to a
certain extent, satisfactory, and we receive it thankfully. But a
great deal of the writing is far ahead of the age in which it was
written; it reminds one now of Weber, now of Schumann. Why, one may
ask, did not the editor indicate the additions in smaller notes? Then
it would have been possible to see exactly what the elder Rust had
written, and what the younger Rust had added. At present one can only
marvel at some of the writing, and long to know how much of it really
belongs to the composer. It appears that Rust, as editor of his
grandfather's work, had some intention of describing his editions,
etc., but death, which frequently prevents the best intentioned plans,
intervened.

The "Sonata Erotica" is noticeable, generally, for its charm, poetry,
and spontaneity. The first movement, an Allegro moderato, is in
sonata-form. The second, in the key of the relative minor, entitled
Fantasie, has in it more of the spirit of Beethoven than of Emanuel
Bach. The Finale is in rondo form; the middle section consists of a
playful Duettino, containing free imitations.

The next sonata (1777), in D flat, opens with a graceful Allegretto,
and closes with a Tempo di Minuetto, which, for the most part, points
backward rather than forward. The slow movement, Adagio sostenuto, is,
however, of a higher order than either of these. It has Beethovenish
breadth and dignity, yet lacks the power of the Bonn master: those
magic touches by which the latter makes us feel his genius, and
secures gradation of interest up to the very close of a movement. This
Adagio, however, were the date of its composition unknown, might pass
for a very clever imitation of Beethoven's style.

In 1784, Rust wrote two sonatas, one in F sharp minor, the other in B
flat minor. The latter consists of three movements, and the music,
especially in the Adagio in E flat minor, bears traces of the great
Bach; still there are passages which sound more modern even in this
very Adagio, which points so clearly to him as the source of
inspiration. The modern element, however, admits of explanation, for
Haydn and Mozart, at the time in which the sonata was written, had
appeared in the musical firmament. But in the works we are about to
mention, the composer suggests Beethoven, Weber, and even Schumann. In
writing about Clementi, we were compelled frequently, and at the risk
of wearying our readers, to call attention to foreshadowings of both
the letter and spirit of Be