DUSSEK’s works, ingenious, refined, and beautiful as they are, now are rarely heard. Perhaps the two specimens we have in the present Number given of his composition, may make his name known to some of the younger amateurs of the day, who are probably acquainted with no other music than arrangements of Rossini’s operas, a little of Mozart, done into quadrilles, and much of Herz and Czerny.

Handel’s Musette (the word signifies a bag-pipe) is written for an orchestra, but of stringed instruments only. It is one of the lovely compositions of this great master which are only known to the frequenters of the Ancient Concerts.

The Romance of Hummel is from his heroi-comic opera, Mathilde von Guise. We have reprinted it from the original Leipzig edition, but omitted the German words. This is the most popular piece in the opera.

The masterly Madrigal by Wilbye is from the edition published by Mr. Warren, editor of the celebrated collection of Glees, &c. Wilbye, Sir John Hawkins tells us, was ‘a teacher of music, who dwelt in Austin Friars, about the year 1598.’ His compositions are inferior to those of none of his contemporaries, and his madrigal for five voices, ‘Flora gave me fairest flowers,’ has hardly an equal in sweetness of melody, in rich unaffected harmony, and in admirable contrivance of the parts.

The air of Gluck immediately follows, or rather opens out of, the overture to IphigÉnie, as an addition to which it is always performed at the Ancient Concerts, arranged for a full band by Mr. Greatorex. This charming melody has very recently been published in a collection (see Harmonicon for March last, page 60,) as a ‘Bohemian air,’ and marked allegretto!

The song by Pelham Humphrey is melodiously plaintive, but the air certainly is not suited to the two cheerful verses, however well adapted to those that complain. Our accompaniment is drawn from inference, as we had only a treble and unfigured base to direct us. However, the composer’s intentions are pretty obvious. Humphrey was born in 1647, and brought up in the King’s Chapel, of which he was admitted a gentleman in 1666, and died in 1674.

Concerning the march and its author, we beg to refer the reader to our Review for the present month.