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TOC
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Indeed what he played during the offer-
torio, which lasted six or eight minutes,
seemed too stiff and regular for a volun-
tary.
Several motets, or services, were per-
formed by the choir, but accompanied
oftner by the serpent than organ: indeed,
at my first entrance into the French
churches, I have frequently taken the
serpent for an organ; but soon found it
had in its effect something better and
something worse than that instrument.
These compositions are much in the way
of our old church services, full of fugues
and imitation; with more contrivance
and labour than melody. I am more and more
convinced every day, that what
I have before observed concerning the
adapting the English words to the old
canto fermo, by Tallis, at the Reforma-
tion, is true; and it seems to me that
music, in our cathedral service, was less
reformed than any other part of the
liturgy.
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