the well-known composer Lesueur, is said to have lent a helping hand. A collection of twelve French songs, with pianoforte accompaniment, entitled 'Romances mises en musique par Hortense, Duchesse de Saint Leu (Ex-Reine de Hollande),' has been published in London. The first song in the collection is 'Le beau Dunois,' better known, from the commencement of the first verse, as 'Partant pour la Syrie.' These compositions are rather cleverly written, and evince a greater practical experience than is usually found among musical amateurs. Hence may have arisen the impression, perhaps erroneous, that 'Partant pour la Syrie' is the work of two composers—the royal and a professional one. The Marseillaise' dates from the year 1792. Its composer was Rouget de l'Isle (born in 1760, died in 1836). He likewise has had his claim to the authorship of his composition at various times impugned. In a recent communication to a German periodical, 'Die Gartenlaube,' we are told that the real composer of this deservedly famous tune was Holtzmann, a musician of the last century, who resided at Meersburg, and who has left a Mass in manuscript, written in or before the year 1776, in which the identical melody is to be found. Again, there exists an old German national song about a "noble robber," which concludes with the same section of four bars which forms the commencement of the 'Marseillaise.' But, as we do not know exactly how old this "old tune" is, it may possibly be younger than the composition of Rouget de l'Isle. Besides, considering the enormous number of German national tunes-there cannot be fewer than 2000 in the published collections, it is not surprising that we should find in one or other of them a phrase or sentence which is similar to one in a tune of a foreign country.† * See Athenæum, January to June, 1861. † In a communication published in the musical journal entitled 'Cæcilia' (Band xxvii; Mainz, 1848, p. 208), a writer states that he has formed a manuscript collection of German popular melodies amounting to the number of 4000. As, however, this collection appears, from the writer's own statement, to include many tunes which ought properly to be considered as varieties of the same tune, the number might undoubtedly be much reduced. As regards the origin of the celebrated song, 'Marlborough,' or Chanson de Malbrouk,' as the French call it, there exists a tradition that the melody was derived from the East, and that it was carried to France by the Crusaders. But, according to more general opinion, the Arabs originally adopted it from the French. Thus much is certain: it has long been known and is still popular in several Eastern countries. Dodwell heard it sung in Constantinople, and also in towns of Greece. He takes it for granted that the melody was introduced into Constantinople by the Franks. Villoteau met with it in Egypt, where, he was told, it had formerly been sung to other words than those used at the time when he visited that country. All he could ascertain respecting its origin was that, according to usual opinion, it was introduced into Egypt by merchants from Greece. Villoteau evidently took it as an established fact that France must have been the country in which it originated. There are, however, several Arabic airs which somewhat resemble it in construction. Besides, considering the tastes and predilections of the two nations, it appears much more likely that the French would adopt a national tune of the Arabs, than that the latter should have adopted it from hearing it sung by their French visitors, with whom they felt no sympathy, but who were generally distasteful to them as foreigners and Christians. And further, in almost every instance where we meet with a musical instrument, scale, or composition appertaining to both Asiatic and European people, we may be sure that it originated in the East. This can often be distinctly traced. For the sake of comparison, I shall insert here the French Malbrouk melody with the Arabic one, the latter in the notation of Villoteau as he heard the air sung in Egypt.‡ *See A Classical and Topographical Tour through Greece, by Edward Dodwell; London, 1819, vol. ii. p. 17. †The Eastern designation of Franks, it must be remembered, applies not only to Frenchmen, but to western Europeans in general. I retain here Villoteau's manner of notation, which he has adopted to indicate the minute intervals peculiar to the Arabic system. He used the sign + for raising a note a one-third-tone. The interval thus marked in the above example is therefore lower than F-sharp. The same tune, but slightly different, is also usually performed by the Egyptians on the Zamr, a kind of Oboe, at weddings, while the bride is being conducted through her apartments. On this occasion it is played, according to Villoteau's notation, as follows. EGYPTIAN WEDDING MUSIC. Prelude. 6 AIR. The most widely known of all Hungarian tunes is perhaps the celebrated Rákótzy March. On the whole it may be taken as fairly representing the characteristics of Hungarian music. There are however some older compositions extant, bearing the name of Rákótzy, which exhibit even more strongly the true character of Hungarian national music. They date from the beginning of the last century, when the Transylvanian prince Franz Rákótzy unsuccessfully opposed the power of Austria. The prohibition by the Austrian government of the performance of the Rákótzy March on public occasions, and the confiscation of the printed copies in the music shops, have undoubtedly given an additional stimulus to the preservation of the cherished tune in the hearts of the people. |