AN ESSAY ON MUSIC. To alleviate the innumerable calamities of human life, to soothe and calm the boisterous passions, to light up the emotions of love and friendship, to elevate and inspire the mind with true devotion, to give us some foretaste of those sublime pleasures enjoyed by the celestial choirs, is the office and effect of music : "She, heavenly born, came down to earth, "When from God's eternal throne "The beam of all-creative wisdom shone, "And spake fair order into birth. "At wisdom's call, she rob'd yon glittering skies, "Attun'd the spheres, and taught consenting orbs to rise. "Angels wrapt in wonder stood, "And saw that all was fair, and all was good."* When music was first introduced into our world, cannot possibly be determined. "When the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy," man, in his state of innocence, must have caught the divine ardor. His soul, elevated with devotion, would naturally express its feelings in the simple music of nature. What progress was made in this art by the antediluvians, must forever remain ⚫ unknown to us their descendants. Their improvements are buried with them in everlasting oblivion. If Jubal could construct the complex harp and organ, he must have been considerably skilled in the science of music. Instrumental music is never introduced till vocal has gained a considerable degree of perfection. The Cure of Saul, a Sacred Ode, by Dr. Brown. Page 19 Instruments are designed to imitate the voice; the extent, tones, and modulations of the voice must therefore be known before they can be imitated. The most rude and uncultivated savages are not without their songs, though destitute of musical instruments. In the time of Moses we find Miriam, the prophetess, leading the choir of Israelitish women, in songs of praise to their great deliverer, and accompanying their voices with the timbrel.* We likewise find, that the song of Moses was written in poetry, undoubtedly for the purpose of being sung by the choirs of Israelites. But the Jewish music does not appear to have obtained its greatest perfection till the inspired son of Jesse assumed the harp. In his and his son's reign, it arrived at its highest degree of perfection. Here we find it employed in uttering the devout effusions of the heart, and rendering praises to the great JEHOVAH. Nor were the heathen ignorant of this noble art. From the holy altar of the Jews, they snatched a spark of the sacred fire, and prostituted it to the service of their gods. But even in this servitude, her powers were considered as almost unbounded. Orpheus, while celebrating the praises of his false deities on his harp, could move the inanimate world with his music. In treating upon music, we shall consider it both as an art and a science. As an art, it depends upon the powers, abilities, and genius of the writer. As an art, it cannot be limited, or restricted within any particular rules. The genius, the feelings, and the improved taste of mankind, must regulate every good writer. Like the painter, the sculptor, the architect and the poet, nature and propriety must direct the effusions of his mind. As a science, it is regulated by measure, harmony, cadence, accent, mode, &c. Science may invent good harmony, agreeable measure, flowing and easy cadence; but genius only can give force and energy to music. We shall consider the essential parts or divisions of music, as consisting of melody, harmony, expression, and accent. Melody consists in placing a simple series of notes at such intervals in the musical scale, as to please the car, and captivate the heart. No rules can be prescribed for this part of music. It is the genuine feeling of the heart, regulated and directed by the ear and the understanding. In this, nature alone can *The Hebrew word TEP, which is translated TIMBREL, is derived from the verb TEPEP, which signifies to smite repeatedly, or to beat a drum. The timbrel was, an instrument of the drum kind, and only used to accompany the voice. This circumstance will likewise shew the state of music among the Jews at that time. be our guide. Reduce melody to certain rules, and it becomes a body without animation. Our beneficent Creator has implanted within us a certain aptitude, to be pleased or displeased with particular sensible objects. This innate principle, when matured by judgment, reason, and experience, is our only guide in judging of the perfection or imperfection of melody. The writer of melody may imitate nature, but the modulations must be the effusions of his own mind. The painter takes the proportions of his picture from nature; but the expressions of the countenance are from his own mind. As all men have similar feelings, similar passions, and similar propensities, that which will be agreeable to any individual, when well informed, will, in some degree, be acceptable to every person. Common opinion will thus form a standard for melody, from which no writer will dare appeal. The effects of melody on the mind and feelings are various and extensive. It soothes our sorrows, rouses our passions, excites our sympathy, calms our fears, and kindles our martial ardor. The most perfect models of melody are frequently found among the common ballads of a nation. Nothing can excel the beauty, simplicity, and melody of the Scottish airs. Their excellence is unrivalled, and their effects incalculable. No art can improve them; no harmony could render them more engaging. To ad a second to them, would be as impossible as to add a new colour to the rainbow. If our observations on melody be correct, we shall infer, that the perfection of music does not depend upon the number of parts, but upon the perfection of the part or parts written. On this subject, unskilled composers have made many mistakes. Supposing music imperfect, unless consisting of several parts, they have added counterpoint, bases, and seconds to many pieces of music, utterly incapable of receiving any such auxiliaries. "Restless man knows no golden mean, but will be attempting innovations without end.”* When any particular passion is to be excited, great musical writers have uniformly attempted it by a simple air. Here the writer has full latitude for using every appropriate expression. "Melody reaches the heart; and it is by this chiefly that a sentiment is enforced, or a passion soothed." The writer's accompaniment will, therefore, be nothing more than an auxiliary, in supporting the voice of the performer. As examples and illustrations of simple melody, with a light accompaniment, we will mention that inimitable air of Handel, in his Oratorio of Samson, Return, O God of hosts, return;"* likewise the air, "Total eclipse! No sun, The slowest movement in Handel's music is Grave, the next is Largo, and the third Adagio. |