rose

Charles Burney

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

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Naples


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so those of Naples have long enjoyed the
reputation of being the first contrapun-
tists
, or composers, in Europe.

Wednesday 17. This afternoon I went
to hear a musical performance at the
church of the Franciscans, where the
three Conservatorios were to furnish
music and musicians for a great festival
of eight successive days, morning and
evening*. This is a large handsome
church, but too much ornamented. The
architecture seems to be good, but it is
so be-gilt that it almost blinded me to
look at it; and in the few interstitial
parts where there is no gold, tawdry
flowers are painted in abundance.

The band was numerous, consisting
of above a hundred voices and instru-


* It is by this performance that the Conserva-
torios hold their charters; and, in consideration of
the boys playing gratis, they are exempted by the
King from all taxes upon wine and provisions,
which are paid by the other inhabitants of Naples.
ments.