The English composer and concert producer William Gardiner published The Music of Nature in 1832 in order to explain the 'true principles of musical taste and expression' by listening to the 'germs of melody' in nature. In this book, he musically notates the sounds of oxen, a Newfoundland dog, a blackbird, a cooing dove and even an angry child in an attempt to amalgamate natural history, personal observation, and historical anecdotes with his passion for music. Gardiner, who introduced Beethoven's music to Britain, discusses his ideas in 51 chapters. The book sets out his general beliefs about the adaptability of the human ear, the differences between noise and sound, singing and oratory, and the musicality of ordinary language. He also discusses many noted singers of his day and delves into the different techniques used by singers and instrumentalists to elicit emotion in their audiences.
Contents
Preface; 1. On the faculties of the ear; 2. Noise and sound; 3. The voice; 4. Speaking; 5. Language; 6. Oratory; 7. Singing; 8. Air, ballad, bravura and recitative; 9. Vocal performers; 10. Graces; 11. The violin; 12. Birds; 13. Pianoforte; 14. Insects; 15. Violoncello; 16. Bells; 17. Oboe; 18. Singing out of tune; 19. Psalmody; 20. Singing at sight; 21. Echoes; 22. The flute; 23. London cries; 24. The horn; 25. The harp; 26. The organ; 27. The clarionet; 28. The orchestra; 29. The trombone; 30. Loud and soft; 31. The trumpet; 32. Accompaniment; 33. The bassoon; 34. Drums; 35. Roar of storms; 36. Ominous sounds; 37. Harmony and melody; 38. Thorough bass; 39. Modulation; 40. Composition; 41. Phraseology; 42. On the different keys; 43. Rhythm; 44. Dance; 45. Tuning; 46. National song; 47. Singing conducive to health; 48. Analysis of the utterance; 49. Analysis of the alphabet; 50. Rhythm in language; 51. Quantity.
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