teacher, conductor, and organiser was perhaps even more
beneficial to the development of the musical art in Poland than
that as a composer. After founding and conducting several musical
societies, he became in 1821 director of the then opened
Conservatorium, at the head of which he continued to the end of
its existence in 1830. To complete the idea of the man, we must
not omit to mention his essay In how far is the Polish language
suitable for music? As few of his compositions have been heard
outside of Poland, and these few long ago, rarely, and in few
places, it is difficult to form a satisfactory opinion with
regard to his position as a composer. Most accounts, however,
agree in stating that he wrote in the style of the modern
Italians, that is to say, what were called the modern Italians in
the later part of the last and the earlier part of this century.
Elsner tried his strength and ability in all genres, from
oratorio, opera, and symphony, down to pianoforte variations,
rondos, and dances, and in none of them did he fail to be
pleasing and intelligible, not even where, as especially in his
sacred music, he made use--a sparing use--of contrapuntal
devices, imitations, and fugal treatment. The naturalness,
fluency, effectiveness, and practicableness which distinguish his
writing for voices and instruments show that he possessed a
thorough knowledge of their nature and capability. It was,
therefore, not an empty rhetorical phrase to speak of him
initiating his pupils "a la science du contre-point et aux effets
d'une savante instrumentation."

[FOOTNOTE: "The productions of Elsner," says Fetis, "are in the
style of Paer and Mayer's music. In his church music there is a
little too much of modern and dramatic forms; one finds in them