rose

Charles Burney

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

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Bologna


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" must take a more plain and simple
road." These few words brought a-
bout an entire change in his manner of
singing; from this time he mixed the
pathetic with the spirited, the simple
with the sublime, and, by these means,
delighted as well as astonished every
hearer.

In the year 1734, he came into Eng-
land, where every one knows who heard,
or has heard of him, what an effect his
surprising talents had upon the audience:
it was extacy! rapture! enchantment!

In the famous air Son qual Nave, which
was composed by his brother, the first
note he sung was taken with such delica-
cy, swelled by minute degrees to such
an amazing volume, and afterwards di-
minished in the same manner to a mere
point, that it was applauded for full five
minutes. After this he set off with such
brilliancy and rapidity of execution, that
it was difficult for the violins of those
days to keep pace with him. In short,

he