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and gilt. These four organs are all alike;
there are no pannels to the frames, but the
pipes are seen on three sides of a square.
There are on common days forty per-
formers employed in the service of this
church; eight violins, four violetti or
tenors, four violoncellos, four double
bases, and four wind instruments, with
sixteen voices. There are eight castrati
in salary, among whom is Signor Gaetano
Guadagni, who, for taste, expression, fi-
gure, and action, is at the head of his
profession. His appointment is four hun-
dred ducats a year, for which he is re-
quired to attend only at the four principal
festivals. The first violin has the same
salary. The second soprano, Signor Ca-
sati, has a feeble voice, but is reckoned
to sing with infinite taste and expression.
The famous Antonio Vandini is the prin-
cipal violoncello, and Matteo Bissioli Bres-
ciano the first hautbois in this select band.
Signor Francesco Antonio Valloti, the
Maestro di Capella, is a native of Piedmont;
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