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Show 520 THE CODE OF TERPSICHORE. composer is yoked with a mediocre poet, to avoid the disgrace that awaits the latter, he endeavours to shine unaided by that which alone should inspire him. The musician cannot be blamed for not reducing himself to the level of a wretched rhymer; but he would have merited praise, had he avoided a connexion, the united productions of which must ever remain imperfect and unequal. H o w frequently may this remark be heard, " The music is good, but the words are indifferent." Music should be " married to immortal verse," but unhappy are the consequences for both, when the match is unequal: the merit of the worthy party is thrown into the shade by the vulgarity of the other. W h e n verse, intrincically good, is united to music almost faultless, then must they become " a blessed pair." If the musician ought to be cautious in his choice of poetry, the Ballet-master should act in the same manner, if he would avoid a fall. The musician must continually subject his talent to express the sense of the words or action for which he is composing; they will always impart an interesting character to his productions. There should be between him and the poet a kind of amicable contest, as to who shall best delineate feeling, sentiment and passion; and the happy result will be a production purely dramatic, instead of a concert composition. W h e n the Ballet composer gives his instructions to the musician, the latter must consider him as his poet, and proceed accordingly. In the works of the great original Italian masters may be found models of what is truly beautiful: to prove this, study Jomelli, Sarti, Buranello, Sacchini, Guglielmi, Piccini, Paesiello, and Cimarosa; they have ever preserved the appropriate distinction between the comic and the elevated styles ; they have strictly observed the rank, characters, and names of the persons whom they have caused to act and sing |
