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Charles Burney

The Present State of Music in France and Italy (2nd, corrected edition)

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Padua


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On my arrival at Padua I was extreme-
ly desirous of seeing the famous church
of Saint Antonio, as well as of hearing
the service performed in it; and, sup-
posing my Reader to be possessed of a
small portion of my impatience, I shall
hasten to give him a short description of
this fabrick, and an account of its musi-
cal establishments.

It is a large old Gothic building, and
is called here by way of excellence, il
Santo
the Saint. It has six domes or
cupolas, of which the two largest com-
pose the nave; but though it is only the
second church in rank, it is the first in
fame and veneration at Padua. It is ex-
tremely rich, and so much ornamented,
as to appear crowded with paintings and
sculpture. At the entrance into the
choir the majestic appearance of four im-
mense organs is very striking, of which
the front pipes are so highly polished
as to have the appearance of burnished
silver; the frames too are riched carved

and