Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ... the former writers of libretti. At the present moment, Lully as you know, in all probability better than I do, is generally regarded as the father of modern Opera. For him, the Academy of Music, then called the Royal Academy, although it has been baptized and re-baptized since that period with at the least a round score of names, was originally chartered. Under his direction, it was firmly established in national favor. He wrote nineteen Operas, and as many or more Ballets for the Court, in some of which we are told that Louis XIV. took part himself. It may be marvelled, whether the music to which a great monarch condescended to execute his entre" chats, was as good as that to which Lola Montez has been recently pirouetting. Suffice it, Balfe, that I very considerably doubt it, and would lay a round wager that you agree with me. It was about one hundred years after the establishment of the Royal Academy of Music in Paris, that the celebrated musical war between the Gluckists and Piccinists took place. In fury, it ceded to no civil strife, save that of the Guelfs and Ghibellines. With less, or should I not say with no blood spilt in it, it far surpassed that in acerbity. But to those with whom Music is as Religion, it may be said, that in spite of his judgment and his genius, Gluck is no more than the St. John in the Wilderness, sent before, to herald the advent of the musical Messiah, (do not believe that I speak it irreverently, my friend) for such is Mozart. Rossini and Meyerbeer only hold, when compared with him, the positions which I have already assigned them. You must, however, allow me to say, in again speaking of Meyerbeer, that when I ranked him as the great innovator and Reformer in Music, I did not conceive that his intentions...
