[91] Kyrie, the first Word of the Mass-Musick in the Cathedral Stile, is not so difficult to them as the Cantata's; and the Latin in the Service, being familiar to them, saves them the Trouble of attending to the Words.

[92] Thomas Morley (who lived above an hundred Years ago) in the third Part of his Treatise, pag. 179, speaking of Motetts or Anthems, complains thus:—'But I see not what Passions or Motions it can stir up, being as most Men doe commonlie Sing,—leaving out the Ditty—as it were a Musick made onely for Instruments, which will indeed shew the Nature of the Musick, but never carry the Spirit and (as it were) that lively Soule which the Ditty giveth; but of this enough. And to return to the expressing of the Ditty, the Matter is now come to that State, that though a Song be never so wel made, and never so aptly applyed to the Words, yet shall you hardly find Singers to expresse it as it ought to be; for most of our Church-men, (so they crie louder in the Quire then their Fellowes) care for no more; whereas, by the contrarie, they ought to study how to vowel and sing clean expressing their Words with Devotion and Passion, whereby to draw the Hearer as it were in Chaines of Gold by the Eares to the Consideration of holy Things. But this, for the most part, you shall find amongst them, that let them continue never so long in the Church, yea though it were twentie Years, they will never study to sing better than they did the first Day of their Preferment to that Place; so that it seems, that having obtained the Living which they sought for, they have little or no Care at all, either of their own Credit, or well discharging of that Dutie whereby they have their Maintenance.'

[93] In Italy, the Courts of Palma, Modena, Turin, &c. and in Germany, the Courts of Vienna, Bavaria, Hanover, Brandenbourg, Palatine, Saxony, &c.

[94] There have been such, who valued themselves for shaking a Room, breaking the Windows, and stunning the Auditors with their Voice.

[95] The renowned Abbot Steffani, so famous for his Duetto's, would never suffer such luxuriant Singers to perform any of them, unless they kept themselves within Bounds.

[96] Nicolini, who came the first time into England about the Year 1708, had both Qualities, more than any that have come since. He acted to Perfection, and did not sing much inferior. His Variations in the Airs were excellent; but in his Cadences he had a little of the antiquated Tricks. Valentini, (who was here at the same Time) a Scholar of Pistochi, though not so powerful in Voice or Action as Nicolini, was more chaste in his Singing.

[97] The two Women, he points at, are Cuzzoni and Faustina.

[98] The Carnaval is a Festival in Italy, particularly celebrated at Venice from Christmas to Lent, when all Sorts of Diversions are permitted; and at that Time there are sometimes three different Theatres for Opera's only.

[99] Our Author has often mentioned Time; the Regard to it, the Strictness of it, and how much it is neglected and unobserv'd. In this Place speaking of stealing the Time, it regards particularly the Vocal, or the Performance on a single Instrument in the Pathetick and Tender; when the Bass goes an exactly regular Pace, the other Part retards or anticipates in a singular Manner, for the Sake of Expression, but after That returns to its Exactness, to be guided by the Bass. Experience and Taste must teach it. A mechanical Method of going on with the Bass will easily distinguish the Merit of the other Manner.

[100] A farther Animadversion against imitating Instruments with the Voice.

[101] Many Graces may be very good and proper for a Violin, that would be very improper for a Hautboy; and so with every Species of Instruments that have something peculiar. It is a very great Error (too much in Practice) for the Voice, (which should serve as a Standard to be imitated by Instruments,) to copy all the Tricks practised on the several Instruments, to its greatest Detriment.

[102] Passo and Passagio. The Difference is, that a Passo is a sudden Grace or Flight, not uniform. See Pl. VI. Numb. 5. A Passagio is a Division, a Continuation, or a Succession of Notes, ascending or descending with Uniformity. See Pl. VI. Numb. 6.

[103] This alludes to the French Manner of Singing, from whence that Defect is copy'd.

[104] The Time he alludes to, is at present between thirty and forty Years ago.

[105] Compare this Section with Section 41 in this Chapter and the Note.

[106] This is a Fault more than once heard of, in Oratario's or Motetts.

[107] See Example, Pl. VI. Numb. 7.

[108] Faustina and Cuzzoni, they both having within these few Years been in England, there needs no other Remark to be made on them, but to inform Futurity, that the English Audience distinguish'd them Both and at the same time, according to their Merit, and as our Author has describ'd them.

It may be worth remarking, that Castilione, who lived above two hundred Years ago, in his Cortegiano, describes Bidon, and Marchetto Cara, two famous Singers in his Time, with the same distinguishing Qualifications.

[109] See Examples, Pl. VI. Numb. 8 and 9.

THE END