As the primary major chord of G, in combination with the primary base F, governs the intermediate system having the primary base C (see MUSICAL WORLD, May 26), so the primary chords of G major and F major, or minor, may follow each other, these chords being those of the extreme systems of the mode C, do, in such immediate succession, lead to the derivative chords of the system having the unit sound C, equally and in the same manner as do the sounds of the same chords in combination, forming the chords of the dominant 7th, &c.

Examples.

The resolution of the chord of the dominant 7th shows the relation of the chord G BD as dominant with the derivative chords of the system having the unit sound C, any of these chords may therefore follow the major chord of G.

Again, as the tonic, dominant, and subdominant are merely relative terms, the tonic of one key being the dominant or subdominant of others, then as G is dominant to C as tonic, so also is C subdominant to G as tonic; therefore the derivative chords of the system having the unit sound C may, as subdominant, be followed by the major chord of G as tonic, whence it is evident that the major chord of G may either precede or follow any of the derivative chords of the system having the unit sound C.

In the preceding examples we have confined our attention to the three systems having the unit sounds F C and G, the principal derivative chords of which are the primary chords of the systems having the primary bases F C G. The unit sounds may thus take the places of, and be considered as, the primary bases, and the principal derivative chords as primary chords; this arrangement, though not absolutely necessary, will be found convenient, as it places all chords in connection with any unit sound, as primary base, in the same system, and thus simplifies and facilitates an explanation, as it limits our observations to the derivative chords only. Now, as in the derivative chords of the system C (unit sound) are contained all the chords connected with C as tonic, so also in the derivative chords of the adjacent systems F and G are contained all the chords connected with the former as subdominant and dominant. The minor chords of the system G, however, must, when they become dominants, be changed to major, as shown in my last letter. It is evident, from the preceding, that connected with the key of C major as tonic are those of C minor, A minor, and Ab major; and if, in the three systems FC G, we commence with the chord of C, and avoid taking the second derivative chords in such succession or combination as to cause a modulation to the keys of A minor or Ab major, all other progressions of the derivative chords of these three systems are in the key of C, which chords, moreover, are all the chords which can be taken without modulating from that key. I may here observe that the sounds D and Db in the system F do not belong to the key of C, but I shall have occasion to refer to these again. As in the key of C, so it is similarly in all other keys, hence the following general law :-All progressions of harmonies in any key are contained in the derivative chords of the three systems, of which the unit-sound of the central system is the root of that key, thus every progression of chords in the key of C is contained in the derivation chords of the three systems, having F C and G for their unit-sounds. In other words, every chord, and every progression of chords, which can possibly be taken in any key, is connected with the tonic, dominant, or subdominant of that key. This at first may, to those accustomed to look upon harmony as a complicated science, appear to be rather a startling conclusion, but the truth of it is evident from the preceding, and a very little consideration will show its truth; for, as the sounds of the primary bases constitute the foundation of any key, is it not clear that all the superstructure reared in that key, must be built upon this very same foundation? I remain, Sir, yours truly,

Cheetham Hill, Manchester, Oct. 15th, 1860.

W. W. PARKINSON.

[The only question is, whether the supertonic should not be substituted for the subdominant, as a root, or primary base. We are decidedly of that opinion; although it vir tually upsets the theory of our correspondent.-Ed. M. W.]

LEEDS TOWN HALL ORGAN,

SIR,-The following report of a portion of the proceedings in the Leeds Town Council, held recently, will answer the questions contained in a letter published by you last week :

The

Mr. Anthony Titley said he wished to ask the chairman of the Town Hall Committee (Alderman Botterill) a question in reference to the organ. When the appointment of organist took place, it was understood that when any organist of eminence applied for the use of the Town Hall organ, it should be granted to him. An application had been made by Mr. Burton for the use of the organ, but in his application he had omitted to state that it was for the use of Dr. Monk. omission was now supplied, and he (Mr. Titley) wished to know if the Town Hall Committee intended to grant him the use of the organ.— Alderman Botterill said that he was not present at the Town Hall Committee meeting when the application was discussed, but he understood that the name of the gentleman for whom the organ was asked was not stated in the application. The committee therefore unanimously passed a resolution, to the effect that the applicant be granted the organ and organist. The name of Dr. Monk was never mentioned.-The Mayor remarked, that if any person wished to have the subject discussed, notice must be put upon the paper for the next meeting.-Alderman Gill said he acted as chairman of the Town Hall Committee when Mr. Burton's application was made. The name of the person who was to play the organ was not named; but Mr. Burton told Mr. Collins, the hall secretary, that he intended to have his brother from Bradford at the Messiah performance. The committee did not consider that gentleman of sufficient ability to displace their own organist, and therefore they

passed the resolution to which Alderman Botterill had referred. It would be another question if the organ was applied for for some organist of eminence to play.-Alderman Botterill, in reply to another question from Mr. Titley, said he had not received any letter from Mr. Burton, stating that the organ was applied for on behalf of Dr. Monk, of York. -Mr. Brooke rose to make some remarks, when Mr. Carter appealed to the Mayor whether such a discussion was in order.-The Mayor ruled that Mr. Brooke was out of order.-Mr. Price asked if Alderman Botterill would, now that Dr. Monk's name had been mentioned, call a meeting of the committee to reconsider the application?-Alderman Botterill said he did not feel himself at liberty to do so. If Mr. Burton thought himself aggrieved, he must get three members of the committee to ask for a special meeting.-Mr. Stead and Mr. Shackleton endeavoured to speak on the question, but they were ruled out of order, and the subject dropped.-Yours, &c.

EDWARD JAMES LODER.

FAIR PLAY.

3, Upper Craven Place, Kentish Town, Oct. 29th, 1860.

SIR, It is with extreme regret and pity that I hear that poor Edward Loder is now languishing in poverty and sickness-(two bitter calamities). Cannot something be done to relieve him, both temporarily and permanently? The first, which is most important, to raise a fund by subscriptions, to be opened at all the musicsellers the second, to establish a benefit concert, to take place annually. Where is there an artist who would not give his mite, and lend his talents to rescue a brother musician from such extreme misfortune? I am quite sure, sir, if you will only raise your voice in the matter, and a few influential professors will form themselves into a committee for the purpose mentioned, the object for which I have ventured to write would be obtained. I shall be most happy to render every assistance in my power to carry out this object.-I am, sir,

Yours obediently,

JOSEPH ALFRED BARNETT.

Advertisements.

MADAME CLARA NOVELLO'S FAREWELL,

Most positively her Only and Last Appearance in London,
AT ST. JAMES'S HALL,

HER

[ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.-Lessee, Mr. E. T. SMITH. -THIS EVENING (Saturday) will be repeated Macfarren's new and highly successful Opera of ROBIN HOOD. Robin Hood, Mr. SIMS REEVES ; Sir Reginald de Bracy, Mr. SANTLEY; Hugo, Mr. GEORGE HONEY; Allan-a-Dale, Mr. PARKINSON; Little John, Mr. BARTLEMAN; Much, Mr. PATEY; Alice, Mad. LEMAIRE; and Marian, Mad. SHERRINGTON. Conductor, Mr. CHARLES HALLE. Reduced scale of prices :-Pit Stalls, 7s. 6d.; Balcony, 5s.; First Circle, 4s.; Second Circle, 38.; Upper Box Circle Seats, 2s.; Pit, 2s. 6d.; Gallery 1s.; Gallery Side Stalls, Is. 6d.; Gallery Stalls, 3s. Private Boxes: Upper Box, to hold four persons, 10s.; Private Box, second tier, to hold four persons, £1 11s. 6d.; Private Boxes, Pit, first and grand tiers, two, three, and four Guineas. The Box-office of the theatre open daily, from 10 till 5 o'clock, under the direction of Mr. Nugent. In consequence of the extraordinary demand for places at the box-office, early application is recommended, to prevent disappointment. The opera commences at 8 o'clock.

and original comedy, in two acts, entitled, A BACHELOR'S WIFE. Characters by Messrs. Charles Mathews, Robert Roxby, Dixon, Robinson; Miss Arden and Mrs. C. Mathew. After which (fifth time at this theatre), YOU'RE ANOTHER. Characters by Messrs. R. Roxby, Tilbury, and Charles Mathews; Miss Helen Howard and Mrs. Dowton. To conclude with the celebrated piece of USED UP. Characters by Messrs. Charles Mathews, Tilbury, Farrell, R. Roxby, Dixon, Spencer; Miss Arden and Miss Helen Howard. Reduced prices as usual.

On which occasion will be performed, for the first time in London,

MR. BENEDICT'S LYRIC LEGEND, "UNDINE,"

St. George's Hall, Liverpool, was inaugurated the other day with a public banquet, at which presided the worshipful the Mayor, and of which partook, in common with a posse of

most celebrated solos from her extensive repertoire, concluding with "God Save the Queen."

The band and chorus will be complete, and on a large scale.
Conductor, Mr. BENEDICT.

Sofa stalls, 10s. 6d. each, to be had of Leader and Cook, 63 New Bond Street, corner of Brook Street; and of the principal music sellers.

ST. JAMES'S HALL.

civic thirst, the sundry councillors of whom the Corporation is made up. It was a corporate" feast, and no mistake; but to render it psychical in likewise (par dessus le marché), the aid of music was considered indispensable.

The gift of a Free Library, &c., to the Liverpuddleyan community was chiefly the work of a prosperous and wealthy

THE THIRD SEASON COMMENCES

ON MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 12, 1860, On which occasion the Programme will be selected from the works of

SPOHR, DUSSEK, AND WEBER.

Pianoforte, Mr. CHARLES HALLE. Violin, Herr BECKER. Violoncello, Signor PIATTI. Vocalists-Miss POOLE, Miss AUGUSTA THOMSON, and Mr. SIMS REEVES.

On Monday Evening, November 19, the Programme will be selected from the works of Mozart.

On Monday Evening, November 26, from the works of Beethoven.

On Monday, December 3, will be an Italian Night.

On Monday Evening, December 10, from the works of Bach, Scarlatti, and Handel. On Monday Evening, December 17, from the works of various masters.

To commence at 8 o'clock precisely.

Sofa stalls, 58.; balcony, 3s.; unreserved seats, ls. At Chappell & Co.'s, 50 New Bond Street; Hammoud, Cramer & Co.'s, Regent Street; Keith, Prowse & Co.'s, No. 48 Cheapside; and at the Hall, 28 Piccadilly.

after the manner of prosperous and wealthy merchants, could not think of bestowing upon the town a boon without, at the same time, bestowing on himself and friends a dinner. This is the style of all commercial flesh; and Brown was, after all, no holier, nor ghostlier, than an abstract fleshy "commercial." So the dinner, or the banquet, or whatever it may be termed, caused no surprise; nor was its Trimalchian profuseness subject to any other comment than a loud "huzzah!" from the municipal abdomen, which, with expectant ventosity, yearned for the threatened "spread."

But the Mayor and councillors had reckoned—not without their host, for there was Brown, alive, prepared and eager for the dish; but without their organist, their " corporate organist."

Mr. W. T. Best, as all our readers know, has, ever since the year 1855, held the position of corporate-organist to St. George's Hall, and held it with such dignity as to extort and maintain unanimous esteem. The bi-hebdomadal organconcerts instituted by this gentleman, and now firmly established, have materially tended to raise the standard of musical taste in Liverpool, and have put the noble instrument which enriches St. George's Hall to the worthiest uses. Mr. Best is not merely an artist of the first stamp, but a gentleman innate; and his private bearing is as much entitled to respect as his artistic merits to admiration. But see in what a light municipalities (inevitably bundles of "parvenus") may condescend to regard an artist and a gentleman!

Mr. Best was, as a matter of course, invited to the inaugurative festival; and scarcely had he entered the hall when a programme was placed in his hands, of which the subjoined was the preamble:

PUBLIC BANQUET

IN

ST. GEORGES'S HALL, LIVERPOOL,

ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE

FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, 18TH OCTOBER, 1860.

The Organ will play while the Company take their seats, And a Selection of Music will be performed during the Banquet, by the Band.

Imagine Mr. Best, already, perhaps, elated with anticipations of the promised feast the smell whereof was, no doubt, odoriferous, and a foresmack of the taste thereof unquestionably titillating to the sensitive pallet of an organist in the prime and force of life, made hungry, too, by fat anticipation-imagine him, "we say," (as a renowned contemporary would say) within five minutes of the first spoonful of clear turtle, and the first glass of that peculiarly invigorating punch which always keeps it company, thus beckoned from his pleasant contemplations by the preamble of a scurvy handbill!

On protesting, the vigorous and healthy organist was civically, if not civilly, requested to perform "a few tunes," while the guests were taking their seats. On re-protesting, he was told, by a gentleman of the committee, that, in accordance with arrangements pre-agreed upon, he should have been actually at the instrument from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., disporting in fugue and chorus, from the opening of the doors until the waiter had served the potage, and the steam of the viands began to exercise its savoury influence on the olfactory and other nerves of the body-corporate-until, in short, the process of deglutition having commenced, ingurgitation was in full play and nothing remained ingustable. The ingeny of our famished organist must thus cruelly be put to the test; while the Mayor and his associates were devouring all before them, eating and drinking like an oily and omnivorous host of Neros and Caligulas, he was to remain in the organ-loft, ingesting nothing but Handel and Bach, his fingers for knife and fork and spoon, his eyes for palate, and his ears for belly! (Per bacco !)

Mr. Best, however, re-re-protested; and finding it to no purpose, flatly refused to comply, pronouncing the duty required of him to be derogatory to his station, and unworthy, not only of himself personally, but of the organ in the loft-organically.

A self-acting machine would have scouted such a task; how much more, then, a living organist with imagination and a soul! In vain did Mayor T. D. Anderson exhort, invoke, insist, command; it would not be. Mr. Best resembled the spirits suggested by Hotspur Percy to Owen Glendower, who might be called from the "vasty deep," but not for that were sure to answer the summons; and Mayor T. D. Anderson was at a discount for his exhortations, invocations, insistings, and commands. Mr. Best replied-manfully-that he never had accepted, and never would accept, conditions that involved the loss of self-respect. It was therefore no go; and the entry of the waiters, with the entrées, were not destined to be accompanied with an entr'acte or entr'actes by Handel. Did the turtle prove less relishing because the organist stood up for the dignity of his office?

At a recent committee-meeting (we have since learned) Mr. Best spoke warmly and at length on the subject; and, as nothing has been done in the matter, it is reasonable to suppose that his arguments had weight. We trust this may be the case. There cannot be two opinions about the propriety of Mr. Best's conduct in the whole affair. He acted at once with boldness and discretion, and has still further elevated himself in the opinion of all unprejudiced persons, while vindicating the claims of that polite profession of which he is so distinguished an ornament. It would be odd, indeed, if such an artist could be made a dog, to bark at civic order; but it has astonished nobody that, on being unhandsomely assailed, no dog though he be, he has a gentle bite for his assailants. What next will be expected of our organists?

WE called attention many weeks since, in an article which our readers have doubtless forgotten, to the absurd practice indulged in by the composers of all nations, established in London, of writing the title and dedications of their pieces in the polyglot style. Our sense of literary and linguistic propriety had been shocked by seeing on the wrapper of a new composition for the pianoforte some such inscription as the following: "Fantasia dédiée à Miss Smith by Herr von Hammer," and we explained to musicians that title-pages of works published in England, and addressed to English persons, should be written as much as possible in the English language; adding, if we remember rightly, that all technical terms in music should be given either in Italian, the one great musical tongue recognised by all the civilised world, or in the language of the country in which the piece containing them first appeared. It has since occurred to us that the fault with which we charged musical composers is also committed by musical critics. We ourselves have been guilty of it. We cry peccavimus! and were it not that we should probably find it impossible to act up to any such determination, we would resolve from this instant to sin no more. In the present day there is so much communication between the chief nations of Europe, that the principal European languages are gradually corrupting one another. Sometimes an English journalist borrows a word from the French, for which there is really no exact equivalent in our language, and in the same way our confrères on the other side of the channel (what, by the way, is the English equivalent for confrère ?) occasionally fill a gap in the vocabulary by adopting an expression from us. But also our journalists (for it is in the newspapers that the practice is chiefly noticeable) employ French words, here and there, from mere indolence, or, perhaps, from want of faith in the immense resources of our rich, copious, and admirably

London for the coming season. If things be carried out with the proper spirit, a triumph may be anticipated the result of which will have a greater influence on the progress of art than speculators can at this time imagine. When the prospectus is issued we shall have more to say on the subject.

ROBIN HOOD AND ENGLISH MUSIC.

(From the Illustrated Times.)

CONSIDERED as an English opera-that is to say, an opera of which the music is English in style, and not merely adapted to English words-we may say at once that Robin Hood stands alone; for to say that it is the best of its class would be really nothing. Where is its class? What English operas are there of which the music (with the exception of the ballads, which have always the effect of interpolations) belong really to England, as our poetry belongs to it, and by far the greater part of our painting? These ballads all cast in the same mould-of which, in most of our operas, the soprano, the tenor and the bass sing at least two a piece, of two verses each, and the contralto one of similar dimensions—are so far English that they generally suit the English words, and that they are found only in English operas and in those of M. Flotow, who, however, cannot claim to have invented the style. They delay the action; they are tediously alike; they are, therefore, seldom in character. with the piece to which they belong, or, to speak with more propriety, in which they are introduced; nor are they written for the theatre, except in so far that the theatre is the advertising-ground of the music-publishers. We do not include in this class such airs as "The Power of Love" in "Flow on" in Lurline, which, besides being Satanella, or beautiful melodies, form essential parts of the operas in which they occur; but every one knows the musical entrées to which we allude, and which are as objectionable in English operas as are the conventional and eternally-repeated side-dishes of which "G. H. M." complains in English dinners. Still our composers are in a curious dilemma. Their operas are to be English, but are not to depend on ballads. They are to be dramatic, but are not to be imitated from the models of Italy, Germany, and France, where the operas most generally admired in Europe (including England) have been produced. That the ballads to which we have referred are English we consider beyond a doubt, or there is an end to nationality in music. Indeed, we could not help mentioning, in reviewing Mr. Chappell's excellent work, Popular English Music of the Olden Time, how similar in style some of the melodies of Queen Elizabeth's, and even of the preceding reign, were to those produced by our most successful English composers in the present day. The "Bailiff's Daughter of Islington" (second tune), with a more modern accompaniment, would not be unlike some of the ballads of Mr. Macfarren; and, "Oh! the syghes that come from my heart!" (a love song of the time of Henry VIII.), similarly re-arranged, and introduced into one of Mr. Balfe's operas as a solo for the baritone, would pass for one of that composer's happiest inspirations. The music of our English operas is generally imitated more or less from foreign models in the finales, the concerted pieces (except here and there part-songs in the old English style are introduced), and the dramatic portions generally; but the ballads have quite an English character, for we find scarcely anything like them abroad, and specimens which closely resemble them in English Music of the Olden Time.

Mr. Macfarren, however, has given an English style to

his work throughout. He was justified in doing this (which Mr. Wallace, for instance, would not have been justified in doing for Lurline) by the nature of his subject, so thoroughly English. But in writing Robin Hood Mr. Macfarren has not founded a national style of operatic music; for the same style applied to subjects not English might be found as inappropriate as the music of The Barber of Seville if adapted to Tom and Jerry. A great deal can be written and very little decided about this question of nationality of style in music. If Auber's style is French (instead of being his own, as we should say), what was that of Rameau? If "The Marseillaise" is such a thoroughly French air (as every one admits), how is it that it happens to be an importation from Germany? The Royalist song of "Pauvre Jacques" passed for French, but it was Dibdin's "Poor Jack." How is it that "Malbrook" sounds so French, and "We won't go home till morning" so English ?-an attempt, by the way, having been made to show that the airs common to both these songs were sung originally by the Spanish Moors. We fancy the great point, after all, is to write good music; and if it be written to good English words, full of English rhythm and cadence, it will, from that fact alone, derive a certain English character. In the meanwhile, Robin Hood is as English as the same composer's May Day and Christmas, and full of beautiful music into the bargain.

BERLIN. The sixty-fifth anniversary of the birth of the King of Prussia was celebrated at Berlin on the 15th. The fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the University of that city was also celebrated on the same day. In the latter ceremony all the learned associations of Germany were represented, and M. Mittermayer, a renowned jurisconsult, delivered a speech, in which he predicted that at the next fiftieth anniParliament. versary, that of 1910, Germany would be represented by her national

MISS EMMA STANLEY'S ENTERTAINMENT.-The "Seven Ages of Woman was produced at St. Martin's Hall in 1855, previous to Miss Stanley's departure from England on a professional tour "round the world," when it was pronounced one of the neatest, most tasteful, and amusing entertainments ever presented to the public. Since then Miss Stanley has visited the principal cities and towns of British North America, the United States, California, Australia, the Sandwich Islands, and India, and has now returned to her native country with all her health and spirits about her, as if she had merely been to the "sea side" for a month, and felt herself all the better for "change of air." The "Seven Ages of Woman" was written expressly for Miss Stanley by Mr. E. L. Blanchard, and depicts a lady in the various stages of her existence. We are first introduced to her in the arms of her nurse, then as a romantic school girl, who retains her skipping-rope though her sweetheart has "left her for another;" afterwards we meet with her as a schoolmistress, and then, with episodes of a French dancing-master, an Italian singing-master, and a drawling " man about town;" as a flirt, an unsophisticated country girl, full of the wisdom of her "Cousin George," and an old maid; and afterwards as Somersetshire, Scotch, Irish, and "Family Herald" maidservants, a strongminded woman, a hardworking washerwoman, with a large family; and, lastly, as an old grandmother of eighty-two, all perfect in their style. The rapid way in which Miss Stanley effects her numerous changes of costume is quite remarkable, and each fresh assumption brings a round of applause from the audience, who can scarcely believe that one person alone represents every character. We need not dwell upon the individual excellence of each of Miss Stanley's impersonations, but single out among the most effective that of the " flirt," as being as original in conception as it is perfect in execution, and the old grandmother, which is remarkably true to nature. During the course of the entertainment Miss Stanley sings numerous songs, all of which are suited to the characters represented, and we have only to object to the introduction of "Willie, we have missed you," the words of which are not at all in keeping with the rest. The lyrical part of the entertainment otherwise is exceedingly appropriate, and capitally executed. The choice of tunes for adaptation, and the original pieces introduced, bear the stamp of being selected by a musician, and are quite up to the required standard, and no one can spend a couple of hours more agreeably in the Egyptian Hall than at Miss Stanley's "Seven Ages of Woman,"