GLEANINGS.
Mars TO FESTIVAT,MONGERS.—The unapproachable grandeur of the Messiah secures it from oblivion or mutilation. But of the other oratorios of Handel, some are wholly laid aside, and fragments of the rest contribute to make up those incongruous jumbles, called " Selections," of which our per- formances of sacred music generally consist. 111 Germany, however, the case is different. At the great festivals which take place in that country, the oratorios of Sebastian Bach, Gratin, and other composers of the old school, are constantly heard, and oratorios of Handel are performed entire, of which only a few scraps are now produced in England. The pure ecclesiastical style ought to be kept separate and distinct from every other. The music which we hear in our churches ought to resemble those holy edifices themselves, in massive simplicity of proportions and solemnity of character. It ought to be free from the florid graces of the opera, in the same manner as the walls in which it is heard ought to exhibit none of the gilded ornaments of the theatre. When we now enter our churches on those occasions when the music of the church can be invested with the greatest majesty, we go in the expectation of being grati- fied with light airs and dramatic effects. But were we not led by a vicious practice to expect such things, the want of them would not disappoint us. It is by a reform in this respect, —by performing all the oratorios of Handel, and by introducing, in an English dress, the sublime works of Sebastian Bach and of his countrymen who have worthily followed in his footsteps,—that the general taste for ecclesiastical music in this country would lie purified and exalted. The greatest German composers of sacred music at the present day are returning to the severe and lofty style of the old school ; of which the chief models are found in the works of Handel and Sebastian Bach.—Hogarth's Musical History.
ROSSINI'S TA NCREI/1.—The susceptible Venetians were charmed with a music so different from any thing they had heard—with its freshness and vivacity and its noble and heroic tone, so well suited to the subject of the piece —with the graceful and beautiful airs, and the brilliant but simple accompani- meats. It was received with tumultuous pleasure ; and the next day nothing was to be heard in Venice but the airs in Tancredi. From the noble to the gondolier, everybody was singing snatches of "Di tanti palpiti ;" and iu the very courts of justice the proceedings were interrupted by the audience humming " Ti rivedro." The amateurs said in their joy, that Cimarosa was come back to the world. This charming opera, the first fruits of the author's genius, deserved this enthusiastic reception. It has passed through as severe an ordeal as ever has been undergone by any work of genius. Year after year it has been performed, times innumerable, in every part of Europe, and by singers of every grade ; its airs have been sting unremittingly at every concert and in every musical circle, sereameal by boarding-school misses, and ground on barrel- organs about the streets ; hammered by learners on the pianoforte in the shape of pot-IMurris and lessons, and danced to at balls as quadrilles; and yet it has never palled on the taste, nor ceased to afford pleasure. And now, when this spring-tide of popularity has necessarily ebbed, and Tancredi has given place to greater novelties, it stands even higher in the cool and settled opinion of the musical world than it did when it engrossed the public attention.—llOgarth's
Musical History.
Itilasoulso FACULTIES OF Binns.—A gentleman had a goldfinch, which was chained to a perch instead of being kept in a cage. Its food was put into a box, resembling a water-fountain used for cages ; and the little opening at which the bird was fed had a cover loaded with lead to make it tall down. The bird raised this by pushing down a lever or handle with its bill, which raised the lid of the box ; after which, by putting its foot on the lever, it could feed at leisure. He had also a redpole chained on a nearly a similar perch ; this bird fed from an open box, without the trouble of having recourse to the lifting power, like his neighbour, the goldfinch. But though the redpole could have known nothing of the use of the handle, from his own experience, as his food was to be got at without such trouble, yet it seems he must have taken notice of it, and seen that, by touching this handle, he could get at the goldfinch's food, were he within reach ; and this be kept in mind for the day of need ; for, one morning when loose, and his own seed-box empty, he flew at once to the perch of hie friend, raised the lid of the seed-box with his bill, and then ,laying hold of it with one foot, kept it open till he had made a good breakfast. This apparently trifling circumstance clearly shows that birds can and do take notice of sonic things, aced collect information which may be useful when needed. In this ease, it required some time and attention to teach the goldfinch the use of the handle for holding up the lid of the box ; but the redpole had watched the opera- tion, and learned by observation how to do it as well as his friend. The following is another instance of sagacity in a pair of goldfinches. These little birds had built their nest on a small branch of au olive-tree ; after hatching their brood, the patents pereviv, that the weight of the growing family would soon be too great file the staeosth of the branch which supported the nest ; in fact it was beginning to give way. Something was to be done, or the nest would fall ; this was evident to beholders, and equally so to the goldfinches ; accordingly, they were observed to fasten, by a small string they had picked up, the bending twig to a stronger and higher branch of the tree, and thus their nest was saved. —Stendry's Familiar History If Birds.
PERILS 01' SEA-YOWLING.—A father and two sons were out together, and, having firmly attached their rope at the summit of a precipice, descended on their usual ocenpation. Having collected as many birds and eggs as they could cat ry, they were all there ascending by the rope—the eldest of the sons first, his brother a fathom or two below him, and the fitter following last. They bail made cois,iderable progress, when the elder son, looking upwards, perceived the sti ands of the rope grimling agai,ust a sharp edge of rock, and gradually giving way. Ile it-mm..5r tely reported the alarming fact. " Will it hold to- gether till we em gain the summit ? " asked the father. " It will not hold an- other minute," was the reply ; " our triple. weight is loosening it rapidly !" " Will it hold one?" said the father. " It is much as it can do," replied! the son ; " even that is but doubtful." " There is theu a chance, at least, of one of us being saved ; draw your knife, and cut away below ! " was the cool and in- trepid order of the viretit : " Exert yourself, you may yet escape, and live to comfort your mother ! " There was no time for discussion or further hesitation, The son looked up olit'e more, but the edge of the rock was cutting its way, and the rope leech nearly severed. The knife was drawn, the rope was divided, and his fathsr and bra ilier were launched into eternity !—Stanfey's Familiar History qf Birds.
THE Si CH:TING SEA sON.—The present month may be regarded as the zenith of the sporting season : grouse shooting, it is true, ceases on the 10th, but every other kind of game may be legally pursued. The courser will be busily occupied, as well as the hunter and the shooting sportsman. The latter will not be able to procure much diversion from following partridges, as these birds became wild at an early period of the season (as we have already observed) and will be found very difficult of approach in December. however, the pheasant uniformly tics well ; and, as woodcocks have been numerous during the month of November, sufficient will yet be found to afford pleasant diversion. A similar observation will apply to snipes. Hitherto the season has been in favour of the greyhound ; an the courser, therefore, has been eminently suc- cessful in killing.— The Sportsman.
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