Six German Songs, by .I. Rosenhain. With an English Version,
by Leopold Wray, Esq.
M. Rosenhain, though he has visited this country, is less known in Eng- land than in Germany and France, where he has a high reputation as a pianist and composer for his instrument These six songs are the only spe- cimens that we have met with of his talents as a vocal composer. They have great merit, but are not free from the faults of the modern German music, especially when it happens to be vocal music written by a piano- forte-player. The melodies contain hard, unvocal intervals, seemingly suggested by the fingers on the keys; the modulations are too frequent and abrupt; and the accompaniments are often unnecessarily complex, and ex- cessively difficult. In every one of them, however, we find novel effects, and passages of great beauty and expression; some are but slightly marked with the faults we have indicated; and one, "The wanderer nought of sor- row knows," is quite a gem, perfectly simple, and full of grace and elegance. Those who are accustomed to deal with the difficulties of the German school will take pleasure in these songs; but they will prove "caviare to the general."
Previous page
