Charles Burney

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

London: T. Becket and Co., 1773

Paris

Sunday, June 17. I went to St.
Rocque, to hear the celebrated M. Bal-
bastre, organist of that church, as well
as of Notre Dame and of the Concert
Spirituel *. I had sent the day before to
enquire when M. Balbastre would play,
as a stranger from England was very cu-
rious to hear him. He was so obliging
as to say he should be glad to see me at
his house, or would attend me at St.
Rocque, between three and four o'clock.
I preferred the latter, as I thought it
would give him the least trouble, sup-
posing he would, of course, be at church;
but I found he was not expected there,
and that it was in complaisance that he
came. He very politely took me up
into the organ-loft with him, where I
could see as well as hear. The organ
is an immense instrument, made not
above twenty years ago; it has four
sets of keys, with pedals; the great and