion. This, as hath been already obferved, 11 arifes from a Combination of the " other two •> and is no other than a " ftrong and proper Application of " them to the intended Subject," FPvOM this Definition it will plainly appear, that Air and Harmony, are never to be deferted for the Sake of Expreffion : Becaufe Expreffion is founded on them. And if we fhould attempt Musical Expression. $j attempt any Thing in Defiance of thefe, it would ceafe to be Mufical Ex- preffion. Still lefs can the horrid Dif- fonance of Cat-Calls deferve this Ap- pellation, though the Expreffion or Imitatioa be ever fo ftrong and na- tural- And, as DiiTonance and mocking Sounds cannot be called Mufical Ex- preffion ; fo neither do I think, can mere Imitation of feveral other Things be entitled to this Name, which, how- ever, among the Generality of Man- kind hath often obtained it*. Thus the gradual ruing or falling of the Notes in a long Succeffion, is often ufed to denote Afcent or Defcent, broken In- tervals, to denote an interrupted Motion 3 a Number of quick Divifions, to de- scribe Swiftnefs-or Flying, Sounds re- fembling Laughter, to defcribe Laugh- ter ; with a Number of other Con^ D j '■'..- trivances 58 Aii E ssay on : trivances of a parallel Kind, which it is needlefs here to mention. Now all thefe I mould chufe to ftile Imitation* rather than Expreffion; becaufe, it feems to me, that their Tendency is ra- ther to fix the Hearers Attention on the Similitude between the Sounds and the Things which they defcribe, and thereby to excite a reflex A& of the Underflanding, than to affect the Heart and raife the Paffions of the Soul. Here then we fee a DefecT: or Im- propriety, firnilar to thofe which have been above obferved to arife from a too particular Attachment either to the Modulation or Harmony. For as in the firft Cafe, the Mailer often attaches himfelf fo ftrongly to the Beauty of Air or Modulation, as to negledt the Harmony \ and in the fecond Cafe, pur- fues his Harmony or Fugues fo as to deftroy Musical Expression. 59 deftroy the Beauty of Modulation ; fo in this third Cafe, for the Sake of a forced, and (if I may fo fpeak) an un- meaning Imitation, he negledts both Air and Harmony, on which alone true Mufical Expreffion can be found- ed. This Diftin&ion feems more wor- thy our Notice at prefent, becaufe fome very eminent Compofers have attached themfelves chiefly to the Me- thod here mentioned ; and feem to think they have exhaufted all the Depths of Expreffion, by a dextrous Imitation of the Meaning of a few particular Words, that occur in the Hymns or Songs which they fet to Mufic. Thus, were one of thefe Gentlemen to exprefs the following Words of Milton, D 6 Their 6o An E s s a y on — — Their Songs Divide the Night, and lift our Thoughts to Heavn, Jt is highly probable, that upon the Word divide, he would run a Divi/ion of half a Dozen Bars ; and on the fubfequent Part of the Sentence, he would not think he had done the Poet Justice, or rifen to that Height of Sub- limity which he ought to exprefs, till he had climbed up to the very Top of his Inftrument, or at leaft as far as a human Voice could follow him. And this w T ould pafs with a great Part of Mankind for Mufical Expreflion, in- ftead of that, noble Mixture of folemn Airs and various Harmony, which in- deed elevates our Thoughts, and gives that exquifite Pleafure, which none but true lovers of Harmony can feel. What Musical Expression. 61 What then is true Mujical Ex- preffion ? I anfwer, it is fuch a Con- currence of Air and Harmony, as af- fects us moft ftrongly with the Paffions or Affections which the Poet intends to raife : And that, on this Account, the Compofer is not principally to dwell on particular Words in the Way of Imitation, but to comprehend the Poet's general Drift or Intention, and on this to form his Airs and Harmony, either by Imitation (fo far as Imitation may be proper to this End) or by any other Means. But this I muft ftill add, that if he attempts to raife the Paffions by Imitation, it muft be fuch a temperate and chaftifed Imitation, as rather brings the Object before the Hearer, than fuch a one as induces him to form a Comparifon between the Objedt. and the Sound. For in this laft Cafe, his Attention will be turned entirely 6z An Es say on entirely on the Compofer's Art, which muft effectually check the Paffion. The Power of Mufic is in this Refpect, parallel to the Power of Eloquence : If it works at all, it muft work in a fecret and unfufpected Manner. In either Cafe, a pompous Difplay of Art will deftroy its own Intentions : On which Account one of the beft gene- ral Rules, perhaps, that can be given for Mufical Expreffion, is that which gives rife to the Pathetic in every other Art, an unaffedied Strain of Nature and Simplicity *. There * Whatever the State of Mufic may have been a- srtong the ancient Greeks, &c. or whether it was ac- tually capable of producing thofe wonderful Effects related of it, we«cannot abfolutely determine; fee- ing all the Ufes of their enharmonic Scale are totally loit j and of their mufical Characters, which mould have conveyed to us their Art, no Traces any where to be found. From the Structure of their Jnftru- ments Musical Expression. 63 There is no Doubt but many more Rules may be deduced both from the Compofitions of the beft Mafters, and from ments, we cannot form any vaft Ideas of their Powers : (a) They feem to have been far inferior to thofe in Ufe at prefent : But which, indeed, being capable of as much Execution as Expreffion, are only rendered more liable to be abufed. Thus, the too great Compafs of our modern Inftruments, tempting as well the Compofer as Performer, to exceed the na- tural Bounds of Harmony, may be one Reafon why fome Authors have fo warmly efpoufed the Caufe of the ancient Mufic, and run down that of the mo- dern (*>). I believe we may juflly conclude, that the Force and Beauties of the ancient Mufic, did not confift fo much in artful Compofitions, or in any Superiority of Execution in the Performance : as in the pure Simplicity of its Melody ; which being performed in Unifons ( a ) Calmet's Differtation fur la Mufique des Anciens. (*) Sir William Temple's Works, iftVol. Fol. Page 162. 64 "" 'An Ess ay m from Experience in obferving the Ef- fects which various Sounds have upon the Imagination and Affe&ions. Thus the Jharp. or flat Key ; flaw or lively Movements ; the Staccato, the Sojie- nute or fmooth-drawn Bow \ all the Variety of Intervals, from a Semitone to a Tenth, &c. The various Mix- tures of Harmonies, the Preparatioj 01 Unifons by their vail Choruffes of Voices and Inftn ments, no wonder the mo ft prodigious Effedls wer produced : {) Since the Time of Guido Aretino (d), the Laws and Principles of Harmony have been confiderably enlarged, and by rendering this Art more intricate and complex, have deprived it of. thofe plain, though ftriking Beauties, which probably almoft every Hearer could diftinguifh and admire. And I don't know whether this will not go fome Way towards determining the Difpute concerning the fuperior Excellency of ancient and modern M'ufic, It is to be obferved, that the Ancients, when they fpeak («) Bonet. Hifloire de la Mufique. fl Aretino lived in the eleventh Century. Musical Expression. 65 of Difcords, and their Refolution into Concords, the fv/eet Succeffion of Melodies - y and feveral other Circum- ftances befide thefe, do all tend to give that Variety of Expreffion which ele- vates the Soul to Joy or Courage, finks it in Tendernefs or Pity, fixes it in a rational Serenity, or raifes it to the Raptures of Devotion. fpeak of its marvellous Effects, generally confider k as an Adjunct to Poetry. Now an Art in its Pro- grefs to its own abfolute Perfection, may arrive at fome intermediate Point, which is its Point of Per- fection, confidered as an Art joined to another Art.j but not to its own when taken feparately. Now, if the Ancients carried Melody to its higheft Perfection, it is probable they pufhed the mufical Art as far as it would go, confidered as an Adjunct to Poetry. But Harmony is the Perfection of Mufic as a fmgle Sci- ence. Hence then we may determine the fpeciflc Difference between the antient and modern Corn* pofuions, and confequently their Excellency, When 66 ■ ^ Essay on When we confider the Fulnefs of Harmony, and Variety of Air, which may be included in the Art of com- pofing Fugues, we may pronounce this Species of Compofition, of all others, 1 the moft noble and diffufive ; and which, like Hiftory-Painting, does not only contain the chief Excellences, of all the other Species, but is like--. wife capable of admitting many other - Beauties of a fuperior Nature. But here in the Term Fugue, I do not invl elude alone, thofe confined Compofl- tions, which proceed by regular An- fwers, according to the ftated Laws of Modulation, but chiefly fuch, as admit of a Variety of Subjects, par- ticularly for Voices and Inftruments united ; and which, with their Imita- tions, Reverfes, and other relative Paf- fages, are conducted throughout the whole, in Subordination to their Prinl cipal\ Musical Expression. 67 tipal-y and, as the leffer -Beauties or Decorations in Poetry, are fubfervient to the Fable of a Tragedy or Heroic Poem, fo are thefe different, though kindred Airs, in the fame Movement, in like Manner, fubfervient to fome one principal Defign 3 and productive of all the Grandeur, Beauty, and Pro- priety, that can be expected from the moft extenfive Plan in the whole Range of mufical Compofition, B y a Diverfity of Harmonies, the Chain and Progreffion of Melodies is alfo finely fupported, and thence, a greater Variety of Expreffion will be found in the Conftrudtion of full Mu- fic : In this Cafe, the Compofer hath ;the Advantage of throwing his tender land delicate PafTages into the Solo 9 or pofe of a bolder Expreffion into the Chorus y and as there are oftentimes a Kind of neutral Airs, if I may fo call them, 68 An Essay on them, which, by the Performer's Art* may be made expreffive of very dif- ferent Paffions ; or, as the fame Words, by a Change in their Accent, convey a different Senfe j fo this mufical Ex- preffion may be varied in fuch a Man- ner, that the fame Paflage, which has been heard alone, if repeated, may alfo be formed into Chorus *, and e con* fr& the Chorus into Solo. In like Man- ner may be difpofed the Forte and Piano. Thus, by Contrivances of this Na- ture, we are charmed with an agreea* ble Variety, and which, perhaps^ equally to the moft ftriking Air, com- mands the Admiration of many Lo- vers of Mufic, who yet can no other* wife account for the Preference thej may give to a fine Composition, thag. purely from the Pleafure it affordi 1 them. In fine, it is this mafterljj faflr Musical Expression. 69 Tafte and Method of ranging in-beau- tiful Order, the diftinguifhed Parts of a Composition, which gives the higheft Delight to thofe who can en- ter into the real Merits of this Art : — A Circumftance, the mufical Student would do well to confider, before he ! engages in any Trial of his Talent that way. But, as Example is of much greater Eorce than any Rule or Pre--, 'cept whatever -, I would recommend to him, a conftant Perufal of the beft Compofitions in Score, where he will find all the Information he <:an defire' on this Head *. After * The mufical Student being here fuppofed to have fome previous Knowledge in the Rudiments of Harmony, it might not be amifs, before he attempts- ithe more finimed Parts* to take a particular Survey of Rameau's Principles of Compofition y now tran- flated into Englijb ; for, however prevailing a good Ear may be found in the Practice of Compofition, yet the Rules of this Art, as in all other Arts, are founded yo An Ess ay on , After all that has been, or ca be, faid, the Energy and Grace of Muflcal ExpreJJion is of too delicate a Nature to be fixed by Words : It is a Matter of Tafte rather than of Rea- foning, and is, therefore, much bet- ter underftood by Example than by Precept It is in the Works of the great Mafters that we muft look for' the Rules and full Union of Air\ Harmony ) and ExpreJJion, Would mo-, dern Compofers condefcend to repair to thefe Fountains of Knowledge, the founded in Nature, and, therefore, muft afford great Afliflance, even to thofe who may think but flightly of them. As the Works of Art without Genius, though mafterly, and fludied in their Con- ftrudlion, are often defe&ive of Spirit and Tafle ; fa, are thofe of Genius without Art, very far from Per- feflion : But when thefe are united, when the Pow- ers of Nature, a^d the Refearches of Art, are fully exerted, it is then only we may expeft the nobleft Produ&ioas. public; Musical Expression. 71 public Ear would neither be offended or milled by thofe mallow and un- connected Compofitions, which have of late fo much abounded, efpecially thofe infipid Efforts, that are daily made to fet to Mufic that Flood of JTonfenfe which is let in upon us fince the Commencement of our Sum- mer Entertainments *, and which, in the I * It has been juftly enough alledged, (*) with Re- gard to the Italian Operas, that there are alfo many Improprieties in thefe, which offend even the moll common Obferver ; particularly that egregious Ab- furdity of repeating, and rimming many Songs with the firft Part; when it often happens, after the Paf- fions of Anger and Revenge have been fufficiently bxprcfted, that Reconcilement and Love are the Sub- jects of the fecond, and, therefore, mould conclude the Performance. But, as if it were unnatural to leave the Mind in this tranquil State, the Performer* orAclor, muft relapfe into all that Tempeft and Fury, with which he began, and leave his Hearers in tke midfl of it. I have ' {') Tqsi on the florid Song. Page 91, J2 An E s s a y on the Manner they are conduced, can- not poffibly prove of any Advantage to Mafic: Trifling EfTays in Poetry, muft I have jufl hinted this unaccountable Conduct of the Italian Compofers, by Way of Contrail to a Conduct as remarkably ridiculous in our own ; I mean, our Manner of fetting one fingle trifling Air, repeated to many Verfes, and all of them, perhaps, . expreffive of very different Sentiments or AfTe&ions, than which, a greater Abfurdity cannot poffibly be imagined, in the Conftruction of any mufical Compo- fition whatfoever. Among the many excellent Ballads which ouit Language affords, I fhall mention that of Black- ey*d Sufan, wrote by Mr Gay ; and propofe it as a Specimen to fhew by what Methods a Compofer might handle this Genus of the lyric Poem : And which, indeed, is no other than to treat them, as the Italians have generally managed thofe little Love-, Stories, which are the Subject of their Serenatas : — . A kind of mufical Production extremely elegant, and proper for this Purpofe. Therefore, I would record mend to our vocal Compofers, fome fuch Method of fetting to Mufic, the belt Englijh Songs, and which in like Manner, will admit of various Airs and Duetts, with their Recitative, or mufical Narratives, properly Musical Expression. 73 muft deprefs, inftead of railing the Genius of the Compofer ; who vainly attempts, inftead of giving Aid to Senfe (Mufic's noble Prerogative) to ; properly interfperfed, to relieve and embellifh the whole. Thus one good Ballad may fupply a fruitful Ge- nius with a Variety of Incidents, wherein he will have fufficient Scope to difplay his Imagination, and to fhew a Judgment and Contrivance in adapting his feveral Airs to the different Subjects of the Poetry. By this Means, not only a genteel and confident Per- formance might be produced, but alio fewer good Mailers would lavilh their mufical Thoughts on Sub- jects fo far beneath them: Nor, on this Account, would there be any Dearth of thofe agreeable and familiar Airs, which might properly be calculated for thofe Entertainments, where the public Ear mould be Always confulted ; and of which, I have fo good an Opinion, that, were this Difference between a juft, or falfe Tafte, but fairly fubmitted to its Decifion, I Khould not difpute, but the Com pofit ion which was ^noft natural and pleafing, would bid faireft for the general Approbation. E harmonife ^4 ^ n Essay on harmonife Nonfenfe, and make DuU nefs pleaiing. Thus, it fares with Mufic, as it fares with her Sifter Poetry 5 for it muft be owned, that the Compofitions laft mentioned, are generally upon a Level with the Words they are fet to : Their Fate too is generally the fame \ thefe infedi Productions feldom out-living the Seafon that gives them Birth. Our Church Mufic is equally capa- ble of Improvements from the fame Sources of Tafte and Knowledge, We feem at prefent aJmoft to have forgot that Devotion is the original and proper End of it. Hence that ill- timed Levity of Air in our moderr Anthems, that foolifh Pride of Exe- cution in our Voluntaries, which dif gulls every rational Hearer, and dim-; pates Musical Expression. 75 pates, inftead of heightning true De- votion *♦ We * If our Organill is a lover of Poetry, without which, we may difpute his love for Mufic; or in- deed, if he has any well di reeled Paffions at all, he cannot but feel fome Elevation of Mind, when he hears the Pfalm preceding his voluntary, pronounced in .an awful and pathetic Strain : It is then he muft join his Part, and with fome folemn Air, relieve, with religious Chearfulnefs, the calm and well-dif- pofed Heart. Yet, if he feels not this divine Ener- gy in his own Breaft, it will prove but a fruitlefs At- tempt to raife it in that of others : Nor can he hope to throw out thofe happy inftantaneous Thoughts, which fometimes far exceed the beft concerted Com- pofitions, and which, the enraptured Performer would often gladly fecure to his future Ufe and Pleafure, •did they not as fleetly efcape as they arife. -He ' jhould alfo be extremely cautious of imitating com- ijnon Songs or Airs, .in the Subjects of this latter Kind of Performance ; otherwife he will but too ,much expofe Religion to Contempt and Ridicule. It may not derogate from our Subject of Church- Mufic, juft to mention the prefent Method of Sing- fog the common Pfalm-Tunes in the parochial Ser- E z vice, j6 An E s s a y on We might foon arrive at a very dif- ferent Stile and Manner, as well in our vice, which are every where fung without the leaft: Regard to Time or Meafure, by drawling out every Note to an unlimited Length. It is evident, that both the common and proper Tunes were originally in- tended to be fung in the Alla-Breve Time, or the regular pointing of two, three, or four Minims in a Bar : — A kind of Movement, which every Ear, with the leaft Practice, may eafily attain : Nor when they are fung in Parts, mould there be any more than three, i. e. one Treble, Tenor, and Bafs ; as too com- plex an Harmony would deftroy their natural Air, And in this Stile our Pfalm-Tunes are capable of all the Solemnity that can be required from fuch plain and unadorned Harmony. Whoever has heard the Proteftant Congregation* abroad,; fing, in Parts, their Pfalms or Hymns, may recolleft, with fome Pleafure, that Part of their re- ligious Worfhip ; and their exceeding us fo far in a Performance of this Kind, is chiefly owing to the exa& Meafure, in which thofe Tunes are fung, and iK)t to their Harmony : For the greateft Part of our own, which were compofed foon after the Reforma- tion, ! Musical Expression. 77 ,cur Compofitions as Performance ; did we but ftudy the Works of the beft Chapel-Mailers abroad, as Caldara, Lotti, tion, by thofe excellent Matters we had at that Time, would doubtiefs be found, as well in regard to their folemn Air, as Harmony, equal, if not fuperior to any Compofitions of their Kind. And we may fur. ther obferve, that Air, is in a higher Degree pro- ductive of both Solemnity and Chearfulnefs, than Jiarmony: For there is a Dignity and Grace in the former, when invented by Genius, which a mafterly Harmony may indeed afiift, but can never pro- duce. However trifling it may appear to confider this - Species of Muftc, I cannot but own, that I have been , uncommonly affected with hearing fome Thoufands of Voices hymning the Deity in a Style of Harmo- ny adapted to that awful Occafion. But forry I am to obferve, that the chief Performer in this kind o£ noble Chorus, is too often fo fond of his own Con- ceits ; that with his abfurd Graces, and tedious and ill connected Interludes, he mifleads or confounds his Congregation, inftead of being the rational Guide • .and Director of the whole. E 3 It 78 An E s s a y isi Lotti, Gasparini, and many other?, whofe excellent Compofitions ought furely to be better known, and refcued from the Pofieffion of thofe churlifh Virtuoii, whofe unfociable Delight, is to engrofs to themfelves thofe Per- formances, which in Juftice to their Authors, as well as the World, they ought freely to communicate. We may clearly difcern the EfFe of fuch a Commerce as is here pro- It may be thought, perhaps, by thus depriving our Organiit of this public Opportunity of mewing his Dexterity, both in his Voluntary and Pfalm-Tune, that all Performers indiscriminately, might be capa- ble of doing the Duty here required: But it will be found no fuch eafy Matter to ftrike out the true Sub- limity of Style, which is proper to be heard, when the Mind is in a devout State ; or, when we would be greatly folemn, to avoid the heavy and fpiritlefs Manner, which inftead of calmly relieving and lift- ing up the Heart, rather finks it into a State of De- privation. pofed, Musical Expression. 79 pofed, with the Works of the greateft Mailers. The immortal Works of Corelli are in the Hands of every one > and accordingly we find that from him many of our beft modern Compofers have generally deduced their Elements of Harmony. Yet there re- mains fomething more to be done by our prefent ProferTors : They ought to be as intimately con verfant with thofe other great Mailers, who, fince Co- relli's Time, have added both Taile and Invention ; and by uniting thefe, have ilill come nearer to the Perfection of the General-Harmonic Comfofition* The numerous Seminaries in Italy feldom fail of producing a Succeihon of good Mailers : From thefe we might felecfl fuch Pieces as would greatly contribute to the real Solem- nity of the Cathedral Service. While others again of a different Kind might E 4 be 80 An Essay on be compiled and fitted for Concertos or other mufical Purpofes ; io that there would never be wanting a Va- riety of Examples and Subje&s, for the Practice of all Students in Harmo- ny whatever : And by an affiduous Application to a greater and more comprehenfive Style than we have hi- therto attempted ; we fhould foon be able to acquire fo true a Tafte, as would lay a fure Foundation for the forming our own Mafters *. If * The Italians are allowed to excel all other Na- tions in the Arts of Painting and Mufic,, but the Rea- fon is more obvious in. the former than latter ; for the Recourfe to the antique which Italy afforded to Paint- ing, muft be the chief Caufe of its Excellence in that Art. Mufic could have no fuch external Affiftance. The Goths had rooted out all Traits of the ancient Melody. How then mufl we account for the fupe- rior Genius, which the Italians have fince that Time difcovered in regard to Mufic ? Not from the chime- rical Musical Expression. 8i If it fhould be afked, who are the proper Perfons to begin a Reform in our Church-Mufic ? It may be an- fwered, the Organifts of Cathedrals, who are, or ought to be,, our Maeftri di Capella^ and by whom, under the Influence and Prote&ion of their Deans, much might be done to the Advancement of their Choirs : Nor would they find any Difficulty in ac- complifhing this ufeful Defign, as there are many Precedents to direft them, both from Dr Aldridge and others, who have introduced; into their Service the celebrated Palestina and Carissimi with, great Succefs.. And if this Method, when fo little good Mufic was to be had, hath been found xica! Hypothecs of Air, Climate, Food, l^c. but from the public and national Care which has ever attended it in that Country, fo different from the Treatment it meets with in England, E 5 to 82 An Essay on to advance the Dignity and Reputation of our Cathedral Service 5 how much more may be expected at this Time, from the Number and Variety of thofe excellent Compofitions that have iince appeared > and which may be eafily procured, and adapted to the Purpofes here mentioned. An Improvement of this Kind might be ftill more eafily fet on Foot, were there any Hiftory of the Lives and Works of the beft Compofers \ together with an Account of their fe- veral Schools, and the charadlerifitc Ta/le, and Manner of each : — A Sub- ject, though yet untouched, fo worthy of a good Pen, that we may reafonably hope it will be the Employment of fome future Writer. If Mufic was once become the Con- cern of Men of Genius, like other Arts, Musical Expression. 83 Arts, it would undoubtedly improve : And by a public and juff Difcourage- ment of every vicious Attempt to de- bafe it, we might in a fhort Time be brought to a Love of the moft perfect Style. Thus, and thus alone, can we hope to reach any tolerable Degree of Ex- cellence in the nobler Kinds of mufical Compofition. The Works of the greateft Mafters are the only Schools where we may fee, and from whence we may draw, Perfection. And here, that I may do Juftice to w T hat I think the moft diftinguifhed Merit, I mail mention, as Examples of true Mufical ExpreJJion, two great Authors, the one admirable in vocal, the other in inftru- menial Mulic. The firft of thefe is Benedetto Marcello, whofe inimitable Free- E 6 dom, 84 i& Essay fl» dom, Depth, and comprehenfive Style, will ever remain the higheft Example to all Compofers for the Church : For the Service of which, he published at Venice^ near thirty Years ago, the firft fifty Pfalms fet to Mufic *. Here he has far excelled all the Moderns, and given us the trueft Idea of that noble Simplicity which probably was the grand Chara&eriftic of the ancient Mulic. In this extenfive and laborious Undertaking, like the divine Subjeft * This Work is contained in eight Volumes in Folio. The firft four were published in the Year 1724. And the whole came out complete two Years after, under the following Title. Ejiro Poeti- to-Armonico, Parafrafi fopra Salmi, Poefia di Gr- ROLAMO AsCANIO GlUSTINlANI, Mujtca di BSNE- detto Marcs llo Patriot Veniti, Venezia, 1726. There are fome Pieces of inflrumental Mufic pub- limed in London, and faid to be compofed by Bene* petto Marcello, a Venetian Nobleman j but as thefe are very mean Performances, they cannot be fuppojed to come from the fame great Author. u Musical Expression. 8$ he works upon, he is generally either grand, beautiful, or pathetic ; and fo perfectly free from every Thing that is low and common, that the judicious Hearer is charmed with an endlefs Va- riety of new and pleafing Modulation ; together with a Defign and Expreffion fo finely adapted, that the Senfe and Harmony do every where coincide. In the laft Pfalm, which is the fifty- firft in our Verfion, he feems to have collected all the Powers of his vail Genius, that he might furpafs the Wonders he had done before. I do not mean to affirm, that in this extenlive Work, every Recitative, Air, or Chorus, is of equal Excel- lence. A continued Elevation of this Kind, no Author ever came up to. Nay, if we confider that Variety which in all Arts is neceflary to keep alive At- tention, we may, perhaps, affirm with Truth, 86 An Es say on Truth, that Inequality makes a Part of the Character of Excellence : That fomething ought to be thrown into Shades, in order to make the Lights more ftriking. And, in this Refpedt, Marcello is truly excellent : If ever he feems to fall, it is only to rife with more aftonifhing Majefty and Great- nefs *. To this illuftrious Example in vo- cal, I fhall add another, the greateft in injlrumental Mufc ; I mean the admi- rable Geminiani ; whofe Elegance and Spirit of Compofition ought to have been much more our Pattern 5 * Far the greateft Part Of what fome call Neglecl, is ftudy'd Art. When Virgil feems to trifle in a Line, 'Tis like a Warning-Piece which gives the Sign, To wake your Fancy and prepare your Sight, To reach the noble Height of fome unufual Flight. Roscom. EJf, on tranjlated Verfe and ■:! Musical Expression. 87 and from whom the public Tafte might have received the higheft Im- provement, had we thought proper to lay hold of thofe Opportunities which his long Refidence in this Kingdom has given us. The Public is greatly indebted to "this Gentleman, not only for his many excellent Compofitions, but for having as yet parted with none that are not extremely corred: and fine. There is fuch a Genteelnefs and Delicacy in the Turn of his mufical Phrafe, (if I may fo call it) and fuch a natural Connec- tion in his expreffive and fweet Modu- lation throughout all his Works, which are every where fupported with fo per- fect a Harmony, that we can never too often hear, or too much admire them. There are no impertinent Digreflions, no tirefome, unneceffary Repetitions; but from the Beginning to the Clofe of 88 u& Essay e» of his Movement, all is natural and pleafing. This it is properly to dif- courfe in Mufic, when our Attention is kept up from one Paflage to another, fo as the Ear and the Mind may be equally delighted. From an Academy formed under fuch a Genius, what a fupreme Excel- lence of Tajle might be expected L PART M U S 1 C A L E X P R E S S I O N. 89 PART III. On Musical Expression, as it relates /(?/&Performer. SECT. I. On the exprefive Performance of Mufic in general. BUT as the Nature and Effeds of Mujical Exprejjion do likewife relate to the Performer, and the diffe- rent Inftruments which are employ 'd in the Practice of Mufic, fo thefe in their Turn may be alfo confidered. For, as Mufcal Expreffon in the Compofer> is fucceeding in the Attempt to exprefs fome particular Paffion * ; fo * The Word PaJJton is here taken in the moft ex- tcnfive Senfe, as it may be apply 'd to every Species of Excellence 90 An Ess a y on fo in the Performer, it is' to do a Com- pofition Juftice, by playing it in a Tafte and Stile fo exactly correfponding with the Intention of the Compofer, as to preferve and illuftrate all the Beauties of his Work. Again, as the Compofer is culpabl< who, for the Sake of fome low an< trifling Imitation, deferts the Beauties of ExpreJ/ion : So, that Performer is ftill more culpable, who is induftrious to reduce a good Inftrument to the State of a bad one, by endeavouring to make it fubfervient to a ftill more trifling Mimickry. Such are all Imitations of Flageolets, Horns, Bagpipes, &c. On the Violin, a Kind of low Device, calculated Excellence in mufical Compofnions j which, froir the very Defign of the Compofer, demands an ener- getic Execution. merely Musical Expression. 91 merely to amaze, and which, even with the common Ear, cannot long prevail over the natural Love of Har- mony *. Even * The Tinging of a Cuckoo, and the cackling of a Hen, have, in fact, been ofcen introduced into rnu- fical Performances. Vivaldi, in his Seafons, or -Concertos, fo called, has imitated the barking of a X>og ; befides many other ftrange Contrivances ; at- tempting even to defcribe, as well as imitate, the various Changes of the Elements. If thofe Compofers, who take fuch Pleafure in their mufical Imitations of the Noife of Animals, will 'fhew their Ingenuity in that Way: I would advife them rather to follow the much more effectual Me- thod of introducing the Creatures themfelves. And, by way of Example, I mail give them the following Story as it is related by Mr Bayle, in his Critical Dictionary under the Article of Lewis XI. " The " Abbot de Baigne, a Man of great Wit, had in- " vented many Things relating to mufical Inftru- " ments ; and, being in the Service of the King, " was once commanded by him to procure him har- *' monious Sounds from the Cries of Hogs, imagining •■ the Thing was abfolutely impoflible. The Abbot ** was not in the leaft perplexed at fach a Command, " but 92 An E s s ay on Even the Ufe of double Stops on this Inftrument, may, in my Opinion, be confidered as one of the Abufes of it ; fince, in the Hands of the greatefl Matters, they only deaden the Tone, fpoil the Bxpreflion, and obftruft the Execution. In a Word,, they baffle the Performer's Art, and bring down one good Inftrument to the State of two indifferent ones. " but afked the King Money to perform it; which M was immediately delivered to him, and he effected u the moll farprifmg and remarkable Thing, that was " ever heard. He got together a large Quantity *' of Hogs, all of different Ages, and put them into •' a Tent or Pavillion covered with Velvet, before M which Tent there was a wooden Table all painted ; M and he made an organical Inftrument with a certain 41 Number of Stops fo contrived, that when he hit f* upon thofe Stops, it anfwered to fome Spikes, u which pricking the Hogs that flood behind in a *• due Order, made them cry in fuch a harmonious *•■ Manner, that the King and all his Attendance " were highly delighted with .it." But Musical Expression. 93 But furely it ought chiefly to be the Compofer's Care, not to give the Peformer any Opportunities whatever of difparaging his Art : And the more he avoids all fuch low Buffoonery, the more will this falfe Tafte be difcou- raged : For whatever may be alledged againft the Depravity of our Tafte in the mufical Science, it certainly can be fixed no where fo properly, as on the Mafters themfelves ; fince, were they to perfift with any Spirit or JRefolution in the Exercife of their Genius in fuch Compofitions only as are worthy of them, they would undoubtedly im- prove the public Ear, and acquire to themfelves a Reputation and Character worth preferving *. Let * There is one Circumftance, that might tend greatly to the Repute and Utility of Mafic ; which is, that the Profeffors themfelves, would cultivate a fincere :: 94 ^« Essay on Let every Compofer, whether f< the Church, the Theatre, or Chamber thoroughly confider the Nature and Compais of the Voices or Inftruments, that are employ 'd in his Work -> and, by that Means, he will the more eafily avoid the common Error of not jfuffi- ciently diftinguifhing what Stile or Manner is proper for Execution, and what for Expreffion. He mould alfo minutely obferve the different Qualities of the Inftruments fincere and friendly Commerce with each other, and cherifti that benevolent Temper, which their daily Employ, one mould think, ought naturally to infpire. In Truth, there is nothing enlarges the Mind to every focial and laudable Purpofe, fo much as this delight- ful Intercourfe with Harmony. They who feel not this divine Effect, are Strangers to its nobleft Influ- ence : For whatever Pretenfions they may otherwife have to a Relifh or Knowledge of its Laws, without this Criterion of the muiical Soul, all other pretend • ed Signatures of Genius we may look upon as coun- terfeit, them* Musical Expression. 95 themfelves. For, as vocal Mufic requires one Kind of Expreffion, and inftrumental another ; fo different In- ftruments have alfo a different Ex- preffion peculiar to them. Thus, the Hautboy will beft exprefs the Cantabile, or finging Style, and may be ufed in all Movements what- ever under this Denomination ; efpe- cially thofe Movements which tend to the Gay and ChearfuL In Compofitions for the German Flute, is required the fame Method of proceeding by conjoint Degrees, or fuch other natural Intervals, as, with the Nature of its Tone, will beft exprefs the languishing, or melancholy Style. With both thefe Instruments, the run- ning into extreme Keys, the Ufe of the I Staccato, or diftind: Separation of Notes ; i and all irregular Leaps, or broken and uneven 96 An Essay on uneven Intervals muft be avoided , for which Reafon alone, thefe Inftruments ought never to be employ'd in the Re- pieno Parts of Concertos for Violins, but in fuch Pieces only as are com- pofed for them 3 and thefe, perhaps, would be mod agreeably introduced as principal Inftruments in fome inter- vening Movements in the Concerto, which might not only give a pleating Variety, but fhew their different Ex- preffion to the greater! Advantage. In continued Compolitions, particu- larly for the German Flute, our Corh- pofers have been not a little unfucceff- ful ; but whether this Failure may be imputed to the Deficiency of the In- strument, or their attempting to exceed its natural Expreffion, may, perhaps, be worth the Compofer's while to con- fides The Musical Expression. 97 The Baffoon mould alfo have thofe. gradual Movements which naturally glide in their Divifions, and have the eafieft Tranfitions from one Key to another ; and may be admitted as a Principal in the Solo, or Rinforzo in the Chorus, but never in the latter without a fufficient Number of other Bafles to qualify and fupport it *. The 'Trumpet and French-Horn, though equally limited in their Scale, yet have Pieces of very different Styles adapted to them. The one, perhaps, to animate and infpire Courage; the other to enliven and chear the Spirits j * See the Sixth of Geminiani's Concertos, Opera Settima, where there is one Movement com. pofed exprefsly for the Baffoon, the agreeable Effect of which, may be fufficient to evince how much bet- ter this Method is of introducing Wind-Inftruments, than admitting them throughout the Concerto. F yet 98 An E s s a y on yet are not both to be alike difcarded in the figurate Defcant^ or that Part of Compofition where Difcords are con- cerned. In this Species of tlarmony I have known the French-Horn in- troduced with amazing Succefs 5 but it requires a very able Compofer to manage it properly with fuch Accom- panyments. Either of thefe Inftru- ments, when fully accompanied, pro- duce more wonderful Effe&s than when heard alone, becaufe in all mar- tial Compofitions, their Airs and Ex- preffion are of fo plain and unmixed a Nature, that their Harmony is more eafily comprehended \ and thence they ftrike the common Ear with a greater Degree of Pleafure and Admiration than any other Inftrument whatever. The Organ and Harpjickord, though alike in fo many Refpedts, that the fame Performer may equally fliew his Skill Musical Expression. 99 Skill and Execution on both ; yet arc their refpective Compofitions, and Manner of Performance widely dif- ferent : The former expreffing the grand or folemn Stile, the latter, thofe lively or trickling Movements which thrill in the Ear. Now, where any of the above Inftruments over-rule in Concert, whe- ther in the Chorus, or Solo ; or are appointed to play fuch Airs or Move- ments, as they cannot eaiily exprefs, we may then conclude, that the Com- pofer hath unfortunately fet out upon L a wrong Principle, which capital Error will deftroy every good Effedt that might have been found in his Work, had he duly confidered the diftindt Limits and Properties of each Inftru- ment. v In claffing the different Inftruments « F 2 in ipo Jbi Essay on in Concert, we may confider them as the various Stops which complete a good Organ : And as the Ikillful Ar- tift fo contrives, that, when the full Organ is heard, no Mixtures ^ or Fur- nitures^ &c. mall predominate, but that the Diapafons, with their Oclaves * may unite and fill the whole ; fo we may .rank the Violins with their Bajfes and Dcuble-BaffiS) as the Diapafons and Principals of the Concert : For in Fad: they may be laid to contain . the very Strength and Spirit of all Har- mony ; and have in them, not only the Expreliion of all the other Inftru- ments, but contain a prodigious Va- riety of many other noble Properties peculiar to themfelves, of which all the reft are utterly deftitute. It is their remarkable Diftindtion, that no Con- cert can be formed without them, • Principals and Flutes. as Musical Expression, ioi as they unite and agree as well with every Instrument, as with each other, and return every Advantage they re- ceive. And, as the fineft i?ijlrnmental Mufic may be confidered as an Imita- tion of the vocal; fo do thefe Instru- ments, with their expreffive Tone and the minuteSt Changes they are capable of in the Progreffion of Melody, mew their neareft Approaches to the Per- fection of the human Voice. Let the lover of Mufic call to Mind the delightful Effects they afford, when joined with the Organ to a Chorus of good Voices, particularly in Churches where the Expanfion is large and ample, to foften every rough, and grating Sound, and unite the Va- riety of Voices and other Inftruments, that complete this grand and folemn Performance 3 he will, even in this Ideal Enjoyment of Mufic, with Plea- .F 3 fure 102 An E S S A Y 072 fure own and prefer their harmonious Expreffion. In fine, it is in thofe Productions ©nly which include the Violin and its Species, where an extenfive Genius may rove at large through all the vari- ous Kinds of Mufical Expreffion -, and may give the beft Performers, though not in capricious and extravagant Flights, every defirable Opportunity of (hewing their Skill. As a remarkable Inftance of the Power of Expreffion in a Performance on this Inftrument, I cannot omit the Mention of three Matters, within my own Knowledge. Knerler, with great Execution and a fine Tone, but unfufceptible of the Powers of Ex- preffion, always difappointed the ex- pecting Ear : Carbonel, with but a common Portion of thofe Qualities fo requiiife Musical Expression. 103 requifite to enforce an Expreffion, by a natural and inftant feeling of the tender Strokes in a fine Compofition, never failed to give all the Pleafure that could be expected from them.* But if we would hear thefe various Qualities united in their full Perfection, we muft repair to the admired Giar- dini. The Brilliancy and Fullnefs of his Tone, the Sweetnefs, Spirit, and Variety of his Expreflion, his amazing Rapidity of Execution, and Exube- rance of Fancy, joined with the moft perfect Eafe and Gracefulnefs in the Performance, concur to fet him, with- out a Rival, at the Head of his Pro- feffion. Thus, the judicious Performer, by this Exertion of his Fort or Mafter- Style, may poffibly give a pleafing Tendernefs or Spirit, even to an in- different Compofition 7 while on the F 4 other 2 04 An E s s a y on \ other Hand, a .Negledt, or Ignorance, of the Ufe 01 this Art, however ex- pert in other Relpefts the Performer may be, will difguife, if not intirely deilroy, thofe diilinguiflied Beauties, which alone can raife the Dignity and Perfection of Mufic. I dare fay the Reader will antici- pate the fimilar Cafe I am about to mention in Regard to Reading -, as it will naturally occur to him, on this Plead, how commanding the Power of ExpreiTion may may be found, from a different Manner of reading the fame Author ; efpecially in Poetry, where a juft and fpirited Emphafis is fo highly effential to point out thofe interefting Strokes, which are more peculiarly defigned to delight the Imagination and affedr. the Heart. But how infinitely fhort of this Defign, is the beft wrote Poem, whether we hear it rehearfed with Musical Expression. 105 with wild and vehement Accents, or repeated in a cold and lifelefs Mono- tone ? In either of thefe Cafes, our Difguft, or Wearinefs of Attention, will be found in Proportion to the Beauties of the Author fo abufed. And juft thus it fares with an injudicious Performance of a fine mufical Com- pofition. The different Species of Mufic for the Churchy, the Theatre, or the Cham- ber, are, or mould be, diitinguifhed by their peculiar Expreffion. It may eafily be perceived, that it is not the *£ime or Meafure, fo much as Man- ner and Expreffion, which iYamps. the real Character of the Piece. A well wrought Allegro, or any other quick Movement for the Church, cannot,, with Propriety, be adapted to theatri- cal Purpofes ; ; nor can the Adagio \ of this latter Kind, ftridtly fpeaking, be. F 5 intra- io6 An Essay on introduced into the former : I have known feveral Experiments of this Nature attempted, but never with Succefs. For, the fame Pieces which may juftly enough be thought very folemn in the Theatre, to an experi- enced Ear, will be found too light and trivial, when they are performed in the Church : And this, I may venture to affert, would be the Cafe, though we had never heard them but in fome Anthem, or other divine Performance : And were, therefore, not fubjedl to the Prejudice, which their being heard in an Opera might occafion*. * " By the Ancients , Airs were fung in three diffe- '* rent Mariners ; for the Theatre, the Style was *• lively and various ; for the Chamber, delicate and ** finifhed ; for the Church, moving and grave. This •' Difference, to very many Moderns, is quite un. •■ known (*)." {*) See Tcsi on the florid Song. p. 92. It Musical Expression. 107 • It is alfo by this Efficacy of mufical Expreffion, that a good Ear doth af- certain the various Terms which are generally made ufe of to direft the Performer. For Inftance, the Words Andante ', Preflo, Allegro, &c. are dif- ferently apply'd in the different Kinds of Mufic above-mentioned : For, the fame Terms which denote Lively and Gay, in the Opera, or Concert Style, may be underftood in the Practice of Church-Mufic, as, Chearful and Se- rene, or, if the Reader pleafes, lefs lively and gay : Wherefore, the Alle- gro, &c. in this Kind of Compofition^ mould always be performed fomewhatr fiower than ia uiual in. Concertos or Operas. By this Obfervation we may learn i that thefe Words do not always convey what they import in their ftrid Seme, F 6, but i 108 t An E s say on but are to be confidered as relative Terms ; and if they cannot fully an- swer the Compofer's Intention of com- municating, to every Performer, the Nature of each particular Style 5 yet, are they more proper than any other for that Purpofe : However^ the Com- pofer will always be fubjeft to a Ne- ceffity of leaving great Latitude to the Performer -, who, neverthelefs, may be greatly affifted therein, by his Per- ception of the Powers of Exprefiion. 1 In Vocal Mulic he can never fail 9 becaufe, if the different Paffions which the Poet intends to raife, are juftly di- ftinguifhed and expreffed by the Com- pofer's Art 5 the fenfible Performer. will feel this happy Union of both the Arts, and thence join his own to per- fect the whole. With regard to the Inftrumental. Kind $ Musical Expression. 109 Kind 5 the Style and Air of the Move- ment muil chiefly determine the exad: Time or Manner, in which it ought to be performed : And unlefs we ilrictly attend to this Diflinction, the moil ex- cellent Compofitions may be greatly in- jured, efpecially when the Compofer is not prefent, either to lead, or give the Air of his Piece. I might conclude this Head with an Obfervation or two on the feveral Graces or Ornaments of Expreffion : But as thefe are already enumerated, and fufficiently explained in the Rules of Geminiani, I need only refer to that Work. However, we may here remark, that, were thefe Elements of playing in Taile, with their 'diftindt Characters and Explanations, become the general Standard, as well for the Performance of Mailers, as for the In- ilruction of their Pupils -, the former, I believe, no An E s say on I believe, would not only find them ca- pable of heightening the very beft fc Compofitions, but the latter would al- io, with greater Facility, arrive at Per- fection. But, inftead of this, the Ge- nerality of our Matters, following each their own Method, have preferred a more loofe and florid Manner of grac- ing, by which, the fineft Harmonies are too often deftroyed ; and in their Explanation of thefe Graces, by fo many different Marks, and Crowds of little Notes, impoflible to be ex- prelied, have rather perplexed the Learner, who, finding the fame Art fo Varioufly taught, hath, therefore, been: often difcouraged in the Progrefs of his Study. And, as we have diftinguifhed: this Matter, as a Pattern of Excellence in his Compofitions , fo we mutt allow him to have been equally excellent in. Musical Expression, hi ► his Performance ; for, in this Refpedt, he was alfo peculiarly happy in his va- rious Expreffion, as well of the tender ', theferene, the folemn, as of the joyous and rapid , and, with a ready and pro- per Execution, always entered into a true Feeling of the Spirit, or Softnefs fuitable to each of thefe Styles : And, notwithftanding the uncertain Dura- tion of this Talent, a Circumftance common to every Performer, he will ever live in thofe Rules above referred to, and in his Art of flaying on the , Violin ; in which ufeful Work he has communicated to the mufical World, as much of his fuperior Tafte and Me- thod of Execution, as could poffibly be expected from fuch an Under- taking. SECT. 112 An E S S AY 071 SECT. II. On the exprejjive Performances of Music in Parts. HAVING faid'fo much with re- gard the expreflive Performance of Muficin general. I (hall now con- clude with a few Hints which may be of Service in the Performance of full Mufic : Efpecially of fuch Concertos as have pretty near an equal Share of Air and Exprejjion in all their Parts. The firft material Circumftance which ought to be confidered in the Performance of this Kind of Compo- fition, is, the Number and Quality of thofe Inftruments that may produce the beft Effect And, Musical Expression. 113 And, ift, I would propofe, exclu- five of the four principal Parts which rnuft be always complete, that the Chorus of other Inftruments fhould not exceed the Number following, viz. fix Primo, and foui fecondo Repi- enos ; four Repieno BaJJes, and two Double Bajfes, and a Harpji chord. A lefTer Number of Inftruments, near the fame Proportion, will alio have a proper EfFecS, and may anfwer the Compofer's Intention ; but more would probably deftroy the juft Contraft, which fhould always be kept up be- tween the Chorus and Solo : For in this Cafe the EfFefl: of two or three fingle Inftruments would be loft and over- powered by -the Succeflion of too grand a Chorus ; and to double the Primo, and fecondo Concertino, or Violoncello in the Solo, would be an Impropriety in the Conduit of our mufical Oecono- ii4 -A Essay w my, too obvious to require any Thing to be faid on that Head. It may be objected, perhaps, that the Number of Bqffes, in the above Calculation, would be found too powerful for the Violins : But as the latter Inftruments are in their Tone fo clear, fprightly, and piercing, and as they rather gain more- Force by this Addition, they will al- ways be heard : However, if it were pofiible, there mould never be want- ing a Double Bafs -, efpecially in a Per- formance of full Concertos, as they cannot be heard to any Advantage without that noble Foundation of their Harmony. A s to Wind-Inftruments, thefe are all fo different in their Tone, and in their Progreflions through the various Keys, from thofe of the ftringed Kind, befides the irremediable Difagreement of their rifing in their Pitch, while the others Musical Expression. 115 . others are probably falling, that they fhould neither be continued too long in Ufe, nor employed but in iuch Pieces bas are exprefHy adapted to them ; fo that in the general Work of Concertos, for Violins, &c, they are almoft. al- ways improper; unlefs we admit of the Bajfocn, which, if performed by an expert Hand, in a foft and ready Tone, and only in thofe Paffages that are natural to it, may then be of lin- gular Ufe, and add Fullnefs to the Harmony. Did every Performer know the j Fort of his Inftrument, and where its t beft Expreffion lay, there to exert it moft ; I mould but have little Pretence for my prefent Attempt in the enfuing Directions. 2dly\ In the four principal Parts ; there ought to be four Performers of almoft 1 1 6 An Ess ay on almoft equal Maftery ; as well in re gard to Time as Execution > for how- ever eafy it may feem to acquire the former, yet nothing more mews a Matter than a fteady Performance throughout the whole Movement, and therefore chiefly neceflary in the lead- ing Parts. But this Rule is generally negledled by placing one of the worft Hands to the Tenor ; which, though a Part of little Execution, yet requires fo much Meaning and Expreflion, that the Performer mould not only give fine Tone, (the peculiar Quality of that Inftrument) but ' by fwelling and finging of the Notes, and entering into the Spirit of the Compofer, know without deftroying the Air, where to fill the Harmony, and, by boldly point- ing the Subject, keep it up with the greateft Energy. 3 4? Musical Expression. 117 %dly y The fame Rule will ferve. for all the other Inftruments except the Harp/ichor d -, and 'as this is only to be ufed in the Chorus, the Performer will have little elfe to regard but the ftrik- ing juft Chords, keeping the Time, and being careful that no jangling Sound or fcattering of the Notes be continued after the Paufe or Cadence. During this Interval of Reft, he mould alfo attend with the utmoft Ex- adlnefs, the leading off again the re- maining Part of the Movement, that when all the Parts are thus inftantly ftruck, his own may be found to per- vade and fill the whole : And if there are any Refts fucceeding the Paufe, his Attention to the leading Inftrument will direct him when thefe are to commence. The fame Care is necef- fary at the Return of each double Strain, when there are no intermediate Notes to, introduce the Repeat. In fine, 1 1 8 A Essa y on line, a profound Silence muft be al- ways obferved, wherever the Compo- fer has intended a general Refpite, or' Paufe in his Work. I am the more particular in giving this Caution to Performers on the Harpfichord, as they are the moft liable to tranfgrefs in this Way; becaufe their Inftrument, lying fo commodious to their Fingers, is ever tempting them to run like Wild- fire, over the Keys, and thus perpe- tually interrupt the Performance. As Compofitions of this Nature are not calculated for the Sake of any one In- strument, but to give a grand EfFecT: by uniting many, each Performer ought therefore to confider his particu- lar Province, and fo far only to exert himfelf as may be confident with the Harmony and Expreffion in his Part. Nor let any lover of Mufic be con- cerned if there is but little for him to execute, fince he will thence have v fome Musical Expression. 119 fome Leifure for the Pleafure of Hear- ing : For this Reafon, the under Parts in good Compofitions are more eligi- ble to the Performer, who would ra- ther enjoy the whole than be diftin- guifhed alone. The Ufe of the Acciaccahira *, or weeping of the Chords, and the drop- ping or fprinkling Notes, are indeed bme of the peculiar Beauties of this Inftrument. But thefe graceful Touches are only referved for a Maf- terly Application in the Accompany- ment of a fine Voice, or fingle Inftru- ment ; and therefore, befides the Diffi- culty of acquiring a competent Skill * For an Explanation of the Acciaccatura, fee fcrEMiNiANi's Introduction to a good Tafte of Mufic, printed at the Head of his. fecond Collection of $cots Songs. in 120 An Essay on in them, they are not required in the Performance of fall Mufic. Under this Article I fhall beg Leave to offer an Obfervation on the Harpfichord Concerto •> a Species of Compofition but of late Invention, and which, if properly ftudied, will ad- mit of confiderable Improvements. Hitherto we feem to have miftaken the Property of this Inftrument, by not conlidering what it can, or cannot ex- prefs. Hence it is, perhaps, that oui Compofers have run all their Concertos into little elfe than tedious Divilions $ and the Subjedt or Ground-work of thefe, being introduced and repeated by a Chorus of Violins, produce al- ways a bad Effedt : Whereas the Vio- lin Parts fhould be but few, and con- trived rather as Accompanyments than Symphonies j by which Means thej maj; Musical Expression. 121 may aflift greatly in ftriking out fonie Kind of Expreflion, wherein the Harpfichord is remarkably defici- ent*-. The fame Method, perhaps, may be equally proper in Concertos for the Organ : Which being frequently em- ployed in other Companions, and at prefent fo generally approved, it may not be amifs to confider it farther. For however capable this Inftrument may be found to fill or foften all the t reft, it will neverthelefs over-power , and deftroy them, if the Performer is not extremely cautious and tender in the Ufe of it. I would therefore pro- I pole that the Accompanyments in the * See Rameau's Concertos for the Harpfichord, published by Mr Walsh. G Tho 122 An Es s a y on Thorough-Baft mould never be ftrucl in Chords with the Right-Hand, as upon the Harpfichord, but in all the full Parts the leading Subject fhould be fingly touched, and the Performer proceed through the reft of the Move- ment with the Left-Hand only. For this Reafon, no Perfon whatever fhould attempt this Instrument in Con- certos not exprefsly made for it, but from the Score-, and then, if he has Judgment and Difcretion fufficient, he may enforce an Expreffion, and affrft every Part throughout the whole Chorus. Yet I cannot difmifs this Article without once again obferving, that the Difficulties of rendering thi Organ of that Ufe in full Concert which many expeft from it, are k various and intricate, that we can n^ ver be too careful of the Performed Abilities Musical Expression. 123 - Abilities ; who, if thoroughly fkill- ful, will fo manage his Inftrument, that it may always be heard, but fel- dom diftinguifhed. ' ^thly y As in all Concertos, Over- tures, &c. where the Repieno Parts are more immediately neceffary, the Com- pofer ought to purfue fome Defign in filling each Chorus, and relieving them, •with Paffages either proper to be heard alone, or fo contrived as to give a good Effed to the repeated Chorus ; fo in performing thefe different Paffages, a different Manner muft be obferved. Thus, when the Solo is contrived for the Sake of fome peculiar Expreffion, it mould then be performed in a Man- ner fuitable to the Genius or Cha- racter of the Piece ; but always plain, or however with fuch Graces only as may heighten the Expreffion without G 2 vary- 1 24 An Essay on varying the Time ; and which, there- fore, require other Qualities befides an Execution to do them Juftice : For this Elegance of Tafte, in the Per- formance of the Solo, confifts not in thofe agile Motions, or Shiftings of the Hand which ftrike with Surprize the common Ear, but in the tender and delicate Touches, which to fuch in- deed are leaft perceptible, but to a fine Ear productive of the higheft Delight. Let not the Performer then by an ill- judged Execution mifapply this Op- portunity of fhewing his Skill in thefe remarkable Places : for though it is not the Advantage of inftrumental Compofitions to be heightened in their Expreffion by the Help of Words, yet there is generally, or ought to be, fome Idea of Senfe or Paffion, befides that of mere Sound, conveyed to the Hearer : On that Account he fhould avoid Musical Expression. 125 avoid all extravagant Decorations, fince every Attempt of this Kind muft ut- terly deftroy whatever Paffion the Compofer may have defigned to ex- prefs. And laft of all let him confix der, that a more than ufual Attention is expected to his principal Part, when all the reft yield it this Preference, of being diftinguifhed and heard alone. $thfy, In the Chorus, whether full in all the Parts, or leading by Fugues >, the Violini di Concertino* Ihould be pointed with Spirit to each Ripieno, thefe alfo mould be inftantly ftruck, without fuffering the firft Note to flip, by which Means they always lofe their defigned Effect : An Omiffion which * Principal Tarts. G 3 many 126 ^ Essay on many careleis Performers are guilty of, either through mifcounting of Refts, or depending upon others ; and thus render the whole Performance ragged and unmeaning. 6thly, When Concertos are per- formed with three or four Inftruments only, it may not be amifs to play the Solo Tarts Mezzo Pia?w; and to know more accurately where to find them, the firft and laft Note of every Chorus mould be diftinguifhed thus () and to prevent all Miflakes of pointing the Forte at a wrong Place, that alfo ought to have the fame Mark : By this Means the Performer will be direded to give the Jirjl Note of every Chorus and Forte its proper Emphafis, and not fuffer the latter to hang Musical Expression. 127 hang upon the Ear, which is extreme- ly difagreeable. ■Jthly, As Difcords in Mufic are like Shades in Painting, fo is the Piano like the fainter Parts or Figures in a Picture ; both which do greatly afiift in constituting and fupporting an agreeable Variety. But as in the Cafe of Mufic, fo much depends upon the Tafte and Accuracy of the Performer, it is particularly necefiary, that a ftrict Regard be had to the Piano and Forte-, for thefe, in the Hands of a fkillful Compofer, are generally fo difpofed, as to afford a moft pleafmg Relief y and, when juftly executed, give great Beauty and Spirit to a Compofition. Yet how often do they pafs unobferv- ed, or if at all expreffed, in fo carelefs and negligent a Manner, as to produce little, if any, fenfible Difference to the G 4 Hearer?; 128 An Essay on Hearer? It is a common Pra&ice with thofe luke-warm Performers, who imagine that diminishing the Number of Inftruments will anfwer the fame End as foftening the whole, to quit their Part when they fhould rather be all Attention how to manage it with the utmoft Delicacy \ tranfporting, as it were, like the Swell-Organ, the Ieffening Sounds to a vaft Diftance, and thence returning with redoubled Strength and Fullnefs to the Forte: And as this delightful EfFedt can only be found from a Performance of ma- ny Inftruments together, we ought ne- ver to omit fuch Opportunities of car- rying this noble Contrail to its higheft Perfeftion. Stbfyy When the inner Parts are in- tended as Accompanyments only, great Care fliould be had to touch them in fuch Musical Expression. 129 fuch a Manner, that they may never I predominate, but be always fubfervient to the principal Performer, who alfo fhould obferve the fame Method, when- ever his Part becomes an Accompany- ment; which generally happens in well-wrought Fugues and other full Pieces, where the Subject and Air are almoft equally diftributed. When the Attention of every Performer is thus employed by liftening to the other Parts, without which he cannot do Juftice to his own, it is then we may expect to hear the proper Effect of the whole. gtbfyy In every Part throughout the full Chorus, all Manner of Graces, or Diminution of Intervals, or Tranfpo- fition of eight Notes higher, muft be avoided ; which fome indifcrete Per- formers are but too apt to make Ufe of, 130 ife Essay c» of, merely from a Defire of being diftinguifhed, and that the Audience may admire their Execution. But thefe Gentlemen ought to confider, that by fuch Liberties they do not on- ly difappoint the expecting Ear, of a jttft Performance of fome favourite Part, but often introduce and occa- sion Difallcwances in the Harmony. From the fame ruling Paffion we fometimes hear Performers, the Mo- ment a Piece is ended, run over tlieir Instrument, forgetting that Order, like Silence under Arms in the military Difcipline, mould alfo be obferved in the Difcipline of Mufic. La/lly, To point out in all the Parts of full Mufic, their various Sub- jects or Fugues, I have ventured to in- troduce a new mufical Character, namely, Musical Expression. 131 namely, this Moftraf */* J or Index: But as the particular Ufe I would ap- ply it to, may poffibly be thought by fome, a groundlefs Innovation, it will therefore, be neceffary to fay fome^ thing in its Defence and Explana- tion % In all Compositions for Instruments in Parts, which are published in fepa- tate Books, and feldom perufed in Score y moft Performers are frequently at a Lofs, to know the Compofer's Defign: Hence proceed many dif- * See fix Concertos publifhed by Johnson, where the Ufe of this Mark is applied : As this Character is eafily made by the Pen, it may, with very little Trouble, be added to the proper Places, either in Manufcript or other printed Concertos that require : it. cordant 132 An E s say on qordant Ricercate -j-, where only the full unmixed Harmony fhould be heard. Another Confequence has been, that for want of fome fueh Character as the Moftra above-men- tioned, the very beft Contrivances in a good Compofition have often paffed undiftinguifhed and negle&ed. . To remedy this Defedt, it feems neceflary to point out in each Part every leading and refpoitfive Fugue : For which Pur- pofe fome particular Mark fhould be placed oyer the firfl Note of every ac- cidental Subject as well as principal 1 the former being rather more neceflary to be thus diftinguifhed, as every Per- fon capable of performing in Concert muft know the principal Subject wherever it occurs, and therefore f Extempore Flourifhings. Musical Expression. 13.3 will of Courfe give that its proper ExprelTion. But the accidental Subjedts are, on Account of their Variety, much more difficult to be afcertained : Sometimes indeed they are a Part or Accompany- ment of the Principal, and then may be ftyled a fecond or third Subjed, as they are generally repeated, or at leaft fo retouched in the Progrefs of the Fugue as to render them eafily known. But yet there are oftentimes other Subjects very different from the Principal, and which being feldom or never repeated, are therefore ftill more necefTary to be marked ; for having always fome peculiar Relation to the other Parts, it is abfolutely ncceilary •that they fhould be juftly exprefTed ; and this can only be done by a fimple, .plain, yet energetic Execution: For wherever i 134