of a more liberal education for the profession of music than has hitherto been supposed important. One of the essentials, undoubtedly, is a knowledge of the German language. A man may, indeed, make a singer or a player on an instrument without this, and without much intellectual effort or study; but to one who aims to be a liberally educated and thorough musician, a knowledge of the German is indispensable; for there are more valuable scientific and miscellaneous books on musical history, criticism, taste, and general musical literature, than in all other languages together. It is indeed true that some of these are being introduced to the English reader by translation. The recent publication of the valuable work of Marx on Musical Theory, in New York, is an example of this; but notwithstand. ing all that may be done in this way, there is a vast amount of musical knowledge that must remain inaccessible to the mere English reader for ages to come. The library of Rinck contains the most approved musical treatises, and popular works on the literature of music, that are to be found in the German language; with books of music, and especially of church music, in the greatest variety, from the sixteenth century down to the present day.

Music in the schools is better taught in Darmstadt, at the present time, than in most other places we have visited. This is probably to be attributed not so much to the school directors, as to the fact that there is in this generation a man living there, whom God has made a teacher, or rather one who, having in a high degree the natural qualifications for a teacher, has, by study, observation, and especially by experience in the strength of the Lord, made himself one. There are but very few really good teachers; for the office of a teacher is one of the most difficult to fill among men. But we have seen one here; one whose ceart is filled with the love of children, of his fellow-men, and

of communicating knowledge; one who, delighting to teach, gives himself wholly to the work. He cannot live long, for there is such a continued drawing upon his physical, intellectual, and moral being, (and the drafts are all honored, too,) that he must soon wear out. But such a man will live more, if not longer, in ten years, than many will in fifty. It is most interesting and cheering to see a really good teacher before his class. We were permitted to accompany the gentleman to whom we have alluded to several of his classes, and to witness the intercourse between teacher and pupils. He seemed to come up to our recollection of Mr. Mann's descriptions, in his famous report, when Secretary of the Board of Education of Massachusetts. Let the music teacher obtain that report, and read it, and learn what he ought to be. His method was eminently Pestalozzian, full of interest, always lively, never wearisome, filled with variety of illustration, and in all respects satisfactory. We have such teachers in America, but all are not so.

Rinck's grave is in the new cemetery. A monument of freestone, in the form of a cross, tells of his resting place. He died August 7, 1846.

As we entered the cemetery in search of the grave, we met an elderly lady, having in her hand a vase containing a rosebush, in which was a beautiful fresh and fragrant flower. We happened to meet the keeper of the grounds, or sexton, at the same moment that she also came up, and as we inquired for Rinck's grave, she said "Rinck! I, too, wish to find Rinck's grave!" So we went in company. When we had arrived at the spot, she handed the vase to the sexton, requesting him to plant it on the grave of the organist, which was carefully done. "So," said the lady; and after looking in silence for a moment at the flower and at the monument, she took her departure. On inquiry we found her to be the wife of a military Kappelmeister

residing here; and she had come out on a rainy day to pay this tribute of respect and affection to the memory of one whom, while he lived, all Darmstadt loved, and whose works now following him, all the musical world admire, Dr. CHRISTIAN HEINRICH RINCK.

LETTER XXXV.

Military Music-Schnyder von Wartensee-Prof. Schindler-Schmidt, the Pianist— Church Music-Organ Playing-Congregational Singing.

FRANKFORT, June 21, 1852.

THIS is a free or independent city, of about 70,000 inhabitants; some 6,000 or 8,000 of whom are Jews. Frankfort is the seat of the German Diet; consequently a military force of 10,000 or 12,000 soldiers is stationed here. A part of the city is elegantly built in modern style, but the old Town is the more interesting to a stranger. The streets are often very narrow, and the high old houses have often gables or projections jutting out at each story, until they almost meet in the centre at the top.

The military music is very fine. There are many bands, as Prussian, Austrian, Bavarian, and others. One of them plays daily in the square in front of the guard house; and, as each one tries to surpass the others, their performances are often carried to a high degree of perfection.

Several distinguished musicians make Frankfort their home. The SCHNYDER VON WARTENSEE, so well known not only as a learned musician, but also as a man of general literary attainments, is one of these. The Editor of the New York Musical World (R. S. Willis), knows him well, as he was for several

years his pupil.

He is now absent, spending the summer
SCHINDLER, the biographer

months in his native Switzerland.
of Beethoven, also makes Frankfort his residence. He has
many relics of Beethoven which he values very highly. He
conversed for nearly two hours, with great interest, on his fa-
vorite author and his works. He says that Beethoven is played
in quicker time now than formerly, and especially the allegros
in his Symphonies. These, he thinks, lose much of their true
effect by the quickness of the time in which they are played.
The first violin, or the leading melody, is heard, but the inner
parts lose their efficiency. He thinks Mendelssohn has injured
Beethoven, by giving his great influence in favor of the quicker
movement. He illustrated and proved his remarks on the de-
gree of quickness with which Beethoven himself directed his
own compositions, by anecdotes of Hummel, Hiller, Czerny,
and others, who all agreed as to the general fact. He makes
the same remark, also, with reference to Mozart and Haydn.
There can be no doubt that the time is now taken quicker, in
the performance of the compositions of these masters, than it
was when they themselves directed it; but it is doubtful
whether it will be restored. Modern associations and habits
seem to require the change; and, it is not improbable that, had
Beethoven lived, he too might have changed with the times.
Herr Schindler remarked, that in Paris he has heard Beethoven
played with very great perfection, notwithstanding the quick-
ness of the time. The inner parts were there distinctive and
clear, but generally it is not so.

ALOYS SCHMIDT, a fine pianist of the old school, and the teacher of both the Messrs. Lange of Boston, also resides here. He still plays in public occasionally.

By a recent act of the Government all places of business are closed on the Sabbath; so that, on this day, Frankfort appears

much more like an English or American, than like a German city. The act is said to have originated rather from some political considerations, than from a religious regard to the day.

All the churches have organs, but there is no choir in any of them, so that the singing is, as in most other German places, exclusively congregational. Of the several specimens we have heard, the best, perhaps, was at the Reformed. Church. The building is in good taste and convenient, being in size and form much like one of our larger city churches. It is quite free, however, from all those appearances of finery, or attempts at display or show, which we sometimes see in our American churches, and which are always unbecoming; while, on the other hand, there is nothing of the rudeness or coarseness which is to be seen in some of the Swiss churches. It seats, probably, from 1,200 to 1,500 persons, and was, when we were present, quite full. The centre of the house, below, was occupied by women; and the outside or wall slips, by men. The galleries, on both sides, were occupied exclusively by men. The organ is large, extending nearly across the end of the house; one man (precentor) leads the singing, aided by some twenty girls and boys, whose voices could hardly be heard. The organ was played in fine church style, with dignity, elevation, and firmness. It is certainly a great relief to hear these German organs (or many of them) played without the least attempt at showing off stops, or at that prettiness which seeks to please or tickle, without elegance or grandeur; and also entirely free from an evercontinued and sickening seesaw of the swell, thought to be so exquisitely fine by some organists in England and America. That the swell may be tastefully used we do not doubt; but, its abuse is so much more frequent than its judicious use, even by some who are otherwise truly good organists, that it is al