MUSIC,
Messiah, Oratorio; Composed by G. F. HANDEL, 1741. Arranged, by per- mission of her Majesty, from the Original MS. Score of the Composer, by HENRY R. BISHOP, Mu:. Rae. Oxon. Professor of Music in the University of Edinburgh. Mr. BISHOP brings the hand of a master to 'whatever he attempts ; and even as an arranger we are glad to meet him, though he would be more welcome in his more important character of composer. The pre- sent edition of this well-known oratorio is said to have been arranged from the original manuscript score in her Majesty's library. No advant- age was likely to be gained by this, and none is gained: Wawa's edi- tion, having been published under HANDEL'S immediate superintend- ence, and carefully corrected by his laborious and accurate amanuensis SCHMIDT, is the best authority to resort to. In fact, Mr. BISHOP has not ventured to follow his authority in all cases, but has adopted altera- tions which Dr. ARNOLD made in his edition, and which have been copied into every subsequent one. The arrangement is made with the accuracy and judgment for which the editor's name is a sufficient pledge; but it is to be regretted that no use is made of the score of MOZART in its completion. The opinion of the Edinburgh Professor is well known as to the merits of this extraordinary effort of skill ; for the Messiah is never performed under his direction without the employ- ment of MOZART'S accompaniments. If a desirable addition to its performance, equally important is their appearance in the score ; and we can only suppose that the arranger's judgment has in this case heist controverted by that of his publisher. In his preface Mr. BISHOP has mentioned four of HANDEL'S Italian Duets which furnished the skeletons of a similar number of pieces in the Messiah; to which most be added another—the thirteenth of his Chamber Duets, "Se tu non lasci amore," converted into "0 death, where is thy sting I" and one of his Concertos, of which the second move- ment is an exact transcript, in another key, of the chorus "And the glory of the Lord." The germ of the last chorus will be found in SIL- VEsTR0 DURANTE; and in "Glory to God" HARDs.t. was prompted by LAmpE.
The cost of this edition is very moderate, and we doubt not the pub- lisher may safely speculate upon a large demand for it.
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