MUSIC.
The Posthumous Compositions of REGINALD SPOFFORT H.
The perusal of this work has recalled to our minds many delightful recollections of the hours we have spent in the society of its amiable and highly-gifted author. SPOFFORTH was a man whom it was impos- sible to know without loving. His guileless heart was incapable of cherishing ill-will to any human being. Enthusiastically attached to his art, which he cultivated with an assiduity unabated by disappointment, he bailed every true musician as a fellow-labourer in the same cause; and whenever praise was due, no feeling of professional jealousy checked his cordial tribute of approbation. He was one of Dr. COOKE'S pupils ; and to this circumstance may be ascribed the bent which was given to his musical genius. At an early period of his life, he was connected with the musical department of Covent Garden Theatre ; but the storm and turmoil, the intrigue and cabal of the green-room and the orchestra, were little suited to his quiet and retired habits. He is best known as a glee writer ; and in some departments of this very extensive and varied school of vocal composition, he had no superior. We will take for example his " L'Ape e la Serpe." The sweet stream of melody which flows through this glee is so admirably enriched with graceful and intertwining harmonies—the expression is at once so correct and so vivid—that we have always regarded it as a masterpiece in its way. Srorvorern's glees partook of his character. The marks of his elegant mind and strong feeling are distinctly implanted upon many of them. He was not content with merely writing according to rule, but was desirous of transfusing into his glees a refinement and expres- sion beyond what are commonly attempted in this species of composition. Hence, some of his most finished pieces are seldom heard: they require something more than mere singing in time and tune. They demand study, thought, consentaneity of -expression. After having gone through a glee with him, and heard his own intentions developed, we have often been disappointed at its performance, although executed by singers of no mean celebrity. A few of his glees have been sufficiently well studied to bring out all their beauties ; and wherever this has been the case, their success has been complete and their popularity enduring. " Mark'd you her eye," is att instance in point. This is by no means one of SPOITOILTH'S finest glees, yet its execution by W. KNYVETT, HARRISON, VALIGHAN, and BA.nri-E. max, was so perfect, every accent so true, and the voices so delightfully balanced, that as long as the quartet remained unbroken, it was one of their most favourite and frequent glees. SPOPPORTH sometimes pushed this refinement too far. In the glee "But when she speaks," (page 123 of the present collection,) there is a straining after effect, a supererogation of labour, which ends in disappointment. Instances of this kind, however, are not frequent. His taste was too correct, and he had studied in too good a school, to be often guilty of similar extra. vagances.
The present work is a selection from its author's unpublished mann, scripts, made by Mr. HAWES ; to whom the lovers of this delightful species of music, and the admirers of SPOFFORTH'S glees in particular, cannot but feel indebted for its publication. We confess that we should have omitted some, which are not destined to increase, or even to sus. tam n the author's reputation. But we have gone through many of theist with great delight, and have no doubt of their becoming permanent favourites. Au interesting memoir of the author is prefixed to the work.
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