Show REMARKS ON 62 f THE theatrical il OR chesera CONCLUDED i having in the former p part art of thi ebli article revie viewed wed orchestral classifications and arrain arrangements e somewhat minutely it necessarily afe prevented me from concluding my remarks on the performance performances of the band and other matters connected with them then if I 1 did not feel convinced that music in general la lii this city and territory required a representative I 1 should not take upon myself the responsible and unpleasant task of criticism but ai ail I 1 do feel the work to be in a measure my 07 mission I 1 am quite willing to bear any spiteful remarks that might be made oh on my opinion I 1 am requested by the band to state that they were somewhat unprepared at their benefit with a startling choice of compositions but for my own part I 1 think the apology unnecessary asmunder asi under present circumstances the selections could not have been improved the third piece in the pro gramme for the evening was Donn izettia grand scena fra poco this thib composition is considered to be about one of the best emanations from that most popular popular author it Is also one of I 1 mr dr sims reeves leeves crack and although it cannot be compared with bellinis ali ail all is lost now still it is a fine composition in fra mra fra fro poca as in all is lost now mr air mark croxall interpreted the tha voice part with the cornet cornel a piston ile he ws however on thi occasion slon sion located in the orchestra and mark was himself again and his rendering of this beautiful solo was in excellent style As I 1 am endeavoring to kill two birds with one stone by imparting knowledge 0 to o the musical student in the art of compo sion in conjunction with criticism on the performances of the orchestra I 1 will mike a few remarks on the beauties and defects contained in Donni zettis grand icena scena in th first part par 1 of the introductory symphony rhony thony the author ut or fully demonstrates his bis knowledge now ledge of harmony he also proves him self in many passages a skilful diplomatist by producing startling effects with his bis harmonic progressions there are many theorists who vrho can be pedantic and eu enough but it requires genius and mental experience to cias clas classify sity a variety of mixtures in such a manner that will mill produce and out a and an astounding manoeuvre the treatment of tb th s short introduction is worthy of minute remark as it is a lesson of importance to many compo composers serb aers the first chordia thordia chord is asin abin as in general the harmonie harmonic triad on the tonic toe second is isa the first inversion of the imperfect harmonic combination on the subtonic blonic su the subtonic sub tonic tonie combination is followed by the diminished seventh oa on the leading in note and resolves itself into the relative I 1 minor rnino triad ot of the thel the effect bogrand io i irand grand grand aids mode of mixture and rebo reso H tion tian t belongs to the second and sixth minor forms of the ancients at the third and fourth ar the double hab baa es are on the bedale pedale the double basses are fine on the pedal harmony and the violins n violas ofa ota clai ronet trombone and horns are rolling about and crossing each other in a beautiful progress progression lon ion picking up an their way a variety of har harmonies monies moDies in the fifth bar a dominant seventh is added to the combination and a splendid termination is made on the tonic ionic harmonic triad the orchestra rendered this beautiful introduction in a very creditable manner at the opening of the scena by the cornet corset a piston the wind band produced some fine effects with their sustained notes especially the horns and the violins also told well with their combined bounds sound in fact all the instruments were adding strength and beauty to td the harmony and also rendering great assistance to the iole solo player As the scena proceeds the accompaniment pani ment takes a lighter form torm somewhat too light the horns abandons the fine crescendo and adopt the puff peculiar accompaniment of the pianoforte and although the ilas bar monies are in a great measure effective the frivolity of 0 the arrangement destroys much of 1 the grandeur which should predominate in the first movement of a scena there are I 1 some beautiful fiori fior fara fura iture tare passages for the cornet a pistons which were well executed by mr air mark croxall the subject of the second movement is introduced by the violins clair onet and flute daubing each other in the octave and unison A very pretty accompaniment excepting the horns who are pudding puffing in the pianoforte form s skidded added addad to the subject which vas was well brought out t by the orchestra orches ra the last movement like all italian terminations is fuli full of energy and spirit some very fine syncopated passages in the 21 legro terro as abo aeo also in the moderate tato ralo were effectively rendered by the band but one particular harmony I 1 must not fail fall to notice because it is startling the composer in producing this emmie effie effect ct claps on the breal breall as thol thov thoten rhoten ten thousand thunderbolts were in his way and drives up on the imperfect triad and per cusses on the the distan distance cei cel from the original lia ba mony is so great that theoretical writers would term it abrupt transition but I 1 am sure its abruptness is its gred gree greatest test glory tois This progression is taken from the phrygian mode node of the ancients and the tha preparation percussion orl and resolution exhibits harmonic edill the works of 0 Pal lestrina the most ancient and celebrated ecclesiastical music composer abounds wi h this form giacomo perti ano her ancient and the renowned master and greag great gri gest test fugue writer J S Bachus bach used edit it often and in fact it is a favorite form forin with all great composers you can scarcely peruse the he works of giant authors tilt hout finding more or leea mixtures mixture 3 of the seven principal forms uthe of the ancients it Is fis the crepin cretin crea m of composition and without it our efrus effus ef fusions ioni loni would be 8 ephemeral short abort of life and boon soon forgotten verdi ia is a votary t to 0 the eidth form a modern and good one but weak compared with the seven ancients although there are miny man beauties in Doni zettis fra poco and 1 I 1 have referred to some of them there a are re also many defects first it lacks system in its instrumentation second the construction I 1 is I 1 not perfect great authors construct their acenas in the duplex form Donni Donn izetti zettl contrary to their method has constructed the fra poco pocol in the triplex and notwithstanding the non breaking 0 of any scientific rules the composition is much weakened by the process the last mo rement ement of a scena is generally devoted to one of the finest ornaments io iv musical composition compo viz development in tact fact development is the consummation of all alt grand pieces and without it ideas would be heaped on ideas until they become mere idle gossip and from the lace lack of this masterly working the piece in question assumes much of this gossiping character I 1 should not have criticised criticized this author so minutely but for his immense popularity ppul arity and for the benefit of students as I 1 have before stated in the art of composition but the fact is that Donni Donn zettl izetti and verdi notwithstanding their celebrity are mere in the art of operatic composition compared with mozart weber auber and bellini the tile watz watzef eg 41 by joseph gungl gungi composed to the memory of johann strauss and arran arranged gd for tor the orchestra On Or hestra by protessor prote Prole baor saor thomas la is a dancing gem em 0 ot it the first water and I 1 should have been bean been p pleased leased could I 1 have pointed ou the beauties of this composition in detail but I 1 have exhausted so much pace space s with Donn izetti I 1 can only make one or two remarks on this admirable piece the introduction opens in C minor and a portion of the two mases masses are doubling each other in lt the counter melody in majestic grandeur grande lir tir abie others are working a doub e counterpoint in the octave and the accompaniment pani ment delici delicious ous morsels furnished and garnished to sharpen the appetites ot of the true votaries vot aries of genuine harmony at the ninth measure the cornet a piston follows on with the melody and sends forth its trumpet like sounds in striking sublimity the horns also are pouring out a thrilling crescendo crescendo and throughout the whole of the introduction tro me atie instruments are discoursing in harmon es of a startling character but the pause on the last chord with the donivant donl doni a nant seventh in the second form of the minor mode of the ancients was like an electric shock what I 1 have feebly explained was produce produced a by the sudden change from the minor to the major by the introduction introduction of the real subject it reminds one of the rumbling of the tempest succeeded by the brilliant bun sun when all is bright again the whole of the melodies in this set of waltzes are beautiful and beautifully were they interpreted by the band the double basses told well in fact every instrument told weila wella well weil and that is all my space will I 1 allow me rae to remark the albion galoppe was the tha finale and is a composition from the pen of professor thomas this is a piece ct of considerable merit its melo meio ly y is both lively and beautiful the are effective the band accompaniment pani ment per yer arco is good and the cornet a piston bab baa some pretty retty pa sages which were well brought out ty by mr mark croxall but bui the crowning gern gem of the piece is a buetto for the horns the execution of the thi performers on those instrument instruments a was brilliant and smooth and their tone was affef ow pet but atit I 1 should like to have greater volume which produced by practice the winding up is full of energy and spirit a told nd the arrangement of this pretty composition is excellent it was wag well i performed by the whole of the band I 1 hav have noticed on several occasions the fine edict effect piro produced ced by the band with the profess j ola oia 0 arrangements emonts and I 1 must tell him bim cani d i adly that hat it is necessary notwithstanding i the labor ab that he should arrange more pieces fon for r his bis B orchestra rc hestra it if he has baa any respect for hi hirgelt him kele gelt we the fettet of effective arrangements ia Is not generally known but as I 1 am alive to im froym ut I 1 will explain during my study ot of harmony composition and full orchestral arrangements under the superintendence super intendance of the late mr nir hamilton the celebrated author of a host of standard works on musical science I 1 was taught by him to arrange e for a large professional fess ional orchestra and I 1 felt quite at horne home when I 1 had professional musicians to deal with ivits but the moment I 1 began to arrange for amateurs I 1 found something terribly out ut of order with my arrangements my pupils could not play them without an immense loss of time I 1 turned about and changed my ray plan to simplicity this do some of etem work enough so I 1 was compelled to return retura to my old way and drill along some few years subsequent I 1 was offered a situation tio tto n es as conductor of the catholic cathedral choir at newport tp south wales at that place I 1 was introduced to signor signer cavallini band master of the I 1 knew but little about arranging for ibe the reed and brass bands and I 1 placed myself under ca vali vald inis nis tuition J 1 had bad discovered that most of his players were young bands hands of a few months standing but they played in excellent styleano sty style leand and I 1 said tolila to him cavallini tell me the ecret secret of your arranging for ill be hanged if I 1 know how you manage wel il 1 he said now that you are under my tuition and have studied the different forms of harmonic arrangements you have a right to know my method when I 1 have all good players I 1 adopt rii the e most classical cla cia form wa when en I 1 havea hayea few w experienced music I 1 tans tana and the rest lame jame dt ducks I 1 akst as I 1 now havi bavi havel bavil I adopt the first and last forms of arrari arrall arrangement gement As my lame ducks proceed and you know mat that 8 ome some capacities will go faster than others 1 I take them a step higher up the ladder this is a great stimulant to them and on they go xgo from step to step until they arrive at the top this is my secret and it is nothing else but the I 1 mixture of forms that have brought out the effect you have noticed 33 it appears that I 1 professor thomas has adopted a similar I 1 I 1 method the professors teaching and conducting requires no na eulogy from me for what he be has accomplished is too well known for me to depreciate bis his talents ia in that line but I 1 may add that I 1 believe the manaem nt has chosen the right man for th the right place JOHN jonn dge benr |