The Galt.
By GEORGE HARGREAVES. " lam monarch of all I survey."
Any composition from Mr. HARGREAVES leads us to expect some- thing beyond a few commonplace reminiscences falsely pretending to the character of originality ; and these Cantatas will not detract from our previous estimate of their author's powers. The words are well selected for musical expression ; and that expression is, for the most part, correctly given. At the same time, we must regard the first of these compositions as intended—it is certainly calculated—to exhibit the accompanist rather than the singer, whose allotted duty is little more than to describe what the pianist is playing. In the present degraded state of the vocal art, this is the device commonly resorted to in order to render a song palatable; but it is not on that account the less censurable. If we revert to the golden times of song-writing, whether in Italy or England, we shall never find such ela- borate explosions either from accompanying orchestras or piano- fortes. The best songs in existence are the least encumbered with accompaniment : but singing was not then either scream- Jug or bawling. These songs discover their author's proficiency as a harmonist ; and, taken as specimens of a certain class of (not vocal) writing, they will rank high. The second, adapted to COWPER'S beau- tiful words, allots to the singers larger share of regard, and is therefore more to our taste.
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