Charles Burney

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

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Venice

which I have forgot the name. He cer-
tainly merits all that can be done for
him, being one of the few remaining
original geniusses of the best school per-
haps that Italy ever saw. His composi-
tions are always ingenious and natural,
and I may add, that he is a good contra-
puntist, and a friend to poetry. The first
appears by his scores, and the latter by the
melodies he sets to words, in which the
expression of his music always corresponds
with the sense of the author, and often
improves it.

His compositions for the church are
but little known in England; to me they
appear excellent*; for though many of
the airs are in the opera stile, yet, upon
occasion, he shews himself to be a very
able writer in the true church stile, which
is grave, with good harmony, good mo-
dulation, and fugues well worked.