Le Carnaval de Venise; Andante et VariationsBurlesques sur la Canzonetta
" Cara Mamma hue"; avec Accompagnement de Piano ou Quatuor et de Contre-basse, par H. W. ERNST.
These variations, lately the subject of a professional feud between &von' and ERNST, are now published—it would appear, rather to esta- blish the claim of the latter in print, than to present an attractive piece to solid violin-players; the sorcery of this school, the harmonic and pizzicato playing, being rarely attempted by intellectual musicians, but turned over to the professors of conjuration par excellence. While recollection of the laughter which PAGANINI created in this famous burlesque is still nnextinguished—while many of his passages and oddi- ties recur to memory in the sight of the work before us, to the identity of which the musician might depose on oath—we fear that but a slender reversion of the honours of authorship rests either for ERNST or StvoaL The mechanism of the piece is entirely PAGANINI'S ; which is at least gracefully acknowledged. The principal violin tunes a semitone higher than usual ; the piece is written in A, and the accompaniment in B flat. Violinists who have music at heart will probably look at these Varia- tions, and remember PAGANINI the playing of them they will leave to ERNST and SIVORI ; and regard the execution of the latter, we believe, as the most consummate.
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