"Spirit of Meekness." Elegy or four Voices, with an Accompaniment
for the Pianoforte or a Quartet of &relayed Instruments. The English Versum by. Thomas Oliphant, Esq. Composed by Louis Van Beethoven. This composition will be found particularly effective when it can be well accompanied by a quartet of stringed instruments; but it promieets: less pleasure from an ordinary performance; it bong in effect that the in.-- terest lies, for in the melody and design of the piece there is little moan= tially new. The symphony commences " largo e piano" in E, triple tinie,, with a phrase of imitation begun by the tenor and bass, and then taken up by the two violins. The sustained combinations and the curious. accents of this introduction remind us of the posthumous quartetsi, and it proceeds altogether very favourably to the entrance of the voices, where the first phrases are certainly tolerably well-worn. It requires some habit to get used to the sudden changes of harmony in the next page„ which conducts us almost immediately from F sharp major to D minor, where we have some imitations in the free manner of Beethoven, and are brought back by a series of unexpected modulations to the original key. The sudden changes of harmony, and the effects of light and shade which; abound in the composition, render it well worthy of the practice of choral', parties desirous to master the style of this capricious and extraordinary master. But we scarcely think that the Elegy will be found any great, addition to our store of classical works; more particularly when we corn pare it with the quartet movements, the sacred songs, and the other things in this style which the composer has already put forth. It would have given us pleasure to hear this piece at the performance of the Musical" Union; wh.re it was originally promised, but was for some cause or other postponed.
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