MUSIC.
The Melodies of Scotland, with Symphonies and Accompani- ments for the Pianoforte, &c. Collected by G. ThomsoN, F.A.S.E. In five volumes. New edition (1831), with many Improvements.
The perusal of this admirable work gives us Englishmen a certain feeling of humiliation. It forces upon us a comparison with those numerous and somewhat similar collections which various musicsellers in London have "got up," and which, for the most part, are immeasurably inferior, in every respect (except the possession of a gayer outside), to this child of Caledonia. Various collections of Scotch airs had been made prior to the formation of Mr. Tnoesoe's ; but it, from its various corn. binations of excellence, has superseded all others. It probably contains every interesting specimen of genuine Scottish melody, with the addition of some of equivocal parentage, sonic known to be modern, and some composed expressly for this work. Those airs which come within the two latter classes, might, more appropriately, have formed a sepa- rate publication ; for, whatever may he their intrinsic excellence, they can lay no claim to die character of national melodies, and their insertion can scarcely have been originally contemplated by Mr. Thomson. But if all the other charms which adorn these volumes were destined to fade, they contain one to which an ever-enduring bloom is decreed—the poetry of BURNS. Ile who was the occasion of calling into existence one hundred songs from that prince of lyrical poets, may without any ex- aggeration be called a benefactor to his country. Buttes's songs teem not only with glowing fancy, and all the various charms in which poetry can appear, but with ardent pa riotism and pure philanthropy— with sound political wisdom, and a strong attachment to liberty. They contain lines which, once read, are remembered and treasured up as political axioms ; and hence the patriot, as well as the musician and the lover of song, may confess his obligation to the editor of " The Melodies of Scotland." But this is not all. The task of the musician, though less important in this work than that of the poet, since the one had to create, and the other only to adorn. has been as perfectly performed. It seems to have been Mr. Tuomsou's intention to concentrate around the melodies of his country the brightest splendours of the sister arts. On the one hand, Poetry sheds her lustre through the genius of BURNS, of SCOTT, and of Csstram.t. ; and Music lends her tributary effulgence by her HAYDN, her IterrnoveN, her WEBER, and her Hummer.. Nothing of Its kind can be more perfect in all its parts than this work ' • ,it has taken its station among the classics of Britain, and may be safely pronounced to be the most perfect exhibition of national melodies that any country can boast.
The accompaniments to the songs in the Fifth Volume (the new one) are chiefly by BEETHOVEN, Weenie and Hummer.; and we are equally surprised and gratified to see how completely all these great masters have entered into the character of the Scottish melodies; enriching without encumbering them by the harmonies they have employed. Several airs in this volume are the composition of Mr. G. TnostsoN ; the arrange- ments of which bear the initials " a II.," as does the sont' s. a40 had my fate been joined with thine." We know not why G. H. should wish to withdraw his name from association with those of his fellow-labourers: his contributions hind their appropriate place in such good company.
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